Paramount Pictures’ “SEPTEMBER 5,” the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. Courtesy of Paramount
The tragic events at the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, when Palestinian terrorists attacked Israeli athletes and took some hostage, has been to subject of other movies, including Stephen Spielberg’s MUNICH, but SEPTEMBER 5 tells that story from a unique viewpoint, that of the new media on site to cover that sporting event, and now thrust into a very different role. SEPTEMBER 5 is a taut historic drama specifically takes the perspective of the ABC Sports TV crew that was on-site when the attacks took place. As well as a shocking event that shattered the since of international cooperation and peace that had surrounded the Olympics, the event was a watershed in how TV media cover unfolding, breaking news events like that crisis.
When the terrorists took the Israelis hostage, the ABC TV Sports news team was suddenly thrust into the responsibility of covering a breaking news events, something that had never boon done and which had a profound effect on news reporting going forward.
Actually, Roone Arledge, the head of sports for the TV network, fought for his on-location team to remain in control of the coverage instead of turning it over to news reporters working remotely, as the Olympic village was locked-down by the crisis. The drama has the intensity of a thriller but also looks at both the technical innovations the team created on the spot and the ethics of reporting a crisis when lives were at stake.
Director Tim Fehlbaum co-wrote the script with Moritz Binder based on the real events, focusing on the TV news team as they race to cover the terrorist attack. The suspenseful film unfolds like a nail-biting thriller, as the journalists scramble to keep the world informed of unpredictable events with lives in the balance, and make ethical journalistic decisions, good or bad, on the fly.
Peter Sarsgaard plays ABC Sports executive Roone Arledge, the man in charge, but much of this taut drama focuses on a young Jewish-American producer, Geoff Mason (John Magaro), and his mentor Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin). As Bader’s protege, Mason is given what is assumed to be an easy first-time assignment, to run the ABC Sports news room in the quiet hours of the night, while most of the TV crew rests up for the Olympics coverage the next day. No one expects much to happen.
Yet, during the night, everything changes, as Arab terrorists gain access to the Olympic village where the Israeli athletes are housed and take them hostage. The TV sports news crew suddenly finds themselves the only TV operation with cameras on-site to cover the breaking news of the hostage crisis.
The film focuses events from the viewpoint of the ABC sports news crew, so we see only what they see and know what they know about evolving events. Those wanting a closer look at what the hostages experienced would get a better view of that with Spielberg’s film.
Roone Arledge fought his bosses at ABC to keep the sports TV crew in place, instead of turning things over to a hard-news crew. The technicians, camera men and the rest of the TV production crew are forced to innovate and adapt to a very different kind of coverage, as events shift, creating solutions on the fly to keep the camera on events and the world informed. Some of what they did to adapt, including early moving camera and live broadcast work with equipment that now looks very primitive, has had a lasting impact on TV news and media, but their actions and choices in how they reported the crisis with hostages also raised questions of journalists ethics and moral judgments too.
Peter Sarsgaard’s Roone Arledge is the voice for aggressive efforts to keep the cameras on the terrorists and evolving events to deliver the news to the world in real-time, while Ben Chaplin’s Marvin Bader represents the voice for ethical restraint and human considerations of what is happening under the camera’s eye.
The true-story based SEPTEMBER 5, which has received critical praise and awards nominations since it’s debut at the Venice and Telluride film festivals, is fast-paced and edge-of-the seat suspenseful, with the cast delivering strong ensemble performances working with a well-crafted script. The film has been singled out for those performances, as well as the editing and script.
John Magaro is excellent as the young producer who is forced to make some difficult decisions and solve knotty technical problems under pressure from unfolding events and conflicting pressures from boss Roone Arledge, played forcefully by Peter Sarsgaard and the emotional human and ethical concerns of his mentor Marvin Bader, well-played by Ben Chaplin. A standout supporting role, Marianne Gebhard, is played by German actress Leonie Benesch, who was so good in THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE, where she played the lead role of the beleaguered teacher. Her character Marianne Gebhard is one of few women in this 1970s news room, and when she is pressed into service in the essential role of translator, she winds up adding a layer of rawer human emotional response to what is happening to the hostages, which Benesch does in a moving performance.
SEPTEMBER 5 is a tense historical drama well-worth seeing for its well-crafted, well-acted and suspense-filled telling of the 1972 Munich Olympics tragedy, and how TV coverage of it changed how breaking news is covered.
SEPTEMBER 5 opens Friday, Jan. 24, at multiple area theaters, with two preview showings at Plaza Frontenac Cinema on Thursday, Jan. 16, which include a post-screening, pre-recorded Q&A with the cast and director.
Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang announced the 97th Oscars nominations today (January 23), live from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater via a global live stream.
Emilia Pérez sets the record for most nominations for a non-English language film at 13. Previous record holders, with 10 nominations each, were Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and Roma (2018).
The Brutalist and Wicked saw 10 nominations each, while A Complete Unknown and Conclave each received eight nods. Best Picture nominations for Emilia Pérez and Wicked mark the first time two musicals have been nominated in the category since 1968 (Oliver! and Funny Girl were two of the five nominated films that year).
The breakdown of studio nominations is Netflix with 16, A24 with 14, Universal has 13, Focus Features with 12, Searchlight at 10 and Neon with 7.
Conan O’Brien will host the 97th Oscars® on March 2 at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC, streamed live on Hulu and air live in more than 200 territories worldwide.
Best Motion Picture of the Year:
Anora (Neon) – Alex Coco, Samantha Quan and Sean Baker, producers – This is the first Best Picture nomination for all three.
The Brutalist (A24) – Nominees to be determined.
A Complete Unknown (Searchlight) – Fred Berger, James Mangold and Alex Heineman, producers – This is the second Best Picture nomination for Fred Berger. He was nominated for La La Land (2016). This is the second Best Picture nomination for James Mangold. He was nominated for Ford v Ferrari (2019). This is the first nomination for Alex Heineman.
Conclave (Focus Features) – Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell and Michael A. Jackman, producers – This is the first Best Picture nomination for all three.
Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.) – Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe and Denis Villeneuve, producers – This is the third Best Picture nomination for Mary Parent and the second for Cale Boyter and Denis Villeneuve. Together they were nominated for Dune (2021). Parent was also nominated for The Revenant (2015). This is the first nomination for Tanya Lapointe.
Emilia Pérez (Netflix) – Nominees to be determined.
I’m Still Here (Sony Pictures Classics) – Nominees to be determined.
Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios) – Nominees to be determined.
The Substance (MUBI) – Nominees to be determined.
Wicked (Universal) – Marc Platt, producer – This is his fourth Best Picture nomination. He was nominated for Bridge of Spies (2015), La La Land (2016) and The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020).
Achievement in Directing:
Anora – Sean Baker – This is his fourth nomination, including his nominations this year for Best Picture, Original Screenplay and Film Editing.
The Brutalist – Brady Corbet – This is his second nomination, including his nomination this year for Original Screenplay.
A Complete Unknown – James Mangold – This is his fifth nomination, including his nominations this year for Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay. He was also nominated for his adapted screenplay for Logan (2017) and for Best Picture for Ford v Ferrari (2019).
Emilia Pérez – Jacques Audiard – This is his third nomination, including his nominations this year for Adapted Screenplay and Original Song.
The Substance – Coralie Fargeat – This is her second nomination, including her nomination this year for Original Screenplay.
Adrien Brody (center) in THE BRUTALIST. Courtesy of A24
Best Actor
Adrien Brody in “The Brutalist” (A24) Timothée Chalamet in “A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight) Colman Domingo in “Sing Sing” (A24) Ralph Fiennes in “Conclave” (Focus Features) Sebastian Stan in “The Apprentice” (Briarcliff Entertainment/Rich Spirit)
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo in “Wicked” (Universal) Karla Sofía Gascón in “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix) Mikey Madison in “Anora” (Neon) Demi Moore in “The Substance” (MUBI) Fernanda Torres in “I’m Still Here” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best Supporting Actor
Yura Borisov in “Anora” (Neon) Kieran Culkin in “A Real Pain” (Searchlight) Edward Norton in “A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight) Guy Pearce in “The Brutalist” (A24) Jeremy Strong in “The Apprentice” (Briarcliff Entertainment/Rich Spirit)
Best Supporting Actress
Monica Barbaro in “A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight) Ariana Grande in “Wicked” (Universal) Felicity Jones in “The Brutalist” (A24) Isabella Rossellini in “Conclave” (Focus Features) Zoe Saldaña in “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix)
(from left) Roz (Lupita N’yongo), and Brightbill (Kit Connor) in DreamWorks Animation’s Wild Robot, directed by Chris Sanders.
Best animated feature film of the year
“Flow” (Sideshow/Janus Films) Nominees to be determined – Flow becomes the third animated film to be nominated for International Feature Film (Waltz with Bashir, 2008; Flee, 2021) and the second animated film to be nominated for both Animated Feature Film and International Feature Film (Flee, 2021). “Inside Out 2” (Walt Disney) Kelsey Mann and Mark Nielsen “Memoir of a Snail” (IFC Films) Adam Elliot and Liz Kearney “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” (Netflix) Nominees to be determined “The Wild Robot” (Universal) Chris Sanders and Jeff Hermann
Best animated short film
“Beautiful Men” (Miyu Distribution) Nicolas Keppens and Brecht Van Elslande “In the Shadow of the Cypress” Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi “Magic Candies” (Toei Animation) Daisuke Nishio and Takashi Washio “Wander to Wonder” (Miyu Distribution) Nina Gantz and Stienette Bosklopper “Yuck!” (Miyu Distribution) Loïc Espuche and Juliette Marquet
Achievement in cinematography
“The Brutalist” (A24) Lol Crawley “Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.) Greig Fraser “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix) Paul Guilhaume “Maria” (Netflix) Ed Lachman “Nosferatu” (Focus Features) Jarin Blaschke
Achievement in costume design
“A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight) Arianne Phillips “Conclave” (Focus Features) Lisy Christl “Gladiator II” (Paramount) Janty Yates and Dave Crossman “Nosferatu” (Focus Features) Linda Muir “Wicked” (Universal) Paul Tazewell
L to R: Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in WICKED, directed by Jon M. Chu
Best documentary feature film
“Black Box Diaries” (MTV Documentary Films) A Hanashi Films/Cineric Creative/Star Sands Production Shiori Ito, Eric Nyari and Hanna Aqvilin “No Other Land” An Antipode Films Production Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham “Porcelain War” (Picturehouse) A Songbird Studios/Imaginary Lane Production Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev, Aniela Sidorska and Paula DuPre’ Pesmen “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” (Kino Lorber) An Onomatopee Films/Warboys Films Production Johan Grimonprez, Daan Milius and Rémi Grellety “Sugarcane” (National Geographic Documentary Films) A Hedgehog Films/Kassie Films/Impact Partners/Fit Via Vi Production Nominees to be determined
Best documentary short film
“Death by Numbers” Kim A. Snyder and Janique L. Robillard “I Am Ready, Warden” (MTV Documentary Films) Smriti Mundhra and Maya Gnyp “Incident” (The New Yorker) Bill Morrison and Jamie Kalven “Instruments of a Beating Heart” (The New York Times OpDocs/Cineric Creative) Ema Ryan Yamazaki and Eric Nyari “The Only Girl in the Orchestra” (Netflix) Molly O’Brien and Lisa Remington
Achievement in film editing
“Anora” (Neon) Sean Baker “The Brutalist” (A24) David Jancso “Conclave” (Focus Features) Nick Emerson “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix) Juliette Welfling “Wicked” (Universal) Myron Kerstein
Best international feature film of the year “I’m Still Here” A VideoFilmes Produções Artísticas Production – Brazil “The Girl with the Needle” A Nordisk Film Creative Alliance Production – Denmark “Emilia Pérez” A Pathé Production – France “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” A Run Way Pictures Production – Germany “Flow” A Dream Well Studio Production – Latvia
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling “A Different Man” (A24) Mike Marino, David Presto and Crystal Jurado “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix) Julia Floch Carbonel, Emmanuel Janvier and Jean-Christophe Spadaccini “Nosferatu” (Focus Features) David White, Traci Loader and Suzanne StokesMunton “The Substance” (MUBI) Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon and Marilyne Scarselli “Wicked” (Universal) Frances Hannon, Laura Blount and Sarah Nuth
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score) “The Brutalist” (A24) Daniel Blumberg “Conclave” (Focus Features) Volker Bertelmann “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix) Clément Ducol and Camille “Wicked” (Universal) John Powell and Stephen Schwartz “The Wild Robot” (Universal) Kris Bowers
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“El Mal” from “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix) Music by Clément Ducol and Camille Lyric by Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard “The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight” (Netflix) Music and Lyric by Diane Warren “Like A Bird” from “Sing Sing” (A24) Music and Lyric by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada “Mi Camino” from “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix) Music and Lyric by Camille and Clément Ducol “Never Too Late” from “Elton John: Never Too Late” (Disney+) Music and Lyric by Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt and Bernie Taupin
Achievement in production design “The Brutalist” (A24) Production Design: Judy Becker, Set Decoration: Patricia Cuccia “Conclave” (Focus Features) Production Design: Suzie Davies, Set Decoration: Cynthia Sleiter “Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.) Production Design: Patrice Vermette, Set Decoration: Shane Vieau “Nosferatu” (Focus Features) Production Design: Craig Lathrop, Set Decoration: Beatrice Brentnerová “Wicked” (Universal) Production Design: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Lee Sandales
Best live action short film “A Lien” Sam Cutler-Kreutz and David Cutler-Kreutz “Anuja” Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai “I’m Not a Robot” (The New Yorker) Victoria Warmerdam and Trent “The Last Ranger” Cindy Lee and Darwin Shaw “The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent” (Manifest) Nebojša Slijepčević and Danijel Pek
Achievement in sound “A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight) Tod A. Maitland, Donald Sylvester, Ted Caplan, Paul Massey and David Giammarco “Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.) Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett and Doug Hemphill “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix) Erwan Kerzanet, Aymeric Devoldère, Maxence Dussère, Cyril Holtz and Niels Barletta “Wicked” (Universal) Simon Hayes, Nancy Nugent Title, Jack Dolman, Andy Nelson and John Marquis “The Wild Robot” (Universal) Randy Thom, Brian Chumney, Gary A. Rizzo and Leff Leffert
Achievement in visual effects “Alien: Romulus” (20th Century) Eric Barba, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Daniel Macarin and Shane Mahan “Better Man” (Paramount) Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft and Peter Stubbs “Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.) Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe and Gerd Nefzer “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” (20th Century) Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story and Rodney Burke “Wicked” (Universal) Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, David Shirk and Paul Corbould
Adapted screenplay “A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight) Screenplay by James Mangold and Jay Cocks “Conclave” (Focus Features) Screenplay by Peter Straughan “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix) Screenplay by Jacques Audiard In collaboration with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius and Nicolas Livecchi “Nickel Boys” (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios) Screenplay by RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes “Sing Sing” (A24) Screenplay by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar Story by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John “Divine G” Whitfield
Original screenplay “Anora” (Neon) Written by Sean Baker “The Brutalist” (A24) Written by Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold “A Real Pain” (Searchlight) Written by Jesse Eisenberg “September 5” (Paramount) Written by Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum Co-Written by Alex David “The Substance” (MUBI) Written by Coralie Fargeat
Contributed by Melissa Thompson and Michelle McCue
L to R: Director Jon M. Chu with Cynthia Erivo (as Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (as Glinda) on the set of WICKED
Viola Davis and director Gina Prince-Bythewood on the set of THE WOMAN KING. Courtesy of Sony Pictures
Paramount Pictures today announced the principal cast of the feature film, Children of Blood and Bone. Leading the action fantasy film are Thuso Mbedu (The Woman King) as Zelie; Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give) as Amari; Damson Idris (“Snowfall”) as Inan; and Tosin Cole (“Supacell”) as Tzain.
The movie, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood (THE WOMAN KING, THE OLD GUARD), is based on the #1 New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Tomi Adeyemi.
The movie releases January 15th, 2027 in IMAX.
Also confirmed are Academy Award® winner Viola Davis (The Woman King, G20) as Mama Agba; Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) as Admiral Kaea; Idris Elba (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw) as Lekan; Lashana Lynch (Bob Marley: One Love) as Jumoke; and Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) as King Saran.
In negotiations are Academy Award® winner Regina King (Shirley) as Queen Nehanda; Diaana Babnicova (Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot) as Folake; and Bukky Bakray (Rocks) as Binta.
Forthcoming will be additional castings from an open casting call for actors living in Nigeria.
Production is set to begin filming in South Africa in the coming weeks.
Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen of Temple Hill Entertainment, together with Karen Rosenfelt of Sunswept Entertainment – the filmmaking team behind the Twilight series – will produce, alongside Matt Jackson of Jackson Pictures. Adeyemi and Reggie Rock Bythewood will executive produce. Adeyemi and Prince-Bythewood co-wrote the script.
Paramount Pictures President & CEO Brian Robbins, along with Motion Picture Group Presidents Daria Cercek and Mike Ireland, acquired the rights to the trilogy in a highly competitive bidding war.
Tomi Adeyemi – Credit Caroline Fiss
Said Prince-Bythewood, “I am so honored and excited to bring Tomi’s Children of Blood and Bone and the vibrant world of Orisha to life. Our incredible ensemble reflects the whole of the diaspora. This is where our magic lies.”
In Children of Blood and Bone, in an African fantasy kingdom, a young woman goes on a quest to reclaim the magic that was violently stolen from her people. She and her brother ally with the daughter and son of the king to fight back against his brutal rule.
The book series has become an instant classic, with the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy spending a combined 175 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list, including four weeks at #1 on the Young Adult Hardcover list for Children of Blood and Bone; five weeks at #1 on the Young Adult Hardcover list for Children of Virtue and Vengeance; and one week at #1 on the Children’s & Young Adult Series list for Children of Anguish and Anarchy. In total, the series has sold almost three million copies worldwide and garnered critical acclaim, with Children of Blood and Bone being featured as a Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time; a New York Times Notable Children’s Book; and a Kirkus Prize Finalist, among other distinctions.
Photo Credits: Chwietel Ejiofor – Credit Sarah Dunn, Cynthia Erivo – Credit Mark Seliger, Idris Elba – Credit Alex Piper, Lashana Lynch – Credit Richard Phibbs, Regina King – Credit Tym Shutchai Buacharern for Criterion
Meghann Fahy as Violet in Drop, directed by Christopher Landon.
From Christopher Landon, the mind behind Happy Death Day and Freaky, comes a chilling new take on modern dating horrors. Emmy-nominee Meghann Fahy (White Lotus, The Perfect Couple) stars as Violet, a widow whose return to the dating scene spirals into nightmare territory when anonymous threats start lighting up her phone. Her mission? Kill her dreamy dinner date Henry (Brandon Sklenar, It Ends with Us) – or her family pays the price.
DROP will make its world premiere at SXSW on Monday, March 10, 2025, at 9:00 PM at Austin’s historic Paramount Theater.
DROP is written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach (Truth or Dare, Fantasy Island) and produced by Michael Bay (Transformers films, A Quiet Place franchise), Brad Fuller (A Quiet Place films, The Purge franchise) and Cameron Fuller (the upcoming Flycatcher and The Astronaut) for Platinum Dunes.
A scene from A LEGEND, starring Jackie Chan. Courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment
I’ve been such a huuuge Jackie Chan fan for so long I never pass up one of his releases, even though he’s been largely coasting on fumes for a while. In his prime, no one from ANY country crafted and executed scintillating action with comedy and charm like he did. But he turned 70 last spring (April 7, for those who want to celebrate his next birthday), and understandably can’t do what he did in front of the cameras, despite the amazing degree of agility and stamina he still has after so many years and so many injuries. Just what’s been recorded in the legion of outtakes during decades of credits would have killed most mortals – including the dudes from those “Jackass” programs.
A LEGEND is a dramedy that dives into historical fantasy, as present-day archeology professor Jackie pursues ancient artifacts in a mostly wrap-around format, with elaborate staging of ancient battles between the Han Dynasty and the Huns, all triggered by finding a key relic from that era. Jackie and his students have the same recurring dreams about those ancient events, in which they looked exactly like several of the main figures. A much younger-looking Jackie was a general for, of course, the good guys. Events of the two periods are paralleled, as the quest for a hidden treasure-filled, power-granting cache drives both eras’ plot-lines.
The story is rather stale and much longer than it needed to be. It runs over two hours for maybe 90 minutes worth of content, with too much exposition dragging down the pace. But several battle scenes are epic in scale, backed by some gorgeous art design. In those major clashes, there’s considerably more blood and gore than in most of Jackie’s films. There’s also considerable CGI mastery in the mix, NOT including whatever they did to make Jackie look young in the historical sequences. Joan Rivers’ plastic surgeon delivered a more realistic appearance than what he got.
Throughout the film, most of the action, drama and romance are carried by Jackie’s handful of rather bland young co-stars, with relatively little of the Jackie we’ve all admired. But in the climactic sequence, he’s back for a typically frenetic fight with fast action and some of his signature comedic reactions. Patience with all that went before is rewarded… at last.
Several lyrical scenes rival the likes of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON for color and scope. One might enjoy this even more by fast-forwarding through chunks of dialog for undiluted focus on the good stuff.
A LEGEND, in Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles, is available on digital Bl-Ray or DVD from Well Go USA starting Tuesday, Jan. 21.
Although the big family holiday celebrations are nearly a month in the past, there’s always a need for a new look at sibs, parents, and kids at the movies. This new release is set across the pond and concerns connected family units headed by two sisters who couldn’t be more different. It’s that whole “sweet and sour” dynamic at play here. It’s also funny, sad, and totally engaging thanks to the reunion of a celebration filmmaker and one of his greatest actresses/collaborators after nearly three decades. This time out they’re giving us an intimate look at a damaged soul who really needs to deal with some HARD TRUTHS.
The film’s story begins on a quiet street in a London neighborhood. It’s early on a sunny Spring-like day as a young man on a bicycle meets up with his boss as the enter their work van outside a modest home. Inside the ill-tempered matriarch of the family, Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is lecturing her 22-year-old son Moses (Tuwaine Barrett) as he silently shuffles out the door, headphones always in place. Meanwhile, the patriarch and owner of that work van, Curtley (David Webber) toils away with that chatty cyclist, Virgil (Jonathan Livingstone) during a home renovation job. Across town, Pansy’s younger sister Chantelle (Michele Austin), happily chats with her clients as she styles their hair at a beauty salon. That night Pansy relates a list of aggevations during her dinnertime tirade as Curtley and Moses eat in near silence. Across town sister Chantelle enjoys a bottle of wine and some bubbly gossip at the walk-up apartment she shares with her two twenty-something working daughters, Aleisha (Sophia Brown) and Kayla (Ani Nelson). The next day, Pansy gets a free hair treatment from her sister, as Chantelle tries to invite her over for a family meal after they visit the grave of their late Mum (it is Mother’s Day). Pansy won’t commit as she squawks about her tangled follicles. After they’re finished Chantelle is back at the salon, as Pansy is “unleashed on the world” spewing venom and bile at salesclerks, doctors, motorists, and dental hygienists. Back at home, she sleeps during the day while cowering in fear of the wildlife (birds and a timid fox) invading the small backyard garden. So how long can she vent her anger at family and strangers before it takes its toll on them and on her health? And will she get together for the holiday with her concerned sister who loves her despite everything? Can the sibs get to the root of Pansy’s rage?
Much acclaim has already been directed at Ms. Jean-Baptiste along with several acting awards from film fests and critics groups. To put it mildly, these accolades are extremely well deserved. Pansy is perhaps a human-wrecking ball, destroying the tranquility of any setting she enters, much like the Tasmanian Devil of Looney Tunes fame, though her insults are sharper than his fangs. And in the hands of an actor with modest skills, Pansy could be a cartoonish character, a riff on the still popular “Karen” memes. But Jean-Baptiste dives much further, giving us a profile of “the walking wounded”. Her screeds release no tension from the body, instead refilling her inner pressure (and making us wonder if she’ll reach a detonation). Jean-Baptiste conveys that weariness through her downturned eyes and stiff, robotic body movements. Pansy is similar to a wounded animal in the wild, in agony but quick to strike back at anyone trying to offer aid. In this tale, it’s kid sister Chantelle, who is given a calm, nurturing disposition by the beaming Ms. Austin. She’s a ray of sunshine to all that she encounters, though we see her heartbreak when no amount of her kindness connects with her suffering sibling. Plus Austin as Chantelle is a great Mum (and a fun chum) to her daughters, played with great energy and humor by Brown and Nelson. As for Pansy’s household, Webber as the brow-beaten husband Curtley, stays stoic, but his withering glare hints at his own seeting disgust with his mate. Luckily he also has a fatherly concern for his only son Moses, playing an aimlessly lost soul, staring downward as he wanders the streets (he doesn’t stand up to a pair of bullies) and only waking up when he’s indulging his love of aviation via books and video games (perhaps to fly away from his misery). He may be the most tragic of the fractured family.
This exceptional ensemble is brilliantly guided by writer/director Mike Leigh, who gives us a look inside the lives of a family that could be from everyone, even down the street from you or me (kudos also for the quaint quiet locales that feel far from bustling London). Leigh lets us spend time with all the characters at work and at home. We get brief scenes of Aliesha and Kayla on the job during some fairly difficult exchanges (a skin care product pitch turns nasty unexpectantly), to show us that they can “leave it at the office” and be civil and sweet back home with Chantelle. But the real “meat” of the “movie meal” is Pansy “on the march” and Leigh shows us the stunned reactions of folks caught in the “line of fire”, flustered as they try to be professional and respectful (oh, the trials of the service and retail industry). This culminates in a quiet, almost hushed, healing of “old wounds” that should heal, though it seems a bit temporary. Happily, Leigh does deliver a bit of hope, a small shaft of light at the end of a dark tunnel, in the film’s final moments which (and this is rare) has us wondering about the characters and actually wishing to stay with them just a tad longer. The superb direction, engaging screenplay, and stellar performance by Jean-Baptiste make it hard not to be impressed and entertained by these HARD TRUTHS.
Artist-turned-director RaMell Ross’ beautiful, innovative, and moving adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel NICKEL BOYS is an immersive, emotional experience that uses a POV camera to put you into the first-person experience of two young Black boys, Elwood and Turner, and the bonds of friendship that grow between them after they meet at a Jim Crow-era reform school in Florida, a brutal place known as the Nickel Academy.
Although this is RaMell Ross’ first film, the artist’s directorial debut is strong, showing an unexpected mastery of cinematic art. NICKEL BOYS is a remarkable film, a moving human drama about childhood friendship in the Jim Crow South between two very different Black boys who nonetheless form a powerful bond. Scenes have a painterly beauty, unsurprisingly for this artist-turned-director, but Ross shows a firm hand in editing and pacing the film, rather than just indulging in visual beauty. The result is something magical, a dream-like experience of childhood friendship but set, with unblinking truth, in the horror of a Jim Crow reform school in the Deep South, as the early Civil Rights era dawns.
This first person POV approach seems a strange at first, as we never see our main character except in occasional reflections, but the technique creates a uniquely immersive feeling. The film stays with this technique throughout, although it switches the viewpoint to the other boy part way through, after the boys meet. The film repeats scenes just seen from one boy’s point-of-view, to show them from the other boy’s view, which creates insights and draws us even deeper into their world.
After a brief framing device scene with one of the now-grown boys, although we don’t know which one, the story begins with the childhood experience of Elwood Curtis, following him from early childhood. After the opening scene, the film truly begins its story with glimpses, through infant eyes, of Elwood Curtis’ earliest memories. The unusual childhood first-person point-of-view technique recalls the early scenes of TREE OF LIFE with the same magical feeling of the early life memories re-experienced. Set in Florida before the pre-Civil Rights era, we see events through child’s eyes, with fleeting glimpses of babyhood memories of parents, who quickly disappear and are replaced by scenes of loving care by his grandmother Hattie (a wonderful Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor ), who raised him. Young Elwood (Ethan Cole Sharp ) is a sweet, well-behaved and smart child who does well in school, and Hattie creates a warm, stable home for him, although they have little money. A teacher recognizes Elwood’s potential, and recommends him for a scholarship to a technical college. On a two-lane rural road has Elwood makes his way to the new school, something terrible happens. Through one youthful misstep, Elwood is sent to a harsh reform school in the Jim Crow Deep South, the Nickel Academy.
Director Ross makes the switch after the boys meet at the Nickel Academy. In a masterful stroke of cinematic technique, part of that experience at Nickel is told from the viewpoint of one boy, but it then spun around and retold from the viewpoint of the other boy. It is an emotionally powerful move, as well as a visually beautiful one, that brings us deeper into this close friendship and the inner lives of both boys.
When Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson) meet at Nickel, they couldn’t seem more different. Elwood is shy, bookish, and a bit sheltered, raised in a warm. supportive, stable home by his protective grandmother, while Turner is street-wise, toughed a bit by a hard-knock life, and poorly-educated. Yet the two boys find a common bond, with Turner drawn to Elwood’s knowledge, his very different loving family upbringing, and especially his stubborn refusal to yield his humanity and decency in this dark place despite it’s brutality. Elwood relies on Turner’s street-wise ways to help him survive and navigate the very unfamiliar waters of reform school life. The boys help each other, teach each other, and develop an unbreakable friendship.
The Nickel Academy houses both Black and white boys, but in separate and very different facilities, with very different treatment. The story takes place in the Jim Crow South but it is also against the backdrop of the dawning of the Civil Rights era.
Young Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson as Elwood and Turner, respectively, are excellent in their roles. But a standout performance is Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, in her supporting role as Elwood’s grandmother Hattie. As Hattie, she is Elwood’s rock and his only adult advocate in this harsh world. Although the reform school does its best to exclude her and keep her away from Elwood, she will not be deterred, in her relentless efforts to reach and help her beloved Elwood.
The photography is outstanding, making the most ordinary settings glow with unseen beauty. The editing and pacing is perfect, keeping the story moving but giving the actors the space to do their work and do it well.
The immersive period drama NICKEL BOYS is one of human warmth, heartbreaking and ultimately hope, with moving portraits of friendship and familial love that transcends time or place, while offering social commentary on a pivotal point in history. The story’s end has its shocks but it ends on a note of hope and healing for the future.
Alright, now it’s feeling a bit more like January. I’m not referring to the frigid temps and formidable snowbanks. No, I’m talking about seasonal movie releases, since the first month of the new year is generally the time for horror flicks…of varying quality (often seen as a “dumping ground”). Mind you, for every M3GAN there are a couple of NIGHT SWIMs. Well, now one of the major studios (and a rising upstart production house) join forces to put a new spin on a ninety-year-old classic cinema creature. Yes, it’s the newest collaboration between Blumhouse and Universal (whose “fright fests” began a century ago). Oh, this is not an attempt to “jumpstart” their proposed “Dark Universe” concept (Dr. Frankenstein couldn’t revive it with any amount of lightning after that Tom Cruise reboot of THE MUMMY). They’ve tossed the idea of a shared continuity like the MCU in favor of stand-alone re-imaginings, as with the well-received 2020 take on THE INVISIBLE MAN. And so, they’ve tasked the same filmmaker to put the “bite” on moviegoers with a similarly named, but very different breed of WOLF MAN.
After a brief prologue concerning Native American legends of infected feral men, we’re taken to a desolate ranch/farm in Oregon. A survivalist single father takes his eight-year-old son on a hunting excursion in the deep woods near their home. Dad tries to get young Blake to focus and be aware of the dangers prior to them spotting a deer. When the duo separate, Blake gets the buck in his sights, he also sees something walking on two legs. Luckily his Pop returns, scoops him up, and the two scamper up a tree’s deer blind. Luckily the loud growling beast finishes the buck, then departs. Later that night, Blake listens in on his father speaking to a friend via the short-wave radio, saying that he’s sure he saw the “man-beast of the woods”. Thirty years later, Blake (Christopher Abbott) is living in a big city, San Francisco. He’s a stay-at-home dad (technically a writer in between gigs) tending to his adorable six-year-old daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) while workaholic journalist wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) pursues her next “scoop”. During a tense dinner, Blake opens up a special delivery package that contains the deed to his father’s estate, along with a set of keys. It seems that his long-missing dad has finally been legally declared dead. Blake convinces Charlotte that a Summer extended trip to the old homestead in Oregon will be a great way for the trio to reconnect, as Ginger tends to bond more with him. They rent a big truck to empty the old place and eventually end up on a dirt road in the forest. Luckily an old childhood pal spots Blake and offers to ride along as a guide to his former home. With only a mile left, something on two legs appears in front of the vehicle, causing it to careen down a hill and onto a tree. Their guide tumbles out before a clawed hand smashes the window and cuts Blake’s arm. The trio finally scampers away to the old house, before their attacker catches up to them. But they’re far from safe as Charlotte realizes that Blake’s wound is having a strange effect on him. Soon mother and daughter will have to fight for their lives against the terror outside and the mysterious changes happening to Ginger’s adored daddy.
Headling what is basically an intimate “three character story”, Abbott in the title role evokes great empathy and pathos as Blake, who mixes the tragic persona of Lon Chaney, Jr.’s Larry Talbot from the 1940s fright flicks, with the struggles of a 21st century family man. As several commenters have pointed out, he shares the frustrations and gradual dark descent of Jack Torrance of THE SHINING (both are blocked writers), but Abbott conveys Blake’s rebellion against his own past, mainly the brutal demands of his loner father. He’s determined to be a warm loving papa, though his passion for protecting often recalls his own traumatic childhood. Plus Abbott shows us how Blake is working to repair the strains on his relationship with Charlotte, to patch the cracks in their marriage. This gives an added heartbreak to the ravages of his “sickness”. As the matriarch, Garner is the hyper-focused careerist (insisting she takes her work call at the “sacred” dinner table), but lets her emotional “walls” soften as Blake convinces her to adjust her priorities to repair their growing “rift”, though the wilderness trek may be a way for Blake to compensate for his home-based family role (rather than the more breadwinner out in the “world”). Firth is achingly sweet and adorable as the bouncy, precocious Ginger who may be the cliched “daddy’s girl”, though she is mature enough to process the often adult explanations provided by her parents. Yes, she’s often put in peril in order to “up” the suspense, but Firth makes Ginger more than the “rescue bait”. There are also a couple of dark sinister turns by Sam Jaegar as Blake’s off-kilter kin in the flashback, and Benedict Hardy as the creepy dead-eyed “watcher in the woods” who aids the family on their way to their possible doom.
In his return trip into “Univeral monster-land”, director Leigh Whannell puts another interesting modern spin on those late show “creature feature” tropes, thanks to the screenplay he co-wrote with his wife Corbett Tuck. Perhaps this accounts for the deep dive into the aspects of the family dynamic, while THE INVISIBLE MAN explored a dating break-up that goes beyond toxic. Mind you, Whannell heaps on the chills in the opening hunting sequence via his expert use of ominous noises (big kudos to the sound design team) and allowing us to peer through the rifle’s “site”. Then after the big time “jump” he’s putting us right inside a marriage that may be in its last gasps (plenty of those later). And though much of the action does take place in “the great outdoors”, Whannell makes the forest a bit claustrophobic as the tall trees become almost prison bars to keep the trio trapped. And that’s definitely the vibe in Blake’s creeky creepy family home, which seems “stuck in “pre-Y2K paranoia”. The filmmakers toss out the “werewolf” rules and legend early on because the beasts roam in daylight with a full moon having no effect. And the “transformation” here is more gradual, although claws and fangs extend, the whole “hirsute” cliches are somewhat turned on its “pointed” ear. And bravo for committing to practical make-up effects for the most part (a welcome new “trend” in last year’s films). However, some CGI is used with great creativity and skill when Whannell shifts around the camera giving us a POV through Blake’s degenerating diseased senses, making her family into glowing-eyed aliens. That terrific sound team returns to provide a sense of Blake’s enhanced hearing (a spider on the wall has an elephant’s tread), which makes speech garbled (ditto for his verbal attempts). There are some “jump scares”, happily kept to a minimum, and some squirmy gory moments (oh, that gnarly arm). In all this film is an interesting exploration of the man-into-beast campfire tales, mixed with family dramatics, though it’s diluted by an ending that feels drawn-out and flat, culminating in a final shot that’s quite anti-climatic compared to the tension of waiting for dawn to break. But it’s the strong lead performances that put the needed “bite” in WOLF MAN.
3 out of 4
WOLF MAN opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, January 17, 2025
This weekend sees the wider release of a film that would probably be referred to as “Oscar bait” since it stars two actresses who have that “golden guy” and it’s directed by a beloved and celebrated filmmaker. With the latter, this shares a similar distinction with another lauded “end of the year” work, EMILIA PEREZ. No, this isn’t a musical. The common thread is that PEREZ was made by a French director who is telling a story in the Spanish language, while this new release has a Spanish helmer working completely in English for the very first time after nearly half of a century in cinema. And though it’s set in today’s modern world it harkens back to the movies of Hollywood’s Golden Age”. It becomes clear to cinephiles the moment they enter (if it’s ajar…a big plot point) THE ROOM NEXT DOOR.
The opening scene takes us to a swanky book store in Manhattan where the popular author of several works of “historical fiction” signs copies of her latest. Ingrid (Julianne Moore) is surprised when an old friend steps out from the long line of fans. Stella (Sarah Demeestere) informs her that a mutual acquaintance is battling cancer in a nearby hospital. The news startles Ingrid, as she’s been out of touch with this friend for a while. A reunion is overdue, so she makes an impromptu call at the hospital room of former war correspondent Martha (Tilda Swinton). The duo quickly gets “up to speed”, with Martha confiding that she’s estranged from her adult daughter. Ingrid is surprised by her story of a teenage pregnancy sired by a first love who was emotionally scared by combat. They never married. The daughter, Michelle, was resentful of Martha’s “globe-trotting” as she wrote of various international conflicts. The hospital visits soon extended to Martha’s Central Park-view apartment, during the “off time” between medical stays. During a visit after a new promising experimental treatment, a frustrated Martha tells Ingrid that it didn’t work. She has a few months left, at best, before her mind and body begin to degenerate and finally shut down. A bit later Martha delivers another bombshell. She’s purchased a “euthanasia pill” via the “dark web”, but doesn’t wish to use it in her NYC home. Martha is hoping to rent a lush cottage in upstate New York that she’ll share with Ingrid. Martha explains that when she expires, she wants to be discovered by someone she loves who is in “the room next door”. Ingrid is filled with anxiety and sadness but also wants to be supportive of her friend. Does she have the strength to join Martha as their rekindled relationship concludes? And could she somehow be legally liable for assisting in Martha’s “good death”?
There’s such a warm easy rapport between the two lead actresses that it feels as though they’ve been teamed many times over their impressive screen careers. Because Ingrid has several encounters aside from her time with Martha, Moore would have the lead role as our “pathway” into Martha’s last journey. It’s through her expert use of body language and facial expressions (her eyes are truly that window) that Moore shows us the heartbreak and empathy of this old friend whose renewed bond will be severed. She pledges her help even though Moore’s quivering voice conveys Ingrid’s conflicted feelings. Fortunately, her main scene partner is equally compelling, though with different challenges in her character. Swinton, as Ingrid, must also express many moods, while also reflecting the physical changes her body must endure as the disease takes its toll. Martha has a calm acceptance, often at odds with her frustrations about her diminished stamina and “brain fog”. And though she rejects pity, Swinton’s joy while confiding in a friend thought to be loss shows lets us see that there’s still a yearning for human connections while exiting her life. This isn’t a two-person tale as Ingrid also shares scenes with a pair of superb supporting actors. John Turturro is quite good as Damian, a social commentator on a lecture tour, who was a past lover to both women, though with no “overlap” for a romantic “triangle”. And, an extra dramatic “punch’ is provided by Alessandro Nivola who is quite intimidating and fierce as a dogged policeman encountered by Ingrid.
That acclaimed Spanish filmmaker I alluded to earlier is, of course, the talented Pedro Almodovar, who directed his screenplay adaptation of the novel “What Are You Going Through” by Sigrid Nunez. This caps an impressive roster of films that have explored female relationships with this intimate tale of love and loss. With its smooth tranquil pacing, lingering close-ups, and serene nearly melodramatic flashbacks, Almodovar appears to be paying tribute to the classic “women’s pictures” so prolific during the early years of sound movies (“pre-code” and a bit beyond). I kept thinking that the main plot could have paired Bette Davis with Miriam Hopkins on the Warner backlot (the new score from Alberto Iglesias takes inspiration from Steiner and Herriman). But there are also elements of the glossy technicolor romances of Douglas Sirk, especially with the gorgeous rental estate in the woods, which looks to have been lifted straight from “Architectural Digest” magazine (perhaps Lazlo Toth of THE BRUTALIST designed its multi-level wonders). All the stylistic choices (the color red is prominent, from the shared car to the vibrant lipstick shades) never detract from the story’s main focus on friendship and facing (that dreaded “D” word) death. Certainly, this may re-spark debates about the “quality of life”, but most folks on both sides would agree that the last days would be most pleasant with a caring person in THE ROOM NEXT DOOR.
3.5 Out of 4
THE ROOM NEXT DOOR opens in selected theatres on Friday, January 17, 2025
So what’s the cinema antidote to the brutal and frozen tundra outside our doors (and let’s not get into the West Coast)? How about a raunchy, rollicking buddy comedy? Hmm, that’s usually Summer popcorn fodder, but that’s not the only “rule” that this new flick is breaking. Rather than two mismatched male comic actors, this focuses on the friendship (though strained at times) of two twenty-something African American women. That’s a nice “flip”, along with the pairing of a screen “vet” and a star from the world of hip hop (and R&B/pop). Now that’s a combo sure to end those winter doldrums, along with its “Cali” backdrop. So that’s the setting, as the principals frantically try to survive a zany twenty-four hours that certainly qualifies as ONE OF THEM DAYS that will put their bond to the test.
It’s the morning of the first day of the month, and the head waitress at one of those family diner-style chain restaurants, Dreux (Keke Palmer) is making sure her staple of longtime “regulars” are enjoying their breakfast. When her shift ends, Dreux waits for a ride from her BFF/roommate, struggling artist/painter Alyssa (SZA) to pick her up and return to their shared apartment. Later that afternoon Dreux will have what could be a life-changing interview at the corporate HQ of the eatery chain, in hopes of snagging a a manager spot at a location. After saying hello to several of the neighbors, more like surrogate “aunties” and “uncles”, they head into their upstairs (above the courtyard) unit, where Alyssa’s hunky but between jobs and homes bae, Keshawn (Joshua David Neal), is snoozing. Suddenly there’s someone pounding on the door. It’s the no-nonsense landlord Uche (Rizi Timane) demanding the $1500 rent (it is the first) from Dreux, otherwise their furnishings will be on the street at 6 PM. When he leaves, Dreux double-checks that Alyssa has already given him their combined rent amount. Sure, she gave the cash to Keshawn to give to Uche. The duo tries to confront him, but Keshawn has split. Through the “gossip grapevine,” they find out about his “side girl”, the aggressive, always angry Berniece (Aziza Scott). At her place Alyssa grills Keshawn about the dough, but he’s already “invested” it. Then Berniece barges in and makes Alyssa and Dreux her target for revenge. Can the desperate duo raise the rent by six? And will Dreux make it to that big interview? And what happens when the BFFs incur the wrath of a brutal crime kingpin named King Lolo (Armin Joseph)? The clock is ticking as they wonder what else can go wrong…
The film soars on the effervescent energy of the two lead actresses. First off, the vet I mentioned is Palmer who builds on the street-smart, slightly manic persona we saw in supporting roles in NOPE and HUSTLERS. Her Dreux is the quick-thinking brain of the duo, always creating a new angle (or line of BS) to try and succeed. And yet she has an endearingly awkward quality as she tries to flirt with a new neighbor in an early scene. Palmer also has a “clown’s grace” as she uses her body language to convey the chaos of this long day. Ms. Palmer is also an excellent scene partner with the confident and sassy SZA as Alyssa, and it’s amazing that this is her first major acting role, though she’s been featured in many music videos. Alyssa is the more spiritual of the two (“Gotta put it out in the universe!”), though SZA delivers some great profanity-filled tirades when not utilizing her zaftig charms (watch her work her “magic” on a food cart vendor). And though her head is often “in the clouds”, SZA displays a gutsy talent for slapstick comedy right from the classics (there’s a lot of Lucy and Ethel in these two “besties”). Neal is the perfect dimbulb but well-endowed “boy toy”, while Scott is a hard-twerking Tazmanian Devil, With a bit of Tex Cobb from RAISING ARIZONA as the “rageaholic” Berniece. There are also some great comic turns by Maude Apatow as the bubbly new tenant Bethany (who is the only white resident, much to Uchi’s delight), Katt Williams as the ironically-named street “prophet” Lucky, and Lil Rel Howery who figures in one of the big cash schemes.
Director Lawrence Lamont keeps the pace rolling along at a brisk clip while hitting all the playful dialogue exchanges of the duo provided by screenwriter Syretta Singleton. Lamont ups the suspense factor by slapping on reminders of the time passed with a bit of foreboding (“Six hours till eviction”) that reminded me of the 80s cult comedy THREE O’CLOCK HIGH, which had a similar sense of urgency. Yet, with all the calamity, Singleton delivers some smart satiric jabs at the “cash advance” industry, along with the warm feeling of community in the apartment complex (the “matriarch” there has set up a “mini 7-11” in her living room). Unfortunately, there is the frequent, for comedies, lull just past the hour mark as the buddy romp cliche has to include a big blow-up between the pals that threatens to split them up for good. Nah, I didn’t buy it because their bond feels impossible to break. And while many may feel that all the subplots get resolved too neatly, almost with a big sparkly bow, by the final moments, the laughs and the chemistry between Palmer and SZA are so strong and engaging, not to mention the great LA locales, that those small missteps are wiped clean by the high-spirited hijinks that fill up ONE OF THEM DAYS.
3 Out of 4
ONE OF THEM DAYS is now playing in theatres everywhere
