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Peacock is ready with an entertainment-packed August this year. The upcoming month will see the release of the much-anticipated legal drama series, The Rainmaker, as well as the streaming release of the dark comedy thriller film, Borderline. Just like every month, Peacock is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the five new movies and TV shows coming to Peacock in August 2025.

Borderline (August 1) Credit – Magnolia Pictures

Borderline is a dark comedy thriller film written and directed by Jimmy Warden. The 2025 film is set in the 1990s in Los Angeles, and it follows pop star and actress Sofia Minor as she comes under attack by Paul Duerson, an obsessive and deluded fan. Borderline stars Samara Weaving, Ray Nicholson, Jimmie Fails, Alba Baptista, and Eric Dane.

Spoiler Alert (August 3) Credit – Focus...

From the producers of Barbie and Saltburn, Borderline will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 10 via Magnet.

Inspired by an actual stalking incident involving Madonna, the horror-comedy marks the feature directorial debut of Cocaine Bear writer Jimmy Warden.

Special Features:

The Making of Borderline

In the film, a violent sociopath escapes from a mental hospital and breaks into the home of world-famous pop star Sofia. The obsessive fan delusionally believes they’re getting married. Sofia’s just trying to survive the night.

Samara Weaving (Ready or Not), Ray Nicholson (Smile 2), Jimmie Fails (The Last Black Man in San Francisco), Alba Baptista (“Warrior Nun”), and Eric Dane (“Euphoria”) star.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her review, ” In its bid to present an alternate reality filled with empty-headed caricatures, it winds up directionless to the point where, like Madonna’s song, its grating silliness feels designed to make you lose your mind.

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This April, we are getting a ton of content from the much-anticipated return of The Last of Us and Andor on streaming to the release of some of the most-anticipated movies of this year, such as The Accountant 2 and Sinners. This upcoming month will see the release of many great movies, so we thought of compiling a list of all the best movies that are coming straight to streaming.

Y2K (Max) Release Date: April 4, 2025 Credit – A24

Y2K is an apocalyptic sci-fi comedy film directed by Kyle Mooney, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Evan Winter. The 2024 film is set on the last night of 1999, and it follows a group of high school juniors who crash a party but soon find themselves trying to survive the horrors of Y2K. It stars Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler,...

Borderline wants to be a chaotic thrill ride—a pulpy, twisted home-invasion thriller where a deranged stalker traps a pop star in his delusion of love. And in flashes, it gets there. But for a movie with such an unhinged premise, it feels strangely restrained, like it’s holding back when it should be cranking the tension up to eleven. The performances are solid, the setup is fun, and Penny (Alba Baptista) nearly steals the whole show, but Borderline never fully embraces the madness it promises.

Written and directed by Jimmy Warden in his feature debut, the film is set in 1990s Los Angeles and follows Sofia (Samara Weaving), a pop star whose home is invaded by Duerson (Ray Nicholson), an obsessive fan convinced they are destined to be together. Duerson isn’t working alone—his equally deranged accomplices, Penny and J.H. (Patrick Cox), broke out of a psychiatric facility with him,...

This article contains mild spoilers for "Borderline."

Following the Los Angeles premiere of "Borderline," the feature directorial debut of "Cocaine Bear" writer Jimmy Warden, the director acknowledged that when a male singer is belting out the lyrics to Madonna's "Borderline," suddenly the lyrics become deeply unsettling. There's an acknowledgement that a social contract has been destroyed. It's cute and playful to watch a young woman giggle her way through hyperbolic statements like "You just keep on pushin' my love over the borderline," but when men do the same, it starts to sound like a threat. These gendered expectations, social contracts, and implicit assumptions are the border lines of Warden's freshman directorial effort, where a spunky, '90s pop star named Sofia (Samara Weaving) is terrorized in her own home by a delusional fan named Paul (Ray Nicholson) who is convinced that not only are the two destined to be married,...

In 1996, a violent man was convicted and sentenced to ten years for stalking and threatening the life of pop legend Madonna, with the man reportedly telling her bodyguard that he intended to slit her throat if she didn’t marry him. That man would later escape the mental hospital but was quickly apprehended again before any further harm was caused.

Writer Jimmy Warden, making his feature directorial debut, uses this as the foundation for Borderline, applying the same based-on-a-true-story comedy-horror formula from his Cocaine Bear screenplay that generated a box office hit. Despite two talented leads, the loose, fictionalized remix of this true account struggles to strike a coherent balance between comedy and horror, landing instead on a repellent, vapid anti-love letter to ’90s Los Angeles.

Samara Weaving plays Madonna in all but name. Borderline, derived from Madonna’s 1984 hit song, centers on mega pop star Sofia as she’s...

Screenwriter Jimmy Warden won raves for Cocaine Bear, a wild romp that flipped traditional comedy horror tropes. The screenwriter hopes to ride similar creative highs in his directorial debut, Borderline, a twisted dark comedy thriller that gets lost in its own zany maze. Still, Warden stays committed to the distinctly unique “out there” vibe of his new film, which stars Samara Weaving (Scream VI), Ray Nicholson (Smile 2), Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy), Jimmie Fails (Nickel Boys), and Alba Baptista (Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris).

The plot tracks a creepy and persistent stalker named Paul (Nicholson), who invades the home of 1990s pop superstar (Weaving) with delusions of marrying her, grand wedding and all. Toss in a stressed bodyguard (Dane), another deluded fan, and a gaggle of wedding guests forced to attend Paul’s "ceremony," and we have a fine set-up for this edgy comedy. But something is out of sync creatively here.

“Borderline” is a new ‘dark comedy’ thriller, directed by Jimmy Warden, starring Samara Weaving, Ray Nicholson, Eric Dane, Alba Baptista and Jimmie Fails, opening March 14, 2025 in theaters:

“…a dangerously persistent stalker (Nicholson) invades the home of a ‘90s pop superstar (Weaving) with grand delusions of a wedding.

“With help from her loyal bodyguard, she must escape the stalker’s sinister grip before they tie the knot…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

"We're getting married?!" Uh oh. Magnet Releasing has unveiled an official trailer for a home invasion thriller titled Borderline, marking the feature directorial debut of Cocaine Bear writer Jimmy Warden. Strangely this hasn't played at any film festivals or elsewhere, as far as we know. Magnet is dropping this in theaters in March in a month from now. The premise is a bit like Misery but with an intriguing psychopathic patriarchal twist. Borderline is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that follows a dangerously persistent stalker who invades the home of a '90s pop superstar with grand delusions of a wedding. With her life on the line and help from her loyal bodyguard, she must escape the stalker’s sinister grip before they tie the knot. Paul is desperate to prove his dedication but Sofia's just trying to survive the night... How will she make it out?! Starring Samara Weaving, Ray Nicholson,...

Samara Weaving plays a pop star whose home is invaded by an obsessed fan in Borderline, an upcoming action-comedy thriller being described as a "violently romantic comedy." Judging from the film's first trailer, this is certainly a spin on the traditional rom-com for fans looking for something a bit more offbeat. Check out the trailer below.

Written and directed by Jimmy Warden, who scripted 2023's comedy horror film Cocaine Bear, Borderline stars Weaving as Sofia, a pop star who sees her home invaded by an obsessed fan named Paul (Ray Nicholson). The fan is convinced that the pair are meant to not only be together but also be married, and he plans to manipulate Sofia into succumbing to his delusions. The film also stars Eric Dane, Alba Baptista and Jimmie Fails.

Warden marks his directorial debut with Borderline, and it does look like a fun, albeit demented, piece of work.

“Borderline” is a new ‘dark comedy’ thriller, directed by Jimmy Warden, starring Samara Weaving, Ray Nicholson, Eric Dane, Alba Baptista and Jimmie Fails, opening March 14, 2025 in theaters:

“…a dangerously persistent stalker (Nicholson) invades the home of a ‘90s pop superstar (Weaving) with grand delusions of a wedding.

“With help from her loyal bodyguard, she must escape the stalker’s sinister grip before they tie the knot…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Two and a half years have gone by since we heard that genre regular Samara Weaving was starring in the comedic thriller Borderline, which was filming in Vancouver with The Babysitter: Killer Queen and Cocaine Bear writer Jimmy Warden (who happens to be married to Weaving) at the helm, making his feature directorial debut. Now, a trailer for the film has arrived online, and you can check it out in the embed above!

Borderline will be getting a theatrical and digital release, courtesy of Magnet Releasing, on March 14th.

Warden’s Borderline script, which was once featured on the Black List, centers on a helplessly romantic sociopath who escapes from a mental institution and invades the home of a ’90s pop superstar. He just wants to be loved; she just wants to survive.

Weaving is joined in the cast by Eric Dane (Euphoria), Ray Nicholson (Something from Tiffany’s...

From the writer of Cocaine Bear, and the producers of Barbie and Promising Young Woman, Borderline starring Samara Weaving has received a trailer and release date this week.

Magnet brings Borderline to theaters and Digital platforms on March 14, 2025.

Watch the unhinged official trailer for Borderline below, described as a “violently romantic comedy” and starring Samara Weaving as a popstar in a twisted fight for survival.

Thanks to Indiewire for debuting the trailer this afternoon.

Eric Dane and Ray Nicholson also star in director Jimmy Warden‘s (writer: Cocaine Bear) movie. Warden wrote the film, and will be making his directorial debut.

In the upcoming Borderline, “A violent sociopath Paul (Ray Nicholson) escapes from a mental hospital and embarks on a dangerous rampage. His target: Sofia (Samara Weaving), a world-famous pop star. An obsessive fan, he takes Sofia hostage in her own home, delusionally believing they’re getting married.

“Paul is...

Ray Nicholson, with his signature inherited grin, has already gone viral for playing unhinged beaus in “Smile 2” and “I Love You Forever.” Now, Nicholson is getting into “King of Comedy” territory with the “violently romantic comedy” thriller, “Borderline.”

The ’90s-set feature, which is “Cocaine Bear” scribe Jimmy Warden’s highly-anticipated directorial debut, is led by Samara Weaving, who plays a pop star stalked by Nicholson’s deranged character. Eric Dane is cast as Weaving’s bodyguard and only hope of escaping the contrived wedding planned by her obsessed fan. Alba Batista and Jimmie Fails also star.

The official synopsis reads: “‘Borderline’ is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that follows a dangerously persistent stalker (Nicholson) who invades the home of a ‘90s pop superstar (Weaving) with grand delusions of a wedding. With her life on the line and help from her loyal bodyguard, she must escape the stalker’s sinister grip before they tie the knot.

Amazon MGM’s powerful drama Nickel Boys, based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, is set to make its digital debut. The Oscar-nominated film, which had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival before a limited theatrical release in December 2024, has garnered critical acclaim for its harrowing portrayal of injustice. Here’s everything you need to know about when and where you can stream Nickel Boys online.

What is Nickel Boys About?

Nickel Boys is inspired by the true story of the infamous Dozier School for Boys, a reform school in Florida known for its brutal treatment of students. The film follows Elwood Curtis (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson), two African-American boys navigating the horrors of the Nickel Academy in the 1960s. As Elwood clings to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s teachings, Turner adopts a more cynical approach to survival—forcing both to make impossible choices in a deeply unjust system.

Julia Stiles dips her toes into the directing world with her adaptation of Renee Carlino's Wish You Were Here. The romantic drama, starring The Orphan's Isabelle Fuhrman and the live-action Aladdin's Mena Massoud, follows the path of The Fault in Our Stars and Me Before You. The film centers a woman who falls into a whirlwind romance with a man who is terminally ill. A month shy of Valentine's Day, the film is out in time for those seeking that tearful experience only a romance about a dying person can provide. The subgenre is a hit for a reason.

Stiles opted for this story to be her directorial debut because the novel was emotionally resonant, and on the surface, I can see why. Films grappling with mortality and the unfairness of true love being cut short always grip the heart. Timing and communication are critical to successful relationships...

Plot: A woman searching for a spark finds a whirlwind night of romance with a man only to discover he is terminally ill and commits to helping him spend his last days living life to the fullest.

Review: It’s always exciting when a veteran actor decides to step behind the camera to make a movie. Years of experience in front of the camera often results in a unique view behind it. I’ve always loved Julia Stiles in front of the camera so it’s great to see her make the leap to directing. Based on Renee Carlino’s book of the same name, Wish You Were Here follows Charlotte (Fuhrman) who is meandering through her young adult life. But when she meets Adam (Massoud), her life is flipped upside down in a way that she doesn’t expect, as he reveals he has a terminal illness.

Just based on that plot,...

Julia Stiles makes her first appearance as director with Wish You Were Here, a romantic drama that balances expected elements with fresh introspection. Based on Renée Carlino’s novel, the film examines love, loss, and self-discovery through Charlotte (Isabelle Fuhrman), a young woman searching for purpose, and Adam (Mena Massoud), an artist facing terminal illness during their brief romance. Stiles brings genuine warmth to the storytelling.

The film’s structure stands out most. The story moves through scattered vignettes, reflecting how love stays in our memory—brief moments of connection, passion, and vulnerability that pass like dreams. By showing events out of sequence, the film draws attention to what might have happened instead of what did, creating deep feelings about time’s temporary nature.

The film speaks to a generation experiencing uncertainty. Charlotte’s search for direction and Adam’s optimism show the worries of millennials in an often confusing world.

With “Wish You Were Here,” author Renée Carlino provides the blueprint for a romantic drama that could easily be misconstrued as treacly or saccharine. Her novel features a star-crossed love affair, a devastating terminal illness and a young woman caught at a crossroads in her life. Yet instead of fashioning these elements into a mimeographed iteration of “The Fault in Our Stars,” “Dying Young” or pretty much anything from Nicholas Sparks’ oeuvre, director Julia Stiles constructs something fresh. The actor-turned-filmmaker, who co-adapts with Carlino, instills the source material with a clear-eyed sense of emotional authenticity, from its fantastical romanticism to the characters’ delicately-faceted relationship dynamics.

Twentysomething Charlotte (Isabelle Fuhrman) is directionless, waitressing at an unpopular Mexican dive bar with her roommate Helen (Gabby Kono-Abdy). Together the besties are annoyed by the mundanity of their jobs, from fielding ridiculous customer complaints to suffering the indignity of having their service summoned by...

“Wish You Were Here” is a new romantic ‘dramedy’, directed by actress Julia Stiles, starring Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, Gabby Kono-Abdy, Jimmie Fails, Kelsey Grammer and Jennifer Grey, opening January 17, 2025 in theaters:

“…leave the everyday world behind to take a chance on true romance. Now, when the perfect night with a perfect stranger ends suddenly the next morning, ‘Charlotte’ searches for answers and meaning in her disappointing life until she uncovers a secret that changes everything.”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Julia Stiles makes her directorial debut with Wish You Were Here, which hits limited theaters in 2025 before an anticipated digital and streaming release. The romance movie stars Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan) and Mena Massoud (Aladdin) as Charlotte and Adam, an artistic pair who connect in a unique way after a one-night stand. Wish You Were Here, based on the novel of the same name by author Renee Carlino, features additional talent like Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing) and Kelsey Grammer (Frasier).

Wish You Were Here follows artist Charlotte (Fuhrman) as she begins a fling with Adam (Massoud), only to be heartbroken when he suddenly cuts contact. Charlotte eventually discovers that Adam has a terminal illness, and as the two reconnect, she attempts to help him get the most out of his final days. Stiles doubles as director and screenwriter of Wish You Were Here, adapting Carlino's contemporary romance novel to the...

No, you won't hear Pink Floyd's iconic rock song of the same name anywhere in Julia Stiles' feature directorial debut, and you won't see Stiles anywhere in Wish You Were Here, either. Stiles made a unique and shining name for herself with that tough-gal demeanor we all adored in throwback hits like 10 Things I Hate About You, but it does feature a talented little ensemble of other stars that mostly carries this new Lionsgate offering — based off Renée Carlino's acclaimed novel — all the way to the tear-jerking finish line.

Sappy tear-jerkers are hardly dead, from We Live in Time and Someone Like You to It Ends with Us and The Idea of You. Continuing that trend (which might as well be sponsored by Kleenex), you might just find yourself ugly-crying by the end of Wish You Were Here, its somber title alone perhaps striking a chord in the...

Two and a half years have gone by since we heard that genre regular Samara Weaving was starring in the comedic thriller Borderline, which was filming in Vancouver with The Babysitter: Killer Queen and Cocaine Bear writer Jimmy Warden (who happens to be married to Weaving) at the helm, making his feature directorial debut. Now, the first poster for Borderline has made its way online and can be seen at the bottom of this article. A release date for the film hasn’t been officially announced, but some sites are claiming that it will be getting a limited theatrical release on March 14th.

Warden’s Borderline script, which was once featured on the Black List, centers on a helplessly romantic sociopath who escapes from a mental institution and invades the home of a ’90s pop superstar. He just wants to be loved; she just wants to survive.

Weaving is...

A fan favorite here in the horror world, Samara Weaving (Ready or Not) will next be seen in the upcoming thriller Borderline, and the official poster has been released this morning.

The poster advertises the upcoming film as being “from the minds that brought you Cocaine Bear, and producers of Barbie and Promising Young Woman.” Check it out below.

No release date or trailer for Borderline at this time. Stay tuned for more.

Eric Dane and Ray Nicholson also star in director Jimmy Warden‘s (writer: Cocaine Bear) movie. Warden wrote the film, and will be making his directorial debut.

In Borderline, described as a violently romantic comedy, “A bodyguard protects a pop superstar and her athlete boyfriend from a determined stalker in 1990s Los Angeles.”

Here’s the full official synopsis: “The writer of Cocaine Bear is back with another twisted tale. A star-obsessed sociopath, and his fellow inmates,...

Actor Julia Stiles makes her directorial debut with romantic comedy Wish You Were Here. Here, have a trailer and a synopsis.

Julia Stiles made her name in hugely popular films like 10 Things I Hate About You, Down To You, Save the Last Dance and The Prince and Me. She went on to star in indie dramas like The Business of Strangers, before starring opposite Matt Damon in the Bourne franchise. In recent years she has appeared in films like Hustlers and, most recently Heather Graham’s Chosen Family. She has also worked on the small screen, starring in Amazon Original comedy series The Lake.

Now? She makes her directorial debut with romantic drama Wish You Were Here.

The cast for the feature includes Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, Jimmie Fails, Gabby Kono-Abdy, wirh Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey and Frasier actor Kelsey Grammer.

Stiles directs from a screenplay she co-wrote with Renée Carlino,...

The official trailer for Julia Stiles’ directorial debut, Wish You Were Here, is here!

The story follows Charlotte (Isabelle Fuhrman) as she struggles to find meaning in her seemingly ordinary life. After an unforgettable night with a stranger ends abruptly, Charlotte’s quest for answers takes her on an emotional adventure that leads to a life-changing revelation.

The film features Mena Massoud, Jimmie Fails (The Last Black Man in San Francisco), Gabby Kono-Abdy (Baker’s Dozen),Jennifer Grey, and Kelsey Grammer.

Keep reading to find out more…

The upcoming romantic drama, based on the best-selling novel by Renée Carlino, also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Renée. It hits theaters on January 17, 2025, and will be available on digital platforms starting February 4, 2025. Watch the trailer below!

Wish You Were Here Trailer...

“Wish You Were Here” is a new romantic ‘dramedy’, directed by actress Julia Stiles, starring Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, Gabby Kono-Abdy, Jimmie Fails, Kelsey Grammer and Jennifer Grey, opening January 17, 2025 in theaters:

“…leave the everyday world behind to take a chance on true romance. Now, when the perfect night with a perfect stranger ends suddenly the next morning, ‘Charlotte’ searches for answers and meaning in her disappointing life until she uncovers a secret that changes everything.”

Click the images to enlarge…...

I am starting to question if Lionsgate has an under-the-table deal with Kleenex because, after watching the studio’s Wish You Were Here trailer, I think this movie will make people cry. And not just a little; I’m talking about Niagara Falls, Frankie. Niagara Falls. Wish You Were Here offers an intimate look at Julia Stiles‘s feature directorial debut. In February, the Golden Globe-nominated actress-turned-filmmaker told Deadline she’s “been looking for years for the right story to tell” as a director, and she’s finally found it with an adaptation of Renee Carlino’s best-selling novel of the same name.

Here’s the official synopsis for Wish You Were Here courtesy of Lionsgate:

“Julia Stiles makes her directorial debut in a brilliantly warm and romantic film based on the bestselling novel, Wish You Were Here. Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, Jennifer Grey and Kelsey Grammer star in a...

"Do you believe in soulmates?" Lionsgate has revealed the official trailer for a new romantic drama movie titled Wish You Were Here, marking the feature directorial debut of actress Julia Stiles after directing some TV eps previously. This is set for a release in theaters at the end of January 2025 before it's available to watch on VOD after. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Renée Carlino, described as a second chance love story about a young woman who reunites with a soulful artist after their magical one-night stand. A woman searching for a spark finds a whirlwind night of romance with a man only to discover he is terminally ill and commits to helping him spend his last days living life to the fullest. Wish You Were Here stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, Jimmie Fails, Gabby Kono-Abdy, Jennifer Grey, and Kelsey Grammer. A sweet...

After starring alongside Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence 12 years ago in a beloved romantic comedy, one Silver Linings Playbook star is set to make her directorial debut soon. The first trailer for Wish You Were Here, the upcoming romance drama that will see Julia Stiles step behind the camera for the first time, has been officially released. The film will premiere in theaters on January 17 and has already been set for digital release on February 4. Stiles is also writing the script, which is based on the novel of the same name by Renée Carlino, but she will not star in the film. Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, Jimmie Fails, Gabby Kono-Abdy, Jennifer Grey, and Kelsey Grammer have all been tapped to star in Stiles’ directorial debut.

After starring in hit films ranging from “10 Things I Hate About You” to “The Bourne Identity,” Julia Stiles is ready for the next phase of her artistic career.

The beloved actress makes her directorial debut on the upcoming film “Wish You Were Here,” which explores the way a fleeting romantic connection can start a ripple effect that leads to massive change in an individual’s life.

An official synopsis for the film reads, “When the perfect night with a perfect stranger ends suddenly the next morning, Charlotte searches for answers and meaning in her disappointing life until she uncovers a secret that changes everything.”

“Wish You Were Here” is adapted from Renée Carlino’s 2017 novel of the same name, with Carlino co-writing the script with Stiles. The film stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Kelsey Grammer, Jennifer Grey, Mena Massoud, Jimmie Fails, and Gabby Kono-Abdy.

While “Wish You Were Here” marks Stiles...

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is using her fashion to make a statement!

The Oscar-nominated actress, best known for her work in King Richard and Origin, attended the premiere of her new movie Nickel Boys on Monday night (December 16) at the DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles.

Aunjanue was joined at the event by co-stars Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Daveed Diggs, Fred Hechinger, Hamish Linklater (with wife Lily Rabe), and Jimmie Fails, as well as writer and director RaMell Ross.

On the red carpet, Aunjanue told the AP how she uses fashion to challenge the ideas of femininity.

Keep reading to find out more…

“[My outfit] is Balenciaga and all of these red carpets and all these appearances that I’ve done, I’ve wanted to do something that honored my queerness, my wanting to do something that didn’t live up the expectation of femininity in these red carpet situations. I’ve wanted to push against that,...

Zoe Saldaña is set to receive the Spotlight Award at the 27th annual CDGAs (Costume Designers Guild Awards).

This honor recognizes an actor who embodies a long-lasting dedication to excellence, with particular respect for the impact of costume design. Past Spotlight Award winners include Angela Bassett, Andrew Garfield, Charlize Theron, Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts, Amy Adams, Anne Hathaway, Halle Berry, and, this past year, Annette Bening.

“Widely known for powerful roles which captivate audiences, Saldaña can inhabit a costume and make the character come alive no matter how elaborate or otherworldly,” read an official press release. “From Neytiri in the ‘Avatar’ films and Gamora in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ franchise, Saldaña embraces being immersed in her costumes. For those respective roles, Saldaña worked with 2023 Cdga Career Achievement Award honoree Deborah L. Scott and 2017 Excellence in Fantasy Film winner Alexandra Byrne and 2013 Cdga Career Achievement Award honoree Judianna Makovsky.

Hyperbole can be an issue when writing about films. For the most part, I don't think those who traffic in gushing, pull-quote ready words of praise do so inauthentically. I simply think it's very easy to get excited about a movie, especially when that movie is good. Still, it's necessary to be realistic, just as it is to be honest. Yet every now and then, a movie comes along that warrants the most effusive praise possible. I'm telling you all of this so you understand where I'm coming from when I say that RaMell Ross' "Nickel Boys" is unlike any movie you've ever seen before. Ross has somehow invented a distinct, unique, and fresh cinematic language for his adaptation of Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "The Nickel Boys," creating a film that feels like an actual memory plucked straight from someone's mind. Dream-like, harrowing, beautiful, stunning; all these words...

The upcoming historical drama Nickel Boys is already receiving Oscars buzz following a successful premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in August and a Golden Globe nomination, leading to audience interest in watching the film once it arrives in theaters. Nickel Boys follows Elwood Curtis, played by Ethan Herisse, and Turner, played by Brandon Wilson, as they attempt to survive through their time at an abusive boys' school called Nickel Academy, and the film also features a great supporting cast with some recognizable faces.

Nickel Boys is based on the novel The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, which won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, already pointing the movie toward a positive reception. Furthermore, the book and movie did have real-life inspiration, making its meaning even deeper. The movie was filmed in 2022 in Louisiana, and, interestingly, Nickel Boys was shot from a first-person perspective. Luckily for curious audiences, the Amazon MGM...

It's worth starting this review by saying I have read the Colson Whitehead novel Nickel Boys is based on, and very recently. In fact, it was the rapturous festival reactions to the film, many of which emphasized it as an achievement of adaptation, that inspired me to seek out the book ahead of time. I'm glad I did – it's a wonderful book. Having read it, however, did shape my response to this movie.

Set in Jim Crow-era Florida, two Black teens, Elwood Curtis and Turner, endure the brutal conditions of Nickel Academy, a reformatory for boys. While Turner teaches survival through cynicism, Elwood clings to his belief in justice, despite the horrors around them. Their friendship offers a glimmer of hope amidst a backdrop of systemic racism and violence.

Director RaMell RossWriters Colson Whitehead, Joslyn Barnes, RaMell RossCast Mike Harkins, Najah Bradley, Ethan Cole Sharp, LeBaron Foster Thornton, Escalante Lundy,...

Amazon MGM Studios and Orion Pictures have announced “Nickel Boys” star Ethan Herisse will campaign for Best Actor this awards season (reported in an IndieWire exclusive). He will avoid direct competition from his main co-star Brandon Wilson, who drops down to Best Supporting Actor with fellow castmates Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, Jimmie Fails, and Craig Tate. Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis Taylor (“King Richard”) will contend in Best Supporting Actress.

Directed by Academy Award nominee RaMell Ross, the film will debut December 13 in New York City and December 20 in Los Angeles. “Nickel Boys” stunned audiences when it premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in August, quickly earning Oscar buzz when festival director Julie Huntsinger noted, “You almost can’t speak after because it’s cinematically engaging, arresting. It is emotionally rewarding. It should be one of the most talked about films of the whole year.”

See ‘Nickel Boys’ director...

Fresh off its world premiere at Telluride and a plum spot opening the 2024 New York Film Festival, RaMell Ross’s “Nickel Boys,” an Orion Pictures release, has announced the categories in which it intends to campaign for this coming awards season.

Most notably, the adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, about two young Black men bonded by the horrific experience of being stuck in a 1960s reform school in Florida, will split the titular roles between two categories.

Ethan Herisse, who plays young Elwood, the character which viewers initially experience the film through, will compete in the Best Actor category. Brandon Wilson as Turner, the first friend Elwood makes at the school, whose eyes the audience eventually sees the film through as well, will campaign in the Best Supporting Actor category alongside co-stars like Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, Jimmie Fails, and Craig Tate, who all have smaller,...

The cast and director of “Nickel Boys,” the Amazon/MGM Studios and Orion/Plan B film based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, gathered for a conversation and audience Q&a following a Saturday evening screening at the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study in Los Angeles. Moderator Carla Renata spoke with Oscar-nominated director RaMell Ross and stars Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson about the importance of telling Black stories, the impact of the themes explored in “Nickel Boys” and why the actors were cast in their respective roles.

Adapted for the big screen by Ross and co-screenwriter Joslyn Barnes, “Nickel Boys” tells the story of two teenagers — Elwood (Herisse) and Turner (Wilson) — living in Jim Crow-era Florida who become friends while enduring physical and psychological abuse as wards of a juvenile reform center called the Nickel Academy. The academy is a fictionalized version of the infamous Dozier School for Boys,...

Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross’ narrative feature debut, is the story of a stubborn world, resisting change. Adapted from Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys, it’s an experimental rendition shooting mainly through Pov. We meet our protagonist not by looking at him, but by observing the world as he sees it. Elwood (Ethan Herisse) is the kind of Black young man society has always told him to be: patient, polite, non-threatening, and respectful of elders. When he sees a little girl pop up under his seat on the bus, he chats with her pleasantly. He’s good to his grandmother Hattie (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) and feels encouraged by his teacher (Jimmie Fails). Quiet and observant, Elwood looks at the world and sees promise for a better future. It’s the 1960s in Jim Crow-era Florida; his subjugation is the status quo, but Elwood believes times are changing. He believes in Dr.

From “Boy A” (the movie that launched Andrew Garfield’s career) to “Zero for Conduct,” movies set in broken boarding schools and juvenile reformatory centers are a dime a dozen. With “Nickel Boys,” director RaMell Ross finds fresh colors in such a rigidly codified genre, turning a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel into a minimalist tone poem. The book by Colson Whitehead is brilliant, but much of it you’ve probably seen before on-screen, so Ross strips away as many of the words as possible, searching instead for images to tell the story of Elwood, a Tallahassee teen who’s so much more than a victim of the system.

Except, Ross doesn’t tell the story so much as inhabit it, to the extent I found myself wondering whether I could have followed the plot — which alternates between the 1960s and the early 2000s — had I not already read Whitehead’s novel.

RaMell Ross’ arresting narrative debut Nickel Boys does not, like the Colson Whitehead novel on which it’s based, begin with an exhumation. It opens, instead, with signs of life: oranges dangling from the branches of a tree; a hand caressing the grass, a beckoning voice calling “Elwood, Elwood, Elwood” like a song.

Details like these matter in Nickel Boys, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival before it opens New York Film Festival next month, because they mark the passage of time and honor family rituals. Inside the house: glimpses of a gold bracelet wrapped around a delicate wrist, the sound of cards being shuffled and honeyed laughs bouncing off the walls. These details shape memories, eventually ossifying into evidence of an existence.

In his Oscar-nominated directorial debut Hale County, This Morning, This Evening, Ross constructed a stunning and unforgettable portrait of Hale County, Alabama. He sculpted a roughly...

Samara Weaving (Ready or Not) will next be seen in the upcoming thriller Borderline, and a couple first-look images from the film have made their way online this week.

Eric Dane and Ray Nicholson also star in director Jimmy Warden‘s (writer: Cocaine Bear) movie. Warden wrote the film, and will be making his directorial debut.

In Borderline, described as a violent comedy-thriller, “A bodyguard protects a pop superstar and her athlete boyfriend from a determined stalker in 1990s Los Angeles.”

Here’s the full official synopsis: “The writer of Cocaine Bear is back with another twisted tale. A star-obsessed sociopath, and his fellow inmates, escape from a mental institution and invade the home of his ‘90s pop superstar. He just wants to be loved; she just wants to survive.”

The cast also includes Alba Baptista and Jimmie Fails.

Borderline is produced by LuckyChap Entertainment’s Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara,...

Exclusive: Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated actress Julia Stiles has wrapped production on her directorial debut, Wish You Were Here, based on the bestseller by Renee Carlino. The cast includes Isabelle Fuhrman (The Novice), Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Jimmie Fails (The Last Black Man in San Francisco), Gabby Kono (Magic Carpet Rides), Jennifer Grey (A Real Pain) and Kelsey Grammer (Frasier).

Adapted for the screen by Stiles, the film tells the story of Charlotte, a woman who finds herself in a rut, searching for a spark that seems just out of reach. After she has a whirlwind night of romance and imagining a future with a man named Adam, he ghosts her. But when Charlotte finally discovers that Adam is terminally ill, she helps him spend his last days living life to the fullest.

In a statement to Deadline, Stiles shared that she’s “been looking for years for the right story to tell” as director,...

Samara Weaving has been a scream queen, an action star, and now, the embodiment of multiple real-life feminist icons.

First up, the “Ready or Not” breakout star portrays French aristocrat Marie-Joséphine de Montalembert in this week’s new release “Chevalier” opposite Kelvin Harrison Jr. After that, Weaving will transform into former Playboy bunny Holly Madison for limited series “Down the Rabbit Hole,” and will then travel back in time once more to play Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte in “Liz.”

“Maybe I’m a masochist. You read a really good script or a really good pitch and you can’t say no to it,” Weaving told IndieWire of her period piece nods to real people. “Elizabeth Bonaparte, I’m a huge fan of [director] Adam Leon’s work. ‘Italian Studies’ is one of my favorite movies, so just working with him is going to be awesome. And Elizabeth Bonaparte is so dope. She’s the first American socialite,...

It's unsurprising how many have compared "Babylon," director Damien Chazzelle's super-charged elegy for early Hollywood, to "Boogie Nights" and "Singin' in the Rain." In its tensions -- talent and luck, apocryphal myth-making and the lesser-known truths, moral incongruity and creative spunk, and the critique of an apathetic business that nonetheless creates empathetic works -- Chazelle's "Babylon" bears some lineage to both films.

If you only focus on those influences, however, you will miss the primary tension: The fight between identity and assimilation. These politics, as viewed through the film's protagonist, Manuel Torres (Diego Calva), position Chazelle's behemoth vision closer to "The Last Black Man in San Francisco," "Medicine for Melancholy," and "Bamboozled" as an assimilation narrative affixed to a fable.

In Joe Talbot's "The Last Black Man in San Francisco," amid a gentrifying city selling the remnants of its Black heritage to the highest bidder, Jimmie Fails (played by...

Samara Weaving (Ready or Not) has set up her next genre project, with Variety reporting this morning that Weaving will star in an upcoming comedic thriller titled Borderline.

Eric Dane and Ray Nicholson also star in director Jimmy Warden‘s (writer: The Babysitter: Killer Queen) movie. Warden wrote the film, and will be making his directorial debut.

“The film centers around a helplessly romantic sociopath who escapes from a mental institution and invades the home of a ’90s pop superstar. He just wants to be loved; she just wants to survive.” Presumably, Samara Weaving is playing the ’90s pop superstar.

The cast also includes Alba Baptista and Jimmie Fails.

Borderline is produced by LuckyChap Entertainment’s Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara, Red A Entertainment’s Hadeel Reda, and Brian Duffield.

“From ‘I, Tonya’ to ‘Promising Young Woman,’ our friends at LuckyChap have produced some of the most critically lauded and...

Photo: ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco' A spectacle of an ever-evolving city, ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’ is a breathtaking film that captures the beauty of authenticity. Written by the director, Joe Talbot, and one of the main actors, Jimmie Fails, the story felt incredibly personal as it was written about an experience Fails has gone through. Coming out in 2019, the movie was released alongside popular A24 films such as ‘The Lighthouse’, ‘The Farewell’, ‘Uncut Gems’, and ‘Midsommar’. As 2019 was a great year for A24, ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’ was the unsung hero amongst the other releases that depicted absolutely beautiful filmmaking and storytelling. With the vital themes of separation, culture, and family, ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’ is a movie all should see. Related Video: Full Commentary on 'Top Gun: Maverick': Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller...

The Gotham Awards were handed out on November 29 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. So who won at these annual indie film kudos from The Gotham Film and Media Institute, which streamed on YouTube and Facebook? Scroll down for the complete list of winners in all categories.

Netflix’s “The Lost Daughter” and “Passing” went in as the two most nominated films with five apiece, but that didn’t automatically mean they were the front-runners. Categories at these awards are judged by panels of just a handful of industry insiders, often leading to unexpected, under-the-radar winners. You can’t count anyone out at an event where unique juries review all the nominated material.

Seersvp now for November 30: Film producers panel with ‘Being the Ricardos,’ ‘Belfast,’ ‘The Power of the Dog,’ ‘tick, tick… Boom!’

That means these awards can be quite idiosyncratic — they’re independent thinkers, and not...

Pieces Of A Woman Netflix Reviewed for Shockya.com & BigAppleReviews.net linked from Rotten Tomatoes by: Harvey Karten Director: Kornél Mundruczós Writer: Kata Wéber Cast: Vanessa Kirby, Shia Labeouf, Molly Parker, Sarah Snook, Iliza Shlesinger, Benny Safdie, Ellen Burstyn, Jimmie Fails Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 12/26/20 Opens: December 30, 2020 Most of us who have […]

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