Dubbed by Variety senior film critic Peter Debruge as “a sincere, Southern-fried buddy movie,” “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” directed and written by Michael Schwartz and Tyler Nilson, details the budding relationship formed between a grifter with a heart of gold named Tyler (Shia LaBeouf), a man with Down Syndrome who runs away from a senior
Month: January 2020
“Tomorrow I’ll be presenting [Martin Scorsese] with the 2020 Kim Jong Un Humanitarian Award and after that the big one — the Kids’ Choice Award,” Robert De Niro quipped in his opening remarks upon receiving the Variety Creative Impact in Acting Award at the Variety Creative Impact Awards and 10 Directors to Watch Brunch Presented
Editor Jeff Groth worked with “Joker” director Todd Phillips on “The Hangover Part III” before landing the blockbuster drama starring Joaquin Phoenix. You cut the film as consecutively as possible so you could see the progression of the character while you were still editing. Can you talk a little bit about that? With a movie
2019 has been a reckoning, overdue and arguably well-deserved, for men in power. The ways in which this has played out in real life is, sadly, too often unsatisfying: criminals escape justice, the rich retain their wealth, and the corrupt remain in power. But on film, screenwriters can not only deliver satisfying resolutions to the
For pop fans of a certain age, there was shock when Justin Bieber announced the debut single from his first album in more than four years would be called “Yummy.” Didn’t the Ohio Express claim ownership of that word forever with their 1968 smash “Yummy Yummy Yummy” (as in, “…I’ve got love in my tummy”)?
Last year’s anthology album release of singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon’s early 1970s Capitol Records masters, “Stone Cold Soul,” was a potent reminder of her impressive vocal chops, which are somewhat eclipsed in the public memory by her powerful songwriting prowess. After penning a string of indelible ’60s hits such as Brenda Lee’s “Dum Dum,” “When You
An appeals court has revived two lawsuits accusing Michael Jackson of child sexual abuse, after California extended the statute of limitations. The suits were filed by James Safechuck and Wade Robson, the two men whose claims were the subject of the 2019 HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.” In a ruling on Friday, a three-judge panel of
MGM film president Jonathan Glickman is stepping down from the post he has held for eight years, Variety has confirmed. Michael De Luca, the Oscar-nominated producer of “The Social Network” and a former executive at Sony and New Line, will succeed Glickman in the newly created role of chairman of MGM’s Motion Picture Group. As
The Hiking Boot Newton Ridge Plus Hiking Boot Columbia $79.90 A comfortable hiking boot you don’t have to break in? Click! This pair is water resistant, dries quickly, and is great for wearing over rocky, root-filled, or muddy terrain. A popular tip from reviewers: “You may want to size up a half size, especially if you want to
Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Jennifer Lopez have been announced as presenters for the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 5. Additional celebrity presenters include Tim Allen, Jennifer Aniston, Ana De Armas, Christian Bale, Antonio Banderas, Jason Bateman, Cate Blanchett, Matt Bomer, Pierce Brosnan, Glenn Close, Daniel Craig, Ted Danson, Ansel Elgort, Chris
Snap has acquired AI Factory, a startup developing image and video recognition, analysis and processing technology, the company confirmed. Snap is using AI Factory’s tech to power Snapchat’s recently launched Cameos feature, in which users can insert a selfie of themselves, deepfakes-style, into a scene and and send the short, looping videos to friends via
Even though there aren’t any solid plans to make a “Joker” sequel, director Todd Phillips would like to see a Batman movie from “Joker’s” Gotham City. “It’s a beautiful Gotham. What I would like to see someone tackle is what Batman looks like from that Gotham,” Phillips told Variety’s Marc Malkin at the Palm Springs International
Could Taylor Swift defy the odds and win a Golden Globe for her song from “Cats”? It’s a toss-up. Predicting Globes winners in music is always a tricky affair, if for no other reason than the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s unpredictable voters — eccentric to some, pushovers when it comes to celebrity courtship to others.
2019 was kind to GAFA. The four big tech companies entered 2020 with their combined market cap valued by the markets as worth $3.4 trillion, an increase of 31% (or $811 billion) on 2019’s first day of trading. The media sector began 2020 with a combined valuation of $1.5 trillion, 28% greater than 2019’s level
Check out the official Uncut Gems Trailer #2 starring Adam Sandler! Let us know what you think in the comments below. ► Sign up for a Fandango FanAlert for Uncut Gems: https://www.fandango.com/uncut-gems-220344/movie-overview?cmp=MCYT_YouTube_Desc Want to be notified of all the latest movie trailers? Subscribe to the channel and click the bell icon to stay up to
During that bright burst of Memphis music magic that lit up radios, record players and concert stages in the mid-’60s, no act outshined the dynamic rhythm and blues duo known as Sam and Dave. Alongside legendary performers such as Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, and Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Sam Moore and Dave Prater ran
Disney’s “Frozen 2” may have failed to make the Oscar short list for VFX, but the crew certainly solved its share of technical challenges, most notably in the way the film handled the look of its liquid environment. Marlon West, co-head of the film’s effects animation alongside Dale Mayeda, says while it’s flattering for audiences to
Awards season doesn’t have to mean travel headaches for industryites jetting around L.A., New York City, San Francisco, London and various spots in-between. Helicopter rides, chartered jets and private terminal services are just a few of the options for those who want to avoid as much hassle as possible and have the financial resources to
Some viewers might have assumed that Carol Kaye, the legendary studio bassist who was part of the so-called Wrecking Crew in the 1960s, would be flattered by having a character loosely modeled on her, “Carole Keen,” introduced in the latest season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Noting that the real-life Kaye is now 84, Esquire
As Cynthia Erivo becomes a formidable Oscar contender for best actress and original song for her performance in the title role in “Harriet,” one thing remains clear: Diversity is good business. In recent years, Hollywood has seen “Wonder Woman,” “Black Panther,” “Us” and “Crazy Rich Asians” all become box office successes. Focus Features’ “Harriet” — the
A Condensed Year for ContendersIt may seem insignificant, but moving up the Academy Awards two weeks has caused a ripple effect in the industry that makes this year’s nominees more difficult than ever to predict. With the exception of the PGA and SAG awards, usually held in late January, most of the major precursors —
True stories have always had a way of getting the attention of the Academy, especially when it comes to the best picture race. Of the 2018 films that were nominated last year, only “Black Panther” and “A Star Is Born” were complete fiction. Many of this year’s contenders feature stories based on real events, but
The world of “Bombshell” is populated with familiar faces playing familiar faces; in addition to Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly and Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson, you’ll catch actors including Richard Kind playing Rudy Giuliani and John Lithgow as Fox News head Roger Ailes. But for maximum impact with minimum screen time, it’s Alanna Ubach
Starting Jan. 1, YouTube started treating content aimed at children differently from everything else uploaded to the world’s biggest video site. The changes are supposed to make YouTube a safer place for kids. The big problem is, nobody is sure what “child-directed content” means exactly, and producers and creators are worried they could be socked
Forget the critics’ best of lists — what are the movies that the people who starred in and created those awards season favorites consider their personal faves? Variety’s Marc Malkin asked: “What’s the one movie you can watch over and over again?” Jennifer Lopez “West Side Story” “It was the first musical that my mom
Excellence deserves at toast, and shouldn’t those celebrating a nomination or win at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, Grammys or Oscars be drinking the best? Those watching awards shows at home can also imbibe in the celebratory spirits, and Variety polled cocktail experts on the best pairings for kudocasts as well as their own inventive
Rapper DaBaby was arrested in Miami on Tuesday in connection with an alleged robbery, but is being held on battery charges related to an earlier incident in Texas, according to multiple news reports. Authorities told NBC News that the rapper, whose real name is Jonathan Kirk, will remain in custody “until further notice.” The rapper,
Competition is fierce for showbiz largesse during event season. Venues all over compete with the latest sound systems, ultra-chic private dining rooms, of-the-moment food and drink and elevated service. Here are the latest party trends and the spots where premiere and wrap parties, product launches, celebratory dinners, meet-and-greets and award season events are welcomed year-round.
As most televised awards shows continue to suffer ratings declines, the Golden Globes has a secret weapon: For the second year in a row, it will air behind an NFL Wild Card game on NBC. The Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles will face off at 4:40 p.m. ET on Sunday for a chance to move
Whether it’s playing a determined soldier in World War I, an enterprising hustler in a strip club, a polarizing television reporter, or the representative of Christ on Earth, authenticity was a crucial component in the actor’s performance. Some of the performers at the forefront of this year’s awards conversation went to extraordinary lengths to prepare