film festival Archives

Jul12024 by cineverseNo Comments

Oscar Contenders From First Half of 2024 (So Far), From ‘Dune: Part Two’ to Zendaya

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By Clayton Davis According To The Daily) The buzz on potential Oscar contenders from the first half of 2024 seems quieter than usual. Nonetheless, stars such as Zendaya, Cannes winner Jesse Plemons and Hollywood’s new “hit man,” Glen Powell, will be among those hoping to stay afloat in the awards conversation until the end of the season. Significant financial successes from the top of the box office charts are worth celebrating. Warner Bros.’ sci-fi epic sequel, “Dune: Part Two,” could become the seventh movie nominated in all seven technical categories, following its 2022 predecessor. Pixar’s big comeback, “Inside Out 2,” might vie for more than just a spot in the best animated feature category. This year also features several one-offs — films hoping for one or two mentions ...

Jul12024 by cineverseNo Comments

Usher, Victoria Monét and Tyla Win Big at 2024 BET Awards

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By Steven J. Horowitz According To The Daily) Usher, Victoria Monét and Tyla were just a few of the big winners at the 2024 BET Awards, which took place in Los Angeles tonight at the Peacock Theatre. Taraji P. Henson hosted the four-hour show, which featured a parade of performances from Lauryn Hill, Will Smith, Megan Thee Stallion, Ice Spice, Childish Gambino, GloRilla and many, many more. Of the standout moments of the night, the tribute to Usher in honor of his Lifetime Achievement Award victory was a centerpiece. Usher, who received an introduction from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, watched as a parade of artists paid tribute to his career. Childish Gambino, who had just presented the award for album of the year to Killer Mike for “Michael,” set off the Usher tribute...

Jun302024 by cineverseNo Comments

Morgan Freeman Slams AI Voice Imitations of Himself, Thanks Fans for Calling Out the ‘Scam’

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By Selena Kuznikov According To The Daily) Morgan Freeman shared a note giving thanks to his fans Friday morning, expressing gratitude for users’ efforts calling out unauthorized AI imitations of the actor’s recognizable voice. The celebrated 87-year-old actor has become legend for his narration in films such as “March of the Penguins,” “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Million Dollar Baby.” The sterling reputation of Freeman’s voice has made him a particularly popular target of AI-generated voice imitations, including in a recent viral series of TikToks created by a woman posing as the actor’s “nepo niece.” Freeman is not a fan of the practice. “Thank you to my incredible fans for your vigilance and support in calling out the unauthorized use of an A.I. voice im...

Jun302024 by cineverseNo Comments

The Ho-Hum Box Office of Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon’ Carries a Message: Don’t Turn Movies Into Television

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By Owen Gleiberman According To The Daily) It’s an old saw in Hollywood that you shouldn’t put your own money into a movie. But I’ve always had a powerful respect for anyone who does. Clearly, it’s a sign of their commitment — that they care enough about what they’re doing to have some skin in the game. I also think there’s an intoxicating roll-of-the-dice payoff in play: If you put your own money into a movie, your investment could hit the jackpot. (That’s what happened with Mel Gibson and “The Passion of the Christ” and George Lucas with “Star Wars.”) And, of course, there’s the admirable idea that those who self-finance are trying to bring a film into the marketplace that a corporate studio said no to. That’s one way that motion pictures can stay adventurous. So the reckless ...

Jun302024 by cineverseNo Comments

Vijay Sethupathi Talks ‘Maharaja’ Magic, Fatherhood and Cross-Industry Leap: ‘Life Is a Beautiful Script’ (EXCLUSIVE)

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By Naman Ramachandran According To The Daily) From accountant to acting powerhouse, Indian actor Vijay Sethupathi‘s 50-film journey has been anything but ordinary. The actor’s 50th film, the Tamil-language “Maharaja,” written and directed by Nithilan Saminathan (“Kurangu Bommai”), is an action-packed saga that blends thriller elements with family drama and has a father-daughter relationship at its core. It has emerged as one of the biggest Tamil hits of the year. The actor says he didn’t specifically choose “Maharaja” as a milestone project, but he was drawn to the story and the director’s energy. “We do all the films with so much fear and passion. We just wanted to do what we had imagined,” Sethupathi told Variety about the film’s success. “We didn’t expect th...

Jun292024 by cineverseNo Comments

Kalki 2898 AD’ Review: Lavish Tollywood Sci-Fi Epic Is an Unabashedly Derivative Spectacle

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By Joe Leydon According To The Daily) With “Kalki 2898 AD,” Telugu cinema filmmaker Nag Ashwin rifles through a century of sci-fi and fantasy extravaganzas to create a wildly uneven mashup of everything from Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” to Marvel Comics movies, underpinned by elements from the Hindu epic poem “Mahabharata.” It’s billed, perhaps optimistically, as the first chapter of the Kalki Cinematic Universe franchise — which makes it part of a larger trend, since it launches the same weekend that Kevin Costner’s multi-film “Horizon” saga does in the U.S. International viewers unfamiliar with the specifics of the ancient Kurukshetra War between the Kauravas and the Pandavas — think Hatfields and McCoys, only with chariots and spears — may want to brush up on Indi...

Jun262024 by cineverseNo Comments

Andie MacDowell’s ‘The Way Home’ Is the Way Forward for Hallmark Channel

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By Megan Vick According To The Daily) The first word that comes to mind when most people think of Hallmark Channel is Christmas. The network has made its name (and a lot of its money) on its annual holiday fare that guarantees light-hearted, family-friendly fun, whether you are watching ironically or not. The patented formula of its Christmas movies is a comfort for the droves that watch every year, but Hallmark frequently gets overlooked when it puts down the tinsel and Santa cookie cutters. This should be the year that changes, because Hallmark has one of the best shows on TV. The multi-generational time-travel drama “The Way Home” is the brainchild of Marly Reed and mother-daughter showrunners Heather Conkie and Alexandra Clarke. It’s one of Hallmark’s biggest hits ...