News

One of the year’s most beautiful, aching films is Clint Bentley’s Train Dreams, a Denis Johnson adaptation that premiered at Sundance Film Festival. With a cast featuring Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Nathaniel Arcand, Clifton Collins Jr., John Diehl, Paul Schneider, Kerry Condon, William H. Macy, and narration by Will Patton, Netflix has now unveiled the first trailer ahead of a November 7 theatrical and November 21 Netflix release.

Here’s the synopsis: “Based on Denis Johnson’s beloved novella, Train Dreams is the moving portrait of Robert Grainier, a logger and railroad worker who leads a life of unexpected depth and beauty in the rapidly-changing America of the early 20th Century.”

Dan Mecca in his Sundance review, “There is a moment in Train Dreams, directed by Clint Bentley, where a tree gracefully falls to the earth, surrounded by lush green. Particles explode from the impact, the sunlight illuminating these small,...

After winning the Oscar for 20 Days in Mariupol, Ukrainian director Mstyslav Chernov is back with another harrowing portrait from the frontlines of Russia’s attack on his country. 2000 Meters to Andriivka, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, will now come to theaters beginning July 25. Ahead of the PBS Frontline and Associated Press’ release, the first trailer and poster have now arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “From the Oscar®-winning team behind 20 Days In Mariupol, 2000 Meters To Andriivka documents the toll of the Russia-Ukraine war from a personal and devastating vantage point. Following his historic account of the civilian toll in Mariupol, Mstyslav Chernov turns his lens towards Ukrainian soldiers —who they are, where they came from, and the impossible decisions they face in the trenches as they fight for every inch of their land. Amid a failing counteroffensive in 2023, Chernov and his AP colleague Alex Babenko...

One of the breakout premieres at Sundance Film Festival this year, Kate Beecroft’s East of Wall stars Tabatha Zimiga as a version of herself, running a ranch in the Badlands of South Dakota. Picked up by Sony Pictures Classics for a theatrical release beginning August 15, they’ve now debuted the first trailer and poster.

Here’s the synopsis: “East Of Wall is an authentic portrait of female resilience in the ”New West” inspired and played by the women and girls who live it. Set in the Badlands of South Dakota, Tabatha, a young, rebellious rancher, who rescues and resells horses, must make hard decisions to deal with her fractured family, financial uncertainty, and unresolved grief, all while providing refuge for a group of wayward neighborhood teens.”

Dan Mecca said in his Sundance review, “The degree of difficulty in making East of Wall must have been enormous: a small budget,...

As a special holiday gift to The Film Stage podcast feed, listen to a new Box Office Bonanza! Here we talk about random box office weekends and where they fit into our lives. The movies, the memories! This episode features Dan Mecca, Conor O’Donnell, Mitchell Beaupre, Jordan Raup, and Cory Everett.

The box office weekend in question is July 21, 2000. The number one movie in the country was the Robert Zemeckis-directed, Clark Gregg-scripted, Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer-starring supernatural thriller What Lies Beneath. The number three movie was the second Pokémon feature film, Pokémon 2000. Gladiator was still in theaters, so was U-571.

But at the start, we mount a passionate defense of the new Zemeckis epic Here, which has now arrived digitally. After that, we talk about Martin Lawrence movies. We talk about how horrible Greg Kinnear’s character is in Amy Heckerling’s Loser. We talk...

One of the most acclaimed documentaries of the year thus far, Brendan Bellomo & Slava Leontyev’s Porcelain War premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year where it picked up the Documentary Grand Jury Prize. Now set for a November 22 rollout, the first trailer has landed.

Here’s the synopsis: “Porcelain War is a stunning tribute to the resilience of the human spirit, embodying the enduring hope and passion of ordinary people living through extraordinary circumstances. As war ravages their homeland, three artists choose to stay in their native Ukraine, armed with their art, their cameras, and for the first time in their lives, their guns.”

Dan Mecca said in his review, “Quiet scenes between Slava and Anya are arguably more effective than the sequences of battle and rubble. Anya paints on the porcelain figures Slava makes, and the filmmakers animate these paintings as the duo recall Russia’s 2014 capture of Crimea that changed everything.

As we go deeper into the fall movie season, October often offers the cream of the cinematic crop. This year is no different: with this year’s top winners at Berlinale and Cannes, and much more, there’s plenty to enjoy. As many of these will begin in limited release, look for them to expand in the weeks to come.

10. Black Box Diaries (Shiori Ito; Oct. 25)

A personal and harrowing exploration of sexual assault, Black Box Diaries was one of the best documentaries of Sundance this year. Lena Wilson said her review, “In the middle of Black Box Diaries, journalist Shiori Ito’s debut documentary, Ito grins at the camera as she strolls through downtown Tokyo on the day of her book launch. It’s October 18, 2017. The New York Times broke the Harvey Weinstein news two weeks ago. Alyssa Milano popularized the hashtag #MeToo two days ago. Ito, fresh-faced and...

One of the most acclaimed films coming out of the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year was A Real Pain, the second feature directed by Jesse Eisenberg. Featuring mismatched cousins David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) who reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother, the film was picked up by Searchlight Pictures for a November 1 release and now the full-length trailer has arrived ahead of its New York Film Festival premiere.

Dan Mecca said in his review, “There’s something humble about Jesse Eisenberg writing, directing, and co-starring in a film, only to give its plum role to Kieran Culkin. Eisenberg, still, writes himself arguably the best scene in this picture; maybe the jury’s still out on the humble thing. David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin) meet at the airport ahead of a trip to Poland. Their grandmother has recently passed and set some money aside...

One of the Sundance breakouts this year was Greg Jardin’s directorial debut It’s What’s Inside. Starring Brittany O’Grady, James Morosini, Gavin Leatherwood, Nina Bloomgarden, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Reina Hardesty, Devon Terrell, and David Thompson, it follows a group of friends who gather for a pre-wedding party that descends into an existential nightmare when an estranged friend arrives with a mysterious game that awakens long-hidden secrets, desires, and grudges. Ahead of an October 4 drop on Netflix, the first trailer has arrived.

Dan Mecca said in his Sundance review, “There are few things better than when a good idea blossoms into a great movie. It’s What’s Inside, written and directed by Greg Jardin, achieves this rare feat. DIY in both aesthetic and narrative build, it suggests a labor of love. The premise is simple: a group of old college friends party at a big house the night before one of them gets married.

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

The Boy and the Heron (Hayao Miyazaki)

Cinema at its most boundlessly imaginative, The Boy and the Heron is a journey of thrilling, pure dream logic chock full of images that feel conjured from the deepest corners of Miyazaki’s mind. Considering the painstaking, hand-drawn labor it takes to pull off an animation this encumbered by standard narrative conventions, the feat of Miyazaki being able to corral such a vision feels miraculous. For the sake of the medium, here’s hoping the 82-year-old legend has one more in him.

Where to Stream: Max

Coup! (Austin Stark and Joseph Schuman)

Let’s talk about the pandemic for a moment. No, not the Covid-19 Pandemic. The pandemic that, 100 years ago, killed millions and shuttered...

Welcome to a new episode from The Film Stage! It’s not The Film Stage Show. It’s not The B-Side! It’s something else! It’s a Box Office Bonanza from The Film Stage! Here we talk about random box office weekends and where they fit into our lives. The movies, the memories! This episode features Dan Mecca, Conor O’Donnell, Mitchell Beaupre, Jordan Raup, and Ross Bratin.

The box office weekend in question is January 14th, 2005. The number one movie in the country was the Samuel L. Jackson basketball picture Coach Carter. The number five movie was the superhero dud Elektra. There’s also the little-seen indie A Love Song for Bobby Long. The Flight of the Phoenix remake was still on the board. Racing Stripes was about to hold really well for a few weeks. Way down is Blade: Trinity, in its sixth week. We discuss those reports...

Before we get yet another Superman film next summer, this fall brings a documentary that examines the man who made him famous on cinema screens. Premiering at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year’s Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story tells the story of the actor and activist. Picked up by DC Studios, it’ll now arrive in theaters for two nights only on September 21 and 25. Ahead of the theatrical showings the first trailer has arrived.

Dan Mecca said in his review, “Directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story recounts and examines the incredibly compelling, tragic, redemptive story of actor and activist Christopher Reeve. He was made famous playing the superhero Superman in Richard Donner/Richard Lester/Sidney J. Furie’s quartet of films in the ’70s and ’80s. In 1995, Reeve was paralyzed from the neck down after being thrown from a horse during a competition.

One of cinema’s greatest partnerships is getting its due with Stephen Soucy’s forthcoming documentary Merchant Ivory, set for a release on August 30. Ahead of the release from Cohen Media Group, it’s prime time to revisit the work of Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, and now those in NYC will get a chance. “Merchant Ivory: An Extraordinary Partnership,” taking place August 23-29 at Quad Cinema, features restorations of seven masterpieces from the Cohen Film Collection and we’re pleased to debut the exclusive series trailer.

Titles include Merchant Ivory classics Howards End, Maurice, The Bostonians, Heat and Dust, and Quartet, plus brand-new restorations of James Ivory’s 1977 ballroom drama Roseland starring Teresa Wright, Geraldine Chaplin, and Christopher Walken and Ismail Merchant’s 1993 directorial debut In Custody starring frequent Merchant Ivory collaborator Shashi Kapoor. James Ivory will be in person for post-screening Q&As on August 27 & 28 for select screenings of In Custody,...

Welcome to a new episode of The Film Stage Show! Brian Roan and Robyn Bahr are joined by Dan Mecca for a special dadcast edition of the podcast to discuss M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap.

Enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. All new Patreon supporters receive a free 4K Uhd or Blu-ray upon joining.

Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and Overcast, or stream below.

The Film Stage Show is supported by Mubi, a curated streaming service showcasing exceptional films from around the globe. Every day, Mubi premieres a new film. Whether it’s a timeless classic, a cult favorite, or an acclaimed masterpiece — it’s guaranteed to be either a movie you’ve been dying to see or one you’ve never heard of before and there will always be something new to discover. Try it for free for 30 days at mubi.

After a relatively quiet last few years, Saoirse Ronan is returning in a major way this fall, leading two new features: first up, Nora Fingscheidt’s Sundance highlight The Outrun followed by Steve McQueen’s Blitz. The former is set for an October 4 release from Sony Pictures Classics and now the new trailer has arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “After a decade away in London, 29-year-old Rona (Saoirse Ronan) returns home to the Orkney Islands. Sober but lonely, she tries to suppress her memory of the events which set her on this journey of recovery. Slowly the mystical land enters her inner world and – one day at a time – Rona finds hope and strength in herself among the heavy gales and the bracingly cold sea. Based on the bestselling memoir by Amy Liptrot, who co-wrote the screenplay with Fingscheidt, The Outrun is an acutely honest drama about addiction and recovery.

As the summer movie season comes to a close, August brings a shockingly stacked slate of offerings, topped by a film that is sure to age like a fine classic in years to come. Elsewhere we have accomplished debuts, action spectacles, and a thriller from the man who has recently returned to perfecting the formula.

15. Blink Twice (Zoë Kravitz; Aug. 23)

While its new title doesn’t quite have the hook of its original, Pussy Island, we’re curious what’s in store for the directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz. Featuring some cast––including Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Kyle MacLachlan, Alia Shawkat, Christian Slater, and Geena Davis––the story follows a cocktail waitress who becomes infatuated with a tech mogul and travels with him to his private island, where things begin going wrong. Featuring cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra (The Last Black Man in San...

One of the greatest filmmaking partnerships to grace the industry is getting its deserved due in a new documentary. Directed by Stephen Soucy and featuring Dame Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Grant, Vanessa Redgrave, Rupert Graves, and James Wilby, Merchant Ivory explores the collaboration of director James Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant, and their primary associates, writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and composer Richard Robbins. For those not familiar, Merchant Ivory Productions was responsible for the likes of A Room with a View, Howards End, The Remains of the Day, Maurice, and The Bostonians. Following a festival tour, the first trailer has now arrived from Cohen Media Group ahead of an August 30 release.

Here’s the synopsis: “Merchant Ivory (2023) is the first definitive feature documentary to lend new and compelling perspectives on the partnership, both professional and personal, of director James Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant and their primary associates, writer Ruth...

Winner of the 2024 Directing Award in its U.S. Documentary category at Sundance Film Festival, Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie’s Sugarcane is one of the most gripping documentaries of the year. Set for an August 9 theatrical release from National Geographic Documentary Films, the film explores the history and trauma inflicted on those in the Canadian Indian residential school system. Ahead of the release, the first trailer has arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “In 2021, evidence of unmarked graves was discovered on the grounds of an Indian residential school run by the Catholic Church in Canada. After years of silence, the forced separation, assimilation and abuse many children experienced at these segregated boarding schools was brought to light, sparking a national outcry against a system designed to destroy Indigenous communities. Set amidst a groundbreaking investigation, Sugarcane illuminates the beauty of a community breaking cycles of intergenerational trauma and finding the strength to persevere.

Premiering earlier this year at Sundance Film Festival, Sebastian marks the sophomore feature from writer/director Mikko Mäkelä (whose debut was the 2017 gay romance A Moment in the Reeds). Following a burgeoning young journalist who turns to sex work to research his first novel, the film was picked up by Kino Lorber for an August 2 release and the first trailer has now arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “Max (Ruaridh Mollica) is a 25-year-old aspiring novelist, living in London and paying his dues working at a literary magazine. Frustrated by his own ambitions and the pressures to succeed, Max begins moonlighting as a sex worker with the pseudonym Sebastian, secretly meeting men via an escorting platform and using his experiences to fuel his stories. What begins as a few furtive meetings soon becomes a hidden nocturnal life, and the debut novel that he has been longing to write finally seems within reach.

While thankfully the January 6 insurrection wasn’t successful in the intended coup of the United States government, the threats posed play out to another, far more disastrous conclusion with the new documentary War Game. Jesse Moss and Tony Gerber’s Sundance premiere, which captures an actual roleplay of top government officials exploring the scenario, will now arrive in theaters on August 2 and the first trailer has arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “War Game sweeps audiences into an elaborate future-set simulation that dramatically escalates the threat posed by the January 6, 2021 insurrection. The film follows a bipartisan group of US defense, intelligence, and elected policymakers spanning five presidential administrations as they participate in an unscripted role-play exercise. Portraying a fictional President of the United States and his advisors, they confront a political coup backed by rogue members of the US military in the wake of a contested 2024 presidential election. Like actors in a thriller,...

One of the most acclaimed films coming out of the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year was A Real Pain, the second feature directed by Jesse Eisenberg. Featuring mismatched cousins David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) who reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother, the film was picked up by Searchlight Pictures for an October 18 release and now the first teaser trailer has landed.

Dan Mecca said in his review, “There’s something humble about Jesse Eisenberg writing, directing, and co-starring in a film, only to give its plum role to Kieran Culkin. Eisenberg, still, writes himself arguably the best scene in this picture; maybe the jury’s still out on the humble thing. David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin) meet at the airport ahead of a trip to Poland. Their grandmother has recently passed and set some money aside for the two young men to take...

We’re delighted to exclusively announce that Grasshopper Film has acquired the digital and non-theatrical North American distribution rights to I’m “George Lucas”: A Connor Ratliff Story, which World Premiered at Slamdance earlier this year and had a successful limited theatrical run nationwide with Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas this past spring. The documentary has its PVOD premiere starting today, available for rental or purchase, followed by a Tvod release on major platforms. The film tracks comedian Connor Ratliff while he performs as renowned filmmaker George Lucas in the New York cult comedy show “The George Lucas Talk Show,” and as he begins to question the need for its continuation and his own drive for success and fulfillment in show business.

The documentary is directed by first-time filmmaker Ryan Jacobi and stars Connor Ratliff, Griffin Newman, and Patrick Cotnoir (The Chris Gethard Show), and is produced by Annamaria Sofillas, Jacobi,...

Although peculiarly still without U.S. distribution some five months after its Sundance premiere, Nora Fingscheidt’s addiction drama The Outrun, starring Saoirse Ronan, will arrive in the UK this September. Ahead of the release, the first trailer has now arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “Saoirse Ronan stars as Rona, who, fresh out of rehab, returns to the Orkney Islands; a place both wild and beautiful right off the Scottish coast. After more than a decade of living life on the edge in London, where she both found and lost love, Rona – now 30 – attempts to come to terms with her troubled past. As she reconnects with the dramatic landscape where she grew up, memories of her traumatic childhood merge with more recent challenging events that have set her on the path to recovery.”

Dan Mecca said in his review, “Maybe the smartest decision made in The Outrun, directed by Nora Fingscheidt,...

A last-minute addition to the May calendar is a reunion between The Worst Person in the World stars Renate Reinsve and Anders Danielsen Lie. Thea Hvistendahl’s zombie feature Handling the Undead, adapted by the director and John Ajvide Lindqvist based on the latter’s novel, premiered earlier this year at Sundance Film Festival and will now arrive from Neon starting May 31. Ahead of the release, the new trailer has arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “On a hot summer day in Oslo, the dead mysteriously awaken, and three families are thrown into chaos when their deceased loved ones come back to them. Who are they, and what do they want? A family is faced with the mother’s reawakening before they have even mourned her death after a car accident; an elderly woman gets the love of her life back the same day she has buried her; a grandfather rescues...

Oscar-nominated Strong Island director Yance Ford returned to Sundance Film Festival this year with Power, a lively, detailed essay film that takes a deep look at the history of policing in the United States and unceasing expansion of its scope and scale, much to the detriment of marginalized communities. Another powerful, informative inquiry from the filmmaker about the failings of systems meant to protect citizens, the first trailer has now arrived ahead of a theatrical release on May 10 and Netflix release on May 17.

Dan Mecca said in his Sundance review, “‘Police power is immediate power.’ These opening words from Redditt Hudson––former police officer and co-founder of the National Coalition of Law Enforcement Officers for Justice, Reform, and Accountability––haunt and inform the entirety of Yance Ford’s Power. Ford actually opens the film over black, informing viewers that what they are about to see is ‘an analysis of police...

One of the most riveting, harrowing documentaries of the year finally has a home. After premiering at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, where it picked up the Directing Award in its U.S. Documentary section, Luke Lorentzen’s Midnight Family follow-up A Still Small Voice will now arrive in theaters on November 10 from Abramorama. Ahead of the release, the first trailer has now arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “Director Luke Lorentzen’s A Still Small Voice follows Mati, a chaplain completing a year-long hospital residency, as she learns to provide spiritual care to people confronting profound life changes. Through Mati’s experiences with her patients, her struggle with professional burnout, and her own spiritual questioning, we gain new perspectives on how meaningful connection can be and how painful its absence is.”

Dan Mecca said in his Sundance review, “At times shockingly personal, the documentary A Still Small Voice will sneak up on most viewers.

Cinephile Game Night has returned with Cinephile Summer, a brand new season featuring your favorite podcasters and filmmakers going head-to-head to see who is the ultimate cinephile. Hosted by The Film Stage’s Jordan Raup, Conor O’Donnell, and Dan Mecca along with Cinephile: A Card Game creator Cory Everett, the series debuts new episodes bi-weekly on The Film Stage Show podcast feed and The Film Stage YouTube channel.

For the season finale of Cinephile Summer, we were thrilled to face off against our friends at Bright Wall/Dark Room: Chad Perman, Eli, Fran Hoepfner, and Veronica Fitzpatrick. Check out the episode below and stay tuned for updates as Cinephile Game Night will return live in person at the 61st New York Film Festival!

Each episode features teams facing off for rounds of Filmography, Movie-Actor and Six Degrees and the team with the most points is crowned the winner. Internet glory ensues.

Cinephile Game Night has returned with Cinephile Summer, a brand new season featuring your favorite podcasters and filmmakers going head-to-head to see who is the ultimate cinephile. Hosted by The Film Stage’s Jordan Raup, Conor O’Donnell, and Dan Mecca along with Cinephile: A Card Game creator Cory Everett, the series debuts new episodes bi-weekly on The Film Stage Show podcast feed and The Film Stage YouTube channel.

For the fifth episode of Cinephile Summer, we were thrilled to face off against the epic team-up of Happy Sad Confused host Josh Horowitz, Light the Fuse hosts Drew Taylor and Charles Hood, and filmmaker and video essayist Patrick Willems.

And for those of you in Los Angeles, the American Cinematheque is programming a really cool series called “Friend of the Fest” where Cory will be repping Cinephile Summer and introducing a screening of one of our favorite late summer movies,...

Cinephile Game Night has returned this year for Cinephile Summer, a brand new season featuring your favorite podcasters and filmmakers going head-to-head to see who is the ultimate cinephile. Hosted by The Film Stage’s Jordan Raup, Conor O’Donnell, and Dan Mecca along with Cinephile: A Card Game creator Cory Everett, the series will debut new episodes bi-weekly on The Film Stage Show podcast feed and The Film Stage YouTube channel.

For the third episode of Cinephile Summer, we were thrilled to face off against our friends at 50 Mph––a brand new podcast that takes you behind-the-scenes of Jan de Bont’s Oscar-winning 1994 summer blockbuster, Speed––featuring Kris Tapley, Paul Hammond, and Jonathan Foster.

Each episode features teams facing off for rounds of Filmography, Movie-Actor and Six Degrees and the team with the most points is crowned the winner. Internet glory ensues. Throughout two seasons and nearly 50 episodes special guests...

Cinephile Game Night has returned this year for Cinephile Summer, a brand new season featuring your favorite podcasters and filmmakers going head-to-head to see who is the ultimate cinephile. Hosted by The Film Stage’s Jordan Raup, Conor O’Donnell, and Dan Mecca along with Cinephile: A Card Game creator Cory Everett, the series will debut new episodes bi-weekly on The Film Stage Show podcast feed and The Film Stage YouTube channel.

For the third episode of Cinephile Summer, we were thrilled to face off against our friends at We Hate Movies, featuring Andrew Jupin, Chris Cabin, Eric Szyszka, and Stephen Sajdak.

Each episode features teams facing off for rounds of Filmography, Movie-Actor and Six Degrees and the team with the most points is crowned the winner. Internet glory ensues. Throughout two seasons and nearly 50 episodes special guests have included podcasts such as Action Boyz, Blank Check, The Big Picture,...

Having earned Sundance’s first Best Actor award for a trans performer, Lío Mehiel, Mutt arrives with a bit of buzz more historic than critical. Following a festival run that also included Berlinale and New Directros/New Films, Vuk Lungulov-Klotz’s feature debut will open next month from Strand Releasing, ahead of which is a first trailer briefly encapsulating the film’s view of trans experience.

While recognizing its necessary social impacts we were somewhat mixed on the film’s overall form. Writing out of Sundance, Dan Mecca said in his review, “This is the feature debut for Lungulov-Klotz, and in some moments a preciousness shows. The saying ‘kill your darlings’ might come to mind: confessional dialogue that’s telling us what’s already been shown, lingering close-ups that run out of steam before we cut away. Yet there is both an honesty and urgency to what’s onscreen that proves essential.

Cinephile Game Night has returned this year for Cinephile Summer, a brand new season featuring your favorite podcasters and filmmakers going head-to-head to see who is the ultimate cinephile. Hosted by The Film Stage’s Jordan Raup, Conor O’Donnell, and Dan Mecca along with Cinephile: A Card Game creator Cory Everett, the series will debut new episodes bi-weekly on The Film Stage Show podcast feed and The Film Stage YouTube channel.

For the second episode of Cinephile Summer, we were thrilled to face off against our friends at One Heat Minute, featuring Blake Howard, Katie Walsh, Maria Lewis, and Alexei Toliopoulos. Joining the Tfs team as special guests are Gavin Mevius (co-host of The Mixed Reviews) and Veronica Fitzpatrick (co-host of The Bright Wall/Dark Room Podcast).

Each episode features teams facing off for rounds of Filmography, Movie-Actor and Six Degrees and the team with the most points is crowned the winner.

Cinephile Game Night has returned this year for Cinephile Summer, a brand new season featuring your favorite podcasters and filmmakers going head-to-head to see who is the ultimate cinephile. Hosted by The Film Stage’s Jordan Raup, Conor O’Donnell, and Dan Mecca along with Cinephile: A Card Game creator Cory Everett, the series will debut new episodes bi-weekly on The Film Stage Show podcast feed and The Film Stage YouTube channel.

For the first episode of Cinephile Summer, launching today, we were thrilled to face off against our friends at The Letterboxd Show, featuring Mitchell Beaupre, Matt “Slim” Kolowski, Mia Vicino, and special guest Chandler Levack, whose debut feature I Like Movies is now available digitally in Canada. Watch/listen below and stay tuned for episodes featuring One Heat Minute, We Hate Movies, and more!

Each episode features teams facing off for rounds of Filmography, Movie-Actor and Six Degrees...

On April 21, “‘Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant” was released by MGM, with Guy Ritchie at the helm as director, writer and producer. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal as US Army Sergeant John Kinley, who is saved by an Afghan interpreter named Ahmed (Dar Salim). When Ahmed’s life is later threatened for doing so, Kinley returns to Afghanistan to rescue him from the Taliban.

The movie opened to predominantly positive reviews, holding fresh at 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics’ consensus reading, “A satisfying, well-acted war thriller with surprising dramatic depths, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant tells a solid story with impressive restraint.” The ensemble cast includes Jonny Lee Miller, Antony Starr, Alexander Ludwig, Fahim Fazli, Jason Wong and Emily Beecham. Read our full review round-up below.

See 24 most anticipated movies for April include ‘Air,’ ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie,’ ‘Evil Dead Rise’ … [Photos]

Roger Moore of Movie Nation writes, “Ritchie’s...

Welcome to the return of Intermission, a spin-off podcast from The Film Stage Show. Led by yours truly, Michael Snydel, I invite a guest to discuss an arthouse, international, or experimental film of their choice.

For the fifteenth episode, I talked to The Film Stage co-founder/The B-Side co-host Dan Mecca about the ever-prolific Steven Soderbergh’s 2002 reimagining of Polish author Stanisław Lem’s seminal 1961 science fiction novel, Solaris.

Coming off a disparate and largely consistent run of projects, Soderbergh was and remains an unpredictable filmmaker who’s as likely to knock out a four-quadrant-blockbuster as an obtusely rendered conspiracy thriller throwback like Kimi.

Today’s conversation touches on Soderbergh’s ongoing fluency switching between different filmmaking modes and how those successes and failures inform both each other––and the exact timing of 2002’s notoriously poorly received Solaris. Coming after one of the most successful commercial and critical runs...

Welcome, one and all, to the latest episode of The Film Stage Show! Today, Brian Roan, Bill Graham, and Robyn Bahr are joined by Dan Mecca to discuss James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, which is now in theaters.

Enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. For a limited time, all new Patreon supporters will receive a free Blu-ray/DVD. After becoming a contributor, e-mail podcast@thefilmstage.com for an up-to-date list of available films.

Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, or stream below.

The Film Stage Show is supported by Mubi, a curated streaming service showcasing exceptional films from around the globe. Every day, Mubi premieres a new film. Whether it’s a timeless classic, a cult favorite, or an acclaimed masterpiece — it’s guaranteed to be either a movie you’ve been dying to...

Roxy Cinema

We’re proud to kick off The Film Stage Presents, a new screening series at the Roxy that begins with 35mm showings of Steven Spielberg’s The Terminal and Always this Saturday. Readers will receive a discounted 12 ticket with mention of our program at the Roxy’s box office.

Quad Cinema

The director’s edit of Going All the Way begins a run, and Film Stage co-founder Dan Mecca will host the Q&a on Sunday.

Anthology Film Archives

An Ozu series focuses on his reworkings of earlier films, i.e. prints of the best movies ever made.

Film at Lincoln Center

Lars von Trier’s The Kingdom, restored in a new director’s cut, begins a run.

Japan Society

The 2001 anime Metropolis screens on 35mm Friday night, with a giveaway being held.

Film Forum

Orson Welles’ The Trial, restored in 4K, continues a run; The Draughtsman’s Contract and Paris,...

As we enter the final month of the year, much of our focus will be on wrapping up 2022 in cinema with a number of features. In terms of new releases, there are a number of notable offerings sneaking in at the end of the year and we’ve rounded up the essentials.

There are also a few caveats: we didn’t include a handful of stellar films that have qualifying runs and will be properly released in 2023—including One Fine Morning, Return to Seoul, and Saint Omer. And a number of Netflix titles will arrive on their platform this month, but received theatrical releases beginning last month, so they were featured on our November list.

Check out our December picks to see below.

12. The Whale (Darren Aronofsky; Dec. 9)

After wildly divisive reactions since its Venice premiere, A24’s tepid marketing for The Whale suggests they hope awards voters recognize Brendan Fraser...

While it’s easy to agree that most remakes these days seem solely concocted for economic rather than artistic reasons, every once in a while a remake comes along conveyed with some genuine craft. Living, directed by Oliver Hermanus and written by the great Kazuo Ishiguro, reverently adapts Akira Kurosawa’s classic Ikiru while still finding new life to the story.

Led by Bill Nighy, the film follows an ordinary man, reduced by years of oppressive office routine to a shadow existence, who at the eleventh hour makes a supreme effort to turn his dull life into something wonderful ––into one he can say has been lived to the full. Ahead of a release next month from Sony Classics, the first trailer has now arrived.

Dan Mecca said in his review, “Let us then use this space to celebrate Bill Nighy. The Surrey-born performer made a name for himself in...

Welcome, one and all, to the latest episode of The Film Stage Show! Today, Dan Mecca joins Bill Graham and Robyn Bahr, along with special guest Fran Hoepfner, to discuss Todd Field’s TÁR, now in theaters and on VOD.

Enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. For a limited time, all new Patreon supporters will receive a free Blu-ray/DVD. After becoming a contributor, e-mail podcast@thefilmstage.com for an up-to-date list of available films.

Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, or stream below.

The Film Stage Show is supported by Mubi, a curated streaming service showcasing exceptional films from around the globe. Every day, Mubi premieres a new film. Whether it’s a timeless classic, a cult favorite, or an acclaimed masterpiece — it’s guaranteed to be either a movie you’ve been dying to see...

Summer may have come and gone, but The B-Side returns this Friday to celebrate the 100th Episode!

Gearing up for a lightning round of 99 more B-Sides in a single episode, we’ve compiled a supercut teaser celebrating our array of subjects, featuring a little bit of a surprise for you:

As an extra bonus, we’ll be doing a giveaway to whomever can name as many films featured in the supercut as possible.

Submit your answers via email (bside@thefilmstage.com) or Twitter Dm (@TFSBSide) by September 12th. The five people who get the most correct will be automatically entered to win a mystery package of three B-Side favorites on Blu-ray!

We’d like to extend a very special thanks to Adam Blotner for our brand new theme song, and to Adrian Carey for his animation chops. Additionally, we’ve got nothing but love for all of our past guests and of course for you,...

A major highlight of Sundance and Berlinale earlier this year, A Love Song is a quaint drama of raw emotion. Max Walker-Silverman’s directorial debut follows Dale Dickey’s character biding her time at a rural Colorado campground while awaiting the arrival of Wes Studi’s character, a figure from her past. Ahead of Bleecker Street’s theatrical release starting July 29, the first trailer has arrived.

As Dan Mecca said in his review, “There are great faces, and then there is Dale Dickey’s face. Simply put, it is in a league of its own. The sole contender may be Wes Studi’s. A Love Song, written and directed by Max Walker-Silverman, has both. Lovely, short, spare, and bittersweet, this feature debut is living proof that less is sometimes more. Often the camera lingers in close-up on either performer’s beautiful mug, and it’s never long enough. We see...

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.

Today, we discuss one of the most prominent descendants of Hollywood royalty: Drew Barrymore! Filling in for Dan Mecca, Letterboxd’s Mitchell Beaupre joins Conor as a guest host, alongside exceptionally talented writer (and Cinephile Game Night champion) Marya E. Gates! Marya’s substack is well worth the subscription, often highlighting underseen work by women directors, among other great stuff. The B-Sides featured today are: Poison Ivy, Guncrazy, Boys on the Side, and Miss You Already. The gang also takes a couple pit stops at 2007’s Lucky You, and Drew’s charming 2009 directorial debut, Whip It!

An emblematic child star, we discuss Drew’s innate magnetism and affability, on display throughout her career. After breaking out in E.

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.

The Adventures of Tintin (Steven Spielberg)

Leave it to Steven Spielberg to eke more thrills out of an animated feature than most directors could with every live-action tool at their disposal. The Adventures of Tintin is colored and paced like a child’s fantastical imagining of how Hergé’s comics might play in motion, and the extent to which viewers buy it depends largely on their willingness to give...

Welcome, one and all, to the latest installment of The Film Stage Show! Today, Bill Graham and I are joined by Dan Mecca, uniting in a Judgement League. We talk about the newest entry into the Dceu, Justice League, directed by Zack Snyder. Be warned: Spoilers come later in the episode, but we don’t have a hard break between sections.

Subscribe on iTunes or see below to stream/download. Enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor.

M4A: The Film Stage Show Ep. 271 – Justice League

The Film Stage is supported by Mubi, a curated online cinema streaming a selection of exceptional independent, classic, and award-winning films from around the world. Each day, Mubi hand-picks a new gem and you have one month to watch it. Try it for free at mubi.com/filmstage.

Subscribe below:

Support The Film Stage Show on Patreon.

Welcome, one and all, to the latest installment of The Film Stage Show! Today, Michael Snydel and I are joined by Dan Mecca in order to talk about the rough and tumble tour through hell that is Brawl in Cell Block 99, the newest film from writer/director S. Craig Zahler.

Subscribe on iTunes or see below to stream download (right-click and save as…).

(Also, don’t be scared but we have a new Patreon page! Read up on the great rewards available and become a patron today!)

M4A: The Film Stage Show Ep. 267 – Brawl in Cell Block 99

00:00 – 07:12 – Introductions

07:13 – 36:44 – Brawl in Cell Block 99 review

36:45 – 1:13:47 – Spoilers

The Film Stage is supported by Mubi, a curated online cinema streaming a selection of exceptional independent, classic, and award-winning films from around the world. Each day, Mubi hand-picks a new gem and you have one month to watch it.

The end of the summer movie season is upon us, which normally means a dry spell for studio releases, and while that indeed looks to be the case, this is one of the best months of the year if one digs a little deeper. From European getaways to redneck heists to dramas about riots and terrorism, there’s an abundance of appealing choices at the cinema this August. See our picks below and let us know what you’re most looking forward to.

Matinees: It’s Not Yet Dark (8/4), This Time Tomorrow (8/4), Icarus (8/4), Machines (8/9), After Love (8/9), In This Corner of the World (8/11), The Nile Hilton Incident (8/11), The Wound (8/16), Sidemen: Long Road to Glory (8/18), What Happened to Monday (8/18), Crown Heights (8/25), Death Note (8/25), The Villainess (8/25), and The Teacher (8/30)

15. Lemon (Janicza Bravo; Aug. 18)

Synopsis: A man watches his life unravel after he is left by his girlfriend of 10 years.

Trailer

Why You Should...

Multiple New York stories come together in Dustin Guy Defa’s Person to Person, an ensemble piece that debuted at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. The film was shot on 16mm, which lead The Film Stage’s Dan Mecca to comment, “There is certainly — and commendably — a worn look to this version of New York City, thanks in large part to cinematographer Ashley Connor and her use of Super 16. If not for cell phones and other modern tech, we could be in the middle of a Woody Allen picture from the 1980s.”

Featuring a cast that includes Abbi Jacobson, Michael Cera, Tavi Gevinson, Isiah Whitlock, Jr., George Sample III, Olivia Luccardi, Hunter Zimny, Ben Rosenfield (here meeting a better fate than on Twin Peaks), and Philip Baker Hall. Watch the first trailer below.

During a single day in New York City, a variety of characters grapple with the mundane, the unexpected, and the larger questions permeating their lives. An investigative reporter struggles with her first day on the job, despite help from her misguided boss; a rebellious teen attempts to balance her feminist ideals with other desires; and a young man seeks to reconcile with his ex-girlfriend, even as her brother threatens revenge. Meanwhile, an avid music lover traverses the city in search of a rare record for his vinyl collection.

Person to Person opens in theaters and VOD on July 28.

Welcome, one and all, to the newest episode of The Film Stage Show! This week, I am joined by Dan Mecca and Bill Graham to discuss Jordan Vogt-Roberts‘ Kong: Skull Island, which is now in wide release.

Subscribe on iTunes or see below to stream download (right-click and save as…).

M4A: The Film Stage Show Ep. 231 – Kong: Skull Island

00:00 – 4:11 – Introductions

4:12 – 54:19 – Kong: Skull Island Discussion

54:20 – 1:14:18 – Kong: Skull Island Spoiler Discussion

The Film Stage is supported by Mubi, a curated online cinema streaming a selection of exceptional independent, classic, and award-winning films from around the world. Each day, Mubi hand-picks a new gem and you have one month to watch it. Try it for free at mubi.com/filmstage.

Bonus: Watch Vogt-Roberts dissect a scene from Kong: Skull Island below.

Subscribe below:

E-mail us or follow on Twitter and Facebook with any questions or comments.

Welcome to the latest episode of our official podcast, The Film Stage Show. This week, Amanda Waltz, Daniel Mecca, Bill Graham, and I discuss Thomas McCarthy‘s drama Spotlight, which is now in limited release and expanding, followed by a review of Sean Baker‘s Tangerine, which is now available to stream.

Subscribe on iTunes or see below to stream download (right-click and save as…).

M4A: The Film Stage Show Ep. 164 – Spotlight and Tangerine

0:00 – 09:17 – Introductions

9:18 – 33:53 – Spotlight review

33:54 – 1:02:22 – Tangerine review

Opening music comes courtesy of Joy Division. Subscribe below:

E-mail us or follow on Twitter (@FilmStageShow) with any questions or comments.

The 65th annual Cannes Film Festival kicks off tomorrow and we have two writers that just hit the shores of France. To start things off, we’ve got two intro pieces from both and a slew of photos as we look forward to more coverage including reviews and interviews. Check them out below, followed by new posters from the festival, including Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher, Brian De Palma‘s Passion, Nicole Kidman‘s Before I Go To Sleep, Gerard Butler‘s White House Taken and more.

———-

Still relatively calm and mostly quiet, Cannes, a small port town in the South of France, is bubbling with anticipation. As one promotional movie poster after the other is lifted up in front of the ritzy, glitzy hotels that populate the Mediterranean coast, the locals dread as the non-locals excite for the premier film festival event of the year.