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November is here, and with sunset falling sooner and sooner, what better way to spend your down time than snuggled up on the couch watching a great movie? A bevy of films are newly streaming in November and we’ve rounded up a curated list of the best ones added to Netflix, Prime Video, Max, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock and beyond this month.

Check out our picks for the best new movies streaming in November 2024 below.

“Music by John Williams” “Music by John Williams” (Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Disney+ – Nov. 1

John Williams is the elder statesman of film music. His scores conjure memories and transport you to different times and places. Just think about what he’s contributed over the years, from “Jaws” to “Star Wars” to “Indiana Jones” to “Harry Potter” to “Jurassic Park” to “Home Alone.” Even lesser-known scores crackle with intensity, technical proficiency and creative flair (think Brian De Palma...

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After a 14-year run as a feature filmmaker in England (which began during the silent era), Alfred Hitchcock was lured to Hollywood by the bold producer David O. Selznick to direct a big-screen adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's thriller novel "Rebecca." Though the two headstrong men clashed throughout the making of the movie, the finished 1940 film was a commercial and critical smash, topping the box office for the year and taking home the Academy Award for Best Picture. If there had been any doubts as to whether the British director's precise manner of visual storytelling, already perfected in triumphs like "The 39 Steps" and "The Lady Vanishes," would translate to Hollywood, they were instantly dispelled.

"Rebecca" would prove to be the least Hitchcockian movie the director would make in America, as the master of suspense wasted no time in reverting...

John Williams “has made a gigantic contribution to the world of music at large, beginning with making film music legitimate but also his concert work.” For our recent webchat, director and producer Laurent Bouzereau makes that claim about the subject of his new documentary “Music by John Williams,” which now streaming on Disney+. In fact, Bouzereau ranks Williams as the #1 composer of the 20th century, ahead of Gershwin, McCartney/Lennon and Simon, adding, “My argument is that there are very few people” (especially who started in the 1960s and 1970s) who “have survived the test of time.”

He admits that he’s “been preparing for this my entire life” by watching the films of Steven Spielberg with the scores by maestro Williams. He adds that it’s “an honor to be the one who tells this story, because I’m not the first one to approach John. He said ‘no’ many times,...

From his killer two-note Jaws riff to the sheer uplift of Star Wars, Williams captures a movie’s essence with tunes that stick. Now the Hollywood great is celebrated in a Disney+ documentary

Some years ago I interviewed the British director Edgar Wright about his favourite soundtrack albums. I mentioned that, in the age before videos, I had owned and learned by heart the spoken-word-and-song soundtrack for the Magic Roundabout feature film Dougal and the Blue Cat. Wright reminded me that, in the 80s, there had been a tie-in Storybook album for Steven Spielberg’s Et: The Extra-Terrestrial, with Michael Jackson narrating the film and breaking down in tears when Et appears to die. The record also included John Williams’s score, which, as Wright noted, “told the story better than any narrator ever could”.

Now streaming on Disney+ is a new documentary, Music By John Williams, in which the...

It’s suddenly been, if not an embarrassment, then for sure a nice flush of riches in the indie film space as high-profile festival and well-reviewed fare continues releasing into awards season. This week we’ve got a return guest with wide re-release of Godzilla Minus One.

Emilia Perez is hitting 125 theaters, quite a few for Netflix. This weekend Apple opens Steve McQueen’s WWII-set Blitz, starring Saorsie Ronan on three screens in London, two in NYC and one in LA. Warner Bros. is launching an Academy run for Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2 starring Nicholas Hoult and Zoey Deutch. Disney is doing the same for Laurent Bouzereau’s documentary Music by John Williams at the El Capitan in Hollywood and Regal Union Square in Manhattan.

La Cocina, Memoir Of A Snail and doc Black Box Diaries expand in week 2.

Jumping in with Searchlight Pictures’ Jesse Eisenberg written-directed comedy A Real Pain...

John Williams is obviously and without question one of the greatest film composers who’s ever lived, but that still feels like something of an understatement. The case could be made that no one in his field — from Jerry Goldsmith and Bernard Herrmann to Ennio Morricone and Toru Takemitsu — has come remotely close to matching the sheer breadth, diversity, and cultural impact of Williams’ contributions to the cinema. Indeed, Williams’ greatness is so obvious and self-evident that Laurent Bouzereau’s lovingly basic documentary about him only needs to sit back, shut up, and let the music do the talking. After all, what else is there to say about a 92-year-old workaholic who claims that his inspiration comes to him from the sky? How do you interrogate what Steven Spielberg refers to as “the purest form of artistic expression I’ve ever experienced from a human being?”

A richer and more...

Early in director Laurent Bouzereau’s “Music by John Williams” documentary (streaming November 1 on Disney+), Steven Spielberg explains that he was worried about the demise of orchestral film scoring in the early ’70s while embarking on his directing career. He was determined that this emotionally stirring, if anachronistic, format would not die on his watch, so he hired John Williams to score his first theatrical feature, “The Sugarland Express” (1974).

Williams (who caught the director’s attention in 1969 with “The Reivers”) surprised Spielberg with an intimate harmonica solo (played by Toots Thielmans) that helped elevate the movie in a way he didn’t expect. Thus began the greatest director-composer collaboration in the history of movies, with Spielberg making 29 films with Williams and admitting that the composer has been indispensable to each and every one of them.

But it was their second film together, “Jaws” (1975), that propelled their careers. With two unforgettable...

Steven Spielberg, Yo-Yo Ma and Chris Martin contribute to this fascinating if fleeting glimpse into a remarkable career that also encompasses Jaws, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter

Seventeen thousand people in the Hollywood Bowl cheer as an unremarkable-looking man in a white jacket with a neat grey beard and bright blue eyes walks on stage. John Williams raises his baton and the Los Angeles Philharmonic begin the theme for Star Wars’s Imperial March. Thousands of lightsabers beat time along with him. The atmosphere crackles.

Williams’s music is part of our collective psyche. Superman, Harry Potter, Et, Jaws, Indiana Jones, Schindler’s List – how many other films are so instantly recognisable from a few notes of their soundtracks? Laurent Bouzereau’s documentary celebrates the legendary film composer, now 92. The music, with its lush orchestral richness and unashamed emotion, is front and centre. Musicians Chris Martin and Yo-Yo Ma and directors including George Lucas,...

It begins with Jaws. Of course it begins with Jaws. Has any composer in history utilised two simple notes — an alternating pattern between E and F — so effectively? So iconically? It feels obvious to begin a documentary entitled Music By John Williams with perhaps his most famous work, but it also feels like there would be no other way to begin.

This film comes from Laurent Bouzereau, a prolific author and documentarian who has made making-of films for Steven Spielberg for decades, and has written at least three books on the filmmaker, including last year’s Spielberg: The First Ten Years. Bouzereau has even made a documentary on Williams before — 2017’s TV film Steven Spielberg & John Williams: The Adventure Continues. So, there is certainly a sense of well-trodden ground here, and it’s a fairly cosy portrait between regular collaborators, rather than a probing journalistic inquiry.

Does an excellent job of capturing his importance.

Even without the John Williams factor, the premiere event for the 38th annual AFI Fest would have been notable in one particular regard, Steven Spielberg said. “First of all, I thank the AFI board and everyone for doing something they’ve never done before, which is to open the AFI Festival with a documentary,” Spielberg said in introducing the 2025 events’s opening-night attraction at the Tcl Chinese Theatre. “That is a wonderful thing, to really be able to place the documentary form exactly where it belongs, right up alongside the narrative form.”

But “even without the John Williams factor” is not something that Spielberg has wanted to experience very often in his filmmaking career. From his debut feature, “The Sugarland Express,” through his most recent film, 2022’s “The Fabelmans,” Spielberg has brought Williams in to score 29 of his features. And now they more or less share a 30th together: “Music by John Williams,...

Plot: From his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar® nominations and five wins, the documentary takes an in-depth look at Williams’ countless contributions to film including many iconic franchises, as well as his music for the concert stage and his impact on popular culture. The film features interviews with artists and filmmakers whose lives have been touched by his timeless music.

Review: There is no one like John Williams. From Star Wars to Superman to Jurassic Park to Harry Potter and beyond, Williams has left an indelible mark on the landscape of cinema and music in general. In his nineties, John Williams became synonymous with movie soundtracks thanks to his collaborations with George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and several other filmmakers and film franchises. The new documentary Music By John Williams, directed by the composer’s longtime friend and documentarian Laurent Bouzereau, is an ode to Williams’ creative...

At the premiere of Disney+ doc Music by John Williams on opening night of AFI Fest on Wednesday, Steven Spielberg took some time to reflect on his longtime collaboration with the legendary composer.

The duo have worked on nearly 30 films together, including Jaws, E.T., Schindler’s List and the Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones franchises. Spielberg serves as producer on the new Williams documentary and inside the Los Angeles screening, recalled how for several years the two would host fundraiser concerts for orchestras around the country. The filmmaker would play a scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with no music first, joking the four-minute scene would feel like 14 minutes. And then the scene would replay with Williams leading an orchestra, making the four minutes feel like 90 seconds.

“That is the miracle of film scoring and that is the consistent miracle of John Williams, what he has brought to all...

For over seven decades, John Williams has been crafting some of the most memorable melodies in cinema history. From the ominous two-note teaser of danger in Jaws to the soaring theme of adventure and wonder in Star Wars, Williams’ music has accentuated emotions in iconic movies and become ingrained in our collective experience. At 92, with five Oscars and an unprecedented 52 nominations, Williams is widely considered the most successful film composer of all time.

The documentary Music by John Williams, directed by Laurent Bouzereau, shares insights into the celebrated career of this prolific artist. Through interviews with Williams himself, as well as directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, musicians Williams has collaborated with, and others, the film explores the maestro’s journey.

Natural talent and perseverance led Williams from piano sessions in Los Angeles to scoring early television and films. However, it was his partnerships with Spielberg and Lucas that launched...

From the deep, quickening heartbeat of “Jaws” to the astral opening blast of “Star Wars,” the music of John Williams not only earns its place among the most iconic film scores of all time, but it also proves memorable enough to carry with us out of the cinema. So effective are his themes that to hum just a few notes of a Williams score is to be caught up in the same emotions you felt gazing up at the big screen in the first place, watching Superman take flight over Manhattan or Elliott and E.T. bicycle across the moon.

At age 92, the maestro has received no shortage of accolades — from institutions, admirers and his peers in the Academy — and yet, Williams has long resisted requests to turn the cameras around on him. “Music by John Williams” does just that, featuring extensive interviews with the composer, plus glowing endorsements from...

Few people are more integral to film culture than John Williams. The famed composer not only crafted dozens of the most iconic soundtracks of the last fifty years but also some of the most memorable music in human history. Music By John Williams, a new documentary about the man and his career, tracks his incredible journey. The impact of the sounds he crafted remains impossible to quantify. Combining the beautiful footage of Williams’ filmography with present-day interviews, director Laurent Bouzereau provides a loving tribute to the man.

Related “I just couldn’t stop laughing”: John Williams’ Devotion to Star Wars Proves Why He’s the Greatest Composer Alive Music By John Williams follows his historic career.

Like most biographical documentaries, Music By John Williams does not attempt to present a new narrative around his career. Instead, Bouzereau takes us step by step through his career. After showing promise as a young musician and pianist,...

The AFI Fest opened Wednesday night back at its home, the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, and runs through Sunday, highlighted by world premieres of awaited new films from past American Film Institute Life Achievement Award honorees including Tom Hanks with his new film, Here, on Friday, and Clint Eastwood with his latest, Juror #2, on Sunday (among a host of prime Oscar contenders and international films). But the fest kicked off with yet another AFI honoree, legendary movie composer and musician John Williams, who is the subject of an exceptionally well-conceived and executed documentary on his remarkable career.

This is a legacy that includes more highlights and statistics and achievements than perhaps any other motion picture composer in history, although the shy and not self-laudatory musician would probably give you an argument on that, preferring to highlight those legends that preceded his glory decades that have run through the ‘50s all to way to now,...

As one of the greatest film composers of our time, John Williams had already made a name for himself before young filmmakers like George Lucas and Steven Spielberg began plans to revolutionize cinema.

According to Variety, it took their "wild energy and wild ideas" to inspire Williams, who lost his wife at the peak of his career. In a new Disney+ documentary called Music by John Williams, Williams shared the ups and downs of his storied career with filmmaker Laurent Bouzereau. At the age of 92, John Williams has attained the status of a living legend, but there was a point a few decades ago when he found himself grappling with the loss of his wife, singer and actress Barbara Ruick, at just 41 years old.

Star Wars: A New Hope. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Image Credit: StarWars.com

Williams found himself raising three teenagers alone. Although he continued working to put food on the table,...

French production-distribution-sales powerhouse Studiocanal, which holds one of the largest film libraries in the world with some 9,000 titles, has completed its Jean-Pierre Melville collection with the acquisition of his 1950 classic “The Terrible Children” (“Les Enfants Terribles”).

This latest high-profile addition joins the ranks of the studio’s Melville lineup, which includes “Army of Shadows,” “Le Cercle Rouge,” “Bob le Flambeur,” and “Le Doulos.” This acquisition solidifies Studiocanal’s position as a leading player in both the French and international film markets

A subsidiary of the Canal+ Group, Studiocanal’s acquisition policy focuses not just on contemporary film rights, but on the preservation and restoration of cinematic treasures. By securing rights from other studios and investing in the preservation of older titles, the company not only controls distribution and remake rights but also breathes new life into some of cinema’s most revered works.

Ahead of the International Classic Film Market...

It seems appropriate to read about some of our greatest filmmakers during the fall. (Festival season! Prestige pics! Megalopolis mania!) Plus, a guide to cinema for kiddos from A24, a look at one of Schwarzenegger’s most fun flicks, and lots of noteworthy novels. And watch for one more roundup before the end of 2024.

The De Palma Decade: Redefining Cinema with Doubles, Voyeurs, and Psychic Teens by Laurent Bouzereau (Running Press)

Documentary filmmaker and occasional author Laurent Bouzereau has found a novel way to approach the work of Brian De Palma. In The De Palma Decade, he focuses specifically on seven films that made the director one of filmdom’s most famous and infamous figures: Sisters, Phantom of the Paradise, Obsession, Carrie, The Fury, Dressed to Kill, and Blow Out. It was a remarkable run, and Bouzereau adroitly analyzes what makes them so powerful. The book also features interviews with...

European powerhouse Studiocanal has dropped a first clip and poster of its new doc “Becoming Hitchcock – The Legacy of Blackmail” by L.A.-based filmmaker Laurent Bouzereau.

The doc feature will have its world premiere at the Lumière classic film festival in France’s Lyon on Oct. 18.

Based entirely on archive material, the film explores the famous Hitchcock touch, through the making of one of his benchmark films, “Blackmail,” released in 1929 at the dawn of the Talkies.

Often referred to as the first British sound feature film, the film also exists in a silent version. Several sequences were reshot for the sound version.

By comparing the two, Bouzereau creates a novel way of exploring Hitchcock’s trademark themes such as murder, suspense, food and sexuality, providing a taste of what was to come in masterpieces like “Psycho,” “North by Northwest” and “The Birds” 30 years later.

“I wanted to mention the...

Back in August, it was announced that Stargirl star Brec Bassinger, who also has a lead role in the upcoming, long-awaited Final Destination sequel Final Destination: Bloodlines (a.k.a. Final Destination 6), had signed on to star in the supernatural coming-of-age thriller The Evilry, with her co-stars set to include Elena Kampouris (Children of the Corn), Dylan Walsh (Superman & Lois), Marissa Reyes (Ganymede), Evan Ross (The Loneliest Boy in the World), Tony Pierce (The Bodyguard), and Teri Polo (the Meet the Parents franchise). In September, we learned that Billy Zane (Dead Calm) had joined the cast. And now, Deadline has broken the news that three-time Oscar nominee (and one time winner) Faye Dunaway also has a role in The Evilry!

After being nominated for her roles in Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown, Dunaway took home an Oscar for her performance in Network. She was recently the subject of the Max documentary Faye,...

Exclusive: Oscar winner Faye Dunaway has boarded the coming-of-age supernatural thriller The Evilry. 

She joins previously announced castmembers Billy Zane, Brec Bassinger, Elena Kampouris, Dylan Walsh, Tony Pierce, Evan Ross, Marissa Reyes, and Teri Polo. 

Dunaway plays Anastasia, a spiritualist in the town, who acts as a bridge of enlightenment coming to the aid of Crystal (Bassinger) guiding her to the revelation behind her cousin (Kampouris) and her Dark Secret.

The film is directed and written by Alexander Garcia produced by his Multi-Valence productions banner alongside Allegheny Image Factory, Callosum Studios, Amac Placement, and ZaZa Rev Motion Pictures. Cameras roll later this month in West Virginia.  The Coven, who is behind the Terrifier franchise has picked up worldwide rights to The Evilry.

Dunaway has also won a Primetime Emmy Award (Guest Actress Drama Series for Columbo in 1994), is a 3x Golden Globe winner and a...

John Williams has composed some of the greatest pieces of music in the history of cinema. From Jaws to Star Wars to Indiana Jones, his multiple collaborations with other Hollywood legends like Steven Spielberg have resulted in a plethora of instantly recognizable pieces of music that have inspired generations of filmmakers, writers, and actors.

Williams’ career in the movie business has spanned over fifty years, netting him several Emmy, BAFTA, and Academy Awards. To celebrate the maestro’s monumental achievements, The Walt Disney Company has commissioned a new documentary that will premiere very soon on Disney+.

“Music by John Williams”, directed by Laurent Bouzereau and produced in part by Spielberg, will feature “…interviews with Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Kate Capshaw, Gustavo Dudamel, J.J. Abrams, Chris Martin, Ron Howard, Chris Columbus, George Lucas, Itzhak Perlman, Lawrence Kasdan, Yo-Yo Ma, Ke Huy Quan, James Mangold, Alan Silvestri, David Newman, Thomas Newman,...

The American Film Institute (AFI) has revealed details for its annual AFI Fest taking place October 23-27 in Los Angeles. This year’s festival features a diverse selection of films from around the world, including several prominent premieres. Several high-profile directors and actors are also scheduled to attend the event.

The festival will open with the world debut of “Music by John Williams,” a documentary by Laurent Bouzereau honoring the legendary composer. It will close with another premiere – Clint Eastwood’s new legal thriller “Juror #2” starring Nicholas Hoult. In between, festivalgoers can see the world premiere of “Here,” a reunion between director Robert Zemeckis and his “Forrest Gump” stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. Zemeckis will also sit down with Hanks for a career retrospective discussion.

Festival director Todd Hitchcock emphasized AFI Fest’s goal of “bringing the best in film from around the world to Los Angeles.” Half of...

Music By John Williams, exclusively on Disney+. ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & Tm. All Rights Get ready to dive deep into the world of one of cinema’s greatest composers! Music by John Williams, a new documentary from Lucasfilm Ltd, Amblin Documentaries, and Imagine Documentaries, is set to premiere on Disney+ and in select theaters on November 1st. This film promises a captivating journey through the life and career of the legendary John Williams, the man behind some of the most iconic film scores ever created. From his early days as a jazz pianist to his incredible 54 Oscar nominations (and five wins!), the documentary explores his immense contributions to the world of film music. Music by John Williams offers an intimate look at Williams’ creative process. Discover the inspiration and dedication behind his timeless scores for franchises like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, and Jaws. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of...

AFI Fest is primed and ready to roll out.

The American Film Institute revealed the full lineup for this month’s festival, scheduled to take place in Los Angeles from Oct. 23-27. Joining the previously announced roster of films will be Tim Fehlbaum’s September 5, Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light, Samir Oliveros’ The Luckiest Man in America, Maisie Crow and Abbie Perrault’s abortion rights documentary Zurawski v Texas (executive produced by Hillary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and Jennifer Lawrence), and Paul Schrader’s Oh, Canada, among many others.

The lineup includes six red carpet premieres, 12 special screenings, 13 luminaries picks, 15 discovery films, 12 world cinema films, 14 documentaries, four after-dark titles, 54 films in the short film competition and 28 films from the AFI Conservatory Showcase presented by AMC Networks. Other notable titles include Durga Chew-Bose’s Bonjour Tristesse with Chloë Sevigny; Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths, starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste; Paolo Sorrentino...

“September 5,” “All We Imagine as Light,” “The Luckiest Man in America,” “Zurawski v Texas,” and “Oh, Canada” are among the titles that round out the 2024 AFI Fest lineup, organizers announced on Tuesday.

This year’s AFI Fest takes place in Los Angeles from October 23 to October 27.

The festival will open with the world premiere of “Music By John Williams,” the upcoming documentary about the Oscar-winning composer John Williams. The film will have a limited theatrical release before arriving on Disney+.

Clint Eastwood’s “Juror No. 2” will close the festival before it premieres in theaters on November 1.

Other big screenings at AFI Fest include “Here,” “Heretic,” “Maria,” “Nightbitch,” “Bird,” “A Real Pain,” “The Room Next Door,” “The Fire Inside,” “I’m Still Here,” “The Order,” and “Unstoppable.” AFI also plans to honor Robert Zemeckis, director of the upcoming film “Here,” which reunites the “Forrest Gump” Oscar winner with Tom Hanks and Robin Wright.

Oscar winner John Williams is the subject of a new documentary coming to Disney Plus. “Music by John Williams” from Lucasfilm Ltd, Amblin Documentaries, and Imagine Documentaries, which offers a fascinating and insightful look at the prolific life and career of the legendary composer, will hit the streamer and have a limited theatrical release in New York, Los Angeles, and London on November 1. The documentary will also open the 38th edition of AFI Fest on October 23. Watch the trailer below.

From his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar nominations and five wins, the documentary takes an in-depth look at Williams’ countless contributions to film, including many iconic franchises, as well as his music for the concert stage and his impact on popular culture. The film features interviews with artists and filmmakers whose lives have been touched by his timeless music. Directed by award-winning filmmaker and best-selling author Laurent Bouzereau,...

The iconic scores of John Williams will be celebrated with documentary “Music by John Williams.”

The Disney+ film reunites legendary composer Williams with his frequent collaborators Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, and Kathleen Kennedy, who all produce the documentary. Williams has scored films such as “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” and “Jurassic Park,” and in 2023 made history as the oldest Oscar nominee in any category for “The Fabelmans.” The composer has a total of 54 Oscar nominations and five wins.

“Music by John Williams” will “offer a fascinating and insightful look at the prolific life and career of the legendary composer,” according to the official logline. “From his early days as a jazz pianist to his Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy wins, the documentary takes an in-depth look at Williams’ countless contributions to film, including many iconic franchises, as well as his music for the concert stage and his impact on popular culture.”

The...

"He always finds a way to tap into the essence of what makes it moving or meaningful." Disney reveals the official trailer for a wonderful biopic doc called Music by John Williams, profiling the all-timer maestro composer John Williams. Beginning with his early days as a jazz pianist, the film celebrates Williams’ countless contributions to the moving image arts, music for the concert stage as well as his indelible impact on popular culture, including scoring the Indiana Jones & Star Wars movies and countless other classics. From Lucasfilm Ltd, Amblin Documentaries, and Imagine Documentaries, the film will premiere at AFI Fest later this month. Director Laurent Bouzereau states: "His scores made me fall in love with music, and made me realize at a very young age, the power that a score had on cinematic storytelling. This was an important story to tell, not only because it is about one of the greatest composers of all time,...

One contributor to the film world who is unanimously loved by everyone is composer John Williams. The name rings of countless iconic movie themes that almost anyone can hum on a dime. From Jaws to E.T., Star Wars to Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park to Home Alone, Williams’ career is one that transcends generations. It’s only inevitable that the maestro would become the subject of a documentary and a new look at the man is coming to Disney+ this fall.

Music by John Williams from Lucasfilm Ltd, Amblin Documentaries, and Imagine Documentaries, which offers a fascinating and insightful look at the prolific life and career of legendary composer John Williams, will premiere on Disney+ on November 1. The documentary will also open the 38th edition of AFI Fest on October 23. Disney has also released new images from the documentary as well as the one-sheet key art.

Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, J.J. Abrams...

Disney has released a first look at Music by John Williams. This new documentary offers a fascinating and insightful look at the prolific life and career of legendary composer John Williams.

From Lucasfilm Ltd, Amblin Documentaries, and Imagine Documentaries, the documentary will premiere on Disney+ and have a limited theatrical release in New York, Los Angeles, and London on November 1.

The documentary will also open the 38th edition of AFI Fest on October 23. Advance theatrical tickets for Music by John Williams will be available for purchase on October 24 via Fandango or wherever tickets are sold.

From his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar nominations and five wins, the documentary takes an in-depth look at Williams’ countless contributions to film, including many iconic franchises, as well as his music for the concert stage and his impact on popular culture.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker and best-selling author Laurent Bouzerea,...

You can't have "Jaws" without Quint, a modern Captain Ahab if he'd been hunting a great white shark rather than a white whale. It's difficult to picture anyone but Robert Shaw (in one of his last roles before his premature death in 1978) in the part, but the actor actually wasn't who director Steven Spielberg first had in mind.

In "Spielberg: The First Ten Years" by Laurent Bouzereau, Spielberg claimed his first choice for Quint was Lee Marvin. He wanted a big star and Marvin was famous for playing sinister tough guys. See: "The Big Heat," "Point Blank," "The Dirty Dozen," and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (directed by the man who taught Spielberg how to frame a horizon.) Marvin, though, said no. Spielberg recounted: "What I heard was that [Marvin] wanted to go fishing for real! He took his fishing very seriously and didn't want to do it from a 'movie' boat.

AFI Fest continues to roll out selections for next month’s festival ahead of the reveal of the full lineup.

The latest additions, billed as red carpet premieres, include the Hugh Grant-starrer Heretic from Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, and Pablo Larraín’s Maria starring Angelina Jolie as the famed opera singer.

Heretic comes first, with its L.A. premiere scheduled for Oct. 24, while Maria will hit the big screen on Oct. 26. Both will screen at Hollywood’s historic Tcl Chinese Theatre. Heretic, to be released by A24 on Nov. 8, follows two missionaries (Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical man. Larraín’s Maria casts Jolie as Callas and follows her on her final days in Paris. The film, released by Netflix this fall, also stars Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

Robert Zemeckis is being celebrated at the 2024 AFI Fest.

The American Film Institute (AFI) confirmed that Zemeckis’ upcoming feature “Here” will make its world premiere at the festival with its Centerpiece Screening celebration on October 25. Zemeckis will also be honored by AFI Fest on October 24 with a Directors Spotlight event featuring clips from his filmography and a conversation with Zemeckis about his career.

“Here” stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright as a couple who spend their whole adult life in one house; the film is from the perspective of a room in their home. Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly, Michelle Dockery, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and David Fynn also star.

Zemeckis reunites with his “Forrest Gump” stars for the decades-spanning drama. “Here” incorporates AI-assisted technology Metaphysic Live, which digitally de-aged both lead actors. The feature is based on Richard McGuire’s graphic novel of the same name, which was released by Pantheon Books...

Robert Zemeckis’ “Here” will have its world premiere at the 2024 AFI Fest, where it will be the Centerpiece Screening, the American Film Institute announced on Tuesday. The screening will take place on Oct. 25 at the Tcl Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

With a screenplay by Eric Roth that’s based on Richard McGuire’s graphic novel by the same name, “Here” reunites the stars of “Forrest Gump,” Tom Hanks and Robin Right, with that film’s director, Zemeckis. As described by AFI, the film is a “tale of love, loss, laughter and life” that follows “multiple families and a special place they inhabit” — the “here” of the movie’s title. The cast also includes Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly and Michelle Dockery. In addition to directing, Zemeckis produced “Here” with Jack Rapke, Derek Hogue and Bill Block.

“Robert Zemeckis is, first and foremost, a master storyteller — and, uniquely, one who has...

I remember the moment I first started to realize how much control a director has over a movie — when I learned they consciously choose the colors that go into their movies. This is when it clicked for me that movies are moving images, first and foremost. The images aren't just a canvas on which to tell a story, they are the story and should reinforce themes, mood, etc. as much as any dialogue or narrative beat does.

Mike Mignola, the famed comic writer/artist and creator of Hellboy, has one of my favorite explanations of how visual artists use color as a storytelling tool. "My original artwork, I really like in black-and-white, but when I'm telling a story, color is such an important tool [...] for the most part I'm much more comfortable doing work where I know color is going to be there," he said.

Of course, controlling color when...

AFI Fest will feature a lot of music by John Williams.

Laurent Bouzereau’s new documentary, Music by John Williams, is set to have its world premiere on opening night of the 2024 edition of the Los Angeles film festival, which will be presented by new exclusive sponsor Canva with additional support from Fiji Water. The 38th AFI Fest kicks off Oct. 23 and runs through Oct. 27 at Hollywood’s Tcl Chinese Theatres.

Hailing from Lucasfilm, Amblin Documentaries and Imagine Documentaries, Music by John Williams is billed as comprehensive look at the life and legendary career of the prolific composer who has been nominated for 54 Oscars and won five. In 2016, he was presented with an AFI Life Achievement Award, which made him the first composer to receive the honor. Williams, now 92, has so many credits on his résumé (hundreds) that there’s not enough space to fit them all here. But he...

“Music by John Williams,” a documentary chronicling the life and accomplishments of legendary Oscar-winning composer John Williams, will open AFI Fest, the American Film Institute announced Thursday.

The film will hold its world premiere at the 38th annual festival on Oct. 23. It will then have a limited theatrical run before dropping Nov. 1 on Disney+.

Produced by Lucasfilm, Amblin Documentaries and Imagine Documentaries, “Music by John Williams” is described as “a comprehensive look” at Williams’ prolific life and career. From his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar nominations and five wins, the doc spotlights Williams’ contributions to the moving image arts, music for the concert stage and impact on popular culture.

Featured in the doc are interviews with Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Kate Capshaw, Gustavo Dudamel, J.J. Abrams, Chris Martin, Ron Howard, Chris Columbus, George Lucas, Itzhak Perlman, Lawrence Kasdan, Yo-Yo Ma, Ke Huy Quan, James Mangold,...

“The Long Goodbye,” “Home Alone,” “Harry Potter,” “Star Wars,” “Jurassic Park” — these are just a few of the legendary films composer and conductor John Williams has scored throughout his 72 (!) year career. At the 95th Academy Awards in 2023, he became the oldest Oscar nominee in any category for his work on Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” then beat that record again the following year, being nominated in Best Original Score for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” This is in addition to his other 52 Academy Award nominations and five wins. To honor his storied career, Lucasfilms Ltd., Amblin Documentaries, and Imagine Documentaries have joined forces to produce the documentary, “Music by John Williams,” which will have its world premiere on Wednesday, October 23 at the 38th edition of AFI Fest presented by Canva.

The documentary aims to celebrate the life and legacy of John Williams, his countless contributions to the medium of film,...

The American Film Institute has announced that Music By John Williams, a documentary on the iconic film composer from Lucasfilm Ltd, Amblin Documentaries and Imagine Documentaries, will world premiere as the opening night film of the 38th AFI Fest on Wednesday, October 23.

Directed by Laurent Bouzereau, the doc is billed as a comprehensive look at Williams’ life and career, from his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar nominations and five wins, celebrating his countless contributions to the moving image arts, music for the concert stage as well as his indelible impact on popular culture.

One of the most influential film composers in history, who in 2016 became the first to receive AFI’s Life Achievement Award, Williams’ work spans top-tier franchises like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and Jurassic Park, as well as such classic one-offs as Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Schindler’s List. Over the course of his career,...

The world premiere of the documentary Music By John Williams from Lucasfilm Ltd, Amblin Documentaries and Imagine Documentaries will open the 38th edition of AFI Fest on October 23.

Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, and Brian Grazer are among the producers and Laurent Bouzereau directs.

The film explores the life and career of Williams, from his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar nominations and five wins, and his profound impact on popular culture.

Music By John Williams features interviews with George Lucas, Spielberg, Kennedy, Gustavo Dudamel, J.J. Abrams, Howard, Chris Columbus, Yo-Yo Ma, James Mangold,...

The original Star Wars trilogy remains one of the most popular pieces of fictional media. The original trilogy concluded with Return of the Jedi, which saw Luke Skywalker and his friends defeat the Empire and the former redeemed his father. However, the iconic film had to operate under an entirely different title.

Return of the Jedi marked the conclusion of the original Star Wars trilogy (Credit: Lucasfilm).

During an interview, the film’s production designer Jim Bloom revealed why the third installment in the trilogy underwent a title change. Bloom explained how the franchise’s popularity pose logistical issues to the final installment of the original trilogy and here why the film was produced under a different title.

Return of the Jedi Had to Film Under a False Title For One Messed-up Reason

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi was directed by Richard Marquand and flew into...

After revealing some of her most intimate struggles in her HBO documentary, Faye Dunaway feels a weight lifted.

The Academy Award winner said she “dug deep” to discuss her experiences with bipolar disorder and alcoholism in Faye, the Laurent Bouzereau-helmed portrait of her life and career that premiered last month on HBO and Max.

“Cathartic is a good word. It was,” Dunaway told The Independent. “To look at it all and see what it added up to. It was difficult sometimes, because it is very private to me. I was a bit wary at seeing it all out there, but that’s the process — it’s the whole point of the film, the sharing of who I am. I dug deep!”

The documentary explores how Dunaway’s bipolar disorder contributed to her reputation as a difficult actress, as well as how the condition influenced her craft.

“The mania we tap into,...

Unlike many other fawning documentaries about big stars, HBO’s Faye is fascinatingly candid and unvarnished

Faye: The Many lives of Faye Dunaway, now streaming on Max in the US, is a refreshingly frank portrait of a genuinely interesting star. In fact it is often surprisingly candid. The director Laurent Bouzereau is a friend of the actor’s son Liam Dunaway O’Neill, who appears several times, so it is naturally a very compassionate film. Crucially, however, it confronts without flinching the subject’s reputation for being what is euphemistically described as “difficult” – so much so that even the redoubtable Bette Davis told Johnny Carson she would never work with her again.

The documentary begins with Dunaway on edge, haranguing the film-makers to get started. She displays both the tetchiness and the perfectionism – the couch, the camera angle just aren’t right – that fed into that notorious reputation. But her face...

Connecting an actor’s onscreen personality with his or her offscreen reality tends to be a dicey proposition. But in “Faye,” an addictive and essential portrait of Faye Dunaway, it turns out to be the right thing to do. Dunaway, now in her early 80s, is interviewed throughout this HBO documentary, and there’s a knowing snap to her self-reflections that grabs you. Seated on a couch in her New York apartment, she starts off by chastising someone for bringing her water in a bottle instead of a glass — a sign that the movie is going to have fun with what a diva she is. As “Faye” presents it, Dunaway was too volcanic and troubled a personality not to pour herself into her roles. That’s part of what made her great. Yet the film also wants to cue us to the gossipy and reductive way that this kind of...

Faye Dunaway is back in the spotlight and taking on another major Hollywood icon: herself. In frank candor, the singular Dunaway sits down for the first feature-length documentary about her life and career, speaking honestly about all the highs and lows, from Oscar wins to reputation blows and struggles with alcoholism, throughout her six-decade career. Along with insight from friends and colleagues, the three-time Oscar nominee “contextualizes her life and filmography, laying bare her struggles with mental health while confronting the double standards she was subjected to as a woman in Hollywood.”

Following its premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, the HBO Original Documentary “Faye” will premiere on Saturday, July 13 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. You can watch with Subscription to Max.

How to Watch “Faye”: When: Saturday, July 13 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt Where: HBO, Max Stream: Watch with a Subscription to Max.

It’s a fine line between genius and madness, and an even thinner, barely visible gossamer thread that demarcates genius and being categorized as difficult. Faye Dunaway has been labeled both, though in a competition between those two descriptives, “difficult” often had a three-to-one lead. Most documentaries about legendary stars would sand off its subject’s rough edges and try to present the most hagiography-friendly version imaginable. Faye, much like the force of nature (note that we did not say maelstrom) at the center of this movie, takes a bumpier road less traveled.

Natalie Wood was the former child actress who racked up three Oscar nominations before she was 25, Wood’s life ended in a tragedy that often overshadows her movie career. Yet many of her titles remain classics, so let’s take a look back at 15 of her greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1938 in San Francisco, Wood snagged her first starring role when she was just nine years old in the holiday classic “Miracle on 34th Street” (1947), playing a precocious girl who tugs on Santa Claus’ beard. She earned her first Oscar nomination when she was 17 for the juvenile delinquent drama “Rebel Without a Cause” (Best Supporting Actress in 1955), which made an icon out of James Dean, who died before its release. Wood added two more Best Actress bids to her resume with the romantic melodramas “Splendor in the Grass” (1961) and “Love with the Proper Stranger” (1963).

Though she never won an Academy Award,...

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"Jaws" remains the king of savage animal attack horror films, but by today's horror standards it's actually pretty tame. Of course, throughout the history of film, audiences have become increasingly desensitized to these sorts of things, to the point where only brutal splatter-fests like "Terrifier 2" are capable of testing seasoned horror fans. In fact, in the case of Damien Leone's so-called "mega-slasher," there were reports of audiences fainting and vomiting in their seats.

Anyone who knows even a little about "Terrifier 2" will understand why that might have been. The sheer level of brutality on display would make anyone at least slightly queasy. But back in the 1970s it seems audiences were slightly more sensitive.

When "Jaws" released in 1975 it became what many have dubbed the first ever blockbuster, becoming an instant hit and terrifying an entire generation,...