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      How Anthony Hopkins Inhabits ‘The Father’

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      The director Florian Zeller narrates a sequence from his Oscar-nominated drama about a man’s descent into dementia.In “Anatomy of a Scene,” we ask directors to reveal the secrets that go into making key scenes in their movies. See new episodes in the series on Fridays. You can also watch our collection of more than 150 videos on YouTube and subscribe to our YouTube channel.A corridor. A cupboard. A caregiver.These may seem like innocuous elements in the domestic drama “The Father,” but when they change from one scene to another, they throw both the film’s lead character, Anthony (Anthony Hopkins), and the viewer, off balance.That sense of confusion is at the heart of Florian Zeller’s film (nominated for six Academy Awards including best picture), which tells the story of a man suffering from dementia by plunging the audience into his experience.In this breakfast sequence, Olivia Colman plays Anthony’s daughter and she is talking to him about the imminent arrival of a caregiver whom he’d met in a previous scene and who was then played by Imogen Poots. But when that woman arrives, a different actress, Olivia Williams, is playing her.“What I tried to do in ‘The Father’ is to put the audience in a unique position,” the director Florian Zeller said, “as if they were, in a way, in the main character’s head. And as a viewer, we have to question everything we are seeing.”He said he wanted the movie, which was based on his play, to be “not only a story, but an experience, the experience of what it could mean to lose everything, including your own bearings as a viewer.”Read the review of “The Father,”Read an interview with Anthony Hopkins.Read an interview with Florian Zeller about adapting “The Father” for the screen.Watch “The Father” on demand and in theaters.Sign up for the Movies Update newsletter and get a roundup of reviews, news, Critics’ Picks and more. More

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      Gina Prince-Bythewood: Movies Won't Be the Same Without the ArcLight

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      For the director Gina Prince-Bythewood, seeing her movie premiere there or just a poster for it on display was a sign that her work mattered. News of the closure hit hard.As the rest of the film industry begins its tentative return to prepandemic normalcy, the announcement that Los Angeles’s ArcLight Cinemas, a chain that includes the Cinerama Dome, would close came as a shock to loyal moviegoers and filmmakers alike. Here, the director Gina Prince-Bythewood (“The Old Guard,” “Love & Basketball”) explains why the news was so devastating. These are edited excerpts.The ArcLight is a place for people who love movies. If you’re a filmmaker, if you love movies, you just appreciated everything that [the ArcLight] put into making it a curated moviegoing experience. They always had the films that we wanted to see, but they also had special screenings of movies that hadn’t been out for years, and a balance between big blockbusters and independent films. They made it an event. We never had to go anywhere else but the ArcLight — because you knew it was an experience every time, and you just didn’t want to cheat on your theater. There was no reason to go anywhere else.Ours was ArcLight Sherman Oaks, which was beautiful. The second you walk in, it’s about film. To the left was this very cool gift shop, which had film memorabilia and books, and then there would be the bar with mixed drinks but also great hot chocolate and coffee. There was a whole costume display from whichever film they were focused on, whether it be “Star Wars” or a period piece. [The concessions stand] was always packed because the food was really good — but there were tons of people working, so the lines moved fast.They had this entire wall of movie posters, and as a filmmaker, you’re always hoping that your poster would show up there. “Love & Basketball” premiered at the Cinerama Dome, and that was incredible to have my first film be at this iconic theater, with the red carpet and the excitement of it, and to see my film up on the marquee. My husband’s film, when he wrote “Get on the Bus,” also played there. To take a picture of the marquee, to have your movie poster be on rotation, it was exciting. And it made you feel like you’re working on something.Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps in “Love & Basketball,” which had its premiere at the Cinerama Dome.New Line CinemaMy husband and I, when we were dating, would go to the movies once a week. Nobody else at the time had assigned seating. You know when you used to go to the theater, and you’d have to get there super early, searching for two spots, and you knew where you’d like to sit and those seats are never available because someone’s there already, and you’re — you know, “Excuse me, pardon me, excuse me”? Here, you picked your favorite seat, you walked in and you sat down. Once we had kids, all of us would go to the exact same seats every time: F25, 24, 23, 22. They allowed us to be near the end, but also to put our feet up on a metal bar right below us. And as you wait, they always have great trivia going up on the screen and movie music playing, and then the usher would come and the experience will begin.All the ushers and everybody who worked there clearly love movies: You could ask them which film they would recommend, and they would go into detail why they loved it. Right before the movie would start, an usher would come to the front of the theater and announce what movie you’re about to see, the running time, the rating and some little tidbit of information about the film. And it was always fun because there would be ushers who were completely shy, and it was probably horrifying for them that they have to do this; others would give these long explanations and you could tell that this was just their moment in the sun.When “Black Panther” came out, we got our seats that we loved two weeks in advance. We knew that it was going to be packed. And the audiences there, there’s just a love of film. So you just knew that you were going to have fun with the crowd as well, because people clap at the end of movies they love and cheer during trailers they’re hyped about. I loved seeing other families going for that same experience, and then being able to talk about it afterward in the lobby. You knew the people were there to see the movie and they respected the filmmaking.To hear that the ArcLight, of all theaters, was shutting down was a shock. It was kind of a blow to that fantasy that we were going to get back to where we were. Streaming has been great during this time, and it was incredible for “The Old Guard” to reach the global audience that it did. But I still love theaters. I love the collective experience of watching a film with people I don’t know who are all feeling the same things.I’m just staying optimistic that someone is going to step up and purchase the theaters. It’s too important to the industry; it’s too important to the audiences; the meaning of it is just too important for it to just go away. I have this fantasy that Netflix or Apple or George Clooney is just going to step up and save it, because it needs to be here. Oprah! We need Oprah. More

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      ‘In the Heights’ Will Premiere at the Tribeca Festival

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      The movie musical is set to play the United Palace in Washington Heights, the neighborhood where the story is set. It will also screen outdoors in all five boroughs.The Tribeca Festival announced Friday that it will open its 2021 edition this summer with the world premiere of “In the Heights,” the eagerly anticipated movie musical conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The event adds a high-profile piece of arts programming to the statewide effort to bring the arts back after an entire year was upended by the coronavirus pandemic.The premiere will be held at the United Palace theater in the Washington Heights neighborhood, where Miranda’s New York tale takes place. And for the first time in the festival’s 20-year history, organizers say their opening-night selection will be screened simultaneously across all five boroughs in multiple open-air venues, meaning that New Yorkers in every pocket of the city will be able to enjoy the film in a setting that poses relatively low risk of spreading the virus.“It is such an honor to open the 20th anniversary Tribeca Festival with ‘In the Heights.’ We’re so excited to welcome them uptown!” Miranda said in a statement. “This will be an unforgettable night at the United Palace. We can’t wait to share this musical love letter to our community, with our community, in our community.”Organizers say the 2021 Tribeca Festival, running June 9-20 and dropping “film” from its name, will be the first big movie event in North America held in person since the pandemic began. Most of last year’s film festivals, including Tribeca, were delayed, postponed, canceled or reimagined because of concerns about mass gatherings during the public health crisis.In a news release, organizers called the Tribeca Festival the “culmination” of NY PopsUp, the statewide revitalization initiative seeking to bring back live performances and help the arts sector in New York.For much of the last year, Broadway was dark, movies theaters were closed and concert halls were empty. But in recent weeks, some arts institutions have begun holding performances outdoors. At the same time, indoor performances have been allowed to resume in New York City with limited capacity. Earlier this month, a Broadway house opened — albeit briefly — for the first time.Still, the pandemic persists. Although many New Yorkers are getting vaccinated, virus variants have emerged, and the city continues to average more than 3,000 new cases per day.The premiere of “In the Heights” will probably spark some amount of joy for weary New Yorkers eager for a vibrant celebration of their city. Adapted from the Broadway show with a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes and music and lyrics by Miranda, the movie stars Anthony Ramos as Usnavi, a bodega owner dealing with the gentrification of his Upper Manhattan neighborhood. Miranda, who starred onstage, takes on a supporting role as the owner of a shaved-ice dessert stand.The musical opened on Broadway in 2008 and was a critical success. It preceded Miranda’s “Hamilton,” a smash stage hit that was filmed and released last year on the small screen via Disney+. Several “Hamilton” alumni appear in “In the Heights,” including Miranda and Ramos.Now “In the Heights” will have its moment away from the stage.“‘In the Heights’ is the quintessential New York story of hard work, resilience, and triumph,” said Jane Rosenthal, the co-founder and chief executive of the Tribeca Festival who is also helping to lead the NY PopsUp effort.“We are proud to feature this film as opening night,” she added, “where it can debut in its hometown in celebration of its New York roots and the Latinx community.” More

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      ‘Arlo the Alligator Boy’ Review: Of Songs and Scales

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      This hyperactive animated Netflix musical for kids, with messages of empowerment and references to “Midnight Cowboy,” has a lot on its plate.A tiger, a miniature Italian man, a girl with gigantism, a fish with legs, a pink hairball and a redheaded half-reptile walk into Manhattan. That’s the setup of “Arlo the Alligator Boy,” a hyperactive cartoon musical intended for kids on Netflix. The punchline is that the streaming service has already greenlighted a spinoff about this chipper green tyke for a 20-episode series.Our saga begins when baby Arlo’s bassinet drifts from the sewers of Bellevue Hospital to the swamps of Louisiana, where he’s raised by a banjo-playing recluse woman (voiced by Annie Potts) and a farting frog. When a similar trauma happened to the Penguin in “Batman Returns,” he resolved to murder every firstborn son in Gotham. The relentlessly happy Arlo would rather buy everyone an ice cream. He sings his way home in a series of childishly catchy ballads, repetitive both in theme (it’s OK to be weird!) and lyrics (characters want “more, more, more” and pledge to “follow, follow, follow”).Arlo is voiced by the former “American Idol” contestant Michael J. Woodard with a soulfulness that shimmies into a plucky falsetto. He’s joined by a quirky cast that includes Jennifer Coolidge and the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, as tourist-trap operators hellbent on kidnapping Arlo for their Gator X-Perience, and an uninhibited Tony Hale and Jonathan Van Ness as two of Arlo’s aforementioned buddies who can only be described as Hieronymus Bosch doodles for kids.Long before the motley crew crashes the Met Gala, it’s clear that director Ryan Crego is bolting wacky gee-gaws onto a rote plot. Still, several gags pay off: wearable puppies; random lederhosen; rhyming references to the Jason Statham action movie “The Meg”; and, for the rare aficionado of both of kiddie cartoons about self-acceptance and the once X-rated classic “Midnight Cowboy,” a running bit where every New Yorker howls, “I’m walkin’ here!”Arlo the Alligator BoyNot rated. Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes. Watch on Netflix. More

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      Andrew Garfield's 'Mainstream' Role Likely to Be Inspired by Logan and Jake Paul

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      Having been premiered at Venice Film Festival in 2020, the new comedy from director Gia Coppola delves deep into the seedier side of social media and viral celebrities.

      Apr 16, 2021

      AceShowbiz –
      Andrew Garfield and Maya Hawke have landed lead roles in Gia Coppola’s new comedy, which skewers YouTube culture.

      The director daughter of revered filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola has dropped a new trailer for “Mainstream”, and it’s pretty clear social influencers the Paul brothers, Logan Paul and Jake Paul, inspired Garfield’s role – his character, Link, looks and sounds just like the cocky blonds.

      The siblings rose to fame on the video streaming platform and are now punching their way to new careers as boxers.

      Andrew’s character in “Mainstream” also becomes famous fast when he creates a social media collective, No One Special, with “Stranger Things” star Maya’s Frankie and Nat Wolff’s Jake.

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      The real Jake Paul also makes a cameo appearance, as do fellow social media personalities Juanpa Zurita and Patrick Starrr.

      “Mainstream”, which delves deep into the seedier side of social media and viral celebrities, had its premiere at last year’s (2020) Venice Film Festival in Italy and will hit U.S. cinemas and video on demand platforms on May 7.

      Speaking about the movie, Coppola told Deadline in August 2020 that it was partly inspired by her love for Elia Kazan’s 1957 film “A Face in the Crowd”. She explained, “I connected with it from a female point of view like losing your instincts and morals and getting overshadowed because you want to be loved and to love… Then you put that with someone and the dangers that can come along with that.”

      Producer Fred Berger, in the meantime, described the movie as a “cautionary tale that will spark debate. It points a mirror at the audience in terms of how we engage with other people and how we engage with social media and react to incentives that are subliminally sent to us all day long.”

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      James Gunn Reduced to Tears Over Steven Spielberg Favoriting 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

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      ‘The Suicide Squad’ helmer reveals on Twitter his reaction after learning that the Academy Awards-winning filmmaker picks his Marvel film as Spielberg’s favorite superhero movie.

      Apr 16, 2021

      AceShowbiz –
      Having his work praised by millions of fans may mean a lot of James Gunn, but having a veteran filmmaker liking his movie is apparently extra special for him. The “Super” helmer has revealed his emotional reaction upon learning that Steven Spielberg picked his “Guardians of the Galaxy” as his favorite superhero movie.

      Gunn recently responded to a fan’s question on Twitter which read, “@JamesGunn hey, I was wondering what went through your mind when you found out that Steven Spielberg listed Guardians of The Galaxy as one of his top 20 favorite movies of all time. How did you react?”

      In his reply, the 54-year-old admitted he “cried a little” because he’s a massive fan of Spielberg’s works, though he’s not sure if the list that the fan mentioned is real. “I don’t know if that list going around is real. I do know that Spielberg has said his favorite superhero movie is Guardians,” Gunn wrote back.

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      He went on detailing, “I was in the editing room with @FredRaskin when I heard & I maybe kinda cried a little.” Returning the favor to the 74-year-old awards-winning filmmaker, he added, “I’m making movies because of Jaws & Raiders.”

      James Gunn revealed his reaction to Steven Spielberg naming ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ his favorite superhero movie.

      The fan was referring to the list which recently made its rounds on the web, naming Spielberg’s supposedly 20 favorite movies of all time. Gunn’s “GOTG” (2014) came at No. 5, just behind “A Guy Named Joe” (1943) and right above 1953’s “War of the Worlds”. Also on the list as such acclaimed works as “The Godfather”, “Citizen Kane” and “Psycho”.

      While the validity of the list has not been confirmed, Spielberg has in the past declared his love for Gunn’s superhero movie. In an interview with Omelete in 2016, the “Lincoln” helmer gushed about the film, “When it ended, I left the cinema with the feeling that I had just experienced something new, free of cynicism and without concern for being gritty when necessary.”

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      Gucci Family Accuses 'House of Gucci' of Stealing Their Identity to Make Profit

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      WENN/Mairo Cinquetti

      When speaking of the movie which narrates the drama of Maurizio Gucci’s murder, his second cousin Patrizia Gucci declares that she and her family ‘are truly disappointed’ with it.

      Apr 16, 2021

      AceShowbiz –
      The Gucci family has made it clear that they are not pleased with “House of Gucci”. When speaking of the film which narrates the drama of Maurizio Gucci’s murder, his second cousin Patrizia Gucci accused the movie of stealing their identities to make a profit.

      “We are truly disappointed,” Patrizia told The Associated Press. “They are stealing the identity of a family to make a profit, to increase the income of the Hollywood system…Our family has an identity, privacy. We can talk about everything, but there is a borderline that cannot be crossed.”

      Patrizia also took issue with how her family members were portrayed in the movie. “My grandfather [Aldo Gucci] was a very handsome man, like all the Guccis, and very tall, blue eyes and very elegant. He is being played by Al Pacino, who is not very tall already, and this photo shows him as fat, short, with sideburns, really ugly,” she argued.

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      Patrizia went on to rage, “Shameful, because he doesn’t resemble him at all.” She then weighed in on Jared Leto’s portrayal of her father, Paolo Gucci, who is shown with unkempt hair and a lilac corduroy suit. “Horrible, horrible. I still feel offended,” she stressed.

      Patrizia divulged that she has reached out to director Ridley Scott’s wife, Giannina Facio, to discuss “House of Gucci”. However, she has yet to receive a response. Giannina herself met with some of Gucci’s family members in the early 2000s to discuss another potential project, but she reportedly did not reach out to them for the new film.

      Starring Lady GaGa and Adam Driver, “House of Gucci” is based on a book about the 1995 murder-for-hire of Maurizio, one of Guccio Gucci’s grandchildren. It also tells about the subsequent trial and conviction of Maurizio’s ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani, who was slapped with a 16-year prison sentence for committing the crime.

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      Oscars Writers Compare Anne Hathaway-James Franco Pairing to Most Uncomfortable Blind Date

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      WENN/Avalon

      Reflecting on the 2011 telecast many deemed the worst show ever, veterans David Wild and Bruce Vilanch and young writers Jordan Rubin and Megan Amram open up about the mismatched co-hosts.

      Apr 16, 2021

      AceShowbiz –
      The writers behind the 2011 Oscars ceremony have marked the 10-year anniversary of the worst show ever by opening up about mismatched co-hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco.

      Veterans David Wild and Bruce Vilanch and young writers Jordan Rubin and Megan Amram, who were tasked with creating the script for the 83rd Academy Awards, admit their jobs were made really difficult by the fact the two presenters had zero chemistry.

      “It was like the world’s most uncomfortable blind date between the cool rocker stoner kid and the adorable theatre camp cheerleader,” Wild tells The Ringer.

      “A host’s primary job is to make the audience feel comfortable and the audience at home feel welcome at the party,” Vilanch adds. “Once the audience felt the hosts’ discomfort, they got quiet.”

      Amram, who was 22 at the time, insists the idea to make the show seem younger and hipper fell flat because producers picked the wrong hosts.

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      “A lot of stuff that made it into the show was written a few days beforehand,” she explains. “We wrote all these jokes, but I don’t think we ever landed on a tone or a cohesive feeling of what the show would be.”

      And Rubin admits that while Hathaway was a delight to work with, no one could ever get hold of Franco.

      “Anne made herself readily available,” he adds. “I went to her house and worked on the script and she was on a bunch of conference calls and responding to emails and was a great collaborator. He always seemed to be on a flight and it was very hard for me to get a hold of him. That was a red flag.”

      “She showed up ready to play and committed 110 per cent and he was a great guy but often looked like he had just woken up from a nap. It’s almost like you’re showing up to a tennis court and one person decided that they were going to play in the U.S. Open and the other wanted to play in jeans and just kind of hit a few balls.”

      But Rubin is keen to dismiss rumors suggesting Franco was on drugs, adding, “He was not stoned. I don’t even think he drinks.”

      Wild reveals it became clear the actors were mismatched during rehearsals, when Hathaway tried to offer Franco some advice. “She was like, ‘Maybe you should try that’, and he was like, ‘Don’t tell me how to be funny,’ ” he recalls.

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