Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars and Emmys ceremonies from film awards editor Clayton Davis. Following history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar and Emmy predictions are updated regularly with the current year's list of contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. The eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and is subject to change.
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Oscars Collective
Visit each category, per the individual awards show from The Oscars Hub
Revisit the prediction archive of the 2021 season The Archive
Link to television awards is atTHE Emmys Hub
2022 Oscars Predictions:
Best Costume Design
Updated: Feb 7, 2022
Awards Prediction Commentary: BAFTA selected “Cruella” (Walt Disney Pictures), “Cyrano” (MGM...
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Oscars Collective
Visit each category, per the individual awards show from The Oscars Hub
Revisit the prediction archive of the 2021 season The Archive
Link to television awards is atTHE Emmys Hub
2022 Oscars Predictions:
Best Costume Design
Updated: Feb 7, 2022
Awards Prediction Commentary: BAFTA selected “Cruella” (Walt Disney Pictures), “Cyrano” (MGM...
- 2/8/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
If you want to win an Oscar for Best Costume Design, it’s best to pick a project for which you can create frilly dresses from a bygone era. Since its introduction at the 1948 Academy Awards, this category has favored period pictures, including last year’s winner “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Voters love to reward the creative forces behind such films, especially those that are about the aristocracy including recent champs “Marie Antoinette” (2007), “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (2008), “The Duchess” (2009), “The Young Victoria” (2010), and “Anna Karenina” (2013). (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2022 Oscars predictions for Best Costume Design.)
By the way, none of those films even competed for Best Picture. Indeed, only 20 of the most recent 72 Best Picture champs also won this award. Among these was “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2004). Fantasy films such as this often boast Oscar-winning costumes, including 2019 winner “Black Panther,” and recent...
By the way, none of those films even competed for Best Picture. Indeed, only 20 of the most recent 72 Best Picture champs also won this award. Among these was “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2004). Fantasy films such as this often boast Oscar-winning costumes, including 2019 winner “Black Panther,” and recent...
- 1/23/2022
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
The costume design race is a design dream, from the fantasy world of “Dune,” to 1970s London in “Cruella,” the iconic re-creation of legendary gowns in “Respect” and the power pants of Lucille Ball in “Being the Ricardos,” which help tell the story of a trailblazer. Designers such as Chanel collaborated for the psychological drama “Spencer,” while Gucci opened its archives to “House of Gucci.”
Here’s a look at some of the contenders.
“Being the Ricardos”
Costume designer: Susan Lyall
Lyall built a wardrobe for the performer Lucille Ball as well as the behind-the-scenes creative producer and wife Lucille Arnaz, played by Nicole Kidman. For the latter, at one point, Arnaz wears pantsuits. With the film set around a week of filming the iconic “I Love Lucy,” Lyall occasionally put Kidman in pants, even in the 1950s, a look mostly worn by female trailblazers and not the wardrobe staple of today’s women.
Here’s a look at some of the contenders.
“Being the Ricardos”
Costume designer: Susan Lyall
Lyall built a wardrobe for the performer Lucille Ball as well as the behind-the-scenes creative producer and wife Lucille Arnaz, played by Nicole Kidman. For the latter, at one point, Arnaz wears pantsuits. With the film set around a week of filming the iconic “I Love Lucy,” Lyall occasionally put Kidman in pants, even in the 1950s, a look mostly worn by female trailblazers and not the wardrobe staple of today’s women.
- 1/14/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Costume designer Susan Lyall has worked with a number of top filmmakers, including Jodie Foster, Steven Soderbergh, and Jonathan Demme, but her recent work has come in collaboration with Aaron Sorkin
“It’s very interesting to work with a director repeatedly. It definitely gets easier but it takes a few false starts,” Lyall tells Gold Derby. “He does seem to write incredibly complex costume films, although he would probably be shocked to hear that.”
Lyall and Sorkin first connected on “Molly’s Game,” Sorkin’s directorial debut which had nearly 100 costume changes for its lead character, Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain). Last year, Lyall designed the memorable wardrobe for Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” including a recreation of Abbie Hoffman’s famed American flag shirt. Now, she’s back with Sorkin for another story of 20th-century legends: “Being the Ricardos,” which focuses on one tumultuous week in the life...
“It’s very interesting to work with a director repeatedly. It definitely gets easier but it takes a few false starts,” Lyall tells Gold Derby. “He does seem to write incredibly complex costume films, although he would probably be shocked to hear that.”
Lyall and Sorkin first connected on “Molly’s Game,” Sorkin’s directorial debut which had nearly 100 costume changes for its lead character, Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain). Last year, Lyall designed the memorable wardrobe for Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” including a recreation of Abbie Hoffman’s famed American flag shirt. Now, she’s back with Sorkin for another story of 20th-century legends: “Being the Ricardos,” which focuses on one tumultuous week in the life...
- 12/22/2021
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Curated by the IndieWire Crafts team, Craft Considerations is a platform for filmmakers to talk about recent work we believe is worthy of awards consideration. In partnership with Amazon Studios, for this edition we look at how costume designer Susan Lyall, production designer Jon Hutman, and cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth re-imagined the private and backstage life of Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem) in writer-director Aaron Sorkin’s new film “Being the Ricardos.”
For Jon Hutman, the production designer who built the original “The West Wing” sets, the focus of his latest collaboration with Aaron Sorkin was familiar territory. “What people want to see in this movie is not what happened on the stage; everyone wants to know what happens backstage.” Recalled costume designer Susan Lyall, “One of the first things Aaron said, ‘We are not doing ‘I Love Lucy.’ It’s the drama behind the comedy.’”
And while Lyall,...
For Jon Hutman, the production designer who built the original “The West Wing” sets, the focus of his latest collaboration with Aaron Sorkin was familiar territory. “What people want to see in this movie is not what happened on the stage; everyone wants to know what happens backstage.” Recalled costume designer Susan Lyall, “One of the first things Aaron said, ‘We are not doing ‘I Love Lucy.’ It’s the drama behind the comedy.’”
And while Lyall,...
- 12/20/2021
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Turning Nicole Kidman into Lucille Ball and Javier Bardem into Desi Arnaz in “Being the Ricardos” wasn’t only about creating a facsimile of the iconic 1950s TV duo.
Rather, director Aaron Sorkin instructed hair department head Teressa Hill and makeup department head Ana Lozano, “We are not taking a photograph; we are painting a picture.” The approach is generating awards buzz for the below-the-line duo.
The film, opening Dec. 10, centers on a week of filming “I Love Lucy,” from table read to shooting an episode. Sorkin also re-creates memorable moments from the series, which ran on CBS from 1951-57, and provides snapshots of the couple’s marriage.
That plotline meant creating numerous looks for the TV stars and their real-life personas: Lucille Ball/ Lucy Ricardo and Desi Arnaz/Desi Ricardo, as well as dual looks for the other cast members (including J.K. Simmons as William Frawley/Fred Mertz and...
Rather, director Aaron Sorkin instructed hair department head Teressa Hill and makeup department head Ana Lozano, “We are not taking a photograph; we are painting a picture.” The approach is generating awards buzz for the below-the-line duo.
The film, opening Dec. 10, centers on a week of filming “I Love Lucy,” from table read to shooting an episode. Sorkin also re-creates memorable moments from the series, which ran on CBS from 1951-57, and provides snapshots of the couple’s marriage.
That plotline meant creating numerous looks for the TV stars and their real-life personas: Lucille Ball/ Lucy Ricardo and Desi Arnaz/Desi Ricardo, as well as dual looks for the other cast members (including J.K. Simmons as William Frawley/Fred Mertz and...
- 12/9/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Amazon Studios began principal photography this week on Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos” — a biopic about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz — and Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat and Jake Lacy have joined the film’s cast.
They join Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem, who are playing the “I Love Lucy” stars, as well as J.K Simmons and Nina Arianda as William Frawley and Vivian Vance, who played Fred and Ethel on the classic sitcom.
Hale will play “I Love Lucy” executive producer and head writer Jess Oppenheimer, and Shawkat and Lacy will play the show’s longtime writing partners Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll Jr.
Also joining “Being the Ricardos” and rounding out the cast are Clark Gregg (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), Nelson Franklin (“Veep”), John Rubinstein (“Family”), Linda Lavin (“The Good Wife”), Robert Pine (“CHiPs”) and Christopher Denham (“Billions”).
“Being the Ricardos” is written and directed by Sorkin and...
They join Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem, who are playing the “I Love Lucy” stars, as well as J.K Simmons and Nina Arianda as William Frawley and Vivian Vance, who played Fred and Ethel on the classic sitcom.
Hale will play “I Love Lucy” executive producer and head writer Jess Oppenheimer, and Shawkat and Lacy will play the show’s longtime writing partners Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll Jr.
Also joining “Being the Ricardos” and rounding out the cast are Clark Gregg (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), Nelson Franklin (“Veep”), John Rubinstein (“Family”), Linda Lavin (“The Good Wife”), Robert Pine (“CHiPs”) and Christopher Denham (“Billions”).
“Being the Ricardos” is written and directed by Sorkin and...
- 3/29/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Amazon Studios has announced the start of principal photography on writer/director Aaron Sorkin’s next drama film, “Being the Ricardos.” Filming started this week in Los Angeles. Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem star as real-life couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, the faces behind the classic 1950s TV sitcom “I Love Lucy,” which centered on the happy but idiosyncratic marriage of Lucille and Ricky Ricardo.
Working in a confined timeframe similar to Sorkin’s script for “Steve Jobs,” “Being the Ricardos” unfolds during one production week of “I Love Lucy” — starting with the Monday table read through Friday filming with a live audience — when Lucy and Desi face a crisis that could end their careers, as well as their marriage.
Kidman stars as Ball opposite fellow Oscar winner Bardem as her husband Desi Arnaz, the Cuban-American actor, musician, and president of their television production company, Desilu Productions.
Kidman ended up replacing Cate Blanchett,...
Working in a confined timeframe similar to Sorkin’s script for “Steve Jobs,” “Being the Ricardos” unfolds during one production week of “I Love Lucy” — starting with the Monday table read through Friday filming with a live audience — when Lucy and Desi face a crisis that could end their careers, as well as their marriage.
Kidman stars as Ball opposite fellow Oscar winner Bardem as her husband Desi Arnaz, the Cuban-American actor, musician, and president of their television production company, Desilu Productions.
Kidman ended up replacing Cate Blanchett,...
- 3/29/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
If you want to win an Oscar for Best Costume Design, it’s best to pick a project for which you can create frilly dresses from a bygone era. Since its introduction at the 1948 Academy Awards, this category has favored period pieces, including last year’s winner “Little Women.” Voters love to reward the creative forces behind such films, especially those that are about the aristocracy including recent champs “Marie Antoinette” (2007), “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (2008), “The Duchess” (2009), “The Young Victoria” (2010), and “Anna Karenina” (2013). (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2021 Oscars predictions for Best Costume Design.)
By the way, none of those films even competed for Best Picture. Indeed, only 20 of the most recent 71 Best Picture champs also won this award. Among these was “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2004). Fantasy films such as this often boast Oscar-winning costumes, including 2019 winner “Black Panther,” and recent champs “Alice in Wonderland...
By the way, none of those films even competed for Best Picture. Indeed, only 20 of the most recent 71 Best Picture champs also won this award. Among these was “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2004). Fantasy films such as this often boast Oscar-winning costumes, including 2019 winner “Black Panther,” and recent champs “Alice in Wonderland...
- 3/4/2021
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
“The Trial of the Chicago 7,” about protesters at the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the ensuing trial, features great work by writer-director Aaron Sorkin, who is quick to salute his below-the-line colleagues: “They’re not there to take my instructions; they’re there to top my instructions. I consider these people to be co-authors of the film.”
Alan Baumgarten, editor
“In the opening seven minutes, we wanted to do two things. One is to set the context of a nation coming off the rails, with temperatures rising on both sides. I also wanted to introduce our main characters and show that they are four distinct groups. Alan has a habit of making things look easy.
When Alan and I were done with our first cut, there were three or four places where my heart sank; the dramatic impact wasn’t landing somehow. With a few quarter turns of the screw,...
Alan Baumgarten, editor
“In the opening seven minutes, we wanted to do two things. One is to set the context of a nation coming off the rails, with temperatures rising on both sides. I also wanted to introduce our main characters and show that they are four distinct groups. Alan has a habit of making things look easy.
When Alan and I were done with our first cut, there were three or four places where my heart sank; the dramatic impact wasn’t landing somehow. With a few quarter turns of the screw,...
- 12/26/2020
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7” is a historical drama, but one element of the film wasn’t entirely true to life. The courtroom — the centerpiece of the film where the seven titular defendants and one more man faced charges of inciting a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention — was not modeled after the real one at the writer/director’s request.
“The original courtroom was designed by Mies van der Rohe in the International Style in the Federal Building in Chicago and the look wasn’t quite what he was looking for,” Shane Valentino tells Gold Derby at our Meet the Experts: Film Production Design panel (watch above). “I think he was just coming off of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ [on Broadway] and those sort of traditional courtrooms with a lot of the wood tones, and was sort of leaning toward that aesthetic.”
Valentino at first lobbied to...
“The original courtroom was designed by Mies van der Rohe in the International Style in the Federal Building in Chicago and the look wasn’t quite what he was looking for,” Shane Valentino tells Gold Derby at our Meet the Experts: Film Production Design panel (watch above). “I think he was just coming off of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ [on Broadway] and those sort of traditional courtrooms with a lot of the wood tones, and was sort of leaning toward that aesthetic.”
Valentino at first lobbied to...
- 12/21/2020
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Aaron Sorkin knew exactly what he wanted the score for “The Trial of the Chicago 7” to sound like and where in the film, and that was actually music to Daniel Pemberton’s ears.
“He had already mapped the whole film out. He already knew what he wanted to do with the music, how he saw the whole film structured musically, which is really cool,” Pemberton tells Gold Derby during our Meet the Experts: Film Composers panel (watch above). “It’s great when a director really understands what music can do and has already, like really detailed, worked it into how they’ve structured the film. So right from the top he was like, ‘This film is four big pieces: the opening, the two riots and the ending to take us out.’ He was like, ‘That’s where the bits have to count. Those bits, the music has to be right in your face,...
“He had already mapped the whole film out. He already knew what he wanted to do with the music, how he saw the whole film structured musically, which is really cool,” Pemberton tells Gold Derby during our Meet the Experts: Film Composers panel (watch above). “It’s great when a director really understands what music can do and has already, like really detailed, worked it into how they’ve structured the film. So right from the top he was like, ‘This film is four big pieces: the opening, the two riots and the ending to take us out.’ He was like, ‘That’s where the bits have to count. Those bits, the music has to be right in your face,...
- 12/16/2020
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
“It’s a great panel because our [movies] are all so different … and listening to you both, you had a completely different process than I did,” observed costume designer Lou Eyrich when comparing her work on “The Prom” to Susan Lyall‘s costumes in “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and Megan Stark Evans‘ designs for “Sound of Metal.” The three compared notes about their different challenges and inspirations during our “Meet the Experts” panel. Watch our group discussion above, and click each name above to watch their individual interviews separate from this group panel.
“Susan, your having to be so precise to an actual event and being able to put your own signature on it is great,” Eyrich added, “and Megan having to create these characters out of nothing — you had to design the whole concept of each character within a budget.” Those two approaches were quite different, and yet...
“Susan, your having to be so precise to an actual event and being able to put your own signature on it is great,” Eyrich added, “and Megan having to create these characters out of nothing — you had to design the whole concept of each character within a budget.” Those two approaches were quite different, and yet...
- 12/1/2020
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
For costume designer Susan Lyall, “The Trial of the Chicago 7” was “a dream job honestly, and the ability to define a courtroom through your costumes is really a wonderful experience.” The film is based on the true story of activists accused of inciting violence at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, so it required Lyall to create and recreate looks for well-known historical figures. She joined us for our “Meet the Experts” costume designers panel. Watch our exclusive video interview above.
“When you do any film that involves real people, the research is an incredibly important element of it, and it gives you a really great starting point,” Lyall explains. Studying the characters involved in this story, including protest leaders Abbie Hoffman (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) and Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne), gave her a strong baseline to work from. And that opens up different options for a designer:...
“When you do any film that involves real people, the research is an incredibly important element of it, and it gives you a really great starting point,” Lyall explains. Studying the characters involved in this story, including protest leaders Abbie Hoffman (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) and Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne), gave her a strong baseline to work from. And that opens up different options for a designer:...
- 12/1/2020
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Three top costume designers will reveal the secrets behind their crafts when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Btl Experts” Q&a event with key 2021 Oscar contenders this month. Each person will participate in two video discussions to be published soon: one-on-one with our senior editor Daniel Montgomery and a group chat with Daniel and all of the designers together. RSVP today by clicking here to be one of the first people in the world to watch our premiere video event. This one-hour event will debut on Tuesday, November 24, at 5:00 p.m. Pt. 8:00 p.m. Et.
This “Meet the Btl Experts” panel welcomes the following 2021 Oscar contenders:
“Sound of Metal” (Amazon Prime): Megan Stark Evans
Evans’ career has included such projects as “A Teacher,” “Uncle Frank,” “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” and “The Sound of Silence.”
“The Prom” (Netflix): Lou Eyrich
Eyrich is...
This “Meet the Btl Experts” panel welcomes the following 2021 Oscar contenders:
“Sound of Metal” (Amazon Prime): Megan Stark Evans
Evans’ career has included such projects as “A Teacher,” “Uncle Frank,” “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” and “The Sound of Silence.”
“The Prom” (Netflix): Lou Eyrich
Eyrich is...
- 11/18/2020
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
When an accomplishment onscreen seems effortless, it reflects true mastery of a craft. For five costume designers of potential Oscar contenders, the weight of their undertaking — wrestling with ensemble casts and specific periods — remains undetectable on the screen.
Donna Berwick’s work on director Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods,” about four Vietnam veterans returning to the country, meant designing for a cast in the present day as well as the 1960s.
With only about a week of prep time in Los Angeles before flying to Thailand for filming, Berwick was provided with customary initial measurements and sizing for the cast ahead of any fittings. The information turned out to be completely outdated for multiple actors. When they tried on their custom-sewn military uniforms, “the pants were too small,” says Berwick. “We had to cut them open and add pieces.”
During the present-day scenes, a distinctive pop of color comes...
Donna Berwick’s work on director Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods,” about four Vietnam veterans returning to the country, meant designing for a cast in the present day as well as the 1960s.
With only about a week of prep time in Los Angeles before flying to Thailand for filming, Berwick was provided with customary initial measurements and sizing for the cast ahead of any fittings. The information turned out to be completely outdated for multiple actors. When they tried on their custom-sewn military uniforms, “the pants were too small,” says Berwick. “We had to cut them open and add pieces.”
During the present-day scenes, a distinctive pop of color comes...
- 11/5/2020
- by Zoe Hewitt
- Variety Film + TV
Having served as the costume designer for both of Aaron Sorkin’s directorial features, Susan Lyall has learned how to find the right outfits that serve his vision. “He responds more to images rather than a discussion. He’s more inclined to describe an emotion or what he hopes to achieve than to tell you it needs to be a yellow dress,” says Lyall in our recent webchat (watch the exclusive video above). This allowed Lyall the freedom to bring many different ideas to Sorkin which he very much appreciated. “He would say that if he costumed ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7,’ that everyone would be wearing khaki pants and a blue shirt from The Gap.”
“The Trial of the Chicago 7,” which is currently streaming on Netflix, examines the federal trial of seven anti-war protesters who were charged with crossing state lines in order to incite a riot during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
“The Trial of the Chicago 7,” which is currently streaming on Netflix, examines the federal trial of seven anti-war protesters who were charged with crossing state lines in order to incite a riot during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
- 10/23/2020
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
While “The Trial of Chicago 7” is earning critical acclaim for writer/director Aaron Sorkin and his all-star cast led by Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne, it is also being singled out for its attention to detail in capturing the look of the late 1960s. And that praise could well translate into recognition from three key branches of the academy: costume designers, hairstylists and makeup artists, and production designers.
The production designer for the film is Shane Valentino, the set decorator is Andrew Baseman, the costumer is Susan Lyall and the hair and makeup teams were headed by Nathan J. Busch II and Louise McCarthy. While none of them have been nominated at the Oscars or their respective guilds, Valentino did receive a BAFTA nomination for Best Production Design in 2016 for “Nocturnal Animals” (lost to “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”) and Busch was Emmy-nominated for Best Hairstyling for a Single-Camera...
The production designer for the film is Shane Valentino, the set decorator is Andrew Baseman, the costumer is Susan Lyall and the hair and makeup teams were headed by Nathan J. Busch II and Louise McCarthy. While none of them have been nominated at the Oscars or their respective guilds, Valentino did receive a BAFTA nomination for Best Production Design in 2016 for “Nocturnal Animals” (lost to “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”) and Busch was Emmy-nominated for Best Hairstyling for a Single-Camera...
- 10/20/2020
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Tie-dye? Check. Fringed leather? Check. Headbands, puka shell necklaces, corduroy and denim? Check, check, check. No facet of late 1960s fashion goes untouched in “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” Aaron Sorkin’s Netflix docudrama based on the 1969 trial of a group of radicals charged with conspiracy, among other things, for the uprisings surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
“You don’t always get a really cool 1960s movie, with clothes that I happened to be incredibly partial to, with a cast of really great men,” says costume designer Susan Lyall of the film, which features a star-studded ensemble including Eddie Redmayne as Tom Hayden, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Bobby Seale, Jeremy Strong as Jerry Rubin and Sacha Baron Cohen as Abbie Hoffman.
“It was a moment when men and women really moved out of their looks from the previous couple of decades,” says Lyall, who worked with Sorkin...
“You don’t always get a really cool 1960s movie, with clothes that I happened to be incredibly partial to, with a cast of really great men,” says costume designer Susan Lyall of the film, which features a star-studded ensemble including Eddie Redmayne as Tom Hayden, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Bobby Seale, Jeremy Strong as Jerry Rubin and Sacha Baron Cohen as Abbie Hoffman.
“It was a moment when men and women really moved out of their looks from the previous couple of decades,” says Lyall, who worked with Sorkin...
- 10/14/2020
- by Lesley McKenzie
- Variety Film + TV
Well, burnt-out history teachers have a new movie to kill two class periods.
That’s assuming they can get permission slips from parents to show it to students. It has some violence and a moment of sexual menace, so that might be a hurdle for some high school sophomore instructors. So how about this: They turn on the overhead projector, start the movie, and play a majority of it without video. The kids listen to it like it’s a radio play, the teacher catches up on their grading, and by Wednesday morning class is back in session as normal. Or they could, you know, read about it.
No, The Trial of the Chicago 7 isn’t terribly cinematic. It’s hardly cinematic at all, and here the idea of Aaron Sorkin at his most Sorkin-y somehow translates to him at his worst. It doesn’t confront. It doesn’t stimulate.
That’s assuming they can get permission slips from parents to show it to students. It has some violence and a moment of sexual menace, so that might be a hurdle for some high school sophomore instructors. So how about this: They turn on the overhead projector, start the movie, and play a majority of it without video. The kids listen to it like it’s a radio play, the teacher catches up on their grading, and by Wednesday morning class is back in session as normal. Or they could, you know, read about it.
No, The Trial of the Chicago 7 isn’t terribly cinematic. It’s hardly cinematic at all, and here the idea of Aaron Sorkin at his most Sorkin-y somehow translates to him at his worst. It doesn’t confront. It doesn’t stimulate.
- 9/25/2020
- by Matt Cipolla
- The Film Stage
As manager of high-stakes celebrity poker games, Molly Bloom never wore the same dress twice. To play Bloom in Molly's Game, Jessica Chastain donned more than 70 different dresses, including a particularly memorable pink sequined outfit. "[Chastain] was kind of concerned about always looking a little bit businesslike — even if she had a plunging neckline, she’d throw on a blazer, just some element to suggest no-nonsense," costume designer Susan Lyall told Vulture.
While Chastain slipped in and out of expensive dresses in Molly's Game, Margot Robbie had her eyelashes pulled down with adhesive to play figure skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, and...
While Chastain slipped in and out of expensive dresses in Molly's Game, Margot Robbie had her eyelashes pulled down with adhesive to play figure skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, and...
- 2/24/2018
- by Michael Waters
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Check out the brand new poster for This Is Where I Leave You.
When their father passes away, four grown siblings, bruised and banged up by their respective adult lives, are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens. Confronting their history and the frayed states of their relationships among the people who know and love them best, they ultimately reconnect in hysterical and emotionally affecting ways amid the chaos, humor, heartache and redemption that only families can provide—driving us insane even as they remind us of our truest, and often best, selves.
The dramatic comedy is directed by Shawn Levy, and based on the hilarious and poignant best-selling novel by Jonathan Tropper. It features a starring ensemble cast including Golden Globe winner Jason Bateman (“Arrested Development...
When their father passes away, four grown siblings, bruised and banged up by their respective adult lives, are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens. Confronting their history and the frayed states of their relationships among the people who know and love them best, they ultimately reconnect in hysterical and emotionally affecting ways amid the chaos, humor, heartache and redemption that only families can provide—driving us insane even as they remind us of our truest, and often best, selves.
The dramatic comedy is directed by Shawn Levy, and based on the hilarious and poignant best-selling novel by Jonathan Tropper. It features a starring ensemble cast including Golden Globe winner Jason Bateman (“Arrested Development...
- 7/11/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Watch the first trailer for This Is Where I Leave You, starring Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver, Rose Byrne and Oscar-winner Jane Fonda.
This looks great. I can’t wait to see it!
The dramatic comedy This Is Where I Leave You is directed by Shawn Levy, and based on the hilarious and poignant best-selling novel by Jonathan Tropper. It features a starring ensemble cast including Golden Globe winner Jason Bateman (“Arrested Development”); Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Tina Fey (“30 Rock”); and two-time Oscar winner, multiple Golden Globe honoree and 2013 Emmy Award nominee Jane Fonda (“Klute,” “Coming Home,” HBO’s “The Newsroom”).
When their father passes away, four grown siblings, bruised and banged up by their respective adult lives, are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens.
This looks great. I can’t wait to see it!
The dramatic comedy This Is Where I Leave You is directed by Shawn Levy, and based on the hilarious and poignant best-selling novel by Jonathan Tropper. It features a starring ensemble cast including Golden Globe winner Jason Bateman (“Arrested Development”); Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Tina Fey (“30 Rock”); and two-time Oscar winner, multiple Golden Globe honoree and 2013 Emmy Award nominee Jane Fonda (“Klute,” “Coming Home,” HBO’s “The Newsroom”).
When their father passes away, four grown siblings, bruised and banged up by their respective adult lives, are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens.
- 5/28/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Universal City, California – From Academy Award®-winning director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Contagion) comes this suspenseful tale of intrigue starring Channing Tatum (Magic Mike, 21 Jump Street), Academy Award® nominees Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network) and Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Anna Karenina), and Academy Award® winner Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago, Ocean’s Twelve).Side Effects will be available on Digital Download on May 7, 2013 as well as Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand on May 21, 2013 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. After her husband (Tatum) is released from prison for insider trading, Emily (Mara) begins suffering from terrifying anxiety and turns to psychiatrist Dr. Banks (Law) for help. But when Banks prescribes an experimental drug for her, the side effects have chilling and deadly consequences. Full of unexpected twists, Side Effects is the sexy psychological thriller that critics are calling “wildly unpredictable!” (Marlow Stern,...
- 3/14/2013
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
Open Road Films has just released the 3rd trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s final theatrical film, Side Effects starring Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Side Effects is a provocative thriller about Emily and Martin (Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum), a successful New York couple whose world unravels when a new drug prescribed by Emily’s psychiatrist (Jude Law) – intended to treat anxiety – has unexpected side effects.
Emily (Academy Award nominee Rooney Mara) and Martin Taylor (Channing Tatum) are a young, beautiful, wealthy couple living the good life, with a mansion, a sailboat and every luxury money can buy—until Martin is sent to prison for insider trading. For four years, Emily waits for him in a tiny apartment in upper Manhattan, but his release is just as devastating as his incarceration and Emily sinks into a deep depression.
After a failed suicide attempt, psychiatrist Jonathan Banks...
Side Effects is a provocative thriller about Emily and Martin (Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum), a successful New York couple whose world unravels when a new drug prescribed by Emily’s psychiatrist (Jude Law) – intended to treat anxiety – has unexpected side effects.
Emily (Academy Award nominee Rooney Mara) and Martin Taylor (Channing Tatum) are a young, beautiful, wealthy couple living the good life, with a mansion, a sailboat and every luxury money can buy—until Martin is sent to prison for insider trading. For four years, Emily waits for him in a tiny apartment in upper Manhattan, but his release is just as devastating as his incarceration and Emily sinks into a deep depression.
After a failed suicide attempt, psychiatrist Jonathan Banks...
- 1/31/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
We reported just over a month ago that Elizabeth Banks had joined the increasingly esteemed cast of Man on a Ledge, alongside Sam Worthington, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie and Edward Burns. Now, along with news from Variety that Ed Harris has signed on as well, we have the first on-set snap of Sam Worthington, well, standing on a ledge.
Collider, who we can thank for the snap, helpfully include the following detailed press release:-
Man On A Ledge Begins Principal Photography
Directed by Asger Leth and Starring Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Anthony Mackie, Jamie Bell, Ed Harris, and Edward Burns for Summit Entertainment
New York, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ — Principal photography has begun in New York City on the Summit Entertainment feature Man On A Ledge.
An ex-cop and now wanted fugitive (Sam Worthington) stands on the ledge of a high-rise building while a hard-living New York Police Department hostage negotiator (Elizabeth Banks...
Collider, who we can thank for the snap, helpfully include the following detailed press release:-
Man On A Ledge Begins Principal Photography
Directed by Asger Leth and Starring Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Anthony Mackie, Jamie Bell, Ed Harris, and Edward Burns for Summit Entertainment
New York, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ — Principal photography has begun in New York City on the Summit Entertainment feature Man On A Ledge.
An ex-cop and now wanted fugitive (Sam Worthington) stands on the ledge of a high-rise building while a hard-living New York Police Department hostage negotiator (Elizabeth Banks...
- 11/2/2010
- by Dave Roper
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Principal photography has begun in New York City on the Summit Entertainment feature Man On A Ledge.
An ex-cop and now wanted fugitive (Sam Worthington) stands on the ledge of a high-rise building while a hard-living New York Police Department hostage negotiator (Elizabeth Banks) tries to talk him down. The longer they are on the ledge, the more she realizes that he might have an ulterior objective.
Sam Worthington (Avatar) and Elizabeth Banks (The Next Three Days) star among an ensemble cast including Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker), who portrays Worthington’s best friend and ally and Jamie Bell ( Billy Elliot ) who is Worthington’s younger brother and ardent supporter. Also along for the ride is four-time Oscar® nominee, Ed Harris (Pollock) who plays a powerful businessman, while Edward Burns (27 Dresses) is a rival negotiator who tries to swoop in when he believes Banks has a conflict of interest. Newcomer...
An ex-cop and now wanted fugitive (Sam Worthington) stands on the ledge of a high-rise building while a hard-living New York Police Department hostage negotiator (Elizabeth Banks) tries to talk him down. The longer they are on the ledge, the more she realizes that he might have an ulterior objective.
Sam Worthington (Avatar) and Elizabeth Banks (The Next Three Days) star among an ensemble cast including Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker), who portrays Worthington’s best friend and ally and Jamie Bell ( Billy Elliot ) who is Worthington’s younger brother and ardent supporter. Also along for the ride is four-time Oscar® nominee, Ed Harris (Pollock) who plays a powerful businessman, while Edward Burns (27 Dresses) is a rival negotiator who tries to swoop in when he believes Banks has a conflict of interest. Newcomer...
- 11/1/2010
- by Allan Ford
- Filmofilia
Academy Award® winners Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine joined Bruce Willis (Sin City), Mary-Louis Parker (“Weeds”), Brian Cox (Rushmore) and Academy Award® nominee John Malkovich in Toronto as they began production of the big-screen adaptation Red based on the graphic novel of the same name by Warren Ellis. Its hard to hear about a graphic novel adaptation starring Willis along side a lot of A list actors and not think of Frank Miller’s Sin City — alas, the City casts a large shadow. Rumors of a City sequel make this an especially interesting project for Willis to take on. I hope that Red finds a unique onscreen style and feel to stand out in whats become a rather big graphic novel crowd. Production moves to New Orleans before wrapping in late March. Look for Red in theaters October 22, 2010 and watch Willis and Freeman in Lucky Number Slevin on DVD today!
- 1/20/2010
- by creth
- Atomic Popcorn
Principal photography has begun in Toronto on Summit Entertainment’s spy-thriller “Red,” based on the DC Comics graphic novel of the same name by Warren Ellis.
Joining previously announced stars Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Academy Award®-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, are two-time Academy Award®-nominee John Malkovich, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Academy Award®-winners Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon.
“Red” is the story of Frank Moses (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered, Frank reassembles his old team (Freeman, Malkovich and Mirren) in a last ditch effort to survive.
Directed by Robert Schwentke (“The Time Traveler’s Wife,” “Flightplan”) from a screenplay by Jon Hoeber...
Joining previously announced stars Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Academy Award®-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, are two-time Academy Award®-nominee John Malkovich, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Academy Award®-winners Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon.
“Red” is the story of Frank Moses (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered, Frank reassembles his old team (Freeman, Malkovich and Mirren) in a last ditch effort to survive.
Directed by Robert Schwentke (“The Time Traveler’s Wife,” “Flightplan”) from a screenplay by Jon Hoeber...
- 1/19/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Flush with cash from the Twilight films, Summit Entertainment is moving ahead with other projects and today announced work has begun on Red.
January 12, 2010 --- Toronto, Canada – Principal photography has begun in Toronto on Summit Entertainment’s spy-thriller Red, based on the WildStorm graphic novel of the same name by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner.
Joining previously announced stars Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Academy Award-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, are two-time Academy Award-nominee John Malkovich, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Academy Award-winners Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon.
Red is the story of Frank Moses (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered, Frank reassembles his old team (Freeman,...
January 12, 2010 --- Toronto, Canada – Principal photography has begun in Toronto on Summit Entertainment’s spy-thriller Red, based on the WildStorm graphic novel of the same name by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner.
Joining previously announced stars Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Academy Award-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, are two-time Academy Award-nominee John Malkovich, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Academy Award-winners Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon.
Red is the story of Frank Moses (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered, Frank reassembles his old team (Freeman,...
- 1/19/2010
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Principal photography on the big screen adaptation of the DC Comics/Warren Ellis graphic novel Red has begun in Toronto. Summit Entertainment issued a press release, which includes details on the full cast/crew, and which follows below.
If you recall, I previously profiled the film on this blog, and also included a link to the full script, as well as a full review by Script Shadow. You can read that post Here.
The film stars Bruce Willis as a former black-ops CIA agent now living a quiet life in retirement, until the day a high-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. Morgan Freeman co-stars. Initially, I hoped would he would be one of the two main characters (either the retired CIA agent, or the assassin); however, Freeman plays one of Willis’ former CIA pals, by the name of Marvin, who’s also retired and, according to Script Shadow’s review of the script,...
If you recall, I previously profiled the film on this blog, and also included a link to the full script, as well as a full review by Script Shadow. You can read that post Here.
The film stars Bruce Willis as a former black-ops CIA agent now living a quiet life in retirement, until the day a high-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. Morgan Freeman co-stars. Initially, I hoped would he would be one of the two main characters (either the retired CIA agent, or the assassin); however, Freeman plays one of Willis’ former CIA pals, by the name of Marvin, who’s also retired and, according to Script Shadow’s review of the script,...
- 1/18/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
That one comic book you've never read is officially under way. Red, starring Bruce Willis and a bunch of old people, has started shooting up in Toronto. Here's the press release!Toronto, Canada – Principal photography has begun in Toronto on Summit Entertainment’s spy-thriller “Red,” based on the DC Comics graphic novel of the same name by Warren Ellis. Joining previously announced stars Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Academy Award®-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, are two-time Academy Award®-nominee John Malkovich, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Academy Award®-winners Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon. “Red” is the story of Frank Moses (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered,...
- 1/18/2010
- LRMonline.com
That one comic book you've never read is officially under way. Red, starring Bruce Willis and a bunch of old people, has started shooting up in Toronto. Here's the press release!Toronto, Canada – Principal photography has begun in Toronto on Summit Entertainment’s spy-thriller “Red,” based on the DC Comics graphic novel of the same name by Warren Ellis. Joining previously announced stars Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Academy Award®-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, are two-time Academy Award®-nominee John Malkovich, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Academy Award®-winners Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon. “Red” is the story of Frank Moses (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered,...
- 1/18/2010
- LRMonline.com
Principal photography on the big screen adaptation of the DC Comics/Warren Ellis graphic novel Red has begun in Toronto:
Here is the full press release.
Principal photography has begun in Toronto on Summit Entertainment’s spy-thriller “Red,” based on the DC Comics graphic novel of the same name by Warren Ellis.
Joining previously announced stars Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Academy Award®-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, are two-time Academy Award®-nominee John Malkovich, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Academy Award®-winners Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon.
“Red” is the story of Frank Moses (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered, Frank reassembles his old team (Freeman,...
Here is the full press release.
Principal photography has begun in Toronto on Summit Entertainment’s spy-thriller “Red,” based on the DC Comics graphic novel of the same name by Warren Ellis.
Joining previously announced stars Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Academy Award®-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, are two-time Academy Award®-nominee John Malkovich, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Academy Award®-winners Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon.
“Red” is the story of Frank Moses (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered, Frank reassembles his old team (Freeman,...
- 1/18/2010
- by Kellvin Chavez
- AMC - Script to Screen
Principal photography has begun in Toronto on Summit Entertainment’s spy-thriller “Red,” based on the DC Comics graphic novel of the same name by Warren Ellis.
Joining previously announced stars Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Academy Award®-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, are two-time Academy Award®-nominee John Malkovich, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Academy Award®-winners Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon.
“Red” is the story of Frank Moses (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered, Frank reassembles his old team (Freeman, Malkovich and Mirren) in a last ditch effort to survive.
Directed by Robert Schwentke (“The Time Traveler’s Wife,” “Flightplan”) from a screenplay by Jon Hoeber...
Joining previously announced stars Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Academy Award®-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, are two-time Academy Award®-nominee John Malkovich, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Academy Award®-winners Richard Dreyfuss and Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon.
“Red” is the story of Frank Moses (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered, Frank reassembles his old team (Freeman, Malkovich and Mirren) in a last ditch effort to survive.
Directed by Robert Schwentke (“The Time Traveler’s Wife,” “Flightplan”) from a screenplay by Jon Hoeber...
- 1/18/2010
- MoviesOnline.ca
Slumdog Millionaire was nominated by the Costume Designers Guild today [src]. The end of the world is surely nigh.
It is written!
I blame Freida Pinto for being so beautiful in bright colors. It's surely her fault.
I once devoted a whole section of my website to costume designers I love their craft that much. Alas, I was lonely in that particular fascination. But they'll always hold a special place in my heart. The cinema (or at least the movie stars) would be naked without them. Here's the clothes the costumers dug most this year.
Contemporary Film
Iron Man Laura Jean Shannon and Rebecca BentjenMamma Mia! Ann RothSex & the City: The Movie Patricia FieldSlumdog Millionaire Suttirat Larlarb
The Wrestler Amy Westcott Excuse me while I gnash my teeth at the absence of both Susan Lyall, who delivered a vibrant multiculti mishmash and terrific individual character work for Rachel Getting Married, and Jacqueline Durran,...
It is written!
I blame Freida Pinto for being so beautiful in bright colors. It's surely her fault.
I once devoted a whole section of my website to costume designers I love their craft that much. Alas, I was lonely in that particular fascination. But they'll always hold a special place in my heart. The cinema (or at least the movie stars) would be naked without them. Here's the clothes the costumers dug most this year.
Contemporary Film
Iron Man Laura Jean Shannon and Rebecca BentjenMamma Mia! Ann RothSex & the City: The Movie Patricia FieldSlumdog Millionaire Suttirat Larlarb
The Wrestler Amy Westcott Excuse me while I gnash my teeth at the absence of both Susan Lyall, who delivered a vibrant multiculti mishmash and terrific individual character work for Rachel Getting Married, and Jacqueline Durran,...
- 1/14/2009
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Somewhere in the tangled mess that is "Just the Ticket" there is the kernel of an intriguing story, but most viewers aren't going to be willing to work that hard to get to it.
A tale of faith and redemption set in the turf-warring world of New York ticket scalpers, the schizophrenic picture has serious trouble deciding what it wants to be when it comes to picking a genre.
One thing's certain: Those expecting to see Andy Garcia and Andie MacDowell in a romantic comedy based on recent TV ads are being sold a bill of goods by MGM's hit-starved marketing department. All others will be lining up to buy their tickets elsewhere.
Garcia certainly works hard to be credible as Gary Starke, a somewhat dumpy, streetwise New York ticket scalper who plays unofficial den mother to a group of career street merchants.
Gary's not coping too well with being dumped by girlfriend Linda (MacDowell), a department store salesperson with cordon bleu culinary aspirations, and he's finding that his ticket-hawking technique isn't very effective when it comes to trying to win back the love of his life.
Complicating matters, a smooth operator named Casino (Andre Blake) has arrived from Miami and is intent on moving in on Gary's turf just as an Easter Mass visit by the Pope at Yankee Stadium looks to be his ticket to regaining Linda's heart.
The inherent problem with all this is simply that despite the cute-sounding Andy-Andie pairing, there is never any tangible spark that would indicate that the two were ever meant to be together.
Garcia, playing a part that feels like a Pacino castoff, gets the bit as the lowlife with higher aspirations right, but he isn't able to deliver the star charisma necessary to take the audience along with him.
A pouty MacDowell, meanwhile, merely comes across as cold and self-interested. Richard Bradford fares better in the sympathy department as Gary's lonely, one-time mentor Benny, and it's fun spotting such seldom-seen supporting players as Irene Worth, Elizabeth Ashley, Ron Leibman, Abe Vigoda, Don Novello and Bill Irwin. And boxing legend Joe Frazier puts in a key cameo.
Writer-director Richard Wenk has clearly done his homework, and the untapped ticket-scalping milieu is a potentially interesting one, much in the way poker-playing fueled "Rounders".
But his constant shifts between quirky comedy, bleak street realism and fluffy romance feel forced and awkwardly implemented rather than functioning as integrated parts of a thematic whole.
The picture's technical heart is in the right place thanks to the Cassavetes-inspired camerawork of Ellen Kuras, who shot "I Shot Andy Warhol", and Franckie Diago's lean, gritty production design.
JUST THE TICKET
MGM Distribution Co.
United Artists Pictures presents
a CineSon production
Director-screenwriter: Richard Wenk
Producers: Gary Lucchesi and Andy Garcia
Executive producers: Andie MacDowell, Yoram Pelman
Director of photography: Ellen Kuras
Production designer: Franckie Diago
Editor: Christopher Cibelli
Costume designer: Susan Lyall
Music: Rick Marotta
Casting: Amanda Mackey Johnson and Cathy Sandrich
Color/stereo
Cast:
Gary: Andy Garcia
Linda: Andie MacDowell
Benny: Richard Bradford
Mrs. Palinsky: Elizabeth Ashley
Zeus: Fred Asparagus
Casino: Andre Blake
San Diego Vinnie: Patrick Breen
Running time -- 115 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
A tale of faith and redemption set in the turf-warring world of New York ticket scalpers, the schizophrenic picture has serious trouble deciding what it wants to be when it comes to picking a genre.
One thing's certain: Those expecting to see Andy Garcia and Andie MacDowell in a romantic comedy based on recent TV ads are being sold a bill of goods by MGM's hit-starved marketing department. All others will be lining up to buy their tickets elsewhere.
Garcia certainly works hard to be credible as Gary Starke, a somewhat dumpy, streetwise New York ticket scalper who plays unofficial den mother to a group of career street merchants.
Gary's not coping too well with being dumped by girlfriend Linda (MacDowell), a department store salesperson with cordon bleu culinary aspirations, and he's finding that his ticket-hawking technique isn't very effective when it comes to trying to win back the love of his life.
Complicating matters, a smooth operator named Casino (Andre Blake) has arrived from Miami and is intent on moving in on Gary's turf just as an Easter Mass visit by the Pope at Yankee Stadium looks to be his ticket to regaining Linda's heart.
The inherent problem with all this is simply that despite the cute-sounding Andy-Andie pairing, there is never any tangible spark that would indicate that the two were ever meant to be together.
Garcia, playing a part that feels like a Pacino castoff, gets the bit as the lowlife with higher aspirations right, but he isn't able to deliver the star charisma necessary to take the audience along with him.
A pouty MacDowell, meanwhile, merely comes across as cold and self-interested. Richard Bradford fares better in the sympathy department as Gary's lonely, one-time mentor Benny, and it's fun spotting such seldom-seen supporting players as Irene Worth, Elizabeth Ashley, Ron Leibman, Abe Vigoda, Don Novello and Bill Irwin. And boxing legend Joe Frazier puts in a key cameo.
Writer-director Richard Wenk has clearly done his homework, and the untapped ticket-scalping milieu is a potentially interesting one, much in the way poker-playing fueled "Rounders".
But his constant shifts between quirky comedy, bleak street realism and fluffy romance feel forced and awkwardly implemented rather than functioning as integrated parts of a thematic whole.
The picture's technical heart is in the right place thanks to the Cassavetes-inspired camerawork of Ellen Kuras, who shot "I Shot Andy Warhol", and Franckie Diago's lean, gritty production design.
JUST THE TICKET
MGM Distribution Co.
United Artists Pictures presents
a CineSon production
Director-screenwriter: Richard Wenk
Producers: Gary Lucchesi and Andy Garcia
Executive producers: Andie MacDowell, Yoram Pelman
Director of photography: Ellen Kuras
Production designer: Franckie Diago
Editor: Christopher Cibelli
Costume designer: Susan Lyall
Music: Rick Marotta
Casting: Amanda Mackey Johnson and Cathy Sandrich
Color/stereo
Cast:
Gary: Andy Garcia
Linda: Andie MacDowell
Benny: Richard Bradford
Mrs. Palinsky: Elizabeth Ashley
Zeus: Fred Asparagus
Casino: Andre Blake
San Diego Vinnie: Patrick Breen
Running time -- 115 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 2/26/1999
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Living up to the tradition of good films about failing father figures, from "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" to "This Boy's Life", director Anthony Drazan's adaptation of Sheila Ballantyne's acclaimed 1982 novel draws one into a touching, rewarding drama. Terrific performances from a strong cast are "Imaginary Crimes'" chief attraction, while the serious subject matter warrants a sensitive approach to marketing.
Warners' prestigious fall release premiered this past weekend at the Boston Film Festival. A positive critical reception and awards possibilities give the character-driven "Imaginary Crimes" an even chance in the marketplace.
Set in the early 1960s in the Pacific Northwest, Ballantyne's semi-autobiographical story concerns the troubled family life of the financially shaky Weilers as seen through the eyes of sullen-but-sturdy eldest daughter Sonya (Fairuza Balk). Hustler dad Ray Harvey Keitel) is a bundle of contradictions, but presents a unified front to the world. He loves his motherless daughters dearly, but he can never make any of his or their dreams come true.
Even worse, Ray won't give up his dreams faced with the miserable, paranoid household he comes home to. A drinker and not above fleecing investors who are drawn into his improbable schemes, Ray is stern but caring, a misfit believing in the entrepreneurial, rags-to-riches spirit of American business. Meanwhile, forced-to-mature-early Sonya and younger sister Greta (Elisabeth Moss) cope as best they can, with journal-writing Sonya finding a kindred soul in girl's private school teacher Mr. Webster (Vincent D'Onofio).
Sonya's coming of age and memories of her mother (Kelly Lynch) become the focus of the story, but Ray's presence is powerfully felt throughout. While less ambitious than Ballantyne's original novel, which took Sonya herself through troubled motherhood, the film works to a very powerful conclusion that is only marred by a much-too-abrupt shift in Ray's attitude.
Balk ("Gas Food Lodging") steals the show. More than just a champion pouter, she packs genuine emotion and nuance into every scene. A great escape from his usual wise guys and scoundrels, Keitel is similarly focused. Moss as the younger daughter is sweetly optimistic though fragile, while D'Onofrio and Lynch shine as the film's inspirational adults.
Drazan ("Zebrahead"), cinematographer John Campbell, production designer Joseph Garrity and costumer Susan Lyall have put together an exquisite period production.
IMAGINARY CRIMES
Warner Bros.
James G. Robinson Presents
A Morgan Creek Production
An Anthony Drazan Film
Director Anthony Drazan
Producer James G. Robinson
Screenplay Kristine Johnson, Davia Nelson
Based on the book by Sheila Ballantyne
Executive producers Gary Barber, Ted Field, Robert W. Cort
Director of photography John J. Campbell
Production designer Joseph T. Garrity
Editor Elizabeth Kling
Music Stephen Endelman
Costume designer Susan Lyall
Casting Deborah Aquila, Jane Shannon
Color/Stereo
Cast:
Ray Weiler Harvey Keitel
Sonya Fairuza Balk
Valery Kelly Lynch
Mr. Webster Vincent D'Onofrio
Abigale Tate Diane Baker
Jarvis Chris Penn
Greta Elisabeth Moss
Eddie Seymour Cassel
Running time -- 105 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
Warners' prestigious fall release premiered this past weekend at the Boston Film Festival. A positive critical reception and awards possibilities give the character-driven "Imaginary Crimes" an even chance in the marketplace.
Set in the early 1960s in the Pacific Northwest, Ballantyne's semi-autobiographical story concerns the troubled family life of the financially shaky Weilers as seen through the eyes of sullen-but-sturdy eldest daughter Sonya (Fairuza Balk). Hustler dad Ray Harvey Keitel) is a bundle of contradictions, but presents a unified front to the world. He loves his motherless daughters dearly, but he can never make any of his or their dreams come true.
Even worse, Ray won't give up his dreams faced with the miserable, paranoid household he comes home to. A drinker and not above fleecing investors who are drawn into his improbable schemes, Ray is stern but caring, a misfit believing in the entrepreneurial, rags-to-riches spirit of American business. Meanwhile, forced-to-mature-early Sonya and younger sister Greta (Elisabeth Moss) cope as best they can, with journal-writing Sonya finding a kindred soul in girl's private school teacher Mr. Webster (Vincent D'Onofio).
Sonya's coming of age and memories of her mother (Kelly Lynch) become the focus of the story, but Ray's presence is powerfully felt throughout. While less ambitious than Ballantyne's original novel, which took Sonya herself through troubled motherhood, the film works to a very powerful conclusion that is only marred by a much-too-abrupt shift in Ray's attitude.
Balk ("Gas Food Lodging") steals the show. More than just a champion pouter, she packs genuine emotion and nuance into every scene. A great escape from his usual wise guys and scoundrels, Keitel is similarly focused. Moss as the younger daughter is sweetly optimistic though fragile, while D'Onofrio and Lynch shine as the film's inspirational adults.
Drazan ("Zebrahead"), cinematographer John Campbell, production designer Joseph Garrity and costumer Susan Lyall have put together an exquisite period production.
IMAGINARY CRIMES
Warner Bros.
James G. Robinson Presents
A Morgan Creek Production
An Anthony Drazan Film
Director Anthony Drazan
Producer James G. Robinson
Screenplay Kristine Johnson, Davia Nelson
Based on the book by Sheila Ballantyne
Executive producers Gary Barber, Ted Field, Robert W. Cort
Director of photography John J. Campbell
Production designer Joseph T. Garrity
Editor Elizabeth Kling
Music Stephen Endelman
Costume designer Susan Lyall
Casting Deborah Aquila, Jane Shannon
Color/Stereo
Cast:
Ray Weiler Harvey Keitel
Sonya Fairuza Balk
Valery Kelly Lynch
Mr. Webster Vincent D'Onofrio
Abigale Tate Diane Baker
Jarvis Chris Penn
Greta Elisabeth Moss
Eddie Seymour Cassel
Running time -- 105 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 9/12/1994
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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