We all think we know Seth Rogen. He’s the stoner king, the oversized kid fighting off adulthood, the comedy icon that Judd Apatow built almost from scratch after the two met just before the turn of the millennium on the set of the woefully short-lived NBC series “Freaks and Geeks.” Yes, Rogen is all these things, but to limit his influence strictly to his talents as a funnyman is to wrongly shortchange him. At the not-so-advanced age of 40, the actor who was born on April 15, 1982 in Vancouver, British Columbia is also a prolific writer and producer of product on screens big and small. He even co-wrote an episode of “The Simpsons.”
Moreover, the Rogen that audiences saw in “The Fabelmans” from director and co-writer Steven Spielberg bears little resemblance to the Rogen who entered the zeitgeist in such fun-loving, maturity-challenged raunchfests as “Superbad” and “Pineapple Express” more than a decade ago.
Moreover, the Rogen that audiences saw in “The Fabelmans” from director and co-writer Steven Spielberg bears little resemblance to the Rogen who entered the zeitgeist in such fun-loving, maturity-challenged raunchfests as “Superbad” and “Pineapple Express” more than a decade ago.
- 4/13/2024
- by Ray Richmond, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
At least one live-action Disney remake just took a major step backward. Last year, we learned that the Oscar-winning Sarah Polley ("Women Talking") was set to direct a new live-action reimagining of the 1940s classic "Bambi." Now, it's been revealed that Polley has left the project. There is currently no word on who will replace her and, not to get too ahead of ourselves here, but the answer may be nobody.
According to a report from The Wrap, Polley has quietly left the remake. It's unclear when the filmmaker departed or why she split from Disney on this one. The report also notes that it's equally unclear if the movie will still move forward. Part of that has to do with the recent departure of Sean Bailey, the former president of Walt Disney Motion Picture Production. Bailey was largely responsible for the deluge of live-action remakes of animated classics that...
According to a report from The Wrap, Polley has quietly left the remake. It's unclear when the filmmaker departed or why she split from Disney on this one. The report also notes that it's equally unclear if the movie will still move forward. Part of that has to do with the recent departure of Sean Bailey, the former president of Walt Disney Motion Picture Production. Bailey was largely responsible for the deluge of live-action remakes of animated classics that...
- 3/7/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Stars: Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, Sarah Silverman, Jennifer Podemski, Diane D’Aquila, Vanessa Carter, Graham Abbey | Written and Directed by Sarah Polley
Opening on a soft focus into a kitchen, Margot (Michelle Williams) is busy baking something. While the light shining through the window gives the scene a cosy feeling, this seemingly perfect scenario is contrasted by the unsatisfied look on the lead’s face. Writer/Director Sarah Polley uses this interesting opening to draw viewers into Take This Waltz and question what has resulted in the unfolding scenario.
While she is abroad for work, freelance writer Margot makes a charming connection with artist and rickshaw driver, Daniel (Luke Kirby). She is upfront about being married to Lou (Seth Rogen), her loving husband of five years, although the momentary spark is troubled by the revelation that Daniel lives across the street from the couple.
A lesser film would have...
Opening on a soft focus into a kitchen, Margot (Michelle Williams) is busy baking something. While the light shining through the window gives the scene a cosy feeling, this seemingly perfect scenario is contrasted by the unsatisfied look on the lead’s face. Writer/Director Sarah Polley uses this interesting opening to draw viewers into Take This Waltz and question what has resulted in the unfolding scenario.
While she is abroad for work, freelance writer Margot makes a charming connection with artist and rickshaw driver, Daniel (Luke Kirby). She is upfront about being married to Lou (Seth Rogen), her loving husband of five years, although the momentary spark is troubled by the revelation that Daniel lives across the street from the couple.
A lesser film would have...
- 2/1/2024
- by James Rodrigues
- Nerdly
Generally, when I enter the small sauna room at my local Ymca after a workout, I’m prone to eavesdrop on a group of men opining on topics such as Andrew Tate. In comparison, the Sundance-winning documentary Smoke Sauna Sisterhood presents the steamy (not in that way) space as something genuinely holy. 89 minutes of, ahem, women talking, director Anna Hints’ film is a noble effort from whom you can easily appreciate the overall gesture. But for veering into the cosmic or transcendental to often corny effect, one doesn’t really feel it conceptualizing in some intelligent fashion.
Taking us to a cabin in rural Estonia that’s been officially deemed a place of cultural importance by Unesco, we maybe get a subtle advertisement cloaked inside images that at times resemble the avant-garde concoctions of director Philippe Grandrieux. If one thinks of naked old bodies, in cinematic terms, as a shock effect in horror films,...
Taking us to a cabin in rural Estonia that’s been officially deemed a place of cultural importance by Unesco, we maybe get a subtle advertisement cloaked inside images that at times resemble the avant-garde concoctions of director Philippe Grandrieux. If one thinks of naked old bodies, in cinematic terms, as a shock effect in horror films,...
- 11/24/2023
- by Ethan Vestby
- The Film Stage
On Seth Rogen’s first trip to TIFF, he supported a pair of films, including one with a challenging goal: cracking jokes about cancer.
In 2011, the Vancouver native made his way to Toronto for the premieres of Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz — which focused on marital challenges for Rogen and onscreen wife Michelle Williams — and Jonathan Levine’s 50/50. The latter was loosely based on the real-life experiences of screenwriter Will Reiser and followed a radio personality played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt who gets diagnosed with spinal cancer (the film’s title references the survival rate). Rogen was a producer and played Gordon-Levitt’s supportive best friend alongside co-stars Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anjelica Huston.
One pivotal scene involved shaving Gordon-Levitt’s head, which the team had one chance to nail. “It was the first day of filming, and we improvised the whole thing, which is not wise when...
In 2011, the Vancouver native made his way to Toronto for the premieres of Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz — which focused on marital challenges for Rogen and onscreen wife Michelle Williams — and Jonathan Levine’s 50/50. The latter was loosely based on the real-life experiences of screenwriter Will Reiser and followed a radio personality played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt who gets diagnosed with spinal cancer (the film’s title references the survival rate). Rogen was a producer and played Gordon-Levitt’s supportive best friend alongside co-stars Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anjelica Huston.
One pivotal scene involved shaving Gordon-Levitt’s head, which the team had one chance to nail. “It was the first day of filming, and we improvised the whole thing, which is not wise when...
- 9/9/2023
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Seth Rogen is a mainstay in the entertainment industry, an actor, writer, producer, and filmmaker who first rose to fame as the goofy star of movies like Knocked Up and Superbad. Over the past decade, Rogen has consistently honed his skills as a writer and producer, attaching his name to a variety of projects that he believes in. Rogen has a known affinity for comic book films, which has led many fans to wonder if the actor would ever consider working with Marvel. However, in a recent interview, Rogen revealed that he’s not very interested in becoming part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Seth Rogen became famous for films like ‘Knocked Up’ Seth Rogen
Rogen started his entertainment career in the ’80s, but he didn’t start acting in film and television projects until 1999. Rogen’s first movie role was in 2001’s Donnie Darko. Rogen’s partnership with filmmaker...
Seth Rogen became famous for films like ‘Knocked Up’ Seth Rogen
Rogen started his entertainment career in the ’80s, but he didn’t start acting in film and television projects until 1999. Rogen’s first movie role was in 2001’s Donnie Darko. Rogen’s partnership with filmmaker...
- 8/12/2023
- by Suse Forrest
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
We might be entering the dog days of summer but Hulu isn’t slowing down. The streamer’s list of new releases for August 2023 is a pretty impressive collection of content.
The biggest Hulu original this month is season 3 of true crime comedy Only Murders in the Building on Aug. 8. This time around Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd are joining the already-stacked cast that features Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. This season’s central murder appears to take place at a theater (outside the building) but I think we’ll let it slide.
That’s far from the only worthwhile original in August as Aug. 2 sees the premiere of the third and final season of superb comedy Reservation Dogs. That will be followed by South Korean sci-fi series Moving on Aug. 9, Solar Opposites season 4 on Aug. 14, and A Murder at the End of the World on Aug. 29. Of course,...
The biggest Hulu original this month is season 3 of true crime comedy Only Murders in the Building on Aug. 8. This time around Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd are joining the already-stacked cast that features Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. This season’s central murder appears to take place at a theater (outside the building) but I think we’ll let it slide.
That’s far from the only worthwhile original in August as Aug. 2 sees the premiere of the third and final season of superb comedy Reservation Dogs. That will be followed by South Korean sci-fi series Moving on Aug. 9, Solar Opposites season 4 on Aug. 14, and A Murder at the End of the World on Aug. 29. Of course,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
England produced some of the best classic rock artists of all time. Queen Elizabeth knighted several musicians before she died, and many more received the country’s highest honor. But King Charles’ favorite musician didn’t come from England.
King Charles once said Leonard Cohen was his favorite musician: ‘It’s terrific stuff’
Charles watched The Beatles take over the world, The Rolling Stones cement themselves as one of the finest rock bands anywhere, and Led Zeppelin rewrote the heavy rock playbook.
Yet none of those English bands compared to Leonard Cohen.
During a 2006 interview celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Prince’s Trust, the future king admitted he found it hard to keep up with the onslaught of new bands. He then named Canadian singer-songwriter Cohen as his favorite musician.
“I’ll tell you who I think is wonderful is a chap named Leonard Cohen,” Charles said (via YouTube). “The orchestration is fantastic,...
King Charles once said Leonard Cohen was his favorite musician: ‘It’s terrific stuff’
Charles watched The Beatles take over the world, The Rolling Stones cement themselves as one of the finest rock bands anywhere, and Led Zeppelin rewrote the heavy rock playbook.
Yet none of those English bands compared to Leonard Cohen.
During a 2006 interview celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Prince’s Trust, the future king admitted he found it hard to keep up with the onslaught of new bands. He then named Canadian singer-songwriter Cohen as his favorite musician.
“I’ll tell you who I think is wonderful is a chap named Leonard Cohen,” Charles said (via YouTube). “The orchestration is fantastic,...
- 7/6/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The raucous period drama “Firebrand” was the official opening-night film at the 57th annual Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on Friday night in the spa resort town outside Prague, but there was a lot more going on in and around the Grand Hall at the Hotel Thermal than just the on-screen battle between Alicia Vikander’s Catherine Parr and Jude Law’s King Henry VIII.
It also included the presentation of awards to Vikander and Russell Crowe, the usual complement of opening-night speeches, an extended dance number that appeared to be performed on ice skates (though it wasn’t on ice but on an artificial surface that mimicked ice but could be walked on safely) and, during breaks and after the movie, complete concerts by the British band Morcheeba and by Crowe’s nine-piece band, Indoor Garden Party.
If you missed that last part, don’t worry: Crowe was filming...
It also included the presentation of awards to Vikander and Russell Crowe, the usual complement of opening-night speeches, an extended dance number that appeared to be performed on ice skates (though it wasn’t on ice but on an artificial surface that mimicked ice but could be walked on safely) and, during breaks and after the movie, complete concerts by the British band Morcheeba and by Crowe’s nine-piece band, Indoor Garden Party.
If you missed that last part, don’t worry: Crowe was filming...
- 7/1/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Sarah Polley is in talks to direct a live-action remake of Walt Disney’s “Bambi,” TheWrap has learned. Details on the project are scarce, but she will work off a recent screenplay draft penned by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster and the film will be a musical featuring music from Kacey Musgraves.
The news comes as Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is lighting up the box office and could follow in the footsteps of the photoreal CG-filled “The Lion King” and “The Jungle Book.” While those films were blockbusters, it has not been confirmed as to whether this seemingly less epic offering will be intended for theaters or, as we saw with “Pinocchio,” “Lady and the Tramp” and “Peter Pan and Wendy,” Disney+.
Sarah Polley is coming off an Oscar win for Best Adapted Screenplay for the critically acclaimed “Women Talking,” which was her first directorial effort in over a...
The news comes as Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is lighting up the box office and could follow in the footsteps of the photoreal CG-filled “The Lion King” and “The Jungle Book.” While those films were blockbusters, it has not been confirmed as to whether this seemingly less epic offering will be intended for theaters or, as we saw with “Pinocchio,” “Lady and the Tramp” and “Peter Pan and Wendy,” Disney+.
Sarah Polley is coming off an Oscar win for Best Adapted Screenplay for the critically acclaimed “Women Talking,” which was her first directorial effort in over a...
- 6/13/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Still fresh off her Academy Award for Best Screenplay for 2022’s “Women Talking,” (which was also nominated for Best Picture), Canadian writer/director Sarah Polley may have found her next gig. However, it’ll be one that surprises and possibly shocks some. Polley will be writing and directing a live-action adaptation of the animated “Bambi” story for Disney.
The move may surprise those that know Polley for her indie and dramatic work, films like “Take This Waltz,” the documentary “Stories We Tell,” last year’s aforementioned “Women Talking,” and the Academy Award-nominated “Away From Her.”
Read More: ‘Women Talking’ Director Sarah Polley Developing A Film Inspired By Her Awards Season Run
You could call it the Barry Jenkins “get that bag” move if you’re cynical (he’s gone from beloved indies to directing a—presumably highly-lucrative— live-action prequel adaptation of Disney’s “The Lion King.
Continue reading ‘Bambi’:...
The move may surprise those that know Polley for her indie and dramatic work, films like “Take This Waltz,” the documentary “Stories We Tell,” last year’s aforementioned “Women Talking,” and the Academy Award-nominated “Away From Her.”
Read More: ‘Women Talking’ Director Sarah Polley Developing A Film Inspired By Her Awards Season Run
You could call it the Barry Jenkins “get that bag” move if you’re cynical (he’s gone from beloved indies to directing a—presumably highly-lucrative— live-action prequel adaptation of Disney’s “The Lion King.
Continue reading ‘Bambi’:...
- 6/13/2023
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
Sarah Polley — who earlier this year won the best-adapted screenplay Oscar for her feature Women Talking — is in talks to direct the live-action Bambi film for Disney, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
The project is still in development, but should it happen, it would join Disney’s lucrative classic animation–to–live-action roster, the most recent addition to which was The Little Mermaid, which has made over $400 million at the box office to date.
The Bambi project was first reported in 2020, with Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel, Tomb Raider) and Lindsey Beer (Chaos Walking) set to pen the screenplay and Depth of Field, the production banner run by Chris and Paul Weitz and Andrew Miano, on board to produce. It’s unclear if this team is still in place. (Depth of Field worked with the studio on Robert Zemeckis’ take on another classic animation, Pinocchio.)
The original movie, released in 1942, told...
The project is still in development, but should it happen, it would join Disney’s lucrative classic animation–to–live-action roster, the most recent addition to which was The Little Mermaid, which has made over $400 million at the box office to date.
The Bambi project was first reported in 2020, with Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel, Tomb Raider) and Lindsey Beer (Chaos Walking) set to pen the screenplay and Depth of Field, the production banner run by Chris and Paul Weitz and Andrew Miano, on board to produce. It’s unclear if this team is still in place. (Depth of Field worked with the studio on Robert Zemeckis’ take on another classic animation, Pinocchio.)
The original movie, released in 1942, told...
- 6/13/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It seems like Sarah Polley is ready to focus on Disney animals talking.
The “Women Talking” writer-director is currently in early talks to helm the live-action adaptation of Disney’s “Bambi,” IndieWire has confirmed. Polley won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for her 2022 feminist film “Women Talking.” The news was first reported by Deadline.
Disney first announced a live-action “Bambi” adaptation in 2020, with Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Lindsey Beer set to write the script. Depth of Field production company was attached to produce. As of now it is unclear if all parties are still behind the project, which is still in the early stages of development.
“Bambi” was the fifth animated feature film to ever be released by Disney. The 1942 movie was an adaptation of Felix Salten’s novel about a young, motherless deer who befriends fellow woodland creatures. Disney’s “Bambi” earned Oscar nominations for Best Sound, Best Song,...
The “Women Talking” writer-director is currently in early talks to helm the live-action adaptation of Disney’s “Bambi,” IndieWire has confirmed. Polley won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for her 2022 feminist film “Women Talking.” The news was first reported by Deadline.
Disney first announced a live-action “Bambi” adaptation in 2020, with Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Lindsey Beer set to write the script. Depth of Field production company was attached to produce. As of now it is unclear if all parties are still behind the project, which is still in the early stages of development.
“Bambi” was the fifth animated feature film to ever be released by Disney. The 1942 movie was an adaptation of Felix Salten’s novel about a young, motherless deer who befriends fellow woodland creatures. Disney’s “Bambi” earned Oscar nominations for Best Sound, Best Song,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel creators have formalized their next series under their overall deal with Amazon, and it’s got a premise that calls back to the duo’s beloved Bunheads and a couple of recognizable faces.
Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino have scored a two-season, straight-to-series order for Étoile, a drama set in the world of ballet that is set to reunite them with Maisel favorite Luke Kirby and Gideon Glick. Camille Cottin (Call My Agent!), Simon Callow (Outlander), Lou de Laâge (The Innocents) and David Alvarez (West Side Story) will star alongside Kirby and Glick.
Étoile is set in New York City and Paris and follows the dancers and artistic staff of two world-renowned ballet companies as they embark on an ambitious gambit to save their storied institutions by swapping their most talented stars.
“Well, guess that plan for early retirement will have to wait. Instead, we’ve...
Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino have scored a two-season, straight-to-series order for Étoile, a drama set in the world of ballet that is set to reunite them with Maisel favorite Luke Kirby and Gideon Glick. Camille Cottin (Call My Agent!), Simon Callow (Outlander), Lou de Laâge (The Innocents) and David Alvarez (West Side Story) will star alongside Kirby and Glick.
Étoile is set in New York City and Paris and follows the dancers and artistic staff of two world-renowned ballet companies as they embark on an ambitious gambit to save their storied institutions by swapping their most talented stars.
“Well, guess that plan for early retirement will have to wait. Instead, we’ve...
- 4/26/2023
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Take This Waltz (2011).There is nothing particularly original about the plot of Sarah Polley's sophomore feature, Take This Waltz (2011). The film is about a woman in her late twenties, Margot (Michelle Williams), who is happily married to a great-guy-type, Lou (Seth Rogen), yet finds herself seduced and charmed by her neighbor Daniel (Luke Kirby). Lou, a cookbook author, is warm and bearish, while Daniel is lanky and caustic, a rickshaw driver with an artistic sensibility. Margot, a freelance writer, finds herself caught between safety and risk, a problem which has plagued the straight woman since time immemorial. Almost halfway into the film, Margot and Daniel sit at a bar, talking over martinis. The light is golden and soft, blurring out the sharper edges of their transgression, emphasizing the dreamlike, slightly off-kilter nature of their encounter. In lieu of actually crossing the line, Margot and Daniel relegate their desires to...
- 4/21/2023
- MUBI
While some of his jokes haven’t always aged well among some audiences, Seth Rogen, now 39, certainly has. The comedian has racked up hit after hit, starting with the cult favorite series “Freaks and Geeks” in 1999. After minor roles in “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” to “The 40 Year-Old Virgin,” Rogen proved his leading man prowess with 2007’s “Knocked Up,” followed immediately by the critically acclaimed high-school comedy “Superbad.” Rogen’s affable straight-man persona continued in “Pineapple Express,” “This Is the End,” and “Neighbors,” with more dramatic roles including “50/50,” “Take This Waltz,” and “An American Pickle” adding to Rogen’s prolific and well-rounded career.
As for how some of his sometimes foul-mouthed, politically incorrect comedies have withstood the test of time, Rogen said on “Good Morning Britain” that it’s simply “the nature of comedy” for some humor, especially of his button-pushing variety, to curdle as time progresses...
As for how some of his sometimes foul-mouthed, politically incorrect comedies have withstood the test of time, Rogen said on “Good Morning Britain” that it’s simply “the nature of comedy” for some humor, especially of his button-pushing variety, to curdle as time progresses...
- 4/18/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Toronto filmmaker Sarah Polley’s Sunday night Oscars win was a glorious moment as Canadian (and global) fans shared their joy over her securing her first Academy Award for “Women Talking.”
“It was surreal and wonderful. I mean, I don’t have many words for it. It was just a really beautiful thing to get to experience,” Polley told Et Canada in an interview a day after receiving her Best Adapted Screenplay award.
Even though the writer/director was a frontrunner and a strong Oscar contender, she wasn’t sure she would win, she said. “In fact, I was in an Oscar pool where I bet on ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ and was genuinely shocked. Because it just felt like both from watching how things were going to go to how many more people saw ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’, and then surely throughout the night, they...
“It was surreal and wonderful. I mean, I don’t have many words for it. It was just a really beautiful thing to get to experience,” Polley told Et Canada in an interview a day after receiving her Best Adapted Screenplay award.
Even though the writer/director was a frontrunner and a strong Oscar contender, she wasn’t sure she would win, she said. “In fact, I was in an Oscar pool where I bet on ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ and was genuinely shocked. Because it just felt like both from watching how things were going to go to how many more people saw ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’, and then surely throughout the night, they...
- 3/14/2023
- by Etcanadadigital
- ET Canada
Sarah Polley is already working on her next project.
On Sunday night, the Canadian director won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for “Women Talking”, and apparently the whole awards season has inspired her.
Read More: Toronto’s Sarah Polley Wins Her First-Ever Oscar For ‘Women Talking’
“I’ve been developing a project based on my experiences going through awards season — I’m not kidding,” she told Deadline on the red carpet. “I know all of your names and I have all of your numbers, you will be hearing from me.”
Polley added, “I’ve had basically a hotline with all the filmmakers and writers in the race, who text and email me things as they happen all night long — I have this informal writers room which has been amazing.”
Read More: Radical Dialogue And Open Roads In Sarah Polley’s ‘Women Talking’
This wasn’t Polley’s first awards season experience,...
On Sunday night, the Canadian director won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for “Women Talking”, and apparently the whole awards season has inspired her.
Read More: Toronto’s Sarah Polley Wins Her First-Ever Oscar For ‘Women Talking’
“I’ve been developing a project based on my experiences going through awards season — I’m not kidding,” she told Deadline on the red carpet. “I know all of your names and I have all of your numbers, you will be hearing from me.”
Polley added, “I’ve had basically a hotline with all the filmmakers and writers in the race, who text and email me things as they happen all night long — I have this informal writers room which has been amazing.”
Read More: Radical Dialogue And Open Roads In Sarah Polley’s ‘Women Talking’
This wasn’t Polley’s first awards season experience,...
- 3/13/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
The Nicolettis set out to con a fellow con man in The Company You Keep Episode 3, “Against All Odds,” on ABC. And in doing so, The Company You Keep added another star to its already impressive cast list — Luke Kirby. Read on to learn more about the actor and where fans might have seen him before he guest-starred in The Company You Keep.
Jes Macallan as Martha Pope and Luke Kirby as Jones Malone | ABC/Raymond Liu Luke Kirby stars as Jones Malone in ‘The Company You Keep’
The Company You Keep fans will meet Jones Malone, played by Luke Kirby, in episode 3, “Against All Odds,” which premieres on Sunday, March 5, at 10 p.m. Et on ABC.
The synopsis for “Against All Odds” reads, “The Nicolettis persuade a wealthy woman to seek revenge on her con man fiancé at a horse race. Meanwhile, Emma meets Charlie’s family. And the...
Jes Macallan as Martha Pope and Luke Kirby as Jones Malone | ABC/Raymond Liu Luke Kirby stars as Jones Malone in ‘The Company You Keep’
The Company You Keep fans will meet Jones Malone, played by Luke Kirby, in episode 3, “Against All Odds,” which premieres on Sunday, March 5, at 10 p.m. Et on ABC.
The synopsis for “Against All Odds” reads, “The Nicolettis persuade a wealthy woman to seek revenge on her con man fiancé at a horse race. Meanwhile, Emma meets Charlie’s family. And the...
- 3/6/2023
- by Sarah Little
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Growing up, I knew Sarah Polley as both Beverly Cleary's lively, imaginative heroine, Ramona Geraldine Quimby in the 1980s "Ramona" TV series, and then as the equally spirited Sara Stanley on the '90s Canadian (and Disney Channel) TV period drama staple, "Road to Avonlea." Nowadays, of course, Polley is better known for her celebrated efforts as a writer-director on the relationship dramas "Away from Her" and "Take This Waltz." Her latest venture behind the camera, "Women Talking," has even secured a Best Picture nod at the 2023 Academy Awards ceremony, in addition to landing Polly a nomination for her adapted screenplay.
Based on Miriam Toews' 2018 novel of the same name (which was itself inspired by horrifying real-life events), "Women Talking" takes place in an isolated Mennonite colony circa 2010. When it's discovered the men have been drugging and sexually assaulting the community's women in their sleep, the local authorities intervene,...
Based on Miriam Toews' 2018 novel of the same name (which was itself inspired by horrifying real-life events), "Women Talking" takes place in an isolated Mennonite colony circa 2010. When it's discovered the men have been drugging and sexually assaulting the community's women in their sleep, the local authorities intervene,...
- 2/16/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
February ushers in a new slate of movies and TV shows making their way to HBO and HBO Max, from a slew of James Bond movies to the recently released Olivia Colman-led “Empire of Light” to, yes, the Puppy Bowl.
“The Terminator,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Footloose,” “Taxi Driver” and “The Silence of the Lambs” all mark notable library offerings this month, in addition to “Superbad,” “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” and “Eighth Grade.”
Despite HBO Max pulling a number of originals from its roster over the past several months, HBO Max originals premiering on the platform this month include a Dionne Warwick documentary, an adult European animated series titled “Poor Devil” and “Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special” based on the popular animated series.
HBO Max is also beefing up its sports offerings by streaming soccer matches featuring the U.S. national teams,...
“The Terminator,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Footloose,” “Taxi Driver” and “The Silence of the Lambs” all mark notable library offerings this month, in addition to “Superbad,” “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” and “Eighth Grade.”
Despite HBO Max pulling a number of originals from its roster over the past several months, HBO Max originals premiering on the platform this month include a Dionne Warwick documentary, an adult European animated series titled “Poor Devil” and “Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special” based on the popular animated series.
HBO Max is also beefing up its sports offerings by streaming soccer matches featuring the U.S. national teams,...
- 2/1/2023
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and HBO Max got the memo. With its list of new releases for February 2023, the HBO streamer is bringing a very special Valentine’s Day episode into the fold.
Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special premieres on Feb. 9 and finds Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy celebrating their first Valentine’s Day together. Consider this a fun little aperitif for the fast approaching Harley Quinn season 3 – which will feature none other than freshly-installed DC czar James Gunn. Other HBO Max original series this month include another C.B. Strike special on Feb. 6 and Spanish-language animated comedy Poor Devil a.k.a. Pobre Diablo on Feb. 17.
February also looks to be a jam-packed month for movies on HBO Max. February 1 sees the arrival of many appealing library titles like Birdman, Casino Royale, The Silence of the Lambs, and The Terminator. Later on HBO Max...
Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special premieres on Feb. 9 and finds Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy celebrating their first Valentine’s Day together. Consider this a fun little aperitif for the fast approaching Harley Quinn season 3 – which will feature none other than freshly-installed DC czar James Gunn. Other HBO Max original series this month include another C.B. Strike special on Feb. 6 and Spanish-language animated comedy Poor Devil a.k.a. Pobre Diablo on Feb. 17.
February also looks to be a jam-packed month for movies on HBO Max. February 1 sees the arrival of many appealing library titles like Birdman, Casino Royale, The Silence of the Lambs, and The Terminator. Later on HBO Max...
- 2/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
“ I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.”
– 1 Timothy 2:12
Numerous explanations have been given for the Apostle Paul’s harsh teaching. Some scholars feel he was responding to cultural concerns in a patriarchal society. Others believe he was addressing a conflict inside local churches. It’s also possible he was simply a raging misogynist. Whatever his intentions, it’s undeniable that this verse and interpretations of it have caused irreparable harm and devastation, creating cultures where women are seen as unequal to men and excusing horrendous abuse.
It’s a verse that the characters of Women Talking would know quite well, although they’ve never read it with their own eyes. Raised in a strict Mennonite community, they’re not permitted to read or write, and they have no voice in governing their small village. Although Paul...
– 1 Timothy 2:12
Numerous explanations have been given for the Apostle Paul’s harsh teaching. Some scholars feel he was responding to cultural concerns in a patriarchal society. Others believe he was addressing a conflict inside local churches. It’s also possible he was simply a raging misogynist. Whatever his intentions, it’s undeniable that this verse and interpretations of it have caused irreparable harm and devastation, creating cultures where women are seen as unequal to men and excusing horrendous abuse.
It’s a verse that the characters of Women Talking would know quite well, although they’ve never read it with their own eyes. Raised in a strict Mennonite community, they’re not permitted to read or write, and they have no voice in governing their small village. Although Paul...
- 1/27/2023
- by Chris Williams
- CinemaNerdz
Over a career that has taken her from child actor to the director’s chair, Canadian filmmaker Sarah Polley has spent enough time on set to have a feel for the standard rhythms of a shoot.
But there was something different about the female-led production of “Women Talking,” Polley said, of the first feature she has directed in more than a decade.
Tasks that would typically take 45 minutes would be done in seven, with crew members holding competitions to see who could help set up a shot the fastest, she recalled.
From the stars to the grips, everyone on the call sheet seemed to be galvanized by a sense of collective mission that went beyond adding another credit to their resume, Polley said.
Read more: ‘The People’s Joker,’ reimagining of Gotham City, pulled from TIFF over rights issues
“We felt like we were part of a movement, not a movie,...
But there was something different about the female-led production of “Women Talking,” Polley said, of the first feature she has directed in more than a decade.
Tasks that would typically take 45 minutes would be done in seven, with crew members holding competitions to see who could help set up a shot the fastest, she recalled.
From the stars to the grips, everyone on the call sheet seemed to be galvanized by a sense of collective mission that went beyond adding another credit to their resume, Polley said.
Read more: ‘The People’s Joker,’ reimagining of Gotham City, pulled from TIFF over rights issues
“We felt like we were part of a movement, not a movie,...
- 9/15/2022
- by Shakiel Mahjouri
- ET Canada
The following review includes reference to domestic abuse and sexual assault. Please proceed with caution.
In a world where abortion rights feel tenuous, men's sexual appetites endless, and domestic abuse cases ubiquitous, we need movies like "Women Talking." The confident, fearless film is a testament to female empowerment, depicting a colony of vulnerable women banding together to change their lives for the better — facing the unknown in order to improve the situation not just out of their own self-interest, but out of love for their fellow sisters in Christ. It's a beautifully shot, skillfully acted story that sends a powerful message about choosing a better future.
The film was written and directed by Sarah Polley, a Canadian storyteller with a knack for exploring broken relationships. Her films "Away From Her" and "Take This Waltz" are evocative, intimate portraits of domestic partnerships, interrupted by chance; the former centers on a long marriage disrupted by dementia,...
In a world where abortion rights feel tenuous, men's sexual appetites endless, and domestic abuse cases ubiquitous, we need movies like "Women Talking." The confident, fearless film is a testament to female empowerment, depicting a colony of vulnerable women banding together to change their lives for the better — facing the unknown in order to improve the situation not just out of their own self-interest, but out of love for their fellow sisters in Christ. It's a beautifully shot, skillfully acted story that sends a powerful message about choosing a better future.
The film was written and directed by Sarah Polley, a Canadian storyteller with a knack for exploring broken relationships. Her films "Away From Her" and "Take This Waltz" are evocative, intimate portraits of domestic partnerships, interrupted by chance; the former centers on a long marriage disrupted by dementia,...
- 9/15/2022
- by Sarah Milner
- Slash Film
With Women Talking, Sarah Polley adapts Miriam Toews’ 2018 novel in a way that feels like a response to the last several years. The book, which concerns women in a Mennonite colony deciding whether to leave their community and the men who spent years assaulting and raping them, published after the downfall of Harvey Weinstein and the formation of the #MeToo movement, which made its subject and themes reverberate around topics that were, and still are, at the forefront of media and public discourse. Polley leans hard into the bigger ideas, making her film less of a chamber piece and more a fumbled commentary on where we are now. Schematic in its intent and pedestrian in its execution, Women Talking is a well-meaning drama that’s obvious in all the wrong ways.
Women Talking largely takes place in the hayloft of the village’s barn, where two families of women gather...
Women Talking largely takes place in the hayloft of the village’s barn, where two families of women gather...
- 9/10/2022
- by C.J. Prince
- The Film Stage
The Telluride Film Festival wrapped on Labor Day, with many of the season’s mystery films getting a first look from critics, journalists and festivalgoers. But what did we learn from the four-day fest? Do we have an Oscar frontrunner?
Four narrative films world premiered in the Colorado mountains – “Women Talking” from MGM/Uar, “Empire of Light” from Searchlight Pictures and “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” and “The Wonder” from Netflix. Other Venice titles also made their North American debuts such as Netflix’s “Bardo” and Focus Features’ “Tar.”
Here are five things we learned at Telluride.
Polley Want an Oscar?
Writer, actor and director Sarah Polley received a tribute at the top of the festival, with her film “Women Talking” making its debut. Clips of her acting performances were part of the montage. Featured more prominently were her three films as a director – the documentary “Stories We Tell” and her two indie gems,...
Four narrative films world premiered in the Colorado mountains – “Women Talking” from MGM/Uar, “Empire of Light” from Searchlight Pictures and “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” and “The Wonder” from Netflix. Other Venice titles also made their North American debuts such as Netflix’s “Bardo” and Focus Features’ “Tar.”
Here are five things we learned at Telluride.
Polley Want an Oscar?
Writer, actor and director Sarah Polley received a tribute at the top of the festival, with her film “Women Talking” making its debut. Clips of her acting performances were part of the montage. Featured more prominently were her three films as a director – the documentary “Stories We Tell” and her two indie gems,...
- 9/8/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Marlee Matlin has tapped three Deaf actors, Stephanie Nogueras (Killing It), Joshua Castille and Lauren Ridloff, to star in the episode she’s directing in the upcoming Fox anthology drama series Accused. Megan Boone also stars in her first major television role since The Blacklist, along with Aaron Ashmore (Locke & Key), Jean-Michele Le Gal (Take This Waltz) and Daphne Rubin-Vega (Allswell) in the series from Homeland EPs Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, and David Shore. The episode is written by novelist and short-story writer Maile Meloy.
Nogueras stars in the lead role of Ava, a Deaf woman who becomes a surrogate for a couple, Jenny (Boone) and Max (Ashmore) and commits a crime of advocacy and protection.
Castille will play Ava’s boyfriend, Kj, who is hard of hearing. The episode also stars Le Gal and Ridloff as Ava’s public...
Nogueras stars in the lead role of Ava, a Deaf woman who becomes a surrogate for a couple, Jenny (Boone) and Max (Ashmore) and commits a crime of advocacy and protection.
Castille will play Ava’s boyfriend, Kj, who is hard of hearing. The episode also stars Le Gal and Ridloff as Ava’s public...
- 7/7/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Movie: "Take This Waltz"
Where You Can Stream It: Hulu
The Pitch: On a business trip for her job writing tourist pamphlets, Margot (Michelle Williams) has a meet-cute with Daniel (Luke Kirby), a fellow traveler with whom she strikes up an instant connection. On her flight home, Daniel happens to sit right next to her, and they bicker a little and flirt, cracking jokes and revealing intimate secrets. They share a cab from the airport together...
The post The Daily Stream: Take This Waltz Dances Around the Ennui of Romance appeared first on /Film.
The Movie: "Take This Waltz"
Where You Can Stream It: Hulu
The Pitch: On a business trip for her job writing tourist pamphlets, Margot (Michelle Williams) has a meet-cute with Daniel (Luke Kirby), a fellow traveler with whom she strikes up an instant connection. On her flight home, Daniel happens to sit right next to her, and they bicker a little and flirt, cracking jokes and revealing intimate secrets. They share a cab from the airport together...
The post The Daily Stream: Take This Waltz Dances Around the Ennui of Romance appeared first on /Film.
- 6/7/2022
- by Hoai-Tran Bui
- Slash Film
There are diverse streaming releases slates and then there is Hulu’s list of new releases for May 2022. There are no big franchises here, no big themes – just a whole bunch of original and library titles for everyone to enjoy.
Hulu’s major original releases in May come in the middle of the month. Candy premieres on May 9 and stars Jessica Biel as your friendly neighborhood axe murderer. If that sounds a bit outlandish, bear in mind that this limited series is based on the real life story of Candy Montgomery and her victim, the tragically named Betty Gore. On May 15, Hulu will play host to Conversations with Friends. This is the latest adaptation of the works of Sally Rooney. After the breakaway success of Normal People, Hulu is undoubtedly hoping for more lightning in a bottle.
On the movie side of things, May will welcome The Valet on May...
Hulu’s major original releases in May come in the middle of the month. Candy premieres on May 9 and stars Jessica Biel as your friendly neighborhood axe murderer. If that sounds a bit outlandish, bear in mind that this limited series is based on the real life story of Candy Montgomery and her victim, the tragically named Betty Gore. On May 15, Hulu will play host to Conversations with Friends. This is the latest adaptation of the works of Sally Rooney. After the breakaway success of Normal People, Hulu is undoubtedly hoping for more lightning in a bottle.
On the movie side of things, May will welcome The Valet on May...
- 5/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Spectrum Originals has ordered the dramedy series “Panhandle” starring Luke Kirby and Tiana Okoye, Variety has learned.
Set in the Florida panhandle, the series follows agoraphobic arm-chair detective Bell Prescott (Kirby) and reluctant traffic cop Cammie Lorde (Okoye) as they wrestle with personal demons, shocking twists, and a few Florida gators on their journey to heal themselves and their town.
Spectrum has ordered an eight-episode first season of the series, which will shoot in Savannah, Ga. It will have a nine month exclusive ad-free run on Spectrum before an ad-supported second window on The Roku Channel.
Nicholas Stoller and Carla Kettner created the series and will serve as executive producers. Conor Welch also serves as an executive producer. Colin Bucksey will direct the pilot. Sony Pictures Television is the studio behind the series.
“Nick and Carla are an electric team who have crafted a story that is a love letter...
Set in the Florida panhandle, the series follows agoraphobic arm-chair detective Bell Prescott (Kirby) and reluctant traffic cop Cammie Lorde (Okoye) as they wrestle with personal demons, shocking twists, and a few Florida gators on their journey to heal themselves and their town.
Spectrum has ordered an eight-episode first season of the series, which will shoot in Savannah, Ga. It will have a nine month exclusive ad-free run on Spectrum before an ad-supported second window on The Roku Channel.
Nicholas Stoller and Carla Kettner created the series and will serve as executive producers. Conor Welch also serves as an executive producer. Colin Bucksey will direct the pilot. Sony Pictures Television is the studio behind the series.
“Nick and Carla are an electric team who have crafted a story that is a love letter...
- 3/1/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
For the past 25 years, Variety editors and staff have compiled annual lists of industry talent to look out for, stretching various capacities, including directors, writers, producers, cinematographers, and comics. When looking back on the lists from each year, it’s striking to see how many impactful names have blossomed with hugely successful careers within Hollywood, and with some of the individuals taking a surprising route to stardom. It also underscores the innate ability of the Variety team to discover and take early note of the many talented people who have become entertainment icons over several generations.
The first 10 Actors to Watch list was released in 1998, with Luke Wilson (“Rushmore”), Sarah Polley (“Go!”), Adrien Brody (“The Thin Red Line”), Patricia Clarkson (“High Art”), Larenz Tate (“Why Do Fools Fall in Love?”), and Samantha Morton (“Under the Skin”) finding inclusion. It’s interesting to note that Polley would later be selected for...
The first 10 Actors to Watch list was released in 1998, with Luke Wilson (“Rushmore”), Sarah Polley (“Go!”), Adrien Brody (“The Thin Red Line”), Patricia Clarkson (“High Art”), Larenz Tate (“Why Do Fools Fall in Love?”), and Samantha Morton (“Under the Skin”) finding inclusion. It’s interesting to note that Polley would later be selected for...
- 1/26/2022
- by Nick Clement
- Variety Film + TV
Next month’s Mubi lineup for the U.S. has been unveiled and a number of our recent festival favorites that were awaiting distribution will be coming to the service, including Mr. Bachmann and His Class, Ballad of a White Cow, Madalena, Taste, The Monopoly of Violence, and For Lucio.
One of last year’s great films, Hong Sangsoo’s The Woman Who Ran, will also be arriving, alongside Abel Ferrara’s Ms. 45, the Safdies’ Heaven Knows What, Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz, and Leo McCarey’s Love Affair, with the latter two pairing for a Valentine’s Day double feature.
Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
February 1 | The Monopoly of Violence | David Dufresne | From France with Love
February 2 | Looking for Venera | Norika Sefa | Festival Focus: Rotterdam
February 3 | Madalena | Madiano Marcheti | Festival Focus: Rotterdam
February 4 | Honey Cigar | Kamir Aïnouz | From France with Love
February 5 | …and...
One of last year’s great films, Hong Sangsoo’s The Woman Who Ran, will also be arriving, alongside Abel Ferrara’s Ms. 45, the Safdies’ Heaven Knows What, Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz, and Leo McCarey’s Love Affair, with the latter two pairing for a Valentine’s Day double feature.
Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
February 1 | The Monopoly of Violence | David Dufresne | From France with Love
February 2 | Looking for Venera | Norika Sefa | Festival Focus: Rotterdam
February 3 | Madalena | Madiano Marcheti | Festival Focus: Rotterdam
February 4 | Honey Cigar | Kamir Aïnouz | From France with Love
February 5 | …and...
- 1/20/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
After a string of stellar films with Away from Her, Take This Waltz, and Stories We Tell, actor-turned-director Sarah Polley stepped away from movie-making for nearly a decade. The Canadian artist will now be making a triumphant return with a major project, an adaptation of Miriam Toews’ bestseller Women Talking that has assembled quite a cast.
Led by Frances McDormand, the rest of the ensemble has been unveiled with Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Sheila McCarthy, Michelle McLeod, Ben Whishaw, and newcomers August Winter, Liv McNeil, Kate Hallett, Deadline reports. Backed by MGM’s Orion Pictures and Plan B Entertainment, the film follows a group of women in an isolated religious colony as they struggle to reconcile their faith with a series of sexual assaults committed by the colony’s men.
Check out the novel’s official synopsis below and pick up the book here.
One evening,...
Led by Frances McDormand, the rest of the ensemble has been unveiled with Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Sheila McCarthy, Michelle McLeod, Ben Whishaw, and newcomers August Winter, Liv McNeil, Kate Hallett, Deadline reports. Backed by MGM’s Orion Pictures and Plan B Entertainment, the film follows a group of women in an isolated religious colony as they struggle to reconcile their faith with a series of sexual assaults committed by the colony’s men.
Check out the novel’s official synopsis below and pick up the book here.
One evening,...
- 6/16/2021
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
“Women Talking,” the drama from director Sarah Polley that stars Frances McDormand, has rounded out its cast, assembling an impressive group that includes Rooney Mara, Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
Also joining the cast of “Women Talking” are Judith Ivey, Sheila McCarthy, Michelle McLeod and Ben Whishaw. August Winter, Liv McNeil and Kate Hallett, all in their feature film debuts, are on board as well.
The film, which is based on a novel by Miriam Toews, is set up at MGM’s Orion Pictures and is being produced by Plan B. McDormand is also producing via her Hear/Say Productions.
Women Talking Full Cast: Line 1 L-r: Frances McDormand (Alison Rosa), Rooney Mara (Thomas Whiteside), Claire Foy (Charlotte Hadden), Jessie Buckley (Charlotte Hadden); Line 2 L-r: Judith Ivey (Tess Steinkolk), Sheila McCarthy (Peg McCarthy), Michelle McLeod (Kristina Ruddick), Ben Whishaw (Tomo Brejc); Line 3 L-r:...
Also joining the cast of “Women Talking” are Judith Ivey, Sheila McCarthy, Michelle McLeod and Ben Whishaw. August Winter, Liv McNeil and Kate Hallett, all in their feature film debuts, are on board as well.
The film, which is based on a novel by Miriam Toews, is set up at MGM’s Orion Pictures and is being produced by Plan B. McDormand is also producing via her Hear/Say Productions.
Women Talking Full Cast: Line 1 L-r: Frances McDormand (Alison Rosa), Rooney Mara (Thomas Whiteside), Claire Foy (Charlotte Hadden), Jessie Buckley (Charlotte Hadden); Line 2 L-r: Judith Ivey (Tess Steinkolk), Sheila McCarthy (Peg McCarthy), Michelle McLeod (Kristina Ruddick), Ben Whishaw (Tomo Brejc); Line 3 L-r:...
- 6/16/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Frances McDormand is producing and starring in a film adaptation of the novel “Women Talking,” with Sarah Polley directing for MGM’s recently relaunched Orion Pictures.
Orion and Plan B announced the project on Thursday. Polley will direct from her own script, based on Miriam Toews’ bestselling novel. McDormand is producing via her Hear/Say Productions. She brought the project initially to Plan B after acquiring the rights.
“Women Talking,” which was published in 2018, follows a group of women in an isolated Mennonite religious colony in Bolivia as they struggle to reconcile their faith with a series of sexual assaults committed by the colony’s men. The book was named to several best-of-2018 lists, including those by The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The Washington Post and The New York Times.
McDormand stars in Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland,” a top contender for awards in the coming months. It’s the...
Orion and Plan B announced the project on Thursday. Polley will direct from her own script, based on Miriam Toews’ bestselling novel. McDormand is producing via her Hear/Say Productions. She brought the project initially to Plan B after acquiring the rights.
“Women Talking,” which was published in 2018, follows a group of women in an isolated Mennonite religious colony in Bolivia as they struggle to reconcile their faith with a series of sexual assaults committed by the colony’s men. The book was named to several best-of-2018 lists, including those by The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The Washington Post and The New York Times.
McDormand stars in Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland,” a top contender for awards in the coming months. It’s the...
- 12/17/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Exlcusive: MGM’s Orion Pictures and Plan B has set Academy Award-nominee Sarah Polley to write and direct a feature adaptation of Miriam Toews’ bestselling novel Women Talking, with Academy Award-winner Frances McDormand to star and produce via her Hear/Say productions. McDormand brought the project initially to Plan B after acquiring the rights.
“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Plan B with Women Talking. Sarah and Frances collaborating to bring this incredible book to life on the big screen is something we are excited to be part of,” said Michael De Luca, MGM’s Film Group Chairman, Pamela Abdy, MGM’s Film Group President, and Alana Mayo, Orion Pictures’ President jointly.
The novel follows a group of women in an isolated religious colony as they struggle to reconcile their faith with a series of sexual assaults committed by the colony’s men. Published in 2018, the novel was...
“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Plan B with Women Talking. Sarah and Frances collaborating to bring this incredible book to life on the big screen is something we are excited to be part of,” said Michael De Luca, MGM’s Film Group Chairman, Pamela Abdy, MGM’s Film Group President, and Alana Mayo, Orion Pictures’ President jointly.
The novel follows a group of women in an isolated religious colony as they struggle to reconcile their faith with a series of sexual assaults committed by the colony’s men. Published in 2018, the novel was...
- 12/17/2020
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
by Juan Carlos Ojano
Seth Rogen has built a career mostly composed of comedies of all kinds, from stoner films to dysfunctional family dramedies. In his past decade of work only Take This Waltz and Steve Jobs can be considered dramatic. In An American Pickle, directed by Brandon Trost and written by Simon Rich, Rogen does not leave his comedy roots but instead, digs deeper with the humor and comic storytelling.
An American Pickle is about Herschel Greenbaum (Rogen), a Jewish man from 1919 Russia who moves to New York with his wife Sarah (Succession’s Sarah Snook) in search of a better life after an anti-Semitic attack on their hometown. However, an accident in a pickle factory causes him to be brined for 100 years. After waking up in 2019, he connects with his only living relative Ben (also Rogen)...
Seth Rogen has built a career mostly composed of comedies of all kinds, from stoner films to dysfunctional family dramedies. In his past decade of work only Take This Waltz and Steve Jobs can be considered dramatic. In An American Pickle, directed by Brandon Trost and written by Simon Rich, Rogen does not leave his comedy roots but instead, digs deeper with the humor and comic storytelling.
An American Pickle is about Herschel Greenbaum (Rogen), a Jewish man from 1919 Russia who moves to New York with his wife Sarah (Succession’s Sarah Snook) in search of a better life after an anti-Semitic attack on their hometown. However, an accident in a pickle factory causes him to be brined for 100 years. After waking up in 2019, he connects with his only living relative Ben (also Rogen)...
- 8/10/2020
- by Juan Carlos Ojano
- FilmExperience
Sarah Silverman and Seth Rogen are teaming up to voice a Christmas-themed adult animated comedy series for HBO Max.
The pair, who starred together on Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz, will lead Santa Inc. from Lionsgate and Rogen’s Point Grey Pictures.
The eight-episode half-hour series will be written by showrunner Alexandra Rushfield, an exec producer on Hulu’s Shrill who was co-ep on Parks and Recreation.
Santa Inc. is the story of Candy Smalls (Silverman), the highest-ranking female elf in the North Pole. When the successor to Santa Claus (Rogen) is poached by Amazon on Christmas Eve, Candy goes for her ultimate dream — to become the first female Santa Claus in the history of Christmas.
2020 HBO Max Pilots & Series Orders
The series is part of Point Grey Pictures’ deal with Lionsgate, which Rogen and his partners Evan Goldberg and James Weaver signed last year to develop and produce multiplatform content.
The pair, who starred together on Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz, will lead Santa Inc. from Lionsgate and Rogen’s Point Grey Pictures.
The eight-episode half-hour series will be written by showrunner Alexandra Rushfield, an exec producer on Hulu’s Shrill who was co-ep on Parks and Recreation.
Santa Inc. is the story of Candy Smalls (Silverman), the highest-ranking female elf in the North Pole. When the successor to Santa Claus (Rogen) is poached by Amazon on Christmas Eve, Candy goes for her ultimate dream — to become the first female Santa Claus in the history of Christmas.
2020 HBO Max Pilots & Series Orders
The series is part of Point Grey Pictures’ deal with Lionsgate, which Rogen and his partners Evan Goldberg and James Weaver signed last year to develop and produce multiplatform content.
- 5/8/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
After Hollywood production ground to a halt in Toronto in March amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, local restaurateur Fadi Hakim decided not to wait out the summer until A-list talent possibly returned to his popular old-school diner to shoot their Hollywood movies.
Hakim — co-founder of The Lakeview on Dundas Street West, which played itself in Sarah Polley's Take This Waltz, starring Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams, and stood in as a New York coffee shop in David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis — instead invited budding Toronto filmmakers with a skeleton cast and crew to shoot their first or fourth ...
Hakim — co-founder of The Lakeview on Dundas Street West, which played itself in Sarah Polley's Take This Waltz, starring Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams, and stood in as a New York coffee shop in David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis — instead invited budding Toronto filmmakers with a skeleton cast and crew to shoot their first or fourth ...
After Hollywood production ground to a halt in Toronto in March amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, local restaurateur Fadi Hakim decided not to wait out the summer until A-list talent possibly returned to his popular old-school diner to shoot their Hollywood movies.
Hakim — co-founder of The Lakeview on Dundas Street West, which played itself in Sarah Polley's Take This Waltz, starring Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams, and stood in as a New York coffee shop in David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis — instead invited budding Toronto filmmakers with a skeleton cast and crew to shoot their first or fourth ...
Hakim — co-founder of The Lakeview on Dundas Street West, which played itself in Sarah Polley's Take This Waltz, starring Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams, and stood in as a New York coffee shop in David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis — instead invited budding Toronto filmmakers with a skeleton cast and crew to shoot their first or fourth ...
by Chris Feil
Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz gets its name from Leonard Cohen’s indelible song, announcing itself immediately as musically astute. The film is a nuanced look at love and personhood, following Michelle Williams’ Margot through her affectionately dull marriage and flirtatious dalliance with a handsome neighbor. Cohen’s track arrives towards the film’s close, a swirling punctuation point on the film’s observations on love and sex as escape before reality (and mounting baggage) sets in. It’s the film’s largest stylistic flourish, but its richest musical insights lie elsewhere.
Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz gets its name from Leonard Cohen’s indelible song, announcing itself immediately as musically astute. The film is a nuanced look at love and personhood, following Michelle Williams’ Margot through her affectionately dull marriage and flirtatious dalliance with a handsome neighbor. Cohen’s track arrives towards the film’s close, a swirling punctuation point on the film’s observations on love and sex as escape before reality (and mounting baggage) sets in. It’s the film’s largest stylistic flourish, but its richest musical insights lie elsewhere.
- 4/17/2019
- by Chris Feil
- FilmExperience
Prince Charles revealed he’s a fan of Leonard Cohen as he spoke to presenter Michael Berkeley on a special edition of Radio 3’s “Private Passions”. The 70-year-old chose Cohen’s “Take This Waltz” as one of his tracks, admitting: “I’ve always loved Leonard Cohen’s voice and his whole approach to the way he sang. “He was...
- 12/26/2018
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
Michelle Williams has always gone her own way. The Montana-born actress was legally emancipated from her parents at age 15 so that she could better pursue her acting career and pursue it she did. By age 18, she was starring in the popular TV drama “Dawson’s Creek,” in which she played Meg, a loose big-city teen who relocates to small-town life. In her time away from the TV series, she acted in many small independent films, none of which connected until 2003, when one finally did — Tom McCarthy‘s “The Station Agent,” in which she played a small-town librarian who becomes close to a socially-withdrawn dwarf (Peter Dinklage). That performance earned Williams her first SAG Awards nomination for Best Ensemble.
SEEWho is most overdue for an Oscar in 2019: Annette Bening, Michelle Williams, Christopher Nolan … ? [Poll]
From there Williams’ film career took off with powerful performances in such films as “Brokeback Mountain” (2005), “Blue Valentine...
SEEWho is most overdue for an Oscar in 2019: Annette Bening, Michelle Williams, Christopher Nolan … ? [Poll]
From there Williams’ film career took off with powerful performances in such films as “Brokeback Mountain” (2005), “Blue Valentine...
- 4/20/2018
- by Tom O'Brien and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
For two decades, Sarah Polley has been desperately trying to adapt Margaret Atwood's book about a young woman who was abused, mistreated and silenced in the mid-1800s. By the time the 38-year-old actor-turned-writer/director brought the author's 1996 historical novel Alias Grace to the small screen – the six-hour miniseries began streaming on Netflix in early November – she had no idea she'd end up discussing the very same issues taking place in the 21st century. "I was imagining when I did press for [this], I would be introducing this as a conversation,...
- 11/7/2017
- Rollingstone.com
Brace yourself: You’re going to want to binge “Alias Grace.” The six-episode limited series — streaming now on Netflix following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and subsequent broadcasting in Canada on the CBC — is downright hypnotic, rapturous, and engrossing.
Watching evokes the sense of sinking into a great novel, which seems only fitting, given that it’s based on the 1996 book by Margaret Atwood, one of our greatest living novelists. But everything in the execution is owed to the detail-rich writing of Sarah Polley and direction of Mary Harron, who take this real-life tale of murder and give it rich depths, digging into the harm done to a human soul by a lifetime of oppression.
At the center of “Grace” is Grace Marks (played by Sarah Gadon in a star-making turn), a 19th-century Irish immigrant convicted of a notorious double murder, whose mental state comes...
Watching evokes the sense of sinking into a great novel, which seems only fitting, given that it’s based on the 1996 book by Margaret Atwood, one of our greatest living novelists. But everything in the execution is owed to the detail-rich writing of Sarah Polley and direction of Mary Harron, who take this real-life tale of murder and give it rich depths, digging into the harm done to a human soul by a lifetime of oppression.
At the center of “Grace” is Grace Marks (played by Sarah Gadon in a star-making turn), a 19th-century Irish immigrant convicted of a notorious double murder, whose mental state comes...
- 11/4/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Sarah Gadon on How Margaret Atwood's Work Resonates in Hollywood’s Truth-Telling Climate (Exclusive)
In light of the recently amplified conversation surrounding sexual harassment and sexual assault in Hollywood, Margaret Atwood’s 1996 novel, Alias Grace, feels at once timely and timeless. The new six-part Netflix miniseries, set in 19th-century Canada, tussles with a lot of the same themes that are making headlines today: female agency, abortion, immigrant rights and class tensions.
Adapted by Sarah Polley for the screen, Alias Grace weaves in and out of the life of Grace Marks, an Irish immigrant and servant girl who finds herself thrust into the public spotlight as a “celebrated murderess” after her master and his mistress are brutally killed at their farm. Grace and stableman James McDermott are both convicted of the crime. But while McDermott (Kerr Logan) is hanged, Grace is sentenced to life imprisonment. A church committee sets out to prove her innocence, citing hysteria or psychological issues (Grace cannot recall committing the murders), enlisting the help of Dr. Simon Jordan (Edward Holcroft), a physician...
Adapted by Sarah Polley for the screen, Alias Grace weaves in and out of the life of Grace Marks, an Irish immigrant and servant girl who finds herself thrust into the public spotlight as a “celebrated murderess” after her master and his mistress are brutally killed at their farm. Grace and stableman James McDermott are both convicted of the crime. But while McDermott (Kerr Logan) is hanged, Grace is sentenced to life imprisonment. A church committee sets out to prove her innocence, citing hysteria or psychological issues (Grace cannot recall committing the murders), enlisting the help of Dr. Simon Jordan (Edward Holcroft), a physician...
- 11/1/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Sarah Polley — known for directing such films Away From Her and Take This Waltz — has added her name to the growing list of women who've accused Harvey Weinstein of predatory behavior.
In an op-ed posted via The New York Times, Polley details an encounter she says she had with the mogul during a meeting. During a photo shoot, Polley, who has also appeared in films such as Dawn of the Dead and Splice, explained she was pulled out of the session abruptly. "The publicist said that we needed to be in Harvey Weinstein’s office in 20 minutes,"...
In an op-ed posted via The New York Times, Polley details an encounter she says she had with the mogul during a meeting. During a photo shoot, Polley, who has also appeared in films such as Dawn of the Dead and Splice, explained she was pulled out of the session abruptly. "The publicist said that we needed to be in Harvey Weinstein’s office in 20 minutes,"...
- 10/14/2017
- by THR Staff
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Simon Brew Aug 18, 2017
Looking for a film to watch, that you might not have considered before? Try some of these...
Sometimes, we figure, you come to a site like this just to find out about a film you didn’t know about. That you want recommendations of movies that you might not otherwise have uncovered. This list, then, has no theme, save that the films on it are really good, and didn’t get much of an audience first time around. That, or they seem to have been forgotten. It’s a real mix, but hopefully, there’s something on here that appeals..
The Brady Bunch Movie
The Brady Bunch films never really seemed to do much business in the UK, and that’s a real pity. No foreknowledge of the series is required, and the first movie takes the Brady film and transplants them into 1990s America, with no...
Looking for a film to watch, that you might not have considered before? Try some of these...
Sometimes, we figure, you come to a site like this just to find out about a film you didn’t know about. That you want recommendations of movies that you might not otherwise have uncovered. This list, then, has no theme, save that the films on it are really good, and didn’t get much of an audience first time around. That, or they seem to have been forgotten. It’s a real mix, but hopefully, there’s something on here that appeals..
The Brady Bunch Movie
The Brady Bunch films never really seemed to do much business in the UK, and that’s a real pity. No foreknowledge of the series is required, and the first movie takes the Brady film and transplants them into 1990s America, with no...
- 8/15/2017
- Den of Geek
Beef up for Canada's 150th birthday with these movies set north of the border!Beef up for Canada's 150th birthday with these movies set north of the border!Zachary Dent6/30/2017 10:01:00 Am
Canada Day only comes once a year and what better way to appreciate this northern paradise than with a movie that takes place within our borders. After all the eating, drinking, barbecuing, and partying, it's nice to kick back, relax, and take in a Canadian classic. We've got a list of some pretty great ones! So take a gander below and check out a few movies that take place close to home.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Based on Canadian Bryan Lee O'Malley's popular graphic novel series, director Edgar Wright condensed a seven-part saga into one epic, Toronto-set film. From notable places like Casa Loma, concert venues like Lee's Palace, and famous intersections like Bloor and...
Canada Day only comes once a year and what better way to appreciate this northern paradise than with a movie that takes place within our borders. After all the eating, drinking, barbecuing, and partying, it's nice to kick back, relax, and take in a Canadian classic. We've got a list of some pretty great ones! So take a gander below and check out a few movies that take place close to home.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Based on Canadian Bryan Lee O'Malley's popular graphic novel series, director Edgar Wright condensed a seven-part saga into one epic, Toronto-set film. From notable places like Casa Loma, concert venues like Lee's Palace, and famous intersections like Bloor and...
- 6/30/2017
- by Zachary Dent
- Cineplex
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.