Since Cheryl Burke left Dancing With The Stars a few seasons ago, she’s still kept a relatively strong social media presence. She may not be professionally dancing any longer, but DWTS is still heavy on her mind.
In fact, she launched a new podcast, Sex, Lies, & Spray Tans, where she dives into the backstage drama on the show. She’s had many former competitors as guests including Chris Jericho, Shangela, and even the controversial Sean Spicer.
But while searching for guests for the podcast, Cheryl has run into a bit of a snag. Some guests are hard to secure or have backed out entirely from the show.
What’s going on?
Cheryl Burke’s Podcast Isn’t So Popular Over At DWTS
It’s not a huge secret that Cheryl Burke has butted heads with the DWTS exec team in the past. She really wanted to be a judge after Len Goodman retired,...
In fact, she launched a new podcast, Sex, Lies, & Spray Tans, where she dives into the backstage drama on the show. She’s had many former competitors as guests including Chris Jericho, Shangela, and even the controversial Sean Spicer.
But while searching for guests for the podcast, Cheryl has run into a bit of a snag. Some guests are hard to secure or have backed out entirely from the show.
What’s going on?
Cheryl Burke’s Podcast Isn’t So Popular Over At DWTS
It’s not a huge secret that Cheryl Burke has butted heads with the DWTS exec team in the past. She really wanted to be a judge after Len Goodman retired,...
- 4/19/2024
- by Nikole Behrens
- TV Shows Ace
Cheryl Burke was the longest-running female Dancing with the Stars pro. However, despite her longevity and success on the series, Burke once believed she was “too fat for TV.”
Cheryl Burke felt negative about her body as a ‘Dancing with the Stars’ pro
Throughout her Dancing with the Stars career, Cheryl Burke felt she looked different than her other female pros. She compared her body to others whom she believed were thinner.
During an appearance on the Amy & Tj Podcast, Burke admits she has body dysmorphia. She believes appearing on the show added to the negative feelings she already had about her body.
“As far as wearing one of the outfits, I would probably get on some, I don’t know, some sort of strict diet,” Burke said of the possibility of ever appearing on the series again.
“But that’s my body dysmorphia that I’ll forever have … I’m very open with that,...
Cheryl Burke felt negative about her body as a ‘Dancing with the Stars’ pro
Throughout her Dancing with the Stars career, Cheryl Burke felt she looked different than her other female pros. She compared her body to others whom she believed were thinner.
During an appearance on the Amy & Tj Podcast, Burke admits she has body dysmorphia. She believes appearing on the show added to the negative feelings she already had about her body.
“As far as wearing one of the outfits, I would probably get on some, I don’t know, some sort of strict diet,” Burke said of the possibility of ever appearing on the series again.
“But that’s my body dysmorphia that I’ll forever have … I’m very open with that,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When audiences seek movies based on brands, that usually means the likes of Marvel, DC Comics, and Pixar — not studios or distributors.
The exception is A24. It’s something acknowledged by its peers (however grudgingly) and among a growing section of younger cinephiles, for whom “an A24 movie” means something a little weird and potentially cool, maybe great — and reason to take a chance on going to a theater.
Alex Garland‘s “Civil War,” the company’s most expensive film (a reported $50 million) opens this week with tracking that suggests it could open to $20 million or more. That would top any previous A24 opening; its best is “Hereditary,” which opened to $13.5 million in 2018.
Garland’s film checks many of the boxes that have translated into A24’s success. Its director has a strong following, including prior A24 films “Ex Machina” and “Men.” “Civil War” also had a widely publicized festival premiere at SXSW last month.
The exception is A24. It’s something acknowledged by its peers (however grudgingly) and among a growing section of younger cinephiles, for whom “an A24 movie” means something a little weird and potentially cool, maybe great — and reason to take a chance on going to a theater.
Alex Garland‘s “Civil War,” the company’s most expensive film (a reported $50 million) opens this week with tracking that suggests it could open to $20 million or more. That would top any previous A24 opening; its best is “Hereditary,” which opened to $13.5 million in 2018.
Garland’s film checks many of the boxes that have translated into A24’s success. Its director has a strong following, including prior A24 films “Ex Machina” and “Men.” “Civil War” also had a widely publicized festival premiere at SXSW last month.
- 4/12/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Sundance Film Festival ran from January 18-28 and, after a sluggish start, there were deals (click here for the latest), celebrity sightings, and a protest.
Christopher Nolan turned up to collect an honourary award at the festival’s opening night gala fundraiser and called the occasion a “full circle moment” 23 years after premeiring his breakout thriller Memento there back in 2001.
Kristen Stewart also attended the gala and starred in two films this year, while celebrity guests included Robert Downey Jr., Will Ferrell, and Malia Obama, who managed to attend somewhat under the radar with her short film The Heart credited to Malia Ann.
Christopher Nolan turned up to collect an honourary award at the festival’s opening night gala fundraiser and called the occasion a “full circle moment” 23 years after premeiring his breakout thriller Memento there back in 2001.
Kristen Stewart also attended the gala and starred in two films this year, while celebrity guests included Robert Downey Jr., Will Ferrell, and Malia Obama, who managed to attend somewhat under the radar with her short film The Heart credited to Malia Ann.
- 1/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
“Presence,” a twisty haunted house thriller, marks the second collaboration between Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp. The duo, who are longtime friends, also partnered on 2022’s “Kimi,” which featured Zoë Kravitz as an agoraphobic tech wiz.
But Soderergh and Koepp entered each other’s orbit long before “Kimi” debuted. Koepp wrote the screenplay for the 1992 black comedy “Death Becomes Her,” a cult favorite that was also a pioneer in its use of computer graphics.
“I want to preface this by saying I hate it when people talk about things that they passed on,” Soderbergh told Variety in an interview for a recent profile. “For whatever reason, I just feel like I am not convinced it’s good form to do that.”
But Soderbergh did acknowledge that he was offered a chance to direct “Death Becomes Her,” which would have happened shortly after he scored a breakout hit with 1989’s “Sex, Lies, and Videotape.
But Soderergh and Koepp entered each other’s orbit long before “Kimi” debuted. Koepp wrote the screenplay for the 1992 black comedy “Death Becomes Her,” a cult favorite that was also a pioneer in its use of computer graphics.
“I want to preface this by saying I hate it when people talk about things that they passed on,” Soderbergh told Variety in an interview for a recent profile. “For whatever reason, I just feel like I am not convinced it’s good form to do that.”
But Soderbergh did acknowledge that he was offered a chance to direct “Death Becomes Her,” which would have happened shortly after he scored a breakout hit with 1989’s “Sex, Lies, and Videotape.
- 1/26/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Actress Scarlett Johansson finally escaped our long-running photo gallery of the greatest living actresses to never receive an Oscar nomination. And she did it in grand style by picking up two for her 2019 films “Marriage Story” and “Jojo Rabbit.” Just recently, Kirsten Dunst had been in our gallery for years and then earned her first Academy Award bid for “The Power of the Dog.” Emily Blunt was finally nominated for “Oppenheimer” years after winning her first SAG Award for “A Quiet Place.”
In 2014, “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston looked like a lock to receive her first Academy Award nomination for “Cake,” following citations at the Golden Globes, SAG, and Broadcast Film Critics. Yet on Oscar morning, the Emmy-winner was left out. Aniston’s “Friends” costar and fellow Emmy-victor Lisa Kudrow found herself in a similar situation when she received an Independent Spirit Awards nomination for “The Opposite of Sex” yet came up short at the Oscars.
In 2014, “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston looked like a lock to receive her first Academy Award nomination for “Cake,” following citations at the Golden Globes, SAG, and Broadcast Film Critics. Yet on Oscar morning, the Emmy-winner was left out. Aniston’s “Friends” costar and fellow Emmy-victor Lisa Kudrow found herself in a similar situation when she received an Independent Spirit Awards nomination for “The Opposite of Sex” yet came up short at the Oscars.
- 1/24/2024
- by Chris Beachum, Zach Laws and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
In the latest high-profile acquisition at Sundance Neon is understood to have acquired worldwide rights to Steven Soderbergh’s ghost story Presence starring Lucy Liu.
The Premieres selection debuted last Friday and plays again this upcoming weekend. David Koepp wrote the screenplay.
Shot in one location, Presence follows a family that moves into a suburban home inhabited by a ghost. The cast includes Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, Julia Fox, Eddy Maday, and West Mulholland.
Julie M. Anderson and Ken Meyer served as producers and Koepp and Corey Bayes are executive producers. Michael Sugar of Sugar23 brokered the deal with attorney Jamie Feldman and Meyer.
The Premieres selection debuted last Friday and plays again this upcoming weekend. David Koepp wrote the screenplay.
Shot in one location, Presence follows a family that moves into a suburban home inhabited by a ghost. The cast includes Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, Julia Fox, Eddy Maday, and West Mulholland.
Julie M. Anderson and Ken Meyer served as producers and Koepp and Corey Bayes are executive producers. Michael Sugar of Sugar23 brokered the deal with attorney Jamie Feldman and Meyer.
- 1/24/2024
- ScreenDaily
“Presence,” a twisty new thriller that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, has sold to Neon.
The movie, which is directed by Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh, puts an inventive spin on the haunted house genre. It unfolds from the perspective of the spectral entity and is primarily interested in dramatizing the issues of the people living in the home, who seem to be grappling with a lot of interpersonal problems.
“I wanted to find a different way to tell the story,” Soderbergh told Variety in a recent profile. “Everything is revealed through the glimpses of this family that this presence sees. And the whole ghost genre element is a Trojan horse to show a group of people in danger of falling apart.”
The market at Sundance has been slower than usual, with deals taking longer to hammer out — that’s a sign of how challenging the box office has become for indie pictures.
The movie, which is directed by Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh, puts an inventive spin on the haunted house genre. It unfolds from the perspective of the spectral entity and is primarily interested in dramatizing the issues of the people living in the home, who seem to be grappling with a lot of interpersonal problems.
“I wanted to find a different way to tell the story,” Soderbergh told Variety in a recent profile. “Everything is revealed through the glimpses of this family that this presence sees. And the whole ghost genre element is a Trojan horse to show a group of people in danger of falling apart.”
The market at Sundance has been slower than usual, with deals taking longer to hammer out — that’s a sign of how challenging the box office has become for indie pictures.
- 1/24/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
You’ll remember during the pandemic, Steven Soderbergh revealed he wrote three scripts in a three-month blaze at the beginning of lockdown. One of them was a sequel to “Sex, Lies, and Videotape.”
Read More: Steven Soderbergh Has Written A ‘Sex, Lies & Videotape’ Sequel; Says George Clooney & More Set For ‘Kill Switch’
Well, it’s not happening, and in a recent Variety article, Soderbergh said while he got actors like Andie MacDowell and Laura San Giacomo to agree to return, he feels like the idea has missed its moment and he’ll likely turn it into a novel instead (which would be his first).
Continue reading Steven Soderbergh Says The ‘Sex, Lies and Videotape’ Sequel Will Likely Be Turned Into A Novel Instead at The Playlist.
Read More: Steven Soderbergh Has Written A ‘Sex, Lies & Videotape’ Sequel; Says George Clooney & More Set For ‘Kill Switch’
Well, it’s not happening, and in a recent Variety article, Soderbergh said while he got actors like Andie MacDowell and Laura San Giacomo to agree to return, he feels like the idea has missed its moment and he’ll likely turn it into a novel instead (which would be his first).
Continue reading Steven Soderbergh Says The ‘Sex, Lies and Videotape’ Sequel Will Likely Be Turned Into A Novel Instead at The Playlist.
- 1/23/2024
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
The not-so-secret fact about premieres is that the actors rarely watch, usually ducking out when the lights go down. They spend the film’s duration smoking cigarettes and reciting the cinema’s version of the serenity prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, i.e. the director’s predilection to use my worst take.”
That was not the case at Sundance’s world premiere of Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence,” a ghostly thriller about the Payne family, a bougie clan with a significant number of problems including a spectral, uh, presence that could be friend or foe. On multiple trips to the washroom—blast the diuretic qualities of Diet Mountain Dew–I spied the entire cast watching the film with edge-of-the-seat anxiety, much like the rest of the theatre..
Lucy Liu, who plays the family’s checked-out mother, looked genuinely shook as she stood with...
That was not the case at Sundance’s world premiere of Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence,” a ghostly thriller about the Payne family, a bougie clan with a significant number of problems including a spectral, uh, presence that could be friend or foe. On multiple trips to the washroom—blast the diuretic qualities of Diet Mountain Dew–I spied the entire cast watching the film with edge-of-the-seat anxiety, much like the rest of the theatre..
Lucy Liu, who plays the family’s checked-out mother, looked genuinely shook as she stood with...
- 1/20/2024
- by Stephen Rodrick
- Variety Film + TV
Update: By Saturday afternoon up to five buyers were understood to be in serious discussions for Jeff Zimbalist’s documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story.
The film caused a stir ever since it premiered on Thursday night and hails from XYZ Films’ documentary division. Sources reported streamers and at least one theatrical buyer were in pursuit.
Meanwhile interest was understood to be building rapidly following the Saturday premiere of Jesse Eisenberg’s US Dramatic Competition entry A Real Pain.
Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin star as cousins on an emotional tour to see their late grandmother’s home in Poland. WME Independent...
The film caused a stir ever since it premiered on Thursday night and hails from XYZ Films’ documentary division. Sources reported streamers and at least one theatrical buyer were in pursuit.
Meanwhile interest was understood to be building rapidly following the Saturday premiere of Jesse Eisenberg’s US Dramatic Competition entry A Real Pain.
Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin star as cousins on an emotional tour to see their late grandmother’s home in Poland. WME Independent...
- 1/20/2024
- ScreenDaily
Heading into the weekend Skywalkers: A Love Story is gathering momentum at Sundance with multiple buyers circling the documentary following a strong response at Thursday night’s world premiere.
The groundswell of interest comes hot on the heels of two early transactions announced on Friday, with Sony Pictures Classics closing a deal for North America and multiple territories on Rich Peppiatt’s Next entry Kneecap and Netflix taking World Cinema Documentary Competition selection Ibelin by The Painter And The Thief director Benjamin Ree.
XYZ Films executives were on Friday locked in discussions with streamers and more traditional documentary distributors on Jeff Zimbalist’s U.
The groundswell of interest comes hot on the heels of two early transactions announced on Friday, with Sony Pictures Classics closing a deal for North America and multiple territories on Rich Peppiatt’s Next entry Kneecap and Netflix taking World Cinema Documentary Competition selection Ibelin by The Painter And The Thief director Benjamin Ree.
XYZ Films executives were on Friday locked in discussions with streamers and more traditional documentary distributors on Jeff Zimbalist’s U.
- 1/20/2024
- ScreenDaily
Clockwise from bottom left: The Usual Suspects, The Blair Witch Project, Reservoir Dogs, Get Out, Napoleon DynamiteGraphic: The A.V. Club
What began in 1978 as the Utah/United States Film Festival to help promote American independent cinema and boost film production in the Beehive State didn’t officially become the...
What began in 1978 as the Utah/United States Film Festival to help promote American independent cinema and boost film production in the Beehive State didn’t officially become the...
- 1/18/2024
- by Mark Keizer, Brent Simon, Matthew Jackson, Ian Spelling, Matthew Huff, Robert DeSalvo, Luke Y. Thompson, and Murtada Elfadl
- avclub.com
Sundance Film Festival’s Top 10 List
The Sundance Film Festival is celebrating its 40th edition with the 2024 festival running January 18th through 28th in Park City and Salt Lake City. In honor of the milestone event, Sundance called on the filmmaking community to put together a list of the top 10 feature films that have screened at the annual festival.
Over 4,000 feature films have been presented at the festival, and culling that massive list to 10 required the input of 500+ filmmakers, critics, and industry members who shared their personal top 10 lists. Topping the All Time Top 10 Films list is Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, which debuted in 2014. Whiplash, starring J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller, won the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic and the Grand Jury Prize: U.S. Dramatic at the festival and went on to win three Oscars.
Feature film directing debuts of Steven Soderbergh, Jordan Peele, and Quentin Tarantino were voted onto the list.
The Sundance Film Festival is celebrating its 40th edition with the 2024 festival running January 18th through 28th in Park City and Salt Lake City. In honor of the milestone event, Sundance called on the filmmaking community to put together a list of the top 10 feature films that have screened at the annual festival.
Over 4,000 feature films have been presented at the festival, and culling that massive list to 10 required the input of 500+ filmmakers, critics, and industry members who shared their personal top 10 lists. Topping the All Time Top 10 Films list is Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, which debuted in 2014. Whiplash, starring J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller, won the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic and the Grand Jury Prize: U.S. Dramatic at the festival and went on to win three Oscars.
Feature film directing debuts of Steven Soderbergh, Jordan Peele, and Quentin Tarantino were voted onto the list.
- 1/16/2024
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
The Sundance Film Festival will be commencing this week. After a preview of the upcoming schedule, this year looks to sport a bevy of AI-themed projects as well as a heavy list of horror films. Sundance will be celebrating its 40th year with a special list of top ten feature films that have been showcased throughout its entire run. These films have been picked by the filmmaking community.
Sundance‘s official press release reads,
“Today, in advance of the 40th edition of the Sundance Film Festival kicking off on January 18, the nonprofit Sundance Institute is commemorating the four decades of extraordinary independent filmmaking presented at the Festival with the results of a survey taken by the filmmaking communities on their top ten feature films that have screened at the Festival since it began in 1985.
In honor of this milestone Festival, filmmakers, critics, and industry members shared their personal top 10 lists.
Sundance‘s official press release reads,
“Today, in advance of the 40th edition of the Sundance Film Festival kicking off on January 18, the nonprofit Sundance Institute is commemorating the four decades of extraordinary independent filmmaking presented at the Festival with the results of a survey taken by the filmmaking communities on their top ten feature films that have screened at the Festival since it began in 1985.
In honor of this milestone Festival, filmmakers, critics, and industry members shared their personal top 10 lists.
- 1/16/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the iconic Sundance Film Festival, the nonprofit Sundance Institute is looking back on the legacy of films that debuted at the fest.
After surveying more than 500 filmmakers, critics, and industry members, Damien Chazelle’s 2014 debut feature “Whiplash” was awarded the title of top Sundance film of all time. “Whiplash” actor Jk Simmons won the Academy Award for his portrayal of an abusive music teacher opposite Miles Teller. Writer-director Chazelle went on to direct “First Man,” “La La Land,” and “Babylon.”
The Sundance Film Festival since 1985 has premiered 4,000 feature films over the decades. The collective top 10 list of the Sundance Film Festival celebrates films that have “touched hearts and changed lives,” according to the Institute.
While Chazelle’s Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize-winning “Whiplash” landed in the top slot, Joel and Ethan Coen’s directorial debut “Blood Simple,” Alfonso Cuarón’s “Y tu mamá también,...
After surveying more than 500 filmmakers, critics, and industry members, Damien Chazelle’s 2014 debut feature “Whiplash” was awarded the title of top Sundance film of all time. “Whiplash” actor Jk Simmons won the Academy Award for his portrayal of an abusive music teacher opposite Miles Teller. Writer-director Chazelle went on to direct “First Man,” “La La Land,” and “Babylon.”
The Sundance Film Festival since 1985 has premiered 4,000 feature films over the decades. The collective top 10 list of the Sundance Film Festival celebrates films that have “touched hearts and changed lives,” according to the Institute.
While Chazelle’s Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize-winning “Whiplash” landed in the top slot, Joel and Ethan Coen’s directorial debut “Blood Simple,” Alfonso Cuarón’s “Y tu mamá también,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Steven Soderbergh said he turned down the opportunity to return to the “Ocean’s” franchise, more than a decade and a half after directing”Ocean’s Thirteen.”
The director, who also helmed films “Ocean’s Eleven” and “Ocean’s Twelve” and produced spinoff “Ocean’s Eight,” told Variety that he is not planning to return to the heist series, regardless of the planned prequel and George Clooney’s sequel idea. The prequel film will star Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling and will take place in 1960s Europe; Clooney’s follow-up is described as a “Going In Style”-esque conclusion set after the events of 2007’s “Ocean’s Thirteen.”
However, Soderbergh is sitting out involvement in both.
“After we made the third movie, I felt like the series was very much concluded for me,” Soderbergh said of the Warner Bros.-distributed films. “When the studio approached me to see if I’d be involved in continuing the franchise,...
The director, who also helmed films “Ocean’s Eleven” and “Ocean’s Twelve” and produced spinoff “Ocean’s Eight,” told Variety that he is not planning to return to the heist series, regardless of the planned prequel and George Clooney’s sequel idea. The prequel film will star Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling and will take place in 1960s Europe; Clooney’s follow-up is described as a “Going In Style”-esque conclusion set after the events of 2007’s “Ocean’s Thirteen.”
However, Soderbergh is sitting out involvement in both.
“After we made the third movie, I felt like the series was very much concluded for me,” Soderbergh said of the Warner Bros.-distributed films. “When the studio approached me to see if I’d be involved in continuing the franchise,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The feelings some of us have about the Sundance Film Festival border on the religious. I don’t mean that we’re a cult; I mean that the force that Sundance represents is a religion worth believing in. By the end of the 1980s, the action/comedy/horror/fantasy grind of Hollywood cinema had become bloated and exhausting. The independent film movement didn’t just reinvigorate American movies. It saved them. When I started going to Sundance in the ’90s, I always felt, despite the winter landscape, that I was going to be reveling in a vast garden of cinema. Each year, I wanted to know: What extraordinary film flowers are going to pop up that will then be spread throughout the land? I’ll arrive with that same question when Sundance 2024 commences this week on Jan. 18.
For years, I wrote about Sundance with a missionary zeal that I knew,...
For years, I wrote about Sundance with a missionary zeal that I knew,...
- 1/15/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Sundance Film Festival 2024: New Films From Steven Soderbergh, Debra Granik, Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
The Sundance Film Festival is celebrating its 40th anniversary in January and it’s no surprise that some legendary Park City filmmakers are returning with new films for the 2024 edition. Among the alumni are Steven Soderbergh, whose landmark film “Sex, Lies and Videotape” debuted at the 1989 fest; Debra Granik, whose Best Picture nominated “Winter’s Bone” won the Grand Jury Dramatic prize at the 2010 festival; and Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who will premiere their fourth movie at Sundance following 2006’s “Half Nelson,” 2008’s “Sugar” and 2015’s “Mississippi Grind.”
Read More: “American Fiction,” “May December,” and “Past Lives” Top 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards
Soderbergh’s latest effort is “Presence,” starring Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, and Julia Fox.
Continue reading Sundance Film Festival 2024: New Films From Steven Soderbergh, Debra Granik, Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck at The Playlist.
Read More: “American Fiction,” “May December,” and “Past Lives” Top 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards
Soderbergh’s latest effort is “Presence,” starring Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, and Julia Fox.
Continue reading Sundance Film Festival 2024: New Films From Steven Soderbergh, Debra Granik, Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck at The Playlist.
- 12/6/2023
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
Exclusive: Steven Soderbergh has dedicated more than four decades to shaping his legacy in Hollywood as a director, cinematographer and producer. But instead of splurging on yachts or a home in the South of France, he is investing in the future of independent filmmaking by mentoring directors like Joe and Anthony Russo, Christopher Nolan and most recently Eddie Alcazar. He and Alcazar’s second collaboration (after 2018’s Perfect) is Divinity, which hits theaters nationwide Friday after debuting at the Sundance Film Festival.
The film, set in an otherworldly human existence on a barren planet, follows Sterling Pierce (Scott Bakula), a scientist who has dedicated his life to the quest for immortality, slowly creating the building blocks of a groundbreaking serum known as “Divinity.” Jaxxon Pierce (Stephen Dorff), his son, now controls and manufactures his father’s once-benevolent dream. Society has been entirely perverted by the supremacy of the drug, whose...
The film, set in an otherworldly human existence on a barren planet, follows Sterling Pierce (Scott Bakula), a scientist who has dedicated his life to the quest for immortality, slowly creating the building blocks of a groundbreaking serum known as “Divinity.” Jaxxon Pierce (Stephen Dorff), his son, now controls and manufactures his father’s once-benevolent dream. Society has been entirely perverted by the supremacy of the drug, whose...
- 11/3/2023
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.
It was 2007. Steven Soderbergh was starting to shoot “Che” in Spain when the Bolivian casting director Rodrigo Bellott came armed with a bottle of Singani, the country’s national spirit, to the production kickoff party. At that moment, the “Ocean’s Eleven” director probably didn’t realize he was about to embark on a 16-year odyssey to introduce the traditional liquor to the rest of the world.
“I had one sip and started grilling him,” Soderbergh, normally a vodka drinker, recalls of his first taste. “It had a unique bouquet and was very active on the palate with no burn.”
The bottle happened to be from Casa Real, a 98-year old distillery with four generations of experience making the country’s favorite tipple. “If it hadn’t have been from Casa Real,...
It was 2007. Steven Soderbergh was starting to shoot “Che” in Spain when the Bolivian casting director Rodrigo Bellott came armed with a bottle of Singani, the country’s national spirit, to the production kickoff party. At that moment, the “Ocean’s Eleven” director probably didn’t realize he was about to embark on a 16-year odyssey to introduce the traditional liquor to the rest of the world.
“I had one sip and started grilling him,” Soderbergh, normally a vodka drinker, recalls of his first taste. “It had a unique bouquet and was very active on the palate with no burn.”
The bottle happened to be from Casa Real, a 98-year old distillery with four generations of experience making the country’s favorite tipple. “If it hadn’t have been from Casa Real,...
- 10/30/2023
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we look at Oscars categories from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winners stand the test of time.)
Making a movie is hard. A shocking statement, I know. When you direct a film, you are utilizing a tremendous amount of your time and energy to devote to a project that more often than not takes years of your life. So, when a director releases two films in the same year, I'm always impressed that they had the bandwidth to turn these films around so quickly. The rarest of the rare, though, is when the director gets nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Director for multiple films within the same year.
The first was at the 2nd ceremony, when Frank Lloyd received three of the seven nominations for "Drag," "Weary River," and "The Divine Lady," for which he won. The...
Making a movie is hard. A shocking statement, I know. When you direct a film, you are utilizing a tremendous amount of your time and energy to devote to a project that more often than not takes years of your life. So, when a director releases two films in the same year, I'm always impressed that they had the bandwidth to turn these films around so quickly. The rarest of the rare, though, is when the director gets nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Director for multiple films within the same year.
The first was at the 2nd ceremony, when Frank Lloyd received three of the seven nominations for "Drag," "Weary River," and "The Divine Lady," for which he won. The...
- 10/29/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
As one of the most popular pros in DWTS history, Maksim Chmerkovskiy knows a bit or two about the chemistry of making a partnership work on the dance floor. He danced alongside 16 female celebrities throughout his career on the ABC series. However, even the most innocent dances could appear flirtatious. Chmerkovskiy explains why DWTS contestants catch feelings for their pros: “sexual energy.”
Maksim Chmerkovskiy explains why ‘DWTS’ contestants catch feelings for their pros
During an appearance on former DWTS pro Cheryl Burke‘s podcast, Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans, Chmerkovskiy discussed why contestants sometimes fall for their pros. He says it has a lot to do with the environment celebs find themselves in, which involves a lot of body contact and pros who are “out of this world.”
“That type of sexual energy, because they walk in and you’re standing there with Sasha [Farber] with his chest open. Val [Chmerkovskiy] with his shirt off and abs,...
Maksim Chmerkovskiy explains why ‘DWTS’ contestants catch feelings for their pros
During an appearance on former DWTS pro Cheryl Burke‘s podcast, Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans, Chmerkovskiy discussed why contestants sometimes fall for their pros. He says it has a lot to do with the environment celebs find themselves in, which involves a lot of body contact and pros who are “out of this world.”
“That type of sexual energy, because they walk in and you’re standing there with Sasha [Farber] with his chest open. Val [Chmerkovskiy] with his shirt off and abs,...
- 10/3/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Bill Block is out as CEO of Miramax.
The executive and film producer was hired in 2017. Block’s contract expired this week and was not renewed, sources said. He’s been rumored to be out for months. A representative for Miramax had no immediate comment on the matter.
Insiders said new leadership was necessary at Miramax given that Paramount Global, which owns a 49% stake in Miramax, is grappling with a volatile marketplace. Insiders believe the unit behind films like “Pulp Fiction,” “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” and “Shakespeare in Love” should be mining its own intellectual property for new projects, not acquiring finished films or snapping up distribution rights. Block is not the person to take them in that direction, as evidenced by his canning.
Miramax was founded in 1979 by disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein and his brother Bob. It became a transcendent brand and gatekeeper of independent films. Block was the...
The executive and film producer was hired in 2017. Block’s contract expired this week and was not renewed, sources said. He’s been rumored to be out for months. A representative for Miramax had no immediate comment on the matter.
Insiders said new leadership was necessary at Miramax given that Paramount Global, which owns a 49% stake in Miramax, is grappling with a volatile marketplace. Insiders believe the unit behind films like “Pulp Fiction,” “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” and “Shakespeare in Love” should be mining its own intellectual property for new projects, not acquiring finished films or snapping up distribution rights. Block is not the person to take them in that direction, as evidenced by his canning.
Miramax was founded in 1979 by disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein and his brother Bob. It became a transcendent brand and gatekeeper of independent films. Block was the...
- 10/2/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
You can take the dance pro out of the ballroom but not the ballroom out of the dance pro. Cheryl Burke, a two-time mirror ball champion, whose name is synonymous with Dancing With the Stars, left the reality-based competition series at the end of Season 31 last year. However, she’s still got plenty to say about her experience having coached celebs including Emmitt Smith, Drew Lachey, Gilles Marini, Ian Ziering, and many others how to Tango and do the Paso Doble. She’s doing so on a new iHeartRadio podcast, Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans. Sure, the series may have a provocative title and Burke is already digging deep with the interviews she’s done, but she’s approaching her interviews with a deep sense of gratitude for how DWTS changed her life. Read on to get the scoop on how the idea for the show came about and a preview of upcoming guests.
- 9/26/2023
- TV Insider
Back on the Strip is a comedy movie directed by Chris Spencer from a screenplay by Chris Daniel and Eric Spencer. The comedy movie follows the story of Merlin (Spence Moore II), who moves to Las Vegas in hopes of making it as a magician, but instead because of his good looks and great body gets recruited into the Black male strippers The Chocolate Chips. Back on the Strip also stars Wesley Snipes and Tiffany Haddish. So, if you loved Back on the Strip here are some similar movies you should watch next.
The Full Monty Credit – 20th Century Fox
Synopsis: Six unemployed men, inspired by a touring group of male strippers, decide they can make a small fortune by putting on a striptease show of their own-but with one small difference. They intend to go the “full monty” and strip completely naked! In this hilarious, heartfelt comedy, these six...
The Full Monty Credit – 20th Century Fox
Synopsis: Six unemployed men, inspired by a touring group of male strippers, decide they can make a small fortune by putting on a striptease show of their own-but with one small difference. They intend to go the “full monty” and strip completely naked! In this hilarious, heartfelt comedy, these six...
- 8/24/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Steven Soderbergh isn’t losing sleep over Christopher Nolan’s career.
The “Command Z” director recalled reaching out to Warner Bros. for Nolan to be considered to direct 2002 thriller “Insomnia” starring Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, and Robin Williams. While Soderbergh seemingly downplayed his involvement in forging a two-decade relationship between Warner Bros. and Nolan during a recent Rolling Stone interview, the “Full Circle” helmer noted that Nolan would still be a major filmmaker today regardless of directing “Insomnia.”
Soderbergh even called Nolan’s directorial debut “Memento” an “instant classic” upon first viewing it.
“What happened was, I got a call from Chris’ agent, Dan Aloni, who I had known because he screened ‘Memento’ for me after ‘Memento’ couldn’t find a distributor after being on the festival circuit for a year. Dan calls me up out of the blue and says, ‘Could you watch this movie? I have this client...
The “Command Z” director recalled reaching out to Warner Bros. for Nolan to be considered to direct 2002 thriller “Insomnia” starring Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, and Robin Williams. While Soderbergh seemingly downplayed his involvement in forging a two-decade relationship between Warner Bros. and Nolan during a recent Rolling Stone interview, the “Full Circle” helmer noted that Nolan would still be a major filmmaker today regardless of directing “Insomnia.”
Soderbergh even called Nolan’s directorial debut “Memento” an “instant classic” upon first viewing it.
“What happened was, I got a call from Chris’ agent, Dan Aloni, who I had known because he screened ‘Memento’ for me after ‘Memento’ couldn’t find a distributor after being on the festival circuit for a year. Dan calls me up out of the blue and says, ‘Could you watch this movie? I have this client...
- 8/7/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Can it really be 20 years since “The O.C.” premiered on Fox? The young actors of the series, Benjamin McKenzie, Adam Brody, Mischa Barton and Rachel Bilson quickly became in-demand stars and the theme song “California” by Phantom Planet became a top ten hit in several countries while also reaching 35 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart.
The bagel-centric series also introduced us to “Chrismukkah” and showcased bands from The Killers to Modest Mouse.
Several members of the cast went on to lead their own series and films and others have popped up on hit shows from “How I Met Your Mother” to “Grey’s Anatomy.” Here’s what they’ve been up to since “The O.C.” signed off in February 2007.
(Getty Images)
Benjamin McKenzie, who played O.C. newbie Ryan Atwood, went on to star as an LA cop on TNT’s “Southland” and as James Gordon on Fox’s Batman prequel series “Gotham.
The bagel-centric series also introduced us to “Chrismukkah” and showcased bands from The Killers to Modest Mouse.
Several members of the cast went on to lead their own series and films and others have popped up on hit shows from “How I Met Your Mother” to “Grey’s Anatomy.” Here’s what they’ve been up to since “The O.C.” signed off in February 2007.
(Getty Images)
Benjamin McKenzie, who played O.C. newbie Ryan Atwood, went on to star as an LA cop on TNT’s “Southland” and as James Gordon on Fox’s Batman prequel series “Gotham.
- 8/5/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Potential "Oppenheimer" spoilers follow.
In most auteur filmmakers' bodies of work, there exists a movie that functions as the summation of their particular themes and interests, a film that essentially "unlocks" all of their other movies, throwing them into a new light. Sometimes these movies arrive late in a director's career, acting as more of a true culmination, such as Steven Spielberg's revelatory "The Fabelmans" from just last year. Other times, these films act as statements of intent right out of the gate, as I'd argue Steven Soderbergh's first feature "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" does.
It's not unusual, however, for such a movie to arrive somewhere near the middle or back half of a director's career; after all, Martin Scorsese didn't make "The Last Temptation of Christ" until he was 46 years old and 11 films deep. In other words, these kinds of films arrive when such an artist feels...
In most auteur filmmakers' bodies of work, there exists a movie that functions as the summation of their particular themes and interests, a film that essentially "unlocks" all of their other movies, throwing them into a new light. Sometimes these movies arrive late in a director's career, acting as more of a true culmination, such as Steven Spielberg's revelatory "The Fabelmans" from just last year. Other times, these films act as statements of intent right out of the gate, as I'd argue Steven Soderbergh's first feature "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" does.
It's not unusual, however, for such a movie to arrive somewhere near the middle or back half of a director's career; after all, Martin Scorsese didn't make "The Last Temptation of Christ" until he was 46 years old and 11 films deep. In other words, these kinds of films arrive when such an artist feels...
- 7/21/2023
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
“This is historic — literally.”
At least, that’s what a digital Michael Cera says at the start of the trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming sci-fi comedy series, “Command Z.” The “Ocean’s 11″-through-“13” director has rounded up Cera, Roy Wood Jr., Chloe Radcliffe and Liev Schreiber for a post-apocalyptic look back at the year 2023, as they traverse into the past by putting a wormhole in a washing machine.
The new series follows Soderbergh’s recent Max noir series “Full Circle,” starring Claire Danes and Zazie Beetz, which premiered on July 13. “Command Z” is set to premiere July 17 and will be available on Soderbergh’s website, Extension765.com.
“Here’s the funny part. Traversing our wormhole involves ingesting a synthetic substance related to psychedelics and playing the theme song from the movie ‘Mahogany,’” says the Ozian Cera. He leads Wood Jr., Radcliffe and Schreiber on a series of missions, hacking...
At least, that’s what a digital Michael Cera says at the start of the trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming sci-fi comedy series, “Command Z.” The “Ocean’s 11″-through-“13” director has rounded up Cera, Roy Wood Jr., Chloe Radcliffe and Liev Schreiber for a post-apocalyptic look back at the year 2023, as they traverse into the past by putting a wormhole in a washing machine.
The new series follows Soderbergh’s recent Max noir series “Full Circle,” starring Claire Danes and Zazie Beetz, which premiered on July 13. “Command Z” is set to premiere July 17 and will be available on Soderbergh’s website, Extension765.com.
“Here’s the funny part. Traversing our wormhole involves ingesting a synthetic substance related to psychedelics and playing the theme song from the movie ‘Mahogany,’” says the Ozian Cera. He leads Wood Jr., Radcliffe and Schreiber on a series of missions, hacking...
- 7/14/2023
- by Sophia Scorziello
- Variety Film + TV
Warning: The following contains spoilers for Monday’s Cruel Summer premiere. Proceed at your own risk!
Cruel Summer‘s Season 2 opener could have easily been titled “Sex, Lies and Videotape,” given what transpires during the two-hour premiere.
More from TVLineNever Have I Ever Series Finale Recap: Ben? Paxton? 'I Choose Me?' How Did Devi End It All? -- Plus, Grade It!Drag Race All Stars Elimination Leaves [Spoiler] 'Gooped, Gagged and Gobsmacked' in Episode 6Never Have I Ever Premiere Recap: Did Devi Do the Deed? Plus, Grade It!
In July 1999, Megan (played by The Goldbergs‘ Sadie Stanley) meets Isabella (Little...
Cruel Summer‘s Season 2 opener could have easily been titled “Sex, Lies and Videotape,” given what transpires during the two-hour premiere.
More from TVLineNever Have I Ever Series Finale Recap: Ben? Paxton? 'I Choose Me?' How Did Devi End It All? -- Plus, Grade It!Drag Race All Stars Elimination Leaves [Spoiler] 'Gooped, Gagged and Gobsmacked' in Episode 6Never Have I Ever Premiere Recap: Did Devi Do the Deed? Plus, Grade It!
In July 1999, Megan (played by The Goldbergs‘ Sadie Stanley) meets Isabella (Little...
- 6/6/2023
- by Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
Should we care about an awards show whose host tells us at the beginning of the show that awards shows are dead and nobody watched the nominated films?
That was the gauntlet thrown down by Hasan Minhaj at the beginning of Saturday’s Film Independent Spirit Awards in a monologue that did not pull punches in its acerbic look at Hollywood. But voters did their best to say “not so fast, buddy” by giving a slew of awards to the film that was watched by more people than any other nominee, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
The film has made more than $100 million at the box office and seems to be on an unstoppable roll through next weekend’s Oscar ceremony. That made it a clear leader going into an afternoon ceremony that has developed a taste for the most high-profile and most Oscar-likely nominees.
Also Read:
Indie Spirit Awards:...
That was the gauntlet thrown down by Hasan Minhaj at the beginning of Saturday’s Film Independent Spirit Awards in a monologue that did not pull punches in its acerbic look at Hollywood. But voters did their best to say “not so fast, buddy” by giving a slew of awards to the film that was watched by more people than any other nominee, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
The film has made more than $100 million at the box office and seems to be on an unstoppable roll through next weekend’s Oscar ceremony. That made it a clear leader going into an afternoon ceremony that has developed a taste for the most high-profile and most Oscar-likely nominees.
Also Read:
Indie Spirit Awards:...
- 3/5/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Movies That Made Me veteran guest and screenwriter Dan Waters discusses his favorite year of cinema (1989) with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Phantom Carriage (1921)
Love At First Bite (1979)
Hudson Hawk (1991)
Demolition Man (1993)
Heathers (1989)
Warlock (1989)
The Matrix (1999)
Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Jaws (1975)
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Nashville (1975)
Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Field Of Dreams (1989)
My Left Foot (1989)
Crimes And Misdemeanors (1989)
Do The Right Thing (1989)
Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Sex Lies And Videotape (1989)
Easy Rider (1969)
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
All That Jazz (1979)
Hair (1979)
Alien (1979)
Fight Club (1999)
Office Space (1999)
Magnolia (1999)
The Sixth Sense (1999)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
American Pie (1999)
The Iron Giant (1999)
All About My Mother (1999)
Being John Malkovich (1999)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Pretty In Pink (1986)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Say Anything… (1989)
Miracle Mile (1989)
True Love (1989)
Powwow Highway (1989)
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
Southside With You...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Phantom Carriage (1921)
Love At First Bite (1979)
Hudson Hawk (1991)
Demolition Man (1993)
Heathers (1989)
Warlock (1989)
The Matrix (1999)
Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Jaws (1975)
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Nashville (1975)
Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Field Of Dreams (1989)
My Left Foot (1989)
Crimes And Misdemeanors (1989)
Do The Right Thing (1989)
Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Sex Lies And Videotape (1989)
Easy Rider (1969)
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
All That Jazz (1979)
Hair (1979)
Alien (1979)
Fight Club (1999)
Office Space (1999)
Magnolia (1999)
The Sixth Sense (1999)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
American Pie (1999)
The Iron Giant (1999)
All About My Mother (1999)
Being John Malkovich (1999)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Pretty In Pink (1986)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Say Anything… (1989)
Miracle Mile (1989)
True Love (1989)
Powwow Highway (1989)
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
Southside With You...
- 2/21/2023
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
“Toothless” probably isn’t the first word “Magic Mike” fans want to associate with Channing Tatum’s aging exotic dancer series, but there’s no denying the female-targeting franchise has dulled its bite over the past decade. If the Walt Disney Co. had made a movie about male strippers, it might look something like “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” a soft, in-name-only sequel to the 2012 hit, whose title is about as convincing as reports of director Steven Soderbergh’s retirement.
Tatum’s still got it, and he ain’t about to retire, even if his semi-autobiographical hero, Mike Lane, has lost his magic and seems ready to hang up his thong. Meanwhile, gone are all the other gorgeous hunks who road-tripped with him in “Magic Mike Xxl” — unless you count a lo-res video conference with Ken, Tarzan and two other old friends when Mike gets to London. Why London? That’s...
Tatum’s still got it, and he ain’t about to retire, even if his semi-autobiographical hero, Mike Lane, has lost his magic and seems ready to hang up his thong. Meanwhile, gone are all the other gorgeous hunks who road-tripped with him in “Magic Mike Xxl” — unless you count a lo-res video conference with Ken, Tarzan and two other old friends when Mike gets to London. Why London? That’s...
- 2/7/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Laura San Giacomo, recently seen in NCIS and Barry, has signed with Stewart Talent for representation.
San Giacomo is known for her work in Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies and Videotape, for which she received an Independent Spirit Award, along with BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations. She was most recently seen on the big screen in independent films including Alma Ha’rel’s Honeyboy and Violet, directed by Justine Bateman. Her other film credits include Pretty Woman opposite Julia Roberts, Quigley Down Under, Under Suspicion, Nina Takes a Lover and Once Around.
In television, San Giacomo received a second Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Maya Gallo on hit comedy series Just Shoot Me! Her other TV credits include the Stephen King miniseries The Stand and Veronica Mars and a guest-starring role in The Mentalist. She also co-starred opposite Holly Hunter in TNT’s Saving Grace. Most recently,...
San Giacomo is known for her work in Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies and Videotape, for which she received an Independent Spirit Award, along with BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations. She was most recently seen on the big screen in independent films including Alma Ha’rel’s Honeyboy and Violet, directed by Justine Bateman. Her other film credits include Pretty Woman opposite Julia Roberts, Quigley Down Under, Under Suspicion, Nina Takes a Lover and Once Around.
In television, San Giacomo received a second Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Maya Gallo on hit comedy series Just Shoot Me! Her other TV credits include the Stephen King miniseries The Stand and Veronica Mars and a guest-starring role in The Mentalist. She also co-starred opposite Holly Hunter in TNT’s Saving Grace. Most recently,...
- 1/30/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Joseph Gordon-Levitt first learned about Sundance Film Festival while he was making his big screen debut in 1992’s “A River Runs Through It.” That’s where the film’s director (and Sundance’s founder) Robert Redford gave him a T-shirt emblazoned with the festival’s moniker. But it wasn’t until he was a bit older that he fully understood the rebel spirit that has made Sundance a destination for indie auteurs and artists for decades.
“As a 14-year old, I started watching ‘Reservoir Dogs,’ ‘Sex Lies and Video Tape,’ ‘Swingers,’ ‘Sling Blade,’ ‘Big Night’ and all these movies that were coming through Sundance,” Gordon-Levitt remembers. “That was my thing in my adolescence. That was what I dreamed of doing.”
But getting up the mountain proved difficult. At that time, Gordon-Levitt was best known for his work in “3rd Rock From the Sun,” a broad comedy about a group of alien explorers.
“As a 14-year old, I started watching ‘Reservoir Dogs,’ ‘Sex Lies and Video Tape,’ ‘Swingers,’ ‘Sling Blade,’ ‘Big Night’ and all these movies that were coming through Sundance,” Gordon-Levitt remembers. “That was my thing in my adolescence. That was what I dreamed of doing.”
But getting up the mountain proved difficult. At that time, Gordon-Levitt was best known for his work in “3rd Rock From the Sun,” a broad comedy about a group of alien explorers.
- 1/19/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Father, son, and the holy search for immortality.
Experimental filmmaker Eddie Alcazar (“Perfect”) writes and directs “Divinity,” with Steven Soderbergh executive-producing the sci-fi thriller. The Sundance Next premiere centers on two mysterious brothers who abduct a mogul during his quest for immortality. Meanwhile, a seductive woman helps them launch a journey of self-discovery. Set on a barren planet, the retro feature showcases the fight to uncover mysteries behind an immortality-granting drug that has wreaked havoc on society.
Stephen Dorff, Scott Bakula, Moises Arias, Karrueche Tran, Jason Genao, and Bella Thorne star in the 2023 Sundance-selected film. Writer-director Alcazar is known for coining “meta-scope” to describe his own unique blend of live-action and stop-motion. “Divinity” is already on IndieWire’s must-see list for 2023 Sundance.
The Soderbergh imprimatur alone should make this a buzzy acquisition title in Utah, but Alcazar’s premise and eclectic cast (Dorff is always a warmly welcomed familiar face...
Experimental filmmaker Eddie Alcazar (“Perfect”) writes and directs “Divinity,” with Steven Soderbergh executive-producing the sci-fi thriller. The Sundance Next premiere centers on two mysterious brothers who abduct a mogul during his quest for immortality. Meanwhile, a seductive woman helps them launch a journey of self-discovery. Set on a barren planet, the retro feature showcases the fight to uncover mysteries behind an immortality-granting drug that has wreaked havoc on society.
Stephen Dorff, Scott Bakula, Moises Arias, Karrueche Tran, Jason Genao, and Bella Thorne star in the 2023 Sundance-selected film. Writer-director Alcazar is known for coining “meta-scope” to describe his own unique blend of live-action and stop-motion. “Divinity” is already on IndieWire’s must-see list for 2023 Sundance.
The Soderbergh imprimatur alone should make this a buzzy acquisition title in Utah, but Alcazar’s premise and eclectic cast (Dorff is always a warmly welcomed familiar face...
- 1/18/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson and Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we take a look at an Oscars category from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winner stands the test of time.)
One of the most notorious controversies in the Oscars' history came in 1990 when "Driving Miss Daisy" won Best Picture while Spike Lee's groundbreaking "Do the Right Thing" wasn't even nominated. While it's no surprise that the Academy would award a safe, milquetoast film, it's the two films' stark difference in their approach to race in America that makes it so egregious. For as searing and ferocious as "Do the Right Thing" is, "Driving Miss Daisy" is equally complacent in retrograde ideas of race.
It would be one thing if "Do the Right Thing" simply lost the award. It's another that it wasn't even in the running. In the end, the film only received two nominations that year, with...
One of the most notorious controversies in the Oscars' history came in 1990 when "Driving Miss Daisy" won Best Picture while Spike Lee's groundbreaking "Do the Right Thing" wasn't even nominated. While it's no surprise that the Academy would award a safe, milquetoast film, it's the two films' stark difference in their approach to race in America that makes it so egregious. For as searing and ferocious as "Do the Right Thing" is, "Driving Miss Daisy" is equally complacent in retrograde ideas of race.
It would be one thing if "Do the Right Thing" simply lost the award. It's another that it wasn't even in the running. In the end, the film only received two nominations that year, with...
- 1/12/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Magic Mike’s Last Dance is the upcoming dramedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring Channing Tatum and Salma Hayek. It is written by Reid Carolin.
It is the sequel to 2015’s Magic Mike Xxl, and is scheduled to release February 10, 2023.
Premise
Mike Lane takes to the stage again after a lengthy hiatus, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida. For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse… and an agenda all her own. With everything on the line, once Mike discovers what she truly has in mind, will he—and the roster of hot new dancers he’ll have to whip into shape—be able to pull it off?
Director Steven Soderbergh. De nicolas genin from Paris, France – Cropped version from a...
It is the sequel to 2015’s Magic Mike Xxl, and is scheduled to release February 10, 2023.
Premise
Mike Lane takes to the stage again after a lengthy hiatus, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida. For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse… and an agenda all her own. With everything on the line, once Mike discovers what she truly has in mind, will he—and the roster of hot new dancers he’ll have to whip into shape—be able to pull it off?
Director Steven Soderbergh. De nicolas genin from Paris, France – Cropped version from a...
- 12/22/2022
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
As Kevin Smith still fights to get his 1999 film “Dogma” out of the grips of convicted rapist and former mega-producer Harvey Weinstein, the “Clerks” director reflected on Weinstein’s snipper-happy approach to editing films.
“I hate bringing up the name, but back in the day before he was known for being a fucking convicted rapist, Harvey Weinstein was known for being Harvey Scissorhands, cutting movies up and shit,” Smith told Vulture. “He never did that with me because I’d beat him to it. I was like, I don’t want people sitting there any longer than they need to.”
Smith shared that he has always been “more sensitive to feedback than other filmmakers” and only stopped reading reviews after decades in Hollywood.
“It took 20 years or more of my career to be like, ‘Why are you bothering? You did this for you. This is an act of masturbation,'” Smith said.
“I hate bringing up the name, but back in the day before he was known for being a fucking convicted rapist, Harvey Weinstein was known for being Harvey Scissorhands, cutting movies up and shit,” Smith told Vulture. “He never did that with me because I’d beat him to it. I was like, I don’t want people sitting there any longer than they need to.”
Smith shared that he has always been “more sensitive to feedback than other filmmakers” and only stopped reading reviews after decades in Hollywood.
“It took 20 years or more of my career to be like, ‘Why are you bothering? You did this for you. This is an act of masturbation,'” Smith said.
- 9/23/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Kyle MacLachlan thought his career was done after “Dune.”
The 1984 sci-fi film, helmed by David Lynch, was deemed a disaster upon release when it failed to make back its budget and was excoriated by critics.
“‘Dune’ didn’t really turn out that well,” MacLachlan admitted during the Criterion Collection Closet Picks series. “In fact, after that, I kind of felt like a pariah in business. No work, no nothing.”
Lynch himself has long been vocal about his distaste for the movie, which means he certainly didn’t see Denis Villeneuve’s version. “I always say, ‘Dune’ is a huge gigantic sadness in my life,” Lynch said in 2019. “I did not have final cut on that film. Total creative control, I didn’t have it. The film is not the film I would’ve made had I had that final control. It’s a bit of a sadness.”
However, they found...
The 1984 sci-fi film, helmed by David Lynch, was deemed a disaster upon release when it failed to make back its budget and was excoriated by critics.
“‘Dune’ didn’t really turn out that well,” MacLachlan admitted during the Criterion Collection Closet Picks series. “In fact, after that, I kind of felt like a pariah in business. No work, no nothing.”
Lynch himself has long been vocal about his distaste for the movie, which means he certainly didn’t see Denis Villeneuve’s version. “I always say, ‘Dune’ is a huge gigantic sadness in my life,” Lynch said in 2019. “I did not have final cut on that film. Total creative control, I didn’t have it. The film is not the film I would’ve made had I had that final control. It’s a bit of a sadness.”
However, they found...
- 9/7/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Many of the best-known Marvel movie villains look like the actors playing them. Loki is Tom Hiddleston in a costume. Killmonger is Michael B. Jordan with dreadlocks. They're beloved because they're relatable, and although we may hate their goals the actors embodying them frequently convey sympathetic motives. They're dangerous in part because they have some (arguably) likable traits.
The truly scary threats, however, look solidly inhuman. Aliens, monsters, gods, robots, the occasional mutant ... we cannot relate directly to such overpowered beings when it's so very unlikely they can be persuaded not to crush us. Yet behind all these frightening threats, there is a real human being. In some cases, it's one you may not believe you didn't recognize before. Let's take a look at what the actual actors behind so many intimidating creatures look like when they're just being themselves. Here are what the scariest MCU villains look like in real life.
The truly scary threats, however, look solidly inhuman. Aliens, monsters, gods, robots, the occasional mutant ... we cannot relate directly to such overpowered beings when it's so very unlikely they can be persuaded not to crush us. Yet behind all these frightening threats, there is a real human being. In some cases, it's one you may not believe you didn't recognize before. Let's take a look at what the actual actors behind so many intimidating creatures look like when they're just being themselves. Here are what the scariest MCU villains look like in real life.
- 9/4/2022
- by Luke Y. Thompson
- Slash Film
Coined by the film historian and critic B. Ruby Rich in 1992 to give voice to the explosion in queer film she was witnessing on the burgeoning film festival circuit, the New Queer Cinema’s influence on independent film cannot be overstated. The ‘80s saw films like Jim Jarmusch’s “Stranger Than Paradise” and Steven Soderbergh’s “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” explode the idea of what film could be, in turn inspiring a new generation of radical queer filmmakers to pick up the camera and crack the whole thing wide open.
As Hollywood churned out blockbusters like “Terminator 2” and “Jurassic Park,” anyone paying attention could see that the real fun was being had way below budget. Sundance was still a new little gathering in Park City, where someone fresh out of film school could show a film and meet likeminded artists. Throughout the decade, Sundance gradually established itself as the...
As Hollywood churned out blockbusters like “Terminator 2” and “Jurassic Park,” anyone paying attention could see that the real fun was being had way below budget. Sundance was still a new little gathering in Park City, where someone fresh out of film school could show a film and meet likeminded artists. Throughout the decade, Sundance gradually established itself as the...
- 8/17/2022
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Andie MacDowell on track to receive first career Emmy nomination thanks to heartbreaking ‘Maid’ role
Andie MacDowell finally has her first chance at an Emmy nomination for Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actress for her performance as Paula Langley in Netflix’s “Maid.”
The 10-episode series tells of Alex, played by MacDowell’s real-life daughter Margaret Qualley, who leaves an abusive relationship and becomes a maid to make a better life for her and her daughter Maddy. MacDowell plays Alex’s bipolar mother Paula, an artist struggling to make ends meet. She has been strong in films like “Sex, Lies, and Videotape,” “Groundhog Day” and “Ready or Not,” but her supporting performance in “Maid” is one of her finest, allowing her to blend vulnerability, joy and intense emotional rage. As Lucy Mangan says at The Guardian, the role of Paula is “gradually fleshed out and always played and treated with sympathy.” Emmy voters, take notice.
SEEAndie MacDowell interview: ‘Maid’
When we’re first introduced to Paula in the series premiere episode,...
The 10-episode series tells of Alex, played by MacDowell’s real-life daughter Margaret Qualley, who leaves an abusive relationship and becomes a maid to make a better life for her and her daughter Maddy. MacDowell plays Alex’s bipolar mother Paula, an artist struggling to make ends meet. She has been strong in films like “Sex, Lies, and Videotape,” “Groundhog Day” and “Ready or Not,” but her supporting performance in “Maid” is one of her finest, allowing her to blend vulnerability, joy and intense emotional rage. As Lucy Mangan says at The Guardian, the role of Paula is “gradually fleshed out and always played and treated with sympathy.” Emmy voters, take notice.
SEEAndie MacDowell interview: ‘Maid’
When we’re first introduced to Paula in the series premiere episode,...
- 6/14/2022
- by Brian Rowe
- Gold Derby
Andie MacDowell has been in Hollywood for almost 40 years, but for the long-time star, it can still seem like “Groundhog Dog” when it comes to gender equity on set.
“I have worked with so many difficult men!,” the actress recently told Marie Claire. “I’m really good with difficult men. I have great training, because I grew up in the South.”
The “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” star noted that while she typically would let “things roll off,” the #MeToo movement has shifted on-set dynamics. “I was always really good at not letting it affect me,” MacDowell said. “Sometimes I watch bad behavior and feel sorry for the person who’s behaving poorly, because they have to be suffering on some level to behave like that.”
The “Maid” actress did recall a “kind of crazy experience” in 2016 where she hit a breaking point during a production. “[It was] right after Trump got elected.
“I have worked with so many difficult men!,” the actress recently told Marie Claire. “I’m really good with difficult men. I have great training, because I grew up in the South.”
The “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” star noted that while she typically would let “things roll off,” the #MeToo movement has shifted on-set dynamics. “I was always really good at not letting it affect me,” MacDowell said. “Sometimes I watch bad behavior and feel sorry for the person who’s behaving poorly, because they have to be suffering on some level to behave like that.”
The “Maid” actress did recall a “kind of crazy experience” in 2016 where she hit a breaking point during a production. “[It was] right after Trump got elected.
- 5/11/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
From an early embrace of day-and-date releases to self-financing and releasing to being among the first filmmakers to use Red digital cameras, Steven Soderbergh has long been unafraid to experiment with new technologies. So when he first talked to Roman Coppola about supporting emerging filmmakers through Coppola’s blockchain-based nonprofit Decentralized Pictures, Soderbergh was similarly eager to see for himself if blockchain’s promise of revolutionary problem-solving could extend into entertainment.
Soderbergh’s production company Extension 765 on Tuesday launched a 300,000 pot of money available on Dcp’s platform. The Andrews/Bernard Award will support multiple filmmakers with finishing funds for English-language fiction features or shorts. Soderbergh says he and Coppola share an interest in avenues for boosting filmmakers that don’t necessarily lead to studios, and he’s eager to help up-and-coming-talent.
“As with a lot of things I’ve done, it’s kind of an experiment,” Soderbergh said...
Soderbergh’s production company Extension 765 on Tuesday launched a 300,000 pot of money available on Dcp’s platform. The Andrews/Bernard Award will support multiple filmmakers with finishing funds for English-language fiction features or shorts. Soderbergh says he and Coppola share an interest in avenues for boosting filmmakers that don’t necessarily lead to studios, and he’s eager to help up-and-coming-talent.
“As with a lot of things I’ve done, it’s kind of an experiment,” Soderbergh said...
- 4/5/2022
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Steven Soderbergh came up through the independent film scene with "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" in 1989, but following his dual Oscar nominations for Best Director for "Erin Brockovich" and "Traffic" in 2001 (he won for the latter), Soderbergh crossed over into a new level of mainstream success. By the end of that year, he would be on track to score his highest-grossing film to date with "Ocean's Eleven," a star-studded remake of a 1960 casino heist movie, with George Clooney taking the place of Frank Sinatra as the titular Danny Ocean.
The ensuing sequels, "Ocean's Twelve" and "Ocean's Thirteen," gave Soderbergh a trilogy that, by 2017, made up...
The post Steven Soderbergh Was Struggling Behind the Scenes of Ocean's Eleven appeared first on /Film.
The ensuing sequels, "Ocean's Twelve" and "Ocean's Thirteen," gave Soderbergh a trilogy that, by 2017, made up...
The post Steven Soderbergh Was Struggling Behind the Scenes of Ocean's Eleven appeared first on /Film.
- 3/22/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
NBC is staying in “The Blacklist” business. The network has renewed its flagship espionage series for a tenth season.
Series star James Spader revealed news of the renewal during his appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on Tuesday evening. Other guests for the evening’s broadcast included Olympic athlete Nathan Chen, standup comedian Eric Neumann and Dr. Bernice A. King.
“The Blacklist” is currently in the middle of broadcasting its ninth season. The season premiered in October and new episodes air at 8 p.m. on Fridays. The long-running series has continued to draw large numbers, reaching 22 million viewers across liner and digital platforms and growing over 200% from its live + same day average.
Spader has starred in “The Blacklist” since the series first premiered in 2013. The “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” actor plays FBI fugitive and super criminal Raymond “Red” Reddington, who helps the bureau track down the most notorious criminals across the globe.
Series star James Spader revealed news of the renewal during his appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on Tuesday evening. Other guests for the evening’s broadcast included Olympic athlete Nathan Chen, standup comedian Eric Neumann and Dr. Bernice A. King.
“The Blacklist” is currently in the middle of broadcasting its ninth season. The season premiered in October and new episodes air at 8 p.m. on Fridays. The long-running series has continued to draw large numbers, reaching 22 million viewers across liner and digital platforms and growing over 200% from its live + same day average.
Spader has starred in “The Blacklist” since the series first premiered in 2013. The “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” actor plays FBI fugitive and super criminal Raymond “Red” Reddington, who helps the bureau track down the most notorious criminals across the globe.
- 2/23/2022
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
It's a day that ends in Y, so you can guarantee a journalist is out there asking a filmmaker about superhero movies again. This time it's "Magic Mike" and "Oceans" trilogy filmmaker Steven Soderbergh. It turns out, the director isn't chomping at the bit to hop on board a Marvel or DC production -- but not for the reasons one might expect.
"Nobody's f***ing!" Soderbergh pointed out in a new interview with The Daily Beast. The filmmaker broke out with 1989's "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," and has made his fair share of sexy features since then. The director told The Daily Beast that...
The post Stephen Soderbergh, King, Won't Direct a Superhero Movie Because 'There's No F***ing' appeared first on /Film.
"Nobody's f***ing!" Soderbergh pointed out in a new interview with The Daily Beast. The filmmaker broke out with 1989's "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," and has made his fair share of sexy features since then. The director told The Daily Beast that...
The post Stephen Soderbergh, King, Won't Direct a Superhero Movie Because 'There's No F***ing' appeared first on /Film.
- 2/7/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Steven Soderbergh is known to be a versatile filmmaker, but one type of film he’s thus far avoided is the superhero epic. And according to the “Ocean’s 11” director, we shouldn’t expect him to be wading into the waters of Marvel or DC anytime soon.
When asked by The Daily Beast if he gets asked to make superhero movies, Soderbergh replied “not really” but clarified he has nothing against those types of films. “I’m not a snob; it’s not that I feel it’s some lower tier in any way,” Soderbergh explained. “It really becomes about what universe you occupy as a storyteller. I’m just too earthbound to really release myself to a universe in which Newtonian physics don’t exist (laughs). I just have a lack of imagination in that regard, which is why the one foray I had into pure science-fiction (2002’s ‘Solaris...
When asked by The Daily Beast if he gets asked to make superhero movies, Soderbergh replied “not really” but clarified he has nothing against those types of films. “I’m not a snob; it’s not that I feel it’s some lower tier in any way,” Soderbergh explained. “It really becomes about what universe you occupy as a storyteller. I’m just too earthbound to really release myself to a universe in which Newtonian physics don’t exist (laughs). I just have a lack of imagination in that regard, which is why the one foray I had into pure science-fiction (2002’s ‘Solaris...
- 2/7/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
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