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This review was originally published on August 29, 2024, as a part of our Venice Film Festival coverage.

Maria makes its intentions clear early. In September 1977, legendary opera singer Maria Callas (Angelina Jolie) is in her final days, and her grasp on reality is tenuous at best. She rearranges the world with herself at the center, though where once entire crowds were subject to her whims, now there remain only her loyal butler (Pierfrancesco Favino) and maid (Alba Rohrwacher). They worry over her declining health. By abusing her medication, she hallucinates entire conversations. She detests doctors, who feel compelled to disrupt her with their facts.

Director Pablo LarrainWriters Steven KnightCast Aggelina Papadopoulou, Lydia Korniordou, Christiana Aloneftis, Toma Hrisztov, Kay Madsen, Luca Gréta Felhalmi, Jeremy Wheeler, Philipp Droste, Marcell Lengyel, Botond Bartus, Alessandro Bressanello, Stephen Ashfield, Zora Gerda Fejes, Rebecka Johnston, Vincent Macaigne, Pierfrancesco Favino, Haluk Bilginer, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Angelina Jolie, Valeria Golino,...

Angelina Jolie stars as Maria's eponymous character, Maria Callas, a renowned opera singer in the middle of the 20th century. The 2024 biographical psychological drama film, directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Steven Knight, follows the later years of Callas' life, which were mostly spent in Paris, France, away from the public eye. Callas experienced a lot of turmoil over the course of her 53 years of living. However, Maria director Larraín wanted to focus on the ending of the opera singer's story rather than chronicle every single detail of her life and career.

Maria is the final installment in Pablo Larraín's trilogy chronicling important women of the 20th century, following in the footsteps of Jackie (Jackie Kennedy) and Spencer (Princess Diana).

Maria is Jolie's first movie in three years as her role on the big screen was as Thena in the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Eternals. As one might suspect,...

Maria is a new biographical film about renowned opera singer Maria Callas directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Steven Knight. Starring Angelina Jolie in the titular role, the film focuses primarily on the final years of Callas' life and the complicated story behind her death. Maria has been a highly anticipated release due to praise around Jolie's performance, with many calling it one of the best of her career and a contender in a year of radically competitive acting performances (as far as awards season goes).

Furthermore, Maria is the third installment in a trilogy of films by Larraín that highlight historical female figures within a concentrated period of their lives, preceded by Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021). The stars of both of these films went on to receive Oscar nominations for their work. Thus, the hype around Maria is understandable, especially as it pertains to Jolie's performance. So, aside from the acting hype,...

Angelina Jolie is all set to dazzle us as one of the world’s greatest opera singers in her new film, but before Maria hits Netflix on Dec. 11, the Academy Award-winning actress recently took time out of her busy schedule to shut down what she referred to as an "insane question." Jolie stars as Maria Callas in Pablo Larrain’s new biopic, which is thus far getting rave reviews from all the right people, and generating a healthy amount of Oscar buzz ahead of award’s season.

Speaking with The Times about what went into making Maria, and how she felt embodying someone with such a rich and complicated history, the conversation then turned to Jolie herself. When asked what a biographical movie about the Tomb Raider star might look like, it was then that Jolie "scorned" the reporter for even broaching the subject.

"That gets the most insane question award.

Quick Links What Is Netflix's 'Maria' About? Angelina Jolie's Training Regiment for 'Maria' Angelina Jolie Speaks About Her Preparation for 'Maria'

Angelina Jolie has entered the awards conversation with her towering performance as Maria Callas in Maria, currently playing in select theaters before hitting Netflix on December 11, 2024. Jolie's revelatory performance has been hailed for her superb portrayal of the world-famous soprano and the authentic singing she does in the film. To perfect her performance, Jolie underwent extensive vocal training despite never singing publicly before in her life.

With her grand performance, Jolie is almost certain to contend for her second Academy Award following Girl, Interrupted in 2000. Her stunning vocal range and real-life singing bring extraordinary authenticity to Maria. To understand how Jolie achieved such melodious heights, it's worth exploring her training process and explaining how she almost lip-synced the role before pushing her unseen singing talents to the fore.

Maria, starring Angelina Jolie, is an intense look at the final years of the life of famed opera singer Maria Callas. Directed by Pablo Larraín and debuting on Netflix in December 2024, Maria follows Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021) as the final film in his trilogy of movies about influential 20th-century women.

While Maria focuses on Maria Callas's life during the 1970s, the years leading up to that time shaped the complex, fascinating woman portrayed by Jolie. Maria Callas's challenges on and off the stage were fodder for her colleagues and the media, as was her highly publicized relationship with Aristotle Onassis. Later in her life, Maria Callas experienced vocal challenges that ultimately ended her historic career, although her contributions to the music world remain beyond reproach. Here's more about the titular icon to understand why Jolie went to great lengths to bring Maria to life.

4/5 Maria BiographyDramaMusic

Release Date November 27, 2024Cast Angelina Jolie,...

Angelina Jolie takes center stage in the first trailer for Maria, her first movie in three years. Directed by Pablo Larran, Maria stars Jolie as real-life opera singer Maria Callas, chronicling the figure's final days in Paris in the 1970s. The film, which was written by Steven Knight, recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Maria marks Jolie's first movie since appearing as Thena in Eternals (2021).

Now, Netflix releases the first trailer for Maria, providing a new look at Jolie as the iconic singer. The trailer reveals Larran's old-shool approach to capturing the figure's life, including different film stocks, seemingly for the different periods of Callas' life. Some of the film's supporting cast members are also briefly shown off in the trailer, including Haluk Bilginer, Pierfrancesco Favino, and Alba Rohrwacher. Check out the trailer below:

More to come...

Source: Netflix

Maria 6/10 0

Maria (2024) is a biographical drama about opera singer Maria Callas,...

Netflixhas announced the release schedule for Pablo Larrans upcoming psychological drama, Maria, starring Angelina Jolie in the title role of the legendary opera singer Maria Callas. The movie, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and competed for the Golden Lion, will get a limited two-week theatrical run starting November 27, before hitting the streaming service on December 11, per Variety. Maria delves deep into the later life of renowned opera singer Maria Callas. After having a tumultuous life, where her rise to fame and illustrious career was accompanied by personal struggles, the singer retreated to a quieter life in Paris during the 1970s. The movie captures her as she recalls her relationships, the pressures of being in the public eye, and coming to terms with her identity and legacy.

Marias premiere at the Venice Film Festival, held at the Sala Grande Theatre, was met with an 8-minute standing ovation, leaving Jolie visibly moved.

“Here After” is a new live-action supernatural thriller, directed by Robert Salerno, starring Connie Britton, Freya Hannan-Mills, Giovanni Cirfiera, Tommaso Basili, Syama Rayner, Babetida Sadjo, Alessandro Bressanello, Andrea Bruschi, Alessandro Riceci, Giorgia Trasselli, Laura Anzani and Lollo Franco, opening September 13, 2024 in theaters:

“…’Claire Hiller’ is overjoyed when her daughter ‘Robin’ is miraculously revived after a near fatal accident.

“But her relief turns to dread as Claire notices changes in her daughter…

“…suspecting something ‘dark’ has Robin back from the brink of death…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

BAFTA-nominated producer Robert Salerno is finally stepping into the director's chair with the horror-thriller, Here After. Having been in the industry since 1996's Sling Blade, Salerno has been on the producing side for a variety of hits throughout his career, including the Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal-led Nocturnal Animals and Charlie Kaufman's I'm Thinking of Ending Things. Salerno was also one of the producers behind Paramount's hit new horror franchise, Smile, and its upcoming sequel, Smile 2.

Salerno's feature directorial debut, Here After, follows Claire Hiller on a series of ups and downs. She is overjoyed when her daughter, Robin, is miraculously revived after a fatal accident. However, her relief soon turns to dread as she starts to suspect that something dark has followed Robin back from the brink of death, putting her in a race against time to figure out the root of these events and...

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Screen Rant is proud to present an exclusive clip from Paramount's upcoming release, Here After, which hits select theaters and digital on Friday, September 13. When her daughter is resuscitated after a fatal accident, Claire Hiller is relieved beyond belief. However, the official synopsis warns that "her relief turns to dread as Claire notices changes in [Robin], suspecting something dark has followed her back from the brink of death." There's little a mother wouldn't do for her child, and Claire must dive deep into the world of the paranormal if she hopes to save Robin's soul.

With a PG-13 rating, Here After will likely lean into the element of suspense to create tension, rather than rely on blood and gore.

The supernatural thriller is written by Sarah Conradt and directed by Robert Salerno. It stars Connie Britton, best known for her roles in Nashville,...

“Here After” is a new live-action supernatural thriller, directed by Robert Salerno, starring Connie Britton, Freya Hannan-Mills, Giovanni Cirfiera, Tommaso Basili, Syama Rayner, Babetida Sadjo, Alessandro Bressanello, Andrea Bruschi, Alessandro Riceci, Giorgia Trasselli, Laura Anzani and Lollo Franco, opening September 13, 2024 in theaters:

“…’Claire Hiller’ is overjoyed when her daughter ‘Robin’ is miraculously revived after a near fatal accident.

“But her relief turns to dread as Claire notices changes in her daughter…

“…suspecting something ‘dark’ has Robin back from the brink of death…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Plot: Follows an insecure American woman who unexpectedly inherits her grandfather’s mafia empire in Italy. Guided by the firm’s trusted consigliere, she hilariously defies everyone’s expectations, including her own, as the new head of the family business.

Review: The glut of movies out there means that viewers must be selective with what they watch, often relying on star power to draw them into a project. On the heels of her lead role in the Prime Video series The Power, Toni Collette lets loose and has some fun in Mafia Mamma. From director Catherine Hardwicke, Mafia Mamma is a comedy that would have been an abysmal failure with a weaker lead actress. Despite the copious references to The Godfather and surprising bloodshed, Mafia Mamma never rises above the cliche screenplay. The only saving grace is Collette, who has great comedic timing and dives into this film with energy...

Mafia Mamma coulda been a contender, a sharp idea to throw an unsuspecting wife, mother and frustrated businesswoman into a new life as the head of an Italian crime family. Instead, though blessed to have the wonderful Toni Collette in the title role, it becomes a pasta with too many ingredients. This is not to say general audiences won’t be pleased, but this is a movie that feels like we have seen it too many times before. You certainly will have a few laughs, admire the Roman scenery and root for Collette’s success, but it is pretty mild when it should have been wickedly smart with this kind of premise. Married to the Mob it is not.

Collette plays Kristin Balbano Jordan, an American in the midst of a life crisis. Her only son Domenick (Tommy Rodger) is going off to college, she catches her deadbeat husband Paul...

There are some movies that, just from the premise alone, sound like they'll be a blast. Catherine Hardwicke's new film Mafia Mamma is one such title, and it certainly leans into the silliness of its central conceit. In some ways, it's like wish fulfillment for anyone who has felt severely underappreciated in life, provided they don't mind some illegal activities. Even when it gets too slight for its own good, Mafia Mamma keeps things moving along at a brisk, entertaining pace that pushes its flaws to the wayside. Led by a delightful Toni Collette, this is one wild ride.

When the movie kicks off, things aren't going so well for suburban mother Kristin (Collette). Her son Domenick (Tommy Rodger) is headed off to college, her deadbeat husband Paul (Tim Daish) is cheating on her, and few people are willing to listen to her at work. When the alluring Bianca...

"I am tired of this war... My family is tired of this war." Bleecker Street has debuted the full official trailer for an action comedy set in Italy titled Mafia Mamma, the latest film by director Catherine Hardwicke - who hasn't made a new feature since Miss Bala in 2018. The original teaser from last year is much better, as this trailer plays up the jokes and very few of them land. Hardwicke’s new action-comedy, Mafia Mamma, starring Toni Collette and Monica Bellucci. An American woman who inherits her grandfather's "Mafia empire," and guided by the Firm's trusted consigliere, defies everyone's expectations – including her own – as the new head of the family business. It's now set to open in US theaters this April. The cast includes Alfonso Perugini, Giulio Corso, and Alessandro Bressanello. Maybe this would be better if it was a red band trailer? Looks bad, not even funny,...

"You can't run away from your destiny!" You must embrace the mafia. Ha! Bleecker Street has revealed a first look teaser trailer for the action comedy set in Italy titled Mafia Mamma, the latest film by director Catherine Hardwicke - who hasn't made a new feature since Miss Bala in 2018. This one is now set to drop in Spring 2023, and this first teaser is red band rated as it's packed with tons of foul language. Hardwicke’s new action-comedy, Mafia Mamma, starring Toni Collette and Monica Bellucci - a suburban American woman who inherits her grandfather's "Mafia empire," and guided by the Firm's trusted consigliere, defies everyone's expectations – including her own – as the new head of the family business. The cast also includes Alfonso Perugini, Giulio Corso, and Alessandro Bressanello. This looks hilarious! I don't think this kind of wacky concept would work as well without Toni Collette leading the way.

A major presale has been signed for “Bella Germania,” and fittingly for a sweeping tale of Italian immigrants in Germany, it has been picked up by Rai. The Italian pubcaster will play it on its flagship free-tv station Rai Uno and is expected to launch it this summer.

Spanning several generations, “Bella Germania” comprises three 90-minute episodes. It traces the fortunes of the first wave of Italian immigrants to Germany, from the 1960s and encompasses the present day. It is told through the eyes of the new arrivals and the people they meet and fall in love with, and traces their lives as they become part of the fabric of their new home.

The cast includes Natalia Belitski, Silvia Busuioc, Alessandro Bressanello and Denis Moschitto.

The miniseries captures the international TV zeitgeist. Germany has emerged as an international drama hot-spot, with such shows as “Dark,” “Deutschland 83” and “Das Boot” churning up global sales,...