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Agnes of God: Franz & Fiala’s Bleak Portrait of Women & Madness

“A Witch is born out of the true hungers of her time,” wrote Ray Bradbury in one of his stories from Long After Midnight (1976), as succinct a phrase as any to convey the cultural facets which historically plagued troubled or troubling women, almost always to forge their doom. The Devil’s Bath, the third feature from Austrian directing duo Veronica Franz and Severin Fiala, is not a film about witches, per se. However, their first period piece, set in 1750 Upper Austria, is most assuredly a horror story, taken from historical court records.…...

Jane Fonda will receive the SAG Life Achievement Award, SAG Awards and SAG-AFTRA announced on Thursday. The legendary actress and activist will take home the prize — SAG-AFTRA’s highest honor — at the 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Feb. 23, 2025.

The SAG Life Achievement Award recognizes an actor who espouses the “finest ideals of the acting profession,” according to a statement issued by the SAG Awards and SAG-AFTRA. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher added, “Jane Fonda is a trailblazer and an extraordinary talent; a dynamic force who has shaped the landscape of entertainment, advocacy and culture with unwavering passion. We honor Jane not only for her artistic brilliance but for the profound legacy of activism and empowerment she has created. Her fearless honesty has been an inspiration to me and many others in our industry.”

“I am deeply honored and humbled to be this year’s recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award,...

There are some stories in the history of film that end up being repeated over and over again. Some of these are just simple categories like vampire, werewolf, and zombie films. Some of them get a little more granular and specific like the story of Dracula or Frankenstein’s monster. Finally, we can get even more granular and look at a specific title that has made the rounds a few times. I Am Legend by the wonderful and prolific Richard Matheson was made into three different movies with Last Man on Earth, The Omega Man, and finally I Am Legend. While King Kong and Phantom of the Opera probably have the most, Invasion of the Body Snatchers has the most consistent offerings. The 2007 iteration was a bust but the other 3 are all incredibly solid. With the 90s version turning 30 we thought it was worth seeing if it was a generic...

Norman Jewison was the Oscar-nominated filmmaker who has tackled a number of controversial topics and social issues in his work, crafting mainstream entertainments with a political point of view. But how many of his titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 15 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1926 in Toronto, Jewison cut his teeth in television before moving into directing with a number of light farces, including the Doris Day vehicles “The Thrill of It All” (1963) and “Send Me No Flowers” (1964), her last collaboration with Rock Hudson. His career took a turning point with his first drama, “The Cincinnati Kid” (1965), which also kicked off his collaborations with film editor Hal Ashby, himself a future director. His next film, the darkly comedic “The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!” (1966), earned him his first Oscar nomination in Best Picture.

He hit the Oscar jackpot the...

Ordinary Angels opens February 22, 2024

Kelly Fremon Craig is among my favorite filmmakers when it comes to coming-of-age stories. Both The Edge of Seventeen and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. have marked the genre in such a way that any work coming from her immediately captures my attention. Although only contributing to the screenplay co-written with Meg Tilly – better known as an actress in Agnes of God or Psycho II – it’s enough to give Ordinary Angels two hours of my time.

Directed by Jon Gunn (The Case for Christ) – no, the filmmaker shares no affinity with James Gunn – and starring Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby) and Alan Ritchson (Reacher), the film is inspired by a true story from 1994 in Louisville, Kentucky, where Michelle Schmitt, a sick child whose only chance of survival was a liver transplant, becomes dependent on the miraculous help of her community to overcome...

Norman Jewison made movies that mattered.

“Timing is everything,” the director told me the one time we met. I’d been enlisted to host a long Q&a with Jewison at the American Cinematheque — and I was more than a little intimidated.

From “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” in 1966 to “Other People’s Money” in 1991, Jewison had an astonishing quarter-century run behind the camera, directing movies that impacted the culture when they came out (none more than “In the Heat of the Night”), a great many of which are still watched today. Turns out, this legendary talent couldn’t have been sweeter.

Jewison liked to tell the story of how he met Bobby Kennedy before making the landmark Sidney Poitier picture. He and Kennedy crossed paths while on vacation skiing, where both of their kids wound up in the hospital.

Still developing “In the Heat of the Night” at the time,...

Norman Jewison, the prolific, award-winning movie director of “Rollerball” and “In The Heat of the Night” has died:

Jewison directed numerous feature films and was Oscar-nominated 3 times as ‘Best Director’, for “In the Heat of the Night” (1967), “Fiddler on the Roof” (1971) and “Moonstruck” (1987).

Other films include “The Cincinnati Kid” (1965), “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” (1966), “The Thomas Crown Affair” (1968), “Jesus Christ Superstar” (1973), “Rollerball” (1975)…

… “F.I.S.T.” (1978), “...And Justice for All” (1979), “Best Friends” (1982), “A Soldier's Story” (1984), “Agnes of God” (1985), “Other People's Money” (1991), “Only You” (1994), “The Hurricane” (1999), and “The Statement” (2003.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Norman Jewison, a seven-time Academy Award nominee who directed the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner “In the Heat of the Night” as well as Oscar winners “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Moonstruck” and numerous other iconic films, is dead. He died peacefully on Saturday at his home.

A filmmaking giant in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, Jewison was undeniably one of the most prominent producer-directors never to have won an Oscar – though he was honored with the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Award at the Academy Awards in 1999. He was nominated three times for his directing: “In the Heat of the Night” in ’68 (losing to Mike Nichols for “The Graduate”), “Fiddler on the Roof” in 1972 (William Friedkin won for “The French Connection”) and “Moonstruck” in 1988 (won by Bernardo Bertolucci for “The Last Emperor”). He was also nominated for producing a quartet of Best Picture contenders: “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming...

Norman Jewison, the celebrated film director, has died. He was 97. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the filmmaker passed away at his home on Saturday, January 20, 2024.

Jewison had a long and varied directing and producing career that was peppered with accolades. His films "Moonstruck," "A Soldier's Story," "Fiddler on the Roof," "In the Heat of the Night," and "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" were nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1987, 1984, 1971, 1967, and 1966 respectively, with "Heat of the Night" winning. Jewison also helmed dozens of other notable dramas and musicals besides, including "The Thomas Crown Affair", "Gaily, Gaily" (nominated for three Oscars), "Jesus Christ Superstar" (nominated for one Oscar), "...And Justice for All" (two), "Agnes of God" (three), and "The Hurricane" (one). 

All told, Jewison's films were nominated for 41 Oscars, winning 12. He also directed the sci-fi thriller "Rollerball," the comedy "Bogus," the romance "Only You," the Stallone drama "F.I.S.T.,...

The virtuoso Canadian helped craft much of postwar Hollywood cinema, directing Sidney Poitier in In the Heat of the Night, Topol in Fiddler on the Roof and Cher in Moonstruck

For five extraordinary decades, Norman Jewison’s film-making was the beating heart of Hollywood drama: he could do anything and supercharged it with idealism, confidence and style. Jewison has been behind an extraordinary array of classics and hits: for half the time the cinema has been in existence, Norman Jewison was the gold standard of a night at the movies.

The 60s saw his fizzy Doris Day comedies, the sexy Steve McQueen thriller-capers The Cincinnati Kid and The Thomas Crown Affair, the mould-breaking In the Heat of the Night, with Sidney Poitier as the black cop in the US south. Then in the 70s we had his epic Broadway adaptation Fiddler on the Roof with Topol’s iconic performance as...

Oscar-nominated film director and producer Norman Jewison, who steered the 1967 racial drama “In the Heat of the Night” to a best picture Oscar and also helmed such popular films as “Moonstruck,” “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” and “The Thomas Crown Affair,” as well as film musicals “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Jesus Christ Superstar,” died Saturday at his Los Angeles residence. He was 97.

His film career began with fluffy Doris Day comedies like “The Thrill of It All.” But Jewison’s social conscience began to surface with “In the Heat of the Night” and, later, the labor union drama “F.I.S.T.” and other films focusing on racial tensions such as “A Soldier’s Story” and “The Landlord” (the latter of which he only produced), though he never abandoned comedies and romances.

Jewison had his share of box office hits and was usually attuned to the audience pulse, but did...

Norman Jewison, who directed Best Picture Oscar winner In the Heat of the Night and nominees Fiddler on the Roof, A Soldier’s Story, Moonstruck and The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, also producing the latter four, died peacefully Saturday, January 20. He was 97.

Jewison’s film career spanned more than four decades and seven Oscar nominations — three for Best Director and the four for Best Picture. His films received a total of 46 nominations and 12 Academy Awards. In 1999, Jewison was honored with the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Award at the Academy Awards. He also collected three Emmy Awards for his work in television.

A smattering of his other wide-ranging work includes The Hurricane, Agnes of God, Rollerball (1975) and Jesus Christ Superstar, all of which he also produced. As a producer, Jewison had an eye for talent, as well.

Norman Jewison, the multifaceted filmmaker who could direct a racial drama (In the Heat of the Night), stylish thriller (The Thomas Crown Affair), musical (Fiddler on the Roof) or romantic comedy (Moonstruck) with the best of them, has died. He was 97.

Jewison died Saturday at home — his family does not want to specify exactly where — publicist Jeff Sanderson announced.

A seven-time Oscar nominee, Jewison received the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences in 1999.

Known for his ability to coax great performances out of his actors — 12 of his players were nominated for Oscars, while five of his features made the cut for best picture — the most distinguished film director in Canadian history often used conventional genre plots to take on social injustice.

Improbably, he got his start directing musical specials on television.

Jewison earned best director and best picture nominations for Fiddler on the Roof...

On May 2 Film Independent Presents welcomed a giddy Tuesday audience to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, for an extended evening with beloved actor and comedienne Molly Shannon. As predicted, the SNL veteran, multiple Emmy Award nominee and 2017 Film Independent Spirit Award winner dazzled with stories about her life and career, as well as with her own personal vivacity.

In a conversation moderated by Vanessa Bayer—a fellow SNL alum and creator/star of Showtime’s excellent comedy I Love That for You, in which Shannon co-stars—the sometime Sally O’Malley and Mary Katherine Gallagher regaled the sold-out crowd with stories from her best-selling memoir 2022 memoir, Hello, Molly!

Vaness Bayer (L) and Molly Shannon on stage at the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts

Shannon hustled hard and ran into plenty of disappointment in her early days as an actor. Growing up in Cleveland,...

This post contains spoilers through the seventh episode in season 3 of "Star Trek: Picard."

As of this writing, seven episodes of "Star Trek: Picard" have aired, and we've learned many secrets about the show's primary antagonist, Vadic (Amanda Plummer). Captaining a ship called the Shrike, Vadic has the ability to form weaponized portals in space and uses this technology to redirect enemy fire back at them. The Shrike can also fling entire starships using its overpowered tractor beam, and a lot of dialogue has been devoted to how well-armed it is. Vadic projects a slithery intensity when talking to her potential foes, and sports facial scars and the slicked-forward hairstyle of a proper supervillain. Vadic, however, becomes scared in private when talking to her Changeling commanding officer. Her villainous arrogance is merely a show. 

We eventually learn that Vadic is also a Changeling. Following the Dominion War (a central event...

Warning: This post contains spoilers from Thursday’s Star Trek: Picard.

Yes, we’re enjoying seeing all our Next Generation favorites this season on Star Trek: Picard… but we’re also enjoying getting to know their latest adversary.

More from TVLine1923 Season 1 Finale: A Gutted Spencer Will Be 'A Different Man When We Find Him Again,' Brandon Sklenar Says1923 Finale Recap: A Dark Age in Dutton Family History -- Plus, Grade It!Star Trek: Picard Stars Break Down That Huge Twist and Why It's 'Shockingly Important' for Jean-Luc -- Watch Video

This week’s episode introduced Amanda Plummer — a...

On the new season of "Star Trek: Picard," actress Amanda Plummer plays a mysterious character named Vadic, the captain of a massive, overpowered weapons craft called the Shrike. Vadic is something of a mystery. She's very clear that she wishes to apprehend Jack Crusher (Ed Speelers) to collect the bounty on his head, but she seems willing to commit horrendous acts of villainy in order to do it. Either Jack's bounty is massive, or something else even more mysterious is afoot. 

Vadic is more than a mysterious and determined bounty hunter, though. She is an outright villain. The bridge of the Shrike is a dim, misty space, and she sits in her captain's chair like it's a throne of skulls. She wears red gloves, slicks her hair forward, and sports scars on her cheeks. There is something not-so-vaguely fascistic about her wardrobe. She has a crew, but it's difficult to...

A cross between Euro-horror classic Daughters of Darkness and George Romero’s vampire tale Martin, with a rural lo-fi charm all of its own, Climate of the Hunter is directed by the highly prolific Oklahoma-based film-maker Mickey Reece. Dubbed the “Soderbergh of the sticks”, Reece (whose latest film Agnes we’ve reviewed from its recent Fantasia screening) has been honing his craft making films for over a decade, building up a loyal cult following who love his idiosyncratic flair, literate scripts and defiantly independent approach.

Two sisters, Alma and Elizabeth, along with a dog who’s described as a “philosopher,” have come to Alma’s remote house to reconnect with Wesley after twenty years. Alma is recently divorced, Elizabeth is a workaholic in Washington, D.C., while Wesley lives in Paris dealing with a wife recently struck with a fatal disease. When the three come together for dinner it has...

Agnes Photo: Stephan Sutor

Mickey Reece is a filmmaker like no other. One of the few independent directors to consistently deliver wholly original yet polished works, he has an approach to character and storytelling that really makes him stand out from the crowd. His latest work, Agnes, begins with two priests travelling to a convent to attend to a young nun who is believed to be possessed, but ends up going in a completely different direction from most films of that ilk. It’s screening as part of this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival and I caught up with Mickey halfway through to talk about it.

The last time we spoke, I reminded him, he told me that he was in post-production on Agnes and that it was made with the biggest budget he’d ever worked with. He points out that this doesn’t mean it was a big budget,...

In Agnes, a cynical priest and young novice approaching his vows are called to investigate rumors of demonic possession within a convent. What occurs within those walls will call forward temptations, doubt, and a true test of faith. Agnes is written and directed by Mickey Reece and stars Ben Hall (Climate of the Hunter), Jake Horowitz (The Vast of Night), and Hayley McFarland.

It is with the utmost disappointment that I report that Agnes is far from being the religious horror that audiences may be hoping for. If what you’re looking for is the expected beats of a demonic possession à la The Devils, you will be sorely disappointed. And confused. The trouble with Agnes extends beyond its failing to deliver a solid possession horror, but that it seems to have rolled two movies into one rather ineffectively.

The intention and spirit behind Agnes is not subtle. It’s...

Canadian genre festival Fantasia has unveiled the first crop of titles that will screen at its 25th edition, which is set to take place virtually August 5-25.

As per last year, the event will run on a platform created by Festival Scope and Shift72 and will feature screenings, panels and workshops, available to audiences in Canada. Organizers continue to discuss with local authorities about the possibility of adding a limited range of physical events, they said.

This year’s edition will have an enhanced focus on Japanese cinema. Below, the first wave of confirmed titles is listed, with the full program announcement to follow in late July. As previously announced, Fantasia will open with Quebec-set zom-com Brain Freeze.

Fantasia 2021 titles:

The 12 Day Tale Of The Monster That Died In 8

Dir. Shunji Iwai

Japan

North American Premiere

Agnes

Dir. Mickey Reece

USA

International Premiere

All The Moons

Dir. Igor Legarreta

Spain...

Organisers consulting with local Montreal authorities on possibility of limited range of physical events.

Top brass at Fantasia International Film Festival have announced the first wave of films including a focus on Japan for the virtual edition of the 25th anniversary festival that runs August 5-25.

The festival will screen for Canadian audiences on a platform created by Festival Scope and Shift72. Organisers are taking advice from local health authorities in Montreal on the possibility of adding a limited range of physical events.

Japanese selections include Tsutomu Hanabusa’s manga adaptation Kakegurui 2: Ultimate Russian Roulette about a deadly school...

New Tribeca Online Premieres section will offer new films, shorts, podcasts, 14 VR sections, games.

Tribeca Festival heads on Monday (May 3) announced the virtual hub Tribeca At Home, which will offer exclusive online premieres to viewers within the US who cannot attend the outdoor festival.

The new Tribeca Online Premieres section will offer new films, shorts, podcasts, 14 VR sections, and games and runs alongside the main festival from June 9-20.

The line-up comprises 35 films, of which 24 are features and 11 are shorts. It includes select features from the outdoor festival roster, as well as three previously announced shorts from the Juneteenth programme focusing on music,...

Woman In Motion, now available on Apple+, is a tribute to Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek‘s enormous influence on NASA.

“During a roughly four-month period in early 1977, Nichelle Nichols worked to recruit astronauts for NASA’s then-new Space Shuttle program. Her goal was simple and self-fashioned: Get as many women and non-whites to apply as possible.”

Read more at Inverse.

Attack the Block, starring John Boyega and Jodie Whittaker, will turn ten later this year. Check out some fun facts about this critically acclaimed sci-fi comedy.

“When Attack the Block arrived in theaters in 2011, it recouped just half of its $11 million budget. The critics, however, were positive in their reviews, and the film became a cult classic. Its unique mix of science fiction, comedy, and horror struck all the right notes and launched some of its young stars onto bigger things…”

Read more at Mental Floss.

Ahead of Ahsoka Tano’s live action series,...

Two years after John Ireland (“All the King’s Men”) became the first supporting Oscar nominee to deliver a longer performance than a lead nominee from the same film (Broderick Crawford) in 1949, Kim Hunter (“A Streetcar Named Desire”) did the same versus Marlon Brando. Since then, nine more Best Supporting Actress nominees have had higher screen time totals than a co-star nominated in a lead rce. Here is a look at each instance, in order from lowest screen time difference to highest.

1961: Mary Ure (“Sons and Lovers”) – 21 minutes, 4 seconds

0 minutes, 50 seconds over Trevor Howard

Although she is absent from nearly all of the first half of “Sons and Lovers,” Ure still manages to appear in over 20% of the film. Up to that point, less than half of all Best Supporting Actress-nominated performances had reached that mark. Howard’s performance, on the other hand, did not reach that percentage, but he received a lead nomination regardless.

You may have heard (or read on this website) that “WandaVision,” Marvel’s Disney+ series, leaned so hard into its sitcom lovefest that it actually filmed its first episode in front of a living, breathing studio audience.

Kathryn Hahn, who is making her MCU debut as “noisy neighbor” Agnes, told TheWrap just how strange it was to have actual humans watching them do their lines, considering it’s mostly a relic of TV past.

“It’s just different muscles,” said Hahn, whose experience with a studio audience consists of “a couple of pilots that never made it past pilot.” She continued: “I kind of come from the theater originally. It’s like, you’re not sure if you’re supposed to still play to the audience or to the camera. It’s just this weird disconnect.”

“WandaVision,” which debuts its first two episodes on Friday, is a comic book adventure...

Listen up Oscar fans and international cinema aficioniados. We'd been holding off on this three part deep dive into the list of titles vying for Best International Feature Film until the Academy's announcement. Sadly we hear through the grapevine that they're not actually making this list "official" until very late in January. In other words, less than two weeks after they announce the 90 plus titles, they'll be cutting most of them when the finalist list of ten is announced on February 9th. This is no way to treat the movies, giving them such a tiny window of "official" attention. So we're sharing the list of 93 titles (a record) now and doing our deep dive now... with the caveat that one or two titles might change in late January when the Academy makes this official. If things do change we'll republish the list and the articles then. If they don't, we can just link back.

The Academy on Friday unveiled to its voters a record 93 films will compete in the Best International Feature Film category — which will no doubt leading to a busy four weeks of viewing before first-round voting begins on Feb. 1.

Helped by Covid-inspired rules that relaxed the usual entry requirements, the films topped the record of 92 entries set in 2017, as TheWrap suggested they likely would in December. The films include a record 34 female directors, seven more than the previous high of 27 set last year.

This is not the official list of qualifying films, which is expected to be released by the Academy later in January. But these 93 films are all in the members-only online screening room devoted to the category, and each of them has been put on a “required viewing” list for one-fourth of the voters. It is unlikely that any of the films will be disqualified at this point, although...

"You must remember to nourish yourself." Vintage Pictures has released an official trailer for the Icelandic film Agnes Joy, which originally premiered last year and also opened in Iceland last year. After playing at a few other film festivals this year, Iceland has submitted Silja Hauksdóttir's Agnes Joy as their selection for the Best International Film category at the 2020 Academy Awards. The contemporary relationship drama focuses on an Icelandic family, and a disintegrating marriage, starring Katla M. Þorgeirsdóttir. She is worried her daughter, Agnes, will grow up and leave her behind, until a new man moves in next door. Also starring Donna Cruz as the titular Agnes, with Þorsteinn Bachmann, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Kristinn Óli Haraldsson, & Anna Kristín Arngrímsdóttir. It's always hard to get a sense of Icelandic films from their trailers, but I am certainly curious about this and the complex family dynamics it explores. Here's the official...

Park nailed it when she opined that Liz, Red, Katarina, and Dom need family therapy, not jail time.

Yet it was Family Feud all over again on The Blacklist Season 8 Episode 1.

This premiere felt like the beginning of the end. The powers that be appear to be running out of ideas, and after dropping hints about the series' mythology over the past couple of seasons, it's definitely time for some answers instead of more questions.

It's one of the signs that a series has been around too long when storylines start repeating.

Just like on The Blacklist Season 3, Liz the Fugitive has now resurfaced. 

But instead of partnering with Red, she's joined with Katarina against him. So that's a twist, I guess.

Why trust a woman who disappeared for a good portion of her life rather than Raymond, who's been there for her more often than not?

Well, it's safe...

Exclusive: Emmy winner Kim Delaney has been tapped to star in Lifetime original movie The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother’s Hunt for Justice, the network’s latest addition to its winter “Ripped from the Headlines” slate.

The movie is inspired by the emotional story of Mari Gilbert, played by Delaney, a mother whose daughter’s disappearance led to the discovery of 19 bodies, many of which are believed to have been murdered by an unidentified Long Island serial killer. The film follows her relentless pursuit for answers and the truth. Emmy-winning journalist Deborah Norville, who covered Gilbert’s story as anchor for Inside Edition, will executive produce. The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother’s Hunt for Justice is scheduled to premiere winter 2021 on Lifetime.

“Mari Gilbert singlehandedly brought closure to families who never knew what happened to their missing sisters and daughters,” said Norville. “To law enforcement, she was ‘just a mom,...

Tony Tanner, the Tony Award-nominated director and choreographer of Broadway’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1982, died Sept. 8 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 88.

His death was confirmed on his official website. A cause of death was not disclosed.

Tanner, born in Middlesex, England, trained at the Webber-Douglas School in London and soon went on to establish an acting career in UK repertory companies and small London revues. The latter included an early sketch by a young playwright named Harold Pinter, a collaboration that would continue with Pinter’s celebrated The Birthday Party.

In the early 1960s, Tanner was cast in the West End production of the Leslie Bricusse-Anthony Newley musical Stop the World – I Want to Get Off, later appearing as Littlechap in the 1966 film version.

Tanner moved to the U.S. to appear in the 1965 Broadway musical Half a Sixpence, and would later perform...

Ratched will finally see the light of day this fall on Netflix.

The highly-anticipated thriller will arrive September 18, and will consist of eight episodes.

From Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, Ratched is a suspenseful drama series that tells the origin story of asylum nurse Mildred Ratched.

In 1947, Mildred arrives in Northern California to seek employment at a leading psychiatric hospital where new and unsettling experiments have begun on the human mind.

On a clandestine mission, Mildred presents herself as the perfect image of what a dedicated nurse should be, but the wheels are always turning and as she begins to infiltrate the mental health care system and those within it, Mildred’s stylish exterior belies a growing darkness that has long been smoldering within, revealing that true monsters are made, not born.

Ratched was inspired by the iconic and unforgettable character of Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest...

Exclusive: Jake Horowitz, who can currently be seen starring in the Amazon Studios/Ged Cinema mystery drama, The Vast of Night, has signed with Hyperion, the talent agency founded by former UTA agent Ryan Bartlett.

The Andrew Patterson-helmed film was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the 2019 Overlook Film Festival as well as the Audience Award at Slamdance Film Festival, and was an official selection of Toronto International Film Festival Midnight Madness. Set in the twilight of the 1950s, on one fateful night in New Mexico, a young switchboard operator Fay (Sierra McCormick) and charismatic radio DJ Everett (Horowitz) discovers a strange audio frequency that could change their small town and the future forever.

Deadline’s Pete Hammond raved about the film. “Patterson is the director who, with screenwriters James Montague and Craig W. Sanger, takes on a story you might think you have seen a few times but...

Mary-Louise Parker could add a second Tony Award to her mantle this year to join her 2001 trophy for “Proof.” After receiving rave reviews for her performance in “The Sound Inside,” industry watchers pegged her as the early Tony frontrunner for Lead Actress – Play. The only problem is that she will face stiff competition….from herself.

“The Sound Inside” marked the Broadway debut of the Pulitzer Prize finalist author Adam Rapp (“Red Light Winter”). Parker starred as college writing professor Bella, who lives a mostly solitary life. The only person she seems to have time for is the sole other character in the drama, Christopher (Will Hochman), one of her students. Bella brings the audience on an emotional journey as she deals with the emotional turmoil surrounding a cancer diagnosis. The hypnotic script gifted Parker with a meaty role (she never left the stage) full of dense language and complicated emotions.

They say good things come to those who wait. We might be able to slot actress Mary Kay Place in that description, thanks to some surprising awards season attention from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association for her heartfelt performance in “Diane” as a deeply caring retired widow who can’t forgive herself for her past choices no matter how many casseroles she takes to those less fortunate than her.

The wintry working-class drama, a throwback to a time when cinema celebrated relatable yet flawed characters, premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival — where it won three honors including Best Narrative Feature. Distributed by IFC, it opened without much fanfare in late March while managing to achieve a 93% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes. “Diane” is currently available for viewing on Hulu.

Perhaps most surprising for those who can recall Place’s breakout Emmy-winning role as country singer Loretta Haggers in Norman Lear...

Deft rapper and fierce funny lady Awkwafina scored some major screen time in big-screen ensemble pieces in last year’s all-female “Ocean’s 8” crime-caper flick as well as the romantic “Crazy Rich Asians.” She even became the second East Asian female celebrity after Lucy Liu to host an episode of “Saturday Night Live.”

But the comic formerly known as Nora Lum, a child of a Chinese-American father and South Korean mother, made a bold move this year by taking on a more dramatic role in filmmaker Lulu Wang‘s “The Farewell.” She plays Billi, a semi-adrift 30-year-old in New York City, who joins her Chinese family on a trip to their homeland to see her beloved grandmother who has received a terminal cancer diagnosis and only has a short time to live. But as the opening credits say, the film is “based on an actual lie” — drawn from Wang’s...

Diahann Carroll, the Tony-winning, Oscar-nominated singer and actress who paved the way for black actors by becoming the first African American woman to star in her own TV series, “Julia,” died on Friday after a battle with cancer. She was 84.

Carroll is also known for her work on “Dynasty,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and her Oscar-nominated performance in the romantic drama “Claudine.” She capitalized on her theater chops with projects such as her Tony-nominated performance in “No Strings,” Broadway show “Agnes of God” and “Same Time, Next Year.”

After the news of her death, celebrities took to social media to share their condolences.

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay paid tribute to the late icon.

“Diahann Carroll walked this earth for 84 years and broke ground with every footstep. An icon. One of the all-time greats. She blazed trails through dense forests and elegantly left diamonds along the path for the rest of us to follow.

Emmy- and Oscar-nominated, Golden Globe and Tony Award-winning actress and singer Diahann Carroll has died at the age of 84.

Susan Kay, Carroll’s daughter, told The Associated Press her mother passed away from cancer on Friday. Originally diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer in 1997, Carroll frequently spoke out about the importance of early cancer detection, free screening for those who couldn’t afford mammograms, and the need for more money to be invested in research.

Born “Carol Diahann Johnson” in the Bronx, at 10 years old the musically-gifted Carroll received a scholarship from the Metropolitan Opera to study at New York’s High School of Music and Art. She went with the stage name “Diahann Carroll” at a friend’s suggestion to sound more exotic during auditioning for a spot on the “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts” TV show. A spot she won—which also allowed her to perform on the daily radio show.

Diahann Carroll, TV’s history-making star of NBC’s 1960s sitcom Julia and Broadway’s first black Tony Award-winner in a leading role for the 1962 musical No Strings, died today of cancer. The Dynasty star was 84.

“My personal world has taken a downward spiral,” said singer and friend Dionne Warwick in a statement. “Losing my dear friend and Mentor comes as a true hurt to my heart!! I know I’ll miss her as I’m certain all that knew her will. Rest In Peace my dear friend.”

Carroll’s death was announced by her daughter, Suzanne Kay.

Already a popular stage and nightclub performer when she signed on to star in Julia, Carroll is credited with being the first African-American actress to lead a primetime series in a non-stereotypical role, and the first overall since Beulah, the 1950s sitcom about a maid.

Julia became an immediate hit when it...

Norman Jewison celebrates his 93rd birthday on July 21, 2019. The Oscar-nominated filmmaker has tackled a number of controversial topics and social issues in his work, crafting mainstream entertainments with a political point of view. But how many of his titles remain classics? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 15 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

SEEDoris Day movies: 20 greatest films ranked worst to best

Born in 1926 in Toronto, Jewison cut his teeth in television before moving into directing with a number of light farces, including the Doris Day vehicles “The Thrill of It All” (1963) and “Send Me No Flowers” (1964), her last collaboration with Rock Hudson. His career took a turning point with his first drama, “The Cincinnati Kid” (1965), which also kicked off his collaborations with film editor Hal Ashby, himself a future director. His next film, the darkly comedic “The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!...

BAFTA La chair of board hails ‘illustrious career’.

Jane Fonda will receive the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film at the 2019 BAFTA La awards in Los Angeles on October 25.

“Fonda is and always has been an unstoppable force on stage, on screen and behind the camera. The legendary actress’s illustrious career has spanned decades and awarded her with numerous accolades for the dozens of characters she has so brilliantly portrayed,” said BAFTA La chair of the board Kathryn Busby.

“We could not think of a more deserving recipient for this year’s Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for...

Ethan Hawke is this awards’ season critical darling earning several best actor nods from critic’s groups including the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. and New York Film Critics Circle for his powerful performance as a troubled clergyman haunted with his past and the future in Paul Schrader’s “First Reformed.”

Hawke, who also won the Gotham Awards honor for best actor, is also nominated for a Critics Choice and a Film Independent Spirit Award but was snubbed in the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.

But Hawke, who has received four previously Oscar nominations including for supporting actor for 2014’s “Boyhood,” shouldn’t give up the faith about a fifth nomination. Over the years, the academy has embraced actors and actresses who played members of the clergy with six wins and upwards of two dozen nominations.

Predict the Oscar nominations now; change them until January 22

Both Spencer Tracy...

Michelle Yeoh is earning major Oscar buzz for the first time since her iconic work in 2000’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” thanks to her memorable performance in “Crazy Rich Asians.” As Eleanor Young, stubborn matriarch to an uber-successful Singapore family, Yeoh earned a great deal of acclaim from critics, who have lavished praise on her tough yet vulnerable take on a character who could easily verge into two-dimensional villainy. The relatable conflict between Eleanor and her son’s new girlfriend Rachel (Constance Wu) is a major part of the appeal of “Crazy Rich Asians,” which has become one of the biggest box office smashes of 2018. Now, as Oscar season approaches, Yeoh is well on her way to potentially becoming the first Asian actress nominated in 12 years.

See‘Crazy Rich Asians’ scene-stealer Awkwafina pays tribute to Lucy Liu during emotional ‘Saturday Night Live’ monologue

While Yeoh’s Eleanor is presented as...

Anne Bancroft would’ve celebrated her 87th birthday on September 17. Born in 1931, the actress had a celebrated career on both the stage and screen, becoming one of the few people to win the trifecta of performance awards. In honor of her birthday, let’s take a look back at 12 of her greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Bancroft made her Broadway debut in William Gibson‘s “Two for the Seesaw,” directed by Arthur Penn. The role brought her a Tony as Best Featured Actress in a play (1958). The very next year, she re-teamed with Gibson and Penn for “The Miracle Worker,” for which she won a second Tony (Best Actress in a Play in 1959).

Following the stage success, Bancroft, Penn and Gibson adapted “The Miracle Worker” to the big screen in 1962. Recreating the role of Annie Sullivan, a teacher struggling to help the deaf and blind Helen Keller (Patty Duke) learn to communicate,...

Anne Bancroft would’ve celebrated her 87th birthday on September 17. Born in 1931, the actress had a celebrated career on both the stage and screen, becoming one of the few people to win the trifecta of performance awards. In honor of her birthday, let’s take a look back at 12 of her greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Bancroft made her Broadway debut in William Gibson‘s “Two for the Seesaw,” directed by Arthur Penn. The role brought her a Tony as Best Featured Actress in a play (1958). The very next year, she re-teamed with Gibson and Penn for “The Miracle Worker,” for which she won a second Tony (Best Actress in a Play in 1959).

Following the stage success, Bancroft, Penn and Gibson adapted “The Miracle Worker” to the big screen in 1962. Recreating the role of Annie Sullivan, a teacher struggling to help the deaf and blind Helen Keller (Patty Duke) learn to communicate,...

“The Nun,” a prequel to “The Conjuring” series of horror films, finds a young nun traveling to Romania to investigate a demon that has potentially latched itself onto a nun. With that premise, things are bound to get a little crazy. Of course, there’s a long history in film of taking chaste, pious women who have become nuns on film and testing their resolve, of taken their faith to wild extremes, or playing on that goodness for comedy. Say a few rosaries and check out these nun movies.

“Sister Act” (1992)

Whoopi Goldberg goes into the witness protection program and winds up a jump-roping, gospel singing, foul-mouthed nun with Maggie Smith looking down her nose at her in “Sister Act.” The film made an ungodly sum as the sixth highest grossing movie of the year and spawned a sequel.

“Black Narcissus” (1947)

Powell & Pressburger’s 1947 drama is about as lush and...

If nuns make you nervous, you’re not alone. Whether it’s their distinctive religious attire, their unwavering devotion to a higher power, or their reputation for meting out corporal punishment in Catholic school, it’s hard to deny that there’s something vaguely eerie about them at times. As the new supernatural horror film “The Nun 2” prepares to haunt theaters on Sept. 8, here’s a look at 20 other movie nuns that are guaranteed to give you the creeps.

Courtesy of New Line Cinema

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

Audiences first met the eerie title character of “The Nun” in the sequel to James Wan’s horror hit “The Conjuring.” Sporting a ghostly complexion, a bad attitude, and a mouthful of rotting fangs that would make Pennywise the clown jealous, the Nun is referred to by several names throughout the film, including the Marquis of Snakes, the Defiler, and the demon Valak.

Audiences went coo-coo for “Crazy Rich Asians,” the first Hollywood-produced film with an all-Asian main cast since 1993’s “The Joy Luck Club.” The weekend’s No 1 film grossed $34 million in five days and has already made back its budget. Like its predecessor, it is based on a best-seller. It also is a rare romantic-comedy released by a major studio so far this year. Given the love it is getting from critics, it looks as it is not so crazy to think it could be a shoo-in contender in the Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy category at the Golden Globes.

However, I am most curious about whether Oscar, which can be rather comedy averse, will warm to it. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” a surprise 2003 blockbuster that also found humor in its central family’s ethnic quirks, could only manage a nomination for Nia Vardalos’ original screenplay. As for “Crazy Rich Asians,...

This article marks Part 6 of the 21-part Gold Derby series analyzing Meryl Streep at the Oscars. Join us as we look back at Meryl Streep’s nominations, the performances that competed with her, the results of each race and the overall rankings of the contenders.

In 1984, after making three consecutive appearances in Best Actress at the Academy Awards, Meryl Streep was a no-show on nominations morning for her turn opposite Robert De Niro in “Falling in Love.” The odds of a Streep return to the ceremony looked strong, however, in 1985. Two projects were lined up, both awards-caliber on paper.

The first of these two projects landed with a whimper that September. “Plenty,” directed by acclaimed Australian filmmaker Fred Schepisi, with a screenplay by David Hare, cast Streep as an Englishwoman searching for fulfillment in life after serving with the French Resistance in World War II. While the film has its passionate defenders to this day,...