Samuel L. Jackson is an acting legend who has starred in numerous movies of all genres. Among his major movies are School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989), Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991), Oldboy (2013), and Chi-Raq (2015), Tarantino’s films Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), Django Unchained (2012), and The Hateful Eight (2015), but he also has two extremely popular roles in his filmography – that of Nick Fury in the MCU, as well as that of Mace Windu in the Star Wars franchise.
We know that Mace Windu died in The Revenge of the Sith, but the character had already been a fan favorite by that moment and since then, there have been numerous calls for Windu to return to the series, implying that the character did not die during the fated battle against Palpatine. Samuel L. Jackson was recently asked about it and he made his opinion on the matter quite clear.
We know that Mace Windu died in The Revenge of the Sith, but the character had already been a fan favorite by that moment and since then, there have been numerous calls for Windu to return to the series, implying that the character did not die during the fated battle against Palpatine. Samuel L. Jackson was recently asked about it and he made his opinion on the matter quite clear.
- 4/23/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
Ice Spice is branching out into acting with a part in Spike Lee’s forthcoming feature High and Low, which will reunite the filmmaker with Denzel Washington.
The rapper is set to appear in a cameo role that she has begun shooting for the project that is an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller of the same name. Apple Original Films and A24 are behind Lee’s High and Low, which also stars Jeffrey Wright and Ilfenesh Hadera.
Ice Spice was nominated for four Grammys at this year’s ceremony, including best new artist. “Barbie World,” her song with Nicki Minaj, was featured on the Barbie soundtrack. Ice Spice has also had prominent collaborations with artists including Taylor Swift as she gears up to release her debut studio album, Y2K, later this year.
A24 posted a photo to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday of Lee and Washington, along with the caption,...
The rapper is set to appear in a cameo role that she has begun shooting for the project that is an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller of the same name. Apple Original Films and A24 are behind Lee’s High and Low, which also stars Jeffrey Wright and Ilfenesh Hadera.
Ice Spice was nominated for four Grammys at this year’s ceremony, including best new artist. “Barbie World,” her song with Nicki Minaj, was featured on the Barbie soundtrack. Ice Spice has also had prominent collaborations with artists including Taylor Swift as she gears up to release her debut studio album, Y2K, later this year.
A24 posted a photo to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday of Lee and Washington, along with the caption,...
- 4/10/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The great philosopher Ice Spice once said: “How can I lose if I’m already chose?” The Bronx rapper’s affirmations have manifested into the kind of big screen acting debut that young actors often dream of. According to Variety, Ice Spice will act alongside Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s forthcoming film High and Low, produced and developed by A24.
Currently in production, High and Low reinterprets Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller of the same name from 1963. The film is set for a theatrical release before entering the streaming...
Currently in production, High and Low reinterprets Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller of the same name from 1963. The film is set for a theatrical release before entering the streaming...
- 4/10/2024
- by Larisha Paul
- Rollingstone.com
Ice Spice is set to appear in Spike Lee’s upcoming English-language reinterpretation of the Akira Kurosawa crime thriller “High and Low.”
“High and Low” will mark Ice Spice’s acting debut, and she’s already begun shooting for the project starring Denzel Washington.
The rapper skyrocketed to fame following the release of her breakthrough single, “Munch (Feelin’ U),” and subsequent collaborations with Pink Pantheress, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift. She was nominated for four Grammys this year, including best rap song and best new artist. Ice Spice’s first studio album, “Y2K,” is due out this year.
The project is the fifth collaboration between Washington and Lee, and their first since 2006’s “Inside Man.” Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on the project, which will be released theatrically by A24 before a global launch on AppleTV+.
Apple Original Films tweeted a photo of Washington and Lee on Wednesday...
“High and Low” will mark Ice Spice’s acting debut, and she’s already begun shooting for the project starring Denzel Washington.
The rapper skyrocketed to fame following the release of her breakthrough single, “Munch (Feelin’ U),” and subsequent collaborations with Pink Pantheress, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift. She was nominated for four Grammys this year, including best rap song and best new artist. Ice Spice’s first studio album, “Y2K,” is due out this year.
The project is the fifth collaboration between Washington and Lee, and their first since 2006’s “Inside Man.” Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on the project, which will be released theatrically by A24 before a global launch on AppleTV+.
Apple Original Films tweeted a photo of Washington and Lee on Wednesday...
- 4/10/2024
- by Katcy Stephan and Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Prolific is a massive understatement when it comes to describing producer Samuel L. Jackson, who next stars in The Kill Room, which opens Sept. 29.
Since his debut in indie film Together For Days in 1972, the 74-year-old Jackson has been in more than 100 films that have collectively grossed more than $27 billion, making him the highest-grossing live-action actor of all time as of 2021, according to The Numbers.
In his career, he’s been in some of the most iconic films ever, as well, including Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing (1989), Mo’ Better Blues (1990) and Jungle Fever (1991), Jurassic Park (1993), A Time to Kill (1996), Black Snake Moan (2006), Goodfellas (1990), Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995) and the unforgettable Snakes On A Plane (2006).
Jackson got his big break after he appeared in True Romance (1993), which was written by Quentin Tarantino. After that experience, Tarantino came to Jackson with the role of Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction...
Since his debut in indie film Together For Days in 1972, the 74-year-old Jackson has been in more than 100 films that have collectively grossed more than $27 billion, making him the highest-grossing live-action actor of all time as of 2021, according to The Numbers.
In his career, he’s been in some of the most iconic films ever, as well, including Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing (1989), Mo’ Better Blues (1990) and Jungle Fever (1991), Jurassic Park (1993), A Time to Kill (1996), Black Snake Moan (2006), Goodfellas (1990), Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995) and the unforgettable Snakes On A Plane (2006).
Jackson got his big break after he appeared in True Romance (1993), which was written by Quentin Tarantino. After that experience, Tarantino came to Jackson with the role of Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction...
- 4/4/2024
- by David Morgan
- Deadline Film + TV
Jeffrey Wright has joined Denzel Washington on the cast of Spike Lee’s upcoming feature ‘High and Low’.
Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on the movie which chronicles the ruin of a businessman following a ransom payment to kidnappers.
Todd Black, known for producing ‘Emancipation’ and ‘The Equalizer’ films, will produce a new feature for Escape Artists along with Jason Michael Berman of Mandalay Pictures, who has previously worked on ‘Air’ and ‘Nine Days’. Spike Lee will also direct the film and serve as executive producer through his production company 40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks. Peter Guber of Mandalay Pictures will be another executive producer, along with Matthew Lindner, Chris Brigham, and Katia Washington of Juniper Productions. Jordan Moldo of Mandalay Pictures will be the co-producer.
Also in news – Andre Holland features in first look for AppleTV+ series ‘The Big Cigar’
The movie, which will be released...
Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on the movie which chronicles the ruin of a businessman following a ransom payment to kidnappers.
Todd Black, known for producing ‘Emancipation’ and ‘The Equalizer’ films, will produce a new feature for Escape Artists along with Jason Michael Berman of Mandalay Pictures, who has previously worked on ‘Air’ and ‘Nine Days’. Spike Lee will also direct the film and serve as executive producer through his production company 40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks. Peter Guber of Mandalay Pictures will be another executive producer, along with Matthew Lindner, Chris Brigham, and Katia Washington of Juniper Productions. Jordan Moldo of Mandalay Pictures will be the co-producer.
Also in news – Andre Holland features in first look for AppleTV+ series ‘The Big Cigar’
The movie, which will be released...
- 3/20/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Fresh from his Oscar-nominated role in “American Fiction,” Jeffrey Wright has joined the cast of “High and Low.” The re-imagining of the Akira Kurosawa classic thriller is being directed by Spike Lee and will star Denzel Washington. Lee wrote the script with Alan Fox for the English-language adaptation of the story of a wealthy man dealing with a kidnapping. Production on the Apple Original Films starts this month.
In addition to Washington, “High and Low” also stars Ilfenesh Hadera (“Billions”). A24 will release the film theatrically before its global launch on Apple TV+.
The feature will be produced by Todd Black, who worked with Washington on “The Equalizer” films, for Escape Artists and Jason Michael Berman (“Air”) for Mandalay Pictures. In addition to directing, Lee will serve as executive producer through his 40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks. Mandalay’s Peter Guber will serve as executive producer, along with Juniper Productions’ Matthew Lindner,...
In addition to Washington, “High and Low” also stars Ilfenesh Hadera (“Billions”). A24 will release the film theatrically before its global launch on Apple TV+.
The feature will be produced by Todd Black, who worked with Washington on “The Equalizer” films, for Escape Artists and Jason Michael Berman (“Air”) for Mandalay Pictures. In addition to directing, Lee will serve as executive producer through his 40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks. Mandalay’s Peter Guber will serve as executive producer, along with Juniper Productions’ Matthew Lindner,...
- 3/19/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Fresh off his Oscar nomination for best actor, Jeffrey Wright has set his next film.
Apple Original Films and A24 announced Tuesday that Wright is joining Denzel Washington in director Spike Lee’s next film, High and Low. A24 will give the film a theatrical release before its global launch of Apple TV+. A release date has yet be announced.
The thriller, which starts production this month, is the English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller High and Low. The 1963 Japanese movie told of a shoe executive that was in the middle of a complex corporate takeover when his plans are derailed by the accidental kidnapping and ransom of his chauffeur’s son, instead of his own son.
The movie adaption was developed and produced by A24, Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures, and written by Alan Fox and Lee.
High and Low marks the second collaboration between Apple Original...
Apple Original Films and A24 announced Tuesday that Wright is joining Denzel Washington in director Spike Lee’s next film, High and Low. A24 will give the film a theatrical release before its global launch of Apple TV+. A release date has yet be announced.
The thriller, which starts production this month, is the English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller High and Low. The 1963 Japanese movie told of a shoe executive that was in the middle of a complex corporate takeover when his plans are derailed by the accidental kidnapping and ransom of his chauffeur’s son, instead of his own son.
The movie adaption was developed and produced by A24, Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures, and written by Alan Fox and Lee.
High and Low marks the second collaboration between Apple Original...
- 3/19/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Meet the Jazz Maestro Bleek Gilliam Let’s kick things off with Bleek Gilliam in Mo’ Better Blues, shall we? Denzel Washington blows the trumpet and our minds as a jazz musician who’s got more issues than Vogue. Sure, the man’s got chops, but his life’s a messier composition than a free jazz solo. The film’s vibrant setting, thanks to Bill Lee’s score and Ernest Dickerson’s cinematography, is like a love letter to jazz that somehow got lost in the mail. And let’s talk about Lee’s deadpan—Denzel nails it like a pro, giving Bleek an escape from his self-destructive spiral. Critics...
- 3/13/2024
- by Jane Wiggle
- TVovermind.com
Giancarlo Esposito has been in the entertainment industry for over four decades. He is best known for his role as Gus Fring in the crime drama series- Breaking Bad and its spin-off- Better Call Saul. He won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in the former.
Furthermore, Esposito was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series thrice. He has been in talks about playing the X-Men character Professor X for quite some time. Recently, he said something regarding this, which did not sit well with netizens, who had a furious outburst.
Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian
Giancarlo Esposito Wants Marvel to Race Swap Two Major X-Men Characters and Fans Aren’t Too Happy About It
Giancarlo Esposito has appeared in many series such as the Amazon series- The Boys, the Disney+ series- The Mandalorian,...
Furthermore, Esposito was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series thrice. He has been in talks about playing the X-Men character Professor X for quite some time. Recently, he said something regarding this, which did not sit well with netizens, who had a furious outburst.
Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian
Giancarlo Esposito Wants Marvel to Race Swap Two Major X-Men Characters and Fans Aren’t Too Happy About It
Giancarlo Esposito has appeared in many series such as the Amazon series- The Boys, the Disney+ series- The Mandalorian,...
- 3/12/2024
- by Ankita
- FandomWire
Actor Denzel Washington and director Spike Lee announced they are joining forces once more, the first time in 18 years, for a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller “High and Low.” The duo have collaborated four times previously, on “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Malcolm X,” “He Got Game,” and, most recently, “Inside Man.”
“High and Low” was originally based on the novel “King’s Ransom” by the prolific American author Ed McBain. McBain was a nom de plume for Evan Hunter, who also wrote “The Blackboard Jungle” (adapted to a popular film with a significant early turn by Sidney Poitier) and was a co-screenwriter of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”
The original “High and Low” starred Toshiro Mifune as an executive who faces a moral crisis during a pivotal moment of his career—just as he had intended to move a vast amount of his personal wealth for business reasons, his son...
“High and Low” was originally based on the novel “King’s Ransom” by the prolific American author Ed McBain. McBain was a nom de plume for Evan Hunter, who also wrote “The Blackboard Jungle” (adapted to a popular film with a significant early turn by Sidney Poitier) and was a co-screenwriter of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”
The original “High and Low” starred Toshiro Mifune as an executive who faces a moral crisis during a pivotal moment of his career—just as he had intended to move a vast amount of his personal wealth for business reasons, his son...
- 2/9/2024
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Denzel Washington and Spike Lee are set to reunite for their fifth film together on the English-language interpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller ‘High and Low.’
Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on the movie which chronicles the ruin of a businessman following a ransom payment to kidnappers.
Todd Black, known for producing ‘Emancipation’ and ‘The Equalizer’ films, will produce a new feature for Escape Artists along with Jason Michael Berman of Mandalay Pictures, who has previously worked on ‘Air’ and ‘Nine Days’. Spike Lee will also direct the film and serve as executive producer through his production company 40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks. Peter Guber of Mandalay Pictures will be another executive producer, along with Matthew Lindner, Chris Brigham, and Katia Washington of Juniper Productions. Jordan Moldo of Mandalay Pictures will be the co-producer.
Also in news – Margot Robbie & Colin Farrell to team up for ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey...
Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on the movie which chronicles the ruin of a businessman following a ransom payment to kidnappers.
Todd Black, known for producing ‘Emancipation’ and ‘The Equalizer’ films, will produce a new feature for Escape Artists along with Jason Michael Berman of Mandalay Pictures, who has previously worked on ‘Air’ and ‘Nine Days’. Spike Lee will also direct the film and serve as executive producer through his production company 40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks. Peter Guber of Mandalay Pictures will be another executive producer, along with Matthew Lindner, Chris Brigham, and Katia Washington of Juniper Productions. Jordan Moldo of Mandalay Pictures will be the co-producer.
Also in news – Margot Robbie & Colin Farrell to team up for ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey...
- 2/9/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Spike Lee and Denzel Washington are set to re-team for a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller High And Low.
Denzel Washington has recently finished up work on Gladiator 2 for Ridley Scott and we know that at some point, he’s set to play Hannibal in Antoine Fuqua’s take on the mighty conqueror – you know, the elephant-riding, Rome-conquering one whose name still rings throughout history.
We don’t yet know when Hannibal will go before cameras but we do now know it won’t be Washington’s next project.
Instead, Washington will be working with another key collaborator: Spike Lee.
The duo are set to make their fifth film together according to The Hollywood Reporter. What’s more, it’s set to be a remake of an Akira Kurosawa movie.
Apple Studios and A24 have joined forces to back the project with A24 putting the film out for theatrical release.
Denzel Washington has recently finished up work on Gladiator 2 for Ridley Scott and we know that at some point, he’s set to play Hannibal in Antoine Fuqua’s take on the mighty conqueror – you know, the elephant-riding, Rome-conquering one whose name still rings throughout history.
We don’t yet know when Hannibal will go before cameras but we do now know it won’t be Washington’s next project.
Instead, Washington will be working with another key collaborator: Spike Lee.
The duo are set to make their fifth film together according to The Hollywood Reporter. What’s more, it’s set to be a remake of an Akira Kurosawa movie.
Apple Studios and A24 have joined forces to back the project with A24 putting the film out for theatrical release.
- 2/9/2024
- by Dan Cooper
- Film Stories
Denzel Washington and Spike Lee are reuniting for their fifth film together – the first since 2006’s “Inside Man.” Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on “High and Low,” which will be released theatrically by A24 before a global launch on AppleTV+.
The thriller, which starts production in March, is the English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller of the same name. The 1963 film starring Toshiro Mifune was based on the Ed McBain novel “King’s Ransom,” which chronicles the ruin of a businessman following a ransom payment to kidnappers.
Developed and produced by A24, Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures, “High and Low” features a script written by Alan Fox and Spike Lee.
As Apple is a co-financier on “High and Low,” this project will not be included in a recent multi-year deal that A24 brokered with competing streaming service Max last year, sources familiar with the movie said. The...
The thriller, which starts production in March, is the English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller of the same name. The 1963 film starring Toshiro Mifune was based on the Ed McBain novel “King’s Ransom,” which chronicles the ruin of a businessman following a ransom payment to kidnappers.
Developed and produced by A24, Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures, “High and Low” features a script written by Alan Fox and Spike Lee.
As Apple is a co-financier on “High and Low,” this project will not be included in a recent multi-year deal that A24 brokered with competing streaming service Max last year, sources familiar with the movie said. The...
- 2/8/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on High and Low, which reunites longtime collaborators Spike Lee and Denzel Washington with Washington starring and Lee directing. A24 will release the film theatrically before its global launch on Apple TV+.
The film is an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller. While its unknown how similar the High and Low plot will be, Kurosawa’s movie follows an executive at a Yokohama shoe company who becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped by mistake and held for ransom.
Developed and produced by A24, Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures and written by Alan Fox and Lee, the new thriller starts production in March. High and Low will be produced by Todd Black for Escape Artists and Jason Michael Berman for Mandalay Pictures. In addition to directing, Lee will serve as executive producer through his 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks.
The film is an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller. While its unknown how similar the High and Low plot will be, Kurosawa’s movie follows an executive at a Yokohama shoe company who becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped by mistake and held for ransom.
Developed and produced by A24, Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures and written by Alan Fox and Lee, the new thriller starts production in March. High and Low will be produced by Todd Black for Escape Artists and Jason Michael Berman for Mandalay Pictures. In addition to directing, Lee will serve as executive producer through his 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks.
- 2/8/2024
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
A new Spike Lee Joint is in the works that will reunite the director with Denzel Washington. Apple Original Films is partnering with A24 on “High and Low,” an English-language adaptation of the 1963 Akira Kurosawa crime film of the same name.
“High and Low” marks the first time Washington and Lee will work together since 2006’s “Inside Man.” It will be their fifth film together in addition to “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Malcolm X,” and “He Got Game.”
The project also brings back together Washington and Todd Black, who produced “Fences,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and “The Equalizer” films. Washington previously starred in another Apple and A24 film, Joel Coen’s 2022 “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” which netted Denzel his 10th Oscar nomination.
Production on “High and Low” will start in March. A24 plans to release the film theatrically before it streams on Apple TV+.
“High and Low” is just one of Japanese master Kurosawa’s masterpieces,...
“High and Low” marks the first time Washington and Lee will work together since 2006’s “Inside Man.” It will be their fifth film together in addition to “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Malcolm X,” and “He Got Game.”
The project also brings back together Washington and Todd Black, who produced “Fences,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and “The Equalizer” films. Washington previously starred in another Apple and A24 film, Joel Coen’s 2022 “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” which netted Denzel his 10th Oscar nomination.
Production on “High and Low” will start in March. A24 plans to release the film theatrically before it streams on Apple TV+.
“High and Low” is just one of Japanese master Kurosawa’s masterpieces,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Denzel Washington and Spike Lee are reuniting for High and Low, a thriller that has landed at Apple Original Films.
The feature is a partnership between Apple and A24, with the latter to release the High and Low theatrically before a global launch on Apple TV+.
Written by Alan Fox and Lee, the project is an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller High and Low. The 1963 Japanese movie told of a shoe executive that was in the middle of a complex corporate takeover when his plans are derailed by the accidental kidnapping and ransom of his chauffeur’s son, instead of his own son.
The thriller is due to begin production in March with Lee in the director’s chair and Washington starring. It will be the fifth collaboration between Lee and Washington. Their most recent was the 2006 critical and box office hit, Inside Man. Their other movies include Mo’ Better Blues,...
The feature is a partnership between Apple and A24, with the latter to release the High and Low theatrically before a global launch on Apple TV+.
Written by Alan Fox and Lee, the project is an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller High and Low. The 1963 Japanese movie told of a shoe executive that was in the middle of a complex corporate takeover when his plans are derailed by the accidental kidnapping and ransom of his chauffeur’s son, instead of his own son.
The thriller is due to begin production in March with Lee in the director’s chair and Washington starring. It will be the fifth collaboration between Lee and Washington. Their most recent was the 2006 critical and box office hit, Inside Man. Their other movies include Mo’ Better Blues,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The American Society of Cinematographers has done the right thing.
The group said today that Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Lee will receive its Board of Governors Award next month.
“Spike Lee is one of the most brilliant filmmakers of our time, and the social impact of his work is immeasurable,” ASC President Shelly Johnson said. “This award celebrates his respect for the partnership between director and cinematographer and how two people unite to tell a visual story in a way that can only be recognized as that of collaboration.”
The Brooklyn-raised Lee began his storied career in the 1980s as a writer-director of such films as She’s Gotta Have It, School Daze and Do the Right Thing, for which he earned a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination. Many more celebrated films would follow, including Malcolm X, Mo’ Better Blues, Jungle Fever, Crooklyn, Clockers, He Got Game, Summer of Sam, Girl 6,...
The group said today that Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Lee will receive its Board of Governors Award next month.
“Spike Lee is one of the most brilliant filmmakers of our time, and the social impact of his work is immeasurable,” ASC President Shelly Johnson said. “This award celebrates his respect for the partnership between director and cinematographer and how two people unite to tell a visual story in a way that can only be recognized as that of collaboration.”
The Brooklyn-raised Lee began his storied career in the 1980s as a writer-director of such films as She’s Gotta Have It, School Daze and Do the Right Thing, for which he earned a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination. Many more celebrated films would follow, including Malcolm X, Mo’ Better Blues, Jungle Fever, Crooklyn, Clockers, He Got Game, Summer of Sam, Girl 6,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Filmmaker Sam Pollard, one of the most prolific and important forces in contemporary documentary, will be honored by Black Public Media at its upcoming PitchBlack Awards in New York.
Pollard — who directed or co-directed four films and docuseries this year alone, including The League and Bill Russell: Legend — will receive the Bpm Trailblazer Award in a ceremony on April 25. The event is set to take place at the Stanley H. Kantor Penthouse of Manhattan’s Lincoln Center, capping the latest edition of Bpm’s PitchBLACK Forum, described as “the largest pitch competition of its kind in the United States for independent filmmakers and creative technologists who create Black content.”
“A multiple Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning producer-director-editor, Pollard is known for his work on a plethora of important works including: Eyes On The Prize, Maynard, MLK/FBI, Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power, and Mr. Soul!,” a release noted.
Pollard — who directed or co-directed four films and docuseries this year alone, including The League and Bill Russell: Legend — will receive the Bpm Trailblazer Award in a ceremony on April 25. The event is set to take place at the Stanley H. Kantor Penthouse of Manhattan’s Lincoln Center, capping the latest edition of Bpm’s PitchBLACK Forum, described as “the largest pitch competition of its kind in the United States for independent filmmakers and creative technologists who create Black content.”
“A multiple Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning producer-director-editor, Pollard is known for his work on a plethora of important works including: Eyes On The Prize, Maynard, MLK/FBI, Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power, and Mr. Soul!,” a release noted.
- 12/23/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
In early 1991, 20-year-old Tupac Shakur was torn between ambitions of acting and rapping, and struggling to catch a break on both fronts. He had studied theater at the Baltimore School for the Arts and toured with the west coast hip-hop collective Digital Underground, but acting opportunities were scarce and he had yet to finish the demo tape that would launch him to stardom. His luck would turn when Digital Underground’s road manager, Sleuth, received a call from Cara Lewis, the group’s booking agent at William Morris. A film director named Ernest Dickerson was looking for actors for a movie called Juice and they invited Money-b, a fellow member of the collective, to audition. Dickerson had earned acclaim for his work as Spike Lee’s director of photography on a run of films, including She’s Gotta Have It, School Daze, Do the Right Thing, Mo’ Better Blues, and Jungle Fever.
- 10/24/2023
- by Staci Robinson
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With The Equalizer 3 pulling in solid numbers in its debut weekend, we wanted to know what your favorite movie in the legendary actors filmography is. Are you more a fan of his hard hitting dramatic work or his more action packed films? As always if you don’t see your favorite listed, click “Other” and let us know what it is (and why) in the comments.
Favorite Denzel Washington FilmCry Freedom (1987)Glory (1989)Mo' Better Blues (1990)Malcolm X (1992)The Pelican Brief (1993)Philadelphia (1993)Crimson Tide (1995)Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)Courage Under Fire (1996)The Preacher's Wife (1996)Fallen (1998)He Got Game (1998)The Siege (1998)The Bone Collector (1999)The Hurricane (1999)Remember The Titans (2000)Training Day (2001)John Q (2002)Antwone Fisher (2002)Man on Fire (2004)The Manchurian Candidate (2004)Inside Man (2006)American Gangster (2007)The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)The Book of Eli (2010)Unstoppable (2010)Safe House (2012)Flight (2012)The Equalizer (2014)The Magnificent Seven (2016)Fences (2016)Roman J. Israel, Esq (2017)The Equalizer 2...
Favorite Denzel Washington FilmCry Freedom (1987)Glory (1989)Mo' Better Blues (1990)Malcolm X (1992)The Pelican Brief (1993)Philadelphia (1993)Crimson Tide (1995)Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)Courage Under Fire (1996)The Preacher's Wife (1996)Fallen (1998)He Got Game (1998)The Siege (1998)The Bone Collector (1999)The Hurricane (1999)Remember The Titans (2000)Training Day (2001)John Q (2002)Antwone Fisher (2002)Man on Fire (2004)The Manchurian Candidate (2004)Inside Man (2006)American Gangster (2007)The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)The Book of Eli (2010)Unstoppable (2010)Safe House (2012)Flight (2012)The Equalizer (2014)The Magnificent Seven (2016)Fences (2016)Roman J. Israel, Esq (2017)The Equalizer 2...
- 9/3/2023
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
Two personal, stylish, and distinctive films celebrate major birthdays this month: “Risky Business” turned 40 August 5 and August 1 marked the 50th anniversary of the release of “American Graffiti.”
Two other personal, stylish, and distinctive films also celebrate their blockbuster success this August: “Barbie,” which is now $1 billion worldwide and counting, and “Oppenheimer,” which just crossed $600 million.
August is generally known for providing the dog days of summer box office. It’s the end of the road, kids are going back to school. There’s no time for a blockbuster to stretch its legs and no one’s in the mood for anything weighty. The current studio release calendar bears out that logic with “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” “The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” “Gran Turismo,” “Blue Beetle,” and “Strays.”
“Apocalypse Now”Courtesy Everett Collection
History tells us it doesn’t have to be that way. Among the smarter films...
Two other personal, stylish, and distinctive films also celebrate their blockbuster success this August: “Barbie,” which is now $1 billion worldwide and counting, and “Oppenheimer,” which just crossed $600 million.
August is generally known for providing the dog days of summer box office. It’s the end of the road, kids are going back to school. There’s no time for a blockbuster to stretch its legs and no one’s in the mood for anything weighty. The current studio release calendar bears out that logic with “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” “The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” “Gran Turismo,” “Blue Beetle,” and “Strays.”
“Apocalypse Now”Courtesy Everett Collection
History tells us it doesn’t have to be that way. Among the smarter films...
- 8/11/2023
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Toronto — Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF, is delighted to announce the first honourees of this year’s Tribute Awards: Academy Award®–winning directors and legends Pedro Almodóvar and Spike Lee. One of the world’s foremost filmmakers and provocative storytellers, Almodóvar will receive the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media presented by Participant, and Lee, a cultural icon who has influenced generations of filmmakers, will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award. The 2023 Tribute Awards presented by Bulgari will take place on Sunday, September 10, during the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival at Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Now in its fifth year, the TIFF Tribute Awards have served as an awards-season bellwether, with past honourees Michelle Yeoh, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Chastain, Roger Deakins, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Joaquin Phoenix, Taika Waititi, and Chloé Zhao going on to win awards on the international stage.
“It’s a true thrill to acknowledge Pedro...
“It’s a true thrill to acknowledge Pedro...
- 8/3/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Pedro Almodóvar and Spike Lee will be feted at TIFF 2023.
Both auteurs were announced as the first Tribute Award recipients for this year’s festival, with the fifth annual fundraising gala taking place Sunday, September 10. TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey confirmed that Almodóvar will receive the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media presented by Participant, and Spike Lee will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award.
The Tribute Awards are presented by Bulgari, with the celebration hosted by the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
The Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media recognizes leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema, with Buffy Sainte-Marie, Alanis Obomsawin, and Mira Nair previously earning the award.
“It’s a true thrill to acknowledge Pedro Almodóvar as the distinguished recipient of the Jeff Skoll Impact Media Award for 2023,” Bailey said. “Pedro has been coming to TIFF for years and each time is better than the time before.
Both auteurs were announced as the first Tribute Award recipients for this year’s festival, with the fifth annual fundraising gala taking place Sunday, September 10. TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey confirmed that Almodóvar will receive the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media presented by Participant, and Spike Lee will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award.
The Tribute Awards are presented by Bulgari, with the celebration hosted by the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
The Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media recognizes leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema, with Buffy Sainte-Marie, Alanis Obomsawin, and Mira Nair previously earning the award.
“It’s a true thrill to acknowledge Pedro Almodóvar as the distinguished recipient of the Jeff Skoll Impact Media Award for 2023,” Bailey said. “Pedro has been coming to TIFF for years and each time is better than the time before.
- 8/3/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Chicago – Sam Pollard has established himself as a top director of documentaries, to add to his stellar career as a film editor … including for Spike Lee. His latest doc is a deep dive into the 20th Century curiosity of the Negro League. With interviews, archival photos/footage and comprehensive storytelling, the doc is entitled “The League.”
The Negro Leagues were born because of Major League Baseball’s segregation in the first half of the 20th Century, as the owners colluded to keep blacks off their teams. It took black entrepreneur Rube Foster to organize the rag-tag “negro” teams of the era into a collective in 1920. At the League’s peak they forged their own top players, introduced a more modern speed-oriented game and produced many future stars … including Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Barely surviving the Depression, the barnstorming league changed teams and areas of the country with impunity,...
The Negro Leagues were born because of Major League Baseball’s segregation in the first half of the 20th Century, as the owners colluded to keep blacks off their teams. It took black entrepreneur Rube Foster to organize the rag-tag “negro” teams of the era into a collective in 1920. At the League’s peak they forged their own top players, introduced a more modern speed-oriented game and produced many future stars … including Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Barely surviving the Depression, the barnstorming league changed teams and areas of the country with impunity,...
- 7/15/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Bill Lee, the accomplished jazz musician who collaborated with the likes of Cat Stevens, Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan and also scored many of his son Spike Lee’s films, has died according to multiple reports. He was 94.
Bill Lee composed the memorable original music for many of Spike Lee’s early, seminal films, including She’s Gotta Have It (1986), School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989) and Mo’ Better Blues (1990). The elder Lee had small roles in each of those films, except for Do the Right Thing. He also scored his son’s early short, Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads.
The director posted a series of photos on Instagram remembering his father, the first accompanied by the phrase, “Deeds Not Words.”
The deeds of Lee’s father made an impact on his son.
“Everything I know about jazz I got from my father,” Spike Lee told the New York...
Bill Lee composed the memorable original music for many of Spike Lee’s early, seminal films, including She’s Gotta Have It (1986), School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989) and Mo’ Better Blues (1990). The elder Lee had small roles in each of those films, except for Do the Right Thing. He also scored his son’s early short, Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads.
The director posted a series of photos on Instagram remembering his father, the first accompanied by the phrase, “Deeds Not Words.”
The deeds of Lee’s father made an impact on his son.
“Everything I know about jazz I got from my father,” Spike Lee told the New York...
- 5/24/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Bill Lee, the jazz bassist who recorded with the likes of Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin and was the father of filmmaker Spike Lee, has died at the age of 94.
Lee died Wednesday at his home in Brooklyn, Spike confirmed to The New York Times. No cause of death was provided.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee)
A longtime session musician whose work dates back to the early Sixties, Lee’s double bass could be heard on recordings by artists like Harry Belafonte, Judy Collins,...
Lee died Wednesday at his home in Brooklyn, Spike confirmed to The New York Times. No cause of death was provided.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee)
A longtime session musician whose work dates back to the early Sixties, Lee’s double bass could be heard on recordings by artists like Harry Belafonte, Judy Collins,...
- 5/24/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
There’s no joint like a Spike Lee Joint, but what other movies does the director love?
Over four decades and 30 films, Brooklyn-raised Lee has established himself as the type of director whose work can’t be replicated. The traits that make a Spike Lee Joint a Spike Lee Joint are easy to spot: the fiery and often political subject matter, the mix of humor with drama, those iconic floaty dolly shots, and an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to stylistic experimentation.
Lee’s fearlessness as a director makes for a fascinating mixed-bag of a filmography. The auteur has at least three undeniable masterpieces under his belt: 1989’s “Do the Right Thing,” a searing drama about police violence and racism; 1992’s “Malcolm X,” an epic starring Denzel Washington as the titular Civil Rights leader; and 2002’s “25th Hour,” the greatest portrait of life in New York after 9/11 put to film. Depending on who you ask,...
Over four decades and 30 films, Brooklyn-raised Lee has established himself as the type of director whose work can’t be replicated. The traits that make a Spike Lee Joint a Spike Lee Joint are easy to spot: the fiery and often political subject matter, the mix of humor with drama, those iconic floaty dolly shots, and an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to stylistic experimentation.
Lee’s fearlessness as a director makes for a fascinating mixed-bag of a filmography. The auteur has at least three undeniable masterpieces under his belt: 1989’s “Do the Right Thing,” a searing drama about police violence and racism; 1992’s “Malcolm X,” an epic starring Denzel Washington as the titular Civil Rights leader; and 2002’s “25th Hour,” the greatest portrait of life in New York after 9/11 put to film. Depending on who you ask,...
- 5/10/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Rainn Wilson travels for a purpose — to find the happiest places on Earth. In the new Peacock docu-series “The Geography of Bliss,” the intrepid traveler traverses the globe in a humorous search for meaning. Based on Eric Weiner’s New York Times bestselling book, “The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World,” Wilson explores some of the happiest and unhappiest places on earth — from Iceland to Bulgaria to Ghana — in a profound and funny way that unpacks the science of happiness. All five episodes of the series will be available during Mental Health Awareness Month, beginning on May 18.
Watch the trailer for “The Geography of Bliss”:
Also arriving on the streaming service next month, Pete Davidson, Edie Falco, and Joe Pesci will star in “Bupkis,” a semi-autobiographical series about Davidson’s life. The show mixes reality and absurdity to capture the complexities...
Watch the trailer for “The Geography of Bliss”:
Also arriving on the streaming service next month, Pete Davidson, Edie Falco, and Joe Pesci will star in “Bupkis,” a semi-autobiographical series about Davidson’s life. The show mixes reality and absurdity to capture the complexities...
- 4/27/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
On March 12, 2023, Ruth E. Carter won her second Academy Award for her work on the costumes of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." It was Carter's second Oscar win after 2018's "Black Panther," making her the first costumer in history to win Academy Awards for a movie and its sequel. Her wins are both well-deserved. Extrapolating from the fictional country originally found in the pages of Marvel Comics, "Wakanda Forever" constructed the clothes and uniforms worn by the citizens of a high-tech central African nation that, thanks to their access to a rare miracle metal and an equally rare super-powered flower, allowed them to advance centuries beyond the rest of the world. Carter designed the clothes for Wakandan royalty, the royal guard, and the country's civilians. She also had to evoke Wakandan funerary rights, as the film opens with the funeral of the original Black Panther. Carter has said that Wakandan dress...
- 3/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Paul Mescal has clocked his first Olivier Award nomination for his leading performance in Rebecca Frecknall’s buzzy stage adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire. Scroll down for the full list of nominees.
A Streetcar Named Desire netted six nominations overall, which also included first-time nods for Mescal’s co-stars Anjana Vasan and Patsy Ferran.
In other high-profile nods, Jodie Comer is nominated for Best Actress for her West End debut in the well-received Prima Facie, which has five nominations overall, including Best New Play and Best Director.
David Tennant is in Best Actor for his updated production of C.P. Taylor’s 1989 play Good, and Tom Hollander landed a nom for Patriots, Peter Morgan’s new play set during the fall of the Soviet Union, which is nominated in three categories.
This year’s most nominated production is My Neighbour Totoro, the stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s cult 1988 animated film.
A Streetcar Named Desire netted six nominations overall, which also included first-time nods for Mescal’s co-stars Anjana Vasan and Patsy Ferran.
In other high-profile nods, Jodie Comer is nominated for Best Actress for her West End debut in the well-received Prima Facie, which has five nominations overall, including Best New Play and Best Director.
David Tennant is in Best Actor for his updated production of C.P. Taylor’s 1989 play Good, and Tom Hollander landed a nom for Patriots, Peter Morgan’s new play set during the fall of the Soviet Union, which is nominated in three categories.
This year’s most nominated production is My Neighbour Totoro, the stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s cult 1988 animated film.
- 2/28/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Sad news today as it has been reported that Barbara Basson died on Saturday at the age of 83. The actress is best known for playing Fay Furillo on Hill Street Blues, which was co-created by her then-husband, Steven Bochco. Basson’s son, Jesse Bochco, announced her death on social media. “More spirit and zest than you could shake a stick at,” Bochco wrote. “When she loved you, you felt it without a doubt. If she didn’t, you may well have also known that too. Forever in our hearts. I love you Mama.“
Barbara Basson appeared in many of her husband’s productions, including Capt. Celeste “C.Z.” Stern, the divorced boss of John Ritter’s police inspector, in Hooperman, as Los Angeles mayor Louise Plank in Cop Rock, and as prosecutor Miriam Grasso in Murder One. Basson also appeared in TV shows such as Mannix, Emergency!, McMillan & Wife,...
Barbara Basson appeared in many of her husband’s productions, including Capt. Celeste “C.Z.” Stern, the divorced boss of John Ritter’s police inspector, in Hooperman, as Los Angeles mayor Louise Plank in Cop Rock, and as prosecutor Miriam Grasso in Murder One. Basson also appeared in TV shows such as Mannix, Emergency!, McMillan & Wife,...
- 2/21/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Regardless of genre, the best films typically revolve around compelling, multi-dimensional characters who viewers can become emotionally invested in. Since the mid-'80s, filmmaker Spike Lee has given life to characters who remain memorable long after the credits roll. Lee's characters are more than just the protagonists of their respective stories; they're vehicles for the director's social commentary. His films frequently tackle racial politics, which these characters face head-on in their daily lives. For them, discrimination and poverty are ever-present facts of life that shape their decisions and motivations.
However, these characters' greatest strength is the humble, true-to-life nature of their personalities. They frequently smash stereotypes, giving audiences a glimpse at the humanity behind their outward personas. For instance, several Spike Lee joints feature would-be criminals who receive as much empathy and development as traditional heroes. Many of Lee's characters become symbols of hope and resilience, while others are hysterical...
However, these characters' greatest strength is the humble, true-to-life nature of their personalities. They frequently smash stereotypes, giving audiences a glimpse at the humanity behind their outward personas. For instance, several Spike Lee joints feature would-be criminals who receive as much empathy and development as traditional heroes. Many of Lee's characters become symbols of hope and resilience, while others are hysterical...
- 1/26/2023
- by Samantha Jacobs
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
With A Jazzman’s Blues, Tyler Perry proves himself to be, more than anything, a reliable auteur of serviceable melodramas. The film, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and will stream on Netflix on September 23, is an exercise in tropes and caricatures, a game of “spot the cliché.” Nearly all the usual suspects of Black and Biblical stereotypes make an appearance here: the tragic mulatto, the mammy, the magical negro, Cain and his brother Abel. They are assembled, like pieces of a familiar puzzle, under Perry’s assured direction and utilitarian screenplay. The result is Hollywood catnip.
The comparisons to existing projects will be inevitable because A Jazzman’s Blues is an amalgamation of what already exists. There are hints of Green Book in its depictions of the South, The Notebook in the romance, Passing, any films about Black musicians trying to make it North,...
With A Jazzman’s Blues, Tyler Perry proves himself to be, more than anything, a reliable auteur of serviceable melodramas. The film, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and will stream on Netflix on September 23, is an exercise in tropes and caricatures, a game of “spot the cliché.” Nearly all the usual suspects of Black and Biblical stereotypes make an appearance here: the tragic mulatto, the mammy, the magical negro, Cain and his brother Abel. They are assembled, like pieces of a familiar puzzle, under Perry’s assured direction and utilitarian screenplay. The result is Hollywood catnip.
The comparisons to existing projects will be inevitable because A Jazzman’s Blues is an amalgamation of what already exists. There are hints of Green Book in its depictions of the South, The Notebook in the romance, Passing, any films about Black musicians trying to make it North,...
- 9/12/2022
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Ahead of premiering his latest feature, A Jazzman’s Blues, at the Toronto International Film Festival, Tyler Perry sat down for a wide-ranging conversation about the long road to making the period drama and his hope for diversity in the entertainment industry.
“I am extremely excited for what has happened. The diversity, the choices, the opportunities,” said Perry in conversation with The Hollywood Reporter editorial director Nekesa Mumbi Moody. “But I worry because there is such a push for diversity and push for hiring people of color that I have found, in situations, that there are people [who] can be pushed into seats they are not ready for.”
Perry emphasized the need for training and mentorship in order to create sustainable diversity in Hollywood. “I don’t want to have us as Black people in seats that we weren’t ready for and then have...
Ahead of premiering his latest feature, A Jazzman’s Blues, at the Toronto International Film Festival, Tyler Perry sat down for a wide-ranging conversation about the long road to making the period drama and his hope for diversity in the entertainment industry.
“I am extremely excited for what has happened. The diversity, the choices, the opportunities,” said Perry in conversation with The Hollywood Reporter editorial director Nekesa Mumbi Moody. “But I worry because there is such a push for diversity and push for hiring people of color that I have found, in situations, that there are people [who] can be pushed into seats they are not ready for.”
Perry emphasized the need for training and mentorship in order to create sustainable diversity in Hollywood. “I don’t want to have us as Black people in seats that we weren’t ready for and then have...
- 9/11/2022
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Philco — the one-off supergroup led by the Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh alongside Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and Nils Cline, Margo Price, and more — made their debut Friday night at Chicago’s Sacred Rose Festival.
The concert, which coincided with Tweedy’s 54th birthday, saw the Wilco frontman take lead vocals on Dead classics like “Dire Wolf,” “U.S. Blues,” “Franklin’s Tower,” and “Ripple.”
According to Jambase, the Philco lineup was rounded out by Dead and Company keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, guitarists Stu Allen and Grahame Lesh, vocalist Elliott Peck,...
The concert, which coincided with Tweedy’s 54th birthday, saw the Wilco frontman take lead vocals on Dead classics like “Dire Wolf,” “U.S. Blues,” “Franklin’s Tower,” and “Ripple.”
According to Jambase, the Philco lineup was rounded out by Dead and Company keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, guitarists Stu Allen and Grahame Lesh, vocalist Elliott Peck,...
- 8/27/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Writer, producer, and director Spike Lee came into the 1990s hot. After the critical and commercial triumph of his 1989 masterpiece “Do the Right Thing,” he started the decade with the exquisite jazz film “Mo’ Better Blues” (1990) and kept up the pace with 1991’s provocative, furious, and hilarious “Jungle Fever.” Those three films had all been made for Universal with modest budgets and were all successes relative to those budgets, but for his next movie Lee was ready to go to the mattresses. He took a break from Universal to make a movie at Warner Bros., the studio that held the rights to a project Lee had dreamed of directing since he was a film student: Alex Haley’s “The Autobiography of Malcolm X.”
Lee might not have been ready to take on a film of that scope and ambition when he was at NYU, but in the fall of 1991 he...
Lee might not have been ready to take on a film of that scope and ambition when he was at NYU, but in the fall of 1991 he...
- 8/18/2022
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Giancarlo Esposito is staying in business with AMC, with the renowned actor set to star in the newly greenlit drama series “The Driver” for the basic cabler.
The six-episode first season is based on a U.K. format created by Danny Brocklehurst and Jim Poyser. Brocklehurst and Sunu Gonera developed the new series for U.S. television. It focuses on a taxi driver (Esposito) whose life is turned upside down when he agrees to chauffer a New Orleans-based Zimbabwean gangster notorious for exploiting undocumented immigrants at the U.S. southern ports. The show is slated to debut on AMC and AMC Plus in 2023.
“I am over the moon excited, enthused, and inspired to be in collaboration with the stellar network and creative team of AMC!” Esposito said. “Thanks for believing in me. It’s great to be back home!”
Esposito will executive produce “The Driver” in addition to starring. Gonera and Brocklehurst also executive produce,...
The six-episode first season is based on a U.K. format created by Danny Brocklehurst and Jim Poyser. Brocklehurst and Sunu Gonera developed the new series for U.S. television. It focuses on a taxi driver (Esposito) whose life is turned upside down when he agrees to chauffer a New Orleans-based Zimbabwean gangster notorious for exploiting undocumented immigrants at the U.S. southern ports. The show is slated to debut on AMC and AMC Plus in 2023.
“I am over the moon excited, enthused, and inspired to be in collaboration with the stellar network and creative team of AMC!” Esposito said. “Thanks for believing in me. It’s great to be back home!”
Esposito will executive produce “The Driver” in addition to starring. Gonera and Brocklehurst also executive produce,...
- 3/8/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Filmmaker Boaz Yakin discusses some of his favorite films with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes:
Movies Referenced In This Episode
Aviva (2020)
The Harder They Fall (2021)
The Harder They Come (1972)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Fresh (1994)
Mo’ Better Blues (1990)
Safe (2012)
Scream (2022)
The Punisher (1989)
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Kagemusha (1980) – Bernard Rose’s trailer commentary
Mean Streets (1973)
Jaws (1975) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The 400 Blows (1959) – Robert Weide’s trailer commentary
Yojimbo (1961)
Dodes’ka-den (1970)
Short Cuts (1993) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray commentary
Casablanca (1942) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Coonskin (1975) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Fritz The Cat (1972) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
The Lord of the Rings (1978)
Wizards (1977)
Heavy Traffic (1973) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Warriors (1979)
Quintet (1979)
Brewster McCloud (1970) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Mash (1970)
Nashville (1975) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary, Dan Perri’s trailer commentary,...
Show Notes:
Movies Referenced In This Episode
Aviva (2020)
The Harder They Fall (2021)
The Harder They Come (1972)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Fresh (1994)
Mo’ Better Blues (1990)
Safe (2012)
Scream (2022)
The Punisher (1989)
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Kagemusha (1980) – Bernard Rose’s trailer commentary
Mean Streets (1973)
Jaws (1975) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The 400 Blows (1959) – Robert Weide’s trailer commentary
Yojimbo (1961)
Dodes’ka-den (1970)
Short Cuts (1993) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray commentary
Casablanca (1942) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Coonskin (1975) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Fritz The Cat (1972) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
The Lord of the Rings (1978)
Wizards (1977)
Heavy Traffic (1973) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Warriors (1979)
Quintet (1979)
Brewster McCloud (1970) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Mash (1970)
Nashville (1975) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary, Dan Perri’s trailer commentary,...
- 2/22/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Spike Lee will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Motion Picture Direction at this year’s DGA Awards, Directors Guild of America President Lesli Linka Glatter announced today.
The DGA’s highest honor will be presented to Lee at the 74th annual DGA Awards on Saturday, March 12. Lee is the first Black director to get the award, which recognizes extraordinary efforts in the art of cinema, He joins a roster of just 35 helmers so honored, including Frank Capra, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Billy Wilder, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Miloš Forman and, most recently, Ridley Scott.
In a statement, Glatter said, “Icon. Trailblazer. Visionary. Spike Lee has changed the face of cinema, and there is no single word that encapsulates his significance to the craft of directing. From his groundbreaking Do the Right Thing, BlacKkKlansman, and everything in-between – to his signature ‘double dolly’ shot, Spike is an innovator on so many levels.
The DGA’s highest honor will be presented to Lee at the 74th annual DGA Awards on Saturday, March 12. Lee is the first Black director to get the award, which recognizes extraordinary efforts in the art of cinema, He joins a roster of just 35 helmers so honored, including Frank Capra, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Billy Wilder, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Miloš Forman and, most recently, Ridley Scott.
In a statement, Glatter said, “Icon. Trailblazer. Visionary. Spike Lee has changed the face of cinema, and there is no single word that encapsulates his significance to the craft of directing. From his groundbreaking Do the Right Thing, BlacKkKlansman, and everything in-between – to his signature ‘double dolly’ shot, Spike is an innovator on so many levels.
- 1/19/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter is partnering with Black and woman-owned, online vintage marketplace Thrilling on a Vintage Studio Services program, aimed at connecting stylists, designers and production companies with vintage and secondhand items for film and TV projects.
Nearly 1,000 shops across the U.S. will be accessible through the initiative, which is looking to help bolster small businesses, while encouraging eco-friendly and sustainable practices within entertainment.
As Thrilling’s first-ever brand ambassador, Carter has pledged to utilize the company and its new program in her upcoming projects for 2022. In celebration of the program’s launch, Thrilling has also unveiled a campaign comprised of styles inspired by Ruth’s work across 40+ film and television projects, which illustrates the role fashion plays in setting the stage for some of cinema’s most memorable scenes.
Naturally, Carter describes her partnership with the marketplace as “thrilling.
“I really want...
Nearly 1,000 shops across the U.S. will be accessible through the initiative, which is looking to help bolster small businesses, while encouraging eco-friendly and sustainable practices within entertainment.
As Thrilling’s first-ever brand ambassador, Carter has pledged to utilize the company and its new program in her upcoming projects for 2022. In celebration of the program’s launch, Thrilling has also unveiled a campaign comprised of styles inspired by Ruth’s work across 40+ film and television projects, which illustrates the role fashion plays in setting the stage for some of cinema’s most memorable scenes.
Naturally, Carter describes her partnership with the marketplace as “thrilling.
“I really want...
- 1/13/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s a very musical episode! Director and Tfh Guru, Allan Arkush, returns to talk about his favorite rock and roll movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
No Nukes (1980)
Amazing Grace (2018) – Dennis Cozzalio’s Oscar nominee reactions
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Get Crazy (1983) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979) – Eli Roth’s trailer commentary
Blackboard Jungle (1955) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Rock, Rock, Rock! (1956) – Jesus Treviño’s trailer commentary
Mister Rock And Roll (1957)
Go, Johnny, Go! (1959) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Hail Hail Rock And Roll! (1987) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
The Girl Can’t Help It (1956) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
Hellzapoppin’ (1941)
Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Almost Famous (2000) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Wayne’s World (1992)
The Graduate (1967) – Neil Labute’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Scorpio Rising...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
No Nukes (1980)
Amazing Grace (2018) – Dennis Cozzalio’s Oscar nominee reactions
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Get Crazy (1983) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979) – Eli Roth’s trailer commentary
Blackboard Jungle (1955) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Rock, Rock, Rock! (1956) – Jesus Treviño’s trailer commentary
Mister Rock And Roll (1957)
Go, Johnny, Go! (1959) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Hail Hail Rock And Roll! (1987) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
The Girl Can’t Help It (1956) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
Hellzapoppin’ (1941)
Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Almost Famous (2000) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Wayne’s World (1992)
The Graduate (1967) – Neil Labute’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Scorpio Rising...
- 12/7/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Exclusive: The Many Saints of Newark star Alessandro Nivola continues to stay busy as he is in talks to star opposite Michelle Williams in Todd Haynes’s Peggy Lee biopic Fever. Nivola will play Dave Barbour in pic. Set up at MGM the feature is written by Doug Wright and produced by Marc Platt, Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler and Reese Witherspoon.
MGM had no comment.
Best known for her cover of the Little Willie John song “Fever,” to which she added her own additional lyrics, Lee was a product of the big band era, a singer, songwriter and composer whose career spanned nearly seven decades. She died in 2002 at the age of 81 but her legacy lives on as one of the first members of Capitol Records’ “old guard” to embrace the new rock ‘n’ roll sound. She was also an accomplished actor, earning an Oscar nom for best supporting actress...
MGM had no comment.
Best known for her cover of the Little Willie John song “Fever,” to which she added her own additional lyrics, Lee was a product of the big band era, a singer, songwriter and composer whose career spanned nearly seven decades. She died in 2002 at the age of 81 but her legacy lives on as one of the first members of Capitol Records’ “old guard” to embrace the new rock ‘n’ roll sound. She was also an accomplished actor, earning an Oscar nom for best supporting actress...
- 12/6/2021
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
‘The Good Boss’ leads Icíar Bollaín’s ‘Maixabel’ and Pedro Almodóvar’s ‘Parallel Mothers’.
The Good Boss, directed by Fernando León de Aranoa and starring Javier Bardem, led the Goya nominations from the Spanish Film Academy with 20 nods, an all-time record.
The satire, also Spain’s entry for the Oscars, is ahead of Icíar Bollaín’s Maixabel and Pedro Almodóvar’s Parallel Mothers, on 14 and eight nominations respectively.
The Good Boss is the fifth highest-grossing film in Spain this year with €2.6m. Written and directed by León de Aranoa, it follows the petty boss of an industrial scales factory, played...
The Good Boss, directed by Fernando León de Aranoa and starring Javier Bardem, led the Goya nominations from the Spanish Film Academy with 20 nods, an all-time record.
The satire, also Spain’s entry for the Oscars, is ahead of Icíar Bollaín’s Maixabel and Pedro Almodóvar’s Parallel Mothers, on 14 and eight nominations respectively.
The Good Boss is the fifth highest-grossing film in Spain this year with €2.6m. Written and directed by León de Aranoa, it follows the petty boss of an industrial scales factory, played...
- 11/29/2021
- by Elisabet Cabeza
- ScreenDaily
All products and services featured by IndieWire are independently selected by IndieWire editors. However, IndieWire may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
From “Do the Right Thing” to “Da 5 Bloods,” Spike Lee’s film catalog is packed with classics that have shaped Black cinema, and film at large. The Brooklyn-born auteur is known for a unique storytelling style, and of course, his signature double-dolly shot (where the character remains stationary while the background moves), which he’s used in several films including “Mo’ Better Blueseppice” and “Malcolm X.”
Last week, Film at Lincoln Center presented Lee with the Chaplin Award during the 46th Chaplin Award Gala, held at New York City’s Alice Tully Hall. The celebration, which was delayed a year because of the pandemic, included an excerpt from Lee’s HBO documentary...
From “Do the Right Thing” to “Da 5 Bloods,” Spike Lee’s film catalog is packed with classics that have shaped Black cinema, and film at large. The Brooklyn-born auteur is known for a unique storytelling style, and of course, his signature double-dolly shot (where the character remains stationary while the background moves), which he’s used in several films including “Mo’ Better Blueseppice” and “Malcolm X.”
Last week, Film at Lincoln Center presented Lee with the Chaplin Award during the 46th Chaplin Award Gala, held at New York City’s Alice Tully Hall. The celebration, which was delayed a year because of the pandemic, included an excerpt from Lee’s HBO documentary...
- 9/16/2021
- by Latifah Muhammad
- Indiewire
Spike Lee addressed how long it took The Academy to recognize his body of work while calling out a few films he believes are less-than-deserving of the coveted best picture win during the 46th Chaplin Award Gala on Thursday night.
Hosted by Film at Lincoln Center, the evening recognized Lee’s impact on filmmaking and television nearly two years after he was announced as the honor’s latest recipient. The ceremony and tribute, which was preceded by free outdoor screenings of Mo’ Better Blues and Do the Right Thing in August, also marked the first event held at The Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall since ...
Hosted by Film at Lincoln Center, the evening recognized Lee’s impact on filmmaking and television nearly two years after he was announced as the honor’s latest recipient. The ceremony and tribute, which was preceded by free outdoor screenings of Mo’ Better Blues and Do the Right Thing in August, also marked the first event held at The Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall since ...
- 9/10/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Spike Lee addressed how long it took The Academy to recognize his body of work while calling out a few films he believes are less-than-deserving of the coveted best picture win during the 46th Chaplin Award Gala on Thursday night.
Hosted by Film at Lincoln Center, the evening recognized Lee’s impact on filmmaking and television nearly two years after he was announced as the honor’s latest recipient. The ceremony and tribute, which was preceded by free outdoor screenings of Mo’ Better Blues and Do the Right Thing in August, also marked the first event held at The Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall since ...
Hosted by Film at Lincoln Center, the evening recognized Lee’s impact on filmmaking and television nearly two years after he was announced as the honor’s latest recipient. The ceremony and tribute, which was preceded by free outdoor screenings of Mo’ Better Blues and Do the Right Thing in August, also marked the first event held at The Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall since ...
- 9/10/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
HBO Max Pa’lante!, the social-first audience initiative aimed at driving culturally-relevant programming on HBO Max is launching the Pa’lante! Promise. Through a creative partnership with OneFifty — WarnerMedia’s artistic studio — the goal is to support Latino creatives whose work has a strong cultural aesthetic and features Latinos in front of and behind the scenes. The initiative includes a slate of original projects and a roster of OneFifty-acquired Latin films that will premiere on HBO Max.
“Visibility and opportunity is everything,” said Jessica Vargas, Director of Multicultural Marketing, HBO Max and HBO. “The Pa’lante! Promise and WarnerMedia OneFifty is a great example of a network creating a platform where Latin creatives and their work are supported and elevated, through promotional campaigns that resonate with our audience in an authentic way.”
“We are thrilled and excited to be collaborating with HBO Max Pa’lante! on this exciting and powerful slate of projects.
“Visibility and opportunity is everything,” said Jessica Vargas, Director of Multicultural Marketing, HBO Max and HBO. “The Pa’lante! Promise and WarnerMedia OneFifty is a great example of a network creating a platform where Latin creatives and their work are supported and elevated, through promotional campaigns that resonate with our audience in an authentic way.”
“We are thrilled and excited to be collaborating with HBO Max Pa’lante! on this exciting and powerful slate of projects.
- 9/7/2021
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Despite being John Coltrane’s most celebrated album, and one of the most beloved jazz albums of all time, A Love Supreme wasn’t a record that the saxophonist touched on much in the live setting. Up until now, most Coltrane enthusiasts have only ever heard a single live performance of the literally divinely inspired four-movement suite that makes up the LP, taken from a July 1965 performance at a French festival and first released on a 2002 reissue. That will change in October, when Impulse! will issue another full live version of A Love Supreme,...
- 8/26/2021
- by Hank Shteamer
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Writer-director-producer Jeff Byrd, who recently joined Fox’s new drama series Our Kind of People as co-executive producer, has signed with APA for representation in film and television.
Inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s critically acclaimed book, Our Kind of People, from Lee Daniels and Karin Gist, centers on the Martha’s Vineyard community of Oak Bluffs, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful Black elite come to play. The series follows a strong-willed single businesswoman as she sets out to reclaim her family’s name and promote her revolutionary haircare line. But she soon discovers a dark secret about her mother’s past that will turn her world upside-down and shake up the upscale community forever.
Byrd’s television directing credits include Star Trek: Discovery for CBS/Paramount+; The CW’s Nancy Drew, The Originals, Black Lightning, Dynasty and Charmed; VH1’s Single Ladies; Freeform’s Switched at Birth,...
Inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s critically acclaimed book, Our Kind of People, from Lee Daniels and Karin Gist, centers on the Martha’s Vineyard community of Oak Bluffs, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful Black elite come to play. The series follows a strong-willed single businesswoman as she sets out to reclaim her family’s name and promote her revolutionary haircare line. But she soon discovers a dark secret about her mother’s past that will turn her world upside-down and shake up the upscale community forever.
Byrd’s television directing credits include Star Trek: Discovery for CBS/Paramount+; The CW’s Nancy Drew, The Originals, Black Lightning, Dynasty and Charmed; VH1’s Single Ladies; Freeform’s Switched at Birth,...
- 8/17/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.