On Friday nights, IndieWire After Dark takes a feature-length beat to honor fringe cinema in the streaming age.
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: After Dark but Make It for Gays of a Certain Age
When I was pressed into service for IndieWire After Dark, I hesitated all of five seconds before I screamed, “What’s the Matter With Helen?” at Ali. Partly because it’s a truly bonkers hagsploitation movie but mostly because I greedily grasp at every excuse to discuss Curtis Harrington’s examination of what the mothers of thrill killers Leopold and Loeb might have done with their lives after their sons’ convictions.
Move from the Midwest to Los Angeles to...
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: After Dark but Make It for Gays of a Certain Age
When I was pressed into service for IndieWire After Dark, I hesitated all of five seconds before I screamed, “What’s the Matter With Helen?” at Ali. Partly because it’s a truly bonkers hagsploitation movie but mostly because I greedily grasp at every excuse to discuss Curtis Harrington’s examination of what the mothers of thrill killers Leopold and Loeb might have done with their lives after their sons’ convictions.
Move from the Midwest to Los Angeles to...
- 4/27/2024
- by Mark Peikert and Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Nicole Kidman is the rare actress in the 21st century who, like the stars of Hollywood’s golden years, doesn’t disappear into roles so much as elevate films by her mere presence.
She’s certainly swung big at mainstream blockbusters (think: the “Aquaman” films) that might feel out of her step with her character-driven work elsewhere (like most of the films on the list that follows). But that’s because the Australian icon is unafraid of any role, whether stripping down her post-Oscar, A-lister veneer to film Lars von Trier’s Brechtian “Dogville” in Sweden, slipping into a bathtub with the 10-year-old possible reincarnation of her dead husband in Jonathan Glazer’s “Birth,” or, yes, donning a fake nose to play a suicidal Virginia Woolf for her Oscar-winning turn in “The Hours.”
On April 27 in Los Angeles, Nicole Kidman will receive the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award, joining the ranks of Jane Fonda,...
She’s certainly swung big at mainstream blockbusters (think: the “Aquaman” films) that might feel out of her step with her character-driven work elsewhere (like most of the films on the list that follows). But that’s because the Australian icon is unafraid of any role, whether stripping down her post-Oscar, A-lister veneer to film Lars von Trier’s Brechtian “Dogville” in Sweden, slipping into a bathtub with the 10-year-old possible reincarnation of her dead husband in Jonathan Glazer’s “Birth,” or, yes, donning a fake nose to play a suicidal Virginia Woolf for her Oscar-winning turn in “The Hours.”
On April 27 in Los Angeles, Nicole Kidman will receive the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award, joining the ranks of Jane Fonda,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
This post was originally published in July 2023. We’ve updated it to coincide with “Sex and the City” coming to Netflix April 1.
Seasons change, and so do cities. One thing that doesn’t? Fans’ enduring love for “Sex and the City,” the HBO comedy that premiered in 1998.
Endlessly spoofed but also deeply, earnestly loved by millions (there are honestly very fun location tours in NYC running several times a week) the groundbreaking series wrapped its original six-season, 94-episode run in 2004, with a not-terrible, not-great 2008 feature film and a truly terrible sequel following in 2010. In 2021, spinoff series “And Just Like That” — without Kim Cattrall’s iconic Samantha Jones — premiered on Max (née HBO Max). A second season of “And Just Like That” began airing in June 2023, following the misadventures of a 50-something Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda. The spinoff show has received mixed reviews from fans and critics — the less said about Che Diaz,...
Seasons change, and so do cities. One thing that doesn’t? Fans’ enduring love for “Sex and the City,” the HBO comedy that premiered in 1998.
Endlessly spoofed but also deeply, earnestly loved by millions (there are honestly very fun location tours in NYC running several times a week) the groundbreaking series wrapped its original six-season, 94-episode run in 2004, with a not-terrible, not-great 2008 feature film and a truly terrible sequel following in 2010. In 2021, spinoff series “And Just Like That” — without Kim Cattrall’s iconic Samantha Jones — premiered on Max (née HBO Max). A second season of “And Just Like That” began airing in June 2023, following the misadventures of a 50-something Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda. The spinoff show has received mixed reviews from fans and critics — the less said about Che Diaz,...
- 4/1/2024
- by Erin Strecker and Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
[Editor’s note: This story was originally published September 2023. It has since been updated ahead of the release of “Immaculate.”]
In the real world, nuns typically lead simple, quiet lives. Taking vows of chastity and obedience in order to fully devote themselves to God, the average nun — be she Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, or some other denomination — gives up her worldly possessions in exchange for the pursuit of greater spiritual purpose, often spending her life in a monastery or convent and focusing on prayer, charity, and schooling. For some, that’s a fulfilling path, but it’s also maybe not the most interesting story to watch.
And yet onscreen, nuns can be whatever the director wants them to be. They can be the singing, lovable anti-Nazis in “The Sound of Music.” They can be the bawdy and hilarious R&b superstars in “Sister Act.” In some films, like Paul Verhoeven’s “Benedetta,” they spit in the face of those vows of chastity to engage in some sacrilegiously steamy antics.
In the real world, nuns typically lead simple, quiet lives. Taking vows of chastity and obedience in order to fully devote themselves to God, the average nun — be she Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, or some other denomination — gives up her worldly possessions in exchange for the pursuit of greater spiritual purpose, often spending her life in a monastery or convent and focusing on prayer, charity, and schooling. For some, that’s a fulfilling path, but it’s also maybe not the most interesting story to watch.
And yet onscreen, nuns can be whatever the director wants them to be. They can be the singing, lovable anti-Nazis in “The Sound of Music.” They can be the bawdy and hilarious R&b superstars in “Sister Act.” In some films, like Paul Verhoeven’s “Benedetta,” they spit in the face of those vows of chastity to engage in some sacrilegiously steamy antics.
- 3/21/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Welcome to the feverish final moments of this year’s Oscar campaign season! With voting (finally) ending later this evening — mere hours after this article is first published — Hollywood and its biggest names and brightest talents will finally be able to take a breath after months of premiering, screening, interviewing, chatting, and awards show-ing. All across the land, cries of “pencils down!” shall ring out, and the town will grow temporarily quiet, at least until it’s time to lace up for Hollywood’s biggest night, nearly two blessed weeks away. (You can catch up on all of the nominations right here.)
But even if no actual campaigning happens during that fallow period, plenty of prognosticating will still be rolling out, and in hopes of (somewhat) avoiding that kind of idle chatter, some of the editors of IndieWire have taken on a different ask. Not who will win, or even who should win,...
But even if no actual campaigning happens during that fallow period, plenty of prognosticating will still be rolling out, and in hopes of (somewhat) avoiding that kind of idle chatter, some of the editors of IndieWire have taken on a different ask. Not who will win, or even who should win,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
There’s something uniquely cinematic about romantic comedies — something that makes them a natural fit for the movies and vice-versa. There’s an intoxicating alchemy that allows us to believe in the magic of meet-cutes, happily-ever-afters, and all the agonizing contrivances that tend to pop up between the two. Love it seems gives storytellers permission to transpose the stuff of operas and fables into the fabric of real (or at least overly glossed but still recognizable) life.
On paper, a film like “Pretty Woman” might be a retrograde fairy tale about a sex worker with a heart of gold and the rich businessman who can afford it, but the chemistry between Julia Roberts and Richard Gere is so explosive that you surrender to the sentiment of it all. Literally nothing in Richard Curtis’ “Love Actually” makes sense if you stop and think about it for even a few seconds. The...
On paper, a film like “Pretty Woman” might be a retrograde fairy tale about a sex worker with a heart of gold and the rich businessman who can afford it, but the chemistry between Julia Roberts and Richard Gere is so explosive that you surrender to the sentiment of it all. Literally nothing in Richard Curtis’ “Love Actually” makes sense if you stop and think about it for even a few seconds. The...
- 2/14/2024
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Is there a single director working today with a better track record than Martin Scorsese? Ever since breaking through with his gritty, scrappy crime drama “Mean Streets,” the Italian-American’s name has been synonymous with quality, and he’s kept that train going for several years. Some films were more acclaimed than others, but from the ’70s all the way to the 2020s, Scorsese has remained a consistent top-tier filmmaker, pumping out at least one or two stone-cold classics per decade.
What’s even more impressive is how adaptable and varied the man has proven himself to be. A refrain popular among internet contrarians is that Scorsese is just a dude who makes gangster movies, but one look at the films he’s made over the years shows that only scratches the surface of his capabilities and tastes. While his mafia films like “Goodfellas” and “The Irishman” are obvious greats,...
What’s even more impressive is how adaptable and varied the man has proven himself to be. A refrain popular among internet contrarians is that Scorsese is just a dude who makes gangster movies, but one look at the films he’s made over the years shows that only scratches the surface of his capabilities and tastes. While his mafia films like “Goodfellas” and “The Irishman” are obvious greats,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Wilson Chapman and Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
There’s plenty to dread about 2024, but thankfully, TV isn’t one of them. The strikes are over! That means many great projects can return to work.
While there are tons of intriguing TV shows yet to be announced, there’s plenty to get excited about coming next year that we already know about. From Elisabeth Moss’ twisty TV return with “The Veil” to Kate Winslet’s HBO homecoming with “The Regime,” 2024’s headliners have something for everyone. We can’t wait to check out buzzy book adaptations like “Apples Never Fall” starring Annette Bening, or “Palm Royale” starring Kristin Wiig. And of course, the most exciting big swings could point to a huge TV breakout: We’ve got high hopes for FX’s “Shōgun,” Prime Video’s “Fallout,” and many others.
A note: We also can’t wait for some returning favorites like Season 2 of “House of the Dragon” and another season of “Hacks,...
While there are tons of intriguing TV shows yet to be announced, there’s plenty to get excited about coming next year that we already know about. From Elisabeth Moss’ twisty TV return with “The Veil” to Kate Winslet’s HBO homecoming with “The Regime,” 2024’s headliners have something for everyone. We can’t wait to check out buzzy book adaptations like “Apples Never Fall” starring Annette Bening, or “Palm Royale” starring Kristin Wiig. And of course, the most exciting big swings could point to a huge TV breakout: We’ve got high hopes for FX’s “Shōgun,” Prime Video’s “Fallout,” and many others.
A note: We also can’t wait for some returning favorites like Season 2 of “House of the Dragon” and another season of “Hacks,...
- 12/30/2023
- by Erin Strecker
- Indiewire
2023 may not have been an excellent year for movies, but in spite of everything stacked against it (read: greedy conglomerates run amok), it turned out to be an excellent year of movies. While the fallout of the recent work stoppages will be felt for time to come, some of 2023’s losses will prove to be 2024’s gains, as much-anticipated but strike-delayed films like “Dune: Part Two,” “Drive-Away Dolls,” and Luca Guadagnino’s horny tennis drama “Challengers” have all secured fresh release dates in the first half of the new year.
Those titles will be joined by some of the most promising Hollywood blockbusters in recent memory, must-see work from some of the world’s greatest auteurs, and huge swings from essential artists ranging from new voices like Jane Schoenbrun (“I Saw the TV Glow”) and Duke Johnson (“The Actor”) to venerated masters like Francis Ford Coppola (“Megalopolis”) and Mike Leigh...
Those titles will be joined by some of the most promising Hollywood blockbusters in recent memory, must-see work from some of the world’s greatest auteurs, and huge swings from essential artists ranging from new voices like Jane Schoenbrun (“I Saw the TV Glow”) and Duke Johnson (“The Actor”) to venerated masters like Francis Ford Coppola (“Megalopolis”) and Mike Leigh...
- 12/29/2023
- by IndieWire Staff
- Indiewire
Every “Batman Returns” fan worth their salt knows that following the success of Tim Burton’s twisted Christmas classic, Warner Bros. started developing a spinoff featuring Michelle Pfeiffer’s breakout villainess Catwoman. What they probably don’t know is that Burton had some unique ideas for a superhero blockbuster, including going black and white to pay tribute to Jacques Tourneur’s iconic 1942 horror film, “Cat People.”
Daniel Waters, the screenwriter behind 1992’s “Batman Returns,” spoke about the proposed Catwoman spinoff and revealed some behind-the-scenes tidbits about both films during a recent Los Angeles screening of “Returns” on December 22 at the Egyptian. Speaking about the Catwoman film, Waters referred to it as a strange process where he and Burton were both interested in making completely different films. While Burton wanted to make an intimate drama, Waters described his take — which would have seen Selina Kyle move to a Gothamized version of...
Daniel Waters, the screenwriter behind 1992’s “Batman Returns,” spoke about the proposed Catwoman spinoff and revealed some behind-the-scenes tidbits about both films during a recent Los Angeles screening of “Returns” on December 22 at the Egyptian. Speaking about the Catwoman film, Waters referred to it as a strange process where he and Burton were both interested in making completely different films. While Burton wanted to make an intimate drama, Waters described his take — which would have seen Selina Kyle move to a Gothamized version of...
- 12/28/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Art rises to a challenge, and 2023 saw plenty of documentaries do exactly that. Amid a swarm of vanity projects and puff pieces, brand extensions and overstretched stories, the best documentaries of the year stood out for their scrutiny and decisiveness; their unique perspectives and razor-sharp editing. Rather than be dragged down by industry forces, be it the lingering effects of streaming or resurgent demand for star vehicles masked as docs, these 20 nonfiction works rose above — and, as audience members, we thank them for it.
There were some heavy hitters working in 2023. Matthew Heineman, Maite Alberdi, Steve James, and Errol Morris all delivered impressive new pieces. Breakthroughs came screaming to the forefront as well, many aided by festival or critical support (or both). Films like “Kokomo City,” “Beyond Utopia,” and “A Still Small Voice” managed to crack the zeitgeist and pique cinephiles’ interest. While over in television, genre hybrids like “Paul T. Goldman...
There were some heavy hitters working in 2023. Matthew Heineman, Maite Alberdi, Steve James, and Errol Morris all delivered impressive new pieces. Breakthroughs came screaming to the forefront as well, many aided by festival or critical support (or both). Films like “Kokomo City,” “Beyond Utopia,” and “A Still Small Voice” managed to crack the zeitgeist and pique cinephiles’ interest. While over in television, genre hybrids like “Paul T. Goldman...
- 12/12/2023
- by Ben Travers and Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Few existential threats in Hollywood are as universally feared (and loathed) as artificial intelligence. In the wake of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike resolutions — finally coming to an end after an uncertain year that put thousands out of work and had just as many questioning the future of the entertainment industry altogether — the threat of robots taking over some creative jobs still looms large.
Plenty of organizations have received protections against A.I. supplanting their roles in productions, including actors and writers (although many still worry negotiations for performers didn’t go far enough). But the quickly evolving technology is changing how we see what’s possible across industries, and the ever-closer future can make it hard to keep up with regulating how machine learning can be used to shape and change both union and non-union arts jobs.
On screen, robots have entertained for almost a century with mechanical creations...
Plenty of organizations have received protections against A.I. supplanting their roles in productions, including actors and writers (although many still worry negotiations for performers didn’t go far enough). But the quickly evolving technology is changing how we see what’s possible across industries, and the ever-closer future can make it hard to keep up with regulating how machine learning can be used to shape and change both union and non-union arts jobs.
On screen, robots have entertained for almost a century with mechanical creations...
- 12/11/2023
- by Alison Foreman and Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Have you ever wanted to trade places with someone else, even just for an hour? Well, the old adage “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” has spurred an entire comedy movie sub-genre: the sometimes hilarious, plenty times not, body swap trope that sits right up there with buddy movies and road trip plots for recognizable narrative arcs.
The concept has been explored with plenty of non-comedy body swaps; it’s a staple in the horror genre thanks to possessions (“Invasion of the Body Snatchers”), Satanic rituals (“The Skeleton Key”), sacrifices gone wrong (“Jennifer’s Body”), and plain ol’ demons (“The Exorcist”). Then, there’s the surgical body swap that lacks the certain je n’ai sais quoi of mystical intervention that comedies such as the live-action “Scooby Doo” movie and “All of Me” offer.
And doe time travel count as body swapping? As much as we love “13 Going on 30,” “Big,...
The concept has been explored with plenty of non-comedy body swaps; it’s a staple in the horror genre thanks to possessions (“Invasion of the Body Snatchers”), Satanic rituals (“The Skeleton Key”), sacrifices gone wrong (“Jennifer’s Body”), and plain ol’ demons (“The Exorcist”). Then, there’s the surgical body swap that lacks the certain je n’ai sais quoi of mystical intervention that comedies such as the live-action “Scooby Doo” movie and “All of Me” offer.
And doe time travel count as body swapping? As much as we love “13 Going on 30,” “Big,...
- 12/6/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson and Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
The great Joni Mitchell once wrote, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone,” which certainly applied to acting in 2023. Of course, actors didn’t disappear this year. They were just far less visible for a while. The SAG strike — lasting from mid-July to early November — was an eye-opening necessity, protecting the guild from the studios’ ghastly attempts to implement artificial intelligence and correcting issues like lost wages and residuals that stemmed from the “great” streaming disruption.
But if you would’ve told me a year ago I’d be lamenting the loss of all those red carpets, publicity junkets, and various press appearances actors bravely embark upon for their art, I would’ve laughed in your face — and then I would have apologized for laughing in your face, and explained, slowly and assuredly, that “No, I would never miss the scourge of half-formed quotes and...
But if you would’ve told me a year ago I’d be lamenting the loss of all those red carpets, publicity junkets, and various press appearances actors bravely embark upon for their art, I would’ve laughed in your face — and then I would have apologized for laughing in your face, and explained, slowly and assuredly, that “No, I would never miss the scourge of half-formed quotes and...
- 12/5/2023
- by Ben Travers and David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
It’s the ingénue performers, the newbies, and the surprise turns that gave us hope for the future of screen storytelling in 2023. Especially in a marketplace — ew — driven by repeats, volume, and content-feeding, the unexpected can hit with a sharper shock than ever nowadays in theaters and on TV.
In the last year, we’ve seen some known or known-enough actors deliver unpredictable, accomplished work, along with fresh faces out of the clear blue that took us aback or pulled us in with their acting debuts. What is a breakthrough performance? We’ve turned that definition over and over to round up performances that stood out from the content morass, that broke through their stories to elevate and transcend the film or series around them. Or to sharpen its point in yet another year of innumerable offerings.
Some of these shows or movies didn’t quite reach the audience they should have,...
In the last year, we’ve seen some known or known-enough actors deliver unpredictable, accomplished work, along with fresh faces out of the clear blue that took us aback or pulled us in with their acting debuts. What is a breakthrough performance? We’ve turned that definition over and over to round up performances that stood out from the content morass, that broke through their stories to elevate and transcend the film or series around them. Or to sharpen its point in yet another year of innumerable offerings.
Some of these shows or movies didn’t quite reach the audience they should have,...
- 12/4/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio and Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Every year, we here at IndieWire take on the daunting and potentially insane task of plowing through seemingly endless lists of potential Sundance entrants to pick out the films that not only could make their way onto the annual festival’s slate, but the ones we’d most like to actually land in Park City in January. As ever, there’s no shortage of possibilities for the upcoming festival, including a wide variety of films shot under various Covid protocols, a slew of holdovers from the before times, and some long-gestating films we’ve been expecting and hoping to see for entire years.
And while we don’t yet know how the twin strikes will have impacted the overall lineup — as this article is published, the SAG-AFTRA strike has been over for barely 12 hours — and who will be on hand to attend this year to tout their work, we do know that,...
And while we don’t yet know how the twin strikes will have impacted the overall lineup — as this article is published, the SAG-AFTRA strike has been over for barely 12 hours — and who will be on hand to attend this year to tout their work, we do know that,...
- 11/9/2023
- by Kate Erbland, David Ehrlich, Ryan Lattanzio and Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Costume design is rarely as analyzed as cinematography or sound in its effect on film storytelling but is often just as impactful; how characters present themselves and everything they’re trying to say or not say is often bound up in their clothing choices. Those choices are often the first thing we reach for in thinking about our favorite films. The sheer number of Cowboy Kens and Spider-Gwens out for Halloween this year (and also one very tiny Los Alamos employee who stopped by this writer’s trick-or-treating with their parents) is a testament to some of the great costume design work on display in 2023. So, the IndieWire Craft team decided to look back at the winners of the Best Costume Design Oscar since 2000 and see what we could learn about how costume design has evolved over the century so far.
The Academy certainly has a type. The Best...
The Academy certainly has a type. The Best...
- 11/4/2023
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
From an evil queen pondering “Mirror, mirror on the wall: Who is the fairest of them all?” to Three Weird Sisters chanting “Double, double toil and trouble! Fire burn, and cauldron bubble,” witchcraft has been something of a skeleton key across centuries of storytelling on screen and in print. As old as ghost stories themselves, witches are fabled beings — typically more human than creature, but sometimes vice versa — known for using magic to abuse and manipulate us mere mortals.
Some witches feed on children; see Roald Dahl‘s “The Witches” and its two film adaptations starring Anjelica Huston and Anne Hathaway respectively. Some witches just want to be loved; consider the appropriately-named “The Love Witch” or the middle chunk of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” Others crave beauty, youth, power, or something altogether more sinister; think the unending greed examined in Luca Guadagnino’s astounding re-imagining of Dario Argento’s “Suspiria.
Some witches feed on children; see Roald Dahl‘s “The Witches” and its two film adaptations starring Anjelica Huston and Anne Hathaway respectively. Some witches just want to be loved; consider the appropriately-named “The Love Witch” or the middle chunk of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” Others crave beauty, youth, power, or something altogether more sinister; think the unending greed examined in Luca Guadagnino’s astounding re-imagining of Dario Argento’s “Suspiria.
- 10/3/2023
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Like witches, vampires, and zombies, ghosts can be scary as hell. But there is something about the stories of lingering dead spirits that can be both awe-inspiring and spooky at once. The often invisible presence of ghosts allows filmmakers to explore the unsettling aspects of character psychology through the use of sound and space. Some of the best ghost stories aren’t scary at all; instead, they liberate directors from the restrictions of space and time to mine spiritual and existential depths. It’s a genre that has attracted some of the medium’s greatest artists to create some of their finest work.
One of the great aspects of ghost stories are their ambiguity, how their presence reflects more on the humans who see them then the spectral beings themselves. Maybe the great, definitive ghost story in the literary world is Henry James’ “The Turn of the Screw,” his 1898 novella...
One of the great aspects of ghost stories are their ambiguity, how their presence reflects more on the humans who see them then the spectral beings themselves. Maybe the great, definitive ghost story in the literary world is Henry James’ “The Turn of the Screw,” his 1898 novella...
- 9/30/2023
- by David Ehrlich, Alison Foreman and Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
It’s been almost 12 years to the day since Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk unleashed “American Horror Story” on the genre-loving masses. Not many of us queerdo TV fans have stuck around long enough to enjoy the ongoing “American Horror Story: Delicate,” at least judging Season 12 by the series’ earlier viewership numbers.
But even with the show’s spectacularly uneven quality and Murphy’s unfailing ability to drop the ball mid-way through a decent story, the creepy-yet-campy anthology remains an undeniable staple of horror TV and FX offerings. It’s got a smaller fanbase these days, sure. But we’re still thriving — constantly theorizing about how the seasons are interconnected and assembling some of the funniest clip compilations on the internet.
On October 5, 2011, the co-creators and executive producers known for “Nip/Tuck,” “Glee,” and more wacky dramedy classics premiered the first episode of what was retroactively titled “American Horror Story: Murder House.
But even with the show’s spectacularly uneven quality and Murphy’s unfailing ability to drop the ball mid-way through a decent story, the creepy-yet-campy anthology remains an undeniable staple of horror TV and FX offerings. It’s got a smaller fanbase these days, sure. But we’re still thriving — constantly theorizing about how the seasons are interconnected and assembling some of the funniest clip compilations on the internet.
On October 5, 2011, the co-creators and executive producers known for “Nip/Tuck,” “Glee,” and more wacky dramedy classics premiered the first episode of what was retroactively titled “American Horror Story: Murder House.
- 9/27/2023
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
With his work spanning decades of TV and film, and a warm presence that’s equally radiant across screens big and small, John Corbett has made an illustrious career from being “that guy” in “that rom-com.”
The 62-year-old actor is perhaps best known for his role as Aidan Shaw: Carrie’s second choice on the ’90s smash hit “Sex and the City” and the second-most controversial character in its contemporary Max spinoff, “And Just Like That…”
Corbett is equally celebrated for his breakout film performance as the leading man in indie darling “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” Nia Vardalos’ treasured love story from 2002 tells the tale of a sheltered woman and her enormous, meddlesome family introducing Corbett’s dashing fiance character, the magnanimous school teacher Ian Miller, to countless kooky relatives, the Greek Orthodox Church, and the healing power of Windex.
Those two star-making moments for Corbett re-collided this...
The 62-year-old actor is perhaps best known for his role as Aidan Shaw: Carrie’s second choice on the ’90s smash hit “Sex and the City” and the second-most controversial character in its contemporary Max spinoff, “And Just Like That…”
Corbett is equally celebrated for his breakout film performance as the leading man in indie darling “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” Nia Vardalos’ treasured love story from 2002 tells the tale of a sheltered woman and her enormous, meddlesome family introducing Corbett’s dashing fiance character, the magnanimous school teacher Ian Miller, to countless kooky relatives, the Greek Orthodox Church, and the healing power of Windex.
Those two star-making moments for Corbett re-collided this...
- 9/14/2023
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
And just like that, everyone is talking about “Sex and the City” again.
The finale of the second season of “And Just Like That” debuted Thursday — featuring a Samantha (Kim Cattrall) cameo! — and it was…fun? Moving? Not as deranged as the first season!? My colleague Ben Travers reviewed the finale here, but with the news that the show, Max’s No. 1 original, would indeed be returning for a third season we got to thinking about how the show can continue on its sudden upward swing.
The last few episodes of Season 2 have shown some promising signs of life. So members of the IndieWire brain trust who have consumed all 21 episodes of this compelling chaos train couldn’t help but wonder: What one change would drastically improve the show for Season 3?
For myself, the answer is easy: It’s time to get rid of Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez). The internet...
The finale of the second season of “And Just Like That” debuted Thursday — featuring a Samantha (Kim Cattrall) cameo! — and it was…fun? Moving? Not as deranged as the first season!? My colleague Ben Travers reviewed the finale here, but with the news that the show, Max’s No. 1 original, would indeed be returning for a third season we got to thinking about how the show can continue on its sudden upward swing.
The last few episodes of Season 2 have shown some promising signs of life. So members of the IndieWire brain trust who have consumed all 21 episodes of this compelling chaos train couldn’t help but wonder: What one change would drastically improve the show for Season 3?
For myself, the answer is easy: It’s time to get rid of Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez). The internet...
- 8/28/2023
- by Erin Strecker
- Indiewire
If there’s one thing we hope that this year’s ‘80s Week package better illuminates, it’s the incredible depth and range on display in the films of the decade. While the iconic movies and stars of the totally radical ‘80s tend to most easily remembered for neon-tinted, big-haired, Tangerine Dream-set turns, consider this: the decade included all-time work from major performers like Meryl Streep, Ossie Davis, Jessica Lange, Robert De Niro, Gena Rowlands, Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Newman, Jackie Chan, and Whoopi Goldberg.
These are the kind of stars who show up and show out no matter the year, but it’s in the ‘80s in which they all captured the incredible essence of what makes them greats.
But they’re hardly alone on this list, which also includes indelible work from stars like David Byrne, Sandrine Bonaire, Babak Ahmadpour, Seret Scott, Mieko Harada, Ken Ogata, and even Divine...
These are the kind of stars who show up and show out no matter the year, but it’s in the ‘80s in which they all captured the incredible essence of what makes them greats.
But they’re hardly alone on this list, which also includes indelible work from stars like David Byrne, Sandrine Bonaire, Babak Ahmadpour, Seret Scott, Mieko Harada, Ken Ogata, and even Divine...
- 8/16/2023
- by David Ehrlich, Kate Erbland, Ryan Lattanzio and Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
If “Barbie” tells us anything, it’s that a movie doesn’t have to be gay to be, well, gay. So what makes a movie gay if it isn’t explicitly? Cast a few top-shelf gay icons in there — your Bette Middlers, your Joan Crawfords, your Faye Dunaways playing Joan Crawford — and especially have them reparteeing bitchy lines tearing each other to pieces, and have an aesthetic that’s outre and unironically camp, and you’ve got the winning-formula starter-pack for something deliciously fabulous and queer, even if not by intentional design.
Some films have gotten swept up into the queer canon by virtue of their unintentional awfulness or arguable quality while others actually push forward the cinematic medium to create something that stands the tests of time and the weathers of queer folks and their mercurial tastes. Robert Zemeckis’ Oscar-winning “Death Becomes Her” boasts the double whammy of Meryl Streep...
Some films have gotten swept up into the queer canon by virtue of their unintentional awfulness or arguable quality while others actually push forward the cinematic medium to create something that stands the tests of time and the weathers of queer folks and their mercurial tastes. Robert Zemeckis’ Oscar-winning “Death Becomes Her” boasts the double whammy of Meryl Streep...
- 7/24/2023
- by Alison Foreman, Ryan Lattanzio and Jude Dry
- Indiewire
To quote Alice Cooper (and poorly paraphrase “High School Musical 2”), school’s out for summer. With Boppenheimer hitting air-conditioned theaters midway through July — just as countless actors and screenwriters head into the heat to join picket-lines in New York and Los Angeles — summer 2023 will no doubt prove a memorable one for Hollywood. What better time then to consider how the movies themselves represent the reason for the season?
The best summer vacation movies range in subject matter and can appeal to all sorts of different audiences. Kid-centric flicks, like “The Parent Trap,” and adult slashers, like the “Friday the 13th” films, explore the traditions and perils of sleep-away camp from spectacularly different view points. Meanwhile, road trip flicks, like the Audrey Hepburn-starring “Two for the Road” and Hindi film “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,” consider the ins-and-outs of traveling across the country with a similar romanticism but using tones separated by decades and cultures.
The best summer vacation movies range in subject matter and can appeal to all sorts of different audiences. Kid-centric flicks, like “The Parent Trap,” and adult slashers, like the “Friday the 13th” films, explore the traditions and perils of sleep-away camp from spectacularly different view points. Meanwhile, road trip flicks, like the Audrey Hepburn-starring “Two for the Road” and Hindi film “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,” consider the ins-and-outs of traveling across the country with a similar romanticism but using tones separated by decades and cultures.
- 7/21/2023
- by Alison Foreman and Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
So uncertainty ruled our lives once again in 2021, to the point that making predictions about anything seems a fruitless endeavor. Due to pandemic production delays and scheduling shifts, last year’s list of the most anticipated TV to come featured a few shows that indeed did not materialize in 2021: “Atlanta” Season 3, “Ozark” Season 4, “Barry” Season 3. Well, at least “Ozark” is debuting in January 2022!
This year, we’re taking a different approach: We’re leaving returning shows off this list and just focusing on the all-new series heading our way. At least half of these programs have already been given release dates, but perhaps 12 months from now we’ll be lamenting the other half being pushed to 2023. But we can hope that this televisual bounty will still await us in the year ahead.
In alphabetical order, here are the shows IndieWire is most hoping to see in 2022.
Libby Hill, Kristen Lopez,...
This year, we’re taking a different approach: We’re leaving returning shows off this list and just focusing on the all-new series heading our way. At least half of these programs have already been given release dates, but perhaps 12 months from now we’ll be lamenting the other half being pushed to 2023. But we can hope that this televisual bounty will still await us in the year ahead.
In alphabetical order, here are the shows IndieWire is most hoping to see in 2022.
Libby Hill, Kristen Lopez,...
- 12/27/2021
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
After a year of will-it-ever-end lockdown, 2021 ushered in some small semblance of normality. Movie theaters reopened and, with the advent of vaccines, people were able to go inside feeling a bit safer than in 2020.
But that’s not to say television didn’t continue to keep us happy and engaged, which is why we’re combining our best performances of the year to comprise both mediums. This year also marked some fantastic performances that reminded us of the raw power of acting in general, whether the screen was big or small. We saw legendary actors doing what they always do best — i.e. leveraging their star power to predictably turn in a performance that tops their last one — and under-the-radar character actors breaking through to deliver idiosyncratic and striking work. There were also comic actors making powerfully dramatic turns, and dramatic actors getting the chance to display their untapped flair for comedy.
But that’s not to say television didn’t continue to keep us happy and engaged, which is why we’re combining our best performances of the year to comprise both mediums. This year also marked some fantastic performances that reminded us of the raw power of acting in general, whether the screen was big or small. We saw legendary actors doing what they always do best — i.e. leveraging their star power to predictably turn in a performance that tops their last one — and under-the-radar character actors breaking through to deliver idiosyncratic and striking work. There were also comic actors making powerfully dramatic turns, and dramatic actors getting the chance to display their untapped flair for comedy.
- 12/8/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio and Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Broadway actors have a long history of moonlighting – sunlighting? – on daytime soaps, at least they did in decades past when New York City still had soaps. With theaters now dark, what better time to resurrect the tradition? Tune in today to…As The Curtain Rises.
An ongoing fiction podcast set in backstage Broadway, As The Curtain Rises has recruited a stellar cast from top Broadway productions past and, well, more recently past: Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice), Ariana Debose, Andrew Barth Feldman (Dear Evan Hansen), Tony-winning James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin), Ilana Levine, Lesli Margherita (Matilda The Musical), Mauricio Martinez (On Your Feet!), Ashley Park, George Salazar (Be More Chill), Sarah Stiles, Michael Urie (Grand Horizons) and Tony-winner Lillias White (The Life).
The first episode is available today,...
An ongoing fiction podcast set in backstage Broadway, As The Curtain Rises has recruited a stellar cast from top Broadway productions past and, well, more recently past: Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice), Ariana Debose, Andrew Barth Feldman (Dear Evan Hansen), Tony-winning James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin), Ilana Levine, Lesli Margherita (Matilda The Musical), Mauricio Martinez (On Your Feet!), Ashley Park, George Salazar (Be More Chill), Sarah Stiles, Michael Urie (Grand Horizons) and Tony-winner Lillias White (The Life).
The first episode is available today,...
- 10/22/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
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