Movies

Writers on Writers: Scribes Reflect on Favorite Films of 2022 – Variety Writers on Writers: Scribes Reflect on Favorite Films of 2022 – Variety Dec 22, 2022 9:15am PT By Robert Jones Jr., David Grann, Jeremy O. Harris, Jeph Loeb, Gillian Flynn, David Lowery, Greil Marcus, Jon Robin Baitz, Mark Ronson, Douglas Stuart, Jonathan Franzen,

In the eyes of cinephiles, remaking any film from Japanese giant Akira Kurosawa would be sheer blasphemy. But when captivating actor Bill Nighy is at the center of the story, his angelic smile and splendid vocals do more than win you over.  The Sony Pictures Classics drama “Living” — about a civil servant who decides

“The Pale Blue Eye” is one of those movie titles that’s evocative yet teasingly vague — it makes the film sound like a Western based on a song by Lou Reed. Actually, the movie is based on Louis Bayard’s 2006 novel, which uses an 1830s military setting and murder mystery to frame a kind of

Rian Johnson has a message for any “Star Wars” fan who has complained about the bits of comedy in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”: “Slightly goofy humor” has always been an element of the franchise, dating back to George Lucas’ 1977 original. Johnson recently took part in a career retrospective interview for GQ and defended

Brian Tyree Henry will receive the creative impact in breakthrough performance award for his role in “Causeway” at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The honor will be presented as part of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch brunch at the Parker Palm Springs on Jan. 6. “Brian Tyree Henry’s acclaimed performance in ‘Causeway’ has cemented

SPOILER ALERT: This story discusses major plot points for “Avatar: The Way of Water,” currently playing in theaters. When James Cameron first approached Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver about writing a sequel to “Avatar,” Barack Obama was president, TikTok didn’t exist and Marvel Studios had released only one “Avengers” movie. It was 2013. Jaffa and

Basque documentarian Nagore Eceiza (“Fifty Rupees Only”) is preparing to pitch her feature-length film, “If You Wish To Make An Apple Pie,” alongside 21 other projects at Málaga’s 2023 Festival Fund & Co-Production Event (MAFF), which platforms new projects from emergent Spanish and Latin American talent. Put through San Sebastian’s Ikusmira Berriak, one of Spain’s foremost

Screen Producers Australia on Thursday announced nominees in 13 categories for its annual SPA Awards. Eligible works must have screened between July 2021 and December 2022. In the running for feature film of the year are: “The Drover’s Wife – The Legend of Molly Johnson” (Oombarra Productions and Bunya Productions), “Here Out West” (Co-Curious), “The Power of the

RELEASE Influential Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap‘s “Almost Love” (“Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat”) is getting a Feb. 3, 2023 theatrical release in India from Zee Studios. The Good Bad Films production had its world premiere at the Marrakech Film Festival in November. It is an India-U.K. co-production set across both countries and follows two love

Martin McDonagh’s “The Banshees of Inisherin” led the nominations at the 43rd annual London Critics’ Circle Film Awards with nine nods, with Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun” close behind with eight. Both films were nominated in the film of the year, director of the year and screenwriter of the year categories, as were Todd Field’s “Tár” and Daniel Kwan

New Jersey has struck separate pacts with Netflix and Lionsgate to transform vacant properties and bring more studio production facilities to the Garden State. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled Dec. 21 that Netflix has submitted the winning bid for a redevelopment plan for the long-shuttered former Army facility in Fort Monmouth, N.J., about 50

As the ubiquitous “Wednesday” and mighty “Harry and Meghan” continue to dominate in series viewership on Netflix, a nonfiction film is breaking through in a surprising way: “The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari.” Ranked as the number one film in the U.S on Wednesday, filmmaker Rory Kennedy directs the tense story of 47 tourists and guides

There is nothing better than a cinematic needle drop. This year was absolutely loaded perfect song selections that charmed, horrified, confused or absolutely destroyed audiences. To celebrate the best moments of music in 2022’s film and television the Variety staff cobbled together a list of our favorite hits. Labrinth & Zendaya “I’m Tired” – “Euphoria” 

Movie studios can be sued under false advertising laws if they release deceptive movie trailers, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson issued a ruling in a case involving “Yesterday,” the 2019 film about a world without the Beatles. Two Ana de Armas fans filed a lawsuit in January, alleging that

When working with Joaquin Phoenix, prepare yourself for rewrites. Ridley Scott revealed to Empire magazine that casting Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte for his upcoming historical epic “Napoleon” resulted in the script being entirely rewritten to make the actor more comfortable. Phoenix, reuniting with Scott after “Gladiator, stars in “Napoleon” opposite Vanessa Kirby and Tahar Rahim.

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “RRR” are among the films advancing to the next round of the Oscars shortlist, while Rihanna and Taylor Swift are among the music performers still running for their chart-topping songs. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the shortlists for nine categories at the upcoming Oscars. They

A decades-in-the-making sequel to a critically dismissed landmark of ’80s schlock-buster culture. A wild speculative-fiction odyssey from two directors whose previous feature centered on a flatulent corpse. A cannibal love story. A three-hour Telugu-language action epic. A Bresson-inspired Polish art film whose protagonist is a donkey. For most of Oscar history, it would have been

Out of adversity comes opportunity. That’s the view from the top of the Sundance Institute, where CEO Joana Vicente is preparing for her first in-person festival in Park City since she took the reins of its parent nonprofit organization in November 2021. “Sundance is so unique — it really is a place of discovery,” Vicente

If you’re a creative person plagued by insecurity, you’re in good company. Bill Nighy is an actor’s actor and a likely Oscar nominee this year (finally!) for “Living,” yet he says matter-of-factly, “I am traditionally besieged by self-doubt.” He adds dryly, “I don’t know if it’s different from anybody else because I’ve never been anybody

John Waters had the last laugh. In 1973, Variety labeled “Pink Flamingos,” the director’s gleeful send-up of bad taste, “one of the most vile, stupid and repulsive films ever made.” In a blistering notice, the trade publication went on to suggest that while it hated what Waters was offering up, it was hip to its

“Avatar: The Way of Water” notched a major box office milestone, crossing $550 million in global ticket sales. But the $350 million-budgeted film has ways to go to break even and achieve profitability in its theatrical run. Lucky for director James Cameron and Disney, which holds the rights to “Avatar” after acquiring 20th Century Fox

This essay is one of several contributed by filmmakers and actors as part of Variety’s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time package. I remember distinctly seeing “Bridesmaids” for the first time at The Grove in Los Angeles. At one point, I had laughed hysterically at something and was doubled over. The thought came to my

Affectionately known as Tinny, Eleonora Andreatta has long been a fundamental figure in Italian scripted content production. As head of drama at pubcaster RAI she ushered in a new era by commissioning and carefully shepherding global hits such as RAI/HBO’s Elena Ferrante adaptation “My Brilliant Friend.” At Netflix, which she joined in mid-2020 as VP

Variety has hired award-winning journalist Tatiana Siegel as executive editor, film & media. In her new post, Siegel will help guide Variety’s coverage of the film and media business, as well as write covers, features, analysis pieces and investigative stories.  Siegel, who most recently worked as a senior writer for Rolling Stone and previously served as executive

This essay is one of several contributed by filmmakers and actors as part of Variety’s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time package. How do you pick the greatest movies of all time? What are the requirements? How about a movie that you have watched a hundred times? How about a movie that stars all of

This essay is one of several contributed by filmmakers and actors as part of Variety’s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time package. When I discovered “Vagabond,” I was the same age as Sandrine Bonnaire in the film, about 20 years old. The character of Mona claims only one value: freedom. Whatever the cost, despite hunger,

This essay is one of several contributed by filmmakers and actors as part of Variety’s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time package. Henry Hill, Jimmy the Gent, Tommy DeVito, Paulie, Karen, Billy Batts, the Lufthansa heist … all someone has to do is mention some of these names and I get the sudden and irresistible

James Cameron recently told Entertainment Weekly that part of the reason he decided to film “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Avatar 3” and some of “Avatar 4” all at once is because he wanted his franchise to avoid what he called “the ‘Stranger Things’ effect,” or when child actors grow up so fast in between

Disney’s “Avatar: The Way Of Water” created a tidal wave at the U.K. and Ireland box office in its opening weekend washing away almost everything in its path. James Cameron’s much-anticipated return to Pandora debuted at No. 1 with a gargantuan £11.1 million ($13.5 million), per numbers released by Comscore. The film’s opening is 68%

Studiocanal has launched a legal battle against producer-distributor Wild Bunch and sales agent Wild Bunch International over a deal they struck with Netflix for Studio Ghibli streaming rights. Studiocanal alleges Wild Bunch International’s license of the Ghibli catalogue to Netflix in 2019 breached an agreement between Studiocanal and Wild Bunch relating to VOD rights. At