Reviews for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” are finally in, and nearly everyone who’s taken the latest trip to that galaxy far, far away is extremely happy to have done so. IndieWire’s Eric Kohn calls Rian Johnson’s contribution to the franchise “the most satisfying ‘Star Wars’ movie in decades,” a sentiment shared by many — other than a few dissenters (like this writer), most reviewers are highly positive.
Read More:‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Review: Here’s the Most Satisfying Star Wars Movie in Decades
Matt Zoller Seitz’s four-star RogerEbert.com review is equally enthusiastic:
“Writer/director Rian Johnson’s ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ is a sprawling, incident- and character-packed extravaganza that picks up at the end of ‘Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens’ and guides the series into unfamiliar territory. It’s everything a fan could want from a ‘Star Wars’ film and then some.
Read More:‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Review: Here’s the Most Satisfying Star Wars Movie in Decades
Matt Zoller Seitz’s four-star RogerEbert.com review is equally enthusiastic:
“Writer/director Rian Johnson’s ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ is a sprawling, incident- and character-packed extravaganza that picks up at the end of ‘Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens’ and guides the series into unfamiliar territory. It’s everything a fan could want from a ‘Star Wars’ film and then some.
- 12/12/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Our bi-weekly Film Festival Roundup column explores notable stories and news updates from the circuit.
– Slamdance has announced the Beyond and Shorts programs for their 24th edition. The 2018 Slamdance Film Festival will run January 19 – 25 in Park City, Utah. This year, several Slamdance Alumni return with highly anticipated presentations in the Beyond lineup. All films program are made by emerging filmmakers working just beyond their first features.
“The films in the Beyond Program exhibit singular directorial vision while sharing a common commitment to challenge audiences to step outside their comfort zones,” said Beyond programmer, Josh Mandel in an official statement. “These bold and adventurous filmmakers represent the most current voices in American independent film, and will continue to push boundaries in the years ahead.”
This year’s short film lineup showcases productions from 26 countries, including: Canada, Iran, USA, and beyond. Shorts in the Narrative, Documentary, Animation, Anarchy, and Experimental sections are...
– Slamdance has announced the Beyond and Shorts programs for their 24th edition. The 2018 Slamdance Film Festival will run January 19 – 25 in Park City, Utah. This year, several Slamdance Alumni return with highly anticipated presentations in the Beyond lineup. All films program are made by emerging filmmakers working just beyond their first features.
“The films in the Beyond Program exhibit singular directorial vision while sharing a common commitment to challenge audiences to step outside their comfort zones,” said Beyond programmer, Josh Mandel in an official statement. “These bold and adventurous filmmakers represent the most current voices in American independent film, and will continue to push boundaries in the years ahead.”
This year’s short film lineup showcases productions from 26 countries, including: Canada, Iran, USA, and beyond. Shorts in the Narrative, Documentary, Animation, Anarchy, and Experimental sections are...
- 12/7/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Ask anyone who saw Darren Aronofsky’s divisive drama “mother!” this year, and they’ll likely be able to pinpoint the exact moment they realized what was really unspooling on the big screen (or, at the very least, what very famous stories the filmmaker was remaking into his own single-location drama, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem). For many viewers, that moment came after the introduction of Domhnall Gleeson and Brian Gleeson’s characters, real-life brothers cast in the film as the children of Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer’s confounding houseguests.
After an already-awkward introduction (these people just don’t have manners), the pair engage in one of the film’s most jarring sequences: a knock-down, drag-out fight that runs roughshod over not just the house that’s central to the film’s identity, but an understandably nerve-jangled Lawrence.
Read More:‘mother!’: Download Darren Aronofsky’s Most Polarizing...
After an already-awkward introduction (these people just don’t have manners), the pair engage in one of the film’s most jarring sequences: a knock-down, drag-out fight that runs roughshod over not just the house that’s central to the film’s identity, but an understandably nerve-jangled Lawrence.
Read More:‘mother!’: Download Darren Aronofsky’s Most Polarizing...
- 12/5/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
After a decade of bringing his personal style and sensibility to larger studio movies like “Crimson Peak,” “Pacific Rim,” and the “Hellboy” series, Guillermo del Toro wanted to return to the smaller, more personal fables he created with “The Devils’s Backbone” and “Pan’s Labyrinth.”
While Del Toro’s fables don’t have the elaborate action scenes and the sprawling canvases of his franchises, they are every bit as dependent upon his visual storytelling and world-building skills. To make “Shape of Water,” del Toro put up $100,000-plus of his own money and, with a small team of collaborators, designed the world of his amphibian love story before pitching it to financiers.
“This is the reverse of what I did on ‘Pan’s Labyrinth,’” said del Toro. “Instead of pitching for the three years, trying to find the money, I developed for about two years the look of the movie...
While Del Toro’s fables don’t have the elaborate action scenes and the sprawling canvases of his franchises, they are every bit as dependent upon his visual storytelling and world-building skills. To make “Shape of Water,” del Toro put up $100,000-plus of his own money and, with a small team of collaborators, designed the world of his amphibian love story before pitching it to financiers.
“This is the reverse of what I did on ‘Pan’s Labyrinth,’” said del Toro. “Instead of pitching for the three years, trying to find the money, I developed for about two years the look of the movie...
- 11/30/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Matt Lauer has been terminated from NBC News and the hugely popular “Today” due to allegations of “inappropriate sexual behavior.”
NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack released a memo detailing the decision (via our sister site Deadline):
Dear Colleagues,
On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company’s standards. As a result, we’ve decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he’s been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.
Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences,...
NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack released a memo detailing the decision (via our sister site Deadline):
Dear Colleagues,
On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company’s standards. As a result, we’ve decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he’s been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.
Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences,...
- 11/29/2017
- by William Earl
- Indiewire
Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread” is slowly rolling out to press and guild members ahead of its Christmas release. Following the drama’s first screening in Los Angeles on November 24, “Phantom Thread” arrived in New York City on Sunday, November 26, complete with a rare appearance from star Daniel Day-Lewis. The three-time Oscar winner joined Anderson and co-stars Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville to discuss his new movie, which his representative says marks his final film performance before retirement.
Read More:First ‘Phantom Thread’ Screening: Paul Thomas Anderson Had More Fittings Than Shooting Days, Lesley Manville Says
To the surprise of no one, Day-Lewis revealed he extensively researched numerous fashion designers to get into the character of Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned dressmaker who designs gowns for high society women. Original rumors suggested Woodcock was based on designer Charles James, though the actor refuted the notion. “As fascinating as his life was,...
Read More:First ‘Phantom Thread’ Screening: Paul Thomas Anderson Had More Fittings Than Shooting Days, Lesley Manville Says
To the surprise of no one, Day-Lewis revealed he extensively researched numerous fashion designers to get into the character of Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned dressmaker who designs gowns for high society women. Original rumors suggested Woodcock was based on designer Charles James, though the actor refuted the notion. “As fascinating as his life was,...
- 11/27/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
The nominations for the 33rd Independent Spirit Awards are in, and “Get Out,” “Call Me by Your Name,” “Lady Bird,” “Good Time,” and more have dominated this year’s slate.
Read More: 2018 Oscar Predictions
Over the last several years, the Indie Spirits have become both a champion of underdog indies (see Molly Shannon winning Best Supporting Female last year for “Other People”) and a key indicator in which films and performances could end up with the Oscar (Casey Affleck and “Moonlight” for Best Picture last year). John Mulaney and Nick Kroll will return to host the 33rd Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, March 3.
The full nominations list is below.
Best Feature
“Call Me by Your Name”
“The Florida Project”
“Get Out”
“Lady Bird”
“The Rider”
Best Director
Jonas Carpignano, “A Ciambra”
Luca Guadagnino, “Call Me by Your Name”
Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Sean Baker, “The Florida Project”
Benny and Josh Safdie,...
Read More: 2018 Oscar Predictions
Over the last several years, the Indie Spirits have become both a champion of underdog indies (see Molly Shannon winning Best Supporting Female last year for “Other People”) and a key indicator in which films and performances could end up with the Oscar (Casey Affleck and “Moonlight” for Best Picture last year). John Mulaney and Nick Kroll will return to host the 33rd Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, March 3.
The full nominations list is below.
Best Feature
“Call Me by Your Name”
“The Florida Project”
“Get Out”
“Lady Bird”
“The Rider”
Best Director
Jonas Carpignano, “A Ciambra”
Luca Guadagnino, “Call Me by Your Name”
Jordan Peele, “Get Out”
Sean Baker, “The Florida Project”
Benny and Josh Safdie,...
- 11/21/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Coming off strong showings at both the Venice and New York Film Festivals, Nancy Buirski’s Augusta Films has set an awards-qualifying run for the filmmaker’s new documentary “The Rape of Recy Taylor.” The film, which debuted at Venice last month and went on to screen at Nyff, will open in New York and Los Angeles this December to qualify for the Academy Award for Best Documentary.
In a statement, Buirski said, “We were stunned by reviews that not only recognized the hidden story of black women physically abused in Jim Crow South, but by how powerfully our film resonates today. From a president who gropes women to white supremacy in Charlottesville to women who courageously speak up against predatory celebrities and mogals, this film is smack in the public square. Though we’re throwing our hat in the ring late, we felt this coud not wait! An Academy...
In a statement, Buirski said, “We were stunned by reviews that not only recognized the hidden story of black women physically abused in Jim Crow South, but by how powerfully our film resonates today. From a president who gropes women to white supremacy in Charlottesville to women who courageously speak up against predatory celebrities and mogals, this film is smack in the public square. Though we’re throwing our hat in the ring late, we felt this coud not wait! An Academy...
- 10/19/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced the films that will be featured in their New Auteurs and American Independents sections at the upcoming AFI Fest 2017 presented by Audi. Selections include a number of lauded features from around the festival circuit, including Cannes offerings like “I Am Not a Witch,” SXSW favorites like “Gemini” and “Mr. Roosevelt,” the Sundance breakout “Thoroughbreds,” and Joseph Kahn’s Toronto Midnight Madness favorite “Bodied,” among others.
Highlighting first- and second-time feature film directors, New Auteurs is designed as the festival’s platform for upcoming filmmakers from all over the world to showcase their new films. This year, the section includes 11 films, nine of which come from female directors. Similarly, AFI Fest’s American Independents section aims to represent the best of this year’s independent filmmaking. Pushing boundaries of form and content across narrative and documentary cinema, this section includes 11 films from both fresh...
Highlighting first- and second-time feature film directors, New Auteurs is designed as the festival’s platform for upcoming filmmakers from all over the world to showcase their new films. This year, the section includes 11 films, nine of which come from female directors. Similarly, AFI Fest’s American Independents section aims to represent the best of this year’s independent filmmaking. Pushing boundaries of form and content across narrative and documentary cinema, this section includes 11 films from both fresh...
- 10/16/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The doctor is in. Colin Farrell plays a surgeon in “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” his second consecutive collaboration with Yorgos Lanthimos after “The Lobster”; not unlike that film’s spirit-animal quiz, a new website allows you to self-diagnose using a WebMD-like tool. See what’s wrong with you here.
Read More:Cannes Review: With ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer,’ Yorgos Lanthimos Comes to America and Makes the Scariest Movie of His Life
One potential diagnosis is paranoia: “Your mistrust of others is irrational and unnecessary,” read the results. “Administer injections to cure the delusion that anyone cares enough to conspire against you.” If you’d like a second opinion, you can focus on a different body part and/or respond to the queries differently.
You might also have nihilistic rage, in which case “your anger at life’s apparent meaninglessness is futile. Take two every day to lower your temper,...
Read More:Cannes Review: With ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer,’ Yorgos Lanthimos Comes to America and Makes the Scariest Movie of His Life
One potential diagnosis is paranoia: “Your mistrust of others is irrational and unnecessary,” read the results. “Administer injections to cure the delusion that anyone cares enough to conspire against you.” If you’d like a second opinion, you can focus on a different body part and/or respond to the queries differently.
You might also have nihilistic rage, in which case “your anger at life’s apparent meaninglessness is futile. Take two every day to lower your temper,...
- 10/14/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Before audiences return to the story of Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) in November 2018’s “X-Men: Dark Phoenix,” 20th Century Fox will be expanding the franchise and introducing the “New Mutants” in April.
Directed by Josh Boone, best known as the filmmaker behind “The Fault in Our Stars,” “New Mutants” stars Anya Taylor-Joe, Maisie Williams, Henry Zaga, Blu Hunt, and Charlie Heaton as five young mutants who are being imprisoned against their will and just discovering their powers.
Read More:‘The Gifted’ Review: Fox’s ‘X-Men’ Series Would Benefit from a ‘Legion’ of Better Ideas
Bringing in faces from “The Witch,” “Game of Thrones,” and “Stranger Things” is certainly a step in the right director for “New Mutants,” but what’s ultimately most intriguing about the film is that it’s more of a horror film than a straightforward “X-Men” adventure. The film has been compared...
Directed by Josh Boone, best known as the filmmaker behind “The Fault in Our Stars,” “New Mutants” stars Anya Taylor-Joe, Maisie Williams, Henry Zaga, Blu Hunt, and Charlie Heaton as five young mutants who are being imprisoned against their will and just discovering their powers.
Read More:‘The Gifted’ Review: Fox’s ‘X-Men’ Series Would Benefit from a ‘Legion’ of Better Ideas
Bringing in faces from “The Witch,” “Game of Thrones,” and “Stranger Things” is certainly a step in the right director for “New Mutants,” but what’s ultimately most intriguing about the film is that it’s more of a horror film than a straightforward “X-Men” adventure. The film has been compared...
- 10/13/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from the Season 13 premiere, titled “Lost and Found.”]
For “Supernatural,” 13 is a lucky number considering The CW series has lasted this long. After watching the premiere of the 13th season, its new, more poignant approach to the Winchesters’ story could be exactly what the show needs to keep on going for another 13 more years.
The premiere picks up with Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) still reeling from the loss of so many: their mother Mary (Samantha Smith) whom Lucifer (Pellegrino) took care of, Castiel (Misha Collins), and Crowley (Mark Sheppard). Even for a show with a high body count, those deaths have to sting and make a difference to our heroes. And they do. Despite what viewers know – that Castiel will be back in some form, and that Mary is in the alternate world with Lucifer – there’s a mournful yet resigned tone to the episode. This is the reality when you hunt monsters, and maybe too,...
For “Supernatural,” 13 is a lucky number considering The CW series has lasted this long. After watching the premiere of the 13th season, its new, more poignant approach to the Winchesters’ story could be exactly what the show needs to keep on going for another 13 more years.
The premiere picks up with Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) still reeling from the loss of so many: their mother Mary (Samantha Smith) whom Lucifer (Pellegrino) took care of, Castiel (Misha Collins), and Crowley (Mark Sheppard). Even for a show with a high body count, those deaths have to sting and make a difference to our heroes. And they do. Despite what viewers know – that Castiel will be back in some form, and that Mary is in the alternate world with Lucifer – there’s a mournful yet resigned tone to the episode. This is the reality when you hunt monsters, and maybe too,...
- 10/13/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
It’s a paradox: Acting without artifice is so often the aim, but the craft of performance is typically enhanced by study and training. In short, being a good actor isn’t easy, but making it look easy is key. It’s a sink-or-swim proposition for all new actors, but especially those who enter into the field without formal training or are tossed into their first feature before even tacitly deciding that they even want to be actors. But the rewards can be huge, and this year has proven that in spades, from star turns from newcomers like Brooklynn Prince and Bria Vinaite in Sean Baker’s festival favorite (and major awards contender) “The Florida Project” to rodeo rider Brady Jandreau, cast as himself in Chloe Zhao’s Cannes breakout “The Rider.”
Read More:‘The Florida Project’ First Trailer: Sean Baker and Willem Dafoe Deliver One of the Year’s Best Indies
But Prince,...
Read More:‘The Florida Project’ First Trailer: Sean Baker and Willem Dafoe Deliver One of the Year’s Best Indies
But Prince,...
- 10/3/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
On a quiet late summer night in tiny Abbeville, Alabama, a car full of young white men cruised the streets, searching. They were looking for a mark, Nancy Buirski’s wrenching documentary “The Rape of Recy Taylor” tells us, eventually settling on a trio of black neighbors walking home from evening church services. Recy Taylor, then just 24-years-old, a wife and mother to a nine-month-old, a local sharecropper with ties to the community, was one of them. The car’s passengers — seven of them, including the sons of some of the town’s most notable residents — took Taylor to a secluded stand of trees, forced her to strip naked, and then raped her. (One voiceover tells it plainly without the need for details: “What they did to her? They didn’t need to live.”)
Buirski’s latest documentary, a worthy companion to her lauded “The Loving Story,” tells Taylor’s story in expressive detail,...
Buirski’s latest documentary, a worthy companion to her lauded “The Loving Story,” tells Taylor’s story in expressive detail,...
- 10/3/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
“Scanners,” the 1981 David Cronenberg classic about a group of individuals living with telekinetic powers, is being developed into a television series. According to Deadline, Michael Ellenberg’s Media Res and Bron Studios have won a heated bidding war for the property, securing the film’s rights over Skydance, Lionsgate, and Paramount.
Read More:David Cronenberg: Why He’s Considering Retiring From Filmmaking
The Weinstein Company-owned Dimension Films was the property’s previous owner for nearly a decade. The studio tried to adapt “Scanners” into a television series back in 2011 with Alexandre Aja (“The Hills Have Eyes”) signed on to executive produce and potentially direct the pilot. Dimension had plans to remake the property as a film before landing on a TV adaptation and even hired David Goyer to write the script. Neither the film or the series ever got made, but now the latter is being developed under a new studio.
Read More:David Cronenberg: Why He’s Considering Retiring From Filmmaking
The Weinstein Company-owned Dimension Films was the property’s previous owner for nearly a decade. The studio tried to adapt “Scanners” into a television series back in 2011 with Alexandre Aja (“The Hills Have Eyes”) signed on to executive produce and potentially direct the pilot. Dimension had plans to remake the property as a film before landing on a TV adaptation and even hired David Goyer to write the script. Neither the film or the series ever got made, but now the latter is being developed under a new studio.
- 9/27/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
With “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” Yorgos Lanthimos has made his own disturbing version of Michael Haneke’s “Funny Games.” The horror-drama first made waves at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where IndieWire’s David Ehrlich called it the scariest film of Lanthimos’ career, and it caused quite a reaction during more showings at Tiff and Fantastic Fest this month. Audiences won’t have to wait long to see the film, as it opens in October, but A24 has dropped a new trailer that is more or less a warning sign about how messed up this movie really is.
“Sacred Deer” stars Colin Farrell as a surgeon whose life unravels after he befriends the son of a former patient. The son is played by “Dunkirk” star Barry Keoghan in a performance of such unsettling intensity that you won’t be able to get his face out of your head.
“Sacred Deer” stars Colin Farrell as a surgeon whose life unravels after he befriends the son of a former patient. The son is played by “Dunkirk” star Barry Keoghan in a performance of such unsettling intensity that you won’t be able to get his face out of your head.
- 9/27/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Usually, it’s a bit unrealistic to piece together what a comedy show is after only one episode. Especially in the world of late night, each successive half-hour brings host, writers, and assorted crew alike a chance to really drill down on a show’s strengths.
But “The Opposition,” the latest 11:30 slot-holder on Comedy Central, took its first episode as a chance to deliver what seemed like an effective mission statement for what this conspiracy-adjacent satire would be going forward. Not only did host Jordan Klepper take the opportunity to define some of the edges of this particular brand of late-night blowhard, he introduced the various members of his staff and doubled down on the logical loopholes that will theoretically provide most of the laughs as the show progresses.
In doing so, the show might not be the show at its funniest, but it did indirectly touch on the...
But “The Opposition,” the latest 11:30 slot-holder on Comedy Central, took its first episode as a chance to deliver what seemed like an effective mission statement for what this conspiracy-adjacent satire would be going forward. Not only did host Jordan Klepper take the opportunity to define some of the edges of this particular brand of late-night blowhard, he introduced the various members of his staff and doubled down on the logical loopholes that will theoretically provide most of the laughs as the show progresses.
In doing so, the show might not be the show at its funniest, but it did indirectly touch on the...
- 9/26/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
A week before air, Jordan Klepper the comedian is fine-tuning his take on Jordan Klepper, the conspiracy-minded host of Comedy Central’s new nightly talk show “The Opposition.”
Klepper has already been playing a version of himself on “The Daily Show” for the past three years, as well as the Comedy Central special “Jordan Klepper Solves Guns.” But now, much like Stephen Colbert before him, he’s been given a much larger platform to expand who “TV Jordan Klepper” is.
“You are seeing a version of me that that is a little more unaware, who doesn’t have perspective in the way that Jordan Klepper the person might have that perspective,” he told IndieWire. “And then you sprinkle on the realities of this world, which is simply that you choose your own reality, which becomes the truth to you, and you can feed it out into your own echo chamber.
Klepper has already been playing a version of himself on “The Daily Show” for the past three years, as well as the Comedy Central special “Jordan Klepper Solves Guns.” But now, much like Stephen Colbert before him, he’s been given a much larger platform to expand who “TV Jordan Klepper” is.
“You are seeing a version of me that that is a little more unaware, who doesn’t have perspective in the way that Jordan Klepper the person might have that perspective,” he told IndieWire. “And then you sprinkle on the realities of this world, which is simply that you choose your own reality, which becomes the truth to you, and you can feed it out into your own echo chamber.
- 9/22/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
“If you’re up for the roller coaster ride, come take it,” Darren Aronofsky has said in countless interviews for his new movie, “mother!” While you’d be forgiven for thinking this is just another director hyping up his own work, Aronofsky isn’t messing around. The director’s new film is truly the most audacious, insane, and Wtf studio release of 2017. Anyone buying a ticket because of star Jennifer Lawrence or because they think they’re in store for a home invasion thriller will certainly be baffled. Even if the plot has been spoiled for you, you’ll still come out utterly shellshocked.
Read More:‘mother!’ Review: Darren Aronofsky’s Audacious and Rich Cinematic Allegory Is His Most Daring Film Yet
“mother!” stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem as a married couple whose lives spiral into madness when their home is invaded by many uninvited guests. Ed Harris and...
Read More:‘mother!’ Review: Darren Aronofsky’s Audacious and Rich Cinematic Allegory Is His Most Daring Film Yet
“mother!” stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem as a married couple whose lives spiral into madness when their home is invaded by many uninvited guests. Ed Harris and...
- 9/15/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Playing a public figure is always a big gamble, and a Kennedy — with those faces, those jaws, that peculiar accent that’s so easy to exaggerate — has long been a waystation for actors looking to prove their chops. In John Curran’s “Chappaquiddick,” Jason Clarke opts for a more low-key approach to Teddy Kennedy, eschewing a big accent or showy mannerisms, and fully disappears into the role. It’s his finest work yet, and proof of his ability to excel given the right material.
And what material he’s got, thanks to a tight script from Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan that dramatizes the events surrounding the fatal 1969 event that took place on the Martha Vineyard’s peninsula from which the film derives its title. Compellingly directed by Curran, “Chappaquiddick” takes place over the course of a single week, following a young Senator Kennedy before, during, and after the car...
And what material he’s got, thanks to a tight script from Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan that dramatizes the events surrounding the fatal 1969 event that took place on the Martha Vineyard’s peninsula from which the film derives its title. Compellingly directed by Curran, “Chappaquiddick” takes place over the course of a single week, following a young Senator Kennedy before, during, and after the car...
- 9/13/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
For too long, American sketch comedy has been so dominated by “Saturday Night Live” that any other attempts at the form have seemed futile. The trick to not competing directly with the NBC behemoth seems to be to addressing a niche audience that is sorely underserved by the mainstream, such as Comedy Central’s “Key and Peele,” IFC’s “Portlandia,” and now, the brilliant “Baroness Von Sketch Show,” also on IFC. The network bought the series from the CBC, and has been airing the first two seasons for American audiences who are hungry for something different.
Now in the middle of its IFC run, “Baroness Von Sketch Show” is written and performed by Aurora Browne, Meredith MacNeill, Carolyn Taylor, and Jennifer Whalen. Browne, Taylor, and Whalen met at Second City in Toronto, and MacNeill is a classically trained actor who came to comedy after studying at Rada. While the show has a decidedly woman-centric bent,...
Now in the middle of its IFC run, “Baroness Von Sketch Show” is written and performed by Aurora Browne, Meredith MacNeill, Carolyn Taylor, and Jennifer Whalen. Browne, Taylor, and Whalen met at Second City in Toronto, and MacNeill is a classically trained actor who came to comedy after studying at Rada. While the show has a decidedly woman-centric bent,...
- 9/7/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
“mother!” begins as a slow burn and builds toward a furious blaze. Awash in both religious and contemporary political imagery, Darren Aronofsky’s allusive film opens itself to a number of allegorical readings, but it also works as a straight-ahead head rush. Not just another baroquely orchestrated big-screen freak-out in the vein of “Black Swan” (though it is very much that), the film touches on themes that — if too hazily figurative to be in any way autobiographical — at least tread on factors in the director’s own life.
Come for the house that bleeds; stay for the reflections on parenthood and the difficulty of living with fame.
Read More:‘mother!’: 7 Things to Know About Darren Aronofsky’s Crazy Return to Psychological Horror
The film is divided into two parts that roughly parallel one another for reasons that eventually make themselves clear. Both follow married couple Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem (and yes,...
Come for the house that bleeds; stay for the reflections on parenthood and the difficulty of living with fame.
Read More:‘mother!’: 7 Things to Know About Darren Aronofsky’s Crazy Return to Psychological Horror
The film is divided into two parts that roughly parallel one another for reasons that eventually make themselves clear. Both follow married couple Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem (and yes,...
- 9/5/2017
- by Ben Croll
- Indiewire
If you ever wanted a blues smoke detector, then season four of “Nathan for You” might just be, well, for you. Comedy Central just released a trailer marking the return of Nathan Fielder’s show, which is coming back late next month. Watch below.
Read More:‘Nathan for You:’ How Cringe Comedy Doesn’t Have to Offend to Make Us Laugh
Among the upcoming schemes: a fully asexual computer-repair service; black-market chili sold at sporting events without the stadium’s knowledge; a nefarious plan to have cabbies infiltrate Uber and destroy it from within. Nearly everyone Fielder mentions these ideas to thinks he’s crazy, of course, and their reactions are often just as funny as his pitches.
Read More:Comedy Central and the New Mockumentary: How ‘Nathan For You’ and ‘Review’ are Changing the Game
“Nathan for You” premiered in early 2013 and has aired 24 episodes across its first three seasons.
Read More:‘Nathan for You:’ How Cringe Comedy Doesn’t Have to Offend to Make Us Laugh
Among the upcoming schemes: a fully asexual computer-repair service; black-market chili sold at sporting events without the stadium’s knowledge; a nefarious plan to have cabbies infiltrate Uber and destroy it from within. Nearly everyone Fielder mentions these ideas to thinks he’s crazy, of course, and their reactions are often just as funny as his pitches.
Read More:Comedy Central and the New Mockumentary: How ‘Nathan For You’ and ‘Review’ are Changing the Game
“Nathan for You” premiered in early 2013 and has aired 24 episodes across its first three seasons.
- 8/17/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
It’s hard to imagine a more purposely uptight and knowingly gunshy film synopsis than the ones bestowed on Yorgos Lanthimos’ deeply original oeuvre of films.
His “Dogtooth” was about “three teenagers [who] live isolated, without leaving their house, because their over-protective parents say they can only leave when their dogtooth falls out.” Later, his 2015 arthouse hit “The Lobster” concerned “a dystopian society, [where] single people must find a mate within 45 days or be transformed into an animal of their choice.”
Read More:Cannes Review: With ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer,’ Yorgos Lanthimos Comes to America and Makes the Scariest Movie of His Life
Now, his next offering, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” into the so-called genre of Greek Weird Wave continues the trend. Per the film’s official synopsis, “Steven, a charismatic surgeon, is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart, when the behaviour...
His “Dogtooth” was about “three teenagers [who] live isolated, without leaving their house, because their over-protective parents say they can only leave when their dogtooth falls out.” Later, his 2015 arthouse hit “The Lobster” concerned “a dystopian society, [where] single people must find a mate within 45 days or be transformed into an animal of their choice.”
Read More:Cannes Review: With ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer,’ Yorgos Lanthimos Comes to America and Makes the Scariest Movie of His Life
Now, his next offering, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” into the so-called genre of Greek Weird Wave continues the trend. Per the film’s official synopsis, “Steven, a charismatic surgeon, is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart, when the behaviour...
- 8/16/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Horror fans worried about the upcoming “Nosferatu” remake can breathe a sigh of relief. “The Witch” director Robert Eggers has cast his breakout star, Anya Taylor-Joy, in his upcoming adaptation for Studio 8. Her role is remaining a secret for now, but the casting should delight indie horror fans given how prolific “The Witch” was last year.
Read More:‘The Witch’ Director Robert Eggers’ Lifelong Obsession with ’Nosferatu’ and His Plans For a Remake
“Nosferatu” is based on F. W. Murnau’s landmark 1922 horror film of the same name, which itself was an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” The story follows the vampire Count Orlock as he tries to find a new home in the Transylvania mountains and becomes enamored with a real-estate agent’s wife, which could potentially be the role Taylor-Joy is filling. Eggers is writing the screenplay in addition to directing.
The remake has been...
Read More:‘The Witch’ Director Robert Eggers’ Lifelong Obsession with ’Nosferatu’ and His Plans For a Remake
“Nosferatu” is based on F. W. Murnau’s landmark 1922 horror film of the same name, which itself was an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” The story follows the vampire Count Orlock as he tries to find a new home in the Transylvania mountains and becomes enamored with a real-estate agent’s wife, which could potentially be the role Taylor-Joy is filling. Eggers is writing the screenplay in addition to directing.
The remake has been...
- 8/15/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
John Oliver began “Last Week Tonight” Sunday with a subject on the forefront of many people’s minds: The violent attack that occurred over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia. With a sober introduction and a warning of the disappointment to come, Oliver played footage of President Donald Trump’s response to the events, which he “squeezed into” a bill signing. Oliver zeroed in on the most troubling of Trump’s comments, which placed blame “On many sides,” and made no mention of white nationalism. “This was a White Nationalist rally, you have to call that out by name,” said Oliver.
Read More:John Oliver Can’t Find a Photo of Stephen Miller Not Looking Like a Minion — Watch
Oliver then played an interview with former Kkk leader David Duke wherein the white nationalist explicitly aligned himself and his followers with Trump: “He said he’s going to take out country back,...
Read More:John Oliver Can’t Find a Photo of Stephen Miller Not Looking Like a Minion — Watch
Oliver then played an interview with former Kkk leader David Duke wherein the white nationalist explicitly aligned himself and his followers with Trump: “He said he’s going to take out country back,...
- 8/14/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Anyone familiar with Stanley Kubrick’s meticulous approach to filmmaking knows that esteemed auteurs often have their idiosyncrasies. Christopher Nolan is no exception to that rule, it seems, as “Dunkirk” star Mark Rylance explains in an interview with the Independent. Asked about his director’s oddities, the Oscar winner points to two items forbidden on set: “He does things like he doesn’t like having chairs on set for actors or bottles of water, he’s very particular.”
Read More‘Dunkirk’: How Christopher Nolan Created Unique, Rhythmic, and Very Loud Sounds of War
As for why such items aren’t allowed during filming, Rylance’s co-star Barry Keoghan offers a practical explanation. “They’re distractions — the noise of [the bottles], they’re like toys almost, playing around with toys.,” he explains. “[The lack of chairs, meanwhile] keeps you on your toes, literally.”
Read More‘Dunkirk’ Is Too Loud For Some Viewers, But Christopher Nolan Says That...
Read More‘Dunkirk’: How Christopher Nolan Created Unique, Rhythmic, and Very Loud Sounds of War
As for why such items aren’t allowed during filming, Rylance’s co-star Barry Keoghan offers a practical explanation. “They’re distractions — the noise of [the bottles], they’re like toys almost, playing around with toys.,” he explains. “[The lack of chairs, meanwhile] keeps you on your toes, literally.”
Read More‘Dunkirk’ Is Too Loud For Some Viewers, But Christopher Nolan Says That...
- 7/28/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
The Manchester, UK, terror attack this past May eerily mirrored a similar event in Stephen King’s novel “Mr. Mercedes.” Producers behind Audience Network’s upcoming adaptation of the novel confirmed that they changed that central event for the series, in a way that won’t be revealed here.
At Tuesday’s Television Critics Association press tour panel for the series, director Jack Bender said that the show’s choice to change that framework was decided early on and was a “better way to make it a potentially more catastrophic event.”
On May 22, a young male suicide bomber walked into the foyer of the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester Arena and detonated a nail bomb that he had strapped to himself, killing 22 people (one child as young as 8 years old) and injuring 250. In the novel “Mr. Mercedes,” the killer Brady Hartsfield, who is being pursued by detective Bill Hodges, also...
At Tuesday’s Television Critics Association press tour panel for the series, director Jack Bender said that the show’s choice to change that framework was decided early on and was a “better way to make it a potentially more catastrophic event.”
On May 22, a young male suicide bomber walked into the foyer of the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester Arena and detonated a nail bomb that he had strapped to himself, killing 22 people (one child as young as 8 years old) and injuring 250. In the novel “Mr. Mercedes,” the killer Brady Hartsfield, who is being pursued by detective Bill Hodges, also...
- 7/26/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
A change in rhetoric from the White House isn’t the only impetus for Comedy Central’s newly titled “The Opposition with Jordan Klepper.”
Klepper’s new post-“Daily Show” series, which will dig into the polarized worlds of conspiracy-minded media on the right and left sides of the political spectrum, comes as a response to the way many polarized Americans now digest news stories.
“There has been a great normalization of bullshit in America,” Klepper said at a Television Critics Association panel on Tuesday. “It’s usually on the fringe, but in November, something happened.”
Klepper cited his dual experiences on “The Daily Show” and in producing his recent special “Jordan Klepper Solves Guns” as a means for understanding the distinct approach to take with a self-righteous, exaggerated version of the persona version of Jordan Klepper.
Read More How Jordan Klepper Found Answers to Gun Violence In ‘The Bachelor,...
Klepper’s new post-“Daily Show” series, which will dig into the polarized worlds of conspiracy-minded media on the right and left sides of the political spectrum, comes as a response to the way many polarized Americans now digest news stories.
“There has been a great normalization of bullshit in America,” Klepper said at a Television Critics Association panel on Tuesday. “It’s usually on the fringe, but in November, something happened.”
Klepper cited his dual experiences on “The Daily Show” and in producing his recent special “Jordan Klepper Solves Guns” as a means for understanding the distinct approach to take with a self-righteous, exaggerated version of the persona version of Jordan Klepper.
Read More How Jordan Klepper Found Answers to Gun Violence In ‘The Bachelor,...
- 7/25/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Some places are a safe space, and “Broad City” is one of those spots for so many of its viewers. The co-creators and stars of Comedy Central’s Emmy-nominated series take that responsibility seriously, but Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer had a very simple reason for censoring Donald Trump’s name in Season 4.
“We just got to a point in real life where we’re talking about the current administration, we’re talking about Trump, and it just feels so gross,” Glazer said during the “Broad City” TCA presentation Tuesday morning.
“We just didn’t want to share air time. We didn’t want to hear the word,” she said.
Read More‘Broad City’ Previews Empowering Season 4 Episode at Comic-Con to Heal the Damage of Donald Trump
The choice was also made because it’s funny.
“We are censored in different ways on the show,” Jacobson said. “It becomes a big part of the show.
“We just got to a point in real life where we’re talking about the current administration, we’re talking about Trump, and it just feels so gross,” Glazer said during the “Broad City” TCA presentation Tuesday morning.
“We just didn’t want to share air time. We didn’t want to hear the word,” she said.
Read More‘Broad City’ Previews Empowering Season 4 Episode at Comic-Con to Heal the Damage of Donald Trump
The choice was also made because it’s funny.
“We are censored in different ways on the show,” Jacobson said. “It becomes a big part of the show.
- 7/25/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Comedy Central is making moves in late night. The cable network announced a title and premiere date for its new Jordan Klepper late night show, and is once again taking “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” on the road.
Comedy Central has also ordered additional episodes of its two newest late night series, “The President Show” and “The Jim Jeffries Show.” The flurry of late night announcements, revealed Tuesday at the Television Critics Association press tour, come as another show, “@midnight,” recently announced the end of its run.
Read MoreJordan Klepper Is Following in Stephen Colbert’s Footsteps, But His Comedy Central Series Will Be Way Different
“The Opposition with Jordan Klepper” will premiere Monday, September 25, at 11:30 p.m. Et. Here’s the network’s updated description of the new “Daily Show” companion: “‘The Opposition with Jordan Klepper’ will satirize the hyperbolic, conspiracy-laden noise machine that is the alternative-media...
Comedy Central has also ordered additional episodes of its two newest late night series, “The President Show” and “The Jim Jeffries Show.” The flurry of late night announcements, revealed Tuesday at the Television Critics Association press tour, come as another show, “@midnight,” recently announced the end of its run.
Read MoreJordan Klepper Is Following in Stephen Colbert’s Footsteps, But His Comedy Central Series Will Be Way Different
“The Opposition with Jordan Klepper” will premiere Monday, September 25, at 11:30 p.m. Et. Here’s the network’s updated description of the new “Daily Show” companion: “‘The Opposition with Jordan Klepper’ will satirize the hyperbolic, conspiracy-laden noise machine that is the alternative-media...
- 7/25/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
“Dunkirk” is finally upon us after months of anticipation, and it’s clear the long wait has been worth it. IndieWire has named the WWII epic the best movie Christopher Nolan has ever made and a certain Oscar contender in the months ahead. As audiences nationwide get to discover why the film is such a monumental war epic, questions as to who exactly is in the cast are bound to come up.
Read More: ‘Dunkirk’ Review: Christopher Nolan’s Monumental War Epic Is The Best Film He’s Ever Made
Unlike Nolan’s recent star-driven efforts like “Inception” and “Interstellar,” “Dunkirk” features an eclectic mix of relative newcomers, Oscar winners and the director’s reliable collaborators. Getting a blend of known and unknown talent was crucial for Nolan, as including too many stars would’ve distracted from the urgent nature of the story. In following mostly fresh faces, Nolan is...
Read More: ‘Dunkirk’ Review: Christopher Nolan’s Monumental War Epic Is The Best Film He’s Ever Made
Unlike Nolan’s recent star-driven efforts like “Inception” and “Interstellar,” “Dunkirk” features an eclectic mix of relative newcomers, Oscar winners and the director’s reliable collaborators. Getting a blend of known and unknown talent was crucial for Nolan, as including too many stars would’ve distracted from the urgent nature of the story. In following mostly fresh faces, Nolan is...
- 7/19/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson has long been eager to get behind the camera — she’s already helmed a pair of short films, including the Sundance award-winning “The Arm,” which she made alongside Jessie Ennis and Sarah Ramos — and her feature directorial debut, “Unicorn Store,” is reportedly set to bow sometime later this year. And now the film has snagged the backing of a brand new production shingle, one that sounds very much in line with Larson’s own outspoken and equality-driven attitude.
Long-time producer Lynette Howell Taylor has now launched a new production banner called 51 Entertainment, with a focus on filmmaker-driven content, and “Unicorn Store” is set up as its first feature. Larson directed the film from Samantha McIntyre’s script, and she also stars in the feature alongside Samuel L. Jackson, Bradley Whitford, Joan Cusack, and Martha MacIsaac. The film also boasts a crew that was mostly made up of female professionals.
Long-time producer Lynette Howell Taylor has now launched a new production banner called 51 Entertainment, with a focus on filmmaker-driven content, and “Unicorn Store” is set up as its first feature. Larson directed the film from Samantha McIntyre’s script, and she also stars in the feature alongside Samuel L. Jackson, Bradley Whitford, Joan Cusack, and Martha MacIsaac. The film also boasts a crew that was mostly made up of female professionals.
- 7/19/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The cast of “Spider-Man: Homecoming” includes no shortage of famous faces, including two Oscar nominees and two full-on Oscar winners. But anyone paying close attention while watching this weekend’s box office winner might have noticed a number of other familiar faces. In fact, director Jon Watts has packed nearly every small supporting role he could with a niche comedian or former child star on the verge of adulthood.
Read More: How ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Star Jacob Batalon Went From College Dropout to Blockbuster Star
So below is our guide to the various notable characters that Peter Parker (Tom Holland) encounters over the course of the film, and where else you have seen them before.
Donald Glover
“Spider-Man: Homecoming” Role: Aaron Davis, a local criminal who, it’s been said, is canonically the uncle of Miles Morales, who in the comics eventually becomes Spider-Man. (This is a nice nod to a...
Read More: How ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Star Jacob Batalon Went From College Dropout to Blockbuster Star
So below is our guide to the various notable characters that Peter Parker (Tom Holland) encounters over the course of the film, and where else you have seen them before.
Donald Glover
“Spider-Man: Homecoming” Role: Aaron Davis, a local criminal who, it’s been said, is canonically the uncle of Miles Morales, who in the comics eventually becomes Spider-Man. (This is a nice nod to a...
- 7/10/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Tuesday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best show currently on TV?” can be found at the end of this post.)
This week’s question: Which show is the best representation of America or the American spirit/values? To clarify, this is not a show that reflects the current political climate but the country’s ideals and freedoms.
Allison Keene (@KeeneTV), Collider
I could probably sit and overthink this and maybe come up with a cleverer answer, but the first show that popped into my head was “The Wire.” It’s uniquely American in both setting and sensibility, and shows one mid-sized city battling the same institutional problems of other cities across the country, regardless of location. It’s a specific exploration of how, in an American city, the schools, police,...
This week’s question: Which show is the best representation of America or the American spirit/values? To clarify, this is not a show that reflects the current political climate but the country’s ideals and freedoms.
Allison Keene (@KeeneTV), Collider
I could probably sit and overthink this and maybe come up with a cleverer answer, but the first show that popped into my head was “The Wire.” It’s uniquely American in both setting and sensibility, and shows one mid-sized city battling the same institutional problems of other cities across the country, regardless of location. It’s a specific exploration of how, in an American city, the schools, police,...
- 7/4/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
Tarek and Christina El Moussa are continuing to play it cool for the camera.
The Flip or Flop stars, who announced they were separating last December, were spotted goofing off on the set of their popular Hgtv show on Wednesday, proving once and for all that they're capable of working together despite their differences.
Watch: Christina El Moussa Is All Smiles While Holding Hands With New Man on Date Night
Christina, chic in a "Stay humble & kind" graphic tee,...
The Flip or Flop stars, who announced they were separating last December, were spotted goofing off on the set of their popular Hgtv show on Wednesday, proving once and for all that they're capable of working together despite their differences.
Watch: Christina El Moussa Is All Smiles While Holding Hands With New Man on Date Night
Christina, chic in a "Stay humble & kind" graphic tee,...
- 6/22/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Megyn Kelly is damaged goods, and it’s surprising that NBC News only now realizes it.
Here’s the problem: Kelly doesn’t quite have a place in these highly partisan times, and her early “gets” with Vladimir Putin and Alex Jones don’t change that. The Left is still disgusted over her race-baiting reports on Fox News over the years. (NewsOne has helpfully chosen her “10 most racist moments” here.) The Right now sees her as a traitor, heading to NBC in a bid to go mainstream.
NBC should have known this wouldn’t be easy, but instead of working on an image rehab, the network threw her to the wolves with Putin and Jones. Simply showing up at NBC and saying (wink-wink) now I can be a real journalist doesn’t make that baggage go away.
It ought to have been no surprise that re-entering the hornet’s nest might sting.
Here’s the problem: Kelly doesn’t quite have a place in these highly partisan times, and her early “gets” with Vladimir Putin and Alex Jones don’t change that. The Left is still disgusted over her race-baiting reports on Fox News over the years. (NewsOne has helpfully chosen her “10 most racist moments” here.) The Right now sees her as a traitor, heading to NBC in a bid to go mainstream.
NBC should have known this wouldn’t be easy, but instead of working on an image rehab, the network threw her to the wolves with Putin and Jones. Simply showing up at NBC and saying (wink-wink) now I can be a real journalist doesn’t make that baggage go away.
It ought to have been no surprise that re-entering the hornet’s nest might sting.
- 6/16/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
Every once in a while, “Sesame Street” gives its viewers over the age of five a treat, in the form of a pop culture parody riffing on something wholly unsuitable for its target demographic. “Game of Thrones” and “Mad Men” have all been parodied in the past by the children’s television empire — and those shows won Emmys.
Read More: ‘Orange is the New Black’ Season 5 Review: A New Star Emerges In the Show’s Darkest Season Yet
So maybe it’s a good sign, that “Sesame Street” turned its attention to “Orange is the New Black” this week with a sketch recreating the Netflix prison drama.
“Orange is the New Snack” spotlights the characters of Morello (as played by Yael Stone on the series), Red (originated by Kate Mulgrew) and Crazy Eyes/Suzanne (Uzo Aduba) as they welcome newcomer Piper Snackman (i.e. Piper Chapman, as played by Taylor Schilling...
Read More: ‘Orange is the New Black’ Season 5 Review: A New Star Emerges In the Show’s Darkest Season Yet
So maybe it’s a good sign, that “Sesame Street” turned its attention to “Orange is the New Black” this week with a sketch recreating the Netflix prison drama.
“Orange is the New Snack” spotlights the characters of Morello (as played by Yael Stone on the series), Red (originated by Kate Mulgrew) and Crazy Eyes/Suzanne (Uzo Aduba) as they welcome newcomer Piper Snackman (i.e. Piper Chapman, as played by Taylor Schilling...
- 6/7/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
How Today’s ‘Nonsensical’ Blockbuster Filmmaking Can Learn a Lesson From American Movies of the ’70s
Film critic Charles Taylor’s first collection of essays, “Opening Wednesday at a Theater or Drive-in Near You: The Shadow Cinema of the American ’70s,” explores the rich history of ’70s-era American filmmaking through a unique lens, opting to highlight some of the period’s underseen and often underappreciated gems. As one of the most fruitful times in American filmmaking, Taylor understands why certain features — including offerings from such respected filmmakers as Jonathan Demme, Walter Hill, and Irvin Kershner — didn’t quite make it big at a crowded box office, but he’s also eager to give them their due.
Told with an eye towards the current state of cinema — a blockbuster-driven machine that Taylor calls “nonsensical” and contributing to “the destruction of the idea of content” — the book is a loving look at some forgotten gems and the power of moviemaking that can often be ignored. In our excerpt from the book,...
Told with an eye towards the current state of cinema — a blockbuster-driven machine that Taylor calls “nonsensical” and contributing to “the destruction of the idea of content” — the book is a loving look at some forgotten gems and the power of moviemaking that can often be ignored. In our excerpt from the book,...
- 6/7/2017
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
[Editor’s note: This review contains spoilers for the final episodes of “Orange is the New Black” Season 4, which premiered in 2016. It does not contain spoilers for the new upcoming season.]
It’s official: “Orange is the New Black” is never allowed to call itself a comedy, ever again.
When it comes to awards consideration, the Netflix series about a women’s prison has yo-yoed between the drama and comedy categories since the beginning, and tonally the show has always existed in the realm we usually describe as “dramedy.” But while that has meant “Orange” was capable of offering up great moments of hilarity as well as tear-jerking pathos, it also means that the show’s tone has always been its biggest creative struggle, especially in later years, as it’s taken bigger and bigger swings.
Read More: ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Season 5 Trailer: Inmates Run the Prison After Rebellion at Litchfield Penitentiary
Season 4 was perhaps the most challenging in this respect, as the final two episodes pushed the show into new territory after Poussey (Samira Wiley) died at the hands of a guard.
It’s official: “Orange is the New Black” is never allowed to call itself a comedy, ever again.
When it comes to awards consideration, the Netflix series about a women’s prison has yo-yoed between the drama and comedy categories since the beginning, and tonally the show has always existed in the realm we usually describe as “dramedy.” But while that has meant “Orange” was capable of offering up great moments of hilarity as well as tear-jerking pathos, it also means that the show’s tone has always been its biggest creative struggle, especially in later years, as it’s taken bigger and bigger swings.
Read More: ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Season 5 Trailer: Inmates Run the Prison After Rebellion at Litchfield Penitentiary
Season 4 was perhaps the most challenging in this respect, as the final two episodes pushed the show into new territory after Poussey (Samira Wiley) died at the hands of a guard.
- 5/29/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
With so many shows running every weeknight, it makes sense that you can’t keep up on everything. So here’s a recap of the week’s highlights, thanks to the magic of YouTube.
“Sing After You Cry”
Ben Platt, the star of the Broadway favorite “Dear Evan Hanson,” appeared on “Late Show” this week, and offered some amazing advice on why singing on stage can actually be helped by tears. That’s in the interview below:
And for a taste of what that means, just watch Platt singing a signature number from the show live:
Not bad, sir. Not bad.
Not That We’ll Admit to Watching “The Bachelorette,” But…
A truly horrific dude made his primetime debut during the season premiere, and the best way to process it is to watch two true gentlemen of The Roots reenact a key interaction on “The Tonight Show. ”
Coach Gonna Coach...
“Sing After You Cry”
Ben Platt, the star of the Broadway favorite “Dear Evan Hanson,” appeared on “Late Show” this week, and offered some amazing advice on why singing on stage can actually be helped by tears. That’s in the interview below:
And for a taste of what that means, just watch Platt singing a signature number from the show live:
Not bad, sir. Not bad.
Not That We’ll Admit to Watching “The Bachelorette,” But…
A truly horrific dude made his primetime debut during the season premiere, and the best way to process it is to watch two true gentlemen of The Roots reenact a key interaction on “The Tonight Show. ”
Coach Gonna Coach...
- 5/26/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Showtime’s Wall Street drama series “Billions” came up empty Emmy nominations morning last July. Although the show’s first season was both popular and well-reviewed, there’s a lot of shows that fit the same bill.
This year, things could be different thanks to Asia Kate Dillon’s performance as Taylor Mason. Sporting a shaved head and buttoned-down men’s clothes, the actor portrays a whip-thin Mensa-level analyst who was born female and identifies as non-binary.
Showrunner Brian Koppelman learned about non-binary fluidity from his kids. “I was fascinated,” he said. “It seemed to fill something Dave [Levien] and I were looking for, a character to come in from the external world, an atypical intern that Axe recognizes could be helpful.”
“It did free us up have a different lens to look at Axe Capital,” said Levien, who also serves as showrunner. “On the surface they are all looking at Taylor,...
This year, things could be different thanks to Asia Kate Dillon’s performance as Taylor Mason. Sporting a shaved head and buttoned-down men’s clothes, the actor portrays a whip-thin Mensa-level analyst who was born female and identifies as non-binary.
Showrunner Brian Koppelman learned about non-binary fluidity from his kids. “I was fascinated,” he said. “It seemed to fill something Dave [Levien] and I were looking for, a character to come in from the external world, an atypical intern that Axe recognizes could be helpful.”
“It did free us up have a different lens to look at Axe Capital,” said Levien, who also serves as showrunner. “On the surface they are all looking at Taylor,...
- 5/22/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Showtime’s Wall Street drama series “Billions” came up empty Emmy nominations morning last July. Although the show’s first season was both popular and well-reviewed, there’s a lot of shows that fit the same bill.
This year, things could be different thanks to Asia Kate Dillon’s performance as Taylor Mason. Sporting a shaved head and buttoned-down men’s clothes, the actor portrays a whip-thin Mensa-level analyst who was born female and identifies as non-binary.
Showrunner Brian Koppelman learned about non-binary fluidity from his kids. “I was fascinated,” he said. “It seemed to fill something Dave [Levien] and I were looking for, a character to come in from the external world, an atypical intern that Axe recognizes could be helpful.”
“It did free us up have a different lens to look at Axe Capital,” said Levien, who also serves as showrunner. “On the surface they are all looking at Taylor,...
This year, things could be different thanks to Asia Kate Dillon’s performance as Taylor Mason. Sporting a shaved head and buttoned-down men’s clothes, the actor portrays a whip-thin Mensa-level analyst who was born female and identifies as non-binary.
Showrunner Brian Koppelman learned about non-binary fluidity from his kids. “I was fascinated,” he said. “It seemed to fill something Dave [Levien] and I were looking for, a character to come in from the external world, an atypical intern that Axe recognizes could be helpful.”
“It did free us up have a different lens to look at Axe Capital,” said Levien, who also serves as showrunner. “On the surface they are all looking at Taylor,...
- 5/22/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The 70th Cannes Film Festival has officially kicked off. This year, 19 films —including Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Killing of a Sacred Deer”— compete for the Palme d’Or, the highest prize awarded at the festival. The Film Stage has the first clip for Lanthimos’ drama, which reunites the Greek filmmaker with Colin Farrell, the star of his 2016 arthouse hit “The Lobster.” Check out the first clip for “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” below.
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Cannes Bible: Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
In “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” Farrell plays Steven, a charming surgeon who takes a teenage boy under his wings. When the teenager’s behavior turns sinister, Steve’s life starts to fall apart and he’s forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice. Nicole Kidman stars a Farrell’s wife, and Alicia Silverstone plays the boy’s mother. The cast also includes Raffey Cassidy,...
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Cannes Bible: Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
In “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” Farrell plays Steven, a charming surgeon who takes a teenage boy under his wings. When the teenager’s behavior turns sinister, Steve’s life starts to fall apart and he’s forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice. Nicole Kidman stars a Farrell’s wife, and Alicia Silverstone plays the boy’s mother. The cast also includes Raffey Cassidy,...
- 5/18/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
In 2016, three abortion stories told on TV caught the attention of critics. The plots on “Jane the Virgin,” “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and “You’re the Worst” all normalized abortion as a natural part of women’s health. All of these stories, however, occurred pre-Trump.
While the debate over women’s reproductive rights never went away, the topic is back in the spotlight as a new health care bill seeks to treat pregnancies and rape as pre-existing conditions and Texas legislators seek to pass anti-abortion bills. Over on Hulu, “The Handmaid’s Tale” is looking less and less like fiction.
Read More: ‘Jane the Virgin’ to ‘You’re the Worst’: Critics Debate the Normalization of Abortion on TV
Cosmopolitan spoke to 10 show creators and writers about key abortion episodes going as far back as 1972. In the interview, legendary TV producer Norman Lear said, “I can’t imagine an excuse for staying...
While the debate over women’s reproductive rights never went away, the topic is back in the spotlight as a new health care bill seeks to treat pregnancies and rape as pre-existing conditions and Texas legislators seek to pass anti-abortion bills. Over on Hulu, “The Handmaid’s Tale” is looking less and less like fiction.
Read More: ‘Jane the Virgin’ to ‘You’re the Worst’: Critics Debate the Normalization of Abortion on TV
Cosmopolitan spoke to 10 show creators and writers about key abortion episodes going as far back as 1972. In the interview, legendary TV producer Norman Lear said, “I can’t imagine an excuse for staying...
- 5/12/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
Syfy is giving itself an extreme makeover. And as part of the network’s reboot, it has ordered to series the long-awaited Superman prequel “Krypton” to series, as well as an adaptation of the quirky graphic novel “Happy!”
The network is also developing an adaptation of the George R.R. Martin novella “Nightflyers,” and, as previously announced, has partnered with Blumhouse Television to develop a new TV chapter of the feature franchise “The Purge” (which will also air on USA Network).
To emphasize the changes, the network unveiled a new logo and look across its platforms. The name hasn’t changed (although that was discussed — including a return to the original Sci-Fi moniker), but now it’s in all-caps: Syfy.
Read More: ‘The Expanse’ Season 2 Review: Syfy’s Boldest Gamble Continues to Pay Out Richly
The new look takes effect on June 19. “We took the past year to take a hard look at our business,...
The network is also developing an adaptation of the George R.R. Martin novella “Nightflyers,” and, as previously announced, has partnered with Blumhouse Television to develop a new TV chapter of the feature franchise “The Purge” (which will also air on USA Network).
To emphasize the changes, the network unveiled a new logo and look across its platforms. The name hasn’t changed (although that was discussed — including a return to the original Sci-Fi moniker), but now it’s in all-caps: Syfy.
Read More: ‘The Expanse’ Season 2 Review: Syfy’s Boldest Gamble Continues to Pay Out Richly
The new look takes effect on June 19. “We took the past year to take a hard look at our business,...
- 5/11/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
Thanks to a group of hackers, 10 episodes from the upcoming season of “Orange Is the New Black” were recently leaked online. There’s still plenty to wonder about even for those who’ve watched the Netflix drama via illicit means — season five’s final three episodes weren’t compromised — and Taylor Schilling has hinted at what this latest go-round holds in store in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Read More: ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Season 5 Leaked Online by Hackers
The new season takes place over just three days, one effect of which is that the show’s large ensemble is sometimes in the same place at the same time. “In prison, the real stakes of your life are so heightened, it’s as heightened as It can be because your life is falling apart. But the collective stakes for the first time are heightened” in these new episodes,...
Read More: ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Season 5 Leaked Online by Hackers
The new season takes place over just three days, one effect of which is that the show’s large ensemble is sometimes in the same place at the same time. “In prison, the real stakes of your life are so heightened, it’s as heightened as It can be because your life is falling apart. But the collective stakes for the first time are heightened” in these new episodes,...
- 5/7/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
The show must go on – until a strike is officially called. [Update — No strike!]
That was the word from inside TV’s late night talk shows and series, which continued to operate, business as usual, even as the possibility of a work stoppage on May 2 loomed large.
That has meant continuing to book guests, produce taped packages and plan for series road trips – all of which might not happen should the Writers Guild negotiating committee call for a strike.
“We’ll see what happens and take it from there,” said “The Late Late Show with James Corden” executive producer Ben Winston. ” We support the writers, we hope the strike doesn’t happen, because we want to carry on working and making a show. It’s concern for us. I think any decision on what we do, we’ll wait and hope it doesn’t happen and hope that everything works out.”
Read More:...
That was the word from inside TV’s late night talk shows and series, which continued to operate, business as usual, even as the possibility of a work stoppage on May 2 loomed large.
That has meant continuing to book guests, produce taped packages and plan for series road trips – all of which might not happen should the Writers Guild negotiating committee call for a strike.
“We’ll see what happens and take it from there,” said “The Late Late Show with James Corden” executive producer Ben Winston. ” We support the writers, we hope the strike doesn’t happen, because we want to carry on working and making a show. It’s concern for us. I think any decision on what we do, we’ll wait and hope it doesn’t happen and hope that everything works out.”
Read More:...
- 5/2/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Tuesday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best show currently on TV?” can be found at the end of this post.)
This week’s question: What TV show that has changed your perspective on something? How? Why?
Sonia Saraiya (@soniasaraiya), Variety
This is almost cliché given how much we all wrote about it — but “You’re the Worst” really did alter the way that I thought about and understood clinical depression. I think the power that television and storytelling, in general, has to change our perspectives and/or broaden our horizons about experiences that aren’t our own is its most powerful force, and I could point to any number of shows that have slowly and gradually opened up new realizations for me. With “You’re the Worst” it felt like...
This week’s question: What TV show that has changed your perspective on something? How? Why?
Sonia Saraiya (@soniasaraiya), Variety
This is almost cliché given how much we all wrote about it — but “You’re the Worst” really did alter the way that I thought about and understood clinical depression. I think the power that television and storytelling, in general, has to change our perspectives and/or broaden our horizons about experiences that aren’t our own is its most powerful force, and I could point to any number of shows that have slowly and gradually opened up new realizations for me. With “You’re the Worst” it felt like...
- 4/25/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
There’s no question that Rodney King was brutally beaten by Los Angeles Police Department officers – video taken of the savage act proves it. Yet the four men seen clubbing King were acquitted by a Simi Valley jury in 1992, lighting a match for one of the deadliest and costliest civil unrests in U.S. history.
Read More: How Spike Lee, John Singleton and John Ridley Left Their Marks on the 25th Anniversary of the Los Angeles Riots
It’s 25 years later, and Los Angeles – and the Lapd – have changed. But has the rest of the country? Regular reports of police brutality, now well-documented in an age of phone cameras, makes it clear that we haven’t come all that far. Several new documentaries explore the L.A. riots, including the underlying reasons, the actual events, what happened next, and how it relates to today. Among the filmmakers putting their own...
Read More: How Spike Lee, John Singleton and John Ridley Left Their Marks on the 25th Anniversary of the Los Angeles Riots
It’s 25 years later, and Los Angeles – and the Lapd – have changed. But has the rest of the country? Regular reports of police brutality, now well-documented in an age of phone cameras, makes it clear that we haven’t come all that far. Several new documentaries explore the L.A. riots, including the underlying reasons, the actual events, what happened next, and how it relates to today. Among the filmmakers putting their own...
- 4/22/2017
- by Ben Travers, Hanh Nguyen, Liz Shannon Miller, Michael Schneider and Steve Greene
- Indiewire
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