Our @theamynicholson.bsky.social finds THE ODYSSEY a "monument to movie craft" — "one that engraves marvelous images onto the ancient oral poem" even as it sacrifices some of its hero's moral complexity: "Nolan refuses to tremble before the canon." Her review: www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Review: Christopher Nolan’s 'The Odyssey' is a mighty Trojan horse of his thematic obsessions

Generously sized and steered toward realism, the director's take on Odysseus is epically satisfying, even if it skimps on the character's ego and lust.

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My favorite of Sam Neill's will always be John Carpenter's IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS — finally, a leading role, but one in which Neill, strapped in a straitjacket, screams things like “I’m not insane!” www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Sam Neill's legacy in 7 movies, from Australian thrillers to 'Jurassic Park'

A crisp, charming presence opposite volcanic stars like Nicole Kidman, Isabelle Adjani and Holly Hunter, Neill made a career out of letting others shine.

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Wild essay by @selfstyledsiren.bsky.social on one of my all-time favorites. Still no bigger flex than following up DRACULA, one of Hollywood's earliest proto-blockbusters, with FREAKS.

Farran Smith Nehme 🇱🇧@selfstyledsiren.bsky.social · last mo.

Tod Browning, one of the most fascinating figures in American movies, was #BornThisDay in Louisville, Kentucky, in (most likely) 1880. To celebrate, I'm posting the essay I wrote for @criterion.bsky.social's box set in 2023. www.criterion.com/current/post...

"I’ve been telling this story in all my films for years." Christopher Nolan sits down with Kenneth Turan to discuss his personal journey into THE ODYSSEY, along with its casting, physical effects and the one actor whose take made everyone on set applaud. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

The intimate odyssey of Christopher Nolan’s latest epic: ‘I’ve been telling this story in all my films’

Christopher Nolan explains ‘The Odyssey’: The director discusses how he made the epic new film starring Matt Damon that was shot entirely on Imax.

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THE ODYSSEY is staggering. Earthy, ghostly, weighty, touched by humor and grandeur alike. It's pure cinema. Obviously the story is about returning home, but in a larger sense, this is also a return home to the robustly entertaining action movies that cinema was invented to tell.

Some worthwhile movie options for the holiday weekend (🧵): Happy Fourth, everyone. First up, our film team tells the story of America in 10 essential films, all set at moments of deep national change. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

10 must-watch movies that capture America in times of profound change

From classic dramas like 'The Grapes of Wrath' and 'Nashville' to a John Carpenter sci-fi nightmare, these movies articulate a shifting national mood.

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Make room in an already stellar year of horror debuts for Sundance breakout LEVITICUS, which nails a tricky tone and lingers long after. @jenyamato.bsky.social has the story. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Making the queer horror romance ‘Leviticus' was an exploration — and a reclamation

In a crowded year for chilling debuts, director Adrian Chiarella and actors Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen impress with a fear that hits close to home.

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Lovely reminiscence by our Glenn Whipp about how the TOY STORY movies take root. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

A highly personal ranking of the 10 best toys in the 'Toy Story' movies

I watched my children play with their toys over many years and multiple 'Toy Story' movies. These are more than just animated characters to me.

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If you've seen DISCLOSURE DAY, you've noticed Courtney Grace, who, as a news anchor, carries the climax almost wordlessly and delivers a knockout turn. Our @davidviramontes.bsky.social spoke to her about the shoot. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

'Disclosure Day' ends with a bang. Here's how a former news anchor stole the show

Her name is Courtney Grace and she carries Steven Spielberg's sci-fi thriller to its emotional climax. She discussed her experience working on the film.

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DISCLOSURE DAY works best as someone’s desperate fantasy to recreate the monoculture, made by an artist who used to define it. (The villain clearly prefers one-to-one streaming.) The ending is basically Spielberg begging us to rewatch E.T. He believes in movies more than aliens.

Threats from another world? Or “vaguely benevolent interstellar therapists trying to help humanity get its act together”? Our staffers have thoughts. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

What is it with Spielberg and space aliens? We break down his career-long fixation

With 'Disclosure Day,' the director returns to a longtime preoccupation. Two Times staffers explore his ongoing fascination with extraterrestrials.

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"When lens flares continually beam right at the screen, the whole movie feels like enlightenment under duress." @theamynicholson.bsky.social on fire with this one. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Review: In Steven Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day,' the aliens are here — but the wonderment isn't

Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor race around the Midwest trying to expose UFOs in a hectic adventure that lacks intelligent life.

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These are excellent picks, especially Killer Films. Such a huge impact on the indie world. Much cooler than the Oscars usually get. Deepest congrats to Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Academy to honor Glenn Close and Ridley Scott at Governors Awards

Animator Floyd Norman will also receive an honorary Oscar, while producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler will receive the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.

latimes.com

Rush, now with with monster drummer Anika Nilles, killed last night at the Forum in a show that marks a new phase for them. Here's everything that happened: www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

EDDINGTON is the most blackly funny American satire in a decade. Come hear me speak with Ari Aster after the @amcinematheque.bsky.social Bleak Week screening on Friday night. www.americancinematheque.com/series/ari-a...

Ari Aster: A Bleak Week Retrospective - American Cinematheque

americancinematheque.com

Romania's Cristian Mungiu now joins an extremely exclusive group of two-time Palme winners — a club of only 10. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Cristian Mungiu's 'Fjord' wins Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival

Awards for acting were shared by the co-stars of "Coward" and "All of Sudden," while the Russian thriller "Minotaur" took home the festival's Grand Prize.

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@theamynicholson.bsky.social and I leave Cannes with 10 winners, though we honestly wish it were more. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

10 Cannes movies worth looking out for in a year of disappointments

Not every returning auteur brought their A-game, but we found enough to like, including strong work from Pedro Almodóvar, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Jane Schoenbrun.

latimes.com

“This far into an underwhelming festival, good films have a way of looking like great ones,” says @theamynicholson.bsky.social at a Cannes studded with high-profile misfires, one that’s taking its time to come into focus. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

At Cannes, the search goes on for a knockout — or at least a decent ending

Disappointing offerings included such anticipated titles as

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"Throughout the entire process of making this film, I was bloodthirsty. I was thirsting for blood. I have another script written already." Talked to Na Hong-jin about his big swing HOPE. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

'Hope,' Korea's biggest gamble, comes to Cannes. Its director is ready to level up

Director Na Hong-jin's latest, a sci-fi adventure co-starring Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, brings a huge sense of blockbuster scale to his filmmaking.

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“TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH is a bold step forward. It’s got bravery and heart and a masked killer costumed like an air conditioning vent. Ultimately, it’s about challenging yourself to get vulnerable." @theamynicholson.bsky.social on the the first few days of Cannes. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Fast and furious? Not for the most part at this year's Cannes so far

Jane Schoenbrun's "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma" supplied slasher-inspired juiciness while "Fatherland" marked the return of Sandra Hüller ("Anatomy of a Fall").

latimes.com

ALL OF A SUDDEN is about the toughest subject, death, but also about something trickier: How do we help people approach that moment with dignity and even vigor? In the friction between those two ideas, the movie lands on something truly sublime. We are lucky to have a Hamaguchi.

Don't even pretend you're not curious about the 20-year-old director who made BACKROOMS for A24. We got Kane Parsons to tell us the whole story. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Kane Parsons is 20. Here's how he made A24’s biggest summer movie, the spooky 'Backrooms'

After developing his concept over years, the 20-year-old Parsons worked with Oscar-nominated actors Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve along with A24 to make it happen.

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I often found myself sitting with Rex at critic screenings because I loved hearing his steady stream of sotto voce commentary. My favorite, after we saw SUPERMAN RETURNS: "Well, it wasn't as good as *my* Superman." He was the star of it. I'll miss him. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Rex Reed, contrarian film critic who perfected the skewering celebrity interview, dies at 87

Rex Reed, who never held back in celebrity interviews and movie reviews, died Tuesday in Manhattan at age 87. He often lamented the lack of quality coming from Hollywood.

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“I don’t have many fears. In a generalized Spanish sense, here we’re not afraid to call things for what they are,” director Pedro Almodóvar tells The Times. www.latimes.com/entertainme...

Cinerama Dome could be the linchpin of an already glorious L.A. repertory scene if/when it finally reopens. @indiefocus.bsky.social reports on yesterday’s permit hearing and developments. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Cinerama Dome takes a likely step toward reopening 'in the near future'

A permit for alcohol sales is likely to be approved, paving the way for the reopening of the beloved Cinerama Dome and ArcLight Hollywood theaters.

latimes.com

@theamynicholson.bsky.social and I have a back and forth about this years lineup — there’s much that we’re anticipating.

Los Angeles Times@latimes.com · 3mo ago

The 11 movies we're most excited to see at the Cannes Film Festival

Lucrecia Martel makes fiercely political movies. She also led the Venice Film Festival jury that chose JOKER as its winner. @carlosfilm.bsky.social talked to her about both of those things, plus her Hollywood adventures. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

She's an art-house giant. But Lucrecia Martel sometimes feels the lure of Hollywood

The Argentine director is revered at home and abroad — and even took a meeting with Marvel. Her first documentary, "Our Land," investigates a murder.

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Billie Eilish brings the intimacy, James Cameron the 3D sweep, to a concert documentary (opening today) that, it's safe to say, pleased longtime fan @mikaelwood.bsky.social and made a new one in @theamynicholson.bsky.social. They chatted about it. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Review: Billie Eilish, intimate in even James Cameron's eye: Our critics weigh in on 3D concert doc 'Hit Me Hard and Soft'

For all the hugeness of an arena show, the singer establishes remarkable closeness with her fans, a rapport captured by the "Avatar" director's hi-def cameras.

latimes.com

The last time I saw Rush, it was with @darkforcesswing.bsky.social at MSG, front row. His story for the NYT, about the rehearsals for their upcoming tour, is the one that every superfan wants to read. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/30/a...

Rush Lost Its Beloved Drummer. The Band Is Ready to Get Back on the Road.

nytimes.com

BACKROOMS is horror stripped to its essentials: a hallway, a door, knowing that you will go through it. Conceptually, it’s a triumph, a nightmare with its own weather. Kane Parsons may be 20 years old but he knows what haunts us.