Few movies have been discussed so much and seen so little as Hitler, A Film From Germany, the 1977 magnum opus from German director Hans-Jurgen Syberberg. It played a succession of international festivals, including Cannes, then got very slowly got released in a handful of countries (in the US as Our Hitler)-but to what extent? It's quite possible this seven-hour behemoth hasn't been screened in the Bay Area since a reported Palace of Fine Arts showing 48 years ago.
On this sleepy New England island filled with cedar shingle houses, working harbors and coastal charm, the legacy of Jaws feels less like a Hollywood film set and more like something you can still step into. When Steven Spielberg arrived over fifty years ago to shoot the now-classic film, he barely had to do anything by way of set dressing-he merely had to capture Martha's Vineyard as it was in order to portray the fictional Amity Island.
Steven Soderbergh has a certain superpower, not always bestowed on even the most important directors: a capacity to surprise. This is a restlessly productive film-maker, travelling light creatively, developing eclectic projects, shooting on digital, using intimate locations and getting the very best from an invariably classy cast. He has recently found himself in the UK and his latest London-set movie is terrifically exhilarating and funny, as bracing as a large vodka and tonic before lunch: fast, literate and funny with a key plot progression elliptically and unsentimentally managed.
Universal’s announcement confirms that digital copies will feature “over one hour of exclusive behind-the-scenes bonus content featuring your favorite characters,” including the following featurettes: NEXT LEVEL: MAKING THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE - Go behind the scenes of this epic journey across the cosmos as the visionary creators at Nintendo, the acclaimed filmmakers and artists of Illumination, and the extraordinary cast who redefined these iconic characters reveal the artistry behind every meticulously crafted moment.
Set on a major motion picture set, in which the chaotic soundstage mimics the real-world climate crisis, the director, Maria, tries to keep her production on track in this sharp-witted, energetic comedy. Egos clash, secrets spill and hard truths are faced as the crew responds to an existential predicament with movie magic.
“The film is really kind of about invisible labor and what that means - people that are working behind the scenes getting stuff done, but they're not being recognized for it.”
Butterfly Jam is contrived, tonally uncertain, implausible and frankly plain silly in its underpowered kind of magic-unrealism, with some clunky secondhand Mean Streets mob-fraternal dialogue and pedantic ethnic-foodie cred, and elliptically positioning key scenes off camera for no obviously satisfying reason.
The program, which kicks off on May 13, will bring a series of family-friendly films to 285 Cinemark theaters across the country. Showings will run from June 1 through August 6, but tickets are already available on Cinemark.com, in the app, and at participating box offices. The price for tickets? Just $1.75.
Through May 25th, The Criterion Collection is taking 30 percent off every disc on its site, including standard Blu-rays, 4K releases, box sets, and even films that are currently only available to preorder.
Genre gem Steve Buscemi, Ben Foster, Devery Jacobs, Lochlyn Munro, Tantoo Cardinal, Joel D. Montgrand, Sofia Grace Clifton, and Oscar-winner Amy Madigan are joining the series. That a handful of these actors are indigenous might speak somewhat to the focus or setting of the season - but it's also interesting to see Madigan's name on the list. It's only been a few months since the actress took home the Oscar for her chilling role in Weapons, but her long and prosperous road to the Academy Awards quickly cemented her as a new horror icon.
“Good, but never gonna be great,” Jimmy says. “The machine is fast and cooperative, I'll give it that. But I saw every one of those jokes coming, and so did you. Surprising only comes from a group of writers, huddled in a corner, beating themselves up to beat out a better joke. It's the chubby guy who's a secret alcoholic. It's the gay guy who, despite all the work he's done, still hates himself a little. Or the funny woman who's been invisible for way too long. They turn all that pain into a joke. Val, those broken, beautiful souls are what make something great. And you didn't see it coming.”
The significance of kabuki in Japanese society - the dynasties of famous actors who pass down their stage name to male heirs, the allegorical play structures, and the intensive technique men follow while playing female roles - makes it a ripe source of melodrama and stylistic invention for Japanese artists who have been inspired and impacted by classical theatre.
Nippon Sangoku was absolutely not on my radar this season. I heard the manga was good, but that's all I knew. Although I consider myself a bit of an anime nerd, the animation studio behind it, Studio Kafka, was also a blind spot for me-and for good reason. Other than animating one episode of the Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 compilation, Studio Kafka is only known for working on season two of The Ancient Magus' Bride .
The actor Gary Lydon had the ideal face for a policeman, and the look of a man who had seen almost everything, yet in most of his roles there remained an air of humanity behind that lurking suspicion so admired by casting directors.
Amidst the crumbling post-war city is Murakami (Toshiro Mifune), a recently-promoted homicide detective. In the overwhelming sticky heat, he's on an overcrowded bus, the waft of stale perfume and a screaming baby creating an unbearable atmosphere. As he finally exits, he realizes his gun has been stolen. Despite chasing the assailant, Murakami comes up short, unable to get his weapon back.
Hocus Pocus became a Halloween go-to all the way back in 1993, and now it's tripling down on its success. Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock According to , Hocus Pocus 3 is officially in early development at Disney, with Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, and Sarah Jessica Parker all expected to return. The trio originated the roles of the witchy Sanderson sisters in the original 1993 movie directed by Disney legend Kenny Ortega, and it quickly became a go-to Halloween movie (and Halloween costume) for decades after.
Adapting that gimmick into a live-action movie requires a delicate balancing act of taking the whole thing extremely seriously while also embracing the absurdity of it all. Critics are split on whether Mortal Kombat II succeeds at this thankless task. Some are calling it a decently fun time watching weirdos beat the crap out of each other. Meanwhile, at least one review accused it of being a sequel that "combines direct-to-video schlock with blockbuster boredom."
A History of the United States in 100 Objects - hosted by Roman Mars and produced by BBC Studios and 99% Invisible - tells that history one thing at a time. A gold coin from an 1857 shipwreck that triggered a financial panic. An antebellum schoolbook that became an instrument of Black liberation. A ceramic dalmatian from the set of Wheel of Fortune. Or a tiny screw that shows how the US created a hidden industrial empire.
Grief fits no narrative, no timeline with a clear beginning and end. Knowing exactly what happened rarely does anything for the grief-stricken but imply that grief is little more than an informational matter.
'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' became the first 'Pirates' film to cross a billion dollars and probably the first film based on a theme park ride to do that, too.
