| | | | What's news: Oppenheimer is projected to make $57m in China. Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins received a rapturous ovation in Toronto. Paul Reubens' cause of death has been revealed. Jared Leto has pulled the plug on his brand Twentynine Palms. — Abid Rahman
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Drew Barrymore's Talk Show to Return Amid Strikes ►"I own this choice." The Drew Barrymore Show will be returning to TV screens sooner than expected amid the writers and actors strikes. In a lengthy Instagram post, host Drew Barrymore announced that her daytime talk show will begin its fourth season soon, supposedly in accordance with the rules of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. However, a spokesperson for the WGA told THR that The Drew Barrymore Show is a struck show, and union members are set to picket outside of Barrymore’s New York City studios on Monday and Tuesday. The story.
—On their feet. Taika Waititi’s underdog soccer comedy Next Goal Wins brought a Toronto Film Festival earned a rapturous ovation on Sunday night. THR's Etan Vlessing reports that the TIFF crowd showered their applause on the real-life characters, coach Thomas Rongen and transgender soccer player Jaiyah Saelua, who were in the house for the world premiere at the Princess of Wales Theatre. The story.
—"I haven’t accepted it entirely, but I’m beginning to." Paul Simon talked about the hearing loss in his left ear and his ability to continue playing at a post-screening Q&A for In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, the Alex Gibney documentary that had a world premiere at TIFF on Sunday. Simon said that the lack of recovery of hearing in his left ear has made returning to performing live a challenge. The story.
—Some rare glamour. Despite the strikes, THR's Scott Feinberg reports a host of big names came out to present and receive honors Sunday evening at the fifth annual TIFF Tribute Awards. The gala dinner fundraiser for the fest’s philanthropic efforts — and an occasional harbinger of Oscar recognition — is held each year at Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Spike Lee, Pedro Almodovar, Colman Domingo, Vicki Krieps, Patricia Arquette, Lukasz Zal and Shawn Levy were among the big names honored. The story.
—"What’s going on with this brand?" THR's nicest man Chris Gardner reports that Jared Leto has pulled the plug on his skin and haircare brand Twentynine Palms, less than a year after a high-profile launch. The Oscar winner "terminated his relationship with the parent company Maapilim Ltd due to what he believes was a breach of contract and mismanagement by the brand operator," a rep told THR. The story. |
Kutcher and Kunis Apologize for Masterson Letters ►"We support victims." Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have apologized for writing character letters on behalf of their That ’70s Show co-star and convicted rapist Danny Masterson. The actors took to Instagram to address the pain they may have caused with their letters, noting they did not intend to hurt anyone. They explained that Masterson’s family reached out to them and asked them to write letters to represent the person they had known for 25 years, so the judge could take that into consideration in regard to Masterson's sentencing. The story.
—"People we know as ‘awesome guys’ can be predators and abusers. It’s tough to accept but we have to." Christina Ricci took to social media to speak out in support of victims, obliquely referring to Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis' letters in support of the Danny Masterson. In a statement posted to her Instagram Story, the Yellowjackets star shared that sometimes, in order to support victims, people must admit that the people they care about can do bad things. The story.
—"It’s like a robot taking your humanity." Tim Burton, who is known for his distinct-style characters and movies, has been sharing his thoughts on artificial intelligence and its threat to animation. In a new interview, the filmmaker was asked about a BuzzFeed story published in July that used AI to show what Disney movies would look like if they were directed by Burton, and he didn't hold back with his opinions. The story.
—Update. Paul Reubens’ cause of death has been revealed months following his death in July. The late actor died from acute hypoxic respiratory failure, according to his death certificate obtained by THR. The condition happens when the respiratory system cannot adequately provide oxygen to the body. Reubens' rep said that he had also been battling two types of cancer for several years prior to his death. The story.
—Back to Anaheim. Disney has revealed the next edition of D23 Expo, a fan convention for all things Disney, will be returning to Anaheim, California, in 2024. The company said next year’s event will be an expanded version of the convention, which will take place from Aug. 4 – 11. This is different from previous years in that it will be held during an entire week, instead of just a weekend. The story. |
'Nun 2' Opens With $32.6M ►Nun the wiser. Warner Bros./New Line’s The Nun II kicked off the fall box office with a pleasing $32.6m domestic opening from 3,726 theaters, more than enough to scare away The Equalizer 3 and win the weekend. THR's Pamela McClintock writes that moviegoers between ages 18 and 34 made up a whopping 67 percent of ticket buyers for Nun II, while the pic skewed slightly female (52 percent).
Overseas, Nun II launched to a rousing $52.7m from 69 markets, including scoring the biggest horror opening since the pandemic in Mexico ($8.9m). The sequel, costing a reported $22m to make, should turn a tidy profit for New Line considering it has already earned $85m globally after just a few days.
The weekend’s other high-profile nationwide entry was romantic-comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, written, starring and directed by franchise creator Nia Vardalos. The threequel opened to a modest $10m from 3,965 theaters domestically, in line with expectations for a movie targeting older adults (24 percent of the audience was 55 and older). Internationally, it opened to a quiet $2.7m from its first 21 markets. The box office report.
—Surprisingly leggy. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer climbed to $47.2m in China over the weekend, continuing a better-than-expected run in the world’s second-biggest box office territory. THR's Patrick Brzeski reports that Chinese ticketing app Maoyan forecasts Oppenheimer will finish its local run with approximately $57m, which will make it the fourth-biggest U.S. film release in China of 2023 behind Fast X ($139.5m), Meg 2: The Trench ($116.5m) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ($86.9m). The China box office report. |
Film Review: 'A Haunting in Venice' ►"The least of the Branagh Poirots." THR's Caryn James reviews Kenneth Branagh's A Haunting in Venice. A Halloween seance in a dark palazzo brings detective Hercule Poirot out of retirement in Branagh's third run at the role, starring Michelle Yeoh, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Kelly Reilly, Jude Hill, Kyle Allen and Riccardo Scamarcio. The review.
—"Masterfully done." Caryn reviews Alex Gibney's In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon. Premiering at the Toronto Film Festival, the award-winning filmmaker's latest is a close-up look at one of America's most important pop music figures. The review.
—"An information piece in search of a thesis." For THR, Jourdain Searles reviews Caroline Suh and Cara Mones' Sorry/Not Sorry. The documentary based on a New York Times article chronicles the downfall and comeback of comedian Louis C.K. in the wake of sexual harassment allegations. The review.
—"Actorly alchemy." THR's Jon Frosch reviews Azazel Jacobs' His Three Daughters. Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen and Natasha Lyonne play sisters reunited in the New York City apartment of their childhood to care for their father during his last days of home hospice care. The review.
—"A strong lead can't disguise lumpy storytelling." THR's chief film critic David Rooney reviews Giorgio Diritti's Venice competition entry Lubo. Switzerland’s cruel treatment of itinerant Yenish communities during World War II forms the spine of this drama of cultural eradication and a man obsessed with finding his stolen children. The review. |
Film Review: 'Dream Scenario' ►"Cage is comedy gold in one of the year's sharpest comedies yet." For THR, Michael Rechtshaffen reviews Kristoffer Borgli's Dream Scenario. Playing a meek college professor and family man who keeps popping up in people's nightmares, Nicolas Cage is joined by Julianne Nicholson and Michael Cera. The review.
—"Shipshape cast, water-logged plot." Michael reviews Brian Helgeland's Finestkind. Jenna Ortega, Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Foster and Toby Wallace star in a New England-set crime drama written and directed by the Oscar-winning L.A. Confidential screenwriter. The review.
—"Operatic in all the right ways." Michael reviews Atom Egoyan's Seven Veils. A reworking of the Richard Strauss opera Salome, this 18th feature from the Canadian director of The Sweet Hereafter finds him reuniting with his Chloe star Amanda Seyfried. The review.
—"Keaton's as good as ever, but the plot sinks it." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Michael Keaton's Knox Goes Away. The actor directs and stars as a killer facing a devastating dementia diagnosis in this film also featuring Al Pacino, James Marsden and Marcia Gay Harden. The review. —"Elemental in its power." Frank reviews Tarsem Singh Dhandwar's Dear Jassi. For his first film in eight years, the director of The Cell and Mirror Mirror tells the tragic, real-life story of two Indians from different socioeconomic backgrounds who fall in love. The review. |
Film Review: 'Next Goal Wins' ►"Errs on the side of jokiness." THR's Lovia Gyarkye Taika Waititi's Next Goal Wins. Starring Michael Fassbender, the Kiwi director's latest feature dramatizes the historic comeback of the American Samoa soccer team. The review.
—"A smart offering for a new generation of Black artists." Lovia reviews Cord Jefferson's American Fiction. Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, Leslie Uggams, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae and Adam Brody star in this adaptation of Percival Everett's satirical novel Erasure. The review.
—"A tidy portrait of a complicated subject." Lovia reviews Ellen Kuras' Lee. Kate Winslet plays Lee Miller, a model turned war journalist, in this film also starring Marion Cotillard, Andrea Riseborough, Noémie Merlant and Andy Samberg. The review.
—"A moody procedural that overstays its welcome." Lovia reviews Grant Singer's Reptile. Benicio Del Toro, Alicia Silverstone and Justin Timberlake star in this police procedural about a winding investigation set off by a grisly New England murder. The review.
—"Limited by a lack of curiosity." Lovia reviews Carlos López Estrada and Zac Manuel's Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero. The filmmakers chronicle Lil Nas X's debut tour for a portrait of one of this decade's most exciting musicians. The review. In other news...
—Chuck Lorre on “crowning moment” with eponymous family clinic
—SkyShowtime names former Netflix exec Kai Finke chief content officer
—Charlie Robison, country music singer-songwriter, dies at 59
What else we're reading...
—With the release of Olivia Rodrigo's second album Guts, Nick Levine believes the singer is much more than a Gen Z star [BBC]
—In a guest column, Jeffrey Eugenides discusses the babysitter who inspired his seminal book The Virgin Suicides [Guardian]
—Amid the dual work stoppage, Joy Press reports on the often spectacularly wrong strike gossip mill that has become an obsession for some in Hollywood [VF]
—David Marcelis and Joe Flint have an in-depth analysis on Disney's dispute with Charter, which they consider cable TV's last stand [WSJ]
—Nikita Mazurov reports that Vice Media removed a documentary critical of Mohammed bin Salman six months after investment deals with a Saudi company [Intercept]
Today...
...in 2001, nearly 3,000 people died after hijackers crashed planes into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a rural Pennsylvania field. Never forget.
Today's birthdays: Brian De Palma (83), Taraji P. Henson (53), John Hawkes (64), Amy Madigan (73), Harry Connick Jr. (56), Tony Gilroy (67), Ludacris (46), Tyler Hoechlin (36), Elizabeth Daily (62), Ariana Richards (44), Virginia Madsen (62), Matilda De Angelis (28), Roxann Dawson (65), Kristy McNichol (61), Cameron Richardson (44), Scott Patterson (65), Elizabeth Henstridge (36), Anne Ramsay (63), Reed Birney (69), Susan Gibney (62), Bertrand Bonello (55), Adriane Lenox (67) |
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