Four Handfuls of Link

• Deadline Ray Liotta (Goodfellas) has passed away unexpectedly at 67. He was shooting a film called Dangerous Waters in the Dominican Republic. RIP
• Vulture Alison Willmore asks where the abortion thriller goes to next after recent films like Happening, Lingui the Sacred Bonds, and Never Rarely Sometimes Always
• Deadline Ellen DeGeneres bids her talk show farewell after 19 seasons on air

More after the jump including Gone Girl's legacy, frequently naked Clae Bang, Tom Cruise's all time biggest hits, Kevin Doyle from Downton Abbey A New Era, and a fascinating history of where streaming fits in the history of Hollywood...

Click to read more ...

Cannes at Home: Day 5 – A Tale of Two Victors

by Cláudio Alves

The fourth day of Main Competition screenings saw the premiere of two films by former Palme d'Or winners. First up, Swedish auteur Ruben Östlund returned to the Croisette after taking the festival's top honor with The Square. Triangle of Sadness is the director's first film since then, perchance indicating a newfound obsession with geometrical titling. Reactions have skewed positive, though there are dissenting voices. Then, it was time for Cristian Mungiu to present R.M.N, this year's first major Palme contender as far as critical reception is concerned (Elisa's review). It should be noted that this is the fourth time Mungiu has presented a film in the Main Competition – all three previous projects won prizes, setting a good precedent for the Romanian master. 

Logically, when discussing these laurelled artists, the mind drifts to their victorious flicks. Today's Cannes at Home selections are The Square and 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days…

Click to read more ...

2022's hottest DILFs (Dads I'd Like to Film)

by Cláudio Alves

We've all heard about the gore, the historical accuracy, and Nicole Kidman's latest feat of monstrous mothering. However, one element of Robert Eggers's The Northman has been curiously – criminally? – left out of the promotional material and effusive word-of-mouth. The picture's leading man may make Prince Amleth into a mountain of muscle, but there's more eye candy to enjoy beyond the Skarsgård beefcake. In a scene of ritual sacrifice and funeral tradition, Claes Bang gets to showcase his assets, and they are glorious. Indeed, though the movie skews dark and gloomy, cinematographer Jarin Blaschke highlights the actor's bare back with golden flames, resulting in one of The Northman's most indelible shots.

Forgive the silliness and crass words, but in a time of sexless cinema, it's worth celebrating what little sensuality still graces the screen. Moreover, Bang's surprisingly soulful King Fjölnir is a reminder that we might be living through another great year for hot movie dads...

Click to read more ...

Review: The Last Vermeer

By Abe Friedtanzer

I know that 2020 has felt like an eternity for a number of reasons, but how is it possible that this never-ending year has given us not one but two lackluster movies about art starring Claes Bang?

The Burnt Orange Heresy, about an art critic and a reclusive painter, was released in theaters by Sony Pictures Classics right before the pandemic hit and then rereleased in August since it barely had any time to make an impression (not that the experience of seeing it does that either). Now, Bang is back as a Dutch Jew investigating the actions of an eccentric artist accused of collaborating with the Nazis in the immediate aftermath of World War II in The Last Vermeer…

Click to read more ...

such wonderful things surround you, what more is you linkin' for 🎵

• /Film Why Lulu Wang turned down a huge streaming offer for The Farewell to go theatrical with A24
• Vulture ranking the Spider-Man villains -- Into the Spider-Verse villains ought to be flipped and Far From Home's big bad is a spot or too low but otherwise a very correct list! 
• The Atlantic good piece on the possibly self-parodic elements of Spider-Man Far From Home
• The Guardian an interesting but depressing report on directors getting away with making LGBTQ films in homophobic countries 

After the jump The Little Mermaid, The Lost Boys, Toy Story 4, and Be More Chill...

Click to read more ...