Count Lionsgate/MRC’s Knives Out among the strong wave of paid previews of late at the box office. The Rian Johnson-directed ensemble pic grossed $2M from 936 major and regional theaters over Friday and Saturday 7PM shows. These early paid previews indicate, seriously, early interest in a movie more than when a studio screens a pic for free and feasibly fills up seats in advance of its opening.

Knives Out starts previews again on Tuesday and opens Wednesday in 3,300 theaters with an anticipated $20M+ start over the 5-day stretch. Rivals anticipate even more off the pic’s 96% certified fresh Rotten Tomatoes score. Who doesn’t star in this movie? Who does star is Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Christopher Plummer, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martell. Pic revolves around Plummer’s character who is found dead after his 85th birthday. As his heirs swirls his estate, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) tries to find out who killed him.

"Across the US this Friday and Saturday, movie-going friends and families packed AMC Theatres for early screenings of Knives Out,” said Elizabeth Frank, executive VP of Worldwide Programming and Chief Content Officer for AMC Theatres. “Social media buzz makes it clear this will be a holiday hit.”

AMC was just one of the exhibition partners participating in the early access sneak program.

Other wide recent paid previews of late include Warner Bros.’ Fandango preview screening back in March at 1,200, which made $3.3M, DreamWorks Animation-Fandango preview of How to Train Your Dragon 3 ($2.6M) earlier this year, Atom & Amazon’s WB preview of Aquaman ($2.9M), Atom/Amazon’s previews of Sony’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle ($1.8M) and Hotel Transylvania 3 ($1.3M) and Warner Bros. 100 Dolby+500 premium Tuesday-Wednesday previews of A Star Is Born, which made $1.35M before its start. Some studios also do these paid previews in a limited amount of theaters, i.e. Rocketman grossed $580K before its official Thursday previews.

https://deadline.com/2019/11/knives-out-paid-weekend-previews-1202794073/

اجتمع المنتج جمال سنان - Eagle Films بالنجم العالمي ميل غيبسون والنجم العالمي فرانك غريللو والمخرج جو كارناهان، في لوس أنجلوس الأسبوع الماضي، حيث اتفق سنان مع غيبسون على الانطلاق بالتحضيرات لتصوير فيلم Leo From Toledo، حيث ستشارك شركة Eagle Films بإنتاجه كما توزيعه حصرياً في الشرق الأوسط.

الفيلم يحكي قصة قاتل هارب يلتجئ لحماية أحد الشهود على جريمته ويواجه مصاعب كثيرة، يتشارك فيه غيبسون البطولة مع فرانك غريللو تحت إدارة كارناهان وتأليف دان كاسي، وسيتم تصويره قريباً، على أن يبصر النور في الـ2020

When Scarlett Johansson
first sees Chris Evans at our
photo shoot, she lets out a
shriek of joy. It’s as if she’s
spotted a long-lost relative,
and, in a way, she has —
Johansson and Evans first
met in their late teens on the
comedy “The Perfect Score,”
played a romantic duet in
“The Nanny Diaries” and went
on to land lead roles in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe,
which reached a crescendo
this past spring with “Avengers:
Endgame.” This winter, both
successfully pivot away from
superheroics: Johansson plays
an actor suffering through
a difficult divorce in Noah
Baumbach’s “Marriage Story,”
and a mother in Holocaust
Germany in Taika Waititi’s
satirical “Jojo Rabbit.” Evans,
far from the virtuous Captain
America, is the snobbish
grandson of a famous novelist
in Rian Johnson’s tantalizing
murder mystery “Knives Out.”

CHRIS EVANS: I just did see “Marriage
Story,” and it’s phenomenal.
I’ll be shocked if you’re not showered
with awards, but what made
you want to tell that story? It’s
heavy. It’s dark.
SCARLETT JOHANSSON:
Probably 10 years ago, Noah and
I tried to work on something else
together. We kind of developed for
a little bit, and then it didn’t end
up being right, and by the time it
was ready to shoot, I was kind of
past it. It wasn’t the right fit.
I’m sure you’ve probably had
that experience before, where you
feel like maybe something didn’t
work out professionally and
you’re like: “Well, there goes that
relationship.” That’s never happened
to you?
EVANS: No.
JOHANSSON: Yeah, right. I was so
surprised when he called me years
later to meet and talk about something.
It totally came out of the
blue. I met with him in New York,
and it was like no time had passed
at all. We kind of shifted right into
this moment where he pitched me
this story a little bit, and I myself
was actually in the middle of going
through a divorce. It was such a
strange coincidence.
EVANS: How much of the script
was on the page already prior to
signing on?
JOHANSSON: It was nothing. It
was just a concept.
EVANS: Wow! Did you have input?
Because one of the things that is
so tragic about it is that, when you
think of a divorce story, you imagine
much more about contentious,
prickly, almost enemies. But a lot
of the movie, there’s two people
trying to make it work.
JOHANSSON: When I received
the script, we’d spoken so much
about our relationships — and
what it was like to be single parents,
and our families — and all of
that stuff kind of made it in there.
It’s complicated, right?
EVANS: It’s heartbreaking.
JOHANSSON: I know even when
we were doing all of the “Endgame”
and “Infinity War” stuff, you were
prepping for “Knives Out” already.
EVANS: Yeah. We were doing the
reshoots for those last couple of
bits. I don’t know if you were there.
You were so in and out, because
you died. If you haven’t seen it —
JOHANSSON: Maybe too bad! I
was talking to Noah while we were
doing “Infinity War” and “Endgame”
stuff. It was something for
me to hold on to during those
often tedious days of whatever. All
that action storytelling that we
have to do where you have to be in
it for these little segments of time.
EVANS: There’s a lot of things
about those movies where it’s not
just the actual filmmaking process.
It’s very start, stop, start, stop with
little bits and pieces of the action.
Plus, it’s roles that we’ve played for
a really long time, really familiar.
No disrespect to those movies — I
love those movies — but to come
off of them and have a completely
different approach to find a character,
to collaborating with other
artists, it’s just unchartered waters
coming off a Marvel movie. It’s just
exciting to get a change of pace.
JOHANSSON: How does it work
with Rian?
EVANS: He’s wonderful. He knows
what he wants. I love the idea of
writer-director combos, because
when a bunch of people read one
piece of material, we all have a
subjective opinion on what to interpret.
When you have a writer-director,
they can say: “No, this is exactly
what I meant.” Rian is very task
attuned. Two takes and you’re done.
JOHANSSON: Really?
EVANS: Which, as an actor, you’re
terrified, because if you give me 50
takes, I’ll take them.
JOHANSSON: How come you
don’t ask for more?
EVANS: It takes me a couple of
days to get comfortable on set
to do that. Because if you ask for
more, and they don’t get better, it’s
going to be harder to ask for more
in the future.
JOHANSSON: That’s a funny way
of looking at it.
EVANS: Yeah. It’s a really insecure,
egoic way of looking at it.
JOHANSSON: I feel if you have
an idea for something, and this is
probably good advice for actors
that are kind of coming up or
starting out in film, you should
ask for another take. Or you feel
maybe you have something else
in you that you’re curious about,
you should ask for another take
because it will haunt you forever.
EVANS: Sure.
JOHANSSON: Noah is in stark
contrast to Rian. He’s relentless,
and you can do 50 takes. He only
uses one camera, and he’s very
specific about the words are the
words. Every hesitation, every
unfinished sentence, everyone
talking over one another is all
completely scripted.
EVANS: Nothing is improvised in
that movie?
JOHANSSON: Not a single word.
EVANS: You guys both need
Oscars, because I was like, “Oh, this
is improvised.” It’s like theater.
JOHANSSON: It totally was like
theater. I wanted to ask you about
your experience in theater too,
because you’re so good.
EVANS: It’s like you’re my only
actor friend that actually came
to see the play [2018’s Broadway
revival of “Lobby Hero”].
JOHANSSON: They paid me.
EVANS: Yup.
JOHANSSON: Were you nervous
before you did it?
EVANS: Terrified. After a while,
the process of filmmaking does get
stale. You just want to try and find
a new way into what has become
very familiar. I think what I was
hunting for was that prolonged
period of time within a scene,
thinking it would allow this liberation.
It couldn’t have been more to
the contrary. When you’re onstage
it’s just like, “Man!” — because you
have so much to remember.
JOHANSSON: I didn’t feel that
way watching you though.
EVANS: Original content, it’s not
there very often. That is one of the
best things about “Knives Out.” It
was something that I read that felt
fresh and new. I think this weird
chicken-and-the-egg thing, who
started it? Did audiences only start
going to lowbrow stuff, so that’s
what we started making? Or is
it that we made it first, and now
that’s all we’re offered?
JOHANSSON: Hey, speak for yourself.
It’s interesting, because a couple
of people in the past couple of
days have mentioned to me that
a couple of extremely esteemed
directors have been really vocal
When Scarlett Johansson
first sees Chris Evans at our
photo shoot, she lets out a
shriek of joy. It’s as if she’s
spotted a long-lost relative,
and, in a way, she has —
Johansson and Evans first
met in their late teens on the
comedy “The Perfect Score,”
played a romantic duet in
“The Nanny Diaries” and went
on to land lead roles in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe,
which reached a crescendo
this past spring with “Avengers:
Endgame.” This winter, both
successfully pivot away from
superheroics: Johansson plays
an actor suffering through
a difficult divorce in Noah
Baumbach’s “Marriage Story,”
and a mother in Holocaust
Germany in Taika Waititi’s
satirical “Jojo Rabbit.” Evans,
far from the virtuous Captain
America, is the snobbish
grandson of a famous novelist
in Rian Johnson’s tantalizing
murder mystery “Knives Out.”
Actors on Actors 71
72 Actors on Actors
Actors on Actors 73
about how the whole Marvel universe
and big blockbusters are
really, like, “despicable” and “the
death of cinema.” At first I thought
that seems kind of old-fashioned,
and somebody had to explain to
me, because it seemed so disappointing
and sad in a way. They
said, “I think what these people are
saying is that at the actual theater,
there’s not a lot of room for different
kinds of movies, or smaller
movies, because the theater is
taken up by huge blockbusters.”
It made me think about how
people consume content now,
and how there’s been this huge
sea change with their viewing
experience.
EVANS: I think original content
inspires creative content. I think
new stuff is what keeps the creative
wheel rolling. I just believe
there’s room at the table for all of
it. It’s like saying a certain type of
music isn’t music. Who are you to
say that?
JOHANSSON: What are you looking
for now?
EVANS: Every couple of months,
I decide I’m done acting. This has
been my thing for decades now.
I’m always looking for a way out,
but I do love it. I think TV right
now, those creative minds are
given a bit more freedom. It feels
like movies sometimes get inundated
with studio notes, and all of
a sudden, what was once an original
idea becomes boiled down to
the lowest common denominator,
and then you have no one’s favorite
movie but everyone’s lukewarm
movie. I think that’s why people
may be turning away, and looking
to things like streaming service
shows that actually are innovative.
JOHANSSON: When I read the
script for “Jojo Rabbit,” I had never
seen anything like it before. But
that film found its way through
Fox Searchlight. That studio
doesn’t shy away from stuff that’s
subversive, and they’re happy to
give it a theatrical release. There’s
room for independent film for
sure. I think people want diversity.
They want to see different things.
What I’m actually curious
about: You’re kind of looking at it
as a director, if there’s something
that continues to interest you?
Where is your head with that stuff?
EVANS: I’m trying to direct, but
I don’t have the courage or focus
to write. The hardest thing is finding
material. The good material
isn’t just sitting there untouched.
It’s tough to find. When I directed,
one of the tricky things was, I
found some little broken-bird
script, and I thought, “Oh, I can
nurse this thing back to health.” In
retrospect, I do think even the best
version of the movie I directed,
there may have been a ceiling
based on the material. If it’s not
on the page, I may have been —
I don’t want to say naive — hopeful
that we could elevate it beyond
what the potential seemed to be.
You know what I’m curious
about? Scarlett, what was it like
meeting for the first time? What’s it
been like working with me? Be nice.
JOHANSSON: I’m trying to
remember. It must have been on
the set of “The Perfect Score” at
some point in our rehearsal. We
had a very at the time in-the-moment
teen comedy, that actually
now is somehow maybe relevant
— about an SAT scandal.
EVANS: It was almost 20 years ago.
JOHANSSON: Yeah, it feels like a
long time ago. We were just children
then.
EVANS: I think we all went out
one night, and you couldn’t get in
the club.
JOHANSSON: Because I was 17.
Yup, those were the days. You’ve
always been such a great actor. You
were great then, and so incredibly
photogenic, and you just came
alive on screen in a way that’s
very uncommon. It was so nice to
work with you, because I felt we
had great chemistry as actors, and
there was a naturalistic approach
that I felt. Then we also got to work
together on “The Nanny Diaries.”
EVANS: Having “Avengers” be the
biggest movie of all time —
JOHANSSON: Is it the biggest
movie of all time? Wow. We really
do need to go on vacation.
EVANS: We’ve been trying to organize
this “Avengers” vacation. We
deserve a little victory lap. It’s not
just wonderful because you get to
be a part of a pop culture phenomenon,
the same way “Star Wars”
impacted me. But I think what
really will stay with me is the fact
that the people we got to work
with, truly there is not a bad apple
in the bunch.
JOHANSSON: It’s funny, because
I remember back in “Iron Man 2”
days, I think you had just finished
filming the first “Cap.” It was so
interesting that you and I were
coming together again. We had
no idea what we were making. It
was just impossible to know what
a phenomenon the Marvel Cinematic
Universe or “The Avengers”
would be. You jump at the chance,
but having been through it myself
with a partner that I was with,
who also had another big iconic
superhero thing he was working
on, it’s the pressure. You don’t
know how it’s going to go, right? It
seems ridiculous now, but it could
be career-ending.
EVANS: Yeah. I feel unbelievably
lucky to have been a part of something
like that. It will be one of my
treasured memories of life. Even
when we went on to do “Avengers,”
the first one, I think everybody
was feeling very uneasy about the
concept. It was just so absurd. It
was a big endeavor. If this doesn’t
work, the pipe dream that we’ve
been hearing about could derail
very quickly.
JOHANSSON: Were you shocked
by how well the first “Avengers” did?
EVANS: After that, I knew there
was a chance this could be something
big.
JOHANSSON: Would you come
back?
EVANS: To Marvel? Wow. Everything
clicks when I get up. Recovery
is not the same. You never say never.
I love the character. I don’t know.
JOHANSSON: Not a hard no.
EVANS: It’s not a hard no, but it’s
not an eager yes either. There
are other things that I’m working
on right now. I think Cap
had such a tricky act to stick the
landing, and I think they did a
really nice job letting him complete
his journey. If you’re going
to revisit it, it can’t be a cash grab.
It can’t be just because the audience
wants to be excited. What are
we revealing? What are we adding
to the story? A lot of things would
have to come together.
JOHANSSON: It’s not obvious.
EVANS: It doesn’t feel, at this
time, that would be a thing.
JOHANSSON: I wasn’t there for
the last third of the film or whatever.
I actually had no idea what
was going to happen. I don’t know
how it worked, exactly, if it was
scripted. It was such a beautiful
cathartic ending, and I loved that
for Steve. I think he deserved that.
It was all his happiness.
EVANS: It’d be a shame to sour
that. I’m very protective of it. It
was such a precious time, and
jumping onto the movie was a
terrifying prospect to me. I said
no a bunch of times, and there’s
a million and one ways it could
have gone wrong. It almost feels
like maybe we should let this
one sit.
“ M O V I E S G E T I N U N D AT E D
W I T H S T U D I O N O T E S ,
A N D W H AT WA S A N
O R I G I N A L I D E A
B E C O M E S B O I L E D D O W N
T O T H E L O W E S T C O M M O N
D E N O M I N AT O R .”
Chris Evans

https://hawk5.dmsukltd.com/Home/WholeArticlePublic/19509133-bd5d-48c3-ad88-3bf0ecd86942

Charlize Theron enters this year’s Oscar race with “Bombshell,” a docudrama
about the sexual harassment scandal at Fox News. Theron plays a morally complicated
Megyn Kelly, suffering the personal consequences of becoming the news. Adam Driver
has as complex a claim to our loyalties in “Marriage Story,” in which his character,
Charlie, is forced to negotiate a divorce with an actor (Scarlett Johansson) whose
viewpoint audience members will sometimes support and sometimes oppose.

CHARLIZE THERON: I don’t
know Noah Baumbach’s writing
process, but I feel like he has ideas
in his head, and they’re there kind
of permeating for a long period.
Did he bring up the idea of “Marriage
Story” to you?
ADAM DRIVER: We’d been
talking about “What are we going
to do next?” for a while. But he
had already been taking notes on
this. And we talked about making
a “Company” movie — would
that work? Because it is kind of an
abstract musical, maybe you could
make it very cinematic. And the
more we’d just start talking about
it, the more I’m like, “We should do
that.” And then he started meeting
with me. It turned into a very
organic thing. I think the good
thing about working with friends is
you get things out of the way faster.
THERON: It’s like an unspoken
understanding.
DRIVER: There’s no worry about
“Does this person like me? Am
I giving them what they want?”
I know — not exactly what he’s
going for — but I know what the
boundaries are.
THERON: This is a very personal
story for Noah, right?
DRIVER: It is, but it’s kind of a
personal thing for everybody.
Everybody brought their history
to it. I think that’s where it kind of
started, and evolved into this thing
where it was easy for everyone to
make it as personal as possible.
THERON: Is your process always
the same? Is the material informing
you, or do you just rely fully on
your director? What was that process
like to find this character?
DRIVER: Well, for this, it’s so much
in the script. And because we had
been talking about it for so long —
I always feel like sometimes you
start a movie, and it’s not until you
put on a costume, or you’re a week
into shooting already, and you’re
like, “OK, now I know what I want
to do.” But because we had been
working on it for so long, day one I
felt everyone had a sense of what it
was that we wanted to do. I already
know with Noah: It is very much
like theater, that the script isn’t
changing. But he has designed the
schedule to give us a lot of takes
and a lot of different ways, because
I know there’s no right way to do
a scene.
THERON: So you do a lot of takes?
He loves to do a lot of takes?
DRIVER: Yeah, as do I. I love it
because it’s like a whole theater
run condensed into a day.
THERON: Do you feel like every
take, just a part of it changes?
DRIVER: It’s hard to say. I’m not
always the best judge of that,
because I think I would have
changed something and it’s been
like tectonic shifts. But it’s in
degrees. Sometimes we just do one
because we know this is not right,
but maybe it’ll open something
else up that we hadn’t thought
about. And I think you can only
really do that with good writing,
too, because good writing is so rich
and it does open your imagination.
If it’s bad writing, it’s that way.
THERON: Somebody said the
other day, “That’s when actors act.”
When the writing is bad, that’s
when actors act. But good writing
can also inspire other things
to kind of come out. Does that
happen? Is that allowed?
DRIVER: We’re militant with
what the lines are, but intention is
totally open.
THERON: Because there were
these amazing moments where
I felt like you and Scarlett were
finding thoughts and arguments.
And I could see you guys finding
it, which is crazy to think, because
I’m like, “They’ve had this material.
They’ve studied it; they’ve
worked with this.” And yet you
guys are doing it in a way where
it feels like I can see you coming
to the conclusion, or the argument,
or the point, which is so
impressive.
DRIVER: I lucked out on a scene
partner. And Noah is giving us
a note, or he’ll give her a note
that he doesn’t tell me — or the
Actors on Actors 91
opposite — that we get to do, that
when you really trust the people
that you are working with, and
the day is organized to help you,
because as you know, nothing is
really set to help you on a film set.
Nothing is in place to help you do
your job.
THERON: You have a moment
with Scarlett — it’s gut-wrenching.
You say that you’ve imagined
her getting an illness, and then she
dies. And in that moment, which
is so raw, because it’s completely
relatable — we can all relate to
that, right? And the shame after
we say that. But in that moment,
I literally in seconds experienced
hating you, loathing you. And by
the time you’re down on your
knees crying, so connected to you.
Is there a part of you as an actor
that worries sometimes, where you
go, “Is this a moment where somebody’s
going to emotionally tap
out if I say this?” Or do you look at
that as a moment of challenge?
DRIVER: Loyalty and switching
allegiance as an audience is something
that Noah and I had talked
about, that he had brought up: “I
really always wanted to make a
movie where your loyalty really
switches, where you’re with Scarlett
for the first half and you hate
that character, and then suddenly
you actually start to meet Charlie
and have it different.” It’s either
truthful, which is not for me to say,
and if it’s not, then it was unsuccessful.
But being liked is something
I don’t think about, or I
try not to. Do you put characters
away while you’re making them
or immediately after it’s over? Or
does it still live in you for a while?
THERON: It was hard. It definitely
took discipline for me to get to
that place. But I feel like now I’ve
kind of perfected it. And I do it for
many reasons. I do it because if
I stay in it for too long, I become
incredibly exhausted — emotionally
exhausted. That process is
very hard for me. … I’m not walking
around being Megyn Kelly, or
Aileen Wuornos, or any of the characters
that I’ve played before. I can
switch that off. And I can do it in
between too. I don’t speak in the
voice the whole time. I know I’m
emotionally much braver when I
don’t overthink it and I come from
a place that’s a little bit more raw.
DRIVER: Yeah. And speaking of
likability, did that come into your
thoughts at all?
THERON: I mean, I’ve built a
career on playing people that you
don’t like.
DRIVER: It’s not even an idea that
makes sense to me.
THERON: For me, it’s a very personal
connection that I have to
find with the person that I’m playing,
that has to make sense. I have
to get to a place where I can actually
say to myself, “This makes
sense to me. I relate. I understand.”
Megyn Kelly can be incredibly
polarizing. There are things about
her that live in the extreme. People
either love her or they hate her.
And she makes no excuses for that.
And so, those are the rules that are
handed to me. I have to obey those
rules. I have to listen to what she’s
saying. There’s a part of her that is
so amplified — she comes across
really abrasive sometimes, and
somewhat aggressive and cold. All
of these things that are not necessarily
qualities that make you
want to hug a person.
But I would be lying if I didn’t
say that I can relate to being a
woman on a different degree,
experiencing those same thoughts
about me. I have heard people
describe me as cold, or hard, or
a bitch. You know what I mean?
I can always find that thing that
might not be so attractive and
bring it back to just human circumstance.
That’s a human that I
know. The perfect stuff is hard for
me to relate to.
DRIVER: That’s one of my favorite
things about other actors, or
being an actor, is it forces you to be
empathetic. It forces you to exercise
that muscle in a way that I
think most jobs don’t ask you to.
THERON: Completely. And just
when you think you have it down,
the universe will kind of remind
you that you need to work harder
at that. And so this was definitely
a reminder for me, at this part of
my career, of just going like, “That
muscle needs to be worked a little
harder.” Megyn Kelly made it really
challenging for me.

Variety

The Costume Designers Guild announced Wednesday that Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron will be honored with the spotlight award.

The Spotlight Award honors an actor whose talent and career personify an enduring commitment to excellence, including a special awareness of the role and importance of costume design. “Charlize Theron is a costume designer’s dream, bringing integrity and style to every character she embodies, including her roles in ‘Long Shot’ and ‘Bombshell’ this year,” said the Guild in a statement.

Also at this year’s ceremony, Adam McKay will be the recipient of the collaborator award, while former owner of Bill Hargate Costumes, Mary Ellen Fields, will receive the service award.

McKay joins Ryan Murphy, Meryl Streep and Quentin Tarantino as recipients of the collaborator award. The award honors individuals who demonstrate unwavering support of costume design and creative partnerships with costume designers.

Mary Ellen Fields began her career constructing costumes for a local college. She eventually moved to Los Angeles, where she met Bill Hargate, assuming the role of manager at Bill Hargate Costumes. Over the years, they built a team of cutters and stitchers, building a loyal group of designers from both the world of TV and film.

Fields will receive the 2020 distinguished service award which honors individuals whose specialties and talents contribute to the craft and art of costume design.

Theron, McKay and Fields will join Michael Kaplan, who as previously announced, will receive this year’s career achievement award from J.J. Abrams. The nominees for the 22nd CDGA will be announced on Dec. 10.

The 22nd Annual Costume Designer Guild Awards will be held on Jan. 28 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

https://variety.com/2019/artisans/awards/costume-designers-guild-awards-to-honor-charlize-theron-with-the-spotlight-award-exclusive-1203402350/

The James Bond actor on his new comedy Knives Out, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the problem with social media, and why he’s not grumpy
Daniel Craig is happy to break out of his 007 straitjacket

Watching the detective: Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc in Knives Out

Daniel Craig is in an ebullient mood, despite being frantic with the making of the heavily scrutinised next James Bond film. The latest global romp will be called No Time to Die. “Oh, that’s the title, yes,” he laughs, brain frazzled, when reminded. He’s a blast of conversation from the start. It will be released in April. So what is the most interesting thing the actor can say, right now, about his fifth and final outing as the world’s randiest spy?

“Well, I’d like to give you a breakdown of my week, but people would just think I was complaining,” he explains, his voice gruff and loud, a man you could understand perfectly in a packed bar. “But every day has an intensity to it. We’re trying to make the best f****** Bond movie we can. Pulling out all the stops. If we aim for the stars, we might hit the treetops.” He pauses, briefly. “The most interesting thing? Yesterday I was up to my neck in water for 12 hours.”

He talks quickly. This is his first big interview in years, and there is a lot to cover. Honest and funny, he is a man so confident in his own skin that he never does what most of his peers do, which is to think before answering a question. It is a thrill: thoughts burst out that lead to a random unpacking of his brain. He isn’t meant to be like this. In person he scowls, he has played history’s most furious Bond for more than a decade and more than once has been snapped by paps sticking up his middle finger. Such are the reasons Craig has a reputation for putting up barriers in front of barriers, for being a bit of a grump.

Is that fair? “Probably,” he replies. “But then I don’t do much to dispel it, because I’d just be chasing my tail to prove that I’m not the person people think I am. You know, I probably don’t have a particularly good public persona. Some do. Some can go on talk shows and tell stories, but I’m just not wired that way. I don’t know what to say. I can try, but people would go, ‘What’s he doing?’ They’d go, ‘Where is the grumpy f*****?’”

“But I’m not grumpy,” he continues, with a booming laugh. “Genuinely, I’m not. I hope you can tell. I love what I do. I love this business, and I don’t mind talking to journalists. I mean, I don’t love it. Yet I don’t mind talking about stuff I love. That’s easy. But I just grew up in an era when, if you were trying to be an artist, you didn’t look for approval. You didn’t look for likes. You just did your thing. And this? This is what I do. Who am I personally? It has nothing to do with anybody, except for the people in my life.”

So what changed? When did people start to care what others thought? “It’s social media,” he says, spitting the words out. “There is a constant looking, in life, for approval, and it really jars with me. But I’m a 51-year-old man. Nobody listens to me. Or they will stop listening to me sooner rather than later, so it doesn’t really matter what I think. But I grew up when punk rock was on the scene. You want approval? That’s anathema to me. It doesn’t make any sense to me — in art. It’s anti-art. It’s anti-creativity.”

In Craig’s new brainy ride of a film, Knives Out, his character, a suave and tweedy detective from Louisiana called Benoit Blanc, gets lines such as “Nazi child masturbating in the bathroom”. He just doesn’t get to say that as Bond, and this is him letting off steam after the relative creative straitjacket of that role. It is a liberation. Knives Out takes place in a mansion where the patriarch of a ghastly family has been murdered, and Craig must figure out whodunnit. Think a star-studded Miss Marple with Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Plummer and Toni Collette, masterfully plotted and directed with cool pizzazz by Rian Johnson. It is as much fun as you will have in the cinema this year.

Why, then, has it taken Craig so long to do something funny? “Well, nobody offers me parts like this,” he roars. It is a claim that his CV supports. Steven Soderbergh’s absurd 2017 crime caper Logan Lucky aside, this is his first big comedic role. “Believe me, if I’d been offered parts like this in the past 15 years, I would have done them.” (He says all this while cackling.) “I’ve been begging for people to offer me roles like this, but nobody seems to think I can do shit like this. I’ve been playing James Bond for 15 years and people go, ‘Oh, he’s that guy.’ But I’m not that guy. I’m lots of people.”

In fairness, during the first six years of Craig being Bond, he made eight films outside the franchise, whereas in the next nine he made only three, Knives Out included. Maybe directors thought he had lost interest.

“No,” says Craig. “Rather, by the time I’m finished with [a Bond film], I just need a break, and I’m very much about being at home.” His wife, Rachel Weisz, gave birth to their first child last year; the family are based in New York. “This may be hard to believe,” Craig continues, “but I love the fact I’m Bond. We’re in rare air, making Bond movies. It is one of the most intense, fulfilling things I’ve ever done, but it takes a lot of energy and I’m getting old. I’m getting creaky. And so what I do outside of that has got to be really good.”

Also in Knives Out, and stepping away from another iconic role, is Captain America, Chris Evans. “He brought his shield in,” Craig says. Of course he did. “No, he didn’t. I brought my Walther in. No, I didn’t.” I read that when Craig puts on an accent, as in Knives Out, he keeps it when off set. “I don’t know where you heard that,” he scoffs. So it isn’t a weird tic of his? “Weird tic? I’ve got loads of those, but that’s not one of them.”

I tell him I laughed at the big chair in the film that looks like the Iron Throne. “What?” As in Game of Thrones? It was a great pop culture moment; Bond in Westeros. Has he seen the show? “Not an episode, mate. No idea. Wild f****** horses couldn’t drag me [to that].”

Johnson says he and Craig had a “total blast”, and I totally believe him. “One of my favourite things is to give an actor something I haven’t seen them do before,” says the director over email. “Daniel has a great sense of humour, and I knew he would have fun letting loose. We’d laugh our asses off. It felt like we were two kids playing, seeing how far we could push it.”

Despite the frivolity, Knives Out also has a political edge. Weighty themes kick in during a second half in which the white American family Benoit is investigating fear they are going to lose their inheritance money to an immigrant nurse — “Allegories!” Craig barks enthusiastically — and so they gang up to make her a scapegoat.

Did the actor talk to Johnson about what his film was trying to say? “It’s very obvious to me,” he says, even blunter than usual. “I didn’t need a lot of discussion, but it was another reason to do the film. I mean, I love big popcorn movies, nothing gets me more. But there has to be a touch of reality. I want the audience to be plugged into something. Don’t get me wrong, this is a fun watch, but there is a heartbeat and a message, and that makes it richer.”

It is clearly pro-immigration. There are lines about children in cages. Is he worried certain viewers on the political spectrum will feel lectured to? “I’m not responsible for their reaction. I can’t go through life worrying what everybody thinks because I’d get nowhere,” he says. “The message is one of humanity. That’s all. I’m not planting a political flag by doing a film about nasty people and lovely people. It’s just storytelling. I know where you’re going, but do we have to ask that question about every movie we make now? Really?” OK, but ... “Do I believe in the politics of the movie? Yes. Otherwise I wouldn’t do it.”

I ask if he is happy to talk about the notoriously secret new Bond. “Yeah, yeah,” he replies. First, forget that daft misreading of an interview Craig did in 2015, in which he apparently said he would rather slash his wrists than make another 007 film. What he actually said was: “Now? I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment.” He was always contracted to make No Time to Die, and all he meant was that he wanted a break. Now he has had one, and so, after Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre, we get to see him put on the DJ again.

The big news this time is that Phoebe Waller-Bridge has a writing credit. Was it his idea to get her in? “Yeah.” What will she bring to Bond? “You’ll have to wait and see!” he shouts, before laughing. “But she’s just brilliant. I had my eye on her ever since the first Fleabag [TV series], and then I saw Killing Eve and what she did with that and just wanted her voice. It is so unique — we are very privileged to have her on board.”

When I met Craig in 2014, for Spectre, we talked about misogyny in Bond, and the actor said he was pleased that, by casting Monica Bellucci as 007’s similarly aged lover in the film, a dialogue had been started about sexism, wage disparities and similar issues. Waller-Bridge is only the second woman to have a writing credit during the franchise’s 57-year history, after Johanna Harwood on Dr No and From Russia with Love. A cynic might suggest the new recruit has been chosen to help the film look more representative.

“Well, I think Phoebe coming on...” Craig begins. “She has been asked many times about what she is going to do, and her answer is that we’re not really going to change anything. He’s James Bond. But, of course, it’s a different angle to come at ...”

He stops and draws breath.

“Look, we’re having a conversation about Phoebe’s gender here, which is f****** ridiculous. She’s a great writer. Why shouldn’t we get Phoebe onto Bond? That’s the answer to that. I know where you’re going, but I don’t actually want to have that conversation. I know what you’re trying to do, but it’s wrong. It’s absolutely wrong. She’s a f****** great writer. One of the best English writers around. I said, ‘Can we get her on the film?’ That’s where I came from.”

It was then that I realised the more Craig shouts at you, the better things are going. He enjoys this sort of debate and, by virtue of the energetic rate he punches out words, nothing comes across as rude as it seems on the page. He is, instead, brusque and open. Just a really big fan of ironing things out and, like a friend in a pub during a fourth pint argument, any bad blood will be forgotten by the journey home.

He is, in other words, extremely content. A man at the stratospheric stage of his career. He knows he is privileged. When he was at drama school, someone from the Inland Revenue came to talk to the young, optimistic actors about PAYE and self-employment. “He looked at me and said, ‘You do realise 90% of you are not going to work?’” the millionaire remembers, decades on.

“That was the deal but, because of that threat, you do anything, because you’re desperate — and I still feel like that. I feel I’ve only scratched the surface with acting. I want to be better. I’ll never conquer it, because I don’t think anyone ever does, but I definitely want to try and keep on getting better at it.”

It’s easy to forget what a versatile and, indeed, subtle actor Craig has been on both stage and screen. In 1993, he made his theatre debut as the conflicted legal cleric Joe in Angels in America at the National Theatre, while 1996 saw his hugely popular role as Geordie in the television series Our Friends in the North. On the big screen, he has been even more diverse, taking on challenging work such as playing the younger lover of ageing May in The Mother, and a man being stalked in Enduring Love.

Now Craig is letting loose. In Logan Lucky, he dyed his hair blond and put on a weird American accent as the crook Joe Bang. In Knives Out, he based Blanc on the eccentric historian Shelby Foote, just because he could.

Is this the oddness he wants for the rest of his career? “I hope so,” he says, still loud, still laughing. I can barely remember speaking to anyone who sounded happier. “Who knows? Maybe nobody will employ me again. I’ve got no serious plans.” Will he return to theatre? “No hard and fast plans, but definitely. The great thing about a play in New York is that I’m at home.”

And, finally, before he heads back to work, what will he miss most about Bond? “I’ll miss my friends,” he says, as quiet as he has been all chat. “I’ve worked with many of these people for 15 years now, and that will be a real jar. I’ll see them again, but this is a special atmosphere, on a Bond set.”

Knives Out is out on November 28

Multiple women broke their non-disclosure agreements with Fox News to tell their stories of sexual harassment (and worse) at the network, and now some of them are coming forward to shed light on that decision.

Breaking the NDAs exposed the women to potential litigation from the company, but ultimately they felt it was more important to expose the toxic atmosphere that filled Fox’s workplace, according to a new report in The Hollywood Reporter.

The women spoke to various people involved with the movie “Bombshell,” which details Fox’s workplace under network head Roger Ailes, a workplace allegedly filled with sexual harassment and worse. The upcoming film stars Charlize Theron (as Megyn Kelly) and Nicole Kidman and documents the series of events at Fox News that led to Gretchen Carlson filing a lawsuit that resulted in the axing of Ailes.

Rudi Bakhtiar was terminated as a correspondent by Fox in 2007. She says that happened after she complained about sexual harassment. “The movie has been very cathartic,” Bakhtiar told The Hollywood Reporter about why she broke her NDA, “I didn’t want to admit to myself how angry I am about what happened. The movie meant that I had to face this.”

Juliette Huddy, a former Fox News anchor who leveled sexual harassment claims and signed an NDA, said she had nothing to lose by talking to filmmakers. Even though she received six figures when leaving the company she says: “I lost my house. My television career combusted, and I couldn’t get a job for over a year. So come after me. I don’t have anything.”

NBCUniversal recently announced that it would release employees who signed nondisclosure agreements relating to sexual harassment. It’s unclear if women who have already broken the NDAs will be legally pursued by the company.

Filmmakers spoke to dozens of people connected to the Carlson incident, including several women bound by NDAs, to gain information on the events leading up to and following Ailes' firing.

Julie Roginsky, who claimed she was overlooked for a co-hosting job after turning down Ailes' sexual advances, is of many former Fox News employees frustrated by her binding agreement. She was not contacted by "Bombshell" filmmakers and felt they had acted unfairly in doing so.

"Nobody reached out to me about this movie, but if they had, I would not have been able to talk to them because I have an NDA," she said. "That allows the moviemakers to take license with our stories. It is frustrating that other people have taken advantage of my silence by creating a character."

Fox says it has cleaned up its act since the mess Ailes and pals left behind, claiming: "Since the 2016 departure of Roger Ailes, Fox News has worked tirelessly to completely change the company culture.”

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/non-disclosure-agreements-former-fox-news-employees-sexual-harassment/2019/10/29/id/939210/

We are pleased to announce that Samuel L. Jackson and Maggie Q have joined the cast of THE ASSET!

Director: Martin Campbell (The Foreigner, Casino Royale)

Producer: Arthur Sarkissian (Rush Hour franchise)

Writer: Richard Wenk (The Expendables 2, The Equalizer franchise)

Cast: Maggie Q (“Anna”), Michael Keaton (“Rembrandt”), Samuel L. Jackson (“Moody”)

Logline: When her mentor is murdered, a young assassin must track down the killer. In the process she’ll discover the secrets he hid from her concerning her past.

Start Date: January 8, 2020

Lionsgate's I Still Believe, also starring Britt Robertson, opens March 20, 2020

By Nigel Smith

KJ Apa movies from Riverdale‘s high school to concert arenas as Christian music mega star Jeremy Camp in his upcoming film I Still Believe — and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look.

The drama comes from the makers of the hit Christian film I Can Only Imagine, based on the story behind the group MercyMe’s song of the same name. Like that film, I Still Believe is a music-based film, telling the true life story of Camp, who lost his wife, Melissa, to ovarian cancer in 2001. The tragedy led him on a spiritual journey, which resulted in four emotional albums. He’s since been nominated for a Grammy Award and multiple American Music Awards.

Apa, 22, says he was drawn to the love story between Camp and Melissa (played by Britt Robertson in the film).

“Their love is seriously put to the test in this movie,” he tells PEOPLE. “I hope after seeing the love between Jeremy and Melissa the audience can sit there and think, ‘Wow, I hope that I can one day be in love like that.’ I mean that’s what I Still Believe is about: it’s about journeying through your biggest fears and disappointments and coming out still believing. I believe that anyone, everyone can relate to this film because it’s a story about love, loss, and hope.”

For the film, Apa, who says he hails from a “really musical household,” does all of his own singing. As he tells PEOPLE, he was “terrified” about that aspect of making the drama, despite occasionally crooning as Archie in Riverdale.

“I’m super uncomfortable when I sing,” he admits. “I went into the studio in Nashville — I did that first before we shot anything — and I think that really gave me perspective on the film. Having that sound and knowing what all that music is going to sound like before you go in is super important. It’s either going to boost your confidence and boost your morale or it’s going to be like, ‘Oh, man, that didn’t go so well, so what are we going to work with?’ Luckily, it couldn’t have gone better. I think people are going to love it.”

The film also stars Shania Twain and Gary Sinise and was directed by Jon and Andrew Erwin.

Lionsgate’s I Still Believe opens March 20, 2020.

“Knives Out,” starring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis and Toni Colette, has been unveiled as the London Film Festival’s Gala movie. Rian Johnson’s whodunit, which also stars Ana De Armas, Katherine Langford and Christopher Plummer, will screen as the fest’s centerpiece American Express Gala film on Oct. 8.

The prestigious slot was taken by “The Favourite” last year. Johnson (“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”) and cast are expected to be in London for “Knives Out’s” European premiere.

The movie comes from Lionsgate and MRC, and pays tribute to mystery mastermind Agatha Christie. Everyone is a suspect after crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Plummer) is found dead. Debonair detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) is enlisted to investigate, sifting through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth.

“I’m thrilled to be screening ‘Knives Out’ at the BFI London Film Festival,” Johnson said. “This film was an attempt to capture the twisty fun of an Agatha Christie whodunit. It’s a great pleasure to be showing it in the country responsible for the genre’s Golden Age.”

“With ‘Knives Out,’ Rian Johnson has crafted a devilishly clever and wickedly entertaining new crime caper,” said LFF director Tricia Tuttle. “As with his previous work, Johnson brings immense erudition and passion for the conventions of the genre he’s working in, but always makes something entirely his own. This is impeccably designed, with writing that keeps you guessing to the final moments, and his extraordinary cast are at their arch and compelling best.”

“Knives Out” is a T-Street production. Lionsgate is releasing it in the U.K. on Nov. 27.

The 63rd BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express takes place Oct. 2-13.

https://variety.com/2019/film/news/knives-out-daniel-craig-london-film-festival-gala-rian-johnson-1203305519/

While John Krasinski is busy at work with the sequel to A Quiet Place, his screenwriting partners on the 2018 horror hit are taking on directorial duties for their next movie, Haunt. Scott Beck and Bryan Woods write and direct the haunted house horror movie, which follows a group of teens as they enter an “extreme” haunted house, only to find out the scares are real. Watch the Haunt trailer below.

Haunted houses are a Halloween ritual for any teen who loves a good scare, but sometimes “there happen to be psychopaths inside,” Beck said to Entertainment Weekly about his and Woods’ upcoming horror flick. Haunt follows a group of teens who find an “extreme” haunted house off the beaten path, and slowly discover that they’re being picked off one by one. Katie Stevens (The Bold Type, Faking It) stars as Haunt’s main protagonist, and presumable final girl, who notices early on that something is up.

“Our main girl is Harper…. is this young woman who’s in this horrifyingly abusive relationship,” Wood told EW. “It all comes to a head on the week leading up to Halloween. The whole idea is, like, Can I just let go, and have a good night, and move past this? All the while, we think that her ex- is following her, stalking her. We’re trying to merge this character story with kind of slasher tropes.”

Produced by Eli Roth, Haunt is a brutal and gory slasher in the vein of recent movies like Hell Fest and Blood Fest, which imagines haunted horror attractions taking a fatal turn. It’s not my cup of tea, but if this very specific genre is up your alley, then Haunt looks like it’s for you.

Here is the synopsis for Haunt:

On Halloween, a group of friends encounter an “extreme” haunted house that promises to feed on their darkest fears. The night turns deadly as they come to the horrifying realization that some monsters are real.

Haunt is released in theaters, on demand, and digital on September 12, 2019.

https://www.slashfilm.com/haunt-trailer/

Lana Del Rey honored Guillermo del Toro during his Walk of Fame induction with a speech on Tuesday (Aug. 6).

“In a culture of sameness, he’s completely himself. And that’s the greatest lesson I get from his tales," Del Rey said. Del Toro is known for a number of well known films, including Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water and Hellboy, among many others. Shape of Water earned the filmaker two Academy Awards for best picture and best director.

"On this day that we're honoring you, I would like to say that it's a beautiful thing to be reminded that being different is a thing to be celebrated, and it's a beatiful thing that we have you to always remind us of that each time we go back to your instantly classic films."

"I'm very happy to be celebrating with you on the iconic Hollywood Boulevard. Congratulations," she says at the end before going in for a hug.

Del Rey recently recorded a new version of Donovan's 1966 hit "Season of the Witch" for the renowned filmmaker's upcoming flick, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, which arrives in theaters this Friday (Aug. 9).

“I have admired Lana’s music for a while now and felt in my gut that she would run with ‘Season of the Witch’ -- that she would use her alchemy to transform it,” del Toro recently said in a statement. “She is a great artist and has been an amazing partner with us in this adventure. It is an honor for me to have met her.”

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8526637/lana-del-rey-honors-guillermo-del-toro-walk-of-fame-induction

Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro will be honored with the 2,669th star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
Fellow moviemaker J.J. Abrams and singer Lana Del Rey will salute The Shape of Water director when he unveils his star on 6 August (19).
“Guillermo del Toro is a director with one of the most creative and vivid imaginations,” Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez tells WENN. “He has his pulse on a realm of fantasy that has captivated and astounded audiences.
“The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is proud to honour him for his historic film work.”

http://www.hollywood.com/general/guillermo-del-toro-set-for-hollywood-walk-of-fame-honour-60757797/

"Cash Only" director Malik Bader is quickly making a name for himself in the world of crime thrillers, with his original script throwbacks to nitty and gritty tales of bad guys and even worse deals. His latest, “Killerman” (which had its world premiere at Fantasia last night), is a full immersion into the world of drug dealing, and throws in a unique existential angle to make excellent drama out of how money and product pass between bloodied hands. It’s the kind of movie that builds not just with its story but its ambition, and makes for an exhilarating, audacious crime thriller, provided you go along with the ride.

The mechanics of that process can make for a dry start to the story, initially: the opening scenes of "Killerman" take viewers from point A to point B to point Y when it comes to a money laundering deal. It's a lot of footage of cars pulling up, of scowling men speaking in code so they aren't caught by the cops. Soon into the story, though, Bader's interest becomes our own with its two main characters: Moe (Hemsworth) has a partner in Skunk (Emory Cohen), and the two attempt to make a deal with the money of their boss Perico (Zlatko Buric) that could help them make it big.

But then “Killerman” slams into its inspired plot hook—Moe gets a concussion during a gruesome car accident with Skunk when the deal goes way wrong, and leads to a car chase through narrow NYC streets pursued by dirty cops. With a massive case of amnesia, Moe doesn’t know who he is, or what life he has made for himself. But instead of getting to rest, the drug deal has left too many loose ends, and Skunk puts him back in the clubs and in front of the people they know. While trying to fix the deal, Moe essentially has to take a tour through his life, seeing the people that he’s interacted with, and learning about his capacity for violence. The script builds itself out of this conceit, like how Guy Ritchie’s bold “Revolver” risked a crime story on a lead character's schizophrenia, and Bader’s script is so committed and fast-paced with this psychological element that it only makes the intricate course of events even more fascinating.

“Killerman” proves itself to be as gritty as you want it to be, starting with the gorgeous dark colors of its 16mm Kodak stock, and the pulsing synth score that heightens the stakes of Moe’s actions. And that car chase—the editing is so sharp in this scene and others that you practically feel Moe getting that concussion as his vehicle slams into a parked car.

When it comes to violence, "Killerman" is always raw and unflinching, with men screaming for their lives after a bullet tears through them and blood spurts everywhere, or dogs ripping up human flesh in torture scenes that are nightmarish. The dirty cops hunting Moe and Skunk too (especially the one played by Nickola Shreli) are especially vicious, at the center of some of the story’s most ruthless scenes. From its initial framing as a movie that’s all about criminals—and virtually about wanting drug dealers to win—“Killerman” thrives in the darkness it establishes for itself, and that amorality becomes a fascinating component here like in the best of crime stories.

This relentless movie is unabashedly pulpy, in ways that do and don’t work within its desired genre charms. The dialogue sounds too stock, for example, and might make you wonder whether leather jacket thugs with slick haircuts only speak in cliches, or if the movies have just made them that way. (The performances are all around sturdy, even if you want Hemsworth to get a little crazier.) The same goes for the purpose that women have for the story, as mere stock love interests on the fringes of Moe and Skunk’s macho behavior, written to only that extent in a way that feels too lazy.

But on the other hand, “Killerman” creates an unexpected mythology with its more radical story choices; Bader displays a true recklessness in the best way and makes the story feel grandiose and intense. Even the reveal of the title’s meaning is a bold, polarizing choice—it may not work for some viewers, but it sure as hell left a smile on my face.

https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals-and-awards/fantasia-2019-killerman

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro revealed new details about his Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark adaptation on Saturday evening at the Horton Grand Theater in Downtown San Diego.

Del Toro, who produced the new film, joined director Andre Ovredal onstage in the cramped theater space to debut new footage from the upcoming horror film and discuss the process of adapting the beloved spooky children's books.

If her performance is any indication, and there’s any justice in the world (iffy), the Irish singer-actress is going to be a big, big star.

Remember the name Jessie Buckley.

If her performance in “Wild Rose” is any indication, and there’s any justice in the world (iffy), the Irish singer-actress is going to be a big, big star.

She plays Rose-Lynn Harlan, a single mother from Glasgow who’s just out of prison and dreams of becoming a country star in Nashville.

She’s a wild child. She had her two kids before her 18th birthday, then went to jail on a drug-related charge (long story; she blames the judge for an unfair sentence). Now in her 20s and back home, decked out in cowboy boots and other Western attire, she starts to resume her partying ways. This includes trips to Glasgow’s Grand Ole Opry, a country-music bar where she’s well-known as a local performer.

Her mom (Julie Walters), who took care of the kids while she was gone, has other ideas. Mom wants her to take responsibility for her children and for her own life. She wants Rose-Lynn to settle down, to get a steady job, to spend time with her kids.

But Rose-Lynn loves, loves, country music, and she loves to sing it. Patsy Cline and “Walking After Midnight.” New songs. You name it. She even has a tattoo on her arm with the saying “Three chords and the truth,” which expresses the simplicity and honesty she finds in the music.

It’s not just a phase. She wants to go to Nashville; she knows in her heart she’s meant to pursue her passion. And she could be right: She can sing. Boy, can she sing.

With the Fourth of July being celebrated this week, what better time than to think about the American Dream? The idea of pursuing life, liberty and happiness enshrined in the Declaration of Independence itself, along with the idea that you can make any dream happen if you just work hard enough.

In the new movie “Wild Rose,” a young and wild single mother of two named Rose-Lynn dreams of being a country singer. But she’s got a few obstacles in the way, including the fact that she lives in Glasgow, Scotland, and is fresh out of a year-long prison stint for distributing heroin. Now wearing an electronic ankle bracelet, she is required to be home every night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Rose-Lynn is the kind of free-wheeling gal who yells the F word at the top of her lungs the second she’s free from her jail cell and heads to her boy toy for a shag before bothering to make it home to her young son and daughter. Add a stop at the pub where she gets buzzed on whiskey on the way home, and it’s no wonder her mom isn’t too happy to see her return after a year of raising her kids.

With her children distant from her and a seemingly dead-end job as a housemaid to a wealthy family that pays her just about $12 an hour, Rose-Lynn feels like she’ll never pull together the money to escape to Nashville and take a real swing at success. But when the children of her employer Susannah come home early and catch her belting out a song while vacuuming, Susannah asks her if she’s tried to make it professionally.

Rose-Lynn responds by immediately asking for $5,000 to make a fresh start in Nashville, but Susannah tells her to instead tape a video demo of herself singing and send it to the top country music deejay on the BBC radio airwaves. When Rose-Lynn knocks his socks off with a beautifully heartfelt ballad, she gets an invitation to come meet him in London and her dreams seem suddenly tangible.

Yet questions remain: Is she really talented enough to make it, or is she jeopardizing her family by seeking to spend time away from them? How will she resolve things with her mother, who thinks she’s delusional? And can she really ever put her wild past behind her?

“Wild Rose” is a quiet film, in spite of its occasionally rousing tunes sung by lead actress Jessie Buckley, an Irishwoman who broke out on a British talent competition series and has been a rising star ever since. Rose-Lynn is a fascinating character, a real hell raiser in the early scenes of the film, but eventually revealing a profound loneliness and desire to finally do better as a mother, a daughter and for herself.

Buckley has incredible vocals, but in keeping with the movie’s intimate and quiet tone, her most powerful moments are in the songs where she sings almost in a whisper. It’s a magical effect that will make those who see this movie fall in love with her immediately.

As her mother, veteran actress Julie Walters (who was Oscar-nominated in the 1980s for “Educating Rita”) looks and acts like Emma Thompson. It’s a solid performance of a woman who has been ground down and exasperated by her daughter’s poor behavior and incredibly bad choices for so long, she wonders if she’ll ever truly turn it around.

Those aspects — of redemption and family, trust and the desire to change — are universally relatable issues. They make this movie very affecting, but the occasionally too-slow pace keeps this from being a perfect movie. If you love good music or character-based drama, however, “Wild Rose” should smell quite sweet.

https://www.pasadenaweekly.com/2019/07/03/wild-rose-is-a-story-of-redemption-family-and-the-ability-to-change/

Lionsgate dropped its trailer for its new murder mystery Knives Out on Tuesday, and the cast is to die for.

The film attempts to uncover the truth behind the untimely death of the famous crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), who is killed just after his 85th birthday. Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is called in to help crack the case, and he questions everyone from Thrombey's "dysfunctional" family members to his loyal staff.

"I suspect foul play, and I've eliminated no suspects," Craig says in the preview.

Craig and Plummer aren't the only famous faces in the trailer. The "whodunit" also features Chris Evans, Ana De Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Noah Segan, Edi Patterson, Riki Lindhome and Jaeden Martell.

In addition, it's written and directed by Rian Johnson, who also did Looper, Brick and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

To get a sneak peek at the film, check out the trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGqiHJTsRkQ

E! News:

https://www.eonline.com/news/1053833/chris-evans-loses-his-marvelous-manners-in-star-studded-knives-out-trailer-eat-s-t

Jamie Dornan is joining comedy Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar from Bridesmaids duo Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo.

Wiig and Mumolo star as best friends Barb and Star, who leave their small Midwestern town for the first time to go on vacation in Vista Del Mar, Florida, where they soon find themselves tangled up in a villain's plot to kill everyone in town.

Dornan will play Edgar, a lovelorn spy who gets caught between the forces of good and evil.

Wiig and Mumolo co-wrote the script for the Lionsgate pic, which will be directed by Josh Greenbaum and is slated for a 2020 release.

Gloria Sanchez Productions — the female-focused production banner founded and led by Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay — will produce, along with Wiig and Mumolo.

Dornan, who is repped by UTA, the U.K.'s Troika and Sloane Offer, will next be seen in Drake Doremus' new movie, starring opposite Shailene Woodley and Sebastian Stan. He will then star opposite Anthony Mackie in Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead's Synchronic, and will begin production on John Patrick Shanley's Wild Mountain Thyme.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jamie-dornan-joins-kristen-wiig-barb-star-1220903

Truth-based fiction films that cover salient aspects of important news stories that have skewed or squelched by print and broadcast news media can have a powerful impact on public perception about historic events and how they’ve impacted the present and are influencing our future civilization.

If well made, compelling and popular, these truth-based narratives may stand as ‘of record,’ ostensibly revealing to public scrutiny facts that are to be found only in documents that have been designated as top secret and sealed for a specific duration because of their ‘sensitive’ or imflammatory nature.

Truth-based narratives ‘of record’ are not new in concept. A decade ago, Roger Donaldson’s well-researched, utterly compelling and admittedly somewhat speculative The Bank Job (2008) enlightened audiences about a London bank vault robbery that unleashed secret and salacious photos of Princess Margaret and a number of British MPs that actually brought down the British government. The actual images and most documents pertaining to the actual events are still under seal, so all that the public knows about this scandal-clad 1971 London heist known as the “Walkie Talkie Robbery” is Roger Donaldson’s fictionalized movie. In the public eye, The Bank Job is ‘of record.’

In 2010, Doug Liman’s Fair Game brought unreported aspects of the Valerie Plame spy scandal and the questionable legitimacy of the US invasion of Iraq to light. More recently, Adam McKaye’s Vice (2018) gave viewers an admittedly somewhat speculative and avowedly uncomplimentary look at the persona and doings of former VP Dick Chaney, indicating that he wielded unprecedented power in determining both foreign and domestic policy during the George W. Bush presidency and was unconscionable in his use of it, including his role in the US invasion of Iraq.

Dick Cheney is not a character in this year’s Official Secrets, but his name comes up in the truth-based narrative about Katherine Gun (Keira Knightly), a British intelligence officer who turned whistleblower, leaking information about the illegal NSA spy operation that was designed to push the UN Security Council into sanctioning the invasion of Iraq. Journalist Martin Brightn (Matt Smith), then working for The Observer, broke the story — which caused Katherine Gun to be charged with treason, or more specifically, with violating Britain’s Official Secrets Act of 1989.

The film is a contemplative spy thriller and courtroom drama that is completely engaging although it has a known denouement. So, no spoilers are risked with mention that ultimately the British government dropped the charges against Gun because — as suggested in the Official Secrets script — the case would bring to light evidence that would embarrass the British administration, including then Prime Minister Tony Blair, and perhaps lead to members of the government being charged with war crimes.

Director Gavin Hood, whose previous political thrillers include Tsotsi, A Reasonable Man and Eye in the Sky, paces the film to reveal story and Katherine’s character in such a way that the viewer has time to think about what ‘good citizenship’ means, and to ponder Kathrine’s reasons for taking a stand and the impact her decisions made on her personal life and on human history. Hoods use of actual archival footage of Tony Blair, George Bush, Colin Powell and of news events — including the bombing of Iraq — sets the drama into its real life historical context, and targets the way in which elected government heads of state and their administrations manipulate media in order to push policies that support their own interests rather than those of the people whom they are supposed to serve.

If you like spy scenarios and courtroom dramas, and are interested in sorting out truthful reporting from fake news, this film will satisfy. It’s entertaining and informative, and its release is quite timely.

Film Details:

Title: Official Secrets
Directors: Gavin Hood
Release Date: August 30, 2019
Running Time: 112 mins.
Locations: London, with archival footage from USA, Iraq
Language: English
Production Country: USA
Distribution Company: EAGLE FILMS

There is something bodaciously brash about Rose-Lynn (Jessie Buckley). The centerpiece of Wild Rose is fresh out of prison and fresh full of ideas about how she’s going to go from her native Glasgow, Scotland to Nashville, Tennessee and make it as a country star. Only problem is, well … there are a slew of them and how Rose tackles them lies at the heart of this hauntingly heartwarming film.

Director Tom Harper has crafted a touching and yes, melodic, story that will resonate with audiences across spectrums. After all, this is a tale with country music at its heart and those who utterly adore it with every ounce of their soul will find something utterly compelling about it. To quote Rose, when asked why she adores the musical genre that is uniquely American, she simply replies, “it’s three chords and the truth.” It’s that sentiment that has made the music milieu transcendent across geographical lines.

Also, one does not have to enjoy that kind of music to embrace and be enamored of Wild Rose.

When Rose-Lynn arrives at her mother Marion’s (Julie Walters) house, fresh from prison, she is not given a hero’s welcome. Her two children, a little boy and slightly older girl, barely know their mother. Sure, she was only gone for a year. Marion didn’t bring the kiddos by the prison, because she didn’t want them to see their mother in such a place. Immediately, Rose’s son warms up to her. Her daughter … not so much and it will take a whole lot of work for mom to earn the love of her only little girl.

Marion is tough on her child and it’s a relationship that is as central to the dynamics of Wild Rose as Rose’s budding familial bond with her kin. It appears that Marion had high hopes for her child, but a few terrible decisions (such as getting pregnant at 16 or that whole thing that got her sent away for a year in prison) and—worse still—the immature manner in which she is known to respond to those who have challenged her decision making, will not win any points with her mum.

In the opening act of Wild Rose, Nicole Taylor’s screenplay astoundingly gives us a mountain of regret and missed opportunities coupled with a pretty bad attitude. It’s hard to root for Rose. As much as she has to win over her mother, children, the parole judge (she has a tracker around her ankle and has to be home by 7 p.m. every evening—something that makes pursuing a country music singing career a tad impossible), the wild woman-child has to sweep us off of our feet. Rose-Lynn is the most fascinating of protagonists. It’s never a given, even through the second act, that this soul will be one that warrants our inspiration instead of our ire. As Taylor’s script, whose spirit is stunningly captured by Harper, provides little morsels of hope for the title character, we too see the signs of greatness that could arise from the single mum whose voice is like a lightning bolt of brilliance.

Among the first people onscreen to see potential where the system, society and even her mother and own daughter see a grab bag of disappointment, is her boss, Susannah (Sophie Okonedo). This wealthy Glasgow resident took a chance on her when she hired an ex-con to clean her house (what with two small children herself). Rose never tells her about her kids, but Susannah’s kiddos cannot stop talking about her. They heard her belting out tracks one day while working and inform their mum that the cleaning lady has priceless pipes. Upon hearing her first-hand, she could not be more supportive and even orchestrates a way for her to meet the King of Country Music in London at BBC Radio. That relationship, and what it promises for Rose, does not play out as one would expect it would—as dozens of movies have wandered down that worn road.

Upon reflection, it makes perfect sense that country music would find an audience in Scotland (and the greater United Kingdom, all over the globe, really). As Rose states to Susannah, when asked why she likes country music, all you need is “three chords and the truth.” She even has that quote tattooed on her arm. The lyrics of country music encompass many elements that easily find kindred spirits, specifically here with Rose. These subjects range from troubles or triumph with love, the complexity of the inner challenges of the working man and woman, issues with the law and the feeling that all of society is against you, to the bond of family and how it can be everything from an asset to a hindrance. When the camera gives us an establishing shot of the music club that Rose played and plays at, we see “Glasgow’s Grand Ole Opry” in big neon lights. After taking all this in, it all makes perfect sense.

Walters is sensational. Her role is demanding on so many levels. She has to be a mother to her daughter’s kids while she’s in prison and then suddenly shift role to grandma when mom gets out of the slammer. Once Rose is free, Marion must straddle a line between wholehearted support and keeping her daughter’s feet to the fire. She lets her know, in no uncertain terms, when she makes one of those bad decisions. Mom calls her on it. There is even one moment that found me covering my eyes because I just couldn’t watch Marion lecture Rose. Don’t get me wrong, she deserved it. Still … see, the titular character has to earn her adoration—from everyone onscreen and each one of us witnessing her cinematic journey.

Buckley’s vocal presence is sonically seismic. It’s completely unique and befits a rocking country girl whose influences run the gamut from Bonnie Raitt to Reba McEntire, with a smattering of Janis Joplin and Nancy Wilson tossed in for good measure. I could listen to her belt out songs all day long—from guitar-wailing country rock to the best romance-centric tracks that will ring your heart out like a wet washcloth.

Wild Rose is a movie moment expertly crafted for dreamers and for anyone who has loved someone who dreams. Infinitely inspiring, the film also grounds itself in a reality that works wonders for enrapturing its audience in that first act and a half where we didn’t know if Rose would ever pull it all together. By its conclusion, you have been on a journey that is rocky, littered with stumbles and a soul who has worked her tail off to ensure that her children are proud of her. In the end, that is the only approval that matters. As such, Wild Rose rivets and had this writer reaching for that tissue box—all while smiling profusely.

Grade: A

We are excited to announce that FIVE FEET APART received three nominations at the 2019 Teen Choice Awards in the following categories:

WILD ROSE

It could turn out to be be the indie sleeper of the year. As Rose-Lynn, a brazen young ne’er-do-well from Glasgow who’s fixated on going to Nashville to become a country singer, Jessie Buckley proves a tremendous actress, and maybe a born star. When Rose-Lynn gets up on stage at a local pub and lets loose, time melts away (we’re in the zone of incandescent tradition that is country), and so does every trace of her Scottishness. She becomes country, and her gift is transporting. Yet Rose-Lynn is also a spectacular screw-up, with two kids she all but ignores. The director, Tom Harper, and screenwriter, Nicole Taylor, play a bait-and-switch game. For a solid hour, they seduce you into thinking that “Wild Rose” is going to be the sort of cheeky inspirational Miramax-in-the-’90s fairy tale it turns out not to be. It’s not just that the movie gets better as it goes along — it actually knows it’s toying with you. The film seems to grow up before your eyes and find its glimmer of soul right along with its eager, talented, messed-up heroine. — OG

Cheerleading is a sport that commands attention. It whips the crowd into a controlled fervor, getting people off their feet and cheering with excitement. Unfortunately, director Zara Hayes’ “Poms” barely manages to do the same with its story about a group of retired women who reclaim their vitality and challenge societal norms by forming a cheerleading squad. Though it aims to be more than just a mashup of “Bring It On” and “Book Club,” the inherently uplifting and endearing facets of its heartfelt sentiments are overtaken by artificial packaging and stale execution.

As a pessimistic New York City transplant, Martha (Diane Keaton) faces her greatest challenge yet: living in the impossibly peppy retirement community of Sun Springs, Ga. The lavish, well-maintained property fosters cheery dispositions and relaxed lifestyles — things a cynical curmudgeon like Martha despises. But her former life in the city was unbearably lonely, so she seeks a drastically different atmosphere. Her advancing age and, more importantly, aggressive terminal cancer has made her surprisingly sentimental about her youth and paths not taken.

Martha is at first reticent to make friends, preferring to cocoon herself in her pre-fab, personality-free home instead of trying to fit in at group exercise and neighborhood get-togethers. But her world begins to change for the better once she meets next-door neighbor Sheryl (Jacki Weaver). Sheryl is Martha’s opposite with her colorful, tight-fitting wardrobe and vivacious free spirit, yet her vigor inspires Martha to rediscover her own.

The pair set out to form a cheerleading club, which is unheard of to their enclave’s small-minded residents, who include the ironically unfriendly president of the welcoming committee, Vicki (Celia Weston). Not only must the newly assembled squad find more members, which they incorrectly assume will be difficult, they must also get competition-ready in a short amount of time. The team is forced to battle their own physical limitations and a few other serious setbacks.

Heartening themes about redefining the notion of family are what give the movie its luster, as well as the idea that self-empowerment has no expiration date. It’s encouraging that screenwriter Shane Atkinson and Hayes, who shares a story by credit, focus primarily on female friendship, though they undermine and underestimate the empathy capacity of another group of women: teen girls. The super seniors’ combative relationship with antagonistic high school cheerleaders, who film their failures and mercilessly mock them, takes center stage as the main conflict. There’s no reason the heroines’ own inner demons couldn’t have driven the plot.

Perhaps the greatest disappointment is that Atkinson and Hayes never strike a good balance between all the characters in the ensemble. The film fails both in showing them as multi-faceted individuals and in capturing their group dynamics, allowing superficial character traits to define them. Consistently-upbeat Sheryl’s only worry is if the authorities find out her teen grandson Ben (Charlie Tahan) is living with her, but that’s forgotten by act two. The filmmakers become more concerned with an unnecessary romance between Ben and classmate Chloe (Alisha Boe), who betrays her own cheer team to help train his grandma’s squad. It’s a lot of hoop-jumping when a simpler solution would’ve been to eliminate Ben and the rival squad altogether, and make Chloe a visiting character who helps the ladies train.

Sultry Olive (Pam Grier), who tangos her way into the troupe, revives her waning romance with her hubby — but since we didn’t see her struggling with it in the first place, the impact is lessened. Conservative Alice (Rhea Perlman) finds her inner power after her controlling husband dies, but outside of one George Carlin-esque swearword tirade, her character fades into the background. Aerobics enthusiast Ruby (Carol Sutton), yoga instructor Evelyn (Ginny MacColl), and line dancer Phyllis (Patricia French) are dealt short shrift altogether. The lone character afforded a noteworthy performance by the lackluster material is baton-twirling Helen (Phyllis Somerville). Somerville’s small screentime is infused with a palpable, nuanced sense of anguish and anxiety over her ageist, sexist son essentially imprisoning her financially, and then physically after an injury.

For a film that’s supposed to instill confidence in the hearts of its target demographic and beyond, it lacks that same sense of bravery in its storytelling to say something genuinely moving. Time and time again, it falls back on outdated clichés and lazy contrivances. It prefers to follow predictable patterns set by many previous underdog stories, ticking off the expected emotional beats versus doing something radically different to make the emotions feel earned.

Overall, “Poms” isn’t a film that demands the audience’s attention — and that’s a shame given the breadth of skilled, seasoned talent involved. The blueprint for a genuinely inspired, warm-hearted dramedy is indeed there, it’s just that the filmmakers can’t figure out how to properly utilize what they have.

It was a blue carpet pep rally as Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier and Rhea Perlman debuted their new film “Poms” on Wednesday night in Downtown Los Angeles. But much like their characters in the film, the actresses’ cheers weren’t for sports teams. Instead, they were celebrating a Hollywood system that is hopefully becoming more inclusive for older women. Keaton and Weaver star in “Poms” as Martha and Sheryl, two senior citizens who decide to start a cheerleading club at their retirement community. “I think in this day and age, people realize that you don’t have a ‘use by’ date,” Weaver told Variety. “Some of us can keep on going. Some of us still look to the future and make the most of the present.” But as much as Hollywood has evolved, who could have ever predicted a movie featuring a “Bring It On”-style scene of a group of seniors trying out for the cheerleading squad? “[It used to be that] women are erased and invisible after they get a certain age, but once we started saying, ‘We’re not invisible — we’re full of life, we take care of kids, we’re still viable to society.’ And once you own that, then you get offered to sit at the table,” Grier said.

It’s been 45 years since her career-making turn in “Foxy Brown” and the 69-year-old actress has noticed that the industry has been changing: “I think there is a shift, but it’s an evolution and a revolution.” “Poms” follows last year’s “Book Club,” a rom-com that earned $68 million at the box office and also starred Keaton, who is 73. Perlman says the reason for the growing support for movies about mature women is simple. “Because women go to the movies, people are starting to realize that women want to see themselves up there,” Perlman said, adding that watching Judi Dench travel to India in “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” transformed her own views on box office possibilities for older actors. “I am so happy that it’s finally starting to happen. I mean there’s still way more white men in movies and in businesses, but slowly people are starting to take notice of who else is around them and how important it is for them to be represented as well. And how great their stories are,” the 71-year-old actress explained. “So, I’m just thrilled with how things are moving.”

After assembling the cast, which also includes Celia Weston, Charlie Tahan, Bruce McGill and “13 Reasons Why” star Alisha Boe, the ladies went through a cheerleading boot camp to help the women bond and nail those moves. “It was tough,” Weaver, 71, laughed. “You get a bit creaky at our age.” The premiere included a post-screening party at WP24, where pom-pom shaking cheerleaders lined up in a tunnel formation and welcomed guests, including Emmy winner Sarah Paulson. “Poms” hits theaters on May 10.

Veriety

In 2013 Margot Robbie turned heads in The Wolf of Wall Street as the ultra-seductive and equally feisty Naomi; later in 2016, she brought DC Comics’s disturbed girlfriend Harley Quinn to life in Suicide Squad; and now, the actress proves she’s as versatile as ever in her latest film Dreamland, which just debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Serving as both the star and producer of the period piece, Robbie really does carry the film. And, according to Dreamland director Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, “She throws great parties.” Joris-Peyrafitte, sporting a slim navy suit and slicked-back hair continued, “She’s just as excited as everyone else to be there. She sets the tone for everybody else and that’s all you could ask from a producer and lead actress.”

Dreamland is part bank robbery caper, part Spaghetti Western. Set in the 1930s Dust Bowl era, Robbie stars as Allison, a mysterious and thrill-seeking bounty hunter who is surprisingly chic (refer back to the time era and situation).

In a hard-to-miss nod to Bonnie and Clyde, Allison charms the heart of the young Eugene Evans played by Slaughterhouse Rulez’s Finn Cole. Despite Robbie’s problematic actions in the film, Cole’s character remains boyishly infatuated and allows his life to be transformed entirely by the frenzied blonde who loves to drive her getaway cars with baby blue leather gloves on. But at the premiere’s red carpet, Robbie appeared the modern-day starlet in a black lace Chanel jumpsuit, which ultimately proved that there really isn’t anything she doesn’t look good in.

Vogue

Dreamland will premiere at the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival ( April 24 – May 5). The film will be included in the Spotlight Narrative section of the Network based festival. Margot Robbie will be in attendance but we will not be conducting international press at this time. The film will also be screening in the upcoming Cannes market in May.

Netflix announced the release of "Peasants' Rebellion" on their platform, thus becoming the first Lebanese series to be broadcast through their network.

After the overwhelming success achieved on the local channels, the largest Lebanese historical production series included more than 100 Lebanese actors, which took eight months to be filmed.

Ranked amongst the top 5 Arabic series in Ramadan 2018 with one of the highest viewers rating statistics.

Received one of the highest trends on Twitter for 15 days.

Gained regional popularity for being daring yet respecting the cultural factor.

Critics praised the series positively and considered it to be Ramadan 2018 out of the box series for; actors’ intense performance, the surprise element, the tailored music, the mysterious sequence of events and lastly the cinematography.

AL NAHAR newspaper, a renowned Lebanese Newspaper.

The plot continues to thicken on LBCI’s latest prime time drama, PEASANTS' REBELLION, as alliances begin to form, love blooms, and betrayals are made.

It is truly a pleasure when a television series, a fully Lebanese production no less, create such a positive impact on its audience - through some do continue to negatively criticize, sans reason, even if it means finding something as ridiculous as the show’s choice of font to attack.

Al Nahar Newspaper, a renowned Lebanese newspaper, described the Peasant's Rebellion as the magnet that compelled people off the streets, leaving an echo of the social discourse that is occurring in a certain nation. A "Spark Ignites" leaving the audience wanting to relive and enjoy the authenticity of the series. I will be sharing the updated portfolios on Monday to be followed by 2019 Projects skeleton.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″ shot past “Guardians of the Galaxy” to become the highest grossing domestic release of 2014. It’s the second time in a row that the dystopian franchise has topped the charts. It gives Lionsgate bragging rights as the studio with the top film in consecutive years — something no one else has achieved in over a decade. “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″ hit $333.2 million on Wednesday, edging past “Guardians” at $333.17 million at the U.S. box office. Unlike most major tentpole releases, the latest “Hunger Games” didn’t get the benefit of a 3D or Imax surcharge.

Patriots Day is the TOP TEN FILM winner at the National Board of Review, USA, 2016 awards and Spotlight award for the creative collaboration of Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg

We are proud to share with you that The Hunger Games Mockingjay 1 has Won the following Awards:
Golden Camera, Germany - Best International Actress (Julianne Moore).
Golden Trailer Awards 2015 - Best Fantasy Adventure, Best Original Score Tv Spot, Best Fantasy / Adventure Poster, Best Teaser Poster, Best Wildposts.
Kids' Choice Awards, USA 2015 - Favorite Female Action Star (Jennifer Lawrence).
MTV Movie Awards 2015 - Best Musical Moment.
NewNowNext Awards 2014 - Best New Lead Film Actress (Natalie Dormer).
Teen Choice Awards 2015: Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy (Josh Hutcherson), Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy (Jennifer Lawrence).
Women Film Critics Circle Awards 2014 - Best Female Images in a Movie.

Today, in over 25 locations around the globe THE HUNGER GAMES iconic '3-Finger salute' will be posted on high profile buildings, billboards and locations, including Times Square in New York, Westfield Centre in London, Colonne di San Lorenzo in Milan and Novy Arbat Avenue in Moscow just to name a few. The hands used in the synchronized global outdoor advertising campaign were created from 6 images of people ranging from ages 8 to 80, both men and women and from all nationalities.

Lionsgate’s Codeblack Films has struck an output deal with Middle East based distributor Eagle Films. The deal sees all films produced or co-produced by Codeblack distributed in the Middle East and North Africa, beginning with “Addicted,” based on the best selling book by Zane. Formed in 2012 as the Lionsgate’s ‘next generation’ offshoot, Codeblack has activities which span movie production and distribution through to home entertainment, TV syndication and new channel monetization. Its previous releases include “Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain,” and independent thriller “Repentance,” starring Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker. Codeblack signed a previous output deal with Times Media Films, covering South Africa, in October 2014. “Codeblack is expanding its footprint beyond the domestic marketplace,” said Jeff Clanagan, Founder, CEO and President of CodeBlack Entertainment

VANCOUVER, BC, and SANTA MONICA, CA, October 16, 2014 – Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a premier next generation global content leader, today unveiled plans to debut the year’s most anticipated film, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, in the UK, Asia and North America. The film, the third in the global blockbuster Hunger Games film franchise. All purchases on AMCTheaters.com, Cinemark.com, Fandango.com, and MovieTickets.com in the first 24 hours will receive a free download of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire on VUDU. The first Hunger Games film generated nearly $700 million at the worldwide box office. The second film in the franchise, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, was the #1 domestic film of 2013 and the 10th highest-grossing North American release of all time, grossing over $860 million around the world and bringing the combined global box office of the first two films to over $1.5 billion. The worldwide phenomenon of The Hunger Games continues to set the world on fire with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1.

The Ambassador's Hall of Casino Du Liban hosted the ceremony of the 7th Edition of Murex D'or on September 4th 2014, where Eagle Films' production BEBE won Best Film by Public Vote. The producer, Mr Jamal Sannan _ CEO of Eagle Films, accepted the Murex D'or.