| | | | What's news: Netflix's Blonde dominates the Razzie noms. A Queen of Sheba scripted series in the works at Onyx Collective. More than a thousand mourners turned up to Lisa Marie Presley's Graceland memorial service. Berlin Fest has revealed its competition lineup. — Abid Rahman |
Time's up for Time's Up ►The end. Time’s Up will formally cease its operations by the end of January and direct its remaining $1.7m in funds to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund. The gender rights organization, founded in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, has been in the midst of a slow death since a report in August 2021 revealed that leaders had advised Governor Andrew Cuomo after he was accused of sexual harassment. Time’s Up’s three remaining board members, actress Ashley Judd, ad exec Colleen DeCourcey and financial exec Gabrielle Sulzberger will step down. The story.
—🏆 A prize worth winning 🏆 The Berlin International Film Festival unveiled an art-house heavy competition lineup for its 2023 edition on Monday morning, naming the 18 movies that will compete for the coveted Gold and Silver Bears at the 73rd Berlinale. New films from Christian Petzold, Celine Song and Margarethe von Trotta are among the standouts. The lineup.
—🏆 Not the prize you want 🤡 The Golden Raspberry Awards — aka the Razzies — have bestowed Andrew Dominik's Blonde with eight nominations, including worst picture, in their annual picks for the worst films and performances of the year. Also landing multiple noms are Tom Hanks and Pete Davidson, who are both up for worst actor and worst supporting actor. The nominations.
—"Resolutions all changed this particular New Year's." Jeremy Renner revealed that he broke more than 30 bones in the New Year’s Day snowplow accident that led to his hospitalization. The actor took to Instagram on Saturday to share a photo of himself receiving medical attention on his legs. He added that he is on the road to recovery. The story.
—"Our heart is broken." Lisa Marie Presley was remembered during a funeral service Sunday as a loving mother and an “old soul” who endured tragedy but persevered as a dedicated protector of her father Elvis Presley's legacy. More than a thousand people gathered on the front lawn of Graceland for the service. Priscilla Presley, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York were among the speakers and music was provided by Billy Corgan, Alanis Morissette, Axl Rose and The Blackwood Brothers Quartet. The story. |
'Avatar 2' Sails Past $2B Globally ►Never bet against JC! Avatar: The Way of Water has become only the sixth film in history to cross the $2b mark at the worldwide box office, not adjusted for inflation. The movie’s performance is a huge victory for director James Cameron, who is the only filmmaker to have directed three films achieving the milestone.
Disney announced Sunday that the big-budget sequel will finish the weekend with a worldwide total of $2.024b, the best showing of the pandemic era. It has earned $598m domestically and $1.426b overseas, including a hefty $230m from China. THR's Pamela McClintock writes that he first Avatar remains the top-grossing film of all time with $2.9b, including rereleases. Cameron’s Titanic is also part of the club ($2.19b) and Avengers: Endgame ranks No. 2 with $2.79b.
When promoting Avatar 2, Cameron indicated it would ultimately need to earn in the $2b range to be considered a smash success. The sequel cost north of $400m to produce before marketing. The box office report.
—Signs of a recovery. China’s traditionally lucrative Lunar New Year box office got off to a solid start on Sunday despite ongoing concerns over the COVID wave sweeping the country. Frank Guo’s big-budget sci-fi spectacle The Wandering Earth 2, starring Wu Jing and Andy Lau, rocketed to the front of the pack with a $69.7m opening day. Chinese filmmaking legend Zhang Yimou’s latest feature, Full River Red, a period comedy thriller, was close behind with a strong $59.3m start. The China box office report. |
Brooke Shields on Her Sundance Doc 'Pretty Baby' ►"I’m a conduit to a bigger conversation." THR's Mia Galuppo spoke to Brooke Shields about Lana Wilson's bio-doc Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields which premiered at Sundance. Shields talks about the sexualization of young girls, her relationship with her mother, and, for the first time, her experience with sexual assault. The interview.
—"Nothing was off the table." Michael J. Fox has revealed he didn’t want veto power on the doc Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie. Speaking at the THR Studio at Sundance, Fox explained why he didn't take the offer to strike out aspects of the film he might not have wanted to be included. Director Davis Guggenheim added that Fox gave him final cut on the doc. The story.
—Making moves. Disney’s Onyx Collective has put a Queen of Sheba scripted drama series in development. At Sundance on Saturday, Onyx also nabbed two documentaries: Questlove’s untitled Sly Stone feature and Ryan Coogler’s Anthem. Sheba, which is also exec produced by Coogler, is co-created by Chantelle Wells and Azie Tesfai and explores the rise to power of the first queen on the continent of Africa. The story. |
Sundance Review: 'You Hurt My Feelings' ►"Slender but satisfying." THR's chief film critic David Rooney reviews Nicole Holofcener's You Hurt My Feelings. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins and Arian Moayad star in this witty comedy about the little crises in a self-acknowledged narcissistic world of New York City privilege. The review.
—"Well-acted and compelling." David reviews A.V. Rockwell's Sundance competition entry A Thousand and One. The writer-director's feature debut is a volatile account of a mother-son relationship set against the vivid backdrop of rapidly gentrifying 1990s New York, starring Teyana Taylor. The review.
—"Solemn and stirring." David reviews Anthony Chen's Drift. The Singaporean director makes his first English-language feature with this slow-burn, Greek island-set drama about a refugee reeling from tragedy, starring Cynthia Erivo and Alia Shawkat. The review.
—"A morbid beauty." David reviews William Oldroyd's Eileen. Director The British director follows Lady Macbeth with another dizzying plunge into the complex female psyche, featuring Anne Hathaway, Thomasin McKenzie, Shea Whigham and Marin Ireland. The review.
—"Love among the ruins." David reviews Maite Alberdi's Sundance competition entry The Eternal Memory. In this doc, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker builds an intimate collaboration with a woman bravely struggling to keep her husband’s brilliant mind functioning as he battles Alzheimer’s. The review.
—"An intimate firsthand account of oppression and revolt." THR critic Jordan Mintzer reviews Lina's Sundance competition entry 5 Seasons of Revolution. The Sundance premiere from Syrian journalist Lina captured the revolution and civil war that tore apart her homeland, forcing friends and comrades to flee abroad. The review. |
Sundance Review: 'Flora and Son' ►"An easygoing delight." THR critic Caryn James reviews John Carney's Flora and Son. A Dublin single mother (Eve Hewson) falls for a guitar teacher in L.A. (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) while dealing with her difficult teen son in the latest from the Once, Begin Again and Sing Street filmmaker. The review.
—"Gives nepo babies a good name." Caryn reviews Alice Englert’s Sundance competition entry Bad Behaviour. Jennifer Connelly and Ben Whishaw star in this dramedy feature set at a spiritual retreat, an accomplished first feature combines cultural satire with a mother-daughter story. The review.
—"Unfulfilled potential." Caryn reviews Sierra Urich's Sundance competition entry Joonam. Mother-daughter dynamics and cultural heritage are at play in a sporadically revealing personal story doc. The review.
—"Fizzy and fun for all the family." THR critic Leslie Felperin reviews Maryam Keshavarz's Sundance competition entry The Persian Version. This film about Iranian immigrants in New York and New Jersey features a protagonist who never feels entirely at home in either America or Iran. The review.
—"A smart tribute to a fascinating woman." Leslie reviews Nicole Newnham's Sundance competition entry The Disappearance of Shere Hite. The Crip Camp documentarian delves into the fascinating life of feminist sexologist Shere Hite, with Dakota Johnson lending her voice for readings from Hite's writings. The review.
—"Tough, penetrating and deeply moving." THR critic Sheri Linden reviews Luke Lorentzen's Sundance competition entry A Still Small Voice. In his new documentary, the Midnight Family director brings viewers into the world of hospital chaplains and the patients they counsel. The review. |
Sundance Review: 'Cat Person' ►"Bound to fire up the discourse." THR critic Lovia Gyarkye reviews Susanna Fogel's Cat Person. A college sophomore's relationship with an older man turns sour fast in this film based on Kristen Roupenian's viral New Yorker story, starring Emilia Jones and Nicholas Braun. The review.
—"A loving — and timely — portrait of a beloved author." Lovia reviews Davino Pardo and Leah Wolchok's Judy Blume Forever. This Sundance documentary looks at the life and lasting impact of the children's and young adult author Judy Blume. The review.
—"A delicate stunner." Lovia reviews Savanah Leaf's Earth Mama. Leaf, a former Olympic volleyball player turned director, helms this tender feature about a pregnant mother trying to regain custody of her kids. The review.
—"Frustratingly limited." THR's Dan Fienberg reviews Ben Braun and Chiaki Yanagimoto's Sundance competition entry Aum: The Cult at the End of the World. This documentary examines the Aum Shinrikyo, the Japanese doomsday cult responsible for the deadly Tokyo subway attack of 1995. The review.
—"An unusual love story that isn't for the faint of heart or short of breath." Dan reviews Laura McGann's The Deepest Breath. This documentary, bound for Netflix, tells the story of a record-breaking freediver and a heroic safety diver whose lives intersect against gorgeous aquatic backdrops. The review.
—"Visually stunning but narratively shaky." THR critic Frank Scheck reviews Matthieu Rytz's Deep Rising. Jason Momoa narrates and executive produced Rytz's doc exploring the many issues concerning the mining of the ocean floor. The review.
In other news...
—Stage adaptation of Room starring Adrienne Warren set for Broadway
—Dawn Ostroff leaving Spotify as company slashes staff by 6 percent
—Beyoncé previews Park Trail, newest Adidas x Ivy Park collaboration
—Where to Spa in 2023: The best new wellness destinations in Cabo, New York, Punta Mita and London
What else we're reading...
—Almost five months after her death, Jacob Bernstein recounts the last days and legacy of the notorious Nikki Finke [NYT]
—A glum Suzanne Nossel writes that separating what’s invaluable about Twitter and Facebook from what’s noxious will require years of experimentation [WSJ]
—Emma Fraser believes that Beth Grant is giving the most fun performance on TV in AMC's Mayfair Witches [Daily Beast]
—A great David Canfield story on how the production designers created the cities and settings in The Last of Us [VF]
—Dalya Alberge reports that historian Norman Lebrecht has concluded that Beethoven’s mysterious Elise (of "Für Elise" fame) never existed [Guardian]
Today...
...in 2003, Ricky Gervais’ comedy The Office made its way stateside, where it premiered on BBC America. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Mariska Hargitay (59), Mark Boal (50), Jack Reynor (31), Tiffani Thiessen (49), Julia Jones (42), Richard Roxburgh (61), Ewen Bremner (51), David Patrick Kelly (72), Richard Dean Anderson (73), S. Craig Zahler (50), Boris McGiver (61), Kyle Newacheck (39), Derek Cianfrance (49), Sara Anne (25), Adam Hagenbuch (32) |
| Deborah Barak, a prominent and longtime CBS business executive who oversaw and helped shape deals on awards shows like the Grammys, TV series Survivor and the CBS All Access platform, has died. She was 65. The obituary. |
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