Most filmmakers only really get going when the pain of not making a movie finally boils over to the point where it exceeds the pain of making a movie. And once this pivotal point-of-no-return is reached, the accumulated velocity of ambition will not allow petty inconveniences to impede the ultimate realization of its goal. Not even a punishing lack of start-up capital–or even, it turns out, a torrential Southern California downpour choking the streets of LA to a frigid standstill.
So despite being rescheduled from February 6 due to an aggressive late-winter rainfall, Fi’s Filmmaker Tuesday session, The Evolution of Microbudget Filmmaking, finally happened last week on March 19, featuring a panel of four acclaimed indie producers and directors (not to mention Fi Fellows!) who have all managed to make big waves with their work despite microscopic production budgets. They were: Iram Parveen Bilal, Ron Najor, Gia Rigoli and Avril Speaks.
So despite being rescheduled from February 6 due to an aggressive late-winter rainfall, Fi’s Filmmaker Tuesday session, The Evolution of Microbudget Filmmaking, finally happened last week on March 19, featuring a panel of four acclaimed indie producers and directors (not to mention Fi Fellows!) who have all managed to make big waves with their work despite microscopic production budgets. They were: Iram Parveen Bilal, Ron Najor, Gia Rigoli and Avril Speaks.
- 3/27/2024
- by Matt Warren
- Film Independent News & More
Industry vets Dominic Glynn, Rob Legato, Nancy Richardson, Deborah Scott, Tom Sito and Sharon Smith Holley have accepted invitations to join the Science and Technology Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Visual effects supervisor and VFX branch member Legato won Oscars for Titanic, Hugo and The Jungle Book. His VFX credits also include Apollo 13, The Aviator and Jon Favreau’s The Lion King. He most recently served as VFX supervisor and second unit director on Emancipation.
Costume designers branch member Scott also won an Oscar for her work on Titanic and her additional costume design credits include E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Back to the Future, Heat, The Patriot, Minority Report and Avatar: The Way of Water. She was the Costume Designers Guild’s 2023 Career Achievement Award recipient.
Pixar senior scientist Glynn’s work as an imaging and audio specialist helped to launch the world’s first...
Visual effects supervisor and VFX branch member Legato won Oscars for Titanic, Hugo and The Jungle Book. His VFX credits also include Apollo 13, The Aviator and Jon Favreau’s The Lion King. He most recently served as VFX supervisor and second unit director on Emancipation.
Costume designers branch member Scott also won an Oscar for her work on Titanic and her additional costume design credits include E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Back to the Future, Heat, The Patriot, Minority Report and Avatar: The Way of Water. She was the Costume Designers Guild’s 2023 Career Achievement Award recipient.
Pixar senior scientist Glynn’s work as an imaging and audio specialist helped to launch the world’s first...
- 11/28/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
An impressive lineup of stars including such Oscar-buzzed contenders as Colman Domingo, America Ferrera, Jeffrey Wright, Greta Lee, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and the cast of the upcoming Christmas release The Color Purple are among the honorees of the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Cinema & Television: Honoring Black, Latino and Aapi Achievements.
Hosted by Nicco Annan of Starz’s P-Valley, the event is December 4 at the Fairmont Century Plaza with Starz serving as the official media partner and televising the awards during the month of January (it will also air on Nexstar stations in February). Additionally, Starz will bestow one of the honorees with a special Starz #TakeTheLead designation as part of its ongoing commitment to amplifying narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences.
Unlike last year, when the Cca held separate ceremonies for Black, Latino and Aapi Achievements, this year, because of the strikes, the Cca is presenting a one-time-only combination show,...
Hosted by Nicco Annan of Starz’s P-Valley, the event is December 4 at the Fairmont Century Plaza with Starz serving as the official media partner and televising the awards during the month of January (it will also air on Nexstar stations in February). Additionally, Starz will bestow one of the honorees with a special Starz #TakeTheLead designation as part of its ongoing commitment to amplifying narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences.
Unlike last year, when the Cca held separate ceremonies for Black, Latino and Aapi Achievements, this year, because of the strikes, the Cca is presenting a one-time-only combination show,...
- 11/13/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Who doesn’t love watching a series that tells the true-life (or at least somewhat true-life) stories of real people? That’s what HBO’s hit series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” provides for NBA fans, Angelenos and TV viewers alike.
“Winning Time” doesn’t feature any of the real-life people that the series depicts, though some of the actors bear striking resemblances to their counterparts.
The show has a massive cast, with Quincy Isaiah (Earvin “Magic” Johnson”), John C. Reilly (Jerry Buss), Adrien Brody (Pat Riley) and others taking center stage as leads. There were also newcomers who stepped onto the court as guest stars for the second season, included Joel Allen as Kurt Rambis, Jay Davis as Byron Scott, Quentin Shropshire as James Worthy, Matthew Barnes as Mitch Kupchak, Darryl Reynolds as Robert Parish, Andrew Stephens as Kevin McHale and Larry C. Fields III as Eddie Jordan.
“Winning Time” doesn’t feature any of the real-life people that the series depicts, though some of the actors bear striking resemblances to their counterparts.
The show has a massive cast, with Quincy Isaiah (Earvin “Magic” Johnson”), John C. Reilly (Jerry Buss), Adrien Brody (Pat Riley) and others taking center stage as leads. There were also newcomers who stepped onto the court as guest stars for the second season, included Joel Allen as Kurt Rambis, Jay Davis as Byron Scott, Quentin Shropshire as James Worthy, Matthew Barnes as Mitch Kupchak, Darryl Reynolds as Robert Parish, Andrew Stephens as Kevin McHale and Larry C. Fields III as Eddie Jordan.
- 9/9/2023
- by Raquel 'Rocky' Harris
- The Wrap
Charles Burnett is best known for his landmark portraits of Black American life, from the aching neorealism of “Killer of Sheep” to the mordant mysticism of “To Sleep with Anger,” his films aim to depict the broken contract the country made with its African American citizens in the aftermath of World War II.
His lesser-known masterpiece “My Brother’s Wedding,” however, is emblematic of a different continuum running through Burnett’s films: the theme of becoming.
An intimate window into early ’80s Los Angeles, where confluences of Black Southern roots were still trying to flower in a hostile urban environment — “My Brother’s Wedding” is a heated tale about the perils of upward mobility, the rising drug epidemic, and the tight alliance shared by two Black men, Pierce (Everett Silas) and Soldier (Ronnie Bell), the latter of whom has just been released from prison as the film begins.
Young and proudly working-class,...
His lesser-known masterpiece “My Brother’s Wedding,” however, is emblematic of a different continuum running through Burnett’s films: the theme of becoming.
An intimate window into early ’80s Los Angeles, where confluences of Black Southern roots were still trying to flower in a hostile urban environment — “My Brother’s Wedding” is a heated tale about the perils of upward mobility, the rising drug epidemic, and the tight alliance shared by two Black men, Pierce (Everett Silas) and Soldier (Ronnie Bell), the latter of whom has just been released from prison as the film begins.
Young and proudly working-class,...
- 8/17/2023
- by Robert Daniels
- Indiewire
It’s showtime! Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jerry Buss and the rest of the Lakers squad is back for a second season of “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.”
Viewers got to get a glimpse into executive producer Adam McKay’s portrayal of the Lakers golden era and the drama that came with it. This time around fans will get to see even more of the Lakers legacy. Newcomers are stepping onto the court as guest stars, including Joel Allen as Kurt Rambis, Jay Davis as Byron Scott, Quentin Shropshire as James Worthy, Matthew Barnes as Mitch Kupchak, Darryl Reynolds as Robert Parish, Andrew Stephens as Kevin McHale and Larry C. Fields III as Eddie Jordan.
The show announced on Aug. 24, 2022 that it started production, and it’s making its return on Sunday, Aug. 6 at 9:00 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO and will also be available to stream on Max.
Viewers got to get a glimpse into executive producer Adam McKay’s portrayal of the Lakers golden era and the drama that came with it. This time around fans will get to see even more of the Lakers legacy. Newcomers are stepping onto the court as guest stars, including Joel Allen as Kurt Rambis, Jay Davis as Byron Scott, Quentin Shropshire as James Worthy, Matthew Barnes as Mitch Kupchak, Darryl Reynolds as Robert Parish, Andrew Stephens as Kevin McHale and Larry C. Fields III as Eddie Jordan.
The show announced on Aug. 24, 2022 that it started production, and it’s making its return on Sunday, Aug. 6 at 9:00 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO and will also be available to stream on Max.
- 8/5/2023
- by Raquel "Rocky" Harris
- The Wrap
Mubi is adding over 50 features from the Sony Pictures’ library to its U.S. streaming service. The mix of studio and arthouse fare includes Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence, The Last Picture Show by Peter Bogdanovich and films from Wes Anderson, Pedro Almodovar and Guillermo Del Toro.
The company’s growing and global streaming service currently offers over 900 titles in the U.S., where it adds one new film to the platform daily. The Sony deal is a significant haul, especially since studios have become more aggressive in retaining content for their own services. Sony, uniquely, doesn’t have a streaming platform in-house.
Each Sony film has its own window, with some available already and all cycling onto the service at some point through the end of 2024. Others titles in the deal include 2046 by Wong Kar-wai; Volver by...
The company’s growing and global streaming service currently offers over 900 titles in the U.S., where it adds one new film to the platform daily. The Sony deal is a significant haul, especially since studios have become more aggressive in retaining content for their own services. Sony, uniquely, doesn’t have a streaming platform in-house.
Each Sony film has its own window, with some available already and all cycling onto the service at some point through the end of 2024. Others titles in the deal include 2046 by Wong Kar-wai; Volver by...
- 3/30/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
When Sheryl Lee Ralph first read Quinta Brunson’s pilot script to “Abbott Elementary,” she knew exactly which character she wanted to play: Ava Coleman, the inappropriate principal who only seems to have her own best interests at heart.
But Brunson had another idea. “She was just short of [saying,] ‘Oh, hell no!’” Ralph says. “She said, ‘We need a queen for Barbara Howard. And you are that queen!’ And I was just like, ‘Baby, if you put it that way, How do I say no? What else do I need to know about that? I’m going to be the queen. I love it. Yes, I’m ready.’”
Janelle James wound up being cast as Ava, and landed an Emmy nomination this year for the role. But tapping Ralph to play Barbara, the no-nonsense, seen-it-all veteran teacher in “Abbott Elementary,” also turned out to be the right move. On Monday night,...
But Brunson had another idea. “She was just short of [saying,] ‘Oh, hell no!’” Ralph says. “She said, ‘We need a queen for Barbara Howard. And you are that queen!’ And I was just like, ‘Baby, if you put it that way, How do I say no? What else do I need to know about that? I’m going to be the queen. I love it. Yes, I’m ready.’”
Janelle James wound up being cast as Ava, and landed an Emmy nomination this year for the role. But tapping Ralph to play Barbara, the no-nonsense, seen-it-all veteran teacher in “Abbott Elementary,” also turned out to be the right move. On Monday night,...
- 9/16/2022
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Sheryl Lee Ralph won the Emmy award for supporting comedy actress on Monday night. For playing Barbara Howard in “Abbott Elementary,” this was not only the veteran actor’s first-ever Emmy win, but her first nomination.
Ralph was clearly shocked to win the award, at first unable to stand when her name was called. After being lifted up by her husband and castmates, she took the stage to accept her award, which was presented by Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler.
In tears, she opened her speech by singing “Endangered Species” by Dianne Reeves: “I am an endangered species / But I sing no victim’s song / I am a woman I am an artist / And I know where my voice belongs.”
“To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t come true, I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like,...
Ralph was clearly shocked to win the award, at first unable to stand when her name was called. After being lifted up by her husband and castmates, she took the stage to accept her award, which was presented by Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler.
In tears, she opened her speech by singing “Endangered Species” by Dianne Reeves: “I am an endangered species / But I sing no victim’s song / I am a woman I am an artist / And I know where my voice belongs.”
“To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t come true, I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like,...
- 9/13/2022
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSDavid Warner in The Wars of the Roses.David Warner, who died earlier this week, is warmly paid tribute to by artist and filmmaker Tacita Dean in the Guardian. In the piece, Dean talks about her admiration for the actor's performance in Alain Resnais' Providence and how she convinced him to star in her own film of the same name.Mary Alice also passed away this week, aged 85. A Tony- and Emmy-winning actor, Alice was known for her roles in Charles Burnett’s To Sleep With Anger, Brian De Palma’s The Bonfire of the Vanities, and Penny Marshall's Awakenings, among many other performances on both stage and screen.As part of a series of events investigating "the new languages of the contemporary," the Locarno Film Festival will host a 24-hour-long talk titled "The Future of Attention,...
- 8/3/2022
- MUBI
Click here to read the full article.
Mary Alice, the Tony- and Emmy-winning actress who starred in the original Broadway production of Fences, portrayed the mother of three singing daughters in Sparkle and appeared as The Oracle in The Matrix Revolutions, has died. She was 85.
Alice died Wednesday in her Manhattan apartment, an NYPD spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
In 1990 films, Alice played Nurse Margaret opposite Robin Williams and Robert De Niro in Awakenings, directed by Penny Marshall; the family matriarch dealing with a disruptive guest (Danny Glover) in Charles Burnett’s To Sleep With Anger; and a woman whose son was struck by a car in the South Bronx in Brian De Palma’s The Bonfire of the Vanities.
The onetime Chicago schoolteacher received back-to-back Emmy nominations in 1992 and ’93 — winning in the second year — for her supporting turn as Marguerite Peck, whose child is murdered, on the Atlanta-set NBC legal drama I’ll Fly Away,...
Mary Alice, the Tony- and Emmy-winning actress who starred in the original Broadway production of Fences, portrayed the mother of three singing daughters in Sparkle and appeared as The Oracle in The Matrix Revolutions, has died. She was 85.
Alice died Wednesday in her Manhattan apartment, an NYPD spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
In 1990 films, Alice played Nurse Margaret opposite Robin Williams and Robert De Niro in Awakenings, directed by Penny Marshall; the family matriarch dealing with a disruptive guest (Danny Glover) in Charles Burnett’s To Sleep With Anger; and a woman whose son was struck by a car in the South Bronx in Brian De Palma’s The Bonfire of the Vanities.
The onetime Chicago schoolteacher received back-to-back Emmy nominations in 1992 and ’93 — winning in the second year — for her supporting turn as Marguerite Peck, whose child is murdered, on the Atlanta-set NBC legal drama I’ll Fly Away,...
- 7/28/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Emmy-winning actress Mary Alice, known for her roles as Leticia “Lettie” Bostic on NBC‘s “A Different World” and as Effie Williams in the 1976 musical drama “Sparkle,” died Wednesday in New York City, according to the NYPD. Her birth year had been reported both as 1936 and 1941 in various sources.
In “The Matrix Revolutions,” she played the Oracle and also played the role in the video game “Enter the Matrix.”
She appeared in “A Different World” for two seasons, and also played Ellie Grant Hubbard on “All My Children” in the 1980s.
In films, she appeared in “Malcolm X,” “The Inkwell,” “Down in the Delta,” “Beat Street,” “To Sleep With Anger,” “Awakenings,” “The Bonfire of the Vanities” and “Sunshine State,” among many others.
Born Mary Alice Smith in Indianola, Miss., she pursued acting at a very early age, starting her stage career in her hometown. After a brief stint as an elementary school teacher,...
In “The Matrix Revolutions,” she played the Oracle and also played the role in the video game “Enter the Matrix.”
She appeared in “A Different World” for two seasons, and also played Ellie Grant Hubbard on “All My Children” in the 1980s.
In films, she appeared in “Malcolm X,” “The Inkwell,” “Down in the Delta,” “Beat Street,” “To Sleep With Anger,” “Awakenings,” “The Bonfire of the Vanities” and “Sunshine State,” among many others.
Born Mary Alice Smith in Indianola, Miss., she pursued acting at a very early age, starting her stage career in her hometown. After a brief stint as an elementary school teacher,...
- 7/28/2022
- by EJ Panaligan
- Variety Film + TV
HBO’s “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” concluded its breakout first season on May 8 with the Los Angeles Lakers beating the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA Finals, the team’s first of five titles in eight years. But much like the real Showtime Lakers of the 1980s, there is no rest for the weary. The “Winning Time” cast is already training for Season 2, as star DeVaughn Nixon, who plays his father Norm Nixon, tells Gold Derby during a break in practice.
“You’ve got the authentic interview,” the son says with a laugh while taking a breather inside the show’s training facility.
See‘Winning Time’ reviews praise HBO’s flashy Lakers series from Adam McKay
Nixon has been an actor since he was a child – his first screen credit was in the acclaimed Charles Burnett film “To Sleep With Anger” and he later appeared in blockbuster...
“You’ve got the authentic interview,” the son says with a laugh while taking a breather inside the show’s training facility.
See‘Winning Time’ reviews praise HBO’s flashy Lakers series from Adam McKay
Nixon has been an actor since he was a child – his first screen credit was in the acclaimed Charles Burnett film “To Sleep With Anger” and he later appeared in blockbuster...
- 5/13/2022
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Sheryl Lee Ralph has been tirelessly working in television since the late ’70s, on shows like “Moesha,” “It’s a Living,” “Instant Mom” and “Ray Donovan.” The accomplished actress earned a Tony nomination for the original production of “Dreamgirls” and an Independent Spirit Award for the film “To Sleep with Anger” (1990), but she has egregiously never received an Emmy nomination in her career. That could very well change this year thanks to her hysterical yet nuanced work in the acclaimed ABC sitcom “Abbott Elementary.”
The comedy, created by “A Black Lady Sketch Show” alum Quinta Brunson, centers on a group of hardworking teachers working at an underfunded elementary school, with Ralph playing one of the school’s most respected teachers, Barbara Howard. Barbara’s wealth of experience, having worked in the Philadelphia school for 30 years, makes her an idol to series protagonist Janine (Brunson). Barbara’s no-nonsense approach to teaching extends...
The comedy, created by “A Black Lady Sketch Show” alum Quinta Brunson, centers on a group of hardworking teachers working at an underfunded elementary school, with Ralph playing one of the school’s most respected teachers, Barbara Howard. Barbara’s wealth of experience, having worked in the Philadelphia school for 30 years, makes her an idol to series protagonist Janine (Brunson). Barbara’s no-nonsense approach to teaching extends...
- 4/14/2022
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has postponed the 12th annual Governors Awards ceremony as Covid-19 cases surge.
“We have made the difficult decision to change our plans in hosting the Governors Awards in person on January 15,” an Academy spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday. “Given the uncertainties around the variants, and the impact this could have on our community, we feel this is the best and safest decision for our honorees and guests. Rescheduled plans will come at a later date as we continue to prioritize the health and wellbeing of all those involved.”
A new date has not been announced yet.
The Academy was set to fete Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May and Liv Ullmann with honorary Oscars, and Danny Glover with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at an in-person event on Jan. 15, 2022. The ceremony is the latest event planned for early 2022 to face major...
“We have made the difficult decision to change our plans in hosting the Governors Awards in person on January 15,” an Academy spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday. “Given the uncertainties around the variants, and the impact this could have on our community, we feel this is the best and safest decision for our honorees and guests. Rescheduled plans will come at a later date as we continue to prioritize the health and wellbeing of all those involved.”
A new date has not been announced yet.
The Academy was set to fete Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May and Liv Ullmann with honorary Oscars, and Danny Glover with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at an in-person event on Jan. 15, 2022. The ceremony is the latest event planned for early 2022 to face major...
- 12/22/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
by Cláudio Alves
Danny Glover's cameo in Bamako
Despite his fantastic career as an actor, Danny Glover isn't receiving an Honorary Oscar to recognize that work. Instead, AMPAS is honoring him with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award as a way of celebrating his lifelong actions as a community activist, fighting for worldwide justice, and other such efforts. If anything, those values are more imminently evident in Glover's filmography as a producer rather than as an actor. Since the early 90s, after becoming a box-office star, the American thespian started leveraging his success to try and make specific projects happen. Charles Burnett's To Sleep with Anger marked Glover's first experience as a producer, and the funding was mainly secured through his participation in Lethal Weapon 2. From then on, Danny Glover has been a strong supporter of underrepresented filmmakers, helping them make their cinematic dreams come true…...
Danny Glover's cameo in Bamako
Despite his fantastic career as an actor, Danny Glover isn't receiving an Honorary Oscar to recognize that work. Instead, AMPAS is honoring him with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award as a way of celebrating his lifelong actions as a community activist, fighting for worldwide justice, and other such efforts. If anything, those values are more imminently evident in Glover's filmography as a producer rather than as an actor. Since the early 90s, after becoming a box-office star, the American thespian started leveraging his success to try and make specific projects happen. Charles Burnett's To Sleep with Anger marked Glover's first experience as a producer, and the funding was mainly secured through his participation in Lethal Weapon 2. From then on, Danny Glover has been a strong supporter of underrepresented filmmakers, helping them make their cinematic dreams come true…...
- 7/24/2021
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
We'll be celebrating each of the upcoming Honorary Oscar winners with a few pieces on their career. First up is Danny Glover.
First and foremost, a big fucking congratulations to Danny Glover, whose long, reliable, multi-pronged career is tremendously deserving of the Jean Hersholt Award he will be awarded this year. 2021’s absolutely superb group of Honorary winners makes it all the more fucking absurd these shows aren’t televised, but that’s a whole other tangent. We here at The Film Experience are paying tribute to our favorites among Glover’s remarkable body of work, and when pressed about my favorite of his performances, I immediately went for Charles Burnett’s 1990 feature To Sleep With Anger.
As with Places of the Heart, Glover’s arrival comes just around the fifteen minute mark, by which time we have not only met most of the cast but have gotten acquainted with...
First and foremost, a big fucking congratulations to Danny Glover, whose long, reliable, multi-pronged career is tremendously deserving of the Jean Hersholt Award he will be awarded this year. 2021’s absolutely superb group of Honorary winners makes it all the more fucking absurd these shows aren’t televised, but that’s a whole other tangent. We here at The Film Experience are paying tribute to our favorites among Glover’s remarkable body of work, and when pressed about my favorite of his performances, I immediately went for Charles Burnett’s 1990 feature To Sleep With Anger.
As with Places of the Heart, Glover’s arrival comes just around the fifteen minute mark, by which time we have not only met most of the cast but have gotten acquainted with...
- 7/23/2021
- by Nick Taylor
- FilmExperience
Filmmaker Dee Rees made history on June 29 when her debut feature “Pariah” joined the Criterion Collection, making the Oscar and Emmy nominee the first Black American woman to have her work included. Before Rees, Euzhan Palcy, who is from Martinique, was the lone Black woman to have a film (1989’s “A Dry White Season”) selected.
“It feels like a formal acknowledgment of the film’s impact to the canon and being a part of the culture,” Rees tells Variety of having her movie chosen. “Even though artists have to try to find your validation from inside, it’s nice to be seen.”
And as a Black filmmaker in particular, Rees adds, “it’s important to be included for future generations of filmmakers, if [Criterion] is the thing that’s being taught in schools.”
“When they’re absent, then the assumption is there’s none in existence,” she explains. “There’s no Black filmmakers here,...
“It feels like a formal acknowledgment of the film’s impact to the canon and being a part of the culture,” Rees tells Variety of having her movie chosen. “Even though artists have to try to find your validation from inside, it’s nice to be seen.”
And as a Black filmmaker in particular, Rees adds, “it’s important to be included for future generations of filmmakers, if [Criterion] is the thing that’s being taught in schools.”
“When they’re absent, then the assumption is there’s none in existence,” she explains. “There’s no Black filmmakers here,...
- 7/2/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
When Harry Belafonte accepted the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2014, he recounted how the racial and cultural insensitivities he witnessed on film screens as a child began his “rebellion against injustice and human distortion and hate.” He also quoted his hero, Paul Robeson, by saying, “Artists are the gatekeepers of truth. They are civilization’s radical voice,” and encouraged his audience to use their power and skills for positive change. Belafonte followed in the footsteps of Danny Kaye and Audrey Hepburn as the third Unicef Goodwill Ambassador to receive this special Academy Award. Next year, a fourth will be added to the list, as performer and philanthropist Danny Glover has been chosen as the newest honoree.
Along with honorary award recipients Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May, and Liv Ullmann, Glover is set to be recognized at the upcoming 12th annual Governors Awards. The 74-year-old has earned this accolade for his...
Along with honorary award recipients Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May, and Liv Ullmann, Glover is set to be recognized at the upcoming 12th annual Governors Awards. The 74-year-old has earned this accolade for his...
- 6/29/2021
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May and Liv Ullmann will receive honorary Oscars this year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Thursday. Danny Glover will also receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. The four Oscar statuettes will be presented at the Governors Awards ceremony on Jan. 15, 2022.
“We are thrilled to present this year’s Governors Awards to four honorees who have had a profound impact on both film and society,” Academy president David Rubin said in a statement. “Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide, while Elaine May’s bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with movie lovers. Liv Ullmann’s bravery and emotional transparency has gifted audiences with deeply affecting screen portrayals, and Danny Glover’s decades-long advocacy for justice and human rights reflects his dedication...
“We are thrilled to present this year’s Governors Awards to four honorees who have had a profound impact on both film and society,” Academy president David Rubin said in a statement. “Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide, while Elaine May’s bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with movie lovers. Liv Ullmann’s bravery and emotional transparency has gifted audiences with deeply affecting screen portrayals, and Danny Glover’s decades-long advocacy for justice and human rights reflects his dedication...
- 6/24/2021
- by Antonio Ferme
- Variety Film + TV
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Thursday that its Board of Governors voted to present the annual Honorary Awards to Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May, and Liv Ullmann. The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award will be given to Danny Glover. The four Oscar statuettes will be presented at the Academy’s 12th annual Governors Awards on Saturday, January 15, 2022, in Los Angeles.
Academy President David Rubin summed up the recipients’ impact, cinematic and otherwise, in the following statement: “Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide, while Elaine May’s bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with movie lovers.”
Rubin added, “Liv Ullmann’s bravery and emotional transparency has gifted audiences with deeply affecting screen portrayals, and Danny Glover’s decades-long advocacy for justice and human rights reflects his...
Academy President David Rubin summed up the recipients’ impact, cinematic and otherwise, in the following statement: “Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide, while Elaine May’s bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with movie lovers.”
Rubin added, “Liv Ullmann’s bravery and emotional transparency has gifted audiences with deeply affecting screen portrayals, and Danny Glover’s decades-long advocacy for justice and human rights reflects his...
- 6/24/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors voted to present Honorary Oscars to Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May and Liv Ullmann, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Danny Glover, the Academy announced on Thursday.
The four Honorary Oscars will be presented at the Academy’s 12th Governors Awards on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Los Angeles.
“We are thrilled to present this year’s Governors Awards to four honorees who have had a profound impact on both film and society,” Academy president David Rubin said in a statement. “Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide, while Elaine May’s bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with movie lovers. Liv Ullmann’s bravery and emotional transparency has gifted audiences with deeply affecting screen portrayals, and Danny Glover...
The four Honorary Oscars will be presented at the Academy’s 12th Governors Awards on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Los Angeles.
“We are thrilled to present this year’s Governors Awards to four honorees who have had a profound impact on both film and society,” Academy president David Rubin said in a statement. “Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide, while Elaine May’s bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with movie lovers. Liv Ullmann’s bravery and emotional transparency has gifted audiences with deeply affecting screen portrayals, and Danny Glover...
- 6/24/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Verve has acquired veteran TV lit agent Paul Alan Smith’s New Deal Mfg. Co., a boutique lit agency representing a bevy of television and film directors.
New Deal’s founding partner Smith and agent Tyler Reynolds will join Verve where they will continue to represent their clients, some of whom have been with Smith for decades. New Deal’s other founding partner, Lee Rosenbaum, who has served as chief operating officer and general counsel to the firm, will continue as an adviser to the agency.
New Deal’s clients joining Verve include Niels Arden Oplev, Allen Coulter, Tawfik Abu Wael (Our Boys), Oded Ruskin, Adam Arkin (Rebel), Milena Govich (FBI), Elodie Keene (Glee), Leslie Libman (The Manson Murders), Daniel Syrkin (Tehran), Sheelin Choksey (Stargirl), Charles Burnett (To Sleep With Anger...
New Deal’s founding partner Smith and agent Tyler Reynolds will join Verve where they will continue to represent their clients, some of whom have been with Smith for decades. New Deal’s other founding partner, Lee Rosenbaum, who has served as chief operating officer and general counsel to the firm, will continue as an adviser to the agency.
New Deal’s clients joining Verve include Niels Arden Oplev, Allen Coulter, Tawfik Abu Wael (Our Boys), Oded Ruskin, Adam Arkin (Rebel), Milena Govich (FBI), Elodie Keene (Glee), Leslie Libman (The Manson Murders), Daniel Syrkin (Tehran), Sheelin Choksey (Stargirl), Charles Burnett (To Sleep With Anger...
- 3/15/2021
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
The Oscars don’t always get it right, and that’s why they have the Honorary Award. Countless actors and actresses have contributed greatly to the cinematic medium, but not every impact is deemed “Oscar-worthy.” Until the Academy at large begins embracing all genres and performance, the prize is given to reward a career that has had an influence in film.
The honor was created for achievements not covered by existing competitive categories and has been used for a few “course corrections” or significant milestones worth celebrating. In the past, the special award has been bestowed on artists such as Jackie Chan, Steve Martin, Gena Rowlands, Donald Sutherland and most recently David Lynch, Wes Studi and Lina Wertmüller, (“Seven Beauties”), the first female directing nominee.
There’s no limit to the number of awards that can be handed out each year, and giving suggestions can be tricky. Below are my...
The honor was created for achievements not covered by existing competitive categories and has been used for a few “course corrections” or significant milestones worth celebrating. In the past, the special award has been bestowed on artists such as Jackie Chan, Steve Martin, Gena Rowlands, Donald Sutherland and most recently David Lynch, Wes Studi and Lina Wertmüller, (“Seven Beauties”), the first female directing nominee.
There’s no limit to the number of awards that can be handed out each year, and giving suggestions can be tricky. Below are my...
- 12/10/2020
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Actress Carrie Coon joins Josh and Joe to discuss the Best of what she’s been watching during the pandemic.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Nest (2020)
Gone Girl (2014)
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Sabrina (1954)
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Opening Night (1977)
Husbands (1971)
Too Late Blues (1961)
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Faces (1968)
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
Gloria (1980)
Mephisto (1981)
The Cremator (1969)
Zama (2017)
Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (2017)
Wanda (1970)
Blue Collar (1978)
The Lunchbox (2013)
63 Up (2019)
To Sleep With Anger (1990)
Killer of Sheep (1978)
The Glass Shield (1994)
My Brother’s Wedding (1983)
Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1987)
Rio Bravo (1959)
Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979)
Cutter’s Way (1981)
Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
The Magician (1958)
The Silence (1963)
The Magic Flute (1975)
The Last House on the Left (1972)
The Virgin Spring (1963)
Summer with Monika (1953)
The Seventh Seal (1957)
Wings of Desire (1987)
Black Girl (1966)
Fat Girl (2001)
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
Parasite (2019)
Jesus of Montreal (1989)
Other Notable Items...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Nest (2020)
Gone Girl (2014)
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Sabrina (1954)
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Opening Night (1977)
Husbands (1971)
Too Late Blues (1961)
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Faces (1968)
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
Gloria (1980)
Mephisto (1981)
The Cremator (1969)
Zama (2017)
Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (2017)
Wanda (1970)
Blue Collar (1978)
The Lunchbox (2013)
63 Up (2019)
To Sleep With Anger (1990)
Killer of Sheep (1978)
The Glass Shield (1994)
My Brother’s Wedding (1983)
Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1987)
Rio Bravo (1959)
Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979)
Cutter’s Way (1981)
Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
The Magician (1958)
The Silence (1963)
The Magic Flute (1975)
The Last House on the Left (1972)
The Virgin Spring (1963)
Summer with Monika (1953)
The Seventh Seal (1957)
Wings of Desire (1987)
Black Girl (1966)
Fat Girl (2001)
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
Parasite (2019)
Jesus of Montreal (1989)
Other Notable Items...
- 11/17/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
‘To Sleep With Anger’: Charles Burnett’s Divine Comedy And Career-Long ‘Rebellion’ [Be Reel Podcast]
For the 30th anniversary of “To Sleep with Anger” (1990), Be Reel dives into the work of principal “L.A. Rebellion” director Charles Burnett.
Part of the first generation of Black directors to come out of American film school, Burnett brought a daring cinematographer’s eye and a watchful activist’s pen to films like “Killer of Sheep” (1978) and “The Glass Shield” (1994).
Continue reading ‘To Sleep With Anger’: Charles Burnett’s Divine Comedy And Career-Long ‘Rebellion’ [Be Reel Podcast] at The Playlist.
Part of the first generation of Black directors to come out of American film school, Burnett brought a daring cinematographer’s eye and a watchful activist’s pen to films like “Killer of Sheep” (1978) and “The Glass Shield” (1994).
Continue reading ‘To Sleep With Anger’: Charles Burnett’s Divine Comedy And Career-Long ‘Rebellion’ [Be Reel Podcast] at The Playlist.
- 10/12/2020
- by Chance Solem-Pfeifer
- The Playlist
“Is all or a portion of your spouse's income deposited in a checking account, joint checking account, your spouse's separate checking savings account, your separate checking and savings account…?” The administrator's tedious voice continues in this fashion, stern and unforgiving. More questions concerning money, welfare checks, and the daily American grind, asked by faceless system operators on the other end of a telephone line build layers of sound on top of metallic instruments, bells, and the buzzing of Los Angeles and the advertisements of an American dream. The dissonance of this swirling sound design, the intro of Haile Gerima’s Bush Mama (1979), takes one specifically to a place, a class, and a people: The Black working class experience, the sounds of a restless city. The opening of this mixtape encapsulates the vitality and experimentation of sound design and music in the films of the L.A. Rebellion, a film movement...
- 9/27/2020
- MUBI
The New York Times put prestigious specialty home-video distributor The Criterion Collection under a microscope late last week, and the headline said it all: “How the Criterion Collection Crops Out African-American Directors.” The report looked at all 22 years and more than 1,000 titles in the Criterion’s revered selection of Blu-rays and DVDs of films, finding that only four African Americans are represented: Oscar Micheaux (“Body and Soul”); William Greaves; Charles Burnett (“To Sleep With Anger”); and Spike Lee (“Do the Right Thing” and “Bamboozled”).
It’s a glaring omission for a company that prides itself on licensing and releasing what it describes as “important classic and contemporary films,” but also reflective of an industry-wide practice of shutting out Black filmmakers.
Despite America’s changing demographics, the industry’s most powerful leaders have been slow to respond to a demand for films that reflect cultural and racial shifts that have long been underway.
It’s a glaring omission for a company that prides itself on licensing and releasing what it describes as “important classic and contemporary films,” but also reflective of an industry-wide practice of shutting out Black filmmakers.
Despite America’s changing demographics, the industry’s most powerful leaders have been slow to respond to a demand for films that reflect cultural and racial shifts that have long been underway.
- 8/25/2020
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Around the nation, protesters continue to march against racial injustice, despite a deadly pandemic that has already ended more than 163,000 American lives, disproportionately affecting Black people. This has given rise to a vast American reckoning with racism, as countless episodes of police brutality against Black Americans, and protesters in general, are captured on video.
Director Charles Burnett has been documenting Black struggle for decades, and said he was optimistic about the filmmaking that could emerge from these tumultuous times.
“I look forward, hopefully, that something really amazing will come out of storytellers that talk about this particular period, because this is probably one of the most unusual periods that we’ve confronted in every respect,” he said. “With this pandemic, we don’t know at this moment who’s going to live or die. And it’s frightening in a way — the politics and everything behind it, and the fact...
Director Charles Burnett has been documenting Black struggle for decades, and said he was optimistic about the filmmaking that could emerge from these tumultuous times.
“I look forward, hopefully, that something really amazing will come out of storytellers that talk about this particular period, because this is probably one of the most unusual periods that we’ve confronted in every respect,” he said. “With this pandemic, we don’t know at this moment who’s going to live or die. And it’s frightening in a way — the politics and everything behind it, and the fact...
- 8/11/2020
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
The earliest Charles Burnett film to survive is his second, Several Friends (1969); the first is lost. Several Friends ambles in and out of a day in the lives of different friend groups who don’t intersect but are bound by a looming sense that, for reasons big enough to know but too abstract to confront, they can’t seem to get where they’re trying to go. This sense of a confinement beyond comprehension and just short of being acknowledged has something akin to Luis Buñuel’s The Exterminating Angel, where aristocrats find themselves inexplicably bound to a dinner party. There are no barriers between them and the exit, not so much as a locked door, but whenever the ne’er do wells get up to go, they find themselves turning back. Other than the obvious class differences, there is a key distinction between the two films. In Several Friends,...
- 7/6/2020
- MUBI
The 2020 Sundance Film Festival has broken a record weeks before it begins: Of the 16 films in Dramatic Competition, seven tell stories primarily about the lives of black characters: “The 40-Year-Old Version,” “Charm City Kings,” “Farewell Amor,” “Miss Juneteenth,” “Nine Days,” “Sylvie’s Love” and “Zola.”
Surveying the last 30 years of Sundance, there’s usually been at least one in-competition film with black leads. In 1992 and 1989, there was one black film in competition, while 1993 had two. But prior to 2020, there had never been more than five.
Black filmmakers saw a renaissance in the late ’80s and early ’90s, a period that introduced Spike Lee, Wendell B. Harris Jr, Robert Townsend, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Julie Dash, Matty Rich, the Hudlin Brothers, Leslie Harris, and others. Some of their films premiered and competed at Sundance, but even then they never composed a significant presence.
Between 1989 and 1993, a total of 10 films with black leads...
Surveying the last 30 years of Sundance, there’s usually been at least one in-competition film with black leads. In 1992 and 1989, there was one black film in competition, while 1993 had two. But prior to 2020, there had never been more than five.
Black filmmakers saw a renaissance in the late ’80s and early ’90s, a period that introduced Spike Lee, Wendell B. Harris Jr, Robert Townsend, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Julie Dash, Matty Rich, the Hudlin Brothers, Leslie Harris, and others. Some of their films premiered and competed at Sundance, but even then they never composed a significant presence.
Between 1989 and 1993, a total of 10 films with black leads...
- 12/5/2019
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
The fifth edition of the Folk Film Gathering runs at Edinburgh Filmhouse this weekend, focusing on the theme of storytelling.
The festival offers a global showcase, including classics like Eric Blomberg's The White Reindeer, Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Decamaron and Charles Burnett's To Sleep With Anger, alongside rare gems like Alexander Dovzhenko's 1927 silent Zvenigora, which will be screened with a a newly commissioned score from Folklore Tapes, performed live for one performance only.
Festival director Jamie Chambers said: "One of the things I'm most excited about this year is the new score that Folklore Tapes have composed for Alexander Dovzhenko's silent masterpiece Zvenigora. I feel the film has a lot of resonance for Scotland, given it's depiction of how oral storytelling traditions allow the past to live within the present, dormant within the landscape.
"Folklore Tapes are ideally placed...
The festival offers a global showcase, including classics like Eric Blomberg's The White Reindeer, Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Decamaron and Charles Burnett's To Sleep With Anger, alongside rare gems like Alexander Dovzhenko's 1927 silent Zvenigora, which will be screened with a a newly commissioned score from Folklore Tapes, performed live for one performance only.
Festival director Jamie Chambers said: "One of the things I'm most excited about this year is the new score that Folklore Tapes have composed for Alexander Dovzhenko's silent masterpiece Zvenigora. I feel the film has a lot of resonance for Scotland, given it's depiction of how oral storytelling traditions allow the past to live within the present, dormant within the landscape.
"Folklore Tapes are ideally placed...
- 4/24/2019
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Stars: Danny Glover, Mary Alice, Richard Brooks, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Paul Butler | Written and Directed by Charles Burnett
Made in 1990, the title To Sleep With Anger may make it sound like a straight-to-vhs domestic abuse thriller but this film is actually a sensitive, sad and funny drama about an African-American community in Los Angeles. Although this isn’t the standard Hollywood depiction of black La as a hotbed of gang violence and hopelessness, but instead a middle class made up of the working young and the comfortably retired.
As we join the story, connections are already frayed. Gideon (Paul Butler) and Suzie (Mary Alice) are tired of taking care of their grandson (DeVaughan Nixon), whose parents, Samuel (Richard Brooks) and Linda (Sheryl Lee Ralph), are trying to maintain careers whilst raising a child. Samuel, somewhat disparagingly nicknamed “Babe Brother”, is a reluctant father, and he’s full of repressed rage and resentment.
Made in 1990, the title To Sleep With Anger may make it sound like a straight-to-vhs domestic abuse thriller but this film is actually a sensitive, sad and funny drama about an African-American community in Los Angeles. Although this isn’t the standard Hollywood depiction of black La as a hotbed of gang violence and hopelessness, but instead a middle class made up of the working young and the comfortably retired.
As we join the story, connections are already frayed. Gideon (Paul Butler) and Suzie (Mary Alice) are tired of taking care of their grandson (DeVaughan Nixon), whose parents, Samuel (Richard Brooks) and Linda (Sheryl Lee Ralph), are trying to maintain careers whilst raising a child. Samuel, somewhat disparagingly nicknamed “Babe Brother”, is a reluctant father, and he’s full of repressed rage and resentment.
- 3/25/2019
- by Rupert Harvey
- Nerdly
Interlopers have long been meddlesome disruptors in cinema and literature. From those whose presence is expected to those who are unpleasant surprises, their catalyzing arrival pervades the often-tranquil rhythms of nuclear dysfunction they’ve come to unsettle. Whether unpleasant mirror images of their hosts, murderous relatives or seductive strangers, hosting outsiders always has a detrimental tangible effect. And such is the case with the old friend who arrives in Charles Burnett’s masterful third feature, To Sleep with Anger, stirring up forgotten memories full of joy, shame and tragedy for a black South-Central Los Angeles family navigating several strands of familial discord.…...
- 3/19/2019
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Charles Burnett, director of the classic film “Killer of Sheep,” will develop a new film with Amazon called “Steal Away,” about the true story of Robert Smalls, who commandeered a Confederate ship to save himself and his family from slavery.
At the age of 23, Smalls rallied together a small crew and seized a Confederate ship docked near Fort Sumter in South Carolina. With his wife and two children joining him, Smalls navigated the ship through blockaded waters to the North.
TheWrap’s Trey Williams made the case for why it would be a great movie last year on the “Shoot This Now” podcast, where we talk about stories that should be films. You can listen on Apple or right here:
Also Read: Hollywood Heads to Sundance: 5 Things to Expect, From a Hot Doc Market to Post-Harvey Vetting
After the Civil War, Smalls returned to South Carolina and was elected to the state legislature,...
At the age of 23, Smalls rallied together a small crew and seized a Confederate ship docked near Fort Sumter in South Carolina. With his wife and two children joining him, Smalls navigated the ship through blockaded waters to the North.
TheWrap’s Trey Williams made the case for why it would be a great movie last year on the “Shoot This Now” podcast, where we talk about stories that should be films. You can listen on Apple or right here:
Also Read: Hollywood Heads to Sundance: 5 Things to Expect, From a Hot Doc Market to Post-Harvey Vetting
After the Civil War, Smalls returned to South Carolina and was elected to the state legislature,...
- 1/24/2019
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Amazon Studios is developing the film Steal Away about the daring theft and escape of Robert Smalls, a slave in 1862 Charleston, Sc. To Sleep With Anger filmmaker Charles Burnett is attached to direct with Cotty Chubb and George Plamondon producing. Andy Froemke wrote the script.
With a crew of fellow slaves, their families and Smalls’ own wife and children on board, the young boatman risks his and their lives to steal a paddlewheel steamer. Smalls was assigned to steer the Css Planter, a lightly armed Confederate military transport, and one night while its three officers were away, he put on the captain’s uniform and wore a straw hat similar to the captain’s and navigated it past the five forts guarding Charleston Harbor out into the Atlantic to the blockading Union Navy — and freedom.
After the American Civil War, Smalls returned to his home of Beaufort, Sc and became a politician,...
With a crew of fellow slaves, their families and Smalls’ own wife and children on board, the young boatman risks his and their lives to steal a paddlewheel steamer. Smalls was assigned to steer the Css Planter, a lightly armed Confederate military transport, and one night while its three officers were away, he put on the captain’s uniform and wore a straw hat similar to the captain’s and navigated it past the five forts guarding Charleston Harbor out into the Atlantic to the blockading Union Navy — and freedom.
After the American Civil War, Smalls returned to his home of Beaufort, Sc and became a politician,...
- 1/23/2019
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Ethel Ayler, a prolific character actress whose credits include “The Cosby Show,” died Nov. 18 at the age of 88.
She died in Loma Linda, California of undisclosed causes, her family announced Friday.
Ayler’s character on “The Cosby Show,” Carrie Hanks was the mother of Phylicia Rashad’s Claire Huxtable, appearing in six episodes over the course of the series. The actress, whose career spanned five decades, was also known for her roles in “Eve’s Bayou” and “To Sleep With Anger.”
Also Read: Donald Moffat, 'The Right Stuff' and 'The Thing' Actor, Dies at 87
She also appeared in the original 1980s Broadway production of “Fences” and played Addie in a 1997 revival of “The Little Foxes.” In “Eve’s Bayou” Ayler played Garn Mere, a believer in voodoo, and in “To Sleep With Anger,” she played the role of Hattie, for which received a Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Female.
She died in Loma Linda, California of undisclosed causes, her family announced Friday.
Ayler’s character on “The Cosby Show,” Carrie Hanks was the mother of Phylicia Rashad’s Claire Huxtable, appearing in six episodes over the course of the series. The actress, whose career spanned five decades, was also known for her roles in “Eve’s Bayou” and “To Sleep With Anger.”
Also Read: Donald Moffat, 'The Right Stuff' and 'The Thing' Actor, Dies at 87
She also appeared in the original 1980s Broadway production of “Fences” and played Addie in a 1997 revival of “The Little Foxes.” In “Eve’s Bayou” Ayler played Garn Mere, a believer in voodoo, and in “To Sleep With Anger,” she played the role of Hattie, for which received a Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Female.
- 12/22/2018
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Ethel Ayler, whose career spanned prominent Broadway, film and TV roles for five decades, died at age 88 on Nov. 18 in Loma Linda, Calif., according to her family. The cause of death was not given.
Born on May 1, 1930 in Whistler, Alabama, Ayler attended Nashville’s Fisk University as a voice major. But the lure of show business overcame the academic life, and she moved to Chicago to pursue a singing career. Her breakthrough came as a member of a touring company of Porgy and Bess.
Langston Hughes’s musical Simply Heavenly marked Ayler’s Off-Broadway bow in 1957, and she soon moved on to a role as Lena Horne’s understudy in the Broadway play Jamaica. She also worked on other Broadway productions, including The Cool World, Kwamina, Black Picture Show and The First Breeze of Summer.
Ayler was a long-standing member of the Negro Ensemble Company, and appeared with them many times.
Born on May 1, 1930 in Whistler, Alabama, Ayler attended Nashville’s Fisk University as a voice major. But the lure of show business overcame the academic life, and she moved to Chicago to pursue a singing career. Her breakthrough came as a member of a touring company of Porgy and Bess.
Langston Hughes’s musical Simply Heavenly marked Ayler’s Off-Broadway bow in 1957, and she soon moved on to a role as Lena Horne’s understudy in the Broadway play Jamaica. She also worked on other Broadway productions, including The Cool World, Kwamina, Black Picture Show and The First Breeze of Summer.
Ayler was a long-standing member of the Negro Ensemble Company, and appeared with them many times.
- 12/21/2018
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Ethel Ayler, the standout stage actress who appeared in Eve's Bayou and To Sleep With Anger and portrayed the mother of Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died. She was 88.
Ayler died Nov. 18 in Loma Linda, California, her family announced.
Ayler appeared in the original 1987-88 Broadway production of August Wilson's Fences, and then played Addie in a 1997 revival of The Little Foxes.
A longtime member of the Negro Ensemble Company, she starred in the 1960s in Jean Genet's long-running off-Broadway play The Blacks: A Clown Show in a cast that included Maya Angelou, James Earl Jones,...
Ayler died Nov. 18 in Loma Linda, California, her family announced.
Ayler appeared in the original 1987-88 Broadway production of August Wilson's Fences, and then played Addie in a 1997 revival of The Little Foxes.
A longtime member of the Negro Ensemble Company, she starred in the 1960s in Jean Genet's long-running off-Broadway play The Blacks: A Clown Show in a cast that included Maya Angelou, James Earl Jones,...
- 12/21/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ethel Ayler, the standout stage actress who appeared in Eve's Bayou and To Sleep With Anger and portrayed the mother of Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died. She was 88.
Ayler died Nov. 18 in Loma Linda, California, her family announced.
Ayler appeared in the original 1987-88 Broadway production of August Wilson's Fences, and then played Addie in a 1997 revival of The Little Foxes.
A longtime member of the Negro Ensemble Company, she starred in the 1960s in Jean Genet's long-running off-Broadway play The Blacks: A Clown Show in a cast that included Maya Angelou, James Earl Jones,...
Ayler died Nov. 18 in Loma Linda, California, her family announced.
Ayler appeared in the original 1987-88 Broadway production of August Wilson's Fences, and then played Addie in a 1997 revival of The Little Foxes.
A longtime member of the Negro Ensemble Company, she starred in the 1960s in Jean Genet's long-running off-Broadway play The Blacks: A Clown Show in a cast that included Maya Angelou, James Earl Jones,...
- 12/21/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The Criterion Collection will release Charles Burnett's classic drama To Sleep With Anger on Blu-ray for the first time in February 2019, along with four European classics of varying genres. Of these, Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz is the only one I've seen on the big screen, which is odd, since it's the only one of this group that was produced for television! First broadcast in West Germany in October 1980, the miniseries stretches over more than 15 hours. I may have told this story before, but it was shown in an all-night program at a Los Angeles movie theater in the fall of 1982. My cinephile friend XXX and I attended; I made it into the early morning hours before...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 11/16/2018
- Screen Anarchy
Film critic Dave Kehr is now a curator in the film department of the Museum of Modern Art, but in 2011 he published a reviews collection, “When Movies Mattered.” It mostly covered movies of the ’70s and ’80s, years that saw film and criticism elevated to more serious consideration. I have been thinking of his book with A24’s release of Paul Schrader’s “First Reformed.” Now in its third weekend, it’s passed the $1 million mark in just 91 theaters.
That’s promising, but it’s not the gross that interests me most. What’s compelling is the combination of critical attention and theatrical response, which represents a victory for the increasingly endangered world of specialized film.
Here’s are are some reasons why the film could mean so much more than a modest box-office success.
It doesn’t fit the mold of what gets made, or what gets audience attention.
That’s promising, but it’s not the gross that interests me most. What’s compelling is the combination of critical attention and theatrical response, which represents a victory for the increasingly endangered world of specialized film.
Here’s are are some reasons why the film could mean so much more than a modest box-office success.
It doesn’t fit the mold of what gets made, or what gets audience attention.
- 6/6/2018
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
"We're going to pull together and find a way to get out of here! First, we're gonna seal off this pool." Hopefully, this new batch of shark conservationists in Deep Blue Sea 2 doesn't end up like the person I just quoted, Russell Franklin (Samuel L. Jackson) from the first movie, and get eaten by any Great White sharks. We'll find out soon enough when Deep Blue Sea 2 comes to home media on April 17th:
Press Release: Burbank, CA – Building the better shark still isn’t a good idea in Deep Blue Sea 2, the long-awaited sequel to the hit theatrical thriller coming this spring from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. The feature-length film arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital starting April 17, 2018.
In Deep Blue Sea 2, shark conservationist Dr. Misty Calhoun (Danielle Savre) is invited to consult on a new, top secret project run by pharmaceutical billionaire Carl Durant...
Press Release: Burbank, CA – Building the better shark still isn’t a good idea in Deep Blue Sea 2, the long-awaited sequel to the hit theatrical thriller coming this spring from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. The feature-length film arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital starting April 17, 2018.
In Deep Blue Sea 2, shark conservationist Dr. Misty Calhoun (Danielle Savre) is invited to consult on a new, top secret project run by pharmaceutical billionaire Carl Durant...
- 2/13/2018
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
The National Film Registry has made its selections of 25 classic movies for 2017. As usual, it's an eclectic list featuring films from the silent era up to relatively recent years.
Films Selected for the 2017 National Film Registry
(alphabetical order)
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Boulevard Nights (1979)
Die Hard (1988)
Dumbo (1941)
Field of Dreams (1989)
4 Little Girls (1997)
Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)
Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)
The Goonies (1985)
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
Interior New York Subway, 14th Street to 42nd Street (1905)
La Bamba (1987)
Lives of Performers (1972)
Memento (2000)
Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
The Sinking of the Lusitania (1918)
Spartacus (1960)
Superman (1978)
Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988)
Time and Dreams (1976)
Titanic (1997)
To Sleep with Anger (1990)
Wanda (1971)
With the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain (1937-1938
For More Click Here...
Films Selected for the 2017 National Film Registry
(alphabetical order)
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Boulevard Nights (1979)
Die Hard (1988)
Dumbo (1941)
Field of Dreams (1989)
4 Little Girls (1997)
Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)
Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)
The Goonies (1985)
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
Interior New York Subway, 14th Street to 42nd Street (1905)
La Bamba (1987)
Lives of Performers (1972)
Memento (2000)
Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
The Sinking of the Lusitania (1918)
Spartacus (1960)
Superman (1978)
Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988)
Time and Dreams (1976)
Titanic (1997)
To Sleep with Anger (1990)
Wanda (1971)
With the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain (1937-1938
For More Click Here...
- 12/15/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The Library of Congress has revealed the 25 films being add to the National Registry this year, which include fan favorites like Die Hard, along with culturally important titles like Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Come inside to check out the full list of movies getting preserved.
While film preservation has progressed greatly over the last several years, getting into the Library of Congress is a great way to ensure a cultural preservation attached to our nation. Every year more films are added and this week we've learned which ones made the cut:
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Boulevard Nights (1979)
Die Hard (1988)
Dumbo (1941)
Field of Dreams (1989)
4 Little Girls (1997)
Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)
Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)
The Goonies (1985)
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
Interior New York Subway, 14th Street to 42nd Street (1905)
La Bamba (1987)
Lives of Performers (1972)
Memento (2000)
Only Angels Have Wings...
While film preservation has progressed greatly over the last several years, getting into the Library of Congress is a great way to ensure a cultural preservation attached to our nation. Every year more films are added and this week we've learned which ones made the cut:
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Boulevard Nights (1979)
Die Hard (1988)
Dumbo (1941)
Field of Dreams (1989)
4 Little Girls (1997)
Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)
Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)
The Goonies (1985)
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
Interior New York Subway, 14th Street to 42nd Street (1905)
La Bamba (1987)
Lives of Performers (1972)
Memento (2000)
Only Angels Have Wings...
- 12/15/2017
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Jordan Maison)
- Cinelinx
As you know, at the end of every year, the Library of Congress adds 25 films to the National Film Registry. These are seen as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant films” and they will be a protected and preserved part of American history.
There's a great list of films this year that includes a mix of several different kinds of films and it's cool to see there are some timeless classics that made the cut this year. Some of those films include The Goonies, Die Hard, Superman, Memento, Titanic, Dumbo, Spartacus, and more. I provided the full list below. I'm surprised that some of these weren't already added to the registry!
Here’s the full list of 2017 National Film Registry inductees:
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)Boulevard Nights (1979)Die Hard (1988)Dumbo (1941)Field of Dreams (1989)4 Little Girls (1997)Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)The Goonies...
There's a great list of films this year that includes a mix of several different kinds of films and it's cool to see there are some timeless classics that made the cut this year. Some of those films include The Goonies, Die Hard, Superman, Memento, Titanic, Dumbo, Spartacus, and more. I provided the full list below. I'm surprised that some of these weren't already added to the registry!
Here’s the full list of 2017 National Film Registry inductees:
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)Boulevard Nights (1979)Die Hard (1988)Dumbo (1941)Field of Dreams (1989)4 Little Girls (1997)Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)The Goonies...
- 12/13/2017
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Die Hard, Titanic, The Goonies and Field of Dreams are among the 25 films that have been added to the National Film Registry, the Library of Congress announced Wednesday.
Classic films like 1960's Spartacus, 1967's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, 1947's Gentleman's Agreement and 1951's Ace in the Hole were also named to the registry, which "recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage."
"Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and inform us as individuals...
Classic films like 1960's Spartacus, 1967's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, 1947's Gentleman's Agreement and 1951's Ace in the Hole were also named to the registry, which "recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage."
"Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and inform us as individuals...
- 12/13/2017
- Rollingstone.com
Die Hard, Titanic, The Goonies and Field of Dreams are among the 25 films that have been added to the National Film Registry, the Library of Congress announced Wednesday.
Classic films like 1960's Spartacus, 1967's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, 1947's Gentleman's Agreement and 1951's Ace in the Hole were also named to the registry, which "recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage."
"Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and inform us as individuals...
Classic films like 1960's Spartacus, 1967's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, 1947's Gentleman's Agreement and 1951's Ace in the Hole were also named to the registry, which "recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage."
"Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and inform us as individuals...
- 12/13/2017
- Rollingstone.com
As is annual tradition, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden has announced this year’s 25 film set to join the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. Selected for their “cultural, historic and/or aesthetic importance,” the films picked range from such beloved actioners as “Die Hard,” childhood classic “The Goonies,” the seminal “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” and the mind-bending “Memento,” with plenty of other genres and styles represented among the list.
The additions span 1905 to 2000, and includes Hollywood blockbusters, documentaries, silent movies, animation, shorts, independent, and even home movies. The 2017 selections bring the number of films in the registry to 725.
“The selection of a film to the National Film Registry recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage,” Hayden said in an official statement. “Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and...
The additions span 1905 to 2000, and includes Hollywood blockbusters, documentaries, silent movies, animation, shorts, independent, and even home movies. The 2017 selections bring the number of films in the registry to 725.
“The selection of a film to the National Film Registry recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage,” Hayden said in an official statement. “Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and...
- 12/13/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Since 1989, the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress has been accomplishing the important task of preserving films that “represent important cultural, artistic and historic achievements in filmmaking.” From films way back in 1897 all the way up to 2004, they’ve now reached 725 films that celebrate our heritage and encapsulate our film history.
Today they’ve unveiled their 2017 list, which includes such Hollywood classics as Die Hard, Titanic, and Superman along with groundbreaking independent features like Yvonne Rainer’s Lives of Performers, Charles Burnett’s To Sleep with Anger, and Barbara Loden’s Wanda. Also making this list are a pair of Kirk Douglas-led features, Ace in the Hole and Spartacus, as well as Christopher Nolan’s Memento and more. Check out the full list below and you can watch some films on the registry for free here.
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Based on the infamous...
Today they’ve unveiled their 2017 list, which includes such Hollywood classics as Die Hard, Titanic, and Superman along with groundbreaking independent features like Yvonne Rainer’s Lives of Performers, Charles Burnett’s To Sleep with Anger, and Barbara Loden’s Wanda. Also making this list are a pair of Kirk Douglas-led features, Ace in the Hole and Spartacus, as well as Christopher Nolan’s Memento and more. Check out the full list below and you can watch some films on the registry for free here.
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Based on the infamous...
- 12/13/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
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