We can’t get enough of John Mulaney these days.
After winning his third Emmy last year for writing his Netflix stand-up special “Baby J,” where he spoke candidly (and hilariously) about his stint in rehab for addiction, the former “Saturday Night Live” writer has risen from the ashes like a comically witty Phoenix.
In the Emmy race once again this year in multiple categories, most notably for guest comedy actor for his performance in the brilliant episode “Fishes” from FX’s second season of “The Bear” and outstanding talk series for the Netflix live smash “Everybody’s in L.A.”
On this episode of the award-winning Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Mulaney discusses his experience and perspectives on Los Angeles’ identity, his creative processes, and whether he’ll host the Oscars. Listen below!
Mulaney surprised everyone as the host of the 14th annual Governors Awards, where he killed in the...
After winning his third Emmy last year for writing his Netflix stand-up special “Baby J,” where he spoke candidly (and hilariously) about his stint in rehab for addiction, the former “Saturday Night Live” writer has risen from the ashes like a comically witty Phoenix.
In the Emmy race once again this year in multiple categories, most notably for guest comedy actor for his performance in the brilliant episode “Fishes” from FX’s second season of “The Bear” and outstanding talk series for the Netflix live smash “Everybody’s in L.A.”
On this episode of the award-winning Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Mulaney discusses his experience and perspectives on Los Angeles’ identity, his creative processes, and whether he’ll host the Oscars. Listen below!
Mulaney surprised everyone as the host of the 14th annual Governors Awards, where he killed in the...
- 6/6/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Roberta Torre with Anne-Katrin Titze on Gitt Magrini, Michelangelo Antonioni’s costume designer for Red Desert and with Bice Brichetto for L'Eclisse: “With Massimo Cantini Parrini we have thought a lot about this before making the film. So he went to all the beautiful costumes for Monica Vitti to see what remains today.”
A little over an hour and a half into Michelangelo Antonioni’s Red Desert, Monica Vitti’s Giuliana visits Richard Harris’s Corrado Zeller at his hotel. “Mi fanno male i capelli” she says, her hair hurts, as do her eyes, her throat and her mouth. Roberta Torre’s Mi Fanno Male I Capelli with a score by Wong Kar Wai’s longtime composer Shigeru Umebayashi takes the sentence as a starting point to investigate time and the mind, memory and the fluidity of identity.
Edoardo (Filippo Timi) with Monica (Alba Rohrwacher) in dress inspired by Monica...
A little over an hour and a half into Michelangelo Antonioni’s Red Desert, Monica Vitti’s Giuliana visits Richard Harris’s Corrado Zeller at his hotel. “Mi fanno male i capelli” she says, her hair hurts, as do her eyes, her throat and her mouth. Roberta Torre’s Mi Fanno Male I Capelli with a score by Wong Kar Wai’s longtime composer Shigeru Umebayashi takes the sentence as a starting point to investigate time and the mind, memory and the fluidity of identity.
Edoardo (Filippo Timi) with Monica (Alba Rohrwacher) in dress inspired by Monica...
- 5/31/2024
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Charly Bliss have set a 2024 North American tour in support of their forthcoming album, Forever, and further previewed the release with a new single called “Calling You Out.”
After kicking off on September 5th in Washington, DC, the tour will feature stops in cities including Brooklyn, Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Austin before wrapping up in Philadelphia on October 10th. See the full itinerary below.
Get Charly Bliss Tickets Here
A Live Nation pre-sale for select dates is ongoing (use access code Soundcheck) ahead of the general on-sale on Friday, May 31st via Ticketmaster.
“Calling You Out” recounts vocalist/guitarist Eva Hendricks’ experience with “falling in love with someone wonderful,” she explained in a statement. “I didn’t know how to not fall into the same bullshit that was part of all my previous relationships — namely jealousy. I wasted a lot of time at the beginning trying to poke holes,...
After kicking off on September 5th in Washington, DC, the tour will feature stops in cities including Brooklyn, Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Austin before wrapping up in Philadelphia on October 10th. See the full itinerary below.
Get Charly Bliss Tickets Here
A Live Nation pre-sale for select dates is ongoing (use access code Soundcheck) ahead of the general on-sale on Friday, May 31st via Ticketmaster.
“Calling You Out” recounts vocalist/guitarist Eva Hendricks’ experience with “falling in love with someone wonderful,” she explained in a statement. “I didn’t know how to not fall into the same bullshit that was part of all my previous relationships — namely jealousy. I wasted a lot of time at the beginning trying to poke holes,...
- 5/30/2024
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Music
A little over an hour and a half into Michelangelo Antonioni’s Red Desert, Monica Vitti’s Giuliana visits Richard Harris’s Corrado Zeller at his hotel. “Mi fanno male i capelli” she says, her hair hurts, as do her eyes, her throat and her mouth. Roberta Torre’s Mi Fanno Male I Capelli with a score by Wong Kar Wai’s longtime composer Shigeru Umebayashi takes the sentence as a starting point to investigate time and the mind, memory and the fluidity of identity.
In a bravura performance Alba Rohrwacher interacts not only with her newly found guiding light of identification Monica Vitti, but also with the melancholy screen Marcello Mastroianni of 1961, the Alain Delon of L’Eclisse, Claudia Cardinale, and later Alberto...
In a bravura performance Alba Rohrwacher interacts not only with her newly found guiding light of identification Monica Vitti, but also with the melancholy screen Marcello Mastroianni of 1961, the Alain Delon of L’Eclisse, Claudia Cardinale, and later Alberto...
- 5/28/2024
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
With Wong Kar-wai being one of the names that are always mentioned when people all around the world refer to Asian cinema, we thought it would be interesting to do another ranking, and having his movies, a number of which are definitely masterpieces. As such, we asked Amp writers who have seen at least 8 of his features to rank them from worst to best. Notably, the two first titles got the same amount of votes and the third had just one vote less. In case you are wondering, the number one was the one who got most first places in the vote. Here is what the votes of Adriana Rosati, Rhythm Zaveri, Rouven Linnarz, Panos Kotzathanasis, Andrew Thayne and Jean Claude resulted in.
11. My Blueberry Nights (2007)
A young lonely woman takes a soul-searching journey across America to resolve her questions about love while encountering a series of off-beat characters along the way.
11. My Blueberry Nights (2007)
A young lonely woman takes a soul-searching journey across America to resolve her questions about love while encountering a series of off-beat characters along the way.
- 5/26/2024
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) is pleased to announce that one of Asia's most internationally acclaimed actors, Tony Leung, will serve as the President of the International Competition jury at the 37th TIFF.
TIFF Chairman Ando Hiroyasu expressed his delight that the renowned actor would be returning to TIFF again after last year's wonderful masterclass and screening. (See further comments below)
Tony Leung has an extensive list of awards throughout a career that began in the 1980s, and has gained international recognition for collaborations with director Wong Kar-wai, with whom he has worked on seven films including In the Mood for Love (2000), which earned him the Cannes Film Festival's Best Actor Award, and 2046 (2004). He also appeared in three films that won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival: A City of Sadness (1989), directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien, Cyclo (1995), directed by Tran Anh Hung, and Lust, Caution (2007) by director Ang Lee.
TIFF Chairman Ando Hiroyasu expressed his delight that the renowned actor would be returning to TIFF again after last year's wonderful masterclass and screening. (See further comments below)
Tony Leung has an extensive list of awards throughout a career that began in the 1980s, and has gained international recognition for collaborations with director Wong Kar-wai, with whom he has worked on seven films including In the Mood for Love (2000), which earned him the Cannes Film Festival's Best Actor Award, and 2046 (2004). He also appeared in three films that won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival: A City of Sadness (1989), directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien, Cyclo (1995), directed by Tran Anh Hung, and Lust, Caution (2007) by director Ang Lee.
- 5/17/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
When it comes to the indie movie business, you don’t get more old-school than Kino Lorber. The New York outfit, founded as Kino International in 1977, has been the first source of independent cinema for U.S. audiences. It was the first to distribute films from Yorgos Lanthimos, Aki Kaurismäki, Wong Kar-wai, Andrei Tarkovsky and Michelangelo Antonioni in U.S. theaters and the first to restore and rerelease silent classics like Metropolis, The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari, and the films of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.
In 2009, when Richard Lorber’s home entertainment company Lorber Ht Digital acquired and merged with Kino International, physical media got added to the mix, and the newly minted Kino Lorber became known for its home entertainment releases, ranging from classic (Nosferatu, The Sacrifice) to cult (Mad Max, Emmanuelle). The Kino Lorber library now counts more than 4,000 titles and the company is continually adding to the list,...
In 2009, when Richard Lorber’s home entertainment company Lorber Ht Digital acquired and merged with Kino International, physical media got added to the mix, and the newly minted Kino Lorber became known for its home entertainment releases, ranging from classic (Nosferatu, The Sacrifice) to cult (Mad Max, Emmanuelle). The Kino Lorber library now counts more than 4,000 titles and the company is continually adding to the list,...
- 5/17/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hong Kong star Tony Leung is set to serve as president of the international competition jury at this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF).
The actor, who won best actor at Cannes in 2000 for his performance in Wong Kar-wai’s In The Mood For Love, will take part in the 37th edition, which runs from October 28 to November 6.
”From the age of 12, growing up in Hong Kong, I remember going to see all the classic Japanese movies from that time,” Leung recalled. ”These exciting trips to the cinema were the start of a great love affair between Japanese film,...
The actor, who won best actor at Cannes in 2000 for his performance in Wong Kar-wai’s In The Mood For Love, will take part in the 37th edition, which runs from October 28 to November 6.
”From the age of 12, growing up in Hong Kong, I remember going to see all the classic Japanese movies from that time,” Leung recalled. ”These exciting trips to the cinema were the start of a great love affair between Japanese film,...
- 5/17/2024
- ScreenDaily
Tony Leung will serve as the president of the international competition jury at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival, organizers announced on Friday.
The Hong Kong acting icon, who gave a masterclass at the festival last year, will return to Tokyo to head up a jury that will be announced at a later date. Leung has a long history with Tokyo Film Festival and had attended the event for the screening of his 2013 film The Grandmaster.
Leung is widely considered one of the greatest actors Asia has produced. Best known globally for his work with Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai, the pair have worked on seven films together — Days of Being Wild (1990), Chungking Express (1994), Ashes of Time (1994), Happy Together (1997), In the Mood for Love (2000), 2046 (2004), and The Grandmaster (2013). Leung has also starred in three films — A City of Sadness (1989), Cyclo (1995) and Lust, Caution (2007) — that have won the Golden Lion prize...
The Hong Kong acting icon, who gave a masterclass at the festival last year, will return to Tokyo to head up a jury that will be announced at a later date. Leung has a long history with Tokyo Film Festival and had attended the event for the screening of his 2013 film The Grandmaster.
Leung is widely considered one of the greatest actors Asia has produced. Best known globally for his work with Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai, the pair have worked on seven films together — Days of Being Wild (1990), Chungking Express (1994), Ashes of Time (1994), Happy Together (1997), In the Mood for Love (2000), 2046 (2004), and The Grandmaster (2013). Leung has also starred in three films — A City of Sadness (1989), Cyclo (1995) and Lust, Caution (2007) — that have won the Golden Lion prize...
- 5/17/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Amsterdam- and Beijing-based Fortissimo Films is to pre-sell Chinese crime drama “Family at large,” kicking off at the Cannes Market.
The film had previously been announced with sales handled jointly by Fortissimo and Rediance. Now, Fortissimo alone is representing rights worldwide, ex-China.
Directed by Kang Bo, the film is set in the chilly far north of the country. A man, nicknamed “Reindeer,”, is released from prison and becomes involved in a child-abduction case across Northeast China. The man, a pregnant young woman and a mute boy wade into the dense forests of the frozen North in search of an abducted child. The film exposes a family-run human trafficking organization and portrays the underworld of the Northern border of China.
The cast is headed by the in-demand Hu Ge “(“The Wild Goose Lake,” Wong Kar-wai’s TV series “Blossoms”), “Angels Wear White” star Wen Qi (aka Vicky Chen), Yan Ni and Song Jia.
The film had previously been announced with sales handled jointly by Fortissimo and Rediance. Now, Fortissimo alone is representing rights worldwide, ex-China.
Directed by Kang Bo, the film is set in the chilly far north of the country. A man, nicknamed “Reindeer,”, is released from prison and becomes involved in a child-abduction case across Northeast China. The man, a pregnant young woman and a mute boy wade into the dense forests of the frozen North in search of an abducted child. The film exposes a family-run human trafficking organization and portrays the underworld of the Northern border of China.
The cast is headed by the in-demand Hu Ge “(“The Wild Goose Lake,” Wong Kar-wai’s TV series “Blossoms”), “Angels Wear White” star Wen Qi (aka Vicky Chen), Yan Ni and Song Jia.
- 5/9/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Off the heels of the recent growth capital investment, Range Media Partners has announced a flurry of activity including ten promotions across the company and hiring of four seasoned industry veterans.
“We are very disciplined in our growth strategy from who we hire to who we promote, ensuring our culture and commitment to our clients remains bar none. It’s humbling to welcome new top-tier colleagues at the same time as being able to honor the next generation of all-stars who have already made tremendous contributions to the company over the years through these very well-deserved promotions. On behalf of everyone at Range, we couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come,” Rich Cook & Dave Bugliari, Managing Partners, said in a statement.
On the film & TV side, Andrew Nallathambi and Natalya Yonathan have both been promoted to Managers. Nallathambi began his career at Range as one of...
“We are very disciplined in our growth strategy from who we hire to who we promote, ensuring our culture and commitment to our clients remains bar none. It’s humbling to welcome new top-tier colleagues at the same time as being able to honor the next generation of all-stars who have already made tremendous contributions to the company over the years through these very well-deserved promotions. On behalf of everyone at Range, we couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come,” Rich Cook & Dave Bugliari, Managing Partners, said in a statement.
On the film & TV side, Andrew Nallathambi and Natalya Yonathan have both been promoted to Managers. Nallathambi began his career at Range as one of...
- 5/8/2024
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
“In the Streets” is the first edition of the Notebook Insert, a seasonal supplement on moving-image culture. For the Multiplex column, we ask filmmakers, critics, and artists for short-form responses to the topic in question.Illustration by Lale Westvind.Martine Syms (Los Angeles)Artist; director, The African Desperate (2022)1.I’m shopping with **** and *** at a high-end store. I have a rare jewel up my butt. We’re looking for gifts. I run into Alex ****. She works at the store now. I try to remember lyrics to a punk song I wrote in high school. I jump up and I’m on a glider, gliding around town. I see a sign for legal services. Her & Her Feminist Law Office. The ad is a giant pair of pink panties. I decide to land there and check out their services. I have two Rimowa suitcases with me. I attempt to walk down the steps to the elevator,...
- 5/2/2024
- MUBI
It's fair to say that Lee Chang-dong is one of the leading lights in South Korean cinema, if not cinema in general, though his relatively sparse output over the last decade leaves us yearning for more. His debut made a quarter of a century ago, while not as accomplished as his subsequent five films, features many of the themes that would appear throughout his oeuvre, and serves as a strong foundation for the rest of his work to build on.
Film Movement Presents The Films Of Lee Chang-dong, A Retrospective Showcase Including The US Theatrical Premieres Of New 4K Restorations Of Green Fish, Peppermint Candy, Oasis & Poetry In Seleected Cinemas In Canada And The US
Makdong (Han Suk-kyu) is fresh out of his army service and is returning home on the train. It is here he meets the mysterious Mi-ae (Shim Hye-jin), trying – and failing – to come to her rescue from a group of thugs.
Film Movement Presents The Films Of Lee Chang-dong, A Retrospective Showcase Including The US Theatrical Premieres Of New 4K Restorations Of Green Fish, Peppermint Candy, Oasis & Poetry In Seleected Cinemas In Canada And The US
Makdong (Han Suk-kyu) is fresh out of his army service and is returning home on the train. It is here he meets the mysterious Mi-ae (Shim Hye-jin), trying – and failing – to come to her rescue from a group of thugs.
- 4/24/2024
- by Andrew Thayne
- AsianMoviePulse
There are two twisty thrillers directed by filmmakers named Shyamalan heading to theaters in the coming months and the filmmakers promise “unease” and “wonder.”
It wasn’t intentional, said M. Night Shyamalan, sitting down for a conversation with his daughter and fellow filmmaker Ishana Night Shyamalan.
“It just played out this way,” he began, recounting the filmmakers’ conversations with Warner Bros., which is releasing both films. “It was just: What is the best date for that movie and what is the best day for this movie? And it turned out it was in the same summer.”
First up will be the June 14 release of “The Watchers,” the feature film directorial debut from Ishana Night Shyamalan, starring Dakota Fanning as part of a group of humans trapped in the woods who are visited by a mysterious audience every night. That will be followed by the Aug. 9 debut of her dad M.
It wasn’t intentional, said M. Night Shyamalan, sitting down for a conversation with his daughter and fellow filmmaker Ishana Night Shyamalan.
“It just played out this way,” he began, recounting the filmmakers’ conversations with Warner Bros., which is releasing both films. “It was just: What is the best date for that movie and what is the best day for this movie? And it turned out it was in the same summer.”
First up will be the June 14 release of “The Watchers,” the feature film directorial debut from Ishana Night Shyamalan, starring Dakota Fanning as part of a group of humans trapped in the woods who are visited by a mysterious audience every night. That will be followed by the Aug. 9 debut of her dad M.
- 4/22/2024
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
One of Hollywood's most frustrating recent news stories is that Francis Ford Coppola is having trouble finding distribution for his self-funded passion project, "Megalopolis" (via The Hollywood Reporter). In a just world, making "The Godfather" would grant Coppola a lifetime blank check, but that has never been the world we've lived in.
What you may not be aware of is one of Coppola's influences for his magnum opus. Like his friend "Star Wars" director George Lucas, Coppola looked to Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. While Lucas took after Kurosawa's Jidaigeki (historical) films, Coppola looked to one of the director's contemporary-set films: "The Bad Sleep Well."
Released in 1960 and starring his go-to leading man Toshiro Mifune, the movie is one of Kurosawa's (comparatively) more obscure ones. It was especially overshadowed by "High and Low," the masterful kidnapping thriller that Kurosawa and Mifune released in 1963. Both movies are set in the world of...
What you may not be aware of is one of Coppola's influences for his magnum opus. Like his friend "Star Wars" director George Lucas, Coppola looked to Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. While Lucas took after Kurosawa's Jidaigeki (historical) films, Coppola looked to one of the director's contemporary-set films: "The Bad Sleep Well."
Released in 1960 and starring his go-to leading man Toshiro Mifune, the movie is one of Kurosawa's (comparatively) more obscure ones. It was especially overshadowed by "High and Low," the masterful kidnapping thriller that Kurosawa and Mifune released in 1963. Both movies are set in the world of...
- 4/15/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
For many around the world, there’s one name at the top of the action totem pole: Jackie Chan, and today marks his 70th birthday.
If you only know him as a goofy martial arts comedian from the Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon series, then consider this a wake up call. Because when Jackie did things His way on his home turf, he churned out some of the best action movies you’ll ever see.
Many would point to Drunken Master II as Jackie’s magnum opus. Fair enough, that is an all-timer, but for an example of his best modern day martial arts action, mixed in with some crime drama and his signature comedy, one of his absolute best outings is 1985’s Police Story.
In the 1970s, Jackie Chan soared to fame internationally once he was finally able to break out of the shadow of Bruce Lee. When Chan...
If you only know him as a goofy martial arts comedian from the Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon series, then consider this a wake up call. Because when Jackie did things His way on his home turf, he churned out some of the best action movies you’ll ever see.
Many would point to Drunken Master II as Jackie’s magnum opus. Fair enough, that is an all-timer, but for an example of his best modern day martial arts action, mixed in with some crime drama and his signature comedy, one of his absolute best outings is 1985’s Police Story.
In the 1970s, Jackie Chan soared to fame internationally once he was finally able to break out of the shadow of Bruce Lee. When Chan...
- 4/7/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Christopher Nolan, Spike Lee, Chantal Akerman, Theo Angelopoulos, Lynne Ramsay, Tsai Ming-liang, Michael Haneke, Lee Chang-dong, Terence Davies, Shōhei Imamura, Bi Gan, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Jia Zhangke, Wong Kar-wai, Yorgos Lanthimos, Denis Villleneuve, Céline Sciamma, Guillermo del Toro, Kelly Reichardt. Those are just a few of the filmmakers introduced to New York audiences at New Directors/New Films over the last half-century across over 1,100 premieres.
Now returning for its 53rd edition at Film at Lincoln Center and The Museum of Modern Art from April 3-14, this year’s lineup features 35 new films, presenting prizewinners from Berlin, Cannes, Locarno, Sarajevo, and Sundance film festivals. Ahead of the festival kicking off next week, we’ve gathered fourteen films to see, and one can explore the full lineup and schedule here.
All, or Nothing at All (Jiajun “Oscar” Zhang)
In All, or Nothing at all, director Jiajun “Oscar” Zhang employs an experimental...
Now returning for its 53rd edition at Film at Lincoln Center and The Museum of Modern Art from April 3-14, this year’s lineup features 35 new films, presenting prizewinners from Berlin, Cannes, Locarno, Sarajevo, and Sundance film festivals. Ahead of the festival kicking off next week, we’ve gathered fourteen films to see, and one can explore the full lineup and schedule here.
All, or Nothing at All (Jiajun “Oscar” Zhang)
In All, or Nothing at all, director Jiajun “Oscar” Zhang employs an experimental...
- 4/1/2024
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
The ever-busy Japanese character actor Tadanobu Asano — currently having a moment as one of the stars of Disney’s hit samurai series Shōgun — has joined the cast of Thai director Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s upcoming culinary thriller Morte Cucina. The actor and director last collaborated two decades ago on the romantic crime film Last Life in the Universe (2003), which was Thailand’s official submission to the Oscars that year and won Asano the best actor award at the Venice Film Festival.
Set in contemporary Bangkok, Morte Cucina follows a talented young female chef named Sao who has a chance encounter with a man who sexually abused her when she was a teen. “Using her talents in the kitchen, Sao sets her plan of revenge in motion — achieving a rather unexpected result,” the film’s logline reads.
The project’s producers are keeping the nature of Asano’s role under wraps for now,...
Set in contemporary Bangkok, Morte Cucina follows a talented young female chef named Sao who has a chance encounter with a man who sexually abused her when she was a teen. “Using her talents in the kitchen, Sao sets her plan of revenge in motion — achieving a rather unexpected result,” the film’s logline reads.
The project’s producers are keeping the nature of Asano’s role under wraps for now,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Mauritanian master Aberrahmane Sissako reached glory with his previous feature, the foreign-language Oscar-nominated “Timbuktu” (2014). It was a harrowing, beautiful and potent film that hit the soft spot in combining the no-nonsense panoramic overview of the Islamist occupation of the titular city and the humaneness of the resistance to it. Ten years later, Sissako is, once again re-united with his co-screenwriter Kessen Tall, back on the festival circuit with his attempt at the globe-trotting cinema called “Black Tea”. It premiered at the competition of Berlinale and continued its tour at the Belgrade International Film Festival – Fest.
Black Tea screened at Berlin International Film Festival
Sissako opens his film with a sequence set, but not actually elaborated in any way, at a mass wedding ceremony in Abijan, the capital of Ivory Coast. Like other brides, Aya (Nina Melo) is excited, but when her time comes to say the magic words, she makes a monologue,...
Black Tea screened at Berlin International Film Festival
Sissako opens his film with a sequence set, but not actually elaborated in any way, at a mass wedding ceremony in Abijan, the capital of Ivory Coast. Like other brides, Aya (Nina Melo) is excited, but when her time comes to say the magic words, she makes a monologue,...
- 3/16/2024
- by Marko Stojiljković
- AsianMoviePulse
Beginning Friday, March 22, a new 2K restoration of My Heart Is That Eternal Rose, Patrick Tam's underseen and visually daring late-80s action-romance, opens for a one-week NY exclusive theatrical run at Metrograph In Theater.
Tam, perhaps the Hong Kong New Wave's most daring cine-modernist and a crucial influence on Wong Kar-wai, teams with Dp Christopher Doyle, a regular Wong collaborator, for a high-style “heroic bloodshed” melodrama starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Kenny Bee, and Joey Wong as three friends bound together by ties both criminal and romantic. With shamelessly pulpy plotting, a synth-heavy score, luxuriously expressionistic imagery, and a climactic bloodbath for the ages, My Heart is That Eternal Rose exists somewhere at the intersection between Wong's cinema of longing and John Woo's cinema of wrathful vengeance. One of the unheralded masterworks of Hong Kong filmmaking. A Kani Releasing release.
The digitization and restoration of My Heart is...
Tam, perhaps the Hong Kong New Wave's most daring cine-modernist and a crucial influence on Wong Kar-wai, teams with Dp Christopher Doyle, a regular Wong collaborator, for a high-style “heroic bloodshed” melodrama starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Kenny Bee, and Joey Wong as three friends bound together by ties both criminal and romantic. With shamelessly pulpy plotting, a synth-heavy score, luxuriously expressionistic imagery, and a climactic bloodbath for the ages, My Heart is That Eternal Rose exists somewhere at the intersection between Wong's cinema of longing and John Woo's cinema of wrathful vengeance. One of the unheralded masterworks of Hong Kong filmmaking. A Kani Releasing release.
The digitization and restoration of My Heart is...
- 3/12/2024
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
With a premise that is as simple or as complex as you’d like it to be, Monkey Man anoints Dev Patel as a new action director and star. Filmed on location in Mumbai and Indonesia in the height of the Covid pandemic and saved from a Netflix direct-to-streaming deal by Jordan Peele and Universal, this film about reinvention bursts with the same frenetic energy of a Danny Boyle or John Woo picture, with Patel––co-writer, director, star, and sometimes camera operator––throwing everything he has at the screen, and then some.
The plot, on one level, is a simple revenge tale unfolding for reasons revealed at the narrative’s midpoint. Inspired by the Hindu myth of Hanuman Patel’s unnamed Kid embraces this persona in wrestling matches that have left him battle-tested before he undergoes a profound spiritual awakening. The training comes in handy when he plots his big...
The plot, on one level, is a simple revenge tale unfolding for reasons revealed at the narrative’s midpoint. Inspired by the Hindu myth of Hanuman Patel’s unnamed Kid embraces this persona in wrestling matches that have left him battle-tested before he undergoes a profound spiritual awakening. The training comes in handy when he plots his big...
- 3/12/2024
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Shreyom Ghosh’s “The Vampire of Sheung Shui” is unique in that it is a Hong Kong-set horror-comedy with a protagonist of Indian origin.
It has been selected for the 22nd Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf), the project market that operates concurrently with FilMart.
Written by D.F.W. Buckingham (“Finding Love in Sisters”), the film will follow Lokesh, a slacker in his 30s, living with orthodox Jain parents in a sleepy Hong Kong suburb, waiting to take over the family jewellery store and move to the U.K. after selling it. When his father announces his retirement, Lokesh must show that he can be responsible and adhere to the values of his family’s traditions or lose the store to his annoying cousin. The problem is that Lokesh is turning into a bloodthirsty vampire. Now he must find a way to survive on blood without hurting people, while also...
It has been selected for the 22nd Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf), the project market that operates concurrently with FilMart.
Written by D.F.W. Buckingham (“Finding Love in Sisters”), the film will follow Lokesh, a slacker in his 30s, living with orthodox Jain parents in a sleepy Hong Kong suburb, waiting to take over the family jewellery store and move to the U.K. after selling it. When his father announces his retirement, Lokesh must show that he can be responsible and adhere to the values of his family’s traditions or lose the store to his annoying cousin. The problem is that Lokesh is turning into a bloodthirsty vampire. Now he must find a way to survive on blood without hurting people, while also...
- 3/12/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Clockwise from top left: Lady Bird (A24), True Grit (Paramount Pictures), The Royal Tenenbaums (Touchstone Pictures), The Irishman (Netflix)Graphic: The A.V. Club
If winning an Oscar wasn’t a big deal, why are the year’s biggest snubs and surprises the first topic of discussion following every nomination announcement?...
If winning an Oscar wasn’t a big deal, why are the year’s biggest snubs and surprises the first topic of discussion following every nomination announcement?...
- 3/6/2024
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
When it comes to China, the discourse surrounding queer identities – like many other issues – can be placed in a gray area, on the fragile border with taboo. However, cinema is perhaps the most powerful visual medium for better understanding certain dynamics that are too often subject to useless labels and dichotomous discussions. For this reason, I have selected 12 works – including narrative feature films and documentaries – that explore and reflect on intimate queer representation. The list is presented in chronological order and includes titles from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan
1. Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972) Chor Yuan
“Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan” is a 1972 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Chor Yuen, known for its blend of elements from martial arts and erotica. The protagonist, Ai Nu (Lily Ho), is sold to a brothel at the young age of 18. She quickly becomes the favorite of the brothel's owner,...
1. Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972) Chor Yuan
“Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan” is a 1972 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Chor Yuen, known for its blend of elements from martial arts and erotica. The protagonist, Ai Nu (Lily Ho), is sold to a brothel at the young age of 18. She quickly becomes the favorite of the brothel's owner,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Siria Falleroni
- AsianMoviePulse
Part of reviewing films for trades like The Hollywood Reporter is to provide a clear and concise plot summary for the reader. But this task may prove particularly difficult for Black Tea — the first feature in nearly ten years from Mauritanian auteur Abderrahmane Sissako, whose powerful 2014 drama Timbuktu won several César awards and was nominated for a foreign-language Oscar.
Ostensibly, the story follows Aya (the graceful Nina Mélo), an African bride who dumps her groom at the wedding and flees to China, where she works in a tea shop and winds up having an affair with her seductive boss, Cai (Chang Han). But is that what really happens?
The trailer, as well as the official synopsis, would lead you to think so. In reality, though, this completely enigmatic drama never offers up a succinct plotline, skipping from one character and story to another, jumping back and forth between countries and time periods,...
Ostensibly, the story follows Aya (the graceful Nina Mélo), an African bride who dumps her groom at the wedding and flees to China, where she works in a tea shop and winds up having an affair with her seductive boss, Cai (Chang Han). But is that what really happens?
The trailer, as well as the official synopsis, would lead you to think so. In reality, though, this completely enigmatic drama never offers up a succinct plotline, skipping from one character and story to another, jumping back and forth between countries and time periods,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Oof, "Madame Web." Critics have savaged the latest Spider-Manless Spider-Man spin-off from Sony Pictures (read /Film's review here). Unlike the Sydney Sweeney picture I'm actually looking forward to this year, "Madame Web" is not "Immaculate." It's a hackneyed joke that in bad movies of this sort, the best part is when the credits hit. In "Madame Web," that's doubly true because you'll get to hear some nice music: "Dreams" by The Cranberries.
Released in 1992, "Dreams" is the Irish band's debut single, part of their first album "Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?" Dolores O'Riordan, The Cranberries' late singer, and guitarist Noal Hogan wrote the song about the experience of love. O'Riordan's whimsical brogue becomes a melody played against the soft rock instrumentals from her bandmates. It's not just a great love song, but a song about how it feels to be in love: the floating excitement, how...
Released in 1992, "Dreams" is the Irish band's debut single, part of their first album "Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?" Dolores O'Riordan, The Cranberries' late singer, and guitarist Noal Hogan wrote the song about the experience of love. O'Riordan's whimsical brogue becomes a melody played against the soft rock instrumentals from her bandmates. It's not just a great love song, but a song about how it feels to be in love: the floating excitement, how...
- 2/18/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Andreas Dresen’s favorite Berlinale memory, as you’d expect, involves Currywurst.
“I was on the jury one year, And it was clear I was the local guy among all these big names,” he recalls. “Now the festival had a vegan menu already then, and at the awards dinner, we had great food but they were quite small portions and [jury president] Wong Kar Wai turns to me and says ‘Andreas, can’t we get some real food?’ So I took them all, Susanne Bier, Shirin Neshat, Tim Robbins, everyone in tuxes and evening gowns, to [legendary Berlin snack bar] Curry 36 for a Currywurst. Even Tim Robbins, who actually is vegetarian, tucked in. I personally saw him gobble up three Currywursts. It was the most Berlin moment ever.”
Dresen has had a few. The 60-year-old director has been a regular at Germany’s top film festival since 1991 when his student film So schnell es geht nach...
“I was on the jury one year, And it was clear I was the local guy among all these big names,” he recalls. “Now the festival had a vegan menu already then, and at the awards dinner, we had great food but they were quite small portions and [jury president] Wong Kar Wai turns to me and says ‘Andreas, can’t we get some real food?’ So I took them all, Susanne Bier, Shirin Neshat, Tim Robbins, everyone in tuxes and evening gowns, to [legendary Berlin snack bar] Curry 36 for a Currywurst. Even Tim Robbins, who actually is vegetarian, tucked in. I personally saw him gobble up three Currywursts. It was the most Berlin moment ever.”
Dresen has had a few. The 60-year-old director has been a regular at Germany’s top film festival since 1991 when his student film So schnell es geht nach...
- 2/17/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.
Film at Lincoln Center
A retrospective of Denis Villeneuve’s work also brings the director’s programming choices, among them films by Godard, Resnais, Cassavetes, and Wong Kar-wai.
Roxy Cinema
Bob Fosse’s Star 80, The Piano Teacher, The Pillow Book, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and End of Night all play on 35mm.
Anthology Film Archives
As retrospective of Haitian cinema continues, films by Hollis Frampton and Ernie Gehr play Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Film Forum
“Sapph-o-rama” continues with films by Nicholas Ray, Jonathan Demme, Lizzie Borden, and more; a 4K restoration of Pandora’s Box has begun a run; a print of The Third Man continues, while the Harold Lloyd film Hot Water shows on 35mm this Sunday.
Museum of the Moving Image
A retrospective of snubbed performances brings films by Scorsese, Elaine May, Jonathan Demme, and Gus Van Sant...
Film at Lincoln Center
A retrospective of Denis Villeneuve’s work also brings the director’s programming choices, among them films by Godard, Resnais, Cassavetes, and Wong Kar-wai.
Roxy Cinema
Bob Fosse’s Star 80, The Piano Teacher, The Pillow Book, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and End of Night all play on 35mm.
Anthology Film Archives
As retrospective of Haitian cinema continues, films by Hollis Frampton and Ernie Gehr play Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Film Forum
“Sapph-o-rama” continues with films by Nicholas Ray, Jonathan Demme, Lizzie Borden, and more; a 4K restoration of Pandora’s Box has begun a run; a print of The Third Man continues, while the Harold Lloyd film Hot Water shows on 35mm this Sunday.
Museum of the Moving Image
A retrospective of snubbed performances brings films by Scorsese, Elaine May, Jonathan Demme, and Gus Van Sant...
- 2/16/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Le Pacte has hopped aboard Quebec director Daniel Roby’s biopic Villeneuve: Rise Of A Champion about the early years of Formula One legend Gilles Villeneuve.
The film starts shooting next week in Canada and will focus on Villeneuve’s early years, his snowmobiling career, his start in motor racing and success before signing with Ferrari.
Set in Quebec starting in 1970, Rémi Goulet will play the titular Villeneuve as he rises from a modest background. Rosalie Bonenfant stars as his wife.
Villeneuve: Rise Of A Champion is produced by Christian Larouche at Christal Films, with Le Pacte on board to co-produce,...
The film starts shooting next week in Canada and will focus on Villeneuve’s early years, his snowmobiling career, his start in motor racing and success before signing with Ferrari.
Set in Quebec starting in 1970, Rémi Goulet will play the titular Villeneuve as he rises from a modest background. Rosalie Bonenfant stars as his wife.
Villeneuve: Rise Of A Champion is produced by Christian Larouche at Christal Films, with Le Pacte on board to co-produce,...
- 2/16/2024
- ScreenDaily
"Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" is the most contentious of the first three "Indiana Jones" movies. Director Steven Spielberg's filmmaking instincts are sharp as ever, as is Harrison Ford's charisma, and even before the mine tunnel sequence, the film moves like a roller coaster in the best way possible.
But in aping early 20th-century pulp, the film inherits their exoticized distortions of non-American cultures. "Temple of Doom" is mostly set in British-occupied India, but the villains are not these colonizers. No, Indy and co. face off against an indigenous threat: the vicious Thuggee cult that enslaves children and makes human sacrifices to the Hindu god Kali. I'm admittedly not an expert on Indian culture (nor were the writers of the movie), so I'll defer to one who is; Indian-Canadian writer Saffron Maeve has taken the film to task over at Little White Lies. Otherwise, I'll let...
But in aping early 20th-century pulp, the film inherits their exoticized distortions of non-American cultures. "Temple of Doom" is mostly set in British-occupied India, but the villains are not these colonizers. No, Indy and co. face off against an indigenous threat: the vicious Thuggee cult that enslaves children and makes human sacrifices to the Hindu god Kali. I'm admittedly not an expert on Indian culture (nor were the writers of the movie), so I'll defer to one who is; Indian-Canadian writer Saffron Maeve has taken the film to task over at Little White Lies. Otherwise, I'll let...
- 2/11/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
I suppose there’s a more interesting film to be made about the great composer Ennio Morricone, but watching Giuseppe Tornatore’s loving and comprehensive “Ennio” makes it almost impossible to care. An uncomplicated and reverent tribute that was shot before the late maestro’s death in 2020 (and would feel like a two-and-a-half-hour tribute reel if not for the fact that Morricone himself is the film’s most frequent talking head), this straightforward biodoc is almost perversely generic for a movie that’s meant to honor one of cinema’s greatest radicals.
And yet, do you really not want to see Clint Eastwood deadpanning that Morricone’s music “helped dramatize me, which is really hard to do”? Would a less conventional documentary have been able to squeeze Bruce Springsteen, Wong Kar-wai, and James Hetfield into the same film, or include so much of what Bernardo Bertolucci had to say about...
And yet, do you really not want to see Clint Eastwood deadpanning that Morricone’s music “helped dramatize me, which is really hard to do”? Would a less conventional documentary have been able to squeeze Bruce Springsteen, Wong Kar-wai, and James Hetfield into the same film, or include so much of what Bernardo Bertolucci had to say about...
- 2/7/2024
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Over the course of her career, Gina Prince-Bythewood has proven she can do it all. Across five films and roughly 20 years, she had made an enduring romantic sports story, a southern family drama, a pop star star-crossed romance, a superhero fantasy action film, and a feminist historical epic. And with every new genre the filmmaker has ticked off her list, Prince-Bythewood has shown a mastery for its particularities every time.
Born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Pacific Grove, California, Prince-Bythewood attended University of California in Los Angeles, where she studied film and graduated in 1991. After several years as a writer on TV shows like “A Different World” and “South Central,” her first film, 2000’s “Love and Basketball,” was released to critical acclaim. The story of two childhood best friends with a shared love for basketball — and a chronicle of their tumultuous relationship through the years as they both seek...
Born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Pacific Grove, California, Prince-Bythewood attended University of California in Los Angeles, where she studied film and graduated in 1991. After several years as a writer on TV shows like “A Different World” and “South Central,” her first film, 2000’s “Love and Basketball,” was released to critical acclaim. The story of two childhood best friends with a shared love for basketball — and a chronicle of their tumultuous relationship through the years as they both seek...
- 2/2/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
After the cinematic doldrums of January, February brings surprisingly packed, varied offerings, from Oscar-contending international features to biographical documentaries of legendary film artists to some electrifying genre outings. Check out my picks to see below, and catch up with our Sundance coverage ahead of our Berlinale reviews here.
16. The Monk and the Gun (Pawo Choyning Dorji; Feb. 9)
Returning after his Oscar-nominated directorial debut Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, Pawo Choyning Dorji’s Ifsn Advocate Award-shortlisted The Monk and the Gun premiered at Telluride and TIFF to much acclaim and will now be released this month. Selected by Bhutan as their Oscar entry, the heartwarming film is about an American in search of a long-lost, vintage gun in Bhutan as the country’s launching a democracy.
15. Ennio (Giuseppe Tornatore; Feb. 9)
The film world lost perhaps its most legendary musician when Ennio Morricone died at the age of 91 in July 2020. Cinema Paradiso director Giuseppe Tornatore,...
16. The Monk and the Gun (Pawo Choyning Dorji; Feb. 9)
Returning after his Oscar-nominated directorial debut Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, Pawo Choyning Dorji’s Ifsn Advocate Award-shortlisted The Monk and the Gun premiered at Telluride and TIFF to much acclaim and will now be released this month. Selected by Bhutan as their Oscar entry, the heartwarming film is about an American in search of a long-lost, vintage gun in Bhutan as the country’s launching a democracy.
15. Ennio (Giuseppe Tornatore; Feb. 9)
The film world lost perhaps its most legendary musician when Ennio Morricone died at the age of 91 in July 2020. Cinema Paradiso director Giuseppe Tornatore,...
- 2/1/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell.All too frequently, the reception of recent Asian arthouse films at international festivals showcases an ambiguous predicament. When encountering new films—usually in the sidebars of Cannes, Venice, or the Berlinale—Western critics tend to resort to a repetitious discourse, conveniently labeling the films and making easy comparisons to the canon of the 1990s and 2000s. The pattern goes like this: meditative sonic sequences or notions of reincarnation become instant echoes of Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s work, any neon extravaganza immediately points to Wong Kar Wai, and Tsai Ming-liang is a recurring reference whenever a film abounds in still long shots. In a sense, these touchstones and comparisons are all valid—these older filmmakers conceived cinematic miracles and attempted to redefine the boundaries of film art, and therefore have influenced many artists of the next generation.However, it isn’t difficult to find this labeling tendency to be ectypal Orientalization.
- 1/30/2024
- MUBI
Recently honored as one of Unifrance’s 10 to Watch, Franco-Moroccan filmmaker Sofia Alaoui will build on the rugged eeriness of her 2023 Sundance jury prize winner “Animalia” with “Tarfaya” – a slow-burn thriller that mines Morocco’s sweeping landscapes for ambient unease.
Named for (and inspired by) a remote, coastal town on the country’s Saharan border, “Tarfaya” imagines a not-too-distant world of extreme atmospheric swings, of severe heat giving way to more intense storms, all while daily life trudges on. The film will follow Meryam, a forty-something nurse working at a secluded hospital beset by a mysterious new plague linked to the destabilizing environment.
“At first, the patients become delirious, falling into delusions,” Alaoui explains. “Later they fall into a deep sleep, as if they’re disconnecting from the world in which they live. The film builds from this wistful tone where the characters become accustomed to a form of apocalypse.
Named for (and inspired by) a remote, coastal town on the country’s Saharan border, “Tarfaya” imagines a not-too-distant world of extreme atmospheric swings, of severe heat giving way to more intense storms, all while daily life trudges on. The film will follow Meryam, a forty-something nurse working at a secluded hospital beset by a mysterious new plague linked to the destabilizing environment.
“At first, the patients become delirious, falling into delusions,” Alaoui explains. “Later they fall into a deep sleep, as if they’re disconnecting from the world in which they live. The film builds from this wistful tone where the characters become accustomed to a form of apocalypse.
- 1/20/2024
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Midi Z, the Taiwan-based Myanmar-born director whose career has expanded from no-budget documentaries and dramas to 2019 Cannes title “Nina Wu,” has wrapped “The Unseen Sister,” his first mainstream film in Mainland China.
As with “Nina Wu,” the protagonist is an actress successfully enduring various pressures and humiliations at work. But in “Unseen Sister” her artifice is threatened by an anonymous attempt to extort her and the sudden reappearance of her long-lost sister. The sister, who had been in Myanmar, brings with her incidents and revelations from the past as well as hints of a larger crisis linking the seemingly coincidental events of her return and the blackmail.
For the dual lead roles Z secured the services of rising Chinese actor Zhao Liying in the role of the actress and Xin Zhilei (“The Rescue” and Wong Kar-wai’s TV series “Blossoms Shanghai”) as her sister.
Production, which wrapped earlier this month,...
As with “Nina Wu,” the protagonist is an actress successfully enduring various pressures and humiliations at work. But in “Unseen Sister” her artifice is threatened by an anonymous attempt to extort her and the sudden reappearance of her long-lost sister. The sister, who had been in Myanmar, brings with her incidents and revelations from the past as well as hints of a larger crisis linking the seemingly coincidental events of her return and the blackmail.
For the dual lead roles Z secured the services of rising Chinese actor Zhao Liying in the role of the actress and Xin Zhilei (“The Rescue” and Wong Kar-wai’s TV series “Blossoms Shanghai”) as her sister.
Production, which wrapped earlier this month,...
- 1/19/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Here is another gem by Kar-Wai Wong, the master stylist from Hong Kong.
The story or, rather, stories of Chungking Express talks about love– true love, abruptly-ended love, unfinished love, doomed love, happy love, disturbed love… a whole lot of them. It delineates how a relationship is built up and how it is broken. How two persons, all of a sudden, come closer, and then, eventually, drift apart leaving a permanent mark on each other’s memory. How time, our very own individual time, is shaped through our memories– memories of love, affection, relationship.
But the real beauty of the film lies in the extremely rich visuals; the superb camera-work and the typical Wongish blend of music with the striking visuals. These alone hold together the two apparently disconnected stories. Sometimes the scene is blurred except for the main character; sometime there is intentional time lapse between shots; sometimes the...
The story or, rather, stories of Chungking Express talks about love– true love, abruptly-ended love, unfinished love, doomed love, happy love, disturbed love… a whole lot of them. It delineates how a relationship is built up and how it is broken. How two persons, all of a sudden, come closer, and then, eventually, drift apart leaving a permanent mark on each other’s memory. How time, our very own individual time, is shaped through our memories– memories of love, affection, relationship.
But the real beauty of the film lies in the extremely rich visuals; the superb camera-work and the typical Wongish blend of music with the striking visuals. These alone hold together the two apparently disconnected stories. Sometimes the scene is blurred except for the main character; sometime there is intentional time lapse between shots; sometimes the...
- 12/26/2023
- by Prem
- Talking Films
The film world lost perhaps its most legendary musician at the start of this decade when Ennio Morricone passed away at the age of 91 in July 2020. Cinema Paradiso director Giuseppe Tornatore, who worked with the composer over a dozen times across his career, crafted a tribute with the documentary Ennio, which fittingly premiered at the Venice Film Festival and will now be arriving in the U.S. Featuring interviews with Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, Dario Argento, John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Wong Kar-wai, Oliver Stone, and more, the new trailer has now arrived ahead of a February 9 theatrical release from Music Box Films.
Here’s the official synopsis: “Giuseppe Tornatore, director of the beloved Cinema Paradiso, turns his camera on his longtime collaborator Ennio Morricone (1928 – 2020) in a moving and comprehensive profile of the indefatigable composer. Tornatore’s documentary portrait examines the breadth of the maestro’s career, from his early Italian...
Here’s the official synopsis: “Giuseppe Tornatore, director of the beloved Cinema Paradiso, turns his camera on his longtime collaborator Ennio Morricone (1928 – 2020) in a moving and comprehensive profile of the indefatigable composer. Tornatore’s documentary portrait examines the breadth of the maestro’s career, from his early Italian...
- 12/26/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
A decade after The Grandmaster, the wait for Wong Kar-wai’s next project has been lengthy, with his long-gestating Blossoms Shanghai first announced nearly five years ago. Now, after three years of filming, the series launches next week on China’s Tencent Video. Comprising 30 episodes of around 50 minutes each, the first four installments premiere on December 27, followed by two episodes per day.
Starring Hu Ge, Ma Yili, Tang Yan, and Xin Zhilei, Wong Kar-wai is credited as producer and director. The story based on Jin Yucheng’s novel and follows Hu Ge’s A Bao, a businessman in Shanghai in two time periods: the 1960s and 1990s. “Blossoms would be the third part of In the Mood for Love and 2046,” Wong previously said. “Jin Yucheng’s landmark novel Blossoms has been the perfect backdrop to visualize and share my love for my birth city,” said Wong Kar-wai. “With the series,...
Starring Hu Ge, Ma Yili, Tang Yan, and Xin Zhilei, Wong Kar-wai is credited as producer and director. The story based on Jin Yucheng’s novel and follows Hu Ge’s A Bao, a businessman in Shanghai in two time periods: the 1960s and 1990s. “Blossoms would be the third part of In the Mood for Love and 2046,” Wong previously said. “Jin Yucheng’s landmark novel Blossoms has been the perfect backdrop to visualize and share my love for my birth city,” said Wong Kar-wai. “With the series,...
- 12/17/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The title of Fruit Chan’s Made in Hong Kong cheekily references a phrase you might have seen printed on the packaging for an action figure way back in 1997, the year of the film’s original release. But it also refers to the young, wannabe triad member with the unlikely name of Autumn Moon (Sam Lee), as well as to the production circumstances of the film itself. Its declarative label is somewhat excessive, though, as there’s no mistaking where and when Moon’s misadventures take place: Chan’s quirky, gangster-adjacent flick, so infused with washed-out and blue-filtered imagery, presents a portrait of Hong Kong that bears more than a passing resemblance to Wong Kar-wai and Christopher Doyle’s early collaborations.
From its handheld shots racing through open-air markets, to its use of expressionistic step-printed slow motion, to the way its perspectives on the city take inspiration from the cramped...
From its handheld shots racing through open-air markets, to its use of expressionistic step-printed slow motion, to the way its perspectives on the city take inspiration from the cramped...
- 12/13/2023
- by Pat Brown
- Slant Magazine
The film is out of the running due to a “conflict of interest” among the selection committee.
The producer of Hong Kong film A Light Never Goes Out has spoken out following the disqualification of the feature from the 2024 Oscars race.
The drama was submitted by the Federation of Motion Film Producers of Hong Kong for the international feature film category of the 96th Academy Awards in September. But when the Academy revealed the list of eligible titles last Thursday, A Light Never Goes Out was not included and the Federation is trying to figure out why.
Despite the outcome,...
The producer of Hong Kong film A Light Never Goes Out has spoken out following the disqualification of the feature from the 2024 Oscars race.
The drama was submitted by the Federation of Motion Film Producers of Hong Kong for the international feature film category of the 96th Academy Awards in September. But when the Academy revealed the list of eligible titles last Thursday, A Light Never Goes Out was not included and the Federation is trying to figure out why.
Despite the outcome,...
- 12/12/2023
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
When we think of the great director-actor pairings throughout Asian cinema history, at the top is Kurosawa and Mifune. But we can’t forget Kenji Mizoguchi and Kinuyo Tanaka or Wong Kar-wai and Tony Leung. But for many of us, we were straight up introduced to international action movies through the teamings of John Woo and Chow Yun-fat, chiefly The Killer and Hard Boiled. But the pair hasn’t worked together in more than 30 years – unfortunately, that may have been the last time.
Despite their place as one of the best director-actor duos in all of action, we only ever got five movies directed by John Woo and starring Chow Yun-fat, two of the most recognizable figures of Hong Kong cinema. As the 77-year-old Woo recently told HK01 (via Yahoo!), “We are getting older and it would be hard to find the right script…[But] I still want to be like...
Despite their place as one of the best director-actor duos in all of action, we only ever got five movies directed by John Woo and starring Chow Yun-fat, two of the most recognizable figures of Hong Kong cinema. As the 77-year-old Woo recently told HK01 (via Yahoo!), “We are getting older and it would be hard to find the right script…[But] I still want to be like...
- 12/9/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series spotlighting the year’s most talked-about scripts continues with action franchise smash John Wick: Chapter 4. The fourth installment in the Chad Stahelski-directed series was penned by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch (based on characters created by Derek Kolstad) in their first turn with Baba Yaga — even if the titular revenge artist, played by Keanu Reeves, speaks only 380 words of dialogue.
From Lionsgate/Thunder Road Films/87 Eleven, John Wick: Chapter 4 sees the ex-hitman uncover a path to defeating crime lord council The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe, and forces that turn old friends into foes.
The film is the highest-grossing of the franchise at over $440 million in global box office, and in May pushed the four-title series across the $1 biillon mark worldwide. It is also the...
From Lionsgate/Thunder Road Films/87 Eleven, John Wick: Chapter 4 sees the ex-hitman uncover a path to defeating crime lord council The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe, and forces that turn old friends into foes.
The film is the highest-grossing of the franchise at over $440 million in global box office, and in May pushed the four-title series across the $1 biillon mark worldwide. It is also the...
- 12/8/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Spoiler Alert: This story contains spoilers for Netflix’s “May December”
In Netflix’s “May December,” one of the most memorable scenes features Joe Yoo (played by Charles Melton) arriving at the hotel to deliver a letter from his wife Gracie (Julianne Moore) to actress Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman). Their encounter leads to a brief yet intense sexual liaison on the floor, culminating in a conspicuous silhouette shot of Joe’s penis.
Amid Samy Burch’s narrative brilliance and Todd Haynes’ tantalizing direction, one might imagine Melton — known for his role in The CW’s “Riverdale” — felt immense pressure acting opposite Oscar winner Portman, who also produced the film. This pivotal scene was among the final ones shot in Savannah, Ga.
“It was very professional,” Melton tells Variety. “The whole thing. Natalie, Todd, and I met to discuss the scene, walking through it and ensuring everybody was comfortable. There were...
In Netflix’s “May December,” one of the most memorable scenes features Joe Yoo (played by Charles Melton) arriving at the hotel to deliver a letter from his wife Gracie (Julianne Moore) to actress Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman). Their encounter leads to a brief yet intense sexual liaison on the floor, culminating in a conspicuous silhouette shot of Joe’s penis.
Amid Samy Burch’s narrative brilliance and Todd Haynes’ tantalizing direction, one might imagine Melton — known for his role in The CW’s “Riverdale” — felt immense pressure acting opposite Oscar winner Portman, who also produced the film. This pivotal scene was among the final ones shot in Savannah, Ga.
“It was very professional,” Melton tells Variety. “The whole thing. Natalie, Todd, and I met to discuss the scene, walking through it and ensuring everybody was comfortable. There were...
- 12/5/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
On December 6, the 2023 IndieWire Honors ceremony will celebrate 11 filmmakers, creators, and actors for their achievements in creative independence. We’re showcasing their work with new interviews leading up to the Los Angeles event.
When Chad Stahelski was working as a stuntman in the 1990s, he had a front-row seat to the way Hollywood typically made action movies — and he didn’t like what he saw. “They’d hire stunt guys and spend a million dollars training the main cast member,” Stahelski told IndieWire. “But then on the day, they’d hire a group of local stunt guys and only give them a day and a half to rehearse. The Dp didn’t go to any of the rehearsals, the camera operators wouldn’t see it until they walked on set, and then the guys that had been with the main actor for two months aren’t the guys he fights with.
When Chad Stahelski was working as a stuntman in the 1990s, he had a front-row seat to the way Hollywood typically made action movies — and he didn’t like what he saw. “They’d hire stunt guys and spend a million dollars training the main cast member,” Stahelski told IndieWire. “But then on the day, they’d hire a group of local stunt guys and only give them a day and a half to rehearse. The Dp didn’t go to any of the rehearsals, the camera operators wouldn’t see it until they walked on set, and then the guys that had been with the main actor for two months aren’t the guys he fights with.
- 11/29/2023
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Born from a desire to play with the victim stories typically associated with women, Fuck Me, Richard sees a romance-obsessed loner swept up in a passionate long-distance love affair with a man who may not be as perfect as his sultry voice suggests. Written by Lucy McKendrick, Fuck Me, Richard is brought to life by her fabulously deviant affirming performance and directed by McKendrick in unison with filmmaker Charles Polinger. It’s a film unafraid of showing us the sides of women not often portrayed in these types of narratives and juxtaposes an idealised world of old romantic films and ethereal dream-like fantasies against the queasy concerns of our lonely lead potentially being suckered into a modern love affair scam, all whilst being injected with welcome dark humour throughout. Following Fuck Me, Richard’s recent online release, we spoke to the directing duo about their decision to only let us...
- 11/29/2023
- by Sarah Smith
- Directors Notes
The 54th edition of India’s Goa Film Festival concluded Tuesday evening with a tribute to Michael Douglas, who picked up the fest’s Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Cinema.
Previous winners of the award — which organizers say celebrates individuals whose unparalleled contributions have enriched the cinematic landscape — include Martin Scorsese, Bernardo Bertolucci, Dilip Kumar, Carlos Saura, Krzysztof Zanussi, and Wong Kar-wai.
“It’s a tremendous honor to receive this award. It’s a career life achievement. When I heard about the award, my family and I were elated,” Douglas said. The veteran Basic Instinct actor was joined by his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and son Dylan Douglas.
Later, during his acceptance speech, Douglas touched on world affairs, highlighting the role he believes cinema can play in bringing people together. Douglas also gave a shoutout to what he described as some of his favorite Indian films, including Rrr,...
Previous winners of the award — which organizers say celebrates individuals whose unparalleled contributions have enriched the cinematic landscape — include Martin Scorsese, Bernardo Bertolucci, Dilip Kumar, Carlos Saura, Krzysztof Zanussi, and Wong Kar-wai.
“It’s a tremendous honor to receive this award. It’s a career life achievement. When I heard about the award, my family and I were elated,” Douglas said. The veteran Basic Instinct actor was joined by his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and son Dylan Douglas.
Later, during his acceptance speech, Douglas touched on world affairs, highlighting the role he believes cinema can play in bringing people together. Douglas also gave a shoutout to what he described as some of his favorite Indian films, including Rrr,...
- 11/29/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The 54th International Film Festival of India (Iffi), Goa, concluded on Tuesday with Hollywood veteran Michael Douglas accepting the Satyajit Ray lifetime achievement award for excellence in cinema.
Previous winners of the award include Martin Scorsese, Bernardo Bertolucci, Dilip Kumar, Carlos Saura, Krzysztof Zanussi and Wong Kar-wai.
“It’s a tremendous honor to receive this award, a career life achievement. When I heard about the award, my family and I were elated,” said Douglas, who was accompanied by wife Catherine Zeta Jones and their son Dylan Douglas. The two-time Oscar winning actor said that his favorite Indian films are “Rrr,” “Om Shanti Om” and “The Lunchbox.” The award was conferred during the festival’s closing ceremony by Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana and Pramod Sawant, chief minister of Goa.
At the festival’s international competition, the jury, presided over by veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, awarded best film to Abbas Amini’s Rotterdam-winning Iranian film “Endless Borders.
Previous winners of the award include Martin Scorsese, Bernardo Bertolucci, Dilip Kumar, Carlos Saura, Krzysztof Zanussi and Wong Kar-wai.
“It’s a tremendous honor to receive this award, a career life achievement. When I heard about the award, my family and I were elated,” said Douglas, who was accompanied by wife Catherine Zeta Jones and their son Dylan Douglas. The two-time Oscar winning actor said that his favorite Indian films are “Rrr,” “Om Shanti Om” and “The Lunchbox.” The award was conferred during the festival’s closing ceremony by Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana and Pramod Sawant, chief minister of Goa.
At the festival’s international competition, the jury, presided over by veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, awarded best film to Abbas Amini’s Rotterdam-winning Iranian film “Endless Borders.
- 11/29/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Imagine the pressure of tackling yet another new incarnation of a property that has been rebooted and reimagined at least three times over the past 20 years. When it comes to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, that was a challenge director Jeff Rowe was more than down for. In fact, his creative vision, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” is the most critically acclaimed film or TV series in the franchise’s almost 40-year history.
Continue reading Jeff Rowe On The “Living Comic” & Wong Kar-wai Aesthetic Of ‘Tmnt: Mutant Mayhem’ [Interview] at The Playlist.
Continue reading Jeff Rowe On The “Living Comic” & Wong Kar-wai Aesthetic Of ‘Tmnt: Mutant Mayhem’ [Interview] at The Playlist.
- 11/28/2023
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
Spoiler Alert: This post contains details from the plot of John Wick: Chapter 4.
At the end of John Wick: Chapter 4, director-producer Chad Stahelski and producer Erica Lee appeared to be putting the franchise to rest, as John Wick (Keanu Reeves) took a bullet to the gut in a duel, seemingly succumbing to his injuries. That being said, is there any way the hero of this franchise could be resurrected, as has been done with action heroes of films like Netflix’s Extraction?
“You never know,” Stahelski teased Saturday at Deadline’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles event. “Keanu’s hard to kill.”
“Never say never,” added Lee, in a conversation moderated by Justin Kroll, also featuring supervising sound editor Mark Stoeckinger.
Related: Deadline Contenders Film Los Angeles Arrivals and Panels Gallery: Cillian Murphy, Taraji P. Henson, Annette Bening, Bradley Cooper and More
In all seriousness, though, Stahelski said, the pair are...
At the end of John Wick: Chapter 4, director-producer Chad Stahelski and producer Erica Lee appeared to be putting the franchise to rest, as John Wick (Keanu Reeves) took a bullet to the gut in a duel, seemingly succumbing to his injuries. That being said, is there any way the hero of this franchise could be resurrected, as has been done with action heroes of films like Netflix’s Extraction?
“You never know,” Stahelski teased Saturday at Deadline’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles event. “Keanu’s hard to kill.”
“Never say never,” added Lee, in a conversation moderated by Justin Kroll, also featuring supervising sound editor Mark Stoeckinger.
Related: Deadline Contenders Film Los Angeles Arrivals and Panels Gallery: Cillian Murphy, Taraji P. Henson, Annette Bening, Bradley Cooper and More
In all seriousness, though, Stahelski said, the pair are...
- 11/19/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
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