Palm springs 2019 film festival

The four indelible stars o f 80 for Brady — Lily Tomlin , Jane Fonda , Rita Moreno and Sally Field — have a combined age of 335 years but are not the least bit inclined to act like it in this highly concocted but sassy, good-natured wish-fulfillment comedy. The film is as silly and contrived as all get-out and you can’t help feeling that, with a cast this good, it’s a shame that a script worthy of the actresses’ combined talents couldn’t have been found and put to much better use. Still, if you’re at all inclined to spend a couple of hours in the company of four ultra-talented ladies doing dopey and rambunctious things to worm their way into the Super Bowl to behold their sports hero Tom Brady in person, then this is your ticket. Since the 45-year-old Brady won’t be playing in the Super Bowl this season, some fans might, as consolation, decide to go see this film, in which the now-ex-star quarterback appears not only on the field, in footage of his … [Read more...] about ‘80 For Brady’ Film Review: All-Star Cast Drives Timely Wish-Fulfillment Comedy

Broadway ’s Room stars Adrienne Warren and Ephraim Sykes , along with choreographer Galen Hooks, are speaking out on the bizarre, last-minute “indefinite postponement” of the much anticipated spring production. “We do not know what happened,” says Warren, the Tina star who was to play the lead role in the Room stage adaptation that was to begin previews next month. “We have no idea. As this continues to unfold, I just want to publicly say, it is not a reflection on the beautiful souls in this piece. It is not a reflection on our creatives.” Watch the video here . Warren added that the the cast and creatives “are completely heartbroken that we don’t get to share this beautiful piece with you,” but the actor quickly added the word “yet.” Producers announced last week that the Broadway production of Emma Donoghue’s play, based on her novel Room and its successful film adaptation, was indefinitely postponed due to a “shortfall in capitalization” that … [Read more...] about ‘Room’ Stars Adrienne Warren & Ephraim Sykes Speak Out On Broadway Show’s Abrupt Withdrawal From Spring Lineup

EXCLUSIVE: A24 is reuniting with its Green Knight director David Lowery on his next film Mother Mary and set Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel to star. Lowery is directing from a script he penned. The film will be an epic pop melodrama following a fictional musician (Hathaway) and her relationship with an iconic fashion designer (Coel). Lowery, Toby Halbrooks, and James M. Johnston will produce alongside Jeanie Igoe of Homebird Productions and Jonas Katzenstein, Maximilian Leo and Jonathan Saubach of Cologne-based augenschein Filmproduktion. Jack Antonoff and Charli XCX will write and produce original songs for the film, with an original score composed by Daniel Hart. This marks the third collaboration between A24 and David Lowery following The Green Knight and A Ghost Story . A24 will handle the global release of the film. Mother Mary will be filmed in Germany, funded by Film- und Medienstiftung NRW and the DFFF. Hathaway has already had herself a … [Read more...] about Michaela Coel And Anne Hathaway To Star In Pop Music Epic ‘Mother Mary’ For David Lowery And A24

EXCLUSIVE : Crunchyroll has tapped Nichole Sakura ( Superstore ) for the title role in the English-language dub of their acclaimed animated feature Suzume , which in addition to the original subtitled version, debuts in theaters in Australia and New Zealand on April 13, coming to the U.S., Canada, the UK and Ireland the following day. Others cast in the pic from decorated Japanese filmmaker Makoto Shinkai ( Weathering with You ), which bowed in Japan in November, include Josh Keaton, Jennifer Sun Bell, Joe Zieja, Rosalie Chang, Amanda C. Miller, Mela Lee and Cam Clarke. Bill Millsap served as English voice director. The film produced by CoMix Wave Films and STORY inc. tells the coming-of-age story of 17-year-old Suzume (Sakura), whose journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu (located in southwestern Japan) when she encounters a young man who tells her, “I’m looking for a door.” What Suzume finds is a single weathered door standing upright in the midst of ruins … [Read more...] about ‘Superstore’s Nichole Sakura To Lead English-Language Voice Cast Of Crunchyroll’s ‘Suzume’

EXCLUSIVE: Fledgling U.S. production company Catalyst Studios has announced eight-part docuseries EmpowHer going behind the scenes of the films on its inaugural slate driven by six female and non-binary directors and producers. Catalyst Studios was launched last May as a joint venture between social entrepreneur Holly Levow and producer Paul Kampf of Equitas Entertainment, and Mark Pennell of Beacon Pictures, with a focus on emerging talent and diverse storytelling. EmpowHer will follow the journeys of filmmakers from across Catalyst Studios’ slate including Michelle Salcedo with Switch & Bait , starring Otmara Marrero and Katie Clarkson-Hill; Joanne Mitchell with Sybil ; Siri Rødnes with Follow Me starring Connie Nielsen, and Colombian auteur Ana Maria Hermida with the recently announced coming-of-age feature film Alix. Further filmmaker subject s include Tamika Miller ( Honor Student , Station 19 ) and Milena Grujic ( The Future is Bright … [Read more...] about Catalyst Studios Launches Docuseries ‘EmpowHer’ Going Behind The Scenes Of Inaugural Female-Driven Slate

Lucasfilm’s top-secret Star Wars movie to be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has lost its screenwriters, Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson , Deadline can confirm. Details as to the film’s plot are still under wraps, though we understand that Obaid-Chinoy remains at the helm, with further details on the project to be unveiled at next month’s Star Wars Celebration. Sources suggest that the film is still in a solid position to be one of the first out of the gate for the franchise — if not the first — on the heels of 2019’s Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker . Disney has, in the interim, prioritized building out the Star Wars universe on the TV side, with hit shows like The Mandalorian . While the specific reasoning behind the departure of Lindelof and Britt-Gibson hasn’t been disclosed, the former hinted at the possibility in an i nterview with SlashFilm unveiled earlier this month. “I will just say, that for reasons that I can’t get into on … [Read more...] about Damon Lindelof & Justin Britt-Gibson Depart As Scribes For Secret ‘Star Wars’ Pic; Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Still Aboard As Director

EXCLUSIVE: Greek production and sales house Heretic has upped its longtime head of sales and acquisitions exec Ioanna Stais to partner. Stais, who has been with the company since 2014, has been a key driver behind Heretic’s bustling film sales slate which has included Berlin Golden Bear winner Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn from director Radu Jude, and Omar El Zohairy’s Feathers , which won Cannes Critics’ week in 2021. In 2019, the company handled world sales for Retablo , Peru’s official submission for the International Oscar, which was also nominated for a BAFTA Outstanding Debut Award and Best International Film for the Film Independent Spirit Award. The company recently boarded world sales rights for Jude’s latest project, Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World , as well as Sundance doc And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine , which it sold widely. “Having joined the company almost from its very founding, I couldn’t be prouder for what … [Read more...] about Greek Outfit Heretic Promotes Head Of Sales Ioanna Stais To Partner

EXCLUSIVE: Here’s a positive one for the Euro film industry – shooting has resumed on Tochter (English translation Daughter ), a co-production between significant producers from Germany, Greece and Italy. The project is being heralded as one of the first post-COVID international co-pro to get back underway in Europe, which has been confirmed by two major bodies EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs) and ACE Producers. The only other one I am aware of Margrete – Queen Of The North , a significant Nordic project that resumed filming in the Czech Republic on June 15. Pic is based on German author Lucy Fricke’s best-selling novel of the same title and is being directed by Nana Neul ( To Faro ). Producers include Bettina Brokemper of Heimatfilm , whose credits span Lars Von Trier’s The House That Jack Built and Eran Riklis’ Dancing Arabs . Warner Bros Germany is a co-producer and will handle the local release. Also onboard are Giorgos Karnavas and … [Read more...] about Cameras Rolling In Greece On ‘Tochter’, First European Co-Pro To Resume Post-COVID

EXCLUSIVE: Producer Amy Williams has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Waheed AlQawasmi, the writer and director of upcoming indie feature Jacir , starring Lorraine Bracco . The suit also names WAFilms, the production company behind the film. AlQawasmi has hit back, describing the complaint as “without merit”. In the complaint, filed in the Chancery Court for Shelby County, Tennessee, producer Williams claims that AlQawasmi wrongfully removed her name from the film as its lead producer and has failed to pay her the promised compensation for her work on the project. According to the filing, Williams says AlQawasmi approached her in 2016 to help produce the film originally titled My Friend Jacir . The suit claims that Williams procured funding and cast members for the movie, including Bracco, who stars in the film’s lead role. The film completed production in December 2020, at which point the suit claims that AlQawasmi “manufactured” a contract breach on … [Read more...] about Producer Amy Williams Files Lawsuit Against Filmmakers Behind Indie Drama ‘Jacir’ Starring Lorraine Bracco

Danny DeVito will return to the Broadway stage this October in a new play by Theresa Rebeck called I Need That . The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor will star alongside his daughter Lucy DeVito and Ray Anthony Thomas in the Roundabout Theatre Company ’s production of what the company describes as “a deeply human new comedy.” Preview and opening night dates for I Need That at Roundabout’s American Airlines Theatre will be announced later. The synopsis: Sam (DeVito) doesn’t get out much. Actually, he doesn’t get out at all, opting instead for the safety of his house in the company of his things – his many, many things. But when a notice from the government arrives alerting Sam that he must clean up his property or face eviction, he’s forced to reckon with what’s trash, what’s treasure, and whether we can ever know the difference between the two. DeVito, best known of course for portraying Louie De Palma on the sitcom Taxi and, more recently, Frank … [Read more...] about Danny DeVito Sets Fall Broadway Return With Daughter Lucy In Theresa Rebeck Play ‘I Need That’