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
From pizza nights to tennis lessons to an Annette Bening film festival, the cast of Peacock’s “Apples Never Fall” was determined to bond like a really family. At Tuesday night’s premiere, Bening, Sam Neill, Jake Lacy and more shared their favorite memories from shooting the series in Australia and how they got into their respective characters.
Based on “Big Little Lies” author Liane Moriarty’s novel of the same name, “Apples Never Fall” follows former tennis coaches Stan (Neill) and Joy (Bening) Delaney, who sell their tennis academy and hope to spend more time with their adult children. But things take a turn when a mysterious young woman knocks on their door and enters their lives. When Joy suddenly disappears, her children must re-examine their parents’ marriage as their family’s darkest secrets begin to surface.
Developing that family dynamic both on-and-off screen was vital to bringing the story to life,...
Based on “Big Little Lies” author Liane Moriarty’s novel of the same name, “Apples Never Fall” follows former tennis coaches Stan (Neill) and Joy (Bening) Delaney, who sell their tennis academy and hope to spend more time with their adult children. But things take a turn when a mysterious young woman knocks on their door and enters their lives. When Joy suddenly disappears, her children must re-examine their parents’ marriage as their family’s darkest secrets begin to surface.
Developing that family dynamic both on-and-off screen was vital to bringing the story to life,...
- 3/15/2024
- by Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
Actress Emma Stone has made waves this year with her Oscar-nominated performance in the dark comedy Poor Things. The actress was universally lauded for her performance as Bella Baxter in the period comedy which also starred Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, and Ramy Youssef. The film was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, who collaborated with Stone again after The Favorite.
Emma Stone has been nominated thrice before, winning Best Actress once for La La Land. This time, Stone shares the nominations with actresses such as Lily Gladstone, Sandra Huller, Carey Mulligan, and Annette Bening. Despite her worldwide stardom, the Easy A star is reportedly not the richest actress in the nominations. That post reportedly goes to veteran actress Annette Bening, who is nominated for her role in Nyad.
Emma Stone Is Not The Richest Actress In This Year’s Best Actress Oscar Nominees Emma Stone in Poor Things
Emma Stone has been...
Emma Stone has been nominated thrice before, winning Best Actress once for La La Land. This time, Stone shares the nominations with actresses such as Lily Gladstone, Sandra Huller, Carey Mulligan, and Annette Bening. Despite her worldwide stardom, the Easy A star is reportedly not the richest actress in the nominations. That post reportedly goes to veteran actress Annette Bening, who is nominated for her role in Nyad.
Emma Stone Is Not The Richest Actress In This Year’s Best Actress Oscar Nominees Emma Stone in Poor Things
Emma Stone has been...
- 3/9/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Annette Bening’s Best Performances: ‘Nyad,’ ’20th Century Women,’ ‘The Kids Are All Right,’ and More
Annette Bening really should have gotten an Oscar by now, shouldn’t she? A consummate professional, Bening has been a star since 1990, when she received a Supporting Actress nod for her turn as a sexed-up con artist in “The Grifters.” Since then, she’s been a constant welcome presence on film, an actor that can be relied upon to give a charismatic, layered, and smartly calibrated performance. But, for one reason or another, she’s never quite taken home the gold.
Now on her fifth overall nomination and fourth Best Actress nod, Bening doesn’t seem overall likely to change that this year. She’s not a top competitor for her role in “Nyad,” in which she plays the eponymous long-distance swimmer with a penchant for self-mythologizing. Bening is one of the categories longshot competitors, as the likes of Emma Stone and Lily Gladstone are widely seen as frontrunners for the overall prize.
Now on her fifth overall nomination and fourth Best Actress nod, Bening doesn’t seem overall likely to change that this year. She’s not a top competitor for her role in “Nyad,” in which she plays the eponymous long-distance swimmer with a penchant for self-mythologizing. Bening is one of the categories longshot competitors, as the likes of Emma Stone and Lily Gladstone are widely seen as frontrunners for the overall prize.
- 2/27/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Over the course of his long career, Martin Scorsese has amassed scores of producing credits on projects ranging from “Uncut Gems” to “Once Were Brothers” and “Vinyl” in addition to his own work on films such as Oscar and PGA nominee “Killers of the Flower Moon.” His love of cinema and preservation of it is well established, making him a more than worthy recipient of the PGA’s David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures.
But, technically speaking, Scorsese wasn’t much of a producer during the first three decades of his career. He’s listed as a producer on his early short films “Vesuvius VI” (1959) and “The Big Shave” (1967) and an associate producer on the music documentary “Medicine Ball Caravan” (1967). But he didn’t take another producing credit until the 1990 feature “The Grifters,” directed by Stephen Frears, and he didn’t take one on a film he directed until 2010’s “Shutter Island.
But, technically speaking, Scorsese wasn’t much of a producer during the first three decades of his career. He’s listed as a producer on his early short films “Vesuvius VI” (1959) and “The Big Shave” (1967) and an associate producer on the music documentary “Medicine Ball Caravan” (1967). But he didn’t take another producing credit until the 1990 feature “The Grifters,” directed by Stephen Frears, and he didn’t take one on a film he directed until 2010’s “Shutter Island.
- 2/25/2024
- by Todd Longwell
- Variety Film + TV
It could be fifth time lucky for Annette Bening as she heads to this year’s Oscars with yet another nomination – this time for Best Actress for her role in Nyad.
Bening has on four previous occasions left the ceremony empty-handed, but she remembers fondly her first Oscars in 1991, when she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for The Grifters.
The actress told The Times of London that all the women in her category – Whoopi Goldberg, Diane Ladd, Mary McDonnell and Lorraine Bracco – got together prior to the presentation and cut a deal.
Bening recounted:
“We got together in a little huddle and we said, ‘All right, let’s all have dinner next week and whoever wins pays.’ And so Whoopi Goldberg won [for Ghost] and she sent us each a flower arrangement and a card that said, ‘Meet at such and such a restaurant next week at a certain time.
Bening has on four previous occasions left the ceremony empty-handed, but she remembers fondly her first Oscars in 1991, when she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for The Grifters.
The actress told The Times of London that all the women in her category – Whoopi Goldberg, Diane Ladd, Mary McDonnell and Lorraine Bracco – got together prior to the presentation and cut a deal.
Bening recounted:
“We got together in a little huddle and we said, ‘All right, let’s all have dinner next week and whoever wins pays.’ And so Whoopi Goldberg won [for Ghost] and she sent us each a flower arrangement and a card that said, ‘Meet at such and such a restaurant next week at a certain time.
- 2/24/2024
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Annette Bening still likes to swim, despite the brutal eight hours a day she spent in the water for her Netflix film Nyad. Bening stars as Diana Nyad, who, at 64, became the first person ever to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. Bening trained for a year to perfect her stroke, and got to know Nyad herself, with Jodie Foster alongside her, starring as Nyad’s real-life friend and coach, Bonnie Stoll. “I swim all the time, it’s become part of my staying sane,” Bening says now, adding that she learned from Nyad that pushing oneself beyond what you thought you could do is “a way to know yourself, and that’s a way to expand your own idea about yourself in the world, and also increase your joy, and increase your appreciation.” Here, Bening looks back over some favorite moments in her career, from The Grifters,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Antonia Blyth
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO is getting ready to unleash its latest miniseries in the form of "The Regime." The series has a lot going for it as it has an Oscar-winning actress at the center of the story, which hails from two of the minds behind one of the network's most beloved shows in recent memory, "Succession." But this is a very different sort of show not focused on the world of messy corporate politics, instead taking place inside a European palace and an authoritarian regime.
But what is this show about, exactly? Who is behind the camera and responsible for its creation? Who is in front of the camera bringing this political regime to life? We're here to answer all of those questions and more, offering up everything you need to know about the show before it arrives. Let's get into it.
Read more: The 15 Best Anthology TV Series Ranked
When Does The Regime Premiere?...
But what is this show about, exactly? Who is behind the camera and responsible for its creation? Who is in front of the camera bringing this political regime to life? We're here to answer all of those questions and more, offering up everything you need to know about the show before it arrives. Let's get into it.
Read more: The 15 Best Anthology TV Series Ranked
When Does The Regime Premiere?...
- 2/2/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Whenever Oscar nominations are announced, there seems to be less celebration of who is on the ballot than there is outcry over who isn’t. This year is certainly no different, with most of the attention over snubs directed towards Barbie’s Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, who both missed out in the directing and acting categories. But if you ask Whoopi Goldberg – an Oscar winner herself – there’s no such thing as a snub, saying, “Everybody doesn’t win.”
Speaking on The View (via Entertainment Weekly), Whoopi Goldberg – who won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for 1990’s Ghost – said of the hooplah, “There are no snubs. That’s what you have to keep in mind: Not everybody gets a prize, and it is subjective. Movies are subjective…The movies you love may not be loved by the people who are voting.”
Whoopi Goldberg also may have been alluding to the...
Speaking on The View (via Entertainment Weekly), Whoopi Goldberg – who won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for 1990’s Ghost – said of the hooplah, “There are no snubs. That’s what you have to keep in mind: Not everybody gets a prize, and it is subjective. Movies are subjective…The movies you love may not be loved by the people who are voting.”
Whoopi Goldberg also may have been alluding to the...
- 1/31/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Exclusive: Annette Bening, who just received her fifth Oscar nomination last week for her portrayal of champion swimmer Diana Nyad in Nyad, has been named as the inaugural recipient of the Santa Barbara Film Festival’s Arlington Award.
The Arlington represents the first new award the festival has created in more than two decades and is named for the historic venue where all the fest’s annual tributes timed to Oscar season take place. It will be presented on Friday, February 16, 2024 at the theater, preceded by an in-person conversation I will be moderating covering her entire career.
“This is the first award added to our slate in 20 years. It is made to honor an artist who is greatly admired and who has demonstrated an incomparable commitment to film and its craft. Ms. Bening has not only displayed all of those qualities, but is considered by us to be a friend of the film festival.
The Arlington represents the first new award the festival has created in more than two decades and is named for the historic venue where all the fest’s annual tributes timed to Oscar season take place. It will be presented on Friday, February 16, 2024 at the theater, preceded by an in-person conversation I will be moderating covering her entire career.
“This is the first award added to our slate in 20 years. It is made to honor an artist who is greatly admired and who has demonstrated an incomparable commitment to film and its craft. Ms. Bening has not only displayed all of those qualities, but is considered by us to be a friend of the film festival.
- 1/30/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Annette Bening, the guest on this episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, is one of the most talented and admired actresses of her generation. Vanity Fair has called her “a leading lady from the old school,” who “epitomizes the wit and glamour of modern Hollywood.” The Los Angeles Times has said she “brings to mind such Golden Age actresses as Bette Davis, Claudette Colbert and Barbara Stanwyck — sassy, ready-for-anything heroines a half-step ahead of their man.”
Over the course of some 35 years in the business, Bening has given standout performances in films like 1990’s The Grifters, 1991’s Bugsy, 1995’s The American President, 1999’s American Beauty, 2004’s Being Julia, 2010’s The Kids Are All Right, 2016’s 20th Century Women and 2017’s Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool. Most recently, she starred in 2023’s Nyad, in which she portrays Diana Nyad, a woman who spent years of her...
Over the course of some 35 years in the business, Bening has given standout performances in films like 1990’s The Grifters, 1991’s Bugsy, 1995’s The American President, 1999’s American Beauty, 2004’s Being Julia, 2010’s The Kids Are All Right, 2016’s 20th Century Women and 2017’s Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool. Most recently, she starred in 2023’s Nyad, in which she portrays Diana Nyad, a woman who spent years of her...
- 1/23/2024
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Annette Bening is an actor’s actor. Like many of the greats before her, she began her career in the theatre. Through the 80s, she quietly compiled a library of rich, complex characters before making her Tony-nominated broadway debut in 1987’s “Coastal Disturbances.”
Bening then made her well deserved transition over to Hollywood with John Hughes’ “The Great Outdoors.” The film didn’t perform as well as hoped, nor did Milos Forman’s “Valmont” which was released the following year, but they both paved the way for Bening’s eventual Oscar-nominated breakout as Myra Langtry in Stephen Frears’ “The Grifters.”
She got particularly close to Oscar gold with “American Beauty” in 2000. Annette bagged the BAFTA and SAG award for her iconic portrayal of the colourfully volatile wife-in-crisis, Carolyn Burnham. She lost to Hilary Swank (“Boys Don’t Cry”) though, who had edged her out at the Globes.
Swank clearly was Bening’s kryptonite,...
Bening then made her well deserved transition over to Hollywood with John Hughes’ “The Great Outdoors.” The film didn’t perform as well as hoped, nor did Milos Forman’s “Valmont” which was released the following year, but they both paved the way for Bening’s eventual Oscar-nominated breakout as Myra Langtry in Stephen Frears’ “The Grifters.”
She got particularly close to Oscar gold with “American Beauty” in 2000. Annette bagged the BAFTA and SAG award for her iconic portrayal of the colourfully volatile wife-in-crisis, Carolyn Burnham. She lost to Hilary Swank (“Boys Don’t Cry”) though, who had edged her out at the Globes.
Swank clearly was Bening’s kryptonite,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Nick Bisa
- Gold Derby
Through its six-season run, classic HBO drama The Sopranos featured several unexpected cameos from real life celebrities. These included: director Jon Favreau, actor Ben Kingsley, and most hilariously: New York Jets head coach Eric “Man-genius” Mangini.
Of all the celebrity cameos on The Sopranos, however, none hit quite as hard as actress Annette Bening’s brief appearance in the season 5 episode “The Test Dream.” Bening, who is one of the most accomplished performers of her era, kindly stopped by to film a couple of scenes for the 20-minute dream sequence that Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) experiences for much of the episode’s runtime. It’s such a bold, out of left field casting decision that even nearly 20 years later it still stands out.
Bening talked about filming the episode with The Daily Beast in 2020, saying:
“I received the episode out of nowhere, and read it, and thought, ‘Wow—this is fantastic,...
Of all the celebrity cameos on The Sopranos, however, none hit quite as hard as actress Annette Bening’s brief appearance in the season 5 episode “The Test Dream.” Bening, who is one of the most accomplished performers of her era, kindly stopped by to film a couple of scenes for the 20-minute dream sequence that Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) experiences for much of the episode’s runtime. It’s such a bold, out of left field casting decision that even nearly 20 years later it still stands out.
Bening talked about filming the episode with The Daily Beast in 2020, saying:
“I received the episode out of nowhere, and read it, and thought, ‘Wow—this is fantastic,...
- 1/11/2024
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
When Annette Bening likes a project, she jumps in. That’s what happened with Netflix’s festival hit “Nyad,” based on the story of 60-ish cranky competitive swimmer Diana Nyad and her refusal to abandon her dream. When she signed on to star in Nyad’s story of swimming 110 miles in open ocean from Cuba to Florida, Bening wasn’t thinking about the details of what playing the title character would entail. She just wanted to play the part.
Over the course of her three-decade career, which has yielded four Oscar nominations, Bening’s dramatic and comedic roles have run the gamut from con artist, Machiavellian schemer, and gangster’s moll to angsty suburban housewife. But she’s never been identified as a physically athletic actress.
“I’ve always been an athletic person in my personal life,” she said over Zoom. “I’m an exercise person since I was 20.” In “Open Range,...
Over the course of her three-decade career, which has yielded four Oscar nominations, Bening’s dramatic and comedic roles have run the gamut from con artist, Machiavellian schemer, and gangster’s moll to angsty suburban housewife. But she’s never been identified as a physically athletic actress.
“I’ve always been an athletic person in my personal life,” she said over Zoom. “I’m an exercise person since I was 20.” In “Open Range,...
- 12/20/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Annette Bening, who recently starred in Netflix’s biopic “Nyad,” will receive a special Golden Medallion tribute award from the Telluride Film Festival on Jan. 6, 2024. Meg Ryan will present the award to her at Netflix’s Tudum Theater in Los Angeles. The event will also feature a conversation focused on her career trajectory, which Bening’s “Nyad” co-star Jodie Foster will moderate.
Due to the actors strike, Bening was unable to accept the honor at the Telluride Film Festival in September, marking the first time Telluride has presented an honor outside of the dates of the festival. Previous Golden Medallion recipients include Cate Blanchett, Anthony Hopkins and Kate Winslet.
Bening was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for portraying Diana Nyad. She has also received Oscar nominations for “The Grifters,” “American Beauty,” “Being Julia” and “The Kids Are All Right.”
Charles D. King to Receive Milestone Award at 2024 Producers Guild...
Due to the actors strike, Bening was unable to accept the honor at the Telluride Film Festival in September, marking the first time Telluride has presented an honor outside of the dates of the festival. Previous Golden Medallion recipients include Cate Blanchett, Anthony Hopkins and Kate Winslet.
Bening was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for portraying Diana Nyad. She has also received Oscar nominations for “The Grifters,” “American Beauty,” “Being Julia” and “The Kids Are All Right.”
Charles D. King to Receive Milestone Award at 2024 Producers Guild...
- 12/19/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay, Valerie Wu, Jaden Thompson and Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
Almost every year, there is at least one performer who finally takes home that elusive Oscar. In 2022, Jessica Chastain won for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” after two prior nominations, and, in 2020, Joaquin Phoenix prevailed for “Joker” after three previous bids. Expect this year to be no different — we have a whole crew searching for their first Oscar wins after years of nominations, near-misses, or just plain being snubbed. Here are a so far unlucky seven contenders who could break that curse this year and win long overdue Oscars. (We’ve updated this post to include Ryan Gosling after his absence was pointed out by several readers.)
Annette Bening — “Nyad” (Netflix)
Dir: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
Co-Starring: Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans
Release Date: October 20 in theaters, November 3 on Netflix
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
“64-year-old marathon swimmer, Diana Nyad, attempts to become the first person ever to swim from Cuba to Florida.
Annette Bening — “Nyad” (Netflix)
Dir: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
Co-Starring: Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans
Release Date: October 20 in theaters, November 3 on Netflix
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
“64-year-old marathon swimmer, Diana Nyad, attempts to become the first person ever to swim from Cuba to Florida.
- 11/15/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
What does an abundantly talented woman have to do to get an Oscar around here? Annette Bening is 0-4 when it comes to winning an Academy Award in the acting categories. If it were up to her fans, there would a law in place that would put an end to this insanity. She might not always choose well when it comes to picking projects – if you haven’t seen 2000’s “What Planet Are You From?,” consider yourself lucky. Of course, it was probably criminal that her performance in 2016’s “20th Century Women” didn’t make more of an impact.
Bening was born on May 29, 1958, and married actor, producer, writer and director Warren Beatty after co-starring in “Bugsy.” Let’s look back at her three-decade career on the big screen, with 13 of her greatest films in our photo gallery, including “Nyad,” “The American President,” “The Grifters,” “The Kids Are All Right” and “American Beauty,...
Bening was born on May 29, 1958, and married actor, producer, writer and director Warren Beatty after co-starring in “Bugsy.” Let’s look back at her three-decade career on the big screen, with 13 of her greatest films in our photo gallery, including “Nyad,” “The American President,” “The Grifters,” “The Kids Are All Right” and “American Beauty,...
- 11/10/2023
- by Susan Wloszczyna, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Graphic: Images: IMDBAmerican Beauty (1999)
A sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter’s best friend.
Rating: 8.3/10
Stars: Kevin Spacey (Lester Burnham), Annette Bening (Carolyn Burnham), Thora Birch (Jane Burnham), Wes Bentley (Ricky Fitts)
20th Century Women (2017)
The story of a teenage boy, his mother,...
A sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter’s best friend.
Rating: 8.3/10
Stars: Kevin Spacey (Lester Burnham), Annette Bening (Carolyn Burnham), Thora Birch (Jane Burnham), Wes Bentley (Ricky Fitts)
20th Century Women (2017)
The story of a teenage boy, his mother,...
- 11/4/2023
- avclub.com
Nyad is a 2023 movie directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, starring Jodie Foster and Annette Bening. It is based on the book by Diana Nyad.
Two great actresses return to the stage to portray, precisely, the comeback of a swimmer, Diana Nyad, who became famous some years ago for attempting something extraordinary: swimming from Cuba to Florida, 180 kilometers in open sea.
The problem: she didn’t succeed at thirty years old and now, at sixty, she gets to work with her friend.
The main attraction of the movie is to see Jodie Foster and Annette Bening on screen again in a film that, without them, wouldn’t have generated much interest.
A movie about personal growth and learning how, even at sixty, incredible feats are still possible.
About “Nyad” Nyad
Neither Jodie Foster nor Annette Bening are regular leads anymore. Like in this movie, both actresses decided to partially retire and appear,...
Two great actresses return to the stage to portray, precisely, the comeback of a swimmer, Diana Nyad, who became famous some years ago for attempting something extraordinary: swimming from Cuba to Florida, 180 kilometers in open sea.
The problem: she didn’t succeed at thirty years old and now, at sixty, she gets to work with her friend.
The main attraction of the movie is to see Jodie Foster and Annette Bening on screen again in a film that, without them, wouldn’t have generated much interest.
A movie about personal growth and learning how, even at sixty, incredible feats are still possible.
About “Nyad” Nyad
Neither Jodie Foster nor Annette Bening are regular leads anymore. Like in this movie, both actresses decided to partially retire and appear,...
- 11/3/2023
- by Alice Lange
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Among the myriad reasons we could call the Criterion Channel the single greatest streaming service is its leveling of cinematic snobbery. Where a new World Cinema Project restoration plays, so too does Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight. I think about this looking at November’s lineup and being happiest about two new additions: a nine-film Robert Bresson retro including L’argent and The Devil, Probably; and a one-film Hype Williams retro including Belly and only Belly, but bringing as a bonus the direct-to-video Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club. Until recently such curation seemed impossible.
November will also feature a 20-film noir series boasting the obvious and the not. Maybe the single tightest collection is “Women of the West,” with Johnny Guitar and The Beguiled and Rancho Notorious and The Furies only half of it. Lynch/Oz, Irradiated, and My Two Voices make streaming premieres; Drylongso gets a Criterion Edition; and joining...
November will also feature a 20-film noir series boasting the obvious and the not. Maybe the single tightest collection is “Women of the West,” with Johnny Guitar and The Beguiled and Rancho Notorious and The Furies only half of it. Lynch/Oz, Irradiated, and My Two Voices make streaming premieres; Drylongso gets a Criterion Edition; and joining...
- 10/24/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Netflix’s “Nyad” tells the remarkable true story of swimmer Diana Nyad and her quest to swim from Cuba to Florida while in her sixties. Annette Bening stars in the titular role while Jodie Foster turns in a key supporting performance as Nyad’s coach, Bonnie Stoll. “Nyad,” which is out in US theaters on Oct. 20 before heading to Netflix on November 2, could well earn Bening a fifth Oscar nomination for her title role as the impressive swimmer. But, before that, let’s take a look back at Bening’s four Oscar races to date.
Bening first found herself on the academy’s radar in 1991 for her role in “The Grifters,” Stephen Frears‘ crime thriller about a conman (John Cusack) who finds himself torn between his mother (Anjelica Huston) and girlfriend (Bening), both of whom are con-artists themselves. Bening had something of a rocky road on the way to the...
Bening first found herself on the academy’s radar in 1991 for her role in “The Grifters,” Stephen Frears‘ crime thriller about a conman (John Cusack) who finds himself torn between his mother (Anjelica Huston) and girlfriend (Bening), both of whom are con-artists themselves. Bening had something of a rocky road on the way to the...
- 10/20/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
In “Nyad,” the titular character is entitled, mean, self-centered and treats people around her terribly… and she’s our hero? Supporting actors Jodie Foster and Rhys Ifans manage to keep the film moving along, but the main subject, played passionately by Annette Bening, is one who is difficult to connect with and root for in this modern take on a sports drama.
A still Oscar-less Bening could be a possibility for traction in the best actress race – at least, Netflix hopes so. With four career nominations to Bening’s name, the streamer believes the fifth time could be the charm with her turn as a marathon swimmer who achieves the impossible in the drama.
Premiering at the Telluride Film Festival one day shy of the 10-year anniversary of Nyad’s famous distance swim from Cuba to Florida without the assistance of a shark cage, the film was introduced by co-directors...
A still Oscar-less Bening could be a possibility for traction in the best actress race – at least, Netflix hopes so. With four career nominations to Bening’s name, the streamer believes the fifth time could be the charm with her turn as a marathon swimmer who achieves the impossible in the drama.
Premiering at the Telluride Film Festival one day shy of the 10-year anniversary of Nyad’s famous distance swim from Cuba to Florida without the assistance of a shark cage, the film was introduced by co-directors...
- 9/18/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The married filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi made their names with docs about extreme athletic accomplishments — see 2015’s Meru, 2018’s Free Solo (for which they won the best documentary feature Oscar) and 2021’s The Rescue — and have now made their narrative directorial debut, Nyad, about one woman’s decades-long pursuit of one of the greatest of all: becoming the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the benefit of a moving cage to keep away sharks, jellyfish and other dangerous sea creatures.
As with, say, Argo, Sully or, well, The Rescue, I suspect that most people will know, going in to Nyad, how it ends. Spoiler alert: Nyad realized her dream, some 35 years after she first tried to, at the age of 64. But I suspect that most will not know, going in, just how many personal and professional obstacles Nyad had to overcome in order to do so.
As with, say, Argo, Sully or, well, The Rescue, I suspect that most people will know, going in to Nyad, how it ends. Spoiler alert: Nyad realized her dream, some 35 years after she first tried to, at the age of 64. But I suspect that most will not know, going in, just how many personal and professional obstacles Nyad had to overcome in order to do so.
- 9/2/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As of this writing, based on the combined Oscar predictions of Gold Derby users, Fantasia Barrino is the front-runner to win Best Actress with 9/2 odds for playing Celie in “The Color Purple.” Currently in seventh place with 11/1 odds is Annette Bening for “Nyad.” Bening is long overdue for her first win. So could this be similar to 1985 when another overdue veteran beat an actress playing Celie in “The Color Purple?”
In “The Color Purple,” Barrino plays Celie Harris Johnson, an African-American woman struggling to live in the South during the early 1900s. In “Nyad,” Bening plays Diana Nyad, a real-life swimmer who, at age 60 and with the help of her best friend and coach (Jodie Foster), commits to achieving her life-long dream: a 110-mile open ocean swim from Cuba to Florida.
SEEOscar predictions: Fantasia Barrino (‘The Color Purple’) is the early favorite for historic Best Actress victory
During the 1985 season...
In “The Color Purple,” Barrino plays Celie Harris Johnson, an African-American woman struggling to live in the South during the early 1900s. In “Nyad,” Bening plays Diana Nyad, a real-life swimmer who, at age 60 and with the help of her best friend and coach (Jodie Foster), commits to achieving her life-long dream: a 110-mile open ocean swim from Cuba to Florida.
SEEOscar predictions: Fantasia Barrino (‘The Color Purple’) is the early favorite for historic Best Actress victory
During the 1985 season...
- 9/1/2023
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
While Oscar voters love nominating performers for portraying real-life people in biopics, it turns out that to win Best Actress it is better to play a fictional character. Over the past decade 29 of the 50 nominations have been for original turns, with a whopping seven of those winning. Here’s the complete breakdown.
As you can see four out of five contenders last year were actresses playing fictional people. The one exception was Ana de Armas, who was nominated for portraying Marilyn Monroe in “Blonde.” The last time all five nominations went to actresses playing fictional people was back in 2011 when Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”), Annette Bening (“The Kids Are All Right”), Nicole Kidman (“Rabbit Hole”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Winter’s Bone”), and Williams (“Blue Valentine”) were all nominated, with Portman winning.
However, that could happen again this year as our current predicted nominees for Best Actress are Fantasia Barrino (“The Color Purple...
As you can see four out of five contenders last year were actresses playing fictional people. The one exception was Ana de Armas, who was nominated for portraying Marilyn Monroe in “Blonde.” The last time all five nominations went to actresses playing fictional people was back in 2011 when Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”), Annette Bening (“The Kids Are All Right”), Nicole Kidman (“Rabbit Hole”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Winter’s Bone”), and Williams (“Blue Valentine”) were all nominated, with Portman winning.
However, that could happen again this year as our current predicted nominees for Best Actress are Fantasia Barrino (“The Color Purple...
- 8/11/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Every year, there are one or two performers who finally land the Oscar wins that they have been long overdue. Last year, Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis both won for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” after years of never quite getting the attention they deserved. In 2022, Jessica Chastain won for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” after two prior nominations, and, in 2020, Joaquin Phoenix won for “Joker” after three previous bids. Expect this year to be no different — we have a whole crew of actors all searching for their first Oscar wins after years of nominations, near-misses, or just plain being snubbed. Here are eight actors who could break that curse this year.
Annette Bening — “Nyad” (Netflix)
Dir: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
Co-Starring: Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans
Release Date: October 20 in theaters, November 3 on Netflix
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
“64-year-old marathon swimmer, Diana Nyad, attempts to become the first...
Annette Bening — “Nyad” (Netflix)
Dir: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
Co-Starring: Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans
Release Date: October 20 in theaters, November 3 on Netflix
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
“64-year-old marathon swimmer, Diana Nyad, attempts to become the first...
- 7/19/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Stephen Frears is the British director who began his feature film directing career with 1971’s “Gumshoe” after first gaining wide international recognition with his 1985 film “My Beautiful Laundrette.” It was originally made for Channel 4 television, but its quality was so high that it was released theatrically, and world recognition for Frears followed.
In the intervening years, Frears directed three films — “Dangerous Liaisons” (1988), “The Queen” (2006) and “Philomena” (2013) — that received Academy Award nominations as Best Picture, and Frears himself earned two Oscar nominations as Best Director — for “The Grifters” (1990) and “The Queen.”
Although most of his work directing for television was early in his career, in recent years, Frears has returned to TV, earning an Emmy Award nomination as Best Director for HBO’s “Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight” (2013) and competing again for directing the three-part Amazon limited series, “A Very English Scandal,” starring Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw (2018). In 2019, he...
In the intervening years, Frears directed three films — “Dangerous Liaisons” (1988), “The Queen” (2006) and “Philomena” (2013) — that received Academy Award nominations as Best Picture, and Frears himself earned two Oscar nominations as Best Director — for “The Grifters” (1990) and “The Queen.”
Although most of his work directing for television was early in his career, in recent years, Frears has returned to TV, earning an Emmy Award nomination as Best Director for HBO’s “Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight” (2013) and competing again for directing the three-part Amazon limited series, “A Very English Scandal,” starring Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw (2018). In 2019, he...
- 6/17/2023
- by Tom O'Brien, Misty Holland and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
While Anjelica Huston is the daughter of iconic, award-winning film director John Huston, she’s become a legend herself over several decades as a fashion model, actor, and director. Huston’s enjoyed a highly successful career racking up many awards including an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and several Emmy nominations. Still working today, she is regarded as one of the finest actors of her generation. And that’s in part why she chose not to become a mom.
Anjelica Huston is an award-winning actor
Huston started out as a model, working for some of fashion’s biggest names in the 1970s. It wasn’t long until she realized that what she really wanted to do was become an actor. She began taking acting classes in Los Angeles.
In 1985, she had her first breakout role in the film Prizzi’s Honor, a film directed by her father. She won an Academy Award...
Anjelica Huston is an award-winning actor
Huston started out as a model, working for some of fashion’s biggest names in the 1970s. It wasn’t long until she realized that what she really wanted to do was become an actor. She began taking acting classes in Los Angeles.
In 1985, she had her first breakout role in the film Prizzi’s Honor, a film directed by her father. She won an Academy Award...
- 3/23/2023
- by Tina Pavlik
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Hong Kong High
Already the highest grossing local film in its home market, courtroom drama, “A Guilty Conscience” has broken into Hong Kong’s all-time top ten box office ranking with a cumulative of Hk$107 million ($13.7 million). Data from Hong Kong Box Office Ltd. shows the film achieving the feat after just 41 days in cinemas and coming within Hk$1 million of overtaking “Top Gun: Maverick.” The data firm noted that the last time a Hong Kong film got this far was with fantasy-action-comedy “Kung Fu Hustle” in 2004. Since then, it has been overtaken by a fleet of Hollywood titles. Hong Hong’s current top ten is headed by “Avengers: Endgame” and includes six Marvel movies, the two “Avatar” titles and “Titanic.”
Streamer Encourages Churn
With its shares buoyed by recent more positive results, Chinese video streamer iQiyi is returning to the capital markets – again. The Nasdaq-listed company is issuing $600 million...
Already the highest grossing local film in its home market, courtroom drama, “A Guilty Conscience” has broken into Hong Kong’s all-time top ten box office ranking with a cumulative of Hk$107 million ($13.7 million). Data from Hong Kong Box Office Ltd. shows the film achieving the feat after just 41 days in cinemas and coming within Hk$1 million of overtaking “Top Gun: Maverick.” The data firm noted that the last time a Hong Kong film got this far was with fantasy-action-comedy “Kung Fu Hustle” in 2004. Since then, it has been overtaken by a fleet of Hollywood titles. Hong Hong’s current top ten is headed by “Avengers: Endgame” and includes six Marvel movies, the two “Avatar” titles and “Titanic.”
Streamer Encourages Churn
With its shares buoyed by recent more positive results, Chinese video streamer iQiyi is returning to the capital markets – again. The Nasdaq-listed company is issuing $600 million...
- 3/3/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
With this film’s release so close to the big “hearts and flowers” holiday, you might think that it’s a modern twist on the old romantic stories of boy meets girl. And you’d be mistaken, except for the “twist” angle. Yes, it does begin with a “meet cute”, but soon the filmmakers take us down a road of deception and devious designs, full of, yes, twists and turns. Now it’s not another thriller built on that cybercrime of “catfishing” as in the very recent Missing. This tale owes much more to the previous “con capers” like The Sting, Body Heat, and, naturally The Grifters. Ah, but these “players” are aiming for much larger stakes as they go after their NYC high-society “marks”. That’s why they have to aspire to be Sharper.
Oh, as I mentioned this story takes place in Manhattan and opens on a quaint...
Oh, as I mentioned this story takes place in Manhattan and opens on a quaint...
- 2/17/2023
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Benjamin Caron applies Derren Brown experience to direct stylish swindler yarn set in Manhattan with Julianne Moore and John Lithgow leading the way
Movies about confidence-trickery put a spin on the old rule about playing poker: look around the table and if you can’t see the chump … then it’s you. Watch a film about swindlers and you may well think you can see the person who’s being conned. But the film’s entire narrative procedure, and its pleasure, rely on you, the audience, repeatedly submitting to being played, even while in theory you are the one with the wised-up crook’s-eye-view of what is going on.
Screenwriters Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka have had big successes in the world of comedy and satire; now they have crafted this delectably enjoyable caper about fraudsters and Manhattan’s super-rich. It’s a little like something by David Mamet – though...
Movies about confidence-trickery put a spin on the old rule about playing poker: look around the table and if you can’t see the chump … then it’s you. Watch a film about swindlers and you may well think you can see the person who’s being conned. But the film’s entire narrative procedure, and its pleasure, rely on you, the audience, repeatedly submitting to being played, even while in theory you are the one with the wised-up crook’s-eye-view of what is going on.
Screenwriters Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka have had big successes in the world of comedy and satire; now they have crafted this delectably enjoyable caper about fraudsters and Manhattan’s super-rich. It’s a little like something by David Mamet – though...
- 2/15/2023
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
I love a good con film. "The Crown" and "Andor" director Benjamin Caron has delivered a new one as his feature directorial debut in the form of "Sharper," a twisty Apple TV+ neo-noir about a bunch of people in New York City who are angling to get what they want. Con men, billionaires, gold diggers, and victims collide in this fascinating examination of the lengths people will go for greed, and it has a killer cast: Julianne Moore, John Lithgow, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, and the stellar Briana Middleton, who not only hangs with these relative veterans, but practically leaps off the screen. In a movie full of theft, the most impressive one of all is how Middleton steals this movie with her performance.
I had the chance to speak with Caron in the lead-up to his film's release, and ask him about his influences, how he kept the audience surprised,...
I had the chance to speak with Caron in the lead-up to his film's release, and ask him about his influences, how he kept the audience surprised,...
- 2/9/2023
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Four-time Academy Award nominee Annette Bening will star in Peacock’s upcoming limited drama series “Apples Never Fall,” based on “Big Little Lies” and “Nine Perfect Strangers” author Liane Moriarty’s No. 1 New York Times bestselling novel.
The role marks “The Kids Are All Right” actress’ first TV project in nearly 20 years, since she starred in HBO’s “Mrs. Harris” (2005), which garnered her an Emmy nomination in the miniseries or movie category.
Also Read:
‘The Palace': Kate Winslet Glowers in First Look at Stephen Frears’ HBO Limited Series (Photo)
“Apples Never Fall” hails from writer, showrunner and executive producer Melanie Marnich (“The Oa”) and Oscar-nominated EP David Heyman (“Gravity”). Chris Sweeney (“The Tourist”) is set to direct multiple episodes, including the pilot.
Bening will portray Joy Delaney, a former tennis coach who shares four adult children with her husband. The series centers on their family, who appears to be enviably content by all measure.
The role marks “The Kids Are All Right” actress’ first TV project in nearly 20 years, since she starred in HBO’s “Mrs. Harris” (2005), which garnered her an Emmy nomination in the miniseries or movie category.
Also Read:
‘The Palace': Kate Winslet Glowers in First Look at Stephen Frears’ HBO Limited Series (Photo)
“Apples Never Fall” hails from writer, showrunner and executive producer Melanie Marnich (“The Oa”) and Oscar-nominated EP David Heyman (“Gravity”). Chris Sweeney (“The Tourist”) is set to direct multiple episodes, including the pilot.
Bening will portray Joy Delaney, a former tennis coach who shares four adult children with her husband. The series centers on their family, who appears to be enviably content by all measure.
- 2/2/2023
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
Annette Bening has signed on to star in the upcoming Peacock limited series “Apples Never Fall,” based on the Liane Moriarty novel of the same name.
Variety exclusively reported that “Apples Never Fall” had been ordered to series at the streamer back in February 2022.
Per the official logline, the series “centers on the Delaneys, who from the outside appear to be an enviably contented family. Former tennis coaches Joy (Bening) and Stan are parents to four adult children. After decades of marriage, they have finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. But after Joy disappears, her children are forced to re-examine their parents’ marriage and their family history with fresh eyes.”
The role will mark one of the few episodic TV roles Bening has had. Aside from some guest appearances early in her storied career, her biggest...
Variety exclusively reported that “Apples Never Fall” had been ordered to series at the streamer back in February 2022.
Per the official logline, the series “centers on the Delaneys, who from the outside appear to be an enviably contented family. Former tennis coaches Joy (Bening) and Stan are parents to four adult children. After decades of marriage, they have finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. But after Joy disappears, her children are forced to re-examine their parents’ marriage and their family history with fresh eyes.”
The role will mark one of the few episodic TV roles Bening has had. Aside from some guest appearances early in her storied career, her biggest...
- 2/2/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: John Cusack has signed with APA for representation after less than half a year with Gersh.
The signing of the iconic actor, writer and producer continues the agency’s momentum under the leadership of President Jim Osborne and Head of Global Talent Andrew Rogers, who came to APA from ICM Partners after the latter’s acquisition by CAA. APA has, in the last month alone, signed such notable talents as William H. Macy, Maria Bello, Donnie Yen and Grown-ish star Trevor Jackson. Big signings in the second half of 2022 included Regina Hall, Ken Jeong, Nathalie Emmanuel, Marc Maron, Michael Rainey Jr., Russell Hornsby and Michael Cera.
Cusack is a Golden Globe, WGA and BAFTA Award nominee who over the course of around four decades, has worked with a who’s who of directors including Rob Reiner, Spike Lee, Cameron Crowe, James Mangold, Lee Daniels, Clint Eastwood, Spike Jonze, Woody Allen,...
The signing of the iconic actor, writer and producer continues the agency’s momentum under the leadership of President Jim Osborne and Head of Global Talent Andrew Rogers, who came to APA from ICM Partners after the latter’s acquisition by CAA. APA has, in the last month alone, signed such notable talents as William H. Macy, Maria Bello, Donnie Yen and Grown-ish star Trevor Jackson. Big signings in the second half of 2022 included Regina Hall, Ken Jeong, Nathalie Emmanuel, Marc Maron, Michael Rainey Jr., Russell Hornsby and Michael Cera.
Cusack is a Golden Globe, WGA and BAFTA Award nominee who over the course of around four decades, has worked with a who’s who of directors including Rob Reiner, Spike Lee, Cameron Crowe, James Mangold, Lee Daniels, Clint Eastwood, Spike Jonze, Woody Allen,...
- 1/30/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
After the success of their Oscar-nominated collaboration on the 2013 drama “Philomena,” starring Judi Dench, director Stephen Frears and star-screenwriter Steve Coogan were eager to team up once again — similarly this time on a true-life-inspired tale about amateur sleuthing.
“The Lost King” tells the story of Philippa Langley (Sally Hawkins), a self-guided historian who seemingly stumbles upon the remains of Richard III, only to be thwarted by various forces that doubt her discovery, much of them in academia.
Frears and Coogan stopped by TheWrap and Shutterstock’s Interview and Portrait Studio at the Toronto International Film Festival to discuss what drew them to work together on this unique project, which also rejoined them with “Philomena” composer Alexandre Desplat, co-writer Jeff Pope and producer Christine Langan.
Also Read:
‘Moonage Daydream’ Director Brett Morgen on Why His David Bowie Doc Isn’t Really a Doc at All (Video)
“You’re always on the...
“The Lost King” tells the story of Philippa Langley (Sally Hawkins), a self-guided historian who seemingly stumbles upon the remains of Richard III, only to be thwarted by various forces that doubt her discovery, much of them in academia.
Frears and Coogan stopped by TheWrap and Shutterstock’s Interview and Portrait Studio at the Toronto International Film Festival to discuss what drew them to work together on this unique project, which also rejoined them with “Philomena” composer Alexandre Desplat, co-writer Jeff Pope and producer Christine Langan.
Also Read:
‘Moonage Daydream’ Director Brett Morgen on Why His David Bowie Doc Isn’t Really a Doc at All (Video)
“You’re always on the...
- 9/16/2022
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
Actress-director Anjelica Huston may have been born into film royalty and may have fulfilled that royal destiny by becoming the third generation, after actor grandfather Walter and director-actor-writer father John Huston, to score Oscar gold, but her early innings were not the stuff cinema dreams are made of.
“Casino Royale” is the film where she first appeared, as an uncredited young teen 55 years ago this month. It is largely regarded as an overcooked comedy fiasco, or as Variety deemed it back then, “an attempt to spoof the pants off the James Bond.” The film had no less than five directors, including her father, John.
Variety was kinder to John Huston’s 1969 film “A Walk with Love and Death,” Anjelica’s first starring role, but most other outlets were tougher on the film and Huston’s performance, and it came and went with little notice.
In a vain attempt to overcome that fate,...
“Casino Royale” is the film where she first appeared, as an uncredited young teen 55 years ago this month. It is largely regarded as an overcooked comedy fiasco, or as Variety deemed it back then, “an attempt to spoof the pants off the James Bond.” The film had no less than five directors, including her father, John.
Variety was kinder to John Huston’s 1969 film “A Walk with Love and Death,” Anjelica’s first starring role, but most other outlets were tougher on the film and Huston’s performance, and it came and went with little notice.
In a vain attempt to overcome that fate,...
- 4/28/2022
- by Steven Gaydos
- Variety Film + TV
Happy Centennial to the composer Elmer Bernstein. Bernstein was born 100 years ago today in NYC to Ukrainian immigrant parents. As a teenager he hoped to become a concert pianist. Fate had different plans; He became a legendary film composer instead. His A list breakthrough came in the mid 50s with the back-to-back success of The Man with the Golden Arm (his first Oscar nomination) and Cecil B DeMille's The Ten Commandments. A year before his death in 2004 he was Oscar nominated for a 14th time for Far From Heaven (2002). So many classic films on his resume. Consider...
Sudden Fear (1952) The Man With the Golden Arm (1955) The Ten Commandments (1956) The Magnificent Seven (1960) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) - Oscar win An American Werewolf in London (1981) The Grifters (1991) The Age of Innocence (1993) Far From Heaven (2002)
Do you have a favourite score from his work?...
Sudden Fear (1952) The Man With the Golden Arm (1955) The Ten Commandments (1956) The Magnificent Seven (1960) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) - Oscar win An American Werewolf in London (1981) The Grifters (1991) The Age of Innocence (1993) Far From Heaven (2002)
Do you have a favourite score from his work?...
- 4/4/2022
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Every once in a while a movie makes me think, ‘this one’s too good to review, just tell them to see it and they’ll understand.’ John Cusack is a penny-ante small stakes cheat, his girlfriend Annette Bening hooks on the side while seeking a partner for ‘long cons,’ and his mother is an operative for the Mob, placing large bets at the race track to manipulate the odds on select horses. Each worships the ‘left-handed form of human endeavor’ and depends on it to the degree that human trust just can’t be maintained. Paramount’s plain wrap re-issue touts the film’s four Oscar nominations; the Stephen Frears film is the best adaptation yet of a Jim Thompson crime novel.
The Grifters
Blu-ray + Digital
Paramount
1990 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 110 min. / Street Date July 27, 2021 / 13.99
Starring: John Cusack, Anjelica Huston, Annette Bening, Pat Hingle, J.T. Walsh, Noelle Harling, Charles Napier,...
The Grifters
Blu-ray + Digital
Paramount
1990 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 110 min. / Street Date July 27, 2021 / 13.99
Starring: John Cusack, Anjelica Huston, Annette Bening, Pat Hingle, J.T. Walsh, Noelle Harling, Charles Napier,...
- 9/7/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
TV had the run of the place for awhile there during the pandemic. But now that vaccinations are speeding up and the weather is warming, it’s film’s time to shine. At least that’s the conclusion that can be drawn from HBO Max’s list of new releases for June 2021.
There are no real original TV series of note coming this month, which is highly unusual for HBO and HBO Max. In their place, however, are some really impressive film offerings. Major Warner Bros. titles like The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (June 4) and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights (June 11) both arrive this month. So too do some interesting documentaries like Revolutionary Rent on June 15 and Lfg on June 24. The former deals with the staging of the musical Rent in Cuba and the latter follows the U.S. women’s soccer team’s fight for equal pay.
There are no real original TV series of note coming this month, which is highly unusual for HBO and HBO Max. In their place, however, are some really impressive film offerings. Major Warner Bros. titles like The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (June 4) and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights (June 11) both arrive this month. So too do some interesting documentaries like Revolutionary Rent on June 15 and Lfg on June 24. The former deals with the staging of the musical Rent in Cuba and the latter follows the U.S. women’s soccer team’s fight for equal pay.
- 5/31/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
This past week I happily immersed myself in the latest book by protean film critic/biographer/sometime novelist David Thomson, A Light in the Dark: A History of Movie Directors. Even as he approaches 80, the author of the invaluable Biographical Dictionary of Film editions is able to find fresh things to say about such cinematic imperishables as Hitchcock, Welles, Lang, Renoir, Bunuel, Hawks, Godard and Nicholas Ray.
Midway through the new tome, Thomson delivers his most unexpected and welcome piece, a savory appreciation of a director who, almost defiantly, is not an auteur and therefore remains somewhat taken for granted, far too much so, despite having made any number of notable films of considerable class and merit. That would be Stephen Frears, who himself will turn 80 in June.
Like such Hollywood non-auteurs as Michael Curtiz, Raoul Walsh, Don Siegel, Henry Hathaway, Richard Fleischer and any number of others, Frears is not a writer.
Midway through the new tome, Thomson delivers his most unexpected and welcome piece, a savory appreciation of a director who, almost defiantly, is not an auteur and therefore remains somewhat taken for granted, far too much so, despite having made any number of notable films of considerable class and merit. That would be Stephen Frears, who himself will turn 80 in June.
Like such Hollywood non-auteurs as Michael Curtiz, Raoul Walsh, Don Siegel, Henry Hathaway, Richard Fleischer and any number of others, Frears is not a writer.
- 4/21/2021
- by Todd McCarthy
- Deadline Film + TV
First of five comic Donald E. Westlake adaptations featuring the character of Dortmunder, ex-con and master thief (sort of), played here by Robert Redford. George Segal plays Dortmunder’s brother-in-law turned partner-in-crime. Westlake, who wrote under no less than 15 pseudonyms (some of whom turned up as character names in his work), was nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay for The Grifters.
The post The Hot Rock appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post The Hot Rock appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 4/5/2021
- by TFH Team
- Trailers from Hell
Annette Bening is set to star in a biopic based on the life of famed long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad that will be directed by the Oscar-winning duo behind “Free Solo.”
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin will make their narrative feature debut on the biopic “Nyad,” which will star Bening and tell the story of how Nyad at age 64 became the first person to swim the length of Cuba to Florida without the aid of a cage through waters infested by sharks and poisonous jellyfish.
The film is based on Diana Nyad’s autobiography “Find a Way” and has a screenplay by Emmy-winner Ann Biderman (“Ray Donovan”) with revisions by Black List writer Julia Cox (the upcoming “Do No Harm”).
Black Bear Pictures and Mad Chance developed the film and will produce, and production is expected to begin this summer. CAA Media Finance is presenting the film to domestic buyers at the virtual EFM,...
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin will make their narrative feature debut on the biopic “Nyad,” which will star Bening and tell the story of how Nyad at age 64 became the first person to swim the length of Cuba to Florida without the aid of a cage through waters infested by sharks and poisonous jellyfish.
The film is based on Diana Nyad’s autobiography “Find a Way” and has a screenplay by Emmy-winner Ann Biderman (“Ray Donovan”) with revisions by Black List writer Julia Cox (the upcoming “Do No Harm”).
Black Bear Pictures and Mad Chance developed the film and will produce, and production is expected to begin this summer. CAA Media Finance is presenting the film to domestic buyers at the virtual EFM,...
- 3/4/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Xiu Xiu have revealed Oh No, an album of duets, out March 26th on Polyvinyl.
Ahead of the release, Jamie Stewart and Angela Seo dropped “A Bottle of Rum” featuring Liz Harris. Seo directed the clip, which features her reading in a room with Eighties decor, wearing an elegant hat, and digging through dirt.
“About a year ago I bought a cheap bajo quinto, which is a 10-string low register guitar-like instrument used in Tejano, conjunto, and norteño musics,” Stewart said in a statement. “As it is a cheap one,...
Ahead of the release, Jamie Stewart and Angela Seo dropped “A Bottle of Rum” featuring Liz Harris. Seo directed the clip, which features her reading in a room with Eighties decor, wearing an elegant hat, and digging through dirt.
“About a year ago I bought a cheap bajo quinto, which is a 10-string low register guitar-like instrument used in Tejano, conjunto, and norteño musics,” Stewart said in a statement. “As it is a cheap one,...
- 1/27/2021
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
The 63rd Academy Awards took place on March 25, 1991. For the first time in 60 years, a western took home the big prize, a first-time director beat out a veteran, the acting awards were split among four different films and an 80s pop idol caused a sensation. For the second consecutive year, Billy Crystal hosted the event, opening the night by riding in on a horse, which was most likely a plug for his upcoming film “City Slickers,” but also seemed to foreshadow the theme for the evening.
“Dances with Wolves” became the first western since “Cimarron” 60 years earlier to win Best Picture. Kevin Costner‘s epic adventure came into the night with the most nominations at 12, and walked away with the most statues at seven. Costner holds the very rare distinction of landing both a Best Director and a Best Actor nomination for the same film, while his win in the...
“Dances with Wolves” became the first western since “Cimarron” 60 years earlier to win Best Picture. Kevin Costner‘s epic adventure came into the night with the most nominations at 12, and walked away with the most statues at seven. Costner holds the very rare distinction of landing both a Best Director and a Best Actor nomination for the same film, while his win in the...
- 1/24/2021
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
The 29th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival (Sliff) wrapped on Nov. 22, 2020, but Cinema St. Louis is providing cinephiles another opportunity to view the event’s award winners in the Best of Fest, which is available virtually from Jan. 22-31, 2021.
A few of Sliff’s honorees are already or imminently out in the world — “Transhood” is available on HBO Max, and “9to5: The Story of a Movement” premieres on PBS’s “Independent Lens” on Feb. 1 — but Best of Fest reprises the other 19 winners of the festival’s juried and audience-choice awards.
Like 2020’s Sliff, the Best of Fest is an online-only event and is again presented with our virtual-festival partner, Eventive. Nine features and a program of 10 shorts will be available to stream during all 10 days of the event, and several of the films will once more include recorded Q&As with filmmakers and documentary subjects. Geographic restrictions will apply to some films.
A few of Sliff’s honorees are already or imminently out in the world — “Transhood” is available on HBO Max, and “9to5: The Story of a Movement” premieres on PBS’s “Independent Lens” on Feb. 1 — but Best of Fest reprises the other 19 winners of the festival’s juried and audience-choice awards.
Like 2020’s Sliff, the Best of Fest is an online-only event and is again presented with our virtual-festival partner, Eventive. Nine features and a program of 10 shorts will be available to stream during all 10 days of the event, and several of the films will once more include recorded Q&As with filmmakers and documentary subjects. Geographic restrictions will apply to some films.
- 1/13/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
We all know the saying that “misery loves company.”
But does Oscar love misery?
That was the question being asked three decades ago, when the much-anticipated film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1987 best-seller “Misery” hit theaters. The movie received positive reviews, with critics largely focusing on the performance of its relatively unknown star, Kathy Bates. As an obsessed fan who rescues and nurses her favorite novelist (played by James Caan) after a car accident, Bates had audiences howling – and in more ways than one.
Despite the awards-unfriendly horror genre and the pre-internet era, Oscar buzz for Bates quickly emerged. When asked by People magazine in December about possible academy recognition, she nervously responded “I’m trying not to think about it.”
Academy members themselves had a lot to think about in terms of filling the five Best Actress slots. Anjelica Huston, 1985’s Best Supporting Actress for “Prizzi’s Honor,” seemed poised...
But does Oscar love misery?
That was the question being asked three decades ago, when the much-anticipated film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1987 best-seller “Misery” hit theaters. The movie received positive reviews, with critics largely focusing on the performance of its relatively unknown star, Kathy Bates. As an obsessed fan who rescues and nurses her favorite novelist (played by James Caan) after a car accident, Bates had audiences howling – and in more ways than one.
Despite the awards-unfriendly horror genre and the pre-internet era, Oscar buzz for Bates quickly emerged. When asked by People magazine in December about possible academy recognition, she nervously responded “I’m trying not to think about it.”
Academy members themselves had a lot to think about in terms of filling the five Best Actress slots. Anjelica Huston, 1985’s Best Supporting Actress for “Prizzi’s Honor,” seemed poised...
- 12/21/2020
- by Tariq Khan
- Gold Derby
Beasts Clawing At Straws screens as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival November 5th – 22nd.Ticket information for the virtual screening can be found Here
A wild, fast-paced crime thriller that deftly crosses the Coen Bros. with “The Grifters,” “Beasts Clawing at Straws” is a pitch-black neo-noir. When a cash-stuffed Louis Vuitton bag is left in a sauna, it sends a group of hard-luck lowlifes on a desperate chase for a fortune. Fish-mongering gangsters, a greasy cop, an “innocent” gym cleaner, and a prostitute and her trio of men all violently scheme to get their hands on the elusive bag. Starring Jung Woo-sung (“Asura: City of Madness”) and Jeon Do-yeon (award winner in Cannes for her lead role in “Secret Sunshine”), first-time director Kim Yong-hoon’s film is a beautifully constructed puzzle whose pieces snap perfectly into place with each double-cross. Screen Daily writes: “Stridently over...
A wild, fast-paced crime thriller that deftly crosses the Coen Bros. with “The Grifters,” “Beasts Clawing at Straws” is a pitch-black neo-noir. When a cash-stuffed Louis Vuitton bag is left in a sauna, it sends a group of hard-luck lowlifes on a desperate chase for a fortune. Fish-mongering gangsters, a greasy cop, an “innocent” gym cleaner, and a prostitute and her trio of men all violently scheme to get their hands on the elusive bag. Starring Jung Woo-sung (“Asura: City of Madness”) and Jeon Do-yeon (award winner in Cannes for her lead role in “Secret Sunshine”), first-time director Kim Yong-hoon’s film is a beautifully constructed puzzle whose pieces snap perfectly into place with each double-cross. Screen Daily writes: “Stridently over...
- 11/16/2020
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
If you like Euro-crime and haven’t seen this one you’re in for a real treat. English killers are on the road in Spain, executing a hit on a ‘Supergrass’ who’s spent ten years in protective custody. The brilliant cast — Terence Stamp, John Hurt, Tim Roth and Laura Del Sol give the criminal twists extra credibility. The suspenseful show is one of Stephen Frears’ best, and it builds to a highly satisfying conclusion. It’s also the feature debut of Tim Roth, and as such shouldn’t be missed.
The Hit
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 469
1984 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 98 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 20, 2020 / 39.95
Starring: Terence Stamp, John Hurt, Tim Roth, Laura Del Sol, Fernando Rey, Bill Hunter, Jim Broadbent.
Cinematography: Mike Molloy
Film Editor: Mick Audsley
Original Music: Paco de Lucía
Written by Peter Prince
Produced by Jeremy Thomas
Directed by Stephan Frears
Class-act...
The Hit
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 469
1984 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 98 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 20, 2020 / 39.95
Starring: Terence Stamp, John Hurt, Tim Roth, Laura Del Sol, Fernando Rey, Bill Hunter, Jim Broadbent.
Cinematography: Mike Molloy
Film Editor: Mick Audsley
Original Music: Paco de Lucía
Written by Peter Prince
Produced by Jeremy Thomas
Directed by Stephan Frears
Class-act...
- 10/24/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
“The Devil All the Time,” debuting Sept. 16 on Netflix, plunges viewers into the darkest recesses of damaged souls. There are blood sacrifices and serial killers, sexual deviants and false prophets, deranged fathers and murderous sons. Think Flannery O’Connor with a much higher body count. Director Antonio Campos, the acclaimed auteur behind “Christine,” returns with a cast of heavy hitters that includes Tom Holland as an orphan who can’t seem to escape his family’s violent past; Sebastian Stan as a cop on the take; Riley Keough and Jason Clarke as a couple with a sadistic hobby; and Robert Pattinson as a perverse priest. Campos spoke with Variety about why he adapted Donald Ray Pollock’s novel and what he’s missing about the movie business in the age of Covid-19.
What attracted you to “The Devil All the Time”? When I read the book, it had all the elements...
What attracted you to “The Devil All the Time”? When I read the book, it had all the elements...
- 9/16/2020
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
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