Given the allusions to literal and thematic Trojan Horses that pepper its third act, one probably shouldn’t be surprised that “Captive State” — which opened cold on March 14 after Focus mysteriously canceled screenings for critics — actually is something of a purposefully camouflaged interloper. Although the TV ads and other promotional material appear to
Movies
When FilMart was launched 22 years ago, Hong Kong boasted of its historic role as the preeminent gateway between China and the rest of the world. That message has had to be tempered in recent years as multiple other cities have emerged with claims to be hubs, and there is now huge direct trade between
March 14, 2019 7:22PM PT A “imaginary” childhood friend returns with malignant intent in this inventive psychological-horror thriller. An alter ego gets a little too altering in “Daniel Isn’t Real.” Based on co-writer Brian DeLeeuw’s novel “In This Way I Was Saved,” this strong second feature for director Adam Egypt Mortimer centers on an unhappy
Though his books were seldom issued by major publishing houses, recently deceased author Jack Ketchum has become one of the big screen’s more frequently adapted U.S. novelists. “Darlin’” isn’t based on a Ketchum tome, per se, but it does have a through line to his work: It’s a sequel to Lucky McKee’s 2011 “The Woman,”
The reigning queen of period pieces, Keira Knightley, knows a thing or two about historical clothing. “Lining. Lining is always important,” the Oscar-nominated actress playfully advised on Wednesday at the premiere of her post-WWII drama “Aftermath.” “If you get a lot of itchy stuff always put lining in it. I have learned that from having
March 14, 2019 2:54PM PT Following a backlash from fans, Marvel Studios has added Danai Gurira’s name to the “Avengers: Endgame” poster after it had been missing from the original version. “She should have been up there all this time,” the company tweeted on Thursday. Eagle-eyed fans noticed that Gurira’s name was absent from the
Howard A. Rodman’s upcoming book will be getting the big-screen treatment. “The Great Eastern,” set to be published in early June by Melville House Books, has been acquired by Great Point Media — a London-based content and media company. Rodman, the former Writers Guild of America West president, will also write the screenplay for the
March 14, 2019 1:57PM PT Thief-turned-teacher Zequi competes to save his relationship, and his school, at a beach-resort competition in this dreary sequel. For proof of American cinema’s global reach, look no further than “No Manches Frida 2,” which like its 2016 predecessor hews to a tried-and-true Hollywood comedy formula, albeit one embellished with distinctly
As guests filed into Austin’s Paramount Theatre for the world premiere of “Us” at South by Southwest on the evening of March 8, there was audible whispering about whether Jordan Peele’s latest film would win over fans, critics and, ultimately, Academy voters. His freshman effort, “Get Out,” not only took in $255 million worldwide but
March 14, 2019 1:10PM PT A loutish man-child alienates everyone before learning to grow up in Eden Marryshow’s humorless indie. The history of cinematic comedy is rife with jerks who learn their lessons and grow up, but to win over audiences, those clowns usually had to exhibit at least a glimmer of down-deep goodness —
March 14, 2019 12:50PM PT Oscar-winner Danis Tanovic’s chilling crime story “The Postcard Killings” has rounded out its cast with the addition of “American Horror Story’s” Denis O’Hare, “A Very English Scandal’s” Naomi Battrick and “The Spanish Princess’s” Ruairi O’Connor as shooting gets underway in London. The movie, based on the James Patterson and Liza
March 14, 2019 12:00PM PT “42” filmmaker and “L.A. Confidential” scribe Brian Helgeland is set to direct “Button Man” for Netflix, sources tell Variety. Based on on the graphic novel by John Wagner and Arthur Ranson, the movie tells the story of ex-military contractor Harry Exton, considered the first true hero of the post-truth age.
“The Sopranos” prequel has a release date and a new name. Simply titled “Newark,” the film will hit theaters on Sept. 25, 2020, more than 13 years after the acclaimed HBO series came to an end. The cast will include Alessandro Nivola, Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, and John Magaro.
Spyglass Media Group, the newly formed content company from former MGM chief Gary Barber, has named Cheryl Rodman as chief legal officer. Rodman will be responsible for overseeing all legal and business affairs for the company, including corporate matters and strategic growth initiatives. She will report directly to Barber, who joins him from her previous
The world premiere of Danny Boyle’s rock comedy “Yesterday” has been selected as the closing night film for the Tribeca Film Festival on May 5. The festival, which opens April 24 with “The Apollo,” also announced Thursday that it will hold a pair of Gala Anniversary screenings with a 40th anniversary showing of a never-before-seen
Warner Bros.’ “Shazam” could grow to as much as $40 million in ticket sales when it hits North American theaters on April 5, early tracking suggests. Hailing from DC’s arsenal of Lycra-clad warriors,” Shazam” is Hollywood’s latest attempt to cash in on the golden age of superheroes at the box office. The movie follows Billy Batson
March 14, 2019 7:12AM PT Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan will star in and co-produce an Indian adaptation of multiple Oscar-winning fantasy-drama “Forrest Gump.” It will go by the title “Lal Singh Chaddha.” Khan announced his involvement on Thursday at a press event in Mumbai held for his 54th birthday. Aamir Khan Productions will co-produce alongside Viacom
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are willing to do whatever it takes to defeat Thanos. At least, the ones who survived the intergalactic villain’s deadly wrath in the last superhero mashup, “Avengers: Infinity War,” Disney unveiled new footage from the highly anticipated follow-up, “Avengers: Endgame,” the fourth “Avengers” movie that closes out a major chapter in Marvel’s
A tearjerking romance centered around two teenagers living with cystic fibrosis, first-time feature director Justin Baldoni’s “Five Feet Apart” is ultimately little more than a cover band treatment of “The Fault in Our Stars.” But as far as cover bands go, at least it has a hell of a frontwoman in Haley Lu Richardson. Fresh
Why is “Wonder Park” called “Wonder Park”? The heart of the new digitally animated feature, a co-production of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Movies, is set in a spectacular fantasy amusement park, with train tracks shaped like a giant octopus’ tentacles, that’s nestled in a pastoral sunlit forest vista that looks like it could be the
GUADALAJARA, Mexico — In keeping with its mandate to acquire films that explore present-day, topical issues, leading Latin American sales agency FiGa Films has snagged all worldwide rights to Samuel Kishi Leopo’s immigrant drama “Los Lobos.” “It’s a privilege to continue our collaboration with Mr. Kishi Leopo,” said FiGa’s Sandro Fiorin. “We worked together on
GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Start-up Chilean production company Otro Foco scored big in the Guadalajara Construye works in progress section with its first-ever feature “Piola,” a rap-fueled coming of age tale that scored a staggering six of the available 13 awards given out at the event. The film was written and directed by Luis Alejandro Pérez
The TorinoFilmLab and Series Mania have announced the nine projects participating in this year’s SeriesLab, an intensive mentorship program that culminates March 26 in Lille when participants will present their projects to an industry audience at the Series Mania Forum. A joint venture conceived to address the challenge of developing screenwriting talent in the European
If not for the wonders of technology — and world’s most popular ride-sharing app in particular — Vic and Stu never would have met. Vic (Dave Bautista) is an enormous bull-in-a-china-shop-style cop recovering from eye surgery who can’t see well enough to drive (or shoot) on the night of his big bust. Stu (Kumail Nanjiani)
March 14, 2019 1:56AM PT The vengeful spirits in a former bordello prey on the home’s new tenants in producer-turned-director Travis Stevens’ enjoyable horror opus. Home improvements may be the death of you in “Girl on the Third Floor,” a likable supernatural thriller with Phil Brooks aka former WWE wrestler C.M. Punk as an expectant
Filmmaker Aaron Kunkel fashions an absorbing true-crime narrative with a danceable beat from the testimonies of exploited pop celebrities, bilked investors, criminal investigators and not-so-quietly aghast onlookers in “The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story.” Briskly efficient in its construction and execution, the documentary, which will be available to YouTube Premium subscribers starting April 3, focuses
China’s first mainstream science-fiction film, “The Wandering Earth,” has surpassed “Operation Red Sea” to become the country’s second-highest-grossing movie of all time, with $679 million at the local box office and counting. “Crazy Alien,” another title released during last month’s competitive Chinese New Year period, has raked in $327 million domestically. Two more sci-fi movies
“Finding Steve McQueen” is a ramshackle indie heist drama that has a little bit (but not much) to do with Steve McQueen. The film’s central figure, a green-behind-the-ears thief named Harry Barber (Travis Fimmel), idolizes the squinty star of “Bullitt,” for all the reasons one might have back in 1972, when most of the movie
March 13, 2019 4:00PM PT “Sunflower” is the latest single to drop ahead of the band’s fourth studio album, “Father of the Bride,” due out on May 3. [embedded content] The band Vampire Weekend enlisted Jonah Hill to direct a new music video for the song “Sunflower.” The clip shows frontman Ezra Koenig at iconic
March 13, 2019 2:28PM PT Priyanka Chopra has just been added to the star-studded list of speakers at the 2019 Women in the World Summit. The lineup for the event, which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary at Lincoln Center from April 10-12, also includes Brie Larson, Cindy McCain, Susan Rice, Stacey Abrams, Ashley Judd,