Jeffrey Wright took home the award for best lead performance at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards for his role in American Fiction.
When Wright made his way to the stage to accept the award from presenter Colman Domingo, he expressed how thrilled he was to receive the honor from the actor. “Wow, thank you, thank you. And to receive this from you, Colman, man…it’s just a beautiful gift,” he gushed.
The American Fiction star had one of the most candid, heartfelt speeches of the night.
“It’s funny, you go to these awards shows, [and] you kind of grow tired of them and then you get one and uh…kind of changes the vibe,” he joked, met with raucous laughter.
He recalled attending the Independent Spirit Awards back in 1997, when he was up for best debut performance for his starring role in Basquiat. “The first time I was here at the Independent Spirit Awards,...
When Wright made his way to the stage to accept the award from presenter Colman Domingo, he expressed how thrilled he was to receive the honor from the actor. “Wow, thank you, thank you. And to receive this from you, Colman, man…it’s just a beautiful gift,” he gushed.
The American Fiction star had one of the most candid, heartfelt speeches of the night.
“It’s funny, you go to these awards shows, [and] you kind of grow tired of them and then you get one and uh…kind of changes the vibe,” he joked, met with raucous laughter.
He recalled attending the Independent Spirit Awards back in 1997, when he was up for best debut performance for his starring role in Basquiat. “The first time I was here at the Independent Spirit Awards,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Tatiana Tenreyro
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When film and TV talents collide on the Santa Monica beach at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, anything can happen. Just ask “American Fiction” nominee Jeffrey Wright.
“The year I was nominated for ‘Basquiat,’ our producer Jon Kilik said, ‘Hey, do you want to meet Muhammad Ali?’” recalls Wright, up for the debut performance trophy at the 1997 ceremony, while the boxing champ was there with his doc “When We Were Kings.” “I pretty much skipped over a series of tables to say hello to him. Ali was an absolute personal hero and meeting him blew my mind. That was the beginning of a really gratifying relationship, because I ended up [playing photographer Howard Bingham] in the movie ‘Ali.’”
Wright, who had already won a Tony Award at that point, went on to more acclaim and glory in film and TV roles, this year receiving his first Oscar nomination for his performance in “American Fiction.
“The year I was nominated for ‘Basquiat,’ our producer Jon Kilik said, ‘Hey, do you want to meet Muhammad Ali?’” recalls Wright, up for the debut performance trophy at the 1997 ceremony, while the boxing champ was there with his doc “When We Were Kings.” “I pretty much skipped over a series of tables to say hello to him. Ali was an absolute personal hero and meeting him blew my mind. That was the beginning of a really gratifying relationship, because I ended up [playing photographer Howard Bingham] in the movie ‘Ali.’”
Wright, who had already won a Tony Award at that point, went on to more acclaim and glory in film and TV roles, this year receiving his first Oscar nomination for his performance in “American Fiction.
- 2/22/2024
- by Gregg Goldstein
- Variety Film + TV
There’s a lot to enjoy, but nothing new, in this documentary that focuses on a key transitional period in Muhammad Ali’s life
Here to prove you can never have enough documentaries about Muhammad Ali is New York director Muta’Ali Muhammad, who has made a new film on the subject for the US’s Smithsonian Channel; it is entertaining, but perhaps unsure of what exactly it’s saying that is new. It focuses on the legendary boxer’s public life from 1959 to 1964, as he negotiated a new existence as world champion and member of the Nation of Islam, changing his name from Cassius Clay to (initially) Cassius X in a key transitional moment. It is written by Scottish author and producer Stuart Cosgrove, adapting his own 2020 book Cassius X: A Legend in the Making.
This perfectly watchable film moves with breezy fluency from Ali’s early years, the sensational...
Here to prove you can never have enough documentaries about Muhammad Ali is New York director Muta’Ali Muhammad, who has made a new film on the subject for the US’s Smithsonian Channel; it is entertaining, but perhaps unsure of what exactly it’s saying that is new. It focuses on the legendary boxer’s public life from 1959 to 1964, as he negotiated a new existence as world champion and member of the Nation of Islam, changing his name from Cassius Clay to (initially) Cassius X in a key transitional moment. It is written by Scottish author and producer Stuart Cosgrove, adapting his own 2020 book Cassius X: A Legend in the Making.
This perfectly watchable film moves with breezy fluency from Ali’s early years, the sensational...
- 10/11/2023
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
It’s appropriate that Netflix dropped the sixth season of “Black Mirror” on June 15, the same day that Emmy voting began. The series isn’t eligible for this year’s awards, of course, but it has been a dominant force at the Emmys for years, even sparking a rule change that affects a number of other anthology programs this year.
And because of that rule change, it’s going to be a lot harder for any of those other programs — which include “Documentary Now!” and “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities” — to be nominated for Emmys this year.
First, a little background. “Black Mirror,” created by Charlie Brooker and first airing in 2011, was inspired by the classic 1950s and ’60s series “The Twlight Zone,” in which Rod Serling used each episode to tell a different story — usually creepy or scary, usually with a twist, always with a moral. Back then,...
And because of that rule change, it’s going to be a lot harder for any of those other programs — which include “Documentary Now!” and “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities” — to be nominated for Emmys this year.
First, a little background. “Black Mirror,” created by Charlie Brooker and first airing in 2011, was inspired by the classic 1950s and ’60s series “The Twlight Zone,” in which Rod Serling used each episode to tell a different story — usually creepy or scary, usually with a twist, always with a moral. Back then,...
- 6/20/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Flattering biopic zooms entertainingly through an extraordinary, switchback career
The extraordinary and long-gestating comeback story of heavyweight boxing champ George Foreman has taken a long time to tell, perhaps because he has lived his life in Muhammad Ali’s shade, especially since Ali’s sensational underdog victory over him in the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle. In movie terms, Leon Gast’s thrilling 1996 documentary When We Were Kings turned Foreman into the bad guy who deserved to lose – particularly the nasty macho detail about Foreman having a German shepherd on a lead when he turned up in Zaire for the fight.
That dog does not appear in this watchable, celebratory biopic from director and co-screenwriter George Tillman Jr, with Foreman credited as executive producer. Khris Davis plays Foreman; Forest Whitaker plays his trainer Doc Broadus and Sonja Sohn is his mother Nancy. The movie thumps through successive events of Foreman’s amazing life in efficient,...
The extraordinary and long-gestating comeback story of heavyweight boxing champ George Foreman has taken a long time to tell, perhaps because he has lived his life in Muhammad Ali’s shade, especially since Ali’s sensational underdog victory over him in the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle. In movie terms, Leon Gast’s thrilling 1996 documentary When We Were Kings turned Foreman into the bad guy who deserved to lose – particularly the nasty macho detail about Foreman having a German shepherd on a lead when he turned up in Zaire for the fight.
That dog does not appear in this watchable, celebratory biopic from director and co-screenwriter George Tillman Jr, with Foreman credited as executive producer. Khris Davis plays Foreman; Forest Whitaker plays his trainer Doc Broadus and Sonja Sohn is his mother Nancy. The movie thumps through successive events of Foreman’s amazing life in efficient,...
- 4/27/2023
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
The Sundance Film Festival has rich history when it comes to documentary — and sports documentaries, in particular. Hoop Dreams, one of the greatest documentaries ever, made its premiere at Sundance ’94, while When We Were Kings (’96), Murderball (’05), O.J.: Made in America (’16) and Icarus (’17) all debuted at the fest.
One of the splashy late additions to the Sundance 2023 was Stephen Curry: Underrated, a documentary from director Peter Nicks (The Waiting Room) and producers Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) and Erick Peyton billing itself as “an intimate look at NBA superstar Stephen Curry’s...
One of the splashy late additions to the Sundance 2023 was Stephen Curry: Underrated, a documentary from director Peter Nicks (The Waiting Room) and producers Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) and Erick Peyton billing itself as “an intimate look at NBA superstar Stephen Curry’s...
- 1/23/2023
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
Maybe take these “historical” stories with a grain of salt.
Oscar winner Helen Mirren returns as the host for Season 53 of IFC’s “Documentary Now!” series, premiering October 19 on IFC and AMC+. “Stories that dare to tell the truth have never been more crucial to our culture,” Mirren says in the trailer. “Now, more than ever, the world needs ‘Documentary Now!'”
The “true” series will parody famed documentaries “The September Issue,” “Burden of Dreams,” “3 Salons at the Seaside,” “When We Were Kings,” “Gleaners and I,” and “Beaches of Agnes” across its six-episode season. A special sneak peek at the mock “My Octopus Teacher” entry stars “Fleabag” fan-favorite Jamie Demetriou as a filmmaker who “who forms a deep, emotional, and financially taxing relationship with a monkey” and gets shirtless in a moment of passion. Titled “My Monkey Grifter,” the spoof spans true crime and bestiality.
Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, “Succession” star Nicholas Braun,...
Oscar winner Helen Mirren returns as the host for Season 53 of IFC’s “Documentary Now!” series, premiering October 19 on IFC and AMC+. “Stories that dare to tell the truth have never been more crucial to our culture,” Mirren says in the trailer. “Now, more than ever, the world needs ‘Documentary Now!'”
The “true” series will parody famed documentaries “The September Issue,” “Burden of Dreams,” “3 Salons at the Seaside,” “When We Were Kings,” “Gleaners and I,” and “Beaches of Agnes” across its six-episode season. A special sneak peek at the mock “My Octopus Teacher” entry stars “Fleabag” fan-favorite Jamie Demetriou as a filmmaker who “who forms a deep, emotional, and financially taxing relationship with a monkey” and gets shirtless in a moment of passion. Titled “My Monkey Grifter,” the spoof spans true crime and bestiality.
Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, “Succession” star Nicholas Braun,...
- 9/21/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Documentary Now! is back on IFC and it is set to premiere Season 53 on Wednesday, October 19 at 10 p.m. Et with two new episodes. The titles of the two-part season premiere are “Soldier of Illusion,” written by John Mulaney, and “Trouver Frisson,” which plays tribute to the Agnès Varda films.
Alexander Skarsgard (Big Little Lies), Nicholas Braun (Succession), and August Diehl (Inglorious Bastards) star in the premiere episode titled “Soldier of Illusion,” which was inspired by the Werner Herzog-focused documentary Burden of Dreams. Skarsgard plays a visionary German filmmaker in the 1980s who tries to will his magnum opus into existence while working in the remote, punishing conditions of the Russian Ular mountains.
Deb Hiett returns as narrator in the episode that also stars Kevin Bishop (The Tracey Ullman Show), Gana Bayarsaikhan (Wonder Woman), Matthias Rimpler (Ludzie i Bogowie), and Fred Armisen (SNL).
The second episode of the premiere...
Alexander Skarsgard (Big Little Lies), Nicholas Braun (Succession), and August Diehl (Inglorious Bastards) star in the premiere episode titled “Soldier of Illusion,” which was inspired by the Werner Herzog-focused documentary Burden of Dreams. Skarsgard plays a visionary German filmmaker in the 1980s who tries to will his magnum opus into existence while working in the remote, punishing conditions of the Russian Ular mountains.
Deb Hiett returns as narrator in the episode that also stars Kevin Bishop (The Tracey Ullman Show), Gana Bayarsaikhan (Wonder Woman), Matthias Rimpler (Ludzie i Bogowie), and Fred Armisen (SNL).
The second episode of the premiere...
- 8/7/2022
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Taran Killam as Benedict A. Juniper, John Mulaney as Simon Sawyer – Documentary Now! _ Season 3, Episode 3 – Photo Credit: Rhys Thomas/IFC IFC today released a first look teaser and final details from the highly anticipated 53rd season of Documentary Now!. The two-part season premiere episode, “Soldier of Illusion,” written by John Mulaney, and “Trouver Frisson,” paying tribute to the films of Agnes Varda, join previously announced episodes “Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport,” “How They Threw Rocks” and “My Monkey Grifter” to round out the season. Known for lovingly paying homage to the world of documentaries, Documentary Now! Season 53 will debut with a two-episode premiere on Wednesday, October 19 at 10 Pm on IFC, and on AMC+ the same day. New episodes to debut weekly on Wednesdays. The upcoming season of the critically acclaimed comedy, co-created by Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers and Rhys Thomas, executive produced by Lorne Michaels and produced by Broadway Video,...
- 8/5/2022
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Asif Kapadia, the Oscar-winning guest curator for 2022’s Sheffield DocFest, has unveiled his program A Documentary Journey with Asif Kapadia.
Kapadia, who is best known for his documentaries ‘Amy,’ about Amy Winehouse, and ‘Senna’ about Brazilian motor-racing champion Ayrton Senna, opened the last in-person iteration of Sheffield DocFest in 2019 with his feature about legendary Argentine footballer Diego Maradona.
The festival, now in its 29th year, was digital only in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
Featuring “films that have had significant impact for him, inspiring his own style and creative choices as a filmmaker,” Kapadia has selected eight documentaries for the series, including “When We Were Kings” about Muhammad Ali (pictured above).
“Without this film, there would be no ‘Amy.’ There would be no ‘Senna.’ There would be no ‘Diego Maradona,’” said Kapadia of the Ali feature.
“This selection is personal to me, as someone who grew up in Hackney in the 1970s and 1980s,...
Kapadia, who is best known for his documentaries ‘Amy,’ about Amy Winehouse, and ‘Senna’ about Brazilian motor-racing champion Ayrton Senna, opened the last in-person iteration of Sheffield DocFest in 2019 with his feature about legendary Argentine footballer Diego Maradona.
The festival, now in its 29th year, was digital only in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
Featuring “films that have had significant impact for him, inspiring his own style and creative choices as a filmmaker,” Kapadia has selected eight documentaries for the series, including “When We Were Kings” about Muhammad Ali (pictured above).
“Without this film, there would be no ‘Amy.’ There would be no ‘Senna.’ There would be no ‘Diego Maradona,’” said Kapadia of the Ali feature.
“This selection is personal to me, as someone who grew up in Hackney in the 1970s and 1980s,...
- 5/9/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Steve Venezia has been re-elected vice president of the Cinema Audio Society, and Frank Morrone has been re-elected secretary. They will continue to serve alongside Cas president Karol Urban and treasurer Lee Orloff, who weren’t up for re-election this year.
Sound Orgs Sound Off About Pre-Taped Oscar Categories: “Marked Out As Somehow Less Important ‘Second-Tier’ Skills”
Founded in 1964, the Cinema Audio Society is a philanthropic, nonprofit organization for film and TV sound professionals.
Venezia, who also serves as vice-chair of the Television Academy, is an independent sound engineer who has worked with ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on the audio production of 16 Oscar broadcasts. Most recently he was senior director of worldwide production and post-production services at Dolby, where he worked for over 22 years covering sound mixing and advancements in audio technologies.
Morrone, a two-time Emmy winner for sound mixing, is a re-recording mixer whose credits include Lost,...
Sound Orgs Sound Off About Pre-Taped Oscar Categories: “Marked Out As Somehow Less Important ‘Second-Tier’ Skills”
Founded in 1964, the Cinema Audio Society is a philanthropic, nonprofit organization for film and TV sound professionals.
Venezia, who also serves as vice-chair of the Television Academy, is an independent sound engineer who has worked with ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on the audio production of 16 Oscar broadcasts. Most recently he was senior director of worldwide production and post-production services at Dolby, where he worked for over 22 years covering sound mixing and advancements in audio technologies.
Morrone, a two-time Emmy winner for sound mixing, is a re-recording mixer whose credits include Lost,...
- 3/24/2022
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Constance Zimmer (UnREAL) is checking out ABC’s Big Sky, with a recurring role during the back half of Season 2.
The actress will play Alicia, “an accountant who proved herself invaluable to Veer Bhullar’s (Bernard White) business even before they fell in love,” our sister site Deadline reports. “Charismatic, cunning and confident, Alicia’s success comes from her tendency to observe and assess long before she acts. But while Alicia may have earned Veer’s trust, her real challenge will be earning the trust of Veer’s children, Ren (Janina Gavankar) and Jag (Vinny Chhibber), who will do whatever...
The actress will play Alicia, “an accountant who proved herself invaluable to Veer Bhullar’s (Bernard White) business even before they fell in love,” our sister site Deadline reports. “Charismatic, cunning and confident, Alicia’s success comes from her tendency to observe and assess long before she acts. But while Alicia may have earned Veer’s trust, her real challenge will be earning the trust of Veer’s children, Ren (Janina Gavankar) and Jag (Vinny Chhibber), who will do whatever...
- 2/10/2022
- by Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
“Documentary Now!” has unveiled the first details of its upcoming fourth season (or 53rd according to the show).
While the new season of the IFC comedy series does not have a premiere date, it is expected to air on IFC and AMC Plus in 2022. The new season will consist of six episodes and is currently in production.
Documentaries to be featured in the upcoming season include:
· Paying homage to fashion documentaries “3 Salons at the Seaside” and “The September Issue,” “Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport” is a fly-on-the-wall portrait of a hair salon owner and her staff in the small coastal village of Bagglyport as they prepare their yearly stylebook.
· In the vein “When We Were Kings” and other great explorations of sport, “How They Threw Rocks” chronicles the Welsh sport of Craig Maes, also known as “Field Rock”, and the iconic 1974 bout dubbed “The Melon vs. The Felon.”
· Drawing inspiration from “My Octopus Teacher,...
While the new season of the IFC comedy series does not have a premiere date, it is expected to air on IFC and AMC Plus in 2022. The new season will consist of six episodes and is currently in production.
Documentaries to be featured in the upcoming season include:
· Paying homage to fashion documentaries “3 Salons at the Seaside” and “The September Issue,” “Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport” is a fly-on-the-wall portrait of a hair salon owner and her staff in the small coastal village of Bagglyport as they prepare their yearly stylebook.
· In the vein “When We Were Kings” and other great explorations of sport, “How They Threw Rocks” chronicles the Welsh sport of Craig Maes, also known as “Field Rock”, and the iconic 1974 bout dubbed “The Melon vs. The Felon.”
· Drawing inspiration from “My Octopus Teacher,...
- 2/10/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
IFC has unveiled details for the latest chapter of its cult-favorite, spoof series Documentary Now!, created by Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers and Rhys Thomas.
After nearly three years since news of Season 4 dropped, IFC shared that the Emmy-nominated Documentary Now! will return in 2022 on both IFC and AMC. Hosted by Dame Helen Mirren and known for lovingly paying homage to the world of documentaries, Documentary Now! and its in-show “fifty-third” season returns with six new episodes and is currently in production. Among the documentaries getting new comedic spins in Season 4 are the Oscar-winning docs When We Were Kings and My Octopus Teacher.
In the vein When We Were Kings and other great explorations of sport, Documentary Now!’s “How They Threw Rocks” will chronicle the Welsh sport of Craig Maes, also known as “Field Rock”, and the iconic 1974 bout dubbed “The Melon vs. The Felon.”
Drawing inspiration from My Octopus Teacher,...
After nearly three years since news of Season 4 dropped, IFC shared that the Emmy-nominated Documentary Now! will return in 2022 on both IFC and AMC. Hosted by Dame Helen Mirren and known for lovingly paying homage to the world of documentaries, Documentary Now! and its in-show “fifty-third” season returns with six new episodes and is currently in production. Among the documentaries getting new comedic spins in Season 4 are the Oscar-winning docs When We Were Kings and My Octopus Teacher.
In the vein When We Were Kings and other great explorations of sport, Documentary Now!’s “How They Threw Rocks” will chronicle the Welsh sport of Craig Maes, also known as “Field Rock”, and the iconic 1974 bout dubbed “The Melon vs. The Felon.”
Drawing inspiration from My Octopus Teacher,...
- 2/10/2022
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
After three years of static, “Documentary Now!” fans can rejoice: the Emmy-nominated docu-comedy series is returning for a fourth season to IFC and AMC+ sometime this year.
Dame Helen Mirren resumes her hosting duties for six brand-new episodes of the show, which parodies a wide range of classics and lesser-known gems of the documentary genre.
Details on three of the six titles have been announced, with more to come. “Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport,” an homage to fashion documentaries “3 Salons at the Seaside” and “The September Issue,” profiles a hair salon owner and her staff in the small coastal village of Bagglyport as they prepare their yearly stylebook.
Next up is “How They Threw Rocks,” which draws inspiration from “When We Were Kings” along with other exploratory sports epics. The episode chronicles the Welsh sport of Craig Maes, also known as “Field Rock”, and the iconic 1974 bout dubbed “The Melon vs.
Dame Helen Mirren resumes her hosting duties for six brand-new episodes of the show, which parodies a wide range of classics and lesser-known gems of the documentary genre.
Details on three of the six titles have been announced, with more to come. “Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport,” an homage to fashion documentaries “3 Salons at the Seaside” and “The September Issue,” profiles a hair salon owner and her staff in the small coastal village of Bagglyport as they prepare their yearly stylebook.
Next up is “How They Threw Rocks,” which draws inspiration from “When We Were Kings” along with other exploratory sports epics. The episode chronicles the Welsh sport of Craig Maes, also known as “Field Rock”, and the iconic 1974 bout dubbed “The Melon vs.
- 2/10/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
The Woodstock Film Festival has announced the slate for its 22nd edition, with 11 world premieres among the 43 features on the bill.
The festival will take place September 29 to October 3 in three Hudson Valley communities about two hours north of New York City. In-person screenings and events will be featured throughout the fest’s five days, but online options will also enable attendees to connect amid the ongoing challenges of Covid-19.
Panels, concerts and comedy sets along with film screenings are planned in Woodstock, Kingston and Saugerties. Neon chief Tom Quinn is slated to receive the festival’s Honorary Trailblazer Award, an honor announced in 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic.
The festival will kick off with Fanny: The Right to Rock, a documentary about a pathbreaking Filipina-American garage band, with a performance by some of the band’s members following the screening. Music is an annual touchstone for Woodstock’s lineup,...
The festival will take place September 29 to October 3 in three Hudson Valley communities about two hours north of New York City. In-person screenings and events will be featured throughout the fest’s five days, but online options will also enable attendees to connect amid the ongoing challenges of Covid-19.
Panels, concerts and comedy sets along with film screenings are planned in Woodstock, Kingston and Saugerties. Neon chief Tom Quinn is slated to receive the festival’s Honorary Trailblazer Award, an honor announced in 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic.
The festival will kick off with Fanny: The Right to Rock, a documentary about a pathbreaking Filipina-American garage band, with a performance by some of the band’s members following the screening. Music is an annual touchstone for Woodstock’s lineup,...
- 9/1/2021
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
In football – and sport in general – there aren’t many who make their mark both as a player and a manager, but one man who did was Jack Charlton. Talented certainly, but it was the big man’s personality that really stood out, and this feature-length documentary captures it in some style.
Finding Jack Charlton is nothing short of a masterpiece, deftly balancing the film’s three main sub-plots: his glorious reign as manager of the Republic of Ireland, relationship with his brother, Bobby Charlton, and the unfortunate onset of dementia in his twilight years. The geniuses behind it all are ITV Sport reporter, Gabriel Clarke, who has also produced features on Joe Calzaghe and Brian Clough, and filmmaker Pete Thomas.
But this blows them all out of the water. The way each aspect of Charlton’s life is intertwined over and over again is filmmaking of the highest calibre.
Finding Jack Charlton is nothing short of a masterpiece, deftly balancing the film’s three main sub-plots: his glorious reign as manager of the Republic of Ireland, relationship with his brother, Bobby Charlton, and the unfortunate onset of dementia in his twilight years. The geniuses behind it all are ITV Sport reporter, Gabriel Clarke, who has also produced features on Joe Calzaghe and Brian Clough, and filmmaker Pete Thomas.
But this blows them all out of the water. The way each aspect of Charlton’s life is intertwined over and over again is filmmaking of the highest calibre.
- 6/21/2021
- by Dan Green
- The Cultural Post
When speaking with talent affiliated with some of the most prominent television documentaries of the past year, the subjects of their favorite documentaries as well as the challenges of conveying the truth in a time when it’s easy to get lost in disinformation were subjects that provoked deep discussions. Gold Derby recently put this question to James Gay-Rees (“1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything”), Hao Wu (“76 Days”), Madison Hamburg (“Murder on Middle Beach”), Ellen Kuras (“Pretend it’s a City”) and Wendy Williams (“Wendy Williams: What a Mess”) during our recent “Meet the Experts” panel.
You can watch the documentary group panel above with these five creative talents. Click on each person’s name above to be taken to their individual interview.
For Hamburg, he wasn’t able to single out one specific documentary that influenced him. He did cite masters of the genre including Frederick Wiseman and Steve James,...
You can watch the documentary group panel above with these five creative talents. Click on each person’s name above to be taken to their individual interview.
For Hamburg, he wasn’t able to single out one specific documentary that influenced him. He did cite masters of the genre including Frederick Wiseman and Steve James,...
- 6/3/2021
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
All products and services featured by IndieWire are independently selected by IndieWire editors. However, IndieWire may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
“Mike Tyson: The Knockout” offers a ringside seat into the highs and lows of a legendary boxing career. The two-part documentary premieres on ABC on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Et, but if you miss the live airing, you can catch it on Hulu the following day.
The four-hour documentary chronicles Tyson’s “climb, crash, and comeback,” and details everything from his tough childhood to reaching world champion status. The documentary also covers Tyson’s 1992 rape conviction and personal struggles. Part two of “The Knockout” debuts on ABC on June 1, and will be available to stream on Hulu the next day. Tyson appears in the documentary, along with Rosie Perez, ESPN’s Jeremy Schapp,...
“Mike Tyson: The Knockout” offers a ringside seat into the highs and lows of a legendary boxing career. The two-part documentary premieres on ABC on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Et, but if you miss the live airing, you can catch it on Hulu the following day.
The four-hour documentary chronicles Tyson’s “climb, crash, and comeback,” and details everything from his tough childhood to reaching world champion status. The documentary also covers Tyson’s 1992 rape conviction and personal struggles. Part two of “The Knockout” debuts on ABC on June 1, and will be available to stream on Hulu the next day. Tyson appears in the documentary, along with Rosie Perez, ESPN’s Jeremy Schapp,...
- 5/25/2021
- by Latifah Muhammad
- Indiewire
Lloyd Price, who soared to the top of the charts with the 1950s hits Lawdy Miss Clawdy, Personality and Stagger Lee, died Monday in New Orleans. He was 88 and no cause was given by his manager, who confirmed the death.
Price was discovered at age 19 by legendary New Orleans producer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dave Bartholomew, who was working with Specialty Records producer Art Rupe. He took Price in and soon recorded Lawdy Miss Clawdy, with Fats Domino on piano and Earl Palmer on drums. The hit sold a million copies and spent seven weeks atop Billboard’s R&b charts.
That launched a recording career that saw Price score 15 top-ten R&b hits, including Personality and Stagger Lee.
Price told the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that he was shocked by the success of Lawdy Miss Clawdy. The title was taken from a local disc jockey at station Wbok Radio,...
Price was discovered at age 19 by legendary New Orleans producer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dave Bartholomew, who was working with Specialty Records producer Art Rupe. He took Price in and soon recorded Lawdy Miss Clawdy, with Fats Domino on piano and Earl Palmer on drums. The hit sold a million copies and spent seven weeks atop Billboard’s R&b charts.
That launched a recording career that saw Price score 15 top-ten R&b hits, including Personality and Stagger Lee.
Price told the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that he was shocked by the success of Lawdy Miss Clawdy. The title was taken from a local disc jockey at station Wbok Radio,...
- 5/8/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Lloyd Price, the pioneering R&b singer behind Fifties hits like “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” “Stagger Lee” and “Personality,” has died at the age of 88.
Price’s manager Tom Tripani confirmed to Rolling Stone that Price died Monday, May 3rd; no cause of death was provided.
Friend Rickey Poppell added on Facebook (via Variety), “Those of us close to Lloyd have been keeping his declining health issues to our selves for the past five years, while Tom kept me up to date along the way. Lloyd was one of the sweetest,...
Price’s manager Tom Tripani confirmed to Rolling Stone that Price died Monday, May 3rd; no cause of death was provided.
Friend Rickey Poppell added on Facebook (via Variety), “Those of us close to Lloyd have been keeping his declining health issues to our selves for the past five years, while Tom kept me up to date along the way. Lloyd was one of the sweetest,...
- 5/8/2021
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Leon Gast, the director of the Oscar-winning documentary “When We Were Kings,” about Muhammad Ali’s iconic “Rumble in the Jungle” boxing match, has died. He was 85.
Gast died on Monday at his home in Woodstock, NY following a long illness, according to the Woodstock Film Festival, of which Gast was a member of the advisory board.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Academy Award-winning documentarian Leon Gast,” the festival tweeted. “Leon passed away peacefully this morning at his home. A longtime resident of Woodstock, Leon was one of the festival’s earliest friends and supporters. He will be missed dearly.”
Gast was in Kinshasa, Zaire in 1974 attempting to tell a story about a music festival happening in the country before he turned his attention to the fight in which Ali won back the heavyweight title from George Foreman. He would spend over two decades working to complete the film,...
Gast died on Monday at his home in Woodstock, NY following a long illness, according to the Woodstock Film Festival, of which Gast was a member of the advisory board.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Academy Award-winning documentarian Leon Gast,” the festival tweeted. “Leon passed away peacefully this morning at his home. A longtime resident of Woodstock, Leon was one of the festival’s earliest friends and supporters. He will be missed dearly.”
Gast was in Kinshasa, Zaire in 1974 attempting to tell a story about a music festival happening in the country before he turned his attention to the fight in which Ali won back the heavyweight title from George Foreman. He would spend over two decades working to complete the film,...
- 3/9/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Leon Gast, the veteran filmmaker who won a Documentary Feature Oscar for helming the 1996 “Rumble in the Jungle” pic When We Were Kings, died Monday. He was 85.
The news was confirmed by the Woodstock Film Festival, of which Gast was a founding advisory board member and a 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree.
Gast also won a Spirit Award, a Sundance Special Jury prize and a DGA Award nomination for When We Were Kings, which he also produced and edited. It told the fascinating story about the 1974 heavyweight title fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman held in Kinshasa, Zaire. The filmmaker later produced and directed The Trials of Muhammad Ali (2013), which aired the following year on PBS as under the Independent Lens banner. Gast won a News & Documentary Emmy and an International Documentary Association Award for that project.
Gast began his movie career after working for an ad agency in New...
The news was confirmed by the Woodstock Film Festival, of which Gast was a founding advisory board member and a 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree.
Gast also won a Spirit Award, a Sundance Special Jury prize and a DGA Award nomination for When We Were Kings, which he also produced and edited. It told the fascinating story about the 1974 heavyweight title fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman held in Kinshasa, Zaire. The filmmaker later produced and directed The Trials of Muhammad Ali (2013), which aired the following year on PBS as under the Independent Lens banner. Gast won a News & Documentary Emmy and an International Documentary Association Award for that project.
Gast began his movie career after working for an ad agency in New...
- 3/9/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Leon Gast, the Academy Award-winning director behind sport documentary “When We Were Kings,” died on Monday, according to Meira Blaustein, his close friend and the co-founder of Woodstock Film Festival. He was 85.
Blaustein shared the news of Gast’s death in a Facebook post. “He was a giant of a filmmaker, an absolute joy of a human being, and a very dear and beloved friend,” Blaustein wrote. “I am so grateful that I got to visit with him yesterday, tell him how much I loved him, how much he meant to all of us. I only wish I had stayed longer.”
“When We Were Kings,” which won best documentary feature at the 1997 Oscars, explores the iconic boxing match between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali that took place in Kinshasa, Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1974. Featuring historical footage and new interviews, the doc also examines the...
Blaustein shared the news of Gast’s death in a Facebook post. “He was a giant of a filmmaker, an absolute joy of a human being, and a very dear and beloved friend,” Blaustein wrote. “I am so grateful that I got to visit with him yesterday, tell him how much I loved him, how much he meant to all of us. I only wish I had stayed longer.”
“When We Were Kings,” which won best documentary feature at the 1997 Oscars, explores the iconic boxing match between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali that took place in Kinshasa, Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1974. Featuring historical footage and new interviews, the doc also examines the...
- 3/9/2021
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- Variety Film + TV
Leon Gast, the celebrated Oscar-winning documentarian behind When We Were Kings, which chronicled the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” bout between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, has died. He was 85.
Gast died Monday, according to his friend and fellow documentary filmmaker Barbara Kopple. No other details of his death were immediately available.
Gast also executive produced Bill Siegel’s 2013 PBS documentary The Trials of Muhammad Ali, which was awarded a news and documentary Emmy. His final film, Manny (2014), co-directed with Ryan Moore, centered on another champion boxer, Manny Pacquiao.
When We Were Kings (1996) received special jury recognition at Sundance en route to ...
Gast died Monday, according to his friend and fellow documentary filmmaker Barbara Kopple. No other details of his death were immediately available.
Gast also executive produced Bill Siegel’s 2013 PBS documentary The Trials of Muhammad Ali, which was awarded a news and documentary Emmy. His final film, Manny (2014), co-directed with Ryan Moore, centered on another champion boxer, Manny Pacquiao.
When We Were Kings (1996) received special jury recognition at Sundance en route to ...
Leon Gast, the celebrated Oscar-winning documentarian behind When We Were Kings, which chronicled the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” bout between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, has died. He was 85.
Gast died Monday, according to his friend and fellow documentary filmmaker Barbara Kopple. No other details of his death were immediately available.
Gast also executive produced Bill Siegel’s 2013 PBS documentary The Trials of Muhammad Ali, which was awarded a news and documentary Emmy. His final film, Manny (2014), co-directed with Ryan Moore, centered on another champion boxer, Manny Pacquiao.
When We Were Kings (1996) received special jury recognition at Sundance en route to ...
Gast died Monday, according to his friend and fellow documentary filmmaker Barbara Kopple. No other details of his death were immediately available.
Gast also executive produced Bill Siegel’s 2013 PBS documentary The Trials of Muhammad Ali, which was awarded a news and documentary Emmy. His final film, Manny (2014), co-directed with Ryan Moore, centered on another champion boxer, Manny Pacquiao.
When We Were Kings (1996) received special jury recognition at Sundance en route to ...
Eli Goree stars as Cassius Clay, a.k.a. Muhammad Ali in the new film “One Night in Miami,” directed by Academy Award winner Regina King. The film is developing major Oscar buzz, with King earning a directing bid at the Golden Globes and the film’s ensemble earning a nomination at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Goree recently spoke with Gold Derby editor Rob Licuria about what made him interested in “One Night in Miami,” how he thoroughly researched for the role and how the boxing scenes were physically demanding. Watch the exclusive webchat above and read the transcript below.
SEEBarry Robison interview: ‘One Night in Miami’ production designer
Gold Derby: What drew you to this project? I mean, it’s so exciting to be able to play a legend and to work with people like Regina King but was there one thing in particular that really made you...
Goree recently spoke with Gold Derby editor Rob Licuria about what made him interested in “One Night in Miami,” how he thoroughly researched for the role and how the boxing scenes were physically demanding. Watch the exclusive webchat above and read the transcript below.
SEEBarry Robison interview: ‘One Night in Miami’ production designer
Gold Derby: What drew you to this project? I mean, it’s so exciting to be able to play a legend and to work with people like Regina King but was there one thing in particular that really made you...
- 2/15/2021
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
In his latest podcast/interview, host and screenwriter Stuart Wright welcomes We Are The Geordies producer Zee Zomorrodian to talk Newcastle United and 5 Great Sporting Documentaries – including:
Hoop Dreams (1994) When We Were Kings (1996) Next Goal Wins (2014) Forever Pure (2016) Last Chance U (2016)
While you may be familiar with Nufc legends like Alan Shearer, Malcolm Macdonald, Les Ferdinand and, of course, Rafa Benítez, the legions of fans are the real stars in We Are The Geordies. It takes a unique look through the eyes of 11 Nufc fans from across the spectrum, an in-depth, close-up view of what it takes to be a supporter: the travelling, the sacrifices the highs, the lows, the passion, the unwavering belief – the Faith – as we join them on their arduous and emotional season-long journey to help lift a once great club back to the top flight. Led by world-renowned manager, Rafa Benítez, who only six months earlier...
Hoop Dreams (1994) When We Were Kings (1996) Next Goal Wins (2014) Forever Pure (2016) Last Chance U (2016)
While you may be familiar with Nufc legends like Alan Shearer, Malcolm Macdonald, Les Ferdinand and, of course, Rafa Benítez, the legions of fans are the real stars in We Are The Geordies. It takes a unique look through the eyes of 11 Nufc fans from across the spectrum, an in-depth, close-up view of what it takes to be a supporter: the travelling, the sacrifices the highs, the lows, the passion, the unwavering belief – the Faith – as we join them on their arduous and emotional season-long journey to help lift a once great club back to the top flight. Led by world-renowned manager, Rafa Benítez, who only six months earlier...
- 12/4/2020
- by Stuart Wright
- Nerdly
As August winds down, it’s time to look ahead to everything that’s hitting the major streaming services in September. As always, there’s an enormous haul of originals and newly licensed titles going up across Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu and Prime Video over the month, including content from every genre out there.
The first day of September brings the usual lengthy list of movies arriving on most of the sites. Just a few of the highlights include all three Back to the Future films returning to Netflix, every entry in the Twilight saga arriving on Hulu and countless iconic movies going up on HBO Max, including Grease, Miss Congeniality and V for Vendetta. Also, Doctor Who fans will want to take note, as the most recent season of the show lands on HBO Max the same day.
Feel free to inspect the full list of everything...
The first day of September brings the usual lengthy list of movies arriving on most of the sites. Just a few of the highlights include all three Back to the Future films returning to Netflix, every entry in the Twilight saga arriving on Hulu and countless iconic movies going up on HBO Max, including Grease, Miss Congeniality and V for Vendetta. Also, Doctor Who fans will want to take note, as the most recent season of the show lands on HBO Max the same day.
Feel free to inspect the full list of everything...
- 8/26/2020
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
HBO Max is out with its list of everything new coming to the streaming service in the month of September.
Highlights include Ridley Scott’s “Raised by Wolves,” out Sept. 3, which follows two androids raising a human child on a distant planet; “Coastal Elites” starring Bette Midler, Kaitlyn Dever, Dan Levy, Sarah Paulson and Issa Rae, out Sept. 12, and “The Murders at White House Farm,” which is out in Sept. but doesn’t yet have an exact premiere date.
Others without a premiere date coming in Sept. include season one of “Haute Dog,” “Mo Willems: Don’t Let the Pigeon Do Storytime!” and seasons one through three of “The Great Pottery Throw Down.”
Also Read: 'Lovecraft Country' Premiere Draws 1.4 Million Multiplatform Viewers - Including HBO Max
Read the full list below:
Sept. 1
93Queen, 2018
All The Right Moves, 1983 (HBO)
The Astronaut Farmer, 2007 (HBO)
Badlands, 1973
Ballmastrz: 9009, 2018
Bandidas, 2006 (HBO)
Barnyard, 2006 (HBO)
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,...
Highlights include Ridley Scott’s “Raised by Wolves,” out Sept. 3, which follows two androids raising a human child on a distant planet; “Coastal Elites” starring Bette Midler, Kaitlyn Dever, Dan Levy, Sarah Paulson and Issa Rae, out Sept. 12, and “The Murders at White House Farm,” which is out in Sept. but doesn’t yet have an exact premiere date.
Others without a premiere date coming in Sept. include season one of “Haute Dog,” “Mo Willems: Don’t Let the Pigeon Do Storytime!” and seasons one through three of “The Great Pottery Throw Down.”
Also Read: 'Lovecraft Country' Premiere Draws 1.4 Million Multiplatform Viewers - Including HBO Max
Read the full list below:
Sept. 1
93Queen, 2018
All The Right Moves, 1983 (HBO)
The Astronaut Farmer, 2007 (HBO)
Badlands, 1973
Ballmastrz: 9009, 2018
Bandidas, 2006 (HBO)
Barnyard, 2006 (HBO)
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,...
- 8/20/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
WarnerMedia’s grand streaming experiment continues apace with HBO Max’s list of new releases for September 2020.
This month, HBO Max is bring some serious dramatic heat with the Ridley Scott-directed sci-fi series Raised by Wolves arriving on Sept. 3. And if science fiction isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, then HBO Max has identified something that is: true crime. The Murders at White House Farm will arrive at a date to be determined in September.
In addition to those intriguing original offerings, HBO Max is making the best of its WarnerMedia library this month. Doctor Who season 12 makes its long-awaited streaming debut on Sept. 1. Also arriving on the first of the month are Clerks, Election, and the hopefully-not-too-timely V for Vendetta.
Recent horror hit The Invisible Man arrives on Sept. 19. It is complemented by HBO Max original comedy Unpregnant on Sept. 10.
Here is everything else coming to HBO Max this month.
This month, HBO Max is bring some serious dramatic heat with the Ridley Scott-directed sci-fi series Raised by Wolves arriving on Sept. 3. And if science fiction isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, then HBO Max has identified something that is: true crime. The Murders at White House Farm will arrive at a date to be determined in September.
In addition to those intriguing original offerings, HBO Max is making the best of its WarnerMedia library this month. Doctor Who season 12 makes its long-awaited streaming debut on Sept. 1. Also arriving on the first of the month are Clerks, Election, and the hopefully-not-too-timely V for Vendetta.
Recent horror hit The Invisible Man arrives on Sept. 19. It is complemented by HBO Max original comedy Unpregnant on Sept. 10.
Here is everything else coming to HBO Max this month.
- 8/20/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The director of Sergio and many docs talks about docs and movies taken from true stories.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Sergio (2009)
Sergio (2020)
Reds (1981)
The Two Popes (2019)
Rules Don’t Apply (2016)
Bulworth (1998)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Innerspace (1987)
Ishtar (1987)
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Man On Wire (2008)
The Fog of War (2003)
American Dharma (2018)
Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru (2016)
The Killing Fields (1984)
The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
Under Fire (1983)
Salvador (1986)
The Quiet American (2002)
The Quiet American (1958)
A Private War (2018)
The War Room (1993)
The Final Year (2017)
Independence Day (1996)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Bloodsport (1988)
Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996)
When We Were Kings (1996)
Soul Power (2008)
High School (1968)
Hospital (1970)
Titicut Follies (1967)
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (2007)
Before Night Falls (2000)
At Eternity’s Gate (2018)
American Factory (2019)
Dina (2017)
Honeyland (2019)
The Act of Killing (2012)
The English Patient (1996)
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Purple Noon (1960)
Other Notable Items
Sergio Aragonés
Wagner Moura
Narcos TV...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Sergio (2009)
Sergio (2020)
Reds (1981)
The Two Popes (2019)
Rules Don’t Apply (2016)
Bulworth (1998)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Innerspace (1987)
Ishtar (1987)
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Man On Wire (2008)
The Fog of War (2003)
American Dharma (2018)
Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru (2016)
The Killing Fields (1984)
The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
Under Fire (1983)
Salvador (1986)
The Quiet American (2002)
The Quiet American (1958)
A Private War (2018)
The War Room (1993)
The Final Year (2017)
Independence Day (1996)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Bloodsport (1988)
Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996)
When We Were Kings (1996)
Soul Power (2008)
High School (1968)
Hospital (1970)
Titicut Follies (1967)
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (2007)
Before Night Falls (2000)
At Eternity’s Gate (2018)
American Factory (2019)
Dina (2017)
Honeyland (2019)
The Act of Killing (2012)
The English Patient (1996)
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Purple Noon (1960)
Other Notable Items
Sergio Aragonés
Wagner Moura
Narcos TV...
- 7/14/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Normally, IndieWire’s Stream of the Day feature focuses on movies that you can watch at home. Today, we’re using this space to call out a few that should be available, but aren’t. At one time or another, we have all probably experienced this frustrating conundrum: You want to watch a movie or TV show that sneaks its way into your consciousness, or was recommended by a trusted source, and, like most people, you first try the streaming services — especially in the current environment — but none of them carry it, not even as a rental or purchase on Amazon or iTunes. That’s especially true for films from black filmmakers.
For example, none of the films from key L.A. Rebellion filmmaker, Haile Gerima are available to stream on any platform, nor is Ivan Dixon’s classic “The Spook Who Sat By the Door” (1973), or Jessie Maple’s 1981 film “Will,...
For example, none of the films from key L.A. Rebellion filmmaker, Haile Gerima are available to stream on any platform, nor is Ivan Dixon’s classic “The Spook Who Sat By the Door” (1973), or Jessie Maple’s 1981 film “Will,...
- 5/7/2020
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Alec Bojalad Feb 20, 2020
We have the highlights of what's coming and going from HBO Now and HBO Go in March 2020.
March 2020 is an extremely HBO month for HBO.
What we mean by that is that the list of new releases for the month contain a lot of the hallmarks of the HBO brand that the network has built over the years. There is the third season of an expensive and popular sci-fi series with Westworld season 3 premiering on March 15. Then there's also the requisite new David Simon series when Philip Roth adaptation The Plot Against America premieres on March 16.
If that weren't enough, March 2020 sees the arrival of a big ticket superhero movie with X-Men: Dark Phoenix arriving on March 21. It's not a good big ticket superhero movie, but still! You may want to rewatch it all the same. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw is a sort of superhero movie itself.
We have the highlights of what's coming and going from HBO Now and HBO Go in March 2020.
March 2020 is an extremely HBO month for HBO.
What we mean by that is that the list of new releases for the month contain a lot of the hallmarks of the HBO brand that the network has built over the years. There is the third season of an expensive and popular sci-fi series with Westworld season 3 premiering on March 15. Then there's also the requisite new David Simon series when Philip Roth adaptation The Plot Against America premieres on March 16.
If that weren't enough, March 2020 sees the arrival of a big ticket superhero movie with X-Men: Dark Phoenix arriving on March 21. It's not a good big ticket superhero movie, but still! You may want to rewatch it all the same. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw is a sort of superhero movie itself.
- 2/21/2020
- Den of Geek
A dozen war movies have won the best-picture Oscar, from “Wings” through “The English Patient.” Despite an overabundance of World War II movies through the decades, Fox Searchlight has two that offer original points of view: “Jojo Rabbit” and “A Hidden Life.”
The latter film, written and directed by Terrence Malick, is one of the few movies to explore the world of a conscientious objector, based on real-life Austrian farmer Franz Jagerstatter. He refused to cooperate with the Nazis, saying, “We can’t remain silent in the face of evil. We have to confront it.”
A conscientious objector, or Co, status has never been fashionable in Hollywood, because it’s never been fashionable with the general population.
Example No. 1: Actor Lew Ayres, who worked regularly in 1930s Hollywood. His career nearly ended in 1942, when he was given 4E, conscientious objector, status. The public considered him a traitor, but calmed...
The latter film, written and directed by Terrence Malick, is one of the few movies to explore the world of a conscientious objector, based on real-life Austrian farmer Franz Jagerstatter. He refused to cooperate with the Nazis, saying, “We can’t remain silent in the face of evil. We have to confront it.”
A conscientious objector, or Co, status has never been fashionable in Hollywood, because it’s never been fashionable with the general population.
Example No. 1: Actor Lew Ayres, who worked regularly in 1930s Hollywood. His career nearly ended in 1942, when he was given 4E, conscientious objector, status. The public considered him a traitor, but calmed...
- 1/4/2020
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
At long last, Criterion has revealed its 1,000th entry to be the ultimate “Godzilla” collection, with all 15 films of the Japanese monster series’ original Showa era films beautifully burnished for the first time. This massive set, with all films digitally restored, ranges from Ishirō Honda’s 1954 original-that-started-it-all “Godzilla” to Honda’s 1975 “Terror of Mechagodzilla,” which was his directorial swan song.
Also featured in the set are such iconic Godzilla face-offs as “King Kong vs. Godzilla” (1963), “Mothra vs. Godzilla” (1964), “Godzilla vs. Gigan” (1972), “Godzilla vs. Megalon” (1973) and more.
Criterion promises “a landmark set showcasing the technical wizardry, fantastical storytelling, and indomitable international appeal that established the most iconic giant monster the cinema has ever seen.”
The series has featured its fair share of imitations and reboots over the years, including this year’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” whose director, Michael Dougherty modeled the creature design for his film after the 1954 version...
Also featured in the set are such iconic Godzilla face-offs as “King Kong vs. Godzilla” (1963), “Mothra vs. Godzilla” (1964), “Godzilla vs. Gigan” (1972), “Godzilla vs. Megalon” (1973) and more.
Criterion promises “a landmark set showcasing the technical wizardry, fantastical storytelling, and indomitable international appeal that established the most iconic giant monster the cinema has ever seen.”
The series has featured its fair share of imitations and reboots over the years, including this year’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” whose director, Michael Dougherty modeled the creature design for his film after the 1954 version...
- 7/25/2019
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
By Glenn Dunks
Ice hockey is not a sport I tend to pay any attention to. As an Australian, it’s barely on my radar outside of the movies. And even then, my mind only goes to the fab Canadian film Goon and Michael Ontkean’s jockstrap in Slapshot as worth the time. Still, I know a good story when I see one and like other documentaries about pro sports I could not give any less of a hoot about – titles like Senna and When We Were Kings, for instance – this new passionately-realized debut feature from director Joshua Riehl got me involved in its sport, its personalities and its man-made mythos.
And how! As a noted non-cryer at the movies, I can say I shed several tears by the end of The Russian Five and Its story of stubborn devotion, emotional anguish, and underdog triumph.
Ice hockey is not a sport I tend to pay any attention to. As an Australian, it’s barely on my radar outside of the movies. And even then, my mind only goes to the fab Canadian film Goon and Michael Ontkean’s jockstrap in Slapshot as worth the time. Still, I know a good story when I see one and like other documentaries about pro sports I could not give any less of a hoot about – titles like Senna and When We Were Kings, for instance – this new passionately-realized debut feature from director Joshua Riehl got me involved in its sport, its personalities and its man-made mythos.
And how! As a noted non-cryer at the movies, I can say I shed several tears by the end of The Russian Five and Its story of stubborn devotion, emotional anguish, and underdog triumph.
- 5/22/2019
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
Muhammad Ali’s bark was as formidable as his bite, and “What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali” pays tribute to both, allowing the three-time heavyweight champ to narrate his own story via a combination of audio and video archival material. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, this 165-minute documentary uses copious interview soundbites to highlight the pugilist’s unparalleled gift of gab — and, consequently, the way it served as his means of defiant self-definition. Debuting on HBO in two parts (after premiering at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival), it’s a celebration that, if not quite definitive, proves a stirring work of nonfiction assembly.
Comprised of old photos and film, TV, and radio clips, Fuqua’s project (executive-produced by LeBron James) does its best to approximate an autobiographical authorship, allowing “the greatest” to be his own storyteller. That approach, along with a narrative focus that remains almost exclusively on his public...
Comprised of old photos and film, TV, and radio clips, Fuqua’s project (executive-produced by LeBron James) does its best to approximate an autobiographical authorship, allowing “the greatest” to be his own storyteller. That approach, along with a narrative focus that remains almost exclusively on his public...
- 4/29/2019
- by Nick Schager
- Variety Film + TV
Spike Lee’s politically charged cinema has irked the Academy in the past, but his witty take on how a black policeman outsmarted the Ku Klux Klan could prove sweetly timed
“Today’s young generation, they don’t know anything,” says Spike Lee in the Oscar-winning Rumble in the Jungle documentary, When We Were Kings. “Something happened last year, they know nothing about it. There are these great, great stories. These great historic events. I’m not talking about 1850s stuff. They don’t know who Malcolm X is. They don’t know who JFK is. They don’t know Muhammad Ali or Jackie Robinson. You can go down the line. It’s scary.”
You could interpret Lee’s career, in part, as an exercise in filling those holes in America’s collective memory. Malcolm X is probably the most famous example, with his 1992 film reigniting a debate about the...
“Today’s young generation, they don’t know anything,” says Spike Lee in the Oscar-winning Rumble in the Jungle documentary, When We Were Kings. “Something happened last year, they know nothing about it. There are these great, great stories. These great historic events. I’m not talking about 1850s stuff. They don’t know who Malcolm X is. They don’t know who JFK is. They don’t know Muhammad Ali or Jackie Robinson. You can go down the line. It’s scary.”
You could interpret Lee’s career, in part, as an exercise in filling those holes in America’s collective memory. Malcolm X is probably the most famous example, with his 1992 film reigniting a debate about the...
- 2/20/2019
- by Lanre Bakare
- The Guardian - Film News
If Dava Whisenant’s joyous documentary “Bathtubs Over Broadway” served only to spotlight the occluded corner of American musical history known as the “industrial musical,” it would be perfectly entertaining in its own right. But in its portrayal of one man’s unusual journey, the film has much to say about turning ironic amusement into unalloyed appreciation.
And if you don’t know what an “industrial musical” is, relax — we were never meant to see them in the first place. Starting in the 1950s, these shows were crafted to entertain and inspire the sales reps from companies like Xerox and General Electric. Expensive and elaborate, they were often performed only a few times, at conventions or sales meetings, and they mostly exist now on souvenir soundtrack recordings (of shows with names like “Diesel Dazzle” or “The Bathrooms Are Coming!”) that weren’t intended to be shared with the general public.
And if you don’t know what an “industrial musical” is, relax — we were never meant to see them in the first place. Starting in the 1950s, these shows were crafted to entertain and inspire the sales reps from companies like Xerox and General Electric. Expensive and elaborate, they were often performed only a few times, at conventions or sales meetings, and they mostly exist now on souvenir soundtrack recordings (of shows with names like “Diesel Dazzle” or “The Bathrooms Are Coming!”) that weren’t intended to be shared with the general public.
- 11/29/2018
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
When We Were Kings, the Oscar-winning documentary about Muhammed Ali and George Foreman’s legendary “Rumble in the Jungle,” is being adapted into a Broadway musical.
Held in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1974, the Rumble in the Jungle remains one of the most famous boxing bouts of all time with Ali knocking out Foreman, who was up until then the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world. Leon Gast directed When We Were Kings, which was released in 1996 and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary.
When We Were Kings...
Held in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1974, the Rumble in the Jungle remains one of the most famous boxing bouts of all time with Ali knocking out Foreman, who was up until then the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world. Leon Gast directed When We Were Kings, which was released in 1996 and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary.
When We Were Kings...
- 11/29/2018
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
David Sonenberg, producer of the Oscar-winning 1996 doc When We Were Kings, is developing a musical based on the film that chronicled 1974’s famous Rumble in the Jungle boxing match in Zaire between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
A workshop for the musical is planned for the spring, Sonenberg announced today, with the intent of a full stage production the following year. The book for the musical, adapted from the film, is written by Shelley Marcus. The songs used are R&B classics from the 1974 Zaire music festival.
The musical is expected to include portrayals of musicians who performed at the Zaire music fest just before the fight. Portrayals will include James Brown, B.B. King, The Pointer Sisters, The Spinners, Bill Withers, Celia Cruz, and The Fania All Stars.
“The details of Ali’s life are as...
A workshop for the musical is planned for the spring, Sonenberg announced today, with the intent of a full stage production the following year. The book for the musical, adapted from the film, is written by Shelley Marcus. The songs used are R&B classics from the 1974 Zaire music festival.
The musical is expected to include portrayals of musicians who performed at the Zaire music fest just before the fight. Portrayals will include James Brown, B.B. King, The Pointer Sisters, The Spinners, Bill Withers, Celia Cruz, and The Fania All Stars.
“The details of Ali’s life are as...
- 11/29/2018
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The legendary “rumble in the jungle” between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire, Africa brings to mind images of two bloodied fighters pushing themselves beyond the limits of endurance. However, the boxing match does not exactly scream musical.
That’s not stopping one producer, David Sonenberg, from trying to put the swing into the sweet science. He is planning to make a musical version of his Academy Award-winning film “When We Were Kings,” a 1996 documentary that captured the ringside drama. The book for the musical will be adapted from the film and written by Shelley Marcus, and the songs will be fR&B classics from the 1974 Zaire music festival. The soundtrack will also include “Rumble In The Jungle”, which was written by The Fugees for the film. A workshop is scheduled for the spring of 2019 with plans for a full stage musical production the following year.
“Muhammad Ali was...
That’s not stopping one producer, David Sonenberg, from trying to put the swing into the sweet science. He is planning to make a musical version of his Academy Award-winning film “When We Were Kings,” a 1996 documentary that captured the ringside drama. The book for the musical will be adapted from the film and written by Shelley Marcus, and the songs will be fR&B classics from the 1974 Zaire music festival. The soundtrack will also include “Rumble In The Jungle”, which was written by The Fugees for the film. A workshop is scheduled for the spring of 2019 with plans for a full stage musical production the following year.
“Muhammad Ali was...
- 11/29/2018
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Could Muhammad Ali be headed to Broadway? Producer David Sonenberg is developing a musical stage adaptation of the 1996, Oscar-winning documentary “When We Were Kings,” it was announced Thursday.
“When We Were Kings” documents the legendary 1974 fight between Ali and George Foreman, better known as “The Rumble in the Jungle,” that was held in Zaire, Africa. Sonenberg, who executive produced the documentary directed by Leon Gast, is now bringing it to the stage with a workshop scheduled for spring 2019 and plans for a full stage musical production the following year.
The book for the musical is adapted from the film and is written by Shelley Marcus. The songs for the musical are R&B classics from the 1974 Zaire music festival, with the exception of “Rumble In The Jungle,” which was written by The Fugees for the film.
Also Read: CBS All Access Nabs Muhammad Ali Limited Series From Morgan Freeman
The...
“When We Were Kings” documents the legendary 1974 fight between Ali and George Foreman, better known as “The Rumble in the Jungle,” that was held in Zaire, Africa. Sonenberg, who executive produced the documentary directed by Leon Gast, is now bringing it to the stage with a workshop scheduled for spring 2019 and plans for a full stage musical production the following year.
The book for the musical is adapted from the film and is written by Shelley Marcus. The songs for the musical are R&B classics from the 1974 Zaire music festival, with the exception of “Rumble In The Jungle,” which was written by The Fugees for the film.
Also Read: CBS All Access Nabs Muhammad Ali Limited Series From Morgan Freeman
The...
- 11/29/2018
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Somewhat misleadingly named, Robert S. Bader's Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes — though it does make good use of the interviews Dick Cavett did with Muhammad Ali over the years on his celebrated talk show — proves mostly to be just another portrait of the boxer, whose unmatchable charisma and fascinating story has already fueled many docs, from the Oscar-winning When We Were Kings to the more recent The Trials of Muhammad Ali. Though this debut film almost can't help but be enjoyable, viewers who already know the broad strokes of Ali's career will find themselves wishing they...
- 3/12/2018
- by John DeFore
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chicago – There ain’t nothing like Dame Helen Mirren, international star and Oscar winner for “The Queen.” She, along with her husband Taylor Hackford (director of “Ray” and “An Officer and a Gentleman”), were honored at the Cinema/Chicago Spring Gala on May 24, 2017.
Cinema/Chicago, the presenting organization of the Chicago International Film Festival, is a non-profit arts and education organization dedicated to fostering communication between people of diverse cultures through the art of film and the moving image. Their programs include the Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago International Television Festival, the CineYouth Festival, international screenings, and a year-round education program. Celebrating its 53rd edition October 12-26, 2017, the Chicago International Film Festival is North America’s longest running competitive film fest.
Helen Mirren at the Cinema/Chicago Spring Gala, May 24th, 2017
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Dame Helen Lydia Mirren was born in London, and...
Cinema/Chicago, the presenting organization of the Chicago International Film Festival, is a non-profit arts and education organization dedicated to fostering communication between people of diverse cultures through the art of film and the moving image. Their programs include the Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago International Television Festival, the CineYouth Festival, international screenings, and a year-round education program. Celebrating its 53rd edition October 12-26, 2017, the Chicago International Film Festival is North America’s longest running competitive film fest.
Helen Mirren at the Cinema/Chicago Spring Gala, May 24th, 2017
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Dame Helen Lydia Mirren was born in London, and...
- 5/31/2017
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
It’s just a few weeks until this year’s Oscars, which means the Hollywood machine is running out of steam to provide “new angles” on various awards season campaigns and Oscar bloggers are trying to squeeze traffic out of last-minute prediction shifts. It’s fitting, then, that around this time every year we get a rather substantial update of one of the most comprehensive polls on the greatest films of all-time, not simply the November/December releases with the biggest marketing budget come Academy Awards time.
That’s right, They Shoot Pictures, Don’t They? has now published their 2017 edition of 1,000 Greatest Films, culled together from an exhaustive list of major publications and critics. Still topped by Citizen Kane, I often find the most interesting portion to be those films that have most moved around, for better or worse, especially those with newfound critical admiration. This year, Terrence Malick...
That’s right, They Shoot Pictures, Don’t They? has now published their 2017 edition of 1,000 Greatest Films, culled together from an exhaustive list of major publications and critics. Still topped by Citizen Kane, I often find the most interesting portion to be those films that have most moved around, for better or worse, especially those with newfound critical admiration. This year, Terrence Malick...
- 2/13/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Wil Jones Sep 7, 2016
Movies based on videogames tend to be awful. But documentaries about games? They're sometimes brilliant...
Hollywood has always has an awkward relationship with videogames. Studios are scared of them because they’re a threat, and something else for teenagers to spend money on instead of big summer movies. But on the other hand, there’s a lot of money in games, and Hollywood wants some of that — but they’ve never properly worked out how. Ever since 1993’s Super Mario Bros, there has been a steady stream of movies based on videogame properties, and their guaranteed awfulness has become a running joke. And while that’s slightly unfair on a few films (Raul Julia totally makes Street Fighter worthwhile), it’s not without reason.
And even when they’re not based on an actual title, attempts to make movies more broadly also tend to be terrible. The Last Starfighter,...
Movies based on videogames tend to be awful. But documentaries about games? They're sometimes brilliant...
Hollywood has always has an awkward relationship with videogames. Studios are scared of them because they’re a threat, and something else for teenagers to spend money on instead of big summer movies. But on the other hand, there’s a lot of money in games, and Hollywood wants some of that — but they’ve never properly worked out how. Ever since 1993’s Super Mario Bros, there has been a steady stream of movies based on videogame properties, and their guaranteed awfulness has become a running joke. And while that’s slightly unfair on a few films (Raul Julia totally makes Street Fighter worthwhile), it’s not without reason.
And even when they’re not based on an actual title, attempts to make movies more broadly also tend to be terrible. The Last Starfighter,...
- 9/5/2016
- Den of Geek
We return with a look at Soul Power, enjoy!
From Masters of Cinema:
Soul Power is a vérité documentary – compiled entirely from footage shot in 1974 – of the astonishing back-to-Africa 3-day music festival “Zaire ‘74”. It was held in Kinshasa ahead of the biggest boxing event of all time: the Muhammad Ali–George Foreman “Rumble in the Jungle”. Directed by Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, editor of Leon Gast’s Oscar®-winning (Best Documentary) When We Were Kings, and sourced from the same archival pool, Soul Power features a legendary line-up of African and African-diaspora musicians – all of whom are at the very peak of their creative powers.
Alongside Ali’s wit and wisdom – profoundly lyrical in its own right – vibrant street scenes of downtown Kinshasa, and “fly-on-the-wall” footage of the festival’s staging, rehearsals, and jams, the three nights of concerts (lensed by Albert Maysles and a host of other legendary cameramen) offer electrifying performances by James Brown,...
From Masters of Cinema:
Soul Power is a vérité documentary – compiled entirely from footage shot in 1974 – of the astonishing back-to-Africa 3-day music festival “Zaire ‘74”. It was held in Kinshasa ahead of the biggest boxing event of all time: the Muhammad Ali–George Foreman “Rumble in the Jungle”. Directed by Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, editor of Leon Gast’s Oscar®-winning (Best Documentary) When We Were Kings, and sourced from the same archival pool, Soul Power features a legendary line-up of African and African-diaspora musicians – all of whom are at the very peak of their creative powers.
Alongside Ali’s wit and wisdom – profoundly lyrical in its own right – vibrant street scenes of downtown Kinshasa, and “fly-on-the-wall” footage of the festival’s staging, rehearsals, and jams, the three nights of concerts (lensed by Albert Maysles and a host of other legendary cameramen) offer electrifying performances by James Brown,...
- 7/22/2016
- by Tom Jennings
- CriterionCast
Indeed, the Greatest. Remembering Muhammad Ali with this trailer from also one of the greatest sports documentaries of all times, Leon Gast’s When We Were Kings. From Edward Guthmann’s review in the San Francisco Chronicle: At the height of his stardom, Muhammad Ali was possibly the most famous man on earth. Cocky, dynamic, a tremendous athlete and a wizard at homespun, extemporaneous verbal gymnastics, Ali had the world on a string…. On a deeper level — and this is where When We Were Kings exceeds its expectations and becomes a great film — Gast examines African American pride. He records […]...
- 6/4/2016
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
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