“More stars than there are in heaven” was once the slogan for Hollywood’s largest studio. Larger-than-life celebrities like Judy Garland, Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, Katharine Hepburn, Jean Harlow and Gene Kelly were common fixtures at MGM. Today, MGM is an IP outpost purchased by Amazon for $8.5 billion in 2022, but in its day, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had the biggest lot in Hollywood and produced some of the most extravagant films. Located in Culver City, MGM’s famously sprawling lot began as it grew from the 40 acres owned by Samuel Goldwyn. The legendary MGM property was 3 miles long and housed more than 45 buildings and 14 stages, in addition to numerous outdoor sets that would be built over the years.
MGM was home to countless classic films, and in 1939 alone, the studio backed the timeless fantasy The Wizard of Oz and distributed the Oscar-winning Gone With the Wind, the Ernst Lubitsch/Greta Garbo comedy Ninotchka,...
MGM was home to countless classic films, and in 1939 alone, the studio backed the timeless fantasy The Wizard of Oz and distributed the Oscar-winning Gone With the Wind, the Ernst Lubitsch/Greta Garbo comedy Ninotchka,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Chris Yogerst
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
MGM celebrated its centennial on April 17th. Marcus Lowe established the studio by merging Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Pictures. Boasting it had “more stars than there are in heaven,” MGM may have been the biggest studio during the Golden Age of Hollywood, it has gone through many owners and regimes over the years but seems to on terra firma since Amazon acquired MGM in 2021. In fact, Amazon MGM Studios won best screenplay Oscar for “American Fiction.” And speaking of Academy Awards, MGM has earned numerous statuettes over the years. Here’s a look at five Best Picture winners produced between 1929-1958.
“The Broadway Melody”
The 1929 musical made Oscar history by being the first talkie to win the top prize. Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed wrote the songs which include “The Broadway Melody,” “You Were Meant for Me” and “The Wedding of the Painted Doll” but...
“The Broadway Melody”
The 1929 musical made Oscar history by being the first talkie to win the top prize. Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed wrote the songs which include “The Broadway Melody,” “You Were Meant for Me” and “The Wedding of the Painted Doll” but...
- 4/22/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Cult wines are a very American and, more specifically, Californian phenomenon. Akin to another industry-beloved status symbol, the Hermès Birkin bag, they are meticulously crafted, sought-after commodities that are exceedingly scarce and difficult to procure. The term rose in popularity in Napa Valley in the 1990s to describe flashy cabernet sauvignon blends with perfect scores by top wine critics, outrageous prices and insatiable demand.
Master sommelier Vincent Morrow
“Most of these wines were simply well-made, small-production wines and the owners had no intention of multiyear wait lists,” says master sommelier Vincent Morrow, wine director of Michelin-starred Press Restaurant in Napa’s St. Helena.
“Given that a vineyard will take at least six to seven years before it’s producing optimum fruit, and it only bears fruit once a year, the economic nature of these small vineyards was that production could not scale at the pace of any rapid increase in demand.
Master sommelier Vincent Morrow
“Most of these wines were simply well-made, small-production wines and the owners had no intention of multiyear wait lists,” says master sommelier Vincent Morrow, wine director of Michelin-starred Press Restaurant in Napa’s St. Helena.
“Given that a vineyard will take at least six to seven years before it’s producing optimum fruit, and it only bears fruit once a year, the economic nature of these small vineyards was that production could not scale at the pace of any rapid increase in demand.
- 4/18/2024
- by Elycia Rubin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With the 96th Academy Awards in the history books, it’s time to become obsessed over the 77th Tony Awards. Nominations are April 30th with the awards set to air on CBS on June 16 from Lincoln Center. Among the contenders for Tony nominations are many musicals based on movies including “Back to the Future,’ “The Notebook,” “Water for Elephants” and “The Outsiders”: high profile revivals such as Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People” with Jeremy Strong; “Cabaret” with Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne and the Who’s “Tommy”; imports from London and transfers from off-Broadway.
Do you remember the Tony landscape 50 years ago? The 28th annual honors took place April 21, 1974, at the Shubert Theater and aired on ABC. And to say it was a star-studded affair is something of an understatement. Robert Preston, Peter Falk, Cicely Tyson, Florence Henderson hosted; presenters included Al Pacino –-let’s hope he had better...
Do you remember the Tony landscape 50 years ago? The 28th annual honors took place April 21, 1974, at the Shubert Theater and aired on ABC. And to say it was a star-studded affair is something of an understatement. Robert Preston, Peter Falk, Cicely Tyson, Florence Henderson hosted; presenters included Al Pacino –-let’s hope he had better...
- 3/14/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
As the expectation of an “Oppenheimer” steamroller at the Academy Awards this coming Sunday rises seemingly by the day, it’s worth looking at some of the Oscar juggernauts of the past and guessing where the film will fall in terms of number of victories. It’s possible the movie could even score a double-digit total, and if it does, that would elevate it into some very rarified air.
While it could conceivably win as many as 13 statuettes based on its 13 nominations, “Oppenheimer” is obviously highly unlikely to sweep every category. It probably won’t, for instance, take home the trophies for costume design or for makeup and hairstyling. When you think of the Father of the Atomic Bomb, after all, you don’t necessarily envision what a sharp dresser he was or how perfectly coiffed. I’m also predicting the film will lose at least one other of the...
While it could conceivably win as many as 13 statuettes based on its 13 nominations, “Oppenheimer” is obviously highly unlikely to sweep every category. It probably won’t, for instance, take home the trophies for costume design or for makeup and hairstyling. When you think of the Father of the Atomic Bomb, after all, you don’t necessarily envision what a sharp dresser he was or how perfectly coiffed. I’m also predicting the film will lose at least one other of the...
- 3/4/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
When the Oscars like you, they really, really like you. Tour our photo gallery above (or click here for direct access) to see the 15 movies that won the most competitive Oscars throughout history. At 11 victories apiece, the current three record-holders are “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003), “Titanic” (1997) and “Ben-Hur” (1959). But where do other Academy Awards favorites like “West Side Story” (1961), “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008) and “Gone with the Wind” (1939) fall on the historic list?
At the upcoming Oscars, “Oppenheimer” (2023) leads all other contenders with a whopping 13 nominations for picture, director (Christopher Nolan), adapted screenplay, actor (Cillian Murphy), supporting actor (Robert Downey Jr.), supporting actress (Emily Blunt), cinematography, costume design, film editing, makeup & hairstyling, production design, score and sound. If it claims 12 or 13 of these trophies on March 10, 2024, “Oppenheimer” will break the record and become the all-time winner at the Academy Awards. Make your Oscar predictions to let...
At the upcoming Oscars, “Oppenheimer” (2023) leads all other contenders with a whopping 13 nominations for picture, director (Christopher Nolan), adapted screenplay, actor (Cillian Murphy), supporting actor (Robert Downey Jr.), supporting actress (Emily Blunt), cinematography, costume design, film editing, makeup & hairstyling, production design, score and sound. If it claims 12 or 13 of these trophies on March 10, 2024, “Oppenheimer” will break the record and become the all-time winner at the Academy Awards. Make your Oscar predictions to let...
- 1/24/2024
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
When Barbra Streisand delivered her 992-page memoir to her editor at Viking earlier this year, did anyone urge her to cut? Even gently?
Not that it would have done any good, for Streisand has a lot to say and her opus was termed “exhausting, ecstatic and undeniably moving” by the New Yorker this week.
Streisand hasn’t changed. On her first day of shooting On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970), when her director Vincente Minnelli shouted “cut,” she shook her head, saying she intended to keep going.
Minnelli had made great movies like An American In Paris and Gigi and had even survived working with (and being married to) Judy Garland. “One doesn’t say ‘no’ to Minnelli,” Streisand was warned by legendary writer Alan Jay Lerner (My Fair Lady).
Neither had as yet learned their Barbra lesson. Nor had her agent, Sue Mengers, who later tried to...
Not that it would have done any good, for Streisand has a lot to say and her opus was termed “exhausting, ecstatic and undeniably moving” by the New Yorker this week.
Streisand hasn’t changed. On her first day of shooting On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970), when her director Vincente Minnelli shouted “cut,” she shook her head, saying she intended to keep going.
Minnelli had made great movies like An American In Paris and Gigi and had even survived working with (and being married to) Judy Garland. “One doesn’t say ‘no’ to Minnelli,” Streisand was warned by legendary writer Alan Jay Lerner (My Fair Lady).
Neither had as yet learned their Barbra lesson. Nor had her agent, Sue Mengers, who later tried to...
- 12/7/2023
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
Leslie Caron (Leslie Claire Margaret Caron) is a French-American actor who rose to prominence in the 1950s, appearing in notable musical films like An American in Paris (1951) and Gigi (1958). Interestingly, Caron was 25 when she was cast to play a 14-year-old in MGM’s Gigi and had already given birth to her first child. Nevertheless, she did justice to the role, scoring a Laurel Award for Top Female Musical Performance and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. One of the surviving stars from Hollywood cinema’s Golden Age, Leslie Caron’s...
- 11/16/2023
- by Banks Onuoha
- TVovermind.com
In the early 1940s, a young Lena Horne began an engagement at an intimate L.A. club called Little Troc, where her silken voice — with her perfect enunciation and her sophisticated interpretation of the lyrics — dazzled the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Cole Porter, Lana Turner and Greta Garbo. Among the many eyes that observed her during her run were those of the astute, sensitive Roger Edens, who was an integral member of the Freed Unit at MGM Studios. Led by innovative producer Arthur Freed, the unit consisted of musical artists who created many of MGM’s great musicals from the golden age: It had recently produced Babes in Arms (1939) and would strike gold with An American in Paris (1951), Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and Gigi (1958).
Within the Freed Unit, Edens stood out as a highly respected composer, arranger and associate producer who eventually won three Academy Awards. After seeing Lena perform,...
Within the Freed Unit, Edens stood out as a highly respected composer, arranger and associate producer who eventually won three Academy Awards. After seeing Lena perform,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Donald Bogle
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Above: US one sheet for Gas. Art by Robert Grossman.How much attention do you pay to title treatments? By that I mean—in case it’s not obvious—the way the title of a film appears on a poster. Title treatments can range from the simple to the spectacular, from mere type to elaborate works of art. They can range from, for example, the unadorned but authoritative Gotham Bold sans serif of Oppenheimer (2023) to Robert Grossman’s air brushed petrol hose spelling out the title of the movie Gas. Whereas the title treatment of Oppenheimer was dwarfed by the radioactive image of J. Robert and his atom bomb, the title treatment for the other cinematic sensation of the summer dwarfed its characters. In fact it was just the first letter of that title treatment, the instantly recognizable iconic B of Mattel’s ’80s Barbie logo.Title treatments matter. They set a tone.
- 8/18/2023
- MUBI
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we look at an Oscars category from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winner stands the test of time.)
Every year, one or several films racks up an impressive haul of nominations. 14 is currently the record, shared amongst "All About Eve," "La La Land," and "Titanic," but routinely, you'll see eight, nine, or double-digit nominations for movies. This past year, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" had 11, while "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "The Banshees of Inisherin" managed nine apiece.
Most of the time, however, the Academy likes to spread the wealth. Take last year's movies. Even with "Everything Everywhere" doing abnormally well, it only won seven of those 11. "All Quiet" just won four, and "Banshees" went home empty-handed. A nomination domination does not necessarily set you up to do a massive clean sweep of the Oscars. Even "Titanic,...
Every year, one or several films racks up an impressive haul of nominations. 14 is currently the record, shared amongst "All About Eve," "La La Land," and "Titanic," but routinely, you'll see eight, nine, or double-digit nominations for movies. This past year, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" had 11, while "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "The Banshees of Inisherin" managed nine apiece.
Most of the time, however, the Academy likes to spread the wealth. Take last year's movies. Even with "Everything Everywhere" doing abnormally well, it only won seven of those 11. "All Quiet" just won four, and "Banshees" went home empty-handed. A nomination domination does not necessarily set you up to do a massive clean sweep of the Oscars. Even "Titanic,...
- 7/23/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Victoria Clark and Jessica Stone met in 1996 when both were appearing on Broadway in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying – Clark had originated the revival’s role of Smitty and Stone replaced Megan Mullally as Rosemary. The friendship would prove both lasting and fruitful.
Twenty-seven years later, the two are nominated for Tony Awards, Clark for her starring performance as the title character in Kimberly Akimbo, and Stone for directing it. The musical, featuring music by Jeanine Tesori and a book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, has been championed by critics and audiences since premiering Off Broadway two years ago, and its transfer to Broadway last October was no less the talk of New York theater.
The premise is as unlikely as it is captivating. Based on Lindsay-Abaire’s non-musical 2001 play of the same name, Kimberly Akimbo tells the story of, as the show’s official synopsis puts it,...
Twenty-seven years later, the two are nominated for Tony Awards, Clark for her starring performance as the title character in Kimberly Akimbo, and Stone for directing it. The musical, featuring music by Jeanine Tesori and a book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, has been championed by critics and audiences since premiering Off Broadway two years ago, and its transfer to Broadway last October was no less the talk of New York theater.
The premise is as unlikely as it is captivating. Based on Lindsay-Abaire’s non-musical 2001 play of the same name, Kimberly Akimbo tells the story of, as the show’s official synopsis puts it,...
- 5/26/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
“I don’t think I’m done creating this part! It’s still an exploration,” reveals Victoria Clark in reference to the title character of “Kimberly Akimbo.” In this new musical from Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire, Clark portrays a teenage girl with a genetic disease that causes her to age at four times the normal rate. That the Tony winner is still in a daily state of discovery with her performance is fitting given the complexity of the role, and the story’s challenge to the audience to stay in the present during the “Great Adventure” called life. “We have never done the same thing twice,” says Clark of the cast, “we get on the train and we really pay attention. We try to make it fresh.” Watch the exclusive video interview above.
“It was a lot of trial and error,” admits Clark when asked about finding the nuances...
“It was a lot of trial and error,” admits Clark when asked about finding the nuances...
- 4/25/2023
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Smash is finally heading to Broadway.
In an announcement long awaited by fans of the 2012 NBC series, a stage musical adaptation is planned to arrive on Broadway during the 2024-25 season, with a lead producing team of Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Steven Spielberg. A top flight creative team is attached, including director Susan Stroman, composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, book writers Rick Elice and Bob Martin, and the TV series’ choreographer Joshua Bergasse.
Spielberg, whose original idea led to the NBC series, said in a statement, “Smash is near and dear to my heart, and it was always my hope that a musical inspired by the show would eventually come to the stage. We now have an incredible creative team, and I’m looking forward to completing the Smash journey which began with my producing partners over ten years ago.”
In addition to new music, the stage version...
In an announcement long awaited by fans of the 2012 NBC series, a stage musical adaptation is planned to arrive on Broadway during the 2024-25 season, with a lead producing team of Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Steven Spielberg. A top flight creative team is attached, including director Susan Stroman, composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, book writers Rick Elice and Bob Martin, and the TV series’ choreographer Joshua Bergasse.
Spielberg, whose original idea led to the NBC series, said in a statement, “Smash is near and dear to my heart, and it was always my hope that a musical inspired by the show would eventually come to the stage. We now have an incredible creative team, and I’m looking forward to completing the Smash journey which began with my producing partners over ten years ago.”
In addition to new music, the stage version...
- 3/22/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we take a look at an Oscars category from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winner stands the test of time.)
Going into the 95th Academy Awards, everyone expected a big night for "Everything Everywhere All at Once," the breakout sensation of 2022, and that is exactly what we got. The film took home an impressive seven awards out of its 11 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor. Beyond that, though, it even managed to score wins in Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, which was not a foregone conclusion. It also did well below the line, picking up a prize for Best Editing. It's the most awards a Best Picture winner has won going all the way back to "Slumdog Millionaire."
While fans of the film are no doubt rejoicing in the little-film-that-could's success,...
Going into the 95th Academy Awards, everyone expected a big night for "Everything Everywhere All at Once," the breakout sensation of 2022, and that is exactly what we got. The film took home an impressive seven awards out of its 11 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor. Beyond that, though, it even managed to score wins in Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, which was not a foregone conclusion. It also did well below the line, picking up a prize for Best Editing. It's the most awards a Best Picture winner has won going all the way back to "Slumdog Millionaire."
While fans of the film are no doubt rejoicing in the little-film-that-could's success,...
- 3/13/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
The films in contention for the 2023 Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar are “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Glass Onion,” “Living,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” and “Women Talking.” Our odds currently indicate that “Women Talking” (10/3) will win the award, followed in order of likelihood by “All Quiet on the Western Front” (37/10), “Glass Onion” (9/2), “Top Gun: Maverick” (9/2), and “Living” (9/2).
“Glass Onion” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” which are, respectively, the first sequels to 2019’s “Knives Out” and 1986’s “Top Gun,” are the first pair of continuation films ever nominated against each other in this category. Included among the seven sequels that have contended here before are winners “The Godfather Part II” (1975) and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2004) and nominees “Before Sunset” (2005), “Toy Story 3” (2011), “Before Midnight” (2014), “Logan” (2018), and “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” (2021).
Of the 11 individual writers in this year’s lineup, only Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”) has competed for this particular award before.
“Glass Onion” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” which are, respectively, the first sequels to 2019’s “Knives Out” and 1986’s “Top Gun,” are the first pair of continuation films ever nominated against each other in this category. Included among the seven sequels that have contended here before are winners “The Godfather Part II” (1975) and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2004) and nominees “Before Sunset” (2005), “Toy Story 3” (2011), “Before Midnight” (2014), “Logan” (2018), and “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” (2021).
Of the 11 individual writers in this year’s lineup, only Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”) has competed for this particular award before.
- 3/11/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
After spending a couple awards cycles on the sidelines, A24 reemerged this year with more Oscar nominations than any other studio–18 between six films: “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “The Whale,” “Aftersun,” “Causeway,” “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” and “Close.” The arthouse label is positioned to set an even more staggering record, though. If Oscar night, as it did in 2022, repeats both the SAG and DGA Awards–in other words, if “Eeaao” takes Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Director (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), and Best Picture, while Best Actor goes to “The Whale” (Brendan Fraser)–A24 will become the first studio in history to make a clean sweep of the top categories.
See Ke Huy Quan (‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’) on a comeback 30 years in the making: ‘I don’t take for granted for a second,...
See Ke Huy Quan (‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’) on a comeback 30 years in the making: ‘I don’t take for granted for a second,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Ronald Meyer
- Gold Derby
For nearly 100 years, pundits have predicted the outcome of Oscar voting. Sometimes it’s an educated guess, but it’s a guess nevertheless, since a minimal number of PricewaterhouseCoopers execs know the actual tallies and they never talk. So pundits often look to Oscar history to back up their theories, like tribal natives trying to predict their future by watching smoke from a volcano.
Too often, people talk about voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences as if they work as a unit: “They will never vote for this” or “they always love such-and-such.” One of the fun aspects of predictions is that Academy history is like Scripture: You can always find something to back up your claims.
This year, voters nominated 10 very different films for best picture. Each has inspired predictions about why it couldn’t win because “they” won’t go for it. But actually,...
Too often, people talk about voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences as if they work as a unit: “They will never vote for this” or “they always love such-and-such.” One of the fun aspects of predictions is that Academy history is like Scripture: You can always find something to back up your claims.
This year, voters nominated 10 very different films for best picture. Each has inspired predictions about why it couldn’t win because “they” won’t go for it. But actually,...
- 3/1/2023
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Taylor Swift turned heads at the 2023 Grammy Awards. She was a vision in blue as she effortlessly lit up the red carpet with her shimmery skirt and top. Here’s a look at Swift’s awards outfit and how she gave a nod to her album Midnights.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ Taylor Swift | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Midnights, the 10th studio album from Swift, was released on October 21, 2022. Since the album wasn’t released within the qualification deadline, it wasn’t eligible for any Grammy nominations. However, some of her other songs qualified for nominations.
As of this writing, Swift won a total of 12 Grammys throughout her career. She was nominated for four Grammy Awards at the 2023 ceremony. Her nominations were in the Best Music Video, Song of the Year, Best Song Written for Visual Media, and Best Country Song categories. Swift won Best Music Video for “All Too Well: The Short Film.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ Taylor Swift | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Midnights, the 10th studio album from Swift, was released on October 21, 2022. Since the album wasn’t released within the qualification deadline, it wasn’t eligible for any Grammy nominations. However, some of her other songs qualified for nominations.
As of this writing, Swift won a total of 12 Grammys throughout her career. She was nominated for four Grammy Awards at the 2023 ceremony. Her nominations were in the Best Music Video, Song of the Year, Best Song Written for Visual Media, and Best Country Song categories. Swift won Best Music Video for “All Too Well: The Short Film.
- 2/6/2023
- by Sheiresa Ngo
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Disney has both the #1 and #2 film this weekend, exactly one year after last achieving that. Sony did it two weeks ago with “The Invitation” and “Bullet Train,” but it is something the House of Mouse did regularly in years when they were the dominant studio for theatrical releases.
Their lead this weekend is more of a default situation than last September when holdover weekends of “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and “Free Guy” held the top two spots. The latter was a Fox-produced title distributed by Disney. This year, both “Barbarian” (also out of Fox) and “Brahmastra Part 1: Shiva” (from Fox Star India) placed as two titles that might not normally be associated with the Burbank studio.
This is likely to be the rock bottom weekend, possibly for years to come. Total grosses amounted to 43 million, second worst for 2022 (1/28-30 lower). That’s only 31 percent of 2019’s post-Labor Day weekend gross.
Their lead this weekend is more of a default situation than last September when holdover weekends of “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and “Free Guy” held the top two spots. The latter was a Fox-produced title distributed by Disney. This year, both “Barbarian” (also out of Fox) and “Brahmastra Part 1: Shiva” (from Fox Star India) placed as two titles that might not normally be associated with the Burbank studio.
This is likely to be the rock bottom weekend, possibly for years to come. Total grosses amounted to 43 million, second worst for 2022 (1/28-30 lower). That’s only 31 percent of 2019’s post-Labor Day weekend gross.
- 9/11/2022
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Gimmicks: They work! Most theaters reduced ticket prices to 3 September 3 in recognition of the National Association of Theater Owners’ just-invented National Cinema Day. As a result, people bought more than 8 million tickets — the most in a single day since each of the three first days of “Avengers: Endgame” in April 2019.
Financially and psychologically, this was a bonanza for theaters. Half or more of the ticket revenue went to distributors; for exhibitors, it was all about the popcorn, the Red Vines, and their generous profit margins. For one day at least, money rolled in. The long-term impact is Tbd: Prices have returned to their normal average of over 10 and the next few weeks are bleak.
One side effect of the 3 ticket is it wreaks havoc on box-office estimates. With the top four films within 600,000 of each other, and an additional Monday to come for the four-day weekend, take the order below as an educated guess.
Financially and psychologically, this was a bonanza for theaters. Half or more of the ticket revenue went to distributors; for exhibitors, it was all about the popcorn, the Red Vines, and their generous profit margins. For one day at least, money rolled in. The long-term impact is Tbd: Prices have returned to their normal average of over 10 and the next few weeks are bleak.
One side effect of the 3 ticket is it wreaks havoc on box-office estimates. With the top four films within 600,000 of each other, and an additional Monday to come for the four-day weekend, take the order below as an educated guess.
- 9/4/2022
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Henry Fonda, actor (1905-82)
Grammy: Best Spoken Word Album, “Great Documents” (1977)
Oscar: Best Actor, “On Golden Pond” (1981)
Tony: Best Actor, “Mister Roberts” (1948); Best Actor, “Clarence Darrow” (1975)
Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist and producer (1895-1960)
Grammy: Best Original Cast Album, “The Sound of Music” (1960)
Oscar: Best Original Song, “The Last Time I Saw Paris” from “Lady Be Good” (1941); “It Might As Well Be Spring” from “State Fair” (1945)
Tony: Three awards for “South Pacific” (1950); Best Musical, “The King and I” (1952); Best Musical, “The Sound of Music” (1960)
Elton John
Grammy: Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group, “That’s What Friends Are For” (1986); Best Instrumental Composition, “Basque” (1991); Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (1994); Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, “Candle in the Wind” (1997); Best Show Album, “Aida” (2000)
Oscar: Best Original Son, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King” (1994)
Tony: Best Score, “Aida” (2000)
John Legend, songwriter and...
Grammy: Best Spoken Word Album, “Great Documents” (1977)
Oscar: Best Actor, “On Golden Pond” (1981)
Tony: Best Actor, “Mister Roberts” (1948); Best Actor, “Clarence Darrow” (1975)
Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist and producer (1895-1960)
Grammy: Best Original Cast Album, “The Sound of Music” (1960)
Oscar: Best Original Song, “The Last Time I Saw Paris” from “Lady Be Good” (1941); “It Might As Well Be Spring” from “State Fair” (1945)
Tony: Three awards for “South Pacific” (1950); Best Musical, “The King and I” (1952); Best Musical, “The Sound of Music” (1960)
Elton John
Grammy: Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group, “That’s What Friends Are For” (1986); Best Instrumental Composition, “Basque” (1991); Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (1994); Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, “Candle in the Wind” (1997); Best Show Album, “Aida” (2000)
Oscar: Best Original Son, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King” (1994)
Tony: Best Score, “Aida” (2000)
John Legend, songwriter and...
- 8/29/2022
- by Thom Geier
- The Wrap
Rule 34International Competition(Jury: Michel Merkt, Laura Samani, Prano Bailey-Bond, Alain Guiraudie, William Horberg)Golden Leopard: Rule 34 (Julia Murat)Special Jury Prize: Gigi la legge (The Adventures of Gigi the Law) (Alessandro Comodin)Best Direction: Valentina Maurel (Tengo sueños eléctricos)Best Actress: Daniela Marín Navarro (Tengo sueños eléctricos)Best Actor: Reinaldo Amien Gutiérrez (Tengo sueños eléctricos)Filmmakers Of The Present( Jury: Annick Mahnert, Gitanjali Rao, Katriel Schory )Golden Leopard: Svetlonoc (Nightsiren) (Tereza Nvotová)Special Jury Prize: Yak Tam Katia? (How Is Katia?) (Christina Tynkevych)Prize for Best Emerging Director: Juraj Lerotić (Sigurno mjesto (Safe Place))Best Actress: Anastasia Karpenko (How Is Katia?)Best Actor: Goran Marković (Safe Place)Special Mention: Den siste våren (Franciska Eliassen)First Feature(Jury: Boo Junfeng, Shahram Mokri, Madeline Robert)Best First Feature: Sigurno mjesto (Safe Place) (Juraj Lerotić)Special Mention: Love Dog (Bianca Lucas) and De noche los gatos son pardos (Valentin Merz)Pardi Di Domani(Jury: Walter Fasano,...
- 8/13/2022
- MUBI
In the heat of late summer, San Michele al Tagliamento is a humid emulsion of corn fields, cypress trees, and silent streets. Sitting along the border between Veneto and Friuli, in the northeast of Italy, it’s a rural town in which nothing ever happens, everyone knows each other, and the sun throws everything into a somnolent lockdown—the concrete blazing, the air liquid. Ostensibly a portrait of a man and his daily routine, Alessandro Comodin’s The Adventures of Gigi the Law is also a much larger canvas of the place he roams, a landscape teeming with intimations of sinister mysteries and wondrous revelations. What kicks off as a crime procedural swells into a kind of fairytale, and an anonymous stretch of countryside turns into a microcosm where desire and dread, fear and awe leak into one another. Gigi the Law brims with wide-eyed wonder, the same that’s...
- 8/10/2022
- by Leonardo Goi
- The Film Stage
On March 27, 2022, “Coda” made history at the Oscars by being the first film from a streaming company (in this case Apple Original Films) to win Best Picture. (See the Oscars winners list.) In addition, Troy Kotsur entered the record books on his own accord by becoming the first Deaf male actor to win an Oscar. “Coda” is now the seventh Best Picture winner in Academy Awards history to go undefeated on Oscar night after winning all three of its categories: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Kotsur) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Sian Heder). Read on for how to watch “Coda.”
SEE2022 SAG Awards film live blog: ‘Coda’ leads with 2 victories including best cast, Will Smith and Jessica Chastain also prevail
What is “Coda” about?
“Coda” tells the story of the tight knit Rossi family who all work in the fishing industry in Massachusetts. Mother Jackie (Marlee Matlin), father Frank (Kotsur) and...
SEE2022 SAG Awards film live blog: ‘Coda’ leads with 2 victories including best cast, Will Smith and Jessica Chastain also prevail
What is “Coda” about?
“Coda” tells the story of the tight knit Rossi family who all work in the fishing industry in Massachusetts. Mother Jackie (Marlee Matlin), father Frank (Kotsur) and...
- 3/28/2022
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
“Coda” is one of two Best Picture Oscar nominees with just three nominations, the other being “Licorice Pizza,” and a month ago, you would’ve said its chances of winning all three were close to nil. How the turntables. After bagging two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two BAFTAs, the Producers Guild of America Award and the Writers Guild of America Award in the past three weeks, “Coda” is well positioned to win all three of its categories — Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor — which would make it the seventh Best Picture champ to win every category for which it was nominated.
The first six are “Wings”, “Grand Hotel”, “It Happened One Night”, “Gigi”, “The Last Emperor” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”. Yes, “Grand Hotel” was only nominated for Best Picture and won, something that likely will never happen again. The early...
The first six are “Wings”, “Grand Hotel”, “It Happened One Night”, “Gigi”, “The Last Emperor” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”. Yes, “Grand Hotel” was only nominated for Best Picture and won, something that likely will never happen again. The early...
- 3/21/2022
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
It’s been over 70 years since “I Love Lucy’ premiered on CBS. Sixty-two years since its stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz divorced. And over 30 years since they died. But the decades haven’t diminished fans’ love affair with the remarkable couple who changed the face of sitcoms. And two vastly differently projects currently streaming on Amazon further add fuel to the current Lucy and Desi-aissance.
Aaron Sorkin’s bio-drama “Being the Ricardos” looks at a pivotal week in the production of “I Love Lucy in 1953. Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem have earned Oscar nominations for their turns as Lucy and Desi. And “Lucy and Desi,” funny lady Amy Poehler’s thoughtful valentine of a documentary recently began streaming on Amazon after a successful premiere at Sundance.
If you are a “I Love Lucy’ aficionado — and just who isn’t? — you may want to check out these film and TV projects,...
Aaron Sorkin’s bio-drama “Being the Ricardos” looks at a pivotal week in the production of “I Love Lucy in 1953. Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem have earned Oscar nominations for their turns as Lucy and Desi. And “Lucy and Desi,” funny lady Amy Poehler’s thoughtful valentine of a documentary recently began streaming on Amazon after a successful premiere at Sundance.
If you are a “I Love Lucy’ aficionado — and just who isn’t? — you may want to check out these film and TV projects,...
- 3/21/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
A couple have a wild weekend away in Pretty Problems, Kestrin Pantera’s laugh-out-loud comedy premiering at SXSW.
Written by Michael Tennant, who also co-stars, it’s a witty look at wealth, privilege and relationships over a couple of days of hedonism in wine country.
Lindsay (Britt Rentschler) is as bored with her marriage to Jack (Tennant) as she is working in a boutique — until Cat Flax (JJ Nolan) swoops into the store, showering her with flattery and conspicuous displays of wealth. The pair bond over a bottle of wine, and Lindsay arrives home flushed with excitement about her rich new friend. Jack reluctantly agrees to accept Cat’s invitation for a weekend away, and they jump into a car and drive into another world: of butlers, gift bags, massages and astronomically expensive wine their hosts forget even buying.
Cat’s married to Matt Flax (Graham Outerbridge), a self-made billionaire...
Written by Michael Tennant, who also co-stars, it’s a witty look at wealth, privilege and relationships over a couple of days of hedonism in wine country.
Lindsay (Britt Rentschler) is as bored with her marriage to Jack (Tennant) as she is working in a boutique — until Cat Flax (JJ Nolan) swoops into the store, showering her with flattery and conspicuous displays of wealth. The pair bond over a bottle of wine, and Lindsay arrives home flushed with excitement about her rich new friend. Jack reluctantly agrees to accept Cat’s invitation for a weekend away, and they jump into a car and drive into another world: of butlers, gift bags, massages and astronomically expensive wine their hosts forget even buying.
Cat’s married to Matt Flax (Graham Outerbridge), a self-made billionaire...
- 3/14/2022
- by Anna Smith
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO Max has a crowded month of new movies and shows streaming in March, from franchise films to original series debuts — and it’s shaping up to be a go-to streaming service for awards contenders, just in time to get caught up before the Oscars.
Warner Bros. films “Dune” and “King Richard,” both of which are nominated in several key categories including Best Picture, make their return to streaming on HBO Max. “Dune” returns on March 10, but last-minute viewers looking to catch up before the Oscars will only have a few days to stream “King Richard,” which returns on March 24. The 94th Academy Awards ceremony airs on March 27.
Fellow Best Picture contenders “Drive My Car” and “West Side Story” are also arriving on HBO Max in the coming weeks. “Drive My Car,” which has been in limited theaters, is finally available to stream on March 2, as is “West Side Story...
Warner Bros. films “Dune” and “King Richard,” both of which are nominated in several key categories including Best Picture, make their return to streaming on HBO Max. “Dune” returns on March 10, but last-minute viewers looking to catch up before the Oscars will only have a few days to stream “King Richard,” which returns on March 24. The 94th Academy Awards ceremony airs on March 27.
Fellow Best Picture contenders “Drive My Car” and “West Side Story” are also arriving on HBO Max in the coming weeks. “Drive My Car,” which has been in limited theaters, is finally available to stream on March 2, as is “West Side Story...
- 2/26/2022
- by Haleigh Foutch
- The Wrap
The Visual Effects Society will present Guillermo del Toro with Ves Award for Creative Excellence on March 8.
del Toro will be honored for his consummate artistry and expansive storytelling that blends iconic visual effects and unforgettable narrative. Harnessing his intuitive vision, del Toro has created a distinctive cinematic style mixing the world of monster movies, comic books and exuberant visuals straight from his imagination.
“Guillermo is a fiercely inventive storyteller, who has pushed the boundaries of filmmaking,” said Ves Board Chair Lisa Cooke. “An exemplary talent, he has consistently elevated not just the technical aspect of visual effects, but also the emotional. Guillermo is an amazing creative force and a defining voice in our global community, and his body of work is a rich source of inspiration for future generations of artists and innovators. For Guillermo’s outstanding mastery of his craft, we are proud to honor him with the...
del Toro will be honored for his consummate artistry and expansive storytelling that blends iconic visual effects and unforgettable narrative. Harnessing his intuitive vision, del Toro has created a distinctive cinematic style mixing the world of monster movies, comic books and exuberant visuals straight from his imagination.
“Guillermo is a fiercely inventive storyteller, who has pushed the boundaries of filmmaking,” said Ves Board Chair Lisa Cooke. “An exemplary talent, he has consistently elevated not just the technical aspect of visual effects, but also the emotional. Guillermo is an amazing creative force and a defining voice in our global community, and his body of work is a rich source of inspiration for future generations of artists and innovators. For Guillermo’s outstanding mastery of his craft, we are proud to honor him with the...
- 2/17/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Oscar-winning production designer William A. Horning and Oscar-nominated production designer, costume designer and producer Polly Platt will be inducted into the Art Directors Guild’s Hall of Fame this year for their “extraordinary contributions to the art of visual storytelling.”
The guild’s 26th annual awards will be held in-person March 5 at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown.
“The creative and professional standards set by the 2022 Adg Awards Hall of Fame recipients Polly Platt and William A. Horning are nonpareil,” said Nelson Coates, the guild’s president. “The breadth of the narrative design achievement and depth of storytelling excellence of both legendary designers has served as a benchmark for production design and collaboration and will continue to inspire for generations to come.”
2022 Awards Season Calendar – Dates For The Oscars, SAG, BAFTAs & More
Horning, who died in 1959, won Oscars for Ben-Hur and Gigi and was Oscar-nominated for The Wizard of Oz,...
The guild’s 26th annual awards will be held in-person March 5 at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown.
“The creative and professional standards set by the 2022 Adg Awards Hall of Fame recipients Polly Platt and William A. Horning are nonpareil,” said Nelson Coates, the guild’s president. “The breadth of the narrative design achievement and depth of storytelling excellence of both legendary designers has served as a benchmark for production design and collaboration and will continue to inspire for generations to come.”
2022 Awards Season Calendar – Dates For The Oscars, SAG, BAFTAs & More
Horning, who died in 1959, won Oscars for Ben-Hur and Gigi and was Oscar-nominated for The Wizard of Oz,...
- 2/15/2022
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Apple has landed another big feature project, that being an Audrey Hepburn biopic which Oscar-nominated filmmaker Luca Guadagnino will helm, with 2x Oscar nominee Rooney Mara set to play The Breakfast at Tiffany‘s legendary actress.
Deadline has learned separately that Mara is also producing the feature project, which Michael Mitnick, the EP of HBO series Vinyl is writing.
The movie reps Mara’s third producing credit after the documentary The End of Medicine and The Truth About Emmanuel.
Apple Studios is producing. Apple’s heads of worldwide video Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht and head of features Matt Dentler continue their momentum in building big screen fare for the streamer.
Puck first had the story about Apple developing an Audrey Hepburn movie with Mara starring, Guadagnino directing.
Mitnick is repped by Grandview, CAA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. His feature credits include The Current War and The Giver.
Deadline has learned separately that Mara is also producing the feature project, which Michael Mitnick, the EP of HBO series Vinyl is writing.
The movie reps Mara’s third producing credit after the documentary The End of Medicine and The Truth About Emmanuel.
Apple Studios is producing. Apple’s heads of worldwide video Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht and head of features Matt Dentler continue their momentum in building big screen fare for the streamer.
Puck first had the story about Apple developing an Audrey Hepburn movie with Mara starring, Guadagnino directing.
Mitnick is repped by Grandview, CAA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. His feature credits include The Current War and The Giver.
- 1/7/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The SAG Awards nominations will be announced this coming Wednesday, Jan. 12, at 10 a.m. Et/7 a.m. Pt by actresses Rosario Dawson and Vanessa Hudgens on Instagram Live.
This marks the second year in a row that the SAG noms will be announced via Instagram Live @sagawards’ Instagram Stories.
With the Golden Globes mired in a diversity scandal, resulting in a non-telecast of the awards show on NBC, the SAG Awards this year reps the first big awards show to honor the best of actors and actresses in TV and film for 2021.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher will give an introduction before SAG noms Wednesday.
Nominations for the Outstanding Action Performances by Television and Film ensembles will follow, with announcements made by SAG Awards Committee members Jason George and Elizabeth McLaughlin.
The 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022 at 8 p.
This marks the second year in a row that the SAG noms will be announced via Instagram Live @sagawards’ Instagram Stories.
With the Golden Globes mired in a diversity scandal, resulting in a non-telecast of the awards show on NBC, the SAG Awards this year reps the first big awards show to honor the best of actors and actresses in TV and film for 2021.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher will give an introduction before SAG noms Wednesday.
Nominations for the Outstanding Action Performances by Television and Film ensembles will follow, with announcements made by SAG Awards Committee members Jason George and Elizabeth McLaughlin.
The 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022 at 8 p.
- 1/6/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
After nine decades of Academy Awards ceremonies, the most Oscars won by a film is still 11. That long-held record is shared by three iconic movies: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003), “Titanic” (1997) and “Ben-Hur” (1959). Scroll through our photo gallery above (or click here for direct access) to see the 15 films that won the most competitive Oscars throughout history.
The third “The Lord of the Rings” movie went undefeated at the Oscars, going 11-for-11. It took home prizes for picture, director (Peter Jackson), adapted screenplay, art direction, costume design, film editing, makeup, score, song (“Into the West”), sound mixing and visual effects. The plot centers around Gandalf and Aragorn leading the World of Men against Sauron’s army in order to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.
Just six years prior, “Titanic” won 11 of its 14 nominations, claiming victories for picture,...
The third “The Lord of the Rings” movie went undefeated at the Oscars, going 11-for-11. It took home prizes for picture, director (Peter Jackson), adapted screenplay, art direction, costume design, film editing, makeup, score, song (“Into the West”), sound mixing and visual effects. The plot centers around Gandalf and Aragorn leading the World of Men against Sauron’s army in order to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.
Just six years prior, “Titanic” won 11 of its 14 nominations, claiming victories for picture,...
- 1/3/2022
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
“Small Town, Big Drama”
By Raymond Benson
James Jones is mostly known for his debut novel, From Here to Eternity. His second novel, published in 1958, was Some Came Running, a 1,200-page potboiler that blows the lid off small town America. It was a more adult Peyton Place, if that was possible for the time. Colorful, sometimes sordid, characters populate the book, and it didn’t do as well as that classic first publication. Nevertheless, MGM immediately scooped it up and managed to turn it into a motion picture by the end of the same year.
Frank Sinatra found the material appealing, and he saw himself as the story’s lead, Dave Hirsh, a prodigal son of sorts from fictional Parkman, Indiana. Discharged from the army, Hirsh arrives in town with a hangover and a party girl he picked up in Chicago, Ginny Moorehead (Shirley MacLaine). His brother,...
“Small Town, Big Drama”
By Raymond Benson
James Jones is mostly known for his debut novel, From Here to Eternity. His second novel, published in 1958, was Some Came Running, a 1,200-page potboiler that blows the lid off small town America. It was a more adult Peyton Place, if that was possible for the time. Colorful, sometimes sordid, characters populate the book, and it didn’t do as well as that classic first publication. Nevertheless, MGM immediately scooped it up and managed to turn it into a motion picture by the end of the same year.
Frank Sinatra found the material appealing, and he saw himself as the story’s lead, Dave Hirsh, a prodigal son of sorts from fictional Parkman, Indiana. Discharged from the army, Hirsh arrives in town with a hangover and a party girl he picked up in Chicago, Ginny Moorehead (Shirley MacLaine). His brother,...
- 11/22/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The great sweeper, the film that runs away with the evening’s awards, has a strong history at the Oscars. Three films have won 11 Oscars in one night: “Ben-Hur” (1959), “Titanic” (1997) and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003). Depending on where you stand on those movies, you could love it or hate it when one film dominates an Academy Awards ceremony.
Right behind those three is “West Side Story” (1961), with 10 wins, and “Gigi” (1958), “The Last Emperor” (1987) and “The English Patient” (1996) with nine.
Since “Titanic,” the closest we’ve had to a sweeper was “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), which netted eight of its 10 nominations (one of those was a double nomination in original song) category. This all begs the question: Will we ever see a sweeper again, given the changing membership of the Academy and the way they’ve voted in the past decade? Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” (2013) is the...
Right behind those three is “West Side Story” (1961), with 10 wins, and “Gigi” (1958), “The Last Emperor” (1987) and “The English Patient” (1996) with nine.
Since “Titanic,” the closest we’ve had to a sweeper was “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), which netted eight of its 10 nominations (one of those was a double nomination in original song) category. This all begs the question: Will we ever see a sweeper again, given the changing membership of the Academy and the way they’ve voted in the past decade? Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” (2013) is the...
- 4/17/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The Oscars could have some interesting surprises pop up at the ceremony on April 25, even in the best picture race. Given the unprecedented nature of the season and the assumption that many AMPAS voters sat out the nomination phase of voting, a couple of upsets may await. One of which could be “The Trial of the Chicago 7” only winning best picture.
The historical drama, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, has long been considered one of the potential spoilers to Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland,” which has been steamrolling its competition most of the awards season. After the Netflix drama failed to score a director nod for Sorkin, all hope seemed to be lost, especially after factoring in its losses from the WGA (losing to “Promising Young Woman”), DGA and PGA (losing to “Nomadland”). However, the film got a nice bump from the SAG Awards, picking up the cast ensemble prize.
The historical drama, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, has long been considered one of the potential spoilers to Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland,” which has been steamrolling its competition most of the awards season. After the Netflix drama failed to score a director nod for Sorkin, all hope seemed to be lost, especially after factoring in its losses from the WGA (losing to “Promising Young Woman”), DGA and PGA (losing to “Nomadland”). However, the film got a nice bump from the SAG Awards, picking up the cast ensemble prize.
- 4/13/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Before his life and budding career were cut short by cancer in August 2020, Chadwick Boseman achieved screen immortality by bringing the superhero Black Panther to life across four Marvel films. Although his superstar status did not translate to much awards attention during his lifetime, his final lead role in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” has been earning him plenty. He is now the eighth actor to posthumously compete for an Oscar and the first in the Best Actor category since Massimo Troisi (“The Postman”) in 1996.
At the upcoming Academy Awards, Boseman faces off against Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”), Anthony Hopkins (“The Father”), Gary Oldman (“Mank”), and Steven Yeun (“Minari”) in the race for Best Actor. Ahmed and Yeun are also first-timers, while Hopkins and Oldman have each won the award once before, for “The Silence of the Lambs” (1992) and “Darkest Hour” (2018), respectively.
Set in 1927 and based on the August Wilson play of the same name,...
At the upcoming Academy Awards, Boseman faces off against Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”), Anthony Hopkins (“The Father”), Gary Oldman (“Mank”), and Steven Yeun (“Minari”) in the race for Best Actor. Ahmed and Yeun are also first-timers, while Hopkins and Oldman have each won the award once before, for “The Silence of the Lambs” (1992) and “Darkest Hour” (2018), respectively.
Set in 1927 and based on the August Wilson play of the same name,...
- 4/5/2021
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Jodie Foster is the new Aaron Taylor-Johnson. The two-time Oscar winner pulled off a Golden Globe upset in Best Supporting Actress for “The Mauritanian” last month, but she was Mia from Monday’s Oscar lineup, becoming the fifth Globe winner not to earn a corresponding supporting actress Oscar nomination and first in 44 years.
The last Globe champ and Oscar snubbee was Katharine Ross for 1976’s “Voyage of the Damned.” Before that, Katy Jurado of “High Noon” (1952), Hermione Gingold of “Gigi” (1958) and Karen Black of “The Great Gatsby” (1974) all failed to convert their Globe gold into an Oscar bid.
In terms of the men, eight supporting actor Globe champs have been overlooked by the academy, mostly in the ’50s and ’60s. Taylor-Johnson was the most recent one to be blanked. Like Foster, he won the Globe in a shocker, for 2016’s “Nocturnal Animals,” but the academy opted to nominate his co-star Michael Shannon instead.
The last Globe champ and Oscar snubbee was Katharine Ross for 1976’s “Voyage of the Damned.” Before that, Katy Jurado of “High Noon” (1952), Hermione Gingold of “Gigi” (1958) and Karen Black of “The Great Gatsby” (1974) all failed to convert their Globe gold into an Oscar bid.
In terms of the men, eight supporting actor Globe champs have been overlooked by the academy, mostly in the ’50s and ’60s. Taylor-Johnson was the most recent one to be blanked. Like Foster, he won the Globe in a shocker, for 2016’s “Nocturnal Animals,” but the academy opted to nominate his co-star Michael Shannon instead.
- 3/15/2021
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
9 Days Til Oscar Nominations! Three films in Oscar history have won exactly 9 Oscars. They are the musical Gigi (1958), the epic biopic The Last Emperor (1987), and the sweeping romantic drama The English Patient (1996).
Gigi Last Emperor English Patient Picture Picture Picture Director Director Director Supp. Actress Screenplay Screenplay Production Design Production Design Production Design Costume Design Costume Design Costume Design Cinematography Cinematography Cinematography Editing Editing Editing Score Score Score Sound Sound Original Song lost: nothing (clean sweep) lost: nothing (clean sweep) lost: Actor, Actress, Screenplay
Lunchtime Poll: They can only keep 9 Oscars between them. Which wins will you allow each film to keep?
Sound off in the comments!
Gigi Last Emperor English Patient Picture Picture Picture Director Director Director Supp. Actress Screenplay Screenplay Production Design Production Design Production Design Costume Design Costume Design Costume Design Cinematography Cinematography Cinematography Editing Editing Editing Score Score Score Sound Sound Original Song lost: nothing (clean sweep) lost: nothing (clean sweep) lost: Actor, Actress, Screenplay
Lunchtime Poll: They can only keep 9 Oscars between them. Which wins will you allow each film to keep?
Sound off in the comments!
- 3/6/2021
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
The members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association mostly used a rubber stamp to fill out the TV portion of their Golden Globe ballots this year, saving most of the organization’s traditional chaotic energy for the film categories instead. In one of the most surprising but also welcome moments of the evening, Jodie Foster took home the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in “The Mauritanian.”
Foster was in fourth place in Gold Derby’s odds heading into the Globes, behind Amanda Seyfried (“Mank”), Glenn Close (“Hillbilly Elegy”) and Olivia Colman (“The Father”), and leading Helena Zengel (“News of the World”). So what does this win mean for Foster’s chances at the Oscars? Well, let’s put it this way: The last actress who won the Golden Globe for supporting actress and was then snubbed by the academy was Katharine Ross, for “Voyage of the Damned...
Foster was in fourth place in Gold Derby’s odds heading into the Globes, behind Amanda Seyfried (“Mank”), Glenn Close (“Hillbilly Elegy”) and Olivia Colman (“The Father”), and leading Helena Zengel (“News of the World”). So what does this win mean for Foster’s chances at the Oscars? Well, let’s put it this way: The last actress who won the Golden Globe for supporting actress and was then snubbed by the academy was Katharine Ross, for “Voyage of the Damned...
- 3/3/2021
- by Kaitlin Thomas
- Gold Derby
The Academy has released a list of 366 feature films in contention for the upcoming 93rd Oscars. The number of eligible movies is up from the 344 submitted in 2019, although it’s not an AMPAS record. This is the highest total since the 1970 awards, which had 374 eligible entries.
All the expected awards contenders are among the “reminder list of productions eligible for the 93rd Academy Awards,” which include Florian Zeller’s “The Father,” Shaka King’s “Judas and the Black Messiah,” Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari,” Paul Greengrass’ “News of the World,” Regina King’s “One Night in Miami,” Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman” Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland,” Pete Docter and Kemp Powers’ “Soul,” and Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”
Some of the more unconventional contenders are also on the list, including Robert Downey Jr.’s family pic “Dolittle,” the horror film “The Empty Man” from David Pryor,...
All the expected awards contenders are among the “reminder list of productions eligible for the 93rd Academy Awards,” which include Florian Zeller’s “The Father,” Shaka King’s “Judas and the Black Messiah,” Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari,” Paul Greengrass’ “News of the World,” Regina King’s “One Night in Miami,” Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman” Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland,” Pete Docter and Kemp Powers’ “Soul,” and Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”
Some of the more unconventional contenders are also on the list, including Robert Downey Jr.’s family pic “Dolittle,” the horror film “The Empty Man” from David Pryor,...
- 2/25/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Most moviegoers who witnessed the 2020 Sundance Film Festival premiere of “Palm Springs” probably did not expect that it would be the only traditional comedy nominated for Best Musical or Comedy at this year’s Golden Globes. After all, comedies (and dramedies) have disproportionately dominated the category for the past decade, while only eight musicals have managed to snag bids. However, the 2021 lineup turned out to be another deviation from the norm in a year full of them.
Joining “Palm Springs” is the unconventional mockumentary “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” which takes the subversiveness of its predecessor to a whole new level. The other three slots are filled by “The Prom,” a standard musical adaptation of the Broadway musical, “Hamilton,” a live stage recording of the legit hit, and “Music,” an original musical drama. The last time three musicals competed against each other for the top honor was in 2008, and it only happened six times before that.
Joining “Palm Springs” is the unconventional mockumentary “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” which takes the subversiveness of its predecessor to a whole new level. The other three slots are filled by “The Prom,” a standard musical adaptation of the Broadway musical, “Hamilton,” a live stage recording of the legit hit, and “Music,” an original musical drama. The last time three musicals competed against each other for the top honor was in 2008, and it only happened six times before that.
- 2/8/2021
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Despite her status as one of the most iconic movie stars in history, one can’t help but root for the girl at the center of Audrey, who dreams of nothing more than to find peace and love. The girl is, of course, Audrey Hepburn, a movie star from a time when pictures were made around personas, and a change of hairstyle could easily turn into a global phenomenon. Hepburn’s name conjures visions of diamonds, sophistication, and effortless grace. Perhaps even the girl who had it all if we want to navigate in tropes, but what Helena Coan’s documentary achieves is that it doesn’t need sensationalism or shock to make us recognize ourselves in a figure who was truly larger than life. On the screen perhaps.
With a height of 5’7 and weighing a little over 100 lbs. Hepburn’s waifish look defied what Hollywood considered the ideal female heroine.
With a height of 5’7 and weighing a little over 100 lbs. Hepburn’s waifish look defied what Hollywood considered the ideal female heroine.
- 12/28/2020
- by Jose Solís
- The Film Stage
To celebrate Variety’s 115th anniversary, we went to the archives to see how some of Hollywood’s biggest stars first landed in the pages of our magazine. Read more from the archives here.
On July 5, 1950, Variety reviewed the floor show at Ciro’s London, mentioning “a nice dance routine by Diana Monks and Audrey Hepburn.” When you think of nightclub dancers, Hepburn is not the image that comes to mind. But three years before “Roman Holiday,” she was a struggling performer, after having studied ballet in the Netherlands and London.
The Ciro’s revue was called “Summer Nights,” and came with a $1.50 cover charge ($15 in today’s economy). Variety said it was “one of the most ambitious floor shows in town. Production is costing around $1,500 a week, which is considerably above average for a show of 28 minutes.” The lineup also included a French singer, a comic impressionist, a duo offering a Spanish dance and,...
On July 5, 1950, Variety reviewed the floor show at Ciro’s London, mentioning “a nice dance routine by Diana Monks and Audrey Hepburn.” When you think of nightclub dancers, Hepburn is not the image that comes to mind. But three years before “Roman Holiday,” she was a struggling performer, after having studied ballet in the Netherlands and London.
The Ciro’s revue was called “Summer Nights,” and came with a $1.50 cover charge ($15 in today’s economy). Variety said it was “one of the most ambitious floor shows in town. Production is costing around $1,500 a week, which is considerably above average for a show of 28 minutes.” The lineup also included a French singer, a comic impressionist, a duo offering a Spanish dance and,...
- 12/16/2020
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
The Notebook Primer introduces readers to some of the most important figures, films, genres, and movements in film history.Above: 42nd StreetWhile other genres undoubtedly advanced with the dawning of sound technology, the musical is likely the most indebted to the reverberations of this complementary process. More than that, though, the movie musical was fundamentally born with the surge of sound—it simply could not have existed otherwise. And since that time, the musical has indeed been a uniquely cinematic venture, less beholden to conventional narratives and often disposed to experimentations in color, location, camera mobility, production design, and special effects. Especially in its heyday, the so-called “Golden Age” lasting between the mid-1930s and late-‘50s, Hollywood musicals were an enrapturing experience, delighting audiences with spectacle, romance, athleticism, fine performances, and, of course, song and dance. Some of America’s brightest stars sparkled in the musical, while many of...
- 10/7/2020
- MUBI
Corey Cott may not have a long list of on screen credits, but he’s got a lot of professional acting experience none the less. He has had a very successful theater career that includes roles on Broadway. He has appeared in several well-known productions including Newsies and Gigi. Now he’s looking to bring the same success he’s had on stage to the small screen with his role on the new Fox series, Filthy Rich. The series focuses on a wealthy southern family and Corey plays one of the main characters, Eric Monreaux. Although the show is just getting started, it’s
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Corey Cott...
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Corey Cott...
- 9/28/2020
- by Camille Moore
- TVovermind.com
Perfection is a word used too frequently to describe a movie. But in the case of the 1953 romantic comedy “Roman Holiday,” perfection is not hyperbole. Directed by William Wyler and nominated for 10 Academy Awards, “Roman Holiday” is a gem of a fairy tale.
Audrey Hepburn plays Princess Ann, a young sheltered monarch from a European country bored to tears on a goodwill trip who decides to escape her guardians while in Rome. She ends up falling in love with a handsome American reporter (Gregory Peck). He recognizes the princess on the lam and initially befriends her to get her story only to fall for the winsome young woman. Eddie Albert plays Peck’s carefree, womanizing friend who is a photographer.
“Roman Holiday,” which just made its Blu-Ray debut, was a change of pace for Wyler, who was best known for his dramatic work, having already won Oscars for 1942’s “Mrs. Miniver...
Audrey Hepburn plays Princess Ann, a young sheltered monarch from a European country bored to tears on a goodwill trip who decides to escape her guardians while in Rome. She ends up falling in love with a handsome American reporter (Gregory Peck). He recognizes the princess on the lam and initially befriends her to get her story only to fall for the winsome young woman. Eddie Albert plays Peck’s carefree, womanizing friend who is a photographer.
“Roman Holiday,” which just made its Blu-Ray debut, was a change of pace for Wyler, who was best known for his dramatic work, having already won Oscars for 1942’s “Mrs. Miniver...
- 9/23/2020
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
We told you. Remember the rules. You didn’t listen. Now we’re Back with an all new batch of guest recommendations featuring Blake Masters, Julien Nitzberg, Floyd Norman, Tuppence Middleton and Blaire Bercy.
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wild Angels (1966)
Spirits of the Dead (1966)
The Trip (1967)
Mooch Goes To Hollywood (1971)
Stalker (1979)
The Candidate (1972)
The Parallax View (1974)
Network (1976)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Ace In The Hole (1951)
Margin Call (2011)
Death Wish (1974)
Death Wish (2018)
Seconds (1966)
Soylent Green (1973)
Rage (1972)
Assault on Wall Street (2013)
Repo Man (1984)
Elmer Gantry (1960)
The Train (1965)
Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)
Strange Brew (1983)
To Have And Have Not (1944)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
Easter Parade (1948)
The Band Wagon (1953)
Guys And Dolls (1955)
On The Town (1949)
Casablanca (1942)
The Dirt Gang (1972)
Back To The Future (1985)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
The Big Sleep (1946)
Bomba, the Jungle Boy (1949)
My Man Godfrey...
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wild Angels (1966)
Spirits of the Dead (1966)
The Trip (1967)
Mooch Goes To Hollywood (1971)
Stalker (1979)
The Candidate (1972)
The Parallax View (1974)
Network (1976)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Ace In The Hole (1951)
Margin Call (2011)
Death Wish (1974)
Death Wish (2018)
Seconds (1966)
Soylent Green (1973)
Rage (1972)
Assault on Wall Street (2013)
Repo Man (1984)
Elmer Gantry (1960)
The Train (1965)
Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)
Strange Brew (1983)
To Have And Have Not (1944)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
Easter Parade (1948)
The Band Wagon (1953)
Guys And Dolls (1955)
On The Town (1949)
Casablanca (1942)
The Dirt Gang (1972)
Back To The Future (1985)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
The Big Sleep (1946)
Bomba, the Jungle Boy (1949)
My Man Godfrey...
- 8/14/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Vincente Minnelli took time out from expensive MGM shows like Gigi to knock off this tale about the London debutante season, a light-comedy Cinderella story without satire or social comment. Young Sandra Dee and John Saxon come off well, but the show belongs to stars Rex Harrison and especially Kay Kendall, whose comedy timing and finesse lift the tame, weightless material.
The Reluctant Debutante
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1958 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 96 min. / Street Date May 26, 2020 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Rex Harrison, Kay Kendall, John Saxon, Sandra Dee, Angela Lansbury, Peter Myers, Diane Clare, Charles Herbert.
Cinematography: Joseph Ruttenberg
Film Editor: Adrienne Fazan
Written by William Douglas-Home from his play
Produced by Pandro S. Berman
Directed by Vincente Minnelli
Not often mentioned as a highlight of Vincente Minnelli’s career, The Reluctant Debutante is enjoyable now for the comedy playing of Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall. Harrison hadn’t been...
The Reluctant Debutante
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1958 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 96 min. / Street Date May 26, 2020 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Rex Harrison, Kay Kendall, John Saxon, Sandra Dee, Angela Lansbury, Peter Myers, Diane Clare, Charles Herbert.
Cinematography: Joseph Ruttenberg
Film Editor: Adrienne Fazan
Written by William Douglas-Home from his play
Produced by Pandro S. Berman
Directed by Vincente Minnelli
Not often mentioned as a highlight of Vincente Minnelli’s career, The Reluctant Debutante is enjoyable now for the comedy playing of Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall. Harrison hadn’t been...
- 6/30/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
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