Calvin and Ivan are back to discuss the outcome of last Sunday’s Academy Awards results plus some film news of the week. Tune in below, and be sure to check out our other episodes!

(Illustration: Jennifer Luxton for the Seattle Times)

Last week’s podcast is out after some delay! On this episode, Sarah and Alexandra discuss Greta Gerwig’s debut and Oscar-nominated feature, Lady Bird. One of them loved it; the other not so much… Hear them talk it out, plus go over some film quick news.

Illustration credit: Virginia Zamora

A month ago, we covered award season buzz and nominations on the podcast. Last week, you cast your votes in a few of the Academy Awards categories!

Well, with the ceremony last Sunday evening, the official results are in. Here’s a side-by-side of the FilmSoc poll results compared to the real thing, plus commentary by Pihla Pekkarinen.

Best Picture

FilmSoc Pick: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Official Result: The Shape of Water

These two films were firm favourites to snag this year’s Best Picture title, competing neck in neck during the awards season. Three Billboards had been in the lead, grabbing the BAFTA, Golden Globe and Satellite Award, so it was our favourite to win – but The Shape of Water came through and nabbed the biggest title of the year. The two films are so different, however, that it really comes down to personal taste (or maybe some controversy?). They also did similarly at the box office.

Best Director

FilmSoc Pick: Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)

Official Result: Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)

The Shape of Water was the fully thought out, cohesive, beautifully executed work of a visionary. Every single element, from the score to the cast to the production design to the cinematography is meticulously crafted under del Toro’s watchful eye. And while would have been nice to have Greta Gerwig help to diversify the Best Director winner list from 99% to 98% male, or witness Jordan Peele become the first black director to win the award, del Toro’s victory is undoubtedly deserved. And, we should take a moment to appreciate the fact that, thanks to del Toro, the current decade has been the first in which white directors have been the MINORITY in this category (3 out of 8 wins).

Leading Actress

FilmSoc Pick: Frances McDormand (Three Billboards)

Official Result: Frances McDormand (Three Billboards)

I can confidently say, staying up until 5am watching the Oscars was worth it just to experience McDormand’s speech in real time. The moment when all female nominees in the hall stood (“Meryl, if you do it, everybody else will”) was inspiring and empowering, but also highlighted how much work there is still left to do. The gender proportion of male and female nominees was nowhere near equal. McDormand’s encouragement to adopt the “inclusion rider” clause in filmmaking contracts was a reminder of the hope that someday the Awards could reflect today’s diverse America.

Leading Actor

FilmSoc Pick: Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)

Official Result: Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)

Oldman is one of the most established faces of British cinema, and he won his Oscar in a film about British history playing a British wartime hero (or villain, however you see it). Even his speech, asking his mother to “put the kettle on”, was so quintessentially British one couldn’t help but laugh. It felt cathartic to see Oldman get his Oscar after years of hard work in the industry.

Supporting Actor

FilmSoc Pick: Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards)

Official Result: Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards)

Rockwell’s performance in Three Billboards was received with universal acclaim, so this win came as no surprise. It is also worth noting that this category was the only nomination for one of the more “experimental” big films of 2017, The Florida Project. Many saw this Oscars snub as a surprise, whereas others viewed it as another demonstration of the overwhelming hesitation by the Academy to reward more radical or controversial filmmaking. Other similar snubs this year include The Killing of a Sacred Deer and mother!.

Supporting Actress

FilmSoc Pick: Allison Janney (I, Tonya)

Official Result: Allison Janney (I, Tonya)

Janney’s turn as Tonya’s off-kilter mother (a role written specifically for her) earned her not only the Oscar, but also the Golden Globe, the SAG, the BAFTA, and the Critics’ Choice awards for Best Supporting Actress. This win has pretty much been in the bag since the release of the film. Her Oscar was dedicated to her brother, who lost his battle with addiction and mental illness.

Original Screenplay

FilmSoc Pick: Get Out (Jordan Peele)

Official Result: Get Out (Jordan Peele)

The Academy may have seen rewarding Get Out the coveted Best Picture and Best Director titles as too much of a risk, but Peele’s win is nevertheless historic. Peele is the first black man to win an Original Screenplay Oscar, and not just with any story, with a story that is about racism in today’s America. With such a major win on his first feature, it will be thrilling to see where his directing and writing careers take him next.

Adapted Screenplay

FilmSoc Pick: Call Me By Your Name (James Ivory)

Official Result: Call Me By Your Name (James Ivory)

This was the only win for one of the most successful independent films of the year. James Ivory became the oldest competitive Oscar winner at age 89. Recently, Guadagnino has been dropping hints about a sequel to this awards hit, set against the backdrop of the 1990s AIDS crisis.

Animated Feature

FilmSoc Pick: Coco (Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson)

Official Result: Coco (Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson)

The Boss Baby is now an Oscar-nominated film. Slim pickings for the Academy in 2018. Though disappointed that Loving Vincent flew under the radar this awards season, Coco was a clear favourite and once more, a predictable but deserving winner.

Cinematography

FilmSoc Pick: Blade Runner 2049 (Roger Deakins)

Official Result: Blade Runner 2049 (Roger Deakins)

With a track record of a staggering fourteen nominations, Deakins’ first win couldn’t be sweeter. It’s been a long time coming. Blade Runner 2049 is some of his best work, with a mix of breathtaking long shots and thrilling action sequences, and overall one of the most beautiful films of 2017. This year also saw the first female cinematography nominee, Rachel Morrison for Mudbound.

Production Design

FilmSoc Pick: The Shape of Water (Paul D. Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin, Shane Vieau)

Official Result: The Shape of Water (Paul D. Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin, Shane Vieau)

There was really no contest for this award. Every single set in The Shape of Water was thought out down to the most minute detail, and the designers’ and dressers’ work here is nothing less than extraordinary.

Original Score

FilmSoc Pick: Phantom Thread (Jonny Greenwood)

Official Result: The Shape of Water (Alexandre Desplat)

Desplat’s score for The Shape of Water is ethereal, haunting, hopeful – everything you would want from a score. The use of wind instruments over the ever-so-popular strings is wonderfully refreshing. However, I can’t help but yearn to know what Jonny Greenwood’s Oscar speech would have been. Maybe next year.

Original Song

FilmSoc Pick: ‘Mystery of Love’ from Call Me By Your Name (Sufjan Stevens)

Official Result: ‘Remember Me’ from Coco (Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez)

The category of Best Original Song is probably the least adventurous in the whole ceremony – and that is saying something. Oscars aren’t exactly known for stepping outside the box. “Remember Me” is  exactly the kind of song the award usually commemorates. There is nothing wrong with it, but it’s not particularly memorable, either. But who knows, maybe Kendrick will be in the running next year for his turn in Black Panther.

OTHER CATEGORIES

Documentary Feature

Icarus (Bryan Fogel, Dan Cogan)

This was the first Academy Award win for Netflix, who are quickly becoming a big name in film distribution. This is a major benchmark in the shift from traditional cinema-centered distribution into streaming. Mudbound, another Netflix feature, received four nominations this year but won none. With a target of 80 new films to be released in 2018, this is a major step forward for Netflix in becoming a recognisable force not only at the box office, but also on the red carpet.

Foreign Language Film

A Fantastic Woman (Chile: Sebastián Lelio)

A favourite to win, A Fantastic Woman is a daring film about the struggles of a transgender woman inspired by the film’s lead actress, Daniela Vega. This film was the first feature to win an Oscar with an openly transgender lead and main character, and Vega was also the first openly transgender person to present on the stage at the Academy Awards. Check out our writer Diego on the Curzon podcast with the director!

Makeup and Hairstyling

Darkest Hour (Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, Lucy Sibbick)

Gary Oldman mentioned in an interview with Vanity Fair that he wore the makeup for Winston Churchill 61 times, spending over 200 hours total in a makeup chair being transformed into the spitting image of the World War II PM. Impressive, to say the least.

Costume Design

Phantom Thread (Mark Bridges)

A film about a dressmaker which doesn’t win the Oscar for Costume Design? Unlikely. Special shoutout goes to Jacqueline Durran, though, for two nominations in one season for Beauty and the Beast and Darkest Hour!

Film Editing

Dunkirk (Lee Smith)

Sound Editing

Dunkirk (Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo)

Sound Mixing

Dunkirk (Alex Gibson, Richard King)

Dunkirk scooping up three out of the four major technical awards towards the beginning of the night likely proved disappointing to any Nolanphiles watching – rule of thumb being that usually winning technical awards means missing out on the Big Five. Baby Driver was unfortunately overlooked in these categories, disappointing to many of us at Film Soc.

Visual Effects

Blade Runner 2049 (John Nelson, Paul Lambert, Richard R. Hoover, Gerd Nefzer)

Documentary Short Subject

Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405 (Frank Stiefel)

This short centers around Mindy Alper, a heavily mentally ill artist who channels their emotions into passionate art and sculpture. After a successful festival run, it was another favourite to win.

Live Action Short

The Silent Child (Rachel Shenton, Chris Overton)

In one of the most moving moments of the night, Rachel Shenton signed her speech for her 6-year-old star’s benefit, and thanked the Academy for bringing a story of disability to a “mainstream audience”. Among his thanks, Chris Overton mentioned the supporters of their IndieGogo campaign, an inspiring moment for low-budget filmmakers. (Speaking of, one of our very own affiliate projects, Jenny, is still looking for funding! Campaign is open for 5 more days at: indiegogo.com/projects/jenny-music-film)

Animated Short

Dear Basketball (Glen Keane, Kobe Bryant)

Can we all please revel in the fact that not only are we now living in a world where Suicide Squad is an Oscar winner, we are also living in a time where Kobe Bryant is one too. Who’s next?

Overall, there were no big surprises; the Academy, as usual, played it safe. However, these Oscars were the most diverse we have ever had, with women, people of colour, and stories about LGBTQ+ and disabled people being brought to the forefront for the first time. Unlike at other awards ceremonies this season, there was no official #MeToo dress code, but the movement’s presence was nevertheless palpable. Not for the first time, the minorities in the film industry have raised their voices to say “enough” – but for the first time, they are being listened to.

Check out our pre-Oscars awards seasons discussion + Oscar nominations podcast episodes!

(Illustration: Joanna Bush; Costume Design: Jennifer Johnson)

A new episode is up! Sofia and Maria run through some recent film news headlines then dive into discussion of I, Tonya and The Post, both Oscar-nominated recent releases that feature female figures in the public eye. WARNING: some spoilers.

After a long hiatus, the FilmSoc podcast is back!

Starting with a quick round-up of the latest film and television industry news, this week Lorcan, Issam, and Maria take a look at Call Me By Your Name, the acclaimed 2017 indie romance rocketing towards Oscar fame. Listen to them dissect the film – characters, performances, soundtrack, etc. – in the context of LGBT cinema.

Check out our blog review of Call Me By Your Name from London Film Festival in October as well!

Caroline Colvin discusses the social implications of sexual assault allegations against famed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Trigger warning for mentions of sexual assault

From the #MeToo’s solemnly lining your Facebook feed to investigations launched by Scotland Yard, it seems once again the issues of sexual assault and gender-based violence are at the forefront.

Journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey blew Hollywood open last month by revealing how Harvey Weinstein, a renowned Hollywood television and film producer, has been paying off those who accuse him of sexual assault. This doesn’t just concern a one-off incident: this has been taking place since the early 1990s, in the U.S. and U.K., over and over and over again.

Most notably, Weinstein reached a settlement with actress Rose McGowan in 1997 and model Ambra Battilana-Gutierrez after a 2015 incident. But those encounters are just the tip of the iceberg. Most of the people Weinstein sexually harassed and assaulted did not even get to the point where they could take legal action. And herein lies the problem: a culture of complicitness and a strictly enforced “code of silence.”

In 1997, Asia Argento also experienced unwanted sexual advances from Weinstein. So did Ashley Judd. So did Mira Sorvino a few years before. So did Emma de Caunes in 2010, Jessica Barth in 2011 and Lupita Nyong’o, too, when she was still a student at Yale University. So did Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie. So did Lea Seydoux.

Every survivor’s story follows a similar pattern. As a bright, young actress looking for a breakthrough, they leap at the the chance to meet with a powerful Hollywood producer like Weinstein. He invites them to his hotel under the guise of talking roles, and suddenly they find themselves alone at dinner or alone in his hotel room. He switches the script from business to personal, exposing himself to the person in question and pestering them to give him a massage.

Sometimes, after a tense exchange, they’ll leave unscathed. But many survivors will be forced to endure more from Weinstein, much to his almost unbothered delight.

There are some variations. In her Weinstein encounter, Cara Delevingne was subjected to both invasive questioning about her sex life with female partners and derision for her sexuality.

Of course, the way they “suddenly” find themselves alone isn’t so sudden. Many executives at Weinstein Company, particularly women, were enlisted by Weinstein to be a trap for his targets. They would sit in on the first half of meetings to help put actresses at ease. It’s clear that Weinstein had this process of ensnarement and coercion down to a science.

The Weinstein story and its details all point to a bigger truth: that gender hierarchy is still alive and well today, and permeates every aspect of our lives. Elevated to a god-like status by his peers, Weinstein felt he could get away with whatever he wanted. With an immense amount of social, political and financial power at his disposal, he could.

We live in a world where no matter how talented a woman is in her field, her body is considered first. Sure, there is a certain aspect of physicality crucial to some arts, acting among them. But the way Weinstein objectified these women is uncalled for. He abused the fact he held their futures in his grubby hands. These sexual assault allegations speak to the sense of entitlement men in positions of power feel toward women’s bodies.

Weinstein is addicted to abusing women, to humiliating women, to violating women. Weinstein is addicted to power and his ability to abuse it

— Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) October 11, 2017

Don't allow the dialogue around Weinstein to perpetrate the harmful belief that sexual assault is about sex. It never is.

— Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) October 11, 2017

Over the past two decades, business associates of Weinstein’s have aided and abetted sexual assault – if not directly, then by maintaining the “open secret” of Weinstein’s behaviour; and if not by covering for the acts themselves, by creating a culture of fear where no one at the company or in Hollywood felt as if they could speak out.

Some of the ways rape culture is perpetuated in the arts community aren’t so subtle. According to reports from McGowan, Ben Affleck knew about Weinstein’s behavior and did nothing. Quentin Tarantino knew and did nothing. Lindsay Lohan has come out to defend Weinstein. Fashion designer Donna Karan has asked if the survivors coming forward were asking for it. Woody Allen, who has been accused of child sexual abuse, likened pursuit of Weinstein allegations to a “witch hunt.”

Weinstein’s legal team is known to be ruthless and relentless. It’s no surprise Argento, Sorvino, de Caunes, Barth, Nyong’o, Judd and many others all reported feeling as if they couldn’t say a word against Weinstein’s reputation. Retaliation in the form of blacklisting was surely in store. As young actors looking to break into that tight-knit, cut-throat circle called Hollywood, that was a risk they could not afford.

Many of these actors did go on to find great success, but at what cost? As cinephiles, we claim to value these artists. But from the pervasiveness of Weinstein’s mistreatment of women, it’s clear we do not value these actors as people. It doesn’t matter how talented or beloved these women are. As a woman, your personal excellence will not erase the gender-based violence you will come up against. The concept of shattering a “glass ceiling” is a myth. If anything, that ceiling is lined with polycarbonate to catch bullets: it’s impenetrable, if not completely shatterproof.

Deep-seated issues like this one don’t go away overnight. The main way we can start stripping away the layers of misogyny and violence hanging over our communities is by holding people accountable. This means legal action as well as social action.

The burden of defending a workplace from sexual predation cannot be carried alone by women and our whisper network.

— Helen Rosner (@hels) October 6, 2017

It seems the film industry has already started to stand up in small ways. Judi Dench, as well as Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep, Mark Ruffalo and Judd Apatow, have publicly condemned Weinstein. BAFTA revoked his membership. Shortly after, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts did the same and the Television Academy are looking for proper punishment to fit allegations against him.

First and foremost, as lovers of the arts, we must also stop supporting abusers and their enablers moving forward. In Weinstein’s case, this doesn’t mean forget that you ever loved “Arthur and the Invisibles” and “The Great Debaters” as a kid. This doesn’t mean that now “Project Runway” or “Inglorious Basterds” or “A Single Man” or “Django Unchained” or “The Butler” or “The Imitation Game” or “Peaky Blinders” can’t make your heart sing as an adult. But it does mean we have to think critically about what we put our love toward and our money into in the years to come.

Weinstein has since been fired from his company and has resigned from its board. At the very least, this means the hex Weinstein has cast over Hollywood and adjacent film industries has been broken. But there are countless other sexual predators who still haven’t answered for their abuses and remain on our artistic pedestals. It’s through taking a stand (long-term, not just when fresh allegations are on a front page) that we can follow through on the conversations about gender hierarchy and sexual assault.

Raphael Duhamel reports on the ongoing story.

On October 5th, the New York Times published an investigation about Harvey Weinstein and let the world discover the odious acts of a perverted, powerful man. Since then, the ex-Hollywood mogul has been fired by the board of his own enterprise, The Weinstein Company, and a great number of women (thirty-three for now, though the number keeps growing), some of them famous, have shared their own dreadful experiences with the producer. What started as harassment complaints quickly escalated to sexual assaults. The New Yorker reported that three actresses were raped, including Asia Argento, daughter of Italian director Dario, who was only twenty-one at the time. Their accounts all converge on one point: they stayed in touch with Weinstein, afraid of his considerable influence and extensive reach in Hollywood.

Stories like these have a far too familiar ring to them. The Weinstein case echoes not only Casey Affleck’s recent sexual harassment claims but innumerable older ones which have surfaced in the last few years. Among these are the question of whether Maria Schneider consented to the activities on-set while shooting the infamous butter scene in Last Tango in Paris, and assault allegations against Bill Cosby spanning a period of forty-three years. Although not all scandals are comparable, there is a general feeling of injustice among women in the movie industry, as most perpetrators proceed in their professional life without much difficulty. This applies particularly to Harvey Weinstein, who appears to have been assaulting women since at least 1990 and has gotten away with it – helped by lawyers who negotiated settlements with the victims, dealing sums that went up to millions of dollars. The opening of a NYPD investigation now gives hope to the countless victims.

The producer’s predatory behavior was well-known in his workplace, but all employees were required to sign a non-disclosure agreement in their contract. Indeed, as the company’s “business reputation” was to be protected, dozens of cases were covered up. The New Yorker’s article reveals that Weinstein was almost prosecuted in 2015 for sexually assaulting an Italian model and admitting it in an audio tape. The charges were dropped following the intervention of the producer’s legal team. This accumulation of facts and hard proof is enough to question the complicity of many: it is hardly conceivable that these revelations were news for anyone in Hollywood, especially in his close circle of friends, which includes the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Ben Affleck. The latter expressed his anger and disgust when reading the stories about Weinstein; but his apparent dishonesty was noted on Twitter by Hilarie Burton, who complained about the Argo director groping her during a live MTV show in the past. He briefly answered by apologizing on the social network, but Affleck’s attitude seems representative of the typical Hollywood self-righteousness. Hypocritical behavior also prevails outside of the film industry, as audiences appear to have double standards on the subject of celebrities: how is it that Nate Parker, the director of The Birth of a Nation, got boycotted by critics and audiences because of a rape charge, for which he was acquitted in 1999, whereas Roman Polanski, who now faces a 4th sexual assault allegation, remains one of today’s most acclaimed directors? The same goes for Woody Allen, whose implications in assault cases are still widely overlooked by international audiences. [article continues below]

Worldwide reactions to the Weinstein scandal have been almost unanimous so far, but the question of safety in the movie industry now needs to be tackled effectively, in order to create a supportive environment for women. Most importantly, security in film festivals needs to be scrutinized, since at least four of the sexual assault charges against the producer took place in hotel rooms in Toronto, Cannes, or Sundance. These locations acted as sanctuaries for Weinstein, who took advantage of his status of “independent film god” to molest his victims. Some organizations, such as Women in Film, have put forward some proposals to help actively fight harassment. The two main points involve increasing the number of women in decision-making positions, and refusing to allow compromise and settlement in legal actions against abusers.

According to recent reports, Weinstein is now headed to a rehabilitation center in Europe. The BAFTA has censured him, as well as The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which has announced a special meeting to discuss the allegations directed at the Oscar-winning producer. AMPAS is known for giving the Best Director Oscar to Roman Polanski in 2003, for The Pianist, in spite of his abusive behavior and exile to Europe; but, as of today, a merciful decision from the Academy appears improbable. Weinstein has issued a statement explaining how devastated he is but, strikingly, instead of asking for forgiveness or expressing any remorse, he seems focused on being granted a second chance. His attitude only goes to show how despicable, pathetic, and most importantly oblivious this man is, as well as reinforcing the absolute necessity that he faces an uncompromising and symbolic trial.

UPDATE (October 19)

 

This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.

Alongside the first wave of reactions to Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s historical drama The Current War comes an eagerly-anticipated trailer. Our first introduction to the conflict between two of the electricity industry’s first titans, Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon), the trailer suggests a beautifully-shot and atmospheric biopic, but one in other ways less assured.

To the best of our knowledge, the film will revolve around the war between the AC and DC current systems – hence the self-explanatory title. The two leads look promising (though it’s still strange to hear an American accent roll off the quintessentially English Cumberbatch’s tongue), but the tone of the trailer wavers between a low-key character study of their warring intellects, and a more melodramatic sort of thriller involving more personal attacks at one another. Regardless, it all looks tantalizing, possibly a strong awards contender, and even includes something of a preview of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange interacting way before Infinity War is released – since Tom Holland also stars as Edison’s secretary Samuel Insull. Other major cast members include Katherine Waterston, Tuppence Middleton, and Nicholas Hoult as Nikola Tesla.

UCL students who watched the film crew get down to work at the Main Quad will be pleased to learn the trailer does feature two establishing shots of this particular scene: an electricity demonstration, so it seems, by Edison. (It remains to be seen what precise location the Main Quad will stand in for.) The iconic UCL portico is visible in multiple shots.

The Current War is set for UK release in January 2018. Watch the trailer below.

Reboot News: Sony Set The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo reboot-quel for October 2018; Warner Bros. Exploring The Matrix

Two major reboot news have dropped this week – one a little more concrete than the other. Sony have formally announced that their follow-up to David Fincher’s 2011 adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo will be an adaptation of the 4th book in the series (The Girl In The Spider’s Web, the first in the series not to be written by Larsson) helmed by Dont Breathe‘s Fede Alvarez and featuring an entirely new cast. And elsewhere, there is word that Warner Bros. and writer Zak Penn are exploring a possibility of returning to the universe of The Matrix, with Michael B. Jordan as lead; Penn later took to Twitter to clarify that this will not be a reboot. [Deadline/NME]

Casting News: Alicia Vikander In Talks For Ben Wheatley’s Freakshift, Henry Cavill Joins Mission: Impossible 6

A pair of intriguing casting updates – just a couple of weeks before the UK bow of the director’s excellent Free Fire, Alicia Vikander is said to be in talks to star in ben Wheatley’s next feature, the monster action thriller Freakshift. And director Christopher McQuarrie took to Instagram earlier this week to announce that Superman himself, Henry Cavill, has nabbed a role in next summer’s (2018, that is) Mission: Impossible sequel. [Deadline 1/2]

Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma Wraps Production

The Gravity director’s next project isn’t too far off now – the Mexico City-set family drama Roma has wrapped production earlier this week, calling the project the film he’s “always dreamed of making”. An interesting tidbit out of the press info for the film is that regular collaborator Emmanuel Lubezki has been replaced for this film by Galo Olivares… [IndieWire]

Netflix To Complete Orson Welles’ The Other Side of the Wind

In another move to solidify the company’s game-changer status, Netflix have announced that they will be financing the completion and restoration of the famed filmmaker’s final production, as well as releasing it globally. The streaming service have come on board filmmaker Filip Jan Rymsza’s Indiegogo campaign to restore and finish the film, with producer Frank Marshall and one of the stars of the film Peter Bogdanovich also overseeing the project. [THR]

Matthew Vaughn Eyed To Direct Man Of Steel Foll0w-Up

While we’ve already gotten a direct sequel to Zack Snyder’s reintroduction of Superman to today’s audiences in the form of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, there’s still the question of whether the superhero will get a new solo film as part of the DCEU. Reports have come out that Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn has been eyed to direct the film. There has been a very positive fan response to the news, especially from fans hoping for Warner Bros. to take the character closer to the more optimistic portrayals made famous by Christopher Reeve and Richard Donner following Snyder’s Justice League arriving this November. [Collider]

Trailer of the Week: Transformers: The Last Knight

What’s your favourite piece of film/TV news from this week? Let us know in the comments or our Facebook and Twitter!

‘Avatar 2’ Delayed (Again)

In what will come as a surprise to absolutely no one, James Cameron announced earlier this week that his Avatar sequel, which was previously set to release December 2018, will not be releasing on that date. With that lucrative window freed up though, and the lack of Star Wars movie in that period, who will move in? [Variety]

Hugh Jackman Is Michael Mann’s Enzo Ferrari

The famed director’s Ferrari biopic is getting revved up again, with Hugh Jackman and Noomi Rapace currently in talks to star as the Italian automobile mogul and his wife. Of course, cue the jokes about how he doesn’t have to get ripped Wolverine-style for this role… [Deadline]

Damien Chazelle’s First Man Set For October 2018 Release

Looks like we have our Best Picture winner at the 2019 Oscars. Universal have announced that the La La Land director’s re-team with Ryan Gosling, with Gosling starring as the Neil Armstrong, will be released in the U.S. on October 12, 2018. Expect this to get more than a few festival premieres in the lead-up – from Venice, to Toronto, and on to London… [AwardsDaily]

Trailers Galore: Atomic Blonde, Two Baby Driver Trailers, Wonder Woman & More

What’s your favourite piece of film/TV news from this week? Let us know in the comments or our Facebook and Twitter!

Surprise Concept Teaser For Deadpool Sequel Drops

In a total shock that not even yours truly saw coming, screenings of Logan in the U.S. and Canada carried a special surprise – the first look at David Leitch’s Deadpool sequel in the form of a hilarious short film helmed by the John Wick co-director. And said short has now officially landed online thanks to Ryan Reynolds himself. If you’ve ever dreamed of the Merc with a Mouth messing around in the Wick universe (at least visually), this is it… [TrailerTrack]

Emily Blunt Is Mary Poppins In First Look At Sequel

Disney have dropped a first look image from the upcoming Mary Poppins Returns, which is currently in production – featuring Emily Blunt as the beloved magical nanny. Rob Marshall is directing the sequel, with Meryl Streep and Colin Firth also starring. [THR]

The Future Of TRON: Joseph Kosinski Talks Ascension, Jared Leto Eyed For Reboot?

At a special screening of TRON: Legacy last week, director Joseph Kosinski got a chance to briefly talk about the currently ‘cryogenically frozen’ third instalment TRON: Ascension, which the director describes as an “invasion movie”. But, just days after that interview, it could be said that Disney are returning shots, as trade reports have come out regarding the studio exploring a total reboot of the franchise, with Jared Leto circling the lead role. [Collider/THR]

Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler Board Godzilla: King of Monsters

Just days before the release of the second instalment in Legendary’s MonsterVerse franchise – Kong: Skull Island – there have been developments with Michael Dougherty’s sequel to Godzilla. Over the past few weeks, the main cast have been officially announced – with the film seemingly centring on a family unit consisting of Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), Kyle Chandler (Manchester By The Sea) and Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring). [Variety]

Trailers Of The Week – Kong: Skull Island and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Final Trailers

What’s your favourite piece of film/TV news from this week? Let us know in the comments or our Facebook and Twitter!

In Memoriam: Bill Paxton

We are extremely saddened to learn that famed character actor Bill Paxton passed away this weekend aged 61. He was best known for his appearances in Aliens, The Terminator, Titanic, Twister, Edge of Tomorrow; as well as TV turns in Big Love and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and his directorial debut Frailty. Paxton will next be seen in James Ponsoldt’s The Circle. Fellow Hollywood stars came out with an outpour of support and remembrance following the news, including Jennifer Aniston who delivered an emotional tribute to the actor at last night’s Oscars. [BBC]

The Oscars – Moonlight and The Salesman Upset & More

The bitter months-long rivalry between the two frontrunners could not have ended more perfectly. The Academy Awards were handed out last night at L.A.’s Dolby Theatre, with La La Land, as expected, scoring big by picking up 9 awards including Best Director and Best Actress. But the big surprises came closer to the end of the night – not only did Asghar Farhadi’s The Salesman beat out favourite Toni Erdmann in the Best Foreign Language Film category, the night ended with a big twist as La La Land was mistakenly awarded Best Picture instead of Moonlight. [THR]

Matt Reeves Officially Announced As The Batman Director; Nightwing Movie In The Works From LEGO Batman Director

The DC Universe drama has finally concluded – Warner Bros. have officially announced that Matt Reeves will indeed direct the in-development Batman solo film starring Ben Affleck. And elsewhere, reports have surfaced that the studio are also working on a film centred around the character of Nightwing, with The LEGO Batman Movie director Chris McKay in talks to helm the project. [THR]

Fox Debuts Prologue Short Film For Alien: Covenant

The build up to Ridley Scott’s return to the Alien franchise continues – Fox have released a special 4-minute ‘prologue’ for Alien: Covenant this week. Directed by Luke Scott and packed with Alien references galore, this short (which will not appear in the final film, like similar ‘prologue’ promos for The Martian) nicely introduces us to the crew of the to-be-doomed colony vessel and is an absolute must-watch ahead of the film’s May release.

Trailer Of The Week: Bright

Fantasy has become reality. Will Smith and Joel Edgerton star in Bright, only on @netflix. pic.twitter.com/FJueEhMFCO

— Bright Film (@BrightNetflix) 27 February 2017

What’s your favourite piece of film/TV news from this week? Let us know in the comments or our Facebook and Twitter!

DC Director Drama – Matt Reeves Possibly Out Of ‘The Batman’, Mel Gibson For ‘Suicide Squad’ Sequel?

The drama over at Warner Bros. following Ben Affleck’s exit as director of the in-development Batman solo film is still going on – on Friday, it has been reported that negotiations between Matt Reeves – who appeared to be the favourite to replace Affleck – and the studio have broken down. While on the other side of the DC universe – Hacksaw Ridge director Mel Gibson has had a ‘first date’ with the studio about directing Suicide Squad 2 (the first film’s director David Ayer will be directing Skwad spin-off Gotham City Sirens with Margot Robbie producing and starring). [THR/ScreenRant]

BAFTA Film Award Winners Announced

BAFTA have handed out their film awards at the Royal Albert Hall exactly a week ago – with Oscars Best Picture frontrunner La La Land not winning a landslide of awards, walking away with 5 in total including Best Film. Other highlights of the night included Viola Davis winning Best Supporting Actress for Fences, I, Daniel Blake taking home the Best British Film award, and in a surprise – complete lack of wins for Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight. [The Guardian]

‘Logan’ Scores Rave Reviews Following Berlin Film Festival Premiere

James Mangold’s Logan held its world premiere at the Berlinale this Friday, and had its review embargo lifted following the screening – with critics hailing it the perfect swan song to Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. The film currently holds an impressive 97% and an average rating 8.2/10 on Rotten Tomatoes after 59 reviews, with critics highly praising the film’s grounded tone and a primarily dramatic as opposed to action-based story, as well as performances by Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart and newcomer Dafne Keen who plays the young mutant Laura. (We’ve seen it as well, and fully agree) [The Independent]

Disney Live Action Remake News – Niki Caro In Talks To Direct ‘Mulan’, Donald Glover And James Earl Jones Cast In ‘The Lion King’

With Beauty and the Beast on the horizon, things are moving forward over at Disney with their live-action remakes. The Zookeeper’s Wife director Niki Caro is now in talks to direct Mulan, with the studio originally first approaching Ang Lee and then focusing on female filmmakers – with a shortlist including Patty Jenkins and Michelle MacLaren. And with The Lion King – Donald Glover (who is currently filming the Han Solo Star Wars spin-off) has been cast as the voice of Simba, with the legendary James Earl Jones reprising his role from the original as Mufasa. [Empire/THR]

Trailer Of The Week – Terrence Malick’s Song To Song

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Director News: Matt Reeves For ‘The Batman’ And David Fincher For ‘World War Z’ Sequel?

Following Ben Affleck’s exit from The Batman in a directorial capacity, Warner Bros. are hastily looking for a replacement director. Dawn of… and War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves, who has been top of the shortlists since last week, has now formally met with the studio and is said to be ‘committed’ to the project. And there has also been an update on David Fincher’s next project – the filmmaker was previously rumoured to be re-teaming with Brad Pitt for a sequel to World War Z. Following Paramount pulling the film from their release schedule for the time being, new reports have come out suggesting that Fincher is still interested in the project, with Paramount’s Brad Grey holding things up… [Variety/THR]

Marvel Drops Avengers: Infinity War First Look Featurette As Production Ramps Up

Just a couple of weeks following the start of production on what is said to be the ‘conclusion’ of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios have released a behind-the-scenes featurette – featuring concept art from the two-parter as well as interview snippets with directors Anthony and Joe Russo, MCU showrunner Kevin Feige and cast members Robert Downey Jr, Chris Pratt and Tom Holland. [The Verge]

Remake News: Jack Nicholson And Kristen Wiig In ‘Toni Erdmann’ Remake; Coen Brothers Rewriting ‘Scarface’

Just as the film’s popularity is ramping up ahead of the Oscars (as well as following the UK release – review coming this week), Jack Nicholson has ‘come out of semi-retirement’ to get an English-language remake off the ground at Paramount. The project currently has Nicholson set to star as Erdmann (originally played by Peter Simonischek) in his first role since 2010, and Kristen Wiig as Sandra Hüller’s daughter character. Despite earlier reports however, original director Maren Ade is unlikely to be involved in the remake. Also on the remake front – Joel and Ethan Coen are set to take a crack at the script for the upcoming remake of Scarface, with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story‘s Diego Luna currently attached as the lead. Following Antoine Fuqua’s exit from the project, Hell or High Water‘s David Mackenzie and Peter Berg are currently the two frontrunners to direct. [THR/SlashFilm]

Thandie Newton In Talks For Han Solo ‘Star Wars’ Spin-Off

Following her resurgence with a critically acclaimed turn in Westworld, the BAFTA winner is currently in negotiations to star in Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s currently in-production Han Solo Star Wars Story – joining Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson and Emilia Clarke. [Variety]

Trailer of the Week – The Beguiled

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New Looks At ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ & More Debut At Super Bowl

There are two times a year we get lots of new trailers – the lead up to a new Star Wars movie, and the Super Bowl. In the lead up to and during last night’s game, studios dropped brand new looks for the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel, The Fate of the Furious (a.k.a. Fast & Furious 8), Transformers: The Last Knight and more. And TV didn’t miss out on the action either – as Netflix dropped the first teaser for the highly anticipated second season of Stranger Things. [The Guardian]

DC: Ben Affleck Won’t Direct ‘The Batman’, Nicole Kidman & More In ‘Aquaman’

Maybe it’s just the pressure – following a whirlwind press tour for Live By Night which had Affleck fielding questions left and right regarding this project, Warner Bros. have announced that he will be stepping down as director on the in-development Batman solo film that’s part of the current DC Films roster. Affleck will still star, produce and write the film alongside DC’s Geoff Johns and frequent collaborator Chris Terrio – with the new director shortlist topped by Matt Reeves (of Cloverfield and the recent Planet of the Apes films fame). However, better news came hours later as James Wan’s Aquaman starring Jason Momoa as the titular character landed a number of great stars – including Nicole Kidman and The Get Down‘s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. [Variety/Collider]

James Cameron Completes ‘Avatar’ Sequel Scripts – Filming Begins August

In a new interview with The Daily Beast, the famed filmmaker confirmed that he has completed work on the screenplays for Avatar 2, 3, 4 and 5! He’s planning to begin shooting the sequels this summer, with Avatar 2 penciled in for release on December 20, 2018 – almost definitely going up against a Star Wars movie of some sort.

Peter Capaldi To Depart ‘Doctor Who’

The new season of Doctor Who drops this April, but this will be the last season for Peter Capaldi, who played the role from 2014 onwards. Departing the series following the 2017 Christmas Special, speculation is abound as to who will replace him. He isn’t the only major force of the show leaving though – with current showrunner Steven Moffat also departing alongside Capaldi. [i09]

‘Fifty Shades Darker’ Box Office Tracking Well Behind First Film

And closing off with what may be some good schadenfreude – it doesn’t appear that Fifty Shades Darker (released in the UK and US this Friday) will do well at the box office at all this time round. Prerelease box office tracking suggests that Darker is set to open to $35-40 million range in North America this weekend – over 50% lower than the surprising breakout performance of the first film ($85 million opening weekend, $571 million globally overall). Coupled with the massive creative changes between the films including series author E.L. James getting final cut – and the merciless ribbing from John Wick: Chapter 2 which opens the same day stateside – this will be interesting to watch… [THR]

What’s your favourite piece of film/TV news from this week? Let us know in the comments or our Facebook and Twitter!

In Memoriam: John Hurt and Emmanuelle Riva

Over the course of the last few days, we’ve lost two screen legends – Sir John Hurt and Emmanuelle Riva have both passed away this week, aged 77 and 89 respectively. Hurt was best known for his roles in Alien, The Elephant Man, V For Vendetta and has most recently starred in Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy, Doctor Who and Jackie. The BAFTA-winning actor was currently in production on Joe Wright’s Darkest Hour, where he plays Neville Chamberlain. Riva best-known work included Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Three Colours: Blue and Michael Haneke’s Amour, which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress – the oldest nominee ever for an Actor or Actress in a Leading Role award. [BBC/AV Club]

2017 Oscar Nominees Announced

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have announced the nominees for this year’s Oscars, which take place on Sunday, February 26th. Damien Chazelle’s La La Land (our review) earned 14 nominations in total – tying the record set by Titanic and All About Eve. Other top nominees include fellow Best Picture nominees Arrival and Moonlight (8 each), Hacksaw Ridge, Lion and Manchester by the Sea (6 each), and Fences and Hell or High Water (4 each) – with major surprises including yet another Meryl Streep nod for Best Actress, nominations for Suicide Squad and Passengers; and snubs for Amy Adams’s performance in Arrival, as well as Martin Scorsese’s Silence which earned a sole Cinematography nod. [THR]

Richard Kelly May Return To World Of ‘Donnie Darko’

With the cult classic Donnie Darko now re-released on Blu-ray with a brand new restoration, director Richard Kelly expressed his desire to return to the world of the film, describing a potential sequel as ‘bigger and more ambitious’ in a recent interview. He also touched upon needing a big budget to make it happen, and that he will look into developing the idea following the release of his next film. [HMV]

Marvel Studios’ Black Panther And Avengers: Infinity War Begin Production

Marvel Studios have announced this week the start of production for both Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther as well as Anthony & Joe Russo’s Avengers: Infinity War. Both announcements came with casting confirmations – Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman will be joining Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong’o in the February 2018 release, with recent additions to the Avengers threequel’s cast including Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2‘s Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff. [Deadline/Collider]

Two Movies And A…Perfume Ad – Terrence Malick’s 2017 Plans Revealed

The famed director is debuting Song To Song – starring Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, Natalie Portman and Michael Fassbender – this March at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas; but that’s not all. Word is that Malick not only has another upcoming project – war drama Radegund  (featuring a notably less star-studded cast than Song To Song, save for Matthias Schoenaerts) due to make its festival debut closer to the end of this year – but he also reportedly shot a perfume ad campaign for Guerlain starring none other than Angelina Jolie. Once the campaign launches in March, Malick will join the ranks of Sofia Coppola, Spike Jonze and Nicolas Winding Refn who all recently directed spots for Dior, Kenzo and Gucci respectively. [Collider]

Poster Of The Week – Ghost In The Shell

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Benedict Cumberbatch At UCL – ‘The Current War’ Filming This Weekend

The big news from this week for us is, of course, the big film shoot which took over the main quad this weekend. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s The Current War began shooting last month here in London, and transformed the Portico this weekend into the New York Stock Exchange – where Benedict Cumberbatch’s Thomas Edison (pictured at the top in the film’s first official still released by The Weinstein Company) delivered a rousing speech. Cumberbatch, no stranger to UCL students showing up at his sets with Sherlock‘s signature Speedy’s Cafe just minutes from the campus, greeted everyone (including our committee members) who stood out there in the cold watching the shoot. The film also stars Tom Holland (who, too, was spotted on set), Katherine Waterston, Michael Shannon and Nicholas Hoult. [Cumberbatch Brasil]

Sundance Film Festival Joins The Women’s March

The film world did not forget what was happening in the real one. Following Donald Trump’s inauguration on Friday; Park City, Utah – host of the Sundance Film Festival – joined hundreds of thousands assembled in major cities across the world to protest Trump’s presidency and his stance on issues from women’s and LGBTQ rights to embracing immigrants. TV personality Chelsea Handler led the march at Sundance, with stars attending the festival including Charlize Theron all joining in. Many film and TV actresses and actors also took part in the various marches in L.A., New York, London and of course the main event in Washington D.C.. [Variety]

First Reviews For Danny Boyle’s ‘T2 Trainspotting’ Are In

Ahead of its UK release this coming Friday, the highly-anticipated Trainspotting sequel was screened for press in central London on Thursday evening. With no embargo, the reviews came flooding in – with most praising the film (currently at 79% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a few critics feeling it doesn’t quite live up to the first film. In any case, we are curious to check Danny Boyle’s T2 out for ourselves next week, and we will review it here. [The Independent]

‘A Dog’s Purpose’ In Controversy Over Alleged Animal Abuse On Set

Famed ABBA music video and Salmon Fishing In The Yemen director Lasse Hallström’s new film has been plunged into controversy this week after an edited video released by TMZ went viral, allegedly depicting one of the dogs starring in the film being forced into water on set. Universal and producers Amblin Entertainment have been dealing with the fallout, with reports from those who’ve seen the full footage of the day’s shoot suggesting that the dog was fine all along and the video was specially edited and sold to TMZ to fulfil PETA’s agenda of ensuring no animals are used on set of film and TV productions. [Deadline]

‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ Passes $1 Billion Globally

Surprise, surprise, Disney are once again on a roll. The first Star Wars spin-off film has, as of just a few minutes ago, officially joined the billion-dollar club at the global box office. It has been an incredibly successful 2016 for Disney, with the (now) 6 films grossing over $1 billion all coming from the studio – and this is sure to be reassuring for the cast and crew of the untitled Han Solo spin-off, which is up next for Disney/Lucasfilm after the release of Episode VIII this December. [THR]

Trailer Of The Week – ‘Logan’ Final Trailer

What’s your favourite piece of film/TV news from this week? Let us know in the comments or our Facebook and Twitter!

Welcome to our Weekly News Roundup, where we will be bringing together a curated selection of the week’s top stories in the world of film and television. First up…

pic.twitter.com/TNorErkZXf

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) 13 January 2017

Deadpool – Oscar Nominee?

After a surprising pair of Golden Globes nominations including one for star Ryan Reynolds, Tim Miller’s wisecracking anti-superhero Deadpool has racked up nomination after nomination at various guild awards, including the Producers Guild of America (commonly considered to be a reliable predictor of Oscars Best Picture nominations) and a Directors’ Guild of America nomination for first-time director Miller. As we get nearer to the Oscars nomination announcement and the awards pundits across the pond rack their brains over whether Deadpool deserves a that coveted Best Picture nod or not, Reynolds posted this hilarious ‘For Your Consideration’ ad, which you can see above. [Deadline]

Woody Harrelson Cast In Han Solo ‘Star Wars’ Spin-Off

Just before the Hunger Games star takes to the streets of London for a one-off live comedy film next Thursday night (more info), Disney have officially announced his involvement in Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s untitled Han Solo Star Wars Story. The film has already cast Alden Ehrenreich (Han Solo), Donald Glover (Lando Calrissian), and Emilia Clarke. And word is that he’s playing a mentor to young Han, which has dismayed some fans, but guess we will just wait and see. [StarWars.com]

BAFTA Nominations Announced

Ahead of the awards ceremony next month, BAFTA have announced the nominations for their Film Awards. On the heels of its record-breaking Golden Gloves run, Damien Chazelle’s frontrunner La La Land scored 11 nominations. But the big surprises to land on the nominees list include Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals scoring 9 nominations, Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake earning that Best Film nod, and Emily Blunt earning a surprise nomination for The Girl On The Train. [THR]

Agent Cooper Returns In ‘Twin Peaks’ Teaser

David Lynch is back. On the heels of the premiere date announcement, Showtime have revealed a brand new (if unrevealing) teaser for the famed director’s revival of Twin Peaks, featuring none other than Kyle MacLachlan. The series -described by executinves as ‘pure heroin’ – returns to screens on May 22nd when Sky Atlantic will air the two-hour premiere at the same time as the U.S.; in the meantime, enjoy the sneak peek above. [Variety]

Lucasfilm Has No Plans To Digitally Recreate Carrie Fisher In Future ‘Star Wars’

Following the digital resurrection of Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin for Rogue One, the BBC have reported that Disney were in negotiations with the estate of Carrie Fisher, who sadly passed away earlier this month, to digitally recreate her General Leia Organa for future Star Wars episodes. However, in a rare move last night, Lucasfilm shut these reports down, stating they have no plans to do so. Carrie gave the go-ahead to digitally replicate a younger version of Leia for Rogue One (pictured above, via ABC News), and has completed shooting on this December’s Episode VIII before passing away. [Collider]

Trailer Of The Week – John Wick: Chapter 2 ‘Symphony of Violence’

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