Entries by Mick Bird

Toronto Fest 2019 Star Power: Hanks’ Mister Rogers, Bale-Damon’s ‘Ford V Ferrari,’ Phoenix’s ‘Joker,’ Streep & Oldman’s ‘Laundromat,’ Eddie Murphy’s ‘Dolemite,’ Daniel Craig’s ‘Knives Out,’ Kidman’s ‘Goldfinch’ Among Premieres

The 2019 Toronto Film Festival has unveiled an early list of Gala Premieres and Special Presentations for the festival that runs September 5-15, and there will be no shortage of star power. Among the highlights: Tom Hanks in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Christian Bale and Matt Damon in Ford V Ferrari, Eddie Murphy inDolemite Is My Name, Jennifer Lopez in Hustlers, […]

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BWW Review: Profoundly Moving CHESTER BAILEY at Contemporary American Theater Festival

Structurally, plays don’t come much simpler than Joseph Dougherty‘s Chester Bailey, now in what appears to be its second production, at the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown (the first having been in 2016 at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco). The play consists mostly of two monologues delivered in alternating segments. There are a few interpolations where […]

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Anxious men and other world-builders at CATF 2019

On a spare white West Virginia stage representing a rented New York City studio, a barefoot man is dancing to Marvin Gaye. His movements — gentle hip isolations, jauntily rocking forearms — are subtle but rapt, suggesting the exhilaration of creativity. He is a contemporary father, with worries to spare, but he is forging an […]

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Lena Headey To Star In & Executive Produce Dramedy Pilot ‘Rita’ Based On Danish Series At Showtime

Showtime has given a pilot order to hour-long dramedy Rita, based on Christian Torpe’s award-winning Danish series, with Emmy nominee Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) set to star and executive produce. Torpe will pen the pilot and serve as showrunner. Rita is a co-production of Showtime and Platform One Media. In Rita, Headey will play the title character, a headstrong, unconventional teacher and […]

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Mike Medavoy Honored With Legends Award at Beverly Hills Film Festival

Past recipients of the honor include cinematographer Haskell Wexler, actor Jon Voight, actress Ann Archer, producer Frank Yablans and photographer Phil Stern. Hollywood film veteran and producer Mike Medavoy was honored with the Legends Award during the 19th annual International Beverly Hills Film Festival on Monday night. The producer’s credits include One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, […]

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Susan Sarandon Replaces Diane Keaton In Next Roger Michell Film; Sam Neill, Rainn Wilson, Bex Taylor-Klaus + More Join Cast

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar winner Susan Sarandon has joined Kate Winslet and Mia Wasikowska in the Roger Michell-directed English-language remake (formally titled Blackbird) to the 2014 Danish film, Silent Heart, directed by Bille August. Sarandon will take over for Diane Keaton, who was previously attached to the project, which hails Millennium Films. Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), Rainn Wilson(The Office), Bex Taylor-Klaus (Arrow), Lindsay Duncan (Birdman), […]

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Roadside Attractions Takes ‘The Last Full Measure’ Starring Sebastian Stan – Toronto

  Roadside Attractions is planning a wide 2019 theatrical release for Todd Robinson’s The Last Full Measure. The distributor has acquired U.S. rights on the Vietnam drama that stars Avengers: Infinity War‘s Sebastian Stan along with Christopher Plummer, William Hurt, Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Harris, Peter Fonda, Diane Ladd, Amy Madigan, Jeremy Irvine and Bradley Whitford. The film recounts an […]

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Netflix Orders Thriller Drama Series ‘Hit And Run’ From ‘Fauda’ & ‘Z’ Creators And Mandeville Films

Netflix has given a 10-episode straight-to-series order to Hit and Run, an espionage thriller drama from Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, creators of the praised Netflix series Fauda, and Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin, creators of the Amazon comedy Z: The Beginning of Everything. Created and written by Issacharoff, Raz, Prestwich and Yorkin, Hit and Run centers […]

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Kate Winslet, Diane Keaton & Mia Wasikowska To Star In ‘Silent Heart’ Remake ‘Blackbird’, With Roger Michell Directing

EXCLUSIVE: Kate Winslet, Diane Keaton and Mia Wasikowska have been to set to star in Blackbird, an English-language remake of Bille August’s 2014 Danish-language pic Silent Heart. The Millennium Films pic will be directed by Notting Hill and My Cousin Rachel helmer Roger Michell and penned by the original movie’s screenwriter Christian Torpe. Shooting in set to start […]

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‘Fauda’ Creators Set Pair of TV Shows at Netflix

Lior Raz will star in an untitled CIA drama from Raz and Avi Issacharoff that is picked up straight to series as the duo also develops political espionage thriller ‘Hit and Run’ for the streaming giant. Netflix is expanding its relationship with the creators of critically acclaimed drama Fauda. The streaming giant has handed out a […]

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