"City of God" is so much more than just Brazil's answer to "GoodFellas,". One of the most acclaimed Brazilian films of all time, Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund's 2001 masterpiece is a portrait of Rio de Janeiro and its reality, the ugly and the beautiful sides of it. Set in the favelas of Rio in the '70s, the film centers on two men, each following a different path they say is forced on them by their Dickensian circumstances. One becomes a photographer documenting the drug-related violence that is rapidly increasing in the neighborhood, while the other becomes an ambitious drug dealer climbing the ladder.
In addition to gathering universal acclaim for its acting, cinematography, writing and portrayal of the favelas, "City of God" also got four nominations at the Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director. Now, over 20 years after the release of the original, Max has announced a sequel series.
In addition to gathering universal acclaim for its acting, cinematography, writing and portrayal of the favelas, "City of God" also got four nominations at the Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director. Now, over 20 years after the release of the original, Max has announced a sequel series.
- 5/29/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
If Heat and The Insider are agreed upon as Michael Mann’s all-time best films, what is the director’s most underrated feature to date? Is it Thief? The Keep? Manhunter? Public Enemies? Nah. There’s only one acceptable answer: 2004’s criminally overlooked nocturnal neo-noir Collateral. Featuring a rare villainous turn by Tom Cruise and a restrained Oscar-nominated performance by Jamie Foxx, the L.A. crime story was the first film in history to utilize the Viper FilmStream High Definition Camera. The digital format that David Fincher would later adopt for use on Zodiac and Benjamin Button. Beyond the cutting-edge technology, the remote locations Mann and his production team gave viewers a much different glimpse of Los Angeles away from the glamor of Hollywood and into the seedy, sinister parts of town rarely seen on the big screen.
Believe it or not, Collateral was conceived by screenwriter Stuart Beattie when...
Believe it or not, Collateral was conceived by screenwriter Stuart Beattie when...
- 5/20/2024
- by Jake Dee
- JoBlo.com
Buenos Aires-based production, sales and distribution company FilmSharks has picked up all worldwide rights to the new crime thriller by Argentina’s Sebastian Schindel, “A Silent Death” (Una muerte silenciosa”), to which it has sold Latin American theatrical rights to Disney’s Star Distribution, slated for release later in the year.
Said FilmSharks CEO Guido Rud: “This is likely to become one of the biggest Latin American films of the year. Sebastian Schindel has earned his stripes as the Master of Crime after the huge international success of his films ‘The Boss,’ ‘Anatomy of a Crime,’ ‘Crimes that Bind’ and ‘The Wrath of God.’”
“There is a huge appetite for crime films across all platforms,” noted Rud who also holds the remake rights to the film.
Starring Joaquín Furriel, Soledad Villamil (“The Secret in Their Eyes”) Alejandro Awada (“Nine Queens”) and Maria Marull (“Wild Tales”), the psychological thriller is...
Said FilmSharks CEO Guido Rud: “This is likely to become one of the biggest Latin American films of the year. Sebastian Schindel has earned his stripes as the Master of Crime after the huge international success of his films ‘The Boss,’ ‘Anatomy of a Crime,’ ‘Crimes that Bind’ and ‘The Wrath of God.’”
“There is a huge appetite for crime films across all platforms,” noted Rud who also holds the remake rights to the film.
Starring Joaquín Furriel, Soledad Villamil (“The Secret in Their Eyes”) Alejandro Awada (“Nine Queens”) and Maria Marull (“Wild Tales”), the psychological thriller is...
- 5/17/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
In Hollywood, director Fernando Meirelles is known for critically acclaimed films like “City of God” and “The Constant Gardner.” His TV work had been confined to Brazil, which, he discovered while shooting the Apple TV+ series “Sugar,” was nothing like American TV production.
“My first impression [was] the size, the scale of the whole thing, it’s a big circus,” Meirelles told IndieWire. “You’re tied into this big machine, and you’re piloting the machine, but the machine is also taking you. It’s an interesting experience, much different from what I was used to, but I really enjoyed it.”
Meirelles description makes it sound like he was an important cog in the big wheel of TV production, which, of course, is common for directors who enjoy more autonomy of smaller films. Except “Sugar” does not move, look, or feel like anything on American TV. The coverage and cutting patterns are anything but conventional.
“My first impression [was] the size, the scale of the whole thing, it’s a big circus,” Meirelles told IndieWire. “You’re tied into this big machine, and you’re piloting the machine, but the machine is also taking you. It’s an interesting experience, much different from what I was used to, but I really enjoyed it.”
Meirelles description makes it sound like he was an important cog in the big wheel of TV production, which, of course, is common for directors who enjoy more autonomy of smaller films. Except “Sugar” does not move, look, or feel like anything on American TV. The coverage and cutting patterns are anything but conventional.
- 5/16/2024
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Few companies in the world have had such as impact on their local film industry than Globo Filmes, the feature co-production arm of Brazilian giant Globo, which is Latin America’s biggest communications conglomerate. Over the last 25 years, Globo Filmes has backed more than 500 movies, almost all through co-production.
Those films have collectively sold 260 million cinema theater admissions, an average of over 10 million admissions a year, accounting for more than 70% of Brazilian market share from 1998-2024.
Globo Filmes greenlights more than 20 movies a year, powering up by far the biggest production slate of any company in Brazil, thanks to article 3A of the country’s audiovisual law, which allows it to tap tax incentives for investing in feature films.
Launching in 1998, Globo Filmes helped accelerate the Brazilian film industry’s recovery after President Fernando Collor de Mello shuttered state film agency Embrafilme in 1990, paralyzing production. Twenty-five years later, after a...
Those films have collectively sold 260 million cinema theater admissions, an average of over 10 million admissions a year, accounting for more than 70% of Brazilian market share from 1998-2024.
Globo Filmes greenlights more than 20 movies a year, powering up by far the biggest production slate of any company in Brazil, thanks to article 3A of the country’s audiovisual law, which allows it to tap tax incentives for investing in feature films.
Launching in 1998, Globo Filmes helped accelerate the Brazilian film industry’s recovery after President Fernando Collor de Mello shuttered state film agency Embrafilme in 1990, paralyzing production. Twenty-five years later, after a...
- 5/16/2024
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
A key driver in Brazil’s late 1990s cinema resurgence, Globo Filmes has co-produced iconic box office blockbusters, Oscar and “A” Fest plays, arthouse breakouts. movies sparking big TV spin-offs. A brief selection of milestones in its storied history:
1990
President Fernando Collar’s government closes state owned film company Embrafilme, decimating Brazilian film production.
1993
A new Audiovisual Law offers companies income tax deductions for investment in Brazilian movies as Brazil’s Resurgence – economic and cultural recovery – lifts off.
1997
Globo Filmes is founded. Recalls Daniel Filho, its guiding spirit, in early years: “I started working in Globo TV but I always said: “I want to make cinema.’ I was on my way to close a deal with exhibitor Luis Severiano Ribeiro to launch a film production house when I got a call from Globo to launch Globo Filmes. I agreed: Globo had to do what French and British channels were doing: Participate in films.
1990
President Fernando Collar’s government closes state owned film company Embrafilme, decimating Brazilian film production.
1993
A new Audiovisual Law offers companies income tax deductions for investment in Brazilian movies as Brazil’s Resurgence – economic and cultural recovery – lifts off.
1997
Globo Filmes is founded. Recalls Daniel Filho, its guiding spirit, in early years: “I started working in Globo TV but I always said: “I want to make cinema.’ I was on my way to close a deal with exhibitor Luis Severiano Ribeiro to launch a film production house when I got a call from Globo to launch Globo Filmes. I agreed: Globo had to do what French and British channels were doing: Participate in films.
- 5/16/2024
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Dark Matter releases on Apple TV+ on May 8th, 2024.
The Multiverse is undeniably dominating the world of pop-culture. With Everything Everywhere All At Once sweeping the Oscars in 2023, Spider-Man: No Way Home bringing fan favorite web-slingers back to the big-screen and The Flash… well, perhaps it’s better not to talk about that one. Audiences fascination with the multi-verse has slowed down in 2024. Deadpool and Wolverine is set to “save the MCU” by bringing the Merc with a Mouth into the biggest cinematic universe in history and teaming him up with Hugh Jackman’s highly celebrated Wolverine; however, the multi-verse isn’t exclusive to superhero levels of extravagance.
Dark Matter uses the endless possibilities of parallel universes for deeper exploration. The new series, adapted from the 2016 novel written by Blake Crouch — who also acts as an executive producer and writer here — utilizes the sliding doors theory to tackle elements of love and regret.
The Multiverse is undeniably dominating the world of pop-culture. With Everything Everywhere All At Once sweeping the Oscars in 2023, Spider-Man: No Way Home bringing fan favorite web-slingers back to the big-screen and The Flash… well, perhaps it’s better not to talk about that one. Audiences fascination with the multi-verse has slowed down in 2024. Deadpool and Wolverine is set to “save the MCU” by bringing the Merc with a Mouth into the biggest cinematic universe in history and teaming him up with Hugh Jackman’s highly celebrated Wolverine; however, the multi-verse isn’t exclusive to superhero levels of extravagance.
Dark Matter uses the endless possibilities of parallel universes for deeper exploration. The new series, adapted from the 2016 novel written by Blake Crouch — who also acts as an executive producer and writer here — utilizes the sliding doors theory to tackle elements of love and regret.
- 5/6/2024
- by Joshua Ryan
- FandomWire
The writer of Sugar from Apple TV+, Mark Protosevich, is known to viewers as the screenwriter of Thor, I Am Legend and The Cell, starring Jennifer Lopez. Most of the episodes were directed by Fernando Meirelles, the Brazilian director whose City of God earned him an Academy Award nomination for directing.
Colin Farrell, one of the most prominent actors right now, not only stars but also executive produces. What could go wrong?
Sugar Episode 6 Big Twist Turned the Show on Its Head
Until the finale of the sixth episode, Sugar looks like a quality detective story, filled with quotes from old movies, which then takes a sharp turn and takes on a new and completely unnecessary dimension.
A person who speaks Japanese, Arabic, Spanish, and many other languages, has the reflexes of a superhero, loves people, and sincerely wishes the best for everyone – isn't he in a coma or maybe...
Colin Farrell, one of the most prominent actors right now, not only stars but also executive produces. What could go wrong?
Sugar Episode 6 Big Twist Turned the Show on Its Head
Until the finale of the sixth episode, Sugar looks like a quality detective story, filled with quotes from old movies, which then takes a sharp turn and takes on a new and completely unnecessary dimension.
A person who speaks Japanese, Arabic, Spanish, and many other languages, has the reflexes of a superhero, loves people, and sincerely wishes the best for everyone – isn't he in a coma or maybe...
- 5/6/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
For British rapper Skepta, music was just the beginning of his creative pursuits.
Earlier this year, the multi-hyphenate released his first short film, “Tribal Mark,” in the U.K., followed by a SXSW screening and premieres in L.A. and New York last month. The short follows Mark (Jude Carmichael), a teenaged Nigerian immigrant who is adapting to life in London when he is introduced to the world of the undercover Black Secret Service. Skepta appears in the film as an older Mark, once he has taken up his anti-hero alias of Tribal Mark.
Skepta co-directed the short with Dwight Okechukwu, his partner in production company 1Plus1, and hopes that it will draw attention to important social issues surrounding non-eu immigrants, including mental health and racial prejudice.
“Being the child of immigrants, when I come across other children of immigrants from around the world, I relate to them a lot.
Earlier this year, the multi-hyphenate released his first short film, “Tribal Mark,” in the U.K., followed by a SXSW screening and premieres in L.A. and New York last month. The short follows Mark (Jude Carmichael), a teenaged Nigerian immigrant who is adapting to life in London when he is introduced to the world of the undercover Black Secret Service. Skepta appears in the film as an older Mark, once he has taken up his anti-hero alias of Tribal Mark.
Skepta co-directed the short with Dwight Okechukwu, his partner in production company 1Plus1, and hopes that it will draw attention to important social issues surrounding non-eu immigrants, including mental health and racial prejudice.
“Being the child of immigrants, when I come across other children of immigrants from around the world, I relate to them a lot.
- 5/1/2024
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
‘Sugar’ Emmys FYC red carpet: Watch interviews with Colin Farrell and executive producer Audrey Chon
On Sunday, April 28, Apple TV+ held a special Emmys FYC event for the new drama series “Sugar.” Gold Derby associate editor Latasha Ford was there to chat with the show’s Oscar-nominated star Colin Farrell as well as executive producer Audrey Chon. The invite-only event was held at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. Watch the exclusive red carpet interviews above.
In the eight-episode series, Farrell portrays American private investigator John Sugar, a man assigned to look into the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As he tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.
SEEColin Farrell movies: 19 greatest films ranked from worst to best
The series also stars Kirby Howell-Baptiste (“Sandman”), Amy Ryan (“The Wire”), James Cromwell (“Succession”), Anna Gunn (“Breaking Bad”), Dennis Boutsikaris (“Better Call Saul”), Nate Corddry (“Mindhunter...
In the eight-episode series, Farrell portrays American private investigator John Sugar, a man assigned to look into the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As he tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.
SEEColin Farrell movies: 19 greatest films ranked from worst to best
The series also stars Kirby Howell-Baptiste (“Sandman”), Amy Ryan (“The Wire”), James Cromwell (“Succession”), Anna Gunn (“Breaking Bad”), Dennis Boutsikaris (“Better Call Saul”), Nate Corddry (“Mindhunter...
- 4/29/2024
- by Latasha Ford and Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
The new Apple TV+ series “Sugar” isn’t shy about announcing its influences: It’s steeped in the traditions of film noir.
Creator Mark Protosevich leaned into the tropes of detective stories by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett when creating private investigator John Sugar (Colin Farrell), who himself is obsessed with classic Hollywood film noirs. Director Fernando Meirelles (“City of God”) and editor Fernando Stutz went so far as to edit in clips from those classic films, drawing parallels between Sugar’s investigation into the disappearance of Olivia Siegel (Sydney Chandler) to Humphrey Bogart’s spin as Phillip Marlowe in “The Big Sleep.”
“I wanted a character who carried themselves in a classic style, that this is a person who doesn’t necessarily seem from this time,” Protosevich told IndieWire. He wondered how out of place the noble heroes of classic ’30s and ’40s Hollywood movies would feel in modern...
Creator Mark Protosevich leaned into the tropes of detective stories by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett when creating private investigator John Sugar (Colin Farrell), who himself is obsessed with classic Hollywood film noirs. Director Fernando Meirelles (“City of God”) and editor Fernando Stutz went so far as to edit in clips from those classic films, drawing parallels between Sugar’s investigation into the disappearance of Olivia Siegel (Sydney Chandler) to Humphrey Bogart’s spin as Phillip Marlowe in “The Big Sleep.”
“I wanted a character who carried themselves in a classic style, that this is a person who doesn’t necessarily seem from this time,” Protosevich told IndieWire. He wondered how out of place the noble heroes of classic ’30s and ’40s Hollywood movies would feel in modern...
- 4/8/2024
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Get ready for a gritty noir mystery thriller series set in Los Angeles created by Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend) and directed by Fernando Meirelles (City of God). Apple TV+’s latest series titled Sugar is an original story and it follows the titular character Private Detective John Sugar, who goes to LA to find a missing girl named Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As he digs deeper into the case he finds some secrets the Siegel family would have liked to keep buried.
While the critical reception of Sugar is not as good as I would have hoped, it is still an impressive series and worth your time. So, if you want to lose yourself in the dirty underbelly of LA with Pi John Sugar, here are the dates for the series’ upcoming episodes.
Sugar – Episode Guide (When Will The New Episodes Air?) Credit...
While the critical reception of Sugar is not as good as I would have hoped, it is still an impressive series and worth your time. So, if you want to lose yourself in the dirty underbelly of LA with Pi John Sugar, here are the dates for the series’ upcoming episodes.
Sugar – Episode Guide (When Will The New Episodes Air?) Credit...
- 4/5/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
“I don’t like to hurt people,” John Sugar (Colin Farrell) says at the beginning of Sugar, the Apple TV+ series created by Mark Protosevich (The Cell) and directed for the most part by Fernando Meirelles (City of God). He means it.
As an onscreen private investigator, Sugar is atypical. He’s disarming and warm, even kind. The guy’s multilingual and speaks fluent Japanese, Arabic, and Spanish. And he’s patient — and that’s with everyone, mind, even violent types who pull guns on him or slash open his tailored suit jacket. Women invite him to bed; he tucks them in and goes home. Sugar also likes movies — he subscribes to Sight And Sound and Cahiers du Cinéma, among other notable mags — and, just to be thorough, he’s very fond of dogs and cats. Mike Hammer, he is not.
As an onscreen private investigator, Sugar is atypical. He’s disarming and warm, even kind. The guy’s multilingual and speaks fluent Japanese, Arabic, and Spanish. And he’s patient — and that’s with everyone, mind, even violent types who pull guns on him or slash open his tailored suit jacket. Women invite him to bed; he tucks them in and goes home. Sugar also likes movies — he subscribes to Sight And Sound and Cahiers du Cinéma, among other notable mags — and, just to be thorough, he’s very fond of dogs and cats. Mike Hammer, he is not.
- 4/4/2024
- by Jarrod Jones
- Primetimer
Before his mid-career upswing — starting either with “The Lobster” or “The Beguiled” and running through recent scorchers like “After Yang” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” — it’s worth remembering that Colin Farrell used to make bad movies, too. Now, his hot streak includes an Oscar nomination and a successful blockbuster franchise (soon with its own TV spinoff), but back then, for every “New World” and “In Bruges,” there was a “London Boulevard” and “Dead Man Down.” “Disappointing” may be a better descriptor of his star-forming era, with the “Total Recall” and “Fright Night” reboots, as well as earlier flops like “Alexander,” “The Recruit,” and “S.W.A.T.” But no matter how you remember them (if you remember them), Farrell’s early career offered uncertain quality. Of course, TV fans needn’t be reminded that Farrell’s charming Irish talents have gone to waste in projects unworthy of his efforts. We shan’t...
- 4/4/2024
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
“The Killing” star Sofie Gråbøl will serve as the president of this year’s Canneseries competition jury, it was announced on Tuesday.
The Danish actor kickstarted her career with the 1986 film “Barndommens gade” (“The Streets of My Childhood”) and is known for her TV roles including “The Killing,” “Nikolaj og Julie” and “Taxa.”
Joining Gråbøl on the jury are “Madame Hollywood” director, screenwriter and producer Olivier Abbou; “Four Daughters” composer Amine Bouhafa; “City of God” actor Alice Braga; “Blancanieves” actor Macarena García; and “Samber” actor Alix Poisson.
Together, the jury will judge the eight series in competition and unveil the winners on April 10. The series competing in the festival’s main lineup include “Dark Horse” (Denmark), “Dumbsday” (Norway), “Living on a Razor’s Edge” (Brazil), “Moresnet” (Belgium), “Operation Sabre” (Serbia), “This Is Not Sweden” (Spain and Sweden), “To the Wonder” (China) and “The Zweiflers” (Germany).
“This upcoming edition feels like the...
The Danish actor kickstarted her career with the 1986 film “Barndommens gade” (“The Streets of My Childhood”) and is known for her TV roles including “The Killing,” “Nikolaj og Julie” and “Taxa.”
Joining Gråbøl on the jury are “Madame Hollywood” director, screenwriter and producer Olivier Abbou; “Four Daughters” composer Amine Bouhafa; “City of God” actor Alice Braga; “Blancanieves” actor Macarena García; and “Samber” actor Alix Poisson.
Together, the jury will judge the eight series in competition and unveil the winners on April 10. The series competing in the festival’s main lineup include “Dark Horse” (Denmark), “Dumbsday” (Norway), “Living on a Razor’s Edge” (Brazil), “Moresnet” (Belgium), “Operation Sabre” (Serbia), “This Is Not Sweden” (Spain and Sweden), “To the Wonder” (China) and “The Zweiflers” (Germany).
“This upcoming edition feels like the...
- 4/2/2024
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
The Killing star Sofie Gråbøl is leading the Canneseries jury.
Gråbøl will be joined by Olivier Abbou, Amine Bouhafa, Alice Braga, Macarena García and Alix Poisson in the six-strong jury judging a strong competition lineup that includes the likes of Denmark’s Dark Horse, Euro co-pro This is Not Sweden and Beta Film’s Operation Sabre.
Multi-award-winner Gråbøl is best known as the star of Scandi noir smash The Killing, in which she played the role of police inspector Sarah Lund, which brought her international fame. Past credits include breakout Early Spring, Taxa and Nikolaj og Julie.
She is joined by Abbou, the director and producer of a number of series and movies including Madame Hollywood, Territories and Get In, along with Braga, the Brazilian actress who has starred in internationally-acclaimed City of God and Hollywood movies such as The Suicide Squad.
García, meanwhile, made her film debut with Pablo Berger...
Gråbøl will be joined by Olivier Abbou, Amine Bouhafa, Alice Braga, Macarena García and Alix Poisson in the six-strong jury judging a strong competition lineup that includes the likes of Denmark’s Dark Horse, Euro co-pro This is Not Sweden and Beta Film’s Operation Sabre.
Multi-award-winner Gråbøl is best known as the star of Scandi noir smash The Killing, in which she played the role of police inspector Sarah Lund, which brought her international fame. Past credits include breakout Early Spring, Taxa and Nikolaj og Julie.
She is joined by Abbou, the director and producer of a number of series and movies including Madame Hollywood, Territories and Get In, along with Braga, the Brazilian actress who has starred in internationally-acclaimed City of God and Hollywood movies such as The Suicide Squad.
García, meanwhile, made her film debut with Pablo Berger...
- 4/2/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Actor Colin Farrell has been a prominent figure in the entertainment industry since the early 2000s. While he has appeared in numerous films over the years, many now primarily recognize him for his portrayal of Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot, better known as The Penguin, in the 2022 film The Batman.
A still from The Batman
There are a lot of things to be said about the city of Los Angeles when it comes to its significance in the world of TV shows and cinema in general. Sugar, the new mystery series on Apple TV+, starring Colin Farrell, does a great job of capturing the essence of the City of Angels, especially the ugly underbelly. In this atmospheric backdrop, Farrell assumes a new enigmatic persona, embodying the essence of the city’s moody ambience.
Colin Farrell Incorporates A New Mysterious Character For The New Show Sugar Sugar
In a clip from the upcoming series called Sugar,...
A still from The Batman
There are a lot of things to be said about the city of Los Angeles when it comes to its significance in the world of TV shows and cinema in general. Sugar, the new mystery series on Apple TV+, starring Colin Farrell, does a great job of capturing the essence of the City of Angels, especially the ugly underbelly. In this atmospheric backdrop, Farrell assumes a new enigmatic persona, embodying the essence of the city’s moody ambience.
Colin Farrell Incorporates A New Mysterious Character For The New Show Sugar Sugar
In a clip from the upcoming series called Sugar,...
- 4/1/2024
- by Subhojeet Mookherjee
- FandomWire
The Festival Agency are proud to announce the re-release of Fernando Meirelles’ iconic masterpiece City of God in UK cinemas now. To celebrate we are giving away a bundle of City of God goodies including a limited edition City of God skateboard, t-shirt and poster to a lucky winner!
Twenty-one years after dazzling audiences on its original release, this visually stunning and gripping story of life on the mean streets of Rio, returns to the big screen for an unforgettable cinematic experience.
A searing adaptation of Paulo Lins’ novel, based on real events, City Of God weaves together the compelling stories of a group of kids growing up in the poverty-stricken favelas of Rio from the 1960s to the 80s. The narrator Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), tries to avoid being drawn in to the usual spiral of violence and crime to become a photographer and win over the beautiful Angélica (Alicia...
Twenty-one years after dazzling audiences on its original release, this visually stunning and gripping story of life on the mean streets of Rio, returns to the big screen for an unforgettable cinematic experience.
A searing adaptation of Paulo Lins’ novel, based on real events, City Of God weaves together the compelling stories of a group of kids growing up in the poverty-stricken favelas of Rio from the 1960s to the 80s. The narrator Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), tries to avoid being drawn in to the usual spiral of violence and crime to become a photographer and win over the beautiful Angélica (Alicia...
- 3/28/2024
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Everything old is new again when it comes to TV detective shows. First, Natasha Lyonne did her best Columbo on Peacock’s quirky Poker Face, then Clive Owen resurrected iconic gumshoe Sam Spade on AMC’s sleek Monsieur Spade. Now Colin Farrell is taking a shot at the old-school private eye game with Apple TV+’s Sugar — and what do you know, this one works, too. A stylishly shot throwback to classic film noir with lean and mean storytelling and smart and lively dialogue, Sugar (premiering Friday, Apr. 5; I’ve seen four of the eight episodes) doesn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel…...
- 3/27/2024
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
A stylishly engaging and crisp neo-noir steeped in the hardboiled detective tradition, Apple TV+’s “Sugar,” starring Colin Farrell, is rather terrific—that is, until it’s not. Created by Mark Protosevich (“I Am Legend”) and fabulously directed by Brazilian filmmaker Fernando Meirelles (“City Of God”) and Adam Arkin (“The Offer”), “Sugar” is initially sleek and captivatingly crafted in its depiction of L.A.
Continue reading ‘Sugar’ Review: Colin Farrell’s Detective Noir Is Stylishly Terrific Until Its Terrible Wtf? Twist at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Sugar’ Review: Colin Farrell’s Detective Noir Is Stylishly Terrific Until Its Terrible Wtf? Twist at The Playlist.
- 3/27/2024
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
Pop quiz: Which of these Apple TV+ shows is real? "Dear Edward," "Acapulco," "Liason," or "Swagger?" Trick question -- the answer is all of them. I'm not trying to dunk on those specific shows, just illustrating the point that since Apple TV+ is still not a super heavy hitter in the streaming game, a lot of great stuff can easily fall through the cracks. But if you like compelling television, you won't want the new series "Sugar" to fall through the cracks.
Created by Mark Protosevich and executive produced and frequently directed by Fernando Meirelles, the series is a noir mystery starring Colin Farrell as John Sugar, a private investigator who is tasked with tracking down a missing girl in Los Angeles. You've seen that premise a thousand times in movies featuring guys like Humphrey Bogart, Robert Mitchum, and Dana Andrews. But "Sugar" not only welcomes those comparisons, it actively...
Created by Mark Protosevich and executive produced and frequently directed by Fernando Meirelles, the series is a noir mystery starring Colin Farrell as John Sugar, a private investigator who is tasked with tracking down a missing girl in Los Angeles. You've seen that premise a thousand times in movies featuring guys like Humphrey Bogart, Robert Mitchum, and Dana Andrews. But "Sugar" not only welcomes those comparisons, it actively...
- 3/27/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
India’s B62 Studios has an early 2024 hit with February release “Article 370,” and also has an ambitious slate lined up with plans for expanding into eastern Asia.
B62 was launched by the brothers Dhar — Lokesh and Aditya — and is named after their address in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar neighborhood, where they grew up watching the best of Bollywood alongside arthouse cinema. Lokesh Dhar went on to a flourishing career in film marketing, distribution and syndication before turning to producing, while Aditya Dhar directed military action film “Uri: The Surgical Strike,” one of the biggest Indian box office hits of 2019.
B62 has already completed its next 2024 release, “Baramulla,” directed by “Article 370” helmer Aditya Suhas Jambhale and, like that film, also set in Kashmir. “People do spy universe, people do superhero universe, we are doing Kashmir universe,” laughed Aditya Dhar. “Baramulla” is a supernatural thriller Aditya Dhar wrote in 2015-...
B62 was launched by the brothers Dhar — Lokesh and Aditya — and is named after their address in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar neighborhood, where they grew up watching the best of Bollywood alongside arthouse cinema. Lokesh Dhar went on to a flourishing career in film marketing, distribution and syndication before turning to producing, while Aditya Dhar directed military action film “Uri: The Surgical Strike,” one of the biggest Indian box office hits of 2019.
B62 has already completed its next 2024 release, “Baramulla,” directed by “Article 370” helmer Aditya Suhas Jambhale and, like that film, also set in Kashmir. “People do spy universe, people do superhero universe, we are doing Kashmir universe,” laughed Aditya Dhar. “Baramulla” is a supernatural thriller Aditya Dhar wrote in 2015-...
- 3/11/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
War, spy games, political intrigue, social commentary, and plenty of 1970s style -- all wrapped up into one exciting limited series.
In July 2021, HBO announced it had ordered The Sympathizer as a series, with Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar signed on as co-showrunners.
The Sympathizer is based on Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a communist spy during the Vietnam War and his eventual life in the United States.
In 2021, Nguyen announced his novel was optioned by production studio A24. Robert Downey Jr. soon joined as a producer and costar.
The Sympathizer will be executive produced and directed by filmmaker Park Chan-wook, who also worked on Snowpiercer, Oldboy, and The Little Drummer Girl.
Other directors for the show include Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles, known for City of God, and English director Marc Munden, known for Utopia and National Treasure.
Notable writers for The Sympathizer include Mark Richard (The Man in the High Castle...
In July 2021, HBO announced it had ordered The Sympathizer as a series, with Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar signed on as co-showrunners.
The Sympathizer is based on Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a communist spy during the Vietnam War and his eventual life in the United States.
In 2021, Nguyen announced his novel was optioned by production studio A24. Robert Downey Jr. soon joined as a producer and costar.
The Sympathizer will be executive produced and directed by filmmaker Park Chan-wook, who also worked on Snowpiercer, Oldboy, and The Little Drummer Girl.
Other directors for the show include Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles, known for City of God, and English director Marc Munden, known for Utopia and National Treasure.
Notable writers for The Sympathizer include Mark Richard (The Man in the High Castle...
- 3/8/2024
- by Shela Ward
- TVfanatic
Colin Farrell headlines detective drama Sugar for Apple TV+, and the first trailer has landed: more on it here.
Colin Farrell hasn’t been on our screens for a couple of years, after a barnstorming 2022 saw him reunite with Brendan Gleeson and writer and director Michael McDonagh for bleak comedy The Banshees Of Inisherin, don prosthetics to become unrecognizable as The Penguin opposite Robert Pattinson in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, and star alongside Viggo Mortensen and Joel Edgerton in Ron Howard’s survival drama Thirteen Lives.
He now takes a rare television role, leading the cast of Sugar, a detective drama, for Apple TV+. The synopsis reads as follows:
Sugar is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture and television history: the private detective story. Oscar nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels...
Colin Farrell hasn’t been on our screens for a couple of years, after a barnstorming 2022 saw him reunite with Brendan Gleeson and writer and director Michael McDonagh for bleak comedy The Banshees Of Inisherin, don prosthetics to become unrecognizable as The Penguin opposite Robert Pattinson in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, and star alongside Viggo Mortensen and Joel Edgerton in Ron Howard’s survival drama Thirteen Lives.
He now takes a rare television role, leading the cast of Sugar, a detective drama, for Apple TV+. The synopsis reads as follows:
Sugar is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture and television history: the private detective story. Oscar nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels...
- 3/6/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
Oscar nominee Colin Farrell cruises the streets of LA in a Corvette with a dog as his passenger in the official trailer for Apple TV+’s Sugar. It’s a peaceful opening scene that quickly devolves into a brutal fight, even as Farrell declares he’s one of the good guys. “California Dreamin'” plays in the background as it’s revealed Farrell’s character is a private investigator who finds the missing.
Joining Farrell in the eight-episode season are Kirby (The Sandman), Amy Ryan (The Wire), James Cromwell (Succession), Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Dennis Boutsikaris (Better Call Saul), Nate Corddry (Mindhunter), Sydney Chandler (Don’t Worry Darling), and Alex Hernandez (Invasion). Mark Protosevich created the series and serves as an executive producer along with Farrell, Sam Catlin, Scott Greenberg, Chip Vucelich, and Genre Films’ Audrey Chon and Simon Kinberg.
Fernando Meirelles (City of God) and Adam Arkin (The Offer) direct, with Meirelles also executive producing.
Joining Farrell in the eight-episode season are Kirby (The Sandman), Amy Ryan (The Wire), James Cromwell (Succession), Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Dennis Boutsikaris (Better Call Saul), Nate Corddry (Mindhunter), Sydney Chandler (Don’t Worry Darling), and Alex Hernandez (Invasion). Mark Protosevich created the series and serves as an executive producer along with Farrell, Sam Catlin, Scott Greenberg, Chip Vucelich, and Genre Films’ Audrey Chon and Simon Kinberg.
Fernando Meirelles (City of God) and Adam Arkin (The Offer) direct, with Meirelles also executive producing.
- 3/5/2024
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Apple TV+ this morning dropped the trailer for its sleek new detective drama “Sugar” starring Oscar nominee Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) that premieres on April 5. Farrell portrays American private investigator John Sugar. In the eight-episode series, Sugar is assigned to look into the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As he tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried. Watch the official trailer above.
The first two epis0des will be available to stream over Apple on April 5, with a new episode premiering each Friday through May 17.
SEEColin Farrell movies: 19 greatest films ranked from worst to best
The series also stars Kirby (“Sandman”), Amy Ryan (“The Wire”), James Cromwell (“Succession”), Anna Gunn (“Breaking Bad”), Dennis Boutsikaris (“Better Call Saul”), Nate Corddry (“Mindhunter”), Sydney Chandler (“Don’t Worry Darling”), and Alex Hernandez...
The first two epis0des will be available to stream over Apple on April 5, with a new episode premiering each Friday through May 17.
SEEColin Farrell movies: 19 greatest films ranked from worst to best
The series also stars Kirby (“Sandman”), Amy Ryan (“The Wire”), James Cromwell (“Succession”), Anna Gunn (“Breaking Bad”), Dennis Boutsikaris (“Better Call Saul”), Nate Corddry (“Mindhunter”), Sydney Chandler (“Don’t Worry Darling”), and Alex Hernandez...
- 3/5/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
The first trailer for Apple TV+’s Colin Farrell vehicle Sugar has been released, putting the star in the role of detective and under the direction of City of God’s Fernando Meirelles.
Here is the official synopsis of Sugar, per Apple: “Starring and executive produced by Farrell, “Sugar” is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture, and television history: the private detective story. Academy Award-nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.”
Colin Farrell’s television output his career has been quite slim, starting off on BBC’s Ballykissangel, with his first American season the...
Here is the official synopsis of Sugar, per Apple: “Starring and executive produced by Farrell, “Sugar” is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture, and television history: the private detective story. Academy Award-nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.”
Colin Farrell’s television output his career has been quite slim, starting off on BBC’s Ballykissangel, with his first American season the...
- 3/5/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Apple TV+ has unveiled the trailer for its new Colin Farrell-led drama ‘Sugar,’ which will make its global debut with the first two episodes of its eight-episode season on Friday, April 5, 2024 on Apple TV+, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday.
The series is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture, and television history: the private detective story. Academy Award-nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.
The series also stars Kirby (“Sandman”), Amy Ryan (“The Wire”), James Cromwell (“Succession”), Anna Gunn (“Breaking Bad”), Dennis Boutsikaris (“Better Call Saul”), Nate Corddry (“Mindhunter”), Sydney Chandler (“Don’t Worry Darling...
The series is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture, and television history: the private detective story. Academy Award-nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.
The series also stars Kirby (“Sandman”), Amy Ryan (“The Wire”), James Cromwell (“Succession”), Anna Gunn (“Breaking Bad”), Dennis Boutsikaris (“Better Call Saul”), Nate Corddry (“Mindhunter”), Sydney Chandler (“Don’t Worry Darling...
- 3/5/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Can you ever have enough private detective stories?
The TV landscape was once filled with them, but now, they’re few and far between.
Lovers of the genre will be all over Sugar, starring Colin Farrell as the titular character.
Today, Apple TV+ unveiled the trailer for the new drama, which will make its global debut with the first two episodes of its eight-episode season on Friday, April 5, 2024, on Apple TV+, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday.
Starring and executive produced by Farrell, Sugar is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture, and television history: the private detective story.
Academy Award-nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel.
As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia,...
The TV landscape was once filled with them, but now, they’re few and far between.
Lovers of the genre will be all over Sugar, starring Colin Farrell as the titular character.
Today, Apple TV+ unveiled the trailer for the new drama, which will make its global debut with the first two episodes of its eight-episode season on Friday, April 5, 2024, on Apple TV+, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday.
Starring and executive produced by Farrell, Sugar is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture, and television history: the private detective story.
Academy Award-nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel.
As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
Since he made his Hollywood debut in the 2000 Vietnam War drama "Tigerland," Colin Farrell's career has had some downs and some ups. All in all, though, he's largely outgrown his 2000s playboy reputation and is deservedly recognized as one of the best movie stars we've got. Farrell's got the eloquent soul of an artist, the way only an Irishman does.
After Farrell's earlier and fruitless efforts to be an action hero, he's learned to not let his occasional franchise gigs distract him from more personal work. Not all his work is on film either. In 2024, he'll be returning to television with two crime drama roles.
He plays Oz Cobblepot in the Max series "Penguin," spinning out of his supporting role in 2022's "The Batman." Before he returns onscreen as the Penguin, though, he's going to star in (and executive produce) "Sugar" for competing streaming service Apple TV+.
"Sugar...
After Farrell's earlier and fruitless efforts to be an action hero, he's learned to not let his occasional franchise gigs distract him from more personal work. Not all his work is on film either. In 2024, he'll be returning to television with two crime drama roles.
He plays Oz Cobblepot in the Max series "Penguin," spinning out of his supporting role in 2022's "The Batman." Before he returns onscreen as the Penguin, though, he's going to star in (and executive produce) "Sugar" for competing streaming service Apple TV+.
"Sugar...
- 3/5/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Colin Farrell is taking on the conspiracies behind Hollywood in Los Angeles-set Apple TV+ detective series “Sugar.”
The Oscar-nominated actor stars as titular private investigator John Sugar who is hired to solve the disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. Like the series description teases, as Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets, some very recent, others long-buried.
Farrell executive produces the eight episode limited series, hailing from Academy and Emmy Award-nominated producer Simon Kinberg and Academy Award-nominated director Fernando Meirelles.
Along with Farrell, Amy Ryan, Kirby, James Cromwell, Anna Gunn, Dennis Boutsikaris, Nate Corddry, Sydney Chandler, and Alex Hernandez star.
“Sugar” is created by Mark Protosevich, who also executive produces along with Kinberg and Audrey Chon for Genre Films. This is the second series from Genre Films for Apple TV+ under Kinberg’s overall deal,...
The Oscar-nominated actor stars as titular private investigator John Sugar who is hired to solve the disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. Like the series description teases, as Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets, some very recent, others long-buried.
Farrell executive produces the eight episode limited series, hailing from Academy and Emmy Award-nominated producer Simon Kinberg and Academy Award-nominated director Fernando Meirelles.
Along with Farrell, Amy Ryan, Kirby, James Cromwell, Anna Gunn, Dennis Boutsikaris, Nate Corddry, Sydney Chandler, and Alex Hernandez star.
“Sugar” is created by Mark Protosevich, who also executive produces along with Kinberg and Audrey Chon for Genre Films. This is the second series from Genre Films for Apple TV+ under Kinberg’s overall deal,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
It's another jam-packed episode of the Empire Podcast this week, folks. Our guest cup certainly overfloweth, as Olly Richards sits down on Zoom with Memory stars Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard (21:17 - 37:40 approx.), Ian Freer talks Kurosawa, Columbo, German goalkeepers and Japanese toilets with the legendary director Wim Wenders (58:36 - 1:14:11 approx), and Dan Jolin gushes liberally all over City Of God in a 21st anniversary re-release chat with that film's director, Fernando Meirelles (1:30:51 - 1:48:04 approx).
Either side of those, Chris Hewitt hosts and is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer for a fun episode in which they discuss their best ever days as film fans, their favourite queer films, the week's movie news including the announcement of Sam Mendes' wildly ambitious Beatles biopics, and review Memory, Wim Wenders' Perfect Days, Wicked Little Letters, and American Star. Oh,...
Either side of those, Chris Hewitt hosts and is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer for a fun episode in which they discuss their best ever days as film fans, their favourite queer films, the week's movie news including the announcement of Sam Mendes' wildly ambitious Beatles biopics, and review Memory, Wim Wenders' Perfect Days, Wicked Little Letters, and American Star. Oh,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Chris Hewitt
- Empire - Movies
Paramount’s “Bob Marley: One Love” debuted atop the U.K. and Ireland box office with £6.9 million ($8.7 million), according to numbers from Comscore.
Universal’s animation “Migration” dropped a spot to second place with £2.7 million in its third weekend and now has a total of £13.5 million. Sony’s “Madame Web” debuted in third position with £2.2 million.
In fourth place, in its third weekend, Universal’s “Argylle” earned £544,846 for a total of £5 million. Rounding off the top five was Warner Bros.’ “Wonka” that collected £424,825 in its 11th weekend for a total of £62.1 million.
There were no other debuts in the top 10.
The midweek release coming up is the 48th & 1/2 anniversary, as the makers style it, re-release of Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones’ cult 1975 comedy “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” starring John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Gilliam and Jones, from Graft Entertainment. It opens Wednesday, Feb. 21.
“All of Us Strangers...
Universal’s animation “Migration” dropped a spot to second place with £2.7 million in its third weekend and now has a total of £13.5 million. Sony’s “Madame Web” debuted in third position with £2.2 million.
In fourth place, in its third weekend, Universal’s “Argylle” earned £544,846 for a total of £5 million. Rounding off the top five was Warner Bros.’ “Wonka” that collected £424,825 in its 11th weekend for a total of £62.1 million.
There were no other debuts in the top 10.
The midweek release coming up is the 48th & 1/2 anniversary, as the makers style it, re-release of Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones’ cult 1975 comedy “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” starring John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Gilliam and Jones, from Graft Entertainment. It opens Wednesday, Feb. 21.
“All of Us Strangers...
- 2/20/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Welcome to Global Breakouts, Deadline’s fortnightly strand in which we shine a spotlight on the TV shows and films killing it in their local territories. The industry is as globalized as it’s ever been, but breakout hits are emerging in pockets of the world all the time and it can be hard to keep track. That’s why we’re doing the hard work for you.
This week, we detail a co-production from South Africa and France that spotlights the four-wheeled sport of spinning. Not heard of it? Well neither had we, but on closer inspection this series is far more than an exhibition of a little-known extreme pasttime. Creatives on the Showmax-Canal+ co-pro tell us why ‘Spinners‘ holds a mirror up to society, and where they think it could travel next.
Name: Spinners
Country: South Africa & France
Networks: Showmax & Canal+
Producer: Empreinte Digitale & Natives at Large
International...
This week, we detail a co-production from South Africa and France that spotlights the four-wheeled sport of spinning. Not heard of it? Well neither had we, but on closer inspection this series is far more than an exhibition of a little-known extreme pasttime. Creatives on the Showmax-Canal+ co-pro tell us why ‘Spinners‘ holds a mirror up to society, and where they think it could travel next.
Name: Spinners
Country: South Africa & France
Networks: Showmax & Canal+
Producer: Empreinte Digitale & Natives at Large
International...
- 2/20/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
A promotional image for Warner Bros Discovery’s Max streaming service in the Apple App Store. (Courtesy image)
Warner Bros Discovery (Wbd) will relaunch its flagship streaming service in Latin America under the Max brand identity later this month.
In an interview with entertainment trade publication Variety, the President of Wbd’s Latin America and Hispanic business said its former HBO Max streaming service will relaunch as Max on February 27 as the company continues to expand its direct-to-consumer business overseas.
Max will offer a slate of acquired movies and series from the United States along with a number of regional-specific TV shows and films, including a show based on the book “Like Water for Chocolate” led by actor Selma Hayek. Another, called “City of God,” will take place 20 years after Paulo Lins’ novel of the same name.
“To truly reach all segments of the population with a product like ours,...
Warner Bros Discovery (Wbd) will relaunch its flagship streaming service in Latin America under the Max brand identity later this month.
In an interview with entertainment trade publication Variety, the President of Wbd’s Latin America and Hispanic business said its former HBO Max streaming service will relaunch as Max on February 27 as the company continues to expand its direct-to-consumer business overseas.
Max will offer a slate of acquired movies and series from the United States along with a number of regional-specific TV shows and films, including a show based on the book “Like Water for Chocolate” led by actor Selma Hayek. Another, called “City of God,” will take place 20 years after Paulo Lins’ novel of the same name.
“To truly reach all segments of the population with a product like ours,...
- 2/19/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
In an exclusive one-on-one interview with Variety, Fernando Medin, president and managing director of Warner Bros. Discovery (Wbd) Latin America and U.S. Hispanic, drilled down on the company’s programming and growth strategy for the region where it launches its rebranded streaming platform, Max, on Feb. 27. This will be Wbd’s first major international roll-out of Max after the U.S.
“To truly reach all segments of the population with a product like ours, it’s essential to not only offer our international content but also provide something that resonates with people, something relevant to their lives. Hence, we’ve been diligently curating a lineup of local content,” said Medin.
Leading the Max Latin American pack are shows based on internationally renowned IP, led by a Salma Hayek-executive produced series based on Laura Esquivel’s bestseller “Like Water for Chocolate” (“Como agua para chocolate”), adapted by director Alfonso Arau...
“To truly reach all segments of the population with a product like ours, it’s essential to not only offer our international content but also provide something that resonates with people, something relevant to their lives. Hence, we’ve been diligently curating a lineup of local content,” said Medin.
Leading the Max Latin American pack are shows based on internationally renowned IP, led by a Salma Hayek-executive produced series based on Laura Esquivel’s bestseller “Like Water for Chocolate” (“Como agua para chocolate”), adapted by director Alfonso Arau...
- 2/19/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
While we were denied the chance to see Robert Downey Jr. as Perry Mason in the eponymous show he produced (Matthew Rhys ended up taking the role), The Sympathizer, is a different beast entirely. He'll play multiple roles in that one, while Oldboy and The Handmaiden's Park Chan-wook is in charge. A new trailer for the series is online and you can see it below:
Adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Sympathizer stars Hoa Xuande as the half-French, half-Vietnamese communist who becomes wrapped up in spying on his own government and military for the CIA. But where do his loyalties truly lie?
Downey Jr. here plays multiple roles, including the spy's handler, while the cast also includes Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong and Sandra Oh.
Working alongside Park Chan-wook (who executive produces and directs the...
Adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Sympathizer stars Hoa Xuande as the half-French, half-Vietnamese communist who becomes wrapped up in spying on his own government and military for the CIA. But where do his loyalties truly lie?
Downey Jr. here plays multiple roles, including the spy's handler, while the cast also includes Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong and Sandra Oh.
Working alongside Park Chan-wook (who executive produces and directs the...
- 2/15/2024
- by James White
- Empire - TV
A planned international rerelease of Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles’ “City of God” will kick off from the Middle East and North Africa (Mena), marking the 2002 cult crime drama’s first theatrical outing in the region.
Prominent Dubai-based distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment has partnered with Paris-based distributor The Festival Agency – which in turn acquired the “City of God” rerelease rights from Wild Bunch – on what it said marks the beginning of many rereleases planned by Front Row going forward.
“The team behind Front Row is committed to rereleasing classics and cult films, especially in Saudi Arabia where these films were not screened theatrically,” Front Row said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia, which in 2018 removed its 35-year-old religion-related ban on moviegoing, is now the region’s top theatrical market.
“City of God,” which is based on real events and weaves together tales of a group of kids growing up between the...
Prominent Dubai-based distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment has partnered with Paris-based distributor The Festival Agency – which in turn acquired the “City of God” rerelease rights from Wild Bunch – on what it said marks the beginning of many rereleases planned by Front Row going forward.
“The team behind Front Row is committed to rereleasing classics and cult films, especially in Saudi Arabia where these films were not screened theatrically,” Front Row said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia, which in 2018 removed its 35-year-old religion-related ban on moviegoing, is now the region’s top theatrical market.
“City of God,” which is based on real events and weaves together tales of a group of kids growing up between the...
- 2/12/2024
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Middle East distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment is gearing up to theatrically release iconic Oscar-nominated Rio de Janeiro gangland drama City of God across the Gulf countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for the first time.
Co-directed by Brazilian directors Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, the movie made waves back in 2002 for its realistic depiction of the rise of gang violence in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro with a young unprofessional cast.
At the time, Dubai-based Front Row originally released the film straight to DVD in the Gulf due to a variety of local restrictions but some two decades later it has set a theatrical re-release in a sign of how the region is opening up.
The planned February 22 Gulf launch coincides with the 21st anniversary of the movie’s 2003 theatrical release following its Out of Competition world premiere at Cannes in...
Co-directed by Brazilian directors Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, the movie made waves back in 2002 for its realistic depiction of the rise of gang violence in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro with a young unprofessional cast.
At the time, Dubai-based Front Row originally released the film straight to DVD in the Gulf due to a variety of local restrictions but some two decades later it has set a theatrical re-release in a sign of how the region is opening up.
The planned February 22 Gulf launch coincides with the 21st anniversary of the movie’s 2003 theatrical release following its Out of Competition world premiere at Cannes in...
- 2/12/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Marcelo Gomes’ new film “Portrait of a Certain Orient” will be represented for world sales by Brazil’s O2 Play. The deal was sealed ahead of the film’s premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, where it plays as part of the Big Screen Competition.
O2 Play is the distribution arm of O2 Filmes group, a production, post-production and advertising company owned by Fernando Meirelles, the Oscar-nominated director behind “City of God,” “The Constant Gardener” and “The Two Popes.” Meirelles heads the company alongside Andrea Barata and Paulo Morelli. Founded by Igor Kupstas in 2013, O2 Play has theatrically released over a hundred films in Brazil, including Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car,” Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” and, most recently, Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla.”
Gomes, whose 2005 feature debut “Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures” was funded by IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund, returns to the festival with his eighth feature, an...
O2 Play is the distribution arm of O2 Filmes group, a production, post-production and advertising company owned by Fernando Meirelles, the Oscar-nominated director behind “City of God,” “The Constant Gardener” and “The Two Popes.” Meirelles heads the company alongside Andrea Barata and Paulo Morelli. Founded by Igor Kupstas in 2013, O2 Play has theatrically released over a hundred films in Brazil, including Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car,” Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” and, most recently, Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla.”
Gomes, whose 2005 feature debut “Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures” was funded by IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund, returns to the festival with his eighth feature, an...
- 1/27/2024
- by Rafa Sales Ross
- Variety Film + TV
Fernando Meirelles’ epic crime drama ‘City of God’ is returning to cinemas to mark the movie’s 21st anniversary.Over two decades on from its original release, this visually stunning and gripping reflection of life on the mean streets of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is back on the big screen – courtesy of Paris-based distributor The Festival Agency partnering with sales company Wild Bunch - for a new generation to experience.The film is an adaptation of Paulo Lins’ 1997 novel of the same name – which is based on real events – that weaves together the compelling stories of a group of kids growing up in the poverty-stricken favelas of Rio from the 1960s to the 1980s. Narrator Rocket – played by Alexandre Rodrigues - tries to avoid being drawn into the spiral of violence and crime to become a photographer and win over the beautiful Angélica (Alicia Braga), whilst gun-toting L’il Zé...
- 1/26/2024
- by Philip Hamilton
- Bang Showbiz
Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut Woman Of The Hour and family drama Mother Couch, starring Ewan McGregor and Ellen Burstyn, are headed to the third edition of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival, running from November 30 to December 9 in the port city of Jeddah.
The titles will play in the Festival Favorites sidebar which was announced on Thursday alongside the event’s Red Sea: Treasures strand.
Kendrick directs and stars in Netflix-acquired drama Woman Of The Hour as a woman whose path crosses notorious serial killer Rodney Alcala, whilst in Niclas Larsson’s first film Mother Couch, McGregor plays a man whose mother squats the family furniture store.
Further films in the line-up – showcasing 21 buzzy festival titles from the last 12 months – include the David Oyelowo produced documentary Allihopa: The Dalkurd Story; Women’s World Cup doc Copa 71, executive produced by Serena and Venus Williams, Jennifer Esposito’s Fresh Kills,...
The titles will play in the Festival Favorites sidebar which was announced on Thursday alongside the event’s Red Sea: Treasures strand.
Kendrick directs and stars in Netflix-acquired drama Woman Of The Hour as a woman whose path crosses notorious serial killer Rodney Alcala, whilst in Niclas Larsson’s first film Mother Couch, McGregor plays a man whose mother squats the family furniture store.
Further films in the line-up – showcasing 21 buzzy festival titles from the last 12 months – include the David Oyelowo produced documentary Allihopa: The Dalkurd Story; Women’s World Cup doc Copa 71, executive produced by Serena and Venus Williams, Jennifer Esposito’s Fresh Kills,...
- 11/9/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Kicking October to the curb and bringing in some November goodness is a fresh slate of new content headed to Paramount Global’s streamer Paramount+, including the sequel to the hit 1997 film “Good Burger.”
Paramount+ started off November by adding more than 30 titles to its library, some of which include “Above the Rim,” Season 15 of “Ink Master,” “Gladiator” and “The Color Purple.”
And if you’re looking for some holiday movies to watch with the family, you can deck the halls with “Happy Christmas,” “Mistletoe Ranch” or “Christmas Eve.” When the kids go to sleep, adult-friendly treats like “Bad Santa” and “Bad Santa 2” are also available.
The highly-anticipated “Good Burger 2,” which stars Kel Mitchell, Keenan Thompson, Shar Jackson, Carmen Electra, Josh Server, Alex R. Hibbert, Lori Beth Denberg and Lil Rel Howery, hits the platform on Nov. 22
Here’s everything coming to Paramount+ this November, from “The Truman Show” to “Paw Patrol.
Paramount+ started off November by adding more than 30 titles to its library, some of which include “Above the Rim,” Season 15 of “Ink Master,” “Gladiator” and “The Color Purple.”
And if you’re looking for some holiday movies to watch with the family, you can deck the halls with “Happy Christmas,” “Mistletoe Ranch” or “Christmas Eve.” When the kids go to sleep, adult-friendly treats like “Bad Santa” and “Bad Santa 2” are also available.
The highly-anticipated “Good Burger 2,” which stars Kel Mitchell, Keenan Thompson, Shar Jackson, Carmen Electra, Josh Server, Alex R. Hibbert, Lori Beth Denberg and Lil Rel Howery, hits the platform on Nov. 22
Here’s everything coming to Paramount+ this November, from “The Truman Show” to “Paw Patrol.
- 11/3/2023
- by Raquel 'Rocky' Harris
- The Wrap
Edgar Allan Poe may have enjoyed some amount of popularity during his lifetime, but he certainly could not have predicted just how influential his writing would become in the ensuing years. Even over two centuries later, we’re still seeing reverential homages to his work in modern media, and that’s not even including the immeasurable impact the author had on the horror genre as a whole.
And with Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher reinventing the author’s stories for the streaming generation, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six of the best Poe adaptations to watch after binging Netflix’s horrific treat. After all, there’s something for everyone when it comes to reinventions of Edgar’s tales of mystery and imagination.
And with hundreds of adaptations to choose from, we won’t be limiting ourselves to either film or...
And with Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher reinventing the author’s stories for the streaming generation, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six of the best Poe adaptations to watch after binging Netflix’s horrific treat. After all, there’s something for everyone when it comes to reinventions of Edgar’s tales of mystery and imagination.
And with hundreds of adaptations to choose from, we won’t be limiting ourselves to either film or...
- 11/2/2023
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
Released in South Africa on 15 November 1951, Cry, the Beloved Country was among the
very first feature films of Sidney Poitier‘s long career. The then 24-year-old plays Theophilus Msimangu, a reverend who assists fellow minister Stephen Kumalo (Canada Lee) in nurturing his ill sister and locating his son Absalom (Lionel Ngakane), who has left without contact. Their cause takes them through Johannesburg and the newly imposed apartheid system, exposing its layers of injustice and dysfunction.
Cry, the Beloved Country is novel in its presentation of black African perspectives some 15 years before the civil rights pictures of the 1960s, such as Poitier’s own Look Who’s Coming to Dinner and In the Heat of the Night. Those two films are likely to feature in any retrospective of cinema and race, but not Cry, the Beloved Country.
Why is that? Well, the pacing is deliberate; characters speak at length and often about banal details.
very first feature films of Sidney Poitier‘s long career. The then 24-year-old plays Theophilus Msimangu, a reverend who assists fellow minister Stephen Kumalo (Canada Lee) in nurturing his ill sister and locating his son Absalom (Lionel Ngakane), who has left without contact. Their cause takes them through Johannesburg and the newly imposed apartheid system, exposing its layers of injustice and dysfunction.
Cry, the Beloved Country is novel in its presentation of black African perspectives some 15 years before the civil rights pictures of the 1960s, such as Poitier’s own Look Who’s Coming to Dinner and In the Heat of the Night. Those two films are likely to feature in any retrospective of cinema and race, but not Cry, the Beloved Country.
Why is that? Well, the pacing is deliberate; characters speak at length and often about banal details.
- 10/18/2023
- by Jack Hawkins
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Exclusive: The Telluride Film Festival, held in an old mining town high up in a picturesque alpine valley in the Rockies, marks its 50th anniversary this week, and Oscar-winning Moonlight filmmaker Barry Jenkins undoubtedly is one of its favorite sons.
He’ll be making the trek to the mountains as he did for the first time in 2002 as a student from Florida State film school. The festival has a student symposium where novice filmmakers can meet and engage with professionals over the Labor Day weekend.
“There is no red carpet, there are no frills,” the director told me. “If you see a filmmaker in line for a cup of coffee, speak to them. They actually want to be engaged. That’s why filmmakers come over and over again, year after year.”
Jenkins obviously wasn’t around Telluride in the ’70s, but he acknowledges that he has heard that “socioeconomically, it...
He’ll be making the trek to the mountains as he did for the first time in 2002 as a student from Florida State film school. The festival has a student symposium where novice filmmakers can meet and engage with professionals over the Labor Day weekend.
“There is no red carpet, there are no frills,” the director told me. “If you see a filmmaker in line for a cup of coffee, speak to them. They actually want to be engaged. That’s why filmmakers come over and over again, year after year.”
Jenkins obviously wasn’t around Telluride in the ’70s, but he acknowledges that he has heard that “socioeconomically, it...
- 8/30/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
O2 Play, the distribution-sales arm of Brazil’s O2 Filmes group, co-owned by “City of God” director Fernando Meirelles, has boarded “Broken” (“Partido”), which is co-directed by Oscar-nominated “City of God” Dp César Charlone.
O2 Play has acquired Brazilian and world sales rights to the doc feature. O2 Play founder Igor Kupstas will introduce “Broken” to buyers at Locarno Pro, which runs Aug.3-9.
Charlone, also “The Two Popes” Dp and director of “3%,” South America’s first Netflix series, has directed alongside Sebastián Bednarik and Joaquim Castro (“Máquina do Desejo – 60 Anos do Teatro Oficina”).
Produced by Uruguay’s Coral Cine, in co-production with Brazil’s Opy Filmes, “Broken” covers Brazil’s 2018 general election from the point of view of Fernando Haddad, currently Brazil’s minister of economy and then the candidate of Brazil’s now ruling Workers’ Party put up to face off with Jair Bolsonaro.
“Broken” will have its...
O2 Play has acquired Brazilian and world sales rights to the doc feature. O2 Play founder Igor Kupstas will introduce “Broken” to buyers at Locarno Pro, which runs Aug.3-9.
Charlone, also “The Two Popes” Dp and director of “3%,” South America’s first Netflix series, has directed alongside Sebastián Bednarik and Joaquim Castro (“Máquina do Desejo – 60 Anos do Teatro Oficina”).
Produced by Uruguay’s Coral Cine, in co-production with Brazil’s Opy Filmes, “Broken” covers Brazil’s 2018 general election from the point of view of Fernando Haddad, currently Brazil’s minister of economy and then the candidate of Brazil’s now ruling Workers’ Party put up to face off with Jair Bolsonaro.
“Broken” will have its...
- 7/6/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: A limited TV series adaptation of John le Carré’s The Constant Gardener set in a “post-pandemic context” is being developed by The Ink Factory, coming almost two decades after the Oscar-winning movie.
His Dark Materials and Noughts + Crosses scribe Lydia Adetunji is penning the TV adaptation, Deadline can reveal, with no network or cast attached as of yet.
Lydia Adetunji
The TV version is described as a “post-pandemic” contemporary retelling of one of The Night Manager author’s most popular novels. The Constant Gardener follows Justin Quayle, a British diplomat and avid horticulturalist who meets an Amnesty International activist in London called Tessa. After striking up a romance, they head on a journey that weaves together a brutal murder, government corruption and corporate malfeasance in a plot which unravels across Kenya, the UK and mainland Europe.
Directed by City of God‘s Fernando Meirelles, the 2005 movie starred Ralph Fiennes...
His Dark Materials and Noughts + Crosses scribe Lydia Adetunji is penning the TV adaptation, Deadline can reveal, with no network or cast attached as of yet.
Lydia Adetunji
The TV version is described as a “post-pandemic” contemporary retelling of one of The Night Manager author’s most popular novels. The Constant Gardener follows Justin Quayle, a British diplomat and avid horticulturalist who meets an Amnesty International activist in London called Tessa. After striking up a romance, they head on a journey that weaves together a brutal murder, government corruption and corporate malfeasance in a plot which unravels across Kenya, the UK and mainland Europe.
Directed by City of God‘s Fernando Meirelles, the 2005 movie starred Ralph Fiennes...
- 5/31/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The first reactions to Marvel’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse have climbed to the web that is Twitter and they are just as fantastic as Spidey fans could hope for. While praise has been slung onto the storytelling, humor and character development, it’s the visuals that have truly dazzled moviegoers and built the most hype, with viewers saying it somehow one-ups those of 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
#SpiderMan #AcrossTheSpiderVerse defies its high expectations to spin a visually stunning next chapter that swings and soars. There’s a comforting resonating coming-of-age story that pairs well w/ the eye popping animation, music, darkness, and meta-humor. Absolutely Phenomenal pic.twitter.com/C0OjfqO03w
— Michael Lee (@IamMichaelJLee) May 25, 2023
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse raised the bar with its unique animation style & way of storytelling. Minds were blown when it was released & fans thought there was no way it could be topped.
#SpiderMan #AcrossTheSpiderVerse defies its high expectations to spin a visually stunning next chapter that swings and soars. There’s a comforting resonating coming-of-age story that pairs well w/ the eye popping animation, music, darkness, and meta-humor. Absolutely Phenomenal pic.twitter.com/C0OjfqO03w
— Michael Lee (@IamMichaelJLee) May 25, 2023
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse raised the bar with its unique animation style & way of storytelling. Minds were blown when it was released & fans thought there was no way it could be topped.
- 5/25/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
There’s no joint like a Spike Lee Joint, but what other movies does the director love?
Over four decades and 30 films, Brooklyn-raised Lee has established himself as the type of director whose work can’t be replicated. The traits that make a Spike Lee Joint a Spike Lee Joint are easy to spot: the fiery and often political subject matter, the mix of humor with drama, those iconic floaty dolly shots, and an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to stylistic experimentation.
Lee’s fearlessness as a director makes for a fascinating mixed-bag of a filmography. The auteur has at least three undeniable masterpieces under his belt: 1989’s “Do the Right Thing,” a searing drama about police violence and racism; 1992’s “Malcolm X,” an epic starring Denzel Washington as the titular Civil Rights leader; and 2002’s “25th Hour,” the greatest portrait of life in New York after 9/11 put to film. Depending on who you ask,...
Over four decades and 30 films, Brooklyn-raised Lee has established himself as the type of director whose work can’t be replicated. The traits that make a Spike Lee Joint a Spike Lee Joint are easy to spot: the fiery and often political subject matter, the mix of humor with drama, those iconic floaty dolly shots, and an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to stylistic experimentation.
Lee’s fearlessness as a director makes for a fascinating mixed-bag of a filmography. The auteur has at least three undeniable masterpieces under his belt: 1989’s “Do the Right Thing,” a searing drama about police violence and racism; 1992’s “Malcolm X,” an epic starring Denzel Washington as the titular Civil Rights leader; and 2002’s “25th Hour,” the greatest portrait of life in New York after 9/11 put to film. Depending on who you ask,...
- 5/10/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
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