The Film Stage

Maya, Give Me a Title Review: Michel Gondry Rejuvenates His Creative Spirit with Earnest Animation
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Of all the directors who made the jump from music videos to feature-directing during MTV’s ’90s peak, Michel Gondry is the sole name whose work hasn’t been able to fully escape from the shadow of early pop promos. His hyper-stylized...
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The B-Side – 2025 Oscars Special (with Joe Reid & Chris Feil)
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Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we usually talk about movie stars and not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between. Today, however, we talk about Oscar...
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New to Streaming: Presence, La Cocina, A Complete Unknown, Nickel Boys & More
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Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here. La Cocina (Alonso Ruizpalacios) Egos are charred and tempers seared in La Cocina, a kitchen...
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The Assessment Trailer: Alicia Vikander Tests Elizabeth Olsen in Sci-Fi Drama
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One of our most-anticipated films to premiere at TIFF last fall, The Assessment marked the directorial debut of Fleur Fortuné, who had previously helmed music videos for M83, The Avalanches, Lykke Li, Travis Scott, and more. The sci-fi drama, starring...
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Austin Butler and Saoirse Ronan Will Lead Sean Durkin’s Deep Cuts
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After his brutally piercing trio of features thus far with Martha Marcy May Marlene, The Nest, and The Iron Claw, director Sean Durkin is looking to lighten the mood. He’s set to write and direct an adaptation of Holly Brickley’s...
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Sacramento Trailer: Michael Cera, Michael Angarano, and Kristen Stewart Lead Road Trip Drama
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Premiering last year at Tribeca Festival, just before he was seen in Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, Michael Angarano’s second directorial feature Sacramento brought together the impressive cast of Michael Cera, Kristen Stewart, and Maya Erskine,...
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Exclusive Trailer for Matías Piñeiro’s You Burn Me Beautifully Adapts Cesare Pavese
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Following Hermia & Helena and Isabella, Matías Piñeiro’s new film You Burn Me playfully, gorgeously adapts “Sea Foam,” a chapter in Cesare Pavese’s Dialogues with Leucò. Centered around fictional dialogue between the ancient Greek poet Sappho and the nymph Britomartis...
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Nicolas Cage Hits a Breaking Point in First Trailer for The Surfer
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After one of the most successful films of his career with last year’s Longlegs, Nicolas Cage returns this year with The Surfer, a beach-set psychological thriller directed by Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium, Nocebo). Following its premiere at Cannes Film Festival last...
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Tom Hardy is Back in Action in First Trailer for Gareth Evans’ Havoc
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After beginning production way back in 2021, The Raid director Gareth Evans’ action thriller Havoc will finally see the light of day. Led by Tom Hardy in his first straight-up action movie since Mad Max: Fury Road, Netflix has now...
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Slamdance Review: Stolen Kingdom is a Light but Entertaining Look at Disney Obsessives
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Depending on who you ask, the cultural domination of the Walt Disney Company can be a wonderful thing or an inescapable nightmare. From Marvel to Pixar, 20th Century Studios to Lucasfilm, and theme parks from Orlando to Tokyo with cruise...
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