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Tilda Swintongot political as she accepted Berlin Film Festival’s Golden Bear for Lifetime Achievement at its opening ceremony on Thursday night, saying “the inhumane is being perpetrated on our watch.”

In a poetic speech, the Oscar winner lauded the festival as “a borderless realm with no policy of exclusion, persecution or deportation.” The “great independent state of cinema,” she added, is “innately inclusive — immune to efforts of occupation, colonization, takeover, ownership or the development of riviera property.”

She then acknowledged that “state-perpetrated and internationally-enabled mass murder is currently actively terrorizing more than one part of our world,” though she didn’t go into specifics.

“These are facts. They need to be faced,” Swinton continued. “So for the sake of clarity, let’s name it. The inhumane is being perpetrated on our watch. I’m here to name it without hesitation or doubt in my mind and to lend...

Focus Featureshas worked with filmmakerWes AndersononAsteroidCity andMoonrise Kingdom,a collaboration turned out very well for them. As Variety notes,Asteroid City(pictured above) “earned an impressive (for an arthouse film) $53.8 million at the box office,” whileMoonrise Kingdom“grossed $68.3 million and was nominated for an Oscar for its screenplay.” So, it’s a good move thatFocusandAndersonare getting back in business with each other, asFocushas just acquired the worldwide distribution rights to Anderson’s latest film,The Phoenician Scheme.

Anderson directedThe Phoenician Schemefrom a screenplay he wrote withRoman Coppola,who previously worked on the scripts for Anderson’s filmsThe Darjeeling Limited,Moonrise Kingdom,Isle of Dogs,The French Dispatch,andAsteroid City.Filming took place in Germany from March to June of 2024.

Described as an espionage comedy drama thriller,The Phoenician Schemetells the story...

Focus Featuresis reteaming for a third time withWes Andersonand producer Indian Paintbrush on their next movieThe Phoenician Schemein what is a global distribution rights deal.

A stateside limited release of May 30 has been set with a wide expansion on June 6.

Gosh, I smell Cannes premiere, don’t you?Andersonloves launching his movies at Cannes, recent titles beingAsteroid City,which was a nice box office hit forFocus,as well asSearchlight’sThe French Dispatchto name a few.Universal Pictureshas international distribution. Focus also distributed Anderson’s 2012 movie,Moonrise Kingdom,and between that andAsteroid City,the city grossed a combined $122M worldwide.

Anderson directedThe Phoenician Schemeoff a screenplay he co-wrote with his longtime collaboratorRoman Coppola.Anderson and Coppola also co-wroteAsteroid CityandMoonrise Kingdomtogether.

The Phoenician Scheme tells the story of a family and a family business.

Focus Featureshas secured worldwide rights toWes Anderson’s upcoming spy comedy thrillerThe Phoenician Schemeand has scheduled a May 30 limited release, raising the strong possibility of a world premiere slot in Cannes.

The feature will expand wide on June 6, while Universal Pictures International is handling distribution outside North America.

The Phoenician Schememarks the third collaboration betweenFocusandAndersonand his longtime partnerIndian PaintbrushafterAsteroid CityandMoonrise Kingdom,which premiered on the Croisette in 2023 and 2012, respectively.

Anderson wrote the screenplay, described simply as “The story of a family and afamily business”,and...

We’re just a few months away from a new film fromWes Anderson.

Anderson’s latest feature film “The Phoenician Scheme”— his 12th feature — has been set for a theatrical release on May 30, 2025 fromFocus Features,which has landed the worldwide distribution rights to the film after previously releasing his last feature, 2023’s “Asteroid City.”That timing could point to a premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where “Asteroid City”debuted in 2023.

This is the third movie between Anderson’s Indian Paintbrush andFocus,which also released “Moonrise Kingdom”from 2012. Focus will distribute in the U.S. with a limited release on May 30 and wide expansion on June 6. Universal Pictures International is handling international distribution.

The limited release date is the same asSony’s “The Karate Kid”remake, and it opens wide againstLionsgate’sJohn Wickspinoff “Ballerina.”Given the date, it’s a good bet that...

Focus Featureshas landed the worldwide distribution rights to “The Phoenician Scheme,”the next film fromWes Anderson,and will release the movie in May, the company announced on Tuesday.

In addition to directing,Andersonwrote the script with the story co-written byRoman Coppola.The deal marks the third major collaboration betweenFocus,Anderson, andIndian Paintbrush,who also partnered on Anderson’s most recent feature, “Asteroid City,”and the 2012 hit “Moonrise Kingdom,”which were both written by Anderson and Coppola.

Focuswill distribute the film domestically with a limited release on May 30, 2025 and wide expansion on June 6. Universal Pictures International is handling international distribution.

While plot details are being kept under wraps, “The Phoenician Scheme”centers on the story of a family and a family business.

The film starsBenicio del Toroas Zsa-zsa Korda, one of the richest men in Europe;Mia Threapletonas Sister Liesl, his...

Since his first film, Writer/DirectorWes Andersonhas become known for his highly visual combination of bright colors with an older aesthetic. His costuming and set design have a very specific signature that makes it easy to identify when watching a Wes Anderson movie. With him currently working on a new film,The Phoenician Scheme,which reunites him with his museBill Murray,we take a look back at all his feature-length films and try to figure out where they rank. To note, his recentNetflixshorts, including the Oscar-winning The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar aren’t included.

1​1.The French Dispatch(2021)

T​he only anthology movieAndersonhas done so far, this film details the final issue ofThe French Dispatch.The paper will be shut down, so the editor brings together his best reporters and storytellers to publish one more edition. Each reporter narrates a section of...

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Wes Anderon has earned his reputation as a singular filmmaker. His style is unmistakable, dating back to his breakthrough indie hit "Rushmore"up through his Oscar-winning smash"The Grand Budapest Hotel."There is no denying aWes Andersonfilm when you see one. The filmmaker has worked consistently for going on 30 years now, which is no easy feat. There have been some speed bumps along the way, that much is certain, butAndersonalways manages to recover.

One such speed bump came in 2009 with the release of Anderson's stop-motion animated feature "Fantastic Mr. Fox."Though it was embraced critically, the film was not a winner at the box office, to put it somewhat mildly. Against a reported $40 million budget, the film made just over $46 million worldwide in its original run. Yet, that film's relative failure ended up paving the way...

At the 2021Comedy CentralRoast ofBruce Willis,hostJoseph Gordon-Levittdelivered this classic joke: "I loved 'The Sixth Sense.' It's a great movie. And the ending, I did not see that twist coming... At the end of 'The Sixth Sense,' Bruce goes back to making sh***y movies. "

It's funny because, well, it's sort of true: "The Sixth Sense"is widely considered one of the last truly good Bruce Willis movies. Sure, he gave some fun performances in"Lucky Number Slevin"and"Moonrise Kingdom,"but the spooky 1999M. Night Shyamalandrama was pretty much the last timeWilliswas the leading man in a massive critical and commercial hit.

OnIMDb,"The Sixth Sense"has an 8.2 rating, ranking it 144th among the site's top 250 list of best-ranked movies. It's not a surprising placement, given how influential it became in pop culture. People were quoting" I...

Though he might be best known for action,Bruce Williswas an incredibly versatile actor. Health struggles unfortunately sent the actor into retirement, but Willis' career before that point was prolific. HisJohn McClanerole inDie Hardwas perhaps his most iconic, as it positioned the actor as a franchise lead. He carried franchises through the years, while also contributing his talents to other major action movies such as Detective Knight andThe Expendables.

Outside of Willis' action franchise, however, the actor could be extremely funny. His perfect casting as Butch Coolidge in the Pulp Fiction ensemble helped prove this, as the actor plays a man of few words but a lot of personality. He is also great in his role inWes Anderson'sMoonrise Kingdom,once again showing off his range. Perhaps his most notable comedy role was in the romantic comedy seriesMoonlighting,for which he...

Bruce Willis,one of Hollywood's finest, made wearing a vest during a hostage situation seem perfectly acceptable. Many of his most beloved roles saw him wielding a squint likeClint Eastwoodand a level of sass that other actors just couldn't deliver. But much likeWillishimself, his top three rated films onRotten Tomatoesare a surprising package that would certainly make for an interesting unofficial trilogy to watch over a weekend. That includes whatRthas deemed the best of the bunch: a movie about a decidedly vexed New York City cop with no shoes and a partiality toRoy Rogersfilms.

Indeed, it should come as absolutely no shock that "Die Hard,"Willis' breakout vehicle and a bullet-riddled pillar of the action movie genre, is the actor's highest rated film on Rt among critics. Earning a well-deserved 94% from the website,"Die Hard"broke the mold that so...

Imagine this: you’re a little kid dressed up as a private, playing war with your buddies, except…it’s real. The guns are still just sticks and grenades just empty cupped palms, but the enemy is wholeheartedly believed to linger on the opposite side of a grassy no man’s land, traversing an adult-less world of child’s play doused in Ptsd.

The eight young soldiers—or “shoulders” as one might accidently say mid-rant—are practicing their military techniques with tree branches as they don’t have any weapons or even a lieutenant to tell them what the hell’s going on. All they know is they’re stranded in a northern look-out post amid idyllic, isolated Scottish hills, awaiting enemy attack. Whoever the “enemy” is.

The jingoistic band of boys might be far from frontline battles, but they soon discover—idle-eyed and bored of porridge—that the real battle is within.

It could be any day, any night, any city, andBill Murraycould be there. Maybe this sad clown folk hero is hitting karaoke night or doing a frat’s dishes or crashing a kickball game or bartending at some random joint or giving a speech at a bachelor party or popping in for a wedding photo shoot. Bill Murray is that “fun” uncle, the loose one with no clear direction yet always grounded in…well, whatever he wants. Maybe he’ll show up, maybe he won’t. Maybe he’ll have a job this year, maybe he won’t bother. Maybe he’ll sock a male co-worker on the nose, maybe he’ll direct misconduct at a woman. Bill Murray is one unpredictable dude, his actions described as erupting “a trail of hysteria,” the man himself as “The Murricane.” Oh, and he’s made some of the greatest comedies,...

Bleecker Street executivesKent SandersonandMyles Bendercan vividly remember their first time seeing “Eye in the Sky,”a drone warfare thriller starringHelen MirrenandAlan Rickmanthat premiered in 2015 at Toronto Film Festival with hopes of finding distribution. Not long into the Canadian screening, they were held rapt by film but quickly realized their contemporaries in the room didn’t feel the same way.

“Within 15 minutes, I started watching a lot of other buyers get up and leave. I guess they felt the film was too challenging,” says Sanderson, Bleecker Street’s president. He and Bender, head of marketing and creative advertising, pushed for their Boss, the film company’s co-founder and CEO,Andrew Karpen,to watch the film so they could bid on the distribution rights. Bender recalls, “We were looking at each other and saying, ‘What are we seeing that they aren’t?’”

Karpen shared...

Netflix’sHeartstopperreturns for a third season set in the world ofAlice Oseman’s joyful comics in October 2024.

Season 2 arrived over a year ago amid the dual Hollywood strikes, meaning that talent couldn’t promote the show as its sophomore installment followed up the success of Season 1 on the streamer. Season 2 signaled a shift to more serious subjects that will be broached in Season 3.

A school trip to Paris, some new faces and Prom as well as various new and familiar relationship dynamics were tested in Season 2. Here’s what to remember beforeHeartstopperSeason 3 comes out.

Nick Wants to Come Out

Nick Nelson(Kit Connor), came out to his mom (Olivia Colman) at the end of Season 1, and he was working on proclaiming his bisexuality to others as well, likeImogen(Rhea Norwood), who he’d known for a long time. Charlie (Joe Locke) arranged a sleepover...

Magic Mikeis set to debut onNetflixon September 1. The 2012 drama, which was written byReid Carolinand directed bySteven Soderbergh,starsChanning Tatumin the title role asMike Lane,a Tampa-based stripper who dreams of owning a furniture business. The movie is inspired byTatum's own later teenage years working at a Florida strip club, though the character and the scenario are fictionalized. The cast features a robust ensemble that includesAlex Pettyfer,Matthew McConaughey,Cody Horn,Olivia Munn,Matt Bomer,Riley Keough,Joe Manganiello,Kevin Nash,Adam Rodriguez,andGabriel Iglesias.

The Channing Tatum movie, which spawned an entireMagic Miketrilogy, was well-received at the time, both critically and commercially. At the time of writing, the movie holds a Certified Fresh score of 78% onRotten Tomatoes.It was also a smash box office hit, grossing $167.2 million worldwide against a small budget of just $7 million.

“The opera is where society puts itself on display,” saysCarrie Coon’s characterBertha Russellin “The Gilded Age.”She is correct, but in HBO’s period drama set in late 19th century New York City, society is always on display and nearly every scene is a showcase for the luxe sartorial indulgences of the elite.

Created by “Downton Abbey” mastermindJulian Fellowes,“The Gilded Age”is a soapy saga in which old money begrudgingly rubs elbows with the nouveau riche. The 1880s were a period of rapid industrialization, political corruption and an ever-widening gap between the wealthy and the poor. And from the series’ very first episode, costume designerKasia Walicka-Maimonewanted to capture the spirit of excitement that defined the era. “There were those giant socio-economic differences that were visible daily on the street,” she said. “The ladies of means, the ladies who had money, it was their town,...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has amassed a great collection of actors to portray an assembly of characters from the comics and bring an interconnected universe to life. Various A-list performers and amazing character actors likeRobert Downey Jr,Robert Redford,Christian Bale,etc have been a part of the franchise and contributed to the enormous success it has become.

Tilda Swintonwon an Oscar for her performance inMichael Clayton|Warner Bros

One of the fascinating additions to the franchise was Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One in the firstDoctor Strangefilm. The actress has had an interesting past where she crossed paths withPrincess Diana,helped improve lives in Africa as well as graduated from one of the top universities in the world. The actress’ chameleon-like on-screen ability also led her to win an Oscar in 2008.

Tilda Swinton’s Interesting And Colorful Past Will Certainly Surprise Fans of...

Bruce Willis' toughest action movie heroes includeJohn McClane,Frank Moses,andDavid Dunn.Each hero exhibits unique skills and abilities, from McClane's tactical ingenuity toDunn's superhuman strength. Despite portraying memorable action characters, Willis has retired from acting after a long and successful career.

Bruce Willisis easily one of the greatest action movie stars of all time, having appeared in almost 150 projects over his career, but not all of his action heroes are equal. Willis has been appearing in TV and film since the 1980s. After appearing in various uncredited roles, or small bit parts, Willis finally had his big break in 1988 when he played the off-duty cop, John McClane, in the firstDie Hardmovie.

From that moment forward, Willis' talents for playing tough guys were cemented, and he grew to become one of the most popular and beloved action stars all throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

He’s been in (almost) everyWes Andersonmovie, is related toFrancis FordandSofia Coppolaand drummed for the Beastie Boys. Now’s your chance to ask him – what’s it like beingJason Schwartzman?

You’d probably most associate Jason Schwartzman with Wes Anderson films as he’s been in seven of the blighters:Rushmore,TheDarjeeling Limited,Fantastic Mr Fox,Moonrise Kingdom,The Grand Budapest Hotel,The French Dispatchand 2023’s Asteroid City.

You might also be aware that he’s from a famous film family, which includes uncleFrancis Ford Coppola,cousins Roman and Sofia and (on the other side) cousinNicolas Cage.

Peacock has announced the lineup of movies, TV shows, and live sports that will be available on the streaming service in August. The Peacock August 2024 schedule includesMr. Throwback,the Love Island USA Season 6 reunion,Bel-AirSeason 3, and the new filmThe Killer.

For the crime junkies, all seven seasons ofHomicide: Life on the Streetmake their streaming debut on August 19. The fast-paced police drama portrays the brutal detective work of a homicide department in Baltimore.

Additionally, mark your calendar for the action-packed streaming debuts ofThe Fall Guyand The Fall Guy: The Extended Cut on August 30.The Bikeridersalso cruises onto Peacock for its exclusive streaming premiere on August 9, and the magic of the Harry Potter franchise returns to Peacock exclusively all month long.

August Highlights

August 8:Mr. Throwback(Peacock Original)*

August 9:The Bikeriders(Peacock Exclusive)*

August 15:Bel-AirSeason 3 – Premiere (Peacock Original)*

August 19:...

Googlea list of the all-time bestSaturday Night Livehosts, and you’ll find a surprising number of people who you’d never guess were funny in the first place.

I mean, beforeSNL,who knew athletesCharles BarkleyandPeyton Manningwere hilarious? Who watched Nsync videos and predicted thatJustin Timberlakehad “Dick in a Box” in him?Billie Eilish?Chance the Rapper?Anyone have news anchorBrian Williamson their funny bingo card?

As the show embarks on its landmark 50th season, here are five more suggestions for out-of-the-boxSNLhosts who just might knock it out of the park…

1Tony Hawk

Hawk has been quietly comedy-adjacent for years, appearing in College Humor sketches, skateboarding in a fat suit in aJackassmovie and lending his voice toThe Simpsons.

HisTwitterfeed is surprisingly funny, too, full of self-deprecating jabs and goofy insights. As a performer,...

Tubi,the free advertising-supported streaming service owned by Fox Corp., is looking to bring its success formula to the U.K., launching in the market on Tuesday, July 2.

The streamer, led by CEOAnjali Sud,the former head ofVimeo,now has about 80 million monthly active users, the executive toldThe Hollywood Reporter.In the U.S., its strategy has differed from other Fast platforms. For example, 90 percent of viewing on Tubi is focused on on-demand movies and TV series, compared to peers’ focus on live, linear channels. And per theNielsenGauge from May, Tubi made up 1.8 percent of all TV viewing in the U.S. for that month, tied withDisney+.

“Tubi has spent the last decade honing our approach to vast, free and fun streaming in North America, and we feel that now is the perfect time to bring that recipe to U.K. audiences,” saidSudin unveiling the U.

Within a career that lasted over 50 years, French singer-songwriter, actress, author, fashion icon, and astrologistFrançoise Hardy— who passed away Tuesday, June 11 after a long battle with cancer — produced 32 studio albums, performed in over 10 films and television specials, wrote six books, and influenced countless artists ranging fromCarla BrunitoCharli Xcx.Her screen career includes roles in films likeJean-Luc Godard’s “Masculin Féminin”andJohn Frankenheimer’s “Grand Prix.”

She was a renegade. A heartbreaker. Born at the height of World War II in Paris, her upbringing coincided with a great sociopolitical re-evaluation in France that fed her own anxieties and obsessions. Seeking artistic refuge outside of her home country, she found inspiration in American music that, by her teen years, was starting to reach her shores.

“This passion for singing became real madness when I discovered an English station calledRadio Luxembourg,”Hardy said in a 2012 interview withTélérama.

Eric is a dramatic crime thriller series onNetflixfeaturingBenedict Cumberbatchas a grieving father on a mission to find his missing son. Created byAbi Morganand directed byLucy Forbes,Eric has received mostly positive reviews with a critic score of 75% onRotten Tomatoes.The series also starsGaby Hoffmann,Dan Fogler,andMcKinley Belcher III,offering an engaging and suspenseful viewing experience.

The new Netflix limited series Eric has a strong cast led by Benedict Cumberbatch. Created by Abi Morgan and directed by Lucy Forbes, Eric is a dramatic crime thriller centered around a missing boy namedEdgar.Vincent, his father, is a puppeteer who befriends an imaginary friend who lives under Edgar's bed as a coping mechanism to deal with his grief. All six episodes of Eric are available exclusively to stream on Netflix following its release date of May 30, 2024.

Eric marks Cumberbatch's second consecutive...

"Moonrise Kingdom"was the film that made me fall in love withWes Anderson's work. It's not that I disliked his earlier stuff; ironically, one of his least well-received films, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,"was also the one that started turning me onto his movies in the first place. Yet, it was 2012's"Moonrise Kingdom"that solidified me as a Fanderson orWestieor whatever you call those who can't get enough of the quirky cineaste's funny, melancholic, meticulously curated art.

The movie centers on a pair of eccentric 12-year-olds -- orphan and devoted Khaki Scout Sam (Jared Gilman) and rebellious Suzy (Kara Hayward) -- who develop a romantic attraction to one another and, feeling alienated from the rest of their community on the small fictional island of New Penzance, conspire to run away together. Meanwhile, the adults in their lives scramble to bring them home, yet...

Clockwise from bottom left:Before Sunrise(Columbia Pictures),Jaws(Universal Pictures),Y Tu Mamá También(20th Century Fox),Body Heat(Warner Bros.)Graphic:The A.V. Club

Summer can bring about more than just a certain mood evoked by warmer weather. Perhaps more than other seasons, it can bring up specific memories.

Wes Andersonis the singularly talented filmmaker who has quickly gone from indie darling to Oscar favorite in just a little over two decades, creating a number of quirky, visually splendid classics. Let’s take a look back at all 11 ofAnderson’s films, ranked worst to best.

Anderson made his directorial debut with “Bottle Rocket”(1996), released when he was just 27-years-old. He received his first Oscar nomination five years later: Best Original Screenplay for “The Royal Tenenbaums”(2001). He followed that eight years later with a Best Animated Feature bid for the stop-motion film “Fantastic Mr. Fox”(2009). Another Best Original Screenplay nomination followed for “Moonrise Kingdom”(2012). Then he hit the Oscar jackpot with Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay nominations for “The Grand Budapest Hotel”(2014) — well, almost hit the jackpot, since he went home empty-handed from those awards, losing all three toAlejandro Gonzalez Inarritufor “Birdman.”He...

Wes Anderson'sMoonrise Kingdomcontains a Dune Easter egg, discovered 12 years later.Moonrise KingdomstarJared Gilmanwas surprised by the reveal of the hiddenDunereference.Dune's renewed popularity may lead to more franchise references in future media.

A Dune Easter egg has been found in a Wes Anderson movie 12 years later, with even the star of the film surprised to see it was there. The sci-fi franchise has seen renewed interest as of late thanks to the critical and commercial reception ofDenis Villeneuve'sDune: Part Twomovie. His adaptation is the second attempt on the big screen, the first of which was a 1984 film byDavid Lynch.

Now, ecto_fun has discovered a reference toDuneinAnderson's 2012 filmMoonrise Kingdom.

rw moonrise kingdom and tried look up this book and it isn’t real but i found out the back is a...

During this year's Academy Awards, at least one longstanding wrong was finally righted. Even as someone who's generally foundWes Anderson's work to be somewhat hit or miss, it's always felt like a serious oversight that the acclaimed filmmaker had yet to win a single Oscar. You're telling me the guy behind "The Royal Tenenbaums,""Moonrise Kingdom,""The Grand Budapest Hotel,"and" The French Dispatch "could only muster a grand total of seven nominations over the course of 20+ years? Poppycock, I say!

Well, that ignominious streak finally ended this past Sunday. But whileAnderson's long-overdue win came in the live-action short film category for "The Wonderful Life of Henry Sugar," he wasn't even in attendance to accept his award. Some viewers may have interpreted his absence as an intentional thumbing of the nose towards a voting body that hasn't exactly shown him much love over the decades, but...

After missing the chance to accept his first Oscar in person, following his win for Best Live-Action Short for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,Wes Andersonhas addressed the circumstances surrounding his absence and what he would’ve said in his speech.

“If I could have been there, I (along with [producer]Steven Rales) would have said ‘Thank You’ to: the family ofRoald Dahl;the team atNetflix;Benedict [Cumberbatch] and Ralph [Fiennes] andBen Kingsleyand Dev [Patel]… and more [of the cast and crew],”Andersonstated. “And also: If I had not metOwen Wilsonin a corridor at theUniversity of Texasbetween classes when I was 18 years old, I would certainly not be receiving this award tonight — but unfortunately Steven and I are in Germany and we start shooting our new movie early tomorrow morning, so I did not actually receive the award [in person] or get a chance to say any of that.”

Anderson...

Wes Andersonwas not in Los Angeles on Sunday night to accept his Oscar for Best Live-Action Short Film. But it turned out he had a pretty good excuse. The filmmaker was in Germany, prepping his next film, “The Phoenician Scheme,”which is set to begin shooting (checks pocket watch quirkily) today!

The writer-director-aesthete did send a message viaNetflix,the producers of the award-winning “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” one of four shorts based onRoald Dahlstories currently streaming on the platform.

“If I could have been there, I (along with [producer]Steven Rales) would have said “Thank you” to: the family of Roald Dahl, the team at Netflix,Benedict[Cumberbatch] and Ralph [Fiennes] andBen Kingsleyand Dev [Patel] and Richard [Ayoade] and Bob [probably cinematographerRobert Yeoman] and Adam [Stockhausen,Anderson’s long time production designer] and Jeremy [Dawson,producer] and John [Peet, producer] and Jim [yeah, we don’t know] and Rich [not sure] and Jim and Polly [this is probably a shout-out to nm0000985 autoJames L.

Even an Academy Awards telecast as satisfying as the 96th Oscars has some disappointing moments. From missed speeches to missed opportunities to capitalize on its presenters and a misguided attempt to honor those we’ve lost, here are four of the misfires from the Sunday, Mar. 10 telecast.

Wes Andersonmisses his first Oscar win

Yes, many folks were displeased about someone of Wes Anderson’s stature crashing the Best Live Action Short category, but the majority of Oscar voters deemed “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” the best of this year’s nominees. The acclaimed director has seven prior nominations for features “The Royal Tenenbaums,”“Fantastic Mr. Fox,”“Moonrise Kingdom,”“The Grand Budapest Hotel”and “Isle of Dogs”but had surprisingly never taken home a trophy, so it would have been joyous to see him ascend the Oscar stage, statuette in hand, and deliver a trademark idiosyncratic acceptance speech.

See...

Wes Andersonis officially an Oscar winner, but he wasn’t in attendance to accept his award.

The 54-year-old filmmaker won the award for Best Live Action Short Film for his film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, which is streaming onNetflixright now.

This was Wes’ eighth nomination after previously being nominated for his moviesThe Royal Tenenbaums,Fantastic Mr. Fox,Moonrise Kingdom,three noms forThe Grand Budapest Hotel,andIsle of Dogs.

So, why wasn’t Wes at the show to accept the award?

Keep reading to find out more…

After Wes‘ award was accepted by the presenters, hostJimmy Kimmelcame on stage and commented on the director’s absence, joking that he was not there because “he’s home building a diorama made of corduroy.”

Make sure to check out the complete winners list for the Oscars.

Bruce Willis' 2022 action film,A Day to Die,has made its way intoNetflix's global top 10 chart, despite being released two years ago.Willisretired from acting back in 2022, following a diagnosis of aphasia. Willis leaves behind a prolific acting career, including roles in Die Hard and Pulp Fiction.

2022’sA Day To Diemakes its way into the Netflix global top 10 chart. StarringBruce WillisandFrank Grillo,A Day to Dieis an action film about a man namedConnor Connollywho finds out he has one day to pay reparations of $2 million. He seeks the help of his former military ops crew in order to help him secure this money before things get worse.

Two years after its release,A Day to Diemakes its way into the Netflix Global top 10.A Day to Diesqueaked its way into the no. 10 slot for the week of January 8–January 14, with 3.4 million views.

Movies likeThe Straight StoryandBrokeback Mountainshowcase the beauty of rural life and make viewers yearn for a simpler existence away from the struggles of modernity. Films such asThe Sound of MusicandCaptain Fantastichighlight the power of nature and the countryside in offering a sense of escape and connection. Movies likeMoonrise KingdomandLittle Womenevoke a longing for a more idyllic and close-knit way of life in the country, away from the hustle and bustle of urban living.

There are certain movies that, through their incredible depiction of the wonders of nature, make viewers want to give it all up and move to the countryside. While so many movies have focused on the hustle and bustle of urban living, those that paid attention to the effervescent power of the rural countryside have often made audiences rethink their entire lives and imagine what it...

Wes AndersonandBill Murrayare teaming up for their tenth film collaboration. Murray has been inAnderson's movies since 1998, when he played Herman Blume in Rushmore. Murray recently appeared in Anderson's 2021 filmThe French Dispatch,but did not appear in Anderson's 2023 film,Asteroid City.

Wes Anderson and Bill Murray are set to collaborate again for their tenth movie together. Murray has been acting in Anderson’s films ever since he was in Rushmore in 1998. Most recently, the actor played a role in the director’s 2021 filmThe French Dispatch.

According to Deadline, Murray and Anderson will join forces again for the director’s next feature. The feature will be written by long-time collaboratorRoman Coppolaand is also set to starBenecio del ToroandMichael Cera.The film is expected to go into production later this year. The plot is as of yet under wraps.

Wes Anderson...

Chicago – The seemingly middle-of-the-road character actorBob Balabanhas more to his legacy than just a ton of appearances from the 1960s to present in classic films and TV. His Chicago family were pioneers in film exhibition and the movie executive suite during the studio system in the early days of the history of film. It is in his DNA.

The amazing story of Chicago’s Balaban family began soon after they emigrated from Russia. His uncles formed a coalition withSam Katzto build theaters. The Balaban &Katzbrand meant the highest quality movie palaces eventually, the ultimate in the early 20th Century movie experience before television… two prominent theaters still standing are the city-symbolic Chicago Theatre and the still-closed-but-still-standing Uptown Theatre. Bob was born in Chicago, and his father built his favorite theatre icon (as told in the Podtalk below). For the final flourish, his uncleBarney Balaban...

Cannes, Venice, Telluride, Sundance premieres each supply two films in top 10 PTA chart for year to date.

Prize-winners and buzzy titles from Cannes, Venice, Telluride and Sundance performed solidly at the arthouse and specialty North American box office in 2023, with particularly strong per theatre averages (PTA).

Data provided byComScorethrough December 20 confirm the value of high-profile festival berths as a way of creating audience awareness and engagement.

Cannes selections account for one of the top 10 and one quarter of the top 20 opening weekend PTA scores, led byWes Anderson’s Competition selectionAsteroid City.The ensemble drama opened over...

Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series spotlighting the year’s most talked-about scripts continues with Asteroid City,Wes Anderson’s latest film that had its world premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Andersonpenned the script with his frequent collaboratorRoman Coppolaafter the two previously teamed on the Anderson-directed The Darjeeling Limited, Isle of Dogs,The French DispatchandMoonrise Kingdom,the latter of which scored the pair an Original Screenplay Oscar nom in 2023.

The plot is set in 1955 and revolves around the American Southwest desert town of Asteroid City (population: 87), whose famed attraction is a giant meteor crater and observatory. The one-telephone-booth town is playing host to the military and astronomers honoring five Junior Stargazers with awards for their scientific inventions. It’s also the weekend celebrating Asteroid Day, commemorating September 27, 3007 BC, when that Arid Plains meteorite made impact.

It’s also the weekend an alien appears,...

Luc Besson's "The Fifth Element"certainly has one of the most eclectic casts of any '90s blockbuster. On one hand, you have a variety of established actors. Then-beloved action heroBruce Williswas the film's centerpiece, propped by British thespians likeGary OldmanandIan Holm,both of whom had garnered recognition in major Hollywood blockbusters. On the other hand, you have a variety of unknown variables:Milla Jovovich,a young Russian model just getting her start on film;Chris Tucker,a hyperactive comedian slowly on the rise after "Friday," which also just so happened to feature "Fifth Element" co-star Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr., an actor-turned-wrestler-turned-actor-again. Besson's call sheet of obscure talents goes on and on. However, it is exactly the director's ethno-galactically diverse, if often aesthetically disparate, vision for the film that makes the cast of "The Fifth Element"fit surprisingly well together.

By extension, the places...

NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.

Film at Lincoln Center

The films ofKijū Yoshidaare now playing in a massive retrospective. Read our piece on him here.

Roxy Cinema

A five-film retrospective ofMatthew Modine(read my interview here) takes place this weekend, including work byAbel Ferrara,Alan Rudolph,and the man himself.

Museum of theMoving Image

A career-spanningTodd Haynesretrospective begins, with the director present on Friday and Saturday;Robert Altman’sPopeyeplays on 35mm this Saturday and Sunday.

MuseumofModernArt

A massiveEnnio Morriconeretrospective begins, this weekend bringingSergio Leone’sDollarstrilogy.

Anthology Film Archives

The films ofMartin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project are screening, whileJoseph Cornell,Tony Conrad,andBruce Connerprograms run in Essential Cinema; aHollis Framptonretrospective is also underway.

Film Forum

Michael Powell’s career-killing masterworkPeeping Tomplays in a long-overdue restoration,...

Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City”is a nesting doll of a film—a television broadcast of a documentary about a play, assembled with the same precision and detail asAnderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums,”“The Grand Budapest Hotel”and “The French Dispatch”among others. Thematically, the connective tissue between its layers of reality, like many of those earlier films, is the notion and processing of loss. But Anderson, who co-wrote the movie with longtime collaboratorRoman Coppola,says one of his longtime leading men inspired him to assemble its pieces in the first place.

“The movie ends up being about grief, but it evolved into that,” Anderson tells Variety. “Roman Coppola and I started this one with the idea that we wanted to build something around a role forJason Schwartzman.”

He and Schwartzman, one of Coppola’s cousins, have worked together since he cast the then-young actor as precocious,...

Test screenings are always stressful, but especially so when it’s your first film. And while most of us all love the entire oeuvre ofWes Anderson,his debut, 1996’sBottle Rocket,was far from being perceived as the classic it is today. As Kumar would say, Wes Anderson blew it, man.

Speaking at the Lumière Film Festival, Wes Anderson recalled the confidence that came along with being green in the movie industry – although it may have played a role in the initial public reaction ofBottle Rocket.“I had an idea of what I wanted to do, and no one could convince me that we shouldn’t do it, my confidence was the highest, then. When we finally made it and showed it to an audience, they hated it. I was so shocked, it was a disaster.”

Still, that fatefulBottle Rocketscreening proved to be a pivotal moment for Wes Anderson.

Tilda Swinton's collaboration withWes Andersonis marked by her incisive and wry sensibility, making her appearances in his movies highly impactful. Swinton's roles inAnderson's films, though often small, showcase her ability to engage in theatrical origins and deliver restrained, stylized acting. Swinton's presence in any Wes Anderson movie, whether in an ensemble cast or making a cameo, is always a good sign, adding to the overall quality and enjoyment of the film.

Tilda Swinton is one of the regular actors that director Wes Anderson casts in his movies, and it's not hard to see why ― the British actress brings an incisive and wry sensibility that melds with the filmmaker's style. Swinton's latest appearance was as part of Asteroid City's cast, which followed a group of individuals ― all drifting and lonely in different ways ― as they experienced an alien encounter during a space camp event in the desert.

Summer is long gone and it’s time to look beyond the blockbuster. Our latest study of recent books about or related to the world of filmmaking is full of artistic titans––Sofia Coppola,Whit Stillman,Clint Eastwood,Christian Petzold,Kore-eda Hirokazu,Wes Anderson.This column also boasts a lengthy rundown of noteworthy novels, many of which will surely be brought to large and small screens in years to come.

Archive bySofia Coppola(MacK)

In recent years this column has covered several books focused on the iconic, inimitable Sofia Coppola, including a hardcover career overview and interview collection. Archive is constructed from the personal collection of the writer-director ofThe Virgin SuicidesandMarie Antoinetteherself. And as one would expect from a filmmaker known for her sense of style, fashion, and design, the result is positively gorgeous. It is packed with photos, ephemera, collages, and text––nearly 500 pages’ worth.

Wes Anderson's short film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar has earned his highest score onRotten Tomatoes,beating his previous critically acclaimed movies. The film, adapted from theRoald Dahlstory, has a small but all-star cast and has won critical approval more broadly than any other film inAnderson's career. The success of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar onNetflixis highly encouraging for Anderson's future films, especially after the mixed reviews of his recent feature films. Critics praise the film for its fit withDahl's storytelling and Anderson's unique style, as well as its brevity and faithfulness to the original story.

Within a career that spans 27 years and over a dozen movies, Wes Anderson’s short film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar has now earned his highest score on Rotten Tomatoes. Considering Wes Anderson is notable for a filmography with nearly all critically acclaimed movies,...

Wes Andersonchooses to useRoald Dahl's original text for his film narrations because he is equally interested in the wayDahltells the story as he is in the story itself.Andersonfeels compelled to adapt Dahl's stories using his words and descriptions, as without them, he wouldn't feel the need to make the movies. Anderson respects Dahl as the storyteller and incorporates Dahl's narration into his films, allowing the actors to both play the scenes and recite Dahl's words.

Wes Anderson explains why his Roald Dahl-based shorts use the author’s original narration. Anderson first married his idiosyncratic visual style with the unique world of Dahl with his 2009 stop-motion animation feature,Fantastic Mr. Fox.Since then, Anderson went on to direct four short films based on Dahl stories, includingThe Swan,Poison,The Rat Catcher, and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. The latter film is available...

To celebrate the release ofAsteroid City,available to own with all-new bonus content on Digital from September 11 and on Blu-Ray and DVD on September 25, 2023 we are giving away a Blu-Ray andWes AndersonSigned Poster to 1 lucky winner!

A fictional American desert town, circa 1955. Junior Stargazers and Space Cadets from across the country assemble for the annual Asteroid Day celebration — but the scholarly competition is spectacularly upended by world-changing events. Equal parts comedy, drama, and romance (with a touch of science-fiction).

Jason Schwartzman,Scarlett Johansson,andTom Hanksstar in comedyAsteroid City.Written and directed by seven-time Oscar® nominee Wes Anderson,AsteroidCity on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD showcases brand-new featurettes with exclusive talent and filmmaker interviews that dive deeper into the film’s unique characters, story, and themes of community and curiosity, lifting the curtain onAnderson’s extraordinary vision.

Please note: This competition is open to UK residents only.

Wes Anderson,the acclaimed director ofThe Grand Budapest Hotel,Moonrise Kingdom,andThe French Dispatch,is revisiting the world ofRoald Dahl,the beloved author of Charlie and the ChocolateFactory,Matilda,andThe Bfg.Andersonis adapting four ofDahl’s short stories into four short films that will premiere onNetflixlater this month.

The first trailer for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, starringBenedict CumberbatchandRalph Fiennes,was released on September 14. The film is based on the 1977 short story of the same name, which tells the tale of a wealthy man who learns to see without his eyes and uses his newfound ability to cheat at gambling. Cumberbatch playsHenry Sugar,while Fiennes plays Roald Dahl himself, who narrates the story. The film also featuresDev Patel,Ben Kingsley,Rupert Friend,andRichard Ayoadein dual roles.

Wonderful Story Trailer

Anderson said he had...