FILM JANUARY 23-24, 2021 | SPECIAL ISSUE
“JULIA G
bleeckerstfilms
bleeckerstfilms
BLEECKERSTREETAWARDS.COM
ARNER IS MAGNIFICENT.” F O R
Y O U R
C O N S I D E R A T I O N
“A MASTERCLASS PERFORMANCE OF RAGE AND SELF-DOUBT BOTTLED IN REAL TIME.” “THE FIRST GREAT MOVIE ABOUT #METOO.” F O R
Y O U R
C O N S I D E R A T I O N
BEST PICTURE Produced by
Kitty Green, p.g.a. • Scott Macaulay, p.g.a. • James Schamus, p.g.a. P. Jennifer Dana • Ross Jacobson
BEST DIRECTOR Kitty Green
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Kitty Green
BEST ACTRESS Julia Garner
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Matthew Macfadyen
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST FILM EDITING Kitty Green Blair McClendon
BEST COSTUME DESIGN Rachel Dainer-Best
BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING Hair Designer
Lauren Citera Makeup Designer
Michael Latham
Regina de Lemos
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Fletcher Chancey
Tamar-Kali
FILM S AT U R DAY, J A N U A RY 2 3 , 2 0 2 1
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Actor) Sacha Baron Cohen (Actor) Eddie Redmayne (Actor) Aaron Sorkin (Writer/Director) Jeremy Strong (Actor)
The Midnight Sky
Demián Bichir (Actor) Kyle Chandler (Actor) George Clooney (Director/Producer/Actor) Felicity Jones (Actor)
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Dusan Brown (Actor) Viola Davis (Actor) Colman Domingo (Actor) Taylour Paige (Actor) Michael Potts (Actor) George C. Wolfe (Director)
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Sidney Flanigan (Actor) Eliza Hittman (Writer/Director) Talia Ryder (Actor)
Promising Young Woman
Emerald Fennell (Writer/Director/Producer) Carey Mulligan (EP/Actor)
UNIVERSAL PICTURES 9:09am - 9:22am
The King of Staten Island
Judd Apatow (Writer/Director/Producer) Pete Davidson (Writer/EP/Actor)
BLEECKER STREET 9:22am - 9:45am
Supernova
Harry Macqueen (Writer/Director) Dick Pope (Cinematographer) Stanley Tucci (Actor)
The Assistant
Julia Garner (Actor) Kitty Green (Writer/Director/Producer)
NETFLIX 8:04am - 8:47am
FOCUS FEATURES 8:47am - 9:09am
MORNING BREAK - 10 MINUTES
SCHEDULE AND PRESENTERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
FILM S AT U R DAY, J A N U A RY 2 3 , 2 0 2 1
SONY PICTURES CLASSICS 9:57am - 10:10am
French Exit
Patrick deWitt (EP/Writer) Azazel Jacobs (Director/EP) Valerie Mahaffey (Actor) Michelle Pfeiffer (Actor)
A24 10:10am - 10:19am
Minari
Lee Isaac Chung (Writer/Director) Yeri Han (Actor) Steven Yeun (EP/Actor) Yuh-jung Youn (Actor)
NEON 10:19am - 10:40am
Palm Springs
Cristin Milioti (Actor) Andy Samberg (Producer/Actor) Becky Sloviter (Producer)
Shirley
Josephine Decker (Director) Elisabeth Moss (Producer/Actor)
DREAMWORKS ANIMATION 10:40am - 10:51am
The Croods: A New Age
Joel Crawford (Director) Kelly Marie Tran (Actor)
AMAZON STUDIOS 10:51am - 11:36am
Sound of Metal
Riz Ahmed (EP/Actor) Olivia Cooke (Actor) Darius Marder (Writer/Director) Paul Raci (Actor)
One Night in Miami
Kingsley Ben-Adir (Actor) Eli Goree (Actor) Aldis Hodge (Actor) Regina King (Director/EP) Leslie Odom Jr. (Actor) Kemp Powers (Writer/EP)
Herself
Clare Dunne (Writer/Actor) Phyllida Lloyd (Director) Harriet Walter (Actor)
LUNCH - 30 MINUTES
SCHEDULE AND PRESENTERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
FILM S AT U R DAY, J A N U A RY 2 3 , 2 0 2 1
APPLE TV+ 12:08pm - 12:30pm
Cherry
Anthony Russo (Director/Producer) Joe Russo (Director/Producer)
Greyhound
David Crank (Production Designer) Julie Weiss (Costume Designer)
STX ENTERTAINMENT 12:30pm - 12:42pm
The Mauritanian
Jodie Foster (Actor) Kevin Macdonald (Director) Tahar Rahim (Actor)
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS 12:42pm - 12:52pm
Soul
Pete Docter (Writer/Director) Kemp Powers (Writer/Co-Director) AFTERNOON BREAK - 10 MINUTES
NETFLIX 1:04pm - 1:58pm
WARNER BROS. 1:58pm - 2:20pm
Mank
Lily Collins (Actor) Charles Dance (Actor) Gary Oldman (Actor) Amanda Seyfried (Actor)
Malcolm & Marie
Sam Levinson (Writer/Director/Producer) John David Washington (Producer/Actor) Zendaya (Producer/Actor)
Pieces of a Woman
Ellen Burstyn (Actor) Vanessa Kirby (Actor) Kornél Mundruczó (Director) Kata Wéber (Writer)
Da 5 Bloods
Spike Lee (Writer/Director/Producer) Norm Lewis (Actor) Delroy Lindo (Actor) Jonathan Majors (Actor) Clarke Peters (Actor) Isiah Whitlock Jr. (Actor)
The Way Back
Ben Affleck (Actor)
Wonder Woman 1984
Gal Gadot (Producer/Actor) Patty Jenkins (Writer/Director/Producer)
SCHEDULE AND PRESENTERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
FILM S U N DAY, J A N U A RY 2 4 , 2 0 2 1
FOCUS FEATURES 8:04am - 8:15am
Land
Demiรกn Bichir (Actor) Robin Wright (Director/EP/Actor)
UNIVERSAL PICTURES 8:15am - 8:38am
News of the World
Paul Greengrass (Co-Writer/Director) Helena Zengel (Actor)
The Invisible Man
Elisabeth Moss (Actor) Leigh Whannell (Writer/Director/EP)
On the Rocks
Sofia Coppola (Writer/Director/Producer) Youree Henley (Producer)
Wolfwalkers
Tomm Moore (Director/Producer) Ross Stewart (Director)
HULU 9:00am - 9:12am
The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Lee Daniels (Director/Producer) Andra Day (Actor) Paolo Nieddu (Costume Designer)
NETFLIX 9:12am - 9:53am
The Prom
James Corden (Actor) Ariana DeBose (Actor) Keegan-Michael Key (Actor) Jo Ellen Pellman (Actor)
Over the Moon
Cathy Ang (Actor) Peilin Chou (Producer) Glen Keane (Director) Gennie Rim (Producer)
The Forty-Year-Old Version
Oswin Benjamin (Actor) Radha Blank (Writer/Director/Producer/Actor) Peter Kim (Actor)
The White Tiger
Ramin Bahrani (Writer/Director/Producer) Priyanka Chopra Jonas (EP/Actor) Adarsh Gourav (Actor) Rajkummar Rao (Actor)
APPLE TV+ 8:38am - 9:00am
MORNING BREAK - 10 MINUTES
SCHEDULE AND PRESENTERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
FILM S U N DAY, J A N U A RY 2 4 , 2 0 2 1
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS 10:05am - 10:14am
Onward
Dan Scanlon (Director)
KINO LORBER 10:14am - 10:26am
Never Gonna Snow Again
Michał Englert (Co-Director/Cinematographer) Małgorzata Szumowska (Director) Alec Utgoff (Actor)
SONY PICTURES CLASSICS 10:26am - 10:40am
The Father
Anthony Hopkins (Actor) Florian Zeller (Writer/Director)
GRAVITAS VENTURES 10:40am - 10:52am
Our Friend
Casey Affleck (Actor) Dakota Johnson (Actor) Jason Segel (Actor)
A24 10:52am - 11:05am
First Cow
Orion Lee (Actor) John Magaro (Actor) Jonathan Raymond (Writer) Kelly Reichardt (Writer/Director/Editor)
DREAMWORKS ANIMATION 11:05am - 11:16am
Trolls World Tour
Walt Dohrn (Director) Justin Timberlake (Actor/Executive Music Producer)
AMAZON STUDIOS 11:16am - 11:41am
I’m Your Woman
Marsha Stephanie Blake (Actor) Rachel Brosnahan (Producer/Actor) Julia Hart (Co-Writer/Director) Jordan Horowitz (Co-Writer/Producer) Arinzé Kene (Actor)
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Maria Bakalova (Actor) Sacha Baron Cohen (Writer/Producer/Actor) Jason Woliner (Director)
LUNCH - 30 MINUTES
OFFICIAL SPONSOR
S W E E P S TA K E S PA R T N E R S
SCHEDULE AND PRESENTERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
FILM S U N DAY, J A N U A RY 2 4 , 2 0 2 1
WARNER BROS. 12:14pm - 12:35pm
BLEECKER STREET 12:35pm - 12:57pm
NEON 12:57pm - 1:12pm
Judas and the Black Messiah
Dominique Fishback (Actor) Daniel Kaluuya (Actor) Shaka King (Writer/Director/Producer) LaKeith Stanfield (Actor)
The Little Things
John Lee Hancock (Writer/Director) Jared Leto (Actor)
The World to Come
Casey Affleck (Producer/Actor) Mona Fastvold (Director) Vanessa Kirby (Actor) Katherine Waterston (Actor)
Wild Mountain Thyme
Jamie Dornan (Actor) John Patrick Shanley (Writer/Director)
Ammonite
Francis Lee (Writer/Director) Kate Winslet (Actor)
DEADLINE HAS AWARDS SEASON COVERED I S S U U . C O M / D E A D L I N E H O L LY W O O D
WELCOME TO
Meet the moderators
Deadline’s Contenders Film juggernaut offers a look at the best films of 2020
YOUR EMCEE JOE UTICHI
CONTENDERS FILM
EDITOR, AWARDSLINE
BY P E T E H A M M O N D DEADLINE’S SIGNATURE
we did it again earlier this month for the
CONTENDERS EVENT
inaugural Documentary and International
has come a long way since it all started over
Film Contenders, and it was equally
a decade ago. Designed then—and now—as
well-received. The global reach of the
kind of a one-stop shop for industry awards
event has increased in a huge way as well,
voters, the event is packed with clips and
and although we miss seeing everyone in
interviews to provide a good sense of which
person, it has been quite exciting to be able
movies should be seen before casting a
to include so many stars and filmmakers
ballot. It started as an idea, and now has
from around the globe as they talk about
grown into a tradition. After a few years of
their movies and share all the inside stories
focusing just on Oscar season in LA, our
that bring them to the screen.
Contenders brand expanded to London,
The motion picture industry has
and then to New York as well. We also
certainly been impacted in a very big way
Initiated an extremely popular Contenders
by this pandemic, especially with movie
Emmys event, and just two weeks ago, we
theatres shut down in many places around
launched spinoffs for International Films and
the world, and that has in turn affected
Documentaries. Today we are back to where
the way that we view those movies,
it all began, but bigger than ever with 49 films
thereby making this a season like no other.
from 16 studios and distributors, and a hugely
Though many films, originally slated to be
impressive line-up of talent numbering nearly
contenders for this awards season have
150 speakers over the course of two days:
shuffled off to next year and beyond, the
January 23 and 24, 2021.
sheer quantity, and fortunately quality,
Actually, our very first Contenders event
The Deadline staffers who’ll be guiding you through this year’s Contenders Film
of those you will see on display at our
took place over an entire weekend, just as it
2021 Contenders Film weekend is proof
does this time around, but the big difference
of a remarkably resilient industry. This is
is in the numbers. The Contenders has
a startlingly fine group of movies that will
become a must-stop on the awards circuit,
have you talking, and that is really the idea
and that means there’s so much content
of it all. Also, the interesting thing is that
and interest in being part of it that we simply
so many of the films on hand, although
had to spread it out once again over two
conceived and shot before the pandemic
days. Oh, and there is one more difference
took hold, are so ironically relevant in light
from the Contenders events in the past that
of the shutting down of normal life and the
you have known and loved. Due to obvious
way we live now. Call it art imitating life, but
health and safety reasons, and following
the need for human connection is very real,
guidelines about gatherings set by the CDC,
and that is why, in our own way, we carry
our big film Contenders event is going virtual
on the tradition of The Contenders—to
for the first time. We tried out this format in
keep us collectively connected to one thing
the spring with The Contenders Emmys and
we all have in common: our love for the
it proved to be an enormous success. Then,
movies. Roll film. Enjoy.
Joe oversees Deadline’s print magazine for the Oscar and Emmy seasons, as well as its special Disruptors edition produced for the Cannes Film Festival. He has been with Deadline since 2012 and serves as emcee for Deadline’s Contenders events. Prior to joining, his work regularly appeared in his native U.K., for outlets including The Sunday Times and The Guardian. He has also worked extensively in film and television, producing EPK and production notes and serving as a unit publicist. A member of BAFTA, he has also sat on multiple juries for the BAFTA Film Awards. YOUR MODERATORS MIKE FLEMING
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, FILM
Mike joined Deadline in 2010 after working at Variety for 20 years as a reporter, writer and columnist. He was not only nationally recognized as Variety’s premiere film reporter but also for his “Dish” and “The Buzz” columns. Mike is known for his industry relationships and his ability to break news wherever it happens, including on the ground at festivals like Sundance, Cannes and Toronto. He also is an author: Doubleday published his book about The Three Stooges, From Amalgamated Morons to American Icons, which ABC turned into a telepic executive produced by Mel Gibson. One of Mike’s early jobs in journalism was editor of the well-known Media Industry Newsletter (MIN). He then joined New York Newsday as a columnist, reviewer and entertainment writer. During his career, he has written for numerous outlets, including Playboy, Details, TV Guide, Esquire, Backstage, Hollywood. com and Maxim.
PETE HAMMOND
AWARDS COLUMNIST/CHIEF FILM CRITIC
Pete, widely considered to be one of the preeminent awards analysts for both film and television, has for the past seven years been Deadline’s Awards Columnist covering the Oscar and Emmy seasons. He is also Deadline’s Chief Film Critic, having previously reviewed films for MovieLine, Boxoffice magazine, Backstage, Hollywood.com and Maxim. In addition to writing, Pete is also host of the year-round KCET Cinema Series, where he screens a selection of films prior to their theatrical release and interviews filmmakers. He previously held producing positions at Entertainment Tonight, Extra, Access Hollywood, The Arsenio Hall Show, The Martin Short Show, and AMC Network, and has been the recipient of five Emmy nominations for writing. ANTONIA BLYTH
DEPUTY EDITOR, AWARDSLINE
Antonia has contributed to Deadline and Awardsline’s print magazines since 2014. A native Brit based in LA, prior to joining she covered West Coast entertainment for ELLE.com, and her work has been featured in The Guardian, U.K. and U.S. Marie Claire and InStyle. She has also written a New York Times bestselling nonfiction book and regularly appears on French television network TF1 as an entertainment expert. ANTHONY D’ALESSANDRO
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR/BOX OFFICE EDITOR
Anthony covers box office, breaking film news, awards-season features and festival news. His first job in the film industry was at Savoy Pictures’ headquarters in New York where he worked in film distribution. In the summer of 1999, he was hired by Variety and moved to Los Angeles, and remained in the newsroom covering numerous parts of the industry, including box office, for about a decade. Prior to arriving at Deadline in the fall of 2011, where he co-edited the site’s sister publication Awardsline, Anthony covered the box office beat for Indiewire’s Thompson on Hollywood. He also co-produced Matt Walsh’s film A Better You. TOM GRATER
INTERNATIONAL FILM REPORTER
Tom joined Deadline in 2019 as part of its expanding international team, covering the film (and TV) business from his base in London. He is a regular at film markets and festivals around the world including Cannes, Berlin, AFM, Toronto and
Venice. Tom was previously at Screen International, spending five years there rising to Senior Reporter across the U.K. trade’s print and online operations. He has also worked in events and as a freelance journalist for U.K. national newspapers, and regularly appears on radio as a pundit on a variety of film topics. DADE HAYES
FINANCE EDITOR
Dade joined Deadline as a New York-based contributor in 2017. He leads business and Wall Street coverage as well as writing about film, TV, regulation, advertising and other East Coast happenings. Dade has spent two decades tracking the entertainment industry as a writer and editor for Variety, Entertainment Weekly and Broadcasting & Cable. His freelance work has appeared in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, and he is the author of two books and an installment of the Wondery podcast Business Wars. JUSTIN KROLL
SENIOR FILM REPORTER
Justin joined Deadline in July 2020 and covers all aspects of the film industry. Prior to his time at Deadline, he had been with Variety since early 2008, starting there as an intern before being upped to editorial assistant in 2009, and joining the film team in 2010. Before Variety, Kroll worked as a freelancer for Reuters in Los Angeles. He’s a graduate of Michigan State University. TODD MCCARTHY
FILM CRITIC/COLUMNIST
Todd McCarthy is a veteran trade publication film critic, columnist and reporter who has also written several acclaimed books and documentary films. He served two stints on the staffs of Variety and The Hollywood Reporter and extensively covered film festivals internationally for both publications. His film Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography won the best documentary prizes from the New York Film Critics and National Society of Film Critics associations and he won an Emmy for writing the documentary Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer. He also directed the documentaries Man of Cinema: Pierre Rissient and Forever Hollywood, which played at the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theater for a decade. His books include Kings of the Bs: Working Within the Hollywood System, the definitive biography Howard Hawks: The Grey Fox of Hollywood and Fast Women: The
Legendary Women of Racing. AMANDA N’DUKA
REPORTER
Amanda started as an intern with Deadline in 2014 and two years later became the site’s first homegrown full-time staffer. Since then, she’s contributed to breaking news in film and television, and covered events from the Oscars to the Emmys, Golden Globes, Comic-Con, SXSW, the ATX Television Festival and more. With Dino-Ray Ramos, she co-hosts Deadline’s New Hollywood podcast, which champions people of color, women, members of the LGBTQ community and other underrepresented voices. DOMINIC PATTEN
SENIOR EDITOR, LEGAL & TV CRITIC
Dominic covers litigious Hollywood’s major lawsuits and weighs in on the current Golden Age of television with his video reviews and more. Before joining Deadline in 2012, he wrote for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, and the Toronto Globe and Mail. A frequent guest on NPR, Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC and CBS, he also has been a documentary director, TV producer and a newspaper editor. DINO-RAY RAMOS
ASSOCIATE EDITOR/REPORTER
Dino-Ray joined Deadline in 2017 and writes about industry inclusion and diversity, genre film & TV, and pop culture. He covers events, including the Oscars, Emmys, Comic-Con and the TCA press tour. Additionally, he co-hosts the New Hollywood Podcast with Deadline’s Amanda N’Duka, which champions underrepresented voices. Dino-Ray has worked as film and TV reporter for the Oakland Tribune and San Francisco Chronicle, and was chief film critic at the Tracking Board. ANDREAS WISEMAN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR
Andreas joined Deadline in 2018 covering the international and U.S. film industries and is a regular fixture at major festivals and markets including Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto and AFM. He is based in London but makes regular forays to Los Angeles. Andreas spent eight years covering the film industry at Screen International and held posts there including Chief Reporter, News Editor and Deputy Editor. He has broken hundreds of stories and has written extensively on harassment and diversity. He has also worked in film production.
THE
FILMS
DAY 1
NETFLIX
The Trial of the Chicago 7 Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, this drama spotlights the story of the Chicago 7, a group of anti-Vietnam War protestors who were hit with conspiracy charges, after riots broke out at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Enduring a trial presided over by a hostile, biased judge, the counterculture icons doggedly pursued justice, united in their mission to speak out against a corrupt and unfair government. Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and more, the film reinforces the vital importance of protest, in preserving a democracy for all. The Midnight Sky George Clooney directs and stars in this sci-fi drama, based on the novel Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton. Picking up 30 years after a cataclysmic event that has decimated Earth’s population, the story centers on Augustine, a terminally ill scientist working alone in the
Arctic. When he learns that a team of astronauts is returning home from Jupiter, unaware of what has happened, Augustine must race against the clock to warn them off. Scripted by Mark L. Smith, the film’s all-star cast includes Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Demián Bichir, Ethan Peck, Caoilinn Springall and more. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Based on the play of the same name by Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson, this musical drama examines racial tensions in 1920s Chicago, while paying tribute to the trailblazing “Mother of the Blues”. Directed by George C. Wolfe, it centers on a recording session, in which legendary Georgia singer Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) repeatedly clashes over keeping control of her work, with both her white management, and an overly ambitious trumpet player named Levee (Chadwick Boseman). Also starring in this very timely tale, produced by Denzel Washington, are Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts, Dusan Brown and Taylour Paige.
THE MIDNIGHT SKY
FOCUS FEATURES
Never Rarely Sometimes Always Sidney Flanigan drew critical raves for her first screen role in this Sundance title, which claimed the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Neorealism. Written and directed by Eliza Hittman (Beach Rats), it centers on Autumn (Flanigan), a teenager in rural Pennsylvania, who grapples with an unintended pregnancy. Joined by her best friend and cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder), she boards a bus to New York City and is met with yet more obstacles. Executive produced by Barry Jenkins, the riveting drama’s cast also includes Théodore Pellerin, Ryan Eggold and Sharon Van Etten. Promising Young Woman Produced by Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment, this darkly comic thriller tells the story of Cassandra Thomas (Carey Mulligan), a woman on the warpath, seeking vengeance against self-proclaimed ‘nice guys’ in the wake of her best friend’s horrific sexual assault. Once deemed a ‘promising young woman’, Cassie gives up on her own future in order to right the
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
SUPERNOVA
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
wrongs of the past, teaching a long list of immoral men a lesson they will surely never forget. Bolstered by a supporting turn from Bo Burnham, Emerald Fennell’s superb debut feature premiered on Christmas Day.
THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND
THE ASSISTANT
UNIVERSAL PICTURES
BLEECKER STREET
The King of Staten Island Loosely based on star Pete Davidson’s own life, this dramatic comedy centers on Scott, a high school dropout, who lives with his mother and sister on Staten Island. Trapped in a state of arrested development since the death of his firefighter father at age seven, Scott is forced to address his grief when his mother starts dating again. Putting down the bong, he takes steps to get his life back on track. Directed by Judd Apatow, the cast includes Bel Powley, Marisa Tomei, Maude Apatow, Bill Burr and Steve Buscemi.
Supernova Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci play longtime partners Sam and Tusker in this romantic drama. A celebrated novelist, Tusker struggles to write after he’s diagnosed with early on-set dementia. Knowing that there’s little time left before his health further deteriorates, he joins his lover on an RV trip across the north of England, soaking in meaningful moments with people and places from his past, as Sam contemplates an uncertain future on his own. Written and directed by Harry Macqueen, the poignant film is set for release later this month.
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
The Assistant The first narrative feature from Kitty Green (Casting JonBenet) examines one day in the life of Jane—a recent college graduate with dreams of becoming a film producer, who secures a job as a junior assistant to a powerful entertainment executive. Initially, her routine and
FRENCH EXIT
MINARI
set of responsibilities at the company seem quite ordinary. But everything changes when its culture of sexual harassment and abuse comes to light, and she decides to take a stand against it. Leading the timely drama in a stellar turn is two-time Emmy winner Julia Garner. Matthew Macfadyen and Makenzie Leigh also star. SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
French Exit Based on Patrick deWitt’s 2018 novel of the same name, this dramatic comedy centers on Frances (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Malcolm Price (Lucas Hedges), an aging Manhattan socialite and her son, whose finances are dwindling. Grabbing up their cat and the little money they have left, the dysfunctional duo board a cruise to Paris, where they’ll move into a small apartment and start a new life. Known for offbeat indie dramas including Terri and The Lovers, Azazel Jacobs directs, from a script by DeWitt. Susan Coyne, Imogen Poots, Danielle Macdonald, Tracey Letts and Valerie Mahaffey round out the cast. A24
Minari Loosely based on writer/director Lee Isaac Chung’s childhood, this drama tells the story
PALM SPRINGS
SHIRLEY
of a South Korean immigrant family in Arkansas in the 1980s. Moving there from California, they work together to set up a farm, in hopes of securing their own piece of the American Dream. Starring Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan Kim, Noel Cho and Yuh-jung Youn, the film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award. The emotionally charged portrait of assimilation in rural America is produced by Plan B Entertainment. NEON
Palm Springs This clever sci-fi comedy kicks off when the happy-go-lucky Nyles (Andy Samberg) meets maid of honor Sarah (Cristin Milioti) at a wedding in Palm Springs. On that seemingly ordinary evening, their casual flirtation is interrupted by a surreal event, after which they find themselves stuck together in a time loop. While plotting their escape, the pair of relative strangers begin to weigh the pros and cons of a world in which they can’t get away from one other. Written by Andy Siara, Max Barbakow’s debut feature is bolstered by an exceptional supporting turn from J.K. Simmons.
THE CROODS: A NEW AGE
Shirley Elisabeth Moss offers up a tour-de-force turn as seminal horror writer Shirley Jackson in this highly-fictionalized ‘antibiopic’. Based on a novel by Susan Scarf Merrell, the psychodrama picks up as Jackson begins writing her 1951 gothic novel, Hangsaman. Sharing a peculiar marriage with literary critic and professor Stanley Hyman (Michael Stuhlbarg), the neurotic novelist finds new inspiration for her latest work, in the arrival of a young muse, and a cat-and-mouse game ensues. In her latest outing, executive produced by Martin Scorsese, director Josephine Decker picked up Sundance’s U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Auteur Filmmaking. DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
The Croods: A New Age A family of prehistoric cavemen called The Croods pursue a place to call home, in this animated sequel. Encountering a clan called The Bettermans that claims to be more evolved—and therefore, superior—the Croods decide to move into their spacious, forested residence, grappling thereafter with change in their lives, and their future as a pack. Marking the feature directorial debut of Joel Crawford, the animated
SOUND OF METAL
ONE NIGHT IN MIAM
comedy features the voices of Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Peter Dinklage, Leslie Mann, Kelly Marie Tran and many more. AMAZON STUDIOS
Sound of Metal Darius Marder casts the experience of the deaf into the light, in his feature debut, starring Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke and Paul Raci. In the visceral drama, executive producer Ahmed plays Ruben, a heavy metal drummer whose life unravels when he begins to lose his hearing. Out of concern for his sobriety, the recovering drug addict checks into a deaf rehab facility, and it’s there that he works to come to terms with his new normal. Bolstered by the sound design of Nicolas Becker, and the cinematography of Daniël Bouquet, the film premiered on Amazon just last month. One Night in Miami Regina King’s debut feature imagines a night in 1964, marked by the convergence of four icons: civil rights leader Malcolm X, singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, professional football player Jim Brown, and Heavyweight Boxing Cham-
HERSELF
CHERRY
pion Cassius Clay. Gathering in a motel room, following Clay’s historic victory over Sonny Liston, the iconic figures reflect on their responsibilities to their community, their roles in the fight for equality, and their differing ideas on the best ways to spark societal change. Based on the acclaimed play of the same name by Kemp Powers, the drama stars Kingsley Ben-Adir, Leslie Odom Jr., Aldis Hodge and Eli Goree. Herself In this compelling drama, Clare Dunne stars as Sandra, a single mother who struggles to raise her two young daughters at a pivotal moment in her life. Contending with an abusive exhusband and a broken housing system, Sandra decides to take matters into her own hands to secure her children’s future, building her own small home, with the help of supportive figures in her community. Directed by The Iron Lady’s Phyllida Lloyd, the film is written by Dunne and Malcolm Campbell. Produced by Rory Gilmartin, Ed Guiney and Sharon Horgan, it also stars Harriet Walter and Conleth Hill. APPLE TV+
Cherry This adaptation of Nico Walk-
GREYHOUND
er’s 2018 debut novel centers on a college student who enlists as a medic in the Iraq War, as he searches for purpose in his life. When he finally returns home, he’s crippled by PTSD, develops a drug addiction, falls into debt and turns to bank robbery to make ends meet. Anchored in a powerhouse performance by Tom Holland, the highly-stylized crime drama is directed and produced by Joe and Anthony Russo. Featuring notable supporting turns from Ciara Bravo, Forrest Goodluck and Thomas Lennon, it’s scheduled for release on February 26. Greyhound Tom Hanks scripts and stars in this World War II drama, centered on U.S. Navy commander Captain Krause. Embarking on his first wartime assignment aboard the Greyhound destroyer, Krause is tasked with leading an Allied convoy across the Atlantic, battling the elements, while fending off the attacks of a pack of German U-boats. Based on C.S. Forester’s novel The Good Shepherd, Aaron Schneider’s film is a uniquely immersive portrait of the Battle of the Atlantic. The actionpacked thriller also stars Rob Morgan, Stephen Graham and Elisabeth Shue.
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Soul Starring Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, this acclaimed animated feature centers on Joe, a frustrated middle-school band teacher, who has long dreamed of performing on stage as a jazz musician. Just as he’s losing his passion for life, an accident occurs, and he is transported to a celestial realm known as ‘The Great Before’. There, he mentors an infant soul named 22, teaching her about the beauty of the world, with hopes that he’ll be able to return to his body one day soon. This, Pete Docter’s latest, follows his Oscar-winning features Up and Inside Out, and is co-directed by Kemp Powers. STX ENTERTAINMENT
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The Mauritanian In this legal thriller, Tahar Rahim stars as Mohamedou Ould Salahi, a man captured by the U.S. government and held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center, without charges, for over a decade. Just as he has given up hope, his case is unexpectedly taken on by defense attorney Nancy Hollander (two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster), whose dogged work unearths a stunning conspiracy. Based on Salahi’s memoir, Guantanamo Diary, Kevin Macdonald’s film also stars Shailene Woodley, Zachary Levi and Benedict Cumberbatch. Scripted by M.B. Traven, Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, it’s set for release on February 19.
NETFLIX
Mank This impeccably designed period piece has been a longtime passion project for director David Fincher. Scripted by his late father Jack, the blackand-white drama follows alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman), as he endeavors to finish the screenplay for Citizen Kane. Examining the washed-up wordsmith’s relationships with starlet Marion Davies (Amanda Seyfried), media titan William Randolph Hearst (Charles Dance), and Kane’s wunderkind director and star, Orson Welles (Tom Burke), the film is both a love letter to, and a critique of, Hollywood’s Golden Age. The starry drama’s cast includes Lily Collins, Tom Pelphrey, Arliss Howard, Tuppence Middleton and more. Malcolm & Marie Zendaya stars opposite John David Washington in this romantic drama, written and directed by Euphoria’s Sam Levinson. The intimate twohander follows a director and his girlfriend as they return home from the premiere of his latest film. While the event was celebratory, and the pic is expected to be a success, the pair’s relationship is put to the test, as they wait for critics’ responses to come in. Executive produced by Kid Cudi, Levinson’s latest was the first U.S. film to be written, directed and completed amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and is bolstered by stunning, black-
and-white cinematography from Marcell Rév. Pieces of a Woman Vanessa Kirby earned the Venice Film Festival’s Volpi Cup for Best Actress, for her stunning turn in this domestic drama. Starring opposite Shia LaBeouf, Kirby plays Martha, a Boston woman whose home birth ends in unthinkable tragedy. Thereafter, she embarks on a yearlong journey of mourning, learning to live with her loss, as relationships with the people closest to her fracture. Directed by Kornél Mundruczó (White God), the painfully lived-in tale is executive produced by Sam Levinson and Martin Scorsese. Ellen Burstyn, Iliza Shlesinger, Benny Safdie, Sarah Snook and Molly Parker round out the cast. Da 5 Bloods Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr. and the late Chadwick Boseman star in this Spike Lee joint. The drama centers on four aging veterans of the Vietnam War who return to the country in pursuit of a buried treasure, and the remains of their beloved squad leader, Stormin’ Norman. While reliving their time in the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division, the longtime friends find themselves reflecting on the America of the time, and the country, as it stands today. Exploring the connection between racism and warfare, the film also stars Jonathan Majors, Mélanie Thierry and Jean Reno.
WARNER BROS.
The Way Back Gavin O’Connor’s drama tells the story of Jack Cunningham—a high school basketball prodigy who walked away from the game, and the future it could have offered him. Years later, he’s become an alcoholic and separated from his wife, working in construction, while isolating himself from friends and family. Ultimately, though, he gets his shot at redemption, when he’s recruited to coach the basketball team at his alma mater. Scripted by Brad Ingelsby, the acclaimed drama stars two-time Oscar winner Ben Affleck. Al Madrigal, Michaela Watkins, Glynn Turman and Janina Gavankar round out the cast. Wonder Woman 1984 Gal Gadot reprises the role of immortal Amazonian warrior Diana Prince (otherwise known as Wonder Woman) in this superhero sequel. Set during the Cold War, it picks up with Prince at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., as she comes into contact with a mysterious, wish-granting rock. After encountering Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) and Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig)—a pair of supervillainsin-the-making with designs on the so-called ‘dreamstone’— she must stop at nothing to keep it out of their hands. Directed by Patty Jenkins, the DC Extended Universe’s ninth installment also features turns from Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright.
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Land In her debut feature, Golden Globe winner Robin Wright stars as Edee, a woman who decides to retreat into the American wilderness after a horrifying family tragedy. While living off the grid in Wyoming, she goes through a near-death experience—and after being rescued by a local hunter (Demián Bichir), she begins to find a way to go on living. Set to premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, with a February release to follow, the heart-rending drama was written by Jesse Chatham and Erin Dignam. UNIVERSAL PICTURES
News of the World In his first Western, Tom Hanks stars as Captain Kidd, a Civil War veteran who travels across the U.S. to share the news with small-town folks. While in Texas, he encounters a 10-year-old girl named Johanna who was raised as part of the Kiowa tribe after being taken from her family at a very early age. Quickly forging a bond with the girl, Kidd makes it his mission to deliver her back to her aunt and uncle, encountering
myriad dangers along the way. Directed by Paul Greengrass, the drama features a breakout turn from 12-year-old German actress Helena Zengel. The Invisible Man This film from Leigh Whannell tells the story of Cecilia, a woman whose life has been damaged by her relationship with a violent and manipulative tech entrepreneur. When she learns of her abusive ex’s suicide, she starts taking steps to begin her life anew. But shortly thereafter, she begins to question her sense of reality, coming to the conclusion that his death was a hoax, and that he’s now stalking her, with the help of a suit that renders him invisible. Produced by Jason Blum, the clever H.G. Wells adaptation is anchored in an unforgettable turn from Elisabeth Moss. APPLE TV+
On the Rocks Premiering at the New York Film Festival, this dramatic comedy marks the third collaboration between writer/director Sofia Coppola and actor Bill Murray. The film centers on Laura (Rashida Jones), a novelist with two young
THE INVISIBLE MAN
daughters who becomes suspicious of her frequently absent husband. Connecting with her charismatic, philandering father Felix (Murray), she sets off on an adventure which will allow her to assess the validity of her misgivings. Featuring an original score by Phoenix, the film’s supporting cast includes Marlon Wayans, Jessica Henwick and Jenny Slate. Wolfwalkers Directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart draw on Irish folklore for this animated feature, set in 1650, in the medieval town of Kilkenny. Its protagonist is Robyn, a young apprentice hunter who journeys with her father from England to eradicate a pack of wolves. A girl trapped by the Puritan world in which she’s been raised, Robyn’s life changes forever, when she encounters a girl with supernatural powers, from an enigmatic, local tribe. Featuring the voices of Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Simon McBurney and Sean Bean, the fantasy film hails from Oscarnominated animation studio, Cartoon Saloon.
ON THE ROCKS
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The United States vs. Billie Holiday Lee Daniels’ drama follows iconic Blues singer Billie Holiday (Andra Day) as she gets caught up in an FBI sting, while engaging in an affair with undercover agent, Jimmy Fletcher (Trevante Rhodes). Grabbing the bureau’s attention with politically charged songs, protesting systemic racism in the United States, Holiday was well known in the 1940s for her addiction to drugs and alcohol. And ultimately, it was these personal issues that allowed the agency to justify taking the outspoken crooner down. Based on a book by Johann Hari, the film also stars Garrett Hedlund, Tyler James Williams, Natasha Lyonne and more. NETFLIX
The Prom Based on an acclaimed musical of the same name, this comedy centers on a group of narcissistic Broadway actors who have found themselves at a low point in their careers. In an attempt to generate publicity that will put them
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back on the map, they travel to a conservative Indiana town, advocating on behalf of a high school girl who has been banned from attending the prom with her girlfriend. Directed by Ryan Murphy, the gorgeously designed feature stars Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, KeeganMichael Key, Andrew Rannells, Ariana DeBose, Kerry Washington, and Jo Ellen Pellman. Over the Moon This stellar musical fantasy is the long-awaited debut feature of pioneering animator Glen Keane. Written by the late Audrey Wells, it tells the story of Fei Fei, a 14-year-old Chinese girl who has long been told the legend of the goddess Chang’e. After the loss of her mother, she struggles to cope, deciding to travel to the Moon to prove that the immortal being is real. Featuring original songs by Christopher Curtis, Marjorie Duffield and Helen Park, the animated adventure pic stars Cathy Ang, Phillipa Soo, Ken Jeong, John Cho, Ruthie Ann Miles, Margaret Cho, and Sandra Oh.
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The Forty-Year-Old Version Writer, director, producer and actor Radha Blank centers her directorial debut on her own story of creative reinvention. Produced by Lena Waithe, the comedic drama tells the story of a disheartened New York playwright, who is determined to reach an artistic breakthrough before she turns 40. After experimenting with rapping, in an attempt to break out of stasis, she gravitates equally towards the worlds of hiphop and theater, finding her voice somewhere in between. Claiming the U.S. Dramatic Competition Directing Award at Sundance, the black-and-white indie features notable supporting turns from Peter Kim, Oswin Benjamin and Reed Birney. The White Tiger The adaptation of Aravind Adiga’s debut novel centers on Balram, a poor villager who journeys to Delhi, to work as a chauffeur to a wealthy family. Told from birth that he is destined to be a servant, and nothing more, the cunning young man decides one
THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
day to rebel against his fate, rising above his caste to become a wealthy entrepreneur, only he does it by committing an awful crime. Written and directed by Ramin Bahrani (99 Homes), the darkly comic meditation on India’s class struggle stars Adarsh Gourav, Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. WALT DISNEY STUDIOS
Onward This animated adventure centers on Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley Lightfoot (Chris Pratt), elven brothers whose father died when they were young. When they learn of a magical artifact that will allow them to bring him back to life for a day, the boys decide to set out on the quest of a lifetime, to get the closure they were previously denied. Directed by Don Scanlon, the Pixar feature is bolstered by a score from Jeff and Mychael Danna. Its all-star voice cast also includes Julia LouisDreyfus and Octavia Spencer. KINO LORBER
Never Gonna Snow Again In this comedic drama, Alec Utgoff stars as Zenia, a Ukranian
NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN
THE FATHER
masseur working in Warsaw for the wealthy residents of a gated community. Impressing these self-absorbed, middle class types with his skills in hypnosis and healing massage, Zenia comes to be viewed as a guru, and gains a cult following he never could have expected, all while processing the pain of past loss. Written and directed by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert, the film debuted in Venice in September. SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
The Father Academy Award winners Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman star in this haunting drama, from first-time filmmaker Florian Zeller. An adaptation of his 2012 play Le Père, it centers on an aging man gradually succumbing to dementia, who repeatedly rejects his daughter’s earnest efforts to help him. As his sense of reality unravels, Anthony struggles to cope, lashing out at the woman who loves him the most. Nominated for six British Independent Film Awards, the acclaimed Sundance title also stars Mark Gatiss, Olivia Williams, Imogen Poots and Rufus Sewell.
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Our Friend Based on a 2015 Esquire article, this uplifting drama tells the true story of Nicole (Dakota Johnson) and Matthew Teague (Casey Affleck), a married couple with kids, who struggle to accept the inevitable, in the wake of a terminal diagnosis. When news comes that Nicole is dying, her best friend Dane (Jason Segel) moves in, putting his own life on hold to help the couple through an unimaginably difficult time. Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, from a script by Brad Ingelsby, the intimate portrait of a friendship without bounds also stars Gwendoline Christie, Cherry Jones and Marielle Scott. A24
First Cow Director Kelly Reichardt’s latest adapts Jonathan Raymond’s acclaimed 2004 novel, The HalfLife. Set in 1820, it follows the journey of Otis “Cookie” Figowitz (John Magaro), a lonesome cook looking to make his fortune in the west. In Oregon Country, he connects with Chinese immigrant King-Lu (Orion Lee), and the pair
ONWARD
are soon in business, selling biscuits made with milk taken from a neighboring landowner’s prized cow. Nominated for four Gotham Awards, the period buddy comedy features a standout supporting turn from Toby Jones. DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
Trolls World Tour Directed by Walt Dohrn, this animated sequel follows trolls Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake), as they learn that their world is divided into six tribes, representing a range of musical genres. When the fuzzy friends discover a plot by the Queen of the Hard Rock Trolls to take over all of the kingdoms, they set off an adventure, striving to protect the sounds that make each tribe unique. A colorful celebration of inclusivity, featuring catchy original songs and covers, the jukebox musical debuted in the U.S. in April. AMAZON STUDIOS
I’m Your Woman A pampered housewife goes on the run with her baby in this 1970s crime drama, directed by Julia Hart (Fast Color). Starring Golden
FIRST COW
Globe and Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan, the film picks up as Jean learns that her gangster husband Eddie has gone missing. Subsequently, she embarks on a perilous journey, learning about the dark secrets of the man she married, while awakening to her own power. Scripted by Hart and Jordan Horowitz, the critically acclaimed neo-noir also stars Arinzé Kene, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Bill Heck, Frankie Faison, Marceline Hugot and James McMenamin. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm In this long-awaited mockumentary sequel, Sacha Baron Cohen reprises the role of Borat, a Kazakh journalist who caught the world’s attention in 2006, with a documentary he made on the United States. Humiliating his country with that film, Borat must travel back to America to redeem its reputation, by offering his daughter as a bride to Vice President Mike Pence. Satirizing the ugliest and most absurd aspects of American culture today, the comedy from director Jason Woliner features a breakout turn from Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova, as well as a truly unfor-
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gettable appearance by President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani. WARNER BROS.
Judas and the Black Messiah Co-written and directed by Shaka King, this historical drama tells the story of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), the American activist who rose to fame in 1960s Chicago, as chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party. Viewed by the FBI as a threat to the United States, Hampton’s life ends in tragedy, after criminalturned-informant William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) infiltrates the organization. Produced by Ryan Coogler, the film’s ensemble includes Jesse Plemons, Martin Sheen, Dominique Fishback, Ashton Sanders, Algee Smith, Lil Rel Howery, Jermaine Fowler and more. It’s set to debut in the U.S. on February 12. The Little Things This thriller centers on Deke, a burnt-out deputy sheriff in Kern County, California, who partners with an LA detective to hunt down a serial killer. Bypassing the law to get the job done, he entan-
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gles his new partner in a terrible dilemma—grappling, at the same time, with a dark secret from his past. Written and directed by John Lee Hancock (The Founder), the film stars Oscar winners Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto, and is scheduled for release on January 29.
by Killer Films, Mona Fastvold’s latest stars Katherine Waterston, Casey Affleck, Vanessa Kirby and Christopher Abbott. Premiering at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, the film is scheduled for release on February 12.
the comedic drama also stars Jon Hamm, Christopher Walken and Dearbhla Molloy.
BLEECKER STREET
The World to Come Set in upstate New York in the 1850s, this drama centers on Abigail, a stoic woman enduring the mental and physical trials of life on the East Coast frontier, alongside her husband. While tending to her farm one spring, Abigail develops a bond with a neighboring woman, which disrupts her status quo—filling, at the same time, a void in her life that she didn’t know existed. Produced
Wild Mountain Thyme Writer/director John Patrick Shanley (Moonstruck)’s latest tale of star-crossed lovers is based on his acclaimed Broadway play, Outside Mullingar. It centers on Rosemary Muldoon (Emily Blunt), a strongwilled farmer who has long been in love with her neighbor, Anthony Reilly (Jamie Dornan). Though Anthony is shy, and has always been oblivious to Rosemary’s affections, he eventually awakens to his own feelings and desires, when he gets caught up in a family land dispute. Debuting in the U.S. last month,
NEON
Ammonite Set in 1840s England, this romantic drama centers on the romance between once-renowned paleontologist Mary Anning and a young woman sent to convalesce in her seaside town. Collecting and selling fossils to pay the bills, while caring for her ailing mother, Anning’s best days seem to be behind her, until Charlotte enters her life. Subsequently, she’s left to determine the terms of a new relationship. Written and directed by Francis Lee (God’s Own Country), the latest outing from See-Saw Films stars Oscar-winner Kate Winslet and four-time nominee Saoirse Ronan.
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