A Barbenheimer-filled Golden Globes appears inevitable, but how many nominations will these two summer blockbusters scoop up? Warner Bros’ “Barbie” is projected to dominate the nominations set to be unveiled on Monday, Dec. 11, with an estimated nine nods, including a mention for best picture in the comedy or musical …read more
By Michaela Zee The long wait for Shohei Ohtani to end his free agency is over. The great Japanese two-way star announced on his Instagram account on Saturday he’s signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a reported 10 years at $700 million, the richest contract by far in Major League Baseball history., “To all my fans …read more
By Naman Ramachandran Dubai-based distribution and production outfit Oceana Studios has picked up worldwide sales rights to thriller “Tonic,” starring Billy Blair (“Doc Holliday”) and Ed Westwick (“Gossip Girl”). Written and directed by Derek Presley (“Boon”) and produced by U.S. production company Muscular Puppy, the film follows Sebastian Poe (Blair), a washed-up piano …read more
By Leo Barraclough The third edition of the Red Sea Film Festival, wrapping Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, felt like a direct response to a burning question from executives and investors present at the festival’s market arm last year: Could Saudi Arabia step out from drama and comedy and head into genre filmmaking? …read more
By Naman Ramachandran A documentary on revered filmmaker James Ivory is part of an eclectic slate from Min(d) Studio, New York, it was revealed on the sidelines of Singapore’s Asia TV Forum and Market. The boutique studio, the brainchild of Dev Benegal (New York City), Maya Patel (London and Hong Kong), Neeraj Jain …read more
By Naman Ramachandran Singapore’s Robot Playground Media (RPM) and Valencia-based co-producer TV ON Producciones (TOP) have commenced production on animated feature film “The Violinist,” it was revealed at the Asia TV Forum and Market. The film was unveiled at a presentation attended by the representatives of Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and …read more
By Alissasimon With her debut feature “Tiger Stripes,” Malaysian writer-director Amanda Nell Eu joins an exciting group of directors who provide subversive takes on genre and body horror. Julia Ducournau and “Raw” comes to mind, as do Agnieszka Smoczynska and “The Lure” and John Fawcett and “Ginger Snaps” — like David Cronenberg …read more
By Cynthia Littleton The prospect of a picket line outside the Beverly Hilton on Golden Globe Awards day has been averted now that the hotel has reached a tentative agremeent to end the weeks-old walkout. The hotel and Unite Here Local 11 released a joint statement on Friday afternoon. “Together the iconic Beverly …read more
By Michael Nordine Greed may not be good, but it is universal. And while America would appear to have a monopoly on movies about the pursuit of wealth for wealth’s sake, plenty of other nations have exported their version of the rags-to-riches tale — of which Saudi Arabia’s Oscar submission, “Alhamour H.A.,” is …read more
By Peter Debruge Zarrar Kahn’s “In Flames” is set mostly in a cramped apartment nestled not too far from the rowdy, crowded streets of Karachi. The hustle and bustle from the outside — not to mention the social and societal forces that so define it — continually threaten to creep inside the walls …read more