Movies

Long before the push for diversity and inclusion, Hollywood had a few Latin/Hispanic stars who made a big impact. One was Katy Jurado, the first Latina actress to win a Golden Globe (for 1952’s “High Noon”) and the first nominated for an Oscar (1954’s “Broken Lance”). She was born Jan. 16, 1924, in Mexico, and

In film history, there’s never been a project like the nine “Up” British documentaries, which have presented unique challenges for director Michael Apted and editor Kim Horton as they follow the lives of British individuals in seven-year intervals. Horton, who has edited the films since the 1984 “28 Up,” says, “It’s probably the greatest thing

Has it been 35 years since film director Ivan Passer, who died Jan. 9, explained to me why horror movies will never stop getting financed and distributed? “They don’t give their producers any sleepless nights,” the sage Czech maestro quietly, sagely noted, summing up a multitude of film business realities in a simple haiku. And

January 10, 2020 9:15AM PT Fresh off its Golden Globe wins, “1917” is marching into wide release. The World War I drama picked up an impressive $3.2 million from Thursday previews and is expected to top the box office this weekend with a $25 million haul. It’s clearly capitalizing on the awards love. On Sunday,

Sixty years ago, a psychologist named Milton Rokeach hatched an unconventional experiment, in which he gathered together at Ypsilanti State Hospital three mental patients who’d been diagnosed with grandiose delusions — each was thoroughly convinced that he and only he was Jesus Christ — to test whether confronting them with “the ultimate contradiction” of their claims might

Attorneys for Harvey Weinstein want reporters barred from jury selection for the movie producer’s rape trial in New York. To act on that desire, Weinstein’s attorneys filed a new motion on Friday asking for individual jury selection — a move that was swiftly denied by Justice James Burke. “Most people do not speak in front

Ivan Passer, a leading figure of the Czech new wave who directed films including “Cutter’s Way,” died Thursday of pulmonary complications in Reno, Nevada, an associate of the family confirmed. He was 86. Passer was a close friend and collaborator of the late Czech filmmaker Milos Forman. Passer met Forman at a boarding school for

Vienna-based Autlook Filmsales has acquired two titles ahead of their world premieres in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, taking place from Jan. 23 to Feb. 2. In “The Painter and the Thief,” an artist befriends the thief who stole her paintings, and makes him her muse. She

Production has got under way in Japan on “G.I. Joe” spinoff “Snake Eyes.” Featuring “Crazy Rich Asian” star Henry Golding, the actioner is a Paramount Pictures, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures, and Skydance presentation, in association with Hasbro, of a di Bonaventura Pictures Production. Selected members of the cast and key crew received a traditional blessing

Restoration wit William Congreve opined that music had charms to soothe the savage breast, but in “The Sonata,” it has power to summon the savage beast — you know, the one usually depicted with horns, tail, and a pitchfork. This handsome horror meller set primarily in France benefits considerably from location shooting in cheaper, but

Ask anyone to name a female pioneer who studied wild species in their natural habitat in Africa and you’ll get Jane Goodall. But in 1956, four years before primatologist Goodall’s rightfully celebrated work with the chimpanzees started, there was the 23-year-old Canadian Dr. Anne Innis Dagg and her research of giraffes. Despite being the first

The members of the Hollywood Critics Association celebrated 2019 and the end of the decade at the 3rd Annual Hollywood Critics Association Awards Ceremony on Thursday, January 9, 2020. Sam Mendes’ “1917,” which, in a surprise move, took home the Golden Globes’ best picture award, also snagged the best picture award from the HCA. It

January 9, 2020 6:52PM PT Florence Pugh, the breakout star of 2019 dramas “Little Women” and “Midsommar,” apparently has another talent: singing. The 24 year-old actress used to regularly perform covers and play acoustic guitar on YouTube as a teenager in 2013. Pugh, whose next film is Marvel’s “Black Widow” spinoff opposite Scarlett Johansson, went

In Texas, there’s a saying that goes, “If you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes.” All the way over in Tokyo, changing the forecast doesn’t come nearly so easy — and may even require a human sacrifice to set things right — or at least, that’s the premise of “Weathering With You,” an

Bowing to rave reviews in India, “Chhapaak” (Splash) a Hindi-language film directed by Meghna Gulzar, an Indian director who was educated at NYU Tisch, is opening in North America on Friday. The daughter of Bollywood star Raakhee and Oscar-winning songwriter mono-monikered Gulzar, she directed music videos before breaking through with 2015’s “Talvar.” Her next film

Scott Derrickson is stepping down as director of Marvel’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” Variety has learned. The studio confirmed his departure in a statement, attributing it to “creative differences.” Derrickson, who oversaw the first “Doctor Strange,” will remain as an executive producer. “Marvel Studios and Scott Derrickson have amicably parted ways on

The Oscar race is on. And it’s about to get a lot more intense when the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announces the nominations for the 92nd Oscars on Jan. 13. Golden Globes shutout “The Irishman” is favored to earn several nods, as will “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” which went home

Laura Dern will never forget when she first read Noah Baumbach’s script for “Marriage Story.” “I cried for half an hour, which Noah will tell you because he saved the voicemail…Oh my god, I literally cried so hard,” Dern says on this week’s episode of “The Big Ticket,” Variety and iHeart’s movie podcast. I actually

Edd Byrnes, star of the 1950s and ’60s TV hit “77 Sunset Strip” who went on to co-star in the 1978 smash “Grease,” has died, the actor’s son, Logan Byrnes, confirmed Thursday via Facebook. He was 87. Byrnes died at his home in Santa Monica, according to Logan Byrnes, who is a news anchor for

When Ellen Mirojnick was creating the costumes for the sequel to the 2015 hit “Maleficent,” she had a new queen to contend with. The new character, Ingrith, was not a stereotypical evil queen. She was decorated in icy colors and platinum. Mirojnick knew Michelle Pfeiffer’s blonde hair, combined with that icy platinum look, would work

January 9, 2020 11:54AM PT [embedded content] Recently split from the Joker, Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn — after a brief Cheez Whiz bender — proves she no longer needs her mastermind ex-boyfriend (played by Jared Leto) in the new, kickass “Birds of Prey” trailer. Instead, she opts to build her own team of female superheroes,

Nicholas Hoult has found his next mission. The actor will join Tom Cruise in the upcoming “Mission: Impossible” sequel, director Christopher McQuarrie confirmed on Instagram. “Say, @nicholashoult, care to raise a little hell?” he wrote, to which Hoult responded, “Love to. Though why stop at a little?” His exact role is unknown, but Hoult is

The worst thing you could do is not give the studio a lot of options,” says unit photographer Frank Masi, whose stills have helped show off more than 70 films, from 1995’s “Gordy” to Disney’s upcoming “Jungle Cruise.” Masi has shot photos of stars Will Smith, Bruce Willis, Will Ferrell, Cameron Diaz, Dwayne Johnson and

Zhao Shuzhen has been acting in her native China since she was 16. In the U.S., she became an overnight sensation at age 76.  Until last year, she was a successful television actor in her homeland — then came her U.S. debut in “The Farewell,” writer-director Lulu Wang’s autobiographical drama about traveling to China to

January 9, 2020 8:47AM PT “La Fortaleza,” Jorge Thielen Armand’s Venezuelan film which is set to compete at Rotterdam, has been acquired by Paris-based Reel Suspects for world sales. “La Fortaleza” is the first feature film produced by the Blockchain-powered platform Breaker, and is co-produced by Louise Bellicaud and Claire Charles Gervais of In Vivo

January 9, 2020 8:30AM PT Underscore? Try overscore. The co-star of “Uncut Gems” is undoubtedly the film’s music. The result of a second collaboration between composer Daniel Lopato, aka Oneohtrix Point Never, and director Josh Safdie, the cosmically synthesized score blends multiple Moog tones for a sonic identity to accompany Adam Sandler’s role as Manny.

Variety‘s Strictly Business podcast hits the road this week to Las Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show conference. Hosts Cynthia Littleton and Andrew Wallenstein walk through CES’ C Space installation at Aria Las Vegas while discussing the seismic shifts under way for media and entertainment thanks to the onslaught of competition from digital streaming

Harvey Weinstein struck out in his attempt on Thursday to get a new judge assigned to his rape trial in New York. Attorneys for the movie mogul accused Justice James Burke of being prejudicial after he threatened Weinstein earlier this week with jail time for using his cell phone in court. However, Burke was having

The star-studded National Board of Review gala, held Wednesday at midtown Manhattan’s Cipriani 42nd, honored A-listers like Brad Pitt for best supporting actor (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), Renee Zellweger for best actress (“Judy”), Quentin Tarantino for best director (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) and Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino

British actor Jeremy Irons, who plays Ozymandias in the HBO series “Watchmen” and won an Oscar in 1991 for “Reversal of Fortune,” will serve as president of the International Jury at the 70th Berlin Intl. Film Festival, the event revealed Thursday. Berlinale artistic director Carlo Chatrian said: “With his distinctive style Jeremy Irons has embodied