Matt writes: I am proud to stand with RogerEbert.com publisher Chaz Ebert and my fellow editors in support of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA members’ strikes currently taking place. An excerpt of our joint statement, which can be read in full here, is pasted below…
<span class="s1" <the="" key="" point="" is="" that="" while="" a="" very="" few="" actors="" make="" lot="" of="" money,="" most="" the="" 160,000="" members="" sag-aftra="" modest="" amount.="" average,="" even="" with="" astronomical="" salaries="" for="" big="" stars,="" stands="" at="" approximately="" $40,000.="" crucial="" cut-off="" to="" qualify="" health="" care="" $26,470="" and="" many="" do="" not="" meet="" minimum.="" wga="" an="" average="" $250,000="" when="" they="" are="" working.="" but="" it="" often="" long="" stretch="" between="" jobs,="" payment="" viewing="" movies="" series="" have="" already="" written="" keeps="" them="" going="" until="" next="" project.
“The key point is that while a very few actors make a lot of money, most of the 160,000 members of SAG-AFTRA make a modest amount. The average, even with the astronomical salaries for the big stars, stands at approximately $40,000. The crucial cut-off to qualify for health care is $26,470 and many do not meet that minimum. WGA members make an average of $250,000 when they are working. But it is often a long stretch between jobs, and it is the payment for viewing of movies and series they have already written that keeps them going until the next project.
Meanwhile, the studio heads make even more than the biggest movie stars, many of them receiving hundreds of millions in cash and stock. It has been suggested that if each of them took a five or ten percent pay cut it would more than pay for what SAG and the WGA are asking.
These negotiations are about money and control. Writers and performers deserve to be paid for the value they create for the studios. But they are about more than that. We are critics. We see more movies that just about anyone else. We know how difficult it is and how much talent it takes to make the magic we look for every time we sit in a theater as the lights go down, or even when we fire up a streaming service.”
Trailers
Mighty Afrin: in the time of floods (2023). Directed by Angelos Rallis. Synopsis: In the desolate wilderness of the disappearing islands along the Brahmaputra river, 12-year-old orphan Afrin is coming of age. When heavy rainfalls and flood waters ravage Afrin’s island, she refuses to surrender to its deadly tides. US release date is TBA.
The Holdovers (2023). Directed by Alexander Payne. Written by David Hemingson. Starring Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Tate Donovan. Synopsis: Nobody likes teacher Paul Hunham — not his students, not his fellow faculty, not the headmaster, who all find his pomposity and rigidity exasperating. With no family and nowhere to go over Christmas holiday in 1970, Paul remains at school to supervise students unable to journey home. Debuts in the US on November 10th, 2023.
King Coal (2023). Directed by Elaine McMillion Sheldon. Synopsis: The cultural roots of coal continue to permeate the rituals of daily life in Appalachia even as its economic power wanes. The journey of a coal miner’s daughter exploring the region’s dreams and myths, untangling the pain and beauty. US release date is TBA.
Last Summer (2023). Directed by Catherine Breillat. Written by Catherine Breillat and Pascal Bonitzer (based on the screenplay by Maren Louise Käehne and May el-Toukhy). Starring Léa Drucker, Olivier Rabourdin, Clotilde Courau. Synopsis: Follows Anne, a brilliant lawyer who lives with her husband Pierre and their daughters. Anne gradually engages in a passionate relationship with Theo, Pierre’s son from a previous marriage, putting her career and family life in danger. US release date is TBA.
Tokyo Pop (1988), re-release. Directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui. Written by Fran Rubel Kuzui and Lynn Grossman. Starring Carrie Hamilton, Diamond Yukai, Taiji Tonoyama. Synopsis: A young rock singer is not appreciated by her band, and gets a postcard from Japan saying “wish you were here”. She takes what little money she has including ex-boyfriend’s rent money and goes to Tokyo. US release date is TBA.
The Creator (2023). Directed by Gareth Edwards. Written by Gareth Edwards and Chris Weitz. Starring John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ralph Ineson. Synopsis: Described as a post-apocalyptic thriller involving a future impacted by a war between humans and AI. Debuts in the US on September 29th, 2023.
Mutt (2023). Written and directed by Vuk Lungulov-Klotz. Starring Lio Mehiel, Cole Doman, MiMi Ryder. Synopsis: Within the space of 24 hours, Feña is swept through the extremes of human emotion when people who seemed to disappear when he transitioned are suddenly back in his life. US release date is TBA.
Perpetrator (2023). Written and directed by Jennifer Reeder. Starring Alicia Silverstone, Kiah McKirnan, Greta Stolte. Synopsis: Jonny Baptiste is a reckless teen sent to live with her estranged Aunt Hildie. On the event of her 18th birthday, she experiences a radical metamorphosis: a family spell that redefines her called Forevering. When several teen girls go missing at her new school, a mythically feral Jonny goes after the Perpetrator. Debuts on Shudder on September 14th, 2023.
Migration (2023). Directed by Benjamin Renner and Guylo Homsy. Written by Benjamin Renner and Mike White. Starring Kumail Nanjiani, Awkwafina, Carol Kane. Synopsis: A family of ducks try to convince their overprotective father to go on the vacation of a lifetime. Debuts in the US on December 22nd, 2023.
The Monkey King (2023). Directed by Anthony Stacchi. Written by Steve Bencich and Ron J. Friedman. Starring Jimmy O. Yang, Stephanie Hsu, BD Wong. Synopsis: Inspired by an epic Chinese tale, translated into an action-packed comedy, a Monkey and his magical fighting Stick battle demons, dragons, gods and the greatest adversary of all -Monkey’s ego. Debuts on Netflix on August 18th, 2023.
Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose (2023). Written and directed by Adam Sigal. Starring Simon Pegg, Christopher Lloyd, Minnie Driver. Synopsis: In 1935, Hungarian-American para-psychologist Nandor Fodor began his investigation of a strange occurrence on the Isle of Man. An average British family, the Irvings, claimed to have been contacted by a mysterious entity at their farm. A talking mongoose. Named Gef (Pronounced “Jeff”.) Debuts in the US on September 1st, 2023.
Bobi Wine: The People’s President (2023). Directed by Moses Bwayo and Christopher Sharp. Synopsis: Follows Ugandan opposition leader, activist and musical star Bobi Wine. He used his music to fight the regime led by Yoweri Museveni, the person who led the country for 35 years. US release date is TBA.
The Pod Generation (2023). Written and directed by Sophie Barthes. Starring Emilia Clarke, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Vinette Robinson. Synopsis: A New York couple wild ride to parenthood using a new tool developed by a tech giant, Pegazus. Debuts in the US on August 24th, 2023.
All Up in the Biz (2023). Directed by Sacha Jenkins. Synopsis: Biz Markie’s Collage of Celebrity celebrity interviews, rare film, reenactments, and playful animation who left his mark in history of hip-hop. US release date is TBA.
Gran Turismo (2023). Directed by Neill Blomkamp. Written by Jason Hall and Zach Baylin. Starring Orlando Bloom, David Harbour, Djimon Hounsou. Synopsis: Based on the unbelievable, inspiring true story of a team of underdogs – a struggling, working-class gamer, a failed former race car driver, and an idealistic motorsport exec – who risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. Debuts in the US on August 11th, 2023.
A Haunting in Venice (2023). Directed by Kenneth Branagh. Written by Michael Green (based on the novel by Agatha Christie). Starring Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Yeoh, Tina Fey. Synopsis: In post-World War II Venice, Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a seance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer. Debuts in the US on September 15th, 2023.
Haunted Mansion (2023). Directed by Justin Simien. Written by Katie Dippold. Starring Rosario Dawson, Winona Ryder, Jamie Lee Curtis. Synopsis: A single mom named Gabbie hires a tour guide, a psychic, a priest and a historian to help exorcise her newly bought mansion after discovering it is inhabited by ghosts. Debuts in the US on July 28th, 2023.
The Marvels (2023). Directed by Nia DaCosta. Written by Nia DaCosta, Elissa Karasik, Megan McDonnell and Zeb Wells (based on characters created by Gene Colan and Roy Thomas). Starring Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Teyonah Parris. Synopsis: Carol Danvers gets her powers entangled with those of Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau, forcing them to work together to save the universe. Debuts in the US on November 10th, 2023.
R.I.P. Tony Bennett (1926-2023)
Matt writes: Tony Bennett, the legendary singer and Civil Rights leader, died last week at age 96. His life is honored in Brian Tallerico’s compilation of tributes featuring a personal story exclusively shared here by Matt Zoller Seitz.
Barbenheimer Rules the Box Office
Matt writes: Turns out releasing two original works from acclaimed directors on the same day wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Both Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” broke box office records over the weekend, with many cinephiles turning them into a “Barbenheimer” double bill. Read Christy Lemire’s review of “Barbie” here and Matt Zoller Seitz’s review of “Oppenheimer” here (also enjoy the “Barbenheimer” trailer mashup embedded above from the Silver Screen Edits YouTube page).
Free Movies
Waltzes from Vienna (1934). Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Written by Guy Bolton, Alma Reville, Claude Allain and André Dugès (based on the play by Heinz Reichert, Ernst Marischka and A.M. Willner). Starring Jessie Matthews, Edmund Gwenn, Fay Compton. Synopsis: The story of Johann Strauss the elder and younger.
Watch “Waltzes from Vienna”
King Solomon’s Mines (1937). Directed by Robert Stevenson and Geoffrey Barkas. Written by Michael Hogan and Roland Pertwee (based on the novel by H. Rider Haggard). Starring Paul Robeson, Cedric Hardwicke, Roland Young. Synopsis: White hunter Allan Quartermain and his enigmatic guide help a young Irish woman locate her missing father in unexplored Darkest Africa.
Watch “King Solomon’s Mines”
The Werewolf of Washington (1973). Written and directed by Milton Moses Ginsberg. Starring Dean Stockwell, Katalin Kallay, Henry Ferrentino. Synopsis: A reporter who has had an affair with the daughter of the U.S. President is sent to Hungary. There he is bitten by a werewolf, and then gets transferred back to Washington, where he gets a job as press assistant to the President.