Fraser now has critical momentum going into next Sunday’s Oscars, bolstered by his recent BAFTA prize and praise for his dark and gritty “The Batman.” However, don’t be surprised if Wegner (winner of the Critics Choice Award) pulls off an upset over her fellow Australian and becomes the first woman to win the Oscar for cinematography. Her director, “Power of the Dog’s” Jane Campion, is expected to win the Oscar for Best Director....

That 40 percent also reflects this weekend’s overall performance (about $66 million) compared to 2019 ($163 million). That reduces the rolling four-weekend comparison to 52 percent, down from 58 percent last week. “Old,” made for a thrifty $18 million (before marketing costs), will likely be a financial winner for the director. Unlike other Universal genre titles, this one will not have an early PVOD release. Since the public probably isn’t aware of that decision, it’s possible that the presumption of early home viewing contributed to what is Shyamalan’s lowest-grossing opener....

Nominations voting is from January 12-17, 2023, with official Oscar nominations announced January 24, 2023. Final voting is March 2-7, 2023. And finally, the 95th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 12 and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT. We update predictions through awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2023 Oscar picks. The State of the Race Familiar faces lead the Best Actor fray....

Many stories are quick to get a “dark comedy” label simply because their characters joke about the underbelly of human nature or embrace concepts of mortality in a far more head-on way than expected. Through the experiences of Miri Matteson (played by series co-writer Daisy Haggard) in “Back to Life,” those are daily confrontations. Still something of a town pariah after an 18-year prison sentence in connection with the death of her childhood friend, Miri’s gradual reintroduction to life in her family’s seaside Kent town comes with metaphorical training wheels....

First-time filmmaker Rebeca “Beba” Huntt opens her eponymous debut “Beba” — a complicated and bold self-portrait that explores identity, internalized anti-Blackness, and generational trauma — with a declarative statement: “You are now entering my universe.” Her world, initially, is visually translated via a shaky cam walking through a twisty, moss-smeared forest. A woozy horn hypnotizes over a collage of images: Huntt swaying to the sea, people at the beach, her hand in the sand — all shot on a gorgeous 16mm....

The news serves as a reunion for Arquette and Stiller who previously worked together on the 2018 limited Showtime series “Escape at Dannemora.” Arquette starred in the series which Ben Stiller directed and executive produced. Stiller will direct the first episode of “High Desert.” “High Desert” follows Peggy (Arquette), a former addict, who decides to make a new start after the death of her beloved mother with whom she lived in the small desert town of Yucca Valley, California, and makes a life-changing decision to become a private investigator....

If you’re not signed up for one (or more) of those platforms, you won’t have to break the bank to access plenty of TV shows and movies. Hulu’s monthly subscription is just $5.99 (with ads), or $13.99 for ad-free streaming. There’s also an option to bundle the service with Disney+ and ESPN+ for $13.99 month (starting March 26). Of course, the anime world extends far beyond TV. As previously mentioned, Netflix amped up its anime content, which includes a forthcoming “Godzilla: Singular Point” series, and a film on “Yasuke,” about Japan’s first Black Samurai warrior....

In the world of superheroes, Batman is one of the most popular characters ever created. He’s right up there with Superman and Spider-Man, and dedicated fans don’t mind spending a little extra money on the coolest collectibles inspired by the Caped Crusader. If you’re looking for new merchandise to celebrate Batman Day, we dug up some of the more interesting and unique items for collectors to buy. Whether you’re shopping for something high-end or moderately priced, the roundup has everything from a replica Batmobile to authentic movie memorabilia, comic books, toys, drinks inspired by Gotham City, and other quirky finds....

POW Mo Collapsible Magnetic Bluetooth Speaker ThePow Mo Bluetooth speaker can go just about anywhere, as it’s small enough to fit in your pocket, and features six hours of playtime. The 4.38” expandable 10W speaker is equipped with patented WaveBloom audio expansion technology, Bluetooth 4.2 up to 100 feet away, and it works for indoor and outdoor use. You can even connect to the back of your smartphone or other gadgets for a sound boost....

From Francis Ford Coppola to Edgar Wright, countless filmmakers have found inspiration in the trilogy. No matter how artistic or lowbrow, three movies just seems to be the ideal length for a series. Some trilogies are universally considered to be masterpieces, with a trio of films serving as the beginning, middle, and end of a coherent story. Others are less acclaimed, with certain entries sparking the ire of diehard fans....

A new gaming monitor will help you achieve the vivid picture quality that you’ve been looking for, but not everybody can afford to spend $10,000. LED and OLED TVs offer a cost-effective and convenient alternative for your PlayStation, XBox, and other gaming consoles. Gaming monitors are different from TVs in that they have reduced input lag and more ports, and of course, they tend to cost more. But for the price-conscious gamer in the market for a large TV, Sony’s X900H 65” LED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV is the way to go....

Last Year’s Winner: “Saturday Night Live” Still Eligible: Yes. Hot Streak: The last show to topple “Saturday Night Live,” which has won Best Variety Sketch Series three years running, was Comedy Central’s outgoing gem “Key & Peele” in 2016. The year prior, “Inside Amy Schumer” took home the inaugural trophy, after the Best Variety Series category was split into Sketch and Talk. Fun Fact: Only two series have five or more nominations in the category: “Saturday Night Live” has 24 (including Best Variety Sketch Series and Best Variety Series nominations) and Derek Waters’ “Drunk History” has five....

“I remember one year that stands out: Bill had original prints of Hitchcock movies that nobody could get and be able to watch in theaters on the screen. A moment in time. Another memory I have of Bill, he introduced many films, some people it looked like you can do that easily, some people not. I did see him alone preparing with intensity, ready to go into the Sheridan Opera House for the opening night movie, repeating his speech, going in there, wooing the crowd with the magic he was about to present....

“I tried! It only took me nine months of dialect coaching, and practicing, and some ADR sessions [rerecording dialogue after filming],” de Armas said of getting the voice just right. “It was a big torture, so exhausting. My brain was fried.” As for what it was like playing Monroe in a broader sense, de Armas added, “I had a lot of thoughts as a woman in the industry, and even in general, about how things from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s are so relatable to nowadays....

According to Deadline, the “Parasite” director is in talks to write, direct, and produce an untitled film adaptation of Edward Ashton’s upcoming novel “Mickey7” for Warner Bros. Bong also has his eye on Robert Pattinson to star. Plan B, Kate Street Picture Company, and Bong’s production company Offscreen are slated to produce. IndieWire has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment. “Mickey7” will be published in February via Macmillan imprint, St....

Titled “Crystal Lake,” the plot details of the series are being kept under wraps. However, it will serve as a prequel to the original 1980 slasher film, which was directed by Sean S. Cunningham and focused on a group of teenagers stalked by a killer while working to reopen an abandoned summer camp. A24 serves as the studio behind the series, while Fuller executive produces with Marc Toberoff, Rob Barsamian, and original film screenwriter Victor Miller....

In addition to pandemic considerations, Variety reported earlier this month that one benefit of holding the festival later is the large number of strong films in the pipeline. Hotel owners, influential in the seaside tourism hotspot, would normally object to a summertime festival. But tourism has been hard-hit thanks to the pandemic and cancelation of festivals and trade shows that bring in money. Mass COVID vaccinations kicked off in the U....

In terms of an Oscar predictor for the category (which combines both sound editing and mixing), there is definite overlap between the MPSE and CAS with these five nominees. However, the frontrunning “Dune,” “A Quiet Place Part Two,” “The Matrix Resurrections” and “No Time to Die” dominated the MPSE competition. The sonic power and complexity of Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” is going to be hard to beat. Its great achievement is creating a grounded reality that is both innovative and believable....

In an email to staff obtained by IndieWire, Licht explained that the decision was made due to budgetary reasons and the cost of commissioning projects with outside partners. Going forward, long-form documentary content for the channel will now be produced almost entirely in-house — and instead, Amy Entelis, CNN’s executive vice president for talent and content development, will explore creating a studio focused on long-form content. “This was a very difficult decision to make, and it was based, in large part, on the ever-increasing cost of commissioning third-party premium content,” Licht said in the email....

We get no John Kreese (Martin Kove) in the teaser, because, well, he’s in jail. But with Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) — the guy who put him there — still in town, there is plenty of kicking-based violence. “The only thing better than a full dojo, is a whole Valley of full dojos,” Silver says via voiceover to separate the Season 4 recap from the new footage. It seems San Fernando, California once again has karate fever, and with no Miyagi-Do to turn to, Cobra Kai is in full expansion mode....