Watching Woody Allen's 1979 romantic comedy "Manhattan" in 2024 is certainly a fraught affair. For decades after its release, "Manhattan" was hailed as one of the filmmaker's best, frankly and stylishly telling a story of modern New York life, revealing the embarrassing impulses of a neurotic man struggling through his own acknowledged sexual and romantic weaknesses. In the film, Allen plays Isaac, a 42-year-old, twice-divorced comedy writer trying to pen a book about how much he loves New York City. As part of his midlife crisis, he is romantically and sexually involved with Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), a 17-year-old prep school student.
Allen's fictional relationship with an underage girl was, at the time, seen as a strange quirk of the modern cosmopolitan arts milieu, and many critics remained unconcerned. It wouldn't be for a few more years, in 1991, that details of Allen's personal life would begin to emerge. He married the much-younger...
Allen's fictional relationship with an underage girl was, at the time, seen as a strange quirk of the modern cosmopolitan arts milieu, and many critics remained unconcerned. It wouldn't be for a few more years, in 1991, that details of Allen's personal life would begin to emerge. He married the much-younger...
- 5/25/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When it comes to the horror genre, few films have been as iconic and chilling as Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, it has become one of the best horror films of all time, since its initial release in 1980.
A still from The Shining | Credit: Warner Bros.
However, long before his visionary adaptation of King’s novel graced the silver screen, his audacious and bold advertising plans in his quest to make the world’s scariest movie, almost cost him the iconic psychological horror film.
Stanley Kubrick’s Risky Pitch For Making World’s Scariest Film
After exploring several genres in the early stages of his career, Stanley Kubrick became intrigued by the idea of delving into horror with an ambition to make the ultimate spine-chilling experience for audiences, a film so terrifying it would send them fleeing from theaters in fear.
A still from The Shining | Credit: Warner Bros.
However, long before his visionary adaptation of King’s novel graced the silver screen, his audacious and bold advertising plans in his quest to make the world’s scariest movie, almost cost him the iconic psychological horror film.
Stanley Kubrick’s Risky Pitch For Making World’s Scariest Film
After exploring several genres in the early stages of his career, Stanley Kubrick became intrigued by the idea of delving into horror with an ambition to make the ultimate spine-chilling experience for audiences, a film so terrifying it would send them fleeing from theaters in fear.
- 5/25/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
The Cannes Film Festival is nearing its conclusion, with plenty of films making a splash on the starry Croisette on the French Riviera. However, one studio executive tells Variety, “There aren’t many Oscar-buzzy titles to be excited about, not even in the international feature space.”
This year’s main competition jury, led by president Greta Gerwig and including J.A. Bayona, Ebru Ceylan, Pierfrancesco Favino, Lily Gladstone, Eva Green, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Nadine Labaki and Omar Sy, will name its winners on Saturday.
It was looking like a foregone conclusion that the Palme d’Or win would be bestowed upon Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical “Emilia Pérez,” starring Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and Karla Sofía Gascón, which was picked up by Netflix. However, on Friday, Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” garnered the most enthusiastic reactions on social media from attendees and the longest-standing ovation at 12 minutes. One awards publicist says,...
This year’s main competition jury, led by president Greta Gerwig and including J.A. Bayona, Ebru Ceylan, Pierfrancesco Favino, Lily Gladstone, Eva Green, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Nadine Labaki and Omar Sy, will name its winners on Saturday.
It was looking like a foregone conclusion that the Palme d’Or win would be bestowed upon Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical “Emilia Pérez,” starring Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and Karla Sofía Gascón, which was picked up by Netflix. However, on Friday, Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” garnered the most enthusiastic reactions on social media from attendees and the longest-standing ovation at 12 minutes. One awards publicist says,...
- 5/24/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Norwegian writer-director Halfdan Ullmann Tondel takes some big swings with his first feature Armand, not all of which connect, but the ambition and risk-taking are largely impressive.
A single-setting drama that unfolds in an echo-filled elementary school after hours, it stars Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World) as local celebrity Elisabeth, the mother of never-met Armand, a first-grade boy who is accused by his classmate Jon, also never seen, of sexual abuse.
When the boys’ teacher and key school staffers call a meeting with parents to decide the next steps, Elisabeth clashes with Jon’s parents, Sarah (Ellen Dorrit Petersen) and Anders (Endre Hellestveit), although not all is as it seems. The basic setup recalls, among other stories about accusations, Roman Polanski’s adaptation of stage play Carnage, but Armand gets much weirder as it goes on, with choreographed dance sequences and melodramatic revelations that feel contrived and...
A single-setting drama that unfolds in an echo-filled elementary school after hours, it stars Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World) as local celebrity Elisabeth, the mother of never-met Armand, a first-grade boy who is accused by his classmate Jon, also never seen, of sexual abuse.
When the boys’ teacher and key school staffers call a meeting with parents to decide the next steps, Elisabeth clashes with Jon’s parents, Sarah (Ellen Dorrit Petersen) and Anders (Endre Hellestveit), although not all is as it seems. The basic setup recalls, among other stories about accusations, Roman Polanski’s adaptation of stage play Carnage, but Armand gets much weirder as it goes on, with choreographed dance sequences and melodramatic revelations that feel contrived and...
- 5/22/2024
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A self-portrait and cinematic essay, Leos Carax’s “It’s Not Me” is perhaps the most accurate impression of a late-era Jean-Luc Godard experiment anyone has ever attempted. From Carax’s raspy voiceover to his jaggedly assembled combination of archival footage and absurd original snippets, the 41-minute short probes a variety of personal and political subjects, but it never quite beats with the furious heart and provocative spirit of Godard’s twilight era.
The project was conceived as part of a museum exhibition on Carax for Paris’ Centre Pompidou, but the prompt posed to him in the form of a question — “Where are you at, Leos Carax?” — appears to have led the enigmatic filmmaker on a confounding quest of self-discovery. The exhibit would never come to fruition, but Carax’s inquiry into his work, his lifelong influences and cinema at-large has yielded an occasionally fascinating collage. The film not only ponders Carax’s past,...
The project was conceived as part of a museum exhibition on Carax for Paris’ Centre Pompidou, but the prompt posed to him in the form of a question — “Where are you at, Leos Carax?” — appears to have led the enigmatic filmmaker on a confounding quest of self-discovery. The exhibit would never come to fruition, but Carax’s inquiry into his work, his lifelong influences and cinema at-large has yielded an occasionally fascinating collage. The film not only ponders Carax’s past,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Siddhant Adlakha
- Variety Film + TV
After Jean-Luc Godard, Leos Carax is probably the French filmmaker most associated with the term enfant terrible. In some ways, he’s been even more terrible than Godard ever was, adopting a pseudonym (he was born Alex Dupont) as a teenager and bursting onto the scene at age 24 with Boy Meets Girl — Godard made Breathless when he was 30 — which immediately turned him into a major young auteur to be reckoned with.
He followed that up with the powerful, AIDS-inspired Mauvais Sang, and then made The Lovers on the Bridge, a film infamous for being a French Heaven’s Gate that went way over budget and flopped (it’s still a fantastic movie). After that Carax disappeared for a while, then reemerged to make a few shorts, compose pop songs and shoot a new feature every decade, the last one being the Adam Driver-Marion Cotillard starrer, Annette.
His latest work, the medium-length,...
He followed that up with the powerful, AIDS-inspired Mauvais Sang, and then made The Lovers on the Bridge, a film infamous for being a French Heaven’s Gate that went way over budget and flopped (it’s still a fantastic movie). After that Carax disappeared for a while, then reemerged to make a few shorts, compose pop songs and shoot a new feature every decade, the last one being the Adam Driver-Marion Cotillard starrer, Annette.
His latest work, the medium-length,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Three years ago, Cannes audiences fell in love with Renata Reinsve, the titular star of Norwegian competition entry The Worst Person in the World. Chances are, they won’t be quite as well disposed to her character in this austere drama from fellow countryman Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, grandson of Norwegian actress Liv Ullman and Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman. Tøndel’s lineage should give you a fair idea of what’s in store here, but, surprisingly, Armand doesn’t dig especially deep into the human psyche, finally falling into a strange no man’s land between intense character drama and jet-black comedy.
Reinsve plays Elisabeth, and as we suspect from the opening sequence, in which she puts the pedal to the metal down a leafy country road, Elisabeth is, literally, a drama queen, an actress still wearing the hooped earrings she needs to play her latest part. She has been summoned...
Reinsve plays Elisabeth, and as we suspect from the opening sequence, in which she puts the pedal to the metal down a leafy country road, Elisabeth is, literally, a drama queen, an actress still wearing the hooped earrings she needs to play her latest part. She has been summoned...
- 5/18/2024
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
On the second night of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Judith Godrèche told the mostly female crowd assembled on a beach next to the Palais, “This film is for you!” The French actor-director was presenting her short “Moi Aussi,” a last-minute addition to the festival lineup that covers sexual misconduct in the French film industry. Godrèche has become something of an ambassador to the fledgling movement after she came forward in February with claims that she was preyed upon and groomed as a minor by directors Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon, allegations they both deny. The beach screening kicked off what many hope will be a sweeping French #MeToo reckoning.
But the festival and its accompanying film market also will feature several men who have been the subject of #MeToo allegations that range from sexual harassment, sexual assault and domestic violence. The awkward presence of such actors as Shia Labeouf and James Franco,...
But the festival and its accompanying film market also will feature several men who have been the subject of #MeToo allegations that range from sexual harassment, sexual assault and domestic violence. The awkward presence of such actors as Shia Labeouf and James Franco,...
- 5/17/2024
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety Film + TV
Fight Club, Zodiac, The Social Network, Gone Girl. There's hardly anyone who hasn't seen, let alone heard, all of these movies and the name of the man behind them, David Fincher. From Alien 3 to The Killer with Michael Fassbender, from House of Cards to Love, Death & Robots, Fincher's career is now in its fourth decade and his films have collectively grossed over $2.1 billion. But of course, no matter how original his work, even a director as innovative as Fincher is inspired by the achievements of filmmakers who came before him. Here is a list of 26 films that David Fincher has cited as his favorites.
26 Must-See Movies David Fincher Loves
26. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
25. Chinatown
24. Dr. Strangelove
23. The Godfather Part II
22. Taxi Driver
21. Being There
20. Alien
19. Rear Window
18. Jaws
17. Lawrence of Arabia
16. Zelig
15. Cabaret
14. All That Jazz
13. Paper Moon
12. All the President's Men
11. Citizen Kane
10. 8½
9. The Graduate...
26 Must-See Movies David Fincher Loves
26. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
25. Chinatown
24. Dr. Strangelove
23. The Godfather Part II
22. Taxi Driver
21. Being There
20. Alien
19. Rear Window
18. Jaws
17. Lawrence of Arabia
16. Zelig
15. Cabaret
14. All That Jazz
13. Paper Moon
12. All the President's Men
11. Citizen Kane
10. 8½
9. The Graduate...
- 5/16/2024
- by louise.everitt@startefacts.com (Louise Everitt)
- STartefacts.com
Late in the highly entertaining and enlightening new HBO Documentary Films movie on the life and career of Faye Dunaway we learn how much this iconic star just loves coming to the Cannes Film Festival. “Just about every year,” she says — not only for the world’s best films but also to immerse herself in all aspects of filmmaking. I have seen her many times just soaking it all up cinematically both here in Cannes and Telluride, to name two fests.
So it seems appropriate that the Cannes Classics section would be the place for the World Premiere Wednesday night — in the presence of Dunaway as the French like to call it — of this terrific new docu in which Dunaway pretty much tells it all straight about her life, loves, desires, ambitions, movies, co-stars, depression, controversies, family and hopes for the future in a profession she says she can’t imagine not working in.
So it seems appropriate that the Cannes Classics section would be the place for the World Premiere Wednesday night — in the presence of Dunaway as the French like to call it — of this terrific new docu in which Dunaway pretty much tells it all straight about her life, loves, desires, ambitions, movies, co-stars, depression, controversies, family and hopes for the future in a profession she says she can’t imagine not working in.
- 5/16/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Judith Godrèche has been a regular on the Cannes red carpet for close to 30 years for her performances in films such as Patrice Leconte’s 1996 Palme d’Or contender Ridicule and Un Certain Regard cycling drama The Climb in 2019.
The popular French actress-turned-director touches down this edition with a work of her own: the short film Moi Aussi.
Shot under the radar in Paris in March and gathering 1,000 victims of sexual abuse, the work world premieres as part of the opening ceremony of Cannes Un Certain Regard on Wednesday.
Related: Cannes Film Festival 2024 In Photos: Opening Ceremony & ‘The Second Act’ World Premiere
There is no bigger disruptive force in French cinema right now than Godrèche, who has been at the forefront of triggering a new era of #MeToo in France, a country that has been notoriously slow to tackle sexism, sexual violence and harassment.
The short film follows in the...
The popular French actress-turned-director touches down this edition with a work of her own: the short film Moi Aussi.
Shot under the radar in Paris in March and gathering 1,000 victims of sexual abuse, the work world premieres as part of the opening ceremony of Cannes Un Certain Regard on Wednesday.
Related: Cannes Film Festival 2024 In Photos: Opening Ceremony & ‘The Second Act’ World Premiere
There is no bigger disruptive force in French cinema right now than Godrèche, who has been at the forefront of triggering a new era of #MeToo in France, a country that has been notoriously slow to tackle sexism, sexual violence and harassment.
The short film follows in the...
- 5/15/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Roman Polanski was cleared of defamation charges in France in a case tied to a rape allegation brought by the British actress Charlotte Lewis.
As The New York Times reports, Lewis accused Polanski of raping her in 1983, when she was 16, during a casting session for the film Pirates at his home in Paris (Lewis later appeared in the film). In a 2019 interview with the French magazine Paris Match, Polanski denied Lewis’ allegation, calling it an “odious lie”; he also brought up an old 1999 tabloid interview in which Lewis spoke positively about him.
As The New York Times reports, Lewis accused Polanski of raping her in 1983, when she was 16, during a casting session for the film Pirates at his home in Paris (Lewis later appeared in the film). In a 2019 interview with the French magazine Paris Match, Polanski denied Lewis’ allegation, calling it an “odious lie”; he also brought up an old 1999 tabloid interview in which Lewis spoke positively about him.
- 5/14/2024
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
The Cannes Film Festival opened Tuesday with expectations that the big theme of this 77th edition will be #MeToo, even if rumors of an imminent bombshell exposé involving 10 prominent cinema figures were quashed overnight.
France’s #MeToo wave, sparked by actress and filmmaker Judith Godrèche’s decision to speak up about sexual abuse she says she suffered as a teenager and her subsequent campaign to end what she calls a culture of silence in the French film world, will be omnipresent.
Godrèche’s actions have encouraged thousands of sexual abuse victims across all walks of life to speak up about their experiences.
The actress and filmmaker will be in Cannes for the world premiere on Wednesday evening of her resulting short film Moi Aussi, gathering 1,000 people who got in touch with her via social media channels to tell their stories.
However, frenzied media speculation that a #MeToo exposé naming 10 prominent...
France’s #MeToo wave, sparked by actress and filmmaker Judith Godrèche’s decision to speak up about sexual abuse she says she suffered as a teenager and her subsequent campaign to end what she calls a culture of silence in the French film world, will be omnipresent.
Godrèche’s actions have encouraged thousands of sexual abuse victims across all walks of life to speak up about their experiences.
The actress and filmmaker will be in Cannes for the world premiere on Wednesday evening of her resulting short film Moi Aussi, gathering 1,000 people who got in touch with her via social media channels to tell their stories.
However, frenzied media speculation that a #MeToo exposé naming 10 prominent...
- 5/14/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
British actor Charlotte Lewis had claimed she was made the victim of a ‘smear campaign’ after she accused the director of raping her when she was a teenager
A French court on Tuesday acquitted French-Polish film-maker Roman Polanski of defaming British actor Charlotte Lewis after she accused him of raping her when she was a teenager.
Polanski, 90, was not in court for the verdict at the Paris criminal court.
A French court on Tuesday acquitted French-Polish film-maker Roman Polanski of defaming British actor Charlotte Lewis after she accused him of raping her when she was a teenager.
Polanski, 90, was not in court for the verdict at the Paris criminal court.
- 5/14/2024
- by Agence France Presse
- The Guardian - Film News
A French court has dismissed charges against French-Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski that he defamed UK actor Charlotte Lewis after she accused him of sexually assaulting her as a teenager.
Lewis told a Paris court in March that she had been subjected to a “smear campaign” after speaking up about alleged sexual abuse by Polanski in the 1980.
The actor originally made her allegations in a press conference in Cannes in 2010, saying Polanski had taken advantage of her in the worst possible way during a casting meeting in Paris in 1983 when she was 16 years old. She would later go on to star in his 1986 film Pirates.
Polanski denied the accusations in an interview in French celebrity magazine Paris Match in 2019, calling them a “heinous lie.”
He also cited a 1999 News of the World interview in which Lewis was quoted as saying that she desired the director more than he had her.
Lewis,...
Lewis told a Paris court in March that she had been subjected to a “smear campaign” after speaking up about alleged sexual abuse by Polanski in the 1980.
The actor originally made her allegations in a press conference in Cannes in 2010, saying Polanski had taken advantage of her in the worst possible way during a casting meeting in Paris in 1983 when she was 16 years old. She would later go on to star in his 1986 film Pirates.
Polanski denied the accusations in an interview in French celebrity magazine Paris Match in 2019, calling them a “heinous lie.”
He also cited a 1999 News of the World interview in which Lewis was quoted as saying that she desired the director more than he had her.
Lewis,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
A French court has acquitted filmmaker Roman Polanski of defamation charges brought by British actor Charlotte Lewis, who’d claimed that he raped her when she was a child, the New York Times has reported.
Lewis, now 56, had accused the now 90-year-old filmmaker of sexually assaulting her when she was 16, during a casting session at his Paris home. The French court was not ruling on that accusation. Instead, it was dealing with a 2019 interview with French magazine Paris Match in which Polanski had dismissed Lewis’ accusation of being a “heinous lie.” The court ruled on whether Polanski had overstepped the bounds of free speech by dismissing her account of the alleged events.
The trial kicked off in March, when the Franco-Polish filmmaker was sued by Lewis, who claimed he defamed her in the interview. Lewis first came forward with her allegations against Polanski in 2010.
During her defamation case testimony, Lewis,...
Lewis, now 56, had accused the now 90-year-old filmmaker of sexually assaulting her when she was 16, during a casting session at his Paris home. The French court was not ruling on that accusation. Instead, it was dealing with a 2019 interview with French magazine Paris Match in which Polanski had dismissed Lewis’ accusation of being a “heinous lie.” The court ruled on whether Polanski had overstepped the bounds of free speech by dismissing her account of the alleged events.
The trial kicked off in March, when the Franco-Polish filmmaker was sued by Lewis, who claimed he defamed her in the interview. Lewis first came forward with her allegations against Polanski in 2010.
During her defamation case testimony, Lewis,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Nine women have accused prolific French producer Alain Sarde of rape and sexual assault in a detailed expose in the French edition of Elle magazine.
Sarde has denied the accusations. The 72-year-old producer has not been officially charged with any crimes for the incidents in question, according to the magazine.
The testimonies were published on May 14, on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival where Sarde has premiered 50 films over the years including Roman Polanski’s Palme d’Or-winning The Pianist and David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive.
The accusations date from between 1985 and 2003 and are all from actresses who mostly...
Sarde has denied the accusations. The 72-year-old producer has not been officially charged with any crimes for the incidents in question, according to the magazine.
The testimonies were published on May 14, on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival where Sarde has premiered 50 films over the years including Roman Polanski’s Palme d’Or-winning The Pianist and David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive.
The accusations date from between 1985 and 2003 and are all from actresses who mostly...
- 5/14/2024
- ScreenDaily
Jessica Hausner on the references to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby: “The idea behind Hotel [starring Franziska Weisz] was to use all those classical horror film elements on purpose, to put them together but to not lift the secret.”
In the second instalment with Jessica Hausner on three of her feature films before her latest, the bewitching Club Zero (European Film Award Best Original Score to Markus Binder), we move the conversation to Hotel, starring Franziska Weisz with Birgit Minichmayr (Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon) and Lovely Rita with Barbara Osika as Rita, Wolfgang Kostal and Karina Brandlmayer as her parents, and Peter Fiala as her man of interest. The two films have the costumes, as always, designed by Tanja Hausner, cinematography by Martin Gschlacht, sound design by Erik Mischijew (Maren Ade’s multiple European Film...
In the second instalment with Jessica Hausner on three of her feature films before her latest, the bewitching Club Zero (European Film Award Best Original Score to Markus Binder), we move the conversation to Hotel, starring Franziska Weisz with Birgit Minichmayr (Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon) and Lovely Rita with Barbara Osika as Rita, Wolfgang Kostal and Karina Brandlmayer as her parents, and Peter Fiala as her man of interest. The two films have the costumes, as always, designed by Tanja Hausner, cinematography by Martin Gschlacht, sound design by Erik Mischijew (Maren Ade’s multiple European Film...
- 5/11/2024
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Chris Pine has a glorious career in Hollywood as an actor but when he tried to direct a movie, the expected wonders from the Wonder Woman 1984 star, just fell short. Pine directed the 2023 movie Poolman under the banners of Vertical Entertainment starring himself in the lead.
Chris Pine in Poolman
Pine’s Poolman was a critical disaster, met with negative reviews as it failed to impress both the audience and critics. However, the actor/director still believes that he has done something good with the movie refusing to accept the harsh criticism.
Chris Pine Refused to Believe the Brutal Criticism of Poolman
Chris Pine in Poolman
Chris Pine ventured out from being an actor to have a taste of film direction with his directorial debut Poolman. The movie was essentially intended to be a huge comical relief blended with a mysterious tone. However, at the premiere of Poolman at the...
Chris Pine in Poolman
Pine’s Poolman was a critical disaster, met with negative reviews as it failed to impress both the audience and critics. However, the actor/director still believes that he has done something good with the movie refusing to accept the harsh criticism.
Chris Pine Refused to Believe the Brutal Criticism of Poolman
Chris Pine in Poolman
Chris Pine ventured out from being an actor to have a taste of film direction with his directorial debut Poolman. The movie was essentially intended to be a huge comical relief blended with a mysterious tone. However, at the premiere of Poolman at the...
- 5/10/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
Naming the best movie in history is quite an ambitious task. Ask a hundred movie buffs what their favorite movie is and they will all come up with their own answer – from The Lord of the Rings to Apocalypse Now to Alien.
But Rotten Tomatoes took on this impossible mission and compiled a list of the 300 best movies of all time based on critics' scores, user scores, number of reviews, and other factors. And the first place movie was one that (almost) no one expected.
If the second and third places were taken by The Godfather and Casablanca – classic films that everyone with even a passing interest in cinema has seen–- then the first place went to the 1997 noir detective story L.A. Confidential.
What is L.A. Confidential About?
Three very different detectives – Bud White (Russell Crowe), Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) and Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) – are investigating a mass murder.
But Rotten Tomatoes took on this impossible mission and compiled a list of the 300 best movies of all time based on critics' scores, user scores, number of reviews, and other factors. And the first place movie was one that (almost) no one expected.
If the second and third places were taken by The Godfather and Casablanca – classic films that everyone with even a passing interest in cinema has seen–- then the first place went to the 1997 noir detective story L.A. Confidential.
What is L.A. Confidential About?
Three very different detectives – Bud White (Russell Crowe), Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) and Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) – are investigating a mass murder.
- 5/8/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
Chris Pine, Annette Bening, and Danny DeVito in PoolmanImage: Vertical
Movie stars will literally direct a whole movie about going to therapy instead of, you know, actually going to therapy. This could be the tagline for Chris Pine’s Poolman, a film that so deeply misunderstands what normal people like...
Movie stars will literally direct a whole movie about going to therapy instead of, you know, actually going to therapy. This could be the tagline for Chris Pine’s Poolman, a film that so deeply misunderstands what normal people like...
- 5/8/2024
- by Emma Keates
- avclub.com
On the indie side of filmmaking life, Sean Price Williams has seen it all. He’s worked with the Safdies, Alex Ross Perry, Nathan Silver, Robert Green, and Athina Rachel Tsangari, and often more than once. He’s the premier chronicler of New York City independent movies behind the camera, typically shooting on celluloid, and bringing surreal, gritty poetry to character-driven stories that feel on the ground like portraits of versions of ourselves.
One of the most unabashedly movie-loving cinematographers working today, Williams last year moved to directing for the sprawling, scratchy-edged tale of East Coast youth, “The Sweet East,” which remains in theaters and features stars like Jacob Elordi, Simon Rex, Jeremy O. Harris, and Ayo Edebiri.
But even more recently than that directorial debut, he released a “1000 Movies” book via Metrograph Editions, a simple, unadorned paperback that offers, rather than commentary, pages listing his favorite essential films and...
One of the most unabashedly movie-loving cinematographers working today, Williams last year moved to directing for the sprawling, scratchy-edged tale of East Coast youth, “The Sweet East,” which remains in theaters and features stars like Jacob Elordi, Simon Rex, Jeremy O. Harris, and Ayo Edebiri.
But even more recently than that directorial debut, he released a “1000 Movies” book via Metrograph Editions, a simple, unadorned paperback that offers, rather than commentary, pages listing his favorite essential films and...
- 5/7/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
“Rosemary’s Baby” is the latest horror classic to get a many-years-later sequel – or prequel, in this case.
On Friday, Paramount+ announced that “Apartment 7A,” a prequel to Roman Polanski’s legendary psychological thriller, is coming to the streaming service this fall.
The movie tells the story of what happened in the titular New York City apartment before Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) moved in and became the unwilling mother to the son of Satan. It’s set in 1965 and follows a struggling, young dancer (three-time Emmy-winning “Ozark” star Julia Garner). After she suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame.
The film also stars two-time Academy Award winner Dianne Wiest (“Hannah and Her Sisters”), Jim Sturgess (“Across the Universe”) and Kevin McNally (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series), with Marli Siu (“Everything I Know About Love...
On Friday, Paramount+ announced that “Apartment 7A,” a prequel to Roman Polanski’s legendary psychological thriller, is coming to the streaming service this fall.
The movie tells the story of what happened in the titular New York City apartment before Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) moved in and became the unwilling mother to the son of Satan. It’s set in 1965 and follows a struggling, young dancer (three-time Emmy-winning “Ozark” star Julia Garner). After she suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame.
The film also stars two-time Academy Award winner Dianne Wiest (“Hannah and Her Sisters”), Jim Sturgess (“Across the Universe”) and Kevin McNally (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series), with Marli Siu (“Everything I Know About Love...
- 4/26/2024
- by Liam Mathews
- Gold Derby
Julia Garner has been tapped to star in a prequel to the 1968 classic horror film Rosemary’s Baby titled Apartment 7A.
The psychological thriller was directed by Natalie Erika James (Relic), who also co-wrote the script with Christian White and Skylar James. It will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ before Halloween.
According to the official logline, the film will take place in 1965 New York City and tell the story of what happened before Rosemary moved into the titular apartment. “When a struggling, young dancer suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame,” the description reads.
Apartment 7A will also star Dianne Wiest, Jim Sturgess, and Kevin McNally alongside a supporting cast featuring Marli Siu, Andrew Buchan, Rosy McEwen, and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. See a still from the movie below.
In a statement, Executive Vice President of Programming at Paramount+ Jeff Grossman said,...
The psychological thriller was directed by Natalie Erika James (Relic), who also co-wrote the script with Christian White and Skylar James. It will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ before Halloween.
According to the official logline, the film will take place in 1965 New York City and tell the story of what happened before Rosemary moved into the titular apartment. “When a struggling, young dancer suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame,” the description reads.
Apartment 7A will also star Dianne Wiest, Jim Sturgess, and Kevin McNally alongside a supporting cast featuring Marli Siu, Andrew Buchan, Rosy McEwen, and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. See a still from the movie below.
In a statement, Executive Vice President of Programming at Paramount+ Jeff Grossman said,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Film News
Few horror movies in the last several decades have left quite as much a psychological scar as "Rosemary's Baby" from 1968, a widespread cultural obsession among genre fans that has now led to a prequel film called "Apartment 7A," which has long been in the works and finally has a release window.
We first heard about "Apartment 7A" back in 2022, which was meant to tell the story of the eponymous apartment before Rosemary Woodhouse ever moved in and experienced the story's awful events. First told in author Ira Levin's best-selling novel, the main setting of that old, eerie-looking building on Central Park West ranks high among the likes of the Overlook Hotel from "The Shining," the Nostromo in "Alien," and other famous horror locales. Now, we're finally getting an origin story -- of sorts -- with ties going all the way back to the controversial Roman Polanski-directed classic.
Today,...
We first heard about "Apartment 7A" back in 2022, which was meant to tell the story of the eponymous apartment before Rosemary Woodhouse ever moved in and experienced the story's awful events. First told in author Ira Levin's best-selling novel, the main setting of that old, eerie-looking building on Central Park West ranks high among the likes of the Overlook Hotel from "The Shining," the Nostromo in "Alien," and other famous horror locales. Now, we're finally getting an origin story -- of sorts -- with ties going all the way back to the controversial Roman Polanski-directed classic.
Today,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
“Rosemary’s Baby” prequel “Apartment 7A,” starring Julia Garner and directed by Natalie Erika James, will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ ahead of the Halloween season.
Roman Polanski’s 1968 horror classic was produced by Paramount, starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes as a young couple who are trying to start a family but find themselves tormented by strange neighbors.
According to an official logline, “Apartment 7A” is “Set in 1965 New York City, and tells the story prior to the legendary horror classic ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, exploring what happened in the apartment before Rosemary moved in. When a struggling, young dancer suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame.”
Commissioned for Paramount+, the film also stars Dianne Wiest (“Mayor of Kingstown”), Jim Sturgess (“Across the Universe”) and Kevin McNally (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series). Supporting cast...
Roman Polanski’s 1968 horror classic was produced by Paramount, starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes as a young couple who are trying to start a family but find themselves tormented by strange neighbors.
According to an official logline, “Apartment 7A” is “Set in 1965 New York City, and tells the story prior to the legendary horror classic ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, exploring what happened in the apartment before Rosemary moved in. When a struggling, young dancer suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame.”
Commissioned for Paramount+, the film also stars Dianne Wiest (“Mayor of Kingstown”), Jim Sturgess (“Across the Universe”) and Kevin McNally (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series). Supporting cast...
- 4/26/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
Apartment 7A, a prequel to the 1968 psychological horror film Rosemary’s Baby, has scared up a pre-Halloween release date — exclusively on Paramount+.
Rosemary’s Baby, written and directed by Roman Polanski, starred Mia Farrow as Rosemary Woodhouse, a young newlywed who suspects her New York apartment building neighbors belong to a cult, and then fears that the baby she winds up carrying is the son of Satan.
More from TVLineLingo Season 2 Gets CBS Premiere Date, New Game Play TwistTVLine Items: Carbonell Joins Medical Drama, Xo, Kitty Castings and MoreClipped Trailer: Laurence Fishburne and Ed O'Neill Go One-on-One in Hulu's Take on L.
Rosemary’s Baby, written and directed by Roman Polanski, starred Mia Farrow as Rosemary Woodhouse, a young newlywed who suspects her New York apartment building neighbors belong to a cult, and then fears that the baby she winds up carrying is the son of Satan.
More from TVLineLingo Season 2 Gets CBS Premiere Date, New Game Play TwistTVLine Items: Carbonell Joins Medical Drama, Xo, Kitty Castings and MoreClipped Trailer: Laurence Fishburne and Ed O'Neill Go One-on-One in Hulu's Take on L.
- 4/26/2024
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Paramount+ said Friday that the original film Apartment 7A, a psychological thriller starring Julia Garner (Ozark) and directed by Natalie Erika James (Relic), will premiere this fall exclusively on the streamer in the U.S. and in select international markets.
When a struggling young dancer (Garner) suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected older couple promises her a shot at fame. Set in 1965 New York City, the film tells the story prior to Roman Polanski’s horror classic Rosemary’s Baby, exploring what happened in the apartment before Rosemary moved in.
Apartment 7A also stars Dianne Wiest (Mayor of Kingstown), Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) and Kevin McNally (Pirates of the Caribbean). Additional cast includes Marli Siu (Everything I Know About Love), Andrew Buchan (All the Money in the World), Rosy McEwen (Blue Jean) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Wonka).
“Apartment 7A is...
When a struggling young dancer (Garner) suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected older couple promises her a shot at fame. Set in 1965 New York City, the film tells the story prior to Roman Polanski’s horror classic Rosemary’s Baby, exploring what happened in the apartment before Rosemary moved in.
Apartment 7A also stars Dianne Wiest (Mayor of Kingstown), Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) and Kevin McNally (Pirates of the Caribbean). Additional cast includes Marli Siu (Everything I Know About Love), Andrew Buchan (All the Money in the World), Rosy McEwen (Blue Jean) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Wonka).
“Apartment 7A is...
- 4/26/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
This year’s edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is set to present a retrospective on Franz Kafka and his influence on cinema, dubbed The Wish To Be A Red Indian: Kafka and Cinema. It will examine how the influential Czech writer has impacted filmmakers from Orson Welles, Martin Scorsese, Ousmane Sembene, Jan Nemec and Steven Soderbergh.
This June will mark the centenary of the final moments of Kafka, who passed away at a sanatorium in the Austrian town of Kierling. Kviff, which kicks off on June 28, will launch this strand in honor of the writer featuring films such as Soderberg’s noir mystery Kafka, Welles’ The Trial, Scorsese’s After Hours as well as Roman Polanski’s The Tenant among others.
The festival will also be honoring casting director Francine Maisler, who has worked with directors such as Denis Villeneuve, Terrence Malick and Alejandro González Iñárritu and whose credits include The Revenant,...
This June will mark the centenary of the final moments of Kafka, who passed away at a sanatorium in the Austrian town of Kierling. Kviff, which kicks off on June 28, will launch this strand in honor of the writer featuring films such as Soderberg’s noir mystery Kafka, Welles’ The Trial, Scorsese’s After Hours as well as Roman Polanski’s The Tenant among others.
The festival will also be honoring casting director Francine Maisler, who has worked with directors such as Denis Villeneuve, Terrence Malick and Alejandro González Iñárritu and whose credits include The Revenant,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has announced its first wave of program details for its upcoming 58th edition, which is set to take place from June 28 through July 6, 2024. The Czech festival, widely considered to be the most prestigious film festival in Eastern Europe, is set to honor one of the nation’s most famous writers with a new retrospective titled “Franz Kafka and the Cinema.”
The series is set to feature screenings of a wide range of films inspired by the Czech novelist, who famously wove themes of alienation and existential angst into cryptic novels that often flirted with surrealism. Some films, like Orson Welles’ “The Trial” are direct adaptations of Kafka’s writings; but the series also includes movies about Kafka’s life, and films like Martin Scorsese’s “After Hours” that were influenced by Kafka’s ideas.
“For decades, Kafka’s oeuvre has functioned as a continuing provocation to filmmakers,...
The series is set to feature screenings of a wide range of films inspired by the Czech novelist, who famously wove themes of alienation and existential angst into cryptic novels that often flirted with surrealism. Some films, like Orson Welles’ “The Trial” are direct adaptations of Kafka’s writings; but the series also includes movies about Kafka’s life, and films like Martin Scorsese’s “After Hours” that were influenced by Kafka’s ideas.
“For decades, Kafka’s oeuvre has functioned as a continuing provocation to filmmakers,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
The Karlovy Vary Film Festival and Variety have teamed up to honor Francine Maisler, one of the world’s most respected casting directors, whose recent credits include “Dune: Part Two,” “The Bikeriders,” “Challengers,” “Civil War” and “Joker: Folie à Deux.”
Maisler has worked on more than 70 feature films and is a recipient of 15 Artios Awards from the Casting Society of America, including for “Marriage Story” in 2020 and “Don’t Look Up” in 2021. As well as working with director Denis Villeneuve on “Dune: Part Two,” “Dune,” “Arrival” and “Sicario,” her other films include Terrence Malick’s “Tree of Life” and “Knight of Cups,” and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “The Revenant” and “Birdman.” In 2022, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for her work on HBO’s “Succession.”
As part of its homage, Karlovy Vary will hold a special screening of one of the films which Maisler worked on. Maisler will also give a public master class,...
Maisler has worked on more than 70 feature films and is a recipient of 15 Artios Awards from the Casting Society of America, including for “Marriage Story” in 2020 and “Don’t Look Up” in 2021. As well as working with director Denis Villeneuve on “Dune: Part Two,” “Dune,” “Arrival” and “Sicario,” her other films include Terrence Malick’s “Tree of Life” and “Knight of Cups,” and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “The Revenant” and “Birdman.” In 2022, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for her work on HBO’s “Succession.”
As part of its homage, Karlovy Vary will hold a special screening of one of the films which Maisler worked on. Maisler will also give a public master class,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Kate Middleton‘s fashion is almost always on point. Her looks are perfect form head to toe. However, there was one time when her followers weren’t too keen on a particular look. They claim it reminded them of a dress worn by Mia Farrow in the horror classic Rosemary’s Baby.
Kate Middleton’s 2018’s hospital debut resembled Mia Farrow’s ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ outfit
Within hours of delivering her third child, Prince Louis, in 2018, Kate Middleton made her debut as a mother of three on the steps of the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in London. She posed for photographs wearing a bright red Jenny Packham dress with a white lace collar alongside Prince William.
However, it didn’t take long for royal followers to make the connection between Kate’s outfit and that of a famous big-screen mother, Mia Farrow. The actor played the role of Rosemary Woodhouse in the 1968 Roman Polanski film.
Kate Middleton’s 2018’s hospital debut resembled Mia Farrow’s ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ outfit
Within hours of delivering her third child, Prince Louis, in 2018, Kate Middleton made her debut as a mother of three on the steps of the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in London. She posed for photographs wearing a bright red Jenny Packham dress with a white lace collar alongside Prince William.
However, it didn’t take long for royal followers to make the connection between Kate’s outfit and that of a famous big-screen mother, Mia Farrow. The actor played the role of Rosemary Woodhouse in the 1968 Roman Polanski film.
- 4/22/2024
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The 1970s– an era of “unrest and mistrust, fear and violence,” says the opening minutes of Colin and Cameron Cairnes’ Late Night with the Devil, accurately reflecting the viewpoint of the burgeoning moral panic of the time. Fear mongering-ish as that sounds, after a decade of Christianity in crisis mode– including a 1966 Times cover asking, “Is God Dead?”– and the “Satanic” cult murders by the Manson Family in 1969, the ’70s were a time of peak (at least until then) obsession with all things occult, planting the seeds and ultimately leading to what would be known as the full-blown Satanic Panic in the decade to follow. The devil was believed to be real, and he was to be feared, expelled, and/or worshiped– in real life and reflected in dozens and dozens of horror films and countless categories of other media within that era.
Late Night with the Devil toys with all this,...
Late Night with the Devil toys with all this,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Julieann Stipidis
- bloody-disgusting.com
‘A deeply twisted shocker… You will never, ever, ever find a psychotic she-monster more blood-chilling than Susan Tyrrell’
Coming Soon
‘An excellent shocker… queasy and wildly ahead of its time… Susan Tyrrell delivers a character unlike any other in horror history’
Mondo Digital
‘Tyrrell steals the show… the sight of her… clutching a machete and chasing a poor unfortunate through a stormy night is once seen, never forgotten!… I heartedly recommend you seek out’
Hysteria Lives
One of the notorious 1980s video nasties Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker has been lauded as ‘Brilliantly insane’ (Cool Ass Cinema) and a ‘horror gem, well-crafted, ripe for analysis… should not go overlooked (Bloody Disgusting) and now, thanks to Severin Films, you can witness the film like never before. The company announces a brand-new Special Edition Dual 4K Uhd and Blu-ray is set for its UK release on 13th May 2024.
In a surprising change of direction,...
Coming Soon
‘An excellent shocker… queasy and wildly ahead of its time… Susan Tyrrell delivers a character unlike any other in horror history’
Mondo Digital
‘Tyrrell steals the show… the sight of her… clutching a machete and chasing a poor unfortunate through a stormy night is once seen, never forgotten!… I heartedly recommend you seek out’
Hysteria Lives
One of the notorious 1980s video nasties Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker has been lauded as ‘Brilliantly insane’ (Cool Ass Cinema) and a ‘horror gem, well-crafted, ripe for analysis… should not go overlooked (Bloody Disgusting) and now, thanks to Severin Films, you can witness the film like never before. The company announces a brand-new Special Edition Dual 4K Uhd and Blu-ray is set for its UK release on 13th May 2024.
In a surprising change of direction,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
Sydney Sweeney is no doubt dominating the big screen with her movies; after Anyone But You and Madame Web, she’s now basking in the glory of her latest horror film, Immaculate. The movie was highly praised by actress and host Drew Barrymore on her show where Sweeney recently appeared.
Sydney Sweeney in Immaculate
Many have noticed the similarities between Immaculate and the heavily criticized film Rosemary’s Baby before the actress revealed taking some inspiration from it. For horror fans, it was easy to detect the parallels.
Sydney Sweeney On The Inspiration Behind Horror-Mystery Film Immaculate
During her guesting on The Drew Barrymore Show, actress Sydney Sweeney shared she got her passion for horror movies from her father. She also mentioned the inspiration for Immaculate.
“He introduced me to the horror genre because he was a fan of horror films, loved horror films. Like Halloween is his favourite holiday. Rosemary’s Baby...
Sydney Sweeney in Immaculate
Many have noticed the similarities between Immaculate and the heavily criticized film Rosemary’s Baby before the actress revealed taking some inspiration from it. For horror fans, it was easy to detect the parallels.
Sydney Sweeney On The Inspiration Behind Horror-Mystery Film Immaculate
During her guesting on The Drew Barrymore Show, actress Sydney Sweeney shared she got her passion for horror movies from her father. She also mentioned the inspiration for Immaculate.
“He introduced me to the horror genre because he was a fan of horror films, loved horror films. Like Halloween is his favourite holiday. Rosemary’s Baby...
- 4/14/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
This article contains multitudes of The First Omen and Immaculate spoilers.
One cannot envy the strange limbo Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen finds itself in this weekend. A macabre and fiendishly urgent spin on old school religious horror, it’s a film dripping with passion and fire despite its origins as a franchise installment. Unfortunately, it’s also a movie that uses an Italian setting awash in crucifixes and constrictive nun habits during a moment where another zeitgeisty chiller appears to be doing the same thing in the theater next door.
Yes, there is plenty of overlap between The First Omen and Michael Mohan and Sydney Sweeney’s Immaculate, right down to the setup of a sheltered American novice traveling to the Eternal City to take her final vows to Christ, and instead finding a lot of white collared men demanding a controlling interest in the marriage. And yet,...
One cannot envy the strange limbo Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen finds itself in this weekend. A macabre and fiendishly urgent spin on old school religious horror, it’s a film dripping with passion and fire despite its origins as a franchise installment. Unfortunately, it’s also a movie that uses an Italian setting awash in crucifixes and constrictive nun habits during a moment where another zeitgeisty chiller appears to be doing the same thing in the theater next door.
Yes, there is plenty of overlap between The First Omen and Michael Mohan and Sydney Sweeney’s Immaculate, right down to the setup of a sheltered American novice traveling to the Eternal City to take her final vows to Christ, and instead finding a lot of white collared men demanding a controlling interest in the marriage. And yet,...
- 4/6/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
I am not sure the world asked for yet another take on 20th Century Fox’s Omen franchise, the constantly regurgitated series with Damien (who made the numbers 666 iconic) and company. Since the 1976 original, when Damien first appeared in the movie with Gregory Peck and Lee Remick, we have had Damien: Omen II, The Final Conflict, Omen IV: The Awakening (in which a girl becomes the antichrist for the first time), the 2006 remake The Omen, and even a 2016 Damien TV series. Of course, like all these horror franchises, it is inevitable someone would come up with the idea for an origin story, and that is what we now have with The First Omen, which is, of course, not the first, just the latest. But, set in 1971, it does attempt to take us right to the doorstep of the actual first, the Richard Donner-directed 1976 starter.
The past few months have...
The past few months have...
- 4/4/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
The classic mystery Chinatown is heading to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in the UK this June: here’s more information on the release.
How about this for a flat-out classic? 1974’s Chinatown remains one of the very, very, very best films of Jack Nicholson’s career. A neo-noir detective mystery penned by Robert Towne. Nicholson plays Jake Gittes in the film, and in the 50 years since its release has garnered a reputation as being one of the best films of all time.
Directed by rapist Roman Polanski, it co-stars Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Diane Ladd and Perry Lopez. There’s an extensive cast to enjoy, and a tight mystery at the heart of it too. Genuinely, if you’ve never had the pleasure, it’s a film that deserves its reputation.
(Its belated sequel, The Two Jakes, was directed by Jack Nicholson and is worth a look too, although inevitably...
How about this for a flat-out classic? 1974’s Chinatown remains one of the very, very, very best films of Jack Nicholson’s career. A neo-noir detective mystery penned by Robert Towne. Nicholson plays Jake Gittes in the film, and in the 50 years since its release has garnered a reputation as being one of the best films of all time.
Directed by rapist Roman Polanski, it co-stars Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Diane Ladd and Perry Lopez. There’s an extensive cast to enjoy, and a tight mystery at the heart of it too. Genuinely, if you’ve never had the pleasure, it’s a film that deserves its reputation.
(Its belated sequel, The Two Jakes, was directed by Jack Nicholson and is worth a look too, although inevitably...
- 4/3/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
There's an entire generation of movie lovers who first encountered Jackie Chan in the "Rush Hour" films. The actor, director and stuntsman didn't have a huge love for the franchise at the time, perhaps because they barely scratched the surface of what he was capable of as a choreographer. Still, his buddy cop films hold a special place in the hearts of countless action fans, and his rapport with co-star Chris Tucker isn't half bad, either.
The "Rush Hour" trilogy hasn't aged the best in the intervening years, thanks in part to its director, Brett Ratner, who was accused of sexual misconduct in 2017. The film's "East meets West" humor would also never fly today, making the franchise something of a time capsule for irreverent, 2000s humor. Still, we could never get enough of Chan and Tucker — that's why we're all still holding out for that potential "Rush Hour 4." While...
The "Rush Hour" trilogy hasn't aged the best in the intervening years, thanks in part to its director, Brett Ratner, who was accused of sexual misconduct in 2017. The film's "East meets West" humor would also never fly today, making the franchise something of a time capsule for irreverent, 2000s humor. Still, we could never get enough of Chan and Tucker — that's why we're all still holding out for that potential "Rush Hour 4." While...
- 3/31/2024
- by Lyvie Scott
- Slash Film
Six months after world-premiering to poor reviews at the Venice Film Festival, Roman Polanski’s latest film “The Palace” has been acquired by a French distribution company, Swashbuckler Films.
The Paris-based banner, which specializes in classic movies, is hoping to release “The Palace” on May 15. The company’s owner, Sebastien Tiveyrat, told Variety he hasn’t yet obtained the exhibition visa from the National Film Board and hasn’t started contacting exhibitors in France to book theaters.
Although Polanski’s inclusion at the Venice festival sparked a controversy due to the fact that he’s still currently facing sexual assault allegations, “The Palace” sold across many territories, including Germany, Russia, Hungary, Estonia, Bulgaria and French-speaking Switzerland where it came out between September and January. The black comedy will next open in Portugal on April 4. Goodfellas handles international sales on the movie.
“The Palace” takes place during New Year’s Eve...
The Paris-based banner, which specializes in classic movies, is hoping to release “The Palace” on May 15. The company’s owner, Sebastien Tiveyrat, told Variety he hasn’t yet obtained the exhibition visa from the National Film Board and hasn’t started contacting exhibitors in France to book theaters.
Although Polanski’s inclusion at the Venice festival sparked a controversy due to the fact that he’s still currently facing sexual assault allegations, “The Palace” sold across many territories, including Germany, Russia, Hungary, Estonia, Bulgaria and French-speaking Switzerland where it came out between September and January. The black comedy will next open in Portugal on April 4. Goodfellas handles international sales on the movie.
“The Palace” takes place during New Year’s Eve...
- 3/26/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
You know The Prince even if you’ve never been to Los Angeles.
The beloved Koreatown bar has been a filming location staple of film and TV since at least Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown,” where Evelyn Mulwray and Jake Gittes sit together at a red leather banquette. Or maybe you recognize it from “Mad Men.” Most people likely know The Prince as The Griffin, the bar that features so heavily in “New Girl” as Nick’s place of employment.
Most recently, The Prince stood in as a dive bar in the first episode of Apple TV+’s new series “Palm Royale,” where Maxine (Kristen Wiig) and Dinah (Leslie Bibb) go for a private chat, far away from their neighbors’ prying eyes.
Kristen Wiig and Leslie Bibb in a scene filmed at The Prince for ‘Palm Royale’Courtesy of Apple
Taylor’s been to The Prince many times in the past...
The beloved Koreatown bar has been a filming location staple of film and TV since at least Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown,” where Evelyn Mulwray and Jake Gittes sit together at a red leather banquette. Or maybe you recognize it from “Mad Men.” Most people likely know The Prince as The Griffin, the bar that features so heavily in “New Girl” as Nick’s place of employment.
Most recently, The Prince stood in as a dive bar in the first episode of Apple TV+’s new series “Palm Royale,” where Maxine (Kristen Wiig) and Dinah (Leslie Bibb) go for a private chat, far away from their neighbors’ prying eyes.
Kristen Wiig and Leslie Bibb in a scene filmed at The Prince for ‘Palm Royale’Courtesy of Apple
Taylor’s been to The Prince many times in the past...
- 3/24/2024
- by Mark Peikert
- Indiewire
Former French Culture Minister Frédéric Mitterrand, who was a high-profile and sometimes controversial figure on France’s cultural scene, died on Thursday at the age of 76, his family announced.
Born in Paris in 1947 to a well-to-do family, Mitterrand was the nephew of President François Mitterrand.
His many activities across half a century included teacher, arthouse cinema owner, cinema and culture commentator, TV presenter, producer and documentary-maker.
He first gained notoriety on France’s cultural scene as the owner of the bohemian arthouse cinema L’Olympic in Paris’ then down-at-heel 14th arrondissement.
After a brief time as a geography and history teacher, he acquired the theater in 1971 at the age of 22 with the help of a loan from the father of one of his former pupils.
It took on a folkloric status for its mixed clientele of locals, cinephiles, neighborhood hoodlums, drag queens and the occasional film star and auteur director of the time.
Born in Paris in 1947 to a well-to-do family, Mitterrand was the nephew of President François Mitterrand.
His many activities across half a century included teacher, arthouse cinema owner, cinema and culture commentator, TV presenter, producer and documentary-maker.
He first gained notoriety on France’s cultural scene as the owner of the bohemian arthouse cinema L’Olympic in Paris’ then down-at-heel 14th arrondissement.
After a brief time as a geography and history teacher, he acquired the theater in 1971 at the age of 22 with the help of a loan from the father of one of his former pupils.
It took on a folkloric status for its mixed clientele of locals, cinephiles, neighborhood hoodlums, drag queens and the occasional film star and auteur director of the time.
- 3/22/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
It doesn’t take a theologist to see that “Immaculate” director Michael Mohan probably grew up a devout Catholic.
His new horror movie stars Sydney Sweeney as a flung-from-innocence novice nun who arrives at a Roman convent bubbling with religious fealty — only to become the vessel for an immaculate conception gone horrifically wrong. Taking advantage of the film’s on-location shoot, Mohan, who previously directed the “Euphoria” and “Anyone but You” breakout in his erotic thriller “The Voyeurs,” steeps the shocker in religious iconography that veers from the saintly to the satanic.
“I grew up super devout Catholic,” Mohan told IndieWire. And “every Catholic person has guilt and trauma.” That’s for sure, as the Neon release mashes references to Ken Russell’s “The Devils,” Roman Polanski’s “Rosemary’s Baby,” and even Darren Aronofsky’s “mother!” in charting Sister Cecilia’s (Sweeney) psychological undoing in the process of being emblemized...
His new horror movie stars Sydney Sweeney as a flung-from-innocence novice nun who arrives at a Roman convent bubbling with religious fealty — only to become the vessel for an immaculate conception gone horrifically wrong. Taking advantage of the film’s on-location shoot, Mohan, who previously directed the “Euphoria” and “Anyone but You” breakout in his erotic thriller “The Voyeurs,” steeps the shocker in religious iconography that veers from the saintly to the satanic.
“I grew up super devout Catholic,” Mohan told IndieWire. And “every Catholic person has guilt and trauma.” That’s for sure, as the Neon release mashes references to Ken Russell’s “The Devils,” Roman Polanski’s “Rosemary’s Baby,” and even Darren Aronofsky’s “mother!” in charting Sister Cecilia’s (Sweeney) psychological undoing in the process of being emblemized...
- 3/19/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Netflix’s big gamble, “3 Body Problem” – created by “Game of Thrones” masterminds David Benioff and D.B.Weiss with Alexander Woo – opened Lille’s Series Mania on Friday, immediately dividing the viewers on a series well reviewed by Variety.
Netflix’s ‘3 Body Problem’ Cements ‘Game of Thrones’ Creators as Masters of Adapting the Unadaptable: TV Review
“It’s a very ambitious show and it has a great scale, but I wonder when all the hooks they got into me will reward me with knowledge. I see a lot of potential, but I don’t see a clear path,” actor Malick Bauer told Variety after the screening. One of this year’s International Competition jurors, he is known for the first German Disney+ series “Sam – A Saxon.”
“It can be a great thing, but I do worry if the audience will be given their time. It’s one of...
Netflix’s ‘3 Body Problem’ Cements ‘Game of Thrones’ Creators as Masters of Adapting the Unadaptable: TV Review
“It’s a very ambitious show and it has a great scale, but I wonder when all the hooks they got into me will reward me with knowledge. I see a lot of potential, but I don’t see a clear path,” actor Malick Bauer told Variety after the screening. One of this year’s International Competition jurors, he is known for the first German Disney+ series “Sam – A Saxon.”
“It can be a great thing, but I do worry if the audience will be given their time. It’s one of...
- 3/16/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
‘An underrated northern artist whose impact could have been greater given the right breaks. Cliff Twemlow’s story should provide encouragement to the current crop of British indie filmmakers. An essential watch’
*****
Starburst
‘Hugely entertaining documentary about a truly unique character… Jake West paints an affectionate portrait of a genuine one-off, whose work you’ll want to dive into once credits roll’
Dexerto
‘A fascinating man… Cliff absolutely deserves a place in the pantheon of low-budget, guerrilla-style filmmakers and hopefully this documentary will introduce him to an entirely new audience’
*****
Set the Tape
Following its successful festival run and ahead of its digital release in June 2024, Severin Films announces a UK theatrical tour of the acclaimed film Mancunian Man the Legendary Life of Cliff Twemlow.
Tour dates:
3 March – Nottingham Broadway + Q&a with Jake West & David Gregory
13 March – Birmingham – Mockingbird Cinema + Q&a with Jake West
23 March – Exeter – Exeter Phoenix...
*****
Starburst
‘Hugely entertaining documentary about a truly unique character… Jake West paints an affectionate portrait of a genuine one-off, whose work you’ll want to dive into once credits roll’
Dexerto
‘A fascinating man… Cliff absolutely deserves a place in the pantheon of low-budget, guerrilla-style filmmakers and hopefully this documentary will introduce him to an entirely new audience’
*****
Set the Tape
Following its successful festival run and ahead of its digital release in June 2024, Severin Films announces a UK theatrical tour of the acclaimed film Mancunian Man the Legendary Life of Cliff Twemlow.
Tour dates:
3 March – Nottingham Broadway + Q&a with Jake West & David Gregory
13 March – Birmingham – Mockingbird Cinema + Q&a with Jake West
23 March – Exeter – Exeter Phoenix...
- 3/13/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
Film-maker is accused of rape, sexual battery and intentional affliction of severe emotional distress for alleged incident
Film-maker Roman Polanski will face a civil trial in Los Angeles in 2025 for allegedly raping a teenager in 1973.
Attorney Gloria Allred, who has represented the victims of Jeffery Epstein and Bill Cosby, confirmed in a press conference on Tuesday that a judge has set Polanski’s trial for August 2025.
Film-maker Roman Polanski will face a civil trial in Los Angeles in 2025 for allegedly raping a teenager in 1973.
Attorney Gloria Allred, who has represented the victims of Jeffery Epstein and Bill Cosby, confirmed in a press conference on Tuesday that a judge has set Polanski’s trial for August 2025.
- 3/12/2024
- by Dani Anguiano in Los Angeles
- The Guardian - Film News
Currently on trial in France for decrying the sexual assault claims from actress Charlotte Lewis, Roman Polanski now finds himself facing a trial next year in the United States over allegations of raping a minor in 1973.
The Oscar winning director is set to face American justice starting on August 4, 2025, plaintiff’s lawyer Gloria Allred revealed in a press conference today.
With Jane Doe (previously identified under a shortened version of her name in 2017) sitting by her side Tuesday, Allred also stated that 90-year-old Polanski received papers in the case recently at his home in Paris from a “process server.” After that, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge assigned the date on March 8, the famed advocate attorney stated.
A longtime fugitive from American justice and almost certain not to appear in court in Los Angeles, Polanski sitting for a deposition in the case is still a bit of an unknown, Allred says.
The Oscar winning director is set to face American justice starting on August 4, 2025, plaintiff’s lawyer Gloria Allred revealed in a press conference today.
With Jane Doe (previously identified under a shortened version of her name in 2017) sitting by her side Tuesday, Allred also stated that 90-year-old Polanski received papers in the case recently at his home in Paris from a “process server.” After that, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge assigned the date on March 8, the famed advocate attorney stated.
A longtime fugitive from American justice and almost certain not to appear in court in Los Angeles, Polanski sitting for a deposition in the case is still a bit of an unknown, Allred says.
- 3/12/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Embattled director Roman Polanski has been sued in a lawsuit accusing him of drugging and raping a minor in 1973.
The filing of the complaint comes as a trial in France kicks off over allegations that he defamed British actress Charlotte Lewis, who he accused of disseminating a “heinous lie” after she claimed that he sexually assaulted her in the 1980s. Polanski has been a fugitive from prosecution in the United States since the 1970s.
The lawsuit was filed by an unidentified plaintiff last year in Los Angeles Superior Court, but it was not allowed to disclose Polanski as the defendant. Gloria Allred, who represents the woman, said that the court recently permitted her to file an amended complaint naming Polanski.
According to the lawsuit, Polanski invited the woman to dinner after meeting her at a party when she was a teenager. At his house in Benedict Canyon, he allegedly gave...
The filing of the complaint comes as a trial in France kicks off over allegations that he defamed British actress Charlotte Lewis, who he accused of disseminating a “heinous lie” after she claimed that he sexually assaulted her in the 1980s. Polanski has been a fugitive from prosecution in the United States since the 1970s.
The lawsuit was filed by an unidentified plaintiff last year in Los Angeles Superior Court, but it was not allowed to disclose Polanski as the defendant. Gloria Allred, who represents the woman, said that the court recently permitted her to file an amended complaint naming Polanski.
According to the lawsuit, Polanski invited the woman to dinner after meeting her at a party when she was a teenager. At his house in Benedict Canyon, he allegedly gave...
- 3/12/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A Santa Monica judge has set an August 2025 trial date for a rape lawsuit against director Roman Polanski.
The plaintiff alleges that Polanski raped her in 1973, when she was underage, at his home in Benedict Canyon. According to her lawsuit, she had met him at a party months earlier. Polanski invited her to dinner at Le Restaurant on La Brea Avenue, gave her shots of tequila, and then drove her to his house, where she passed out on his bed, the suit states.
“Plaintiff remembers waking up in Defendant’s bed with him lying in the bed next to her,” the lawsuit states. “He told her that he wanted to have sex with her. Plaintiff, though groggy, told Defendant ‘No.’ She told him, ‘Please don’t do this.'”
According to the suit, Polanski ignored her pleas and proceeded to rape her. He then drove her home. That was the...
The plaintiff alleges that Polanski raped her in 1973, when she was underage, at his home in Benedict Canyon. According to her lawsuit, she had met him at a party months earlier. Polanski invited her to dinner at Le Restaurant on La Brea Avenue, gave her shots of tequila, and then drove her to his house, where she passed out on his bed, the suit states.
“Plaintiff remembers waking up in Defendant’s bed with him lying in the bed next to her,” the lawsuit states. “He told her that he wanted to have sex with her. Plaintiff, though groggy, told Defendant ‘No.’ She told him, ‘Please don’t do this.'”
According to the suit, Polanski ignored her pleas and proceeded to rape her. He then drove her home. That was the...
- 3/12/2024
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
The Oscars are one of the most prestigious events in the field of cinema and few award ceremonies hold the level of honor that the Academy Awards. The ceremony ends the coveted awards season and has been the aim for many of the greatest films of the year. However, the biggest awards show has been tainted by several events that occurred during the ceremony.
While events such as Envelope Gate and Will Smith slapping Chris Rock were moments of embarrassment for the Academy, one particular decision made by the organizers and Hollywood, in general, can be called the ceremony’s most disgusting moment. The decision in question is when Roman Polanksi, a fugitive on the run for s*xually assaulting a minor was awarded the Best Director Oscar for The Pianist.
The Oscars Have Been Tainted Due To Roman Polanski’s Academy Award Win A still from The Pianist which...
While events such as Envelope Gate and Will Smith slapping Chris Rock were moments of embarrassment for the Academy, one particular decision made by the organizers and Hollywood, in general, can be called the ceremony’s most disgusting moment. The decision in question is when Roman Polanksi, a fugitive on the run for s*xually assaulting a minor was awarded the Best Director Oscar for The Pianist.
The Oscars Have Been Tainted Due To Roman Polanski’s Academy Award Win A still from The Pianist which...
- 3/10/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
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