After a few commercial failures, Steven Spielberg is all set to return to the director’s chair for reportedly a sci-fi project centering the UFO theme. Spielberg, one of the two richest directors of all time (equals the same $8 billion fortune as George Lucas), recently found it hard to break through the box office but maintained his legacy among critics.
Steven Spielberg. Credit: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
With a new movie on his sleeve, the director may bounce back to giving fans a brand new box office hit, a treat for fans to cherish from the cinematic visionary. Spielberg is one of the finest movie directors of all time with several astounding titles to his name including Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List.
Steven Spielberg Is Set To Direct A Movie On UFO
Steven Spielberg. Credit: CBS News/Yt
Steven Spielberg is reportedly set to direct a movie centering on the theme of UFO.
Steven Spielberg. Credit: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
With a new movie on his sleeve, the director may bounce back to giving fans a brand new box office hit, a treat for fans to cherish from the cinematic visionary. Spielberg is one of the finest movie directors of all time with several astounding titles to his name including Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List.
Steven Spielberg Is Set To Direct A Movie On UFO
Steven Spielberg. Credit: CBS News/Yt
Steven Spielberg is reportedly set to direct a movie centering on the theme of UFO.
- 5/24/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
You know that feeling of watching someone ice skate for the first time? Or when a little kid finally tries riding their bicycle without training wheels? That's sort of the feeling I get watching Steven Spielberg's movie adaptation of "The Color Purple."
Make no mistake: Spielberg's 1985 film version of Alice Walker's 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, which he directed from a script by his eventual "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" co-writer Menno Meyjes, is quite lovely to look at; it's a Spielberg picture so that much goes without saying. Whoopi Goldberg is similarly splendid as the grown-up Celie Harris-Johnson, a queer Black woman living in early 20th-century Georgia who endures horrific abuse at the hands of the men in her life yet finds kindness, support, and love from the Black women around her.
It's not that Spielberg had never tackled a "serious" adult movie before that,...
Make no mistake: Spielberg's 1985 film version of Alice Walker's 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, which he directed from a script by his eventual "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" co-writer Menno Meyjes, is quite lovely to look at; it's a Spielberg picture so that much goes without saying. Whoopi Goldberg is similarly splendid as the grown-up Celie Harris-Johnson, a queer Black woman living in early 20th-century Georgia who endures horrific abuse at the hands of the men in her life yet finds kindness, support, and love from the Black women around her.
It's not that Spielberg had never tackled a "serious" adult movie before that,...
- 5/20/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Over the years, there have been a lot of filmmakers who have been game-changers when it comes to filmmaking. Michael Bay has been receiving audiences by presenting them with movies such as ‘Transformers’ and the ‘Bad Boys' series. Denis Villeneuve has been recently wowing his audiences with Sci-fi epics like ‘Blade Runner 2049’ and the 2021 adaptation of ‘Dune,". Steven Spielberg is well-known for being a movie maker who influenced filmmakers who rose to fame after him. Just like the director Ridley Scott, Spielberg is an adaptable screenwriter by experiments in almost any genre, and he continues to successfully do so. Things to do: Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel, by clicking here. Limited Time Offer – Free Subscription to The Hollywood Insider Click here to read more on The Hollywood Insider’s vision, values and mission statement here – Media has the responsibility to better our world – The Hollywood Insider...
- 5/18/2024
- by Marco Castaneda
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Steven Spielberg and John Williams have collaborated on multiple projects over the years, where the filmmaker’s compelling narratives are enhanced by Williams’ musical compositions. Among their cherished collaborations, one that has become particularly special to the Oscar-winning filmmaker has been the soundtrack for the 1993 war drama Schindler’s List.
Schindler’s List | Credit: Universal Pictures
Spielberg has described it as the greatest piece of composition Williams has done for him. However, settling on one soundtrack proved challenging, especially after the composer presented him with two choices, leading to conflict over which theme music best captured the sorrow of the Holocaust.
Steven Spielberg and John Williams Clashed Over Schindler’s List Theme Music
Based on Thomas Keneally’s novel Schindler’s Ark, the 1993 epic historical drama follows the German industrialist Oskar Schindler, who saved thousands of Polish Jews from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories during World War II.
Schindler’s List | Credit: Universal Pictures
Spielberg has described it as the greatest piece of composition Williams has done for him. However, settling on one soundtrack proved challenging, especially after the composer presented him with two choices, leading to conflict over which theme music best captured the sorrow of the Holocaust.
Steven Spielberg and John Williams Clashed Over Schindler’s List Theme Music
Based on Thomas Keneally’s novel Schindler’s Ark, the 1993 epic historical drama follows the German industrialist Oskar Schindler, who saved thousands of Polish Jews from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories during World War II.
- 5/2/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
The Tribeca Festival has set its talks, reunions and retrospective screenings for its 2024 edition.
The festival’s Storytellers series will feature talks with Judd Apatow, Andy Cohen, Kieran Culkin, Michael Stipe, Laverne Cox, Kerry Washington in conversation with Nicole Avant and Jon Batiste celebrating Nat King Cole with author and music journalist Marcus J. Moore. And its Directors series will feature a conversation between director Gus Van Sant and Vito Schnabel, whom Van Sant recently directed in Feud: Capote vs. the Swans.
Tribeca will also celebrate the 50th and 40th anniversaries of Mean Streets and Footloose, respectively, with screenings of both films followed by conversations with Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Nas after Mean Streets and Kevin Bacon after Footloose. Steven Spielberg is also bringing a 50th anniversary screening of his theatrical debut, The Sugarland Express, to Tribeca and will participate in a conversation after the screening.
And the...
The festival’s Storytellers series will feature talks with Judd Apatow, Andy Cohen, Kieran Culkin, Michael Stipe, Laverne Cox, Kerry Washington in conversation with Nicole Avant and Jon Batiste celebrating Nat King Cole with author and music journalist Marcus J. Moore. And its Directors series will feature a conversation between director Gus Van Sant and Vito Schnabel, whom Van Sant recently directed in Feud: Capote vs. the Swans.
Tribeca will also celebrate the 50th and 40th anniversaries of Mean Streets and Footloose, respectively, with screenings of both films followed by conversations with Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Nas after Mean Streets and Kevin Bacon after Footloose. Steven Spielberg is also bringing a 50th anniversary screening of his theatrical debut, The Sugarland Express, to Tribeca and will participate in a conversation after the screening.
And the...
- 4/30/2024
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Tribeca Festival has unveiled its reunions, retrospectives and talks series for the 23rd edition unspooling in June including a Storyteller Series with Judd Apatow, Andy Cohen, Kieran Culkin, Kerry Washington, Laverne Cox, Jon Batiste, and Michael Stipe.
The Directors Series features Gus Van Sant in conversation with art dealer, filmmaker, and actor Vito Schnabel (Van Sant directed Schnabel in Ryan Murphy’s FX series Feud: Capote vs the Swans.)
The fest will celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Sopranos at the Beacon Theatre with the world premiere of Alex Gibney documenary Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos with a reunion of creator David Chase, EP Terence Winter, and stars Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Aida Turturro, Annabella Sciorra, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Drea De Matteo, Steve Schirripa, Michele Chase, Kathrine Narducci, and Dominic Chianese.
Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, with rapper Nas, will talk Mean Streets on its 50th anniversary.
The Directors Series features Gus Van Sant in conversation with art dealer, filmmaker, and actor Vito Schnabel (Van Sant directed Schnabel in Ryan Murphy’s FX series Feud: Capote vs the Swans.)
The fest will celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Sopranos at the Beacon Theatre with the world premiere of Alex Gibney documenary Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos with a reunion of creator David Chase, EP Terence Winter, and stars Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Aida Turturro, Annabella Sciorra, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Drea De Matteo, Steve Schirripa, Michele Chase, Kathrine Narducci, and Dominic Chianese.
Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, with rapper Nas, will talk Mean Streets on its 50th anniversary.
- 4/30/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2024 Tribeca Festival has revealed its lineup of talks and reunions with filmmakers including Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Judd Apatow, Kieran Culkin and more.
The premiere of HBO’s “Wise Guy David Chase and the Sopranos,” a documentary directed by Alex Gibney, will take place to celebrate the 25th anniversary of “The Sopranos.” There will also be a reunion with creator David Chase, executive producer Terence Winter and cast members Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Aida Turturro, Annabella Sciorra, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Drea De Matteo, Steve Schirripa, Michele Chase, Kathrine Narducci, and Dominic Chianese.
In addition, “Mean Streets” celebrates its 50th anniversary and will include a conversation with Scorsese and De Niro. Steven Spielberg will recognize his theatrical debut, “The Sugarland Express,” and Kevin Bacon will honor “Footloose’s” 40th anniversary.
There will also be conversations with Apatow, Andy Cohen, Laverne Cox, Culkin, Michael Stipe, Kerry Washington, Gus Van Sant,...
The premiere of HBO’s “Wise Guy David Chase and the Sopranos,” a documentary directed by Alex Gibney, will take place to celebrate the 25th anniversary of “The Sopranos.” There will also be a reunion with creator David Chase, executive producer Terence Winter and cast members Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Aida Turturro, Annabella Sciorra, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Drea De Matteo, Steve Schirripa, Michele Chase, Kathrine Narducci, and Dominic Chianese.
In addition, “Mean Streets” celebrates its 50th anniversary and will include a conversation with Scorsese and De Niro. Steven Spielberg will recognize his theatrical debut, “The Sugarland Express,” and Kevin Bacon will honor “Footloose’s” 40th anniversary.
There will also be conversations with Apatow, Andy Cohen, Laverne Cox, Culkin, Michael Stipe, Kerry Washington, Gus Van Sant,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety Film + TV
The Tribeca Festival is celebrating the monumental anniversaries of two Italian-American classics: series “The Sopranos” and Martin Scorsese’s “Mean Streets.”
The 2024 Tribeca Festival, presented by Okx, takes place June 5 through 16 and unveiled its lineup of talks with iconic artists, critically-acclaimed directors, and multi-hyphenate entertainers, as well as reunions and retrospectives of venerable and lauded films and TV series.
The 25th anniversary of “The Sopranos” will be celebrated at the Beacon Theatre with the world premiere of Alex Gibney’s documentary “Wise Guy: David Chase and ‘The Sopranos.'” This special event, presented by City National Bank, will feature a reunion with series creator David Chase, executive producer Terence Winter, and stars Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Aida Turturro, Annabella Sciorra,Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Drea De Matteo, Steve Schirripa, Michele Chase, Kathrine Narducci, and Dominic Chianese.
Auteurs Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg are toasting both of their respective half-century anniversaries,...
The 2024 Tribeca Festival, presented by Okx, takes place June 5 through 16 and unveiled its lineup of talks with iconic artists, critically-acclaimed directors, and multi-hyphenate entertainers, as well as reunions and retrospectives of venerable and lauded films and TV series.
The 25th anniversary of “The Sopranos” will be celebrated at the Beacon Theatre with the world premiere of Alex Gibney’s documentary “Wise Guy: David Chase and ‘The Sopranos.'” This special event, presented by City National Bank, will feature a reunion with series creator David Chase, executive producer Terence Winter, and stars Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Aida Turturro, Annabella Sciorra,Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Drea De Matteo, Steve Schirripa, Michele Chase, Kathrine Narducci, and Dominic Chianese.
Auteurs Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg are toasting both of their respective half-century anniversaries,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The The Thing (1982) episode of Wtf Happened to This Horror Movie? was Written by Cody Hamman, Edited by Joseph Wilson, Narrated by Jason Hewlett, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
John Carpenter’s The Thing (watch or buy it Here) didn’t go over well at all when it was released in 1982. Ignored by movie-goers, it was a box office failure. Reviled by critics, it even saw Carpenter being labelled a pornographer of violence by some reviewers. It was such a disappointment for the studio, they took another project away from Carpenter as punishment. But it gradually found its audience, building up a cult following. And soon, a legion of fans and critics alike began calling it one of the greatest horror movies ever made. It didn’t take long for The Thing to go from being known as reprehensible trash to being considered an all-time classic.
John Carpenter’s The Thing (watch or buy it Here) didn’t go over well at all when it was released in 1982. Ignored by movie-goers, it was a box office failure. Reviled by critics, it even saw Carpenter being labelled a pornographer of violence by some reviewers. It was such a disappointment for the studio, they took another project away from Carpenter as punishment. But it gradually found its audience, building up a cult following. And soon, a legion of fans and critics alike began calling it one of the greatest horror movies ever made. It didn’t take long for The Thing to go from being known as reprehensible trash to being considered an all-time classic.
- 4/30/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The red carpet will soon roll out for the 77th Festival de Cannes. The international film festival, playing out May 14-25, has a distinct American voice this year. “Barbie” filmmaker Greta Gerwig is the first U.S. female director name jury president. Many veteran American helmers are heading to the French Rivera resort town. George Lucas, who turns 80 on May 14, will receive an honorary Palme d’Or. Francis Ford Coppola’s much-anticipated “Megalopolis” is screening in competition, as is Paul Schrader’s “Oh Canada.” Kevin Costner’s new Western “Horizon, An American Saga” will premiere out of competition and Oliver Stone’s “Lula” is part of the special screening showcase.
Fifty years ago, Coppola was the toast of the 27th Cannes Film Festival. His brilliant psychological thriller “The Conversation” starring Gene Hackman won the Palme D’Or and well as a Special Mention from the Ecumenical Jury. The film would earn three Oscar nominations: picture,...
Fifty years ago, Coppola was the toast of the 27th Cannes Film Festival. His brilliant psychological thriller “The Conversation” starring Gene Hackman won the Palme D’Or and well as a Special Mention from the Ecumenical Jury. The film would earn three Oscar nominations: picture,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Though festivals and distributors were very excited to sell you a “final” film by Jean-Luc Godard, Fabrice Aragno made clear Phony Wars would not be the last transmission. Continuing Tupac-like beyond-the-grave releases, it’s been announced this year’s Cannes Film Festival will include in their “Events” sidebar the “ultimate film by Jean-Luc Godard,” Scenarios, which I cannot possibly summarize better than their official description and thus:
Scenarios is the title that Jean-Luc Godard chose to give to a final 18-minute gesture, made, literally, the day before his voluntary death. Furthermore, Jean-Luc Godard recorded a 34-minute film in which, mixing still images and moving images, halfway between reading and vision, he presented the Scenarios project .
Worth noting that Scenario was, with Phony Wars, one of two films with which Godard planned to end his career. A project made with single-digit hours left on Earth… well, one’s mind reels at the potential.
Scenarios is the title that Jean-Luc Godard chose to give to a final 18-minute gesture, made, literally, the day before his voluntary death. Furthermore, Jean-Luc Godard recorded a 34-minute film in which, mixing still images and moving images, halfway between reading and vision, he presented the Scenarios project .
Worth noting that Scenario was, with Phony Wars, one of two films with which Godard planned to end his career. A project made with single-digit hours left on Earth… well, one’s mind reels at the potential.
- 4/25/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Amblin is the name of Steven Spielberg's production company, and if you've ever wondered where that name comes from, the answer is simple: it's also the title of a short film Spielberg made in the 1960s. "Amblin'" is a 26-minute short that follows a young man and woman as they hitch-hike across California. It's kind of a big deal in terms of Spielberg's lore because it was the strength of this short that landed Spielberg a long-term deal with Universal. In fact, he became the youngest director ever to land such a contract, all because executive Sid Sheinberg liked "Amblin'" so much. Spielberg was still in college at the time, and when he landed his big deal, he dropped out (he would finish his BA later in life).
But making "Amblin'" was no walk in the park for the young Spielberg. According to the award-winning director himself, he was...
But making "Amblin'" was no walk in the park for the young Spielberg. According to the award-winning director himself, he was...
- 4/14/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
What if Bruce, the mechanical shark in "Jaws," had actually worked? It's one of the biggest what-ifs in Hollywood history. While the movie's Great White Shark may have been "a perfect engine" (to quote Richard Dreyfuss' bespectacled scientist Matt Hooper), Bruce -- who got its moniker from Steven Spielberg's lawyer, Bruce Ramer -- was anything but. Because of this, Spielberg and editor Verna Fields were forced to reconfigure the film's raw footage to avoid showing "The Great White Turd" (as the movie's crew came to call it) as much as possible. What emerged was a triumph of minimalistic horror filmmaking where what you don't see is just as terrifying as what you do, if not more so.
But what if Spielberg had never gotten to direct one of his all-time best movies to begin with? It's easy to recognize in hindsight that ol' Stevie Boy was fated to adapt Peter Benchley's pulpy best-seller,...
But what if Spielberg had never gotten to direct one of his all-time best movies to begin with? It's easy to recognize in hindsight that ol' Stevie Boy was fated to adapt Peter Benchley's pulpy best-seller,...
- 4/7/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
For those of us who remember going to the movies in 1977, we were treated to Star Wars, Smokey And The Bandit, The Spy Who Loved Me, Airport 77, The Car, Orca and Capricorn One. There was a rich wealth of movies to choose from and a time when audiences in their local cinemas would cheer and clap for the heroes. Then on December 14, 1977, coming off the success of Jaws, that director Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi masterpiece graced the screens. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind was the filmmaker’s next movie and, along with star Richard Dreyfuss and the magnificent score from composer John Williams, took audiences on a journey of mankind’s first meeting with aliens and let us know we are not alone in the universe.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning for Best Cinematography by Director of Photography Vilmos Zsigmond (The Sugarland Express...
Close Encounters of the Third Kind was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning for Best Cinematography by Director of Photography Vilmos Zsigmond (The Sugarland Express...
- 3/21/2024
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
30 years ago, "Schindler's List" earned Steven Spielberg his first Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director. It was a long-delayed coronation, one that was contingent on the director putting away childish things and making a serious movie for grown-ups. Spielberg was obviously deserving, but these should've been Oscars number five and six after "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial".
Though the Academy never showed Spielberg the love for his escapist classics, John Williams certainly made out well. He won Best Original Score for "Jaws" and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" before taking home his fifth overall Oscar for "Schindler's List" -- which was as daunting of a challenge for Williams as it was for Spielberg (who credits the film with restoring his faith in filmmaking). Williams's music had always been an integral component of Spielberg's movies, but he'd never composed anything this somber for the director. In fact,...
Though the Academy never showed Spielberg the love for his escapist classics, John Williams certainly made out well. He won Best Original Score for "Jaws" and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" before taking home his fifth overall Oscar for "Schindler's List" -- which was as daunting of a challenge for Williams as it was for Spielberg (who credits the film with restoring his faith in filmmaking). Williams's music had always been an integral component of Spielberg's movies, but he'd never composed anything this somber for the director. In fact,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Steven Spielberg is one of the wisest men in Hollywood and is known to give all kinds of advice to his peers, whether they are part of his films or not. After all, there is no one who wouldn’t want to get advice from someone who has such a wealth of knowledge. However, John Carpenter has one notable Steven Spielberg movie, which he claimed was pretentious.
Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg has been a part of many iconic franchises over the years, as he has been responsible for films such as the Jurassic Park franchise, Indiana Jones film series, Saving Private Ryan and many other films. That is why his opinion carries a lot of weight when it comes to anything related to films, but that doesn’t mean all of his films are equally well-received.
Suggested“Don’t you think these tunnels are like my mother’s womb?”:...
Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg has been a part of many iconic franchises over the years, as he has been responsible for films such as the Jurassic Park franchise, Indiana Jones film series, Saving Private Ryan and many other films. That is why his opinion carries a lot of weight when it comes to anything related to films, but that doesn’t mean all of his films are equally well-received.
Suggested“Don’t you think these tunnels are like my mother’s womb?”:...
- 3/6/2024
- by Subhojeet Mookherjee
- FandomWire
“The first time I came to this studio was 1940 when my father brought me here to show me the stage, and I was about 9 or 10 years old, and I thought, ‘Some day this will all be mine!’ It’s finally come to be – it’s only taken me 92 years to get here!” That’s what five-time Oscar winner and 53-time nominee John Williams said as the curtain was raised on the iconic Sony Pictures Entertainment lot’s newly renamed John Williams Music Building.
Joining in the celebration — and it was a celebration — were Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group Chairman and CEO Tom Rothman, Spe Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra (who made opening remarks), filmmaker J.J. Abrams and of course, Williams’ longtime collaborator Steven Spielberg, who instigated the idea of putting the legendary composer’s name on the building where they have worked on 20 or their 29 films, as Spielberg noted.
Rothman...
Joining in the celebration — and it was a celebration — were Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group Chairman and CEO Tom Rothman, Spe Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra (who made opening remarks), filmmaker J.J. Abrams and of course, Williams’ longtime collaborator Steven Spielberg, who instigated the idea of putting the legendary composer’s name on the building where they have worked on 20 or their 29 films, as Spielberg noted.
Rothman...
- 1/18/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
On Thursday afternoon, the history-filled Sony lot in Culver City — which was the MGM lot during Hollywood’s Golden Age, home to “more stars than there are in heaven” — welcomed film composer John Williams, after whom the studio’s musical building was being renamed.
Williams, 91, who is best known for the scores of Star Wars and 29 Steven Spielberg films — 20 of which were scored in the structure that will henceforth be known as the John Williams Music Building — was on hand, as were many of his collaborators (Spielberg, J.J. Abrams and Spielberg’s producers Frank Marshall and Kristie Macosko Krieger) and colleagues (including fellow film composer Thomas Newman).
Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra kicked off the festivities by noting how much “magic was made right here in this building.” Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group chairman and CEO Tom Rothman then argued that the greatest of all time in many fields is debatable,...
Williams, 91, who is best known for the scores of Star Wars and 29 Steven Spielberg films — 20 of which were scored in the structure that will henceforth be known as the John Williams Music Building — was on hand, as were many of his collaborators (Spielberg, J.J. Abrams and Spielberg’s producers Frank Marshall and Kristie Macosko Krieger) and colleagues (including fellow film composer Thomas Newman).
Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra kicked off the festivities by noting how much “magic was made right here in this building.” Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group chairman and CEO Tom Rothman then argued that the greatest of all time in many fields is debatable,...
- 1/18/2024
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Welcome to 2024! This, our first column of the new year, follows Oppenheimer, and Lots of Late Gift Ideas”>our December 2023 piece by offering more 2023 releases that deserve your time and attention.
Spielberg: The First Ten Years by Laurent Bouzereau (Insight Editions) and Steven Spielberg: All the Films by Olivier Bousquet, Arnaud Devillard, and Nicolas Schaller (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers)
I am not sure what Steven Spielberg obsessives like myself did to earn two lengthy, photo-backed, hardcover career appreciations, but I’m not complaining. Steven Spielberg: All the Films runs for nearly 500 pages and covers literally everything, from the director’s contributions to Rod Serling’s Night Gallery to The Fabelmans. Along the way are some unique insights, surprising facts (Leonardo DiCaprio was approached to play Tintin?), and the inclusion of some of his 1980s television work. And Spielberg: The First Ten Years is just as engaging, and even more in-depth.
Spielberg: The First Ten Years by Laurent Bouzereau (Insight Editions) and Steven Spielberg: All the Films by Olivier Bousquet, Arnaud Devillard, and Nicolas Schaller (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers)
I am not sure what Steven Spielberg obsessives like myself did to earn two lengthy, photo-backed, hardcover career appreciations, but I’m not complaining. Steven Spielberg: All the Films runs for nearly 500 pages and covers literally everything, from the director’s contributions to Rod Serling’s Night Gallery to The Fabelmans. Along the way are some unique insights, surprising facts (Leonardo DiCaprio was approached to play Tintin?), and the inclusion of some of his 1980s television work. And Spielberg: The First Ten Years is just as engaging, and even more in-depth.
- 1/2/2024
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
There’s a lot to watch on Prime Video in October and, as you may have guessed, there’s spooky stuff galore in amongst Prime’s usual rotation of extensive library content.
In the movie Totally Killer, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star Kiernan Shipka travels back in time to the 1980s to stop a serial killer. Then there’s Make Me Scream, a Halloween special that challenges celebrities to “a gruesome game of terror.” Renfield will also be streaming on the service for anyone who’s been dying (muahahaha!) to catch the Nic Cage Dracula film.
Outside of Prime Video’s more creepy fare, Shazam! Fury Of The Gods will debut, Upload will be back for a third season, and new film Awareness should scratch your sci-fi itch. Meanwhile, for Frasier heads – those who consider themselves utterly Frasier-pilled – all eleven seasons of the Cheers spinoff show will be streaming at the touch of a button.
In the movie Totally Killer, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star Kiernan Shipka travels back in time to the 1980s to stop a serial killer. Then there’s Make Me Scream, a Halloween special that challenges celebrities to “a gruesome game of terror.” Renfield will also be streaming on the service for anyone who’s been dying (muahahaha!) to catch the Nic Cage Dracula film.
Outside of Prime Video’s more creepy fare, Shazam! Fury Of The Gods will debut, Upload will be back for a third season, and new film Awareness should scratch your sci-fi itch. Meanwhile, for Frasier heads – those who consider themselves utterly Frasier-pilled – all eleven seasons of the Cheers spinoff show will be streaming at the touch of a button.
- 10/1/2023
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
If you’re looking for a complete list of every new movie and TV show coming to Amazon Prime Video in October, you’ve come to the right place. This month kicks off with a slew of great library additions, from James Bond films to relatively new releases (“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” and the Nicolas Cage Dracula movie “Renfield”) and beyond.
There are also some high-profile originals landing in October. The third season of the sci-fi comedy series “Upload” arrives on Oct. 20, while Oct. 6 marks the release of the Prime Video original film “Totally Killer,” a fun slasher set in the 1980s that stars Kiernan Shipka.
Check out the full list of what’s new on Amazon Prime Video in October 2023 below, followed by a complete list of new arrivals for Freevee in October as well.
Arriving October 1
Frasier, Seasons 1-11 (1994)
Hit, Season 3 (2020)
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
A Guy Thing...
There are also some high-profile originals landing in October. The third season of the sci-fi comedy series “Upload” arrives on Oct. 20, while Oct. 6 marks the release of the Prime Video original film “Totally Killer,” a fun slasher set in the 1980s that stars Kiernan Shipka.
Check out the full list of what’s new on Amazon Prime Video in October 2023 below, followed by a complete list of new arrivals for Freevee in October as well.
Arriving October 1
Frasier, Seasons 1-11 (1994)
Hit, Season 3 (2020)
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
A Guy Thing...
- 9/30/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
For almost 50 years, John Williams' music has been virtually synonymous with the films of Steven Spielberg (and vice versa), and for nearly as long, Williams' compositions have formed the emotional backbone of the Skywalker Saga from "Star Wars." However, 20 years before the cinematic musical maestro become known for either of those things, Williams was merely a whipper-snapper fresh out of Julliard and eager to leave his mark on the worlds of concert and film music.
Williams' pre-Spielberg run would have made for an incredible career all by itself. It was an era that saw the composer collaborating with numerous giants among the old guard of Hollywood directors, including Robert Altman, Don Siegel, William Wyler, Irwin Allen, Frank Sinatra, and Norman Jewison. In 1974, Williams worked with Spielberg for the first time on the filmmaker's theatrical feature debut, "The Sugarland Express." Appearing with Williams at the American Cinematheque event "50 Years of...
Williams' pre-Spielberg run would have made for an incredible career all by itself. It was an era that saw the composer collaborating with numerous giants among the old guard of Hollywood directors, including Robert Altman, Don Siegel, William Wyler, Irwin Allen, Frank Sinatra, and Norman Jewison. In 1974, Williams worked with Spielberg for the first time on the filmmaker's theatrical feature debut, "The Sugarland Express." Appearing with Williams at the American Cinematheque event "50 Years of...
- 9/24/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Steven Spielberg worked his way up to directing features by making short films and episodes of TV shows like Columbo and Night Gallery. His earliest movies were also made for television – and the first feature-length TV movie he made that wasn’t part of a series was the classic 1971 thriller Duel (watch it Here). Forty-two years after Duel first aired, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is now set to give the film a 4K release on November 14th!
Based on a short story by Richard Matheson, who also wrote the screenplay, Duel centers on a motorist terrorized by an evil truck. Dennis Weaver stars as the traveling salesman waging a desperate battle for survival after he is mysteriously singled out.
Jacqueline Scott, Eddie Firestone, Lou Frizzell, and Gene Dynarski are also in the cast.
A press release on Blu-ray.com notes, “Praised for its deft use of relentlessly mounting psychological tension,...
Based on a short story by Richard Matheson, who also wrote the screenplay, Duel centers on a motorist terrorized by an evil truck. Dennis Weaver stars as the traveling salesman waging a desperate battle for survival after he is mysteriously singled out.
Jacqueline Scott, Eddie Firestone, Lou Frizzell, and Gene Dynarski are also in the cast.
A press release on Blu-ray.com notes, “Praised for its deft use of relentlessly mounting psychological tension,...
- 9/20/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
In 1981, Steven Spielberg admitted that filmmaking was a learning experience ... in what you hate. Spielberg's first feature was "Duel," a horror movie based on a short story by Richard Matheson, and it was made on a budget of only $450,000, cheap even for 1971. He followed that with "The Sugarland Express" in 1973, a crime thriller that he made for only $3 million. Next came 1975's "Jaws," one of the biggest movies of all time, produced with a budget of $9 million. One can already see the pattern at work. Spielberg started small, and his productions only got bigger and bigger over the years. It wouldn't be until "The Color Purple" in 1985 that Spielberg would break out of his reputation as a maker of mere blockbuster entertainments.
Spielberg never set out to achieve that kind of growth. Indeed, hearing him talk about it, Spielberg always wanted to make multiple small, intimate movies in between the gigantic genre pictures.
Spielberg never set out to achieve that kind of growth. Indeed, hearing him talk about it, Spielberg always wanted to make multiple small, intimate movies in between the gigantic genre pictures.
- 9/5/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
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No one can deny that Steven Spielberg is one of the most renowned and influential director's in cinema history. From game-changing blockbusters like "Jaws" and "Jurassic Park" to devastating prestige Oscar-winning films like "Schindler's List" and "Munich," Spielberg is a master storyteller who has been turning celluloid into gold for over 50 years (and his 21st century films aren't bad at all). But like every legendary filmmaker, Spielberg had to start somewhere, and a new book from author Laurent Bouzereau will dive into the first 10 years of Spielberg's quickly impressive career.
"Spielberg: The First Ten Years" is coming to shelves in October, and it promises to explore "how a young filmmaker reinvented American cinema within just ten years." The retrospective includes looks at his early made-for-tv film "Duel," his first theatrically released feature, "The Sugarland Express," and the troubled production of "Jaws,...
No one can deny that Steven Spielberg is one of the most renowned and influential director's in cinema history. From game-changing blockbusters like "Jaws" and "Jurassic Park" to devastating prestige Oscar-winning films like "Schindler's List" and "Munich," Spielberg is a master storyteller who has been turning celluloid into gold for over 50 years (and his 21st century films aren't bad at all). But like every legendary filmmaker, Spielberg had to start somewhere, and a new book from author Laurent Bouzereau will dive into the first 10 years of Spielberg's quickly impressive career.
"Spielberg: The First Ten Years" is coming to shelves in October, and it promises to explore "how a young filmmaker reinvented American cinema within just ten years." The retrospective includes looks at his early made-for-tv film "Duel," his first theatrically released feature, "The Sugarland Express," and the troubled production of "Jaws,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Steven Spielberg’s unprecedented five-decade stint at the apex of Hollywood owes as much to his versatility as his filmmaking talents. Since bursting onto the scene with “The Sugarland Express” in 1974, the director has proven himself capable of working in nearly every genre imaginable, oftentimes in the same year.
After helping to create the modern summer blockbuster with early hits like “Jaws” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” Spielberg never rested on his laurels. He spent the 1980s alternating between family hits, like “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial,” and more dramatic fare, such as “The Color Purple,” while still finding time to direct the original “Indiana Jones” trilogy.
The most legendary example of Spielberg’s omnivorous approach to filmmaking came in 1993, when he managed to release “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List” in the same year. The summer dinosaur flick became a cultural phenomenon and introduced the world to the miracles...
After helping to create the modern summer blockbuster with early hits like “Jaws” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” Spielberg never rested on his laurels. He spent the 1980s alternating between family hits, like “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial,” and more dramatic fare, such as “The Color Purple,” while still finding time to direct the original “Indiana Jones” trilogy.
The most legendary example of Spielberg’s omnivorous approach to filmmaking came in 1993, when he managed to release “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List” in the same year. The summer dinosaur flick became a cultural phenomenon and introduced the world to the miracles...
- 6/26/2023
- by Christian Zilko and Marcos Franco
- Indiewire
Dean Smith, who won a gold medal as a sprinter at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics before becoming a top-notch Hollywood stunt performer who worked on a dozen films starring John Wayne, has died. He was 91.
Smith died Saturday at his home in Breckenridge, Texas, after a battle with cancer, his friend Rob Word told The Hollywood Reporter.
Smith, who got into the business with help from James Garner, appeared in seven Paul Newman films, including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), The Sting (1973) and The Towering Inferno (1974).
The tough Texan, who loved to say he could “ride, run and jump,” doubled for good friend Dale Robertson on the 1957-62 NBC series Tales of Wells Fargo, the 1964 film Blood on the Arrow and the 1966-68 ABC series Iron Horse.
He also did the dirty work for Ben Johnson...
Smith died Saturday at his home in Breckenridge, Texas, after a battle with cancer, his friend Rob Word told The Hollywood Reporter.
Smith, who got into the business with help from James Garner, appeared in seven Paul Newman films, including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), The Sting (1973) and The Towering Inferno (1974).
The tough Texan, who loved to say he could “ride, run and jump,” doubled for good friend Dale Robertson on the 1957-62 NBC series Tales of Wells Fargo, the 1964 film Blood on the Arrow and the 1966-68 ABC series Iron Horse.
He also did the dirty work for Ben Johnson...
- 6/25/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There are few movie genres with as close a relationship with the concept of “Americana” as the Western. This is a genre deeply steeped in the history of American cinema, but one rife with as many highs as it has problematic lows. For every revolutionary and complex idea, there is a racist trope that has been intricately connected to the genre for decades; for every nuanced character, there is a broad and problematic one.
It is this legacy, the good and the bad, that writer and director Tony Tost wrestles with in “Americana,” , while never feeling derivative of either of the filmmakers. Tost’s film is charming, gritty, and all-round entertaining one that boasts gallows humor, compelling performances, and a big heart (plus lots of actual hearts being shot at and stabbed). Tost’s feature directorial debut shows confidence and an ability to weave the personal with the universal.
Like “Pulp Fiction,...
It is this legacy, the good and the bad, that writer and director Tony Tost wrestles with in “Americana,” , while never feeling derivative of either of the filmmakers. Tost’s film is charming, gritty, and all-round entertaining one that boasts gallows humor, compelling performances, and a big heart (plus lots of actual hearts being shot at and stabbed). Tost’s feature directorial debut shows confidence and an ability to weave the personal with the universal.
Like “Pulp Fiction,...
- 3/18/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Indiewire
This year’s SXSW Film & TV Festival opened with the premiere of Swarm, the dark tale of Dre (Dominique Fishback), a stan whose obsession with a Beyoncé-esque pop idol turns deadly. And the Prime Video series’ fourth episode treated audiences to a little surprise: Billie Eilish’s screen acting debut as Eva, the leader of a Nxivm-like cult whose indoctrination of Dre ends in disaster. Not to be outdone, Halsey’s entrée into the world of movies left the crowd at the Texas fest hooting and hollering.
In Tony Tost’s crime-western Americana,...
In Tony Tost’s crime-western Americana,...
- 3/18/2023
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
Tom Joyner, who was First Ad on such notable titles as Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, George Roy Hill’s Slapshot and Clint Eastwood’s Bronco Billy, died February 22 after a long battle with cancer and heart disease. He was 79.
Joyner began his career in the film industry in 1969 when he was accepted into the DGA assistant directors program. He started out as a Second Ad on such features as Spielberg’s Sugarland Express, Eastwood’s High Plains Drifter and Robert Aldrich’s Ulzanas Raid. His first time out as a First Ad was on Spielberg’s classic Jaws, followed by several other well received films.
Tom Joyner, Steven Spielberg, Richard Dreyfus
He would then go on to serve as Unit Production Manager on a number of features including John Landis’ The Blues Brothers, John Carpenter’s Starman, Taylor Hackford’s Against all Odds, Brian Gibson’s Poltergeist ll and Bruce Bereford’s Tender Mercies.
Joyner began his career in the film industry in 1969 when he was accepted into the DGA assistant directors program. He started out as a Second Ad on such features as Spielberg’s Sugarland Express, Eastwood’s High Plains Drifter and Robert Aldrich’s Ulzanas Raid. His first time out as a First Ad was on Spielberg’s classic Jaws, followed by several other well received films.
Tom Joyner, Steven Spielberg, Richard Dreyfus
He would then go on to serve as Unit Production Manager on a number of features including John Landis’ The Blues Brothers, John Carpenter’s Starman, Taylor Hackford’s Against all Odds, Brian Gibson’s Poltergeist ll and Bruce Bereford’s Tender Mercies.
- 3/14/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
What was the last film to have three of its stars all win Oscars? How long has it been since Steven Spielberg has won an Oscar? Who was the first posthumous nominee? These questions are answered, along with more fun facts, tidbits and trivia.
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” would be just the third film to earn three Oscars in the acting categories. Michelle Yeoh is the favorite to win best actress, as is Ke Huy Quan in the supporting actor race. And Jamie Lee Curtis or Stephanie Hsu ould pull out a win as supporting actress. The first time that happened was at the 1952 ceremony when Vivien Leigh, Karl Malden and Kim Hunter won for “A Streetcar Named Desire,” followed 25 years later with Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight winning for “Network.”
Steven Spielberg has been nominated 22 times including three this year for “The Fabelmans”: best picture,...
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” would be just the third film to earn three Oscars in the acting categories. Michelle Yeoh is the favorite to win best actress, as is Ke Huy Quan in the supporting actor race. And Jamie Lee Curtis or Stephanie Hsu ould pull out a win as supporting actress. The first time that happened was at the 1952 ceremony when Vivien Leigh, Karl Malden and Kim Hunter won for “A Streetcar Named Desire,” followed 25 years later with Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight winning for “Network.”
Steven Spielberg has been nominated 22 times including three this year for “The Fabelmans”: best picture,...
- 3/8/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
The current frontrunner to win the Best Score Oscar is Justin Hurwitz for “Babylon,” with 12 Gold Derby Experts predicting him, but I believe John Williams could surprise in this category for “The Fabelmans,” despite only having the support of two Experts: Sasha Stone (Awards Daily) and Susan King (Gold Derby). Williams’ nomination for “The Fabelmans” is his 53rd overall, which gives him the record for most Oscar bids for a living person; only Walt Disney has more with 59 total. Williams’ work in “The Fabelmans” has been celebrated by many critics, including Maria Lattila, who says in Why Now, “With a classic score from John Williams and precise direction from Spielberg, ‘The Fabelmans’ is one of the finest films about cinema itself.” Are we all underestimating the legendary composer’s chances to win? Here are my top five reasons.
1. He’s 91.
This might be the last chance the Academy gets to recognize John Williams again.
1. He’s 91.
This might be the last chance the Academy gets to recognize John Williams again.
- 2/22/2023
- by Brian Rowe
- Gold Derby
Spielberg “to keep working”, discusses cinema history, Jewish heritage.
Steven Spielberg has delivered a powerful, emotional speech upon receiving the Berlinale honorary Golden Bear, in which he said he is “not finished” as a filmmaker and wants “to keep working, learning, discovering and scaring the shit out of myself, and sometimes the shit out of you.”
The legendary US director gave the address last night (February 22) in Berlin when accepting the lifetime achievement awards, ahead of a screening of his latest film The Fabelmans.
Scroll down to read the full text of Spielberg’s speech
Receiving standing ovations when he entered the room,...
Steven Spielberg has delivered a powerful, emotional speech upon receiving the Berlinale honorary Golden Bear, in which he said he is “not finished” as a filmmaker and wants “to keep working, learning, discovering and scaring the shit out of myself, and sometimes the shit out of you.”
The legendary US director gave the address last night (February 22) in Berlin when accepting the lifetime achievement awards, ahead of a screening of his latest film The Fabelmans.
Scroll down to read the full text of Spielberg’s speech
Receiving standing ovations when he entered the room,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
U2 frontman Bono put in a surprise appearance at the Berlin Film Festival on Tuesday evening to pay tribute to Steven Spielberg as the film director received the event’s Honorary Golden Bear for Life Achievement.
The rock star, who has been at the festival these last few days for the world premiere of the U2-Siege Of Sarajevo documentary Kiss The Future, revealed a special love for Spielberg’s work.
“There are many reasons why people love Steven Spielberg. All of them are valid. Here is mine. It’s very personal but I’m two vodkas in so I’m going to share it with you,” Bono told the awards ceremony.
He named Spielberg’s 1974 drama Sugarland Express, starring Goldie Hawn as a woman who takes a police officer hostage in a desperate bid to reunite with her son before he is placed in care, as a film that...
The rock star, who has been at the festival these last few days for the world premiere of the U2-Siege Of Sarajevo documentary Kiss The Future, revealed a special love for Spielberg’s work.
“There are many reasons why people love Steven Spielberg. All of them are valid. Here is mine. It’s very personal but I’m two vodkas in so I’m going to share it with you,” Bono told the awards ceremony.
He named Spielberg’s 1974 drama Sugarland Express, starring Goldie Hawn as a woman who takes a police officer hostage in a desperate bid to reunite with her son before he is placed in care, as a film that...
- 2/21/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow and Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Steven Spielberg was presented with the Berlin Film Festival’s Honorary Golden Bear for Lifetime Achievement by U2 frontman Bono, who made a surprise appearance at the rousing special ceremony on Tuesday.
“I feel a little alarmed to be told I’ve lived a lifetime because I’m not finished I want to keep working. I want to keep learning and discovering and scaring the shit out of myself and sometimes the shit out of you,” Spielberg said on receiving the award.
“I gotta get back to some of those earlier scary movies but that’s another story for later on. As long as there’s joy in it for me and as long as my audience can find joy and other human values in my films, I’m reluctant to ever say that’s a wrap.”
“I’ve been directing a long time, six decades, but it feels to...
“I feel a little alarmed to be told I’ve lived a lifetime because I’m not finished I want to keep working. I want to keep learning and discovering and scaring the shit out of myself and sometimes the shit out of you,” Spielberg said on receiving the award.
“I gotta get back to some of those earlier scary movies but that’s another story for later on. As long as there’s joy in it for me and as long as my audience can find joy and other human values in my films, I’m reluctant to ever say that’s a wrap.”
“I’ve been directing a long time, six decades, but it feels to...
- 2/21/2023
- by Zac Ntim and Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Has any filmmaker had as much of an impact on cinema and pop culture at large as Steven Spielberg in an autobiographical drama which underpins the dramatic threads of so many of his works.
There’s the impossible question though: among his many masterful works, which one stands tallest? Team Empire gathered to vote for the best Steven Spielberg films, picking from a catalogue packed with unimpeachable masterpieces. But a consensus was eventually reached – and you can read the official ordering below. Ranked order aside, taking an overview of his astonishing career is another reminder of just how lucky we are to have him.
34) 1941 (1979)
“Steve’s direction was brilliant,” George Lucas march, and is the answer to the pub question: “Which film features Toshiro Mifune, Christopher Lee and Mickey Rourke?” But it’s also monotonal, repetitive and, as critic Pauline Kael once eloquently put it, like “having your head stuck...
There’s the impossible question though: among his many masterful works, which one stands tallest? Team Empire gathered to vote for the best Steven Spielberg films, picking from a catalogue packed with unimpeachable masterpieces. But a consensus was eventually reached – and you can read the official ordering below. Ranked order aside, taking an overview of his astonishing career is another reminder of just how lucky we are to have him.
34) 1941 (1979)
“Steve’s direction was brilliant,” George Lucas march, and is the answer to the pub question: “Which film features Toshiro Mifune, Christopher Lee and Mickey Rourke?” But it’s also monotonal, repetitive and, as critic Pauline Kael once eloquently put it, like “having your head stuck...
- 1/30/2023
- by Ben Travis, Ian Freer, Tom Nicholson, John Nugent, Beth Webb, James Dyer
- Empire - Movies
Orlando, Fl – April 13: Composer John Williams attends the 40 Years Of Star Wars Panel during the 2017 Star Wars Celebration at Orange County Convention Center on April 13, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Disney) *** Local Caption *** John Williams When it comes to scoring films, one Hollywood name stands above all the rest: John Williams. After starting his career as an orchestrator and session musician, he scored his first film at the age of 26. Williams now 92 and he’s still going strong, as he’s currently working on producer Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and says he’s hoping to continue working on projects after that. Williams and Spielberg, of course, share a special bond, as Williams has written the scores for nearly every Spielberg-directed film, going back to Spielberg’s 1974 debut, The Sugarland Express. Now, Spielberg is one of the high-profile producers...
- 1/23/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
John Williams is retiring after he finishes the score for the forthcoming Indiana Jones movie — right? Well, Steven Spielberg certainly thinks so. Or thought so. He was corrected on that notion at the very end of a 90-minute conversation between the two film giants Thursday night.
At the event, sponsored by the American Cinematheque and held at the Writers Guild Theater, moderator (and Variety film music writer) Jon Burlingame addressed the elephant that was gingerly lingering around the edges of the room: “A final question for each of you. John, are you really retiring from films? Are this” — “The Fabelmans,” the last film to come up for discussion — “and the Indiana Jones film to come your last work for the medium?”
“Well, Steven is a lot of things,” replied the composer. “He’s a director, he’s a producer, he’s a studio head, he’s a writer, he’s a philanthropist,...
At the event, sponsored by the American Cinematheque and held at the Writers Guild Theater, moderator (and Variety film music writer) Jon Burlingame addressed the elephant that was gingerly lingering around the edges of the room: “A final question for each of you. John, are you really retiring from films? Are this” — “The Fabelmans,” the last film to come up for discussion — “and the Indiana Jones film to come your last work for the medium?”
“Well, Steven is a lot of things,” replied the composer. “He’s a director, he’s a producer, he’s a studio head, he’s a writer, he’s a philanthropist,...
- 1/14/2023
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
If you grew up wanting to be a filmmaker, you are inescapably indebted to the directors of your youth. While your work will likely be infused with the going style (e.g. any kid hopping into what is now an old-fashioned artform won't be able to expunge countless hours of TikTok videos from their brain), you'll probably be standing on the shoulders of Barry Jenkins, Chloe Zhao and Ryan Coogler -- which means you'll be drawing from their reservoir of inspiration. Whether you know it or not, Robert Bresson, Agnes Varda, and Jean-Luc Godard are speaking through you. Every artist is always looking backward.
Steven Spielberg might've been the youngest of the 1970s New Hollywood film brats, but aesthetically, he was more deeply in touch with the just-ended era of studio filmmaking than any of his peers. He wanted to harness the groundbreaking technology at his blockbuster disposal to make classical,...
Steven Spielberg might've been the youngest of the 1970s New Hollywood film brats, but aesthetically, he was more deeply in touch with the just-ended era of studio filmmaking than any of his peers. He wanted to harness the groundbreaking technology at his blockbuster disposal to make classical,...
- 1/14/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
TIFF Review: The Fabelmans is Warm, Witty, and One of Steven Spielberg’s Most Rewarding Family Tales
Judging from the pre-release information surrounding Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, it was clear the endeavor could attain the label of the master director’s “most personal film.” Now that it has finally arrived, with a world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, it is clear this prediction was no lie. It is obviously personal, yes, but also deeply autobiographical. Any Spielberg fan knows these beats: an early fascination with cinema; the move to Arizona; a difficult parental dynamic, with a driven father and loving-but-conflicted mother; ambitious 8mm films made with sisters, neighbors, and anyone else willing to lend a hand; a much less pleasant move from Arizona to California; teenage years fueled by creativity, but also impacted by a feeling of outsider status; and, ultimately, the first steps into a world he would eventually dominate.
The Fabelmans checks all boxes, but it is not merely Portrait of Spielberg as a Young Man.
The Fabelmans checks all boxes, but it is not merely Portrait of Spielberg as a Young Man.
- 9/11/2022
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: Kyle Stroud and Frank Ponce of production and finance outfit Carte Blanche, which has credits including Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter, are partnering with Joey Tuccio and Dorian Connelley’s Roadmap Writers to launch a genre screenwriting competition.
Carte Blanche will greenlight and finance at least one feature that comes through the initiative at a budget of sub-1M, though this figure could be increased depending on the elements involved such as cast.
Scripts should have no more than five characters and five locations, and will focus on a contained, character-driven story. Projects including Timecrimes, Buried, and Monsters are all cited as comps, the producers said.
The competition’s jury will consist of producer Liz Cardenas of A24’s A Ghost Story, Carolina Groppa, who is in charge of production at Issa Rae’s ColorCreative, Giselle Johnson of Sony/Screen Gems (Don’t Breathe), and Pixar alumni Colin Levy.
Carte Blanche will greenlight and finance at least one feature that comes through the initiative at a budget of sub-1M, though this figure could be increased depending on the elements involved such as cast.
Scripts should have no more than five characters and five locations, and will focus on a contained, character-driven story. Projects including Timecrimes, Buried, and Monsters are all cited as comps, the producers said.
The competition’s jury will consist of producer Liz Cardenas of A24’s A Ghost Story, Carolina Groppa, who is in charge of production at Issa Rae’s ColorCreative, Giselle Johnson of Sony/Screen Gems (Don’t Breathe), and Pixar alumni Colin Levy.
- 4/7/2022
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
John Williams turns 90 years old on Feb. 8. And the world’s most famous film composer shows no signs of slowing down.
The five-time Oscar winner, creator of many of the most well-known movie themes of all time — everything from “Jaws” and “Star Wars” to “E.T.” and “Harry Potter” — is finishing work on two new film scores and, Covid permitting, plans to conduct concerts with at least five orchestras between April and November.
Commemorating Williams’ nonagenarian status is the release of “John Williams: The Berlin Concert,” a two-disc Deutsche Grammophon set recorded during the composer’s Oct. 14-16 concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic.
The 93-minute collection includes many of Williams’ familiar signature tunes — “Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Jurassic Park,” “Superman” — plus a few less familiar pieces, including his theme for “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and his moving, non-film “Elegy for Cello and Orchestra.”
The Berlin album might...
The five-time Oscar winner, creator of many of the most well-known movie themes of all time — everything from “Jaws” and “Star Wars” to “E.T.” and “Harry Potter” — is finishing work on two new film scores and, Covid permitting, plans to conduct concerts with at least five orchestras between April and November.
Commemorating Williams’ nonagenarian status is the release of “John Williams: The Berlin Concert,” a two-disc Deutsche Grammophon set recorded during the composer’s Oct. 14-16 concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic.
The 93-minute collection includes many of Williams’ familiar signature tunes — “Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Jurassic Park,” “Superman” — plus a few less familiar pieces, including his theme for “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and his moving, non-film “Elegy for Cello and Orchestra.”
The Berlin album might...
- 2/7/2022
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
The purpose of this piece is to draw your attention to some significant experimental film works that emerged in 2021. These are films that mostly played small festivals, such as Prismatic Ground, the new Light Matter festival in Alfred, New York, or Mark McElhatten’s “Carte Blanche” program at MoMA. Others, to my knowledge, have not yet debuted in North America. This piece intends to draw your attention to these films (although you may have already seen some of them), and to make a case on their behalf.I have started writing this piece several times, and each time I have scrapped my introductory remarks. In one draft, I talked about those festivals in some depth. In another, I briefly analyzed the 2021 selections for the New York Film Festival’s Projections program, conjecturing about the prevalence of essay films as part of a backlash against formalism. In another, I talked about Gramsci and hegemony,...
- 12/23/2021
- MUBI
Back in the Park (2019), courtesy of Ernie GehrEvaluating Mark McElhatten’s recent Carte Blanche screening series at the Museum of Modern Art in terms of pure numbers wouldn’t necessarily be a wrongheaded approach. Eleven feature-length works, 41 shorts, and two excerpts from longer features were programmed in this exceptional series, which certainly lives up to the intensity of McElhatten’s esteemed reputation as a curator—but focusing on such data would be missing the overall point. The breadth of selected titles—which varied between established auteurs and eclectic avant-garde obscurities—feels like an afterthought in terms of the more interpersonal objectives the series sought to accomplish.When McElhatten introduced any of the works, he forwent any (perceived or not) rigidly academic jargon and never attempted to reiterate history; instead, he characterized these titles in earnest terms, speaking to their base impact outside of any ostensibly needed analytical context. Their inclusions,...
- 12/22/2021
- MUBI
by... our team here at Tfe!
West Side Story, now in theaters. is Steven Spielberg's 32nd motion picture. Though he directed one self-financed "feature" at 17 (shown at one movie theater), Duel (1971) a made for television movie was his first Hollywood gig. His movie career proper began with the spring release of The Sugarland Express in 1974. By the end of the following summer, due to Jaws, he was globally famous and a bankable A list director, lists he'd never fall off of. To celebrate Spielberg's 75th birthday we recently polled the team about the work of America's most beloved auteur: his best, worst, and most underappreciated.
It was fascinating to be reminded how widely viewed Spielberg's filmography is. Of his 31 pictures prior to West Side Story, not a single one of them went unmentioned in the answers to our three-part poll which 23 members of our team participated in. That said...
West Side Story, now in theaters. is Steven Spielberg's 32nd motion picture. Though he directed one self-financed "feature" at 17 (shown at one movie theater), Duel (1971) a made for television movie was his first Hollywood gig. His movie career proper began with the spring release of The Sugarland Express in 1974. By the end of the following summer, due to Jaws, he was globally famous and a bankable A list director, lists he'd never fall off of. To celebrate Spielberg's 75th birthday we recently polled the team about the work of America's most beloved auteur: his best, worst, and most underappreciated.
It was fascinating to be reminded how widely viewed Spielberg's filmography is. Of his 31 pictures prior to West Side Story, not a single one of them went unmentioned in the answers to our three-part poll which 23 members of our team participated in. That said...
- 12/18/2021
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Steven Spielberg is arguably the greatest of all American filmmakers. It is hard to argue with this assessment since the prolific filmmaker has turned out one classic film after another since the 1970s. Even though his first theatrical feature film, The Sugarland Express (1974) was a drama, and he has made several superlative dramas in his long career–The Color Purple (1985), Schindler’s List (1993), to name two of the best. But there are a few of his serious films that didn’t quite pack the proverbial punch we came to expect from him. In many ways, there is no such thing
The Five Worst Steven Spielberg Dramas...
The Five Worst Steven Spielberg Dramas...
- 12/14/2021
- by Charles Switzer
- TVovermind.com
Sean Baker likes to turn his camera on the people and places Hollywood usually ignores.
In films like “Tangerine,” the story of a transgender sex worker that was shot with an iPhone, and “The Florida Project,” a look at an unemployed single mother and her young daughter who live in a rundown motel in the shadow of Walt Disney World, Baker has made a career of dramatizing lives lived on the economic margins. “Red Rocket,” his latest effort, is no different. The offbeat comedy centers on Mikey Saber, a down-and-out adult film star who returns to his small Texas hometown after washing out of the industry. There, he sells weed as a side hustle, while attempting to seduce a 17-year old donut shop worker who he wants to transform into a porn actress. A meet cute, it decidedly is not.
The film debuted to raves at the Cannes Film Festival...
In films like “Tangerine,” the story of a transgender sex worker that was shot with an iPhone, and “The Florida Project,” a look at an unemployed single mother and her young daughter who live in a rundown motel in the shadow of Walt Disney World, Baker has made a career of dramatizing lives lived on the economic margins. “Red Rocket,” his latest effort, is no different. The offbeat comedy centers on Mikey Saber, a down-and-out adult film star who returns to his small Texas hometown after washing out of the industry. There, he sells weed as a side hustle, while attempting to seduce a 17-year old donut shop worker who he wants to transform into a porn actress. A meet cute, it decidedly is not.
The film debuted to raves at the Cannes Film Festival...
- 12/6/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The Festival opens the doors as the first film event in Austria which is held live again, and with an extensive, albeit naturally limited, offering. Of the total of 310 films and more than 60 planned program items, around a third can be experienced on the big screen in Vienna.
The entire program is published and can be streamed online on the festival’s film portal from May 27. On site, all competition programs will be shown locally at Stadtkino im Künstlerhaus—except for the Austrian Music Video Award, which will take place on May 30 at the jazz club Porgy & Bess, including a live concert by the Viennese hip-hop band EsRAP.
Dancer, choreographer and filmmaker Paul Wenninger will be guest of honor with his extraordinary films and a Carte Blanche at the Austrian Film Museum. At Filmhauskino am Spittelberg, there will be a Director’s Talk with three up-and-coming Austrian directors in cooperation with the directors’ association Ada.
The entire program is published and can be streamed online on the festival’s film portal from May 27. On site, all competition programs will be shown locally at Stadtkino im Künstlerhaus—except for the Austrian Music Video Award, which will take place on May 30 at the jazz club Porgy & Bess, including a live concert by the Viennese hip-hop band EsRAP.
Dancer, choreographer and filmmaker Paul Wenninger will be guest of honor with his extraordinary films and a Carte Blanche at the Austrian Film Museum. At Filmhauskino am Spittelberg, there will be a Director’s Talk with three up-and-coming Austrian directors in cooperation with the directors’ association Ada.
- 5/20/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSAbove: The Cinerama Dome in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). Decurion has announced that it won't be reopening its Arclight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres locations. The theater chain's most famous location is its Hollywood Arclight multiplex on Sunset Boulevard, home to the Cinerama Dome. Arte France Cinéma will be co-producing three new features: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi's Les amandiers (starring Louis Garrel), Arnaud Desplechin's Brother and Sister (which stars Marion Cotillard and Melvil Poupaud), and Pietro Marcello's L'envol (the filmmaker's first feature in France). The Workers of the Cinemateca Brasileira have released a manifesto calling attention to the many risks facing the Cinemateca's unattended collection, equipment, and facilities due to its "current state of abandonment" by the Ministry of Tourism. Backed by TCM, documentarian Josh Grossberg and his...
- 4/14/2021
- MUBI
Exclusive: Anthony Hopkins, off the back of securing his sixth Oscar nomination for The Father, is leading the cast of indie drama Where Are You, starring alongside model and actor Camille Rowe, Madeline Brewer (The Handmaid’s Tale), Angela Sarafyan (Westworld), Mickey Sumner (Snowpiercer), and Ray Nicholson (Promising Young Woman).
Pic is co-directed by Valentina De Amicis and Riccardo Spinotti from a screenplay by Amicis, Spinotti and Matt Handy. The film centers on a photographer experiencing an artistic decline who begins taking his aggressions out on his artist girlfriend. When she cryptically disappears, he enters his subconscious, descending down a spiral of mystery and madness on his search for her, as well as himself.
Marcella and Dante Spinotti (two-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer of L.A. Confidential and The Insider) produced the film alongside Carte Blanche’s Kyle Stroud (In Full Bloom) and Rocco Bovo. Heather Kritzer also produced, with Markus Bishop-Hill and...
Pic is co-directed by Valentina De Amicis and Riccardo Spinotti from a screenplay by Amicis, Spinotti and Matt Handy. The film centers on a photographer experiencing an artistic decline who begins taking his aggressions out on his artist girlfriend. When she cryptically disappears, he enters his subconscious, descending down a spiral of mystery and madness on his search for her, as well as himself.
Marcella and Dante Spinotti (two-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer of L.A. Confidential and The Insider) produced the film alongside Carte Blanche’s Kyle Stroud (In Full Bloom) and Rocco Bovo. Heather Kritzer also produced, with Markus Bishop-Hill and...
- 4/7/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
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