Nikon aims to expand its reach in the cinematography business. The company revealed that it entered into an agreement to acquire cinematography camera maker Red, which would become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nikon. Terms and value of the deal weren’t disclosed.
“Nikon will leverage this acquisition to expand the fast-growing professional digital cinema camera market, building on both companies’ business foundations and networks, promising an exciting future of product development that will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in film and video production,” the company said in the announcement. “Nikon’s expertise in product development, exceptional reliability, and know-how in image processing, as well as optical technology and user interface along with Red’s knowledge in cinema cameras, including unique image compression technology and color science, will enable the development of distinctive products.”
Red cameras have been selected by leading cinematographers such as Erik Messerschmidt, who...
“Nikon will leverage this acquisition to expand the fast-growing professional digital cinema camera market, building on both companies’ business foundations and networks, promising an exciting future of product development that will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in film and video production,” the company said in the announcement. “Nikon’s expertise in product development, exceptional reliability, and know-how in image processing, as well as optical technology and user interface along with Red’s knowledge in cinema cameras, including unique image compression technology and color science, will enable the development of distinctive products.”
Red cameras have been selected by leading cinematographers such as Erik Messerschmidt, who...
- 3/7/2024
- by Carolyn Giardina
- Variety Film + TV
The winners of the 77th annual BAFTA Awards were revealed on February 18, just four days before Oscar voters begin weighing in with their choices for the winners of the 96th annual Academy Awards. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has approximately 10,000 voting members as does the motion picture academy.
The BAFTAs and Oscars have 19 categories in common. Last year, they agreed on just seven races, all of which were below-the line. The BAFTA Awards went all in on “All Quiet on the Western Front” awarding it a lucky seven wins including Best Picture and Best Director while the Academy Awards did the same for “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” And none of the four BAFTA acting winners took to the podium at the Oscars.
Conversely in 2022, the two academies aligned in 15 races. The exceptions were Best Picture (the Oscars went with the BAFTA-snubbed “Coda” while the Brits loved...
The BAFTAs and Oscars have 19 categories in common. Last year, they agreed on just seven races, all of which were below-the line. The BAFTA Awards went all in on “All Quiet on the Western Front” awarding it a lucky seven wins including Best Picture and Best Director while the Academy Awards did the same for “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” And none of the four BAFTA acting winners took to the podium at the Oscars.
Conversely in 2022, the two academies aligned in 15 races. The exceptions were Best Picture (the Oscars went with the BAFTA-snubbed “Coda” while the Brits loved...
- 2/18/2024
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Director Michael Mann and Dp Erik Messerschmidt needed a bunch of cinema cameras to be attached to very fast cars. Hence, they have decided to use a combination of Red Komodo and a prototype version of the Sony Venice 2 Rialto 2 Extension System, to deliver these fast-epic shots from the racing tracks straight to the big screen.
The cameras and lenses behind Ferrari Ferrari: Directed by Mann, filmed by Messerschmidt
Ferrari is a 2023 American biographical sports drama film directed by Michael Mann. The film follows the personal and professional struggles of Enzo Ferrari, the Italian founder of the car manufacturer Ferrari during the summer of 1957. The film was originally set to premiere on the streaming service Showtime, but it was eventually released in the United States theatrically on December 25, 2023, by Neon. Principal photography led by Dp Erik Messerschmidt, began on August 2022 in Modena. Filming occurred also in Brescia in early October.
The cameras and lenses behind Ferrari Ferrari: Directed by Mann, filmed by Messerschmidt
Ferrari is a 2023 American biographical sports drama film directed by Michael Mann. The film follows the personal and professional struggles of Enzo Ferrari, the Italian founder of the car manufacturer Ferrari during the summer of 1957. The film was originally set to premiere on the streaming service Showtime, but it was eventually released in the United States theatrically on December 25, 2023, by Neon. Principal photography led by Dp Erik Messerschmidt, began on August 2022 in Modena. Filming occurred also in Brescia in early October.
- 1/17/2024
- by Yossy Mendelovich
- YMCinema
The Killer begins with an assassin (Michael Fassbender) in a half-completed WeWork office awaiting the arrival of his latest target. As he waits, he details his vocational mantras for the audience in voiceover: stick to the plan. Don’t improvise. Never yield an advantage. Forbid empathy. Fassbender proceeds to miss his shot and spends the rest of the film breaking each and every one of those tenets in the chaotic aftermath. Many of the pieces written about the film have pointed out perceived similarities between the film’s methodical, detail-oriented titular character and the perfectionist reputation of its director, David Fincher. However, […]
The post “David Initially Said, ‘What if We Do the Whole Movie Handheld?'”: Dp Erik Messerschmidt on The Killer first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “David Initially Said, ‘What if We Do the Whole Movie Handheld?'”: Dp Erik Messerschmidt on The Killer first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/11/2024
- by Matt Mulcahey
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The Killer begins with an assassin (Michael Fassbender) in a half-completed WeWork office awaiting the arrival of his latest target. As he waits, he details his vocational mantras for the audience in voiceover: stick to the plan. Don’t improvise. Never yield an advantage. Forbid empathy. Fassbender proceeds to miss his shot and spends the rest of the film breaking each and every one of those tenets in the chaotic aftermath. Many of the pieces written about the film have pointed out perceived similarities between the film’s methodical, detail-oriented titular character and the perfectionist reputation of its director, David Fincher. However, […]
The post “David Initially Said, ‘What if We Do the Whole Movie Handheld?'”: Dp Erik Messerschmidt on The Killer first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “David Initially Said, ‘What if We Do the Whole Movie Handheld?'”: Dp Erik Messerschmidt on The Killer first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/11/2024
- by Matt Mulcahey
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
As we continue to explore the best in 2023, today we’re taking a look at the articles that you, our dear readers, enjoyed the most throughout the past twelve months. Spanning reviews, interviews, features, podcasts, news, and trailers, check out the highlights below and return for more year-end coverage as well as a glimpse into 2024.
Most-Read Reviews
1. Body Parts
2. The Exorcist: Believer
3. Barbie
4. Beau Is Afraid
5. Priscilla
6. Suzume
7. Hypnotic
8. No Hard Feelings
9. The Zone of Interest
10. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Most-Read Interviews
1. Claire Simon on Capturing the Female Body and What Sets Her Apart From Frederick Wiseman
2. “I Don’t Think Directors Should Be Amenable”: Erik Messerschmidt on Shooting The Killer and David Fincher’s Simple Process
3. Richard Kelly on Creative Heartbreak, Political Cinema, and Future Projects
4. Christopher Blauvelt on May December, Formatting for Netflix and 35mm, and Life Lessons from Harris Savides
5. Brandon Cronenberg on Infinity Pool,...
Most-Read Reviews
1. Body Parts
2. The Exorcist: Believer
3. Barbie
4. Beau Is Afraid
5. Priscilla
6. Suzume
7. Hypnotic
8. No Hard Feelings
9. The Zone of Interest
10. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Most-Read Interviews
1. Claire Simon on Capturing the Female Body and What Sets Her Apart From Frederick Wiseman
2. “I Don’t Think Directors Should Be Amenable”: Erik Messerschmidt on Shooting The Killer and David Fincher’s Simple Process
3. Richard Kelly on Creative Heartbreak, Political Cinema, and Future Projects
4. Christopher Blauvelt on May December, Formatting for Netflix and 35mm, and Life Lessons from Harris Savides
5. Brandon Cronenberg on Infinity Pool,...
- 1/1/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
David Fincher‘s “The Killer” and Michael Mann‘s “Ferrari” are two of the most visually sophisticated films of the fall season, though their approaches are as different as those two directors’ sensibilities. “The Killer” is icy and deglamorized where “Ferrari” is smoking hot and visceral; Fincher puts his character under a microscope for the audience to study like a microbe, while Mann wants the audience in the driver’s seat with his passionate and committed characters. What the two films have in common is an attention to light, color, and framing as expressive tools that is exceptional in its precision; few movies in recent memory have guided the viewer’s eye in such an intentional and affecting manner. That’s because of something else these movies share: cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt.
Just seven years ago, Messerschmidt was a respected gaffer on series like “Mad Men” and “Bones.” That changed when,...
Just seven years ago, Messerschmidt was a respected gaffer on series like “Mad Men” and “Bones.” That changed when,...
- 12/28/2023
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Plot: On the verge of bankruptcy, Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) enters his racing team in the 1957 Mille Miglia.
Review: Ferrari is the only movie to come out this year that can say it sports a screenplay credit by a writer who’s been dead for fourteen years. Indeed, director Michael Mann has been trying to get his Ferrari movie off the ground for at least the last twenty years. He came close about eight years ago, with Christian Bale set to lead what would have been a big-budget version of the story. But, in the years since, the industry has changed, with Mann having to contend with a leaner budget to make his long-held passion project. Rather than compromise his vision, the potentially reduced scope helps make this one of his most intimate and involving films, harkening back to the days of The Insider.
Adam Driver is well-cast as Enzo Ferrari.
Review: Ferrari is the only movie to come out this year that can say it sports a screenplay credit by a writer who’s been dead for fourteen years. Indeed, director Michael Mann has been trying to get his Ferrari movie off the ground for at least the last twenty years. He came close about eight years ago, with Christian Bale set to lead what would have been a big-budget version of the story. But, in the years since, the industry has changed, with Mann having to contend with a leaner budget to make his long-held passion project. Rather than compromise his vision, the potentially reduced scope helps make this one of his most intimate and involving films, harkening back to the days of The Insider.
Adam Driver is well-cast as Enzo Ferrari.
- 12/25/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
And what’s that zooming toward the multiplex? Why, it’s yet another true-life sports film, and it’s comin’ in hot. Yes, it’s a whole lot faster than the rowing movie, as it is set in the world of auto racing. And unlike the other racing flick this year, Gran Turismo, there’s no video gaming involved as the bulk of it takes place over sixty-five years ago. Oh, and the director of this new film has been making some of the most interesting and stylish action epics over the last five decades. He’s focused on one year in a man’s life synonymous with the sport, so it could be considered a biography. Even after all this time that name resonates throughout the world in general. Sure it’s now a brand name, but behind all the iconic autos was the man named Enzo Ferrari.
This...
This...
- 12/24/2023
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
There’s scene about two thirds of the was through Michael Mann’s Venice hit in which a young woman is seated at a dressing table, reading. Too subtly for the eye to track, the lighting shifts over the course of the scene so that her golden hair fades towards white and her moist skin loses its shine, her eyes acquiring shadows. It’s a tiny detail in a film full of brilliant work (a fair bit of which can be attributed to cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt), but it perfectly encapsulates the genius of Mann’s filmmaking. This film is uneven, slow to build, and not always successful at a dramatic level, but in other regards it is a triumphant return to form.
The thing is, anyone who knows what to expect from Mann will be prepared to exercise some patience, and that patience will be rewarded. We spend a lot of time listening to.
The thing is, anyone who knows what to expect from Mann will be prepared to exercise some patience, and that patience will be rewarded. We spend a lot of time listening to.
- 12/24/2023
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Adam Driver in FerrariPhoto: Lorenzo Sisti/Neon
With Ferrari, director Michael Mann pops the hood and takes a look at the engine powering one man’s journey towards icon status during a tumultuous time. Through this titular, fallible protagonist, the audacious auteur explores many of his favorite recurring themes about the male identity,...
With Ferrari, director Michael Mann pops the hood and takes a look at the engine powering one man’s journey towards icon status during a tumultuous time. Through this titular, fallible protagonist, the audacious auteur explores many of his favorite recurring themes about the male identity,...
- 12/22/2023
- by Courtney Howard
- avclub.com
A lot of directors make great movies — but Michael Mann creates great experiences, films that give the audience an almost tactile sense of what his characters are feeling and thinking down to the smallest perceptible detail. In his debut feature “Thief” he took the viewer through every aspect of safecracking, from the tools and the process to the precise cocktail of emotions the title character felt in both moments of success and catastrophic failure. In “Manhunter,” Mann found visual and aural corollaries for the experience of an FBI profiler putting himself in the mindset of a serial killer, persuading the viewer to link their perspective to that of the profiler in the same way the profiler was linking his to his subject. Mann’s greatest film, “Heat,” takes the raw materials of a cops-and-robbers action flick and approaches them so realistically that it takes three hours to cover all the...
- 12/21/2023
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Weekly Commentary: The National Board of Review, New York Film Critics and Los Angeles Film Critics Association chose three different cinematographers for their picks as the best of the year.
Rodrigo Prieto won a combination prize from NBR for his work on “Barbie...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Weekly Commentary: The National Board of Review, New York Film Critics and Los Angeles Film Critics Association chose three different cinematographers for their picks as the best of the year.
Rodrigo Prieto won a combination prize from NBR for his work on “Barbie...
- 12/10/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
"I'm not a serial killer, I'm somebody who solves a problem for somebody else." Yep. Netflix has debuted a 3-minute behind-the-scenes look at David Fincher's The Killer, his assassin thriller from this year that's now streaming on Netflix worldwide. Fincher is notoriously quiet about the behind-the-scenes, so it's nice to get any time with him as he talks about the process of making this. Even though the film has already been out for a month, after premiering at the Venice Film Festival in September, it's still part of the conversation this December during the awards season. The first video below comes from Netflix featuring Fincher himself discussing everything about making The Killer starring Michael Fassbender. The second video below is with his cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt for an interview where he explains the opening scenes and how they filmed it. The third video comes from a cinema equipment house called Cvp,...
- 12/8/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
“A cinematographer is a visual psychiatrist–moving an audience through a movie […] making them think the way you want them to think, painting pictures in the dark,” said the late, great Gordon Willis. As our year-end coverage continues, we must pay dues. From talented newcomers to seasoned professionals, we’ve rounded up the examples that have most impressed us this year.
All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (Jomo Fray)
Raven Jackson’s directorial debut All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt slows down the cycle of life. The camera rests on hands, on backs, on people connected through touch, sound, and smell. There isn’t any rush, any intention to leave these moments. Jackson and cinematographer Jomo Fray find beauty, grace, and life in two people holding hands, dancing, skinning a fish, and the trees passing while a family drives down the road. The film doesn’t just feel like a...
All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (Jomo Fray)
Raven Jackson’s directorial debut All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt slows down the cycle of life. The camera rests on hands, on backs, on people connected through touch, sound, and smell. There isn’t any rush, any intention to leave these moments. Jackson and cinematographer Jomo Fray find beauty, grace, and life in two people holding hands, dancing, skinning a fish, and the trees passing while a family drives down the road. The film doesn’t just feel like a...
- 12/6/2023
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Here’s the latest episode of The Filmmakers Podcast, part of the podcast roster here on Nerdly. If you haven’t heard the show yet, you can check out previous episodes on the official podcast site, whilst we’ll be featuring each and every new episode as it premieres.
For those unfamiliar with the series, The Filmmakers Podcast is a podcast about how to make films from micro-budget indie films to bigger-budget studio films and everything in between. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Dom Lenoir, Dan Richardson, Andrew Rodger and Cristian James talk about how to get films made, how to actually make them and how to try not to f… it up in their very humble opinion. Guests will come on and chat about their filmmaking experiences from directors, writers, producers and screenwriters, to actors, cinematographers and distributors.
The Filmmaker’s Podcast #367: ‘The Killer’ – David Fincher’s Cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt,...
For those unfamiliar with the series, The Filmmakers Podcast is a podcast about how to make films from micro-budget indie films to bigger-budget studio films and everything in between. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Dom Lenoir, Dan Richardson, Andrew Rodger and Cristian James talk about how to get films made, how to actually make them and how to try not to f… it up in their very humble opinion. Guests will come on and chat about their filmmaking experiences from directors, writers, producers and screenwriters, to actors, cinematographers and distributors.
The Filmmaker’s Podcast #367: ‘The Killer’ – David Fincher’s Cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt,...
- 11/27/2023
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Michael Mann’s “three decades of research” provided the key to putting audiences in the driver’s seat of vintage Ferraris racing down a thousand miles of Italian roads that are well known for taking human lives.
That’s what “Ferrari” cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt discovered when he teamed with the director of crime classics such as “Heat” and TV’s “Miami Vice” to tell the story of Enzo Ferrari, founder of Italy’s most iconic racing car company, played by Adam Driver.
“I asked him what I should look at and Michael said, ‘Why don’t you start with my library.’”
Messerschmidt, himself known for exacting work on such films as “Citizen Kane” backstory “Mank,” which won him an Oscar, learned that Mann had indeed been researching Ferrari for 30 years. The director had accumulated hundreds of books, photos, newsreels, clippings and letters documenting every aspect of Ferrari’s life, the early days of auto racing,...
That’s what “Ferrari” cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt discovered when he teamed with the director of crime classics such as “Heat” and TV’s “Miami Vice” to tell the story of Enzo Ferrari, founder of Italy’s most iconic racing car company, played by Adam Driver.
“I asked him what I should look at and Michael said, ‘Why don’t you start with my library.’”
Messerschmidt, himself known for exacting work on such films as “Citizen Kane” backstory “Mank,” which won him an Oscar, learned that Mann had indeed been researching Ferrari for 30 years. The director had accumulated hundreds of books, photos, newsreels, clippings and letters documenting every aspect of Ferrari’s life, the early days of auto racing,...
- 11/20/2023
- by Will Tizard
- Variety Film + TV
Thanksgiving is a great time to spend with family and eat way too much, but it’s also an opportune time to gather around and watch a great movie together. To that end, we’ve put together a curated list of some of the best new movies streaming on Netflix this month, singling out new releases and new library titles that are sure to keep the whole family engaged. Whether you’re in the mood for an assassin thriller, inspirational drama, animated family film or a cult classic, we’ve got something for everyone.
Check out our picks for the best new movies on Netflix in November below.
“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” Universal Pictures
There’s no better time to revisit filmmaker Edgar Wright’s cult classic “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” – but make sure you watch the live-action adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novels before you...
Check out our picks for the best new movies on Netflix in November below.
“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” Universal Pictures
There’s no better time to revisit filmmaker Edgar Wright’s cult classic “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” – but make sure you watch the live-action adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novels before you...
- 11/19/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
There was significant pressure on the day in which director Michael Mann and his team filmed the violent car crash from the 1957 Mille Miglia race for his upcoming film Ferrari. “We only had one shot at it,” says cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt, explaining that the special effects team created and rigged a single self-driving car that could hit the desired speed, launch into the air and tumble before landing in a ditch. With no second take, they filmed the stunt with six cameras as a precautionary measure.
Based on the biography Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine, the drama was filmed in and around the Italian city of Modena, the birthplace of the eponymous automaker, played in the film by Adam Driver. The movie traces Ferrari’s personal life as well as professional racing, including the brutal Mille Miglia crash that claimed the life of driver Alfonso de Portago,...
Based on the biography Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine, the drama was filmed in and around the Italian city of Modena, the birthplace of the eponymous automaker, played in the film by Adam Driver. The movie traces Ferrari’s personal life as well as professional racing, including the brutal Mille Miglia crash that claimed the life of driver Alfonso de Portago,...
- 11/18/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For regular updates, sign up for our weekly email newsletter and follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSCapital.The Palestinian Film Institute and several prominent filmmakers—including Sky Hopinka, Miko Revereza, Maryam Tafakory, Charlie Shackleton, and Basma al-Sharif—have withdrawn from the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam in response to the festival’s messaging about the war in Gaza. On the festival’s opening night, a group of activists took to the stage holding a banner that read “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”; on November 10, IDFA published a statement apologizing to patrons who may have been offended by this “hurtful slogan.” On November 11, the Pfi and the advocacy group Workers for Palestine Netherlands announced their withdrawal from IDFA: “As the world’s largest documentary film festival, IDFA holds the responsibility to respond to the plight of journalists and documentarians on the ground in Gaza,...
- 11/16/2023
- MUBI
David Fincher’s new film, The Killer, has now been released, and many are glowing about its slick filmmaking. Michael Fassbender stars as a contract killer who is particular in his ways and the intricate procedure in which he goes about his job. While many may feel the plot itself is simplistic, the Netflix film features Fincher’s distinct style. In a review from our own Chris Bumbray, he expresses, “As usual for a Fincher movie, The Killer is impeccably crafted, running a lean two hours and sporting Fincher’s signature cold, dark look via Dp Erik Messerschmidt. The score by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor is more sparse than usual, and the sound design is intricate enough that if you get a chance to see this theatrically, you should.”
Among the fans of the film, director Guillermo Del Toro is someone in particular who the movie really won over.
Among the fans of the film, director Guillermo Del Toro is someone in particular who the movie really won over.
- 11/13/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Adam Driver didn’t mince words when asked about the “cheesy” crash scenes in his new movie, Ferrari.
The film was screened Sunday at Poland’s Camerimage Film Festival, followed by a Q&a with the star, who also is an executive producer on the movie.
“What do you think about [the] crash scenes?” Driver was asked by an audience member during the Q&a. “They looked pretty harsh, drastic and, I must say, cheesy for me. What do you think?”
Driver replied bluntly: “Fuck you, I don’t know. Next question.”
The response was met with some gasps as well as what sounded like some uncomfortable laughter.
Watch a video of the moment that was posted on X (formerly Twitter) below.
Adam Driver reacts to someone asking about & criticizing the crash scenes in ‘Ferrari’ as “pretty harsh, drastic and cheesy.”
“Fuck you, I don’t know?” pic.twitter.com/MtmehVa...
The film was screened Sunday at Poland’s Camerimage Film Festival, followed by a Q&a with the star, who also is an executive producer on the movie.
“What do you think about [the] crash scenes?” Driver was asked by an audience member during the Q&a. “They looked pretty harsh, drastic and, I must say, cheesy for me. What do you think?”
Driver replied bluntly: “Fuck you, I don’t know. Next question.”
The response was met with some gasps as well as what sounded like some uncomfortable laughter.
Watch a video of the moment that was posted on X (formerly Twitter) below.
Adam Driver reacts to someone asking about & criticizing the crash scenes in ‘Ferrari’ as “pretty harsh, drastic and cheesy.”
“Fuck you, I don’t know?” pic.twitter.com/MtmehVa...
- 11/13/2023
- by Kimberly Nordyke
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Plot: When a botched assignment leads to an attack on someone he cares about, a cold-blooded hitman (Michael Fassbender) goes on the warpath.
Review: I know what you’re thinking – that premise sounds tired and familiar. Indeed, the hitman revenge movie has become an overly familiar subgenre, with this at least the fourth or fifth movie I’ve seen this year about a profession that may not even really exist (as argued in Richard LinIklater’s upcoming Hit Man). An adaptation of the French graphic novel of the same name, the chief interest here is seeing how Fincher executes such a straightforward genre movie, and indeed, it’s his style that keeps The Killer from feeling recycled.
In a lot of ways, The Killer feels like Fincher’s attempt to deliver Netflix a more straightforward film as payback for them bankrolling his (excellent) passion project, Mank. Yet, audiences who catch...
Review: I know what you’re thinking – that premise sounds tired and familiar. Indeed, the hitman revenge movie has become an overly familiar subgenre, with this at least the fourth or fifth movie I’ve seen this year about a profession that may not even really exist (as argued in Richard LinIklater’s upcoming Hit Man). An adaptation of the French graphic novel of the same name, the chief interest here is seeing how Fincher executes such a straightforward genre movie, and indeed, it’s his style that keeps The Killer from feeling recycled.
In a lot of ways, The Killer feels like Fincher’s attempt to deliver Netflix a more straightforward film as payback for them bankrolling his (excellent) passion project, Mank. Yet, audiences who catch...
- 11/11/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
One of my most-read pieces last year revolved around two films that hadn’t shown a single frame. Strange except for the fact that it was a conversation with Erik Messerschmidt, whose recent time’s been devoted to shooting new films by David Fincher and Michael Mann––exactly the subjects who will earn eyeballs with just a mention. One year later, with The Killer winding down its limited release before a Netflix debut on Friday, I spoke again with Messerschmidt about the intensive, exhaustive, rewarding process behind one of 2023’s supreme entertainments, and how being guided by modern American cinema’s most-obsessive auteur was the only way to get it right.
The Film Stage: I made a point of seeing The Killer at New York’s Paris Theater––it’s a nice-sized screen, well-projected, a Dolby sound system. The unfortunate truth is that most watching it on Netflix won’t have a comparable experience.
The Film Stage: I made a point of seeing The Killer at New York’s Paris Theater––it’s a nice-sized screen, well-projected, a Dolby sound system. The unfortunate truth is that most watching it on Netflix won’t have a comparable experience.
- 11/8/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
As the start of the Camerimage Film Festival approaches, Variety asked four festival regulars, all sought-after cinematographers, to weigh in on the issues, trends and opportunities the profession is encountering this year – all subjects expected to come up during the fest, which runs Nov. 11-18. Here’s what they had to say:
Mandy Walker, currently filming Disney’s live action “Snow White” remake, and chairing Camerimage main competition jury.
“I see more and more women are shooting [film] projects and TV – in the States, a lot more women are shooting TV shows. A lot more in the camera department in general, camera operators, first ACs, and it’s definitely getting better. But there’s still a bit of a hump to get over before it’s anywhere near equal.”
“The technology – for me, when I first started shooting movies, there was no VFX, there was no blue screen because I was shooting very small indie projects.
Mandy Walker, currently filming Disney’s live action “Snow White” remake, and chairing Camerimage main competition jury.
“I see more and more women are shooting [film] projects and TV – in the States, a lot more women are shooting TV shows. A lot more in the camera department in general, camera operators, first ACs, and it’s definitely getting better. But there’s still a bit of a hump to get over before it’s anywhere near equal.”
“The technology – for me, when I first started shooting movies, there was no VFX, there was no blue screen because I was shooting very small indie projects.
- 11/7/2023
- by Will Tizard
- Variety Film + TV
Like the cinematography sector overall this year, the profession’s prime annual festival, Poland’s Camerimage, has come through major challenges in 2023, says the event’s founder, Marek Zydowicz.
Launching in the historic town of Torun on Nov. 11, the 31st edition of the fest was organized in a time of nearby crises in Europe plus record levels of inflation hitting the region, and fallout from the Hollywood actors strike.
“It’s hard to say these things were really helping us,” notes Kazik Suwala, one of the festival’s key organizers and director of its most ambitious project, the construction of the European Film Center, which broke ground in October. “It was a tough year to work,” as he puts it. “The preparations were much harder than usual. Getting movies programmed involved much more time.”
Thus, Zydowicz and Suwala confess to feeling a bit of extra pride in pulling off a...
Launching in the historic town of Torun on Nov. 11, the 31st edition of the fest was organized in a time of nearby crises in Europe plus record levels of inflation hitting the region, and fallout from the Hollywood actors strike.
“It’s hard to say these things were really helping us,” notes Kazik Suwala, one of the festival’s key organizers and director of its most ambitious project, the construction of the European Film Center, which broke ground in October. “It was a tough year to work,” as he puts it. “The preparations were much harder than usual. Getting movies programmed involved much more time.”
Thus, Zydowicz and Suwala confess to feeling a bit of extra pride in pulling off a...
- 11/6/2023
- by Will Tizard
- Variety Film + TV
Adam Driver will be the guest of honor at this year’s Camerimage Film Festival, where he will receive the Special EnergaCAMERIMAGE Award for an Actor and present his Michael Mann-directed biopic, Ferrari.
Ferrari screen as part of the main competition at Camerimage, which honors cinematographers. The pic was shot by Oscar winner Erik Messerschmidt, best known for his work with David Fincher on pics like Mank and, most recently, The Killer.
Driver stars as Enzo Ferrari in the pic, which opens in the summer of 1957 when the ex-racer is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura (Penélope Cruz), built from nothing 10 years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son a year earlier, and Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son with Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley). Meanwhile, his drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge as they launch...
Ferrari screen as part of the main competition at Camerimage, which honors cinematographers. The pic was shot by Oscar winner Erik Messerschmidt, best known for his work with David Fincher on pics like Mank and, most recently, The Killer.
Driver stars as Enzo Ferrari in the pic, which opens in the summer of 1957 when the ex-racer is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura (Penélope Cruz), built from nothing 10 years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son a year earlier, and Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son with Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley). Meanwhile, his drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge as they launch...
- 11/2/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Michael Fassbender is a killer with a meditative streak.
The actor leads David Fincher’s drama “The Killer” as an assassin who begins to have a psychological crisis in a world with no moral compass.
The official synopsis reads: After a fateful near miss, an assassin battles his employers — and himself — on an international hunt for retribution he insists isn’t personal. Solitary, cold, methodical, and unencumbered by scruples or regrets, a killer waits in the shadows, watching for his next target. Yet, the longer he waits, the more he thinks he’s losing his mind, if not his cool.
The Netflix film is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alexis Nolent Aka Matz, which “Se7en” screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker adapted for the screen. Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, and Sophie Charlotte also star. Ceán Chaffin produces.
Director Fincher also reunites with Oscar-winning “Mank” cinematographer...
The actor leads David Fincher’s drama “The Killer” as an assassin who begins to have a psychological crisis in a world with no moral compass.
The official synopsis reads: After a fateful near miss, an assassin battles his employers — and himself — on an international hunt for retribution he insists isn’t personal. Solitary, cold, methodical, and unencumbered by scruples or regrets, a killer waits in the shadows, watching for his next target. Yet, the longer he waits, the more he thinks he’s losing his mind, if not his cool.
The Netflix film is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alexis Nolent Aka Matz, which “Se7en” screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker adapted for the screen. Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, and Sophie Charlotte also star. Ceán Chaffin produces.
Director Fincher also reunites with Oscar-winning “Mank” cinematographer...
- 10/27/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
‘Tomorrow Somewhere By The Sea’ won best film made in the Balearic Islands.
Nikolaj Arcel’s historical drama The Promised Land headed the winners at the 12th edition of Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (Emiff), with three prizes including best actor for Mads Mikkelsen.
Mikkelsen was present to collect his award at the ceremony on Tuesday, October 24 – also accepting the prizes for best international film and best cinematography on behalf of Rasmus Videbaek.
Scroll down for the Emiff feature awards
The festival jury also gave a special mention to Simon Bennebjerg in the unofficial ‘best onscreen villain’ category. The Promised Land...
Nikolaj Arcel’s historical drama The Promised Land headed the winners at the 12th edition of Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (Emiff), with three prizes including best actor for Mads Mikkelsen.
Mikkelsen was present to collect his award at the ceremony on Tuesday, October 24 – also accepting the prizes for best international film and best cinematography on behalf of Rasmus Videbaek.
Scroll down for the Emiff feature awards
The festival jury also gave a special mention to Simon Bennebjerg in the unofficial ‘best onscreen villain’ category. The Promised Land...
- 10/26/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
"Stick to the plan. Anticipate. Don't improvise." These are the mantra-like words of the nameless assassin in David Fincher's "The Killer." You could also imagine Fincher himself running those same words through his head as he obsessively makes a film. "The Killer" is clearly like catnip to the director — it's the story of an obsessive guy who meticulously goes about his work. Fincher makes movies. The Killer kills people. I'm not saying Fincher is on the same level as a cold-blooded killer, but he clearly sees a lot of himself (and his approach to his work) in his latest protagonist.
"The Killer" is a film as cold and calculating as its main character. One gets the sense that Fincher and writer Andrew Kevin Walker are going for something darkly funny, too, but the humor, while there, never quite connects. Part of that has to do with Michael Fassbender, who...
"The Killer" is a film as cold and calculating as its main character. One gets the sense that Fincher and writer Andrew Kevin Walker are going for something darkly funny, too, but the humor, while there, never quite connects. Part of that has to do with Michael Fassbender, who...
- 10/25/2023
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Film cameras strike big time as it seems that Dp chose celluloid to shoot the Oscar 2024 (96th Academy Awards) contenders. The most used camera is the Arricam (Lt and St) which, you have to admit, is an amazing fact. Additionally, there are new cameras on that list. Explore the camera charts below based on the IndieWire Cinematography Survey.
Oscar 2024: Camera Manufacturers Chart Oscar 2024 contenders: Cameras and lenses
IndieWire reached out to the directors of photography whose films are among the most critically acclaimed of the year, in order to explore which cameras and lenses they used (Make sure to read the IndieWire’s article where you can find Dp’s explanation of how they used their gear). As the tradition calls, we took the data to build friendly charts, trying to find a significant tendency and segmentation. Surprisingly, the most used camera is the Arricam. First,...
Oscar 2024: Camera Manufacturers Chart Oscar 2024 contenders: Cameras and lenses
IndieWire reached out to the directors of photography whose films are among the most critically acclaimed of the year, in order to explore which cameras and lenses they used (Make sure to read the IndieWire’s article where you can find Dp’s explanation of how they used their gear). As the tradition calls, we took the data to build friendly charts, trying to find a significant tendency and segmentation. Surprisingly, the most used camera is the Arricam. First,...
- 10/20/2023
- by Yossy Mendelovich
- YMCinema
The EnergaCamerimage international cinematography film festival announced a trio of films that will join this year’s main competition lineup: El Conde, Filip and Ferrari.
Michael Mann’s Ferrari was lensed by Oscar-winning Dp Erik Messerschmidt (Mank); Pablo Larraín’s El Condo was photographed by Academy-Award nominated cinematographer Edward Lachman, who won the Camerimage Golden Frog in 2015 for Carol; and Michal Kwiecinski’s Filip was lensed by Dp Michal Sobocinski (The Art of Loving: Story of Michalina Wislocka).
As previously announced, the main competition also includes Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, Dp’d by Robbie Ryan, which will be the opening night film; Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, lensed by Rodrigo Prieto; Black Flies, directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire and lensed by David Ungaro; and All of Us Strangers, helmed by Andrew Haigh and photographed by Jamie Ramsay.
The festival also announced this week that Krzysztof Zanussi (The Constant Factor,...
Michael Mann’s Ferrari was lensed by Oscar-winning Dp Erik Messerschmidt (Mank); Pablo Larraín’s El Condo was photographed by Academy-Award nominated cinematographer Edward Lachman, who won the Camerimage Golden Frog in 2015 for Carol; and Michal Kwiecinski’s Filip was lensed by Dp Michal Sobocinski (The Art of Loving: Story of Michalina Wislocka).
As previously announced, the main competition also includes Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, Dp’d by Robbie Ryan, which will be the opening night film; Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, lensed by Rodrigo Prieto; Black Flies, directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire and lensed by David Ungaro; and All of Us Strangers, helmed by Andrew Haigh and photographed by Jamie Ramsay.
The festival also announced this week that Krzysztof Zanussi (The Constant Factor,...
- 10/19/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
EnergaCamerimage, the cinematography-focused film festival that will take place in Torun, Poland, Nov. 11-18, has announced three more films for its Main Competition: “El Conde,” “Filip” and “Ferrari.”
“El Conde,” helmed by Chilean director Pablo Larraín, is billed as a dark comedy/horror picture that imagines a parallel universe in which Chile’s late fascistic dictator Augusto Pinochet is a vampire hiding away in a ruined mansion.
The film was lensed by Ed Lachman, the only Dp to have completed a Camerimage trifecta, having collected a Golden Frog for “Carol” (2015), a Silver Frog for “Far From Heaven” 2002) and a Bronze Frog for “I’m Not There” (2007).
Lachman was also nominated for “Wonderstruck” (2017) and in 2011, together with Todd Haynes, he was recognized with the Camerimage Cinematographer-Director Duo Award.
Lachman and Larraín will attend the fest to introduce the “El Conde” screening and participate in a Q&a.
“Filip,” a Polish war drama,...
“El Conde,” helmed by Chilean director Pablo Larraín, is billed as a dark comedy/horror picture that imagines a parallel universe in which Chile’s late fascistic dictator Augusto Pinochet is a vampire hiding away in a ruined mansion.
The film was lensed by Ed Lachman, the only Dp to have completed a Camerimage trifecta, having collected a Golden Frog for “Carol” (2015), a Silver Frog for “Far From Heaven” 2002) and a Bronze Frog for “I’m Not There” (2007).
Lachman was also nominated for “Wonderstruck” (2017) and in 2011, together with Todd Haynes, he was recognized with the Camerimage Cinematographer-Director Duo Award.
Lachman and Larraín will attend the fest to introduce the “El Conde” screening and participate in a Q&a.
“Filip,” a Polish war drama,...
- 10/19/2023
- by Peter Caranicas
- Variety Film + TV
Adam Driver is racing to save his company in Michael Mann’s family drama “Ferrari.”
The film, which stars Driver as Enzo Ferrari and Penelope Cruz as his wife, Laura Ferrari, debuted at the 2023 Venice Film Festival and marked its North American premiere at NYFF. Mann directs from a script by Troy Kennedy Martin, adapted from Brock Yates’ book “Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine.”
The official synopsis reads: It is the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle of Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari (Driver) is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura (Cruz) built from nothing 10 years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son, Dino, a year earlier. Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son Piero with Lina Lardi (Woodley). Meanwhile, his drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge as they launch into the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy,...
The film, which stars Driver as Enzo Ferrari and Penelope Cruz as his wife, Laura Ferrari, debuted at the 2023 Venice Film Festival and marked its North American premiere at NYFF. Mann directs from a script by Troy Kennedy Martin, adapted from Brock Yates’ book “Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine.”
The official synopsis reads: It is the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle of Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari (Driver) is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura (Cruz) built from nothing 10 years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son, Dino, a year earlier. Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son Piero with Lina Lardi (Woodley). Meanwhile, his drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge as they launch into the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy,...
- 10/18/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Michael Fassbender had his sights set on fully embodying an anxious serial killer, according to “The Killer” cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt.
Messerschmidt, who has worked with director David Fincher on “Mindhunter” and “Mank,” told Empire Magazine (via IGN) that Fassbender is the “perfect actor” for the “Seven” auteur — and said the actor didn’t blink while on camera.
“The focus puller highlighted something remarkable: the actor didn’t blink on camera for the entire shoot,” Messerschmidt said of Fassbender, who portrays an assassin who has a psychological crisis.
Director Fincher added, “Michael’s eyes betray a lot. He can hold a lot of conflicting things in his mind and his eyes allow you access to it.”
He continued, “I thought the character’s nihilism was interesting because it was tied to his self-loathing. Then I started thinking about this inner monologue. He has this whole thing he tells himself, which is...
Messerschmidt, who has worked with director David Fincher on “Mindhunter” and “Mank,” told Empire Magazine (via IGN) that Fassbender is the “perfect actor” for the “Seven” auteur — and said the actor didn’t blink while on camera.
“The focus puller highlighted something remarkable: the actor didn’t blink on camera for the entire shoot,” Messerschmidt said of Fassbender, who portrays an assassin who has a psychological crisis.
Director Fincher added, “Michael’s eyes betray a lot. He can hold a lot of conflicting things in his mind and his eyes allow you access to it.”
He continued, “I thought the character’s nihilism was interesting because it was tied to his self-loathing. Then I started thinking about this inner monologue. He has this whole thing he tells himself, which is...
- 10/13/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
David Fincher is known for doing lots of takes while filming, but Michael Fassbender upped the ante while filming “The Killer” by apparently never blinking when the camera was on him. The film’s cinematography Erik Messerschmidt revealed the detail in the latest issue of Empire Magazine. Messerschmidt previously worked with Fincher on “Mindhunter” and “Mank,” the latter of which won him the Oscar for best cinematography.
“I believe that you have to be impossible to deal with to be any good at this — you have to be completely uncompromising, to the absolute limit, or you’ll never make anything good,” Messerschmidt said of working with Fincher. “And that’s scary. I see these masters of their craft, fighting for every inch.”
Messerschmidt called Fassbender “the perfect actor for David”, with Empire noting that he also mentioned “how the focus puller highlighted something remarkable: the actor didn’t blink on camera for the entire shoot.
“I believe that you have to be impossible to deal with to be any good at this — you have to be completely uncompromising, to the absolute limit, or you’ll never make anything good,” Messerschmidt said of working with Fincher. “And that’s scary. I see these masters of their craft, fighting for every inch.”
Messerschmidt called Fassbender “the perfect actor for David”, with Empire noting that he also mentioned “how the focus puller highlighted something remarkable: the actor didn’t blink on camera for the entire shoot.
- 10/12/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Michael Mann’s high-octane sports feature Ferrari has been two decades in the making, and speaking at Deadline’s Contenders London event, the director admitted there were times he thought his passion project about the life of Enzo Ferrari would never take off.
“There were numerous times when I thought this was an impossible film to make,” said Mann. “And then I would go back and reread the screenplay and what was magical and riveting about it would present itself all over again and I constantly stayed completely committed to it.”
The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August, follows the life of Enzo Ferrari. It’s set in 1957, when the marriage of Enzo (Adam Driver) and Laura (Penélope Cruz) has begun to fracture as a result of his philandering and the tragic recent death of their young son. Their unsettled domestic world is on a collision...
“There were numerous times when I thought this was an impossible film to make,” said Mann. “And then I would go back and reread the screenplay and what was magical and riveting about it would present itself all over again and I constantly stayed completely committed to it.”
The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August, follows the life of Enzo Ferrari. It’s set in 1957, when the marriage of Enzo (Adam Driver) and Laura (Penélope Cruz) has begun to fracture as a result of his philandering and the tragic recent death of their young son. Their unsettled domestic world is on a collision...
- 10/7/2023
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
In the David Fincher-directed film, The Killer, from a screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker, and based on a graphic novel, Michael Fassbender stars as an assassin battling his employers when a hit goes terribly wrong.
Speaking during a panel at Deadline’s Contenders London event, editor Kirk Baxter addressed a rumor that the role required Fassbender to not blink at all.
There were many times watching the dailies where he heard Fincher’s voice saying, ‘That’s terrific, but let’s see that once again without the f—ing blinking.’ Baxter added, “Not so much that Fassbender needing that direction, it’s just been a thing.”
He added, “I’ve always been opposed to that idea, that if somebody’s delivering a key moment in a scene, especially if it comes with dialogue and this is the reason they did it, and if you want them to have gravitas and it’s up close,...
Speaking during a panel at Deadline’s Contenders London event, editor Kirk Baxter addressed a rumor that the role required Fassbender to not blink at all.
There were many times watching the dailies where he heard Fincher’s voice saying, ‘That’s terrific, but let’s see that once again without the f—ing blinking.’ Baxter added, “Not so much that Fassbender needing that direction, it’s just been a thing.”
He added, “I’ve always been opposed to that idea, that if somebody’s delivering a key moment in a scene, especially if it comes with dialogue and this is the reason they did it, and if you want them to have gravitas and it’s up close,...
- 10/7/2023
- by Antonia Blyth
- Deadline Film + TV
After sitting it out last year, Deadline’s Contenders film series returns to London today with a strong lineup featuring Ridley Scott, Emerald Fennell, Todd Haynes and Michael Mann among the panelists attending the awards-season event.
Contenders London gets underway this morning at London’s Ham Yard Hotel and will feature panels on 13 of the year’s buzziest films from eight studios and streamers. Deadline will have full coverage of the event all day on the website and on our social channels, where you can follow along using the hashtag #DeadlineContenders.
In challenging times, it’s good to know quality cinema is never too far away, with films from some of the world’s biggest filmmakers on tap today. Along with Scott’s Napoleon, Fennell’s Saltburn, Haynes’ May December and Mann’s Ferrari, J.A. Bayona will present his Society of the Snow, Jeymes Samuel will open The Book of Clarence,...
Contenders London gets underway this morning at London’s Ham Yard Hotel and will feature panels on 13 of the year’s buzziest films from eight studios and streamers. Deadline will have full coverage of the event all day on the website and on our social channels, where you can follow along using the hashtag #DeadlineContenders.
In challenging times, it’s good to know quality cinema is never too far away, with films from some of the world’s biggest filmmakers on tap today. Along with Scott’s Napoleon, Fennell’s Saltburn, Haynes’ May December and Mann’s Ferrari, J.A. Bayona will present his Society of the Snow, Jeymes Samuel will open The Book of Clarence,...
- 10/7/2023
- by Joe Utichi
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Killer” is setting a new target: the New York Film Festival.
IndieWire can confirm that David Fincher’s latest film is a surprise addition to the Spotlight Selection at NYFF 2023. “The Killer” will screen October 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Netflix-owned Paris Theater and October 15 at 8:45 p.m. at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center.
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alexis Nolent Aka Matz, the film’s logline reads: “After a fateful near-miss an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.”
Michael Fassbender leads the film as the titular assassin who has a psychological crisis. Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, and Sophie Charlotte also star. Ceán Chaffin produces.
“Se7en” screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker adapted the graphic novel which was originally published in the French language by Editions Casterman. Luc Jacamon illustrated.
IndieWire can confirm that David Fincher’s latest film is a surprise addition to the Spotlight Selection at NYFF 2023. “The Killer” will screen October 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Netflix-owned Paris Theater and October 15 at 8:45 p.m. at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center.
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alexis Nolent Aka Matz, the film’s logline reads: “After a fateful near-miss an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.”
Michael Fassbender leads the film as the titular assassin who has a psychological crisis. Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, and Sophie Charlotte also star. Ceán Chaffin produces.
“Se7en” screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker adapted the graphic novel which was originally published in the French language by Editions Casterman. Luc Jacamon illustrated.
- 9/26/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The 12th edition of the Spanish festival runs October 18-24
Isabel Coixet’s Un Amor will open the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival while Lone Scherfig’s The Movie Teller will close the 12th edition of the Palma event.
Coixet will also receive the festival’s 2023 vision award. The Spanish filmmaker and her cast of Laia Costa, Hovik Keuchkerian and Hugo Silva, are expected to attend.
Un Amor is based on Sara Mesa’s novel and explores a complicated sexual relationship between a young woman and her older neighbour. It will world premiere at San Sebastian before screening at the UK’s Raindance Film Festival.
Isabel Coixet’s Un Amor will open the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival while Lone Scherfig’s The Movie Teller will close the 12th edition of the Palma event.
Coixet will also receive the festival’s 2023 vision award. The Spanish filmmaker and her cast of Laia Costa, Hovik Keuchkerian and Hugo Silva, are expected to attend.
Un Amor is based on Sara Mesa’s novel and explores a complicated sexual relationship between a young woman and her older neighbour. It will world premiere at San Sebastian before screening at the UK’s Raindance Film Festival.
- 9/21/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
At five of the last 10 Oscars, Best Cinematography has gone hand-in-hand with Best Director: Emmanuel Lubezki and Alfonso Cuaron for “Gravity” (2014); Lubezki and Alejandro G. Inarritu for both “Birdman” (2015) and “The Revenant” (2016); Linus Sandgren and Damien Chazelle for “La La Land” (2017); and Cuaron doing double duty on “Roma” (2019). Will that trend hold true this year? (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2024 Oscar predictions for Best Cinematography.)
The academy usually regards award-winning cinematography as pretty pictures within an epic technical feat of filmmaking. While great lighting and framing are laudable on their own, having a movie that looks like it was difficult to shoot goes a long way to snagging an Oscar. Recent lensing winners “Avatar” (2009), “Inception” (2010), “Hugo” (2011), “Life of Pi” (2012), “Gravity” (2013), “Blade Runner 2049” (2018) and “1917” (2020) also took home the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
While the lensers of “Inception” and “Gravity” first prevailed at the American Society of Cinematographers Awards,...
The academy usually regards award-winning cinematography as pretty pictures within an epic technical feat of filmmaking. While great lighting and framing are laudable on their own, having a movie that looks like it was difficult to shoot goes a long way to snagging an Oscar. Recent lensing winners “Avatar” (2009), “Inception” (2010), “Hugo” (2011), “Life of Pi” (2012), “Gravity” (2013), “Blade Runner 2049” (2018) and “1917” (2020) also took home the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
While the lensers of “Inception” and “Gravity” first prevailed at the American Society of Cinematographers Awards,...
- 9/12/2023
- by Paul Sheehan and Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Murderers abound in the cinema of David Fincher, yet up until now they’ve tended to operate on the margins or hardly appeared at all. Fincher returns with The Killer, premiering in competition at the Venice Film Festival and a film that plays to his directorial strengths and artistry. Based on Alexis “Matz” Nolent and Luc Jacamon’s popular series of French comics from the late ’90s, The Killer is the first of Fincher’s crime stories to not only place the criminal at its center but to delight in the ruthless rationalizations of his inner mind.
It’s the latest chapter in Fincher’s long history with Netflix, and while easily suited to the streamer’s house aesthetic––episodic structure; quick, flashy titles; a color palette and tone that is never too light and never too dark––it brings together a perfect marriage of director and source material, offering...
It’s the latest chapter in Fincher’s long history with Netflix, and while easily suited to the streamer’s house aesthetic––episodic structure; quick, flashy titles; a color palette and tone that is never too light and never too dark––it brings together a perfect marriage of director and source material, offering...
- 9/3/2023
- by Rory O'Connor
- The Film Stage
“The Killer” bowed at the 2023 Venice Film Festival on Sunday, September 3. Directed by three-time Oscar nominee David Fincher in his first film since 2020’s “Mank,” it stars Michael Fassbender as a hitman. The storyline is described thusly: A man, solitary and cold, methodical and unencumbered by scruples or regrets, the killer waits in the shadows, watching for his next target. And yet the longer he waits, the more he thinks he’s losing his mind, if not his cool. A brutal, bloody and stylish noir story of a professional assassin lost in a world without a moral compass.”
Fincher is said to have been attached to the “Killer” project since 2007, when it was set at Paramount. It followed Fincher over to Netflix under Fincher’s overall deal with the streamer.
Early reviews have been positive-to-mixed. As of this writing, “The Killer” rates 88% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes based on 16 reviews, with...
Fincher is said to have been attached to the “Killer” project since 2007, when it was set at Paramount. It followed Fincher over to Netflix under Fincher’s overall deal with the streamer.
Early reviews have been positive-to-mixed. As of this writing, “The Killer” rates 88% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes based on 16 reviews, with...
- 9/3/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
David Fincher’s neo-noir action thriller The Killer brought the house down Sunday night at its Venice Film Festival premiere, drawing a seven-minute standing ovation and showers of bravos.
Fincher basked in the reception from the balcony of Venice’s Sala Grande cinema solo, since his starring cast, including Michael Fassbender and Tilda Swinton, were absent from the night’s festivities due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
The Killer is written by Fincher’s Seven (1995) and Fight Club (1999) screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker and based on a French graphic novel of the same name. It follows a cold-blooded assassin (Fassbender) who begins to have a psychological crisis after a fateful near miss — in a world with no moral compass.
Netflix teaser for the film reads: “Solitary, cold, methodical and unencumbered by scruples or regrets, a killer waits in the shadows, watching for his next target. Yet, the longer he waits, the...
Fincher basked in the reception from the balcony of Venice’s Sala Grande cinema solo, since his starring cast, including Michael Fassbender and Tilda Swinton, were absent from the night’s festivities due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
The Killer is written by Fincher’s Seven (1995) and Fight Club (1999) screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker and based on a French graphic novel of the same name. It follows a cold-blooded assassin (Fassbender) who begins to have a psychological crisis after a fateful near miss — in a world with no moral compass.
Netflix teaser for the film reads: “Solitary, cold, methodical and unencumbered by scruples or regrets, a killer waits in the shadows, watching for his next target. Yet, the longer he waits, the...
- 9/3/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
David Fincher spooked Venice with the world premiere of his latest movie “The Killer,” which stars Michael Fassbender as an assassin. The Netflix thriller earned a respectable 5-minute standing ovation at its screening on the Lido on Sunday night.
Fassbender and co-star Tilda Swinton couldn’t attend the premiere because of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Fincher walked the carpet alone, with a small group of Netflix executives, as he signed posters of some of his most beloved movies, from “Fight Club” to “Se7en.”
But Fincher must not have received the memo about Venice’s tradition of showering movies with standing ovations after a gala premiere. As the audience clapped for him, he uncomfortably shifted on his feet and flailed his hands in the air and mouthed: “What is this?” A producer led him down the stairs from his balcony seat to meet fans, but Fincher thought he was leaving the theater.
Fassbender and co-star Tilda Swinton couldn’t attend the premiere because of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Fincher walked the carpet alone, with a small group of Netflix executives, as he signed posters of some of his most beloved movies, from “Fight Club” to “Se7en.”
But Fincher must not have received the memo about Venice’s tradition of showering movies with standing ovations after a gala premiere. As the audience clapped for him, he uncomfortably shifted on his feet and flailed his hands in the air and mouthed: “What is this?” A producer led him down the stairs from his balcony seat to meet fans, but Fincher thought he was leaving the theater.
- 9/3/2023
- by Ramin Setoodeh and Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Reuniting the filmmaker with his “Seven” screenwriter, Andrew Kevin Walker, adapting a pulpy genre potboiler with icy crisp precision and deploying near total formal command to question the limits of control, David Fincher’s “The Killer” readily and openly welcomes comparisons to much of the director’s prior filmography. But it is genuinely startling that this chilly hit-man drama feels most like a sideways follow-up to “The Social Network” than anything else.
Now, that means a thematic sequel or a bookend – don’t expect Mark, Sean or the Winkelvii to turn up beneath our nameless assassin’s crosshairs. Only just as “The Social Network” traced the birth of the modern information age to a dorm room some twenty years ago, here comes “The Killer” to make sense of how things turned out.
This being a David Fincher joint, the answers aren’t pretty, while the images are nearly always sublime.
Now, that means a thematic sequel or a bookend – don’t expect Mark, Sean or the Winkelvii to turn up beneath our nameless assassin’s crosshairs. Only just as “The Social Network” traced the birth of the modern information age to a dorm room some twenty years ago, here comes “The Killer” to make sense of how things turned out.
This being a David Fincher joint, the answers aren’t pretty, while the images are nearly always sublime.
- 9/3/2023
- by Ben Croll
- The Wrap
Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2023 Venice Film Festival. Netflix releases the film in limited theaters on Friday, October 27, with a streaming release to follow on Friday, November 10.
Like the “Jeanne Dielman” of assassin movies, “The Killer” centers on how the self-started glitches in one character’s routine cause their carefully ordered world to fall slowly off its axis. David Fincher’s sleek if small genre exercise plants us into the orbital sockets of an unnamed killer-for-hire, played by Michael Fassbender, whose self-deceptions catch up to him amid a contract job gone just about an inch wrong in Paris.
There are few surprises in this straight-line thriller, well-executed within a millimeter of its life as ever by the “Gone Girl” and “Social Network” director. Here, the perfectionist, you-might-say-control-freak director punches up a nimbly sketched screenplay by “Seven” scribe Andrew Kevin Walker that evokes no sympathy for its protagonist,...
Like the “Jeanne Dielman” of assassin movies, “The Killer” centers on how the self-started glitches in one character’s routine cause their carefully ordered world to fall slowly off its axis. David Fincher’s sleek if small genre exercise plants us into the orbital sockets of an unnamed killer-for-hire, played by Michael Fassbender, whose self-deceptions catch up to him amid a contract job gone just about an inch wrong in Paris.
There are few surprises in this straight-line thriller, well-executed within a millimeter of its life as ever by the “Gone Girl” and “Social Network” director. Here, the perfectionist, you-might-say-control-freak director punches up a nimbly sketched screenplay by “Seven” scribe Andrew Kevin Walker that evokes no sympathy for its protagonist,...
- 9/3/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
At least no one will get to the end of director David Fincher’s latest, The Killer, and feel in any way misled by the title. Or the film’s droll, on-the-nose tagline for that matter: “Execution is everything,” arguably the most Fincherian tagline ever, as a colleague pointed out.
Adapted by longtime Fincher collaborator Andrew Kevin Walker from a graphic novel written by Alexis Nolent (aka Matz) and illustrated by Luc Jacamon, this wry, efficient and very process-oriented crime thriller revolves around an unnamed assassin played by Michael Fassbender. Descended from a long line of cinematic guns for hire, he’s less ruthless than affectless, almost literally the shadow of a man. (As lit by Dp Erik Messerschmidt, his face constantly disappears into the dark under the brim of his cheap bucket hat.)
However, this killer is compelled to vary his usual routine when a hit in Paris goes wrong.
Adapted by longtime Fincher collaborator Andrew Kevin Walker from a graphic novel written by Alexis Nolent (aka Matz) and illustrated by Luc Jacamon, this wry, efficient and very process-oriented crime thriller revolves around an unnamed assassin played by Michael Fassbender. Descended from a long line of cinematic guns for hire, he’s less ruthless than affectless, almost literally the shadow of a man. (As lit by Dp Erik Messerschmidt, his face constantly disappears into the dark under the brim of his cheap bucket hat.)
However, this killer is compelled to vary his usual routine when a hit in Paris goes wrong.
- 9/3/2023
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In Modena, everyone is losing––the football club, the women, the Ferraris. It’s the spring of 1957, and ex-racer-turned-entrepreneur Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver), aka Il Commendatore, carries the weight of the city on his shoulders. And much more: the future of his 10-year-old company, his marriage, his affair, his bank account, his unrecognized son, and his dignity––to name the important things.
Maserati, Jaguar, and the rest have left Ferrari in the dust in recent competition. His staff badmouths him in the local paper like he won’t read it the next morning and fire their ass the second he walks into the factory. His drivers are dropping like flies, Enzo’s breakneck ethic of racing a death warrant for anyone crazy enough to drive for him. In short, Il Commendatore is a catalyst for disaster.
Michael Mann’s first feature since 2015’s Blackhat offers a late-career challenge: a time and place the iconic writer,...
Maserati, Jaguar, and the rest have left Ferrari in the dust in recent competition. His staff badmouths him in the local paper like he won’t read it the next morning and fire their ass the second he walks into the factory. His drivers are dropping like flies, Enzo’s breakneck ethic of racing a death warrant for anyone crazy enough to drive for him. In short, Il Commendatore is a catalyst for disaster.
Michael Mann’s first feature since 2015’s Blackhat offers a late-career challenge: a time and place the iconic writer,...
- 9/2/2023
- by Luke Hicks
- The Film Stage
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