Du Yuhang in THE GRANDMASTER OF KUNG FU. Courtesy of WellGo USA
For fans of Chinese martial arts movies, THE GRANDMASTER OF KUNG FU offers a variation on a very familiar theme. Set in the early 20th century while Japan is occupying much of China, national pride for both seems to hinge on whether kung fu is superior to karate, and the question will be determined in a winner-take-all match.
The invaders strive and scheme to assert dominance by demoralizing the local fighters and, consequently, the populace. The Chinese must win to keep their martial arts schools open to maintain its cultural identity despite the occupation. This premise has been recycled a zillion times ever since the Hong Kong action boom of the 1970s, often incorporating historic heroes like Ip Man or Wong Fei Hung. Western viewers will primarily associate Donnie Yen with the former, and Jet Li with the latter. This member of that vaunted fraternity of oft-filmed icons is Huo Yuanjia, who was also played by Jet Li in FEARLESS (2006).
So why spend your time on yet another iteration of a plot and premise you’ve likely seen before? Several reasons. Du Yuhang, who replaced Yen in the latest extensions of the IP MAN franchise, does a fine job here as the modest hero, reluctantly rising to defend the honor of his fighting style and country. He resembles Yen not only in looks, but in conveying that essential aura of quiet dignity and integrity between and during his fights – like Gary Cooper in most of his Westerns.
Since the star was an actual Wushu champion before his acting career, action sequences are artfully choreographed and more natural in scale than many others. Very little wire work; no exotic weapons; the slow-mo insertions accentuating highlight moves are deployed to good advantage. Lighting and camera angles are above average, allowing viewers to follow what‘s happening more clearly than is often the case. Fights are also more reasonable in duration, unlike many others in which the protagonists suffer absurdly prolonged beatings before prevailing, as we always knew they would
Perhaps the best facet is that director Cheng Si-Yu knew he was telling an oft-told tale, and pared this incarnation to a tight package running under 80 minutes. Also, as one who has endured subpar audio and visual elements (often including horrid English dubs) in dozens of streamed vintage chopsocky flicks from the Shaw Brothers and other studios of the 1970s-80s, it’s a pleasure to watch the new generation of these films with excellent production quality. Japanese viewers will likely feel otherwise, since, as always, those invading characters are portrayed as mostly devious and excessively brutal, with only the occasional warrior of honor among them. But the country that makes the movie gets to write the script the way it wants.
THE GRANDMASTER OF KUNG FU, in Mandarin with English subtitles, is streaming now on Hi-YAH!, and available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital formats as of Jan. 31.
The trailer and poster for 20th Century Studios’ and 21 Laps’ horror-thriller for the creepy The Boogeyman” are here. Starring Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, Vivien Lyra Blair, Marin Ireland, Madison Hu, LisaGay Hamilton, and David Dastmalchian, THE BOOGEYMAN opens June 2, 2023, exclusively in theaters nationwide.
“The Boogeyman,” a horror-thriller from the mind of best-selling author Stephen King, opens June 2, 2023, in theaters nationwide. High school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister Sawyer are reeling from the recent death of their mother and aren’t getting much support from their father, Will, a therapist who is dealing with his own pain. When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims.
“The Boogeyman,” directed by Rob Savage (“Host”) with a screenplay by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (“A Quiet Place”) and Mark Heyman (“Black Swan”) and a screen story by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods based upon the short story by Stephen King, stars Sophie Thatcher (“Yellowjackets”, “Book Of Boba Fett and “Prospect” with Pedro Pascal), Chris Messina (“Birds of Prey”), Vivien Lyra Blair (“Obi-Wan Kenobi”), Marin Ireland (“The Umbrella Academy”), Madison Hu (“Bizaardvark”), LisaGay Hamilton (“Vice”), and David Dastmalchian (“Dune”).
The producers are Shawn Levy (“Stranger Things”), Dan Levine (“Arrival”), and Dan Cohen (“The Adam Project”), with John H. Starke (“Sicario”), Emily Morris (“Rosaline”), Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, Ryan Cunningham, Adam Kolbrenner (“The Tomorrow War”), and Robin Meisinger serving as executive producers.
For those of us who grew up with comedian and actor Eddie Murphy, our first exposure to this gifted entertainer was on Saturday Night Live’s “Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood“.
For decades now, Murphy has always been there, whether on TV or in the movies, and continues to have loyal, diehard fans who grew up in the 80’s to his hilarious standups “Delirious” and “Raw”, as well as his pop single “Party All The Time”.
Personally, while my siblings and I were in high school, after moving cross country from Connecticut to Idaho, Murphy saved us as we listened repeatedly to the cassette of Delirious in 1984. He had us laughing and made us forget our feelings of being the “new kids” in a new town at a new school.
This was true comedy gold!
In a career that has spanned five decades, Murphy’smulti-faceted and moving performances, such as his role as singer James Thunder in “Dreamgirls,” have earned him a Golden Globe Award, SAG Award, Emmy Award, and Academy Award nomination.
His latest film premieres on Friday titled YOU PEOPLE.
A new couple learns that opposites attract but some families don’t when they find themselves confronting their parent’s clashing views of their relationship in this comedy written by Jonah Hill and Kenya Barris. You People starring Jonah Hill, Lauren London, David Duchovny, and Nia Long with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Eddie Murphy comes to Netflix on January 27. https://www.netflix.com/title/81194505
In case you missed it on Wednesday, Murphy joined Jimmy Kimmel for a fun and light-hearted interview.
The actor talked about the recent earthquake in LA, receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes, sending texts back and forth with Tracy Morgan quoting Planet of the Apes, the reason he turned down a Star Trek movie, watching Cocoon at Sammy Davis Jr’s house, his friendship with Michael Jackson, meeting Bubbles, making a documentary about his life, getting snowed in Rick James’ house for two weeks, his new movie You People with Jonah Hill.
Recently Murphy was honored with the coveted Cecil B. deMille Award at the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards.
Star of films such as 48 Hours, Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, The Nutty Professor, Dreamgirls, and others, Murphy accepted the honor at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.
Murphy was most recently seen starring in the Amazon streaming hit “Coming 2 America,” the long-awaited sequel to his 1988 box-office hit, as well as portraying legendary underground comic personality Rudy Ray Moore in the Netflix biopic “Dolemite Is My Name,” a performance that garnered him Golden Globes nominations for Best Picture Comedy/Musical and Lead Actor Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME!, 2019
In 2020, he received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his return to Saturday Night Live.
Murphy starred in the 1997 hit comedy The Nutty Professor in which he portrayed multiple characters and received Golden Globe and other award nominations. He also was the voice of Donkey in the Oscar-winning animated film Shrek and its sequel, Shrek 2, which is the top-grossing animated film of all time. Murphy won an Annie Award and earned BAFTA and MTV Movie Award nominations for his performance in the first Shrek, and he reprised the role of Donkey in the final installment of the hugely successful franchise, Shrek Goes Fourth. Murphy’s additional feature credits include Mulan, Dr. Dolittle, and Dr. Dolittle 2, Life, Bowfinger, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Daddy Day Care, Norbit, and the drama Mr. Church. Murphy’s upcoming projects include co-starring in the romantic comedy You People and producing and starring in Beverly Hills Cop 4.
In 2015, Murphy received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor Award from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
RLJE Films and Shudder have partnered to acquire the horror film CHILDREN OF THE CORN from writer/director Kurt Wimmer (Ultraviolet). Based upon the short story “Children of the Corn” by Stephen King, the film stars Elena Kampouris (Before I Fall), Kate Moyer (“Station Eleven”), Callan Mulvey (The Gray Man) and Bruce Spence (The Road Warrior).
The film will be in released In Theaters March 3, 2023 and on Demand and Digital March 21, 2023.
“We’re thrilled to work with Kurt Wimmer and bring his vision of this classic Stephen King story to new audiences,” said Mark Ward, Chief Acquisitions Officer of RLJE Films.
In CHILDREN OF THE CORN, possessed by a spirit in a dying cornfield, a twelve-year-old girl in Nebraska recruits the other children in her small town to go on a bloody rampage and kill all the adults and anyone else who opposes her. A bright high schooler who won’t go along with the plan is the town’s only hope of survival.
CHILDREN OF THE CORN, executive produced by award-winning digital production house Digital Domain. Produced by Lucas Foster (Morbius), Doug Barry (FML), and John Baldecchi (Point Break). The film’s digital visual effects were all produced in-house by Digital Domain.
Ward and Besty Rodgers from RLJE Films negotiated the deal with Lucas Foster and Daniel Seah, CEO of Digital Domain, on behalf of the filmmakers.
Check out the brand new trailer for director David F. Sandberg’s (“Shazam!,” “Annabelle: Creation”) SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS.
Hitting theaters on March 17, the film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word “SHAZAM!,” is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.
Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter-egos. But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy—aka Shazam—and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world.
Check out the trailer breakdown HERE with Sandberg where he talks about dragons, the daughters of Atlas and the magic word.
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” stars returning cast members Zachary Levi (“Thor: Ragnarok”) as Shazam; Asher Angel (“Andi Mack”) as Billy Batson; Jack Dylan Grazer (“It Chapter Two”) as Freddy Freeman; Adam Brody (“Promising Young Woman”) as Super Hero Freddy; Ross Butler (“Raya and the Last Dragon”) as Super Hero Eugene; Meagan Good (“Day Shift”) as Super Hero Darla; D.J. Cotrona (“G.I. Joe: Retaliation”) as Super Hero Pedro; Grace Caroline Currey (“Annabelle: Creation”) as Mary Bromfield / Super Hero Mary; Faithe Herman (“This Is Us”) as Darla Dudley; Ian Chen (“A Dog’s Journey”) as Eugene Choi; Jovan Armand (“Second Chances”) as Pedro Pena; Marta Milans (“White Lines”) as Rosa Vasquez; Cooper Andrews (“The Walking Dead”) as Victor Vasquez; with Djimon Hounsou (“A Quiet Place Part II”) as Wizard.
Joining the cast are Rachel Zegler (“West Side Story”), with Lucy Liu (“Kung Fu Panda” franchise) and Helen Mirren (“F9: The Fast Saga”).
The film is directed by David F. Sandberg (“Shazam!,” “Annabelle: Creation”) and produced by Peter Safran (“Aquaman,” “The Suicide Squad”). It is written by Henry Gayden (“Shazam!,” “There’s Someone Inside Your House”) and Chris Morgan (“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,” “The Fate of the Furious”), based on characters from DC; Shazam! was created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck. Executive producers are Walter Hamada, Adam Schlagman, Richard Brener, Dave Neustadter, Victoria Palmeri, Marcus Viscidi and Geoff Johns.
Joining director Sandberg behind-the-camera are director of photography Gyula Pados (the “Jumanji” franchise), production designer Paul Kirby (“The Old Guard,” “Jason Bourne”) and editor Michel Aller (“Shazam!,” “The Nun”). The music supervisor is Season Kent (“DC League of Super-Pets,” “The Addams Family 2”) and the music is by Christophe Beck (“Free Guy,” “Frozen II”).
Visual effects supervisors are Bruce Jones (“Aquaman,” “It”) and Raymond Chen (“Alita: Battle Angel,” “The Meg”). The costume designer is Louise Mingenbach (“Jumanji: The Next Level,” “Godzilla: King of the Monsters”).
New Line Cinema presents A Peter Safran Production of A David F. Sandberg Film, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” which is set to open in theaters internationally beginning 15 March 2023 and in North America on March 17, 2023
Dropping on Netflix February 24th, 2023 is Director and Writer Christopher Landon’s comedy WE HAVE A GHOST.
The film stars David Harbour, Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Tig Notaro, Erica Ash, Jennifer Coolidge, Anthony Mackie, Faith Ford, Niles Fitch, Isabella Russo, Steve Coulter.
Finding a ghost named Ernest (David Harbour) haunting their new home turns Kevin’s family into overnight social media sensations. But when Kevin (Jahi Winston) and Ernest go rogue to investigate the mystery of Ernest’s past, they become a target of the CIA.
Landon has helmed Freaky (2020), Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014), Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015) and Happy Death Day films.
Oscar®-winning actor-producer Riz Ahmed and actor Allison Williams announced the 95th Oscars® nominations today (January 24), live from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater via a global live stream on Oscar.com, Oscars.org and the Academy’s digital platforms, an international satellite feed and broadcast media.
Ahmed and Williams announced the nominees in 9 categories at 5:30 a.m. PT, followed by the remaining 14 categories at 5:41 a.m. PT, at the live event attended by international media and industry guests.
A24’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” led the pack with 11 nominations, followed by Netflix’s “All Quiet on the Western Front” Netflix and Searchlight’s “The Banshees of Inisherin” with 9 noms. Warner Bros. “Elvis” garnered 8, Universal/Amblin Partners’ “The Fabelmans” saw 7 nods and Focus Features’”Tár” and Paramount Pictures’ “Top Gun: Maverick” Paramount were honored with 6 nominations a piece. Rounding it out was “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Walt Disney with 5 nominations.
Riz Ahmed and Allison Williams co-host the announcement of nominees the for the 95th Annual Academy Awards, presented on Tuesday, January 24, 2023.
Academy members from each of the 17 branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc. In the Animated Feature Film and International Feature Film categories, nominees are selected by a vote of multi-branch screening committees. All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees. This year, the Academy saw its highest ever voter participation in the organization’s history, with members submitting ballots from 80 countries.
Active members of the Academy are eligible to vote for the winners in all 23 categories beginning Thursday, March 2, through Tuesday, March 7.
The 95th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.
Riz Ahmed and Allison Williams co-host the announcement of nominees the for the 95th Annual Academy Awards, presented on Tuesday, January 24, 2023.
Best Motion Picture of the Year:
All Quiet on the Western Front (Netflix) – Malte Grunert, producer – This is his first nomination.
“Making a film is alchemy.” Director, Producer and Co-Writer @Edward_Berger thanks the Academy for honoring All Quiet on the Western Front with 9 Nominations, including Best Picture. ✍️ #Oscars2023pic.twitter.com/GgGMKxIb4I
— All Quiet On The Western Front (@allquietmovie) January 24, 2023
Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney) – James Cameron and Jon Landau, producers – This is the third Best Picture nomination for both James Cameron and Jon Landau. They won the award for Titanic (1997) and were nominated for Avatar (2009).
The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight) – Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin and Martin McDonagh, producers – This is the second Best Picture nomination for all three. Together, they were nominated for Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017).
#BansheesMovie has been nominated for NINE Academy Awards including BEST PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR Martin McDonagh, BEST ACTOR Colin Farrell, BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan, and BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Kerry Condon! #Oscars95pic.twitter.com/xjyN0Gzzqc
Elvis (Warner Bros.) – Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss, producers – This is the second Best Picture nomination for Baz Luhrmann. He was previously nominated for Moulin Rouge (2001). This is the first Best Picture nomination for Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24) – Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and Jonathan Wang, producers – This is the first Best Picture nomination for all three.
Everything has led to this. Congratulations to our 18 Academy Award nominees including Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Whale, Aftersun, Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, Close, and Causeway! #Oscars2023pic.twitter.com/F469dcv9fQ
The Fabelmans (Universal/Amblin Partners) – Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner, producers – This is the fourth Best Picture nomination for Kristie Macosko Krieger. Her other nominations were for Bridge of Spies (2015), The Post (2017) and West Side Story (2021). This is the twelfth Best Picture nomination for Steven Spielberg, who won the award for Schindler’s List (1993). Other nominations were for E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), The Color Purple (1985), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Munich (2005), Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), War Horse (2011), Lincoln (2012), Bridge of Spies (2015), The Post (2017) and West Side Story (2021). This is the first Best Picture nomination for Tony Kushner.
Tár (Focus Features) – Todd Field, Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert, producers – This is the second Best Picture nomination for Todd Field. He was previously nominated for In the Bedroom (2001). This is the first nomination for both Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert.
Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount) – Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison and Jerry Bruckheimer, producers – This is the first Best Picture nomination for all four. (Tom Cruise will be honored with the 2023 David O. Selznick Achievement Award and will accept the honor at the 34th Annual Producers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at The Beverly Hilton.)
It’s time to buzz the tower! Congratulations to #TopGun: Maverick on its 6 Academy Award nominations! #Oscars95
Best Picture Best Film Editing Best Original Song Best Sound Best Visual Effects Best Adapted Screenplay pic.twitter.com/xGN6OQFFfq
Triangle of Sadness (Neon) – Erik Hemmendorff and Philippe Bober, producers – This is the first nomination for both.
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS Best Picture@TheAcademy Nomination Director Ruben Östlund This is Ruben Östlund’s second Palme d’Or winner and the third Oscar nomination for TRIANGLE OF SADNESS. #OscarNomspic.twitter.com/GfzMyOYC05
Women Talking (Orion/United Artists Releasing) – Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Frances McDormand, producers – This is the seventh Best Picture nomination for Dede Gardner and the sixth for Jeremy Kleiner. Together, they won the award for 12 Years a Slave (2013) and Moonlight (2016), and shared nominations for Selma (2014), The Big Short (2015) and Vice (2018). Gardner was previously nominated for The Tree of Life (2011). This is the second Best Picture nomination for Frances McDormand, who won the award for Nomadland (2020).
Nominations for the 95th Academy Awards
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Austin Butler in “Elvis”
Colin Farrell in “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Brendan Fraser in “The Whale”
Paul Mescal in “Aftersun”
Bill Nighy in “Living”
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Brendan Gleeson in “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Brian Tyree Henry in “Causeway”
Judd Hirsch in “The Fabelmans”
Barry Keoghan in “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Ke Huy Quan in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in “Tár”
Ana de Armas in “Blonde”
Andrea Riseborough in “To Leslie”
Michelle Williams in “The Fabelmans”
Michelle Yeoh in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Angela Bassett in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Hong Chau in “The Whale”
Kerry Condon in “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Jamie Lee Curtis in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Stephanie Hsu in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Best animated feature film of the year
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex Bulkley
“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” Dean Fleischer Camp, Elisabeth Holm, Andrew Goldman, Caroline Kaplan and Paul Mezey
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” Joel Crawford and Mark Swift
“The Sea Beast” Chris Williams and Jed Schlanger
“Turning Red” Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins
Achievement in cinematography
“All Quiet on the Western Front” James Friend
“Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths” Darius Khondji
“Elvis” Mandy Walker
“Empire of Light” Roger Deakins
“Tár” Florian Hoffmeister
Achievement in costume design
“Babylon” Mary Zophres
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Ruth Carter
“Elvis” Catherine Martin
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” Shirley Kurata
“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” Jenny Beavan
Achievement in directing
“The Banshees of Inisherin” Martin McDonagh
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
“The Fabelmans” Steven Spielberg
“Tár” Todd Field
“Triangle of Sadness” Ruben Östlund
Best documentary feature
“All That Breathes” Shaunak Sen, Aman Mann and Teddy Leifer
“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Nan Goldin and Yoni Golijov
“Fire of Love” Sara Dosa, Shane Boris and Ina Fichman
“A House Made of Splinters” Simon Lereng Wilmont and Monica Hellström
“Navalny” Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris
Best documentary short subject
“The Elephant Whisperers” Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga
“Haulout” Evgenia Arbugaeva and Maxim Arbugaev
“How Do You Measure a Year?” Jay Rosenblatt
“The Martha Mitchell Effect” Anne Alvergue and Beth Levison
“Stranger at the Gate” Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones
Achievement in film editing
“The Banshees of Inisherin” Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
“Elvis” Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” Paul Rogers
“Tár” Monika Willi
“Top Gun: Maverick” Eddie Hamilton
Best international feature film of the year
“All Quiet on the Western Front” Germany
“Argentina, 1985” Argentina
“Close” Belgium
“EO” Poland
“The Quiet Girl” Ireland
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
“All Quiet on the Western Front” Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová
“The Batman” Naomi Donne, Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Camille Friend and Joel Harlow
“Elvis” Mark Coulier, Jason Baird and Aldo Signoretti
“The Whale” Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Anne Marie Bradley
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“All Quiet on the Western Front” Volker Bertelmann
“Babylon” Justin Hurwitz
“The Banshees of Inisherin” Carter Burwell
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” Son Lux
“The Fabelmans” John Williams
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“Applause” from “Tell It like a Woman” Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
“Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick” Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop
“Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; Lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler
“Naatu Naatu” from “RRR” Music by M.M. Keeravaani; Lyric by Chandrabose
“This Is A Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once” Music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; Lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne
Best motion picture of the year
“All Quiet on the Western Front” Malte Grunert, Producer
“Avatar: The Way of Water” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
“The Banshees of Inisherin” Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin and Martin McDonagh, Producers
“Elvis” Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss, Producers
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and Jonathan Wang, Producers
“The Fabelmans” Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner, Producers
“Tár” Todd Field, Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert, Producers
“Top Gun: Maverick” Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison and Jerry Bruckheimer, Producers
“Triangle of Sadness” Erik Hemmendorff and Philippe Bober, Producers
“Women Talking” Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Frances McDormand, Producers
Achievement in production design
“All Quiet on the Western Front” Production Design: Christian M. Goldbeck; Set Decoration: Ernestine Hipper
“Avatar: The Way of Water” Production Design: Dylan Cole and Ben Procter; Set Decoration: Vanessa Cole
“Babylon” Production Design: Florencia Martin; Set Decoration: Anthony Carlino
“Elvis” Production Design: Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy; Set Decoration: Bev Dunn
“The Fabelmans” Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara
Best animated short film
“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” Charlie Mackesy and Matthew Freud
“The Flying Sailor” Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby
“Ice Merchants” João Gonzalez and Bruno Caetano
“My Year of Dicks” Sara Gunnarsdóttir and Pamela Ribon
“An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It” Lachlan Pendragon
Best live action short film
“An Irish Goodbye” Tom Berkeley and Ross White
“Ivalu” Anders Walter and Rebecca Pruzan
“Le Pupille” Alice Rohrwacher and Alfonso Cuarón
“Night Ride” Eirik Tveiten and Gaute Lid Larssen
“The Red Suitcase” Cyrus Neshvad
Achievement in sound
“All Quiet on the Western Front” Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel and Stefan Korte
“Avatar: The Way of Water” Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers and Michael Hedges
“The Batman” Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray and Andy Nelson
“Elvis” David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson and Michael Keller
“Top Gun: Maverick” Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor
Achievement in visual effects
“All Quiet on the Western Front” Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller, Markus Frank and Kamil Jafar
“Avatar: The Way of Water” Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett
“The Batman” Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands and Dominic Tuohy
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Geoffrey Baumann, Craig Hammack, R. Christopher White and Dan Sudick
“Top Gun: Maverick” Ryan Tudhope, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson and Scott R. Fisher
Adapted screenplay
“All Quiet on the Western Front” Screenplay by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” Written by Rian Johnson
“Living” Written by Kazuo Ishiguro
“Top Gun: Maverick” Screenplay by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; Story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks
“Women Talking” Screenplay by Sarah Polley
Original screenplay
“The Banshees of Inisherin” Written by Martin McDonagh
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” Written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
“The Fabelmans” Written by Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner
Inspired by the true story of four best friends living life to the fullest when they take a wild trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI to see their hero Tom Brady play.
Starring Academy Award® nominee Lily Tomlin, Academy Award® winner Jane Fonda, Academy Award® winner Rita Moreno and Academy Award® winner Sally Field, with 7-time Super Bowl Champion and producer Tom Brady, 80 FOR BRADY is in-theatres February 3, 2023.
Advance Screening is Wed, February 1st 7pm @ Marcus Des Peres 14 Cine.
The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed.
Tom Brady on the set of 80 For Brady from Paramount Pictures.Billy Porter plays Gugu, Rita Moreno plays Maura, Jane Fonda plays Trish and Lily Tomlin plays Lou in 80 For Brady from Paramount Pictures.
There is a lot of talk about WOMEN TALKING – awards talk. The title of this electrifying ensemble drama may suggest something tame but the fiery WOMEN TALKING is no polite, quiet chat but a deep, sarcastic, no-holds-barred, even funny, and thought-provoking discussion among a group of Mennonite women who are meeting secretly in a barn to talk about what to do after a series of brutal attacks on them.
Women in the colony have been waking up beaten, bloody and in pain, with no memory of what had happened. The men tell them they are being attacked by the devil, or maybe it is just “wild feminine imagination.” Until they catch an attacker – and discover it is men in their own colony who have been drugging and raping women in the night.
A brilliant ensemble cast is at the heart of this amazing drama, a cast that includes Frances McDormand, Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, and Judith Ivey, who fire-up director Sarah Polley’s screenplay. The screenplay is based on Miriam Toews’ novel, which in turn was based on real events that took place in a Mennonite community in Bolivia. Toews herself grew up in a Mennonite community, in Canada, which she left in her late teens, which gives her a deeper understanding of this community, But what transpires in this film goes well beyond this conservative religious community, offering a universal message on women’s rights and place in human society.
This is a fascinating, intelligent and engrossing drama, with deeply thought-provoking discussion among women with more widely differing opinions than we expect. They engage in the kind of electrifying conversation any thinking person would relish listening in on. The women in this restrictive male-dominated community may not have been taught to read or write, but they certainly have sharp brains and sharper tongues, which means this drama is filled with crackling, intelligent dialog. Their hard, practical lives incline them to plain speaking, and their voices get free rein away from men’s ears. Their sometimes-heated discussion includes a range of views, of fears and worries, and of practical matters, but also ranges into the profound, the spiritual, and the philosophical as they contemplate the changes they want for their future.
Waiting until the men have gone to town to bail out the attackers, who have been arrested, the women seize the little time they have to speak plainly and bluntly about what they are going to do. Only one man is present, the school teacher August (Ben Whishaw), an outsider whose mother was expelled from the colony for asking too many questions. August’s only reason for being there is to take the minutes, since the women can’t read or write. The women decide to take a vote on three choices: Do nothing and forgive the men, stay and fight for justice, or leave the colony.
But when the vote results in a tie between staying and fighting or leaving, the women face a ticking clock. They must decide before the men return.
When the vote narrows the women’s choices to two: staying and fighting for their rights or leaving the colony, a group of women directly involved in the attacks are chosen to decide which of the two choices it will be. As it happens, two families are represented. One is led by elder Agata (Judith Ivey), with her daughters Ona (Rooney Mara) and Salome (Claire Foy), and Neitje (Liv McNeil), a niece of Salome. The other is led by elder Greta (Sheila McCarthy), with her daughters Mariche (Jessie Buckley) and Mejal (Michelle McLeod), and Mariche’s daughter Autje (Kate Hallett). Frances McDormand’s character Scarface Janz is the elder of another family, represented the losing option of doing nothing. She and her daughter Anna (Kira Guloien) and granddaughter Helena (Shayla Brown) are included in the early part of the discussion. As an older woman with a widowed daughter and blind granddaughter, Scarface Janz feels the other choices are too a big a risk for her.
While there is violence behind the story, this is not a violent film. The attacks have already taken place before the women gather to talk, but the events are recapped briefly in an opening sequence (meaning one does not want to miss the film’s first few minutes). The attacks are alluded to in periodic flashbacks, but it is handled deftly without showing the violence, just shots with some blood in the aftermath.
The discussion is also not non-stop, broken up by both the flashbacks and glimpses of the world around them, particularly the children playing in the fields outside the barn. Breaks are taken, and there are private conversations. A wonderful score by Hildur Guonadottiralso lightens the mood or deepens it. Breaks are taken, and there are private conversations. Cinematographer Luc Montpellier uses desaturated color, which gives that world an old-fashioned, sepia tone look, but one of great beauty as well.The film uses desaturated color, which gives that world an old-fashioned, sepia tone look, but one of great beauty as well. At one point, the outside world intrudes, when a census taker appears, in a comic and rather surreal bit.
Although the women are the main characters, there is one man present in the barn, August (Ben Whishaw) as the boys’ teacher, who is there only to write down what is said, since the women cannot read or write. August is considered an outsider but he is the son of a woman whose was expelled from that colony for asking too many questions. August returned after college, hired to be the colony’s teacher for the boys, but he also returned in part due to his feelings for Ona (Rooney Mara). August’s presence adds some balance to the perspective, representing a gentler kind of man and offering insights when asked about the future of their sons.
The ensemble cast presents a variety of viewpoints, and represent differing ages and concerns that influence those views. The two young girls who caught the attacker are adamant that the men cannot be forgiven, but they are also bored with all the talk, and play and prank as the discussion progresses. Some fear change, others fear their own rage. These deep discussions, often profound, always engrossing, and sometimes emotionally raw, range well beyond just these attacks and the concerns of this conservative religious community. But the discussions are sometimes punctuated with humor, and even with little petty conflicts.
The acting is superb throughout, in the ensemble scenes and more individual ones. Clarie Foy’s Salome and Jessie Buckley’s Mariche often face off, in fiery exchanges where both actresses shine, while the older women are often the peacemakers. Actually, the older actresses, Sheila McCarthy and Judith Ivey, are really the acting standouts, stealing scenes as McCarthy’s bird-like Greta teaches with fables about her two horses, while Ivey’s steady Agata often diffuse conflict by song or reminding the women to take a higher point-of-view.
WOMEN TALKING was inspired by real events, attacks that took place in a Mennonite community in South America, but the film is more universal. This striking drama debuted at the Toronto film festival, and since then, it has garnered both critical acclaim and awards, particularly for its sharp dialog and electrifying ensemble cast, along with strong Oscar buzz.
Don’t be put off by the title or the idea of women talking in a barn. There is plenty of emotional fire, wit, and intelligent discussion on women and society’s treatment of them, global topics for all to consider.
SAVE YOUR FAMILY OR SAVE HUMANITY. THIS FEBRUARY, MAKE THE CHOICE. UNIVERSAL PICTURES PROUDLY PRESENTS A NEW THRILLER FROM M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN. KNOCK AT THE CABIN. RATED R. ONLY IN THEATERS FEBRUARY 3RD.
Advance Screening is Tue, Jan 31st 7pm @ Marcus Ronnie’s Cine
The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed.
While vacationing at a remote cabin, a young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand that the family make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. With limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost.
From visionary filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, Knock at the Cabin stars Dave Bautista (Dune, Guardians of the Galaxy franchise), Tony award and Emmy nominee Jonathan Groff (Hamilton, Mindhunter), Ben Aldridge (Pennyworth, Fleabag), BAFTA nominee Nikki Amuka-Bird (Persuasion, Old), newcomer Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn (Little Women, Landline) and Rupert Grint (Servant, Harry Potter franchise).
From left: Dave Bautista, Abby Quinn, and Nikki Amuka-Bird in KNOCK AT THE CABIN, directed and co-written by M. Night Shyamalan
Universal Pictures presents a Blinding Edge Pictures production, in association with FilmNation Features and Wishmore Entertainment, an M. Night Shyamalan film. The screenplay is by M. Night Shyamalan and Steve Desmond & Michael Sherman based on the national bestseller The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay. The film is directed by M. Night Shyamalan and produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Marc Bienstock (Split, Glass) and Ashwin Rajan (Servant, Glass). The executive producers are Steven Schneider, Christos V. Konstantakopoulos and Ashley Fox.
The film’s directors of photography are LOWELL A. MEYER (Apple TV+’s Servant) and JARIN BLASCHKE (The Northman). The production designer is NAAMAN MARSHALL (Old) and the editor is NOËMI PREISWERK (Apple TV+’s Servant). The film’s music is by HERDIS STEFANDOTTIR (The Hate U Give) with music supervision by SUSAN JACOBS (Old). The costume designer is CAROLINE DUNCAN (Old).
