News

Matthew McConaughey has been absent from live-action leading roles on the big screen since he last featured in The Gentlemen for Guy Ritchie, but now he’s back with a new thriller that just got an exciting look. As part of Collider's Exclusive Preview event, we’re thrilled to partner with Apple TV+ to exclusively unveil a new image of McConaughey and America Ferrera (Barbie) in The Lost Bus, the upcoming thriller that will be released in select theaters on September 19 ahead of its worldwide premiere on Apple TV+ on October 3. In addition to McConaughey and Ferrera, The Lost Bus also stars Yul Vasquez (Severance), Ashlie Atkinson (The Gilded Age), and Spencer Watson (Them). The film was written by Paul Greengrass and Brad Inglesby, with Greengrass also directing and both writers producing alongside Jason Blum, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Gregory Goodman.

The Lost Bus is a white-knuckle thrill-ride through...

ITV is gearing up to release a new drama called The Hack, and some exclusive images have just surfaced to hype it up even more. The show is about the phone hacking scandal that rocked Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World more than ten years ago, and it’s created by a talented team: writer Jack Thorne, director Lewis Arnold, and producer Patrick Spence. Deadline first shared news of the project earlier this year, and Australia’s Stan is also helping produce the series.

David Tennant takes the lead as investigative reporter Nick Davies, the journalist who exposed the phone hacking scandal.

In the new photos, Tennant can be seen in action alongside Robert Carlyle, who plays Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Cook from the Metropolitan Police. Cook’s character is important because he led the investigation into the still-unsolved murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan, a story that’s also part of the drama.

Exclusive: Buzz is building for ITV phone hacking drama The Hack and we’ve got some exclusive images to take the story to the next level.

ITV’s drama series from the storied creative trio of multi-bafta Award winner Jack Thorne, director Lewis Arnold (Sherwood) and producer Patrick Spence (Mr Bates vs the Post Office) tells the story of how investigative reporter Nick Davies uncovered phone hacking at Rupert Murdoch’s now-defunct News of the World more than a decade ago. Deadline revealed the project back in January and Australia’s Stan is co-producer.

David Tennant stars as Davies and can be seen working his magic in several images alongside Robert Carlyle, who plays Met Police Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Cook. Cook led the investigation into the unsolved murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan, which is also told via The Hack.

Image: ITV Image: ITV

Pictured below is Mr Bates...

Contrary to internet speculation, AI is not responsible for the saucer-eyed, blue-furred, adorably simian attractions of The Legend Of Ochi. No, these are creatures of an older age — that is, the practical-effects heyday of the 1980s, when people still built monsters from elbow grease instead of ones and zeroes. Moving to movies years after conjuring the weird menagerie of Björk’s ‘Wanderlust’ video, director Isaiah Saxon deploys old-school animatronics and puppetry to breathe life into his beasts of the Romanian wild, which roam the woods surrounding a sleepy island village on the Black Sea. The Ochi are charmingly bespoke — and so, on a purely cosmetic level, is everything else in this quirky and vibrantly shot A24 family film. Hey, sometimes they do (hand)make ’em like they used to!

If only Saxon crafted his storybook story as carefully. It feels cobbled together in a less inventive way, like a rummage...

Academy Award nominee Paul Greengrass brings the gripping tale of one of America’s deadliest wildfires to life in The Lost Bus.

The Apple Original Films thriller, starring Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey and Emmy winner America Ferrera, will have its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival before arriving in select theaters on Sept. 19 and streaming on Apple TV+ starting Oct. 3.

What's it about?

Inspired by real events, The Lost Bus is a white-knuckle ride through one of America’s deadliest wildfires, as a wayward school bus driver (McConaughey) and a dedicated school teacher (Ferrera) battle to save 22 children from the terrifying inferno.

Who's in the cast?

In addition to McConaughey and Ferrera, Yul Vazquez, Ashlie Atkinson, and Spencer Watson also star in the film.

Watch the trailer Who directed it?

The Lost Bus is directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Paul Greengrass, whose acclaimed credits include Bloody Sunday (2002), The Bourne Ultimatum...

"It's not too late..." Apple TV has unveiled the main official trailer for the forest fire thriller The Lost Bus, the latest feature from acclaimed director Paul Greengrass since he made News of the World in 2020. It will premiere first at the 2025 Toronto Film Festival coming up in September before opening limited theaters in September - a quick theatrical release before streaming on Apple TV+. Inspired by real events, The Lost Bus is a white-knuckle ride into one of the scariest wildfires as a wayward school bus driver (played by Matthew McConaughey) and school teacher (America Ferrera) battle to save 22 children from the inferno. The film explores more of what went wrong in California's Camp Fire in 2018, America's deadliest wildfire in a century (85 were killed), and how to prevent future tragedies, also including the story of a bus driver & school teacher who helped kids through the blaze. In addition to McConaughey & Ferrera,...

“The Lost Bus” is rolling closer.

The Paul Greengrass-directed based-on-a-true-story thriller will premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival before debuting in select theaters on Sept. 19 before making its way to Apple TV+ on Oct. 3. And ahead of that, we’ve got the new trailer, which you can watch below.

Apple Original Films describes “The Lost Bus” as “a white-knuckle ride through one of America’s deadliest wildfires, as a wayward school bus driver (Academy Award-winner Matthew McConaughey) and a dedicated schoolteacher battle to save 22 children from the terrifying inferno.” It was based on the 2021 book “Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire” by Lizzie Johnson, with the script by “Mare of Easttown” creator Brad Ingelsby and Greengrass.

The movie was produced by Gregory Goodman, Jason Blum for Blumhouse Productions and Jamie Lee Curtis for Comet Pictures. The film is executive produced by Amy Lord and Johnson.

Amazon’s Prime Video has a collection of underseen, unfairly forgotten films. The streamer’s massive film library has a Western that was robbed of the attention that it deserved by the Covid-19 pandemic, one of 2024’s best dramas and the most underrated movie made by one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of the past 20 years. It even has one sci-fi film that you have likely never heard of before, despite it being the blockbuster that first united Tom Cruise with his future “Top Gun: Maverick” director.

Here are seven hidden gem movies streaming on Prime Video in July.

“A Most Violent Year” (A24) “A Most Violent Year” (2014)

Released in the midst of A24’s ascent up the independent film world, writer-director J.C. Chandor’s “A Most Violent Year” is a slow-burn crime drama that deserves to be more well-known among moviegoers. The film follows a fuel supplier (Oscar Isaac...

In Paul Greengrass' 2020 film "News of the World," Tom Hanks plays Captain Kidd, a former Confederate who travels around Texas in 1870, plying his new career. Because newspapers don't make their way out to rural parts of the state, and because he is literate, Kidd earns a few meager cents by riding from city to city reading newspapers aloud to the locals in exchange for an admission fee. Post-war Texas is a stern and terrible place. He is barely surviving.

On the road, he passes a lynched Black man, and, in the man's abandoned horse cart, finds Johanna (Helena Zengel), a young blonde girl who, bafflingly, only speaks Kiowa. Kidd finds that she has been kidnapped by the Kiowa people six years before, and was being raised among them. She had recently kidnapped back by Union soldiers, and was being taken to her blood relatives in Texas when her driver was murdered.

It's Splitsville for one couple, and maybe two, in the first trailer for Michael Angelo Covino's new sex comedy. Dakota Johnson (Materialists) and Adria Arjona (Andor) star as a pair of women whose husbands make utter fools of themselves in the film, which mines comedy from the concept of an open marriage. Splitsville made its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year and will premiere in theaters on August 22. As the trailer opens, Ashley (Arjona) asks Carey for a divorce. To say he doesn't take it well would be an understatement: he gets out of the car and runs away, eventually ending up at the luxurious home of their friends Paul (Covino) and Julie (Johnson).

They reveal that the secret to the success of their own marriage is that they're non-monogamous. So that means Paul should be cool with it when Carey ends up in bed with Julie,...

Six years after their breakout feature The Climb, Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin have returned, with stars in tow, for Splitsville, a rom-com as unexpected as it his hilarious. After a Cannes premiere, it’ll now arrive in theaters on August 22 from Neon, ahead which is the first trailer for the film also starring Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona.

Here’s the synopsis: “After Ashley (Arjona) asks for a divorce, good-natured Carey (Marvin) runs to his friends, Julie (Johnson) and Paul (Covino), for support. He’s shocked to discover that the secret to their happiness is an open marriage, that is until Carey crosses the line and throws all of their relationships into chaos.”

Luke Hicks said in his review, “Marvin and Covino have certainly carved a distinct path in this early phase of their careers. Apart, Covino caught the acting bug a bit more than Marvin, picking up...

Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin know no sophomore slump. The best-friend filmmakers––who met acting opposite each other in a commercial 15 years ago and made their feature debut nine years later with bromance bike comedy The Climb––write, produce, and lead their own films with one fresh, unfettered voice. Under Covino’s direction there’s a holistic sense of artistry, comedic precision, and creative control in their approach––especially per the romcom, an of-late-anemic subgenre that gets some resuscitation in their newest, Splitsville.

It opens in the middle of a road trip singing session between two people who, per their unbearably pitchy voices, are more than comfortable with each other. A year or so into their marriage, Carey (Marvin) and Ashley (Adria Arjona) seem like a match made in heaven––until Carey brings up pottery lessons. “You said you wanted to try new things…?” he pleads. “I meant sexually,...

Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera are responsible for the lives of 23 kids as they navigate California’s Camp Fire in the first teaser trailer for “The Lost Bus,” which Apple released online ahead of the film’s debut this fall.

McConaughey plays a bus driver who volunteers to save a group a kids while Ferrera is their teacher, who is accompanying the children on a field trip when disaster strikes. The movie is based on the 2019 book “Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire.” Paul Greengrass, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind “United 93,” “News of the World” and “The Bourne Supremacy” directed the feature.

“The Lost Bus’ is the story of quiet heroism — of people coming together in the face of the unthinkable. I’m honored to have been entrusted with this story,” Greengrass explained in a release. Greengrass and “Mare of Easttown” creator Brad Inglesby wrote the film’s screenplay.

Paul Greengrass is returning to the genre of survival drama with his latest film, The Lost Bus. It's been five years since the director's last film, News of the World, was released in 2020, and the filmmaker is now teaming with Apple TV+ to distribute this latest project. Much like Greengrass' previous works, Green Zone, Captain Phillips, and July 22, The Lost Bus is based on real events— in this case, California's 2018 Camp Fire, which is still regarded as the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history. A new teaser released by Apple features Matthew McConaughey, who stars as a bus driver navigating the roads to get children and their teacher to safety amid wildfires and destruction.

The brief one-minute teaser released for the movie (which can be viewed below) depicts Kevin McCay (McCounaughey) reluctantly coming to the decision to volunteer to pick up stranded children as the wildfire begins to grow.

"Is there anybody who can go & pick these kids up?" Apple TV has revealed an the first brief teaser trailer for a film titled The Lost Bus, the latest feature from acclaimed director Paul Greengrass since he made News of the World in 2020. Apple TV+ will be releasing this movie; we've yet to see if they'll be sending it to theaters (perhaps it'll play at a film festival or two this fall?) or just dropping it streaming directly later in the fall. Inspired by real events, The Lost Bus is a white-knuckle ride into one of the deadliest wildfires as a wayward school bus driver (Matthew McConaughey) and school teacher (America Ferrera) battle to save 22 children from the terrifying inferno. The film explores more of what went wrong in California's Camp Fire, America's deadliest wildfire in a century (85 were killed), and how to prevent future tragedies, also including the story...

Since his acclaimed 2013 drama Captain Phillips, Paul Greengrass has had a bit of a rocky career. There was an unnecessary return to the Bourne franchise, the misstep that was 22 July, and the pandemic-hobbled release of News of the World. He’s now back five years later with hopefully a strong return to form. The Lost Bus, scripted by Brad Inglesby and based on Lizzie Johnson’s Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire, will arrive this fall in theaters and on Apple TV+. Ahead of the release, the first trailer has now arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “The Lost Bus is a white-knuckle ride through one of America’s deadliest wildfires, as a wayward school bus driver (Academy Award-winner Matthew McConaughey) and a dedicated school teacher battle to save 22 children from the terrifying inferno.”

“The Lost Bus is the story of quiet heroism — of people coming together...

We won’t have to wait too long to see a new film from director Paul Greengrass (“News of The World”) as his California wildfire pic “The Lost Bus” is expected to be released later in the year and he’s now gearing up on his next project, a period drama called “The Rage.”

An update has been revealed as Andrew Garfield is now in the mix to star in “The Rage,” as the actor is said to be in “active negotiations.” Based on the true-life event of the Peasants’ Revolt of the late 1300s, Deadline revealed the casting switch-up that sees Garfield replacing the original high-profile actor selected to lead it, Matthew McConaughey.

Continue reading ‘The Rage’: Andrew Garfield Aims To Replace Matthew McConaughey In Paul Greengrass Peasants’ Revolt Pic at The Playlist.

Andrew Garfield is in talks to join the cast of Jason Bourne director Paul Greengrass' next movie. The Spider-Man: No Way Home star will replace Matthew McConaughey in The Rage.

Deadline reports that Garfield will play a character loosely inspired by the real life revolutionary Wat Tyler, though the website cautioned the inspiration for the Tick, Tick... Boom! actor's character hasn't been confirmed. Regardless, The Rage will take place during the 1381 Peasants' Revolt in England, where a group of protesters marched from Canterbury to London to demand socio economic reforms and a cancellation of the poll tax from King Richard II.

Andrew Garfield Joins Period Drama The Rage

If Garfield is playing Wat Tyler, he would be following the footsteps of Anthony Hopkins — who played the rebel in 1969's Medieval England: The Peasants Revolt. Benedict Cumberbatch was originally attached to play Tyler in The Rage before McConaughey came on board.

(L-r) Willem Dafoe and Finn Wolfhard, in The Legend Of Ochi. Credit: Courtesy of A24

Willem Dafoe and Emily Watson join Finn Wolfhard (“Stranger Things”) and Helena Zengel (News Of The World) in a fantasy tale that has one foot in myth and fairy tale and the other in the real world of the breathtaking, remote Carpathian Mountains and a human story of longing, loneliness and family, in director Isaiah Saxon’s The Legend Of Ochi. The when and where of this fantasy tale is murky but the human feelings and the beauty of the natural world they move through is crystal clear.

In the rugged Carpathian Mountains, a teen girl named Yuri (German actress Helena Zengel from News Of The World) lives in a remote, rural cabin with her father Maxim (Willem Dafoe), who has raised her alone since an early age. We first meet both father and daughter as Maxim,...

Helena Zengel in ‘The Legend of Ochi’ (Photo Credit: Courtesy of A24)

A24 has branched out and away from the genres they’re best known for—horror and quirky dramas—with The Legend of Ochi, a fantasy adventure that strives to be similar to the family adventure films of the 1980s, such as E.T. and Gremlins.

The film opens with a shot of a dark island in the Black Sea and a voice-over from young Yuri talking about life on the island and how her people fear and hunt the deadly animals known as the Ochi. Yuri’s father, Maxim, trains her brother Petro and a group of teenage boys how to hunt the creatures.

After a hunt that goes horribly wrong, Yuri, upset with what she witnessed, walks into the wilderness and finds a wounded baby Ochi lost and separated from its mother. After carefully interacting with the frightened little animal,...

“Sinners” looks to rule the box office again as three new movies open in North America.

Director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan’s R-rated vampire thriller is expected to enjoy another huge weekend with $25 million to $30 million in its sophomore frame. Last weekend, “Sinners” opened to $48 million, marking the biggest debut for an original film since 2019. So far, the horror film has generated $55 million domestically and $71 million internationally against a $90 million production budget.

In terms of new releases, Ben Affleck’s “The Accountant 2” is aiming for $20 million to $25 million from 3,610 theaters. Amazon MGM is backing the sequel to 2016’s “The Accountant,” which opened to $24.7 million and became a surprise hit, ending its theatrical run with $155 million globally. The second film cost a hefty $80 million (around double the first film’s $45 million price tag) before factoring in global marketing expenses.

Gavin O’Connor returned to direct the R-rated “The Accountant 2,...

Rebecca Loos, David Beckham’s former personal assistant, has reignited a long-standing controversy by reaffirming her claims of an affair with the soccer icon. In a recent interview with “60 Minutes Australia,” Loos doubled down on her original allegations, asserting that she has consistently “stuck to the truth” since the accusations first surfaced in 2004.

Loos, who worked for Beckham in 2003, alleges that she and the then-married athlete engaged in a four-month-long affair. Her original claims, published in News of the World, rocked the celebrity world and prompted a swift and vehement denial from David Beckham.

Rebecca Loos Confirms 4-Month-Long Affair With David Beckham In New 60 Minutes Australia Interview: “Beckhams Tried To Squash The Truth!”

“In my opinion, it was a very brave thing to do to go up against them,” Loos stated in the “60 Minutes Australia” interview, referencing the Beckhams’ powerful public image. “I have stuck to the truth.

A24’s The Legend of Ochi pulls back the curtain for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the fantasy adventure and the process of bringing the film’s weird little creature to life. Writer-director Isaiah Saxon opted to use practical effects, including puppeteers manipulating the creature that sort of resembles a gremlin/monkey hybrid.

“In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a shy farm girl named Yuri is raised to fear an elusive animal species known as ochi,” reads A24’s synopsis. “But when Yuri discovers a wounded baby ochi has been left behind, she escapes on a quest to bring him home.”

Helena Zengel (News of the World), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), Emily Watson (Dune: Prophecy), and Willem Dafoe (Nosferatu) star in the PG-rated adventure. A24 has set an April 25, 2025 theatrical release.

The Legend of Ochi had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. It...

Distributor and studio A24 is gearing up for a busy lineup at the theater in 2025 with upcoming movies such as “Death of Unicorn,” “Warfare,” “Friendship,” and “Materialists.” Another pic that is sure to get audiences exited is a new fantasy adventure, “The Legend of Ochi,” that boasts a cast that includes actors Helena Zengel (“News of The World”), Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson (“Dune: The Prophecy”), and Willem Dafoe.

Continue reading ‘The Legend Of Ochi’ First Look: New Video Showcases Practical VFX & Sets For A24’s New Fantasy Adventure Film Coming April 25 at The Playlist.

"Growing up, I felt that the deepest mysteries were found in nature. And I hope to share that same feeling that anything is possible." Yes that does come through in this. A24 has unveiled a making of featurette for the magical adventure film The Legend of Ochi, marking the feature debut of up-and-coming filmmaker Isaiah Saxon. He has created many shorts & other projects, but this is his first feature and it's gorgeous. Opening in theaters in late April. A young girl who lives on a mysterious island heads off on her own into the wilderness when she befriends a little creature known as an Ochi. Similar to a monkey, but not like anything that really exists. This premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival a few months back. Starring Helena Zengel (from System Crasher & News of the World), plus Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson, & Willem Dafoe. It was originally filmed in 2021 and took three years to complete.

It’s hard to believe now but before taking 12 long years to follow 1987’s Full Metal Jacket with Eyes Wide Shut in 1999, the famously meticulous Stanley Kubrick was comparatively prolific — in the ’60s alone he released four of his 13 features. In these days of instant gratification, a director taking longer than three years is either deemed to be M.I.A. or about to pop up with a secret film made entirely under the radar. But absence does make the heart grow fonder, and these five directors can expect a warm welcome in 2025.

Kathryn Bigelow

Back with: Untitled. Last film Detroit (2017) Kathryn Bigelow directing ‘Zero Dark Thirty’

Kathryn Bigelow made history in 2010 when she became the first woman ever to win the Oscar for Best Director (she won Best Picture too), but the California...

Tom Hanks has been consistently working ever since he made his big-screen debut in the low-budget slasher film He Knows You're Alone in 1979. He has over 80 movies, cutting across nearly every genre, but, for the longest time, he seemed to avoid Westerns. All that changed in 2020 when he starred in News of the World, directed by Paul Greengrass. We bet Hanks only took the call because Greengrass was involved. Captain Phillips, the previous team-up between the two Hollywood heavyweights, had yielded great results, prompting the desire for a reunion.

Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 stars5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 starRate Now0/10

Your comment has not been saved

News of the WorldPG-13WesternAdventureDramaActionRelease DateDecember 25, 2020Runtime118 minutesDirectorPaul GreengrassCastSee All

Tom Hanks

Neil Sandilands

Michael Covino

Fred Hechinger

Where to watchCloseWHERE To WATCHStreaming

Writers Paul Greengrass, Luke Davies Powered by

ExpandCollapse

For Greengrass, this was also new territory. He had never made...

ITV Studios weighs into the 2025 London TV Screenings with its biggest slate in the last couple of years, certainly on the format side, and one of the weightiest lineups of any company presenting in London this week.

Its Feb. 26 showcase at the Odeon Leicester Square, open exclusively to buyers, will launch 12 brand new dramas, 26 returning seasons, 27 non-scripted titles and 10 new formats featuring must-check-out shows from many of the U.K.’s top production companies such as Sister Pictures, Quay Street Productions, Mammoth Screen, Lifted Entertainment (“Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway”) and Plimsoll Productions.

“Sister Pictures is not one of the ITV Studios family but the others are. That’s a real testament to the journey we’ve been on in the last few years of really trying to work with the best talent,” said Ruth Berry, president global partnerships & Zoo 55, ITV Studios.

It will show at the London Screenings.

After two decades directing shorts, commercials, and music videos, writer-director Isaiah Saxon makes his official feature-length debut with The Legend of Ochi, a richly imagined, Amblin-influenced family-oriented fantasy-adventure set in a semi-contemporary mythical Eastern Europe.   Bolstered by  environmental themes, a visually stunning palette, on-location cinematography that makes the film look far more expensive than its actual cost, and another scene-stealing turn by Willem Dafoe as a half-crazed creature hunter, The Legend of Ochi suggests great, possibly greater things to come for Saxon as a filmmaker.    The Legend of Ochi centers on Yuri, a seemingly lonely teen living on a rundown farm with her father, Maxim (Dafoe), a hunter obsessed with hunting down and killing the not-so-mythical, forest...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Making your U.S. film debut opposite an actor of Tom Hanks's stature is no small feat, yet Helena Zengel handled it with gusto in 2020's News of the World. Directed by Captain Phillips helmer Paul Greengrass, the historical western adventure placed Zengel as the two-time Oscar winner's co-lead and saw her walk away with a Critic's Choice Award nomination among other honors, officially establishing herself as an international star. Now, she's at the Sundance Film Festival finding success as the lead of A24's whimsical adventure The Legend of Ochi, with another role in the sports horror movie Bloody Tennis on the horizon. Through everything, however, she's been happy to have had that initial experience with Hanks, who remains a positive influence on her young career.

The infamous UK phone-hacking scandal that rocked the English polity in 2005 with tremors that continue to be felt to date has inspired a TV series titled, The Hack. Case in point, only last week, Rupert Murdoch, whose media empire is the major culprit in the hacks, issued a shock apology to Prince Harry, paying him an undisclosed settlement for the royal's case against News Group Newspapers for severely breaching his privacy. First-look photos of the series have been revealed via Deadline, and the images see David Tennant as investigative journalist Nick Davies. Davies discovered evidence of phone hacking at Murdoch's News of the World tabloid. Interestingly, Tennant is one among the ever-growing list of public figures who've received damages for hacking claims against Ngn. The synopsis for the series reads:...

Exclusive: The timing couldn’t be better. Just a week after Rupert Murdoch’s shock apology and settlement with Prince Harry, ITV has unveiled a phone hacking drama series from Jack Thorne starring David Tennant as investigative journalist Nick Davies.

ITV and Australian streamer Stan have spent the past year quietly filming, editing and laying the groundwork for The Hack, which comes from the storied creative trio of multi-bafta Award winner Thorne, director Lewis Arnold (Sherwood) and producer Patrick Spence (Mr Bates vs the Post Office).

Set between 2002 and 2012, The Hack interweaves two real life stories, the work of Davies, who uncovered evidence of phone hacking at Murdoch’s now-defunct News of the World, and the story of the investigation into the unsolved murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan, led by former Met Police Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Cook. Its working titles through the past year have included Broken News and Mandrake.

Many people like to throw around the phrase “they don’t make ‘em like this anymore” when it comes to movies, but there would be no more apt description for Isaiah Saxon’s The Legend of Ochi. Although its story is a bit thin, The Legend of Ochi is one of the most visually stunning family films in years.

The Legend of Ochi Review

The Legend of Ochi follows a shy girl who rebels against her father’s wishes to help save a wounded baby of a mysterious species of animal that she has been trained her whole life to fear. It’s an old-school adventure in the vein of movies like E.T. and The Goonies. In many ways, it feels like a relic of the past, but with a refreshingly distinct artistic and visual style from Saxon.

The hallmark of this genre of family films is that they use...

The Ochi exist. Furry monkey-like creatures of an orange-hued pelt with pronounced ears and huge dark eyes, the Ochi could feel just at home in the “Star Wars” universe, James Cameron’s “Avatar” realm Pandora or in Amblin classics like the “Gremlins” series. They are not real in an organic sense, but the beings in “The Legend of Ochi” are tangible entities, sophisticated puppets crafted to inhabit the lush greenery of Carpathia, a fictional island in the Black Sea where modernity and tradition find themselves at a crossroads.

Produced by A24, “The Legend of Ochi,” brings the bountiful imagination and technical innovation of writer-director Isaiah Saxon into a larger canvas. Saxon, perhaps best known for directing the stunning “Wanderlust” music video for Icelandic artist Björk, flexes the visual prowess that he and his team at Encyclopedia Pictura have developed over two decades, which combines plenty of handmade elements with digital tools.

I have become so accustomed to defining children’s or family films in this era as animated that when you come upon one that doesn’t fall into that easy definition it is a welcome shock to the system. The Legend of Ochi, premiering today in the Family Matinee section of the Sundance Film Festival, is a throwback, one of those films clearly inspired by more adventurous PG entertainments of the past and never talking down to its intended audience. As a result, the A24 release is a breath of fresh air and a stunning visual treat that will appeal well beyond the youngest members in the household.

With cinematic inspirations like The Black Stallion, My Neighbor Tortoro, Roald Dahl’s The Witches, Princess Mononoke and clearly Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, director/writer Isaiah Saxon, with his feature debut, has accomplished a striking bit of world-building,...

Hugh Grant, known for his roles in iconic romantic comedies like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, and Love Actually, became a beloved figure in Hollywood during the ’90s and early 2000s. While Grant has always spoken fondly of many of his movies, he has also been honest about the fact that some of his past projects haven’t aged the way he had hoped.

Hugh Grant in Nine Months | Credits: 20th Century Fox

One of those films was Nine Months, a romantic comedy from 1995, where Grant starred opposite Julianne Moore. The movie did well at the box office, but the actor has since regretted being a part of it. His main issue with the movie stemmed from his later realization about the studio behind it.

Why did Hugh Grant regret starring in Nine Months?

Hugh Grant is well-known for his roles in romantic comedies, and his on-screen presence...

The story around Isaiah Saxon’s feature debut, “The Legend of Ochi,” took a drastic turn, as so many Hollywood stories did, with this month’s Los Angeles fires. Saxon lost his home in the blaze, and the film’s theatrical release was pushed back. However, having spent years developing and working on the fantasy feature, Saxon is standing steadfastly behind his film and will be present for its Sundance world premiere.

“The Legend of Ochi” is a throwback. Its aesthetics, fantasy elements and a blend of practical and digital effects will be instantly endearing to audiences of a certain age but are modern enough and so well executed as to attract younger audiences weaned on the vfx-heavy fare of more recent decades.

The film tells the story of Yuri, a shy farm in a remote village on the island of Carpathia. Born as the only child to a father who yearned for a son,...

Updated 06.42 a.m. Pt: There has been high drama on the first day in the trial of Prince Harry versus Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers (Ngn), with a settlement deal now “very close,” according to Ngn’s lawyer.

The court has just been adjourned for the day with absolutely no action taking place in the courtroom, with lawyers on both sides repeatedly asking for delays.

After one final adjournment was awarded by the judge, both sets of lawyers said they would take leave to appeal the decision to not allow any more delays, according to the BBC, in what was an unprecedented situation.

Ngn’s lawyer Anthony Hudson was quoted by the BBC as saying: “We are very close, there is an issue with time and gaining instructions. It is not the only factor. We do say for the sake of an hour and a half the amount of...

King Charles and Queen Camilla have a poignant and enduring love story; however, the public did not always accept their romance as the pair were royally butchered in the press.

Camilla Was Once Seen As “The Most Hated Woman In Britain”

Most people know that Charles and Camilla were having an affair while he was married to Princess Diana. During that time, Camilla was known as “The most hated woman in Britain.”

It didn’t help Camilla that Diana was high-spirited, beloved by the public, a style icon, and a trailblazer. She was “The People’s Princess.”

The Commonwealth wasn’t too keen on Charles’s relationship with Camilla. She became famous only after she was mired in scandal and controversy.

It took a long time for the Commonwealth to embrace Camilla and even longer for Queen Elizabeth II to give the couple her blessing.

One of the most undeniably...

Just taking Tom Hanks’ name feels like you’re talking about an old friend. He’s the quintessential nice guy, a Hollywood heavyweight. Everyone loves a classic like Forrest Gump or Saving Private Ryan, but there’s a treasure chest of gems in his filmography that don’t get nearly enough love.

Tom Hanks in Joe Versus the Volcano | Warner Bros.

This list won’t be about the obvious heavy hitters. Instead, we’re taking a closer look at the movies that flew under the radar or have faded into the background over the years.

12. Larry Crowne (2011)

Let’s start with a feel-good flick that’s just as unassuming as its leading man. In Larry Crowne, Tom Hanks, who also directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), stars as Larry, a perpetually cheerful retail worker fired for not having a college degree. So, naturally,...

Does Hugh Granr regret the 1995 Divine Brown scandal?(Photo Credit – YouTube)

“I was just an idiot,” Hugh Grant confessed during a candid chat on The Drew Barrymore Show. The now-60-year-old actor reflected on the career-shaking incident that had him caught with sex worker Divine Brown in Los Angeles while dating Elizabeth Hurley. The fallout? A global media frenzy and a moment Grant would rather forget.

Barrymore helped jog his memory about their first interaction, revealing, “We didn’t meet in person—I reached out to you.” That sparked Grant’s recollection: “It was during the dark days of my Divine Brown scandal… I opened a letter from you that was very supportive and nice.” The letter, he said, was a rare bright spot during a time when he was besieged by the press on his farm in England.

In 1995, Grant was in Hollywood promoting Nine Months when he decided...

The 2020s have already played host to a number of acclaimed Westerns, with the likes of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Power of the Dog earning rave reviews and multiple award nominations for the quality of film making on display. Considering that the majority of mainstream attention and appreciation has been devoted to these higher-profile names, the current decade's big hitters have overshadowed a number of criminally underrated genre offerings, to the point that many film fans may not even be aware of their existence.

While the current decade has yet to produce an outing that holds up as one of the best Western movies ever made, the signs have been promising to date. Following in the vein of underappreciated Westerns from the 2010s, the 2020s have already produced a number of notably underrated genre outings that the average cinema-goer likely has not seen. From movies that successfully...

Gladiator II, directed by the legendary Ridley Scott transports us back to Ancient Rome with remarkable authenticity and gripping storytelling. The film is a sequel to Scott’s multi-award winning film Gladiator, released in 2000, and was written by David Scarpa and Peter Craig. It stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) and Fred Hechinger. Meanwhile, legendary stage and screen actor Derek Jacobi and Danish actress Connie Nielsen reprise their roles from the first film.

Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus, Lucius (Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his North African home of Numidia is conquered by the tyrannical forces of sadistic Emperors Geta (Quinn) and Caracalla (Hechinger) who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart at the loss of his wife in a deadly battle against Roman general Marcus Acacius (Pascal), Lucius must look to...

Tom Hanks is one of the best actors of his generation, a fantastic performer whose career has spanned dozens of films and television projects across numerous genres. Starting out as a comedy film and television mainstay, he would eventually break out into dramatic performances that would earn him Academy Awards for Best Actor two years in a row.

Tom Hanks' career is so vast and varied that many of his best performances remain unmentioned in retrospectives and discussions of his skills as an actor. Over the last 40 years, he has starred in countless films that prove he is one of the best actors still working in Hollywood today.

This Oscar Nominated Film Was One of the Best in a Quiet Movie Year News of the World (2020)

Character Name:

Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd

Directed by:

Paul Greengrass

Rotten Tomatoes Score:

88%

The 93rd Academy Awards, honoring movies released in the 2020 film year,...

Sunday Am: For a total weekend that’s making less than $100M, there were some impressive feats going on. From out of the blue, Sony/Marvel’s Venom the Last Dance after registering the lowest opening in the trilogy with $51M, actually held fantastically with a -49% second weekend or $26.1M. That percentile hold is the best for the trilogy ahead of Venom‘s second weekend decline of -56% and Venom: Let There Be Carnage‘s -65%, but it’s also great for a comic book movie ahead of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s (-54%) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (-63%). But still for a B- CinemaScore comic-book movie — ‘Yeah!’ for Sony. Running total is $90M through Eod today.

Meanwhile, Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s Wild Robot saw an amazing sixth weekend spike of +11% –unheard of–with $7.55M for a second place steal; pic’s running cume now at $121.4M.

“Venom: The Last Dance” topped the box office again as newcomer “Here,” a fantasy drama that uses AI so Tom Hanks and Robin Wright can play younger (and older) versions of themselves, fizzled in its debut.

“Here,” which was produced and financed by Miramax and distributed by Sony, opened in fifth place with $5 million from 2,647 North American theaters. The film, which reunites the “Forrest Gump” co-stars with their director Robert Zemeckis, follows the inhabitants of a single house over the course of 100 years — allowing Hanks and Wright to portray teenagers and octogenarians across 105 minutes thanks to de-aging technology. Critics and audiences rejected the movie with a 36% on Rotten Tomatoes and “B-” grade on CinemaScore. So, word-of-mouth may not help bolster attention for “Here” in its box office run. The movie cost $45 million and needs a long life in theaters to justify that price tag.

Hanks has been a massive big screen draw over the years,...

Gun-slinging capers and epic posse rides into the sunset have excited the imagination of audiences around the world for over 100 years. The Western remains a staple of movies to this day and has strong narrative footholds that subscribe to audiences that love a certain mix of grit, romance, survival, and history on their entertainment menu. Usually, westerns will enchant audiences with their usual ingredients full of gunsmoke and great train robberies, but sometimes, the Western genre is experimented with to test the waters of what can be done in a frontier setting.

There are many under-the-radar yet Hollywood-made westerns that have all the ingredients and budget to successfully invent within the genre. However, not all of them took, and some were everything an audience could want from a Western, but it just wasn't the right time. Like most films in an era of oversaturation, it's a matter of time that...

The Gladiator II actor pauses to reflect upon his mile-a-minute career

“I have a hard time taking a break,” says Fred Hechinger. “The thought of it is nice, but by the second day...” He pulls a bored face. This is not very surprising. Hechinger does not stop. In just six years as a working actor, he has had roles in over 20 films and four TV shows. He started with Bo Burnham’s raw high-school drama Eighth Grade, broke out with The White Lotus, and has racked up co-stars including Tom Hanks (News Of The World), Natalie Portman (Vox Lux), Christian Bale (The Pale Blue Eye), and Amy Adams (The Woman In The Window). He has five projects out this year alone.

“My family don’t really understand it,” he says of his very busy slate. “They’re like, ‘How have you done all this?’ I have to explain, ‘I don...

It’s been 25 years since The Talented Mr. Ripley premiered in theaters, and Jude Law says it’s still the role of his that fans most often want to talk about when they see him out and about. After the film premiered in December 1999, Law knew it was a turning...

I can’t keep up with him.

On a recent September afternoon, Jude Law is running away from the set of “Black Rabbit,” a Netflix miniseries where he plays a Manhattan nightclub owner who welcomes his troublemaker brother back into his life. Today’s setup, shot in the South Street Seaport, involves a flashback sequence between Law’s character and his scraggly sibling, played by Jason Bateman. Law and I are supposed to meet in the lobby of a hotel after the scene wraps, but filming goes over, and his assistant, Ryan, texts me that Law wants to talk to me as he walks to his trailer a few blocks away. But by the time I make it outside, he’s already a distant figure on the horizon.

Is he that man in blue? “No, he’s in the gray,” Ryan says. “He’s fucking quick.” Unless we sprint — and...