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Joeland Ethan Coenare responsible for so many all-time great classics that it’s easy to take them for granted. While most cinephiles are familiar with the brutal neo-Western No Country For Old Men, the darkly comedic mystery Fargo, the cult classic The Big Lebowski, and the soulful music drama Inside Llewyn Davis, some of their best films have fallen under the radar, including The Man Who Wasn’t There. While not a direct remake, The Man Who Wasn’t There is an homage to the film noir movement of the 1940s, and shares many tonal and stylistic similarities with classics like Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce, and many thrillers directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Although the aesthetics alone make it worthy of a recommendation, The Man Who Wasn’t There ranks among the Coens’ best thanks to the amazing performance by Billy Bob Thornton.

This article contains mention of suicide.

Mulholland Drive is often cited as the best film the late David Lynch ever made, and while there are several other good choices, it certainly ranks at the top of his canon. In its once-a-decade survey of the greatest movies of all time, Sight & Sound ranked the film at number eight, alongside such cinematic luminaries like Citizen Kane, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and The Godfather. Lynch's passing on Jan. 15, 2025 has sparked a new round of interest in Mulholland Drive, as well as its lingering enigmas which were the calling card of its one-of-a-kind director.

True to its creator's form, Mulholland Drive can be a baffling experience, particularly its third-act shift into what appears to be an entirely different narrative. In truth, the movie follows dream logic to construct a dark and terrifying story about the mirage-like nature of Hollywood. Lynch's work requires...

The Cannes Film Festival has paid tribute to director David Lynch who was a long-time habitué, winning it Palme d’Or prize for Wild at Heart in 1990 and serving as jury president in 2002.

“It is with infinite sadness that we learn of the passing of David Lynch, a unique and visionary artist whose work has influenced cinema like few others,” the festival said in a statement following the announcement of the director’s death on Thursday at the age of 78.

“Winner of the Palme d’Or at the Festival de Cannes in 1990 for Sailor and Lula (Wild At Heart), then the Prix de la mise en scène (Best Director) in 2001 for Mulholland Drive, he elegantly presided over the Jury in 2002,” it continued. “He leaves behind a rare and timeless body of work, whose films will continue to nourish our imagination and inspire all those who see cinema as an art capable of revealing the unspeakable.

Laura Harring is mourning the loss of her Mulholland Drive director David Lynch, who died at age 78.

The actors who worked with Lynch over his prolific career have shared their thoughts, and Harring paid tribute to the late filmmaker in a post on social media.

“Ohh dear David, All artists and humans who came across you, will mourn your passing on, but I know you are creating movies, writing, painting and meditating from up above,” Harring posted on Instagram. “The Heavens welcome your sweet soul into Eternal Bliss. Goodbye, my friend. May you rest in peace, Buddy Dave.”

Harring accompanied her post with a photo of herself and her Mulholland Drive co-star Naomi Watts kissing the director on the cheek at the 54th Cannes Film Festival in May 2001.

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Mulholland Drive follows an aspiring actress (Watts) who befriends...

“My heart is broken. My Buddy Dave…” began Mulholland Drive star Naomi Watts on Instagram about the death of that movie’s filmmaker David Lynch.

“The world will not be the same without him. His creative mentorship was truly powerful,” she wrote.

“He put me on the map. The world I’d been trying to break into for ten plus years, flunking auditions left and right,” said the British-born actress, whose career took a 180-turn skyward following her turn the 2001 L.A. noir movie that Lynch morphed from a deep-sixed ABC TV pilot into an Oscar-nominated movie from Universal.

Watts played the doppelganger roles of Betty Elms and Diane Selwyn alongside co-stars Laura Harring, Justin Theroux and Robert Forster.

Related: ‘Mulholland Drive’s Laura Harring Mourns Death Of Director David Lynch: “The Heavens Welcome Your Sweet Soul Into Eternal Bliss”

“Finally, I sat in front of a curious man, beaming with light,...

Tony Shaloub is well-known for his starring role in the police procedural comedy, Monk, yet the actor's other long-running show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, should be just as popular, especially after his Emmy win. Shalhoub has been in the movie and TV business for decades now, after earning his breakout role on the sitcom, Wings. He has garnered acclaim for projects such as Men in Black II, The Man Who Wasn't There, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. However, audiences are most likely to recognize him for Monk, which aired for eight seasons from 2002 to 2009.

Although Monk could be considered Shalhoub's claim to television fame, the actor starred in another series that is just as hilarious and captivating. Initially released in 2017, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a dramedy series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino of Gilmore Girls fame, and produced by Prime Video. The show is set in 1950s New York and follows Miriam "Midge" Maisel,...

The versatile and beloved Bad Santa star has played Karl Childers in Sling Blade, a high school football coach in Saturday Night Live, and a charmingly unhinged barber in The Man Who Wasn’t There, but Billy Bob Thornton refuses to play the bad guy in big-budget action and superhero movies. A wildcard in Hollywood, he’s delighted audiences with his goofy performances and recently, Thornton opened up about turning down two iconic "bad guy" roles in Spider-Man and Mission: Impossible III.

On the Bingeworthy podcast, Thornton recalled the opportunities that were presented to him, such as playing Green Goblin in the very first Spider-Man movie starring Tobey Maguire. Thornton was also offered the role of Owen Davian, an arms dealer looking for a mysterious biological hazard in Mission: Impossible III. He shared:

“I don’t have much interest in those kinds of roles. With the Green Goblin, I didn...

Going to see a parody of classic science fiction and horror movies is always a dicey situation, especially if you’re already a fan of the films they target. Besides hoping that it’s actually funny, you’re also worried that they’ll just take a stance of sneering contempt towards their source material, as is all too often the case. Even a respectful homage is no guarantee of quality, either. An affectionate tribute can too easily become an exercise in virtue-signaling, a lackluster effort at trying to prove they’re part of the fan club, and an excuse to copy what’s already been done to death. I’ll be a happy man if I never see another reenactment of Psycho’s shower scene again.

What makes Michael Stasko’s “Vampire Zombies…From Space!” such a pleasant surprise is it’s not only the rare parody that’s actually...

"Seinfeld" is a stone cold classic of a sitcom that never had to rely on a laugh track to have its viewers in stitches. Still, like so many other long-running hit shows, it had its share of behind-the-scenes issues and "what could have been" scenarios. Some of "Seinfeld's worst episodes can seem outright tacky compared to the show's usually stellar quality. The now-classic episode "The Pen" nearly sunk the show after the exclusion of Jason Alexander's George Costanza and Michael Richards' Cosmo Kramer angered the former to the brink of a walkout. Oh, and speaking of George, there's another way the character could have changed the show's course in a significant way: As it turns out, none other than Tony Shalhoub once auditioned for that crucial "Seinfeld" role. 

Whispers that "Monk" star Shalhoub auditioned for the character of Kramer are readily available online, but in a 2023 interview with Today,...

“Landman” is here. Taylor Sheridan’s latest series, based on the Texas Monthly podcast “Boomtown,” has started streaming on Paramount+, and it’s already a sensation. It’s the biggest global series premiere on Paramount+ in two years, with more than 5.2 million views on the streaming service and the Paramount Network, where it aired following the second episode of “Yellowstone” 5B.

Set in the oil fields of Texas, “Landman” is full of colorful characters essayed by some of our very best actors. Let’s get into it, shall we? Can we get a yee-haw?

Billy Bob Thornton in “Landman” (Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+) Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris

Tommy Norris is a crisis executive (basically a fixer) at a fictional oil company M-Tex Oil. In the opening scenes of the series, he is kidnapped by a Mexican cartel and forced to deal with a situation where an oil tanker...

Frances McDormand has established herself as one of the finest actors of her generation, and she has a few great movies which don't get enough attention. While most people will be familiar with McDormand's performances in movies like Fargo and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, she has been making great movies for decades, so she has some underappreciated hits.

McDormand is equally adept at comedy and drama, and some of her finest performances come when she is able to produce a blend of both. She is one of an elite few who have earned three Academy Awards for acting, putting her in the same rarefied air as legends such as Katharine Hepburn and Jack Nicholson. Given some of her recent movies, it wouldn't be a surprise to see her adding to that total in the years to come. Despite all her high-profile success, McDormand still has some underrated movies.

Related...

How now, what news: the Criterion Channel’s July lineup is here. Eight pop renditions of Shakespeare are on the docket: from movies you forgot were inspired by the Bard (Abel Ferrara’s China Girl) to ones you’d wish to forget altogether (Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing), with maybe my single favorite interpretation (Michael Almereyda’s Hamlet) alongside Paul Mazursky, Gus Van Sant, Baz Luhrmann, Derek Jarman, and (of course) Kenneth Branagh. A neonoir collection arrives four months ahead of Noirvember: two Ellroy adaptations, two from De Palma that are not his neonoir Ellroy adaptation, two from the Coen brothers (i.e. the chance to see a DVD-stranded The Man Who Wasn’t There in HD), and––finally––a Michael Winner picture given Criterion’s seal of approval.

Columbia screwballs run between classics to lesser-seens while Nicolas Roeg and Heisei-era Godzilla face off. A Times Square collection brings The Gods of Times Square,...

Two-time Oscar nominated and Emmy-winning actor Richard Jenkins has joined the cast of Criminal, Prime Video’s upcoming drama series based on Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips’ multi-Eisner Award-winning graphic novel series.

Criminal is an interlocking universe of crime stories based on the graphic novels.

Jenkins will play Ivan, Leo’s dad’s best friend, who has always been an uncle figure to him. He used to be a robber and criminal, but is now currently suffering from dementia. Leo is trying to care for him but realizes he’s more work than he can handle.

Brubaker, who penned the pilot script, will co-showrun the TV series with crime fiction author Jordan Harper (Hightown). Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden will direct the first four episodes.

Criminal is produced by Amazon MGM Studios. The series is executive produced by Brubaker and Harper, alongside Sean Phillips, Sarah Carbiener, and Phillip Barnett.

The Coen Brothers, namely Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, are an iconic filmmaking duo. They are credited with the making of some of the best movies like Raising Arizona and O Brother, Where Art Thou? The duo wrote and directed their first movie, Blood Simple, in 1984.

After decades of working together with his brother, Ethan Coen decided to take a break from making films to turn his attention to theater. However, he was not able to stay away from narrative storytelling for too long. In 2022, it was announced that he was directing a movie named Drive-Away Dolls, which he co-wrote with his wife Tricia Cooke. The movie is loosely based on the couple’s one-of-a-kind family setup.

The Coen Brothers- Ethan Coen and Joel Coen

Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke’s Unique Family Setup

For those unversed, Ethan Coen‘s wife Tricia Cooke worked with the Coen Brothers as a...

There’s a new Coen duo in town. Ethan Coen and his wife, film editor Tricia Cooke, have created a feature – Drive-Away Dolls. Here they talk about 70s B-movies, US politics, and the joys of their unconventional marriage

In the folklore that has grown up around the Coen brothers over the past 40 years, there are two siblings, Ethan and Joel, and Joel’s wife, actor Frances McDormand, who has been a regular since their first film, Blood Simple, and bagged an Oscar for her unforgettable performance as the pregnant policewoman in Fargo. Ultra-swotty groupies may remember that Ethan’s son, Buster, was credited as Matt Damon’s abs double on True Grit, though Buster was barely into his teens and Damon never displayed his abs.

But unbeknown to most, on seven of the Coens’ films, up until 2001’s The Man Who Wasn’t There, a fourth member of the clan was working away behind the scenes.

The release of "Drive-Away Dolls" has been marked by most of the trades as the first solo directorial feature of Ethan Coen, following his brother Joel's 2021 outing with "The Tragedy of Macbeth." And sure, it's a catchy headline to acknowledge that one-half of one of cinema's greatest directorial partnerships is stepping out on his own, but that doesn't tell the full story. For one thing, Ethan Coen already made his solo directorial debut with the documentary "Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind." More importantly, "Drive-Away Dolls" may have Coen listed as the solo director, but if you ask him, this was yet another co-directed project, but this time with his wife and longtime Coen Bros. editor, Tricia Cooke.

Cooke first worked with the Coens as an editor on "Miller's Crossing" fresh out of film school, seeking out the job not because they were the esteemed directors of "Blood Simple" and Raising Arizona" fame,...

Drive-Away Dolls' Rotten Tomatoes score sits at 72%, lower than all but two Coen brothers movies. The Coen brothers, known for Fargo and No Country for Old Men, have each started directing solo projects. Despite being considered fresh, Drive-Away Dolls' score doesn't match the Coen brothers' high achievements.

The Drive-Away Dolls Rotten Tomatoes score is in, and it's lower than all but two Coen brothers movies. Known for their acclaimed genre-spanning films like Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and No Country for Old Men, the Coen brothers recently parted ways and started making movies on their own, starting with Joel Coen's The Tragedy of Macbeth in 2021 and Ethan Coen directing Drive-Away Dolls, due for release on February 23. The road comedy, co-written by Tricia Cooke, follows two free spirits who embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee and cross paths with a group of inept criminals.

The Drive-Away Dolls cast includes Margaret Qualley,...

Ho Ho Ho motherf*ckers! Yup, it’s that time of year again…the giving season. As families everywhere come together to celebrate the holidays, bundle up by the fire, and indulge in a parade of sappy Christmas movies, the real adults in the room are going to need something with a bit more kick. Think about it, the all-time best Christmas movies – It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Story, Home Alone, you name it – all revolve around sentimental family-friendly stories for children and adults to enjoy equally. But f*ck all that, Jack, this year we’re all about honoring a bona fide Christmas classic expressly aimed at adult audiences. While Die Hard and Violent Night are worthy action-packed contenders, it’s time to dish out the edible cookies and spiked eggnog for Bad Santa – easily the most politically incorrect and controversially transgressive Christmas comedy on record.

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, those famous filmmaking siblings adapted the script for No Country for Old Men (2007) from a novel of the same name, written by Cormac McCarthy. That's one of the greatest American novelists of his time, with other hit pieces of literature under his belt like The Road and, of course, Blood Meridian. But regarding No Country for Old Men, it's easily the best adaptation of a McCarthy novel to ever hit the silver screen. That can of course be attributed to the individual plot points and thought-out character dynamics developed by McCarthy. But film is a totally separate beast, and the Coens had quite the task when adapting the difficult novelist.

Often cited as the Hemingway of his generation, Cormac McCarthy had an idiosyncratic writing style that featured minimalist prose, hard-hitting themes, and instances of aestheticized violence which almost seemed to influence the Coens. Think...

Focus Features and Working Title have released the first trailer for Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke’s comedy caper “Drive-Away Dolls.” The comedy is set to open in theaters on Sept. 22.

The film follows Jamie, played by Margaret Qualley, who is an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan), who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals.

Speaking with Variety, Coen described the film as “filthy fun” and a “chase intrigue movie. In one word, it’s a comedy.”

Cooke adds the film is a queer film with Jamie and Marian’s relationship dynamic also featured as part of the narrative. She says, “I’m queer, and I’ve always identified as queer.

From similar coming-of-age sci-fi stories to the films that inspired Wes Anderson’s UFO caper, there are a handful of great movies to watch before Asteroid City to prepare. Set in a retrofuturistic 1955, Asteroid City revolves around an annual Junior Stargazer convention in the desert, where a group of young science prodigies make contact with alien life. Asteroid City has one of Anderson’s most star-studded casts, featuring Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, and Margot Robbie. This is Anderson’s first stab at the science fiction genre, and it brings his idiosyncratic cinematic voice to familiar genre tropes.

Anderson drew from many different influences in the creation of Asteroid City. The director has curated a tie-in book called Do Not Detonate Without Presidential Approval, a collection of both old and new writings about mid-century cinema and the American West, covering all the biggest influences on Asteroid City. Anderson told...

Ethan Coen’s latest solo project just shifted into high gear, showing its first trailer at CinemaCon 2023.

“Drive-Away Dolls,” a road movie about restless best friends and hapless crooks, is the latest from the co-director of modern classics “No Country for Old Men,” “Inside Llewyn Davis” and “Fargo.”

During the Focus Features section of Universal’s presentation at the annual convention of movie theater owners, the audience was served up a sleek and sexy road noir with a major ensemble: Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan leading, along with Beanie Feldstein, Pedro Pascal, Colman Domingo, Bill Camp and Matt Damon.

Coen, on his own without longtime collaborator and brother Joel, directed and co-wrote the script with Tricia Cooke. The movie follows Jamie, a free spirit mourning her latest breakup, and Marian, a wallflower in desperate need of adventure. The pair embark on a spontaneous trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go...

The 76th Cannes Film Festival announced this morning that its closing night film in, oh, just about five weeks will be Pixar’s latest innovative animated film, “Elemental.” The movie is directed by Peter Sohn, whose only other feature credit as director is 2015’s “The Good Dinosaur.” Sohn has been a part of Pixar, working in some capacity as an animator or story developer on most of their titles, going back to 2003. Job security at that shop!

“Elemental”’s premise is a forbidden love between anthropomorphic representations of Fire and Water in Element City. How this will make any kind of logical sense is beyond me, but have you seen how much money the “Cars” franchise has earned? I think it’s best not to worry too much about realism and, following water’s lead, go with the flow.

The voice cast is led by Leah Lewis of “The Half of It...

Exclusive: Oscar winner Juliette Binoche (The English Patient), Oscar nominee and BAFTA winner Tom Courtenay (Doctor Zhivago), Emmy winner Anna Calder-Marshall (Wuthering Heights) and Bridgerton breakout Florence Hunt are currently filming under-the-radar feature drama Queen At Sea in the UK.

Plot is largely being kept under wraps but we understand Binoche will play a woman who moves back to London with her teenage daughter (Hunt) amid concern for her ageing mother (Calder-Marshall).

The film will mark the second feature for writer-director Lance Hammer who 15 years ago made his debut with well-received Sundance drama Ballast, which won two awards in Park City, and played a host of festivals before winning the filmmaker a Gotham award for breakthrough director and garnering six Indie Sprit nominations.

Hammer, now in his 50s, went quiet after his debut 15 years ago so there will be intrigue around his second feature. Prior to Ballast the filmmaker was...

Focus Features and Working Title will release Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke’s “Drive-Away Dolls.” The comedy caper will open in theaters on Sept. 22, 2023.

The film follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals.

It features an impressive cast that includes Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Pedro Pascal, Colman Domingo, Bill Camp and Matt Damon.

Coen, the Oscar-winning director and screenwriter of “Fargo” and “No Country for Old Men,” is making the film without his brother and frequent collaborator Joel Coen. It’s not their first time working on solo projects. Joel Coen adapted “The Tragedy of Macbeth” in 2021 with Denzel Washington and the director’s wife,...

Amazon's hit series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel continues with season 5 and a growing cast of hilarious characters. The show debuted in 2017 and has become one of the most popular and acclaimed programs exclusive to Prime Video. Set in the late '50s and early '60s, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel primarily follows the titular character in her rise — and constant falls — as a stand-up comedian. Given its historical backdrop, the protagonist and a number of other characters on the show are inspired by real people while a few supporting players in the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel cast directly portray famous figures.

Besides being a comedy about a newly divorced mother finding her calling in show business, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is also an ensemble series with ongoing narratives involving the title character's family. From her dysfunctional parents to her ex-husband and his own father and mother, the series' supporting characters and...

Frances McDormand and Joel Coen have worked on several movies together throughout their respective careers, and the married couple's creative output together has varied in quality. The pair work excellently together, as McDormand is among the few actresses that fully understand Joel and Ethan Coen's sharp and witty sense of humor, bringing the brothers' movies alive with just the right amount of eccentricity and bold acting choices. It’s because of this mutual understanding that the couple’s collaborations rank among their best projects.

McDormand and Coen met during the audition process of their first movie together, Blood Simple, and they’ve reunited creatively on many occasions since. She has been given the chance to play some of the Coen brother’s best characters, and while not all of their collaborations have been met with the same amount of acclaim, the duo is still considered one of Hollywood’s greatest power couples.

Roger Deakins, a celebrated cinematographer known for his work with the Coen brothers, Martin Scorsese and more, will receive a career achievement award at the American Cinematheque’s second annual Tribute to the Crafts.

Deakins has garnered 15 Oscar nominations and two wins during his long career. Most recently, the director of photography received nominations from BAFTA and the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) for Sam Mendes’ latest film “Empire of Light.” Deakins has also collaborated with such filmmakers as John Sayles, Denis Villeneuve and Agnieszka Holland over the years.

American Cinematheque’s invitation-only Tribute to the Crafts is set for Feb. 9 at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica. The event is co-hosted by American Cinematheque Board members, producer Paula Wagner and Franklin Leonard, producer and founder-ceo of The Black List.

On Feb. 8, American Cinematheque will also host a double feature retrospective of the Deakins-lensed films “Fargo” (1996) and “The Man Who Wasn’t There...

While Joel and Ethan Coen have dabbled, both collectively and individually, in film genres that run the gamut from hard-boiled noir to Hollywood satire, all the way back around to screwball comedy (Raising Arizona), and even Shakespeare (last year’s The Tragedy of Macbeth from just Joel), the revered fraternal directing duo are known for making a certain aesthetic of film that is undeniably unique to them. In a typical Coen brothers film, a lead character is punished to a great extreme, and often by forces beyond their comprehension. Think of the scribe in the Tinseltown nightmare Barton Fink, who can’t write but a word of his screenplay due to being besieged on all sides by nosy neighbors, overbearing studio heads, and assorted human vultures. Or how about Larry Gopnik, the put-upon protagonist of A Serious Man, who must bear the brunt of his wife’s infidelity and his...

In "The Grey Man," the Russo brothers' latest expansive (and expensive) collaboration with screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, Billy Bob Thornton gets the "and" credit. That's fitting in terms of screentime, but it doesn't capture what Thornton brings to the film. His presence is the skeleton key to unlocking Marcus, McFeely, and the Russos' intentions. Thornton was one of the 1990s most prominent talents, a force in front of and behind the camera — sometimes in the same picture. "The Grey Man" deliberately rips its espionage and quip-to-dialogue ratio from the decade that made Thornton famous. Thornton gets this. He calibrated his whole performance as Donald Fitzroy — from its winking elements to sincerest stretches — knowing what "The Gray Man" is after. It's smooth. It's electric. That's peak Billy Bob Thornton.

Thornton has rarely stopped working or ceased being smooth or electric since his heyday more than two decades ago. He's...

Those looking to play Coen Kremlinologist now that the brothers are following individual muses might find themselves at a loss with “Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind.” To understand filmmaker Ethan Coen’s unique perspective, better pick up one of his plays or books of poetry, or simply wait for the lesbian road comedy he’s slated to direct later this year. When it comes to this musical documentary that marks Coen’s first solo directorial outing, the voice that rings loudest belongs to the man in the title.

Less a biography of a music pioneer than a chance to hang by his side, Coen’s concise 72-minute film builds on nothing but archival footage, mixing and matching decades of interviews with hours of recorded performances. Eventually, Coen and his film settle around the thesis that Jerry Lee — who’s still kicking at age 86 and was inducted into the Country...

Dust off your tuxes and grab those high heels, the Cannes Film Festival is just around the corner.

Making its return to May for the first time since 2019, this year’s celebration of international cinema and conspicuous wealth is gearing up to be a big one. While the official announcement of what will compete for the Palme D’Or (and appear in the many sidebars) has yet to be revealed, Variety has some better-than-educated guesses, and it includes some surprises.

The biggie, according to the trade, is the unexpected return of David Lynch with a project that has heretofore been completely secret. Not much about it is known—it could be a feature film, or the festival could be debuting the first episodes of a series as they did with “Twin Peaks: The Return” in 2017. (Showtime CEO David Nevins has expressed that all Lynch has to do is make the call to set something up.

Restoration

The 20th anniversary 4K restoration of David Lynch‘s iconic surrealist mystery-drama is to get a home entertainment and limited theatrical release from Studiocanal and the Criterion Collection.

20 years after the film’s world premiere at Cannes in 2001, the restoration, supervised by Lynch himself, premiered at the Cannes Classics selection earlier this year. In 2001, Lynch won best director at Cannes, an award he shared with Joel Coen for “The Man Who Wasn’t There.”

The film will be released on home entertainment, formats including a 4K Uhd limited collector’s edition with a new artwork by Krzysztof Domaradzki rolling out across Studiocanal’s territories in November, with additional theatrical releases planned in France and Germany.

“Mulholland Drive” stars Naomi Watts (“The Impossible”) in her breakthrough double-role as well as Laura Harring (“Love in the Time of Cholera”), Justin Theroux (“The Girl On The Train”) and Melissa George (“Hunted”).

Streaming

Streamer...

The Scottish Play has been adapted into more than 25 different movies since J. Stuart Blackton first gave it a whirl in 1908, and yet Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” is such a strange hybrid between cinema and theater that it seems to exist in a realm all its own. Shot in atemporal black-and-white on a Los Angeles soundstage made to resemble the half-empty guts of a leaky snow-globe, this dark lucid dream of a film might be the latest example of a grand tradition, but its hermetically sealed design makes it sound more like an echo chamber. There are mad whispers bleeding through the concrete walls — dark thoughts that curve around the fake night sky — but the voices seem to be coming from inside the castle.

Which isn’t to suggest that the quizzical calm of Denzel Washington’s lead performance doesn’t make for an arresting contrast against...

Sondra James, the veteran character actress who founded and ran the New York-based postproduction loop group Speakeasy, has died. She was 82.

James died Sunday at her home in New York after a five-month battle with lung cancer, her manager, Carolyn Anthony, reported.

Speakeasy organized voice work for producers, directors, sound designers and editors, and her voice and her team was heard in more than 500 films, TV shows and animation.

The native New Yorker was in charge of voice casting for such Coen brothers films as O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), A ...

Sondra James, the veteran character actress who founded and ran the New York-based postproduction loop group Speakeasy, has died. She was 82.

James died Sunday at her home in New York after a five-month battle with lung cancer, her manager, Carolyn Anthony, reported.

Speakeasy organized voice work for producers, directors, sound designers and editors, and her voice and her team was heard in more than 500 films, TV shows and animation.

The native New Yorker was in charge of voice casting for such Coen brothers films as O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), A ...

Billy Bob Thornton has joined the upcoming “Yellowstone” prequel series “1883” at Paramount Plus, Variety has learned.

Thornton joins previously announced cast members Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Sam Elliott. The series takes place in the titular year and follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. It is described as a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land — Montana. Thornton will appear in the guest star role of Marshal Jim Courtright.

Thornton is primarily known for his work in film, having received three Oscar nominations throughout his career with one win. He received two of those nominations for both writing and starring in the 1996 film “Sling Blade,” winning the award for best adapted screenplay. Thornton is also known for...

Scarlett Johansson, whose long-awaited solo Marvel movie Black Widow finally hits theaters and Disney+ next month, is being feted this fall as the 35th recipient of the American Cinematheque Award. After going with a virtual presentation last year for 2020 honoree Spike Lee, the organization’s marquee event returns to normalcy, with its November 18 ceremony taking place at the Beverly Hilton where it was held last in 2019, when Charlize Theron was the recipient.

The event is an annual fundraiser for the nonprofit organization that continues its year-round programming at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica and Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. After a year-plus shutdown due to the pandemic, the Aero just reopened June 10. The Egyptian, now under the purview of Netflix, is undergoing renovations before reopening as a venue both Netflix and American Cinematheque (on the weekends) will be using for their programming.

American Cinematheque board chair Rick Nicita announced Johansson...

Writer, director, producer Nicole Holofcener joins podcast hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss some of her favorite films.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Enough Said (2013)

True Romance (1993)

Coming Home (1978)

Bound for Glory (1976)

Hal (2018)

The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)

The Cowboys (1972)

Harold And Maude (1971)

Conrack (1974)

Norma Rae (1979)

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Miller’s Crossing (1990)

Naked (1993)

The Short And Curlies (1987)

Short Cuts (1993)

Nashville (1975)

McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)

Heaven Can Wait (1978)

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941)

The Father (2020)

Carnal Knowledge (1971)

Sex, Lies And Videotape (1989)

Jaws (1975)

Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy (1955)

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

World Without End (1956)

Boogie Nights (1997)

Blue Velvet (1986)

Goodfellas (1990)

Adaptation (2002)

Synecdoche, New York (2008)

Lolita (1962)

The Shining (1980)

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Paths of Glory (1957)

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

12 Angry Men (1957)

A Serious Man (2009)

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

The Big Lebowski (1998)

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)

Intolerable Cruelty (2003)

Capote (2005)

A History of Violence (2005)

The 400 Blows...

It’s been nearly a year since anyone’s heard about “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” the adaptation of Shakespeare’s drama directed by Joel Coen (sans partner and brother Ethan) and starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand.

In a recent episode of cinematographer Roger Deakins’ podcast, Team Deakins, the Oscar winner and his wife and co-host, James, were joined by the Coens’ long-time costume designer Mary Zophres. She revealed at the end of the show that the film’s cinematographer, Bruno Delbonnel, had shot “Macbeth” entirely in black and white.

Zophres went on to explain that the process of doing the costumes this time was easier than the last time she’d worked with black and white — that being the 2001 Coen brothers crime drama “The Man Who Wasn’t There.” In this case, Zophres said she utilized the noir setting on her iPhone to approximate how the costumes would look devoid of color.

While there’s no release date confirmed quite yet, near the top of our most-anticipated films of 2021 is Joel Coen’s new Shakespeare adaptation The Tragedy of Macbeth, starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. Backed by A24, with a cast that also includes Brendan Gleeson, Corey Hawkins, Moses Ingram, Harry Melling, and Ralph Ineson, a batch of details were revealed last spring by the director and McDormand—now another major update has arrived.

On Roger Deakins and James Deakins’ stellar podcast, they were joined by legendary costume designer Mary Zophres––who has worked with the Coens on all their films since Fargo, as well as La La Land, Catch Me If You Can, Interstellar, First Man, and more. Towards the tail end of their conversation, she casually reveals that The Tragedy of Macbeth was shot in black-and-white by cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, reteaming with Joel Coen after The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and Inside Llewyn Davis.

“Mank” is the early Oscar front-runner to win Best Cinematography, according to the combined predictions of Gold Derby users, and it’s no wonder why. Black-and-white films stand out visually in an era when the vast majority of movies are shot in color. But monochromatic movies aren’t the slam dunk you might think. In fact, only two such movies have won that award in the past 30 years, which could be good news for “Mank’s” closest challenger in our odds, “Nomadland.”

Erik Messerschmidt is the cinematographer for “Mank,” which tells the true story of the title screenwriter who clashed with the wealthy Hollywood establishment and wrote the classic film “Citizen Kane.” The David Fincher-directed biopic is stylized to resemble the films of the 1940s era it depicts, which might especially appeal to the industry insiders who vote for the Oscars. And Messerschmidt just recently broke through with his...

The “Team Deakins” podcast released a long-hoped-for episode this week as Joel Coen joined Roger Deakins for a nearly 90 minute discussion about their collaboration. Deakins has worked with the Coen Brothers more than any other filmmakers over his career, shooting 12 of their movies starting with “Barton Fink” and earning Oscar nominations for his work on “Fargo,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” “The Man Who Wasn’t There,” “No Country for Old Men,” and “True Grit.” Deakins told Joel during the podcast conversation that the Coen Brothers remain the most confident directors he’s ever worked with when it comes to the amount of footage shot.

“You never shot much film,” Deakins said. “Your film-to-cut ratio is so low relative to any other director I’ve worked with. ‘Fargo’ was 150,000 feet of film, which is ridiculous. Sometimes after the first take you’d nod to Ethan and I’d be like, ‘Another take,...

Recalling the classic movie monsters of Hollywood’s Golden Age, visions of those hardworking actors suffering through hours of cumbersome, often restrictive make-ups spring to mind. Ah, but one didn’t occupy “make-up marvel” Jack Pierce’s “barbershop” chair. Why? Because he wasn’t “there”, aside from a wig, bandages, dark sunglasses, and hard molded rubber nose. Springing from the imagination of celebrated science fiction/fantasy author H.G. Wells in 1897, “The Invisible Man” joined Universal’s “gallery of the ghoulish” in James Whale’s 1933 classic. And, as a twist on the old saying goes, you can’t keep a good “creep” down. The unseen fiend returned with four follow-ups in the 1940s before Abbott and Costello met him in 1951, as TV beckoned. At least four action/adventure series began in 1958. But the movies weren’t done with the “concept”. It was mined for laughs in 1983’s The Man Who Wasn’T There...

Roger Deakins has won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography thanks to his virtuoso work filming Sam Mendes’ “1917,” the World War I drama that is filmed to look like one single continuous take. Deakins’ “1917” victory is the cinematographer’s second Oscar win in two years following his prize for Denis Villeneuve’s “Blade Runner 2049.” Deakins, one of the most widely acclaimed cinematographers of his generation, spent decades waiting for his first Oscar. The Dp earned 14 Oscar nominations over 23 years and lost every single time until “Blade Runner 2049” at the 2018 ceremony. Now Deakins has won two Oscars in two years.

Prior to winning for the first time with “Blade Runner 2049,” Deakins was Oscar-nominated for the following titles: “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Fargo,” “Kundun,” “O Brother, Where Are Thou?,” “The Man Who Wasn’t There,” “No Country for Old Men,” “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,...

“1917,” Sam Mendes’ World War I survival thriller, dominated at the 73rd British Academy of Film and Television’s Film Awards with seven wins including best film and best director.

“Joker,” meanwhile, which went into the BAFTAs with the most nominations, 11, won three awards including best actor for Joaquin Phoenix. “Parasite” picked up two awards, for original screenplay and film not in the English language.

Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” which had 10 noms in total, emerged empty handed. Among other awards favorites, “Marriage Story,” “Bombshell,” “JoJo Rabbit,” “Little Women” and “Ford v Ferrari” won one prize each.

“1917,” with nine nominations in all, took the first award of the evening, the outstanding British film award, where it was the clear favorite in the category against fellow nominees “Bait,” “For Sama,” “Rocketman,” “Sorry We Missed You,” and “The Two Popes.”

“1917,” which has has struck a resounding chord at the box office,...

Roger Deakins (“1917”) will compete against theatrical cinematographers Phedon Papamichael (“Ford v Ferrari”), Rodrigo Prieto (“The Irishman”), Robert Richardson (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), and Lawrence Sher (“Joker”) in the 34th annual Asc Awards. They will be held January 25 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland.

Additionally, competing for the indie Spotlight Award were first-time nominees Jarin Blaschke (“The Lighthouse”), Natasha Braier (“Honey Boy”), and Jasper Wolf (“Monos”).

There were no surprises among the five theatrical nominees, which are all Best Picture Oscar contenders. Deakins, who finally landed his first Oscar after 14 nominations with “Blade Runner 2049,” is the frontrunner again with the bravura, one-shot achievement of Sam Mendes’ World War I thriller, “1917.” He is a four-time Asc winner, and this marks his 16th nomination.

Three-time Oscar winner Richardson earned his 11th nomination, while Papamichael and Prieto have each been recognized three times by the Asc. For Sher,...

The Lighthouse, Honey Boy, Monos in contention for Spotlight Award.

The American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) on Friday (January 3) announced five nominees for best theatrical release and three in contention for the Spotlight Award honouring films that may not get a wide release.

The five cinematographers in the running for the theatrical category of the 34th Asc Outstanding Achievement Awards are: Roger Deakins for 1917 (pictured); Phedon Papamichael for Ford v Ferrari; Rodrigo Prieto for The Irishman; Robert Richardson for Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood; and Lawrence Sher for Joker.

Spotlight Award nominees are Jarin Blaschke for The Lighthouse; Natasha Braier...

Bill Heck, Tim Blake Nelson, Zoe Kazan, Ethan Coen, and Joel Coen with 56th New York Film Festival Director and Selection Committee Chair Kent Jones Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

Leave it to Joel and Ethan Coen to assemble a cast that includes Tim Blake Nelson, Zoe Kazan (who co-wrote Paul Dano's Wildlife a highlight of the festival), Tyne Daly, Tom Waits, James Franco, Liam Neeson, Bill Heck, and Brendan Gleeson for their latest feature The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs which is screening in the Main Slate of the 56th New York Film Festival.

Ethan Coen with Joel Coen: "We had an oxen wrangler, because we wanted the oxen to do something specific in a take." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

The Coen brothers worked again with longtime collaborators. This is the 16th time with composer Carter Burwell, who started out with Blood Simple, then Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, and The Hudsucker Proxy,...

Whereas the names and history of most cinematographers often go unknown by even ardent filmgoers, Roger Deakins is one of the few directors of photography in the world that immediately sparks interest in a project. He's elevated mediocre material - Skyfall, Rango, and Unbroken come to mind - while also matching the exquisite pitch of some of America's most popular directors, including the Coen brothers and Denis Villeneuve. For his work, he's been honored by the American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) with 15 nominations and three wins for his work on The Man Who Wasn't There, The Shawshank …...