The principal talent behind the new dramedy Green Book — cowriter/director Peter Farrelly and stars Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali — have been tapped by the Palm Springs International Film Festival to receive the fest's Vanguard Award. The 30th edition of PSIFF is set to run Jan. 3-14, 2019. McCarthy will collect her hardware at the fest's annual Awards Gala on Jan. 3. Previous recipients of the Vanguard Award include The Shape of Water and La La Land. "Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali are an on-camera dream team in the crowd-pleasing film Green Book, inspired by a true friendship, about a New York City bouncer hired to drive and protect pianist Dr. Don Shirley on a concert tour in the Deep South," said fest chair Harold Matzner in a statement. "Director Peter Farrelly, who also co-wrote the script, delivers a heartfelt movie-going experience that is guaranteed to receive awards attention for the actors, its director and the film itself. It is our honor to present the … [Read more...] about Palm Springs Film Fest: ‘Green Book’ Director and Stars to Receive Vanguard Award
Palm springs international film festival
Palm Springs Film Fest: Melissa McCarthy Tapped for Spotlight Award
Melissa McCarthy, the Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actress best known for her work in comedy, has been tapped by the Palm Springs International Film Festival to receive the fest's Spotlight Award in recognition of her acclaimed portrayal of the troubled author Lee Israel in Marielle Heller's dramedy Can You Ever Forgive Me?, which Fox Searchlight began rolling out on Oct. 19. The 30th edition of PSIFF is set to run Jan. 3-14, 2019. McCarthy will collect her hardware at the fest's annual Awards Gala on Jan. 3. Previous recipients of the Spotlight Award include Allison Janney, Rooney Mara, Julia Roberts, Jessica Chastain, Amy Adams and Helen Hunt, all of whom received Oscar noms in the year they were feted at the festival, with Janney winning a best supporting actress Oscar. "Melissa McCarthy delivers a heartbreaking performance as author Lee Israel, perfectly portraying Israel’s loneliness as she struggles with her own relevance in society," said fest chair Harold … [Read more...] about Palm Springs Film Fest: Melissa McCarthy Tapped for Spotlight Award
Kevin Spacey’s first film since #MeToo allegations made just $287 in first two days at box office
Kevin Spacey’s latest film, “Billionaire Boys Club,” has earned the lowest box office opening of the year, making just $287 from 10 screens in its first two days in theaters, according to an individual with knowledge of the numbers.To break it down, it brought in $126 on its opening day and an additional $162 on Saturday. If the current national ticket price average of $9.27 is used, that means that no more than 31 people bought tickets to see the crime drama.Filmed in 2015 and released with no publicity following a VOD release last month, “Billionaire Boys Club” was one of Spacey’s final projects before he was hit with over two dozen sexual misconduct accusations. Actor Anthony Rapp was the first to come forward, others followed, including members of the crew of the Netflix show “House of Cards” and by anonymous accusers who called a hotline set up by London’s Old Vic Theatre, where Spacey was artistic director for 11 years. Spacey … [Read more...] about Kevin Spacey’s first film since #MeToo allegations made just $287 in first two days at box office
‘Hamilton’ star’s ‘Blindspotting’ reinvents buddy films in thrilling ride
Julie Hinds Detroit Free Press Pop Culture Critic Published 12:30 p.m. UTC Jun 1, 2018 "Blindspotting" is the funniest, scariest, most emotionally rich and intellectually provocative buddy movie you'll see this year. In just over 90 minutes, it covers love, death, racism and class divides with tonal shifts and gut-punch twists that mimic real life. The film is also a meditation on the human cost of gentrification, which makes its particularly relevant to Detroit's transformation right now. Only in this case, the city being changed by millennial hipsters is Oakland, California. "I’ve been excited to come to Detroit to have this conversation," says "Hamilton" Tony winner and "Blindspotting" star Daveed Diggs, who'll be in the Motor City for Cinetopia's June 8 screening and panel discussion of the film at College for Creative Studies. "We’re at a point now where somebody has to start taking a real look at the actual human … [Read more...] about ‘Hamilton’ star’s ‘Blindspotting’ reinvents buddy films in thrilling ride
Oscar-winning drama ‘Call Me By Your Name’ pulled from Beijing Film Festival
Oscar-winning drama “Call Me By Your Name” has been pulled from the Beijing International Film Festival’s lineup, according to a report by Reuters.The coming of age drama, starring Armie Hammer and newcomer Timothee Chalamet as lovers, was pulled after the film’s screening proposal was not approved by China regulators. The move comes as the Chinese parliament voted to allow the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party’s Central Committee to have control over film, news and publishing.Adapted from a 2007 novel by Andre Aciman, the film follows a love story set in 1980s Italy between a 17-year-old boy (Timothee Chalamet from “Homeland”) and a twentysomething man (Armie Hammer).“Call Me By Your Name” was directed by Italy’s Luca Guadagnino (“A Bigger Splash”) from a script by James Ivory, Walter Fasano and Guadagnino. It was produced by Peter Spears, Emilie Georges, Guadagnino, Ivory, Marco … [Read more...] about Oscar-winning drama ‘Call Me By Your Name’ pulled from Beijing Film Festival