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Awards Update: No More Contenders in the Shadows November 29, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen Welcome to an ongoing series where I cover the 2023/2024 awards season. On a regular basis, I will update my Oscar predictions, taking into account the new information that has been received since the last update. Full predictions in every category can be found on the Home and Awards page. We’ve finally made it to the point in the season where there are no longer any movies lurking in the shadows. Everything has either been publicly unveiled or has rumors swirling around that it has been seen by a select number of people. I guess Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon are still lying in wait, but I think we’ll be okay leaving those alone. The Color Purple awakened from its long slumber this past week as it premiered to rapturous social media reactions. We still have to take these reactions lightly as the full embargo doesn’t lift for some time, but there’s still enough information for us to read the tea leaves. Danielle Brooks has received the vast majority of praise, pushing her into the potential winner’s circle with Da’Vine Joy Randolph ( The Holdovers ). Fantasia Barrino and Taraji P. Henson also got great notices, leaping them past shaky standalone contenders like Annette Benning ( Nyad ) and Penélope Cruz ( Ferrari ) respectively. Director Blitz Bazawule and writer Marcus Gardley didn’t raise their stock, but several of the technical crafts such as Cinematography and Costume Design were mentioned as nomination landing spots. Also premiering this past week was Ridley Scott’s Napoleon , which went about as expected given the director’s track record with the Oscars. The film has little to no chance of securing anything above the line, but it does look confident in craft categories such as Sound, Costume Design, and Visual Effects. I wouldn’t be surprised if Phoenix and/or Kirby receive nominations from the Golden Globes and/or Critics Choice on account of the extra nomination slots. With the SAG strike over, the starting gun has been fired for actors to promote their work to various awards bodies. Netflix has been shuttling their major talent around like clockwork, with Bradley Cooper & Carey Mulligan ( Maestro ), and Colman Domingo ( Rustin ) shaking hands and kissing babies. Cooper and Mulligan are locked, but Domingo has dropped below Jeffrey Wright ( American Fiction ) as Cord Jefferson’s film continues to pick up steam the same way Green Book and CODA did years before. I won’t be predicting American Fiction to win Best Picture or anything, but it’s doing an impeccable job making itself a viable contender in the already crowded Adapted Screenplay category. This will be the final update before the precursor season fully kicks into gear. Here’s a mini-breakdown of what’s happening over the next few weeks: (11/27) Gotham Awards (11/30) New York Film Critics Circle Awards (12/05) Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations (12/06) National Board of Review Nominations (12/10) Los Angeles Film Critics Circle Awards (12/11) Golden Globe Nominations (12/13) Critics Choice Nominations My next update will come immediately after all those events. It’ll be a moment of fun chaos as our predictions become even more solidified and the races go down to the wire. Must Read 'Maestro' Review Cooper’s filmmaking is just as confident and classical as Bernstein’s musical arrangements. SHOP 'Saltburn' Review Its brain might not always equal its bite, but there’s so much self-assured showmanship that I was glad to get lost in this maze. SHOP 'The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Review Even with it being unable to promptly say goodbye and bits of desperate fan service, this is still a cut above the rest of the YA genre. SHOP 'Napoleon' Review Scott continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry SHOP 'The Marvels' Review Not bad enough to be a catalyst in the downfall of the MCU, nor good enough to be its savior. SHOP

Top 10 Films of 2022 January 3, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen The world of cinema didn’t paint a lot of pretty pictures in 2022. Studios continue to merge, consolidating power in the hands of the few, resulting in some poor decisions that favored the dollars over artists. Save for Everything Everywhere All at Once , small to mid-budget movies floundered at the box office, continuing the dark trend of only blockbusters surviving at the cinemas. But the beginning of a new year should not be a time to reminisce about all the bad stuff that happened over the past twelve months. It should be a time when we look at all the positives and figure out a way for them to continue in the future. So, in an effort to give credit where it’s due, I’ve listed out my favorite films of 2022. Some of these films I expected to be on this list, while others came out of left field. It goes to show that you can experience something truly incredible if you dig a little deeper. Honorable Mentions The Batman Everything Everywhere All at Once Blonde Aftersun The Menu 10. After Yang After Yang is full of grace and compassion, with a touch of melancholy to make it a truly reflective experience of the human soul. It merges American sci-fi with the softer side of independent cinema, which makes it a perfect project to be under the A24 umbrella. With only two films to his name, writer/director Kogonada is already entering the conversation as one of the best humanistic directors of the modern era. Full Review 9. The Banshees of Inisherin Equally hilarious as it is disturbing, The Banshees of Inisherin finds Martin McDonagh, as well as his troupe of actors, in top form. There’s nothing quite like it, and it serves as another reminder that we should all be a little kinder to one another. Full Review 8. Broker Hirokazu Kore-eda has always been more interested in the human drama coming from each character, how they intersect, and what decisions they ultimately make rather than inserting any kind of thriller-like elements to entice the story to a more mainstream audience. The result is another solid, if not outstanding, effort from the Japanese filmmaker, backed by a flawless ensemble led by the subtly nuanced and exceptional Song Kang-ho. Full Review 7. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery A sequel to 2019’s Knives Out , the great igniter to the revitalization of the whodunit genre, was always going to be a tricky obstacle to overcome. In stepped Netflix, who gave writer/director Rian Johnson the necessary blank check to indulge in his wildest fantasies. And because of that, he has crafted a whodunnit that is grander, funnier, stranger, and perhaps better than the original. As the first of two planned sequels, I can only imagine what Johnson is going to serve up next. Full Review 6. TÁR As our guide through a world of classical music and power dynamics, Cate Blanchett reaches another echelon in a career whose peaks have only been marked. If TÁR is meant to mark the second coming of Todd Field’s career, then we should all be in for a lengthy treat for the mind, body, and soul. But if this was only a brief blip and we’re subjected to another sixteen-year absence, then I at least know what my most anticipated film of 2038 will be. Full Review 5. Decision to Leave Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave is often a paradox in itself. It’s classical, yet modern. Cold, yet sexy. Unsatisfying, yet enthralling. Luckily, it finds the near-perfect balance between all of those things, creating a wondrous genre exercise that must be seen to be wholly believed. Full Review 4. Nitram Justin Kurzel's Nitram was one of the best films of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival (where I first saw it) as it explores a real-life tragedy with both grace and severity. While it may be an experience that wrecks people's bodies due to its humanistic intensity, there is hope that there will be a greater understanding of this dark chapter in human history upon leaving the theater. Full Review 3. The Fabelmans The Fabelmans is a collection of Spielberg's greatest hits, all delivered to their greatest effect. There’s laughter, tears, and wonder in this story that is much more than the sum of its parts. If Spielberg climbs the Dolby Theatre steps to collect his third Best Director Oscar, then it will be one of the few long overdue wins that came at the right time for the right project. Full Review 2. All Quiet on the Western Front In the film’s harrowing opening sequence, we follow a coat worn by a German soldier. The man dies in battle, and the coat is plucked off his corpse. It’s then shipped back to a factory to be washed of the blood, mended, and given to a new recruit. It’s moments like this, of which there are many, where director Edward Berger masterfully illustrates the futile self-fulfilling cycle of death that war creates. All Quiet on the Western Front is not just the best film of the year, it’s one of the best of its genre. Full Review 1. Babylon With dashes of Singin’ in the Rain, Boogie Nights, The Wolf of Wall Street, Uncut Gems , and Mulholland Drive , Damien Chazelle’s Babylon is a true auteurist epic in every sense of the word. It’s a 188-minute deconstruction of Old Hollywood mythology, complete with cocaine, fast cars, projectile vomit, glitzy actors, underground sex dungeons, and buckets of style. There isn’t anything like it this year, or any year for that matter. Full Review Must Read 'Maestro' Review Cooper’s filmmaking is just as confident and classical as Bernstein’s musical arrangements. SHOP 'Saltburn' Review Its brain might not always equal its bite, but there’s so much self-assured showmanship that I was glad to get lost in this maze. SHOP 'The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Review Even with it being unable to promptly say goodbye and bits of desperate fan service, this is still a cut above the rest of the YA genre. SHOP 'Napoleon' Review Scott continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry SHOP 'The Marvels' Review Not bad enough to be a catalyst in the downfall of the MCU, nor good enough to be its savior. SHOP

Every Spider-Man Movie Ranked June 2, 2023 By: Tyler Banark With Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse swinging into theaters this weekend, now is a perfect time to revisit and recap every movie from our friendly neighborhood superhero. Since the character’s big screen inception in 2002, Spider-Man has had many faces, friends, foes, and bosses thanks to a civil feud between Sony and Marvel. Between the Spider-Man actors - Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Tom Holland, and Shameik Moore - many generations of fans have debated over who is the best Spider-Man. However, that thorny question will be left for another day. Instead, we’ll embark on the equally difficult and exciting task of ranking all nine Spider-Man movies (Raimi trilogy, Amazing Spider-Man franchise, MCU trilogy, Into the Spider-Verse ) from worst to best. 9. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) Yes, I admit that having Homecoming at the bottom of this list is an unpopular opinion. Tom Holland debuted as the MCU’s Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War one year prior, with Homecoming being his first solo trip around the block. Homecoming is borderline okay, often pushing good. Indecisive on whether or not it wants to be a superhero movie or a John Hughes-inspired coming-of-age flick (i.e., The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles ), Homecoming struggles with its story and leaves audiences underwhelmed. Performance-wise, Holland and the supporting actors are finding their footing with mixed results. It does help that Robert Downey Jr. brings his usual veteran charm in his seventh outing Tony Stark. The other standout in the movie’s strongest suit is Michael Keaton’s Vulture, who packs both a threatening presence and justifiable motives. His turning out to be Liz’s dad was a surprise and one of the most shocking plot twists in the MCU. Thankfully, the fact that Homecoming isn’t as strong as the other Spider-Man movies isn’t a total hindrance, as its direct MCU sequels build upon it and eventually make Holland’s run better by progression. 8. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) Before a recent rewatch, I always had a soft spot for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 . Although it wasn’t the best Spider-Man movie, I still found a lot to enjoy. However, the nostalgia has worn off, with the flaws being glaringly obvious. These big problems stem from the overcrowded writer’s room, with three new pens joining the only returning writer James Vanderbilt. The plot is overstuffed and the handling of the villains could’ve been better. The tone has also been drastically changed, although that change works out in the movie’s favor. Dane DeHaan could’ve been a solid Harry Osborn/Green Goblin, but he comes off as one-dimensional and his subplot is rushed. The same can be said for Jamie Foxx’s Electro, as it seems like he had to battle with the filmmakers/producers on how to pursue the character. These notes aside, TASM 2 still had some strong aspects to it. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone have stellar chemistry, the ever-impressive Hans Zimmer delivers an excellent score, and the action sequences are incredibly staged, with the Times Square battle being the coolest moment in Garfield’s brief saga. 7. Spider-Man 3 (2007) If Garfield’s Spider-Man movies took any lessons from Raimi’s trilogy, it’s the unfortunate ability to mishandle a trio of villains. Harry’s long-gestating transformation into Goblin doesn’t bear the expected fruit as his final form only appears in two scenes, one of which is the final battle where he’s fighting Venom and Sandman alongside Spider-Man. Venom is introduced too late, with Topher Grace (poorly) replicating his hit character of Eric Forman from That 70s Show . Sandman is the only villain ingrained with a meaningful backstory and motives, both aided by Thomas Haden Church’s performance. I know it’s an unpopular opinion considering the memes that it spawned, but one of the best aspects of Spider-Man 3 is how it gives Peter an edgy side. Whether ironically or unironically, I think those misunderstood elements will become more appreciated as time goes on. Tobey Maguire still holds up as a more adult Peter/Spider-Man, with James Franco and Kirsten Dunst complimenting him as Harry Osborn and M.J., respectively. 6. Spider-Man 2 (2004) For the longest time, I thought Spider-Man 2 was the most overrated superhero movie ever. Don’t let your immediate anger cloud your judgment, as being overrated does not mean it’s bad. There’s a lot to love: Maguire and Dunst bring back their excellent chemistry, Alfred Molina’s menacing Doc Ock, Danny Elfman’s energetic score, and the Oscar-winning special effects. Raimi is also allowed to bring out his darker side by raising the stakes for Peter. He even creates one of the most horrifying scenes in a superhero movie, with the hospital scene still sending a tingle down my spine today. And then there’s the train sequence, which still holds up as one of the best cinematic Spider-Man set pieces. So why do I think this movie is overrated? Well, it’s because this sequel often feels like it’s trying too hard to replicate exactly what made its predecessor a huge success. If you think about it, Doc Ock has the same internal struggle as Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin. And when Peter returns to being Spider-Man, he simply does it because MJ got kidnapped. There’s also the underdeveloped subplot of Aunt May's financial struggles and Peter’s academic decline. But for all my gripes, Spider-Man 2 is still a genuinely fun time. 5. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) Andrew Garfield’s first outing might be a little too familiar to Maguire’s, but it still has enough unique identifiers, such as the exploration of Peter’s parents and the handling of Peter as more of an outcast instead of a nerd, to justify its existence. This reboot still had its struggles with an inconsistent tone that goes from lighthearted fun to ominous at the flip of a switch. And it often becomes distracting as Garfield tries to replicate Maguire's humor while trying to be his version of the character. However, he does showcase great chemistry with Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy, almost giving Maguire and Dunst a run for their money. Denis Leary stands out as Captain Stacy and Rhys Ifans’ Dr. Curt Connors/Lizard is an intimidating villain, even if he’s nowhere near the level of Dafoe's Goblin or Molina’s Doc Ock. His desire to create a world without weakness makes sense based on his situation, but his ends don’t justify the means. 4. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) Far From Home feels like your typical Spider-Man movie, which makes it serve as the perfect epilogue to the Earth-shattering events of Avengers: Endgame . Peter faces a great threat in Quentin Beck/Mysterio, with Jake Gyllenhaal being fantastic in the role as he finds room to make the character simultaneously understandable and egotistical. The chemistry between Holland and Zendaya continues to grow, with Jacob Batalon supplying the comic relief. It also never hurts to have Samuel L. Jackson appear as Nick Fury. FFH also has heaviness throughout as Peter still grieves over Tony’s death while struggling to live up to the status he expects of himself. The scene where Mysterio messes with Peter’s head through illusions is the perfect illustration of the character at his most frightening. Not once does it feel cheesy; it’s unnerving as we see a figure Peter trusted unleash his true colors. Had Peter’s story ended here, it would’ve been neat, but it ultimately sets the stage for a third chapter that will go down as the most iconic for Holland’s run thus far (hint, hint). 3. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) No Way Home is the pinnacle testament to Spider-Man as it honors the cinematic legacy that was created back in 2002. We find Holland’s Spider-Man still processing the weight of Tony’s death and developing an understanding of what it means to be a superhero. Fortunately, he finds two excellent teachers in those that have come before him as Maguire and Garfield return, along with their familiar foes. Their chemistry with Holland is undeniable, and it’s so satisfying to see the three of them interacting with each other. Bringing the first two Spider-Men back felt like a wave of nostalgia for lifelong fans of the character. But it’s not a simple cash grab as it works well with the grand scope of the narrative. Seeing Dafoe’s Goblin and Molina’s Doc Ock return is bittersweet as they act like not a day has passed since they last played their parts. Foxx’s Electro is given room to be the formidable opponent he wanted to be in TASM 2 . NWH would easily be in the top two, but the only thing holding it back is the heavy reliance on fan service, which doesn’t translate as well outside of the theater. Otherwise, it’s a perfect Spider-Man movie that encapsulates everything it means to be the character. 2. Spider-Man (2002) Spider-Man is a classic superhero movie with the right amount of stakes for the character both internally and externally. It laid the groundwork of what a Spider-Man movie could be so effortlessly, something that almost every other entry has been chasing. Maguire fits the bill as a nerdy Peter Parker grappling with his newly given powers to become the hero we know and love. Of course, I may be biased toward this movie since it is the original. But upon revisiting it recently, it’s still as flawless as when I first watched it. Sam Raimi always stood for changing the game just as he did for the horror genre with the Evil Dead trilogy, so there’s no surprise that he reapplies his methods to the still burgeoning superhero genre. Willem Dafoe is incredible as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, nailing the two-face aspect of the character. James Franco and Kirsten Dunst deliver excellent turns as Peter’s friend Harry and love interest M.J., respectively, as does Rosemary Harris as Aunt May and J.K. Simmons as the wisecracking J. Jonah Jameson. The finale is also one of the best moments of any superhero movie, as we see Spidey flawlessly save M.J. and the Roosevelt Island tram. 1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) Into the Spider-Verse is not only one of the best superhero movies ever made, but it’s also one of the best-animated movies of the 21st Century. Here, we are introduced to Miles Morales, a middle schooler who is dealt the same fate as Peter and learns to become a hero. Only this time, he gets some help from other variations of the character spread across countless dimensions. Shameik Moore voices the role of Miles well, while Hailee Steinfeld and Jake Johnson counter him as Spider-Gwen and Peter B. Parker/Spider-Man. Daniel Pemberton’s score and the soundtrack bring their unique flare, matching well with the out-of-this-world animation. The utilization of different animation styles left no doubt as to why this won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, or why it will continue to be the model for animation excellence for years to come. Whichever Spider-Man movie audiences prefer, there is no denying that all nine of them offer something different. No matter if they work or not, the movies made a statement about the character and illustrated where the superhero genre was at a moment in time. Tobey Maguire laid the groundwork; Andrew Garfield proved that you should never stand down even if the cards aren’t in your favor; Tom Holland captured the youthfulness and understood the duties of Spider-Man; and Shameik Moore proved that no one fights alone and anyone can wear the mask. But what do all four of these Spider-Men have in common? They have the understanding that with great power comes great responsibility. You can follow Tyler and read more of his thoughts on movies here . Must Read 'Maestro' Review Cooper’s filmmaking is just as confident and classical as Bernstein’s musical arrangements. SHOP 'Saltburn' Review Its brain might not always equal its bite, but there’s so much self-assured showmanship that I was glad to get lost in this maze. SHOP 'The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Review Even with it being unable to promptly say goodbye and bits of desperate fan service, this is still a cut above the rest of the YA genre. SHOP 'Napoleon' Review Scott continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry SHOP 'The Marvels' Review Not bad enough to be a catalyst in the downfall of the MCU, nor good enough to be its savior. SHOP

The Biggest Flops in TIFF History September 2, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen Every September, the city of Toronto becomes a hub of cinematic celebration as the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) rolls out the red carpet for a myriad of films from around the world. A prestigious event that has launched countless Oscar campaigns and propelled numerous films into the limelight, TIFF is a cinematic playground where dreams are realized and reputations are solidified. However, amidst the glamour and fervor, there exists a lesser-explored facet of the festival – a realm of disappointment and missed opportunities. In this list, I’ll delve beyond the flashing cameras and standing ovations to shed light on the movies that, for various reasons, failed to strike the right chord with audiences and critics alike. The rules for this list are simple: The film must have had its world premiere at the festival The film must have had a certain amount of buzz around it. If a movie fails and no one was anticipating it, then it’s not really a bomb. The film must have massively underperformed on expectations, both critically and financially The Fifth Estate (2013) Benedict Cumberbatch was on the rise in the early 2010s with roles in War Horse, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy , and the television series Sherlock . 2013 was bound to be his breakout year as he had FIVE films set to be released that year: Star Trek Into Darkness, 12 Years a Slave, The Fifth Estate, August: Osage County , and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug . Three of those would play at that year’s TIFF, with The Fifth Estate opening the festival. The bright lights didn’t serve it well, as Bill Condon’s take on Julian Assage and WikiLeaks was met with mixed-negative reviews on account of its by-the-numbers storytelling and refusal to take a stance on the issue. 12 Years a Slave lit up the room a few days later, as did Ron Howard’s Rush , starring Cumberbatch’s The Fifth Estate co-star Daniel Brühl. Everyone was able to move on quickly, with the film grossing less than $3 million at the US box office a month later. Men, Women, and Children (2014) Jason Reitman was the most in-demand young director in Hollywood after the one-two punch of Juno and Up in the Air . Things went south rather quickly once he decided to make a movie about the perils of social media. Time Out ’s Joshua Rothkopf called it “the first Reitman film to make the 36-year-old director seem about 400 years old.” An outstanding cast consisting of Adam Sandler, Jennifer Garner, Kaitlyn Dever, Ansel Elgort, and Timothée Chalamet was wasted in an out-of-touch and preachy story. The savage reviews killed the already minuscule audience interest in the film, with its $300,000 haul being one of the lowest ever for a film opening in >600 theaters. The Cobbler (2014) One TIFF, two Adam Sandler movies! It’s hard to criticize his choices (at least on paper), as both his 2014 films came from directors with a certain amount of pedigree. The latter was helmed by Tom McCarthy, who hadn’t missed yet between The Station Agent, The Visitor , and Win Win . Nothing worked this time around, with the terrible plotting and creepy undertones stripping the film of having the whimsical tone it wanted. It took the title of Sandler’s biggest bomb away from Men, Women, and Children when it was released six months later, only grossing a mere $24,000 on its opening weekend. A film failing that epically would have killed 99% of directors' careers. But somehow Tom McCarthy would pivot and return to TIFF in 2015 with Spotlight , finishing in the runners-up position for the People’s Choice Award and ultimately winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Kings (2017) Turkish writer/director Deniz Gamze Ergüven spent four years developing her script centering on the 1992 Los Angeles riots. She was finally able to get the film made a decade later once her debut feature Mustang was nominated for Best International Feature. She would experience a sophomore slump with her English-language debut, with critics finding the film messy and underdeveloped. Even with the star power of Halle Berry and Daniel Craig, the film wouldn’t be released until the next spring to no fanfare. Life Itself (2018) Amazon Studios was riding high off the awards success of Manchester by the Sea in early 2017 and wanted to continue in that sphere. Seeing the success of This Is Us on NBC, they snatched up writer/director Dan Fogelman’s next film for $10 million in late 2017. They remained confident when deciding to launch it at TIFF, premiering it at both Roy Thomsen Hall and the Elgin Theatre. All those rose-tinted hopes and dreams came crashing down once people saw the finished product. The overwrought and convoluted soap opera incited more ironic laughter than tears within the audience. The film debuted in theaters two weeks later, where it became the second-lowest opening ever in >2500 theaters with only $2 million. The Death and Life of John F. Donovan (2018) French Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan had already won the Jury Prize and Grand Prix at Cannes, as well as the César award for Best Director before he turned 30. The problem with that much success at such a young age is that you can go only down from there. Such was the case for his English-language debut about a famous actor having a correspondence with a young fan. The film spent almost two years in post-production, causing Dolan to miss the Cannes deadline. He chose to debut at TIFF instead, where he was met with the worst reviews of his career. The rumors of the film being trimmed down from a four-hour cut seemed to be true as entire characters and storylines were excised, lending to a rushed and underdeveloped plot about celebrity culture. It sat on a shelf for another year before limping into theaters in December 2019. Lucy in the Sky (2019) TIFF has a habit of showing their hands based on how they schedule their world premieres, with the better ones earlier in the festival and the not-so-good ones near the end when most of the press has left. Noah Hawley’s directorial debut, loosely inspired by the life of NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak, found itself in the latter camp, scheduled for a final Thursday night premiere. Whatever press was still left probably wished they had already left, as Hawley’s pretentious directorial choices and Natalie Portman’s wonky Texas accent were nails on a chalkboard. Distributor Fox Searchlight had other priorities at that TIFF with Jojo Rabbit and was still transitioning out of the Disney buyout of 21st Century Fox. Lucy in the Sky was released in theaters a few weeks later, grossing an abysmal $300,000 against a $25 million budget. Coincidentally (or maybe not), Hawley’s planned Star Trek film was canceled a few months later. The Goldfinch (2019) Amazon didn’t let the failure of Life Itself deter them from returning to TIFF the next year. This time they partnered with Warner Bros. on distribution and picked a safer project by adapting the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Donna Tartt. With Brooklyn director John Crowley at the helm, Roger Deakins as DP, and an all-star cast, it seemed this would be the streamer’s return to the awards race. But the film ended up having a worse death than its predecessor. Early test screenings were disastrous, prompting the studio to lower the marketing budget. Despite that, they still took it to TIFF, where the reviews matched their expectations. A $2.6 million opening the following weekend led to losses of over $50 million when all was said and done. To add insult to injury, Tartt was so infuriated by the adaptation that she fired her agent for allowing it to happen and has rejected any talk of her work being adapted again. Dear Evan Hansen (2021) After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2020 edition of the festival to be a mix of drive-in and digital screenings, TIFF needed to put on a grand show to welcome everyone back to “normalcy” in 2021. Universal was more than willing to have Dear Evan Hansen be the opening night act on account of director Steven Chbosky delivering festival favorite The Perks of Being a Wallflower years earlier. But anyone who watched the trailers for the film in the summer knew that this project was doomed from the start. The 27-year-old Ben Platt was already too old for the part and enough discourse over the material’s attitude towards mental health had circulated online. Neither critics nor audiences were satisfied, leading to poor reviews and a lackluster box office gross. Must Read 'Maestro' Review Cooper’s filmmaking is just as confident and classical as Bernstein’s musical arrangements. SHOP 'Saltburn' Review Its brain might not always equal its bite, but there’s so much self-assured showmanship that I was glad to get lost in this maze. SHOP 'The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Review Even with it being unable to promptly say goodbye and bits of desperate fan service, this is still a cut above the rest of the YA genre. SHOP 'Napoleon' Review Scott continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry SHOP 'The Marvels' Review Not bad enough to be a catalyst in the downfall of the MCU, nor good enough to be its savior. SHOP

'Bonnie & Clyde' and New Sentimentality February 1, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen Immediately upon its release, film critic Roger Ebert claimed Bonnie and Clyde to be alandmark in American cinema. The film attracted a love/hate relationship with critics, with the love side eventually winning out in the long run. Ebert was right in that Bonnie and Clyde was a milestone for American cinema, as this was one of the earliest and most successful films that embraced the idea of “counterculture." Through the use of their idea of new sentimentality, screenwriters David Newman and Robert Benton took Hollywood by storm by defying the oldways in favor of charging down a new path. The idea of “new sentimentality” laid out by Newman and Benton tried to explain the cultural and generational differences that were taking place in America during the 1960s. The ways of Old Sentimentality, which preached about the good ol' days of American patriotism and love for others, were now fading away in favor of a more tough and self-empowering way of thinking. Bonnie and Clyde illustrated this new way of thinking in multiple ways. The main factor that created controversy around Bonnie and Clyde , and for why it is apiece of new sentimentality, is the unrivaled amount of violence inflicted by and onto the characters. Obviously, with a movie about bank robbers, there has to be a few shootouts thatwould get butts in seats. Bonnie and Clyde does deliver the shootouts that one would expect and pay to see at the time, but it does it in such a way that it sucks out all the guilty joy we get out of watching it. Instead of dropping dead instantly after one shot, characters bleed and writhe around in extreme agony. The old way of gun violence was quick and didn’t allow for us to think aboutthe ramifications. This new way forces us to see the effects violence has on every day people, the physical damage it does to the person hit and the emotional damage it does to the people watching it, for which we the audience must participate. This idea somewhat borrows from the French and Italian new-wave of thinking that placed importance on telling stories that reflected our reality that is filled with real people. The violence comes to an incredible climax at the very end when our titular characters are gunned down in a hail of never-ending bullets. All you can do during the scene is sit there incomplete shock as their bodies are riddled to shreds. It’s not fun to watch or heroic in any nature. The old sentimentality had gun-toting heroes like Humphrey Bogart and John Wayne who killed quick and clean. They symbolized a time when America was in a righteous war to protect theworld from the Nazis. Bonnie and Clyde is the new idea that violence is something that lingers inthe moment and for many moments after. America was in Vietnam at the time, a war that waspropelled by American self-interest. Apart from violence, another element that must be delivered to sell a movie is sex. Like violence, sex was shown in only its tamest forms in film. Hitchcock famously had to dance around the subject in Notorious by having his characters kiss and peck at each other over time. Bonnie and Clyde engages with sex on a much more open scale. Bonnie and Clyde have sex multiple times throughout the film and even discuss it with each other. It’s a part of their relationship as opposed to being kept under the rug like before. We even get a tiny storyline about Clyde being impotent and then finally overcoming this. The idea of impotence before that time wasn’t one to be discussed as it clashed with the idea of what a real man was. John Wayne would never be impotent! The idea of new sentimentality changed what it meant to be a man, filled with imperfections and perversions. Bonnie and Clyde marked the mainstream beginning of new sentimentality within cinema. Through its unflinching approach to violence and sex, the film sparked a debate that isstill being felt today. As Ebert said, the film was made in 1965 about people in 1934, but it will always be made for us here and now. Must Read 'Maestro' Review Cooper’s filmmaking is just as confident and classical as Bernstein’s musical arrangements. SHOP 'Saltburn' Review Its brain might not always equal its bite, but there’s so much self-assured showmanship that I was glad to get lost in this maze. SHOP 'The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Review Even with it being unable to promptly say goodbye and bits of desperate fan service, this is still a cut above the rest of the YA genre. SHOP 'Napoleon' Review Scott continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry SHOP 'The Marvels' Review Not bad enough to be a catalyst in the downfall of the MCU, nor good enough to be its savior. SHOP

The Worst Cannes Premieres Ever June 30, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen What do Michelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini, Martin Scorsese, and Terrence Malick all have in common? Well, along with all being considered some of the greatest filmmakers of all time, they’ve each had one of their movies on the receiving end of some nasty booing at the Cannes Film Festival. The audiences (and critics) on the French Riviera are famous for being extremely vocal about their adoration or hatred of a movie, with some being showered with physically taxing standing ovations ( Pan’s Labyrinth holds the record at 22 minutes), or a deafening amount of boos and whistling. But not every movie that gets booed is created equal. In the case of Martin Scorsese, his 1976 masterpiece Taxi Driver was the victim of a large contingent of vocal detractors. That didn’t stop the jury from awarding the film the Palme d’Or, nor Scorsese from returning to the festival years later (he’ll be back again this year with Killers of the Flower Moon ). This article isn’t going to be an inspiring story about the movies that overcame the negativity. No, the nine movies listed here all received their death sentence within the Grand Théâtre Lumière, either because of the weight of expectations or being of poor quality, or both. The Brown Bunny (2003) Credited as the writer/director/producer/star/cinematographer/editor (as well as about every other craft position), Vincent Gallo solely faced all the backlash in 2003 when he unveiled his much-anticipated follow-up to the indie sensation Buffalo ‘66 . The highly-experimental film caught flack for its glacial pacing and pretentiousness, with particular ire aimed at the unsimulated blowjob scene between Gallo and Chloë Sevigny. Audiences booed and ironically cheered each time Gallo’s name appeared on screen, with Roger Ebert calling it “the worst movie in the history of the Cannes Film Festival.” Gallo didn’t take kindly to Ebert’s words, calling the critic a “fat pig with the physique of a slave trader.” Ebert responded by saying “It is true that I am fat, but one day I will be thin, and he will still be the director of The Brown Bunny .” Surprisingly, the two sides would reconcile, with an edited-down version of the film screening at that year’s Toronto International Film Festival, which Ebert reviewed positively. Southland Tales (2006) Donnie Darko writer/director Richard Kelly thought he was entering the lottery when he submitted a rough cut of his sophomore feature, Southland Tales , for the 2006 festival. To his (and pretty much everyone else's) surprise, the selection committee liked it and invited him into the Official Competition. Kelly leaped at the opportunity, even if it meant he had to rush through the post-production process. That decision backfired badly, as critics lambasted the 160-minute film for being too broad and unfinished. The boos and whistles rattled throughout the Lumière Theater, with Roger Ebert calling the screening “The most disastrous since, yes, The Brown Bunny ." Kelly shared the same sentiments: "It was painful. I just thought, 'Please let it be over.” He went back to the editing room, getting more money from Sony to fix the visual effects in exchange for a reduced runtime. The film wasn’t seen again for another sixteen months, when it got an extremely limited theatrical release, grossing a little over $275,000 (the film was budgeted nearly $25 million). Burnt by the Sun 2 (2010) As the most expensive film in Russian history with a budget of $55 million, Nikita Mikhalkov's long-delayed sequel to his Oscar-winning film had enormous expectations. Cannes even circumvented their “world premieres only” rule by allowing the film into the Official Competition after it was first screened at the Kremlin. But by the time it reached the Lumière Theatre, the World War II film had already been panned by critics from both Russia, who claimed it was inaccurate and revisionist, and the West, who saw it as poorly-made Soviet propaganda. Mikhalkov's supportive stance of Vladimir Putin didn’t make things any better, with the film becoming one of the biggest bombs in the country’s history. Only God Forgives (2013) Between his films and overall demeanor, everything about Nicolas Winding Refn is divisive. So it’s not surprising that 2011’s Drive received one of the lengthiest standing ovations in festival history at 15 minutes, while also receiving a small handful of booing. That same dichotomy happened when Refn returned two years later with Only God Forgives , only this time the roles were reversed, with the boos overwhelming any positivity. Many critics described it as a beautiful painting without any substance, with Refn reaching even further into his pretentiousness. Rumors began to spread that the film was originally supposed to be screened as part of the Midnight Madness sidebar, where it would have potentially benefited from the lessened expectations. But the producers wanted to repeat the success of Drive and demanded a slot in the Official Competition. The negative outcome from that decision crushed any audience anticipation for the film, as it grossed a paltry sum when released a few months later. The Captive (2014) Several eyebrows were raised when it was announced that Ryan Reynolds would be starring in Atom Egoyan’s newest film. But Egoyan’s films ( Exotica, The Sweet Hereafter ) had always been praised for their offbeat nature, so there was still some optimism. But the pairing of one of Canada’s biggest stars and filmmakers went south quickly, as critics panned their film for its confusing nonlinear narrative and exploitative subject matter. American distributor A24, still in their early stages before they would become the festival darlings they are today, released the film on DirecTV’s VOD platform that winter to no fanfare. Even in Canada, where the film was given a theatrical release, the film was quickly buried and forgotten. The Search (2014) While Michel Hazanavicius didn’t become a household name after winning Best Director and Best Picture with The Artist in 2011, you’d still be surprised to know that his follow-up to that movie has still never been released within the United States. Much of the reasoning behind the film’s disappearance comes from its abysmal premiere at Cannes, which had launched The Artist after it was promoted to the competition at the last minute. But now that the lights were brighter, Hazanavicius crumbled, with his preachy and ultra-dreary retelling of the 1999 Chechnya civil war being perceived as exploitative. Hazanavicius has been back to the festival since, but he’s been demoted to just a regular player instead of the star that he seemed destined to become. Grace of Monaco (2014) Cannes has never had much luck when it comes to selecting its opening night film, with 2014’s Grace of Monaco being the biggest of all the offenders. Even by January 2013, Grace Kelly’s family disowned the film and claimed it was inaccurate. Harvey Weinstein, known for his frequent battles with directors among various other unspeakable things, had issues with director Olivier Dahan’s cut of the movie. The movie was pushed from the Fall of 2013 to the next spring so Weinstein could recut it. It was delayed again for a premiere at Cannes in May, where critics claimed it was of lower quality than a Lifetime Original Movie. Both Weinstein and the film’s writer Arash Amel were absent at the press conference after the disastrous screening. Coincidentally, the film bypassed a theatrical release in favor of a television debut on Lifetime a year later. Despite all the overwhelmingly negative reactions, star Nicole Kidman controversially received a SAG nomination, and the film received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie. The Last Face (2016) Audiences tend to wait until a movie is over before they give out their signature applause and/or boos. But the critics seeing Sean Penn’s refugee drama needed only one minute before letting out the hoots and hollers. The “call to action” love story starring Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem was savaged pretty much the whole way through, with the awful dialogue and white savior narrative being perceived as an insult to those that watched it. Many critics dubbed it as the worst film they’d ever seen at the festival. To make matters worse, the press screening took place in the morning, with the public premiere that night, meaning all those scathing reviews and tweets were out into the world before the cast had even walked the red carpet. The embarrassment from that situation caused the festival to implement embargoes in future years, holding all press reactions until after the evening gala screenings had finished. Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo Fresh after winning the Palme d’Or for Blue is the Warmest Color , writer/director Abdellatif Kechiche premiered Canto Uno , the supposed first part in his new Mektoub, My Love trilogy, at the Venice Film Festival in 2017. The film received mixed reviews, with most critics complaining about the egregious 180-minute runtime and over-sexualization of the lead actors. Instead of listening to the detractors, Kechiche went in the opposite direction with the sequel, extending the runtime by almost an hour and featuring lengthy unsimulated sex scenes. The large majority of the audience walked out before the film finished, with one person claiming that “if the shots of butts were taken out, I think the film lasts 20 minutes.” Many of the actors claimed that Kechiche got them intoxicated so they would be less resistant to filming the sexually explicit scenes and that he wouldn’t screen the film for them before the premiere. The film has never been seen since that night, with Kechiche having to sell his Palme d’Or to raise funds for post-production after the financiers backed out. As further insult to injury, the final movie in the trilogy, Canto Due , was filmed before Intermezzo premiered, but no editing work has been done due to a lack of funds. Considering the allegations against Kechiche and the vitriolic response to the second part, it’s unlikely either of the final two parts will see the light of day. Must Read 'Maestro' Review Cooper’s filmmaking is just as confident and classical as Bernstein’s musical arrangements. SHOP 'Saltburn' Review Its brain might not always equal its bite, but there’s so much self-assured showmanship that I was glad to get lost in this maze. SHOP 'The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Review Even with it being unable to promptly say goodbye and bits of desperate fan service, this is still a cut above the rest of the YA genre. SHOP 'Napoleon' Review Scott continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry SHOP 'The Marvels' Review Not bad enough to be a catalyst in the downfall of the MCU, nor good enough to be its savior. SHOP

Lists November 5, 2023 TCFF23: Ranked and Recapped The festival prides itself on its mixture of established studio contenders and up-and-coming independent projects, and this year was no exception. October 18, 2023 Twin Cities Film Fest: A Preview of the Selection Seven films that have me intrigued October 16, 2023 Top 10 Martin Scorsese Films With a career spanning over five decades, he has crafted a body of work that is as diverse as it is profound. September 20, 2023 TIFF23 Ranked After watching 27 movies, it's time to see who came out on top September 5, 2023 TIFF23 - Everything I'll Be Seeing Make sure to pay attention to this site for immediate reviews and reactions to the biggest titles! September 2, 2023 The Biggest Flops in TIFF History These films failed to strike the right chord with audiences and critics alike. August 7, 2023 Movies That Made More Money Than You Think From underdog productions to star-driven blockbusters, each film on this list has a unique tale to tell. July 14, 2023 Christopher Nolan Ranked Let's celebrate his unparalleled creativity and his lasting impact on the world of cinema. July 1, 2023 Top 10 Films of 2023 (So-Far) There’s always a small amount of stuff that deserves to be cherished June 30, 2023 The Worst Cannes Premieres Ever These movies received their death sentence on the biggest stage Prev Page 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 ... 5 Next Page

How 'The Godfather' Signaled Hollywood Change 50 Years Ago March 15, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen The 1970s saw the birth of the film movement known as “New Hollywood” or the“American New Wave”. This movement emulated what had been going on in Europe for quite some time. The director (and sometimes writer) of the film was seen as the key authorial voice of a film, rather than the producing studio. For decades, moguls like David O. Selznick and Jack Warner loomed large over theindustry, deciding what made it to the screen. They often held the roles of judge, jury, and executioner, killing a career before it started. With these titans dying off near the beginning of the 1970s, new studio heads now had to rely on filmmakers to create products audiences craved. The world no longer begged for big musical productions or sappy romances. They wanted authentic stories that still offered gripping storytelling. A generation of filmmakers was up to this task. One of the most popular among this group was Francis Ford Coppola, a bright new talent fresh out of UCLA Film School. Like a rocket, his career took off with hits such as The Godfather , its sequel The Godfather Part II , and Apocalypse Now . Looking through the lens of “New Hollywood” and the argument of Old vs. New Sentimentality, we can see why and how Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather was a monumental work for film history. Adapted from the Mario Puzo novel of the same name, The Godfather tells the story of the Corleone crime family in 1945. Don Vito Corleone is getting up in years and must look to transfer control of his clan to one of his sons. His eldest son, Sonny, is the prime candidate to take over, but he is hot-headed and lacks the necessary nuance. The youngest son, Michael, is reluctant to work in the family business but is thrust into it after several deadly altercations. The Godfather does share many similar qualities with the films of Old Sentimentality. It’s a nearly three-hour epic adapted from a beloved novel that is filled with movie stars. Marlon Brando was one of the hottest actors on the planet, both in terms of looks and talent. Like many of the films in the studio era, the inclusion of Brando in the cast did a lot to sell the movie. But while the production values on the surface may connect The Godfather to the past, it’s what’s underneath that breaks it away from the usual crowd. The Production Code of the 40s and 50s restricted what could and could not be displayed on the screen. The good guys must win and the bad guys must lose was one of the prevailing rules. Fortunately, the code was stopped in 1968, allowing Coppola and Puzo to dig deeper into the criminal world. Coppola steeps his film into the rich Italian immigrant culture, one filled with hardships and that stresses the importance of family. Vito Corleone is a character that is given immense psychological development. Many of his actions are done to protect his family and strengthen his relationships with the other crime families. He still can be considered a villain, as he orders men to be killed and works in illegal enterprises. With Brando’s method acting, Vito Corleone was an unprecedented authentic depiction of Italian-Americans, distancing the image away from the Tommy Gun swinging depictions in earlier films such as The Public Enemy and Scarface . There could also be an argument made that Coppola’s new image became a harmful stereotype, as The Godfather became immensely influential in how Italian-Americans were portrayed in future films. What also makes The Godfather a part of the New Hollywood movement is itsunflinching violence. Around this time, auteurs were experimenting with the relationship both Hollywood and audiences had with violence, which, because of the Production Code, had been severely limited for decades. Bonnie and Clyde, The French Connection , and Straw Dogs broke into the mainstream, with their heavy use of screen violence being one of the central elements of their success. The violence within The Godfather does not sensationalize the crime lifestyle. Each death is stripped of stylization, often being shown in gruesome fashion. For example, the garrote scene has Luca Brasi’s eyes popping out of his head, and Sonny’s ambush leaves him in a bloody mess. The ending follows the massacre of several high-ranking mob bosses, including on being shot in the eye and another being gunned down in bed. None of this violence is played to be heroic or produce good consequences, similar to the films mentioned before. From the outside, The Godfather may seem to be a product of Old Sentimentality with its rich production values and starry leads. But underneath the surface, the film is a beacon of New Sentimentality with its radical new depiction of Italian-American life and its treatment of on-screen violence. Must Read 'Maestro' Review Cooper’s filmmaking is just as confident and classical as Bernstein’s musical arrangements. SHOP 'Saltburn' Review Its brain might not always equal its bite, but there’s so much self-assured showmanship that I was glad to get lost in this maze. SHOP 'The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Review Even with it being unable to promptly say goodbye and bits of desperate fan service, this is still a cut above the rest of the YA genre. SHOP 'Napoleon' Review Scott continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry SHOP 'The Marvels' Review Not bad enough to be a catalyst in the downfall of the MCU, nor good enough to be its savior. SHOP

50 Films That Could Premiere At The 2022 Cannes Film Festival April 4, 2022 By: Hunter Friesen Just as the 2021 awards season concludes, it's time to get excited and speculate about another film festival. Often considered the most prestigious festival in the world, the Cannes Film Festival is where many renowned international auteurs show off their work. Last year's edition was the first one since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered the 2020 edition, with Spike Lee's jury awarding the coveted first place Palme d'Or to Julia Ducournau's Titane , making the French director only the second woman to direct a Palme d'Or winning film (Jane Campion did it first in 1993 for The Piano ). Even though it often contains a small selection of American titles, Cannes still plays a sizable role in the Oscar race. Along with Titane , last year's festival saw the launches of players such as The Worst Person in the World and Drive My Car . In prior years, Parasite, Amour, The Tree of Life , and even Pulp Fiction began their awards season journeys on the Croisette. The 2022 edition is an extra special one for the festival, as it will mark the 75th edition in festival history and will be the first one overseen by newly elected president Iris Knobloch. Festival Director Thierry Frémaux will unveil his selection in ten days on April 14th, which could include more than the usual 20 titles in the main competition due to the festival's anniversary celebration and the overwhelming supply of filmmakers with exciting new products. Attention will be placed on Frémaux on how he responds to the criticism the festival has received in the past about gender parity. This year, there's plenty for him to choose from, with Kelly Reichardt, Rebecca Zlotowski, and Joanna Hogg each having films in the pipeline. Speculation also abounds that Frémaux is hunting for either Marion Cotillard or Penélope Cruz to serve as this year's jury president. One thing for certain is that Frémaux will not be selecting any Netflix films within his lineup, as the streamer and the French film industry still remain far apart from making a distribution deal that would satisfy both parties. Because of that, no Netflix titles will be included in this article. Certain other films that are already confirmed or heavily speculated not to appear at the festival include Alejandro G. Iñárritu's Bardo and Luca Guadagnino's Bones and All , which have their eyes set on a Venice premiere. Claire Denis' The Stars at Noon and Nuri Bilge Ceylan's On Barren Weeds will also not make an appearance as they remain deep in post-production. And festival veterans Abderrahmane Sissako with The Perfumed Hill and Jessica Hausner with Club Zero are also unlikely to turn up as their films are still grappling with production delays from the pandemic. So without further ado, I'll delve into 50 films that have the potential to premiere at Cannes. They are sorted into three categories based on their likelihood, which stems from a combination of factors that are explained in each summary. ALREADY CONFIRMED Elvis Australian Baz Luhrman has continually supplied a stylistic jolt to Cannes since his feature debut, Strictly Ballroom , won the 1992 Award of the Youth. Moulin Rouge! kicked off its Oscar run at Cannes in 2001, and The Great Gatsby opened the festival in 2013. After a nine-year break, Luhrman is back with his biopic about The King of Rock and Roll. Three Thousand Years of Longing Mad Max: Fury Road writer/director and president of the 2016 jury, George Miller, will be opening the festival with his Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba starring fantasy film. Three Thousand Years of Longing is said to be a high-budget arthouse piece as it tells the story of a scholar encountering a Djinn who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. Top Gun: Maverick Leave it to Tom Cruise to provide the necessary glitz and glamor that thrives on the Croisette. Cruise and director Joseph Kosinski will be debuting their long-gestating and habitually delayed sequel to the 1986 smash hit. The premiere will line up nicely with the film's release across Europe. VERY LIKELY Armageddon Time After taking brief detours into Amazonia ( The Lost City of Z ) and space ( Ad Astra ), writer/director James Gray returns to the Big Apple for his semi-autobiography that will somehow feature Donald Trump and his late father. Cannes has long been an admirer of Gray's work, debuting four of his films (all of which featured Joaquin Phoenix). While Armageddon Time may not feature Phoenix, it does have a prominent cast of Anne Hathaway, Jeremy Strong, and Anthony Hopkins. Broker After making his English-language debut with The Truth , Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda will be making his Korean-language debut with Broker . The title comes from the act of people leaving their unwanted babies in boxes outside of anonymous homes. Thematically, it sounds similar to Kore-eda's previous films Nobody Knows and Like Father, Like Son , both of which debuted at Cannes, with the latter winning the Jury Prize. Kore-eda's last film to debut at Cannes, Shoplifters , won the Palme d'Or, so a return to the festival is nearly inevitable. Brother and Sister The native Arnaud Desplechin has competed for the Palme d'Or six times and has won the SACD Prize within the Director's Fortnight in 2015 for My Golden Days . The question of when he will finally be rewarded on the main stage may be starting to percolate. His drama stars Marion Cotillard and Melvil Poupaud as siblings reuniting after the death of their parents. The one wrinkle in the film's awards prospects depends on whether Cotillard takes up the jury presidency, which would force this film to play out of competition. No matter the capacity, Desplechin's film will surely make an appearance. Crimes of the Future Cannes has been the birthplace of five of David Cronenberg's films, with Crash wreaking havoc with vehicular-related sex 25 years before Titane . Cronenberg hasn't directed a feature since 2014's Maps to the Stars , which won Julianne Moore the festival award for Best Actress. Speaking to Now Toronto last October, Cronenberg clearly stated he wanted the film to premiere at Cannes, a feeling Fremeaux likely shares as Crimes of the Future also packs a talented cast of Viggo Mortensen, Kristen Stewart, and Léa Seydoux. Decision to Leave Park Chan-wook's newest film was 2021 Cannes destined but just wasn't ready in time. Chan-wook will always have a spot reserved for him at Cannes, as he won the Grand Prize of the Jury for Oldboy In 2003 and tied for the Jury Prize for Thirst in 2009. It's been six years since Chan-wook's last feature, The Handmaiden , and his next feature will take him into the detective genre with a story following an investigation of a man's mysterious death and his equally mystifying wife. R.M.N. Romanian Cristian Mungiu is one of the most revered filmmakers in the festival's history, having won the Palme d'Or, Best Screenplay, and Best Director prizes on separate occasions. His next film will be a "plea for tolerance" that revolves around a small village in Transylvania where xenophobia takes over when a bakery hires two foreigners. Tchaikovsky's Wife While the Cannes leadership has ruled that they will not welcome any members of the Russian delegation or those linked to the government, that rule does not apply to Russian auteur Kirill Serebrennikov, who has had his own problem with Putin's government. Serebrennikov recently left the country after a three-year travel ban, which forced him to miss the premiere of Petrov's Flu last year. His next film will look at the tempestuous relationship between Pyotr Tchaikovsky, the most famous Russian composer of all time, and his wife, Antonina. Word has been mum about the film's production status, but the festival will reserve a spot for Serebrennikov if he is ready. Tori and Lokita There isn't a safer bet out there than predicting that the Dardenne brothers of Jean-Pierre and Luc will debut their film at Cannes. The Belgian duo has debuted eight films at Cannes, with 1999's Rosetta and 2005's L'enfant both winning the Palme d'Or. They've also won the Best Screenplay ( Lorna's Silence ) and Best Director awards ( Young Ahmed ), as well as the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury on three separate occasions. Their newest feature will tell the story of a friendship between two young people after traveling from Africa and becoming exiled in Belgium. Production began last summer, giving the brothers plenty of time to prepare for another Palme d'Or run. Triangle of Sadness This was one of the more puzzling omissions from the 2021 lineup announcement, especially since Swedish superstar Ruben Östlund recently won the Palme d'Or with The Square in 2017 and the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize in 2014 for Force Majeure . Rumors swirled that Östlund's film might show up in Venice, but it turned out the film just wasn't ready. Östlund's been working on trimming the movie down from its current three-hour runtime and seems destined to bring his trademarked sense of social satire to Cannes. White People Robin Campillo will likely return to the festival that awarded 2017's BPM (Beats Per Minute) with the Grand Prize of the Jury along with the Queer Palm. He also has the Palme d'Or sitting on his trophy shelf for 2008's The Class . His newest film will also be set in recent history as it follows the upbringing of a young boy during the French colonial rule of Madagascar in the 1960s/1970s. LIKELY Children of Others Rebecca Zlotowski has been a staple of the sidebars, competing in Critics' Week, Un Certain Regard, and Directors' Fortnight. Will this be the time she finally graduates to the main competition? Benedetta star Virginie Efira will lead her next film as a childless woman who forms a deep bond with her boyfriend's young daughter. Chronicle of a Temporary Affair A recent triple nominee by the César Awards for writing, directing, and producing The Things We Say, the Things We Do , Emmanuel Mouret is ready to make an appearance at the festival he hasn't been to since 2006. His new film will be a romantic drama centered around a single mother and married man who have their purely-physical relationship tested when their feelings towards each other begin to deepen. Close Belgian Lukas Dhont made quite the splash in 2018 with his feature directorial debut, Girl , which went on to win several prizes such as the Queer Palm and the Golden Camera for best debut feature. That acclaim should reserve him a spot in either the main competition or the sidebars for the premiere of his new film, which takes a similar look at adolescence and sexuality. Disappointment Blvd. Ari Aster has become a star of independent cinema since his debut at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival with Hereditary . He quickly turned around another feature of "elevated horror" with Midsommar just a year later. His next film, titled Disappointment Blvd. , is described as a "four-hour nightmare comedy." Whether that description turns out to be true is still a mystery, but what's not a mystery is that Joaquin Phoenix, a recent Cannes winner for Best Actor in 2017, will lead it. A Cannes birth would be a huge step up for Aster, considering his relative newcomer status. But that status may also keep him relegated to one of the sidebars, similar to how Robert Eggers debuted in Directors' Fortnight in 2019. Dodo Athens-born Panos Koutras' last feature film, Xenia , played at Cannes in 2014 as part of the Un Certain Regard. It's a decent possibility that he'll be invited back to the sidebar as his new film tells the story of a family who finds an extinct dodo bird living in their house, which spurs a series of events that push the boundaries between reason and madness. Don Juan Virgine Efira appears again, this time with director Serge Bozon for a musical rendition of the classic tale of a theater actor (played by Tahar Rahim) who can't get over his ex-fiancée (Efira). Bozon has been to Cannes twice before, with his most recent venture for Tip Top in 2013, netting him a Special Mention in the Director's Fortnight. Emily Frances O'Connor, who played the adopted mother to Haley Joel Osment's robot boy in A.I. Artificial Intelligence , makes her directorial debut with a biopic about famed British author Emily Bronte. Most recently seen in Death on the Nile , Emma Mackey will play the writer, who met her untimely demise at the age of 30. Enys Men Mark Jenkin is still a fresh face on the international film scene, with only one feature film to his name (2019's stylishly constructed Bait ). His sophomore feature will surely repeat the same dazzling sensibilities as it tells a sci-fi/horror story set in a small Cornish fishing village. A midnight screening or one of the sidebars would be a likely landing spot. Final Cut Michel Hazanavicius took Cannes by storm in 2011 with The Artist , which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director. He's had two films at Cannes since, The Search and Godard Mon Amour , both of which disappointed. Now he's returning to his comedic roots with a French remake of the 2017 Japanese film, One Cut of the Dead . Bérénice Bejo will reteam with Hazanavicius, which follows a film crew who are attacked by zombies. It will be interesting to see if Hazanavicius can emulate the long-take mastery on display in the original. The film was initially planned to debut at Sundance earlier this year but was quietly pulled once the festival announced that it would be going virtual. Perhaps this film will get a closing night slot similar to how the festival closed last year with Jean Dujardin in OSS 117: From Africa with Love ? Untitled Hamlet Adaptation & Holy Spider Two things we know Cannes loves are Shakespeare and Noomi Rapace. So having both in one project would be a dream come true. Rapace will play the titular character in Border director Ali Abbasi's adaptation of the tragedy about the Danish prince, with Sjón, co-writer of the upcoming The Northman , writing the script. Filming began in the fall, so it's unknown if the film will be ready in time. But even if that project doesn't get to the finish line in time, Abbasi also has Holy Spider in post-production. The crime-thriller follows a man named Saeed, who murders several women in order to "cleanse" the holy Iranian city of Mashhad. God's Creatures Set in a rain-soaked village like the one in Ammonite , Emily Watson stars as a mother who lies to protect her son (Paul Mescal), which sets off a chain of unexpected repercussions. A24 has distribution rights, which begs the question of how many films they will bring to the festival. Last year they hit their high with four films ( After Yang , Lamb, Red Rocket , and The Souvenir Part II ), so there's precedent for the distributor to show off a handful of their products. L'immensità Emanuele Crialese hasn't been to Cannes since he competed in the Critics Week for Respiro in 2002. He may have a ticket back twenty years later as he brings international acting royalty (and recent Oscar nominee), Penélope Cruz, with him. Cruz stars as a mother looking after her children in the social turning point of 1970s Italian society. This film falls into the same situation as Marion Cotillard's film, as Cruz is also rumored to be in the running for the jury presidency. Lightyear It's a partnership that may seem a little strange on paper, but the collaborations between Pixar and Cannes have always borne fruit. Up opened the festival in 2009, and Inside Out was one of the most acclaimed titles of the 2015 edition. Soul was even given the honorable laurels for the 2020 edition. So, it wouldn't be a surprise if Pixar takes Lightyear overseas to generate buzz ahead of the film's worldwide release in June. Love Life Japanese director Koji Fukada was last seen in Cannes in 2016, winning the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize for Harmonium . His four-hour drama, The Real Thing , was bestowed the laurels as part of the 2020 pandemic festival. His new drama explores the themes of loss and loneliness as a mother must reconnect with her long-lost husband. Misanthrope Damián Szifron last made an appearance in 2014 with Wild Tales , which generated strong buzz and went on to get a BAFTA nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. He'll be making his English-language debut with a starry cast consisting of Shailene Woodley, Ben Mendelsohn, and Ralph Ineson. Woodley will star as a cop the FBI recruits to track down a murderer. Music No, it's not the maligned Golden Globe-nominated film by Sia. This Music comes from Angela Schanelec, who last played at Cannes in 2004 with Marseille . Since then, she's debuted chiefly her work at the Berlin Film Festival. The film was held out of this year's Berlin lineup, making way for speculation that she's ready to make a return to the Croisette. The plot summary by itself is all that is needed to spawn interest: "A boy grows up with his step-parents in Greece. At the age of 20, he unwittingly murders his father. While serving his sentence, he falls in love and has a child with a woman who works in the prison. They are both unaware of the fact that she is his biological mother. Twenty years later, he lives in London with his daughter and is beginning to lose his eyesight." No Return For his sophomore feature, 2016 Critics Week winner Davy Chou is telling an international story set in South Korea and France. An adopted young French woman returns to her native Korea to track down her biological parents, with surprising results. A sidebar selection is quite likely. One Fine Morning There's no way to stop Léa Seydoux now as she had four films at Cannes last year and looks poised to bring multiple films again this year. Along with Cronenberg's feature, Seydoux will also star in Mia Hansen-Løve's newest film as a woman trying to take care of her senile father. Seydoux caught COVID-19 during the film's production last year, which caused her to miss the premiere of the four films she starred in. With Bergman Island garnering acclaim last year, Hansen-Løve will likely be invited back. Revoir Paris Can Virginie Efira replicate what Nicole Kidman did in 2017 and Léa Seydoux did last year and bring at least three movies to the festival? She very well could, as she also stars in Cannes veteran Alice Winocour's thrilling story about a journalist who gets caught up in a terrorist attack in Paris. Winocour was last seen at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019 for her Eva Green-led Proxima , so it may be time she returns home. Rheingold Fatih Akin was last seen at Cannes competing for the Palme d'Or in 2017 with In the Fade , which won star Diane Kruger, the Best Actress prize. He'll likely be back this year as he tells the true story of German hip-hop rapper Giwar Hajabi, who goes by the stage name Xatar. Scarlet Only appearing once at Cannes with the documentary Futura in 2011, Pietro Marcello has been a Venice Film Festival player throughout his career. He could be swayed back to the north as his newest film will mark his French-language debut and star Louis Garrel and Noémie Lvovsky. According to the logline, the story will be centered on the emancipation of a woman over twenty years, between 1919 and 1939, a time of great inventions and great dreams. Showing Up France has appreciated Kelly Reichardt's work more than her native America, as her most recent film, First Cow , was named the best film of 2021 by the prestigious magazine Cahiers du Cinéma . She typically debuts her films at either the Sundance or Telluride Film Festivals, but rumors abound that Fremeaux is pushing heavily for her to make the trek across the pond. Michelle Williams reunites with Reichardt as she takes on the lead role of an artist preparing for a career-defining exhibition of her work. The Eternal Daughter While Joanna Hogg was waiting for The Souvenir Part II to debut at Cannes last year, she went ahead and secretly shot her newest film in Wales, which tells the story of a middle-aged daughter and her elderly mother who confront long-buried secrets when they return to their former family home, now a nearly vacant hotel. A24 has worldwide rights to the film, and Tilda Swinton stars (her third consecutive collaboration with Hogg). The Souvenir Part II was one of the most acclaimed films of the 2021 festival, making it likely for Hogg to return with another arthouse delight. The Natural History of Destruction Controversial Ukrainian filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa has explored the Ukraine-Russia situation for years through his narrative and documentary features, with 2018's Donbas debuting at Cannes to wide acclaim. With the conflict between the two countries at the forefront of the world's attention, Loznitsa could make quite the statement with his newest documentary, which will look at the consequences of the allied bombings of German cities at the end of World War II. Cannes has never been shy of controversy, with Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 receiving a 20-minute standing ovation and the Palme d'Or in 2004, so it wouldn't be strange for Loznitsa to show up. UNLIKELY, BUT POSSIBLE Asteroid City If Asteroid City does go to the French Riviera, then Cannes would replace Berlin as the film festival to debut the most Anderson films. Moonrise Kingdom opened the festival in 2012, and The French Dispatch sat on a shelf throughout the pandemic to ensure it debuted at the 2021 edition. Cannes thrives on star power to fill its historic red carpet, and Anderson's films have plenty to spare. His newest cast will feature no less than Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Margot Robbie, Bryan Cranston, Bill Murray, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, and Jeffrey Wright. However, considering the awards disappointment of The French Dispatch , it seems that Anderson might pivot towards either Venice or New York for better prospects. Eureka A part of the New Argentine Cinema movement, Lisandro Alonso and his films have moved at a deliberate pace. He's only directed six feature-length films since 2001, with nearly all of them playing at Cannes. His most recent film, Jauja won the FIPRESCI Prize as part of the 2014 Un Certain Regard selection. He'll be reteaming with Viggo Mortensen for a story about a man on the search for his daughter after she has been kidnapped. No word has been given on production status, so it remains a mystery if the film is ready. Jean-Luc Godard Projects No introduction can do justice to the enormous impact Jean-Luc Godard has had on the art of filmmaking. He hasn't stopped making movies since his feature debut of Breathless in 1960, with his previous films, the radical The Image Book (which won the first Special Palme d'Or) and Goodbye to Language , playing in competition. There are conflicting reports on whether Godard's next two films, Funny Wars and Scenario , will be his final ones. Still, they could unintentionally become that since the French auteur recently turned 91. There's also little word on the production status of the films, with the only known details being that they will share the same essay-like qualities of his past works. No matter when they're ready, Cannes will welcome them with open arms. Nope French audiences have embraced the work of Jordan Peele just as Americans have, as Get Out was named the fourth-best film of 2017 by Cahiers du Cinéma . That acclaim fuels speculation if the French festival would invite him over to premiere his newest film. Peele has only played Sundance and SXSW, so Cannes would be a huge step up for him. Similar to Top Gun: Maverick and Elvis , an out-of-competition slot may be possible to help boost awareness for the horror film ahead of its July release. Passages Similar to Kelly Reichardt, Ira Sachs is one of the most lauded American filmmakers in France. He was invited to Cannes in 2019 for Frankie , which starred acting queen Isabelle Huppert in the titular role. Unfortunately, Sachs' film didn't perform well under the bright lights, receiving the lowest reviews of his career. He's currently rushing to finish post-production work on his new film, which stars Ben Whishaw and Franz Rogowski as a gay couple whose relationship is tested when one of them has an affair with a woman (Adèle Exarchopoulos). Even if Sachs can finish the film in time, will he return to the festival that marked a low point in his career? Poor Things Coming off the blazing Oscar success of The Favourite , all eyes are on what Yorgos Lanthimos will do next. He's keeping his partnership with leading lady Emma Stone and screenwriter Tony McNamara for Poor Things , which will be set in Victorian England and about a mad scientist who brings a woman back to life. Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, and Margaret Qualley mix into the supporting cast. Lanthimos' unique arthouse sensibilities have matched well with Cannes in the past, with Dogtooth, The Lobster , and The Killing of a Sacred Deer , all winning various prizes. Now that Oscar buzz follows Lanthimos wherever he goes, Searchlight Pictures will have to decide to send the film to a festival with an already established fandom for Lanthimos or wait and debut it in the fall with the rest of the Oscar bunch. TÁR Writer/director Todd Field hasn't made a feature film since 2006's Little Children . He's remained a mystery ever since as fans wondered if he would ever make a return to filmmaking. Fortunately, prayers have been answered as Field recently finished production on TÁR , with Cate Blanchett playing the titular character as the first-ever female chief conductor of a major German orchestra. Blanchett is a Cannes favorite as she's been a part of numerous festival darlings ( Carol and Babel ) and also served as the jury president in 2018. Being that the film is scheduled to release stateside in October and Blanchett's perennial Oscar status, a premiere at one of the fall festivals seems more likely. The Son Florian Zeller didn't know he would become an Oscar winner when he debuted The Father at the pre-pandemic Sundance Film Festival in 2020. After that success, he's wasted no time adapting another one of his plays. He again partners with screenwriter Christopher Hampton on The Son , which stars Hugh Jackman, Vanessa Kirby, Laura Dern, and recent Best Actor winner Anthony Hopkins. With the universal acclaim he received for The Father , Zeller may want to make a splash at his native festival. But being that Zeller and the film look to be prime Oscar contenders this year, Sony Pictures Classics may hold it for a few months until the fall festivals are in full swing. The Way of the Wind There's no way to figure out when a Terrence Malick film will be released. All you can do is wait and pray. Malick premiered his last movie, A Hidden Life , at Cannes in 2019, and he also won the Palme d'Or for his magnum opus The Tree Of Life in 2011. He once again has saddled himself with another weighty topic, as The Way Of The Wind will tell several episodes of the life of Jesus Christ, led by a cast of Mark Rylance, Ben Kingsley, Joseph Fiennes, and Matthias Schoenaerts. Several of Malick's films have been delayed for years as he endlessly tinkers in the editing room, so there's no telling when this film will be seen. The Whale Darren Aronofsky has been missing since Mother! proved divisive back in 2017. Now he's ready to return with a film that seems even wackier. Brendan Fraser plays a 600 lb recluse who attempts to reconnect with his teenage daughter. Aronofsky hasn't been to Cannes since he debuted Requiem for a Dream in 2000. He's had a stable relationship with the Venice Film Festival ever since and could end up keeping with tradition and taking this film there. But after the tumultuous release of Mother! and the potential oddity of this story, maybe Aronofsky will return to the festival that launched one of his greatest hits. What Happens Things got scary for a moment back in September when it was reported that Andrey Zvyagintsev was put into a medically-induced coma after sustaining heavy damage to his lungs due to a severe case of COVID-19. It was reported a month later that he was out of a coma and recovering in Germany. Zvyagintsev won Best Screenplay at Cannes in 2014 for Leviathan and the Jury Prize in 2017 for Loveless . The Russian master's newest film, which was shot in the United States and will be his English-language debut, will tackle the lofty topics of "life, nature, human relations, the modern man, and the fragility of human life." We'll have to wait and see if Zvyagintsev will be healthy enough to travel to the festival he has called home since 2007. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, no matter the answer. Women Talking Due to an accident that gave her a series of concussions, acclaimed filmmaker Sarah Polley hasn't made a feature film in over a decade. Luckily, she's returning with a starry cast consisting of Jessie Buckley, Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Frances McDormand, and Ben Whishaw. Polley will transport the cast to Bolivia, where they tell the story of a Mennonite religious colony being plagued by repeated sexual assaults by the men. Brad Pitt's Plan B and McDormand are attached as producers, so time will tell if they decide to hold the film until it's ready for an awards launch at the fall festivals. Zone of Interest Under the Skin was rated as one of the best movies of 2014 and one of the best of the 2010s by numerous critics groups. Despite the film's universal acclaim, writer/director Jonathan Glazer hasn't made a feature since. He's returning by partnering with A24 for an adaptation of Martin Amis' novel about a Nazi officer who becomes enamored with the wife of a concentration camp commander. Based on Glazer's filmography, it's safe to say that there's much more behind the curtain. Regular Paweł Pawlikowski DP Łukasz Żal will lens the film, who will surely find the beauty within the harsh circumstances. Must Read 'Maestro' Review Cooper’s filmmaking is just as confident and classical as Bernstein’s musical arrangements. SHOP 'Saltburn' Review Its brain might not always equal its bite, but there’s so much self-assured showmanship that I was glad to get lost in this maze. SHOP 'The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Review Even with it being unable to promptly say goodbye and bits of desperate fan service, this is still a cut above the rest of the YA genre. SHOP 'Napoleon' Review Scott continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry SHOP 'The Marvels' Review Not bad enough to be a catalyst in the downfall of the MCU, nor good enough to be its savior. SHOP

Cannes Predictions - Part 4: The Irregulars and Up-and-Comers April 11, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen As one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, the Cannes Film Festival always attracts the attention of cinephiles and industry professionals alike. Each year, the festival presents a diverse lineup of films that represent the best of international cinema, including both established and emerging filmmakers. With the 76th edition of the festival set to take place in May, film enthusiasts around the world are eagerly anticipating the announcement of the official selection on April 13th. While the festival organizers keep their cards close to their chest, there are already some strong players emerging as likely contenders for the coveted Cannes spotlights. In this four-part series, I’ll take a closer look at some of the films that are generating buzz and predict which ones are likely to make it to the Croisette this year. Each part will represent a category of films, which are: The Festival Masters Hollywood Makes a Splash The Festival Mainstays The Irregulars and Up-and-Comers The fourth and final part of my prediction series has us looking deeper into the fog. The directors listed are usually the most hungry and ambitious, as they are still looking to make a name for themselves at both the festival and within the world of cinema at large. Their projects may also still have a lot of questions, such as production status or release strategies. But miracles have happened and many of these deserve a coveted spot, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed. Which of these films are you most interested in? I'll be keeping you all posted on my adventures and sharing my thoughts on the films that I see. Stay tuned for more updates! The Iron Claw Indie filmmaker Sean Durkin has already impressed both domestic and international critics with his spellbinding psychological exercises. His feature debut of Martha Marcy May Marlene made the trek to the Croisette after its premiere at Sundance, and his next film (distributed by A24) seems Cannes-appropriate. Zac Efron, Harris Dickinson, and Jeremy Allen White star as the Von Erichs, a dynasty of wrestlers who made a great impact on the sport from the 1960s to the present day. Club Zero Little Joe director Jessica Hausner had her last film stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing it from being ready in time for last year’s festival. Things are looking much better this year, with Hausner ready to make her second appearance in the competition. She teamed up once again with her usual co-writer Géraldine Bajard in this story about a teacher (Mia Wasikowska) who takes a job at an elite school and forms a strong bond with five students - a relationship that eventually takes a dangerous turn. Memory Mexican filmmaker Michel Franco has split his time between Cannes and Venice when it comes to premiering his films. His last two works have made the Italian festival their home, but Fremeux may be able to tempt him to return to the Croisette due to the star wattage of Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard leading his new film. How Do You Live? With a planned July release date in his native Japan, all signs point to Hayao Miyazaki debuting his latest (and presumably) final film at Cannes. Despite several of his previous films playing at the festival, How Do You Live would mark his first film to premiere before its theatrical release. The titular book has long influenced Miyazaki, who cites it as his favorite childhood read. It’ll tell the story of a teenage boy and the interactions he has with his friends and uncle. Eureka A part of the New Argentine Cinema movement, Lisandro Alonso and his films have moved at a deliberate pace. He’s only directed six feature-length films since 2001, with nearly all of them playing at Cannes. His most recent film, Jauja won the FIPRESCI Prize as part of the 2014 Un Certain Regard selection. He’ll be reteaming with Viggo Mortensen for a story about a man on the search for his daughter after she has been kidnapped. No word has been given on production status, so it remains a mystery if the film is ready. Salem Jean-Bernard Marlin made a name for himself in 2018 with his Shéhérazade , netting him the award for Best First Feature at that year’s César Awards after its premiere at Cannes Critics’ Week. His next feature will continue to be set in the ganglands of France as it centers on a former gang member who believes his daughter is the only one who can save his Marseille community from an apocalyptic curse uttered by a rival gang member in his dying breath. Anatomy of a Fall Justine Triet made her festival debut in 2019 with Sibyl , which was met with mixed reviews. Those reactions would be cause for demotion to one of the sidebars for most filmmakers, but Triet is packing a punch in her sophomore effort with Toni Erdmann star Sandra Hüller leading as a mother accused of killing her husband. Her blind son is the sole witness to the murder, putting him in a grave moral dilemma. Strangers After taking a slight detour in television, 45 Days and Lean on Pete writer/director Andrew Haigh is back to feature filmmaking, and he’s brought together an all-star UK cast to mark the occasion. Andrew Scott will lead the film as a screenwriter who has a chance encounter with his neighbor (Paul Mescal), which pulls him back into his childhood home, where his long-dead parents are mysteriously still alive (Jamie Bell and Claire Foy). Haigh has premiered films at both Venice and Berlin, so it may be time he heads to Cannes, whether it be in competition or one of the sidebars. Occupied City Documentary films may not always pack the biggest red carpet potential, but plenty of them have broken out, notably Michael Moore’s Palme d’Or winning Fahrenheit 9/11 . Steve McQueen will try to recreate that success with his retelling of the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam from 1940-1945. Carrying a blockbuster budget of $5 million, joint distributors A24 and Film4 will likely want a big splashy premiere. Must Read 'Maestro' Review Cooper’s filmmaking is just as confident and classical as Bernstein’s musical arrangements. SHOP 'Saltburn' Review Its brain might not always equal its bite, but there’s so much self-assured showmanship that I was glad to get lost in this maze. SHOP 'The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Review Even with it being unable to promptly say goodbye and bits of desperate fan service, this is still a cut above the rest of the YA genre. SHOP 'Napoleon' Review Scott continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry SHOP 'The Marvels' Review Not bad enough to be a catalyst in the downfall of the MCU, nor good enough to be its savior. SHOP

1967: A Dramatic Shift in Film March 29, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen The year 1967 can be regarded as one of the most pivotal years in cinema history. It was a transitional year where the conventional and unconventional came crashing together for the first time on such a large scale. Using David Newman and Robert Benton’s article “The New Sentimentality” (1964), we can categorize the conventional and unconventional into two distinct categories: Old Sentimentality (conventional) and New Sentimentality (unconventional). These two categories were not just found in film, they were also found in nearly every aspect of American culture. Each version of sentimentality garnered financial and critical success in 1967. No two movies were more opposed that year in style, viewpoint, and audience than Mike Nichols’ The Graduate and Stanley Kramer’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner . Also, no two actors better represented their respective sentimentality better than Dustin Hoffman and Sidney Poitier. In this essay, I’ll explain why and how 1967 was such a cinematic turning point that shifted the paradigm of power away from Hollywood conventionalism and towards a new era of auteur cinema. I’ll also look at how both Poitier and Hoffman were shaped by their generation and how their respective careers were forever changed in 1967. To show the difference between Old and New sentimentality, we must define what exactly they are. In simplistic terms, Old Sentimentality represents conventionalism and past values. The values this movement revered were about the good old days of ruggedness, strong moral character, and banding together. These ideas were born out of the nation’s unity and recovery from World War II and were prevalent throughout the next few decades. Figures such as Dwight Eisenhower, John Wayne, and Henry Fonda embodied this type of thinking, and films such as The Ox-Bow Incident, High Noon, and The Best Years of Our Lives were most popular. New Sentimentality began making a presence around the start of the 1960s. It was less about thinking as a group and more about thinking and acting for oneself. New Sentimentality pushed the idea of being self-indulgent, getting carried away, looking inward, and being authentic. John F. Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, and Elvis Presley were the purveyors of this thinking, which could be found in films such as Bonnie and Clyde (screenplay by Newman and Benton) and Easy Rider . In 1967, producer and director Stanley Kramer released Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner . It was an all-star vehicle for him filled with the biggest stars of the past few decades in Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. Sidney Poitier was cast as the figure who’s coming to dinner, John Prentice. The plot is fairly straightforward as Prentice and his new fiancé, Christina, intend to get married. John is a respected medical doctor who has accomplished everything under the sun. Their engagement is under a deadline as he must fly to Europe that night. Christina’s parents, played by Tracy and Hepburn, are taken aback at the reality of their daughter marrying a black man, even though they raised her with a liberal mindset. Stanley Kramer was a director known for incorporating social commentary into his films. He previously had great success with The Defiant Ones and Judgement at Nuremberg . Even though his social messaging would make one think that he was a part of the younger outspoken generation, Kramer geared his films toward the older generation of moviegoers, the ones that would better respond to conventionalism and star power. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is part of an era in Hollywood where films about race were becoming more popular but weren’t purely benevolent in the way they handled the topic. Instead of utilizing themes like life under Jim Crow, black activism, or black community culture, a lot of films before the Hollywood New Age illustrated that racism was wrong through a white character's conversion from racial prejudice to tolerance. The prototypical movie of this thinking, In the Heat of the Night (also starring Sidney Poitier), won Best Picture that year. In Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner , the racism obstacle is solved by the white parents' eventual acceptance of John marrying their daughter. In his book "Genre and Hollywood," author Steve Neale (1988) breaks this style down even further by explaining that “dramatic conflict [in racism films] was to be structured around two opposing poles clearly representing good and evil, with a readily identifiable hero and villain”. This idea of opposing forces is seen in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner as the prejudiced maid and the nosy Tillie act as the villains for the heroic Draytons to vanquish. Black characters rarely saw themselves as the heroes of their own story. They were either relegated to being the villain or to serve the heroic white characters. This role came to be known as the “noble negro”, a role that Sidney Poitier would play throughout the majority of his career. In her YouTube video Why The Help ?, Isabel Custodio (2020) describes this role as having “its own predictably recurrent tropes. These characters had impossibly noble traits seemingly honed to mollify white audiences. They were slow to anger, had no sexual impulses, and often sacrificed themselves for white co-stars.” Black audiences at the time often found Poitier's characters disingenuous. In Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner , they thought it was ludicrous that Poitier played a world-renowned doctor who acts more holy than Jesus. Why give the parents a pat on the back for accepting a virtually perfect man? Kramer, on the other hand, believed that was the point. By making Prentice so perfect, only his skin color could be the barrier to marriage. Kramer’s viewpoint worked for his audience and the Oscars, as the film was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning for Best Actress (Katharine Hepburn) and Best Original Screenplay. 1967 marked the peak of Poitier’s career. His successes in previous films had typecast him as the “noble negro”, a role the younger generation didn’t accept. Now that his career is over, it is ironic to say that Poitier’s appeal was to the generation of people that had been holding him back all those years, and not to the people who were looking to create change within the nation and Hollywood system. As Poitier’s career was about to fall, the career of Dustin Hoffman was about to take off like a rocket. 1967 saw the release of The Graduate , directed by Mike Nichols, who was making his follow up to the critically acclaimed Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? . That film put Nichols on the map with its groundbreaking vulgarity and sexual innuendos, with the latter carrying forward into his next film. The Graduate centers around Benjamin Braddock, who has just graduated college and doesn’t know what to do with his life. He finds himself in an affair with Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father’s business partner. This sexually charged relationship goes on for quite some time until Benjamin catches feelings for Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, Elaine. A beacon of New Sentimentality, The Graduate spoke to a generation through its unmatched authenticity. Dustin Hoffman had no screen presence before being cast. He had no major previous roles and did not possess the classic movie star looks such as the blonde hair of Robert Redford and Paul Newman, or the towering charisma of Warren Beatty. Hoffman was of Jewish descent, which could be easily discerned from his looks, making him even more of an outsider to his contemporaries. Nichols saw something in Hoffman, an opportunity to use his “flaws'' to tell a story to a younger audience growing tired of Hollywood perfectionism. Film critic Roger Ebert (1967) described Hoffman’s performance as “painfully awkward and ethical that we are forced to admit we would act pretty much as he does, even in his most extreme moments." Hoffman’s awkward and anxious performance is filled with the traits of New Sentimentality. The idea of people having inward problems, sleeping around with others, and being wounded were ideas becoming more and more part of the national psyche, especially to young adults. Newman and Benton stressed that New Sentimentality had to do with you and you alone. “Personal interest is the abiding motivation and... your primary objective is to make your life fit your style.” The idea of personal interest and selfishness comes to its apex at the end when both Elaine and Ben run off together, though they have no idea what they are going to do now that they’re gone. Unlike Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner , Nichols (and screenwriters Buck Henry and Calder Willingham) doesn't craft the story around the message. It’s the inverse, as the message comes from the story. Ebert noticed this subversive social messaging in his review, saying, “[the film] is inspired by the free spirit which the young British and French New Wave directors have brought into their movies. It is funny, not because of sight gags and punch lines and other tired rubbish, but because it has a point of view. That is to say, it is against something.” With The Graduate , the audience is the one deciding the message for themselves, instead of it being intentionally swayed towards one side like Kramer did (even if he had good intentions). The Graduate’s methods proved highly successful, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1967 (beating out second-place Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner ) and garnering seven Academy Award nominations, winning for Nichol’s direction. The film also inspired a generation of filmmakers to craft stories for a new generation of moviegoers. Films such as American Graffiti, Harold and Maude , and the filmography of Woody Allen took a more liberal policy towards sex and personal relationships. Dustin Hoffman’s career exploded following 1967. He continued with down and dirty roles in films such as Midnight Cowboy, Straw Dogs, and Lenny . His imperfections won him a passionate following of fans that saw themselves through him. He reached his peak in 1979 with his Oscar-winning role in Kramer vs. Kramer and stayed at the top of his game for nearly a quarter-century with acclaim in later roles in Death of a Salesman, Rain Man, and Tootsie . 1967 was the transition point of two eras in American cinema. It was the beginning of the end for Hollywood conventionalism and the beginning of the rise of auteur-driven filmmaking. Looking through the lens of Old and New Sentimentality, one can see why and how this specific period marked that shift and how it enforced lasting consequences on how filmmakers see their audience and how audiences see themselves on the screen. Must Read 'Maestro' Review Cooper’s filmmaking is just as confident and classical as Bernstein’s musical arrangements. SHOP 'Saltburn' Review Its brain might not always equal its bite, but there’s so much self-assured showmanship that I was glad to get lost in this maze. SHOP 'The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Review Even with it being unable to promptly say goodbye and bits of desperate fan service, this is still a cut above the rest of the YA genre. SHOP 'Napoleon' Review Scott continues his string of blockbusters propelled by smart filmmaking and collaborative artistry SHOP 'The Marvels' Review Not bad enough to be a catalyst in the downfall of the MCU, nor good enough to be its savior. SHOP

Privacy Policy *Last updated June 29, 2023,* This privacy notice for The Cinema Dispatch ("we," "us," or "our"), describes how and why we might collect, store, use, and/or share ("process") your information when you use our services ("Services"), such as when you: ​ Visit our website at https://www.cinemadispatch.com , or any website of ours that links to this privacy notice Engage with us in other related ways, including any sales, marketing, or events ​ Questions or concerns? Reading this privacy notice will help you understand your privacy rights and choices. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Services. If you still have any questions or concerns, please contact us at hunter@cinemadispatch.com . SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS This summary provides key points from our privacy notice, but you can find out more details about any of these topics by clicking the link following each key point or by using our table of contents below to find the section you are looking for. What personal information do we process? When you visit, use, or navigate our Services, we may process personal information depending on how you interact with us and the Services, the choices you make, and the products and features you use. Learn more about the personal information you disclose to us . Do we process any sensitive personal information? We do not process sensitive personal information. Do we receive any information from third parties? We do not receive any information from third parties. How do we process your information? We process your information to provide, improve, and administer our Services, communicate with you, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent. We process your information only when we have a valid legal reason to do so. Learn more about how we process your information . In what situations and with which types of parties do we share personal information? We may share information in specific situations and with specific categories of third parties. Learn more about when and with whom we share your personal information . How do we keep your information safe? We have organizational and technical processes and procedures in place to protect your personal information. However, no electronic transmission over the internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, so we cannot promise or guarantee that hackers, cybercriminals, or other unauthorized third parties will not be able to defeat our security and improperly collect, access, steal, or modify your information. Learn more about how we keep your information safe . What are your rights? Depending on where you are located geographically, the applicable privacy law may mean you have certain rights regarding your personal information. Learn more about your privacy rights . How do you exercise your rights? The easiest way to exercise your rights is by submitting a data subject access request , or by contacting us. We will consider and act upon any request by applicable data protection laws. Want to learn more about what we do with any information we collect? Review the privacy notice in full . TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT? 2. HOW DO WE PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION? 3. WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION? 4. DO WE USE COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES? 5. HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION? 6. HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE? 7. DO WE COLLECT INFORMATION FROM MINORS? 8. WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS? 9. CONTROLS FOR DO-NOT-TRACK FEATURES 10. DO UNITED STATES RESIDENTS HAVE SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS? 11. DO WE MAKE UPDATES TO THIS NOTICE? 12. HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS NOTICE? 13. HOW CAN YOU REVIEW, UPDATE, OR DELETE THE DATA WE COLLECT FROM YOU? 1. WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT? The personal information you disclose to us In Short: We collect personal information that you provide to us. We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you express an interest in obtaining information about us or our products and Services when you participate in activities on the Services, or otherwise when you contact us. Personal Information Provided by You. The personal information that we collect depends on the context of your interactions with us and the Services, the choices you make, and the products and features you use. The personal information we collect may include the following: email addresses Sensitive Information. We do not process sensitive information. All personal information that you provide to us must be true, complete, and accurate, and you must notify us of any changes to such personal information. Information automatically collected In Short: Some information — such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address and/or browser and device characteristics — is collected automatically when you visit our Services. We automatically collect certain information when you visit, use, or navigate the Services. This information does not reveal your specific identity (like your name or contact information) but may include device and usage information, such as your IP address, browser and device characteristics, operating system, language preferences, referring URLs, device name, country, location, information about how and when you use our Services, and other technical information. This information is primarily needed to maintain the security and operation of our Services and for our internal analytics and reporting purposes. Like many businesses, we also collect information through cookies and similar technologies. The information we collect includes: Log and Usage Data. Log and usage data is service-related, diagnostic, usage, and performance information our servers automatically collect when you access or use our Services and which we record in log files. Depending on how you interact with us, this log data may include your IP address, device information, browser type, and settings and information about your activity in the Services (such as the date/time stamps associated with your usage, pages, and files viewed, searches, and other actions you take such as which features you use), device event information (such as system activity, error reports (sometimes called "crash dumps"), and hardware settings). Device Data. We collect device data such as information about your computer, phone, tablet, or other device you use to access the Services. Depending on the device used, this device data may include information such as your IP address (or proxy server), device and application identification numbers, location, browser type, hardware model, Internet service provider and/or mobile carrier, operating system, and system configuration information. Location Data. We collect location data such as information about your device's location, which can be either precise or imprecise. How much information we collect depends on the type and settings of the device you use to access the Services. For example, we may use GPS and other technologies to collect geolocation data that tells us your current location (based on your IP address). You can opt out of allowing us to collect this information either by refusing access to the information or by disabling your Location setting on your device. However, if you choose to opt-out, you may not be able to use certain aspects of the Services ​ 2. HOW DO WE PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION? In Short: We process your information to provide, improve, and administer our Services, communicate with you, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent. We process your personal information for a variety of reasons, depending on how you interact with our Services, including: To evaluate and improve our Services, products, marketing, and your experience. We may process your information when we believe it is necessary to identify usage trends, determine the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns, and evaluate and improve our Services, products, marketing, and your experience. To identify usage trends. We may process information about how you use our Services to better understand how they are being used so we can improve them. 3. WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION? In Short: We may share information in specific situations described in this section and/or with the following categories of third parties. Vendors, Consultants, and Other Third-Party Service Providers. We may share your data with third-party vendors, service providers, contractors, or agents ("third parties") who perform services for us or on our behalf and require access to such information to do that work. The categories of third parties we may share personal information with are as follows: Ad Networks Website Hosting Service Providers We also may need to share your personal information in the following situations: Business Transfers. We may share or transfer your information in connection with or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company. 4. DO WE USE COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES? In Short: We may use cookies and other tracking technologies to collect and store your information. We may use cookies and similar tracking technologies (like web beacons and pixels) to access or store information. Specific information about how we use such technologies and how you can refuse certain cookies is set out in our Cookie Notice. 5. HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION? In Short: We keep your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy notice unless otherwise required by law. We will only keep your personal information for as long as it is necessary for the purposes set out in this privacy notice unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (such as tax, accounting, or other legal requirements). When we have no ongoing legitimate business need to process your personal information, we will either delete or anonymize such information, or, if this is not possible (for example, because your personal information has been stored in backup archives), then we will securely store your personal information and isolate it from any further processing until deletion is possible. 6. HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE? In Short: We aim to protect your personal information through a system of organizational and technical security measures. We have implemented appropriate and reasonable technical and organizational security measures designed to protect the security of any personal information we process. However, despite our safeguards and efforts to secure your information, no electronic transmission over the Internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, so we cannot promise or guarantee that hackers, cybercriminals, or other unauthorized third parties will not be able to defeat our security and improperly collect, access, steal, or modify your information. Although we will do our best to protect your personal information, the transmission of personal information to and from our Services is at your own risk. You should only access the Services within a secure environment. 7. DO WE COLLECT INFORMATION FROM MINORS? In Short: We do not knowingly collect data from or market to children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly solicit data from or market to children under 18 years of age. By using the Services, you represent that you are at least 18 or that you are the parent or guardian of such a minor and consent to such minor dependent’s use of the Services. If we learn that personal information from users less than 18 years of age has been collected, we will deactivate the account and take reasonable measures to promptly delete such data from our records. If you become aware of any data we may have collected from children under the age of 18, please contact us at hunter@cinemadispatch.com . 8. WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS? In Short: You may review, change, or terminate your account at any time. If you are located in the EEA or UK and you believe we are unlawfully processing your personal information, you also have the right to complain to your Member State data protection authority or UK data protection authority . If you are located in Switzerland, you may contact the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner . Withdrawing your consent: If we are relying on your consent to process your personal information, which may be express and/or implied consent depending on the applicable law, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us using the contact details provided in the section "HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS NOTICE? " below. However, please note that this will not affect the lawfulness of the processing before its withdrawal nor when applicable law allows, will it affect the processing of your personal information conducted in reliance on lawful processing grounds other than consent. Cookies and similar technologies: Most Web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. If you prefer, you can usually choose to set your browser to remove cookies and teject cookies. If you choose to remove cookies or reject cookies, this could affect certain features or services of our Services. You may also opt out of interest-based advertising by advertisers on our Services. If you have questions or comments about your privacy rights, you may email us at hunter@cinemadispatch.com . 9. CONTROLS FOR DO-NOT-TRACK FEATURES Most web browsers and some mobile operating systems and mobile applications include a Do-Not-Track ("DNT") feature or setting you can activate to signal your privacy preference and not to have data about your online browsing activities monitored and collected. At this stage, no uniform technology standard for recognizin g and implementing DNT signals has been finalized. As such, we do not currently respond to DNT browser signals or any other mechanism that automatically communicates your choice not to be tracked online. If a standard for online tracking is adopted that we must follow in the future, we will inform you about that practice in a revised version of this privacy notice. 10. DO UNITED STATES RESIDENTS HAVE SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS? In Short: If you are a resident of California, you are granted specific rights regarding access to your personal information. What categories of personal information do we collect? We have collected the following categories of personal information in the past twelve (12) months: ​ A. Identifiers: Contact details, such as real name, alias, postal address, telephone or mobile contact number, unique personal identifier, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, and account name ​ B. Protected classification characteristics under state or federal law: Gender and date of birth ​ C. Commercial information: Transaction information, purchase history, financial details, and payment information D. Biometric information: F ingerprints and voiceprints E. Internet or other similar network activity: Browsing history, search history, online behavior, interest data, and interactions with our and other websites, applications, systems, and advertisements ​ F. Geolocation data: Device location ​ G. Audio, electronic, visual, thermal, olfactory, or similar information: Images and audio, video or call recordings created in connection with our business activities H. Professional or employment-related information: Business contact details to provide you with our Services at a business level or job title, work history, and professional qualifications if you apply for a job with us I. Education Information: Student records and directory information J. Inferences dare drawnfrom collected personal information: Inferences drawn from any of the collected personal information listed above to create a profile or summary about, for example, an individual’s preferences and characteristics K. Sensitive personal information We may also collect other personal information outside of these categories through instances where you interact with us in person, online, or by phone or mail in the context of: Receiving help through our customer support channels; Participation in customer surveys or contests; and Facilitation the delivery of our Services and responding to your inquiries. ​ How do we use and share your personal information? Learn about how we use your personal information in the section, "HOW DO WE PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION? " More information about our data collection and sharing practices can be found in this privacy notice. Will your information be shared with anyone else? We may disclose your personal information with our service providers under a written contract between us and each service provider. Learn more about whom we disclose personal information to in the section, "WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION? " We may use your personal information for our business purposes, such as for undertaking internal research for technological development and demonstration. This is not considered to be the "selling" of your personal information. California Residents California Civil Code Section 1798.83, also known as the "Shine The Light" law, permits our users who are California residents to request and obtain from us, once a year and free of charge, information about categories of personal information (if any) we disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes and the names and addresses of all third parties with which we shared personal information in the immediately preceding calendar year. If you are a California resident and would like to make such a request, please submit your request in writing to us using the contact information provided below. If you are under 18 years of age, reside in California, and have a registered account with the Services, you have the right to request the removal of unwanted data that you publicly post on the Services. To request the removal of such data, please contact us using the contact information provided below and include the email address associated with your account and a statement that you reside in California. We will make sure the data is not publicly displayed on the Services, but please be aware that the data may not be completely or comprehensively removed from all our systems (e.g., backups, etc.). 11. DO WE MAKE UPDATES TO THIS NOTICE? In Short: Yes, we will update this notice as necessary to stay compliant with relevant laws. We may update this privacy notice from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated "Revised" date and the updated version will be effective as soon as it is accessible. If we make material changes to this privacy notice, we may notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes or by directly sending you a notification. We encourage you to review this privacy notice frequently to be informed of how we are protecting your information. 12. HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS NOTICE? If you have questions or comments about this notice, you may email us at hunter@cinemadispatch.com or contact us by post at: The Cinema Dispatch 1602 Hamel Lane Shakopee, MN 55379 United States 13. HOW CAN YOU REVIEW, UPDATE, OR DELETE THE DATA WE COLLECT FROM YOU? You have the right to request access to the personal information we collect from you, change that information, or delete it. To request to review, update, or delete your personal information, please fill out and submit a data subject access request .