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Entertainment
Film, TV & Streaming — what matters this week.
PokerWizard's Entertainment desk follows the moves that shape film, TV and streaming — releases, deals, talent and the business beneath the screen.
Ready, SETT, Go: SETT Execs Drill Down on the Spanish Sovereign Venture Capital Fund That Will Drive Industry Conversation at San Sebastián
One of the major industry narratives at this year’s San Sebastián Festival, running Sept. 18-26, will be the presentation of SETT, the venture capital fund of Spain’s Ministry for Digital Transformation.SETT director general Javier Ponce and its audiovisual director María Coronado deliver a practical guide to Spain’s g
Mark Ruffalo Tells Rob Bonta ‘Don’t You Dare’ Settle the Antitrust Lawsuit Against Paramount: ‘Do Not Cave’
Mark Ruffalo is encouraging California attorney general Rob Bonta and his coalition of 11 other state AGs not to settle their lawsuit against Paramount Skydance and keep David Ellison from acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery. “Don’t you dare, [Rob Bonta], do not cave,” Ruffalo wrote on X. “5,670 filmmakers put their necks
Ed Sheeran Addresses Macklemore Controversy While on Stage at First Concert Since Rapper Dropped From Tour: ‘What Is Happening in Gaza Is Catastrophic and Unjustifiable’
Ed Sheeran addressed the controversy surrounding Macklemore’s removal from his Loop Tour on Saturday night, speaking from the stage at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field during his first concert since the rapper was dropped from the trek. “Before I play some songs tonight, I hope it’s okay if I say a few words abou
Ruby Rose Remembers ‘Best Friend’ Hayden Panettiere: ‘All That She Ever Wanted Was to Have Her Story Told’
Ruby Rose got emotional when asked about her friend, Hayden Panettiere, who died Aug. 16 at 36. Rose told Entertainment Tonight that Panettiere was her “best friend” and that they “spoke every day for five years.” “I didn’t even think we were going to be friends,” Rose said, tearing up. “I didn’t know if I […]
‘The Other Bennet Sister’ Fans, Rejoice! Dónal Finn Will Be Back for Three-Part Christmas Special
Mary Bennet's beloved husband, Tom Hayward, is officially back for the much-anticipated special. But so is his rival!
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‘The Daughters of Abraham’ Review: Individualism and Community Test Each Other’s Limits in an Interfaith Friendship Drama
TIFF: Hanaël El Yousfi's feature debut follows the ongoing relationship between a Jewish woman and her Muslim friend, illustrating how the conflicting desires for independence and family connection are universal.
Trying to Picture Doomsday? 1983’s ‘WarGames’ Already Showed Us One Way AI Could End the World
After a former Anthropic researcher warned that humanity's extinction could be as close as 2030, John Badham’s cyber thriller offers a frighteningly clear answer to the question: "OK, how?"
‘NAZA,’ Israeli Military Doc from ‘No Other Land’ Directors, Sets Speedy Fall Release in U.S.
The controversial documentary is moving ahead with a self-distribution strategy that will roll the film out across American cities beginning in October.
Jesse Eisenberg’s ‘The Debut’ Serves Up an Oscar-Worthy Julianne Moore — Here’s How He Did It
Paul Giamatti offers stalwart support as a domineering director shaping a novice actress in a New Jersey community theater.
‘Woman Unknown’ Review: May el-Toukhy’s Paranoid Period Thriller Depicts the Degradation of Women Accused of Sleeping with Nazis
This harrowing fictionalization of the Danish resistance’s witch hunts will make you despair for humanity.
‘Hombre Al Agua’ Review: Gael García Bernal’s Meta Reflection on Narrative Fascinates and Frustrates
Venice: Gael García Bernal’s third directorial outing is rich with layers but leaves his protagonist too much of a blank slate.
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‘The Echo Chamber’ Review: Luca Marinelli and Alicia Vikander Are Sublime in a Brooding Addiction Romance Directed from Bertolucci’s Last Script
Venice: A tragic (and tragically handsome) Marinelli plays a drug-addicted music producer enmeshed in Vikander's codependent, unrequited care in Andrea Pallaoro's intimately sad feature. Susan Sarandon co-stars as a chain-smoking singer/songwriter.
Creative Arts Emmys Night 1: Strong Showings for Bad Bunny, the Muppets, and ‘The Traitors’
The two-part ceremony is set to continue on Sunday night.
‘The Difficult Bride’ Review: A Haunted Bridal Parlor Drama with Untapped Potential
Venice: Rubaiyat Hossain’s drama about a taxing bride-to-be feels a little too easy.
‘Possible Love’ Review: Two Married Couples Begin to Covet Each Others’ Lives in the Latest Stunner from ‘Burning’ Director Lee Chang-dong
Class conflict achieves vivid new dimension in this sprawling Netflix drama about the relationship between a rich documentary filmmaker and her blue collar subjects.
‘The Debut’ Review: Julianne Moore Shines in Jesse Eisenberg’s Story of Midlife Reinvention in Community Theater
Telluride: Paul Giamatti is the overbearing director to Moore's aspiring actress in a film that celebrates the small spaces that birth future stars.
‘Making Marie Antoinette’ Review: Eleanor Coppola’s Tender Documentary About Her Daughter’s Masterpiece Doubles as a Wistful Self-Portrait
Telluride: Two generations of women see each other through the years in this marvelous documentary cobbled together from 80 hours of "Marie Antoinette" set footage.
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Creative Arts Emmy Awards: Winners List (Updating Live)
The first of two Creative Arts ceremonies are being held at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. Going into Emmys week, HBO’s hit medical series “The Pitt” — the incumbent drama winner — led all programs with a whopping 25 nominations, including outstanding drama and 13 acting nods (with star Noah Wyle up for lead […]
Liam and Noel Gallagher Raise Fists and Electrify Venice as Oasis Doc Gets 8-Minute Standing Ovation
Oasis mania hit Venice Film Festival on Saturday night as Liam and Noel Gallagher presented the world premiere of their highly anticipated documentary “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” The rock doc received an eight-minute standing ovation as the once-estranged brothers held hands and raised them triumphantly. Though the Gal
Three Films, and a Second Oscar? How Penélope Cruz Could Dominate Awards Season With ‘La Bola Negra,’ ‘The Invite’ and ‘Bunker’
Penélope Cruz became an Oscar winner when 2008’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” made her the first Spanish actress to win an acting Oscar. Seventeen years later, she is not chasing a second statuette so much as choosing which vehicle to ride to the ceremony — because this season she has three. The biggest of the three […]
‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger’ Review: The Gallaghers’ Concert Doc Is a Reason for Celebration
While the setlist might be a bit long for more casual fans, this joyous chronicle of the Oasis reunion tour offers an inspiring tale of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Robert Pattinson Won’t Be the Only ‘Primetime’ Star to Generate Oscar Buzz
Outside of Pattinson's big swing as "To Catch a Predator" host Chris Hansen, Lance Oppenheim's feature debut "Primetime" serves as a showcase for stars Merritt Wever and Skyler Gisondo as well.
‘Elsinore’ and ‘The Liberation’ Launch TV Stars Andrew Scott and Carrie Coon Into the Oscar Race
Telluride Day One boasted two world premieres with heart-rending performances.
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‘The Difficult Bride’ Turns South Asia’s Beloved Wedding Tropes Into Feminist Folk Horror at Venice
Venice: One of the few female filmmakers to break out of Bangladesh, Rubaiyat Hossain’s fourth feature resists genre categorizations. But it makes a meal of a creepy urban myth the director heard as a seven-year-old girl involving a now-shuttered elite beauty salon in Dhaka.
‘Primetime’ Review: Robert Pattinson Is Even Creepier Than IRL Chris Hansen in a Bleakly Invigorating ‘To Catch a Predator’ Thriller
Venice: Lance Oppenheim scuzzies up his fiction feature debut about hidden-camera, reality-TV exploitation with a grim style and often twisted performances from Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, and singer/songwriter Phoebe Bridgers.
‘Citizen Osama’ Review: A Direct, Disarming View of Daily Horrors in Gaza from the POV of a Journalist and New Father
Venice: Filmed in secret, Ahmed Hassouna’s discerning doc wears its heart unassumingly on its sleeve and holds its no-frills camera setup sturdily in its hands.
Jordan Firstman’s ‘Club Kid’ Hits Telluride, and Colleen Camp Could Be Its Secret Oscar Weapon
Jordan Firstman is hoping to join an exclusive club: the Oscars. And he might have someone on his team that can help him do it. “Club Kid,” Firstman’s directorial debut, arrived in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section and drew a six-minute standing ovation before A24 acquired it for a reported $17 million. Suddenly, one o
‘Silo’ Season 3 Finale: Rebecca Ferguson, Creator Graham Yost on That Twist and Why Juliette Is ‘S–t Scared!’ Going Into the Final Season
SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers from “Troy,” the Season 3 finale of “Silo,” now streaming on Apple TV. In the Season 3 finale of Apple TV’s “Silo,” an amnesia-stricken Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) finally regains her memories just in time to declare war. But first, she confronts the disembodied voice behind T
Inside the Telluride Opening Day Brunch: John Malkovich, Carrie Coon, and the Questions on Everyone’s Minds
We take you inside the opening-day brunch in the Colorado mountains with the stars and filmmakers behind this year's lineup.
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Jack Huston Cheers on Paul Schrader as Sexual Abuse Drama ‘Basics of Philosophy’ Premieres in Venice
Paul Schrader looked visibly moved as his new film “The Basics of Philosophy,” about a professor confronted with his past sexual abuse, premiered out-of-competition at Venice to a moderate 4.5-minute ovation on Friday night. The crowd cheered “Bravi, Bravi!” as star Jack Huston patted him on the back and added to the c
‘The Basics of Philosophy’ Review: Paul Schrader’s Lurid Study of a Predatory Intellectual Is Quietly Explosive, but Not Dangerous Enough
Venice: Jack Huston plays a philosophy professor reliving his past sins in a Schrader provocation that finds the director confronting his own.
‘Furies’ Review: An Anarchic Lebanese Heist Thriller Blazes Past Borders and Genre Cliches
Venice: George Clooney executive-produces this exuberantly directed and absorbing thriller about economic collapse in Beirut from director Rami Kodeih.
Abel Ferrara Only Went Hollywood Once, but It Resulted in a Horror Classic
The maverick director of indie landmarks like "King of New York" and "The Bad Lieutenant" had a bad time in the studio system, but the movie that resulted — the 1993 horror film "Body Snatchers" — is a miracle of both personal expression and studio scale.
‘Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?’ Review: Shinya Tsukamoto Directs a Bizarre Misfire About a Black Soldier in Vietnam
Venice: Stilted dialogue, oppressive sound design, and a gawking cultural gaze yield one of the most unpleasant films of this year’s competition.
‘15/18 (A Place to Heal)’ Review: A Taboo-Busting Dramedy Set Inside a Psychiatric Ward for Teens
Cédric Kahn’s deftly handled film offers a searing but hilarious critique of life inside a French hospital.
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John Malkovich Could Finally Win an Oscar as ‘Wild Horse Nine’ Emerges as First Major Academy Awards Contender of the Fall
After receiving raves at Venice, Martin McDonagh's latest spy comedy is the perfect showcase for two-time nominee John Malkovich.
From Assault Allegations to Fights Over Unpaid Bills: Bruin Theatre Chief Rui Pereira’s Scandals Go Back Years
Accusations of assault, nonpayment, and unlicensed screenings are among the disputes that have followed the Bruin's controversial new operator from Toronto to Los Angeles. Pereira is also accused of racist and antisemitic speech, as well as online harassment.
‘Once Upon a Time in Harlem’ Trailer: William Greaves’ Portrait of Harlem Renaissance Luminaries Is a Living Piece of History
The Sundance hit will play Telluride, TIFF, and NYFF this fall before Neon releases it in theaters on October 16.
Inside Anonymous Content’s Comeback: A New CEO, a Controversial Elon Musk Doc, and Climate Change Drama ‘A Statement’ Have Hollywood Buzzing
New chief Darren Walker on the management and production company's big fall.
‘Wild Horse Nine’ Review: Martin McDonagh’s Prickly but Unconvincing CIA Satire Recasts ‘In Bruges’ as the Stuff of a Classic Western
Venice: John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell are two CIA agents vacationing on Easter Island in McDonagh's sardonic look at American interventionism.
‘By Any Means’ Review: Tragic American History Takes the Shape of Classic Buddy Cop Tropes
Elegance Bratton directs Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in a film that selectively blends true events into entertaining popcorn fare.
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‘Too Much Sugar’ Review: Robert Greene Continues Pushing Art as Therapy to New Heights
Venice: This hybrid documentary about a self-aggrandizing Missouri man becomes an exploration of how the other people in his life are just as worthy of cinematic treatments.
‘La Bola Negra’: Before Netflix’s Gay Epic Became an Oscar Frontrunner, It Had to Survive the Breakup of Its Directors
"Los Javis" are still creating films together, even after their 13-year romance died. "There's a political statement behind creating a big, bold, gay, period, epic drama," Javier Ambrossi.
Can Rupert Murdoch Origin Story ‘Ink’ Push Danny Boyle, Jack O’Connell, Guy Pearce, and Netflix Into the Oscar Race?
At Venice, Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle likened Jack O'Connell's work in "Ink" to Al Pacino in "The Godfather."
How Trump’s Call for a Federal Film Production Incentive Could Actually Help Hollywood
Could the president's apparent support really bring production (and production jobs ) back to the U.S.?
‘Chronovisor’ Review: An Occult Thriller Turns Academic Obsession Into Something Beguiling and Wildly Compelling
Jack Auen and Kevin Walker's debut film stars real-life professor Anne-Laure Sellier as a scholar who goes down a research rabbit hole tracking a device said to be able to record and film the past.
‘Ink’ Review: Danny Boyle’s Rupert Murdoch Pressure Cooker Is a Journalism Thriller Tabloid-Ready for Our Political Apocalypse
Venice: Jack O'Connell plays Larry Lamb opposite Guy Pearce's Murdoch in a stirringly acted but stylistically overcooked rumination on our clickbait-addled world.
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In Between ‘Midnight Run’ and ‘Goodfellas,’ Robert De Niro Gave One of His Best Performances in a Movie Barely Anyone Saw
"Jacknife" boasts terrific work from De Niro, Ed Harris, and Kathy Baker but was largely overlooked when it was released in 1989; a new Blu-ray from boutique label Cinématographe offers an opportunity for rediscovery.
Venice Jury President Maggie Gyllenhaal Decries ‘Systemic’ Lack of Female Directors in Competition
"The Lost Daughter" director admits the lack of female directors in this year’s competition is also something she’s asked about, but festival director Alberto Barbera claimed “there is no prejudice."
Fall Festival Movies Sold So Far: ‘Babies,’ ‘Ink,’ and ‘Elsinore’ Lead Early Deals From Venice and TIFF
A24, Netflix, Apple, and Amazon are all coming into the fall season with multiple titles in tow, but they should all still be buying.