When Grammy-winning musician Jack Antonoff was curating the music for AppleTV+’s series “The New Look,” he shared ideas of instrumentation and a list of artists he had in mind for who could form the soundtrack.
“We started looking at the wish list and who was realistic,” says the show’s music supervisor Mark Wike. “We looked at who was touring and who was doing what. It was all about the different variables to make it happen.” In the end, Bartees Strange, Lana Del Rey, Florence Welch and Nick Cave were among the artists who Antonoff gathered to help curate contemporary and new original recordings of classics.
The series follows the rise of Christian Dior (Ben Mendelsohn) as a designer living and working in Paris during the Nazi occupation. Juliette Binoche plays Coco Chanel, already established herself as a grand designer, and the series follows the pivotal moment when Dior...
“We started looking at the wish list and who was realistic,” says the show’s music supervisor Mark Wike. “We looked at who was touring and who was doing what. It was all about the different variables to make it happen.” In the end, Bartees Strange, Lana Del Rey, Florence Welch and Nick Cave were among the artists who Antonoff gathered to help curate contemporary and new original recordings of classics.
The series follows the rise of Christian Dior (Ben Mendelsohn) as a designer living and working in Paris during the Nazi occupation. Juliette Binoche plays Coco Chanel, already established herself as a grand designer, and the series follows the pivotal moment when Dior...
- 4/2/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Redhead Caleb Landry Jones got lucky on his first audition, at age 17. His father took a day off from work and drove him from Garland, Texas, to Dallas for a try-out, then to Austin for a callback with the Coen brothers, for a role as “the boy on the bike” in eventual Best Picture Oscar-winner “No Country for Old Men” (2007). Little did Jones know, as he launched his acting career, that he would join the ensemble on “X-Men: First Class” (2011) or win Best Actor at Cannes for playing a mass murderer in “Nitram” (2021), or that one critic would dub him “a menacing oddball character actor.”
When I read that quote to Jones over Zoom, he paused for a moment and said, “That sounds Ok to me. I heard ‘actor,’ so that sounded good.”
The Coens did Jones a huge favor, he said. “Javier Bardem. Not a bad person to see...
When I read that quote to Jones over Zoom, he paused for a moment and said, “That sounds Ok to me. I heard ‘actor,’ so that sounded good.”
The Coens did Jones a huge favor, he said. “Javier Bardem. Not a bad person to see...
- 3/27/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
After the conclusion of each Academy Awards ceremony, I always go back and rewatch the telecast from start to finish. I want to pick up on all of the things that I might have missed during my initial viewing. I especially like to study the nominees’ reactions each time an envelope is opened — particularly for the major categories when the famous five-camera shot is strategically displayed on the TV screen. I always rewind the moment that each winner is announced, so that I can carefully study the look on each individual’s face both before and after the big reveal.
As we all know, this year’s Best Actress race was the only above-the-line race with any real suspense. That it made it all the more fascinating when reigning Best Actress Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) announced that the torch would be passed on to Emma Stone in “Poor Things.
As we all know, this year’s Best Actress race was the only above-the-line race with any real suspense. That it made it all the more fascinating when reigning Best Actress Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) announced that the torch would be passed on to Emma Stone in “Poor Things.
- 3/18/2024
- by Tariq Khan
- Gold Derby
This well-executed film spans the life of a traumatised jewellery thief with a host of dog acolytes
The question of whether Luc Besson has got his groove back is only going to annoy those who dispute any former groove-ownership. Besson himself might contend that box office success is in any case the sole criterion for assessing groove. At all events, this bizarre and macabre drama-thriller is watchable and Caleb Landry Jones gives an oddly engaging performance as Douglas Munrow, a wheelchair-using “Dogman”, questioned by police psychologist Evelyn (Jojo T Gibbs) after being arrested in full drag gear, smeared with blood, while at the wheel of a van filled with his “babies” – his dogs.
Murrow’s conversation with Evelyn reveals in flashback a childhood kept in a dog kennel by an abusive father, at whose hands a terrible injury was sustained; then there are poignant teen years in a children’s...
The question of whether Luc Besson has got his groove back is only going to annoy those who dispute any former groove-ownership. Besson himself might contend that box office success is in any case the sole criterion for assessing groove. At all events, this bizarre and macabre drama-thriller is watchable and Caleb Landry Jones gives an oddly engaging performance as Douglas Munrow, a wheelchair-using “Dogman”, questioned by police psychologist Evelyn (Jojo T Gibbs) after being arrested in full drag gear, smeared with blood, while at the wheel of a van filled with his “babies” – his dogs.
Murrow’s conversation with Evelyn reveals in flashback a childhood kept in a dog kennel by an abusive father, at whose hands a terrible injury was sustained; then there are poignant teen years in a children’s...
- 3/5/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Caleb Landry Jones is “DogMan,” whatever that moniker means.
The indie actor, who has appeared in the acclaimed likes of “Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri” and “Nitram,” leads controversial French director Luc Besson’s latest feature. Per the elusive logline, “DogMan” tells the story of a man who, following a traumatic childhood, finds salvation and justice through his connection with dogs.
Yet, there’s more to the twisted crime thriller than just that: Jones plays Douglas Munrow, a victim of childhood abuse who relives his past while being interviewed by a psychiatrist (Jojo T. Gibbs) after Douglas is accused of murder. Turns out Douglas’ childhood was far from fetching, with his only source of love being the dogs his father (Clemens Schick) would lock him in cages with.
As an adult, Douglas balances performing in drag as iconic stars like Edith Piaf, Marlene Dietrich, and Marilyn Monroe with a crime spree.
The indie actor, who has appeared in the acclaimed likes of “Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri” and “Nitram,” leads controversial French director Luc Besson’s latest feature. Per the elusive logline, “DogMan” tells the story of a man who, following a traumatic childhood, finds salvation and justice through his connection with dogs.
Yet, there’s more to the twisted crime thriller than just that: Jones plays Douglas Munrow, a victim of childhood abuse who relives his past while being interviewed by a psychiatrist (Jojo T. Gibbs) after Douglas is accused of murder. Turns out Douglas’ childhood was far from fetching, with his only source of love being the dogs his father (Clemens Schick) would lock him in cages with.
As an adult, Douglas balances performing in drag as iconic stars like Edith Piaf, Marlene Dietrich, and Marilyn Monroe with a crime spree.
- 2/22/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Sexually-explicit AI-generated images of Taylor Swift have caused alarm across the board, with major centers of power — including The White House, Microsoft, SAG-AFTRA, and more — now weighing-in on what the controversy means for the future of AI, and what steps are being taken to prevent further incidents like this one.
The scandal began when fake, crude images depicting Swift started circulating social media this week, with one image gaining over 47 million views on Twitter alone, before the account that posted them was suspended due to mass-reporting by Swifites. According to 404 Media, the viral images were traced back to a Telegram group chat where members shared AI content, sometimes made using Microsoft’s generative-ai tool, Designer.
Now, speaking to NBC News, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has expressed that the company finds the images “alarming and terrible,” and feels the pressure to “move fast” to combat nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfake images.
“Yes,...
The scandal began when fake, crude images depicting Swift started circulating social media this week, with one image gaining over 47 million views on Twitter alone, before the account that posted them was suspended due to mass-reporting by Swifites. According to 404 Media, the viral images were traced back to a Telegram group chat where members shared AI content, sometimes made using Microsoft’s generative-ai tool, Designer.
Now, speaking to NBC News, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has expressed that the company finds the images “alarming and terrible,” and feels the pressure to “move fast” to combat nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfake images.
“Yes,...
- 1/27/2024
- by Jo Vito
- Consequence - Music
Suki Waterhouse channels Edith Piaf in the video for “Omg,” her shimmery new single.
The singer, model, and Daisy Jones & the Six actress had teased the new song on social media for days, finally releasing it. “It’s really, really the best way to start my year,” she tells Rolling Stone, on a call from Los Angeles. “I’ve been holding onto it for a while.”
The track, co-written with Natalie Findlay and Jules Apollinaire, is a synthy, sleazy rocker with the kind of anthemic chorus that will be in your head for days.
The singer, model, and Daisy Jones & the Six actress had teased the new song on social media for days, finally releasing it. “It’s really, really the best way to start my year,” she tells Rolling Stone, on a call from Los Angeles. “I’ve been holding onto it for a while.”
The track, co-written with Natalie Findlay and Jules Apollinaire, is a synthy, sleazy rocker with the kind of anthemic chorus that will be in your head for days.
- 1/11/2024
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
If you’re a premium subscriber of Calm, you can listen to Jimmy Stewart read you a bedtime story, with a little help from AI.
Jimmy Stewart, known for films such as It’s A Wonderful Life, Vertigo and Rear Window, is set to read a bedtime story for users of the relaxation app Calm. “It’s A Wonderful Sleep Story” is available from today (5th December) for subscribers of Calm Premium.
There’s a catch, though. Stewart has been dead since 1997 and Calm has used AI to recreate his voice.
“Well, hello. I’m James Stewart. But, well, you can call me Jimmy,” the voice of Stewart begins the story, as reported by Variety. “Tonight, I’m going to tell you a story. It’s a heartwarming story of love, of loss, of hope and of joy. But most of all, it’s a wonderful sleep story.”
Stewart’s family...
Jimmy Stewart, known for films such as It’s A Wonderful Life, Vertigo and Rear Window, is set to read a bedtime story for users of the relaxation app Calm. “It’s A Wonderful Sleep Story” is available from today (5th December) for subscribers of Calm Premium.
There’s a catch, though. Stewart has been dead since 1997 and Calm has used AI to recreate his voice.
“Well, hello. I’m James Stewart. But, well, you can call me Jimmy,” the voice of Stewart begins the story, as reported by Variety. “Tonight, I’m going to tell you a story. It’s a heartwarming story of love, of loss, of hope and of joy. But most of all, it’s a wonderful sleep story.”
Stewart’s family...
- 12/5/2023
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
After being convincingly portrayed by Marion Cotillard in the 2007 film “La Vie en Rose,” legendary French singer Edith Piaf will come to life in an animated biopic “Edith” that looks to break new ground by using AI to recreate her voice and image.
When Warner Music, which is producing the feature-length movie with Paris-based company Seriously Happy, broke news of the project last week, it stirred an avalanche of reactions — many of them skeptical — across social media. To clear up some concerns and shed light on the decisions behind the creative endeavor, Variety spoke to Julie Veille, who came up with the original idea, and Gilles Marliac who are co-producing through their banner Seriously Happy and co-wrote the script. Endorsed by Piaf’s estate, “Edith” will take place between Paris and New York from the 1920s to the ’60s.
“Edith” will weave together archival footage and animation. Is it an animated documentary?...
When Warner Music, which is producing the feature-length movie with Paris-based company Seriously Happy, broke news of the project last week, it stirred an avalanche of reactions — many of them skeptical — across social media. To clear up some concerns and shed light on the decisions behind the creative endeavor, Variety spoke to Julie Veille, who came up with the original idea, and Gilles Marliac who are co-producing through their banner Seriously Happy and co-wrote the script. Endorsed by Piaf’s estate, “Edith” will take place between Paris and New York from the 1920s to the ’60s.
“Edith” will weave together archival footage and animation. Is it an animated documentary?...
- 11/22/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Courtroom drama had UK premiere at BFI London Film Festival.
MetFilm Distribution has acquired UK-Ireland rights to Cedric Kahn’s courtroom drama The Goldman Case.
The French feature was a box office hit in its home country, recently crossing 327,000 admissions following a September release through Ad Vitam.
It premiered as the opening film of Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes this year; and had a UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in October.
The Goldman Case follows the 1975 trial of Pierre Goldman, a left-wing activist facing a life sentence who accepts charges of robbery but denies involvement in two murders.
MetFilm Distribution has acquired UK-Ireland rights to Cedric Kahn’s courtroom drama The Goldman Case.
The French feature was a box office hit in its home country, recently crossing 327,000 admissions following a September release through Ad Vitam.
It premiered as the opening film of Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes this year; and had a UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in October.
The Goldman Case follows the 1975 trial of Pierre Goldman, a left-wing activist facing a life sentence who accepts charges of robbery but denies involvement in two murders.
- 11/17/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Further speakers include AI pioneers Caleb and Shelby Ward.
Renowned US producer Gale Anne Hurd and Anna Bulakh, head of ethics and partnerships at synthetic voice creator Respeecher are among the speakers for Industry Innovation Forum Tallinn (Iift), the summit held today (November 17) as part of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Poff).
The half-day executive-level forum will focus on Europe and Ukraine’s solidarity in film and industry, 631 days since the start of the Russian invasion; and will explore the impact of artificial intelligence on the European film, content and audiovisual sectors.
Hurd will participate...
Renowned US producer Gale Anne Hurd and Anna Bulakh, head of ethics and partnerships at synthetic voice creator Respeecher are among the speakers for Industry Innovation Forum Tallinn (Iift), the summit held today (November 17) as part of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Poff).
The half-day executive-level forum will focus on Europe and Ukraine’s solidarity in film and industry, 631 days since the start of the Russian invasion; and will explore the impact of artificial intelligence on the European film, content and audiovisual sectors.
Hurd will participate...
- 11/17/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Further speakers include AI pioneers Caleb and Shelby Ward.
Renowned US producer Gale Anne Hurd and Anna Bulakh, head of ethics and partnerships at synthetic voice creator Respeecher are among the speakers for Industry Innovation Forum Tallinn (Iift), the summit held today (November 17) as part of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Poff).
The half-day executive-level forum will focus on Europe and Ukraine’s solidarity in film and industry, 631 days since the start of the Russian invasion; and will explore the impact of artificial intelligence on the European film, content and audiovisual sectors.
Hurd will participate...
Renowned US producer Gale Anne Hurd and Anna Bulakh, head of ethics and partnerships at synthetic voice creator Respeecher are among the speakers for Industry Innovation Forum Tallinn (Iift), the summit held today (November 17) as part of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Poff).
The half-day executive-level forum will focus on Europe and Ukraine’s solidarity in film and industry, 631 days since the start of the Russian invasion; and will explore the impact of artificial intelligence on the European film, content and audiovisual sectors.
Hurd will participate...
- 11/17/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Further speakers include AI pioneers Caleb and Shelby Ward.
The Terminator producer Gale Anne Hurd and Anna Bulakh, head of ethics and partnerships at synthetic voice creator Respeecher are among the speakers for Industry Innovation Forum Tallinn (Iift), the summit held today (November 17) as part of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Poff).
The half-day executive-level forum will focus on Europe and Ukraine’s solidarity in film and industry, 631 days since the start of the Russian invasion; and will explore the impact of artificial intelligence on the European film, content and audiovisual sectors.
Hurd will participate...
The Terminator producer Gale Anne Hurd and Anna Bulakh, head of ethics and partnerships at synthetic voice creator Respeecher are among the speakers for Industry Innovation Forum Tallinn (Iift), the summit held today (November 17) as part of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Poff).
The half-day executive-level forum will focus on Europe and Ukraine’s solidarity in film and industry, 631 days since the start of the Russian invasion; and will explore the impact of artificial intelligence on the European film, content and audiovisual sectors.
Hurd will participate...
- 11/17/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Andrea Bocelli took the stage at the 2023 Latin Grammys to sing “Granada” wearing a golden suit as the Latin Recording Academy celebrated the song — written by Mexican composer Agustín Lara — for connecting music “beyond borders.”
As the vocalist performed the track, supported by a string ensemble, a pair of performers danced along to Bocelli’s rendition of the iconic 1932 track. When Bocelli’s performance ended, the entire room celebrated the musician with a standing ovation.
The Italian icon of classical and opera music has sold over 75 million records worldwide. Bocelli...
As the vocalist performed the track, supported by a string ensemble, a pair of performers danced along to Bocelli’s rendition of the iconic 1932 track. When Bocelli’s performance ended, the entire room celebrated the musician with a standing ovation.
The Italian icon of classical and opera music has sold over 75 million records worldwide. Bocelli...
- 11/16/2023
- by Lucas Villa and Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
The estate of Edith Piaf has partnered with Warner Music Entertainment and the production company Seriously Happy for an upcoming biopic that’ll use AI technology to recreate the late singer’s voice, the first film of its kind to do so.
Tentatively titled Edith, the biopic will cull together hundreds of voice recordings and photos — some of which date back over 80 years ago — of the French pop icon, who died in October 1963 due to complications related to liver cancer. The intended effect is Piaf narrating her own life story, while the visual element will combine new animated creations with archival footage.
Edith will take place primarily in her Paris hometown and New York, tracing her short, yet immensely impactful life between the 1920s to 1960s. Of course, the flick will come with a soundtrack featuring a number of the singer’s original song recordings, including “La Vie en rose” and “Non,...
Tentatively titled Edith, the biopic will cull together hundreds of voice recordings and photos — some of which date back over 80 years ago — of the French pop icon, who died in October 1963 due to complications related to liver cancer. The intended effect is Piaf narrating her own life story, while the visual element will combine new animated creations with archival footage.
Edith will take place primarily in her Paris hometown and New York, tracing her short, yet immensely impactful life between the 1920s to 1960s. Of course, the flick will come with a soundtrack featuring a number of the singer’s original song recordings, including “La Vie en rose” and “Non,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Music
The estate of Edith Piaf has partnered with Warner Music Entertainment and the production company Seriously Happy for an upcoming biopic that’ll use AI technology to recreate the late singer’s voice, the first film of its kind to do so.
Tentatively titled Edith, the biopic will cull together hundreds of voice recordings and photos — some of which date back over 80 years ago — of the French pop icon, who died in October 1963 due to complications related to liver cancer. The intended effect is Piaf narrating her own life story, while the visual element will combine new animated creations with archival footage.
Edith will take place primarily in her Paris hometown and New York, tracing her short, yet immensely impactful life between the 1920s to 1960s. Of course, the flick will come with a soundtrack featuring a number of the singer’s original song recordings, including “La Vie en rose” and “Non,...
Tentatively titled Edith, the biopic will cull together hundreds of voice recordings and photos — some of which date back over 80 years ago — of the French pop icon, who died in October 1963 due to complications related to liver cancer. The intended effect is Piaf narrating her own life story, while the visual element will combine new animated creations with archival footage.
Edith will take place primarily in her Paris hometown and New York, tracing her short, yet immensely impactful life between the 1920s to 1960s. Of course, the flick will come with a soundtrack featuring a number of the singer’s original song recordings, including “La Vie en rose” and “Non,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Film News
Developments around AI continued to accelerate rapidly on Tuesday, as news emerged of an Edith Piaf biopic that will be the first crafted in animation through AI. The project, from Warner Music Entertainment and the production company Seriously Happy, is sanctioned by the iconic French musical artist’s estate, which will be a partner in its creation.
A proof of concept for the biopic has already been created, though Warner Music Entertainment is seeking a studio partner to help take the feature forward.
Charting Piaf’s rise to become a symbol of female empowerment and one of France’s most beloved artists of all time, Edith is made possible courtesy of groundbreaking AI technology that will be used to recreate Piaf’s voice and image. In prep for the project, Warner Music trained AI on hundreds of voice clips and images of Piaf, some of which are over 80 years old.
A proof of concept for the biopic has already been created, though Warner Music Entertainment is seeking a studio partner to help take the feature forward.
Charting Piaf’s rise to become a symbol of female empowerment and one of France’s most beloved artists of all time, Edith is made possible courtesy of groundbreaking AI technology that will be used to recreate Piaf’s voice and image. In prep for the project, Warner Music trained AI on hundreds of voice clips and images of Piaf, some of which are over 80 years old.
- 11/14/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Legendary French artist Edith Piaf will be the subject of a new biopic from Warner Music, but instead of casting an actor to embody the life of Piaf, her voice and image will be resurrected using AI technology.
Warner Music announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with the Piaf Estate on “innovative and groundbreaking AI technology” that will recreate Piaf’s voice and image. The first animated biopic of an artist using AI will chart Piaf’s life from the 1920s to the 1960s.
Piaf died in 1963.
Warner Music Entertainment and Seriously Happy will develop and produce the 90-minute film, which will use AI trained on hundreds of voice clips and images of the “La Vie en Rose” singer, some of which are 80 years old. The film will be narrated by Piaf’s voice and will “uncover aspects of her life that were previously unknown – showcasing her indomitable spirit,...
Warner Music announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with the Piaf Estate on “innovative and groundbreaking AI technology” that will recreate Piaf’s voice and image. The first animated biopic of an artist using AI will chart Piaf’s life from the 1920s to the 1960s.
Piaf died in 1963.
Warner Music Entertainment and Seriously Happy will develop and produce the 90-minute film, which will use AI trained on hundreds of voice clips and images of the “La Vie en Rose” singer, some of which are 80 years old. The film will be narrated by Piaf’s voice and will “uncover aspects of her life that were previously unknown – showcasing her indomitable spirit,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Olivier Dahan: “I didn’t want to make a film about Simone Veil as we know her in France.”
Simone: Woman Of The Century director, writer, editor Olivier Dahan (La Vie En Rose with Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf and Grace de Monaco with Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly) is no stranger to depicting influential women. His all-embracing portrait of Simone Veil stars Elsa Zylberstein as Veil from 1968 till 2006, and Rebecca Marder (Arnaud Desplechin’s Tromperie and François Ozon’s Mon Crime) from 1942 through 1967.
Olivier Dahan with Anne-Katrin Titze on young people not knowing Simone Veil, Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, Roman Polanski’s The Pianist, and László Nemes’s Son Of Saul: “I was really trying to connect with those young people and this woman, of course.”
In Bernard-Henri Lévy’s homage to Simone Veil he writes: “The world, French philosopher Gaston Bachelard said a century ago,...
Simone: Woman Of The Century director, writer, editor Olivier Dahan (La Vie En Rose with Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf and Grace de Monaco with Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly) is no stranger to depicting influential women. His all-embracing portrait of Simone Veil stars Elsa Zylberstein as Veil from 1968 till 2006, and Rebecca Marder (Arnaud Desplechin’s Tromperie and François Ozon’s Mon Crime) from 1942 through 1967.
Olivier Dahan with Anne-Katrin Titze on young people not knowing Simone Veil, Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, Roman Polanski’s The Pianist, and László Nemes’s Son Of Saul: “I was really trying to connect with those young people and this woman, of course.”
In Bernard-Henri Lévy’s homage to Simone Veil he writes: “The world, French philosopher Gaston Bachelard said a century ago,...
- 9/8/2023
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Too bombastic for the French establishment and too idiosyncratic to ever go full Hollywood, Luc Besson once charted an impressive middle ground on the international scene.
At his 1990s peak, the action auteur riffed and danced around the blockbuster formula, delivering genre potboilers so perverse (in the case of 1994’s “Leon: The Professional”) or uncanny (as with 1997’s “The Fifth Element”) as to stand noticeably apart from your standard studio offering and, in the process, Besson built for himself an empire. Beset with legal and financial problems the French director’s star has dimmed in the past decade, but his hunger clearly has not.
Which brings us to “Dogman.” Premiering in competition at the Venice Film Festival, the project marks a splashy comeback of sorts for the beleaguered filmmaker, just recently acquitted of sexual assault charges, and an impassioned argument that his erstwhile model still has some juice. That could very well be the case,...
At his 1990s peak, the action auteur riffed and danced around the blockbuster formula, delivering genre potboilers so perverse (in the case of 1994’s “Leon: The Professional”) or uncanny (as with 1997’s “The Fifth Element”) as to stand noticeably apart from your standard studio offering and, in the process, Besson built for himself an empire. Beset with legal and financial problems the French director’s star has dimmed in the past decade, but his hunger clearly has not.
Which brings us to “Dogman.” Premiering in competition at the Venice Film Festival, the project marks a splashy comeback of sorts for the beleaguered filmmaker, just recently acquitted of sexual assault charges, and an impassioned argument that his erstwhile model still has some juice. That could very well be the case,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Ben Croll
- The Wrap
Luc Besson’s Dogman is a superhero movie in search of a comic book, which makes a refreshing change amid the summer’s raft of DC disappointments. It skews a little close to Todd Phillips’ Golden Lion winner Joker in terms of weirdness and (especially) wardrobe, but it also offers the perfect showcase for star Caleb Landry Jones, who imbues a boisterously insane action thriller with heart and soul in what must surely be a career-high performance. Which is no mean feat for an actor whose work has always been excellent and has so often gone under the radar.
There is nothing remotely under-the-radar about Dogman, which fuses movies as diverse as Flawless and Willard with Besson’s trademark, anything-goes approach to genre. Besson’s films don’t always work — for every Léon there is a Lucy — but somehow it pulls together here as, pun intended, a shaggy-dog story spin by its hero.
There is nothing remotely under-the-radar about Dogman, which fuses movies as diverse as Flawless and Willard with Besson’s trademark, anything-goes approach to genre. Besson’s films don’t always work — for every Léon there is a Lucy — but somehow it pulls together here as, pun intended, a shaggy-dog story spin by its hero.
- 8/31/2023
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
Check under most any post relating to the recently released trailer for Luc Besson’s “Dogman,” and you’ll find one, if not several responses riffing, to various degrees of enthusiasm, on the theme of “Omg, what if ‘Joker’ but with dogs?” That rhetorical question can now be answered, following this numbskulled nonsense movie’s inexplicable Venice Competition premiere, with a resounding “If only.” The bludgeoningly obvious, creatively inert, deathly dull tale of a cross-dressing misfit in a wheelchair who favors canine company over that of humans, it is scarcely fit to lap from the same water bowl as Todd Phillips’ controversial Golden Lion winner. Even those who didn’t much like “Joker” have to admit that it did not actively treat its audience as if they were so brain-dead that everyone left feeling about 30 Iq points dumber than when they went in.
Much like Terrence Malick’s marginally more accomplished “The Tree of Life,...
Much like Terrence Malick’s marginally more accomplished “The Tree of Life,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Editor’s Note: This review was originally published at the 2023 Venice Film Festival. Briarcliff Entertainment will release “Dogman” in select theaters on Friday, March 15 before expanding on March 22.
Caleb Landry Jones graduates from menacing oddball character actor to sympathetic show-stopping lead in Luc Besson’s “Dogman.” But the French genre filmmaker’s first feature effort since 2019 assassin thriller “Anna” — and his second since 2017’s catastrophic space opera “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” — unfortunately doesn’t deliver the goods to match Landry Jones’ giddily unrestrained turn as a traumatized dog collector turned drag cabaret act turned … well-heeled shooter and avenger of capitalist greed and domestic abuse?
That’s nothing against the 33-year-old American actor’s Method-level dedication to the role. Landry Jones has stamped himself as indie film’s consummate weirdo, playing charmingly raffish outsiders or scary psychos. His Douglas in “Dogman” is a little bit of both,...
Caleb Landry Jones graduates from menacing oddball character actor to sympathetic show-stopping lead in Luc Besson’s “Dogman.” But the French genre filmmaker’s first feature effort since 2019 assassin thriller “Anna” — and his second since 2017’s catastrophic space opera “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” — unfortunately doesn’t deliver the goods to match Landry Jones’ giddily unrestrained turn as a traumatized dog collector turned drag cabaret act turned … well-heeled shooter and avenger of capitalist greed and domestic abuse?
That’s nothing against the 33-year-old American actor’s Method-level dedication to the role. Landry Jones has stamped himself as indie film’s consummate weirdo, playing charmingly raffish outsiders or scary psychos. His Douglas in “Dogman” is a little bit of both,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Caleb Landry Jones, the Texas-born actor, debuted a convincing Scottish accent at the Venice Film Festival press conference for Luc Besson’s “Dogman,” which is world premiering in competition at the fest.
Landry Jones was introduced by Besson, who warned journalists in attendance that the actor was speaking with a Scottish accent because he’s “in character.” The director explained, “It’s not his normal voice. He needs to stay in character. So if you don’t understand so much the accent… It’s a brilliant accent!”
Landry Jones, who also sported reddish blond locks and a mustache, quickly replied, “It will be better in the film,” referring to the accent. He flew to Venice from Scotland, where he’s currently shooting a mystery film.
For “Dogman,” the actor dove deep into the part. In an exclusive interview with Variety, Besson detailed how Landry Jones prepared for the role for...
Landry Jones was introduced by Besson, who warned journalists in attendance that the actor was speaking with a Scottish accent because he’s “in character.” The director explained, “It’s not his normal voice. He needs to stay in character. So if you don’t understand so much the accent… It’s a brilliant accent!”
Landry Jones, who also sported reddish blond locks and a mustache, quickly replied, “It will be better in the film,” referring to the accent. He flew to Venice from Scotland, where he’s currently shooting a mystery film.
For “Dogman,” the actor dove deep into the part. In an exclusive interview with Variety, Besson detailed how Landry Jones prepared for the role for...
- 8/31/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
An emotional Luc Besson and his actors Caleb Landry Jones and Jojo T. Gibbs got a rapturous reception at the press conference for their Venice Film Festival movie DogMan.
The filmmaker and lead Landry Jones were applauded on multiple occasions, with one journalist moved to tears when asking her question.
The film is being billed by some as a comeback movie for Fifth Element, Lucy and Leon director Besson who has had a tumultuous five years after the high-profile box office failure of Valerian, the demise of his French studio EuropaCorp and a long-running legal entanglement relating to a rape allegation, of which he was recently cleared.
“The only two things that can save you are love and art, definitely not money. When you have both you’re lucky,” the filmmaker told the audience.
At one stage, the director thanked his actors and producer wife Virginie Besson-Silla before himself fighting back tears.
The filmmaker and lead Landry Jones were applauded on multiple occasions, with one journalist moved to tears when asking her question.
The film is being billed by some as a comeback movie for Fifth Element, Lucy and Leon director Besson who has had a tumultuous five years after the high-profile box office failure of Valerian, the demise of his French studio EuropaCorp and a long-running legal entanglement relating to a rape allegation, of which he was recently cleared.
“The only two things that can save you are love and art, definitely not money. When you have both you’re lucky,” the filmmaker told the audience.
At one stage, the director thanked his actors and producer wife Virginie Besson-Silla before himself fighting back tears.
- 8/31/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Elsa Zylberstein with Anne-Katrin Titze on Simone Veil: “She was really someone fighting for people’s dignity. I didn’t know it was that strong. My models were Meryl Streep, obviously, or Gary Oldman as Churchill (in Joe Wright’s Darkest Hour). So I didn’t want to play her, I wanted to become her.”
Olivier Dahan’s all-embracing portrait, Simone: Woman Of The Century, stars Elsa Zylberstein as Simone Veil from 1968 till 2006, and Rebecca Marder (Arnaud Desplechin’s Tromperie and François Ozon’s Mon Crime) from 1942 through 1967.
Auschwitz survivor, Health Minister of France (she put an end to the criminalization of abortion), magistrate, mother, member of the Constitutional Council, advocate for the rights of women and prison reform, and the first President of the European Parliament, Simone Veil’s importance for the 20th and 21st century cannot be overstated. Dahan (La Vie En Rose with Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf...
Olivier Dahan’s all-embracing portrait, Simone: Woman Of The Century, stars Elsa Zylberstein as Simone Veil from 1968 till 2006, and Rebecca Marder (Arnaud Desplechin’s Tromperie and François Ozon’s Mon Crime) from 1942 through 1967.
Auschwitz survivor, Health Minister of France (she put an end to the criminalization of abortion), magistrate, mother, member of the Constitutional Council, advocate for the rights of women and prison reform, and the first President of the European Parliament, Simone Veil’s importance for the 20th and 21st century cannot be overstated. Dahan (La Vie En Rose with Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf...
- 8/16/2023
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
“Talk to Me” is, unquestionably, the horror movie of the year. A fast, funny, very scary campfire story about a group of Australian teens who treat a cursed hand that opens a doorway to the spirit realm like a common party drug. (“One more time!”)
What makes the movie even more impressive is that it was directed by twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, known mostly for their YouTube channel RackaRacka (with nearly 7 million subscribers), full of prankish, impish content that still exhibits a technical knowledge and playful willingness to experiment. (A video simply titled “DC vs Marvel (Avengers Battle)” has 74 million views.)
The Philippou brothers went from YouTube to having their movie released by A24. A24 is also, of course, putting out a limited-edition line of merchandise. And you know what? They seem thrilled.
TheWrap spoke to the Philippou boys on the day that “Talk to Me” hit theaters and they were overjoyed.
What makes the movie even more impressive is that it was directed by twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, known mostly for their YouTube channel RackaRacka (with nearly 7 million subscribers), full of prankish, impish content that still exhibits a technical knowledge and playful willingness to experiment. (A video simply titled “DC vs Marvel (Avengers Battle)” has 74 million views.)
The Philippou brothers went from YouTube to having their movie released by A24. A24 is also, of course, putting out a limited-edition line of merchandise. And you know what? They seem thrilled.
TheWrap spoke to the Philippou boys on the day that “Talk to Me” hit theaters and they were overjoyed.
- 8/2/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
The Amazon Prime Video series “The Summer I Turned Pretty” has made a splash with its loaded soundtrack. By now it is safe to say that “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and Taylor Swift go hand in hand because author and show creator Jenny Han has made it so.
The first season had five Swift songs ranging from her “Lover” album to “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” and the Season 1 trailer debuted “This Love (Taylor’s Version)” from the yet-to-be-released re-recorded “1989.” Season 2’s teaser was set to “August,” and then the official trailer debuted “Back to December (Taylor’s Version)” shortly before “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” was released July 7. Only time will tell if Season 2 ties Season 1 for how many Taylor Swift songs it contains.
The sequel season’s summer-y soundtrack also contains hits from repeat artists Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler the Creator, Caroline Polachek and more. A Fleetwood Mac ballad punctuates a particularly emotional scene,...
The first season had five Swift songs ranging from her “Lover” album to “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” and the Season 1 trailer debuted “This Love (Taylor’s Version)” from the yet-to-be-released re-recorded “1989.” Season 2’s teaser was set to “August,” and then the official trailer debuted “Back to December (Taylor’s Version)” shortly before “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” was released July 7. Only time will tell if Season 2 ties Season 1 for how many Taylor Swift songs it contains.
The sequel season’s summer-y soundtrack also contains hits from repeat artists Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler the Creator, Caroline Polachek and more. A Fleetwood Mac ballad punctuates a particularly emotional scene,...
- 7/14/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Samuel Goldwyn Films has unveiled the trailer for “Simone: Woman of the Century,” a biopic of Simone Veil, an Auschwitz survivor who became health minister of France and championed the 1975 law that legalized abortion in France.
Directed by Olivier Dahan, best-known for his Oscar-winning Edith Piaf biopic “La Vie en Rose,” “Simone” boasts powerful performances by Elsa Zylberstein and Rebecca Marder. The key cast is completed by Elodie Bouchez, Sylvie Testud and Olivier Gourmet.
The film was a box office hit in France, where it was released by Warner Bros and ranked as 2022’s third highest-grossing French-language hit with over 2.5 million tickets sold. Samuel Goldwyn Films is planning to release the film in U.S. theaters, opening in New York and Los Angeles on Aug. 18, followed by a wider rollout.
Since starring in “Simone,” Zylberstein has set up two production banners in France and the U.S. and is actively...
Directed by Olivier Dahan, best-known for his Oscar-winning Edith Piaf biopic “La Vie en Rose,” “Simone” boasts powerful performances by Elsa Zylberstein and Rebecca Marder. The key cast is completed by Elodie Bouchez, Sylvie Testud and Olivier Gourmet.
The film was a box office hit in France, where it was released by Warner Bros and ranked as 2022’s third highest-grossing French-language hit with over 2.5 million tickets sold. Samuel Goldwyn Films is planning to release the film in U.S. theaters, opening in New York and Los Angeles on Aug. 18, followed by a wider rollout.
Since starring in “Simone,” Zylberstein has set up two production banners in France and the U.S. and is actively...
- 6/27/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
As tender, painful and intimate as an open caesarean scar, writer-director Mona Achache’s drama-documentary Little Girl Blue examines the fraught relationships between three generations of women within the director’s own family, starting with her literary grandmother Monique Lange, her mother Carole Achache and herself.
Although narrated by Achache, who “plays” herself throughout, the focus is above all on the troubled child of the midcentury Carole, who committed suicide in 2016 and left behind an enormous cache of letters, journals, publications, photographs and documents. Achieving a remarkable casting coup that will make all the difference for the film’s commercial prospects while richly enhancing its emotional texture, Achache persuades French superstar Marion Cotillard (La Vie en rose, Inception) to play Carole. The result is a fascinating psychodrama — with extra scoops of meta on top — that showcases the talents of all the story’s women, especially Cotillard and Achache. At the same time,...
Although narrated by Achache, who “plays” herself throughout, the focus is above all on the troubled child of the midcentury Carole, who committed suicide in 2016 and left behind an enormous cache of letters, journals, publications, photographs and documents. Achieving a remarkable casting coup that will make all the difference for the film’s commercial prospects while richly enhancing its emotional texture, Achache persuades French superstar Marion Cotillard (La Vie en rose, Inception) to play Carole. The result is a fascinating psychodrama — with extra scoops of meta on top — that showcases the talents of all the story’s women, especially Cotillard and Achache. At the same time,...
- 5/30/2023
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Swedish singer Loreen won the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with her power ballad “Tattoo”, at a colourful, eclectic music competition clouded for a second year running by the war in Ukraine.
The diva from Stockholm beat acts from 25 other countries to take the continent’s pop crown at the final of the competition in Liverpool. Finnish singer Käärijä was second in a close-fought battle of the Nordic neighbors.
Loreen, 39, previously won Eurovision in 2012 and is only the second performer to take the prize twice, after Ireland’s Johnny Logan in the 1980s. It’s Sweden’s seventh Eurovision victory, matching Ireland’s record.
“I am seriously overwhelmed,” Loreen said. “This is so beautiful.”
Read More: Kate Middleton Plays Piano In Surprise Eurovision Appearance
She said returning to the contest that helped make her a star was “like coming back to a family. We’ve had an 11-year-long relationship.
The diva from Stockholm beat acts from 25 other countries to take the continent’s pop crown at the final of the competition in Liverpool. Finnish singer Käärijä was second in a close-fought battle of the Nordic neighbors.
Loreen, 39, previously won Eurovision in 2012 and is only the second performer to take the prize twice, after Ireland’s Johnny Logan in the 1980s. It’s Sweden’s seventh Eurovision victory, matching Ireland’s record.
“I am seriously overwhelmed,” Loreen said. “This is so beautiful.”
Read More: Kate Middleton Plays Piano In Surprise Eurovision Appearance
She said returning to the contest that helped make her a star was “like coming back to a family. We’ve had an 11-year-long relationship.
- 5/14/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
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