For children, summer always seems full of endless possibility. The breaks from school, the family trips, the time spent at camp or reading books and watching movies.
These days, the closest thing we have is summer entertainment — the cultural distraction from otherwise having fewer breaks, shifting travel (wedding season!), and maybe not as many of those life-changing adventures that a lot of summertime stories seem to be based on. Summer movies offer a chance to go out and cool down while summer TV is the best way to wind down and stay in after days of work, travel, and relentless heat.
Along with detailed monthly previews (here’s May), IndieWire pulled together a summer TV preview with 15 brand-new shows premiering over the next couple months. Some are pulled from existing material — Star Wars, “Sausage Party,” novels, a true story about the L.A. Clippers — while others defy categorization. Some we...
These days, the closest thing we have is summer entertainment — the cultural distraction from otherwise having fewer breaks, shifting travel (wedding season!), and maybe not as many of those life-changing adventures that a lot of summertime stories seem to be based on. Summer movies offer a chance to go out and cool down while summer TV is the best way to wind down and stay in after days of work, travel, and relentless heat.
Along with detailed monthly previews (here’s May), IndieWire pulled together a summer TV preview with 15 brand-new shows premiering over the next couple months. Some are pulled from existing material — Star Wars, “Sausage Party,” novels, a true story about the L.A. Clippers — while others defy categorization. Some we...
- 5/8/2024
- by Proma Khosla, Alison Foreman, Ben Travers and Erin Strecker
- Indiewire
NewFest, a New York LGBTQ+ film and media organization, revealed the full lineup for their fourth annual NewFest Pride summer film series. NewFest’s five-day festival kicks off LGBTQ+ Pride Month from May 30 – June 3, 2024, in-person in New York and streaming throughout the United States, and will feature a mix of premieres and conversations, virtual screenings, and social events. The announcement came today from NewFest’s Executive Director David Hatkoff and Director of Programming Nick McCarthy.
“It’s no accident that this year’s NewFest Pride starts on May 30; it’s part of our not-so-secret mission to celebrate Pride 365 days a year,” said NewFest Executive Director David Hatkoff. “We can’t wait to provide a space for the community to come together for bold new films and series, thought-provoking conversations, and joyful social gatherings. This moment calls for celebration and resistance, and we intend to offer opportunities for both in equal measure.
“It’s no accident that this year’s NewFest Pride starts on May 30; it’s part of our not-so-secret mission to celebrate Pride 365 days a year,” said NewFest Executive Director David Hatkoff. “We can’t wait to provide a space for the community to come together for bold new films and series, thought-provoking conversations, and joyful social gatherings. This moment calls for celebration and resistance, and we intend to offer opportunities for both in equal measure.
- 5/3/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The HBO Original comedy series Fantasmas, created, directed, written and starring Julio Torres, debuts this June on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes of the six-episode season will debut weekly. In Fantasmas, Julio Torres tells the tale of when he lost a golden oyster. The people he encounters as he searches for it and the musings he has become points of departure for little films along the way, as Torres navigates weaving in and out of these introspective, often eerie comedic stories. Fantasmas is created, directed, and written by Julio Torres. Executive ... Read more...
- 5/2/2024
- by Thomas Miller
- Seat42F
Julio Torres is crediting Ryan Gosling for being a “world-builder” of a comedic actor.
The “Problemista” writer/director/star told Entertainment Weekly that Gosling had more than a few sketch ideas when he returned to host “SNL.” Torres previously worked as a “Saturday Night Live” writer, and also returned with a skit per Gosling’s request to follow-up their viral “Papyrus” sequence parodying the font used in James Cameron’s “Avatar.” And much like the “Avatar” franchise itself, Gosling had a vision for making multiple installments of the “Papyrus” sketch.
“With no Ryan Gosling, there’s no ‘Papyrus 1,’ and there’s no ‘Papyrus 2,’” Torres said. “The first one was this sort of throwaway joke I made that he really latched on to. He was like, ‘Oh, I think maybe there’s an idea there,’ and I was like, ‘I really don’t think so.’ I didn’t tell him that,...
The “Problemista” writer/director/star told Entertainment Weekly that Gosling had more than a few sketch ideas when he returned to host “SNL.” Torres previously worked as a “Saturday Night Live” writer, and also returned with a skit per Gosling’s request to follow-up their viral “Papyrus” sequence parodying the font used in James Cameron’s “Avatar.” And much like the “Avatar” franchise itself, Gosling had a vision for making multiple installments of the “Papyrus” sketch.
“With no Ryan Gosling, there’s no ‘Papyrus 1,’ and there’s no ‘Papyrus 2,’” Torres said. “The first one was this sort of throwaway joke I made that he really latched on to. He was like, ‘Oh, I think maybe there’s an idea there,’ and I was like, ‘I really don’t think so.’ I didn’t tell him that,...
- 5/1/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Warner Bros. Discovery has revealed a first look at the HBO Original comedy series Fantasmas, which was created, directed, and written by Julio Torres.
The series, also starring Torres, will debut this June on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes of the six-episode season will debut weekly.
In Fantasmas, Julio Torres tells the tale of when he lost a golden oyster. The people he encounters as he searches for it and the musings he has become points of departure for little films along the way.
Torres navigates, weaving in and out of these introspective, often eerie comedic stories.
The show is executive-produced by Julio Torres. The co-executive producer is Ali Herting.
Emma Stone and Dave McCary for Fruit Tree, Alex Bach and Daniel Powell for Irony Point, and Olivia Gerke for 3 Arts also serve as executive producers.
The post Fantasmas First Look From HBO and...
The series, also starring Torres, will debut this June on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes of the six-episode season will debut weekly.
In Fantasmas, Julio Torres tells the tale of when he lost a golden oyster. The people he encounters as he searches for it and the musings he has become points of departure for little films along the way.
Torres navigates, weaving in and out of these introspective, often eerie comedic stories.
The show is executive-produced by Julio Torres. The co-executive producer is Ali Herting.
Emma Stone and Dave McCary for Fruit Tree, Alex Bach and Daniel Powell for Irony Point, and Olivia Gerke for 3 Arts also serve as executive producers.
The post Fantasmas First Look From HBO and...
- 5/1/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
Megan StalterScreenshot: YouTube
Anyone who’s watched a few episodes of HBO’s excellent, very funny Hacks has already been exposed to the comedic wrecking ball style of Megan Stalter, who manages to steal pretty much every scene she shows up in as devotedly incompetent agents’ assistant/boss’ daughter Kayla.
Anyone who’s watched a few episodes of HBO’s excellent, very funny Hacks has already been exposed to the comedic wrecking ball style of Megan Stalter, who manages to steal pretty much every scene she shows up in as devotedly incompetent agents’ assistant/boss’ daughter Kayla.
- 4/25/2024
- by William Hughes
- avclub.com
We live in a society that insists if you work hard, you can probably achieve the goals you've set for yourself. But "Problemista," the first feature film by writer and comedian Julio Torres, which is now in theaters worldwide, poses the question: is working hard always enough? Loosely based off of Torres's own immigration experience, the film follows Alejandro, an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador struggling to make his dream a reality in New York City who loses his job and desperately needs to secure a sponsor to stay in the States. Even after taking a freelance assistant gig with an erratic art critic named Elizabeth (played by Tilda Swinton), Alejandro (played by Torres) finds himself in one of the most relentless and nightmarish mazes of American bureaucracy - the US immigration system.
"I think that I've always been fascinated with how soulless and how isolating bureaucracy can be,...
"I think that I've always been fascinated with how soulless and how isolating bureaucracy can be,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Johanna Ferreira
- Popsugar.com
The Papyrus font is still haunting Ryan Gosling, who faced his fears once again in the new live sketch of Saturday Night Live released this weekend. The font was used in James Cameron’s mega-successful franchise, Avatar which released its sequel two years ago. The 2017 Papyrus SNL video was a huge hit, which showed Ryan Gosling’s Steven Wingdings, who is bothered by the fact that the movie used that basic font for its logo.
James Cameron | Credits: Wikipedia Commons
Just as SNL returns with the Papyrus sequel, an old video of Cameron re-emerges where he acknowledges Gosling’s hilarious font obsession.
Ryan Gosling Took a Dig at James Cameron’s Avatar Papyrus Font
Back in 2017, the Barbie star hosted the Saturday Night Live show, delivering a hilarious performance about the Papyrus font for the Avatar movie logo. Written by Julio Torres, the skit revolves around Ryan Gosling’s character,...
James Cameron | Credits: Wikipedia Commons
Just as SNL returns with the Papyrus sequel, an old video of Cameron re-emerges where he acknowledges Gosling’s hilarious font obsession.
Ryan Gosling Took a Dig at James Cameron’s Avatar Papyrus Font
Back in 2017, the Barbie star hosted the Saturday Night Live show, delivering a hilarious performance about the Papyrus font for the Avatar movie logo. Written by Julio Torres, the skit revolves around Ryan Gosling’s character,...
- 4/20/2024
- by Priya Sharma
- FandomWire
The 23rd edition of the Tribeca Festival is out with its slate of feature films including world premieres starring Kristen Stewart, Lily Gladstone and Jenna Ortega. Another high-profile title is Saving Casa Bonita, a new documentary about South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone restoring an iconic Colorado restaurant.
Stewart toplines Sacramento, a road trip comedy directed by Michael Angarano and also starring Michael Cera and Maya Erskine. Jazzy with Gladstone and Jasmine Bearkiller Shangreaux is a companion piece to 2023 indie drama The Unknown Country, in which Gladstone appeared just prior to her Oscar-nominated performance in Killers Of The Flower Moon. Ortega stars in director Tiffany Paulsen’s romantic drama Winter Spring Summer or Fall alongside Marisol Nichols, Percy Hynes White and Adam Rodriguez.
The documentary lineup, long a Tribeca strength, will feature comedy greats politically tinged pics ahead of the U.S.
Stewart toplines Sacramento, a road trip comedy directed by Michael Angarano and also starring Michael Cera and Maya Erskine. Jazzy with Gladstone and Jasmine Bearkiller Shangreaux is a companion piece to 2023 indie drama The Unknown Country, in which Gladstone appeared just prior to her Oscar-nominated performance in Killers Of The Flower Moon. Ortega stars in director Tiffany Paulsen’s romantic drama Winter Spring Summer or Fall alongside Marisol Nichols, Percy Hynes White and Adam Rodriguez.
The documentary lineup, long a Tribeca strength, will feature comedy greats politically tinged pics ahead of the U.S.
- 4/17/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Tribeca Festival has revealed its feature film lineup for its 2024 festival, which includes films from actors Lily Gladstone and Michael Cera and documentaries featuring Prince, Carlos Santana and Dolly Parton.
The opening night film is documentary “Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge,” directed by Tribeca alumna Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Trish Dalton.
This year’s festival, which runs from June 5-16 in New York City, has a program of 103 feature films from 114 filmmakers spanning 48 countries. The lineup features 86 world premieres, two international premieres, six North American premieres and eight New York premieres.
The final selections were chosen from a record-breaking pool of 13,016 submissions. Half of the films in competition are directed by women and 35% (36) of all feature films are directed by Bipoc filmmakers. There are 30 films directed by first-time filmmakers and 25 directors are making their return to the annual New York film festival.
“In a year of record high submissions, despite industry-wide challenges,...
The opening night film is documentary “Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge,” directed by Tribeca alumna Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Trish Dalton.
This year’s festival, which runs from June 5-16 in New York City, has a program of 103 feature films from 114 filmmakers spanning 48 countries. The lineup features 86 world premieres, two international premieres, six North American premieres and eight New York premieres.
The final selections were chosen from a record-breaking pool of 13,016 submissions. Half of the films in competition are directed by women and 35% (36) of all feature films are directed by Bipoc filmmakers. There are 30 films directed by first-time filmmakers and 25 directors are making their return to the annual New York film festival.
“In a year of record high submissions, despite industry-wide challenges,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
The 2024 Tribeca Festival has officially unveiled its star-studded lineup.
This year’s festival, presented by Okx, takes place June 5-16, with documentary “Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge” making its world premiere on opening night. Presented in partnership with Okx and City National Bank, the feature captures fashion designer von Furstenberg’s impact as a feminist creative icon. Tribeca alumni Trish Dalton and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy direct.
Programming highlights for the festival include screenings of “Jazzy” with Lily Gladstone, which is a sequel to the recent indie gem “The Unknown Country.” There is also “Daddio” starring Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn, “Firebrand” starring Alicia Vikander and Jude Law, and documentary “Brats,” directed by Andrew McCarthy and featuring Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, and Lea Thompson.
Kristen Stewart, who has already debuted two films at Sundance earlier this year, stars in “Sacramento,” directed by Michael Angarano. Highly-anticipated features “Winter Spring Summer or Fall...
This year’s festival, presented by Okx, takes place June 5-16, with documentary “Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge” making its world premiere on opening night. Presented in partnership with Okx and City National Bank, the feature captures fashion designer von Furstenberg’s impact as a feminist creative icon. Tribeca alumni Trish Dalton and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy direct.
Programming highlights for the festival include screenings of “Jazzy” with Lily Gladstone, which is a sequel to the recent indie gem “The Unknown Country.” There is also “Daddio” starring Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn, “Firebrand” starring Alicia Vikander and Jude Law, and documentary “Brats,” directed by Andrew McCarthy and featuring Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, and Lea Thompson.
Kristen Stewart, who has already debuted two films at Sundance earlier this year, stars in “Sacramento,” directed by Michael Angarano. Highly-anticipated features “Winter Spring Summer or Fall...
- 4/17/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Boys Go to Jupiter, the debut feature film from acclaimed indie animator Julian Glander, has finalized its cast ahead of its Tribeca Film Festival premiere in June. Newly added to the lineup are Janeane Garofalo and Demi Adeyujigbe.
The cast also includes Jack Corbett (NPR’s Planet Money TikTok) Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) Tavi Gevinson (Gossip Girl), Julio Torres (Los Espookys), Sarah Sherman (SNL), Joe Pera (Joe Pera Talks With You), Grace Kuhlenschmidt (The Daily Show), Singer-songwriter Miya Folick, as well as comedians Demi Adeyuijigbe, Chris Fleming, Cole Escola, River L. Ramirez, Eva Victor, and Max Wittert.
Boys Go to Jupiter is billed as a surreal animated coming-of-age story, brought to life in Glander’s trademark 3D visual style and sonic palette. The film follows a week in the life of a teenager in suburban Florida as he hustles his way through a series of bizarre gig economy errands.
The cast also includes Jack Corbett (NPR’s Planet Money TikTok) Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) Tavi Gevinson (Gossip Girl), Julio Torres (Los Espookys), Sarah Sherman (SNL), Joe Pera (Joe Pera Talks With You), Grace Kuhlenschmidt (The Daily Show), Singer-songwriter Miya Folick, as well as comedians Demi Adeyuijigbe, Chris Fleming, Cole Escola, River L. Ramirez, Eva Victor, and Max Wittert.
Boys Go to Jupiter is billed as a surreal animated coming-of-age story, brought to life in Glander’s trademark 3D visual style and sonic palette. The film follows a week in the life of a teenager in suburban Florida as he hustles his way through a series of bizarre gig economy errands.
- 4/17/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
After much anticipation, the sequel to the 2017 sketch “Papyrus 2” has finally emerged despite being cut for time during the live broadcast, making its debut on YouTube.
The original sketch was conceived by former “SNL” writer Julio Torres, who was inspired by a past tweet in which he mused, “Every day I wake up and remember that Avatar, a huge international blockbuster, used the Papyrus font for their logo, and no one stopped them.”
Directed by Dave McCary (who also shot the previously pointed Torres sketch “Wells For Boys” with his now-wife and current collaborator Emma Stone), this meditation on obsession and a questionable font became the logo for James Cameron’s massive franchise.
Gosling recalled the (alleged) decision-making process of choosing the font papyrus for the blockbuster, in the past sketch, “Like a thoughtless child just wandering by a garden, just yanking leaves along the way.” Eventually, his character would...
The original sketch was conceived by former “SNL” writer Julio Torres, who was inspired by a past tweet in which he mused, “Every day I wake up and remember that Avatar, a huge international blockbuster, used the Papyrus font for their logo, and no one stopped them.”
Directed by Dave McCary (who also shot the previously pointed Torres sketch “Wells For Boys” with his now-wife and current collaborator Emma Stone), this meditation on obsession and a questionable font became the logo for James Cameron’s massive franchise.
Gosling recalled the (alleged) decision-making process of choosing the font papyrus for the blockbuster, in the past sketch, “Like a thoughtless child just wandering by a garden, just yanking leaves along the way.” Eventually, his character would...
- 4/14/2024
- by Meredith Woerner
- Variety Film + TV
Emma Stone is proving two Oscars and being an Emmy hopeful isn’t a curse by any means.
The “Poor Things” Academy Award winner is already starring in Yorgos Lanthimos’ follow-up “Kinds of Kindness,” which will debut at Cannes 2024, and she’s also attached to Lanthimos’ upcoming satirical film “Save the Green Planet,” a remake of the Korean comedy of the same name. But Stone has yet another project in the works too: leading an untitled Universal feature directed by her real-life husband.
Stone is in talks to star in the movie that would be directed by Dave McCary, who is also in talks, an individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire. The two most recently worked together as executive producers on the Showtime series “The Curse.” Stone and McCary together work under their production banner Fruit Tree.
The Universal film originated as a spec script penned by Patrick Kang...
The “Poor Things” Academy Award winner is already starring in Yorgos Lanthimos’ follow-up “Kinds of Kindness,” which will debut at Cannes 2024, and she’s also attached to Lanthimos’ upcoming satirical film “Save the Green Planet,” a remake of the Korean comedy of the same name. But Stone has yet another project in the works too: leading an untitled Universal feature directed by her real-life husband.
Stone is in talks to star in the movie that would be directed by Dave McCary, who is also in talks, an individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire. The two most recently worked together as executive producers on the Showtime series “The Curse.” Stone and McCary together work under their production banner Fruit Tree.
The Universal film originated as a spec script penned by Patrick Kang...
- 4/12/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The Cinema for Gaza auction has added a Joker poster signed by Joaquin Phoenix and a Crown script signed by Emma Corrin, as it passes more than $200,000 in donations.
The campaign was launched last week by UK film professionals Hanna Flint, Julia Jackman, Leila Latif, Sophie Monks Kaufman and Helen Simmons, and has immediately taken off with works from the likes of Jonathan Glazer, Spike Lee and Tessa Thompson. The organizers had no backing or budget and largely organized efforts over a WhatsApp group chat launched over dinner in February.
The auction’s final lots now feature a Joker poster signed by Phoenix, a You Were Never Really Here poster signed by Phoenix and Lynne Ramsay, a Crown script signed by Emma Corrin, who played Princess Diana, a custom Cinema for Gaza painting by American History X director Tony Kaye and a chat with writer-comedian Julio Torres and custom tattoo design.
The campaign was launched last week by UK film professionals Hanna Flint, Julia Jackman, Leila Latif, Sophie Monks Kaufman and Helen Simmons, and has immediately taken off with works from the likes of Jonathan Glazer, Spike Lee and Tessa Thompson. The organizers had no backing or budget and largely organized efforts over a WhatsApp group chat launched over dinner in February.
The auction’s final lots now feature a Joker poster signed by Phoenix, a You Were Never Really Here poster signed by Phoenix and Lynne Ramsay, a Crown script signed by Emma Corrin, who played Princess Diana, a custom Cinema for Gaza painting by American History X director Tony Kaye and a chat with writer-comedian Julio Torres and custom tattoo design.
- 4/11/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
With just a day to go until it closes, the Cinema for Gaza auction has received several new celebrity donations from the entertainment world, with its fundraising efforts now surpassing $200,000.
Among the new lots are a “Joker” poster signed by Joaquin Phoenix. The actor — who also led the list of Jewish creatives signing a letting backing Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars speech — also donated a poster for “You Were Never Really Here” that he signed alongside director Lynne Ramsay.
Meanwhile, the auction has also received six personalized signed books from Guillermo del Toro, a signed “The Crown” script from Emma Corrin, a customized Cinema for Gaza painting from “American History X” director Tony Kaye and a chat and custom tattoo design from “Saturday Night Live” writer Julio Torres.
Set up by U.K.-based filmmakers and film journalists Hanna Flint, Julia Jackman, Leila Latif, Sophie Monks Kaufman and Helen Simmons, the...
Among the new lots are a “Joker” poster signed by Joaquin Phoenix. The actor — who also led the list of Jewish creatives signing a letting backing Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars speech — also donated a poster for “You Were Never Really Here” that he signed alongside director Lynne Ramsay.
Meanwhile, the auction has also received six personalized signed books from Guillermo del Toro, a signed “The Crown” script from Emma Corrin, a customized Cinema for Gaza painting from “American History X” director Tony Kaye and a chat and custom tattoo design from “Saturday Night Live” writer Julio Torres.
Set up by U.K.-based filmmakers and film journalists Hanna Flint, Julia Jackman, Leila Latif, Sophie Monks Kaufman and Helen Simmons, the...
- 4/11/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Ripley, Civil War and Monkey Man.
Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces premiere
Steve Martin was joined by Selena Gomez, Jimmy Fallon, Diane Sawyer, Richard Kind and Finn Wittrock at the New York premiere of his new Apple TV+ documentary on March 29.
Selena Gomez and Steve Martin Director Morgan Neville, Steve Martin and Jimmy Fallon
Civil War special screening
After debuting Civil War at SXSW, writer-director Alex Garland and stars Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Jesse Plemons and Nick Offerman screened the film in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Alex Garland, Nick Offerman, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Jojo T. Gibbs
Ripley premiere
Andrew Scott and Dakota Fanning joined creator Steven Zaillian at the Los Angeles premiere of their new Netflix series on Wednesday.
Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces premiere
Steve Martin was joined by Selena Gomez, Jimmy Fallon, Diane Sawyer, Richard Kind and Finn Wittrock at the New York premiere of his new Apple TV+ documentary on March 29.
Selena Gomez and Steve Martin Director Morgan Neville, Steve Martin and Jimmy Fallon
Civil War special screening
After debuting Civil War at SXSW, writer-director Alex Garland and stars Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Jesse Plemons and Nick Offerman screened the film in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Alex Garland, Nick Offerman, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Jojo T. Gibbs
Ripley premiere
Andrew Scott and Dakota Fanning joined creator Steven Zaillian at the Los Angeles premiere of their new Netflix series on Wednesday.
- 4/5/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In Roger Ebert’s one-star review of David Lynch‘s “Blue Velvet” in 1986, the film critic had strong words for the director he never softened through the rest of his career, even as Ebert came to appreciate some of Lynch’s later films. Ebert wrote that Isabella Rossellini “is asked to do things in this film that require real nerve… She is degraded, slapped around, humiliated and undressed in front of the camera. And when you ask an actress to endure those experiences, you should keep your side of the bargain by putting her in an important film.”
But Rossellini, who at the time of the controversial landmark’s release was in a relationship with director Lynch, today doesn’t necessarily agree with Ebert’s takedown of the movie. The daughter of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini had by then gathered some modeling and film credits, but “Blue Velvet” proved to be her big breakout.
But Rossellini, who at the time of the controversial landmark’s release was in a relationship with director Lynch, today doesn’t necessarily agree with Ebert’s takedown of the movie. The daughter of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini had by then gathered some modeling and film credits, but “Blue Velvet” proved to be her big breakout.
- 3/27/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
While HBO fans will have to wait even longer for a new season of “Euphoria,” another viral series will be back for its long-awaited third season: “Industry.”
The critically-acclaimed drama set in the world of finance will screen its Season 3 premiere episode at this year’s Atx TV Festival, taking place from May 30 to June 2. Creators/writers/directors/executive producers Mickey Down and Konrad Kay will be joined by cast members including Myha’la Herrold to discuss the making of the latest installment that captures the intensity of international banking.
Fellow upcoming HBO series “Fantasmas” hailing from creator/director/star Julio Torres is also debuting at the Austin-based Atx TV Festival, with Torres discussing his new series. The “Problemista” writer/director/star helms the anthology “Fantasmas” which is described as being “little films” following “eerie comedic stories” as Torres tries to find a missing golden oyster.
HBO and Max will additionally...
The critically-acclaimed drama set in the world of finance will screen its Season 3 premiere episode at this year’s Atx TV Festival, taking place from May 30 to June 2. Creators/writers/directors/executive producers Mickey Down and Konrad Kay will be joined by cast members including Myha’la Herrold to discuss the making of the latest installment that captures the intensity of international banking.
Fellow upcoming HBO series “Fantasmas” hailing from creator/director/star Julio Torres is also debuting at the Austin-based Atx TV Festival, with Torres discussing his new series. The “Problemista” writer/director/star helms the anthology “Fantasmas” which is described as being “little films” following “eerie comedic stories” as Torres tries to find a missing golden oyster.
HBO and Max will additionally...
- 3/27/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Atx TV Festival is expanding its 2024 programming.
The lineup will now feature several screenings and conversations from series including Industry Season 3, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, and Fargo. Other events will incorporate shows like Girls5eva into the programming as well.
HBO and Max are planning several panels. Fantasmas, which premieres this summer, has set its world premiere at Atx, followed by a conversation with creator, star, and director Julio Torres.
Industry Season 3 will also debut at the festival, followed by a conversation with creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, as well as star Myha’la Herrold. Additional cast is likely to be announced soon. Season 3 is set to stream on Max in 2024, though a premiere date has not been set.
Finally, Max will also host a screening and Q&a for Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, which is a continuation of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin. There will footage from a new episode,...
The lineup will now feature several screenings and conversations from series including Industry Season 3, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, and Fargo. Other events will incorporate shows like Girls5eva into the programming as well.
HBO and Max are planning several panels. Fantasmas, which premieres this summer, has set its world premiere at Atx, followed by a conversation with creator, star, and director Julio Torres.
Industry Season 3 will also debut at the festival, followed by a conversation with creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, as well as star Myha’la Herrold. Additional cast is likely to be announced soon. Season 3 is set to stream on Max in 2024, though a premiere date has not been set.
Finally, Max will also host a screening and Q&a for Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, which is a continuation of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin. There will footage from a new episode,...
- 3/27/2024
- by Katie Campione
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Problemista’ Unites Acclaimed Actresses in a Tale of Art and Dreams The cinematic landscape is set to be enriched by the unique storytelling of Julio Torres in his directorial debut, ‘Problemista’. With a narrative that weaves through the complexities of immigration and the pursuit of one’s dreams, the film presents a surreal journey set against the backdrop of New York City. Tilda Swinton and Isabella Rossellini grace the screen with their presence, bringing depth and nuance to this compelling story. Swinton, known for her transformative performances, plays Elizabeth, an art-world outcast whose erratic behavior is matched only by her brilliance.
The post Tilda Swinton and Isabella Rossellini Team Up in ‘Problemista’ first appeared on TVovermind.
The post Tilda Swinton and Isabella Rossellini Team Up in ‘Problemista’ first appeared on TVovermind.
- 3/22/2024
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
In 2024, could there be sure a thing as a “hip film studio” that would attract both filmmakers and adventurous filmgoers despite the subject matter or “creatives”? From the intense internet “buzz” the answer is a big yes. A century ago it was those Warner Brothers with their urban crime thrillers (before expanding into swashbucklers and tearjerkers). And there are those studios that specialize in a genre as Blumhouse does with horror and the Marvel Studios with their comics properties. Perhaps the last time a studio inspired nearly blind loyalty may have been in the early 90s with Miramax, which introduced us to, among many, Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino before one of the founders started the spark that became “Me Too”. Today it is A24, which grabbed the top six Oscars a year ago. Last week saw the release of Love Lies Bleeding. From that quirky crime noir/love story...
- 3/22/2024
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
There’s no doubt an element of wish-fulfillment at play when you’re a debut queer filmmaker casting Tilda Swinton as the lead of your movie.
That’s the case for the 37-year-old Julio Torres, a seasoned comedian onstage and former writer of “Saturday Night Live” (2016 through 2021) and co-creator of HBO’s short-lived cult series “Los Espookys.” His new A24 comedy “Problemista,” now in select theaters before opening wide on March 22, has already grossed more than $690,000 in just a handful of theaters. He stars in the endearing comedy as Alejandro, a fledgling toy designer hustling in New York in the last few days before his visa expires and he’s sent back to Central America. Alejandro accepts an assistant job under Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), a whirling dervish and New York art scene castaway with faded magenta hair and a short fuse who tasks him with organizing a posthumous show for her dead artist husband,...
That’s the case for the 37-year-old Julio Torres, a seasoned comedian onstage and former writer of “Saturday Night Live” (2016 through 2021) and co-creator of HBO’s short-lived cult series “Los Espookys.” His new A24 comedy “Problemista,” now in select theaters before opening wide on March 22, has already grossed more than $690,000 in just a handful of theaters. He stars in the endearing comedy as Alejandro, a fledgling toy designer hustling in New York in the last few days before his visa expires and he’s sent back to Central America. Alejandro accepts an assistant job under Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), a whirling dervish and New York art scene castaway with faded magenta hair and a short fuse who tasks him with organizing a posthumous show for her dead artist husband,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
As Oscar night fades in the rearview, arguments over who got robbed and who had the nicest dress continue to recede. One story, however, continues to rage on — a backlash (and backlash to the backlash) to the acceptance speech given by Jonathan Glazer alongside producers James Wilson and Len Blavatnik when The Zone of Interest won for best international film. THR has learned that that, even though Glazer claimed to speak for all three of them, he had not run his comments by Blavatnik, according to a spokesperson for the billionaire.
Glazer, The Zone of Interest’s writer-director, said (and it’s important to get this right) that his Auschwitz-set movie “shows where dehumanization leads at its worst” and continued “right now we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people,...
Glazer, The Zone of Interest’s writer-director, said (and it’s important to get this right) that his Auschwitz-set movie “shows where dehumanization leads at its worst” and continued “right now we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people,...
- 3/13/2024
- by Jordan Hoffman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In this week’s episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo embraces the absurd to discuss the film “Problemista” with director and star Julio Torres and co-star Tilda Swinton. In the A24 comedy, out now, Alejandro (Torres) is an aspiring toymaker who loses his job and falls in with an art-world outcast (Swinton) to maintain his work visa.
Continue reading ‘Problemista’: Tilda Swinton & Julio Torres Discuss Their A24 Comedy, Big Budget Experimentation & ‘Constantine 2’ [The Discourse Podcast] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Problemista’: Tilda Swinton & Julio Torres Discuss Their A24 Comedy, Big Budget Experimentation & ‘Constantine 2’ [The Discourse Podcast] at The Playlist.
- 3/8/2024
- by Mike DeAngelo
- The Playlist
A24’s psychological thriller Love Lies Bleeding by director Rose Glass starring Kristen Stewart, Katy O’Brian, Jena Malone and Anna Baryshnikov, with Dave Franco and Ed Harris, opens in limited release on five screens in New York and L.A., expanding next week. A reclusive gym manager Lou (Stewart) falls hard for Jackie (O’Brian), an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family. Written by Rose Glass and Weronika Tofilskav. Premiered at Sundance, see Deadline review.
(A24’s The Problemista by Julio Torres staring Torres and Tilda Swinton expands to 20 screens.)
Glitter & Doom from Music Box Films, a fantastical queer romance told through the music of the Indigo Girls, opens at the Quad in NYC and Laemmle LA. The film, which has played gala slots at over 50 LGBTQ+ festivals globally,...
(A24’s The Problemista by Julio Torres staring Torres and Tilda Swinton expands to 20 screens.)
Glitter & Doom from Music Box Films, a fantastical queer romance told through the music of the Indigo Girls, opens at the Quad in NYC and Laemmle LA. The film, which has played gala slots at over 50 LGBTQ+ festivals globally,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on Wbgr-fm on February 29th, 2024, reviewing “Problemista,” the debut film of writer/director/lead actor Julio Torres. In select theater now, in Chicago March 8th.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Torres is Alejandro, a nebbishy immigrant from El Salvador in New York City. He is there for one goal … to become a toy designer for Hasbro. While going through the application process, he works for a cryogenic company, maintaining the frozen body of Bobby (portrayed by the rapper Rizza). Bobby’s wife Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), a prominent art critic, needs to sell Bobby’s paintings to pay for his frozen state. When Alejandro needs a sponsor to extend his visa, and Elizabeth needs an assistant to help mount a show, a new odd couple is born.
”Problemista” is in select theaters March 1st, and Chicago March 8th. See local listings.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Torres is Alejandro, a nebbishy immigrant from El Salvador in New York City. He is there for one goal … to become a toy designer for Hasbro. While going through the application process, he works for a cryogenic company, maintaining the frozen body of Bobby (portrayed by the rapper Rizza). Bobby’s wife Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), a prominent art critic, needs to sell Bobby’s paintings to pay for his frozen state. When Alejandro needs a sponsor to extend his visa, and Elizabeth needs an assistant to help mount a show, a new odd couple is born.
”Problemista” is in select theaters March 1st, and Chicago March 8th. See local listings.
- 3/7/2024
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
When Tilda Swinton first got the script for Problemista, she wasn’t sure what to make of the character Elizabeth, who the film’s writer-director-star Julio Torres was hoping she would play. Set in New York City, Problemista tells the story of Alejandro, a Salvadorian immigrant who is desperately navigating the brutal bureaucracy of the U.S. immigration system so he can pursue his dream of becoming a toy designer at Hasbro.
When the film opens, Alejandro is working at a cryogenic facility where dying people pay large sums of...
When the film opens, Alejandro is working at a cryogenic facility where dying people pay large sums of...
- 3/6/2024
- by Elisabeth Garber-Paul
- Rollingstone.com
Alright, gather ’round cinephiles and casting couch critics, because we’re about to dive into the whimsical world of Julio Torres and his muse for the moment, the ethereal Tilda Swinton. You know Julio, right? The writer and filmmaker whose imagination is as outlandish as a Salvador Dalí painting on a sugar rush. And Tilda, oh boy, she’s not just an actress; she’s a shape-shifting enigma wrapped in a riddle, with a touch of otherworldly grace. Now, why did Torres think Swinton was the only one who could nail his latest fever dream of a project? Buckle up, buttercup, we’re about...
- 3/5/2024
- by Jane Wiggle
- TVovermind.com
Problemista.As a former Saturday Night Live writer, co-creator of the bilingual HBO cult favorite Los Espookys, and government-certified “alien of extraordinary ability,” Julio Torres has been preoccupied with the secret life of objects: the existential dilemmas that plague baubles and trinkets divorced from their original purpose. In Problemista (2024), Torres’s debut feature, the efficacy of form and function, as it applies to the predominant social order and the flimsy structures that reinforce it, is up for constant reconsideration. Through fabulist vignettes and an iridescent array of signs and symbols, the film offers a buoyant critique of institutional frameworks, especially the Kafkaesque bureaucracy of the American immigration system, but also the avarice of corporate banks and the innumerable hypocrisies of the art world. Contributing a singular perspective to the discourse surrounding “the queer art of failure,” Torres views conventional notions of utility with puckish skepticism and advocates for a deliberate...
- 3/5/2024
- MUBI
“Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.) did its part to launch what needs to be a comeback March for theaters. With an estimated gross of $81.5 million in U.S./Canada on its first weekend — about double the initial “Dune” in October 2021 — Denis Villeneuve’s sequel had the best opening since “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” (at a higher average ticket price), “Barbie,” and “Oppenheimer” last July.
Meantime, A24’s “Problemista” with $140,000 in five New York/Los Angeles theaters had the best platform start since the holidays nearly a year after its SXSW premiere. Written and directed by Julio Torres, he also stars opposite Tilda Swinton in a comedy about an El Savadoran toy designer who must confront the vagaries of the New York art world.
Propelling “Dune 2” are premium formats with elevated prices, which provided 48 percent of the gross (23 percent from IMAX). The performance is a critical boost to the idea that an expensive sequel,...
Meantime, A24’s “Problemista” with $140,000 in five New York/Los Angeles theaters had the best platform start since the holidays nearly a year after its SXSW premiere. Written and directed by Julio Torres, he also stars opposite Tilda Swinton in a comedy about an El Savadoran toy designer who must confront the vagaries of the New York art world.
Propelling “Dune 2” are premium formats with elevated prices, which provided 48 percent of the gross (23 percent from IMAX). The performance is a critical boost to the idea that an expensive sequel,...
- 3/3/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Julio Torres’s directorial debut Problemista from A24 posted the highest per-screen average of the weekend with a solid limited opening, grossing $140.9k on five screens in New York and LA with multiple sold out Q&As.
The film starring Torres and Tilda Swinton saw a PSA of $28k and strong exits at all locations.
A surreal comedy about a young aspiring toy designer from El Salvador navigating New York City and the U.S. immigration system, it premiered at SXSW last year. Expands to select top markets this weekend with a nationwide rollout to follow.
Oscar-Nominated Shorts from ShortsTV and Magnolia hit a solid $330k on 258 screens in week three, looking set to surpass last year’s $3.025 million, likely by the end of this week, Magnolia said. It’s grossed about $200k more so far this year than it had at the same point in 2023. The program, broken into...
The film starring Torres and Tilda Swinton saw a PSA of $28k and strong exits at all locations.
A surreal comedy about a young aspiring toy designer from El Salvador navigating New York City and the U.S. immigration system, it premiered at SXSW last year. Expands to select top markets this weekend with a nationwide rollout to follow.
Oscar-Nominated Shorts from ShortsTV and Magnolia hit a solid $330k on 258 screens in week three, looking set to surpass last year’s $3.025 million, likely by the end of this week, Magnolia said. It’s grossed about $200k more so far this year than it had at the same point in 2023. The program, broken into...
- 3/3/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
After premiering at SXSW in March 2023 (where we gave the film a glowing review), Julio Torres’s feature debut, Problemista, is finally coming out in theaters after delays due to the WGA and SAG strikes.
Written, directed by, and starring the former SNL writer and Los Espookys creator, the A24 comedy follows an immigrant struggling to get by in New York City with dreams of becoming a toymaker as he takes a job as an assistant to an eccentric widow of an artist (played incredibly by Tilda Swinton).
In advance of Problemista‘s release, we at FandomWire got the opportunity to speak with Torres about his movie. Check out the interview here:
Julio Torres Problemista interview
In the film, your character Alejandro’s ideas represent things about his life. Is there a real-life toy you think encapsulates your life, and if so, what would it be?
You know, for a little bit,...
Written, directed by, and starring the former SNL writer and Los Espookys creator, the A24 comedy follows an immigrant struggling to get by in New York City with dreams of becoming a toymaker as he takes a job as an assistant to an eccentric widow of an artist (played incredibly by Tilda Swinton).
In advance of Problemista‘s release, we at FandomWire got the opportunity to speak with Torres about his movie. Check out the interview here:
Julio Torres Problemista interview
In the film, your character Alejandro’s ideas represent things about his life. Is there a real-life toy you think encapsulates your life, and if so, what would it be?
You know, for a little bit,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Sean Boelman
- FandomWire
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Though 2024 has gotten off to a slow start, especially on the movies front, March seems determined to correct that. The year’s first real blockbuster, Dune: Part Two, debuts on the first of the month in theaters. Jake Gyllenhaal steps into Patrick Swayze’s shoes in the Road House remake on Prime Video. And, on the returning front, we’re getting a chance to see Pixar’s charming...
Though 2024 has gotten off to a slow start, especially on the movies front, March seems determined to correct that. The year’s first real blockbuster, Dune: Part Two, debuts on the first of the month in theaters. Jake Gyllenhaal steps into Patrick Swayze’s shoes in the Road House remake on Prime Video. And, on the returning front, we’re getting a chance to see Pixar’s charming...
- 3/1/2024
- by Keith Phipps
- Rollingstone.com
Two well-reviewed indies are taking a bow in limited release in the shadow of Dune, A24’s Problemista by Julio Torres, and Shayda from Sony Pictures Classics, the feature debut of Noora Niasari.
Torres, the comedian, actor and writer, in his directorial debut, stars with Tilda Swinton as Problemista gets its release at last after being bumped from August due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. He also penned the screenplay, and produced alongside Fruit Tree’s Dave McCary, Ali Herting and Emma Stone. Premiered at SXSW last year, see Deadline review, and sits at 91% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
This surreal comedy adventure amid the treacherous worlds of New York City and the U.S. Immigration system follows Torres’ Alejandro, an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador trying to land a spot at Hasbro’s incubator program. When he’s fired from the cryogenic center where he tends...
Torres, the comedian, actor and writer, in his directorial debut, stars with Tilda Swinton as Problemista gets its release at last after being bumped from August due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. He also penned the screenplay, and produced alongside Fruit Tree’s Dave McCary, Ali Herting and Emma Stone. Premiered at SXSW last year, see Deadline review, and sits at 91% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
This surreal comedy adventure amid the treacherous worlds of New York City and the U.S. Immigration system follows Torres’ Alejandro, an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador trying to land a spot at Hasbro’s incubator program. When he’s fired from the cryogenic center where he tends...
- 3/1/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Dune: Part Two, The Regime and Spaceman.
Dune: Part Two premiere
Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Stellan Skarsgard, Javier Bardem and Denis Villeneuve walked the carpet on Sunday for the New York premiere of their sci-fi sequel.
Anya Taylor-Joy, Souheila Yacoub, Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Denis Villeneuve, Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Florence Pugh and Léa Seydoux Zendaya Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Léa Seydoux
Spaceman special screening
Netflix hosted a special screening of Spaceman on Monday with stars Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Isabella Rossellini, Kunal Nayyar and director Johan Renck.
Johan Renck, Carey Mulligan, Adam Sandler, Isabella Rossellini and Kunal Nayyar
The Regime premiere
Kate Winslet joined costars Guillaume Gallienne and Andrea Riseborough...
Dune: Part Two premiere
Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Stellan Skarsgard, Javier Bardem and Denis Villeneuve walked the carpet on Sunday for the New York premiere of their sci-fi sequel.
Anya Taylor-Joy, Souheila Yacoub, Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Denis Villeneuve, Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Florence Pugh and Léa Seydoux Zendaya Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Léa Seydoux
Spaceman special screening
Netflix hosted a special screening of Spaceman on Monday with stars Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Isabella Rossellini, Kunal Nayyar and director Johan Renck.
Johan Renck, Carey Mulligan, Adam Sandler, Isabella Rossellini and Kunal Nayyar
The Regime premiere
Kate Winslet joined costars Guillaume Gallienne and Andrea Riseborough...
- 3/1/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
You don’t have to work in media or the fashion industry to know a Miranda Priestly type. You don’t need to be a fairy princess to have encountered a Maleficent or two in your day. And you don’t need to be familiar with the NYC art world — or for that matter, be a Salvadorian immigrant looking for a way to keep your work visa active until you get your dream job at Hasbro designing twee toys for kids — to recognize someone like Elizabeth Asencio. She is the...
- 3/1/2024
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
It’s immediately evident that Problemista, the new feature from A24, certainly comes from the mind of Julio Torres, the writer and comedian who brought his surreal ideas to Saturday Night Live and the HBO series about horror lovers, Los Espookys. But unlike most of his other work, Problemista gets personal.
Problemista — which Torres wrote, directed and stars in — follows Alejandro, who, like Torres did at one point, needs a visa sponsorship to stay in the United States rather than returning home to El Salvador. Alejandro is desperate to work at Hasbro, but they never respond to his applications containing beautifully bizarre ideas for toys that are more philosophical than practical. (Think: Torres’ beloved SNL sketch “Wells for Boys.”) Instead, he works at a cryonics center where humans are frozen, with the idea that they will be brought back to life in the future. He watches over the icy tomb...
Problemista — which Torres wrote, directed and stars in — follows Alejandro, who, like Torres did at one point, needs a visa sponsorship to stay in the United States rather than returning home to El Salvador. Alejandro is desperate to work at Hasbro, but they never respond to his applications containing beautifully bizarre ideas for toys that are more philosophical than practical. (Think: Torres’ beloved SNL sketch “Wells for Boys.”) Instead, he works at a cryonics center where humans are frozen, with the idea that they will be brought back to life in the future. He watches over the icy tomb...
- 2/29/2024
- by Esther Zuckerman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Julio Torres
Photo: Jon Pack
Problemista, the debut film from stand-up comedian, SNL Melania whisperer, and Los Espookys co-creator Julio Torres, lands closer to Uhf than Being John Malkovich, creating a slick and consistently hilarious comedic satire that aims to please more than challenge. Abandoning the confidence of his “Space Prince” stage persona,...
Photo: Jon Pack
Problemista, the debut film from stand-up comedian, SNL Melania whisperer, and Los Espookys co-creator Julio Torres, lands closer to Uhf than Being John Malkovich, creating a slick and consistently hilarious comedic satire that aims to please more than challenge. Abandoning the confidence of his “Space Prince” stage persona,...
- 2/29/2024
- by Matt Schimkowitz
- avclub.com
When Julio Torres jumped on a Zoom to discuss his directorial debut “Problemista” it was at the end of June 2023. The WGA strike was going on, but as the filmmaker, he could still speak about his upcoming film. At the time, word was the Screen Actor’s Guild would avoid a strike with the AMPTP. “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” hadn’t even opened. Their review embargos were not even up yet.
Continue reading Julio Torres’ Work Visa Comedy ‘Problemista’ Is Finally Arriving In Theaters at The Playlist.
Continue reading Julio Torres’ Work Visa Comedy ‘Problemista’ Is Finally Arriving In Theaters at The Playlist.
- 2/29/2024
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
Nearly a year since it premiered at SXSW, Julio Torres’ “Problemista” finally had its New York City premiere at the Village East by Angelika on Tuesday, February 27. His A24 satire stars Tilda Swinton, Isabella Rossellini, James Scully, Greta Lee, and RZA, to name a few. On the red carpet, producer Emma Stone, alongside fellow producers Dave McCary and Ali Herting, even made a surprise appearance.
“She was very happy to do it,” Julio Torres said of getting Tilda Swinton involved as his co-lead. “She was a little worried about playing an American, then we talked and she didn’t have to be American. She found this creature, we don’t know where she came from. Like a dragon, she emerged from a cave.”
Tilda Swinton was visibly very excited to be in Manhattan in support of this project. “Julio sent me [the script] and asked me to come play with him,” the Oscar winner said.
“She was very happy to do it,” Julio Torres said of getting Tilda Swinton involved as his co-lead. “She was a little worried about playing an American, then we talked and she didn’t have to be American. She found this creature, we don’t know where she came from. Like a dragon, she emerged from a cave.”
Tilda Swinton was visibly very excited to be in Manhattan in support of this project. “Julio sent me [the script] and asked me to come play with him,” the Oscar winner said.
- 2/28/2024
- by Vincent Perella
- Indiewire
The spice must flow, and take over most theaters. While Denis Villeneuve’s gargantuan-sized blockbuster will suck up much of the oxygen when it comes to discussions around March’s releases, there’s plenty more to uncover. From adventurous festival favorites to micro-sized productions to a would-be blockbuster relegated to streaming, here are my picks for what to see next month.
15. Road House (Doug Liman; March 21)
While his recent output hasn’t touched the entertainment value of Edge of Tomorrow, The Bourne Identity, or Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Doug Liman seems quite confident in the crowdpleaser appeal of his Jake Gyllenhaal-led Road House remake. While he won’t be getting the theatrical release he believes he deserves, those at SXSW will at least be able to experience it in a crowd before it lands on Prime Video soon after.
14. Yuni (Kamila Andini; March 22)
One of our favorite undistributed films...
15. Road House (Doug Liman; March 21)
While his recent output hasn’t touched the entertainment value of Edge of Tomorrow, The Bourne Identity, or Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Doug Liman seems quite confident in the crowdpleaser appeal of his Jake Gyllenhaal-led Road House remake. While he won’t be getting the theatrical release he believes he deserves, those at SXSW will at least be able to experience it in a crowd before it lands on Prime Video soon after.
14. Yuni (Kamila Andini; March 22)
One of our favorite undistributed films...
- 2/28/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Emma Stone and husband Dave McCary are stepping out for the premiere of Problemista, which they co-produced!
The couple joined star, director, and writer Julio Torres along with fellow cast members Tilda Swinton, Isabella Rossellini, James Scully, Spike Einbinder, Larry Owens, Kelly McCormack, and Laith Nakli at the movie’s premiere on Tuesday evening (February 27) held at the Village East Cinema in New York City.
Fellow producer Ali Herting also joined Emma and Dave on the red carpet.
Keep reading to find out more…Here’s the synopsis: “Alejandro is an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador, struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in New York City. As time on his work visa runs out, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast becomes his only hope to stay in the country and realize his dream.”
It was recently announced that Emma will be reuniting with Poor Things and...
The couple joined star, director, and writer Julio Torres along with fellow cast members Tilda Swinton, Isabella Rossellini, James Scully, Spike Einbinder, Larry Owens, Kelly McCormack, and Laith Nakli at the movie’s premiere on Tuesday evening (February 27) held at the Village East Cinema in New York City.
Fellow producer Ali Herting also joined Emma and Dave on the red carpet.
Keep reading to find out more…Here’s the synopsis: “Alejandro is an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador, struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in New York City. As time on his work visa runs out, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast becomes his only hope to stay in the country and realize his dream.”
It was recently announced that Emma will be reuniting with Poor Things and...
- 2/28/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
From top left: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Kung Fu Panda 4, The American Society Of Magical Negroes, Dune: Part Two, and Imaginary
Summer movie season comes earlier every year, and 2024 is no exception. After surviving the harsh winter with nothing to warm us but a Madame Web and a Mean Girls musical,...
Summer movie season comes earlier every year, and 2024 is no exception. After surviving the harsh winter with nothing to warm us but a Madame Web and a Mean Girls musical,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Matt Schimkowitz
- avclub.com
Julio Torres’ whimsical comedy shows promise in its portrayal of the Kafka-esque maze of the US immigration system, but his ideas don’t always come together
As testified by numerous documentaries, many journalistic investigations and countless lived experiences, the United States immigration system is a purgatorial, deliberately confusing, dehumanizing hell. Getting here, let alone staying here, can be a confounding maze of dead-ends and Kafka-esque double binds, an impossible staircase of bureaucracy. The metaphors come easy; the system lends itself well to magical realism, as poignantly realized in the new A24 film Problemista, in which immigration is a literal maze of drab cubicles, an hourglass counts down one’s days till deportation, and applicants are physically disappeared by a bland visa denials.
Problemista, the winsome debut feature from writer/director/actor Julio Torres, is at its best when the erstwhile SNL writer and creator of the HBO show...
As testified by numerous documentaries, many journalistic investigations and countless lived experiences, the United States immigration system is a purgatorial, deliberately confusing, dehumanizing hell. Getting here, let alone staying here, can be a confounding maze of dead-ends and Kafka-esque double binds, an impossible staircase of bureaucracy. The metaphors come easy; the system lends itself well to magical realism, as poignantly realized in the new A24 film Problemista, in which immigration is a literal maze of drab cubicles, an hourglass counts down one’s days till deportation, and applicants are physically disappeared by a bland visa denials.
Problemista, the winsome debut feature from writer/director/actor Julio Torres, is at its best when the erstwhile SNL writer and creator of the HBO show...
- 2/26/2024
- by Adrian Horton
- The Guardian - Film News
You will probably laugh the first time Alejandro (Julio Torres) walks though the frame in Problemista, seemingly bouncing off the ground before gliding across it, almost as if he were walking on eggshells—or paintings of them. (More on those in a bit.) Which makes sense, given that this aspiring toy designer from El Salvador who’s looking for a co-signer for his visa so that he can remain in the United States is very wary of angering the powers that be who are holding him back from his dreams in both visible and invisible ways.
But somewhere around the fourth or fifth time that Torres performs this dormouse shimmy in his feature-length directorial debut, the gag lapses into the grating. What initially scans as a reflection of a young man’s existential fear of disrupting the order of the universe becomes a literalization of how Torres tentatively circles his...
But somewhere around the fourth or fifth time that Torres performs this dormouse shimmy in his feature-length directorial debut, the gag lapses into the grating. What initially scans as a reflection of a young man’s existential fear of disrupting the order of the universe becomes a literalization of how Torres tentatively circles his...
- 2/25/2024
- by Ed Gonzalez
- Slant Magazine
“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” Comes to Max
Following its December theatrical premiere, the recent DC blockbuster “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” will make its streaming debut on Max this month!
James Wan returns to the helm in the Jason Momoa-starrer, which sees Aquaman turn to his imprisoned brother and former King of Atlantis Orm (Patrick Wilson) and set aside their differences to save their family and the world as Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) now wields the power of the Black Trident, vowing to stop at nothing to avenge to his father’s death.
In addition to Momoa, Wilson, and Abdul-Mateen II, Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, Randall Park, and John Rhys-Davies also reprise their roles in the sequel with Temuera Morrison, Martin Short, Vincent Regan, Jani Zhao, Indya Moore, and others.
The film has earned $433 million at the global box office, a relatively modest sum compared to 2018’s “Aquaman,...
Following its December theatrical premiere, the recent DC blockbuster “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” will make its streaming debut on Max this month!
James Wan returns to the helm in the Jason Momoa-starrer, which sees Aquaman turn to his imprisoned brother and former King of Atlantis Orm (Patrick Wilson) and set aside their differences to save their family and the world as Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) now wields the power of the Black Trident, vowing to stop at nothing to avenge to his father’s death.
In addition to Momoa, Wilson, and Abdul-Mateen II, Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, Randall Park, and John Rhys-Davies also reprise their roles in the sequel with Temuera Morrison, Martin Short, Vincent Regan, Jani Zhao, Indya Moore, and others.
The film has earned $433 million at the global box office, a relatively modest sum compared to 2018’s “Aquaman,...
- 2/20/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
The Netflix series Good Morning, Veronica is a mystery thriller that released its first season in 2020 and the subsequent season in 2022. The Brazilian series centers around a police record clerk, Veronica Torres, on her quest to learn the truth about her father, Julio Torres, who was a convicted criminal in the eyes of the law. Julio was arrested for killing his wife, but Veronica couldn’t bring herself to believe that her father was capable of doing something like this. As she embarked on her journey to uncover the truth, she was confronted with some of the most wicked people involved in unspeakable atrocities. Before the third season of this series arrives on Netflix, let’s revisit everything we know about the show so far.
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens In Season 1?
Season 1 of Good Morning, Veronica revolves around a chilling case involving a cult leader, Claudio Antunes Brandao, who was...
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens In Season 1?
Season 1 of Good Morning, Veronica revolves around a chilling case involving a cult leader, Claudio Antunes Brandao, who was...
- 2/14/2024
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
Top to bottom: Love Me (Sundance Institute), Will & Harper (Sundance Institute), The Bikeriders (Focus Features)Graphic: The A.V. Club
Another year of Sundance is now in the books, and while there may not have been any obvious breakout films along the lines of last year’s Past Lives, the range,...
Another year of Sundance is now in the books, and while there may not have been any obvious breakout films along the lines of last year’s Past Lives, the range,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
Writer, director, actor, and comedian Julio Torres really broke out as the co-showrunner and actor on HBO’s short-lived comedy series, “Los Espookys,” featuring Fred Armisen. While that series only lasted two seasons, it’s made its mark with all the right people.
Continue reading ‘Problemista’ Trailer: Julio Torres’ Surrealist Comedy With Tilda Swinton Arrives In March Via A24 at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Problemista’ Trailer: Julio Torres’ Surrealist Comedy With Tilda Swinton Arrives In March Via A24 at The Playlist.
- 1/18/2024
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
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