Steve Pond's Blog, page 2039
December 16, 2019
ABC News and Apple News to Join Forces for Election Coverage
ABC News and Apple News are partnering for joint coverage of the 2020 election, the two companies announced Monday morning.
The “up-to-the minute coverage of key events” will be available in the Apple News app on Apple devices like iPhones and iPads.
The coverage will begin in February and extend through the presidential inauguration in January 2021, covering everything in between, including Super Tuesday, the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, debates, the election and more.
Also Read: DNC Announces Slate of 2020 Democratic Debates
“Access to quality news and trusted information is always important, and never more so than in an election year,” Apple News Editor in Chief Lauren Kern said in a statement Monday. “We’re proud to partner with ABC News to present the millions of people who use Apple News each day with dynamic live coverage and responsible analysis during the major news moments of the 2020 election.”
James Goldston, president of ABC News, said, “This election is one of the most consequential in modern history, and this unprecedented partnership with Apple News will deliver our world-class political journalism to more people than ever before.”
The first clue that the two companies would be joining forces came last week, when the Democratic National Committee announced the first four primary debates of 2020. The Feb. 7 debate in Manchester, N.H., will be hosted by ABC, WMUR-TV and Apple News.
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‘Spies in Disguise’ Film Review: Will Smith and Tom Holland Do Espionage in Run-of-the-Mill Animated Adventure
Far from an animated Bond movie, Blue Sky’s “Spies in Disguise” subverts 007’s image of a cerebral, macho loner willing to use lethal force, replacing it with a much-appreciated anti-violence message grounded on geeky heroism. That’s not to say, however, that the conveyance of its pacifist theme results in a satisfying outcome.
With a heavy serving of teamwork mentality and a nearly unrecognizable transmutation of Lucas Martell’s 2009 short film “Pigeon: Impossible,” co-directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane (both making their feature directorial debuts after extensive stints in the animation departments at different studios) have made an action comedy about the bro-bond between two archetypal opposites.
Suave agent Lance Sterling (voiced by Will Smith), the embodiment of alpha-male cockiness, gets framed for villainous acts he appears to have committed while on a mission to defeat stock antagonist Killian (given Ben Mendelsohn’s menacing voice), a criminal with a robotic hand and the technology to morph his facial features at his convenience.
Watch Video: Will Smith Transforms Into a Pigeon in Animated 'Spies in Disguise' First Trailer
On the run from determined detective Marcy (Rashida Jones), Sterling begrudgingly partners with book-smart scientist Walter (Tom Holland), a sweet guy whose self-loathing is triggered when called “weird” for the unconventional gadgets he devises, his quirky temperament, and the pack of pigeons he keeps as company, which make for cheap comic relief à la Hei Hei in “Moana.”
Essentially harmless toys magnified not as weapons but distractions, Walter’s whimsical inventions don’t injure the enemy but just immobilize them. His signature tricks include a glitter bomb that creates adorable kitten holograms and an inflatable bubble inspired by his late mother’s warm embraces. Those prototypes, along with some of the background and a few sequences featuring bodies of water, are the extent of the film’s visual innovation.
As if allergic to pursuing any sort of distinguishable style, the characters exude a refurbished quality. What drives the design here are repackaged versions of other figures we’ve seen in countless, second-rate CG features over the years. Walter’s bird friend may as well be copied from “Valiant” or a winged mutation of the hedgehogs in “Ferdinand,” while the goofy young man himself bears an uncanny resemblance to the title goofball in “Arthur Christmas” or Jonathan from “Hotel Transylvania.”
Watch Video: 'Bad Boys for Life' Trailer: Will Smith and Martin Lawrence Act Their Ages Alongside Team of Young Cops
Neither Smith nor Holland stretch much to voice these men, given that they’re basically performing the style of attitude we expect from both actors. The exception comes when Walter turns Sterling into a bow-tie-wearing female bird, pushing Smith to amp up the ridiculousness in his interpretation. Getting the character literally out of his own skin and into a vulnerable position emphasizes the value of cooperation and challenges Sterling’s “I fly solo” motto.
Commendably, screenwriters Brad Copeland (“Ferdinand”) and Lloyd Taylor dispute traditional manliness and bravery with a friendship that one hopes will communicate to children, young boys especially, that someone who refuses to respond to aggression with aggression, and who cares more about human life (even the bad guy’s) than about dominance, can still stand tall as a hero. Intelligence as a superpower rules over brute force.
There are scenes where Walter hugs Sterling, endearingly showing unabashed affection without the plot rushing to find him a love interest to assert his straightness. Intimate platonic love expressed so deeply between two adult male comrades is a rare sight in media, so its existence can only qualify as a positive, even if it comes from a movie written and directed by the prevailing voice in animation — white men.
Watch Video: Tom Holland Was Drunk When Bob Iger Called Him to Bring 'Spider-Man' Back to the MCU
In other places, Copeland and Taylor go for the low-hanging fruit, making Walter an orphan and giving the lazily named Killian a simplistic motivation. Against its best interest, “Spies in Disguise” is bent on performing contrived coolness by dishing out trite phrases, shamelessly referencing pop culture (“50 Shades of Yay!”) or sneering at dietary restrictions some view as hipster fads, such as gluten-free eating.
The writers’ desperation for zeitgeist validation reaches peak awkwardness when Sterling dismisses Walter’s antics by walking away from him and uttering “millennials” with a snide tone. One expects the young man to retaliate with an “OK, boomer” — fortunately, they didn’t bother to edit that in.
As unsatisfying as “Spies in Disguise” is because of its disregard for original design and the insufferable nods to disposable trends, its role as counterprogramming to toxic masculinity — turning ruthless spies into sensible beings with warmth as a moral compass — makes it ephemerally laudable. It’s destined to be forgotten, but if we are lucky, its “more hugs, less guns” concept may impact developing minds while it’s out there filling the void left now that most children have seen “Frozen 2.”
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Disney Shuffles Key Animation Executives, Solidifies Blue Sky Leadership
Fox's Future Under Disney May Hinge on 'Ford vs. Ferrari'
Fox Executives on How Disney Layoffs Have Shaken the Studio: 'I Have Survivor's Guilt'
NBCUniversal Unveils Steve Burke’s Retirement Date, Jeff Shell’s Succession Timing
NBCUniversal has announced CEO Steve Burke’s retirement and successor Jeff Shell’s takeover date.
Burke will depart on Aug. 14, 2020, the company said on Monday, following the Tokyo Summer Olympics. Shell will become CEO of NBCU eight months earlier, however, on Jan. 1, 2020 — Burke will switch his title to chairman.
In that interim period, Shell will report to Burke. When Burke steps down in mid August, Shell will begin reporting directly to Brian L. Roberts, the chairman and CEO of NBCUniversal’s parent company Comcast.
Also Read: Steve Burke's NBCUniversal Legacy - and How Jeff Shell's Style Matches Up
“I cannot thank Steve enough for the incredible impact he has had on this entire company,” Brian Roberts, Comcast chairman and CEO, said Monday in a statement. “I will miss Steve’s trusted partnership, and I know I speak for both myself and my late father Ralph when I say that we will be forever grateful to him for shaping first Comcast and then NBCUniversal into the great companies they are today. When Comcast acquired NBCUniversal in 2011, I never imagined it would become the fastest growing media company. Steve’s leadership and the team that he built has had everything to do with this outstanding performance.”
Roberts continued: “Jeff Shell is the ideal executive to take the helm at NBCUniversal. He has a stellar track record across both the film and TV side of the business, as well as a wealth of international experience. I have worked closely with Jeff for many years and he is an extraordinary leader who inspires loyalty, delivers strong results and cares deeply about our company, its employees and partners. I could not be more confident in his ability to lead NBCUniversal into the future.”
Also Read: NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke to Step Down in 2020
“It has been a privilege to work so closely with Brian for the last 22 years, and particularly to have had the opportunity to lead NBCUniversal for the last nine,” Burke said. “This is a very special company and I am proud of the people I have worked with and the things we have accomplished together. While this has been a dream job, it has always been my plan to hand off the baton at the right moment and move on to the next chapter of my life where I can pursue a different set of interests. It is great to know I am leaving the company in terrific hands with Jeff, who is the right leader to usher in the next phase of growth and success for NBCUniversal.”
“It is truly an honor to step into this role, and I am excited that Brian and the Comcast board are giving me the incredible opportunity to help steer the future of NBCUniversal,” Shell said. “I’m sincerely grateful to Steve, who has been an amazing boss and mentor for the last 15 years and leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of visionary leadership and success. I look forward to building on this strong track record and partnering with the many talented leaders across the company.”
Shell currently oversees the company’s film and network television businesses including NBC Entertainment, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG), Telemundo and NBCUniversal International.
More to come…
Related stories from TheWrap:
Lindsey Reiser to Join MSNBC as Weekend Anchor
Jeff Shell to Replace NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke
NBCUniversal President of Strategy Dave Howe to Leave Company After 18 Years
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ High-Flying Trailer Shows Tom Cruise Teaching New Aviators Dogfighting (Video)
Tom Cruise’s Maverick is back in the cockpit teaching some rookie Navy aviators how to dogfight in the high-flying new trailer for this summer’s “Top Gun: Maverick.”
After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, a.k.a. “Goose.”
Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
Also Read: 'Top Gun: Maverick' Star Miles Teller Admits It's Hard Keeping up With Tom Cruise
In addition to Cruise and Teller, the film also stars Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Charles Parnell, Bashir Salahuddin, Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Greg Tarzan Davis and Ed Harris.
Joseph Kosinski directs the sequel to the 1986 blockbuster, from a script by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie.
The film was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie and David Ellison. Executive producers include Tommy Harper, Chad Oman, Mike Stenson, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger.
Paramount will release the film in theaters on June 26, 2020.
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Hayley Atwell Joining Tom Cruise's Next 'Mission: Impossible'
'Top Gun: Maverick' Star Miles Teller Admits It's Hard Keeping up With Tom Cruise
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UK’s Cineworld to Buy Canada’s Cineplex in $2.1 Billion Deal
The U.K.-based Cineworld will acquire Canada’s Cineplex in a deal worth $2.1 billion, the companies announced Monday.
The deal, the latest in a worldwide wave of consolidation in the movie theater industry, would create a company with 11,200 screens in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Israel.
Under the deal, Cineworld Group will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Cineplex for $34 per share in cash, representing a premium of 42% to the closing price on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and a premium of 39% to the volume weighted average share price on the TSX for the 30 days ending December 13, 2019.
Also Read: The Death of Movie Theaters? Not So Fast
The transaction is expected to close during the first half of 2020, following a go-shop period to solicit competing offers that ends on Feb. 2, 2020.
“Since Cineplex went public in 2003, we have been committed to delivering value to our shareholders. We believe this transaction today is both financially compelling and in our shareholders best interest,” Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob said in a statement. “Cineworld Group shares our passion for entertainment and mirrors our commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences through state-of-the-art technology. The entertainment industry continues to transform and we are pleased that through this agreement we are ensuring Cineplex is part of the next era of global entertainment.”
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December 15, 2019
Hallmark Reverses Stance on LGBTQ Zola Ads Under Pressure, Looks to Reinstate Them
The Hallmark Channel is apologizing and reversing course after it had pulled four commercials for the wedding planning website Zola that featured a same-sex couple kissing during their marriage ceremony, saying Sunday night that it hopes to reinstate the ads.
Hallmark CEO Mike Perry said in a statement:
“Earlier this week, a decision was made at Crown Media Family Networks to remove commercials featuring a same-sex couple. The Crown Media team has been agonizing over this decision as we’ve seen the hurt it has unintentionally caused. Said simply, they believe this was the wrong decision. Our mission is rooted in helping all people connect, celebrate traditions, and be inspired to capture meaningful moments in their lives. Anything that detracts for this purpose is not who we are. As the CEO of Hallmark, I am sorry for the hurt and disappointment this has caused.
Hallmark is, and always has been, committed to diversity and inclusion – both in our workplace as well as the products and experiences we create. It is never Hallmark’s intention to be divisive or generate controversy. We are an inclusive company and have a track record to prove it. We have LGBTQ greeting cards and feature LGBTQ couples in commercials. We have been recognized as one of the Human Rights Campaigns Best Places to Work, and as one of Forbes America’s Best Employers for Diversity. We have been a progressive pioneer on television for decades – telling wide ranging stories that elevate the human spirit such as August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson and Colm Tóibín’s The Blackwater Lightship, both of which highlight the importance of tolerance and understanding.
Hallmark will be working with GLAAD to better represent the LGBTQ community across our portfolio of brands. The Hallmark Channel will be reaching out to Zola to reestablish our partnership and reinstate the commercials.
Across our brand, we will continue to look for ways to be more inclusive and celebrate our differences.”
Also Read: Zola Cuts Ties With Hallmark Channel After Ads of Lesbian Brides Kissing Are Pulled
GLAAD’s reaction to the news was swift.
“Victory!” GLAAD’s president and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis, said in a statement. “The Hallmark Channel’s decision to correct its mistake sends an important message to LGBTQ people and represents a major loss for fringe organizations, like One Million Moms, whose sole purpose is to hurt families like mine. LGBTQ people are, and will continue to be a part of advertisements and family programming and that will never change. GLAAD exists to hold brands like The Hallmark Channel accountable when they make discriminatory decisions and to proactively ensure families of all kinds are represented in fair and accurate ways.”
Hallmark Channel had pulled four of six commercials for the wedding planning website that feature a lesbian couple celebrating their nuptials with a kiss after the conservative group One Million Moms called for a boycott of the network. The two women’s “public displays of affection” violates the channel’s policies, a spokesperson for Hallmark told The New York Times. An account representative at Hallmark’s parent company, Crown Media, also told the NYT that the channel did not accept ads “that are deemed controversial.”
In response, a representative for Zola said in a statement Saturday that it would pull all of its advertising from the Hallmark Channel “for the foreseeable future,” saying, “We stand behind this commercial 150%. We want all couples to feel welcomed and celebrated and we will always feature all kinds of love in our marketing.”
You can see one of the four ads by clicking here.
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Hallmark and Lifetime Have 70 New Holiday Movies – None With an LGBTQ Main Character
LGBTQ Series-Regular Characters Hit Record High on Broadcast TV, GLAAD Report Says
Harvey Weinstein Gripes That Sex Crime Charges ‘Eviscerated’ His Record on Women’s Issues
Disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein boasts of his track record of producing films featuring women in lead roles in a recent interview, and says that the sexual assault charges against him have overshadowed it.
“I made more movies directed by women and about women than any filmmaker, and I’m talking about 30 years ago. I’m not talking about now when it’s vogue. I did it first! I pioneered it!” he told the New York Post.
Weinstein did the interview while recovering from a spinal surgery to remove three compressed vertebrae, an injury he said he sustained from a car crash in August. He noted that he had taken the Post interview to prove that he was not exaggerating the injury during a court appearance this past week for a hearing that saw his bail increase from an already-posted $1 million to $5 million.
Also Read: How Harvey Weinstein's Survivors Will Split Expected $25 Million Settlement
Weinstein wouldn’t discuss the numerous accusations of sexual harassment and assault spanning decades from multiple women, instead saying that he was ahead of the curve on the recent push for gender parity throughout the entertainment industry. Among the specific examples he cited was the Miramax movie “View From the Top,” for which lead star Gwyneth Paltrow received $10 million to appear in.
“She was the highest-paid female actor in an independent film. Higher paid than all the men,” he said.
What Weinstein didn’t mention in the interview was that Paltrow is one of the women who accused him of sexual misconduct. In the book “She Said” by New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, two of the journalists who first exposed the Weinstein accusations in October 2017, Paltrow is identified as one of the first women to come forward to the Times during their investigation. According to the book, Paltrow said she feared that Weinstein would fire her after then-boyfriend Brad Pitt confronted the producer about the alleged misconduct.
Also Read: Gwyneth Paltrow: Brad Pitt Told Harvey Weinstein 'I'll Kill You' After 'Weird' Hotel Encounter
After the publication of “She Said,” a representative for Weinstein rejected Paltrow’s accusations in a September statement.
“She didn’t need to make movies with Harvey Weinstein; she wanted to, and she won top awards and was the top paid female actor for nearly a decade, with Weinstein,” the statement said.
The Post reports that Weinstein cited several socially-minded films — like the 2005 Oscar nominated film “Transamerica” — and multiple charities that he contributed to as evidence of his progressive bonafides. He also reportedly threatened multiple times to end the interview when asked questions he didn’t like.
“I feel like the forgotten man,” he said.
Weinstein’s sexual assault trial is set to begin on Jan. 6 in a Manhattan court. He has also reportedly reached a $25 million settlement deal with 30 of his accusers that would be part of a larger $47 million settlement to clean the slate of Weinstein’s bankrupt studio, The Weinstein Company. The settlement would be paid through insurance companies that backed The Weinstein Company and would not require Weinstein to admit any wrongdoing.
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Chuy Bravo, Chelsea Handler’s Talk Show Sidekick, Dies at 63
Chuy Bravo, best known as Chelsea Handler’s sidekick on her E! late-night talk show “Chelsea Lately,” died on Saturday night, according to ET Online. He was 63.
The Mexican-American actor was hospitalized with stomach pains and died suddenly. He was visiting family in Mexico City.
His cause of death is unknown at this time.
Also Read: James 'Radio' Kennedy, Who Inspired 2003 Cuba Gooding Jr Film, Dies at 73
Handler mourned the death of her sidekick in an Instagram post that featured a collage of photos of them together.
“I loved this nugget in a big way, and I took great pleasure in how many people loved him as much as I did and do,” the caption began.
“@chuybravo gave us so much laughter and I’ll never forget the sound of his laughter coming from his office into mine. Or his “business calls” with his “business manager,” or his shoe rack with all his children-sized shoes. I’ll never forget him coming to Christmas with my family one year in the Florida keys, and when my niece who was 5 or 6 at the time–saw him, she ran in the other direction saying she was scared. My sister and I were mortified and were apologizing to Chuy, who told us,”it’s ok, lots of little kids get scared when they see big kids coming their way.” I love you, Chuy!”
Also Read: Anna Karina, Star of French New Wave Cinema, Dies at 79
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) on Dec 15, 2019 at 2:51pm PST
Born in 1956 with dwarfism and named Jesús Melgoza in Tangancícuaro, Michoacán, Mexico, Bravo migrated to the United States with his family when he was 15. His acting career began in the films “The Honeymooners” (2005) and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (2007), and he also appeared in “The Sex Trip” and “Tiptoes.”
The prostate cancer survivor started the Little Nugget Foundation in his hometown to provide food and clothing for those struggling with alcoholism.
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Danny Aiello, 'Do the Right Thing' and 'Moonstruck' Actor, Dies at 86
Check Out Chris Evans’ Dope ‘Captain America’ Elevator Fight Rehearsal Footage (Video)
Chris Evans may be done playing Captain America, but fans are still finding new gems from his eight-year career, like this dope clip of a fight rehearsal for “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” that was posted on Reddit this weekend.
In the 2014 superhero film, Captain America finds himself caught in an elevator with about a dozen S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who are secretly working for the evil organization HYDRA. “Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?” Cap asks, before the door closes and a claustrophobic brawl breaks out. Of course, Cap is the only one who walks out when the doors open again.
Check out the footage in the link below.
Chris Evans rehearsing for the Elevator Fight Scene in Winter Soldier from r/marvelstudios
In the new clip posted on the r/MarvelStudios subreddit, Evans rehearses that compact but complicated fight, dodging punches and elbowing the men playing HYDRA agents, while getting locked in a chokehold by the biggest man in the close quarters. While the clip lasts only 12 seconds, it’s easy to see how complex the fight choreography was even in such a small space.
The elevator fight became so popular with Marvel fans that it was remembered in “Avengers: Endgame” when Captain America travels back in time to recover the Infinity Stones. But instead of fighting the HYDRA agents who have the Tesseract in their possession, he earns their trust by whispering to them “Hail HYDRA,” in a nod to Cap’s infamous heel-turn in the Marvel comic series back in 2016.
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Avengers: Endgame” are available to stream on Disney+. Evans can also be seen in his first post-Marvel film, “Knives Out,” which is currently playing in theaters.
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10 Best Narrative Films of 2019, From ‘Parasite’ to ‘The Irishman’ (Photos)
Between the internet and impeachment hearings, there were certainly plenty of reasons to stay home in 2019, but those who ventured out to movie theaters (and enough people are still doing that to keep the industry alive, if somewhat besieged) were rewarded with a fascinating array of work, even if some of those films were produced by and destined for one streaming service or another. And while #FilmTwitter might have argued over the effects of Netflix on the filmgoing experience, several observers noted that the back-and-forth discussions about “The Irishman” and “Marriage Story” meant that the service was doing a lot to put adult-aimed dramas in front of viewers and into the public discourse. (The taking of sides in the Martin Scorsese vs. Marvel conflict, alas, continues with no end in sight.)
11-20 (alphabetically): “Charlie Says,” “Dolemite Is My Name,” “The Farewell,” “Fast Color,” “Long Shot,” “The Nightingale,” “Non-Fiction,” “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” “We Have Always Lived in the Castle,” “Wild Nights with Emily”
10. “High Life”
Director Claire Denis’ bleak vision of the future posits that mankind’s journey into outer space will be little more than an extension of the prison-industrial complex, with society’s “undesirables” shot out into the deep recesses of the universe where they can more easily be forgotten and neglected. It’s a dismal prospect that she nonetheless turns into captivating cinema.
9. “Her Smell”
Elisabeth Moss devours the screen as a bad-girl rocker whose eventual implosion doesn’t rule out the possibility of redemption. Teaming once again with writer-director Alex Ross Perry, they create a lived-in vision of the ups and downs of stardom, with a low-key buzz of optimism that’s been missing from Perry’s brilliant and blistering previous films.
8. “Booksmart”
There have been many one-crazy-night movies about high-schoolers going wild, but none of them have been quite like this witty and empathetic coming-of-age tale, directed by first-timer Olivia Wilde and featuring indelibly funny performances from Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever.
7. “3 Faces”
Still technically under house arrest and forbidden to make films, Iranian auteur Jafar Panahi nonetheless continues to craft powerful tales about lives lived in repression, like this story of a director and a well-known star (Panahi and Behnaz Jafari play versions of themselves) who travel to a rural community to track down a young actress they fear may have committed suicide.
6. “Marriage Story”
Noah Baumbach’s scenes-from-a-divorce drama starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson (both giving searing performances) was insightful, funny, poignant, powerful and devastating in ways that felt human-sized and relatable, even as they played out in the LA/NYC nexus of showbiz life.
5. “Diane”
Legendary character actor (and writer and director and musician) Mary Kay Place makes the most of a rare starring role, giving an unforgettable performance as a woman grappling with regrets and responsibilities. Writer-director Kent Jones makes an auspicious debut with this ice-flecked, intuitive drama, but it’s Place’s show all the way.
4. “Parasite”
Bong Joon Ho’s blistering examination of lives pushed to extremes in late-stage capitalism takes one unpredictable turn after another, but winds up placing viewers squarely in Where We All Live Now.
3. “The Irishman”
Martin Scorsese’s gangster sagas have always been stealth morality plays, in which the wages of sin are death or obsolescence, and he plunges into those ideas with this tale of a mob flunky (Robert De Niro is searing in the title role) who sacrifices his relationships (particularly with his daughter) for a warped sense of honor and duty.
2. “Pain and Glory”
Visionary filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar looks inward at his own physical strife and fear of having to give up the work that he loves in this semi-autobiographical portrait of a director (Antonio Banderas, doing career-defining work) so hemmed in by physical, mental and emotional ailments that he’s unable to create.
1. “Little Women”
Writer-director Greta Gerwig goes deep into an oft-adapted chestnut of American literature and crafts a tale of art and obsession, love and family, resilience and determination and, yes, feminism, finding new avenues of expression and artistry within the pages of the Louisa May Alcott novel. It’s the kind of sweeping film experience that feels grandly traditional and breathlessly contemporary, all at the same time.
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