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Picture: The Super Mario Bros Movie – Illumination Studios

It’s a busy end to February on Netflix UK with 45 new additions to the library this week, including Illumination’s Super Mario Bros movie, Kate Hudson’s new Netflix comedy Running Point, and every episode of the first season of Pokemon Horizons.

First of all, here are the week’s highlights:

The Super Mario Bros Movie (2023)

Director: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic

Genre: Animated, Action, Adventure | Runtime: 92 Minutes

Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key

Illumination Studios greatly adapted one of the world’s most iconic and beloved video games. With plenty of action and easter eggs galore, it’s one to watch with all the family this weekend.

Mario and Luigi, the plumber duo from Brooklyn, are transported to the Mushroom Kingdom, where they find themselves in a conflict between the mushroom princess, Peach, and the tyrannical fire-breathing turtle Bowser,...

Apple TV+ has shared the first images of Alexander Skarsgård in its upcoming sci-fi series, “Murderbot.”

Based on Martha Wells’ Hugo and Nebula Award-winning book series “The Murderbot Diaries,” the show follows a self-hacking security construct (Skarsgård) that finds itself simultaneously put off by human emotion and yet drawn to its clients in spite of that. While Skarsgård’s robot wants nothing more than to be left alone to watch its favorite “futuristic soap operas” and try to discern its place in the universe, it is forced to suppress its free will and its desires in order to complete a “dangerous assignment.”

Billed as a “comedic thriller,” “Murderbot” comes from creators Chris and Paul Weitz (“About a Boy”). Skarsgård’s character can be seen both masked and unmasked in the above and below images. The “Northman” and “Succession” star, who won an Outstanding Supporting Actor Emmy in 2017 for his role in “Big Little Lies,...

Paris Has Fallen boasts an impressive cast of international stars, bringing humanity to the action-packed show. The series is the latest entry in the "Has Fallen" franchise. The show builds on the tone established by the Gerald Butler-led Olympus Has Fallen. Paris Has Fallen focuses on a series of attacks carried out in the French capital by an embittered former member of the French Foreign Legion named Jacob Pearce. Struggling to prevent further bloodshed are Vincent Taleb and Zara Taylor, a bodyguard and an Mi:6 agent both operating within the city.

Paris Has Fallen has plenty of intense action, but the real draw of the series is the compelling conspiracy that Pearce seeks to expose and how it impacts the people connected to it. The stars of the show hail from across Europe, bringing a natural diversity to a story that highlights the crimes and mistakes of the recent past.

Plot: When a terrorist group led by the villainous Jacob Pearce attacks a high-profile embassy reception, with the French Minister of Defence as their target, protection officer Vincent finds himself working with street-smart MI6 operative Zara to save the day. But when events take an increasingly dark turn, Vincent and Zara soon realize that the plan extends far beyond just one politician. With suspicions that one of their colleagues in the security services is feeding information to Pearce, Vincent and Zara soon come to rely on each other more than either would have ever imagined. Increasingly isolated and with Pearce always one step ahead, can this unlikely pair stop Paris from falling to a man hell-bent on vengeance?

Review: I’m not sure who asked for it, but the Gerard Butler Has Fallen film series has become the Has Fallen cinematic universe. After three movies, the same fictional world where...

Starz has announced the movie and TV titles that will be available on the service in December. The Starz December 2024 schedule includes new episodes of Outlander Season 7 Part 2 all month long.

On the film front, Borderlands, Renfield, The Fabelmans, Midas, Polite Society, and several other notable titles will be joining the Starz app this month. This month, the app will feature a special collection, “Franchise Frenzy,” featuring titles from The Bourne series, The Chronicles of Riddick, Blair Witch, Divergent, and Ghostbusters, among others.

To get you through the holidays, Starz has a thrilling week of action-packed titles that are more naughty than nice, including The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Jurassic World Dominion: Extended Version, the Divergent trilogy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Cocaine Bear, and more.

Outlander Season 7 Starz Highlights

Outlander Season 7 Part 2

The land the Frasers call home is changing – and they must change with it.

It’s not often that a creative team makes a season of television, then makes a completely different feature film, and then brings their new skills to a second season of that TV — but that’s exactly the experience that creator, director, and executive producer Nida Manzoor and members of her core creative team had on Season 2 of “We Are Lady Parts.” That the Peacock series accomplishes as much as it does, from complex musical numbers to slapstick comedy to involving action sequences, is a testament to the benefits of getting a band, as it were, back together.

In just six episodes, the British comedy about the best all-female, all-Muslim punk band in London expanded its storytelling scope without losing the visual playfulness with form that’s such a part of its humor. Manzoor told IndieWire on an episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit podcast that having the confidence to really...

The British Film Institute (BFI) is set to make waves with its upcoming “Art of Action” season, anchored by a re-release of Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 cult classic “Point Break.”

The U.K.-wide celebration of action choreography in cinema will run from October to December, offering audiences a high-octane journey through the evolution of the genre.

BFI Distribution will bring “Point Break,” starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, back to U.K. cinemas on Nov. 8. The film’s return to the big screen after years of limited theatrical showings is expected to be a major draw for both nostalgic fans and new viewers alike.

The “Art of Action” season, presented by the BFI Film Audience Network using National Lottery funds, aims to showcase the artistry behind action sequences that have kept audiences enthralled for decades. The program will feature a diverse array of films, including silent era classics like Buster Keaton...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Ampas) has invited 487 artists and executives to become members, with Sandra Huller, Justin Triet, Celine Song and Da’Vine Joy Randolph among the high profile invitees.

Also invited to join are actors Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Fiona Shaw, directors Alice Diop, David Yates and S S Rajamouli, and writers Arthur Harari and Tony McNamara.

Executives invited to join that branch of the Academy include British Film Institute CEO Ben Roberts and Fifth Season co-CEOs Chris Rice and Graham Taylor.

Among those invited to join the costume designers branch are Holly Waddington and Małgorzata Karpiuk.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Ampas) has invited 487 artists and executives to become members, with Sandra Huller, Justin Triet, Celine Song and Da’Vine Joy Randolph among the high profile invitees.

Also invited to join are actors Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Fiona Shaw, directors Alice Diop, David Yates and S S Rajamouli, and writers Arthur Harari and Tony McNamara.

Executives invited to join that branch of the Academy include British Film Institute CEO Ben Roberts and Fifth Season co-CEOs Chris Rice and Graham Taylor.

Among those invited to join the costume designers branch are Holly Waddington and Małgorzata Karpiuk.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Tuesday that it is extending invitations to 487 to join the membership ranks of the Oscar organizer. If all accept, it will bring the Academy’s total membership to 10,910, of which 9,934 would be voting members.

This year’s list across 19 branches include 2024 Oscar winners Da’Vine Joy Randolph from The Holdovers; Poor Things costume designer Holly Waddington and production design team James Price, Shona Heath and Zsuzsa Mihalek; 20 Days in Mariupol director Mstyslav Chernov, War Is Over! producer Brad Booker; The Zone of Interest sound duo Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn; the Godzilla Minus One VFX team Tatsuji Nojima, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Takashi Yamazaki; American Fiction writer-director Cord Jefferson; and Anatomy of a Fall writing duo Justine Triet and Arthur Harari.

Jefferson and Triet are among eight names on the list who were invited to more than one branch (noted...

Exclusive: The second season of We Are Lady Parts has dropped to acclaim on both sides of the pond and now Nida Manzoor, its creator, writer and director is back at her laptop working up projects including an ‘alt Bond’ spy movie.

Manzoor speaks to Deadline soon after the season two launch of We Are Lady Parts, the punk comedy-drama, which has struck a chord with critics as well as viewers on Channel 4 in the UK and Peacock in the U.S.

Season two follows the titular punk band as they gain some recognition and navigate the choppy waters of the music business, meeting some of its sharks along the way. They also have to contend with competition from Gen-z upstart band, Second Wife.

The sophomore run sees each member of the band grappling with different issues, with comedic and dramatic consequences in equal measure: Amina (Anjana Vasan) moves...

After a three-year hiatus, “We Are Lady Parts” is back with a triumphant second season, filled with brilliant, catchy music, fantastical comedy sequences, and dynamite performances from the entire ensemble. Unlike a lot of contemporary filmmakers who make the jump from movies to TV, creator Nida Manzoor got to return to her roots after debuting a feature between seasons.

Season 2 (certified Fresh) finds Lady Parts — the all-female punk outfit composed of Amina (Anjana Vasan), Saira (Sara Kameela Impey), Aisha (Juliette Motamed), Bisma (Faith Omole), and manager Momtaz (Lucy Shorthouse) — enjoying a successful run of tours and an actual, engaged fan base. With their sights set on recording an album, the band faces financial struggles and a major opportunity that threatens to break them apart.

It’s been three years since “We Are Lady Parts” premiered, but Season 2 picks up shortly after Season 1. For writer/director Nida Manzoor, most of the...

Welcome to the 261st episode of TV’s Top 5, The Hollywood Reporter’s TV podcast.

Every week, hosts Lesley Goldberg (West Coast TV editor) and Daniel Fienberg (chief TV critic) break down the latest TV news with context from the business and critical sides, welcome showrunners, executives and other guests, and provide a critical guide of what to watch (or skip, as the case may be).

This week, we’re with one of our favorites, Nida Manzoor, the creator and showrunner of Peacock’s We Are Lady Parts, which we’ve been a proud supporter of since it first launched back in June 2021. That’s when Manzoor first joined the podcast to discuss the freshman season of comedy about a Muslim punk rock band.

Since then, Manzoor wrote and directed the action-comedy Polite Society, before turning her attention to the six-episode second season of We Are Lady Parts, which arrives May 31 on Peacock.

As with any time I try to explain a massive figure in Indian film to the uninitiated, the temptation rises quickly to compare director Sanjay Leela Bhansali to someone in Hollywood.

And, as with any time I actually make these comparisons, everything falls short. Bhansali depicts spectacle evocative of the work of Baz Luhrmann, but even that is a pale imitation (no disrespect to either). There is no one literally anywhere in the world creating cinema with the scale and grandeur that Bhansali has cultivated as his signature, a style so distinct that his own peers pay homage to it while he’s still alive and working.

But at the top of IndieWire’s conversation about Bhansali’s career, he’s quick to shake the larger-than-life visual splendor of his creations, emphasizing — as writer, director and producer, among his many hats — that the stories themselves evoke that scope.

“It’s...

After wowing critics at Sundance last year with her martial arts family comedy “Polite Society,” Nida Manzoor returns with a new season of her TV series “We Are Lady Parts.” The Channel 4 show follows an all-female Muslim punk band as they vie for musical success, and in the upcoming Season 2, the girls aren’t afraid to play a little dirty to get what they want.

Continue reading ‘We Are Lady Parts’ Season 2 Trailer: Nida Manzoor’s Female Punk Band Sitcom Returns To Peacock On May 30 at The Playlist.

Lace up your motorcycle boots and rip off your shirt sleeves: acclaimed sitcom We Are Lady Parts is back for Series 2. Showrunner Nida Manzoor launched her career with Series 1 back in 2021, depicting the exploits of scrappy, all-female Muslim punk band, Lady Parts. Last year, she followed it up with barnstorming action-comedy film Polite Society, for which she won a BIFA for Best Debut Screenwriter. Rocking her way back to the small screen, Manzoor’s Channel 4 hit returns for another run next month, and you can see a selection of first-look images below:

The whole band is back together for this one: Anjana Vasan, who was last seen in the foul-mouthed Wicked Little Letters, returns as lead guitarist Amina, along with bandmates Sarah Kameela Impey, Juliette Motamed, and Faith Omole. Lucie Shorthouse is also back as the titular Lady Parts’ manager, Momtaz. The new episodes pick up with the band after their UK tour,...

Series 2 of Nida Manzoor’s We Are Lady Parts will air in May, Channel 4 has confirmed. Here are the details.

Series 1 of We Are Lady Parts, written and directed by Nida Manzoor, aired in 2021. The show followed the exploits of the titular all female Muslim punk band. It starred Anjana Vasan as Amina Hussain, Sarah Kameela Impey as Saira, Juliette Motamed as Ayesha, Faith Omole as Bisma and Lucie Shorthouse as Momtaz.

They all return for series 2, which is now confirmed to be airing from 30th May.

The delay between series was due to Manzoor writing and directing her first fearure film, Polite Society, which was released last year. If you haven’t had the pleasure, the film I a riotous martial arts comedy that follows aspiring stuntwoman Ria forced to use her fighting skills to save her sister from her sinister fiancé.

The official synopsis for series 2 reads...

One more video recap to enjoy as a last look back at the movies of 2023. Vietnamese film critic Nguyên Lê has revealed his Cinema Montage 2023 video, featuring a look at his Top 25 Best Films from last year (+ 2 extras). Oppenheimer won the Academy Award for Best Picture a few weeks ago, ending the 2023 awards season. Though that doesn't mean we can't still continue to celebrate all the great movies from last year. His video features many of my personal 2023 favorites as well, including: A Thousand and One, American Fiction, Godzilla: Minus One, Past Lives, Perfect Days, The Promised Land, and The Taste of Things. Plus other underrated gems like Polite Society, Sleep, Monster, Knock at the Cabin, Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell, and Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. The video comes in under 3 minutes and is a wonderfully short and sweet reminder of all the beauty cinema offers us every year.

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ season 1 finale (Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO)

The Last of Us starring Pedro Pascal and Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning top the list of the 4th Annual Critics Choice Super Awards nominees. The Last of Us collected seven nominations, including a Best Actor in a Superhero Series nod for Pascal and a Best Actress in a Superhero Series nomination for Bella Ramsey.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning‘s five nominations came in the Best Action Movie, Best Actor in an Action Movie (Tom Cruise), and Best Actress in an Action Movie categories.

The Critics Choice Super Awards recognize superhero, science fiction/fantasy, horror, and action films and television series, honoring the best in genres that are normally ignored by awards organizations. “The Super Awards consistently shine a bright light on the outstanding work being done in genre cinema and television,...

2023 was a solid year for action movies. It saw the release of new entries in some of the genre's biggest franchises, like Fast & Furious, Indiana Jones, John Wick, and Mission: Impossible. In addition, veteran directors Guy Ritchie and David Fincher delivered more restrained (but still highly enjoyable) action dramas. Surprising gems like Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and martial arts comedy Polite Society also made a splash.

Although total UK-Ireland box office revenue increased by 4% in 2023 compared to 2022, revenue for UK-qualifying independent films fell by 49% in the same period, according to statistics from the British Film Institute (BFI) released today (February 1).

The total box office revenue for UK qualifying independent films in 2023 was £37.8m, down from the £74.7m total revenue in 2022. The box office market share of UK-qualifying independent films was 3.8%. This is less than half of the share achieved for the same period in 2022 and is the second-lowest share of the past 20 years.

The Great Escaper was the highest-grossing UK independent release with a total box office of £5.3m.

Although total UK-Ireland box office revenue increased by 4% in 2023 compared to 2022, revenue for UK-qualifying independent films fell by 49% in the same period, according to statistics from the British Film Insitute (BFI) released today (February 1).

The total box office revenue for UK qualifying independent films in 2023 was £37.8m, down from the £74.7m total revenue in 2022. The box office market share of UK-qualifying independent films was 3.8%. This is less than half of the share achieved for the same period in 2022 and is the second-lowest share of the past 20 years.

The Great Escaper was the highest-grossing UK independent release with a total box office of £5.3m.

The film and TV production boom in the U.K. came to a grinding halt in 2023 amid the Hollywood writers and actors strikes.

According to the British Film Institute, the total spend on film and high-end TV production last year reached £4.23 billion ($5.37 billion) from 394 productions, down 35 percent from £6.27 billion ($7.72 billion) in 2022 as previously reported.

U.K. production spend is counted in the statistics for the year in which principal photography starts, which means shoots started in 2023 but then paused because of the strikes are fully attributed to 2023.

Or as the BFI noted: “If a production starts but then pauses, the total spend for the production is incorporated into the period’s spend data at that point, even if production restarts and concludes much later.”

Despite the drop in spend in 2023 following two years of records, the BFI highlighted that “this is the fourth-highest combined film and high-end TV spend reported...

The U.K.’s film and TV industry took a massive hit following last year’s writers and actors strikes, latest figures show.

While the U.K.’s production industry continues to generate billions, inward investment spend on film and high-end TV dropped to £3.31 billion ($4.22 billion) in 2023, a drop of 39 percent on 2022’s £5.37 billion. According to a new report by the British Film Institute, overall spend for 2023 was £4.23 billion ($5.3 billion), down 32 percent on 2022’s £6.27 billion.

The previous two years had seen record figures thanks to the U.K.’s robust Covid response as well as a concurrent production bottle-neck.

The latest total, published by the BFI’s Research and Statistics Unit, is on par with pre-pandemic numbers.

Worryingly — but in line with predictions – the majority of that spend (£2.9 billion) came from just 168 high-end TV shows, including fare such as “Slow Horses,” “Doctor Who” and “The Crown.” Last year a total...

This year, Sundance saw big deals go down for “A Real Pain”, “It’s What’s Inside”, “Presence” (Neon), and “My Old Ass” as well as smaller acquisitions for “Kneecap” (Sony Pictures Classics), “Ghostlight” (IFC Films), and “Ibelin”(Netflix).

It’s not the same bull market as the old days, but we’ll take it. And while streamers made their presence felt with the two largest acquisitions to date, it’s clear that for most of these films theatrical will be part of their lifecycles. But is that a smart move?

Based on last year’s results, the answer is: Could be. Domestic box office from all Sundance 2023 films was the best for any year since Covid. At around $100 million, it quadrupled the take from 2022 Festival titles (around $25 million). All told, about two thirds of the 2023 films have some sort of domestic distribution, including streaming outlets. Of these, about a dozen films have yet to open.

Hi, Barbie! Great news: Greta Gerwig’s film based on the iconic Mattel doll leads the 14th annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards nominations with three nods – including best song for both Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” and Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken.”

“Barbie’s” third nomination was in best music supervision for a film budgeted over $25 million. The category recognized the work of music supervisor George Drakoulias, songwriters Eilish and Finneas and Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt who penned “I’m Just Ken.”

Other film contenders are the music supervisors from “Maestro,” “Saltburn,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Past Lives,” “Wonka,” “Air” among others.

Top TV contenders include the music supervisors from “Daisy Jones & The Six,” “The White Lotus,” “Welcome to Chippendales” and “Yellowjackets.”

The Guild of Music Supervisors is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2010 with the “goal of preserving and promoting the...

Barbie is the most nominated film for the 2024 Guild of Music Supervisors Awards, landing three nominations, including two in the best song for film category for “What Was I Made For?” and “I’m Just Ken.”

Barbie is nominated for best music supervision for film budgeted over $25 million and scored two nods for best song written and/or recorded for a film for Billie Eilish and Finneas’ “What Was I Made For?” and Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt’s “I’m Just Ken,” performed by Ryan Gosling.

The music supervisors with the most individual nominations are Mike Ladman and Mara Techam, each with five nominations, whose work in advertising includes collaborations with brands like Levis, The New York Times, Hennessy and others.

The 14th annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards are set to take place in-person and virtually at Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theatre on Sunday, March 3.

A full list of nominees follows.

The British Academy has unveiled the results of the first round of voting across all 24 categories for the 2024 BAFTA Film Awards, with a perhaps unsurprising trio of films at the top.

The cultural phenomenon that was “Barbenheimer” has continued to smash its way into awards season, with both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” named in 15 categories, including best film and director. But joining the two with 15 slots, making it a three-way tie going into the final nominations, is “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Last year, only “All Quiet on the Western Front” earned 15 longlist places, with the film going on to dominate the awards ceremony (and winning best film).

Further down, “Poor Things” was named in 14 categories, “Maestro” in 12 and “Saltburn” in 11, with “Saltburn” missing out on a best film slot. Other U.K. films fared well, with “The Zone of Interest” and “All of Us Strangers” named in 10 categories (including best film), “Wonka” in eight,...

‘Barbie’, ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ tie for most spots with 15 each.

Bafta has unveiled the round two voting longlists for its 2024 film awards, with Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon leading with 15 longlist spots each.

Longlists have been released for all 24 categories, including best film, outstanding British film, and outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer, ahead of the nominations on January 18 and final awards ceremony on February 18.

Scroll down for the full longlists

Some 69 films have been selected across the 24 categories. An adjustment to...

Former President Barack Obama recently took to social media to reveal his favorite movies of 2023. The politician-turned-producer shared a list of 13 films that showcased a mix of productions from his own company, Higher Ground, as well as other notable works.

Obama first highlighted three movies produced by Higher Ground: the civil rights biopic Rustin, which features Colman Domingo; the apocalypse film Leave the World Behind, which stars Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali and the music documentary American Symphony, which showcases Jon Batiste. Obama acknowledged his bias that these films were produced by his company but emphasized that they were genuinely among the best movies he watched this year.

In addition to the Higher Ground productions, Obama listed ten other films that caught his attention. These included Alexander Payne‘s dramedy set in a boarding school, The Holdovers, Matt Johnson‘s corporate biopic, BlackBerry, Christopher Nolan‘s historical epic, Oppenheimer, and Cord Jefferson‘s satirical offering,...

It’s that time of year again, when Barack Obama annually shares his favorite movies, books and music.

“As I usually do during this time of year, I wanted to share my favorite books, movies, and music of 2023,” the former president wrote on social media, asking his followers to comment with their favorites, as well.

In his typical fashion, Obama shared separate posts for each medium, starting with listing his picks for the year’s best books, including The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store (James McBride), The Maniac (Benjamin Labatut), Poverty, by America (Matthew Desmond), How to Say Babylon (Safiya Sinclair), The Wager (David Grann), Chip War (Chris Miller) and The Vaster Wilds (Lauren Groff).

His other top picks were Humanly Possible (Sarah Bakewell), King: A Life (Jonathan Eig), The Covenant of Water (Abraham Verghese), The Best Minds (Jonathan Rosen), All the Sinners Bleed (S.A. Cosby), The Kingdom, the Power,...

Barack Obama has shared the list of his favorite movies of 2023 and included a message acknowledging the writers and actors strikes that halted Hollywood.

“Earlier this year, writers and actors went on strike to advocate for better working conditions and protections. It led to important changes that will transform the industry for the better,” Obama shared in a social media post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Update: Today, Obama updated his 2023 list with a tweet.

Update: I just saw The Color Purple and loved it. I'm adding it to this list as one of my favorite movies of the year.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 28, 2023

Obama included films produced by Higher Ground, the production company founded by him and his wife Michelle Obama. The former U.S. President acknowledged his favoritism to films like Rustin, Leave the World Behind and American Symphony.

“I’m biased since these movies were produced by Higher Ground,...

When in office, Barack Obama would release his picks for his bracket for NCAA’s March Madness during the college basketball season, as well as cap off the year with a list of his favorite films of the year. Last year’s list consisted of Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King, Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun, John Patton Ford’s Emily the Criminal, Celine Sciamma’s Petite Maman, Margaret Brown’s Descendant, Audrey Diwane’s Happening, Chinonye Chukwu’s Till, Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once, Fernando León de Aranoa’s The Good Boss, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Asghar Farhadi’s A Hero, Panah Panahi’s Hit the Road, Todd Field’s Tar and Kogonada’s After Yang.

This year, Obama posted his list on social media with the caption, “Earlier this year, writers and actors...

Obama's favorite films of 2023 include Rustin, Leave the World Behind, and American Symphony, all produced by his company Higher Ground. The former President also highlighted how the film industry underwent important changes in 2023 due to a strike, improving working conditions and protections. In addition to his company's films, Obama also enjoyed The Holdovers, BlackBerry, Oppenheimer, American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Monster, Past Lives, Air, Polite Society, and A Thousand and One.

Former US President Barack Obama has revealed his favorite movies of 2023, including some from his own production company alongside hits like Oppenheimer. The famous politician founded Higher Ground Productions in 2018 alongside his wife, Michelle Obama, and has since produced multiple movies, shows, documentaries, and podcasts. Three films made by his company were released for Netflix in late 2023.

Now, Obama has posted a list of his favorite movies in 2023, highlighting the films that were produced by Higher Ground.

Barack Obama is revealing his favorites!

The 62-year-old former President of the United States shared his list of favorite movies of 2023 on social media.

Keep reading to find out more…

“Earlier this year, writers and actors went on strike to advocate for better working conditions and protections. It led to important changes that will transform the industry for the better,” he wrote.

“Here are some films that reflect their hard work over the last year — including some like Rustin, American Symphony, and Leave the World Behind that we were proud to release through @HigherGroundMedia. What films did I miss?” he continued.

The list includes The Holdovers, Blackberry, Oppenheimer, American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Monster, Past Lives, Air, Polite Society and A Thousand and One.

Find out what the 10 most searched movies of 2023 are!

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A post shared by Barack Obama (@barackobama)...

Barack Obama has revealed his favorite movies of the year, an annual tradition from the former President of the United States. The first three films on the list — “Rustin,” “Leave the World Behind” and “American Symphony” — were produced by his company Higher Ground, which he founded alongside his wife Michelle.

“I’m biased since these movies were produced by Higher Ground, but these are in fact three of the best films I saw this year,” Obama wrote.

“Rustin” stars Colman Domingo as the overlooked civil rights activist Bayard Rustin; “Leave the World Behind” stars Ethan Hawke, Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali in a mysterious apocalypse story; and “American Symphony” follows the journey of musician Jon Batiste and his life partner Suleika Jaouad as he endeavors to compose a symphony and she learns her cancer has returned.

In a post on X/Twitter, Obama further contextualized his list and acknowledged the...

Updated: On December 28, the day after posting his initial best films of 2023 list, Barack Obama shared on Instagram that he saw Blitz Bazawule’s “The Color Purple” and has now added the Warner Bros. musical to his list.

Earlier: Former President of the United States Barack Obama has taken a side in the Barbenheimer wars.

As has become a yearly tradition since leaving office in 2017, the former 44th President turned film producer unveiled his favorite movies that were released this year. And while Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” is one of the 13 films he selected as his favorites, Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” didn’t make the cut to enter the president’s Mojo Dojo Casa List. Perhaps he’s just too much of a Ken for the plastic Barbie World?

In his post revealing his list on December 27, Obama acknowledged the WGA and SAG strikes that occurred and shut down Hollywood this year,...

Former president Barack Obama released his annual list of favorite films of the year. In the top slots are “Rustin,” “Leave the World Behind” and “American Symphony,” which were all produced by his and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Media.

“I’m biased since these movies were produced by Higher Ground, but these are in fact three of the best films I saw this year,” Obama wrote.

Lower on the list are “The Holdovers,” “Blackberry,” “Oppenheimer,” “American Fiction,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Monster,” “Past Lives,” “Air,” “Polite Society” and “A Thousand and One.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Barack Obama (@barackobama)

Cinephiles have come to expect (and love) Obama’s regular lists of films, music and books, which are generally released come awards time. Last year his list included the likes of “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Emily the Criminal” and director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King.

"Would you like to go the cinema?" With only a few more days left at the end of 2023, many Best of the Year lists are dropping all over the web. The latest is from the film magazine Little White Lies' announcing their "30 Best Films of 2023" (in text here). Lwl is based in and published in the UK, so their Top 30 is based on UK release dates, including one or two that counted as last year in the US (e.g. Return to Seoul was nominated at the Oscars). But the rest are all 2023 gems and many of them have already been receiving many awards & accolades. In addition to publishing a comprehensive article that includes write-ups on all 30 of their favorite films, they've also released a nice 10-minute long countdown video, mashing up footage from all of the films. I'm very happy to see Poor Things, Priscilla, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Polite Society,...

Chicago – Here we are again, the end of another year, and it’s time to momentarily look back. Thus opens the 10 Best Films Of 2023, the list that represents one soul interacting with the art of cinema. That soul belongs to Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, Wbgr-fm and Wssr-fm.

So begins my list, with such a lofty and third person proclamation. By far, the story of the year is Barbenheimer (the same weekend release of Barbie and Oppenheimer), proving in the digital age that something weird and organic can take hold, and get more people to the theaters, celebrating a true movie event. Kudos to the movie celebrators who did both in one magic day.

I format my 10 Best to reflect the on-air reviews I do weekly on Wbgr-fm and Wssr-fm and New on Missourinet.com. Each of the 10 Best will be in the on-air or audio format for your listening pleasure.

Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers” led the nominations at the 44th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards with nine nods, followed by Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” with seven.

Celine Song’s “Past Lives,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” and Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest” have six nominations each, while Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie received five.

All of these films are contenders for film of the year alongside Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall,” Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers,” Todd Haynes’ “May December” and Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Cast members from these films vie for acting honors, including Andrew Scott, Paul Giamatti, Cillian Murphy, Lily Gladstone, Sandra Hüller, Greta Lee and Emma Stone.

Jeffrey Wright, who is nominated this year as lead actor in “American Fiction,” will be presented with the London Critics’ top honor The Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film.

The...

A wide range of 2023 films had a song in their heart — and not just the outright musicals or films featuring musical numbers. A great needle drop can change or solidify a film’s tone, act as the cap on everything we’ve seen, or define a character better than any camera move, line of dialogue, or even performance can fully articulate.

This year we’ve had some great needle drops, from the films we expect to think obsessively about music — and these can range as widely as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” to “Maestro;” from films that were delightful surprises built on musical swagger — it is criminal that we could only pick one song each from “Bottoms” and “Polite Society” because both films are filled wall-to-wall with bops; and from films that intentionally use music to hurt us and make us love them for it — a musical streak for...

Andrew Haigh‘s Oscar hopeful had a wonderful night at the British Independent Film Awards on Sunday as it took home seven gongs including Best Picture, the most of any film. Haigh won two awards — Best Director and Best Screenplay. Paul Mescal won Best Supporting Performance alongside “How to Have Sex” actor Shaun Thomas while it also won Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Music Supervision.

“Rye Lane” won a trio of prizes: Raine Allen Miller was Best Debut Director while Vivian Oparah was awarded Best Breakthrough Performance. It also won Best Original Music.

Mia McKenna-Bruce won Best Lead Performance for “How to Have Sex” in a stacked gender-neutral category that also included Jodie Comer (“The End We Start From”), Tia Nomore (“Earth Mama”), Nabhaan Rizwan (“In Camera”), Andrew Scott (“All of Us Strangers”), and Tilda Swinton (“The Eternal Daughter”). And Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay shared in Best Joint Lead Performance for “Femme.

Once more we celebrate another remarkable year for British talent, as the 2023 British Independent Film Awards rolled out their red carpet this evening. We were there once again on the carpet to talk with the nominees and presenters, all to champion a fierce and fulsome chorus of new cinematic voices.

A full list of winners follows the interviews. Colin Hart and Ethan Hart were on the red carpet, here are their interviews.

The 2023 BIFAs Red Carpet Interviews

The full list of winners is below.

Best British Independent Film All Of Us Strangers – Andrew Haigh, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Sarah Harvey Femme – Sam H Freeman, Ng Choon Ping, Myles Payne, Sam Ritzenberg How To Have Sex – Molly Manning Walker, Ivana MacKinnon, Emily Leo, Konstantinos Kontovrakis Rye Lane – Raine Allen-Miller, Nathan Bryon, Tom Melia, Yvonne Isimeme Ibazebo, Damian Jones Scrapper – Charlotte Regan, Theo Barrowclough Best Joint Lead Performance David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah – Rye Lane Nathan Stewart-Jarrett,...

Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers” was the big winner at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) with seven wins.

“All of Us Strangers” won best British independent film, Haigh won best director and best screenplay and Paul Mescal won best supporting performance, adding to its three craft awards, announced in November, for cinematography, editing and music supervision.

Best lead performance went to Mia McKenna-Bruce in Molly Manning Walker’s debut feature “How to Have Sex” and the film also won the other best supporting performance BIFA for Shaun Thomas, adding to its best casting win.

Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay won best joint lead performance for “Femme,” which also won for make-up and hair design and costume design.

Justine Triet’s Palme d’Or winning “Anatomy of a Fall” won best international independent film. Best debut director went to Savanah Leaf for “Earth Mama,” while best debut screenwriter...

The British Independent Film Awards took place on Sunday, December 3 in London, honoring the best independent films from around the world. “Rye Lane” led the pack with 16 nominations, followed by “All of Us Strangers” and “Scrapper,” which both earned 13 nominations a piece. But it was Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers” that walked away with most of the night’s top prizes. In addition to the coveted Best British Independent Film, Haigh won Best Screenplay and Best Director while Paul Mescal shared the Best Supporting Performance award with Shaun Thomas from “How to Have Sex.”

The ceremony also honored the best independent films from outside of the United Kingdom, with Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” winning Best International Independent Film.

Keep reading for a complete list of nominees at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards, with winners listed in bold.

Best British Independent Film

Winner “All Of Us Strangers” – Andrew Haigh,...

Although it’s too early to judge, the government’s initial response to the nationwide review into the UK film industry has been entirely predictable thus far.

Earlier this year, a huge review was undertaken to assess the state of the UK film industry. In the months since the survey was conducted, Film Stories has been privy to the odd noise of dissatisfaction from UK producers with regards to the way the survey referenced the struggling independent sector in favour of other areas.

Given that the UK already possesses a thriving reputation as an international film hub, perhaps it’s no surprise then that when the government publicly responded to the commissioned investigation, UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt didn’t mention the independent sector at all.

Instead, his focus was largely on how to further boost the tax credit system for the UK’s booming VFX industry to ensure it is competitive with other countries.

The festival and its Geneva Digital Market take place from November 3-11 in Switzerland.

International festival favourites, a fresh take on the international series competition and the world debut of an installation by Jean-Michel Jarre, exemplify the Geneva International Film Festival’s mission to investigate and celebrate audiovisual content in all its guises.

“Our goal for audiences and international participants alike is to reinforce the interaction with content and the cinematographic experience for film, series and also digital creation,” says artistic director Anais Emery, who is overseeing her third edition. “I hope the audience will get curious about this diversity of audiovisual offerings.

Feature debutant Raine Allen-Miller’s “Rye Lane” led the nominations at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) with 16 nods.

“Scrapper” by debutant Charlotte Regan and veteran Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers” scored 14 nominations each while Molly Manning Walker’s “How to Have Sex” had 13, Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping’s “Femme” 11 and Mahalia Belo’s “The End We Start From” nine. The nominations were revealed by actors Susan Wokoma (“Enola Holmes”) and Morfydd Clark (“Saint Maud”) at an announcement event at One Hundred Shoreditch, London.

From 2022, the awards went permanently gender neutral for acting categories with the traditional best and supporting actress and actor awards being replaced by best lead performance, best supporting performance, best joint lead performance — for performances that are the joint focus of the film — and best ensemble.

The winners will be announced at the BIFA ceremony on Dec. 3.

BIFA Nominations 2023

The Richard...

Bifa sets partnership with talent support organisation We Are Bridge.

The final longlist for the 2023 British Independent Film Awards (Bifa) has been unveiled, with actors from Rye Lane and Scrapper among those longlisted for the breakthrough performance award.

Fifteen actors are on the list, including David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah, co-leads in Raine Allen-Miller’s romantic comedy Rye Lane; and Lola Campbell and Alin Uzun from Charlotte Regan’s Sundance drama Scrapper.

Scroll down for the full Breakthrough Performance longlist

Also listed are Mia McKenna Bruce for her lead role in Molly Manning Walker’s clubbing holiday drama How To Have Sex; and Keenan Munn-Francis,...