Super-producer Ryan Murphy is set to make Disney his new home as his five-year, $300 million Netflix deal comes to a close.
According to reports, Murphy has been negotiating his new deal for the past year, and most of the details were finished before the WGA strike started in May.
Once dubbed “TV’s First $300 Million Man,” Murphy is responsible for creating hits such as “Dahmer: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” and “The Watcher” for the streaming service.
Murphy signed the five-year exclusive development deal with Netflix in 2018. To date this partnership has produced two miniseries (“Hollywood” and “Hanson”), three ongoing dramas, three movies, three documentaries and one docuseries (“The Andy Warhol Diaries”). “Ratched” and “The Watcher” have been renewed through Season 2,while the “Monster” anthology series has been renewed through three installments. (Note: Seasons 1 and 2 of “The Politician” were ordered by Netflix prior to the deal.)
Also Read:
Making a...
According to reports, Murphy has been negotiating his new deal for the past year, and most of the details were finished before the WGA strike started in May.
Once dubbed “TV’s First $300 Million Man,” Murphy is responsible for creating hits such as “Dahmer: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” and “The Watcher” for the streaming service.
Murphy signed the five-year exclusive development deal with Netflix in 2018. To date this partnership has produced two miniseries (“Hollywood” and “Hanson”), three ongoing dramas, three movies, three documentaries and one docuseries (“The Andy Warhol Diaries”). “Ratched” and “The Watcher” have been renewed through Season 2,while the “Monster” anthology series has been renewed through three installments. (Note: Seasons 1 and 2 of “The Politician” were ordered by Netflix prior to the deal.)
Also Read:
Making a...
- 6/20/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
While Hollywood still has a long way to go in supporting queer stories and storytellers, we’re living in a relative golden age of LGBTQ cinema compared to what has come before. Netflix has not always chosen to support the LGBTQ community in their business decisions, but the streamer has played a major role in increasing the visibility of queer characters and storylines in both film and TV, and in supporting queer creators in telling stories.
As we celebrate Pride month and beyond, let’s take a look at some of the best LGBTQ movies Netflix currently has on offer. If you’re looking for a queer film to watch—satirically funny or devastatingly earnest, heart-stoppingly romantic or casually queer—try one of the many excellent and diverse options below.
Brokeback Mountain
“Brokeback Mountain,” a neo-Western film about two male cowboys who love one another in a deeply homophobic society,...
As we celebrate Pride month and beyond, let’s take a look at some of the best LGBTQ movies Netflix currently has on offer. If you’re looking for a queer film to watch—satirically funny or devastatingly earnest, heart-stoppingly romantic or casually queer—try one of the many excellent and diverse options below.
Brokeback Mountain
“Brokeback Mountain,” a neo-Western film about two male cowboys who love one another in a deeply homophobic society,...
- 6/17/2023
- by Kayti Burt
- The Wrap
“Rust” resumed filming Thursday at the Yellowstone ranch in Montana, a year and a half after Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Director Joel Souza, who was injured in the shooting at a New Mexico movie ranch, is returning to finish the Western that stars Baldwin, Jensen Ackles, Travis Fimmel, and Frances Fisher.
Patrick Scott McDermott has also been added to the cast, taking over for Brady Noon, who was not available to complete filming due to other commitments.
Manslaughter charges against Baldwin were officially dropped Friday.
While production is under way, Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy is working on a documentary about Baldwin and the “Rust” movie accident, Variety has confirmed. Kennedy, who has directed documentaries including “Last Days in Vietnam” and “Ethel,” was seen filming Baldwin as he left his New York home for Montana and her documentary crew is also on set in Montana,...
Patrick Scott McDermott has also been added to the cast, taking over for Brady Noon, who was not available to complete filming due to other commitments.
Manslaughter charges against Baldwin were officially dropped Friday.
While production is under way, Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy is working on a documentary about Baldwin and the “Rust” movie accident, Variety has confirmed. Kennedy, who has directed documentaries including “Last Days in Vietnam” and “Ethel,” was seen filming Baldwin as he left his New York home for Montana and her documentary crew is also on set in Montana,...
- 4/21/2023
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Three “Rust” crew members sued Alec Baldwin and the film’s producers on Monday, alleging they suffered symptoms of insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety stemming from the fatal shooting of the film’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, according to a lawsuit obtained by Et.
The three crew members claim they were in the church building during filming, when Baldwin’s gun went off, striking Hutchins and director Joel Souza. Baldwin, who denied pulling the trigger, has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter after the gun he was holding discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding director Souza on the Western film set in New Mexico.
Read More: 'Rust' Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Permitted to Have Firearm: What to Know About On-Set Tragedy, Aftermath
Last week, Baldwin formally entered a not-guilty plea to the manslaughter charge. According to court docs, obtained by Et, the 64-year-old actor waived his right to appear before...
The three crew members claim they were in the church building during filming, when Baldwin’s gun went off, striking Hutchins and director Joel Souza. Baldwin, who denied pulling the trigger, has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter after the gun he was holding discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding director Souza on the Western film set in New Mexico.
Read More: 'Rust' Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Permitted to Have Firearm: What to Know About On-Set Tragedy, Aftermath
Last week, Baldwin formally entered a not-guilty plea to the manslaughter charge. According to court docs, obtained by Et, the 64-year-old actor waived his right to appear before...
- 2/28/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Alec Baldwin and the production team behind “Rust” have hired a cinematographer who will take over in place of Halyna Hutchins, who was shot and killed on the set in October 2021.
Bianca Cline (“Marcel The Shell With Shoes On”) will fill the role “at the behest” and with the “blessing and support” of Hutchins’ husband, Matthew. She will donate her salary to charity in Halyna Hutchins’ honor.
Filming was originally set to resume in January; it will now pick up in the spring.
Also Read:
Alec Baldwin Challenges Firearm ‘Enhancement’ Charge That Would Add 5 Years — Because It Didn’t Exist at Time of ‘Rust’ Shooting
As decided by last October’s settlement between Baldwin, the producers and Hutchins’ estate, Matthew Hutchins has signed on as an executive producer. He’s joined by Grant Hill, along with the original producers.
In addition to a number of returning crew members – including director Joel Souza,...
Bianca Cline (“Marcel The Shell With Shoes On”) will fill the role “at the behest” and with the “blessing and support” of Hutchins’ husband, Matthew. She will donate her salary to charity in Halyna Hutchins’ honor.
Filming was originally set to resume in January; it will now pick up in the spring.
Also Read:
Alec Baldwin Challenges Firearm ‘Enhancement’ Charge That Would Add 5 Years — Because It Didn’t Exist at Time of ‘Rust’ Shooting
As decided by last October’s settlement between Baldwin, the producers and Hutchins’ estate, Matthew Hutchins has signed on as an executive producer. He’s joined by Grant Hill, along with the original producers.
In addition to a number of returning crew members – including director Joel Souza,...
- 2/14/2023
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
The producers of “Rust” have named a new cinematographer to take over for Halyna Hutchins, who was shot and killed on set in October 2021.
The production also announced that a documentary will be made about the completion of the film and about Hutchins’ life and work. The documentary will have the “full support” of the production and of Hutchins’ widower, Matthew.
“Rust” was originally set to resume filming in January, but is now slated to restart sometime this spring. Bianca Cline, who worked on “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” will take over as cinematographer.
The production also announced that Grant Hill, an industry veteran whose producing credits include the “Matrix” films and “The Thin Red Line,” will be joining as a producer.
Alec Baldwin is still on board in the title role, despite being charged last month with involuntary manslaughter for Hutchins’ death. Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the film’s armorer,...
The production also announced that a documentary will be made about the completion of the film and about Hutchins’ life and work. The documentary will have the “full support” of the production and of Hutchins’ widower, Matthew.
“Rust” was originally set to resume filming in January, but is now slated to restart sometime this spring. Bianca Cline, who worked on “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” will take over as cinematographer.
The production also announced that Grant Hill, an industry veteran whose producing credits include the “Matrix” films and “The Thin Red Line,” will be joining as a producer.
Alec Baldwin is still on board in the title role, despite being charged last month with involuntary manslaughter for Hutchins’ death. Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the film’s armorer,...
- 2/14/2023
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
This list was updated on June 7, 2022 in celebration of this year’s Pride month. It was first published on August 25, 2017.
The last few years have not only brought LGBTQ films and stories further into the mainstream, but queer films have dominated awards seasons and found commercial success in unlikely places. This has been more than a long time coming: The New Queer Cinema was a major influence on the indie film boom of the ’90s, and set the bar high for the many queer films to follow.
No longer limited by minuscule budgets, films with gay and lesbian stories have flourished in the first two decades of the 21st century. There is something about the scrappy DIY aesthetic that will always be essentially queer — and the films below reflect a notable shift in the ambition and scope of contemporary queer films. While there may not be a new wave of...
The last few years have not only brought LGBTQ films and stories further into the mainstream, but queer films have dominated awards seasons and found commercial success in unlikely places. This has been more than a long time coming: The New Queer Cinema was a major influence on the indie film boom of the ’90s, and set the bar high for the many queer films to follow.
No longer limited by minuscule budgets, films with gay and lesbian stories have flourished in the first two decades of the 21st century. There is something about the scrappy DIY aesthetic that will always be essentially queer — and the films below reflect a notable shift in the ambition and scope of contemporary queer films. While there may not be a new wave of...
- 6/7/2022
- by Jude Dry and Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Los Angeles-based entertainment law film Donaldson Callif Perez has promoted associate Katy Alimohammadi Crown to partner.
Crown specializes in representing filmmakers in all stages of their projects, including production legal services, rights clearance and distribution. She has established herself as a leading production and clearance attorney, serving as counsel on documentary series such as HBO’s “Music Box,” “The Last Dance,” “Tiger King” and “Random Acts of Flyness.” She has also worked as clearance counsel on scripted projects such as “Bombshell,” “The Front Runner,” “Zola” and “Leave No Trace,” as well as documentaries including “Operation Varsity Blues,” “Circus of Books,” “Shirkers” and the Oscar-nominated films “The Mole Agent” and “Crip Camp.”
“Katy has been a strong voice at our firm from the first day she arrived. Her love for film and books influences all her work in support of the creative community,” said Michael Donaldson.
Crown has been with Donaldson...
Crown specializes in representing filmmakers in all stages of their projects, including production legal services, rights clearance and distribution. She has established herself as a leading production and clearance attorney, serving as counsel on documentary series such as HBO’s “Music Box,” “The Last Dance,” “Tiger King” and “Random Acts of Flyness.” She has also worked as clearance counsel on scripted projects such as “Bombshell,” “The Front Runner,” “Zola” and “Leave No Trace,” as well as documentaries including “Operation Varsity Blues,” “Circus of Books,” “Shirkers” and the Oscar-nominated films “The Mole Agent” and “Crip Camp.”
“Katy has been a strong voice at our firm from the first day she arrived. Her love for film and books influences all her work in support of the creative community,” said Michael Donaldson.
Crown has been with Donaldson...
- 3/9/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Filmmaker Rachel Mason Remembers Halyna Hutchins: ‘She Pushed Me Into So Many Places’ (Guest Column)
The last time I saw Halyna, she asked me, as she always did, “What’s happening with your projects?” And I knew which ones she meant. Not the documentaries (boring camerawork) but the ones that involved the most complex, creative and wild shots. She wanted to discuss my dream film that I’ve been crafting ever since I met her, a musical sci-fi crafted partially on a stage set representing the cosmos, where stars are personified as live actors.
For many, the idea may sound far-fetched, but for Halyna it was exactly what she wanted to work on, and she had more ideas for how to shoot it than I could even begin to count.
She even sometimes compelled me to come up with ideas for the express purpose of making beautiful shots, even before the concept was developed. She’d plan things out. Because I came out of the visual art world,...
For many, the idea may sound far-fetched, but for Halyna it was exactly what she wanted to work on, and she had more ideas for how to shoot it than I could even begin to count.
She even sometimes compelled me to come up with ideas for the express purpose of making beautiful shots, even before the concept was developed. She’d plan things out. Because I came out of the visual art world,...
- 10/27/2021
- by Rachel Mason
- Variety Film + TV
Larry Flynt, the publisher of the sexually explicit Hustler magazine whose legal battles turned him into a flamboyant crusader for free speech rights, has died at 78. Flynt’s famed legal battles — which he took to the Supreme Court — were memorialized in the 1996 film The People Versus Larry Flynt, starring Woody Harrelson. Flynt’s death was first reported by TMZ and his brother Jimmy Flynt confirmed the news to The Washington Post. A cause of death has not been revealed.
Larry Flynt was a Navy veteran who built a small empire...
Larry Flynt was a Navy veteran who built a small empire...
- 2/10/2021
- by Tim Dickinson and Jerry Portwood
- Rollingstone.com
Chances are, you haven’t seen Rachel Mason’s debut film, The Lives of Hamilton Fish, a surreal, arty musical about two men—one a politician, the other a cannibal—who died on the same day in 1936. It toured the indie festival circuit, and that’s about all, and Mason didn’t expect a whole lot more from her follow-up, the highly personal documentary Circus of Books. That all changed when Ryan Murphy came on board as executive producer, and she was amazed to see the film’s profile rise dramatically.
“I actually didn’t realize how big of an impact having Ryan Murphy attached would be,” she laughs. “But his support of the film was, right out of the box, a game-changer. When we showed up at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, we went from being the underdog film that nobody really looked at to the film that people were talking about.
“I actually didn’t realize how big of an impact having Ryan Murphy attached would be,” she laughs. “But his support of the film was, right out of the box, a game-changer. When we showed up at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, we went from being the underdog film that nobody really looked at to the film that people were talking about.
- 2/6/2021
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: David Moulton has joined Oscar-winning factual production firm Passion Pictures as Creative Director.
Moulton joins from Minnow Films where he served as Director of Development. Working with SVODs on commissions like Netflix’s Bad Boy Billionaires, he also oversaw a slate of premium series and feature documentaries for HBO, Amazon and Sky Documentaries.
Prior to Minnow, Moulton worked on projects such as the BAFTA-winning The Murder Detectives and BBC1’s BAFTA and Emmy-nominated Ebola Frontline.
At Passion, Moulton will be tasked with diversifying Passion’s feature output into TV and streaming doc series.
Also joining the company at the same time will be Chris Williams, a recent graduate of the Mama Youth project, a program aimed at tackling the lack of people from under-represented groups in the media.
Feature documentaries from Passion in 2019 include The Australian Dream, Circus Of Books, Sid & Judy, Citizen K, Mystify and Andy Murray: Resurfacing.
Moulton joins from Minnow Films where he served as Director of Development. Working with SVODs on commissions like Netflix’s Bad Boy Billionaires, he also oversaw a slate of premium series and feature documentaries for HBO, Amazon and Sky Documentaries.
Prior to Minnow, Moulton worked on projects such as the BAFTA-winning The Murder Detectives and BBC1’s BAFTA and Emmy-nominated Ebola Frontline.
At Passion, Moulton will be tasked with diversifying Passion’s feature output into TV and streaming doc series.
Also joining the company at the same time will be Chris Williams, a recent graduate of the Mama Youth project, a program aimed at tackling the lack of people from under-represented groups in the media.
Feature documentaries from Passion in 2019 include The Australian Dream, Circus Of Books, Sid & Judy, Citizen K, Mystify and Andy Murray: Resurfacing.
- 2/2/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
GLAAD has announced the full list of nominees for the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards. The organization announced 198 nominees in 28 categories, including two new categories: Outstanding Children’s Programming and Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist.
“During an unprecedented year of crises and isolation, the nominees for the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards reached LGBTQ people with powerful stories and inspired countless others around the world with bold looks at LGBTQ people and issues,” GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said. “As GLAAD continues to lead the fight for LGBTQ acceptance, this...
“During an unprecedented year of crises and isolation, the nominees for the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards reached LGBTQ people with powerful stories and inspired countless others around the world with bold looks at LGBTQ people and issues,” GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said. “As GLAAD continues to lead the fight for LGBTQ acceptance, this...
- 1/28/2021
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
Netflix continues to be a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the awards front.
GLAAD unveiled its nominations for 2021, and the streamer came out on top with 26 total nominations.
HBO Max garnered nine nominations, followed by HBO, Amazon and Hulu (which nabbed four each). Among broadcast networks, only ABC and NBC earned nods, with two each.
Harley Quinn, The Umbrella Academy, and Saved by the Bell were among this year’s first-time contenders.
Outstanding Comedy Series
Big Mouth (Netflix)
Dead to Me (Netflix)
Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (Freeform)
Harley Quinn (HBO Max)
Love, Victor (Hulu)
Saved by the Bell (Peacock)
Schitt’s Creek (Pop TV)
Sex Education (Netflix)
Superstore (NBC)
Twenties (BET)
Outstanding Drama Series
9-1-1: Lone Star (Fox)
Killing Eve (BBC America)
P-Valley (Starz)
Ratched (Netflix)
Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)
Supergirl (The CW)
The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
Vida (Starz)
The Wilds (Amazon Prime...
GLAAD unveiled its nominations for 2021, and the streamer came out on top with 26 total nominations.
HBO Max garnered nine nominations, followed by HBO, Amazon and Hulu (which nabbed four each). Among broadcast networks, only ABC and NBC earned nods, with two each.
Harley Quinn, The Umbrella Academy, and Saved by the Bell were among this year’s first-time contenders.
Outstanding Comedy Series
Big Mouth (Netflix)
Dead to Me (Netflix)
Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (Freeform)
Harley Quinn (HBO Max)
Love, Victor (Hulu)
Saved by the Bell (Peacock)
Schitt’s Creek (Pop TV)
Sex Education (Netflix)
Superstore (NBC)
Twenties (BET)
Outstanding Drama Series
9-1-1: Lone Star (Fox)
Killing Eve (BBC America)
P-Valley (Starz)
Ratched (Netflix)
Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)
Supergirl (The CW)
The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
Vida (Starz)
The Wilds (Amazon Prime...
- 1/28/2021
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday released its official entries for 2021 Oscars in the categories of Documentary Feature, Animated Feature and International Films. The takeaway: As expected, the eligible Documentary Feature lineup shatters the record for the most ever.
A total of 238 features are eligible for consideration in the Doc Feature category, breaking the previous record of 170 set in 2017. Last year, by contrast, 159 feature documentaries qualified. The Academy relaxed eligibility rules in light of Covid-19, so that any film that could make a claim of an intended theatrical release was deemed eligible. Earning awards from film festivals was an alternative way to qualify.
For the International Feature race, Lesotho, Sudan and Suriname are first-time entrants among the 93 eligible titles, the same total as last year. Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors boosted the number of films eligible for the shortlist from 10 to 15. Under the new rules,...
A total of 238 features are eligible for consideration in the Doc Feature category, breaking the previous record of 170 set in 2017. Last year, by contrast, 159 feature documentaries qualified. The Academy relaxed eligibility rules in light of Covid-19, so that any film that could make a claim of an intended theatrical release was deemed eligible. Earning awards from film festivals was an alternative way to qualify.
For the International Feature race, Lesotho, Sudan and Suriname are first-time entrants among the 93 eligible titles, the same total as last year. Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors boosted the number of films eligible for the shortlist from 10 to 15. Under the new rules,...
- 1/28/2021
- by Patrick Hipes and Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
On Thursday morning, Josie Totah (Saved By The Bell), D.J. ‘Shangela’ Pierce (We’re Here), and Jonathan Bennett (The Christmas House) took to GLAAD’s TikTok page to unveil the nominees for the 32nd annual GLAAD Media Awards. The winners will be announced during a virtual ceremony scheduled for April 2021.
Among the nominees are many film and TV series about LGBTQ people of color including Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, I May Destory You, Lingua Franca, The Half of It, P-Valley, The Craft: Legacy, Twenties, 9-1-1: Lone Star, Love, Victor, Superstore, Star Trek: Discovery, Vida, among others.
The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues. During the livestream, Totah, Pierce and Bennett announced a staggering 198 nominees in 28 categories, including two new categories: Outstanding Children’s Programming and Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist. This year, several categories increased from five to ten worthy nominees to...
Among the nominees are many film and TV series about LGBTQ people of color including Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, I May Destory You, Lingua Franca, The Half of It, P-Valley, The Craft: Legacy, Twenties, 9-1-1: Lone Star, Love, Victor, Superstore, Star Trek: Discovery, Vida, among others.
The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues. During the livestream, Totah, Pierce and Bennett announced a staggering 198 nominees in 28 categories, including two new categories: Outstanding Children’s Programming and Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist. This year, several categories increased from five to ten worthy nominees to...
- 1/28/2021
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
GLAAD announced the nominations for its annual media awards on Wednesday, with “Schitt’s Creek,” “The Prom” and Lady Gaga among the nominees.
Streaming dominated the nominations for 2021, with films like Netflix’s “The Half of It” and Hulu’s “Happiest Season” among the film nominees and “Love, Victor,” “Dead to Me,” “Saved by the Bell” and “The Umbrella Academy” being recognized in the TV categories.
Netflix led with a total of 26 nominations, followed by HBO Max with nine. Amazon, Hulu and HBO all received four nominations, with Disney+ and PBS each receiving three. In total, streaming services account for 58 of the nominees, with cable receiving 29 and broadcast coming in at 14.
“During an unprecedented year of crises and isolation, the nominees for the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards reached LGBTQ people with powerful stories and inspired countless others around the world with bold looks at LGBTQ people and issues,” GLAAD President...
Streaming dominated the nominations for 2021, with films like Netflix’s “The Half of It” and Hulu’s “Happiest Season” among the film nominees and “Love, Victor,” “Dead to Me,” “Saved by the Bell” and “The Umbrella Academy” being recognized in the TV categories.
Netflix led with a total of 26 nominations, followed by HBO Max with nine. Amazon, Hulu and HBO all received four nominations, with Disney+ and PBS each receiving three. In total, streaming services account for 58 of the nominees, with cable receiving 29 and broadcast coming in at 14.
“During an unprecedented year of crises and isolation, the nominees for the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards reached LGBTQ people with powerful stories and inspired countless others around the world with bold looks at LGBTQ people and issues,” GLAAD President...
- 1/28/2021
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
The Oscars Best Documentary Feature race, which set a new record for entries in December when it passed the previous record of 170, has now left all previous years in the dust with 240 eligible films.
An additional 25 documentary features were placed in the members-only online screening room devoted to the category on Saturday, in what the Academy told voters would be “the final batch” of this year’s entries. It was the last of seven groups of documentaries that qualified and were placed into the screening room: 25 in July, 12 in August, 16 in September, 33 in October, 36 in November, a huge group of 93 in December and now 25 in January.
Academy rules put in place because of the Covid-19 pandemic made it easier than usual for documentaries to qualify for the Oscars this year, which opened the door for a field that obliterated the previous record, which was set in 2017. Films could qualify simply...
An additional 25 documentary features were placed in the members-only online screening room devoted to the category on Saturday, in what the Academy told voters would be “the final batch” of this year’s entries. It was the last of seven groups of documentaries that qualified and were placed into the screening room: 25 in July, 12 in August, 16 in September, 33 in October, 36 in November, a huge group of 93 in December and now 25 in January.
Academy rules put in place because of the Covid-19 pandemic made it easier than usual for documentaries to qualify for the Oscars this year, which opened the door for a field that obliterated the previous record, which was set in 2017. Films could qualify simply...
- 1/17/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
With her roots in the avant-garde art world, Rachel Mason’s highest hope for her family film was landing a screening at the One archive, USC’s library of LGBTQ media. A well-reviewed Tribeca Film Festival premiere led Ryan Murphy to sign on as Executive Producer, which brought about a buzzy Netflix debut and an unexpected Emmy nomination. After being continually surprised at how far her labor of love has taken her, Mason is going all the way: Why not chase an Best Documentary Feature Academy Award nomination?
It’s not out of the question. Hitting Netflix during the early weeks of stay-at-home orders, “Circus of Books” is a wildly entertaining documentary that charts the improbable story of Mason’s straight Jewish parents, Barry and Karen. For thirty years they owned a popular gay porn store and cruising spot in Los Angeles, at one point becoming the largest distributors of...
It’s not out of the question. Hitting Netflix during the early weeks of stay-at-home orders, “Circus of Books” is a wildly entertaining documentary that charts the improbable story of Mason’s straight Jewish parents, Barry and Karen. For thirty years they owned a popular gay porn store and cruising spot in Los Angeles, at one point becoming the largest distributors of...
- 1/8/2021
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Being a year where everyone was trapped indoors glued to their screens meant, for moviegoers, that smaller films were able to sneak onto the radar, and that especially extended to queer storytelling in 2020.
From unlikely romances like Miranda July’s “Kajillionaire” to genre-pushing nonfiction portraits like David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya” and Rachel Mason’s “Circus of Books,” there were plenty of enjoyable and inspiring LGBTQ movies to engage with in an otherwise dour and painful year.
In “Monsoon,” Henry Golding burst out of the matinee idol image he established in “Crazy Rich Asians.” Mart Crowley’s scandalous 1960s play “The Boys in the Band” lived again on Netflix. In “Lingua Franca,” Isabel Sandoval wrote, directed, and starred in a breakout indie about an undocumented trans Filipina worker. In “Shirley,” Elisabeth Moss once again burned down the screen in her sly and kinky turn as gothic writer Shirley Jackson.
From unlikely romances like Miranda July’s “Kajillionaire” to genre-pushing nonfiction portraits like David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya” and Rachel Mason’s “Circus of Books,” there were plenty of enjoyable and inspiring LGBTQ movies to engage with in an otherwise dour and painful year.
In “Monsoon,” Henry Golding burst out of the matinee idol image he established in “Crazy Rich Asians.” Mart Crowley’s scandalous 1960s play “The Boys in the Band” lived again on Netflix. In “Lingua Franca,” Isabel Sandoval wrote, directed, and starred in a breakout indie about an undocumented trans Filipina worker. In “Shirley,” Elisabeth Moss once again burned down the screen in her sly and kinky turn as gothic writer Shirley Jackson.
- 12/27/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio and Jude Dry
- Indiewire
The Academy has added 93 more films to the members-only screening room devoted to entries in the Best Documentary Feature category, bringing the total number of eligible contenders to a record-shattering 215.
The previous record for entries was 170 in 2017. And this year’s crop of nonfiction films is expected to pass that number by an even bigger margin — at least 50 — once a final, smaller group of films is added to the screening room in January.
New eligibility rules that were passed in the wake of the Covid-19 theater closings made it easier for documentaries to qualify this year by allowing them to do so by playing at film festivals, even virtual ones, and by easing requirements for theatrical runs. In an email to members detailing the new additions, the Academy said, “The Documentary Branch Executive Committee felt it was important to be inclusive and supportive of documentary filmmakers in this unprecedented and challenging year.
The previous record for entries was 170 in 2017. And this year’s crop of nonfiction films is expected to pass that number by an even bigger margin — at least 50 — once a final, smaller group of films is added to the screening room in January.
New eligibility rules that were passed in the wake of the Covid-19 theater closings made it easier for documentaries to qualify this year by allowing them to do so by playing at film festivals, even virtual ones, and by easing requirements for theatrical runs. In an email to members detailing the new additions, the Academy said, “The Documentary Branch Executive Committee felt it was important to be inclusive and supportive of documentary filmmakers in this unprecedented and challenging year.
- 12/22/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Given all the hardships of the year just past, it’s certainly understandable that some viewers eschewed some of 2020’s tougher non-fiction storytelling in favor of escapism. But even with — and sometimes because of — everything else going on, the last 12 months delivered some extraordinary documentaries, and whether or not they were directly about aspects of the pandemic, they all had a lot to say about the current state of the world.
10. “Push”: As the recent furor over water being traded as a commodity reminds us, it’s never a good idea to let Wall Street collide with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Director Fredrik Gertten takes viewers through a global crisis, in which poor people are kicked out of neighborhoods so that luxury high-rise apartments can be constructed but never occupied, purely for investment purposes. Thankfully, we also get to meet the people fighting to end this practice.
9. “American...
10. “Push”: As the recent furor over water being traded as a commodity reminds us, it’s never a good idea to let Wall Street collide with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Director Fredrik Gertten takes viewers through a global crisis, in which poor people are kicked out of neighborhoods so that luxury high-rise apartments can be constructed but never occupied, purely for investment purposes. Thankfully, we also get to meet the people fighting to end this practice.
9. “American...
- 12/22/2020
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Ryan Murphy is one of the biggest and most prolific names in the entertainment industry, having been responsible for a string of massively popular TV shows including Nip/Tuck, Glee, American Horror Story, sister series American Crime Story, 9-1-1 and Pose. Not content with churning out some of the best network titles of the modern era, though, Murphy signed the largest development deal in television history with Netflix, and almost immediately hit the ground running.
In the last eighteen months alone, he’s produced documentaries Circus of Books and A Secret Love along with movie The Boys in the Band, created and launched The Politician, Hollywood and Ratched, while his first feature film as a director in ten years arrives next week when star-studded musical comedy The Prom hits the streaming site. If that wasn’t enough, the 55 year-old has a further three miniseries in the works for the platform, all...
In the last eighteen months alone, he’s produced documentaries Circus of Books and A Secret Love along with movie The Boys in the Band, created and launched The Politician, Hollywood and Ratched, while his first feature film as a director in ten years arrives next week when star-studded musical comedy The Prom hits the streaming site. If that wasn’t enough, the 55 year-old has a further three miniseries in the works for the platform, all...
- 12/5/2020
- by Scott Campbell
- We Got This Covered
It makes sense that this year’s AFI Fest closed on Thursday night with the premiere of director Errol Morris’ wild and entertaining documentary “My Psychedelic Love Story.” In a year in which reality has smacked all of us in the face, nonfiction filmmaking is in the spotlight more than ever, from a string of docs that deal with issues at stake in the upcoming election to more freewheeling works like Morris’ film, a Wtf concoction from a director who only gets this playful once in a while.
It’s undeniable that the Oscars race for Best Picture is off to a slow start, with fewer films than usual playing the scaled-down fall film festivals and studios reluctant to commit to theatrical openings as the pandemic stretches on. But the race for Best Documentary Feature promises to be a robust one. More than 50 films are now available in the Academy...
It’s undeniable that the Oscars race for Best Picture is off to a slow start, with fewer films than usual playing the scaled-down fall film festivals and studios reluctant to commit to theatrical openings as the pandemic stretches on. But the race for Best Documentary Feature promises to be a robust one. More than 50 films are now available in the Academy...
- 10/23/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Let’s take a first look at the 2021 Oscar race for Best Documentary Feature. While the coronavirus pandemic has muted the buzz that usually builds at fall film festivals, several strong contenders have achieved prominence this year, starting at the Sundance Film Festival, which were held in January before the international shutdowns.
Netflix has four of these Sundance titles, led by “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” about a New York summer camp for disabled teens that opened in 1971 whose attendees became activists for disability rights. The doc, directed by Nicole Newnham and James Lebrecht and executive-produced by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, was the winner of the fest’s U.S. Documentary Audience Award.
“Miss Americana,” directed by Lana Wilson, is a revealing look at singer-songwriter Taylor Swift‘s career that utilizes studio footage and concert recordings.
Sam Feder‘s “Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen” examines how transgender people are...
Netflix has four of these Sundance titles, led by “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” about a New York summer camp for disabled teens that opened in 1971 whose attendees became activists for disability rights. The doc, directed by Nicole Newnham and James Lebrecht and executive-produced by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, was the winner of the fest’s U.S. Documentary Audience Award.
“Miss Americana,” directed by Lana Wilson, is a revealing look at singer-songwriter Taylor Swift‘s career that utilizes studio footage and concert recordings.
Sam Feder‘s “Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen” examines how transgender people are...
- 9/21/2020
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
The Primetime Emmys take place on September 20 and air live coast-to-coast on ABC. But the majority of awards are handed out at the five Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies that take place in the week leading up to TV’s biggest night. The Creative Arts trophies will be awarded at five events on: September 14 (reality and nonfiction; Sept. 15 (variety); Sept. 16; Sept. 17 and Sept. 19 (mix). The first four of these will stream live on Emmys.com while the last will air on Fxx.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has forced TV productions, film shoots and entertainment events to shut down all year to slow the spread of the easily transmitted disease, all of this year’s Emmy ceremonies will be held virtually. While Jimmy Kimmel emcees just one show — the Emmys next Sunday — Best Reality Host nominee Nicole Byer (“Nailed It”) has been tapped to preside over all five of the Creative Arts awards.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has forced TV productions, film shoots and entertainment events to shut down all year to slow the spread of the easily transmitted disease, all of this year’s Emmy ceremonies will be held virtually. While Jimmy Kimmel emcees just one show — the Emmys next Sunday — Best Reality Host nominee Nicole Byer (“Nailed It”) has been tapped to preside over all five of the Creative Arts awards.
- 9/20/2020
- by Paul Sheehan, Marcus James Dixon, Joyce Eng, Daniel Montgomery and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Raw, the production company behind hit documentaries including Don’t F*ck With Cats and Three Identical Strangers, has found its next case after unearthing a development with TNT.
The WarnerMedia-backed broadcaster is working with the All3Media-backed company on a new docuseries project. It is the network’s latest move into the true crime genre following the Dick Wolf-produced Cold Justice, which previously aired on TNT before moving to Oxygen.
This comes after Raw scored an Emmy last night at the Creative Arts Emmys for Outstanding Writing For A Nonfiction Program. Mark Lewis, who wrote the Netflix series, which explored the digital search for the killer of Jun Lin, beat out Apple TV+’s Beastie Boys Story, Nat Geo’s The Cave, Netflix’s Circus Of Books and HBO’s McMillion$ in the hotly contested category.
As with many of Raw’s documentaries and series, there...
The WarnerMedia-backed broadcaster is working with the All3Media-backed company on a new docuseries project. It is the network’s latest move into the true crime genre following the Dick Wolf-produced Cold Justice, which previously aired on TNT before moving to Oxygen.
This comes after Raw scored an Emmy last night at the Creative Arts Emmys for Outstanding Writing For A Nonfiction Program. Mark Lewis, who wrote the Netflix series, which explored the digital search for the killer of Jun Lin, beat out Apple TV+’s Beastie Boys Story, Nat Geo’s The Cave, Netflix’s Circus Of Books and HBO’s McMillion$ in the hotly contested category.
As with many of Raw’s documentaries and series, there...
- 9/15/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
While Rachel Mason did experience quite a bit of pride in herself with her recent Emmy nomination for “Circus of Books,” she also saw her achievement as a triumph over those who doubted the documentary’s potential to appeal to people. “I actually had many people just say to me, ‘Oh, good luck with that.’ It was not easy,” says Mason in our recent webchat (watch the video above). But she also saw it as a bit of validation for the many people who work in the sex industry who face people prejudiced against them. This has even extended to those workers not being allowed to apply for Covid-19 relief funds. “In some ways I feel vindicated on the part of all the people that work in this industry. It’s a really beaten down and relentlessly attacked industry. There’s nobody easier to attack than people who work in porn and sex work.
- 8/7/2020
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Women landed one third of all the Primetime Emmy nominations in the seven directing categories, a record high for the Television Academy.
In total, 16 women were recognized this year out of 48 total directing nominations — a big jump from last year, when nine out of 49 directing nominees (just over 18%) were women. And this year, a woman was nominated in every single directing category, after two straight years of no female directors getting a nod for a reality series and one year without a woman picking up a nom for a variety series.
Before this year, female directors had the highest representation in 2013, when eight of the 33 nominees — or 24% — were women. That was when there were still just six directing categories, as reality series had not been added to the list at that time.
In the writing categories, women landed 33 nominations out of a total of 120 nominees, or 27.5%. That’s a slight...
In total, 16 women were recognized this year out of 48 total directing nominations — a big jump from last year, when nine out of 49 directing nominees (just over 18%) were women. And this year, a woman was nominated in every single directing category, after two straight years of no female directors getting a nod for a reality series and one year without a woman picking up a nom for a variety series.
Before this year, female directors had the highest representation in 2013, when eight of the 33 nominees — or 24% — were women. That was when there were still just six directing categories, as reality series had not been added to the list at that time.
In the writing categories, women landed 33 nominations out of a total of 120 nominees, or 27.5%. That’s a slight...
- 7/28/2020
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Rachel Mason, artist and director of the Netflix Original documentary Circus of Books, has signed with UTA in all areas.
Executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Circus of Books puts the titular West Hollywood gay porn book store in the spotlight. Run by her parents Karen and Barry Mason, Rachel Mason chronicles the iconic shop that served as the epicenter for Lgbtq life and culture in Los Angeles. The film details the contradictions of growing up in the Mason home where sex was never discussed. The family eventually ran a mini adult empire that included a hardcore film production company.
Worldwide rights to the film were acquired by Netflix ahead of its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019. Mason also wrote and performed the docu’s end-credit song, “Give You Everything.”
Mason is best known for her work in visual art and experimental music as well as fantastical mixed-media performances.
Executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Circus of Books puts the titular West Hollywood gay porn book store in the spotlight. Run by her parents Karen and Barry Mason, Rachel Mason chronicles the iconic shop that served as the epicenter for Lgbtq life and culture in Los Angeles. The film details the contradictions of growing up in the Mason home where sex was never discussed. The family eventually ran a mini adult empire that included a hardcore film production company.
Worldwide rights to the film were acquired by Netflix ahead of its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019. Mason also wrote and performed the docu’s end-credit song, “Give You Everything.”
Mason is best known for her work in visual art and experimental music as well as fantastical mixed-media performances.
- 5/20/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Documentary Spaceship Earth focuses on an early 90s, hippie-inspired project to live sustainably in a contained biome, with nothing coming in or out
In September 1991, the final year of the Soviet Union and the beginning of a significant decline in trips to outer space, four men and four women donned bright red, Nasa-style jump suits for launch day in Arizona. They waved to masses of cameras, said their long-term goodbyes to a cheering crowd, and stepped beyond an air-tight door. But their mission, heavily covered in the press, was not to the moon, or into orbit, or even out of the state. The eight pioneers, part of a privately funded project called Biosphere 2, were to be locked in a 3.14-acre enclosed, self-sustaining structure for two whole years, on a mission to collect data and garner insights to aid Martian-style projects in mankind’s (presumed) extra-terrestrial future.
Related: Circus of Books...
In September 1991, the final year of the Soviet Union and the beginning of a significant decline in trips to outer space, four men and four women donned bright red, Nasa-style jump suits for launch day in Arizona. They waved to masses of cameras, said their long-term goodbyes to a cheering crowd, and stepped beyond an air-tight door. But their mission, heavily covered in the press, was not to the moon, or into orbit, or even out of the state. The eight pioneers, part of a privately funded project called Biosphere 2, were to be locked in a 3.14-acre enclosed, self-sustaining structure for two whole years, on a mission to collect data and garner insights to aid Martian-style projects in mankind’s (presumed) extra-terrestrial future.
Related: Circus of Books...
- 5/7/2020
- by Adrian Horton
- The Guardian - Film News
by Nathaniel R
If you're new to the site this is how we share new streaming offerings for the month. We select a handful or two of titles and just randomly hit a place on the scroll bar to see what the film looks like - no cheating. Ready? Let's play...
I'm sorry it's just upsetting to me to hear that.
Circus of Books (2020) on Netflix
Sometimes expectations can get too high when you hear nothing but raves (including one right here). This documentary about nice Jewish parents running a gay porn shop, is a good film and you absolutely should watch it, don't misunderstand. But the clumsy hand-held camera took us out of the picture way too often. It's curious to land on this image of the daughter/director because though the scene is moving and the movie wouldn't have been possible without the insider feel, we kept wanting...
If you're new to the site this is how we share new streaming offerings for the month. We select a handful or two of titles and just randomly hit a place on the scroll bar to see what the film looks like - no cheating. Ready? Let's play...
I'm sorry it's just upsetting to me to hear that.
Circus of Books (2020) on Netflix
Sometimes expectations can get too high when you hear nothing but raves (including one right here). This documentary about nice Jewish parents running a gay porn shop, is a good film and you absolutely should watch it, don't misunderstand. But the clumsy hand-held camera took us out of the picture way too often. It's curious to land on this image of the daughter/director because though the scene is moving and the movie wouldn't have been possible without the insider feel, we kept wanting...
- 5/3/2020
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
There was a special mix of shame and liberation when you visited a gay bookstore that contained adult material. When I ventured into my first one in the Nineties, you might start out flipping through an Edmund White or Andrew Holleran novel before slowly making your way to the magazines: After Out and Genre and The Advocate, there was the sexy stuff like Bluebook, Mandate, Torso, and Inches. If you were lucky, they also had a selection of VHS tapes or albums or DVDs to rent and buy, as well as a stash of poppers,...
- 4/27/2020
- by Jerry Portwood
- Rollingstone.com
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and an archive of past round-ups here.
Beastie Boys Story (Spike Jonze)
Even with its two-hour running time, the experience of watching Spike Jonze’s “live documentary” Beastie Boys Story has the feeling of a breezy, intimate, and perhaps too-short trip through the band’s history. Documenting a live event hosted in Brooklyn by surviving members Mike “Mike D” Diamond and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, the collaboration is a performed extension of their memoir, Beastie Boys Book. Reteaming with the group, Jonze directs this minimal two-man stage show about three guys who were lucky enough to cultivate and sustain a relationship as best friends for years. – John F. (full review)
Where to Stream: Apple...
Beastie Boys Story (Spike Jonze)
Even with its two-hour running time, the experience of watching Spike Jonze’s “live documentary” Beastie Boys Story has the feeling of a breezy, intimate, and perhaps too-short trip through the band’s history. Documenting a live event hosted in Brooklyn by surviving members Mike “Mike D” Diamond and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, the collaboration is a performed extension of their memoir, Beastie Boys Book. Reteaming with the group, Jonze directs this minimal two-man stage show about three guys who were lucky enough to cultivate and sustain a relationship as best friends for years. – John F. (full review)
Where to Stream: Apple...
- 4/24/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Rachel Mason’s mother never thought her art would go anywhere. No matter how many galleries and museums showed her work she would always be a failure, her career so far underground it may as well be six feet under. How beautifully ironic, then, that a film about her mother is the very thing bringing Mason’s work mainstream in a major way, since it just debuted on Netflix under Ryan Murphy’s oversight.
“Circus of Books” takes its name from the gay porn bookstore Karen and Barry Mason owned, overseeing two locations in Los Angeles for over thirty years. Not only is “Circus of Books” a lively and entertaining record of a vital piece of Lgbtq history, the film is also a deeply personal story about faith, living honestly, familial wounds, and the creative process. Mason turns the camera on her family in brave and often painful ways, lovingly...
“Circus of Books” takes its name from the gay porn bookstore Karen and Barry Mason owned, overseeing two locations in Los Angeles for over thirty years. Not only is “Circus of Books” a lively and entertaining record of a vital piece of Lgbtq history, the film is also a deeply personal story about faith, living honestly, familial wounds, and the creative process. Mason turns the camera on her family in brave and often painful ways, lovingly...
- 4/22/2020
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
The Coronavirus pandemic has spread its tentacles to the four corners of the Earth, forcing world governments into lockdown in order to slow the spread.
Part of the strategy involves isolation and social distancing measures, meaning more and more people are spending their spare time indoors – all of their time, as a matter of fact. It’s had a direct impact on the demand for Netflix and other streaming services, resulting in the Big N overtaking Disney on the stock market. Strange times indeed.
Be that as it may, as this is April 22nd, one of the final content drops has arrived, and What’s On Netflix has all the details. We begin with the five films coming to the streaming service today, one of which is the critically-acclaimed animated movie The Willoughbys.
Circus of Books (2019) Netflix Original
The Plagues of Breslau (2018) Netflix Original
The Set Up (2019)
The Silence of the Marsh...
Part of the strategy involves isolation and social distancing measures, meaning more and more people are spending their spare time indoors – all of their time, as a matter of fact. It’s had a direct impact on the demand for Netflix and other streaming services, resulting in the Big N overtaking Disney on the stock market. Strange times indeed.
Be that as it may, as this is April 22nd, one of the final content drops has arrived, and What’s On Netflix has all the details. We begin with the five films coming to the streaming service today, one of which is the critically-acclaimed animated movie The Willoughbys.
Circus of Books (2019) Netflix Original
The Plagues of Breslau (2018) Netflix Original
The Set Up (2019)
The Silence of the Marsh...
- 4/22/2020
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Karen and Barry Mason were an average couple living the 1980s Southern California dream — a humble home in West Hollywood, three healthy children, weekly services at a synagogue in the San Fernando Valley and a small business to call their own.
That business, unbeknownst to friends at barbecues and PTA meetings, was at one point the largest distributor of gay pornography in the country, and a cultural safe haven for the queer community amid the draconian moralism of the Reagan era.
Their oddball, deeply emotional family journey is at the heart of the new Netflix documentary “Circus of Books,” which debuts April 22. Directed by the Masons’ daughter Rachel Mason, the film explores the trials of the Mason tribe, who lived in fear of judgment from their God and their peers while also forging lasting bonds with the societal outcasts who frequented their bookstore and built a community against the odds.
That business, unbeknownst to friends at barbecues and PTA meetings, was at one point the largest distributor of gay pornography in the country, and a cultural safe haven for the queer community amid the draconian moralism of the Reagan era.
Their oddball, deeply emotional family journey is at the heart of the new Netflix documentary “Circus of Books,” which debuts April 22. Directed by the Masons’ daughter Rachel Mason, the film explores the trials of the Mason tribe, who lived in fear of judgment from their God and their peers while also forging lasting bonds with the societal outcasts who frequented their bookstore and built a community against the odds.
- 4/22/2020
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
While the rest of the entertainment industry languishes, Netflix thrives – as usual. Even so, the coronavirus pandemic, and its economic ramifications, are also felt over at the streaming giant’s HQ. While the platform has a large library of older films to choose from, new productions have been ground to an indefinite standstill.
Still, we are getting a few new originals from Netflix this month and the ones that are on the way will surely keep you entertained. Take, for instance, the second season of After Life, the morbidly funny miniseries written and starring British showman Ricky Gervais. The first season, which aired on the platform last year, tells the story of a middle aged man debating whether or not he should kill himself after his wife dies of cancer.
It’s not the stuff of comedy, which is probably the reason why it works so well. Gervais, who made...
Still, we are getting a few new originals from Netflix this month and the ones that are on the way will surely keep you entertained. Take, for instance, the second season of After Life, the morbidly funny miniseries written and starring British showman Ricky Gervais. The first season, which aired on the platform last year, tells the story of a middle aged man debating whether or not he should kill himself after his wife dies of cancer.
It’s not the stuff of comedy, which is probably the reason why it works so well. Gervais, who made...
- 4/19/2020
- by Tim Brinkhof
- We Got This Covered
This weekly feature is in addition to TVLine’s daily What to Watch listings.
With more than 530 scripted shows now airing across broadcast, cable and streaming, it’s easy to forget that a favorite comedy is returning, or that the new “prestige drama” you anticipated is about to debut. So consider this our reminder to set your DVR, order a Season Pass, pop a fresh Memorex into the Vcr… however it is you roll.
More from TVLineFree Streaming Options: Revisit Classic TV Sitcoms, Beloved Dramas and One-and-Done Favorites — at No Cost!What's New on Netflix in AprilQuotes of the Week: The Voice,...
With more than 530 scripted shows now airing across broadcast, cable and streaming, it’s easy to forget that a favorite comedy is returning, or that the new “prestige drama” you anticipated is about to debut. So consider this our reminder to set your DVR, order a Season Pass, pop a fresh Memorex into the Vcr… however it is you roll.
More from TVLineFree Streaming Options: Revisit Classic TV Sitcoms, Beloved Dramas and One-and-Done Favorites — at No Cost!What's New on Netflix in AprilQuotes of the Week: The Voice,...
- 4/18/2020
- TVLine.com
Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: What better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? This week […]
The post This Week In Trailers: And She Could Be Next, Max Richter’s Sleep, Circus of Books, Eating Up Easter, 499 appeared first on /Film.
The post This Week In Trailers: And She Could Be Next, Max Richter’s Sleep, Circus of Books, Eating Up Easter, 499 appeared first on /Film.
- 4/18/2020
- by Christopher Stipp
- Slash Film
Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp is going from the world of the Upside Down to world of the culinary arts in the newly released comedy Abe from Brazilian director Fernando Grostein Andrade.
The film, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival last year, features Schnapp as the food-obsessed titular pre-teen Abe — although that is not his only name. The Israeli-Jewish side of his family calls him Avram while the Palestinian-Muslim side Ibrahim. Meanwhile, his first-Generation agnostic lawyer parents call him Abraham. Then there are the readers of his food blog that know him simply as Abe.
More from DeadlineCrime Thriller 'Stray Dolls' With Cynthia Nixon Debuts, Deepak Chopra Brings Peace With 'The Mindfulness Movement' - Specialty Streaming PreviewRom-Com 'Almost Love' Makes Debut, IFC Serves Horror With 'The Other Lamb' - Specialty Streaming Preview'Resistance' Pivots To Digital Release, 'Tape' Sets Virtual Premiere,...
The film, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival last year, features Schnapp as the food-obsessed titular pre-teen Abe — although that is not his only name. The Israeli-Jewish side of his family calls him Avram while the Palestinian-Muslim side Ibrahim. Meanwhile, his first-Generation agnostic lawyer parents call him Abraham. Then there are the readers of his food blog that know him simply as Abe.
More from DeadlineCrime Thriller 'Stray Dolls' With Cynthia Nixon Debuts, Deepak Chopra Brings Peace With 'The Mindfulness Movement' - Specialty Streaming PreviewRom-Com 'Almost Love' Makes Debut, IFC Serves Horror With 'The Other Lamb' - Specialty Streaming Preview'Resistance' Pivots To Digital Release, 'Tape' Sets Virtual Premiere,...
- 4/17/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
An affectionate and absorbing documentary from film-maker Rachel Mason about her devout parents, who ran a famous adult bookstore in early-80s La
Here is a documentary with an absorbing and unexpectedly complicated story to tell, whose paradoxes and sadnesses are not entirely resolved by the end. Artist and film-maker Rachel Mason has created an affectionate portrait of her elderly parents, Karen and Barry, who in many ways are like one of the (fictional) old couples in When Harry Met Sally.
Karen is a former journalist, devoutly Jewish, and Barry is a former special visual effects engineer who worked on Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 and invented a modification for kidney dialysis machines. But they found themselves in a tough financial spot in the early 1980s and took over Circus of Books, a gay porn bookstore in Los Angeles that also sold movies called things like Confessions of a Two Dick Slut...
Here is a documentary with an absorbing and unexpectedly complicated story to tell, whose paradoxes and sadnesses are not entirely resolved by the end. Artist and film-maker Rachel Mason has created an affectionate portrait of her elderly parents, Karen and Barry, who in many ways are like one of the (fictional) old couples in When Harry Met Sally.
Karen is a former journalist, devoutly Jewish, and Barry is a former special visual effects engineer who worked on Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 and invented a modification for kidney dialysis machines. But they found themselves in a tough financial spot in the early 1980s and took over Circus of Books, a gay porn bookstore in Los Angeles that also sold movies called things like Confessions of a Two Dick Slut...
- 4/17/2020
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
The world is constantly changing and shows such as Circus of Books is just another bit of proof that Netflix is taking aim at a dartboard and hoping that whatever sticks is what’s going to sell. But if people are paying attention it’s been working thus far since the proof of The Tiger King makes it obvious that they’ve decided to back stories that people are willing to watch and pay attention to. Circus of Books however might stoke the fires of debate between conservatives and liberals in a way that is usually reserved for the news media since like
Netflix’s Circle of Books: The Next Big Hit for The Streaming Service?...
Netflix’s Circle of Books: The Next Big Hit for The Streaming Service?...
- 4/16/2020
- by Tom
- TVovermind.com
Walls of cock rings, porn star Jeff Stryker, Larry Flynt, and a kindly married Jewish couple: One of these things is not like the other. They all come together in perfect if unexpected harmony in “Circus of Books,” the delightful new documentary premiering on Netflix next week which just released a trailer. Deeply personal and wildly entertaining, “Circus of Books” is the feature debut of performance artist Rachel Mason, who turns the camera on her own parents, at one point the largest distributors of gay porn in the United States. Their story, lovingly rendered without smoothing over its complexities, turns out to be a vital piece of Lgbtq history.
Here’s the official synopsis:
More from IndieWireIliza Shlesinger Is Beating the Apocalypse With Home Cooking and Two New ShowsStream of the Day: Why 'The Florida Project' Has a Perfect Ending
For 35-plus years, the gay porn shop Circus...
Here’s the official synopsis:
More from IndieWireIliza Shlesinger Is Beating the Apocalypse With Home Cooking and Two New ShowsStream of the Day: Why 'The Florida Project' Has a Perfect Ending
For 35-plus years, the gay porn shop Circus...
- 4/14/2020
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Not to be confused with the recent New York City-set documentary The Booksellers, Circus of Books is another acclaimed look at the world of bookselling–among other things–of an entirely different variety. World premiering at Tribeca Film Festival last year and now arriving on Netflix this month, the film explores the famous gay porn shop that operated for over 35 years in West Hollywood.
Directed by Rachel Mason, her parents Karen and Barry Mason were the actual owners of the shop, making for a very personal look at their family life as the secrecy of running the shop was kept in their circles. The film, executive produced by Ryan Murphy, also explores the Lgbt+ community that the store helped foster along with facing the struggles of the AIDS epidemic and fight for personal rights.
“My mom basically tried for four years to get this thing to not happen. But I just kept showing up,...
Directed by Rachel Mason, her parents Karen and Barry Mason were the actual owners of the shop, making for a very personal look at their family life as the secrecy of running the shop was kept in their circles. The film, executive produced by Ryan Murphy, also explores the Lgbt+ community that the store helped foster along with facing the struggles of the AIDS epidemic and fight for personal rights.
“My mom basically tried for four years to get this thing to not happen. But I just kept showing up,...
- 4/14/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"I thought it was just a bookstore... with a circus theme." Ha! Of course, it was much more than just that... Netflix has released an official trailer for a documentary called Circus of Books, about the iconic Circus of Books "bookstore" in Los Angeles (now closed down for good). This originally premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, and it also played at the Frameline43 San Francisco Lgbtq+ Film Festival. For over 35 years, the gay porn shop "Circus of Books" gave Los Angeles' Lgbt+ community a space to socialize and celebrate themselves without judgment. Executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Circus of Books is the debut documentary from artist Rachel Mason, who finally asks the least radical people she knows — her parents — how they became America's biggest distributors of gay porn, and why her mother reacted so negatively when her own son came out of the closet. Looks like a...
- 4/13/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Adult bookstores have always had a negative image in our society. When many people in the general public think of an adult bookstore, they imagine creepy old men wandering the grungy aisles looking for their next deviant pleasure. But as seen in the new trailer for “Circus of Books,” the iconic Los Angeles adult bookstore is anything but grungy and creepy.
Read More: ‘Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind’ Trailer: Doc Goes Into The Life & Tragic Death Of The Hollywood Icon
In fact, Circus of Books is a family-run business started by a married couple that helped provide a safe haven for the Lgbtq+ community during an era where society was far less inclusive than today.
Continue reading ‘Circus Of Books’ Trailer: New Netflix Doc Takes A Look At The Legendary Family-Run Adult Bookstore at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind’ Trailer: Doc Goes Into The Life & Tragic Death Of The Hollywood Icon
In fact, Circus of Books is a family-run business started by a married couple that helped provide a safe haven for the Lgbtq+ community during an era where society was far less inclusive than today.
Continue reading ‘Circus Of Books’ Trailer: New Netflix Doc Takes A Look At The Legendary Family-Run Adult Bookstore at The Playlist.
- 4/13/2020
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Netflix has confirmed that 58 new original series, movies and specials will be debuting on the streaming service in April. Leading off the lineup are season 2 of the Ricky Gervais serio-comic series “After Life” and the debut of Mindy Kaling‘s childhood memoir “Never Have I Ever.” And in these trying times, take comfort in the slew of comedy specials, including one pairing “Silicon Valley” leading man Thomas Middleditch and “Parks and Recreation” scene stealer Ben Schwartz.
On the reality side, we can’t wait to gobble up season 4 of the baking show “Nailed It!” and delight in the debut of the dating series “Too Hot to Handle.”
Netflix is a global presence and it brings many of its international hits to American screens this month, including new seasons of Israel’s spy thriller “Fauda,” Spain’s crime drama “Money Heist” and England’s sport docuseries “Sunderland ’Til I Die.
Below...
On the reality side, we can’t wait to gobble up season 4 of the baking show “Nailed It!” and delight in the debut of the dating series “Too Hot to Handle.”
Netflix is a global presence and it brings many of its international hits to American screens this month, including new seasons of Israel’s spy thriller “Fauda,” Spain’s crime drama “Money Heist” and England’s sport docuseries “Sunderland ’Til I Die.
Below...
- 4/1/2020
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
With streaming services growing like weeds and a new one on the way this month in the form of Quibi, there’s never been more pressure on Netflix to remain our platform of choice. As a result, it’s making original TV series and movies at an accelerated pace that we can barely keep up with. There’s only so much time in the day! Please, think of us as the Dom Toretto of streaming – we live our lives a quarter mile at a time.
As a result, we’re putting together a monthly list of everything we know is coming to Netflix UK, so you can plan ahead and make informed choices. Use your spare time wisely, and you’re likely to experience …well, let’s just say ‘slightly fewer regrets’. We don’t want to go overboard.
Alright then, let’s take a look at what’s ahead in April…...
As a result, we’re putting together a monthly list of everything we know is coming to Netflix UK, so you can plan ahead and make informed choices. Use your spare time wisely, and you’re likely to experience …well, let’s just say ‘slightly fewer regrets’. We don’t want to go overboard.
Alright then, let’s take a look at what’s ahead in April…...
- 4/1/2020
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
Netflix is about to make your next month of social distancing a whole lot easier.
On Tuesday, the streaming service announced all the movies and shows coming to the platform in April, and it’s jam-packed with content to keep you busy while you’re stuck at home thanks to coronavirus.
Go on a family adventure with The Willoughbys (available April 22), an animated comedy featuring the voices of Alessia Cara, Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews, and Ricky Gervais, or watch hilarious baking fails on Nailed It!: Season 4, available April 1.
Other highlights next month include Never Have I Ever (available April 27), a coming-of-age comedy series,...
On Tuesday, the streaming service announced all the movies and shows coming to the platform in April, and it’s jam-packed with content to keep you busy while you’re stuck at home thanks to coronavirus.
Go on a family adventure with The Willoughbys (available April 22), an animated comedy featuring the voices of Alessia Cara, Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews, and Ricky Gervais, or watch hilarious baking fails on Nailed It!: Season 4, available April 1.
Other highlights next month include Never Have I Ever (available April 27), a coming-of-age comedy series,...
- 3/31/2020
- by Georgia Slater
- PEOPLE.com
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