News

Mary Badham, Hollywood’s original Scout Finch in the 1962 film of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, has been cast in the touring stage production of Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation. This time around, Badham, who has acted infrequently in the decades since her indelible performance in the classic movie, will portray Scout’s mean-as-a-snake drug-addicted racist neighbor Mrs. Dubose.

Badham’s surprise casting was announced today by producers, who unveiled the complete cast of the play’s first national tour. The tour, which stars the previously announced Richard Thomas as Atticus Finch, launches March 27 in Buffalo, before moving on to Boston, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Cincinnati and other cities.

The Broadway production of Sorkin’s adaptation is currently on hiatus and is scheduled to reopen with Greg Kinnear as Atticus on June 1. Jeff Daniels originated the role when Mockingbird opened in 2018 and returned when the production re-opened (at the Shubert Theatre) following the pandemic shutdown.

Mare Of Easttown(HBO, 7 Episodes)

Starring Kate Winslet, Jean Smart, Guy Pearce, Julianne Nicholson, Angourie Rice, David Denman, Evan Peters, Sosie Bacon, and John Douglas Thompson

Directed by Craig Zobel

At around mid-point, or maybe less,a very important character of this gloriously articulate murder-mystery series was suddenly shot dead. My Wtf anger and dismay at this turn of events was so palpable I could have broken my television screen and walked off with a scream.

Mare Of Easttown is that rare series which sucks you so deep into the life of the characters you feel their conduct is your responsibility. At one point in the storytelling a young father walks towards his infant baby’s cradle. He has lately gotten to know that he is not the baby’s biological father. As the young man trundled to the cradle I held my breath. What was he going to do?...

This article contains spoilers for Mare of Easttown through episode 5.

On its surface, Mare of Easttown is a murder mystery: Who killed poor, sweet, Erin McMenamin? By the time the credits roll on the final episode, we will almost certainly have that answer (unless we don’t). Yet, the connective tissue of the series goes much deeper than a simple whodunnit. The threads that bind the citizens of Easttown together are woven through with unspoken pain, loss, and tightly held secrets.

Of course, Easttown itself is meant to be a primary character in the show. Ever since the endless “squee-ing” over New York City as the fifth member of the Sex in the City posse, the city-as-character trope has made its way into many a prestige HBO series. However, instead of the effervescent heartbeat of spontaneity that NYC lent to Satc, Easttown invokes obstinate loyalty and stagnation. And, while the...

Who will be included for the special “In Memoriam” segment for Sunday night’s Oscars 2021 ceremony? With last year’s Academy Awards happening over 14 months ago, it means an even larger number of film veterans have died. Producers will hopefully be offering a longer remembrance and not leaving out people for the sake of time.

Superstar actor Chadwick Boseman died late last summer and is a nominee as Best Actor for his role in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Previous Oscar winners from acting categories show who will likely be honored include Sean Connery, Olivia de Havilland, Cloris Leachman and Christopher Plummer. Past acting nominees include Hal Holbrook, Ian Holm, Shirley Knight, George Segal, Cicely Tyson, Max von Sydow and Stuart Whitman.

SEE2021 Oscars presenters: Last year’s winners Renee Zellweger, Joaquin Phoenix, Laura Dern, Brad Pitt returning

Almost all of the near 100 people on the list below were Academy members.

Even though Sunday’s SAG Awards ceremony will be shortened to just one pre-taped hour on TNT and TBS, the special In Memoriam segment will still be a highlight. Since the 2020 event aired on January 19, it will be over 14 months until the one on April 4. That means even more actors, actresses and members of SAG/AFTRA will hopefully be honored than the 40 people in the tribute last year.

Chadwick Boseman died last August and is a four-time nominee for the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday. The two individual nominations are for his leading role in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and his supporting performance in “Da 5 Bloods.” Those two films also are nominated for the top ensemble category.

Oscar winners who have died in the past 14 months include Sean Connery, Olivia de Havilland, Cloris Leachman and Christopher Plummer. Academy Award nominees include Boseman, Kirk Douglas, Hal Holbrook, Ian Holm,...

It looks like we still won’t be going anywhere too exciting in March, so it’s a good job that Sky Cinema has, as always, lined up a slate of new films for us to plough through while we’re waiting to get back out there!

See if anything takes your fancy in our handy guide to what’s coming up on Sky Cinema in the month ahead…

Premieres

The Witches – 5th March on Sky Cinema and the Sky Cinema Pass on Now TV

Back to the Future director Robert Zemeckis takes on Roald Dahl in this reimagining of one of his most beloved books. In The Witches, an orphaned lad gets much more than he bargained for when the world’s Grand High Witch gathers her contemporaries together to plot a scheme against children everywhere. Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, and narrator Chris Rock lead the cast.

Kate Winslet takes on a detective fixed on solving a small-town murder in HBO’s new “Mare of Easttown” trailer, which released on Wednesday.

The limited series — created, written and executive produced by showrunner Brad Inglesby — features Winslet in the role of Mare Sheehan, a detective from Pennsylvania. The plot centers around her attempt to solve a local murder while also balancing her own personal life, which is rapidly falling apart around her.

The actor is joined by stars Julianne Nicholson, who plays Mare’s best friend, and Evan Peters, who takes on the role of a county detective tasked with helping Mare solve the crime. The two detectives butt heads over the course of the investigation.

As if solving a murder were not difficult enough, Mare’s life is further complicated by the unsolicited opinions of her mother (Jean Smart) and her strong-headed daughter (Angourie Rice) whom she cares for.

The Emmys’ In Memoriam segment Sunday left out a number of actors we lost in 2020, but the Television Academy hasn’t entirely overlooked them. Nick Cordero, Chi Chi DeVayne, Kobe Bryant, Shelley Morrison, Honor Blackman, and soap actors Roscoe Born, John Callahan, Marj Dusay and John Karlen are among the many names included in a more comprehensive roster on the Academy’s website.

Some of the names, including Morrison, actress Kelly Preston and Saturday Night Live‘s music producer Hal Willner, were represented in a not-particularly easy-to-read memorial segment during the Creative Arts ceremonies last week (see it below) but didn’t make the shorter roster on the Emmys broadcast Sunday.

The comprehensive scrolling roster includes performers whose body of work fell largely in other areas of entertainment – Cordero, Zoe Caldwell, Mark Blum and Brent Carver from the stage, Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green from music, Honor Blackman from film...

Many TV legends and contributors were included for the “In Memoriam” segment on Sunday’s Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony for ABC. But producers are always forced to omit some of the 100+ insiders who died since the last ceremony. Who was left out of the group that was honored?

With dozens of television veterans having died since last year’s mid-September ceremony, people certainly included were these six TV Academy Hall of Fame members:

Diahann Carroll

Leonard Goldberg (executive at 20th Century Fox and ABC; producer of “Charlie’s Angels” and more)

Jim Lehrer (anchor/reporter of “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour)

Regis Philbin

Carl Reiner

Fred Silverman

SEECelebrity Deaths 2020: In Memoriam Gallery

Even though he wasn’t known for his TV work, blockbuster film actor Chadwick Boseman was featured in the final slot. NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant was not mentioned, even though the event was being held in the Staples Center.

For Sunday’s Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on ABC, producers will have the always difficult task of assembling a memoriam segment. Even though the event hosted by Jimmy Kimmel will be virtual, it’s a certainty they will include the popular “In Memoriam” on the show.

With over 100 television veterans having died since last year’s mid-September ceremony, those expected to be honored would include such TV legends and TV Academy Hall of Fame members:

Diahann Carroll

Leonard Goldberg (executive at 20th Century Fox and ABC; producer of “Charlie’s Angels” and more)

Jim Lehrer (anchor/reporter of “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour)

Regis Philbin

Carl Reiner

Fred Silverman

SEECelebrity Deaths 2020: In Memoriam Gallery

Even though they weren’t known for their TV work, it’s very likely NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant and blockbuster film actor Chadwick Boseman will be honored. Also among the dozens most likely included since they...

Phyllis Somerville, an actress of film, television and Broadway, has died. She was 76.

Somerville died July 16 of natural causes at her home in New York City, her manager Paul Hilepo confirmed to TheWrap.

Somerville’s television roles have included “The Big C,” “Outsiders,” and most recently “Mare of Easttown,” which is set to debut in 2021.

Also Read: Joanna Cole, Author of 'Magic School Bus' Books, Dies at 75

Her film roles have included “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” Little Children” and “Surviving Family.”

Her most recent theater role was as Mrs. DuBose in Aaron Sorkin’s Broadway production of “To Kill a Mockingbird” in 2018.

“She was the consummate professional who lived her dream of being a working actress her entire life in NYC which spanned over 45 years,” Hilepo, who worked with Somerville for over 28 years, said in a statement. “I will miss her greatly. Her friends and colleagues will miss her greatly as well.

Whether or not you recognize the name Phyllis Somerville, chances are that you still know who she was. The veteran actress, who had appeared on the small screen in everything from House of Cards and Elementary to Fringe and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, died on July 16 of natural causes, our sister site Deadline reports.

The 76-year-old native of Iowa City, Ia., is probably most famous for her stints on Showtime’s The Big C and Wgn America’s Outsiders. But her list of television credits runs the gamut from soaps (One Life to Live, Guiding Light) to comedies (Sex and the City,...

Phyllis Somerville, an actress whose character work spanned decades as well as television, film and the stage (Broadway’s To Kill A Mockingbird), died of natural causes at her home in New York City on July 16. She was 76.

Her death was announced by her manager Paul Hilepo.

Born in Iowa City, Iowa, and soon developing a longstanding desire to move to New York City to become a Radio City Rockette, Somerville was cast in her first Equity job after college when she scored a role at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. The job was the first in a long line of stage credits, including roles in Over Here on Broadway, The Spitfire Grill at Playwrights Horizons Off Broadway, Happiness at Lincoln Center, Night Mother national tour, and various other theater productions.

Most recently, Somerville appeared on...

Phyllis Somerville, an actor known for The Big C and Little Children, died of natural causes at her home in New York City on July 16, her manager Paul Hilepo told The Hollywood Reporter. She was 76.

"She was the consummate professional who lived her dream of being a working actress her entire life in NYC which spanned over 45 years," wrote Hilepo in a statement to THR. He was first her agent and then her manager, working with Somerville for over 28 years. "I will miss her greatly. Her friends and colleagues will miss her greatly as well."

Somerville ...

During a year in which the world finds itself increasingly in the throes of totalitarianism and corruption, when institutions, traditions and good old common sense seems to be crumbling before our very eyes, when the world itself appears to be catching fire, a spirit of thanksgiving may be one that is hard to come by. But there are reasons to give thanks even in light of those realities, ones even directly to those realities, and I encourage you to seek out those reasons, be as grateful as is warranted, and find ways to express that gratitude. In other words, don’t let the bastards get you down.

In the world of the movies, there was the usual degree of lousy movies, some franchise-related, of course, but some that were pretty shitty of their own accord. And at the same time, there were lots of reasons to justify gratitude. Here are...

Chicago – There is an undeniable amount of skill and talent that goes into cheerleading. I happen to be rhythmically challenged so I am in awe of anyone, regardless of age, who can keep a beat while doing any sort of choreography. “Poms” promised to keep in step with a fresh premise, an all-star cast, and a new perspective on this tried-and-true genre but it tumbles along the way.

Rating: 1.0/5.0

There is a temerity in the film that is rarely broken by the few hilarious, outrageous moments throughout. These moments are what the film was starved for because they were the only parts of the film that actually subverted the genre. The rest took the predictable route of joints aches and back pain. Co-writers Shane Atkinson and Zara Hayes both make their feature film screenplay debut, which is a major detriment to a film that could have used not only a...

After actually watching “Poms,” it’s safe to say that the best thing about this movie is the beef it inspired between Anjelica Huston and star Jacki Weaver, because if there’s any way to stay relevant in Hollywood, it’s by throwing a little shade. And clearly — tragically — no one is writing enough good scripts to keep these talented women relevant. Lamenting the dearth of quality roles for older women in an incendiary Vulture interview, Huston gave as an example “an old-lady cheerleader movie,” calling such roles “apologetically humble and humiliating.” Firing back at the clear jab at her forthcoming project, Weaver responded that Huston could “go fuck herself.”

Unfortunately for Weaver, Huston was wise to sit this one out. Though her comments may have been mean-spirited (she has since apologized), Huston hit the nail on the head with “apologetically humble.” The characters in “Poms” are far from reality...

Cheerleading is a sport that commands attention. It whips the crowd into a controlled fervor, getting people off their feet and cheering with excitement. Unfortunately, director Zara Hayes’ “Poms” barely manages to do the same with its story about a group of retired women who reclaim their vitality and challenge societal norms by forming a cheerleading squad. Though it aims to be more than just a mashup of “Bring It On” and “Book Club,” the inherently uplifting and endearing facets of its heartfelt sentiments are overtaken by artificial packaging and stale execution.

As a pessimistic New York City transplant, Martha (Diane Keaton) faces her greatest challenge yet: living in the impossibly peppy retirement community of Sun Springs, Ga. The lavish, well-maintained property fosters cheery dispositions and relaxed lifestyles — things a cynical curmudgeon like Martha despises. But her former life in the city was unbearably lonely, so she seeks a drastically different atmosphere.

There’s no shortage of spirit among the cast of “Poms,” Zara Hayes’ new cheerleading and retirement-age comedy hybrid, but not even this much pep can cover up all of the film’s missteps. Although it’s hard to stay disappointed for long when Diane Keaton is just one exasperated sigh from making you laugh again.

Life got in the way of Martha’s (Keaton) youthful dream of becoming a cheerleader, but her fondness for the sport remains through her older years. After a grim diagnosis of cancer, Martha sells off the bulk of her belongings and sets off from New York City to a retirement community in Georgia. She’s greeted by Southern belles and by Sheryl (Jacki Weaver), an overly friendly neighbor with a fondness for pink flamingos and bright makeup. Among the many arbitrary rules of her new home, Martha must find a club to participate in,...

Twenty-four hours haven’t been nearly enough to settle, in my mind anyway, yesterday’s Tony Awards Sorkin Snub, but for the most part, the nominations sit well. Certainly they represent a decent scope of styles and approaches that make for a Broadway inclusive enough to find space for something as quirky (understatement of the day) as Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus and as traditional (if woke) Kiss Me, Kate.

I wrote about the snubs and surprises of the Tony Award nominations yesterday, so today I’ll walk through some random Broadway byways – congratulations, disappointments and shout-outs to performances and productions that didn’t make the Tony cut but merit remembering as this season heads to a close (Tony eligibility is done and dusted; the ceremony is June 9).

Best Musical Of the big, end-of-ceremony categories, this one probably has the least to quibble with, though I will: Be More Chill should have been here.

Since the multiplex this weekend will be dominated by a zany superhero and the aggressive reanimated deceased, those seeking slice of life cinema filled with folks similar to your neighbors and family might have to do some searching. It may take some time unless your local “arthouse” or “indie” theatre is running this intimate character study. What makes the film extra engaging is the cast of veteran actors (including an Oscar winner) headed by the great Mary Kay Place, who has bounced from comedy to drama in her 45 years of TV and movie roles. Now Ms. Place lends her considerable talents to the title role of Diane.

The title character, when we meet her, is well into her “golden years”, but this widow appears to have very little time to herself (what rockin’ chair). Taking up a good chunk of her day is her hospital visits with cousin Donna (Deidre...

Diane IFC Films Reviewed by Tami Smith, Film Reviewer for Shockya Grade: B+ Director: Kent Jones Screenwriter: Kent Jones Cast: Mary Kay Place, Jake Lacy, Deirdre O’Connell, Andrea Martin, Estelle Parsons Phyllis Somerville, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Glynnis O’Connor, Joyce Van Patten, Release Date: March 29, 2019 The subject matter of Diane is not exactly a cheerful […]

The post Diane Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

Get ready for Diane, the first narrative feature from Kent Jones, the noted film critic, historian and director of the New York Film Festival — it has the power to sneak up and floor you. The title role is played by the magnificent Mary Kay Place (The Big Chill, The Rainmaker, Manny & Lo) in her finest two hours on screen. If you want to understand what nuanced acting is, study the quiet miracles Place performs here. Her woman on the verge is in a race with time. The years won...

Mary Kay Place is an underrated actress. She’s the sort of character actress who pops up in things and makes them better, but rarely has the focus on herself. Place does her job and does it well, which is an essential skill in cinema. This week, however, she finally gets a showcase all to herself, as Diane finally comes to theaters. Having first screened last year on the festival circuit, including at the Tribeca Film Festival, it now hits screens. The flick itself is solid, but Place is above and beyond. She easily puts forward one of the best performances by anyone, actor or actress, so far in 2019. The movie is a character study/independent drama, focusing on the title character of Diane (Place), a woman who puts everyone ahead of herself. She spends her days helping others as best she can, with the most of her attention focused...

Diane director/screenwriter Kent Jones on his terrific cast: "I'm working on a movie with Andrea Martin? That woman is a genius. So is Mary Kay, obviously. You know, Joyce Van Patten, I just watched Mikey and Nicky before I made the movie." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

In the final instalment of my conversation with Kent Jones on Diane, which stars Mary Kay Place and is executive produced by Martin Scorsese, we discussed the casting by Jodi Angstreich of Joyce Van Patten, Andrea Martin, Deirdre O'Connell, Estelle Parsons, Barbara Andres, and Phyllis Somerville in meaningful roles, watching Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky before filming, the soundtrack that includes Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, John Cage, Right Said Fred, the Peppermint Trolley Company, and what is or is not a MacGuffin.

Kent Jones: "Mary Kay and I talked about what she would move to and that would be the Leon Russell song.

STXfilms has released the official trailer for Poms, its retirement-community comedy starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier and Rhea Perlman. The pic, directed by Zara Hayes and written by Shane Atkinson, opens nationwide May 10, just ahead of Mother’s Day weekend.

The plot centers on Martha (Keaton), who moves into a retirement community and starts a cheerleading squad with her fellow residents. Celia Weston, Phyllis Somerville, Charli Tahan, Alisha Boe and Bruce McGill also star.

The film will hit theaters almost exactly one year after Keaton scored with Book Club, the surprise earner Paramount romantic comedy that also honed in on the senior citizen set. There are shades of that DNA in Poms, as Martha and her friends confront aging on their own terms (and after some recommended stretching). “We’re all so worried about what everyone else is thinking, but of course the only thing that really matters...

The 80s generation had Cocoon. This generation will get Poms. And no, it's not about pomegranate juice. This comedy follows a group of ladies at a retirement home who decide it's time to chase the cheerleading dreams that escaped them in their youth. The trailer has debuted for STXfilms' uplifting comedy Poms, starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier, and Rhea Perlman. Poms opens in theaters nationwide on May 10.

Poms follows Martha (played by Diane Keaton), a woman who moves into a retirement community and starts a cheerleading squad with her fellow residents, Sheryl (Jacki Weaver), Olive (Pam Grier) and Alice (Rhea Perlman), proving that it's never too late to follow your dreams.

Celia Weston, Phyllis Somerville, Charli Tahan, Alisha Boe and Bruce McGill also star. Zara Hayes directed the script by Shane Atkinson. Producing are Kelly McCormick (Atomic Blonde); Alex Saks (Book Club); Mad as Birds Films' Andy Evans,...

"You were dying yesterday, and you're gonna be dying next week. In the meantime, you should be dancing your ass off." Step aside, Book Club - it's time to make way for Poms. Stx Entertainment has debuted the first fun trailer for a movie titled Poms, a summer comedy opening in early May this year about geriatric cheerleaders. From director Zara Hayes, Poms is a comedy about a group of women who decide to form a cheerleading squad at their retirement community, proving that you're never too old to "bring it!" Diane Keaton stars as Martha, along with Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier, Charlie Tahan, Rhea Perlman, including Celia Weston, Phyllis Somerville, Charli Tahan, Alisha Boe, and Bruce McGill. This looks very goofy and cliche in every possible way, but perfect for your parents to enjoy. Here's the first official trailer (+ teaser poster) for Zara Hayes' Poms, direct from Stx's...

Screen legend Diane Keaton has added a new skill to her roster of cinematic talents: cheerleading, for her new comedy Poms.

People has an exclusive first look at two photos from the film, which follows Martha (Keaton, 73), a retiree who rallies her fellow retirement community residents — played by Rhea Perlman, 70, Pam Grier, 69, Jacki Weaver, 71 and Celia Weston, 67 — to start a cheerleading squad.

The first photo, of the large group holding their pom poms, shows the newly-assembled squad in the midst of some reconnaissance that has surprising results.

“That’s when they find themselves at a pep rally with young cheerleaders,...

After crafting a number of compelling film history-related documentaries (not to mention heading up the New York Film Festival), writer-director Kent Jones made his narrative feature with the tender character study Diane. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese and starring Mary Kay Place, the story of a woman questioning her life picked up the top prize at Tribeca Film Festival (among other places), and will now arrive in March via IFC Films.

John Fink said in his review, ‘The narrative directorial debut of film scholar, curator, and documentary filmmaker Kent Jones elicits an awful lot of anticipation. Often, first features contain raw emotions and boundless pent-up ideas often toned down in future efforts. Diane, written and directed by Jones–known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, along with his previous theatrical feature which aimed to recapture the spirit of Hitchcock/Truffaut’s conversations by engaging with the best filmmakers working in...

Zara Hayes directed feature about a cheerleading squad at a retirement home.

Comedy Poms, starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver and Pam Grier in the story of a group of women who form a cheerleading squad at their retirement community, will be released in the UK by Entertainment One.

The film made a splash at November’s American Film Market when Stx picked up Us rights for a reported $9m. Stx will release on May 10 over Mother’s Day weekend.

Entertainment One struck the deal with Sierra/Affinity, which handles international rights. The sales outfit is owned by Canada-based Entertainment One...

STXfilms will release its senior-citizen cheerleader comedy “Poms,” starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, and Pam Grier, on May 10 over Mother’s Day weekend in the U.S.

Stx bought domestic rights for the movie at the American Film Market in November. Zara Hayes directed from a script by Shane Atkinson, based on a story by Hayes and Atkinson about a group of women who form a cheerleading squad at their retirement community. Shooting took place last summer in Atlanta. Alisha Boe, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan, Bruce McGill, Rhea Perlman, and Celia Weston also star.

Entertainment One’s Sierra/Affinity is producing, financing, and handling international sales of the project. The producers are Kelly McCormick; Alex Saks; Mad as Birds Films’ Andy Evans, Ade Shannon, Celyn Jones, and Sean Marley; and Rose Pictures’ Rose Ganguzza. Keaton; Sierra/Affinity’s Nick Meyer and Marc Schaberg; and Will Greenfield are executive producing.

Stx...

Hoping to attract moms, STXfilms will open Poms, Diane Keaton’s new comedy, on May 10 to take advantage of the Mother’s Day weekend.

In the film, directed by Zara Hayes from a script by Shane Atkinson based on a story by Hayes and Atkinson, Keaton plays a woman who moves into a retirement community where she starts a cheerleading squad with fellow residents (played by Pam Grear and Jacki Weaver).

The pic's cast also includes Alisha Boe, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan, Bruce McGill, Rhea Perlman and Celia Weston. Kelly McCormick, Alex Saks, Mad as Birds Films’ Andy Evans,...

Hoping to attract moms, STXfilms will open Poms, Diane Keaton’s new comedy, on May 10 to take advantage of the Mother’s Day weekend.

In the film, directed by Zara Hayes from a script by Shane Atkinson based on a story by Hayes and Atkinson, Keaton plays a woman who moves into a retirement community where she starts a cheerleading squad with fellow residents (played by Pam Grear and Jacki Weaver).

The pic's cast also includes Alisha Boe, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan, Bruce McGill, Rhea Perlman and Celia Weston. Kelly McCormick, Alex Saks, Mad as Birds Films’ Andy Evans,...

The Shubert Theatre in New York City last was filled on Thursday night with Oscar winners, media titans, and, of course, Broadway legends who came out for the opening of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

The starry guest list included Oprah Winfrey, Barry Diller, “Les Misérables” co-stars Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Gayle King, Magic Johnson, Ej Johnson, Spike Lee, Fran Lebowitz, Hasan Minhaj, Samuel L. Jackson, Zosia Mamet, Andrew Rannells, Jon Hamm, Michael Stuhlbarg, Lesley Stahl, Iman, Bernadette Peters, George C. Wolfe, Adam Rippon, Tina Fey, Alex Witt, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Joe Morton, and Andrea Martin.

The stakes are high for the Broadway production, with a script by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Bartlett Sher, after facing opposition from the estate of “Mockingbird” novelist Harper Lee.

Molly Bloom, the real-life inspiration of the Sorkin-directed feature film “Molly’s Game,” was also spotted in the crowd.

“I don’t...

When Scout, Jem and Dill take the stage in Aaron Sorkin’s To Kill a Mockingbird, they’re not rolling a tire down the sidewalk or peering into the knothole of some old oak tree. The children — played, with no excuses offered or needed, by adults — appear in what seems to be an empty, dilapidated building, maybe an old courthouse fallen into neglect. Justice itself has become a thing of memory, its paint peeling.

What really happened that night Bob Ewell died, wonders Scout (Celia Keenan-Bolger), the most inquisitive and persistent of the three? Could a man really fall on his own knife? Something about the grim story of that harvest night doesn’t add up, no matter what Atticus or the local newspaper said, and young Miss Finch (is she still young?) wants her brother, her best friend and the audience at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre to reconsider. Everything.

Stx has bought the U.S. rights to the cheerleading comedy “Poms,” starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver and Pam Grier.

Zara Hayes is directing from a script by Shane Atkinson based on a story by Hayes and Atkinson about a group of women who form a cheerleading squad at their retirement community. Alisha Boe, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan, Bruce McGill, Rhea Perlman and Celia Weston also star.

Endeavor Content is handling U.S. rights with Entertainment One’s Sierra/Affinity, which is producing, financing and handling international sales of the project. Shooting began in July in Atlanta. Buyers at Afm were shown several minutes of footage and Stx was announced as the buyer for U.S. rights on Sunday.

Producers are Kelly McCormick; Alex Saks; Mad as Birds Films’ Andy Evans, Ade Shannon, Celyn Jones, and Sean Marley; and Rose Pictures’ Rose Ganguzza. Keaton; Sierra/Affinity’s Nick Meyer and...

Exclusive: Stx has won U.S. rights to comedy Poms, starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver and Pam Grier, following a competitive multi-day auction. The deal is understood to be in the $8-9M range, making it the biggest deal so far at this year’s Afm.

Keaton plays a woman who moves into a retirement home and recruits the residents there to form a cheerleading squad. Zara Hayes directs. Currently in post-production, a wide theatrical release is expected next year. The three minutes of footage showing here and the acclaimed cast clearly convinced buyers of its solid grey-pound-crossover potential. MGM and Lionsgate were also understood to be in the frame for this one.

This is the second year in a row that a Keaton comedy targeted at a mature audience has fired up Afm distributors. Last year, Keaton-starrer Book Club proved to be the hot ticket in Santa Monica, selling for $10M to Paramount.

Apparently, we won't be shying away from hard topics this season. 

While on its surface Madam Secretary Season 5 Episode 4 was a flag-waving, drum-beating homage to the armed forces and their families, it's no mistake that it was scheduled to air smack-dab between Veteran's Day and Election Day. 

The least politically aware McCord child got involved with a political campaign, we met the newest enemy of the Secretary, and Henry didn't get his brunch. 

Allison's foray into political campaigning was hardly realistic, but it all led to Elizabeth giving that great lecture, so it almost didn't matter. 

Sure, it makes no sense that she's registered in Silver Spring, MD when she's living with her parents in Georgetown. And what kind of candidate (or campaign manager) is fluent in Asl and still hires an interpreter?

And Allison's idiotic statement about her generation...don't get me started. The writers have been reading too...

Kent Jones accepts Tribeca Film Festival Founders Award from Jane Rosenthal, Fiona Carter (At&T), and Robert De Niro Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

In the second instalment of my conversation with Diane director/screenwriter Kent Jones, he connects filmmakers Claire Denis, Olivier Assayas, David Fincher, Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, a scene from Martin Scorsese's Gangs Of New York between Daniel Day-Lewis and Leonardo DiCaprio, and his Diane team of Carisa Kelly and Debbie De Villa.

Diane, starring Mary Kay Place with a terrific supporting cast including Jake Lacy, Joyce Van Patten, Andrea Martin, Deirdre O'Connell, Estelle Parsons, Barbara Andres, Phyllis Somerville and Charles Weldon, will be having having its International Première in competition at the Locarno International Film Festival on August 3.

Kent Jones with Gone Girl director David Fincher at the 52nd New York Film Festival Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

At this year's Tribeca Film Festival, Diane was the big winner,...

Sierra/Affinity has added Pam Grier, Alisha Boe, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan, Bruce McGill, Rhea Perlman and Celia Weston to its cheerleading comedy “Poms.”

Diane Keaton and Jackie Weaver are already set to star in “Poms,” which has begun principal photography in Atlanta, Ga. Zara Hayes is directing from a script by Shane Atkinson based on a comedic story by Hayes and Atkinson about a group of women who form a cheerleading squad at their retirement community.

Grier is best known for starring in Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown” and “The L Word.” Boe plays Jessica Davis in the Netflix drama series “13 Reasons Why.”

Sierra/Affinity is producing, financing and handling international sales of the project, and co-representing U.S. rights with Endeavor Content. Producers are Kelly McCormick; Alex Saks; Mad as Birds Films’ Andy Evans, Ade Shannon, Celyn Jones, and Sean Marley; and Rose Pictures’ Rose Ganguzza. Keaton...

Rhea Perlman, Pam Grier, and Alisha Boe (13 Reasons Why) have joined Poms, the comedy starring Diane Keaton and Jacki Weaver, which is in production in Atlanta. Celia Weston, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan and Bruce McGill are part of the cast for the film, which Sierra/Affinity is producing and financing.also

The pic is about a group of women who form a cheerleading squad at their retirement community, proving that you’re never too old to ‘bring it!’

Kelly McCormick, Alex Saks, Mad as Birds Films’ Andy Evans, Ade Shannon, Celyn Jones, Sean Marley and Rose Pictures’ Rose Ganguzza are also producing the project. Keaton, Sierra/Affinity’s Nick Meyer and Marc Schaberg and Will Greenfield serve as executive producers.

Sierra/Affinity is handling international sales and co-repping U.S. rights with Endeavor Content.

Weston is repped by Innovative Artists and Framework Entertainment; Grier by TalentWorks; Somerville by Ph Entertainment Group...

Pam Grier and Rhea Perlman are joining Diane Keaton and Jackie Weaver in Poms, the comedy about a group of women that form a cheerleading squad at their retirement community.

Celia Weston, Phyllis Somerville, 13 Reasons Why actor Alisha Boe, Ozark actor Charlie Tahan and Bruce McGill also star in the movie, which has begun principal photography in Atlanta.

Zara Hayes is directing from a script written by Shane Atkinson that is based on a story the pair co-wrote.

Kelly McCormick, Alex Saks, Mad as Birds Films’ Andy Evans, Ade Shannon, Celyn Jones, Sean Marley and Rose Pictures’ Rose Ganguzza ...

Pam Grier and Rhea Perlman are joining Diane Keaton and Jackie Weaver in Poms, the comedy about a group of women that form a cheerleading squad at their retirement community.

Celia Weston, Phyllis Somerville, 13 Reasons Why actor Alisha Boe, Ozark actor Charlie Tahan and Bruce McGill also star in the movie, which has begun principal photography in Atlanta.

Zara Hayes is directing from a script written by Shane Atkinson that is based on a story the pair co-wrote.

Kelly McCormick, Alex Saks, Mad as Birds Films’ Andy Evans, Ade Shannon, Celyn Jones, Sean Marley and Rose Pictures’ Rose Ganguzza ...

Tickets go on sale to the public this Saturday, June 9 for the Broadway production of To Kill A Mockingbird, Aaron Sorkin's new play, directed by Bartlett Sher. Jeff Daniels will head a cast which includes Celia Keenan-Bolger, Will Pullen, Gideon Glick, Frederick Weller, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Stark Sands, Dakin Matthews, Erin Wilhelmi, Neal Huff, Phyllis Somerville, Liv Rooth, Danny Wolohan, and Latanya Richardson Jackson.

Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal announced Diane as the winner of the Best Us Narrative Feature of the Tribeca Film Festival Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

Hitchcock/Truffaut director Kent Jones's first feature Diane, executive produced by Martin Scorsese, with Mary Kay Place in the title role, took home three Tribeca Film Festival Awards, including Best Cinematography by Wyatt Garfield. The film has a terrific supporting cast including Jake Lacy, Joyce Van Patten, Andrea Martin, Deirdre O'Connell, Estelle Parsons, Barbara Andres, Phyllis Somerville, and Charles Weldon.

At The Roxy, Kent talked with me about his costume designer Carisa Kelly, Richard Bruno's work for Raging Bull, and the fact that costume design is just as much what Wendy Chuck does for Tom McCarthy's Spotlight and Alexander Payne's films as what Milena Canonero did for Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon. Kent spoke about the difference between growing up in...

There’s a famous passage from Paul Bowles’ “The Sheltering Sky” that continues to resonate because of how plainly it speaks to the bittersweet shortsightedness of being alive: “Because we don’t know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number really… And yet it all seems limitless.”

Of all the references sewn into the fabric of Kent Jones’ first narrative feature — the revered film critic and programmer nods to Paul Schrader, Bob Dylan, and executive producer Martin Scorsese among others in his chilly amuse-bouche of artistic inspirations — Bowles isn’t high on the list. Jones is too hyper-literate and omnivorous to be unfamiliar with the book, but even filmmaker Matías Piñeiro and Stephin Merritt serve as more explicit muses for this intimate drama.

And yet, Bowles’ writing — his resigned...

The 17th annual Tribeca Film Festival has revealed its feature film lineup, including its closing night offering — Liz Garbus’ documentary series “The Fourth Estate,” which follows The New York Times’ coverage of the Trump administration’s first year — and a Centerpiece Gala featuring Drake Doremus’ sci-fi romance “Zoe.” As was previously announced, the spring fest will open with the Gilda Radner documentary “Love, Gilda.”

Standout titles include Desiree Akhavan’s Sundance winner “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” Sebastian Lelio’s “Disobedience,” Marianna Palka’s latest “Egg,” Karen Gillam’s directorial debut “The Party’s Just Beginning,” and many more.

The 2018 feature film program includes 96 films from 103 filmmakers. Of the 96 films, 46% of them are directed by women, the highest percentage in the Festival’s history. The lineup includes 75 World Premieres, 5 International Premieres, 9 North American Premieres, 3 U.S. Premieres, and 4 New York Premieres from 27 countries.

“We are proud to present a lineup...

After announcing the opening night film, Lisa D’Apolito’s documentary Love, Gilda, the complete lineup for the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival has been unveiling. Along with festival favorites, including Disobedience, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, and Daughter of Mine, there’s a number of anticipated world premieres: The Seagull, starring Annette Bening and Saoirse Ronan, Kent Jones’ drama Diane, the documentary McQueen, Miguel Arteta’s Duck Butter, Ondi Timoner’s Mapplethorpe, the Ethan Hawke-led Stockholm, and more. The centerpiece of the festival will be Drake Doremus’ Zoe, starring Léa Seydoux, and closing night is Liz Garbus’ documentary The Fourth Estate.

“In a year that has reminded us more often of our divisions than our connections, this Festival’s program embraces film’s unique power to overcome differences – that connecting with stories not our own is the road into our deeply programmed human capacity for empathy and understanding,” said Cara Cusumano,...

Jeff Daniels, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Will Pullen, Gideon Glick, Latanya Richardson Jackson, Stark Sands, Fred Weller, Erin Wilhelmi, Dakin Matthews, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Phyllis Somerville, and Liv Rooth will star on Broadway this fall in Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin's new play, based on Harper Lee's classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novelTO Kill A Mockingbird. The play will be directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher.To Kill A Mockingbird, which is produced by Scott Rudin and Lincoln Center Theater Andre Bishop, Producing Artistic Director, will begin previewsThursday, November 1and open onThursday, December 13at a theatre to be announced.Additional casting will be announced shortly.