film festival Archives

Jan252025 by cineverseNo Comments

Ricky’ Review: Powerful Sundance Drama About a Young Man Just Out of Prison Navigating a World of Booby Traps Establishes Rashad Frett as a Born Filmmaker

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By Owen Gleiberman According To The variety A dozen years ago, at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, I sat in the Eccles Theatre and watched “Fruitvale” (later entitled “Fruitvale Station”), Ryan Coogler’s true-life drama about Oscar Grant, a young man who was fatally shot by Bay Area police, even though he had done nothing. By the time the film ended, everyone in the audience knew that we’d seen something straight-up extraordinary, and that Coogler was a born filmmaker. When he got up on stage, he was ebullient — grateful for the response, but you could also see, as his words poured forth, that he was already bursting with the stories he wanted to tell. This, for a viewer (or critic), is the Sundance dream: to go into a film you know nothing about, and two hours later you’ve witness...

Jan252025 by cineverseNo Comments

Sterling K. Brown Is Finally No. 1 on the Call Sheet: The Actor on Hulu’s ‘Paradise,’ Turning Down ‘The Boys’ and Leaving Randall Pearson Behind

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By Jennifer Maas According To The variety Sterling K. Brown is done crying every week. Two days before Thanksgiving, Brown is sitting at a long table in a photo studio in Culver City, digging into a take-out lunch as he begins to break down the plot of his new Hulu drama series, “Paradise.” Brown chooses his words deliberately while simultaneously ramping up his energy to match his passion for the subject. It’s a significant departure from “This Is Us,” the NBC family drama that made Brown a star as fan-favorite character Randall Pearson, and was known for giving audiences a good weep. Though “Paradise” hails from the same creator and executive producer, Dan Fogelman, this series aims to provoke very different emotions in viewers. It’s a contemporary political thri...

Jan222025 by cineverseNo Comments

Ryan Gosling in Talks to Star in ‘Star Wars’ Movie From Shawn Levy

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By Adam B. Vary According To The variety The Force is with Ryan Gosling. The “Barbie” and “La La Land” star is in negotiations to star in an untitled “Star Wars” movie to be directed by “Deadpool & Wolverine” filmmaker Shawn Levy. Screenwriter Jonathan Tropper (“This Is Where I Leave You,” “The Adam Project”) has been writing the screenplay for the film, which Levy has been developing since late 2022. Levy — who will join the rarefied club of directors who’ve worked with both Canadian movie stars named Ryan — is also producing via 21 Laps, along with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. The movie is said to be a standalone project that isn’t connected with the Skywalker Saga, which concluded with 2019’s “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” All other plot details...

Jan212025 by cineverseNo Comments

India’s Hansal Mehta Launches True Story Films With $58 Million Production Slate (EXCLUSIVE)

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By Naman Ramachandran According To The variety Multiple award-winning Indian director Hansal Mehta (“Scam 1992,” “Shahid”) is diving into the production game, launching True Story Films with producer Sahil Saigal in a strategic partnership that includes investments from industry heavyweights Vinod Bhanushali and Parag Sanghvi. The newly minted banner, which represents a significant expansion of Mehta’s creative footprint, is launching with an ambitious slate valued at approximately INR5 billion ($58 million). The company will develop and produce theatrical features and streaming content across multiple genres, from hard-hitting dramas to comedies. Mehta, whose recent director credits include “Faraaz” and “The Buckingham Murders,” will serve as creative head whi...

Jan202025 by cineverseNo Comments

China Box Office: ‘Octopus With Broken Arms’ Retains Top Spot, ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ Stays in Fifth Place as Business Remains Dull

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By Naman Ramachandran According To The variety The Chinese box office continued to be dominated by “Octopus With Broken Arms,” which held its top spot. The crime thriller earned RMB 60.8 million ($8.4 million) over the Jan. 17–19 weekend, bringing its cumulative total to $111.4 million, according to Artisan Gateway. Directed by Jacky Gan, the film remains a steady performer and has solidified its position as the year’s first breakout success. “Honey Money Phony,” released by Maoyan Pictures, climbed to second place with $5.2 million, pushing its cumulative gross to $50.4 million. Directed by Su Biao, the comedy about financial deception continues to attract audiences as it enters its fourth week of release. “Big World,” last week’s second-place finisher, slipped to third, earni...

Jan202025 by cineverseNo Comments

Paul,’ About a Submissive House Cleaner, and ‘Sirens Call,’ About the Merfolk Subculture, Picked Up by Syndicado Ahead of Berlinale Premieres (EXCLUSIVE)

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By Leo Barraclough According To The variety Syndicado Film Sales has boarded two films selected for Berlinale: “Paul” by Denis Côté, which has its world premiere in the Panorama Dokumente section, and “Sirens Call” by Miri Ian Gossing and Lina Sieckmann, which is part of the Forum lineup. Côté’s documentary focuses on Paul, who suffers from depression and social anxiety. He seeks safety by doing housework for dominant women, becoming the submissive “Cleaning Simp Paul.” By sharing his gently eccentric routines on social media, he combats his loneliness. Filmed from a candid, nonjudgmental perspective, “Paul” is a portrait of an eccentric but endearing person who delivers a fresh take on our quest for well-being. The producers are Hany Ouichou and Karine Bélanger of Co...

Jan192025 by cineverseNo Comments

Why Would Warner Bros. Fire Its Marketing Chief Ahead of Its Riskiest Movie Slate in Years?

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By Rebecca Rubin According To The variety According To The variety On Jan. 7, Warner Bros. worldwide marketing chief Josh Goldstine was called into the office of his bosses, studio chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, at the end of the day to find out that he was being let go after four years at the company. His three year-contract was renewed in early 2024, so Goldstine’s dismissal came as a surprise to many on the Burbank lot, given that he played a key role in promoting successes that range from “The Batman” and “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” to “Barbie” and “Wonka.” Goldstine’s firing was publicized the following day, at the height of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, which some found to be in poor taste, though knowledgable individuals chalked up the timing to an u...