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Neon and Anomalisa director Duke Johnson are bringing something twisty and mysterious this Wednesday with a trailer for The Actor, a bizarre amnesiac tale filled with mischief, misinformation, and malcontents. It stars André Holland as a man with no memory surrounded by suspicious characters and a beautiful stranger who wants to help him solve the mystery of his past and become a part of his future.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Actor courtesy of Neon:

“Based on the novel Memory by Donald E. Westlake, The Actor finds Paul Cole (Holland) stranded in a mysterious small town with no memory of who he is or how he got here. Without a sense of identity or purpose, he starts from scratch and begins courting a local costume designer (Chan). As bits and pieces of his past slowly emerge, he attempts to find his way home, but time is slippery,...

Pharrell Williams and Michel Gondry have decided to scrap their movie musical that was in the postproduction process for Universal Pictures.

Golden, which previously went by the title Atlantis, will not be shopped to other interested parties, as the creative team is not continuing on with the project. It had previously been scheduled for release on May 9.

The star-studded cast included Kelvin Harrison Jr., Halle Bailey, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry, Janelle Monáe, Missy Elliott and Quinta Brunson. The project was set in Virginia Beach during the summer of 1977 and inspired by Atlantis Apartments, the neighborhood where Williams grew up. Gondry helmed the musical from a script by Martin Hynes and Steven Levenson, while Williams was a producer alongside Mimi Valdés and Gil Netter.

“When all of us got into the editing room, we collectively decided there wasn’t a path forward to tell the version of this story that we originally envisioned,...

International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) is allowing audiences topause, rewind and travel back to an era when video shops were at the epicentre of film culture.

The IFFR special Focus programme ’Hold Video In Your Hands’ has premieres of two new documentaries about VHS culture: Alex Ross Perry’s Videoheaven, exploring the role of VHS in US film and TV, and Gyz La Rivière’s Videotheek Marco, a tribute to the once booming Dutch video scene.

The Focus also includes movies set in video stores (Be Kind Rewind); films about video dubbing and piracy (Video Kings); some horror (The Video...

Michel Gondry will be honored at this year’s Annecy Film Festival, the world’s premiere animation fest. The filmmaker behind “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Be Kind Rewind” will receive the Honorary Cristal “in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the vitality of animation.”

“Michel Gondry assumes the legacy of Georges Méliès as much as that of Norman McLaren,” the festival’s artistic delegate Michel Jean said in Wednesday’s announcement. “His boundless creativity and innovative approach have brought hand-crafted animation back into the mainstream, as brilliantly illustrated by ‘The Science of Sleep.'”

Gondry has a history with Annecy, but has never actually attended the festival.

In 2013, Gondry’s “Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy?: An Animated Conversation With Noam Chomsky” was awarded the Prix André-Martin for best French animated feature. Gondry’s last feature “Maya, Give Me a Title,” was almost completely animated,...

The Annecy animated film festival will this year honor French film iconoclast Michel Gondry.

Annecy will present the director of The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Silence of Sleep, and Be Kind Rewind with an honorary Crystal award for lifetime achievement. It will mark the first time Gondry has attended Annecy, the world’s largest animation film festival.

Gondry has used forms of stop-motion animation in his live-action features, as well as in numerous music videos — famously in Björk’s Human Behaviour, but to date has only directed two full-length animated films: The hand-drawn animated documentary Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy?: An Animated Conversation with Noam Chomsky (2013), and the upcoming feature Maya, donne-moi un titre (Maya, Give Me a Title), which will have its international premiere at the Berlin film festival next month, screening in the Generation Kplus sidebar. The film is described by Gondry...

Pharrell Williams and Michel Gondry are two artists who’ve never been afraid to colour outside their medium’s lines. The former is a maverick, multi-hyphenate beatmaker who’s blurred the lines between hip-hop, pop, dance, and rock music over a career spanning three decades and a Lego life story; the latter is a one-of-a-kind visualist, the man behind anti-romance sci-fi classic Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, cult comedy Be Kind Rewind, and a plethora of music videos for artists like Björk, Foo Fighters, and Pharrell faves Daft Punk. Next year, the dynamic duo’s worlds are set to collide on Golden, a coming-of-age movie starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Halle Bailey that’s set to take viewers back to Virginia Beach circa 1977, a time — and a place — where creativity and inspiration was in the air.

For proud Virginian Pharrell Williams, having told his own life story on screen...

Paris-based sales agent Indie Sales has boarded “Maya, Give Me a Title,” a stop-motion project directed by Michel Gondry (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”) and narrated by Pierre Niney (“The Count of Monte Cristo”).

The film revolves around Gondry’s long-distance relationship with his daughter. As they live in two different countries, Gondry asks his daughter every evening, “Maya, give me a title.” Based on her answer, he creates a short animated reply in which Maya is the hero. Gondry’s long-time partner, Georges Bermann at Partizan Films, is producing, while The Jokers Films will release it in France.

Besides “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” Gondry’s well known films also include “The Science of Sleep,” “Be Kind Rewind” and more recently “The Book of Solutions.”

Stop-motion has been a personal trademark of the director since his early music videos such as Björk’s “Human Behaviour” and The...

Few horror movies are as fantastic or as retroactively controversial as "Rosemary's Baby." Decades after its release, what are we to make of a movie about a woman's bodily agency that was made by a man –- Roman Polanski –- who was later convicted of statutory rape? It's just one of several tricky questions that's elicited by any thorough look back at the film; in addition to Polanski's life story, both of the movie's surviving cast members (see below) have been embroiled in their own complex and traumatic situations in the years since the film debuted in 1968.

It's a tricky legacy for a phenomenal movie that works on the strengths of all involved, including a powerful young Mia Farrow, who turns Polanski's already-sharp take on Ira Levin's great book into something unforgettable. Most of the other actors who made the film a classic are gone now, including John Cassavettes...

Kate Winslet in Lee

In Lee, cinematographer and director Ellen Kuras explores a short yet significant chapter in the life of American model, photographer and war correspondent Lee Miller. Beginning in the 1930s sunlit France, Kuras and screenwriters Liz Hannah, Marion Hume and John Collee, focus on Miller's (Kate Winslet) experiences as a correspondent in Europe during World War II. She would capture some of the strongest images of the conflict, including the horrors of the concentration camps, and she would even pose for a photo in Hitler's private bathtub.

As a cinematographer, Kuras has shot Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and Be Kind Rewind, Alan Rickman's directorial feature A Little Chaos and Sam Mendes' Away We Go, as well as the Fran Lebowitz documentary Public Speaking for Martin Scorsese, and the miniseries Pretend It's A City, featuring Lebowitz and Scorsese. Her work as a director includes the.

I had somehow never seen Frank Oz's hilarious Hollywood satire "Bowfinger" until last night, and it was only just now, as I write this, that I realized the movie celebrated its 25th anniversary yesterday. Weird timing! Anyway, "Bowfinger" is fantastic, with comedic masters Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy both operating at an incredibly high level throughout. Murphy, in particular, is amazing in dual roles; he plays a paranoid superstar actor named Kit Ramsey, as well as a goofy, lovable loser named Jiff, and the two performances could not be more different.

The film is about a schlocky B-movie filmmaker named Bobby Bowfinger (Martin), who tries to surreptitiously direct a movie starring a cast of nobodies alongside one of the world's biggest actors (Murphy) without the star ever finding out he's in their movie. It's a terrific premise, and it got me thinking about other films that focus on making movies,...

The high-profile cast for Universal Pictures’ forthcoming musical from Michel Gondry and Pharrell Williams has just been kicked up an octave with the addition of Janelle Monáe.

Monáe has signed on to join the cast of the coming-of-age period feature that is currently untitled. The film’s previously confirmed castmembers include Kelvin Harrison Jr., Halle Bailey, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry and Missy Elliott.

The project is set in Virginia Beach during the summer of 1977 and inspired by Atlantis Apartments, the neighborhood where Williams grew up. Gondry directs the musical from a script by Martin Hynes and Steven Levenson.

Producers include Williams and Mimi Valdés for I Am Other, alongside Gil Netter for Gil Netter Productions. Overseeing the movie for Universal are senior vp of production development Ryan Jones and director of production development Christine Sun.

Monáe’s previous film credits include Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Antebellum,...

It was just last week we were celebrating the 20th anniversary of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which catapulted Michel Gondry into the Hollywood system with the likes of Be Kind Rewind and The Green Hornet. After the failure of that superhero tentpole, he retreated back to France, directing a handful of smaller-scale features, the latest of which, The Book of Solutions, gets meta following a filmmaker struggling with the editing of his big-budget project. Gondry is now mounting his return to Hollywood, the details of which have now been unveiled.

Deadline reports he’s directing an untitled coming-of-age musical, which is loosely inspired by the upbringing of Pharrell Williams. Set to star Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, coming off her Oscar win for The Holdovers, the Universal-backed project is set in 1977 Virginia Beach. Previously going by the title Atlantis, named after the Atlantis Apartments area where Williams was raised,...

Exclusive: Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves) has been set to lead a new, untitled Universal feature project from director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and producer Pharrell Williams (Hidden Figures), according to multiple sources, who also tell us that 2024 Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) is in talks.

Universal declined comment. But the film is said to be a coming-of-age musical, set in 1977 Virginia Beach, which draws inspiration from Williams’ childhood growing up in the city’s Atlantis Apartments.

Martin Hynes (Toy Story 4) and Steven Levenson penned the script. Williams and Mimi Valdés will produce through i am Other, alongside Gil Netter for Gil Netter Productions.

Known for roles in Trey Edward Shults’ Waves, Joe Wright’s Cyrano, Nat Geo’s Genius: MLK/X, which had him playing Martin Luther King Jr., and Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which had him portraying B.B. King,...

This article appears in the SXSW 2024 issue of Den of Geek magazine. Check out all of our SXSW coverage here.

The Fall Guy wasn’t supposed to be a romance. Or at least it didn’t start out that way. But when Ryan Gosling came on board to collaborate on the script, the shape of the wildly ambitious action film changed. Director David Leitch was reminded of what his cinematographer Jonathan Sela would always say: “I want to do a sweeping romance. All we do is punch people in the face. Stop punching and start kissing!” That was ringing in Leitch’s head when Gosling came up with a revolutionary idea. “He said, ‘What if we lean into the love story?’” Leitch recalls. “‘Let’s just go down that road in the outline and experiment with it.’ We started to lean into it more and more, and we started to...

Get ready for your next marathon with Max! This February, the streamer is saying goodbye to major award winners, camp classics, and more. Most of the platform’s exits will take place on the final day of the month, including the genre and history-changing “The Exorcist,” the recent Oscar winner “Drive My Car,” and more, but Max will remove several other major TV and film titles throughout the month.

We at The Streamable have assembled our top picks for what’s leaving Max this month— continue below to find your next thing to watch and see the full list below to plan your next movie night before they’re gone!

7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Leaving Max in February 2024? “Drive My Car” | Thursday, Feb. 29

A recent Oscar winner for Best International Feature Film, the Japanese drama stars Hidetoshi Nishijima as Yūsuke Kafuku,...

With all the fun new titles that come to Max each month, we also have to say goodbye to some great stories. The number of options on streaming services can be daunting, and some viewers don't even know what they've got until it's gone, so here's a list of seven terrific movies to check out before they disappear. From the insanely creative Be Kind Rewind to the iconic 1973 The Exorcist, add these to your list before the end of February.

Landmark Theatres will mark its 50th anniversary this year with several classic film screening series and discounted tickets.

As part of the exhibitor’s ongoing Retro Replay program, the West Hollywood-based chain will celebrate movies from 1974 as well as other milestone moments in film history. Among the vintage titles set for the series are 1967’s “Bonnie and Clyde” and “The Graduate,” 1973’s “Badlands” and “Amarcord” and 1975’s “Jaws.”

“In commemoration of our 50th Anniversary, we want to recognize our guests, studio partners, and members of the creative community who’ve played pivotal roles in Landmark’s storied history,” said Kevin Holloway, president of Landmark Theatres. “Throughout 2024 we’ll be offering evergreen programming across the business, ranging from signature series to food and beverage promotions, loyalty member pricing, and more. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with our audience this coming year.”

The planned series include “1974 – The Year Landmark Opened,...

Spooky season is upon us and Max is getting in on the action.

New to the streamer in September are “Annabelle” (2014), “Annabelle: Creation” (2017) and “Annabelle Comes Home” (2019), as well as “The Curse of La Llorona” (2019) — all spin-offs from “The Conjuring” universe.

Other horror entries include “It” (2017), “It: Chapter Two” (2019), eight “Friday the 13th” films (from the 1980 cult classic to 1989’s “Jason Takes Manhattan”) and six “Children of the Corn” sequels.

As previously reported, over 200 episodes of AMC Networks’ television series are coming to Max in September at no additional cost to subscribers, spreading their availability beyond AMC+. Shows that are part of the partnership include “Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire” Season 1; ”Dark Winds” Season 1; “Gangs of London” Seasons 1 and 2; “Fear the Walking Dead” Seasons 1-7; “Killing Eve” Seasons 1-4; “A Discovery of Witches” Seasons 1-3; and “Ride with Norman Reedus” Seasons 1-5.

If fright flicks aren’t your thing,...

Max is gearing up for an exciting fall as the streamer adds plenty of titles to its September library. Along with introducing AMC+ imports like Interview with the Vampire and Dark Winds, new episodes of favorite Max Originals like Starstruck starring Rose Matafeo are also dropping on the streamer this month. And get ready for spooky season with Halloween-themed content from Food Network and Travel Channel alongside recognizable films such as scary flicks like Carrie, It, and The Exorcist. Scroll down for a peek at what’s coming and going from the platform this September, and let us know what you plan to stream in the comments section below. Titles Coming to Max in September: September 1 42 A Discovery of Witches, Seasons 1-3 (AMC+) Aliens in the Attic Annabelle Annabelle: Creation Annabelle Comes Home Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, Season 1 (AMC+) Be Kind Rewind Blade Blade II Blade: Trinity...

There’s an interesting experiment going on over at Max in September, as from the first of the month you’ll be able to find seven AMC+ series streaming for 60 days on the service. If you’ve been dying to check out some of their best shows but just haven’t had access to them, now’s your chance! Max will be streaming Fear the Walking Dead seasons 1-7, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire season one, Dark Winds season one, Gangs of London seasons 1-2, Ride with Norman Reedus seasons 1-5, A Discovery of Witches seasons 1-3, and Killing Eve seasons 1-4.

Also on Max this September is the original animated series Young Love, a Matthew A. Cherry project which seeks to expand on the critically acclaimed short film, Hair Love. Sam Jay has a new stand-up special on HBO, too. Sam Jay: Salute or Shoot Me will...

The summer is nearly over! September has arrived, and for many in the United States that means a much-needed break from hot temperatures and sticky humidity.

There are a wealth of new titles coming to Max to celebrate the advent of fall this month. One of the splashiest Max-related news stories of the past month broke just this week, when it was announced that seven AMC titles were coming to the Warner Bros. Discovery streamer on Sept. 1.

That’s not all that’s coming to Max by a long shot this month, so check out The Streamable’s list of top shows and movies coming to the service, along with all the other titles that will soon be available with a Max subscription!

7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com

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What Are the Five Best Shows and Movies Coming to...

If you’ve ever wondered when it was that Michel Gondry, the gifted French director of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” became the world’s most annoying filmmaker, you might say the answer is, “He always was.” Yet no one, including me, quite thinks of him that way. That’s because the few works of his that have come to prominence possess a special combination of facility and charm. I adore “Eternal Sunshine,” a virtuoso movie that bends your brain and breaks your heart at the same time. You might simply choose to characterize it as the masterpiece of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, but the truth is that Gondry directed it ­— the leaps in time, the emotionally convulsive performances of Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet — with a masterful sense of play and gravitational control.

I’ve always heard that the script Kaufman originally turned in was twice as complicated, and...

One of the most delightful experiences at this year’s Cannes Film Festival was Michel Gondry’s dramatic comedy The Book of Solutions, from the Directors Fortnight sidebar. The director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Be Kind Rewind stayed away from the big screen for eight long years after the painful failure of the sloppy melodrama Mood Indigo (2013) followed with his next low budget comedy Microbe & Gasoline (2015). His only project from the past few years was an incredibly witty, heartfelt TV series called "Kidding" with Jim Carrey as Mr. Pickles, a quirky riff on Mr. Rogers. Gondry's new feature film, Le Livre des Solutions, depicts the ultimate turmoil of the moviemaking process – accumulating all of his passion, frustration & fears in a lighthearted, ironic way underlined by the usual melancholic for which he is known. // Continue Reading ›...

Master Gardener has a small, but well-known cast. The film, written and directed by Paul Schrader, had its premiere at the 2022 Venice Film Festival. It’s finally being released in theaters, and it brings with it the talents of the cast, led by Joel Edgerton in the titular role.

Master Gardener follows the title character as he works to be redeemed for his past crimes, mentors a young woman, and keeps his head down as he appreciates the land that he cultivates on a daily basis. Ahead of the film’s release, it received mostly positive reviews from critics. Schrader gathered a good cast to star in the movie, a mixture of famous actors and others who are lesser-known. With Edgerton in the lead role, he’s surrounded by a capable supporting cast that brings Schrader’s story to life.

Joel Edgerton as Narvel Roth

Narvel Roth is the head horticulturist at Gracewood Gardens,...

Exclusive: Raúl Castillo (The Inspection), Tony Cavalero (The Righteous Gemstones), Melonie Diaz (The First Purge) and Josh Brener (Silicon Valley) are set to topline Cold Wallet — a crypto-heist thriller from director Cutter Hodierne (Fishing Without Nets), which has wrapped production.

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The film inspired by real stories, which was in production when news of the Ftx scandal broke, follows a rag-tag team of Redditors who lose everything in a crypto ponzi scheme and plot to kidnap the ‘financial influencer’ who screwed them over. Script was written by John Hibey — the...

The old saying goes you shouldn’t marry anyone you can’t stand to be with for a three-day train ride. This is perhaps the basis for most of Richard Linklater’s Before series, tracing a couple from initial courtship to eventual marriage, from the fantasy of being young and taking a different path to settling into comfort. Kristian Mercado’s fluffy and sweet hang-out movie If You Were the Last initially opens in a living room before we pull back to reveal that our couple, Adam (Anthony Mackie) and Jane (Zoe Chao), are floating ruthlessly in space, on a self-sustaining ship that has lost all navigation and communication with NASA back on earth. Like an extreme version of the Before series, we enter mid-relationship, after the routines have been established 1,000 days into a solidly platonic relationship.

Adam and Jane are set in their schedules: completing the checklist, caring for the garden and animals,...

And you thought Blockbuster video stores were extinct! In Netflix‘s upcoming workplace comedy Blockbuster, the last (fictional) remaining store in America — suburban Michigan, to be exact — strives to stay relevant in a streaming world. Determined manager Timmy Yoon leads an eclectic staff that includes longtime crush Eliza Walker, and for the actors, returning to the days of “Be Kind, Rewind” was truly a blast. “It was the typical thing of the ’90s that we went every Friday night and picked out our movies for the weekend,” says Fumero, who grew up in small-town New Jersey. “It was a family event.” Angeleno Park fondly recalls “that one Blockbuster on Venice Boulevard that I would go to all the time” and the hours he spent “just looking at the covers of these VHS tapes.” Nostalgia permeates the series, as Timmy, who has been working in the store since high school, struggles...

Yasiin Bey, the musician formerly known as Mos Def, will portray jazz piano legend Thelonious Monk in the biopic “Thelonious,” which is slated to begin production in the summer of 2022. The project is being brought to the screen by Jupiter Rising Film and its co-founders, Alberto Marzan and Peter Lord Moreland.

Moreland will also write the screenplay for the film, which “will center around [Monk’s] struggles for musical success, mental illness and the spiritual love triangle between his wife Nellie and one of the world’s richest women, Nica Rothschild,” according to a statement.

“This role is one that requires great depth and a unique understanding of who and what Thelonious Monk was and how his lasting impact can still be heard throughout the music world today,” said Marzan. “The moment I met Yasiin, I knew we found our Thelonious. It’s an honor to be the first to tell this...

Did you see Be Kind Rewind? Goodness, I love that movie. Directed by Michel Gondry and starring Jack Black and Yasiin Bey, it's a piece of quirky, magical-realist heaven, in which a band of misfits comes together to remake their favorite movies with delightfully handmade props, amateur actors, and tons of spirit. What if you took that premise, turned it into a series, and made it solely about The Goonies? Then you might have something close to a very intriguing pilot in the works at Fox. Deadline reports that the as-of-yet untitled pilot, written by Sarah …...

There is no doubt that Hollywood is the movie capital of the Western world. The streets and avenues may not be paved with dreams but there are stars, studios and stories essential to our movie history around every corner.

Capturing the American City on camera, even going so far as to include the city as a character in the films however pretentious that may sound, has long been a feature of urban cinema. The diverse nature of the American city has given rise to many different types of stories, set against many different backdrops, but they are all part of the wide expanse of America’s cinematic heritage.

While L. A. movies have been covered often before, we are here to look at other American cities, the films that were based there, and how their character is captured on the screen.

Las Vegas

The glittering diamond in the rough of...

Exclusive: ICM Partners has signed actor and comedian Jon Glaser.

The six-time Emmy nominee created and starred in three TV series: Jon Glaser Loves Gear, Neon Joe Werewolf Hunter, and Delocated.

He played Councilman Jamm on Parks and Recreation and Laird on Girls.

Glaser’s other television and film credits include: Inside Amy Schumer, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mr. Robot, Wonder Showzen, Trainwreck, Be Kind Rewind, and Pootie Tang. His voice can be heard on Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Bob’s Burgers, among other series. He appeared as Video Cowboy in the ESPN web series Mayne Street, and he created, directed and starred in a series of web shorts for Comedy Central called Tiny Hands.

Glaser wrote for Inside Amy Schumer, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and The Dana Carvey Show, and his writing has appeared in the New York Times magazine, ESPN magazine, Bicycling magazine, The Onion A.

“I started with the idea of a kind man in a cruel world,” says “Kidding” creator Dave Holstein about his inspiration for the series. We spoke with Holstein and director Michel Gondry on the recent red carpet for an Emmy Fyc event that took place at the historic Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. Watch our full interview above.

Jim Carrey stars in the series as Jeff, aka Mr. Pickles, a children’s show host whose life spirals out of control after the death of his son. The series also features Catherine Keener as his puppeteer sister, Judy Greer as his ex-wife, and Frank Langella as his producer father. Carrey earned a Golden Globe nomination as Best TV Comedy/Musical Actor for the first season, and the show was also up for Best Comedy/Musical Series.

See Jim Carrey red carpet interview: ‘Kidding’

Holstein wrote the part specifically for Carrey after...

When The CW's reboot of the cult favorite TV series Charmed was announced, the first question on everyone's minds was who would be playing the "Charmed Ones," the trio of supernaturally chosen sister witches. Instead of casting big-name actresses, the network chose instead to select three actresses who have worked steadily but haven't had breakout roles just yet. The middle sister, Mel Vera, is played by Melonie Diaz, a longtime staple of the indie film world.

Diaz began her career in the New York theater scene, appearing in off-Broadway plays and fringe festivals. This work led to her entry into the film world, with supporting roles in small and independent films. Her early-career credits include the direct-to-video dramedy Double Whammy and 2002's Raising Victor Vargas, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival.

Although she briefly appeared on TV (in an episode of Law & Order and in a...

This year, a record 928 people were invited to join the motion picture academy and will be eligible to vote for the 2019 Oscars. Compare this intake to the totals of the previous four years: 774 in 2017; 683 in 2016; 322 in 2015; and 271 in 2014.

While Academy Awards nominees are automatically eligible for consideration, the rest of the candidates must go through a fairly cumbersome process. A candidate must meet certain branch specific requirements before even being eligible.

For example, actors must “have a minimum of three theatrical feature film credits, in all of which the roles played were scripted roles, one of which was released in the past five years, and all of which are of a caliber that reflect the high standards of the Academy.” For writers, directors and producers they need have just two of these credits.

The executive committee of the branch must endorse the application before forwarding it to the Board of Governors for final approval.

In an astonishing move to swell the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences membership ranks, a record 928 artists and executives from 59 countries have been invited to join this year. The branches have increasingly actively sought eligible people to invite to join the Academy, but the Board of Governors makes the final call; this year, they did not invite Kobe Bryant to join although he won an Oscar for animated short “Dear Basketball.”

Clearly, people of color (38 percent) and women (49 percent) are among the many invites, as the Academy continues to address its long-term white-male dominance. As always, actors make up the largest branch of the Academy, but many new members also come from overseas.

In 2017, the Academy invited 744 new members.

Seventeen Oscar winners are among the new members and 92 Oscar nominees. Nine of the 17 branches invited more women than men. The percentage of women in the Academy has risen...

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is out with its 2018 list of invitations for membership. Here is the list of the record 928 folks from 59 countries. Note that 10 individuals (noted by an asterisk) have been invited to join the Academy by multiple branches; they must select one branch upon accepting membership.

New members will be welcomed into the Academy at invitation-only receptions in the fall.

Actors

Hiam Abbass – “Blade Runner 2049,” “The Visitor”

Damián Alcázar – “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” “El Crimen del Padre Amaro”

Naveen Andrews – “Mighty Joe Young,” “The English Patient”

Gemma Arterton – “Their Finest,” “Quantum of Solace”

Zawe Ashton – “Nocturnal Animals,” “Blitz”

Eileen Atkins – “Gosford Park,” “Cold Mountain”

Hank Azaria – “Anastasia,” “The Birdcage”

Doona Bae – “Cloud Atlas,” “The Host”

Christine Baranski – “Miss Sloane,” “Mamma Mia!”

Carlos Bardem – “Assassin’s Creed,” “Che”

Irene Bedard – “Smoke Signals,” “Pocahontas”

Bill Bellamy – “Any Given Sunday,” “love jones”

Haley Bennett – “Thank You for Your Service,...

Stars: Kyle Mooney, Mark Hamill, Jane Adams, Greg Kinnear, Matt Walsh, Michaela Watkins, Ryan Simpkins, Alexa Demie, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Claire Danes, Chance Crimin, Beck Bennett, Andy Samberg | Written by Kevin Costello, Kyle Mooney | Directed by Dave McCary

Saturday Night Live alumnus Dave McCary makes his directorial debut with Brigsby Bear, an engaging and smartly judged indie comedy-drama that mixes elements from several different movies but still manages to feel entirely original.

SNL’s Kyle Mooney (who co-wrote the script with Kevin Costello) plays twenty-five year-old James, who grows up in an underground desert bunker with his “parents” Ted (Mark Hamil) and April (Jane Adams). Kyle’s only entertainment is Brigsby Bear, a children’s fantasy TV show about a talking bear who protects the universe and dispenses weekly life lessons like “curiosity is an unnatural emotion” and “trust only the family unit”.

When the FBI raid the bunker, James...

Alex Kopit served as an assistant editor on past Sundance premieres Be Kind Rewind (2008) and The Messenger (2009). He returns to the festival in 2018 as the editor of Dead Pigs, the debut feature from writer/director Cathy Yan. The film is a mosaic of stories in modern-day Shanghai connected by a mysterious occurrence: a stream of floating pig carcasses. Below, Kopit discusses editing the film so that “the various stories could interweave and support each other.” Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the editor of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your […]...

This story of an oddball being let out into the world succeeds in its character portrayal even as it stumbles over reality

If you can get past the fact that the film was precision-tooled for the quirky feelgood slot of the Sundance film festival; if you can forgive the glaring product placement and the nerd-gasm casting of Mark Hamill in a key role of a film about fan geekery, then there is a fair amount to recommend this solid feature debut.

A narrative that combines the domestic dysfunction of Yorgos Lanthimos’s Dogtooth with the unabashed movie-buff joy of Garth Jennings’s Son of Rambow or Michel Gondry’s Be Kind Rewind, this is a study of a very singular character, shaped – or scarred – by a unique upbringing.

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Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post.)

This week’s question: What is the most overlooked and/or underrated movie of 2017?

E. Oliver Whitney, Screencrush.com, @cinemabite

Despite the critical praise, “A Fantastic Woman” only a one-week qualifying run last month, and I worry is it’ll easily be forgotten this awards season. Daniela Vega gives one of the most astounding performances I’ve seen this year, one that comes from somewhere fierce and internal, portraying the life and struggle of a trans woman that cinema has rarely shown an interest in exploring. But since you can’t see it until it has a proper release in Febraury, do check one of the year’s other...

Director Michel Gondry (Be Kind Rewind, Eternal Sunshine For The Spotless Mind) helmed this absolutely charming Christmas commercial called Moz The Monster for the U.K.-based department store John Lewis. The ad certainly captures the magic of the holiday season.

The story follows a young boy named Joe who ends up befriending a monster who lives under his bed. Here's the description that was released for it:

Joe befriends a noisy Monster under his bed but the two have so much fun together that he can't get to sleep, leaving him tired by day. For Christmas Joe receives a gift to help him finally get a good night’s sleep.

The ad has a little mix of Monster's Inc., Little Monsters, and Where the Wild Things Are in it. It may tell a sweet story, but I won't lie... it's kinda sad as well. You'll see why when you watch the video.

Review by Matthew Turner

Stars: Kyle Mooney, Mark Hamill, Jane Adams, Greg Kinnear, Matt Walsh, Michaela Watkins, Ryan Simpkins, Alexa Demie, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Claire Danes, Chance Crimin, Beck Bennett, Andy Samberg | Written by Kevin Costello, Kyle Mooney | Directed by Dave McCary

Saturday Night Live alumnus Dave McCary makes his directorial debut with Brigsby Bear, an engaging and smartly judged indie comedy-drama that mixes elements from several different movies but still manages to feel entirely original.

SNL’s Kyle Mooney (who co-wrote the script with Kevin Costello) plays twenty-five year-old James, who grows up in an underground desert bunker with his “parents” Ted (Mark Hamil) and April (Jane Adams). Kyle’s only entertainment is Brigsby Bear, a children’s fantasy TV show about a talking bear who protects the universe and dispenses weekly life lessons like “curiosity is an unnatural emotion” and “trust only the family unit”.

When the FBI raid the bunker,...

Jim Carrey is reuniting with his “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” director Michel Gondry to star in a new half-hour comedy for Showtime. “Kidding,” which has been given a 10-episode order, will represent Carrey’s first series regular role in more than two decades.

“Kidding” stars Carrey as Jeff, also known as beloved children’s TV personality Mr. Pickles. Here’s the logline: “A beacon of kindness and wisdom to America’s impressionable young minds and the parents who grew up with him – [Jeff] also anchors a multimillion dollar branding empire. But when this beloved personality’s family – wife, two sons, sister and father – begins to implode, Jeff finds no fairy tale or fable or puppet will guide him through this crisis, which advances faster than his means to cope. The result: a kind man in a cruel world faces a slow leak of sanity as hilarious as it is heartbreaking.

Inspired by Michel Gondry's Be Kind Rewind, sweded versions of movies or trailers are amateur recreations which require little or no budget to produce. The internet is rife with sweded trailers, but it's not everyday that the director of the very film you've sweded comes across your work and shares it with the world. Created by Ákos Varga, a sweded version of the... Read More...

A new video gives the well liked Thor: Ragnarok trailer the low-budget Sweded treatment, popularized in Michel Gondry's Be Kind Rewind.

Dave Lawrie Aug 16, 2017

Fancy a film that mashes up Reservoir Dogs and The Usual Suspects, with a few song and dance numbers? Step this way...

Film is such a diverse medium that it is possible to call yourself a fan without ever venturing out of your favourite genre. Hell, it is perfectly acceptable nowadays to add 'films' to your list of hobbies by watching nothing more than the output of the McU. Getting some people to venture into the wonderful world of foreign cinema can admittedly be a tall order. We’ve all met one, right? The 'I go to the cinema to watch, not to read!' crowd. That’s fine. There is nothing wrong with having your entertainment packaged as you like it.

See related Top Of The Lake - China Girl episode 3 review: Surrogate Top Of The Lake - China Girl episode 2 review: The Loved One Top Of The Lake...

Gavin Jasper Nov 24, 2019

Despite having over 200 episodes, MST3K has rarely been very story-driven. Then again, there are some that feel extra important...

Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an amazing show. There’s a reason the Kickstarter to bring it back from the abyss was such a success. Lasting for ten seasons, there are countless killer jokes, memorable movies, and harebrained characters. As wonderful as it all is, it’s also not the easiest show to really binge-watch.

Recently, Jim Vorel at Paste did a massive article where he rewatched every episode and ranked them from worst to best. It took well over a year to complete. I have a knack for latching onto massive projects like that (ie. ranking every single King of Fighters character because why not), but even I wouldn’t mess with something this crazy. Without commercials, each episode is ninety minutes long and magically marathoning...

The Daniels (Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert) a music video directing duo, who unleashed the internet breaking visuals for DJ Snake’s Turn Down For What back in 2014, make their feature debut with this bromantic comedy between a marooned millennial and a farting corpse, hardly the easiest sell to a movie going safe-spacer. And it’s true, when Swiss Army Man, the hottest ticket at last year’s Sundance Film Festival unspooled before the sold-out audiences’ eyes, many just got up and left, totally disgusted. Okay, let’s be clear here, this isn’t Robert Zemeckis’s Castaway that’s for sure, but it ain’t Srdjan Spasojevic’s A Serbian Film either. Beneath their scatological obsessed humour, the Daniels have crafted a bizarre little indy film about isolation and sexual shame, which at times is beautifully lo-fi and tender.

We meet Hank (Paul Dano) a shaggy haired boy-man on a...

Sweding aficionados Brian Harley and Roque Rodriguez have created a shot-for-shot, low-budget homemade remake of the teaser trailer for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” which hits theaters on May 5. Watch the clip below.

Read More: Chris Pratt and the Alien Misfits Face Their Biggest Battle Yet in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ – Trailer

For those who are not familiar with the term, sweding is the faithful, shortened remake of a film or trailer, which is usually done by fans who have lots of creativity and a very low budget. In sweded versions of films and trailers, most of the props are made out of cardboard, for example.

The term originates from the 2008 comedy “Be Kind Rewind,” starring Jack Black and Mos Def. They play two incompetent video-store clerks who mistakenly erase the footage from all of the tapes in the shop and then scramble to recreate all the...

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt meets Be Kind Rewind in Dave McCary's feature debut Brigsby Bear, where a man raised since infancy in an underground bunker tries to cope with his new freedom by re-creating the kiddie TV series that sustained him all those lonely years. Kyle Mooney (a longtime McCary collaborator on Saturday Night Live and elsewhere) is winning in the lead role, naive but not cartoonishly so in a film that walks a fine line, credibility-wise. Some will view its quirks as commercial liabilities, but Sony Pictures Classics disagrees, having snapped the pic up during the fest for summer release.

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