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Rani Mukerji Once Revealed Why She Was Hesitant To Accept The Role In Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Rani Mukerji and Amitabh Bachchan gave one of the greatest movies in the history of Indian cinema, Black. It was directed by the maestro Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The film won several accolades, including three National Film Awards. Rani gave one of her career-best performances in this drama, but initially, she was reluctant to say yes to the movie. Read on to know the deets.

The story was inspired by Helen Keller’s life and her 1903 autobiography, The Story of My Life. It features Rani as Michelle, a deaf and blind woman, while Amitabh plays her teacher, Debraj. The supporting cast includes Ayesha Kapur, Shernaz Patel, and Dhritiman Chatterjee. The story follows Michelle and her teacher, an elderly alcoholic teacher who later develops Alzheimer’s disease. It is also a commercial success.

Donald Trump has banned actress Julianne Moore's book for children, Freckleface Strawberry, from the libraries of any school run by the Department of Defense. The Oscar winner was made aware of the news by the nonprofit group Pen America, which pointed out that hers is one of several books being outright removed or put under review for inclusion by the new administration in a post on social media.

Moore shared the news on her own social media on Sunday (though we first heard about it via Variety). "It is a great shock for me to learn that my first book, Freckleface Strawberry, has been banned by the Trump Administration from schools run by the Department of Defense," Moore wrote on her Instagram. "Freckleface Strawberry is a semi-autobiographical story about a seven-year-old girl who dislikes her freckles but eventually learns to live with them when she realizes that she is different 'just like everybody else.

Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady's 2007 sitcom "The Big Ban Theory" was hotly contested when it was on the air. In the early 2000s, certain kinds of "geek" interests moved from the cultural fringe directly into the mainstream, and previously derided niche interests like "Dungeons & Dragons," comic books, long-form video games, astronomy, trivia, and fantasy in general all became widely accepted as a new entertainment zeitgeist. New kinds of kid-acceptable pop artists came to be canonized. The geek ecosystem was widespread and easily available to any curious takers.

"The Big Bang Theory," however, was lambasted by some viewers for its inaccurate portrayals of modern-day geeks. The characters on "Big Bang" were all scientists or intellectuals, and they all loved "Star Wars," comic books, and RPGs, but they didn't talk the way geeks talked, nor did they organically celebrate geek culture. "The Big Bang Theory" relied too heavily on outdated...

Negan's name was originally going to be Naygus, but changed thanks to unintentional inspiration from Star Trek. Negan's origin was also changed - Kirkman considered him being the unseen character 'Davidson' but decided against it. Maggie was originally going to kill Negan, but artist Charlie Adlard asked that he survive and see through his redemption arc.

Despite being one of the most iconic pop culture villains of the last couple of decades, The Walking Dead's Negan was almost completely different. Not only did the post-apocalyptic killer originally have a different name, but his story was meant to conclude with a brutal death. However, multiple changes shaped him into the character fans know today, and one of them was all thanks to Star Trek.

Image Comics is currently publishing The Walking Dead Deluxe, adding Dave McCaig's colors to Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard and Tony Moore's original black and white comic,...

Before stars Billy Crystal as Eli, a child psychiatrist who, after recently losing his wife, Lynn (Judith Light), encounters a troubled young boy, Noah (Jacobi Jupe), who seems to have a haunting connection to Eli’s past. As Eli attempts to help Noah, their mysterious bond deepens, sparking haunting memories and unearthing unsettling secrets about the past.

The ten-episode limited series makes its global debut on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on Friday, October 25, with one new episode every Friday through December 20.

We recently had the good fortune to sit down for a conversation with Billy and Jacobi to take a deep dive into their on-screen dynamic. The actors take us through what it was like shooting a unique fight sequence and what they learned from each other during the process of making the show.

The Before co-stars also share some insights into how they had fun on...

John Lasell, a character actor known for his television portrayals in Perry Mason (1957), The Twilight Zone (1959) and Dark Shadows (1966), has died in Los Angeles at the age of 95.

The news was confirmed by an obituary notice, which listed the death date as Oct. 4.

His last screen credit dates back to 1985, with the Emmy-nominated TV miniseries A Death in California, opposite Cheryl Ladd and Sam Elliott. He appeared in a handful of episodes in the aforementioned television classic Perry Mason (three in total), as well as one guest spot on The Twilight Zone. His most regular appearance was on the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, where he portrayed vampire hunter Dr. Peter Guthrie across 25 episodes.

Other notable TV appearances include Dallas, Falcon Crest, Lassie, Mannix, The Streets of San Francisco, The Mod Squad, Mission: Impossible (in 1972) and Gunsmoke. He was also in two episodes of Wagon Train and four episodes of the Emmy-winning show The Fugitive.

With The Penguin ranking as one of Batman's most iconic enemies, it's no surprise that the character has delivered many memorable quotes across his movie and TV appearances. Having been a staple of Batman stories on both the page and screen for decades, the Penguin is an instantly recognizable character from the Dark Knights mythos. Many actors have played the Penguin in live-action, each bringing something different to the role in their respective incarnation of the infamous villain.

With so many unique takes on the character having been brought to life over the years, the Penguin has been represented in a variety of ways. Much like other Batman movie villain quotes, there have been a number of quirky, hilarious, or otherwise memorable lines uttered by on-screen incarnations of the Penguin in both film and TV adaptations. With that in mind, here are the 10 best Penguin quotes in DC movies and TV shows.

A Sign of Affection stands as one of the many manga and anime that deal with disabilities in a beautiful manner. There are various works within the industry that depict disabilities in the most natural and mesmerizing manner, just as at times disorders and mental health issues do. One of the biggest examples where both those get combined is A Silent Voice.

A Sign of Affection | Credit: Ajia-do Animation Works

Banana Fish, Perfect Blue, and Neon Genesis Evangelion deal perfectly with mental health issues. While works like Violet Evergarden take it upon themselves to bring forth autism. Your Lie in April and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion dive into disabilities. The representation in each of these requires a great deal of research and for the romance anime, Suu Morishita left no stone unturned.

A Sign of Affection Couldn’t Do Representation the Wrong Way

During an interview with Kodansha,...

This article is part of IndieWire’s 2000s Week celebration. Click here for a whole lot more.

Putting together best-of lists is both a pleasure and a pain — you are always going to “leave something out” or “forget about” one of the all-time greats, and even if you’re able to cull through every possible iteration and entry, ranking and rating the merit of anything in any artistic realm is bound to draw dissent. And, yes, we just keep doing it.

This summer, we’re all about the aughts. And what a time for on-screen performances, the kind that belong not only on this list, but any list of best-to-ever-do-it. In the early 2000s, we saw all manner of breakthroughs on the big screen, be it Javier Bardem burrowing into our collective nightmares or Adam Sandler continuing to proof his salt as a full-stop Great Dramatic Actor. Heath Ledger became our most chilling supervillain.

Undeniably, Jeopardy! player and Survivor alum, Drew Basile, was an interesting contestant. While he didn’t advance, he reveals he knew the final answer, but discusses why he didn’t say it.

Drew Basile Struggles Through The Final Episode

Although Drew Basile put up a good fight, his reign has come to an end. While he stormed the stage his first night by taking down the fifteen-day champ, Adriana Harmeyer, his last dance was a struggle. Racing through the first day, Drew was quick-witted and razor-sharp, allowing him enough leeway to use the Final Jeopardy! question as a joke while still gaining the title “giant killer.” However, after his seventh-day winning streak, he was feeling the strain from the marathon. Undoubtedly, the score was a bit hairy during his last battle of the minds. As a self-proclaiming “know-it-all,” it faired well for him for most of his streak. However, he...

While several Jeopardy! fans were rooting for champ Drew Basile to meet his demise, others were enjoying his gameplay. However, the final day had some shocking problems that fans noticed led to his downfall.

Fans Have Mixed Feelings About Drew Basile

Undeniably, many fans were ecstatic to see a crossover between Survivor and Jeopardy! Seeing a familiar face on TV is an interesting way to get to know more about a person. However, as Drew Basile’s confident personality took the stage for Jeopardy!, not everyone was a fan of his playing style. Many found him to be a “sore winner” and often too “obnoxious.” But some people really like how he livened up the stage with his enthusiasm for being correct. Undoubtedly, the show was a glimpse of the arduous process contestants face while playing the game.

Drew Basile – Jeopardy! Drew Basile’s Luck Runs Out

Before the final match,...

Drew Basile watched his reign as the Jeopardy! champion end after seven days. While this locked in his spot for the Tournament of Champions later this year, his run ended on his eighth day when he lost and struggled through his final day on the show.

Here is what Drew said went wrong on his final day on Jeopardy! and why he struggled.

Drew Basile Talks Fatigue Of Long Jeopardy! Winning Streak

Drew Basile won seven games on Jeopardy!, which locked up his spot on the Tournament of Champions. However, he looked very different during his performance on his last day of action when he lost on Friday. Here is what happened with Drew on his final day.

Drew Basile – Jeopardy!

On Friday, Drew defended his seven-day run against Cat Pisacano, a nurse from New York, New York, and Andrew Fox, a clinical psychologist from Robbinsdale, Minnesota. Drew struggled from...

April on Broadway, to mangle a phrase from a showtune classic, is bustin’ out all over with no fewer than 14 new plays and musicals set to open before the April 25 Tony Award eligibility cutoff date. So crowded are the final weeks of the 2023-24 theater season that three days each will see the openings of two shows, a Broadway rarity.

Check this page to see Deadline’s takes. Whether you use this page as a guide or as an invitation to argue, drop by often for the latest on Broadway’s offerings. And there’ll be plenty of offerings indeed — here’s the schedule of April openings: The Outsiders (April 11), Lempicka (April 14), The Wiz (April 17), Suffs (April 18), Stereophonic (April 19), Hell’s Kitchen (April 20), Cabaret (April 21), Patriots (April 22), The Heart of Rock and Roll (April 22), Mary Jane (April 23), Illinoise (April 24), Uncle Vanya (April 24), Mother Play (April 25), The Great Gatsby (April 25).

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Bachelor star Kelsey Anderson is under fire for her ableist comments. Was she mocking the disabled or just ignorant? Keep reading to find out what’s going on and make up your own mind.

Bachelor Star Kelsey Anderson Under Fire For Ableism

Kelsey Anderson played a fun game of 20 questions with bachelornation.com last month. She revealed that her guilty pleasure is eating in bed and an unexpected crush on Michael Strahan. However, another of her answers resurfaced on social media and some fans aren’t happy with her.

Kelsey Anderson/Credit: ABC YouTube

One of her Bachelor housemates, Daisy Kent, is deaf and wears a cochlear implant. Rightly or wrongly, some fans expect Kelsey and the other women to champion the disabled. But was the caught mocking the vulnerable instead?

Kelsey has recently come under fire for her answer to a question about a taboo topic she loves to talk about.

Exclusive: SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, Kyra Sedgewick, Frontline’s Raney Aronson-Rath and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Alex Borstein will among those honored at the New York Women In Film & Television Muse Awards later this month.

Aronson-Rath, editor-in-chief and executive producer of PBS Frontline, whose doc 20 Days in Mariupol won an Oscar Sunday, will receive the Enid Roth Award for Excellence in Journalism. The Made in NY Award from Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment will be presented to actress, writer, and producer and star of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Alex Borstein.

Honorees also include actress Critics Choice Award and BAFTA Rising Star Award-nominated actress Millicent Simmonds (A Quiet Place), who will receive the Loreen Arbus Changemaker Award; Michèle Stephenson (Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project), a filmmaker, artist and author, awarded the Nancy Malone Directing Award.

Cardinal, and Latasha Gillespie,...

Exclusive: The American Foundation for the Blind is set to present filmmaker Shawn Levy with the 2024 Helen Keller Achievement Award, which will be bestowed during a special ceremony April 18 in Los Angeles.

Afb is recognizing Levy for his contributions in breaking down barriers for people with disabilities following the success of his Netflix series All the Light We Cannot See, directed by Levy and produced by his 21 Laps Entertainment. The limited series bowed in November and was recently nominated for a Golden Globe, a DGA Award and a PGA Award.

“Through the power of storytelling, Levy has shifted the tides of perception imprinted on those with disabilities, creating a world of inclusion both on the screen and behind the scenes,” said Eric Bridges, Afb’s president and CEO. “Levy’s casting and direction of Aria Mia Loberti and Nell Sutton in the series not only elevated the art...

The Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Channel often showcases strong women, and so many viewers were excited about this film, especially the visually impaired community.

She isn't pitied when Emily Main loses her eyesight in Guiding Emily. Instead, she's portrayed as a strong, capable female who can overcome this and become even more vital than she was before.

Sarah Drew as Emily was the film's highlight, but Eric McCormack voicing Garth's thoughts provided plenty of entertainment.

Guiding Emily is based on Barbara Hinske's best-selling novel by the same name. Scriptwriter Betsy Morris transformed that material into a subtle, emotional script where Emily realistically deals with her blindness.

It's not all gloom and doom, though, since Eric McCormack offers Garth's thoughts throughout on being a guide dog and his unrequited crush on Emily. From the second he sees her as a puppy, he's positive that he's her person.

I had just one question.

Actors often take on the challenging task of portraying themselves in movies, whether it's in a biopic or a fictionalized account. Some notable examples include Nicolas Cage in "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent" and Patty Duke in "Call Me Anna", showcasing the range of genres and subjects covered in these films. "To Hell and Back" stands out as Audie Murphy's remarkable performance of his own war experiences, highlighting his talent and versatility both on and off the battlefield.

Over the course of their careers, actors are honored for the roles that they play, especially if they are especially difficult or moving characters, however, one task that may be even harder than portraying fiction is when an actor portrays themself in a movie. Although it sounds strange, this scenario actually occurs much more often than it seems. Whether it is in the form of a biopic, a satire, or a generally odd movie concept,...

Inga Swenson, the two-time Tony-nominated singer and actress who as the dictatorial German cook Gretchen Kraus sparred with Robert Guillaume‘s character on the 1980s ABC sitcom Benson, has died. She was 90.

Swenson died Sunday night of natural causes in hospice care in Los Angeles, her son, Mark Harris, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Swenson also sparkled in two critically acclaimed 1962 films released seven weeks apart — as the mother of Helen Keller (Patty Duke) in Arthur Penn’s The Miracle Worker (1962) and as the wife of a U.S. senator with a dark secret (Don Murray) in Otto Preminger’s political thriller Advise & Consent (1962).

On the strength of those performances, the Nebraska native — no, she was not born in Germany — was cast in 1963 as the spinster Lizzy in 110 in the Shade, based on N. Richard Nash’s play The Rainmaker. She received a Tony nomination for best actress in a musical for that performance,...

With her 2023 Emmy nomination for Netflix’s Wednesday, Jenna Ortega becomes the second-youngest nominee for best lead actress in a comedy.

Ortega, at 20, is only older than Patty Duke, who was 17 at the time of her Emmy nomination in 1964 for her eponymous series, The Patty Duke Show. While The Patty Duke show was a sitcom, Duke was nominated before the Emmys split the actress race between comedy and drama. At the time, it was an award for “Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Series.”

Ortega, a Gen Z horror staple in films like Scream and X, broke out as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix comedy about the classic misanthrope created by Charles Addams, the first four episodes of which were helmed by Tim Burton (who will also direct Ortega in the upcoming sequel to his 1988 film Beetlejuice). The series mostly removes Wednesday from her famous family and drops her into Nevermore Academy,...

Elliot Page (Oscar-nominee for “Juno” and star of Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy”) and Hillary Baack (“Sound of Metal) will star in “Close to You.” The new film from the BAFTA-winning writer/director Dominic Savage (“The Escape” and “I am Ruth”) will be co-financed by Kindred Spirit, with Anita Gou and Sam Intili executive producing alongside Rolling Dice’s Nai Vazirani.

Executive producers include Matt Jordan Smith of Page’s PageBoy Productions. Producers are Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee who developed the project under their Me + You Productions banner in the UK and Daniel Bekerman and Chris Yurkovich of Good Question Media in Canada. Savage and Page are also producing after conceiving and co-authoring the story together.

Principal photography was recently completed in Canada. The picture stars Page as Sam, who has a fluke encounter with an old friend (Baack) on his way home to a family reunion which...

Academy Award nominee Elliot Page (The Umbrella Academy) is set to star opposite Hillary Baack (Sound of Metal) in Close to You, a new film from BAFTA-winning writer-director Dominic Savage (I Am…), which has wrapped production in Canada.

Pic follows Sam (Page), who has a chance encounter with an old friend (Baack) on his way home to a dreaded family reunion that forces him to confront long-buried memories.

Producers include Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee, who developed the project under their UK banner, Me + You Productions; Daniel Bekerman and Chris Yurkovich of Good Question Media in Canada; and Savage and Page, who together conceived and co-authored the story. Kindred Spirit is co-financing with Anita Gou and Sam Intili (I Saw the TV Glow) exec producing alongside Rolling Dices Nia Vazirani (The Trial of Chicago 7), as well as Matt Jordan Smith of Page’s PageBoy Productions.

Michelle Williams always delivers grounded, deeply moving performances but is rarely showy about it. Her work with frequent collaborator Kelly Reichardt -- including "Wendy and Lucy" and "Showing Up" -- best illustrates this quiet brilliance. Reichardt makes minimalist, unhurried films that demand both precision and flexibility from her actors.

In addition to her films with independent directors like Reichardt, Williams also delivers exemplary turns in bigger films, which pair her king with legendary directors like Martin Scorses and Steven Spielberg. Her roles in Reichardt's "Certain Women" and Spielberg's "The Fabelmans" couldn't be more different, but her simultaneous sense of grace and familiarity are common threads. Even in her most theatrical performances -– notably "The Fabelmans" -– Williams always feels like a woman you could really know or someone you might see on the street.

Despite her status as a five-time Oscars nominee, Williams seems to somehow still fly under the radar,...

Nothing says happy International Women’s Day like female artists tearing each other down.

On The Originals podcast, The Queen of Funk Chaka Khan, 70, was asked her opinion on being No. 29 on Rolling Stone‘s 200 Greatest Singers list.

At first, the singer dismissed the list since she never heard of it. “These people don’t quantify or validate me in any way,” she said. But once she learned of some of the singers ahead of her, she started singing a different tune.

50 Best Celebrity Bikinis Slideshow!

Finding out that Adele made No. 22 and Mary J Blige came in at No. 25 nearly sent her over, proclaiming that she quit the podcast.

Khan didn’t have anything to say about Beyoncé coming in at No. 8, but after learning of Mariah Carey‘s placement at No. 5, the singer let her feelings be known.

When speaking about the Rolling Stone critics, Khan said, “They...

Chaka Khan has apologized for her viral comments lashing out at Rolling Stone editors over her spot on the publication’s 200 Greatest Singers of All Time list, explaining she “took the bait” while guesting on Los Angeles Magazine’s podcast The Originals last week.

“Recently, I was asked about a list of the ‘greatest singers of all time’ and instead of questioning the need for such a list, I was pitted against other artists and I took the bait,” Khan explained in an Instagram post. “As artists, we are unfairly put into ‘boxes,’ ‘categories’ or on ‘lists.’ Being an artist or musician is not a competition. It’s a gift, for which I am truly grateful. It was not my intention to cause pain or upset anyone. To anyone that felt this way, I sincerely apologize.”

The singer continued by teasing a foundation she has started for the “very purpose” of “empowering others.

Chaka Khan is addressing some shade she recently threw toward other iconic singers and apologizing for feeding into the divisive drama between artists.

The legendary singer took to Instagram on Sunday to respond to the backlash she faced following her appearance on Los Angeles magazine’s “The Originals” podcast last week, where she dissed several other artists who were ranked higher than her on Rolling Stone’s “200 Greatest Singers of All Time” list.

“Recently, I was asked about a list of the ‘greatest singers of all time’ and instead of questioning the need for such a list, I was pitted against other artists and I took the bait,” Khan wrote in her post. “As artists, we are unfairly put into ‘boxes’, ‘categories’ or on ‘lists.’ Being an artist or musician is not a competition. It’s a gift, for which I am truly grateful.”

Khan continued, “It was not my...

Chaka Khan isn’t holding back when it comes to voicing her thoughts on that Rolling Stone “200 Greatest Singers Of All Time” list.

The list had everybody talking when it was revealed at the start of 2023, mainly because Celine Dion was left off it altogether.

However, Khan also has a problem with the publication ranking her at No. 29.

The musician ranted in a chat with Andrew Goldman on his “The Originals” podcast for Los Angeles Magazine, “These are blind b***hes! They are blind as a motherf**king bat! They need hearing aids… These must be the children of Helen Keller!” when she learned she was behind her frenemy Mary J. Blige.

She added of Mariah Cary nabbing the No. 5 spot: “That must be payola or some s**t like that.”

Khan then said of Adele coming in at number 22: “Ok, I quit.”

Read More: Celine Dion Fans Protest...

It was an epic night for the Academy, with now-classic films and performances in competition, an anomaly between Best Picture and Best Director nominations, a young actress redefining the acting categories and the culmination of a decades-long feud. Let’s flashback to when first-time host Frank Sinatra guided the 35th Academy Awards ceremony on April 8, 1963.

In the years of the Best Picture category being limited to five films, the Best Director category typically fell in line with those productions, with maybe one variation. In 1963, only two directors from Best Picture nominees received bids; unsurprisingly, those two films also had the most nominations and the most wins. David Lean‘s sprawling epic biopic “Lawrence of Arabia” led the pack, coming into the night with ten bids and leaving with seven statues, including Best Picture and Lean’s second career win for Best Director. It has the unusual distinction of being the...

Awards season always turns up note-worthy moments: showstopping outfits, witty speeches or egregious faux-pas are instantly turned into memes and circulated endlessly on social media.

In 2021, one moment in particular captivated viewers worldwide, and that was watching eight-year-old actor Alan Kim – dressed in a tuxedo – tear up while accepting a Critics Choice Award for his scene-stealing part in the critically acclaimed film Minari.

After a successful season, however, which included a Bafta nod, the young star was eventually shut out of the Oscars. It was a shame – in a year of history-making nominations for the Academy Awards, seeing Kim recognised would have been the cherry on top.

But it was always a long shot. Child actors are a welcome but infrequent inclusion at the Oscars – their rarity though, does make every instance especially memorable.

In the run-up to next month’s ceremony, here is a list of the 13 youngest stars...

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Andrew Prine, the charming character actor who proved quite comfortable in the saddle in Bandolero!, Chisum, Wide Country and dozens of other Westerns on television and the big screen, has died. He was 86.

He died Monday in Paris of natural causes while on vacation with his wife, actress-producer Heather Lowe, she told The Hollywood Reporter. “He was the sweetest prince,” she said.

Prine also played the brother of Helen Keller (Patty Duke in an Oscar-winning turn) in The Miracle Worker (1962) and portrayed a lawman in Texarkana, Arkansas, who hunts a hooded serial killer alongside Ben Johnson in the cult classic The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976).

Later in his career, he stood out as Confederate Gen. Richard B. Garnett in the sprawling Gettysburg (1993).

In 1962-63, the lanky Prine got a taste of fame when he starred as the younger brother of Earl Holliman — their...

She was impossibly versatile. She was improbably modest. She was irrepressibly energetic. She was, in every way, one helluva dame. In fact, Angela Brigid Lansbury was literally a Dame, made so in 2014 by the late Queen Elizabeth II whom she followed into death just 33 days after Her Royal Highness got there. However, we didn’t love Lansbury because of what she achieved but due to who she was: a woman of the people who, from all reports, was nearly as excited to meet her fans as they were to share a special moment with her.

While Lansbury famously never took home an Emmy Award, becoming one of its all-time longest-running snubs by going 0 for 18, she won just about everything else, including the hearts of the world as one of the greatest performers and humans of the past century.

SEEAngela Lansbury appreciation: 12 best films, ranked [Photos]

Here are 10 reasons why we loved Angela Lansbury so much.

“Coda” has been defying the Oscar trends all season. But despite the feats that this “little indie that could” has already accomplished, many (including myself) have continued to doubt its Best Picture candidacy. Oscar history, a lack of broad support across the academy, no editing nomination; there’s no denying “Coda” would become the ultimate statistical outlier if it was to win Best Picture.

But, it’s also hard to ignore how much “Coda” has going for it. I believe “Coda” has the upper hand over “The Power of The Dog” in this Best Picture race. Jane Campion’s front-running stallion “The Power of The Dog” looked to have the Best Picture race all but sealed up after Oscar nominations morning (“Power” over-performed with a staggering 12 bids). But awards ceremonies have been swinging the momentum heavily in “Coda’s” direction. Read on to find out why “Coda” will win Best...

Following The Film Stage’s collective top 50 films of 2021, as part of our year-end coverage, our contributors are sharing their personal top 10 lists.

After over 14 months of no cinema-going, 2021 finally marked a return to theaters. The first film back––something every cinephile will forever have etched in their memory––was not a movie I heavily anticipated but one that thoroughly entertained: Guy Ritchie’s delightfully nasty B-movie Wrath of Man.

While the rest of the movie-going year had its ups and downs (the uncertain future of the arthouse marketplace as they attempt to find a footing in Disneyfied world), 2021’s cinematic output certainly wasn’t lacking for quality.

Looking back at the new releases, there’s a number of films that narrowly missed my top 15, including The French Dispatch, What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?, Days, The Beatles: Get Back, Annette, West Side Story, Siberia, Procession,...

The state of surveillance, intimate music celebrations, Helen Keller’s socialist ethos, refugee tales, examining the scars of abuse in the Catholic Church, and living a life solely through cinema—just a few of the subjects and stories this year’s documentaries brought us. With 2021 wrapping up, we’ve selected 16 features in the field that left us most impressed. If you’re looking for where to stream them, check out our handy guide here.

All Light, Everywhere (Theo Anthony)

Seemingly birthed from some kind of virtuosic computer algorithm or beamed directly from outer space, Theo Anthony’s debut feature Rat Film was a peculiarly engaging, wholly fascinating documentary. Using the population of rats to chart the history of classism and systemic racism throughout Baltimore over decades, it heralded an original new voice in nonfiction filmmaking. When it comes to his follow-up All Light, Everywhere, Anthony casts a wider focus while...

Last year, IndieWire’s annual critics survey was a squeaker, with two equally beloved films vying neck-and-neck for the top spot. In 2021, though, the final result has been anything but a photo finish. With 187 critics and journalists voting on the best films and performances in this year’s survey, Jane Campion’s Western character study “The Power of the Dog” was the landslide victor, winning Best Film, Best Director, Best Performance (for Benedict Cumberbatch), and Best Cinematography. It’s the second time in the history of this poll, and the second year in a row following “Nomadland,” that a film directed by a woman topped the list, and it also topped IndieWire’s own staff list of the The Best Movies of 2021. Staffers from IndieWire, Variety, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and Entertainment Weekly voted, as well as freelance and staff writers for newspapers, websites, radio, and TV from across Europe,...

When you grow up disabled, the names of other disabled or Deaf icons are always running through your mind — Helen Keller being one of the mainstays. Whether one is actually deaf or not, any perceived limitation causes someone to bring up the author and disability rights advocate, for good and ill.

My earliest memories of Keller come from the place I’ve loved and chosen to cover for my career: the movie screen. Patty Duke’s Oscar nominated performance in 1962’s “The Miracle Worker” wasn’t the first movie about a disabled person I saw, but it was the most ubiquitous.

It’s an image that has become ingrained in nearly all discussions of disability representation on-screen. Despite the fact that 1 in 4 people in the United States have some form of disability, they only make up about 3.1 percent of on-screen portrayals, which is actually a 10-year high according to GLAAD.

Exclusive: The shocking success of Squid Game has created an appetite for survival projects. Tristar Pictures just preemptively acquired Ultra, a survival thriller spec script by Colin Bannon. Sugar 23’s Sukee Chew is producing.

They are keeping the details under wraps, and Bannon wrote this well before Squid Game. But sources tell me that the protagonist is an ultra marathon runner involved in a deadly race. Bannon is fast becoming the go-to writer for survival thriller/horror projects, having previously sold his Black List script First Ascent to Netflix in a frenzied bidding war. Jake Scott is directing. The plan is to put Ultra into production by the middle of next year.

Chew most recently joined Sugar23 and before that she founded Hopscotch Pictures. Her other projects include the Helen Keller drama Helen & Teacher written by Laetitia Mikles and Wash Westmoreland with Millie Simmonds and Rachel Brosnahan starring, and Westmoreland set to direct.

Millicent Simmonds, the breakout star of "Wonderstruck" and "A Quiet Place," will play Helen Keller opposite Rachel Brosnahan in "Helen & Teacher." Wash Westmoreland, the director of "Still Alice" and Netflix's "Earthquake Bird," will helm the upcoming film about the famed author, educator, and disability rights advocate.

Keller lost her sight and hearing when she was a toddler and spent years after that communicating with home signs, a system of improvised gestures that often take the place of sign language in children who are living in a relative vacuum apart from the Deaf community. When she was 7 years old she met Anne Sullivan,...

The post A Quiet Place Star Millicent Simmonds Will Play Helen Keller in New Biopic appeared first on /Film.

Director Wash Westmoreland (Still Alice) has tapped rising star Millicent Simmonds (A Quiet Place) and Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), to star in Helen & Teacher about famous Deafblind activist Hellen Keller and Anne Sullivan, her committed yet controlling translator and companion.

Simmonds, who will star as Keller, is in fact a distant cousin of the author and disability rights advocate.

Set during the early 1900’s, the movie will follow Keller’s tumultuous time at Radcliffe College of Harvard University when her rapidly expanding worldview and sexual awakening brings her into direct conflict with the more conservative Sullivan. When Ms. Sullivan is courted by the young and brilliant publisher, John Macy, tensions escalate between the two women threatening the bonds of their friendship.

Cornerstone will handle international sales and distribution and will commence sales at next month’s American Film Market. UTA Independent Film Group and WME are overseeing the U.

“A Quiet Place” breakout Millicent Simmonds and “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” star Rachel Brosnahan will play Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan in the forthcoming feature film “Helen & Teacher.”

Simmonds, who is deaf, is a distant cousin of Deafblind activist Keller, and her casting marks a significant turning point for deaf representation on screen. Most adaptations of Keller’s story over the years have generally featured non-deaf actors.

Simmonds will star opposite Brosnahan, who will portray her committed yet controlling translator and companion Sullivan. Cornerstone will handle international sales and distribution, and is set to kick off sales at the American Film Market next month. UTA Independent Film Group and WME are overseeing the U.S. sale.

“Helen & Teacher” is based on the original screenplay by Laetitia Mikles and Westmoreland, in consultation with a team at the Helen Keller National Center for Youth and Adults.

Set during the early 1900s,...

Millicent Simmonds, the deaf star of A Quiet Place Part I and II and Wonderstruck, is teaming up with Emmy-winning Marvelous Mrs. Maisel lead Rachel Brosnahan for Helen & Teacher, set to tell the story of famed deaf, blind and disability rights activist Helen Keller.

The film comes from Wash Westmoreland (Still Alice, Colette, Earthquake Bird) and will see Simmonds — actually a distant cousin of Keller’s — play Keller, with Brosnahan as Anne Sullivan, her committed yet controlling translator and companion.

Cornerstone will handle international sales and distribution and will launch sales at the upcoming American Film Market. UTA Independent Film Group and WME are overseeing the U.S. sale....

Millicent Simmonds, the deaf star of A Quiet Place Part 1 and 2 and Wonderstruck, is teaming up with Emmy-winning Marvelous Mrs. Maisel lead Rachel Brosnahan for Helen & Teacher, set to tell the story of famed deaf, blind and disability rights activist Helen Keller.

The film comes from Wash Westmoreland (Still Alice, Colette, Earthquake Bird) and will see Simmonds — actually a distant cousin of Keller’s — play Keller, with Brosnahan as Anne Sullivan, her committed yet controlling translator and companion.

Cornerstone will handle international sales and distribution and will launch sales at the upcoming American Film Market. UTA Independent Film Group and WME are overseeing the U.S. sale....

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

About Endlessness (Roy Andersson)

“What should I do now that I have lost my faith?” is the question that animates About Endlessness; this being the new film by Roy Andersson, it is delivered in a doctor’s waiting room, over and over again, in a creaky voice, by a dumpy man in late middle age who continues his plaint even after the doctor and his receptionist gruntingly force him outside into the hallway, from whence they can hear him scratching at the door like a zombie. About Endlessness is Roy Andersson’s fourth film of this century; it looks much like the previous three, and nothing like anything else ever made. – Mark A. (full review)

Where to Stream: Hulu

Candyman (Nia DaCosta...

The U.S. lineup for films coming to Mubi this September has been announced, featuring some of my personal favorites of the last few years, notably Philippe Lesage’s severely overlooked coming-of-age drama Genesis, John Gianvito’s Helen Keller documentary Her Socialist Smile, Joe DeNardo, Paul Felten’s formally thrilling Slow Machine, and Robert Greene’s documentary Bisbee ’17, as well as Jia Zhangke’s latest release Swimming Out Till the Sea Turns Blue.

Also in the lineup is Bill Forsyth’s delightful Gregory’s Girl, Ari Folman’s hybrid feature The Congress, and Manoel de Oliveira’s Visit, or Memories and Confession, which was made in 1982, and only allowed to screen after his death.

See the lineup below and get 30 days free here.

September 1 | Yellow Cat | Adilkhan Yerzhanov | Festival Focus: Venice

September 2 | Visit, or Memories and Confessions | Manoel de Oliveira | Rediscovered

September 3 | Slow Machine | Joe DeNardo, Paul Felten | Mubi Spotlight

September...

Today, filmmaker extraordinaire Sanjay Leela Bhansali completes 25 years in the Indian film industry. His incredible eye for detail, presentation of color, and his signature style of direction and incredible, moving storylines has carved a special niche in the Indian film industry with the brilliance of his films Black, Saawariya, Padmaavat, Ram Leela, Bajirao Mastani, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas.

Celebrating his 25 years of great cinema, Bhansali Productions posted a showreel of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s legacy. This special video shines the spotlight on every one of the special movies that he has brought to audiences so far.

Speaking about his journey thus far, Sanjay Leela Bhansali said, “It has not always been an easy journey but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself regardless – I’ve won some and learnt some. But these 25 years would not be complete without the incredible effort of every single person I’ve worked with so far.

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Asako I & II (Ryūsuke Hamaguchi)

Full-fledged, complicated, rapturous romance is relatively rare in cinema nowadays, and one of the very best examples is Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s Asako I & II, which uses its doubled lovers as a way to reflect back upon its main character, in all of her doubts and uncertainties. Deeply rooted in its present moment, yet prone to flights of fancy as transportive and unreal as any in contemporary filmmaking, the film delights as much as it aches, staying in close step with the turns caused by the whims of the self and the other, moving back and forth in rapture. – Ryan S.

Where to Stream: Mubi (free for 30 days)

Caro Diario (Nanni Moretti)

With Nanni Moretti’s latest film,...

This year, there were 366 films in Oscar contention, with 50-plus nominated — including three centering on disabled people. While that isn’t much, it’s three more than most years and, sadly, it qualifies disability awareness as an innovation.

The teams behind Amazon’s “Sound of Metal,” Netflix’s documentary “Crip Camp” and live-action short “Feeling Through” all express appreciation at the progress, but they’re aware that authentic depiction is an ongoing issue.

Supporting actor Paul Raci, one of the six Oscar nominations for “Sound of Metal,” says: “We haven’t turned the corner, but there is an opening in the consciousness, an expansion of awareness, and there are some initiatives to open up jobs to the deaf and disabled. We’ve heard this before. All we can do is keep expanding awareness, to make sure that films represent the population that we all live in.”

Jim LeBrecht and Nicole Newnham,...

Awards season always turns up note-worthy moments: showstopping outfits, witty speeches or egregious faux-pas are instantly turned into memes and circulated endlessly on social media.

But so far this year, one moment in particular has captivated viewers worldwide and that was watching eight-year-old actor Alan Kim – dressed in a tuxedo – tear up while accepting a Critics Choice Award for his scene-stealing part in the critically acclaimed film Minari.

After a successful season, however, which included a Bafta nod, the young star was eventually shut out of the Oscars. It is a shame – in a year of history-making nominations for the Academy Awards, seeing Kim recognised would have been the cherry on top. But it was always a long shot. Child actors are a welcome but infrequent inclusion at the Oscars – their rarity though, does make every instance especially memorable.

In the run-up to next month’s ceremony, here is a...

In a competitive situation, ABC Signature has optioned Rebekah Taussig’s memoir Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body.

It will be developed for television by ABC Signature and studio-based Mandeville Films and director-producer Randall Einhorn’s Sad Unicorn banner. Taussig will co-write the adaptation with another writer. She will executive produce, along with Laurie Zaks, David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman from Mandeville Films as well as Einhorn, who is attached to direct. Jeremy Stern and Lea Cuello will oversee on behalf of Sad Unicorn and Mandeville, respectively.

Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body was published in August 2020 by HarperOne. Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and early 2000s, Taussig only saw disability depicted as something monstrous (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), inspirational (Helen Keller), or angelic (Forrest Gump). None of this felt right; and as she got older, she...

German actress Helena Zengel is enchanging filmgoers, critics and her peers for her captivating performance as an orphan who is kidnapped and raised by the Kiowa tribe in Universal’s Paul Greengrass film “News of the World.” With the Oscar race gathering momentum, Zengel could prove a dark horse entry in the category for Best Supporting Actress, particularly as she was just nominated at the Golden Globes. Only 12 years old, she could join the select company of 21 actors who received their first nomination when they were under the age of 18. It’s a wide-ranging group, including future stars such as Jodie Foster (“Taxi Driver”), Saoirse Ronan (“Atonement”), Natalie Wood (“Rebel Without a Cause”) and River Phoenix (“Running on Empty”).

SEECould ‘News of the World’ be this year’s ‘Ford v Ferrari’ at the Oscars? Never underestimate a dad movie

To wrest an Oscar nomination away from an adult actor who...