The Film Stage

Lisandro Alonso on Eureka, Indigenous Perspective, Film Festival Controversies, and Being Stubborn
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One of the pioneers of contemporary slow cinema, Lisandro Alonso made a name for himself on the festival circuit with his 2001 feature La libertad, which took that very notion of duration and “boredom” associated with the art-film subgenre to...
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Go Behind-the-Scenes of Carol Reed’s The Third Man in Exclusive Photos From New Book Arriving on 75th Anniversary
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Released 75 years ago this year, Carol Reed’s towering masterwork of film noir, The Third Man, has entered generation upon generation. Now, in celebration of its landmark anniversary, a new book by John Walsh uncovers more about its making. The...
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Blitz Trailer: Saoirse Ronan is Under Attack in Steve McQueen’s WWII Thriller
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After exploring World War II with last year’s more experimental documentary Occupied City, Steve McQueen returns to the subject matter on an epic canvas with the war thriller Blitz. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Elliot Heffernan, and Harris Dickinson, the film will...
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TIFF Review: Sylvia Chang’s Wonderful Performance Lifts Up Daughter’s Daughter
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Huang Xi’s Daughter’s Daughter is, as the title suggests, a generational drama, but one that encompasses four generations of women rather than just two. In fact, the central story is almost exclusively centered on women; male characters are largely referred...
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His Three Daughters Director Azazel Jacobs on Emotional Catharsis, Why He Can’t Shoot a Dying Scene, and the Craft of Acting
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The most overwhelmingly emotional viewing experience I had at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, Azazel Jacobs’ tender, beautifully-acted drama His Three Daughters follows Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen as somewhat estranged siblings who reconvene in a small NYC...
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Robert Pattinson Respawns in First Trailer for Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17
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It’s really been five years since Parasite? That revelation resonates with the trailer for Mickey 17, Bong Joon-ho’s first film since the Oscar-winning phenom and which, to be fair, was supposed to arrive in March, but the characteristically wacky Zaslav-era...
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Shu Qi Wraps Directorial Debut Girl for 2025 Completion
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Let this be an object lesson for those fearing it’s to late to pursue their dreams: at the age of 50, Shu Qi––who, granted, is the iconic star of films by Hou Hsiao-hsien, Feng Xiaogang, Jiang Wen, Corey Yuen, and...
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October on the Criterion Channel Includes F/X Scares, Witches, Japanese Horror, Stephen King & More
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The Criterion Channel’s at its best when October rolls around and consistently engages in the best horror programming of any streaming service. 2024 will bring more than a few iterations of their spooky programming: “Horror F/X” highlights the best effects-based...
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Cillian Murphy Returns in First Trailer for Small Things Like These
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Premiering at Berlinale before his Oscar win for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer but now arriving many months after, Cillian Murphy will next be seen in Small Things Like These. Also starring Emily Watson, Michelle Fairley, and Eileen Walsh, Tim Mielants’ Berlinale...
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Masterful Japanese Noir Yokohama BJ Blues Receives New Trailer Ahead of December Rerelease
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Rarely am I devoting column space (whatever that means in virtual realms) to individual home-video releases––at least if they’re not likely to receive a complementary theatrical run. But I’m unusually elated seeing a favorite discovery get the upgrade most would...
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