Nicole Kidman not only gave a to-die-for performance for helmer Gus Van Sant, but also almost seemed to co-direct the feature herself.
Van Sant recalled to the New York Times just how committed Kidman was to the 1995 dark comedy “To Die For,” even going so far as to say she was “destined to play the part” and serving as a “second director” on set.
“Nicole called and said she was destined to play the part, so I believed her,” Van Sant said of casting the future Oscar winner early in her career. “I thought she was incredibly dedicated to making a fantastic performance through study of the script and the part, in a way I had never seen before.”
Van Sant continued, “There were notebooks, and scene exercises, and voice exercises — it was very thorough. Nicole was so versed in the scenes that she was like having a second director there,...
Van Sant recalled to the New York Times just how committed Kidman was to the 1995 dark comedy “To Die For,” even going so far as to say she was “destined to play the part” and serving as a “second director” on set.
“Nicole called and said she was destined to play the part, so I believed her,” Van Sant said of casting the future Oscar winner early in her career. “I thought she was incredibly dedicated to making a fantastic performance through study of the script and the part, in a way I had never seen before.”
Van Sant continued, “There were notebooks, and scene exercises, and voice exercises — it was very thorough. Nicole was so versed in the scenes that she was like having a second director there,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
If you really want to know about making music, fame, exploitation, addiction, egos and challenging personalities – look to fiction. Here are our favourites
Making a movie about an iconic musician can be perilous – there are so many stakeholders with differing versions of events, and so many diehard fans looking for a perfect representation of their hero, that many music biopics end up being sanitised and glib. Look no further than Back to Black, Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Amy Winehouse biopic, for a perfect example of a film that attempts to satisfy every involved party and ended up offending a lot of fans and critics instead.
Movies about fake musicians, on the other hand, tend to have a lot more to say about making art, the struggles of fame and the music industry than most biopics. Although many of them are thinly veiled studies of real celebrities, the freedom offered by creating a character – such as Blake,...
Making a movie about an iconic musician can be perilous – there are so many stakeholders with differing versions of events, and so many diehard fans looking for a perfect representation of their hero, that many music biopics end up being sanitised and glib. Look no further than Back to Black, Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Amy Winehouse biopic, for a perfect example of a film that attempts to satisfy every involved party and ended up offending a lot of fans and critics instead.
Movies about fake musicians, on the other hand, tend to have a lot more to say about making art, the struggles of fame and the music industry than most biopics. Although many of them are thinly veiled studies of real celebrities, the freedom offered by creating a character – such as Blake,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Shaad D'Souza
- The Guardian - Film News
“Goodnight, sweet prince.”
Every fan of “The Big Lebowski” knows that line: The final eulogy for Steve Buscemi’s character, Donny, who loved bowling and exploring the beaches of Southern California as a surfer from La Jolla to Leo Carillo, and on up to Pismo.
But Donny is just one of the many dead characters in Buscemi’s filmography. In a wide-ranging Q&a with Rolling Stone film critic David Fear at the Sarasota Film Festival, Buscemi talked about the particularly high body count in his filmography.
“I learned to try to get parts where your character doesn’t get killed off too early in the film, and to get parts where your character is actually important to the story. Because it’s so easy to get cut out of films. I was cut out of three films in the space of a year. One by Stephen Frears, one by Gus Van Sant,...
Every fan of “The Big Lebowski” knows that line: The final eulogy for Steve Buscemi’s character, Donny, who loved bowling and exploring the beaches of Southern California as a surfer from La Jolla to Leo Carillo, and on up to Pismo.
But Donny is just one of the many dead characters in Buscemi’s filmography. In a wide-ranging Q&a with Rolling Stone film critic David Fear at the Sarasota Film Festival, Buscemi talked about the particularly high body count in his filmography.
“I learned to try to get parts where your character doesn’t get killed off too early in the film, and to get parts where your character is actually important to the story. Because it’s so easy to get cut out of films. I was cut out of three films in the space of a year. One by Stephen Frears, one by Gus Van Sant,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Film historians are in a perpetual debate about what constitutes the first slasher film, but "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," "Black Christmas," "Halloween," and "Friday the 13th" all have one thing in common — they were scary as hell. 50 years later in the case of the former two, Leatherface with his chainsaw and Billy's obscene phone calls still manage to terrify new viewers straight out of their skin. Slasher films dominated the horror genre. But as time went on the perspective began to shift to keep things interesting. There were always audiences who showed up to see how the final girl would survive the madness this time, but more and more horror fans were turning in to support their favorite killers. Kills got more inventive, human characters became little more than bodies ripe for slaughter, and successful slasher icons were able to sustain long-running franchises, many of which continue today.
In...
In...
- 4/8/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
In moviemaking, directors manage the extreme stuff. Matt Reeves, who made The Batman, etched some rough memories as well. He nearly said no to Warner Bros.’ Batman offer due to the film War from the Planets of the Apes.
Matt Reeves at 2010 Comic-Con | image: Wikimedia Commons
It was a major project. However, Reeves adhered to his storytelling passion and made it work. It’s interesting to explore, how he pulled off Robert Pattinson’s Batman film. Reeves’ determination radiates through, even when facing the cosmic chaos of showbiz.
The War For The Planet Of The Apes Nearly Made Matt Reeves Quit Warner Bros’ Offer
Making The Batman wasn’t easy for director Matt Reeves. He nearly said no to the Warner Bros. deal since he was occupied with War for the Planet of the Apes.
SUGGESTEDRobert De Niro’s Taxi Driver and a Serial Killer Were the Real Inspirations Behind Matt Reeves’ The Batman
But,...
Matt Reeves at 2010 Comic-Con | image: Wikimedia Commons
It was a major project. However, Reeves adhered to his storytelling passion and made it work. It’s interesting to explore, how he pulled off Robert Pattinson’s Batman film. Reeves’ determination radiates through, even when facing the cosmic chaos of showbiz.
The War For The Planet Of The Apes Nearly Made Matt Reeves Quit Warner Bros’ Offer
Making The Batman wasn’t easy for director Matt Reeves. He nearly said no to the Warner Bros. deal since he was occupied with War for the Planet of the Apes.
SUGGESTEDRobert De Niro’s Taxi Driver and a Serial Killer Were the Real Inspirations Behind Matt Reeves’ The Batman
But,...
- 3/30/2024
- by Muskan Chaudhary
- FandomWire
When you think of the great directors in cinema history – Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, etc. – chances are the first films that come to mind are Goodfellas, Jaws and Vertigo. But every brilliant filmmaker has their duds. Now, Rolling Stone – you know, the publication that doesn’t think Roseanne and Bill Cosby had historic shows just because of their wrongdoings – has put out a list of the 50 worst movies by some of the most renowned directors…And yes, they have missed the mark considerably.
In the list, titled “50 Terrible Movies by Great Directors”, there are plenty of bottom-barrel films, those that are absolutely anomalies in otherwise remarkable careers. We wouldn’t argue that man-child family comedy Jack (#1) isn’t Francis Ford Coppola’s worst movie or that Rob Reiner’s North (#2) wasn’t worthy of Roger Ebert’s famed “hated, hated, hated, hated, hated” review. Those guys didn’t...
In the list, titled “50 Terrible Movies by Great Directors”, there are plenty of bottom-barrel films, those that are absolutely anomalies in otherwise remarkable careers. We wouldn’t argue that man-child family comedy Jack (#1) isn’t Francis Ford Coppola’s worst movie or that Rob Reiner’s North (#2) wasn’t worthy of Roger Ebert’s famed “hated, hated, hated, hated, hated” review. Those guys didn’t...
- 3/27/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Gus Van Sant’s 1995 satirical black comedy To Die For begins in the midst of a news frenzy: Larry Maretto (Matt Dillon), a well-liked man who helped his family run their small-town Italian restaurant, has been murdered and his wife, Suzanne (Nicole Kidman), has been arrested as a suspect. The rest of the film, which blends mockumentary talking heads and flashbacks of the characters’ lives, sends up the contemporaneous sensationalism of high-profile criminal trials like those of O.J. Simpson and the Menendez brothers. By showing the murder upfront, the film, written by the late Buck Henry, proceeds as a rebuke to the public’s fascination with whodunit by psychoanalyzing an already apprehended party.
Yet from the moment we first see Suzanne speaking directly into the camera in an interview, we need not spend too much time unpacking her psychological state. Perfectly coiffed and dressed in tones not quite bright enough to outshine her wide,...
Yet from the moment we first see Suzanne speaking directly into the camera in an interview, we need not spend too much time unpacking her psychological state. Perfectly coiffed and dressed in tones not quite bright enough to outshine her wide,...
- 3/22/2024
- by Jake Cole
- Slant Magazine
What if “Friday the 13th” was told through Jason Voorhees’ point of view?
First-time feature writer/director Chris Nash’s slasher “In a Violent Nature” focuses on undead serial killer Johnny (Ry Barrett) who stalks new victims in the woods. The killing spree is spurred by the removal of a locket from a collapsed fire tower in the woods that entombs the rotting corpse of Johnny, a spirit seeking revenge after a horrific 60-year old crime. Johnny’s body is resurrected and he becomes hellbent on retrieving the jewelry from a group of vacationing teens. The only way to do it? Methodically slaughtering them one by one. Classic Johnny.
Andrea Pavlovic, Cameron Love, Reece Presley, Liam Leone, Charlotte Creaghan, Lea Rose Sebastianis, Sam Roulston, Alexander Oliver, and Lauren Taylor round out the cast. “In a Violent Nature” is produced by Peter Kuplowsky and Shannon Hanmer.
IndieWire’s David Ehrlich compared...
First-time feature writer/director Chris Nash’s slasher “In a Violent Nature” focuses on undead serial killer Johnny (Ry Barrett) who stalks new victims in the woods. The killing spree is spurred by the removal of a locket from a collapsed fire tower in the woods that entombs the rotting corpse of Johnny, a spirit seeking revenge after a horrific 60-year old crime. Johnny’s body is resurrected and he becomes hellbent on retrieving the jewelry from a group of vacationing teens. The only way to do it? Methodically slaughtering them one by one. Classic Johnny.
Andrea Pavlovic, Cameron Love, Reece Presley, Liam Leone, Charlotte Creaghan, Lea Rose Sebastianis, Sam Roulston, Alexander Oliver, and Lauren Taylor round out the cast. “In a Violent Nature” is produced by Peter Kuplowsky and Shannon Hanmer.
IndieWire’s David Ehrlich compared...
- 3/20/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The 2022 film was an outlier, free from the usual superhero trappings and resolutely downbeat, and the follow-up should also go beyond the conventional
Matt Reeves’ The Batman feels like a movie out of time, a superhero epic wonderfully bereft of fantasy elements, superpowers and magical bells and whistles. It is the kind of comic book movie that people who do not really like comic book movies can love, a sumptuously languid crime procedural that is full of orchestral, spiky splendour and Gotham City grit. A superhero flick that is so different from the likes of The Flash or Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania that it might as well be from a different film genre entirely.
And it is here perhaps that we should give credit to Warner Bros’ struggling DC regime. No matter how terrible its now-abandoned “extended universe” became over the past decade or so – and there were some...
Matt Reeves’ The Batman feels like a movie out of time, a superhero epic wonderfully bereft of fantasy elements, superpowers and magical bells and whistles. It is the kind of comic book movie that people who do not really like comic book movies can love, a sumptuously languid crime procedural that is full of orchestral, spiky splendour and Gotham City grit. A superhero flick that is so different from the likes of The Flash or Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania that it might as well be from a different film genre entirely.
And it is here perhaps that we should give credit to Warner Bros’ struggling DC regime. No matter how terrible its now-abandoned “extended universe” became over the past decade or so – and there were some...
- 3/15/2024
- by Ben Child
- The Guardian - Film News
“Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans”, based on the novel “Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era” by Laurence Leamer, is directed by Gus Van Sant, Max Winkler and Jennifer Lynch, in the second part of Ryan Murphy’s award-winning “Feud” TV series, now streaming on FX and Hulu:
“..‘Truman Capote’ (Tom Hollander), the writer of ‘In Cold Blood’, surrounded himself with a coterie of New York society’s most elite women – rich, glamorous socialites who defined a bygone era of high society, nicknamed ‘the swans’.
‘Beautiful and distinguished, the group included grande dame ‘Barbara Paley, (Naomi Watts), ‘Slim Keith’ (Diane Lane), ‘C.Z. Guest’ (Chloë Sevigny) and ‘Lee Radziwill’ (Calista Flockhart).
“ Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives,...
“..‘Truman Capote’ (Tom Hollander), the writer of ‘In Cold Blood’, surrounded himself with a coterie of New York society’s most elite women – rich, glamorous socialites who defined a bygone era of high society, nicknamed ‘the swans’.
‘Beautiful and distinguished, the group included grande dame ‘Barbara Paley, (Naomi Watts), ‘Slim Keith’ (Diane Lane), ‘C.Z. Guest’ (Chloë Sevigny) and ‘Lee Radziwill’ (Calista Flockhart).
“ Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives,...
- 3/14/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Ben Stiller puts a major part of his time into his career as a director these days and he has some amazing projects in his portfolio. Stiller directed acclaimed films like Tropic Thunder and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. He also served as the director and executive producer of the AppleTV+ series, Severance. However, there were a few scripts he had to turn down for reaching such height in his filmmaking career and some of them turned out to be huge successes.
Tropic Thunder director Ben Stiller turned down a script that turned out to be a massive success
Out of these films, one film could’ve won him his much-deserved Oscar back in the ’90s itself. Stiller was just two feature films into his directorial career when the Oscar-winning script of Good Will Hunting was sent to him. The Zoolander actor unfortunately turned down Ben Affleck and Matt Damon...
Tropic Thunder director Ben Stiller turned down a script that turned out to be a massive success
Out of these films, one film could’ve won him his much-deserved Oscar back in the ’90s itself. Stiller was just two feature films into his directorial career when the Oscar-winning script of Good Will Hunting was sent to him. The Zoolander actor unfortunately turned down Ben Affleck and Matt Damon...
- 3/14/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
NewFest and the Brooklyn Academy of Music (Bam) have announced the fourth annual lineup for their “Queering the Canon” retrospective film series, this year subtitled “Besties.”
This year’s lineup of films screening at Bam in downtown Brooklyn (April 11 – 15) includes a 4K restoration of Rose Troche’s lesbian classic “Go Fish,” the world premiere of the 4K restoration of Brian Sloan’s queer romantic comedy “I Think I Do,” 35mm screenings of Gus Van Sant’s “My Own Private Idaho” and F. Gary Gray’s “Set It Off.” The “Go Fish” screening will be accompanied by a Q&a with Rose Troche in person along with star Guinevere Turner.
The repertory series was created by NewFest, co-curated by NewFest’s Nick McCarthy (director of programming) and Kim Garcia (technical director and programmer), and is presented in partnership with Bam.
The event will also include a panel discussion, “Best of the Besties,...
This year’s lineup of films screening at Bam in downtown Brooklyn (April 11 – 15) includes a 4K restoration of Rose Troche’s lesbian classic “Go Fish,” the world premiere of the 4K restoration of Brian Sloan’s queer romantic comedy “I Think I Do,” 35mm screenings of Gus Van Sant’s “My Own Private Idaho” and F. Gary Gray’s “Set It Off.” The “Go Fish” screening will be accompanied by a Q&a with Rose Troche in person along with star Guinevere Turner.
The repertory series was created by NewFest, co-curated by NewFest’s Nick McCarthy (director of programming) and Kim Garcia (technical director and programmer), and is presented in partnership with Bam.
The event will also include a panel discussion, “Best of the Besties,...
- 3/13/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
New Zealand’s funniest export Jackie Van Beek returns to SXSW atop the cast of “Audrey,” an Australian dark comedy that is headed to SXSW.
Van Beek, whose 2018 “The Breaker Upperers,” was a previous SXSW hit, portrays a forgotten former soap star whose career and life have been derailed by motherhood and suburban boredom. But when an accident puts her 18-year-old child in a coma, the woman takes on her daughter’s identity and gets a second chance at the life she actually wanted.
Other cast also include: Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (“Puberty Blues,” “The Diplomat”), Josephine Blazier (“True History of the Kelly Gang”) and disability advocate and actress Hannah Diviney (“Latecomers”).
“What begins as a light, sex-fuelled comedy about family soon takes a twisted journey into horror as, like a classic Greek tragedy, our protagonists decide that the only way to find happiness is to destroy their firstborn,” says director Natalie Bailey.
Van Beek, whose 2018 “The Breaker Upperers,” was a previous SXSW hit, portrays a forgotten former soap star whose career and life have been derailed by motherhood and suburban boredom. But when an accident puts her 18-year-old child in a coma, the woman takes on her daughter’s identity and gets a second chance at the life she actually wanted.
Other cast also include: Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (“Puberty Blues,” “The Diplomat”), Josephine Blazier (“True History of the Kelly Gang”) and disability advocate and actress Hannah Diviney (“Latecomers”).
“What begins as a light, sex-fuelled comedy about family soon takes a twisted journey into horror as, like a classic Greek tragedy, our protagonists decide that the only way to find happiness is to destroy their firstborn,” says director Natalie Bailey.
- 3/7/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Milo Ventimiglia was just 19 years old and starting out in Hollywood when he was cast as a gay teen in the 1996 short, “Must Be the Music.” You’d think his team would have advised him not to play queer, but Ventimiglia says he received nothing but support to sign on.
“I played a gay teenager who is going out with his friends, meets a guy but his buddy’s best friend is already kind of sweet on that guy,” Ventimiglia remembered. “Then he ends up giving them a ride home and he gets the guys number. It was a very sweet story.”
The short was produced by Gus Van Sant.
“That’s the great thing about being an actor,” the “This Is Us” star said at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday. “You play a lot of different roles. You represent a lot of roles. You represent a lot of stories.
“I played a gay teenager who is going out with his friends, meets a guy but his buddy’s best friend is already kind of sweet on that guy,” Ventimiglia remembered. “Then he ends up giving them a ride home and he gets the guys number. It was a very sweet story.”
The short was produced by Gus Van Sant.
“That’s the great thing about being an actor,” the “This Is Us” star said at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday. “You play a lot of different roles. You represent a lot of roles. You represent a lot of stories.
- 2/26/2024
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Ottessa Moshfegh may have been channeling Hitchcock for her screenplay for William Oldroyd’s “Eileen,” but star Marin Ireland turned to a much different filmmaker for creative inspiration on the 1960s-set noir. The film was co-written by Luke Goebel.
Ireland, nominated for Best Supporting Performance for “Eileen” opposite Anne Hathaway, who was also nominated, came by IndieWire’s spot at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards red carpet to talk the 2023 Neon release. In the film, Ireland plays the mother of a teenager who’s been arrested for his father’s murder, and she’s hiding a secret.
“I had read the book years earlier, and I was like, what are we doing? Where did this come from?” Ireland said of her first meeting with Moshfegh. “She told me about this documentary she had watched called ‘Lost for Life’ about teens who were convicted as adults, who were serving life sentences,...
Ireland, nominated for Best Supporting Performance for “Eileen” opposite Anne Hathaway, who was also nominated, came by IndieWire’s spot at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards red carpet to talk the 2023 Neon release. In the film, Ireland plays the mother of a teenager who’s been arrested for his father’s murder, and she’s hiding a secret.
“I had read the book years earlier, and I was like, what are we doing? Where did this come from?” Ireland said of her first meeting with Moshfegh. “She told me about this documentary she had watched called ‘Lost for Life’ about teens who were convicted as adults, who were serving life sentences,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio and Vincent Perella
- Indiewire
As far as Hollywood comedies go, Ben Stiller’s name is synonymous with some of the funniest films in the industry. His unique brand of humor and dialogue delivery has gained him a loyal fan base while also making him one of Hollywood’s A-list stars. Stiller also proved that he is an accomplished director with blockbuster films like Reality Bites, The Cable Guy, and Zoolander.
Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum
As is the case with many celebrities in the industry, the Meet the Parents star has also missed out on the opportunity to be part of a few prestigious films, some of which have gone on to attain cult status in Hollywood. In particular, Stiller expressed his deep regret on rejecting the offer to direct the Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting featuring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.
SUGGESTEDBen Stiller Helped Jim Carrey Deliver One of His Darkest Roles...
Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum
As is the case with many celebrities in the industry, the Meet the Parents star has also missed out on the opportunity to be part of a few prestigious films, some of which have gone on to attain cult status in Hollywood. In particular, Stiller expressed his deep regret on rejecting the offer to direct the Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting featuring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.
SUGGESTEDBen Stiller Helped Jim Carrey Deliver One of His Darkest Roles...
- 2/24/2024
- by Sharanya Sankar
- FandomWire
Take a look at more footage from “Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans” directed by Gus Van Sant, Max Winkler and Jennifer Lynch, in the second part of Ryan Murphy’s award-winning “Feud” TV series, now streaming on FX and Hulu:
“..‘Truman Capote’ (Tom Hollander), the writer of ‘In Cold Blood’, surrounded himself with a coterie of New York society’s most elite women…
“…rich, glamorous socialites who defined a bygone era of high society, nicknamed ‘the swans’.
‘Beautiful and distinguished, the group included grande dame ‘Barbara Paley, (Naomi Watts)…
“…‘Slim Keith’ (Diane Lane), ‘C.Z. Guest’ (Chloë Sevigny) and ‘Lee Radziwill’ (Calista Flockhart).
“ Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante…
“…only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets.
“When an excerpt from the book, ‘Answered Prayers’, Capote’s planned magnum opus,...
“..‘Truman Capote’ (Tom Hollander), the writer of ‘In Cold Blood’, surrounded himself with a coterie of New York society’s most elite women…
“…rich, glamorous socialites who defined a bygone era of high society, nicknamed ‘the swans’.
‘Beautiful and distinguished, the group included grande dame ‘Barbara Paley, (Naomi Watts)…
“…‘Slim Keith’ (Diane Lane), ‘C.Z. Guest’ (Chloë Sevigny) and ‘Lee Radziwill’ (Calista Flockhart).
“ Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante…
“…only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets.
“When an excerpt from the book, ‘Answered Prayers’, Capote’s planned magnum opus,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
[This story contains spoilers from episode five of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, “The Secret Inner Lives of Swans.”]
In a move that likely would’ve been met with disapproval by Truman Capote’s once-beloved “swans,” the wealthy socialite foes of the In Cold Blood author are decentralized in episode five of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans in favor of opening up dialogue about the position gay men were allowed to occupy in 1970s New York high society.
The writers and executive producers of the second season in Ryan Murphy’s FX anthology use a fictionalized meeting between Capote (Tom Hollander) and writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin (Chris Chalk) as a vehicle to unearth the truth that, beyond feeling a sense of embarrassment from Capote exposing their deepest darkest secrets in a four-part essay series in Esquire magazine, the swans were also taken aback by Capote’s audacity to be anything more than their immortally loyal gay sidekick.
In a move that likely would’ve been met with disapproval by Truman Capote’s once-beloved “swans,” the wealthy socialite foes of the In Cold Blood author are decentralized in episode five of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans in favor of opening up dialogue about the position gay men were allowed to occupy in 1970s New York high society.
The writers and executive producers of the second season in Ryan Murphy’s FX anthology use a fictionalized meeting between Capote (Tom Hollander) and writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin (Chris Chalk) as a vehicle to unearth the truth that, beyond feeling a sense of embarrassment from Capote exposing their deepest darkest secrets in a four-part essay series in Esquire magazine, the swans were also taken aback by Capote’s audacity to be anything more than their immortally loyal gay sidekick.
- 2/22/2024
- by Brande Victorian
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ella Beatty, currently appearing in the FX series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, will make her Broadway debut in Appropriate when the hit Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play transfers to the Belasco Theatre next month.
Beatty will take over the role of “River” from Elle Fanning, whose engagement with the Second Stage non-profit production ends when the play closes its run at the Hayes Theater on March 3. The commercial transfer at the Belasco runs from March 25 through June 23.
Beatty, the daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, plays “Kerry O’Shea” in the Gus Van Sant-directed, Ryan Murphy-produced Feud. She’ll next be seen in the A24 film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You with Rose Byrne and A$AP Rocky.
Directed by Lila Neugebauer, Appropriate stars Sarah Paulson, Corey Stoll, Michael Esper, Natalie Gold, Graham Campbell, Alyssa Emily Marvin, Lincoln Cohen and Everett Sobers.
Appropriate is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group,...
Beatty will take over the role of “River” from Elle Fanning, whose engagement with the Second Stage non-profit production ends when the play closes its run at the Hayes Theater on March 3. The commercial transfer at the Belasco runs from March 25 through June 23.
Beatty, the daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, plays “Kerry O’Shea” in the Gus Van Sant-directed, Ryan Murphy-produced Feud. She’ll next be seen in the A24 film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You with Rose Byrne and A$AP Rocky.
Directed by Lila Neugebauer, Appropriate stars Sarah Paulson, Corey Stoll, Michael Esper, Natalie Gold, Graham Campbell, Alyssa Emily Marvin, Lincoln Cohen and Everett Sobers.
Appropriate is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Take a look at more footage from “Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans” directed by Gus Van Sant, Max Winkler and Jennifer Lynch, in the second part of Ryan Murphy’s award-winning “Feud” TV series, now streaming on FX and Hulu:
“..‘Truman Capote’ (Tom Hollander), the writer of ‘In Cold Blood’, surrounded himself with a coterie of New York society’s most elite women – rich, glamorous socialites who defined a bygone era of high society, nicknamed ‘the swans’.
‘Beautiful and distinguished, the group included grande dame ‘Barbara Paley, (Naomi Watts), ‘Slim Keith’ (Diane Lane), ‘C.Z. Guest’ (Chloë Sevigny) and ‘Lee Radziwill’ (Calista Flockhart).
“ Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets.
“When an excerpt from the book, ‘Answered Prayers’, Capote’s planned magnum opus,...
“..‘Truman Capote’ (Tom Hollander), the writer of ‘In Cold Blood’, surrounded himself with a coterie of New York society’s most elite women – rich, glamorous socialites who defined a bygone era of high society, nicknamed ‘the swans’.
‘Beautiful and distinguished, the group included grande dame ‘Barbara Paley, (Naomi Watts), ‘Slim Keith’ (Diane Lane), ‘C.Z. Guest’ (Chloë Sevigny) and ‘Lee Radziwill’ (Calista Flockhart).
“ Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets.
“When an excerpt from the book, ‘Answered Prayers’, Capote’s planned magnum opus,...
- 2/16/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.
Film at Lincoln Center
A retrospective of Denis Villeneuve’s work also brings the director’s programming choices, among them films by Godard, Resnais, Cassavetes, and Wong Kar-wai.
Roxy Cinema
Bob Fosse’s Star 80, The Piano Teacher, The Pillow Book, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and End of Night all play on 35mm.
Anthology Film Archives
As retrospective of Haitian cinema continues, films by Hollis Frampton and Ernie Gehr play Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Film Forum
“Sapph-o-rama” continues with films by Nicholas Ray, Jonathan Demme, Lizzie Borden, and more; a 4K restoration of Pandora’s Box has begun a run; a print of The Third Man continues, while the Harold Lloyd film Hot Water shows on 35mm this Sunday.
Museum of the Moving Image
A retrospective of snubbed performances brings films by Scorsese, Elaine May, Jonathan Demme, and Gus Van Sant...
Film at Lincoln Center
A retrospective of Denis Villeneuve’s work also brings the director’s programming choices, among them films by Godard, Resnais, Cassavetes, and Wong Kar-wai.
Roxy Cinema
Bob Fosse’s Star 80, The Piano Teacher, The Pillow Book, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and End of Night all play on 35mm.
Anthology Film Archives
As retrospective of Haitian cinema continues, films by Hollis Frampton and Ernie Gehr play Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Film Forum
“Sapph-o-rama” continues with films by Nicholas Ray, Jonathan Demme, Lizzie Borden, and more; a 4K restoration of Pandora’s Box has begun a run; a print of The Third Man continues, while the Harold Lloyd film Hot Water shows on 35mm this Sunday.
Museum of the Moving Image
A retrospective of snubbed performances brings films by Scorsese, Elaine May, Jonathan Demme, and Gus Van Sant...
- 2/16/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Alfred Hitchcock’s films have been some of the iconic films that have shaped the genre of suspense thrillers. He is known as the Master of Suspense, and his filmography as a director has been an inspirational one. Films such as To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and Psycho have been considered his best films.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is potentially the best suspense horror/thriller film
The latter is his most popular film featuring one of cinema’s most feared antagonists, Norman Bates, played by Anthony Perkins. The actor also managed to earn an Oscar nomination for the 1956 film Friendly Persuasion. However, he held one secret about his sexuality due to the regressive ideologies of the 50s.
Anthony Perkins Hid the Fact That He Was Gay Throughout His Life Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho
Anthony Perkins rose to fame when he starred...
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is potentially the best suspense horror/thriller film
The latter is his most popular film featuring one of cinema’s most feared antagonists, Norman Bates, played by Anthony Perkins. The actor also managed to earn an Oscar nomination for the 1956 film Friendly Persuasion. However, he held one secret about his sexuality due to the regressive ideologies of the 50s.
Anthony Perkins Hid the Fact That He Was Gay Throughout His Life Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho
Anthony Perkins rose to fame when he starred...
- 2/15/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
After the disappointing “Masquerade 1966,” Feud needs to get back on track. With another time jump, this time to the aftermath of the Esquire article, Capote finds himself at odds with his Swans again. Throughout “It’s Impossible,” director Gus Van Sant tries to elevate the periphery characters. However, as the various women push back on their ringleader – Slim (Diane Lane) – it appears the Swans are ready to invite Truman back into their circle. Unfortunately, “It’s Impossible” sucks the oxygen out of the room and makes us question why the infighting continues. Van Sant directs “It’s Impossible” from the teleplay by Jon Robin Baitz.
FX’s Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans “It’s Impossible” Airs Wednesday, February 14 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt — Pictured: (l-r) Chloe Sevigny as C.Z. Guest, Diane Lane as Slim Keith, Naomi Watts as Babe Paley. Credit: FX Capote vs. The Swans – Episode 4 – “It’s Impossible...
FX’s Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans “It’s Impossible” Airs Wednesday, February 14 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt — Pictured: (l-r) Chloe Sevigny as C.Z. Guest, Diane Lane as Slim Keith, Naomi Watts as Babe Paley. Credit: FX Capote vs. The Swans – Episode 4 – “It’s Impossible...
- 2/15/2024
- by Alan French
- FandomWire
Josh Brolin is the Oscar-nominated actor who has jumped back and forth between prestige projects and big studio titles, including his most famous role as the big purple bad guy Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018) and “Avengers: End Game” (2019). Let’s take a look back at 16 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
It was over three decades ago that the teenage Brolin made his film debut in “The Goonies” (1985) but it is only in the last 10 years or so that he has risen to the top of the list of respected actors and become a full-out movie star. As Brolin himself joked on an episode of “Inside the Actor’s Studio,” he got everything wrong for the first half of his career and only recently started getting it right. Brolin is perhaps being too hard on himself since he has had a very steady rise in show business...
It was over three decades ago that the teenage Brolin made his film debut in “The Goonies” (1985) but it is only in the last 10 years or so that he has risen to the top of the list of respected actors and become a full-out movie star. As Brolin himself joked on an episode of “Inside the Actor’s Studio,” he got everything wrong for the first half of his career and only recently started getting it right. Brolin is perhaps being too hard on himself since he has had a very steady rise in show business...
- 2/10/2024
- by Misty Holland, Robert Pius and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Nearly a decade before Truman Capote (Tom Hollander) threw a gossip grenade that would permanently annihilate his social calendar, he hosted the event of the year. Rather than take a standard glam and glitz retelling of the Black and White Ball, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans creator Jon Robin Baitz and director Gus Van Sant give Truman the documentary treatment. And just because it is shot in black-and-white doesn’t mean the third episode lacks color.
- 2/8/2024
- by Emma Fraser
- Primetimer
[This story contains spoilers from the third episode of Feud: Capote vs. the Swans, “Masquerade 1966.”]
The catalyst for Feud: Capote vs. the Swans‘ third episode is absolutely true.
On Nov. 28, 1966, Truman Capote held the Black and White Ball at New York City’s Plaza Hotel — an event so lavish, boasting a guest list so carefully edited, that The New York Times dubbed it “the best party ever” on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. As for the rest of what was seen during Wednesday night’s “Masquerade 1966,” well… liberties were taken.
A stylistic departure from the rest of the series, the Gus Van Sant-helmed hour is largely presented as a black-and-white documentary of the party and Capote’s (Tom Hollander) weeks of preparations for his big night. At its heart, it’s a flashback episode, with the Swans seen in various states of anxious planning — most of them under the impression that they would be the event’s “guest of honor.
The catalyst for Feud: Capote vs. the Swans‘ third episode is absolutely true.
On Nov. 28, 1966, Truman Capote held the Black and White Ball at New York City’s Plaza Hotel — an event so lavish, boasting a guest list so carefully edited, that The New York Times dubbed it “the best party ever” on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. As for the rest of what was seen during Wednesday night’s “Masquerade 1966,” well… liberties were taken.
A stylistic departure from the rest of the series, the Gus Van Sant-helmed hour is largely presented as a black-and-white documentary of the party and Capote’s (Tom Hollander) weeks of preparations for his big night. At its heart, it’s a flashback episode, with the Swans seen in various states of anxious planning — most of them under the impression that they would be the event’s “guest of honor.
- 2/8/2024
- by Mikey O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Noted Hollywood publicist Mickey Cottrell passed away on January 1, 2024, at the age of 79. He was known throughout the 1990s for his advocacy of independent film, his knowledge of queer history, and his wild blowout parties. He promoted films like Jonatha Couette's "Tarnation," Wim Wenders' "Wings of Desire," and Philip Noyce's "Dead Calm," as well as "Weekend," "Querelle," and "Earth Girls Are Easy."
Cottrell was so well-liked in the industry, and such an outsize character, that he would occasionally appear in films. In fact, he has several dozen acting credits to his name, many of them in indie queer films. He played a corpse in John Cameron Mitchell's "Shortbus," a barfly in "The Fluffer," and a mincing French aristocrat in league with demons in "Hellraiser: Bloodline." He was also the one who got to say "Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!" in Tim Burton's "Ed Wood." His first acting...
Cottrell was so well-liked in the industry, and such an outsize character, that he would occasionally appear in films. In fact, he has several dozen acting credits to his name, many of them in indie queer films. He played a corpse in John Cameron Mitchell's "Shortbus," a barfly in "The Fluffer," and a mincing French aristocrat in league with demons in "Hellraiser: Bloodline." He was also the one who got to say "Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!" in Tim Burton's "Ed Wood." His first acting...
- 2/7/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
To “The Swans,” a coterie of New York high society women, Truman Capote was an amusing circus act. Known for penning Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood, these aristocratic ladies invited him to lavish dinner parties and fanciful getaways to indulge in his animated, gossip-filled stories. Author Laurence Leamer found himself captivated by Capote’s mélange of wit, joie de vivre, and callousness, and chronicled his falling-out with his one-percenter gal pals in the 2021 book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era,...
- 2/3/2024
- by Kalia Richardson
- Rollingstone.com
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,...
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,...
- 2/2/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
The official title of the opera making its U.S. premiere next week is Last Days. But Matt Copson, who co-directed it and also wrote its libretto, knows everyone will call it something else: the Kurt Cobain opera.
“That’s fine,” Copson says. “I’m up for that. It’s not about that, of course. But that’s an interesting entryway into the whole thing.”
In a somber reminder of how time flies, this April marks the 30th anniversary of Cobain’s death. It’s too soon to say how that day will be commemorated,...
“That’s fine,” Copson says. “I’m up for that. It’s not about that, of course. But that’s an interesting entryway into the whole thing.”
In a somber reminder of how time flies, this April marks the 30th anniversary of Cobain’s death. It’s too soon to say how that day will be commemorated,...
- 2/1/2024
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Take a look at more footage from “Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans” directed by Gus Van Sant, Max Winkler and Jennifer Lynch, in the second part of Ryan Murphy’s award-winning “Feud” TV series, now streaming on FX and Hulu:
“..‘Truman Capote’ (Tom Hollander), the writer of ‘In Cold Blood’, surrounded himself with a coterie of New York society’s most elite women – rich, glamorous socialites who defined a bygone era of high society, nicknamed ‘the swans’.
‘Beautiful and distinguished, the group included grande dame ‘Barbara Paley, (Naomi Watts), ‘Slim Keith’ (Diane Lane), ‘C.Z. Guest’ (Chloë Sevigny) and ‘Lee Radziwill’ (Calista Flockhart).
“ Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets.
“When an excerpt from the book, ‘Answered Prayers’, Capote’s planned magnum opus,...
“..‘Truman Capote’ (Tom Hollander), the writer of ‘In Cold Blood’, surrounded himself with a coterie of New York society’s most elite women – rich, glamorous socialites who defined a bygone era of high society, nicknamed ‘the swans’.
‘Beautiful and distinguished, the group included grande dame ‘Barbara Paley, (Naomi Watts), ‘Slim Keith’ (Diane Lane), ‘C.Z. Guest’ (Chloë Sevigny) and ‘Lee Radziwill’ (Calista Flockhart).
“ Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets.
“When an excerpt from the book, ‘Answered Prayers’, Capote’s planned magnum opus,...
- 2/1/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Plot: Acclaimed writer Truman Capote surrounded himself with a coterie of society’s most elite women – rich, glamorous socialites who defined a bygone era of high society New York – whom he nicknamed “the swans.” Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets. When an excerpt from the book, Answered Prayers, Capote’s planned magnum opus, was published in Esquire, it effectively destroyed his relationship with his swans, banished him from the high society he so loved and sent him into a spiral of self-destruction from which he would ultimately never recover.
Review: It has been six years since Ryan Murphy’s debut season of Feud chronicled the difficult relationship between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. That stellar series was a brilliant...
Review: It has been six years since Ryan Murphy’s debut season of Feud chronicled the difficult relationship between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. That stellar series was a brilliant...
- 1/31/2024
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
The cold shoulder is mightier than the pen in Capote Vs. The Swans, a dazzling new edition of Ryan Murphy’s Feud anthology. The first Feud series, which aired in 2017, depicted the juicy rivalry of Hollywood divas Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The gossipy and rarefied New York world of Capote, as sharply written by Jon Robin Baitz (Brothers & Sisters) and mostly directed by Gus Van Sant, takes us back to the 1970s’ “ladies who lunch” culture so memorably skewered by Stephen Sondheim in his breakthrough Company. These “dinosaurs surviving the crunch” are a glamorous if garishly unsatisfied bunch, epitomized by Babe Paley (the stunning Naomi Watts), a statuesque and starched beauty unhappily wed to the flagrantly unfaithful CBS magnate William S. Paley. Like her fellow socialites—an impeccably cast ensemble including Diane Lane (as Slim Keith), Chloë Sevigny (as C.Z. Guest), and Calista Flockhart (as the waspish Lee...
- 1/31/2024
- TV Insider
Son of a bitch…He stole my line — and ad-libbed it, too. We all know Robin Williams was a habitual improv artist on the set, giving his own spin on lines and scenes as only he could. But this wasn’t just in comedies and for Disney animation; he also did it in dramas, namely 1997’s Good Will Hunting.
Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant revealed that Robin Williams loved going off script so much that he would beg to do so. “Robin had a lot of ideas. His only problem was he wanted to do a lot of takes — a slow one, a fast one, a funny one, a funny fast one, a funny slow one. … He knew that in the editing, they need that kind of stuff. But if I get a good take, I try to stop. He’d get me up to seven or eight just by begging,...
Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant revealed that Robin Williams loved going off script so much that he would beg to do so. “Robin had a lot of ideas. His only problem was he wanted to do a lot of takes — a slow one, a fast one, a funny one, a funny fast one, a funny slow one. … He knew that in the editing, they need that kind of stuff. But if I get a good take, I try to stop. He’d get me up to seven or eight just by begging,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Gus Van Sant has one of the more interesting filmmaking careers in modern Hollywood. From his breakout film, “Drugstore Cowboy,” he would go on to direct some of the most beloved films to some of the most polarizing. Basically, you can’t really pin him down as an artist.
Continue reading Gus Van Sant Says He Was Offered ‘G.I. Joe’ In The ‘90s & Almost Cast Matt Damon In ‘To Die For’ at The Playlist.
Continue reading Gus Van Sant Says He Was Offered ‘G.I. Joe’ In The ‘90s & Almost Cast Matt Damon In ‘To Die For’ at The Playlist.
- 1/30/2024
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Gus Van Sant has taken on a few superlatives over the course of his 40-year career: indie provocateur, Palme d’Or-winning filmmaker and, per the late Robin Williams, “mellowest man in Hollywood.”
A label that long eluded the 71-year-old director, despite his line of work, was Angeleno. Van Sant built one of the more eclectic résumés in modern cinema while living in Oregon, his chosen home until just a few years ago. “There were a lot of water issues near the end — tsunami years at the beach house, flooding on the river in Portland,” he says, now safely 700-plus feet above sea level in the unassuming Hollywood Hills mid-century home that he now calls his primary residence. “Finally, I just sold it all and kind of never went back.”
Van Sant’s artistic choices, not unlike his decades as a Hollywood outsider, defy most traditional paths. After gaining attention from...
A label that long eluded the 71-year-old director, despite his line of work, was Angeleno. Van Sant built one of the more eclectic résumés in modern cinema while living in Oregon, his chosen home until just a few years ago. “There were a lot of water issues near the end — tsunami years at the beach house, flooding on the river in Portland,” he says, now safely 700-plus feet above sea level in the unassuming Hollywood Hills mid-century home that he now calls his primary residence. “Finally, I just sold it all and kind of never went back.”
Van Sant’s artistic choices, not unlike his decades as a Hollywood outsider, defy most traditional paths. After gaining attention from...
- 1/29/2024
- by Mikey O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are reuniting for kidnapping thriller Animals for Netflix, and here are the details.
Despite both being equally successful as actors, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have built up quite the portfolio of work behind the camera. T
hey won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 1998 for their work on the wonderful Good Will Hunting, which was directed by Gus Van Sant. Robin Williams also won Best Supporting Actor that time.
It led to Kevin Smith’s brilliant parody in his 2001 film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, where we glimpse a violent clip from Smith’s made up sequel Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season.
The pair went on to co-write 2021’s The Last Duel with Nicole Holofcener, and most recently scripted acclaimed drama, Air, the story of how Sonny Vaccaro changed the fortune of shoemaker Nike by signing a young Michael Jordan.
Now,...
Despite both being equally successful as actors, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have built up quite the portfolio of work behind the camera. T
hey won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 1998 for their work on the wonderful Good Will Hunting, which was directed by Gus Van Sant. Robin Williams also won Best Supporting Actor that time.
It led to Kevin Smith’s brilliant parody in his 2001 film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, where we glimpse a violent clip from Smith’s made up sequel Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season.
The pair went on to co-write 2021’s The Last Duel with Nicole Holofcener, and most recently scripted acclaimed drama, Air, the story of how Sonny Vaccaro changed the fortune of shoemaker Nike by signing a young Michael Jordan.
Now,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
Finding a good movie to watch on Amazon Prime Video can be difficult to say the least. While Amazon’s robust library of titles is available to every Amazon Prime subscriber, they don’t exactly make it easy to find what you’re looking for. That’s where we come in. Below, we’ve assembled a growing list of the best movies on Amazon Prime right now. Our carefully curated selection runs the gamut from crowd-pleasing blockbusters to Oscar-winning dramas to delightful rom-coms and beyond. There’s a little something for everyone, so stop the endless scrolling and simply choose one of these great movies to watch.
Check out our list of the best movies on Amazon Prime video below. The list will be updated weekly with new titles.
Zola “Zola” (Photo credit: A24)
“Zola” should have been a bigger deal. The 2021 comedy premiered at the Sundance Film Festival just...
Check out our list of the best movies on Amazon Prime video below. The list will be updated weekly with new titles.
Zola “Zola” (Photo credit: A24)
“Zola” should have been a bigger deal. The 2021 comedy premiered at the Sundance Film Festival just...
- 1/25/2024
- by Adam Chitwood, Haleigh Foutch
- The Wrap
Writer/Director Chris Nash’s feature debut, In a Violent Nature, upends a straightforward Friday the 13th-inspired slasher concept by reframing the events almost entirely from the perspective of the undead killer. That’s not the only massive shift that sets Nash’s slasher apart from conventional fare. In a Violent Nature may offer slasher thrills and a delightfully gory rampage across the wilderness, but Nash’s approach captures the carnage through ambient realism. It results in a fascinating arthouse horror experiment that plays more like a minimalist slice-of-life feature with a grim twist.
The opening frame signals a vastly different type of slasher as unseen voices recount the local legend of the White Pines slaughter as the camera fixates on the remnants of a dilapidated fire tower. Once those voices retreat back to their friend group for a weekend of fun in the woods, undead Johnny (Ry Barrett) awakens...
The opening frame signals a vastly different type of slasher as unseen voices recount the local legend of the White Pines slaughter as the camera fixates on the remnants of a dilapidated fire tower. Once those voices retreat back to their friend group for a weekend of fun in the woods, undead Johnny (Ry Barrett) awakens...
- 1/25/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
A slow-cinema spin on well-burnished tropes, In a Violent Nature largely strips the artifice of the slasher formula, which dictates a deformed man must hunt down attractive teens or young adults in either the woods or suburbia. A film built around a mythology that comes to life, as our killer rises from a grave, Chris Nash’s picture could almost be the kind of film Kelly Reichardt might make if her current patron A24 asked her to make a slasher flick.
The result is a deconstruction of all of the clichés that never quite comes into its own, suffering from the same shortcomings as David Gordon Green’s more traditional slasher character study Halloween Ends. The story is told largely from the perspective of a masked killer who may or may not be the son of a rural logging town figure who was executed due to a vendetta. Like László...
The result is a deconstruction of all of the clichés that never quite comes into its own, suffering from the same shortcomings as David Gordon Green’s more traditional slasher character study Halloween Ends. The story is told largely from the perspective of a masked killer who may or may not be the son of a rural logging town figure who was executed due to a vendetta. Like László...
- 1/25/2024
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Black and white doesn’t mean boring. Demi Moore, Calista Flockhart, and the rest of the cast of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans stunned in coordinated monochromatic looks as they walked the red carpet at the premiere of the FX series on Jan. 23 in New York City.
Moore and Flockhart star in the anthology series, along with Molly Ringwald, Diane Lane, Naomi Watts, and Chloë Sevigny. The show, which was created by Ryan Murphy and directed by Gus Van Sant, is about the real-life friendship – and later conflict – between writer Truman Capote (Tom Hollander) and a group of New York socialites he dubbed “the swans.”
(L-r) Diane Lane, Chloe Sevigny, Naomi Watts, Tom Hollander, Molly Ringwald, Demi Moore, and Calista Flockhart | Arturo Holmes/WireImage
The Feud: Capote vs. The Swans cast poses on the red carpet at the premiere at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Moore and Flockhart star in the anthology series, along with Molly Ringwald, Diane Lane, Naomi Watts, and Chloë Sevigny. The show, which was created by Ryan Murphy and directed by Gus Van Sant, is about the real-life friendship – and later conflict – between writer Truman Capote (Tom Hollander) and a group of New York socialites he dubbed “the swans.”
(L-r) Diane Lane, Chloe Sevigny, Naomi Watts, Tom Hollander, Molly Ringwald, Demi Moore, and Calista Flockhart | Arturo Holmes/WireImage
The Feud: Capote vs. The Swans cast poses on the red carpet at the premiere at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
- 1/24/2024
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
A high-concept horror movie so casual that it sometimes feels like it doesn’t have any concept at all, Chris Nash’s “In a Violent Nature” is an “ambient slasher” that might owe more to the likes of Terrence Malick and Gus Van Sant than it does to Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers — at least until the part when the unstoppable teen-murderer disembowels a female victim and then twists her entire head through the giant hole he’s carved in her stomach.
Told from its killer’s point of view (except when it’s not), this anemic but formally compelling genre exercise strips the whole madman in a mask routine down to its skeleton. It starts, of course, with some doomed kids in the woods, their voices disembodied long before their limbs will get the chance. Nash frames them out in favor of focusing on the gold necklace the characters...
Told from its killer’s point of view (except when it’s not), this anemic but formally compelling genre exercise strips the whole madman in a mask routine down to its skeleton. It starts, of course, with some doomed kids in the woods, their voices disembodied long before their limbs will get the chance. Nash frames them out in favor of focusing on the gold necklace the characters...
- 1/24/2024
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Take a look at more footage from “Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans” directed by Gus Van Sant, Max Winkler and Jennifer Lynch, in the second part of Ryan Murphy’s award-winning “Feud” TV series, streaming January 31, 2024 on FX and February 1, 2024 on Hulu:
“..‘Truman Capote’ (Tom Hollander), the writer of ‘In Cold Blood’, surrounded himself with a coterie of New York society’s most elite women – rich, glamorous socialites who defined a bygone era of high society, nicknamed ‘the swans’.
‘Beautiful and distinguished, the group included grande dame ‘Barbara Paley, (Naomi Watts), ‘Slim Keith’ (Diane Lane), ‘C.Z. Guest’ (Chloë Sevigny) and ‘Lee Radziwill’ (Calista Flockhart).
“ Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets.
“When an excerpt from the book, ‘Answered Prayers’, Capote’s planned magnum opus,...
“..‘Truman Capote’ (Tom Hollander), the writer of ‘In Cold Blood’, surrounded himself with a coterie of New York society’s most elite women – rich, glamorous socialites who defined a bygone era of high society, nicknamed ‘the swans’.
‘Beautiful and distinguished, the group included grande dame ‘Barbara Paley, (Naomi Watts), ‘Slim Keith’ (Diane Lane), ‘C.Z. Guest’ (Chloë Sevigny) and ‘Lee Radziwill’ (Calista Flockhart).
“ Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets.
“When an excerpt from the book, ‘Answered Prayers’, Capote’s planned magnum opus,...
- 1/20/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
FX has released the second official trailer for Ryan Murphy’s forthcoming “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.”
Tom Hollander, who plays Truman Capote in the series, faces off against the Swans in the trailer, which teases the story of the elite group of women that the “In Cold Blood” author surrounded himself with and the betrayal that led to their infamous falling out.
The group included grande dame Barbara “Babe” Paley (Naomi Watts), Slim Keith (Diane Lane), C.Z. Guest (Chloë Sevigny) and Lee Radziwill (Calista Flockhart).
“Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets. When an excerpt from the book, Answered Prayers, Capote’s planned magnum opus, was published in Esquire, it effectively destroyed his relationship with his swans, banished him...
Tom Hollander, who plays Truman Capote in the series, faces off against the Swans in the trailer, which teases the story of the elite group of women that the “In Cold Blood” author surrounded himself with and the betrayal that led to their infamous falling out.
The group included grande dame Barbara “Babe” Paley (Naomi Watts), Slim Keith (Diane Lane), C.Z. Guest (Chloë Sevigny) and Lee Radziwill (Calista Flockhart).
“Enchanted and captivated by these doyennes, Capote ingratiated himself into their lives, befriending them and becoming their confidante, only to ultimately betray them by writing a thinly veiled fictionalization of their lives, exposing their most intimate secrets. When an excerpt from the book, Answered Prayers, Capote’s planned magnum opus, was published in Esquire, it effectively destroyed his relationship with his swans, banished him...
- 1/19/2024
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
FX’s new trailer for Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans shows Truman Capote’s rise in importance among New York’s wealthiest socialites, followed by his banishment by the “swans” after revealing their most intimate secrets. Tom Hollander stars as the bestselling author who betrayed the trust of the high society women he befriended.
Season two of the anthology series also stars Naomi Watts as “Babe” Paley, Diane Lane as Slim Keith, Chloë Sevigny as C.Z. Guest, and Calista Flockhart as Lee Radziwill. Demi Moore plays Ann “Bang-Bang” Woodward, Molly Ringwald is Joanne Carson, Treat Williams is Bill Paley, Joe Mantello is Jack Dunphy, and Russell Tovey plays John O’Shea.
Based on Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era by Laurence Leamer, the eight-episode season premieres on January 31, 2024 with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes arrive on Wednesdays at 10pm Et/Pt.
Season two of the anthology series also stars Naomi Watts as “Babe” Paley, Diane Lane as Slim Keith, Chloë Sevigny as C.Z. Guest, and Calista Flockhart as Lee Radziwill. Demi Moore plays Ann “Bang-Bang” Woodward, Molly Ringwald is Joanne Carson, Treat Williams is Bill Paley, Joe Mantello is Jack Dunphy, and Russell Tovey plays John O’Shea.
Based on Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era by Laurence Leamer, the eight-episode season premieres on January 31, 2024 with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes arrive on Wednesdays at 10pm Et/Pt.
- 1/19/2024
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
It’s clear from the imagery, the poster, and the description that writer/director Chris Nash’s slasher movie In a Violent Nature, which will be having its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this month, is inspired by backwoods slashers like the Friday the 13th films… but during an interview with Variety, Nash revealed that this one takes a different approach to the backwoods slasher sub-genre, as it focuses on the killer rather than the potential victims and also draws inspiration from the works of Terrence Malick and Gus Van Sant.
Sundance said In a Violent Nature is about “the enigmatic resurrection, rampage, and retribution of an undead monster in a remote wilderness.” Variety adds that it features “a masked killer named Johnny traipsing through the woods, camping teens, a local who escaped death years ago, buckets of gore. But including these cornerstones doesn’t feel like a retread—instead,...
Sundance said In a Violent Nature is about “the enigmatic resurrection, rampage, and retribution of an undead monster in a remote wilderness.” Variety adds that it features “a masked killer named Johnny traipsing through the woods, camping teens, a local who escaped death years ago, buckets of gore. But including these cornerstones doesn’t feel like a retread—instead,...
- 1/18/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Chris Nash, who wrote and directed the indie horror movie “In A Violent Nature,” loves the slasher genre so much that he decided to totally deconstruct it.
Much like the “Friday the 13th” franchise, “Violent Nature” hits all the known beats: a masked killer named Johnny traipsing through the woods, camping teens, a local who escaped death years ago, buckets of gore. But including these cornerstones doesn’t feel like a retread—instead, it gave Nash room to play freely. Like, for example, making the perspective largely tethered to the killer. There’s no spotlight on heroes or final girls here, only the glimpses and whispers of those unfortunate enough to find themselves in the path of Johnny’s reign of terror.
“We went in knowing that we were just following around this slasher character the entire time,” he said of the film, which is set to debut in the...
Much like the “Friday the 13th” franchise, “Violent Nature” hits all the known beats: a masked killer named Johnny traipsing through the woods, camping teens, a local who escaped death years ago, buckets of gore. But including these cornerstones doesn’t feel like a retread—instead, it gave Nash room to play freely. Like, for example, making the perspective largely tethered to the killer. There’s no spotlight on heroes or final girls here, only the glimpses and whispers of those unfortunate enough to find themselves in the path of Johnny’s reign of terror.
“We went in knowing that we were just following around this slasher character the entire time,” he said of the film, which is set to debut in the...
- 1/18/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Ah Hollywood. The evil temptress where talent often overshadows any sort of character flaw. Many people claim it to be a new development with the advent of social media, where a person tweets out something dumb ten years ago only to have it brought back up when they have a new Netflix movie dropping. But actually, celebrities have seen their careers implode long before people posted pictures of their dinners online for the world to see. Think back to the story of Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, one of the highest-paid silent film stars of the era whose talent and fame were overshadowed when a woman was assaulted and subsequently died at a party hosted by the famed comedian. Arbuckle was acquitted of the crimes, but his career never recovered. We have never seen a career implosion like we witnessed in 2023 when an emerging talent had a genuine break-out year that was...
- 1/12/2024
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
February––particularly its third week––is all about romance. Accordingly the Criterion Channel got creative with their monthly programming and, in a few weeks, will debut Interdimensional Romance, a series of films wherein “passion conquers time and space, age and memory, and even death and the afterlife.” For every title you might’ve guessed there’s a wilder companion: Alan Rudolph’s Made In Heaven, Soderbergh’s remake, and Resnais’ Love Unto Death. Mostly I’m excited to revisit Francis Ford Coppola’s Youth Without Youth, a likely essential viewing before Megalopolis.
February also marks Black History Month, and Criterion’s series will include work by Shirley Clarke (also subject of a standalone series), Garrett Bradley, Cheryl Dunye, and Julie Dash, while movies by Sirk, Minnelli, King Vidor, and Lang play in “Gothic Noir.” Greta Gerwig gets an “Adventures in Moviegoing” and can be seen in Mary Bronstein’s Yeast,...
February also marks Black History Month, and Criterion’s series will include work by Shirley Clarke (also subject of a standalone series), Garrett Bradley, Cheryl Dunye, and Julie Dash, while movies by Sirk, Minnelli, King Vidor, and Lang play in “Gothic Noir.” Greta Gerwig gets an “Adventures in Moviegoing” and can be seen in Mary Bronstein’s Yeast,...
- 1/11/2024
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: Amazon MGM’s Head of Specialty Theatrical Distribution, Mark Boxer, was among the notables cuts yesterday at the streaming theatrical studio.
Among some of Boxer’s highlights at Amazon, he oversaw the specialty theatrical releases of such Oscar nominated titles as Being the Ricardos, Poland’s 2018 International film entry Cold War, and 2x Oscar winner Sound of Metal.
With Amazon’s acquisition of MGM, Boxer was a key suit in getting Ben Affleck’s Air into theaters. He was also recently involved in the successful release strategies for awards season titles Saltburn, The Boys in the Boat and American Fiction.
During the pandemic, Boxer also handled the theatrical distribution of such big Prime Video acquisition titles, Coming 2 America, Cinderella, Hotel Transylvania 4, and The Tomorrow War to those cinemas and drive-ins that were lucky to be open.
Boxer also supervised the opening, and operated Amazon’s Culver Theater in Culver City,...
Among some of Boxer’s highlights at Amazon, he oversaw the specialty theatrical releases of such Oscar nominated titles as Being the Ricardos, Poland’s 2018 International film entry Cold War, and 2x Oscar winner Sound of Metal.
With Amazon’s acquisition of MGM, Boxer was a key suit in getting Ben Affleck’s Air into theaters. He was also recently involved in the successful release strategies for awards season titles Saltburn, The Boys in the Boat and American Fiction.
During the pandemic, Boxer also handled the theatrical distribution of such big Prime Video acquisition titles, Coming 2 America, Cinderella, Hotel Transylvania 4, and The Tomorrow War to those cinemas and drive-ins that were lucky to be open.
Boxer also supervised the opening, and operated Amazon’s Culver Theater in Culver City,...
- 1/11/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
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