Movies

Over the course of his career, James Caan brought a series of tough guys, gangsters and military men to vivid life on screen. But few films captured the actor’s swaggering physicality better than “Rollerball,” the 1975 dystopian classic with Caan as the star attraction of a futuristic game that devolves into gladiatorial chaos. Norman Jewison,

Farhoud Meybodi is launching Ritual Arts, a new production company, and has secured a first-look deal with Wayfarer Studios, the independent studio co-founded by Justin Baldoni and Steve Sarowitz. The company will focus on storytelling that inspires culture change through purpose-driven television and film. An award-winning writer, director, and executive producer, Meybodi recently worked on

Johnny Depp’s lawyers argued Monday that his $10.35 million defamation verdict against ex-wife Amber Heard should be upheld, despite the possibility that the wrong juror showed up for the trial. Heard’s lawyers have argued that the verdict should be set aside and a new trial should be ordered because one of the seven jurors in

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not seen “Thor: Love and Thunder,” in theaters now. Taika Waititi hit a Marvel home run with the critically acclaimed “Thor: Ragnarok,” but his just-released follow-up tentpole “Thor: Love and  Thunder” is having a much harder go of it. The film received middling reviews (67% on Rotten Tomatoes)

In a statement buy, Cinedigm has snapped up all North American rights to what it describes as “avant-gutter psychedelic freakout,” “All Jacked Up and Full of Worms” which is shaping up as one of the most memorable titles set for this year’s Fantasia Intl. Film Festival, which runs July 14 to Aug. 3 in Montreal.

The French feminist and advocacy org 50/50, which was hit by a sexual assault scandal and the resignation of its entire administration board in April, has unveiled a new temporary leadership. For the next six months, the org will be overseen by Séraphine Angoula, Clémentine Charlemaine and Margaux Lorier, while Laura Pertuy and Lahoucine Grimich

The 20th annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) will open with the award-winning documentary “Descendant” from Netflix, Participant Media and Higher Ground, Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company. The documentary — which earned the U.S. special jury award for creative vision after its Sundance Film Festival debut earlier this year — follows members

Prominent dissident Iranian auteur Jafar Panahi, known globally for prizewinning works such as “The Circle,” “Offside,” “This is Not a Film,” and 2015 Berlin Golden Bear winner “Taxi,” has been arrested in Tehran, Agence France Press is reporting and several sources have confirmed. “Jafar Panahi has been arrested today [Monday] when he went to the

“Mama Bears,” an LGBTQ+ documentary about the journeys of two conservative, Christian mothers who became advocates for the queer community, debuted its trailer Monday, Variety can exclusively reveal. The film, which premiered at SXSW earlier this year, will play at Outfest and Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival later this summer. “Mama Bears” follows Sara

Calgary-based filmmaker Berkley Brady is working on an adaptation of Metis author Maria Campbell’s memoir “Halfbreed.” The book, published in the 1970s, recounts a life of difficulty, struggle and discrimination, but it’s also a testament to the woman who ended up as a “pillar of her indigenous community,” points out Brady. “We are looking at

Madrid is in the throes of a brutal heat wave. An elderly woman jumps off a balcony and lies bleeding on the street below. Her widower claims a magnetic energy drove her to her suicide. His son moves him to their flat to take better care of him despite his wife’s protests, who fears the

“McEnroe,” a documentary on tennis champion John McEnroe, has set a U.K. and Ireland theatrical release and North American play dates. In the documentary, the tennis great reflects on his tumultuous career and personal life alongside film archive from some of the biggest matches in tennis history — including the US Open and Wimbledon —

Egyptian romcom “Bahebek” (“I Love You”) toplining local megastar Tamer Hosni has scored a smashing opening frame across West Asia grossing $4.2 million thanks to more than 300,000 admissions. Hosni stars as a self-made businessman torn between the woman he’s about to marry and and old flame The first four-day haul for “I Love You” marks

U.K. performers’ union Equity is fighting back against the increasing use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in the entertainment industry. NDAs are intended to prevent a participant or prospective participant on a project from leaking details but there is growing concern in the industry about the extent to which they are used. Actors including Gal Gadot,

For those tired of movies in which something as grand as the fate of our existence is at stake — threatened by aliens or wizards or something so far removed from reality — the simply titled and even more simply plotted “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” offers a pleasant reprieve. Here, in a fresh adaptation

On Sept. 23, the long-awaited Andrew Dominik-directed adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates’ bestseller “Blonde,” about the desperate life of Norma Jeane Baker, performing as Marilyn Monroe, will be released on Netflix, and it is likely to world premiere before that at the Venice Film Festival. Oates has already seen the film and approves of it,

Slovak director Robert Kirchhoff is in postproduction with his documentary “All Men Become Brothers,” which follows the life of Czechoslovak politician Alexander Dubček (1921-1992), Film New Europe reports. Dubček was leader of Czechoslovakia from January 1968 to April 1969. He attempted to reform the communist government during the Prague Spring, but was forced to resign

Sea, quiet and sun. A holidaymaker on his paddleboard. In a few minutes, this idyllic picture is shattered: the man is knocked off his board into the water, and is then devoured by a shark. Almost 50 years since Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” brought terror to the New England beach town of Amity Island, a shark

There are many layers to the mystique of the Chelsea Hotel. Long before it became a hipster hangout, the 12-story, 250-room fortress, built in the 1880s, was home to Mark Twain (though come to think of it, maybe he was the original hipster). In the ’50s, the Chelsea played host to assorted literary figures, the

“Self-presentation, right?” says one teacher, riffling unimpressed through the box portfolio of an applicant for next term at art school. “It’s extreme self-presentation and absolutely nothing else,” shrugs another, before noticing the painted, penis-shaped vibrator that’s also part of the submission and observing drily, “The main thing is that it is covered in silver spray.”

Simon Rieth’s “Summer Scars,” a seaside tale of fraternal love cast in a woozy glow and cut with shocking spikes of violence, won top honors at this year’s Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival, claiming the Narcisse Award for best feature film, and with it $10,200 in prize money and a trophy designed Switzerland’s own H.R.

L.Q. Jones, a veteran character actor whose career spanned seven decades, died Saturday of natural causes at his home in the Hollywood Hills. He was 94 years old. Jones’ death was confirmed by his grandson, Erté deGarces. DeGarces shared that Jones died surrounded by his family. Born Justice Ellis McQueen on Aug. 19, 1927 in

Polish helmer Anna Kazejak – fresh off showing “Fucking Bornholm” at the Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival – is now focusing on her upcoming movie “Symmetry of the Island,” based on a fragment of Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk’s ‘Flights.’ Currently in development and eyeing a 2023 autumn shoot, it will be produced by Warsaw-based

“Thor: Love and Thunder” has finally hit theaters, but some Marvel fans still want to see more. Reports of an assembly cut that clocks in at around four hours have sparked calls of “#ReleaseTheWaititiCut” among some viewers who would like to see an extended version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe entry. Director Taika Waititi, however,

“I don’t think it would be hard for me if I wanted to do something because I’ve established a relationship and they’re incredibly loyal,” she said. While Campion made sure to note that “The Power of the Dog” “couldn’t have been made” without the support of Netflix, the perspective of the company has shifted since

In “Summer Scars” (“Nos cérémonies”), French director Simon Rieth asks: How strong is brotherly love? In his feature debut, Rieth brilliantly mixes realism and fantasy in a moving story, co-written with Léa Riche, whose originality alone is worth a detour. In the film, Tony, around 10 years old, and his younger sibling Noé share everything:

Iran-set coming-of-age story “Summer With Hope” won the top prize at the 56th Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival, winning over the Crystal Globe jury with its story of youthful competitive swimmer Omid as he struggles to train for a risky ocean competition. The film, directed and written by Iranian-Canadian Sadaf Foroughi, is her sophomore feature,

Disney’s “Thor: Love and Thunder” is hammering competition at the domestic box office, projecting an opening north of $135 million from 4,375 theaters. That would be a step up from the stormy superhero’s previous solo outing, “Thor: Ragnarok,” which opened to $122.7 million in 2017. Should estimates hold, “Love and Thunder” will mark the 12th

Sodium streetlights buzz. Antennas hum. Insects chirrup — or is that the bleeping of some faraway, half-dreamt electronic machine? The world of Christos Passalis’ sensitive, surreal, slow-reveal “Silence 6-9” is quiet, but its silences are full of strange, prophetic noise, if you just listen hard enough. After a beginning unmistakably located deep within the familiarly

Danish editor Molly Malene Stensgaard, best known for her decades-long collaboration with Lars von Trier, won’t be returning for the third season of his cult series “The Kingdom,” she confirmed at Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival, where she also joined the Crystal Globe jury. “It will be strange,” she admitted. Ghita Norby, Soren Pilmark and