Month: January 2019

In a gripping segment on his CNN news show Friday night, anchor Don Lemon opened up as a member of both the African-American and LGBT communities and called for a deeper response from comedian Kevin Hart in renewed controversy over his defunct Oscar hosting gig. Lemon addressed the spectacle of Hart’s Thursday appearance on Ellen

January 4, 2019 8:40PM PT Korean prosecutors have decided not to allow a defamation case against the actress who last year accused film maker Kim Ki-duk of sexual assault, and another against broadcaster MBC’s investigative news show “PD’s Notebook.” The actress, who maintains her anonymity, claimed sexual assault by Kim, and that he slapped her

There are always a slew of familiar faces that pop up every awards season. The former Oscar winner whose latest project has her looking at yet another nomination. Or the actor who seems to be a fixture on the circuit whether his latest performance is on the big or small screen. But often, it’s the

When audiences think about actorly transformations, their first thoughts are often of weight lost or gained, hair grown or sheared, and mannerisms shed or adopted. But even if their silhouette doesn’t quite match a level of physical deterioration commensurate with their character’s malady, or their demeanor isn’t quite befitting of, say, an 18th century courtesan,

To look at Felicity Jones as the young Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the opening scene of “On the Basis of Sex” is to glimpse a microcosm of the next two hours: Outfitted in a 1950s-silhouetted dress, jacket and seamed pantyhose, Ginsberg is one of the few women at a Harvard Law School introductory seminar among

In today’s film news roundup, the M. Night Shyamalanathon is unveiled, Black List founder Franklin Leonard is honored, and “Brown’s Canyon” gets a release. SCREENINGS Alamo Drafthouse and Universal Pictures are launching the M. Night Shyamalanathon, the first-ever marathon screening of the filmmaker’s trilogy of “Unbreakable,” “Split,” and “Glass.” The screenings will take place at

Following a traditional playbook, the movies contending for the best picture Oscar sometimes attempt to justify their worth through an appeal to historical importance. But this year, things have taken a more personal turn, with stories that come from the heart. In Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma,” for example, the director’s intimate connection to the story of

Richard Marks, an Oscar-nominated film editor for “Apocalypse Now,” best picture winner “Terms of Endearment,” “Broadcast News,” and “As Good as It Gets,” died unexpectedly on Dec. 31 in New York City, his widow, film editor Barbara Marks, confirmed to Variety. He was 75. His other editing credits include “The Godfather: Part II,” “You’ve Got

January 4, 2019 4:43PM PT Kevin Hart’s appearance on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show on Friday drew a terse response from GLAAD, one of the country’s leading LGBTQ advocacy groups. The comedian was tapped to host the Oscars, but stepped down after controversy erupted over a series of homophobic jokes he made in the past. “From

January 4, 2019 3:39PM PT Donald Sutherland plays a judge taken hostage by a psycho who puts him on trial-by-Internet in a “timely” trash thriller with too much on its mind. “American Hangman” belongs to that species of grade-Z movie that’s at once grisly and pretentious. It’s trash with a lot on its mind. Most

There was wall-to-wall star power at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills on Friday, with Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Mahershala Ali, and actors ranging from Elsie Fisher (age 15) to Angela Lansbury (age 93), but Spike Lee stole the show at the AFI Awards. In opening remarks, AFI president-CEO Bob Gazzale said everyone was a

It was a starry Friday morning at the Parker Palm Springs, where celebrities ranging from Bradley Cooper to Olivia Wilde to Emily Blunt gathered at the Creative Impact Awards brunch feting the 22nd edition of Variety‘s 10 Directors to Watch. On this year’s list of helmers on the rise: Ali Abbasi (“Border”); Alejandra Marquez Abella

“A Star Is Born,” “Mary Poppins Returns,” “Vice,” “The Hate U Give,” and “Deadpool 2” are among the films nominated for the 34th annual Artios Awards from the Casting Society of America. Simultaneous ceremonies will take place on both coasts on Thursday, Jan. 31, with the Los Angeles awards being held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Actress June

Key parties involved in the annual Oscars telecast are open to the return of Kevin Hart as host, one insider close to the event told Variety, following an alternately contrite and defiant appearance on “The Ellen Show” on Thursday. Leadership at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC, the network that broadcasts

The third frame of “Aquaman” is again leaving rivals under water at the North American box office, with about $25 million for the first weekend of the year, early estimates showed on Friday. “Mary Poppins Returns” has been forecast to finish with about $20 million, while Sony’s launch of the thriller “Escape Room” is coming

Jake Ryan“Eighth Grade”Writer: Bo BurnhamDirector: Bo Burnham Former YouTube star and actor Bo Burnham makes his feature film writing/directing debut in “Eighth Grade,” a realistic take on coming of age in the era of social media. In the film, Kayla’s (Elsie Fisher) confidence-building YouTube self-help videos starkly contrast with her own life as an awkward

“The Front Runner”Writer: Matt Bai (screenplay and based upon the book by) and Jason Reitman and Jay Carson (Screenplay)Director: Jason Reitman In “the Front Runner,” big-eyed blonde Sara Paxton plays notorious other woman Donna Rice opposite Hugh Jackman’s dynamic Sen. Gary Hart. Jason Reitman’s political drama revisits the sex scandal that scrapped the promising Democratic

Friday, the Producers Guild of America joined what will soon grow to a blaring chorus of year-end nominations announcements from guilds and industry groups next week. The results weren’t entirely shocking, as the PGA — which has historically shown an affinity to box office successes — rallied behind films like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Crazy Rich Asians,”