MY VIEWING DIARY: PART SIXTEEN

"Daisy Kenyon" (1947)

After winning the Best Actress Academy Award for her turn as the harried mother in "Mildred Pierce", Joan Crawford's stagnant career was fully revitalized. One of the films she made after her win was "Daisy Kenyon", a melodramatic love triangle, that was daring at the time due to it's more pragmatic handling of these complicated emotional affairs. The infamous director, Otto Preminger was responsible for pushing as far he could go in this torrid story with the Motion Picture Production Code and later would go even further handling banned subjects in his movies.

Set in New York City shortly after the end of WWII, Crawford plays Kenyon, a commercial artist who is having an affair with Dan O'Mara (Dana Andrews), a smooth-talking, married lawyer. Fed up with waiting around for him and the empty promises of divorcing his wife (Ruth Warrick), Daisy informs Dan she has made other plans for dinner. As he's leaving her home, Dan runs into Daisy's new suitor, a war veteran widower named Peter Lapham (Henry Fonda). While Peter still misses his wife and Daisy is not over Dan, these two wind up getting married. After discovering her husband's affair with Daisy, she wants to file for divorce with full custody of their children. Dan asks Peter and Daisy to allow him to reveal the details of his former relationship with Daisy during the divorce trial. This request effects her marriage to Peter and the trial publicly damages her reputation.

Not well received at the time of its initial release, "Daisy Kenyon" has been reevaluated by modern audiences, giving the film a newfound respect. Neither Andrews or Fonda really cared for the script yet fulfilled their contractual obligations, still providing solid performances. But this is actually Crawford's opportunity to deliver a star turn with plenty of her usual hard-boiled flair and monumental emoting. She had wanted to buy the rights years before but was beat out by 20th Century Fox and campaigned hard to get to play the lead. Considering the restrictions of the era, Preminger managed to make "Daisy Kenyon" feel modern with credible characters reacting to challenging love situations believably and honestly.

"Dead Man" (1995)

"Dead Man" is Jim Jarmusch's version of a western; a dark, trippy and surreal adventure involving a meek, soft-spoken man who ends up becoming a wanted, gun-toting outlaw. Johnny Depp plays William Blake who we meet on a train heading to the frontier town of Machine from Cleveland. Selling everything he owns to get there for an accounting position he had been promised at the Dickinson metal shop, Blake discovers there is no job available with the owner (Robert Mitchum in his final film role) showing him to the door at gunpoint. Broke and homeless, the mild mannered Blake encounters Thel (Mili Avital), a lovely former working girl now making a living selling paper flowers, and offers him to stay with her for the night. But they are interrupted by Charlie (Gabriel Byrne), her former lover, who is not thrilled with this situation. Bullets soon fly across the room ending with Thel murdered by Charlie and (in self-defense) Blake shoots him dead. As Charlie happens to be the son of Dickinson, the distraught businessman sets a bounty out on Blake, wanted dead or alive, and hires a posse of outlaws (Lance Henriksen, Michael Wincott and Eugene Byrd) to track him down. On the run, a wounded Blake encounters a Native American named Nobody (Gary Farmer) who helps heal him and believes he's the reincarnation of the English poet, William Blake.

The filmmaker has no interest in the deeply embedded, nonsense found in many Hollywood westerns where most white men were the virtuous heroes while the Native Americans are nothing more than blood-thirsty primitives. In "Dead Man", the Natives are presented as humane and enlightened with the pale faces appear unpredictably crazed and dangerous. And since this is a Jarmusch film, this quirky western features offbeat comedic moments, unhurried pacing and sudden bursts of bloody violence. Shot in crisp black & white by cinematographer, Robby Müller and with a rousing original musical score by rocker, Neil Young, "Dead Man" is far from top-notch Jarmusch. Yet the film still manages to engage with an eccentric sense of style and unsettling mood.

"Marty" (1955)

I had avoided for years watching "Marty", the story of a lonely butcher seeking love and companionship, despite the film winning the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Picture back in 1955 (one of only four films that managed to accomplish this feat). Despite all the acclaim I remained hesitant, feeling like it would be nothing more than an overwrought melodrama. But I recently gave in and finally watched "Marty". Now I must admit I made a huge misjudgment about this film. With a poignant screenplay by Paddy Chayefsky (another Oscar winner) and some outstanding naturalistic performances, "Marty" is a well-crafted and expressive small-scale drama filled with grand, complex human emotions.

Working as a butcher in the Bronx, Marty Piletti (Ernest Borgnine) is continuously scolded by the nosy neighborhood women that he should be ashamed for not settling down and getting married. But it's not like he hasn't tried meeting a nice girl. Tending to be shy and socially awkward, this makes dating very difficult for Marty. With his brothers and sisters already off and married, Marty is still living at home with their mother (Esther Minciotti) who worries about her son. One evening, with Marty at home and no plans on going out, Teresa pushes him to go dancing.

Reluctantly, Marty heads out to a dancehall with his also-single, best friend, Angie (Joe Mantell) with the hope they might meet some women. Marty runs in to Clara, (Betsy Blair) a high school teacher crying after being dumped by her blind date. They spend the evening together talking with these two lonely people making a deep emotional connection. But his friend and mother, feeling Clara is not good enough for him, both encourage him to move on and keep looking for a more suitable mate. Marty is left with a struggle between following his heart or listening to people he thinks knows what's best for him.

"Marty" began as a teleplay in 1953 during the early days of television with Rod Steiger playing the title role. For the film, Chayefsky expanded the script and after Steiger declined to take part, Borgnine took over playing Marty, going on to win the Academy Award for Best Actor and become a movie star. Borgnine and Blair have a lovely chemistry as two people, isolated and assuming they're unattractive, helping each other to feel less alone and desirable. After directing hundreds of hours of live television, Delbert Mann got his first opportunity to direct a feature film with "Marty". Having only sixteen days to shoot and a very low budget, Mann used his experience to craft an economical yet substantial drama and would receive the Best Director Oscar for his efforts. Please don't make my mistake: "Marty" is a beautifully moving film filled with absorbing passion and unfortunate heartbreak that should be sought out and seen.

DIANE KEATON (1946 - 2025)

I am shocked and sadden about the passing of Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress who dazzled audiences with her many screen performances. It was announced that the Los Angeles born and raised actor had died on October 11th at the age of seventy-nine with no cause has been disclosed to date. With a charming quirkiness, self-deprecating wit and an eccentric, spontaneous spirit, Keaton brought to mind the classic screwball movie comedian while still capturing a unique modern sensibility. And the distinctive wardrobe she wore off screen which usually consisted of tailored menswear, extra wide belts and a bowler hat made Keaton become a style icon. 

Born Diane Hall, she had gotten into theater during high school which sparked her interest in pursuing acting as a career. She briefly attended college in Santa Ana before dropping out and heading to New York. Discovering there was already a "Diane Hall" in the Actors' Equity Association, she took her mother's maiden name of "Keaton" as her stage name. Her first stage opportunity came when she was cast as part of the ensemble in the original Broadway production of "Hair" with Keaton famously declining to appear nude on stage even with the offer of a fifty dollar bonus. But Keaton's career would take off in 1969 after meeting Woody Allen and being cast in his play, "Play it Again, Sam". The comedy would earn Keaton a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play. Heading back to Los Angeles, she would appear in several television sitcoms, dramas and commercials.

Keaton's first significant film role was as Kay Adams-Corleone in "The Godfather" with director, Francis Ford Coppola casting her after noticing the actress in her 1970 film debut, "Lovers and Other Strangers". The film was a critical and box-office success, winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. Keaton would appear in the film's sequel two years later (also winning Best Picture) with her role far more substantial.

In 1972, Keaton co-starred with Allen in the film version of "Play it Again, Sam", directed by Herbert Ross. Once Allen decided to begin to direct his screenplays, he cast Keaton (who had a brief romantic relationship with him and remained life-long friends) in many of his features beginning with "Sleeper" in 1973 and "Love and Death" two years later. Allen has said that the character of "Annie Hall" was inspired by Keaton and the film would become a big box-office hit and received wide critical acclaim, winning four Academy Awards including Best Actress for Keaton and Best Picture. She would appear in his other films, "Interiors", "Manhattan" and "Manhattan Murder Mystery".

Other notable films that starred Keaton include the dramas, "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (where she played against type as a schoolteacher for deaf children who at night hung out at bars to pick-up men), "Reds" (receiving a Best Actress Oscar nomination), "Shoot the Moon" and comedies, "Crimes of the Heart", "Baby Boom", a remake of "Father of the Bride" and the sequel. Keaton soon turned her attention to directing, first music videos, episodes of drama series and two films for television before making a documentary feature, "Heaven" in 1987 about the possibility of an afterlife. Her first feature film as a director was in 1995 with "Unstrung Heroes", a '60's set comedy-drama about a boy dealing with his mother struggling with cancer with Andie MacDowell and John Turturro. She would also direct and co-star in the 2000 comedy (featuring a screenplay by Nora and Delia Ephron), "Hanging Up" with Meg Ryan and Lisa Kudrow.

Keaton continued to perform as an actor appearing in "The Godfather Part III", "Marvin's Room" (where she received another Best Actress Oscar nomination), "The Family Stone", "Mad Money", "Book Club", "Something's Got to Give" (receiving her final Best Actress Oscar nomination) and "The First Wives Club", the popular box-office smash with Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler which has developed a cult following. Keaton's final screen appearance was last year in the comedy, "Summer Camp" which she co-starred with Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard.

Keaton was actively involved in the art scene in Los Angeles, particularly photography, and restoring then selling landmark homes throughout the area. And while she was involved in several high profile romances which included Allen, Al Pacino and Warren Beatty, Keaton was never married. She is survived by her two children, Dexter and Duke Keaton who were adapted when she was in her 50's.

Not all of the movies that Keaton appeared in were well received or memorable but the actress was consistently pointed as the highlight of any given film, praising her gift for an offbeat approach to her characters while remaining authentic with every performance. Diane Keaton was a true original and her remarkable artistry will absolutely be missed.

2025 AFI FILM FESTIVAL

The 2025 AFI Fest Film Festival will be on the way to showcase the latest films from across the globe in the heart of Hollywood. The fest will be held from October 22nd to 26th with most of the screenings to be at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres.

The fest will offer Red Carpet premieres, Special Screenings, Luminaries, Discovery, World Cinema, Documentary, After Dark and Short Film programs. AFI 2025 will open with "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" from writer/director Scott Cooper. Jeremy Allen White stars as the legendary rock musician, Bruce Springsteen as he prepares to record his next album after achieving major stardom, struggling with this success while haunted by his past. The other films making their premiere will include Noah Baumbach's "Jay Kelly" with George Clooney and Adam Sandler; "Song Sung Blue" from Craig Brewer involving the true story of a couple (Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson) starting a Neil Diamond tribute band; "Christy", another based on a true story about a trailblazing female boxer (played by Sydney Sweeney) who achieved fame in the 1990's and "The Spongebob Movie: Search For Squarepants" which continues the adventures of the beloved character on the big screen.





In the Luminaries section, which will highlight the latest films from world-renowned filmmakers, will feature new works from Paolo Sorrentino ("La Grazia"), Werner Herzog ("Ghost Elephants"), Hong Sang-soo ("What Does That Nature Say To You"), Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne ("Young Mothers"), Christian Petzold ("Miroirs no. 3") and François Ozon ("The Stranger").





Some of the Special Screenings will include "The Chronology of Water", the directorial feature debut by actress, Kristen Stewart; "Bugonia", Yorgos Lanthimos’ remake of the 2003 Korean cult classic, "Save the Green Planet!" with Emma Stone and the filmed version of the Tony Award winning revival of the stage musical, "Merrily We Roll Along" with the original Broadway cast, Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe and Lyndsey Mendez.



And Guillermo del Toro was named as Guest Artistic Director for this year's fest. The Oscar-winning filmmaker (who will have his latest anticipated feature, an interpretation of the classic Mary Shelley novel, "Frankenstein", in theaters later in the month) has selected four of his favorite films to present to AFI audiences: "Barry Lyndon", "Fellini's Casanova", "The Duellists" and "L'Arcano Incantatore (Arcane Sorcerer)". These films will be screened at the Egyptian in Hollywood.

For the complete list of films and to purchase tickets, please click below:

2025 AFI Fest

COMING SOON

The actor, Maggie Gyllenhaal made her directorial debut back in 2021 with the psychological drama, "The Lost Daughter" which she would receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Now she is finally returning behind the camera with "The Bride!", a bold reimaging of the 1935 Hollywood film, "The Bride of Frankenstein" which was based on the character created by Mary Shelley. 

Set in 1930's Chicago, the Frankenstein monster (Christian Bale) asks Dr. Euphronious (Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. Much like how he was created, they take a recently deceased woman (Jessie Buckley) and bring her back to life in order to become his "bride".

The teaser trailer has just been released for the film (which will reach theaters early next year) and it reveals a less gothic and more naturalistic setting. It's been said that "The Bride!" will have elements of modern bloody horror and more character driven. Gyllenhaal's brother, Jake; her husband, Peter Sarsgaard and Penélope Cruz will also star.

"The Bride!" is due in US theaters on March 6, 2025

26 MOVIES TO SEE AT THE 2025 NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL

The 63rd annual New York Film Festival is set to begin on September 26th and running through October 13th. This celebration of film will present new and important cinematic works from around the world, many we will be able to see in local theaters over the next few months.

The fest opens with the latest from Luca Guadagnino with "After The Hunt", a psychological drama with Julia Roberts as a Yale professor whose privileged life is turned upside down after her protégée (Ayo Edebiri) accuses her longtime colleague and friend (Andrew Garfield) of sexual assault. The Centerpiece selection is "Father Mother Sister Brother" which just won director, Jim Jarmusch this year's Venice Film Festival Golden Lion award. The film is set up in three chapters concerning the relationships between adult children reconnecting or coming to terms with their aging or lost parents. And the Closing Night film is the third film by Bradley Cooper as a director, "Is This Thing On?". This comedy-drama involves Will Arnett as a man whose marriage is unraveling, causing him to have an unpredictable midlife crisis which leads him to become a stand-up comic.





With so many films to be screened at the fest, Vulture has put together a list of a few of the most anticipated films that have made it to NYFF, some after premiering at other well-known festivals earlier in the year. Please click below to see the twenty-six films that have been highlighted:

26 Most Anticipated Movies at the 2025 NYFF

ROBERT REDFORD (1936 - 2025)

Robert Redford, the handsome and charismatic actor who moved behind the camera to become an Oscar-winning filmmaker, has passed away in his sleep on September 16th at the age of eighty-nine. Not only did Redford become one of the biggest movies stars on the planet but he was a political activist who used his fame to bring attention to several causes that were important to him like environmentalism and indigenous people's rights. He also went on to help create the Sundance Film Festival which became one of the first and largest festivals that focused on independent cinema.

From the beginning after deciding to become an actor, Redford sought out roles that would challenge him, never wanting to be typecast in parts that focused on his looks. He appeared in numerous television dramas and small roles in feature films before getting his first big break on stage in 1963 after being cast in Neil Simon's latest Broadway show, "Barefoot in the Park", a romantic-comedy directed by Mike Nichols. The show was a hit, helping to create some buzz around the fledgling actor. In 1965, Redford was given a supporting role in "Inside Daisy Clover", a Hollywood-set drama starring Natalie Wood. It wasn't much of a critical or box-office success but they appeared together again the following year as co-stars in "This Property Is Condemned", directed by Sydney Pollack, that managed to achieve some acclaim. Redford also appeared for the first time with Jane Fonda that year in the all-star flop, "The Chase" (that included Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall and Angie Dickinson in the cast) before they starred together in the film version of "Barefoot in the Park" in 1967. This became a smash hit, helping to create Redford as a true film star.

But what made Redford go from a popular movie actor to an international cinema superstar began with George Roy Hill's western, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" in 1969. Paired with another major star, Paul Newman, the film followed these Wild West outlaws on the run from a posse after their string of train robberies. The film went on to earn over one hundred million dollars at the box-office and won four Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay for William Goldman and Best Original Song for "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head". This was followed by a string of popular films starring Redford: "The Way We Were" (with Barbra Streisand), "The Sting" (which reteamed him with Newman), "Jeremiah Johnson", "The Great Waldo Pepper", "Three Days of the Condor" and "All the President's Men"

Redford soon began to look for a new challenge which lead him to sit in the director's chair. The 1980 drama, "Ordinary People", based on the novel by Judith Guest, follows the disintegration of a wealthy family following the accidental death of one of their two sons and the attempted suicide of the other. Another box-office hit, the film was nominated for six Academy Awards, taking home four which included Best Director and Best Picture. Redford would go on to direct "The Milagro Beanfield War", "A River Runs Through It", "Quiz Show", "The Legend of Bagger Vance", "Lions for Lambs" "The Horse Whisperer" and "The Company You Keep"

He was born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on August 18th in Santa Monica, California of Irish, Scottish, and English ancestry. He had suffered from a mild case of polio when he was eleven but recovered and excelled in sports during high school. But Redford also had an interest in the creative arts. After graduating from high school in 1954, he attended the University of Colorado but spent too much time partying and ended up getting expelled from the school. He then went off to Europe to travel for a period before coming back home with a clear focus on trying to become an actor.

Redford remained a sought after performer throughout the 1980's to well into the twenty-first century. He would appear in the baseball drama "The Natural", the 1985 Best Picture winner, "Out of Africa", "Indecent Proposal", "Up Close & Personal", "Sneakers" and Marvel superhero film, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier". The last major film Redford starred in before retiring in 2018 was "The Old Man & the Gun", a crime-drama directed by David Lowery.

2025 CINEPRIDE FILM FESTIVAL

With Outfest imploding two years ago, Los Angeles was left without a film festival that celebrates the LGBTQ+ communities. But that seems to be over with the announcement of the inaugural CinePride Film Festival which will be held on September 11-14 at the Landmark Theatres Sunset in West Hollywood. This four-day event will feature a mix of feature films, documentaries and shorts that displays a wide range of thrilling queer cinema from across the globe.

For the complete listing of films and events, please click below:

2025 CinePride Film Festival

WINNERS OF THE 2025 VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

The close of this year's Venice Film Festival brought an awards ceremony with the winner of the Golden Lion was given to the latest from Jim Jarmusch, "Father Mother Sister Brother". The drama-comedy, with a starry cast led by Cate Blanchett and Adam Driver, is about the complicated relationships between parents and their children involving three sets of families. The runner-up Grand Jury prize of the Silver Lion went to "The Voice of Hind Rajab", a political docudrama from Kaouther Ben Hania that details the killing of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was trapped in a car during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip last year.

For his first feature film without his brother, Josh, Benny Safdie received the Silver Lion Best Director prize for his sports biopic "The Smashing Machine" based on the life of mixed-martial arts fighter, Mark Kerr. Best Screenplay went to the director, Valérie Donzelli for her drama, "At Work (À pied d'œuvre)" and shares the prize with co-writer, Gilles Marchand. Based on a true story, a successful photographer at the peak of his career decides to pursue writing but he faces financial hardship and personal struggles during this dubious transition.

Here are the winners in the Main Competition of the 2025 Venice Film Festival:

Golden Lion: "Father Mother Sister Brother"

Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize: "صوت هند رجب (The Voice of Hind Rajab)"

Silver Lion Best Director: Benny Safdie, "The Smashing Machine"

Best Screenplay: Valérie Donzelli and Gilles Marchand, "A Pied d’oeuvre (At Work)"

Best Actress: Xin Zhilei, "日掛中天 (The Sun Rises on Us All)"

Best Actor: Toni Servillo, "La Grazia (The Pardon)"



Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actor or Actress: Luna Wedler, "Silent Friend"



Lion of the Future – Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a Debut Film: Nastia Korkia, "Short Summer"

Special Jury Prize: Gianfranco Rosi, "Sotte le Nuvole (Below the Clouds)"

COMING SOON

"Wuthering Heights", the only novel by the British author, Emily Brontë, has captivated readers since it's publication back in 1847 and has endured as true classic of English language literature. This story about the passionate relationship between Cathy Earnshaw and Heathcliff, a poor orphan taken in by her family and the destruction he causes after she chooses to marry a wealthy neighbor instead of him has been adapted for film and television numerous times since the very beginning of cinema. 

The latest version of "Wuthering Heights" is from the provocative filmmaker, Emerald Fennell who was behind the controversial and polarizing dramas, "Promising Young Woman" and "Saltburn". The just released teaser trailer of Fennell's interpretation, that will feature Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Cathy, makes it clear that this will not be a tradtional rendition of Brontë's acclaimed story. With a bold, experimental style and surreal imagery, this film is almost certain to stir intense debate over what the director has done with this timeless narrative.

"Wuthering Heights" is due in US theaters on February 14, 2026

2025 FALL MOVIE PREVIEW

As we move from steamy hot weather into a brisk cooler season, this is reflected in the upcoming movie slate. We had a summer filled with box-office hits of largely sequels, reboots and lighter fare. And now it's time for a shift with movies involving more serious, dramatic subjects and prize-seeking projects. There is a lot of intriguing movies on the horizon over the next four months and here are a few I'm really looking forward in seeing:

"THE HISTORY OF SOUND"

Release date: September 12, 2025

"The History of Sound", based on short stories by Ben Shattuck (who wrote the screenplay), deals with the romantic relationship between two men, Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O'Connor) after meeting while attending a music conservatory in Boston. Separated due to World War I , they are reunited and, to make up for their lost time together, begin traveling to record traditional folk songs throughout rural Maine. Oliver Hermanus directs.



"KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN"

Release date: October 10, 2025

"Kiss of the Spider Woman" began as a drama in 1985 from director, Héctor Babenco that was set in a Brazilian prison during the military dictatorship and centers on two very different cellmates; a rigid leftist revolutionary (Raul Julia) and an apolitical gay man (William Hurt who would win the Oscar for Best Actor). Seven years later, this film was adapted into a popular Broadway musical by Terrence McNally, John Kander and Fred Ebb, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical. Now this musical of "Kiss of the Spider Woman" will be brought to the big screen by Bill Condon who has had great success previously with the stage-to-screen transfers of "Chicago" and "Dreamgirls". Here Diego Luna will play the revolutionary, Valentin, Tonatiuh is Molina, the gay cellmate and in her first screen musical, Jennifer Lopez appears as Ingrid Luna, Molina's favorite movie star.



"BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER"

Release date: October 15, 2025

The Swiss/Austrian filmmaker, Edward Berger, who made a major splash with his first English-language film, the papal drama, "Conclave" which was nominated for eight Academy Awards last year, is back with another film in English. "Ballad of a Small Player" is set in the high stakes world of gambling with Colin Farrell playing a troubled man deeply in debt and trying to lay low in the Chinese city of Macau. But he can't keep away from the lure of the tables and hopes to be saved by an employee of the casino (Fala Chen) before it's too late. Tilda Swinton also stars.



"GOOD FORTUNE"

Release date: October 17, 2025

After the attempt for his directorial debut was cancelled back in 2022 due to star Bill Murray's alleged inappropriate behavior on set, stand-up comedian, Aziz Ansari went to work on his next project. The comedy, "Good Fortune" tells the story of Arj (Ansari), a man struggling to make ends meet while working for Jeff, a wealthy mogul (Seth Rogen). A "budget" guardian angel (Keanu Reeves) enters Arj's life to help by proving that if he swapped places with Jeff his life wouldn't be any better. But Arj is actually very happy with his newly acquired opulent lifestyle, causing the angel to lose his wings and forced to live back on Earth. Keke Palmer and Sandra Oh also star.



"THE SECRET AGENT"

Release date: November 26, 2025

"The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto)" made it's world premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival where it received the Best Director prize for Kleber Mendonça Filho and Wagner Moura won Best Actor. Moura (his first role in his native Portuguese in eight years) plays a teacher caught in the political turmoil during the final years of the Brazilian military dictatorship while desperately trying to escape persecution.



"FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER"

Release date: December 24, 2025

Jim Jarmusch, a major force in independent cinema since the 1980s, is back with his latest offbeat comedy-drama. "Father Mother Sister Brother" is an anthology film involving three stories with each concerning the complicated relationships between adult children and their parents. Set in present day and in different countries, Jarmusch offers a series of character studies that features an impressive cast that includes Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett and Vicky Krieps.



"MARTY SUPREME"

Release date: December 25, 2025

Josh and Benny Safdie began as an indie filmmaking team, making their mark with the compelling crime thrillers, "Good Time" and "Uncut Gems". But like the Coen Brothers, the Safdie siblings have decided to go their separate ways as filmmakers. Josh's first solo directorial venture will be "Marty Supreme", a sports drama based on the life of professional table tennis player, Marty Reisman. Timothée Chalamet will play Reisman in this film which apparently is not an accurate biopic but a more fictionalized version of his life and career. Safdie continues the family tradition of eclectic casting with fellow filmmaker, Abel Ferrara; comedian, Sandra Bernhard; sitcom star, Fran Drescher; "Shark Tank" businessman, Kevin O'Leary and Oscar-winner-turned-lifestyle-guru, Gwyneth Paltrow appearing in the film.

(And Benny Safdie will also be making his solo directorial debut this fall with his own sports biopic, "The Smashing Machine" with Dwayne Johnson as MMA fighter, Mark Kerr, premiering during this year's Venice Film Festival and reaching US theaters on October 3rd).

2025 VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

The 2025 Venice International Film Festival will be held from August 27th to September 6th at the Venice Lido in Italy. For its eighty-second year, "La grazia (The Grace)", from the acclaimed Italian filmmaker, Paolo Sorrentino, has been selected to open the fest. Little has been revealed about this drama making it's world premiere but Toni Servillo, who starred in the director's Oscar-winning film, "The Great Beauty", appears in what has been described as the final days of a fictional Italian presidency.

The American filmmaker, Alexander Payne will be this year's Jury President to select the prize winners in the Main Competition with French filmmaker, Stéphane Brizé; Italian filmmaker, Maura Delpero; Romanian filmmaker, Cristian Mungiu; Iranian filmmaker, Mohammad Rasoulof; Brazilian actress, Fernanda Torres and Chinese actress, Zhao Tao filling out the rest of the jury.

Some of the films selected for the main competition includes the latest works by an impressive collection of international filmmakers: Yorgos Lanthimos ("Bugonia"), Jim Jarmusch ("Father Mother Sister Brother"), Guillermo del Toro ("Frankenstein"), Kathryn Bigelow ("A House of Dynamite"), Noah Baumbach ("Jay Kelly"), Park Chan-wook ("No Other Choice"), Benny Safdie ("The Smashing Machine"), Ildikó Enyedi ("Silent Friend"), François Ozon ("L'Étranger (The Stranger)") and Olivier Assayas ("The Wizard of the Kremlin").













The Closing Night film will be "Chien 51 (Dog 51)" by French director, Cédric Jimenez. This sci-fi thriller set in a future society where their leader is assassinated with a top agent (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and a jaded cop (Gilles Lellouche) are forced to work together to solve the murder.

The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement will be given this year to the provocative German filmmaker, Werner Herzog and legendary American actress, Kim Novak. Herzog's new documentary, "Ghost Elephants", which follows a mysterious herd of ghost elephants in the jungles of Angola, will make its premiere out of competition. And The Glory to the Filmmaker, an award dedicated to personalities who have made a significant contribution to contemporary cinema, will be given to American painter and filmmaker, Julian Schnabel with his latest film, "In the Hand of Dante" (starring Oscar Isaac, Gal Gadot and Gerard Butler) screening at Venice out of competition.

TERENCE STAMP (1938 - 2025)

Terence Stamp, the handsome British actor who broke through with his first film, "Billy Budd" and went on to have significant career including appearances in "Superman" and "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert", has died on August 17th at the age of eight-seven.

Born and raised in East London, Stamp became enamored with acting when he was a child after seeing Hollywood movies. Growing up during World War II, he enduring the constant blitz in London which did leave a traumatizing effect upon him. Stamp won a scholarship to study acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and performed in many theatrical productions. During this time, he became friendly with fellow aspiring actors, Peter O'Toole and Michael Caine, who Stamp would later share a flat.

Stamp got his first major break in 1962 with actor, Peter Ustinov's fifth feature as a director, "Billy Budd" which he also wrote the screenplay and co-starred. This British historical adventure, based on the novella by Herman Melville, has Stamp playing Budd, a young sailor who is falsely accused of attempting a mutiny by the cruel master-at-arms and accidently kills him, leading to his court-martial. The film was not a big hit but did earn Stamp a Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor and winning him a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer (Male).

He would go on to work with several notable filmmakers throughout the rest of the '60's: William Wyler with "The Collector"; John Schlesinger's adaptation of Thomas Hardy's "Far from the Madding Crowd"; Ken Loach in "Poor Cow"; Pier Paolo Pasolini's "Teorema" and co-starred in the spy comedy, "Modesty Blaise" with Monica Vitti. Stamp was even considered for replacing Sean Connery as James Bond after his departure from the role but apparently his ideas for the dashing spy character made the producers uncomfortable.

During this time, Stamp became a popular fixture of the swinging London party scene and renowned for his high-profile romances with two of the celebrated women of that era; supermodel, Jean Shrimpton and actress, Julie Christie who co-starred with Stamp in "Far from the Madding Crowd".

Stamp would make his mark again by appearing in the 1978 big-screen version of "Superman" playing the Kryptonian villain, General Zod and would play the character again in the sequel. He would also been seen in a variety of films throughout the '80's like "The Hit", "The Sicilian", "Legal Eagles", "Young Guns", and "Wall Street".

Stamp would surprise viewers with his sensitive yet hilarious turn as a transgender woman in the 1994 Aussie indie, "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" by director, Stephan Elliott. This road-trip comedy on a tour bus across the Australian Outback along with their two drag-queen friends (played by Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce) would win the Oscar for the outrageous costumes and this campy farce has gone on to become a popular cult classic. Three years later, Steven Soderbergh (a fan of the actor) gave Stamp a lead role in his crime drama, "The Limey". This critically acclaimed film did poorly at the box-office upon it's initial release but has since been found by more appreciative modern audiences. Stamp's last screen appearance was in Edgar Wright's (another big fan of the actor) psychological horror drama, "Last Night in Soho" in 2021.

Stamp also found some success as a writer, having written three memoirs, a novel and co-writing a cookbook that featured alternative recipes for those who are lactose-intolerant.

THE NAKED GUN (2025)

Written by Dan Gregor, Doug Mand and Akiva Schaffer



Directed by Akiva Schaffer



Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. August 3, 2025 5:10 PM



After David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker had incredible success with "Airplane!", their wacky spoof on aerial disaster movies back in 1980, they moved to television with a parody on police procedurals. With Leslie Nielsen (who had a long career as a dramatic actor before his gift for deadpan comedy was revealed in "Airplane!") as Detective Frank Drebin, "Police Squad!" premiered two years later but was cancelled after only six episodes. But the comedy team still had faith in the concept and transferred the idea to the big screen. Reaching theaters in 1988, "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" became a huge box-office hit and spawned two equally successful sequels.

Now "The Naked Gun" has been rebooted for a continuation of the movie series directed by Akiva Schaffer, one third of the musical comedy outfit, The Lonely Island which features his childhood buddies, Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. Liam Neeson, the Irish actor best known for his brooding and deadly serious performances in many popular action films, is on board to let loose and make us chuckle as the son of Frank Drebin. This version certainly has the uproarious looney spirit of the previous films and there are plenty of laughs to be found. But this "Naked Gun" feels somewhat restrained compared to the other movies, too timid to really go all the way in with jokes that some might consider too outrageous and potentially offensive.

Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. (Neeson) may have single-handedly stopped a violent bank robbery while disguised as a little girl but his unorthodox methods puts him in hot water with the police chief (CCH Pounder) who reassigns him to less public duty. During an investigation of a fatal car crash involving a software engineer, Drebin decides it was a suicide. But Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), a crime novelist who is the sister of the victim, visits Drebin at the station trying to convince him that her brother was actually murdered.

This leads Drebin to Edentech, the tech company Davenport worked with and the billionaire owner, Richard Cane (Danny Huston). Connecting over the hip-hop group, the Black Eyed Peas, the two men get on well enough that Cane even gives Drebin a self-driving electric car. However, Cane is behind a secret sinister plot involving a device, P.L.O.T. (get it?) which will convert the average man back into wild, primitive state while the wealthy will be unaffected to rule over them.

What we have in between this basic plot are rapid fire jokes, comical sight gags and hilarious puns. There are moments I found myself laughing out loud, particularly during an oddball romantic interlude between Frank, Beth and an amorous snowman. But some of the jokes land with a thud and running gags (Anderson's goofy jazz scatting at a club and Drebin trapped in the racing EV that Cane uses in an attempt to kill him comes quickly to mind) go on far too long. And as the film progresses to reach the conclusion of Drebin trying to defeat Cane's plan, the pacing becomes more slack and the humor feels more forced.

Neeson and Anderson may not be fully comfortable (or skilled) with performing the broad comedy in the film yet they give it their all with exuberance and gusto. We know that what was considered funny has changed considerably since the original movie was made and there is now a much stronger desire not to offend anybody. But this film pushes just enough to create a sense of outrageously silly fun. "Naked Gun" is a very welcome return of the big-screen comedy and hopefully will spark a much needed revival of the genre.

SUPERMAN (2025)

Written & Directed by James Gunn



Where & When: AMC The Americana at Brand 18, Glendale, CA. July 13, 2025 1:30 PM



Since his creation by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster eighty-seven years ago, Superman has endured as an iconic, super-powered, crime-fighting character that helped popularize the comic-book genre. Since 1940, he has appeared in numerous radio serials, novels, films, television shows, theater, and video games.

Now the latest film reboot, simply titled "Superman", has James Gunn behind it, the writer and director who boldly shook-up the formula of the genre (somewhat) with the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy by taking us on a weird, wild ride with off-the-wall heroes and some unexpected dark humor. With this film, Gunn does mess around with our expectations of these very familiar characters. Some of these changes feels inspired while other transitions comes across as painfully awkward. But what this "Superman" has done successfully is brought a fresh excitement to this legendary hero's story and taking us on a thrilling, offbeat adventure we hadn't anticipated at all.

Assuming we are all well familiar with his backstory, the film begins with Superman (now played by David Corenswet), badly hurt and unable to make it on his own to his secret ice fortress in Antarctica, whistling. This calls for his super-powered dog, Krypto to race through the snow to help his master. We learn that Superman had lost his battle against a metahuman called the "Hammer of Boravia", who is under control by Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), a wealthy tech wizard whose prime focus is to destroy the Man of Steel. After recovering with the help of his team of robotic helpers, Superman returns to Metropolis under his secret guise as Clark Kent, an unassuming reporter for the news organization, The Daily Planet. Clark might spar with his fellow reporter, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) at work but after hours, they are privately having a romantic affair with her fully aware of his true identity. Lois cares for her Superman but unsure if this relationship is really such a great idea.

Luthor is still determined to finish off Superman. After having another metahuman collaborator, The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) break into Superman's fortress, she discovers a message from our hero's parents (Bradley Cooper and Angela Sarafyan) that was with him when he was sent to Earth as an infant from his doomed home planet, Krypton. The end of the communication had been damaged during the journey and Luthor uses his technology to repair the message, discovering that the parents had requested a malevolent plan for their son. Luthor broadcasts this disturbing recording to the world with the public quickly turning against Superman and the government demanding that he be locked up for questioning.

After being unceremoniously dropped from Marvel/Disney over some controversial jokes he had made in the past, Gunn was hired to breathe fresh new life into the DC Universe. The recent films over the last five years ("The Suicide Squad", "Black Adam", "The Flash", "Blue Beetle", "Shazam! Fury of the Gods") have all struggled at the box-office. "Superman" is the first big step and Gunn has certainly succeeded in launching an intriguing new direction for the comic-book series. The film is a visual wonder with a spectacular-looking Metropolis and riveting battles against odd looking creatures and mutated super-beings. I was very surprised to learn that the dog, Krypto was completely a CGI creation, leaving me impressed (and a little disturbed) over the endless possibilities of this technology.

In the previous movies, there was clear distinction between good and evil with Superman being a powerfully stoic, near-perfect figure that fought against sinister forces while representing solid American values. With "Superman", the spirit here is more shades of nonpartisan gray. The heroes of the Justice Gang, Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), who help Superman in his battle against Luthor, have no issues with killing anybody in their way when they feel necessary. But the noticeable difference about this Superman is that he's motivated by the unshakable belief of decency and that all life is valuable. Even that dirty squirrel deserves to be saved from a certain death.

As our latest "Superman", Corenswet, who had made supporting appearances in several films and television programs before Gunn had noticed him in Ryan Murphy's overripe Netflix series, "Hollywood", perfectly captures the classic image of our hero but his take features him as more vulnerable than he's appeared in the past. Superman is still a brave and amiable protector with midwestern values yet somewhat very naive to the self-involved mindset of this modern world. He's made to constantly question his beliefs by friend and foe, which in turn weakens him psychologically and causes him to lose in battle more than once. Luthor, Superman's longtime arch-nemesis, has been given a slight makeover that makes him an attractive, compelling presence than previously seen. Curiously modeled after Elon Musk, Hoult brings an oily charm to the vile billionaire inventor who seethes with irrational rage over the universal praise Superman receives from the public. Brosnahan's Lois Lane fares less well here. Many of the recent screen versions of Lane has made her a shrewd, fearlessly independent reporter. Brosnahan has a few opportunities to display some of this resourcefulness but she's basically on the sidelines here, given perfunctory chores to do during the attempts to save her man. And there's not much of a persuasive spark happening between this couple on screen either.

Considering the politically volatile times we're currently living in, "Superman" has managed to stir up accusations of being "woke". There is no doubt that Superman might be perceived as left-leaning yet there is no political agenda in this film beyond simply presenting this alien hero from Krypton in our present day and how he most likely would be received in it. The world has grown far less trusting of people who are considered to be "different" and the idea of a super-powered being from another planet making decisions for this entire planet would have the minds of conspiracy theorists going into manic overdrive.

But "Superman" has a warm, vibrant energy generating throughout this stylish, entertaining adventure. This is helped by Gunn effectively sticking to the core of what has made this classic comic-book star still appealing; a noble, kind-hearted hero with a strong sense of morality and justice. This is the kind of super-hero that we really need right now and anyone from any political affiliation should be able to get behind.