Oscar-Nominee Yuh-jung Youn on Creating Family in “Minari”

This interview with Yuh-jung Youn is part of our ongoing Oscar series. It was originally published on February 16, before she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Writer/director Lee Isaac Chung’s film Minari is about a Korean family chasing the American dream in 1980s Arkansas. Steven Yeun and Yeri Han play parents Jacob and Monica, who have brought their two kids Ann and David to live and work on a farm,

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” Sequel Reveals New Directing Trio

The critical and commercial smash that was Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse proved that you can do some very special things with a trio of directors. Those fellas: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman won themselves an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film, and now they’ll be passing off the web-based baton to a new trio of helmers. Enter Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson.

It wasn’t that long ago when we interviewed Kemp Powers,

Michael Keaton’s Return as Batman Confirmed for “The Flash”

Way back in January we first heard the reports that Michael Keaton would be reprising his role as Batman. The news came from an in-depth interview that DC Films president Walter Hamada gave to the New York Times, explaining how Keaton, Ben Affleck, and current Batman Robert Pattinson would all portray Gotham’s greatest hero in films set in parallel worlds. Now The Wrap has confirmed at the Keaton portion of those initial reports,

Marvel Reveals First Teaser for “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”

Marvel’s first Asian superhero is here. Behold the first teaser for director Destin Daniel Cretton’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has arrived, and it’s flat-out thrilling. The teaser comes out just in time for star Simu Liu’s birthday, and it’s hard to imagine a better birthday present for the soon-to-be newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Liu plays the titular Shang-Chi, a young man who was raised by his father Wenwu (Tony Leung) to be all but invincible.

Oscar-Nominee Daniel Kaluuya on Honoring Fred Hampton’s Legacy in “Judas and the Black Messiah”

This interview with Daniel Kaluuya is part of our ongoing Oscar series. It was originally published on February 23, before Kaluuya was nominated, alongside co-star Lakeith Stanfield, for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Daniel Kaluuya is such a comedian it’s hard to imagine he’s made a career out of acting in some of the most profound dramas of the past five years—a fact that he too, seems to frequently forget.

Vietnamese Filmmaker Duong Dieu Linh on a Filmmaker’s Life During the Pandemic

Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, Vietnamese filmmaker Duong Dieu Linh enjoyed a very promising start for her feature debut project Don’t Cry, Butterflies (previously known as Man Hunting), which saw her busy globetrotting from Asia to North America and Europe for film festivals and events.

In March 2019, her project won the competition at the Script to Screen workshop, organized by MPA, Asia Pacific Screen Awards,

Director Marian De Pontes on her Horizon Award-Winning Film “Etana”

For director Marian De Pontes‘ Horizon Award-winning short film Etana, the South African native did not choose an easy subject. De Pontes, who earned her MFA in film production from Chapman University, and her BA with Honors in Film Production from the University of The Witwatersrand in South Africa, was inspired by a New York Times article on child soldiers in South Sudan. Etana is a potent epic-in-miniature, focusing on the title character (played by Vivian Nweze) and her attempt to flee her forced servitude in an army that deploys children soldiers.

“Aquaman 2” Adds “Game of Thrones” Villain Pilou Asbaek

Recall that the first time you probably took notice of Jason Momoa, it was when he was playing the ferocious yet deeply affecting Khal Drogo in season one of Game of Thrones. Many seasons after Drogo was gone and Momoa was off becoming Aquaman, Pilou Asbaek was bursting onto the scene in Westeros as the absolutely awful, sorta irresistible Euron Greyjoy. Euron was a murdering, Cersei-loving, Theon torturing sociopath, and now, the talented Asbaek will be joining Momoa in James Wan’s Aquaman 2, 

Mads Mikkelsen to Join Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones 5”

It was only a week ago when we were talking about how it’s probably time to start getting excited about Indiana Jones 5. This news only strengthens that point. Mads Mikkelsen has been cast alongside Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the upcoming installment of Indy, adding major gravitas to director James Mangold’s film.

The Ford v Ferrari and Logan director has now plucked two of the more intriguing performers around to surround Ford.

Horizon Award Winner Shira Baron on The Importance of Listening

For a young filmmaker casting about for a story, sometimes the subject is standing right in front of you, even calling out to you. That was the case for Shira Baron, a recent recipient of the Horizon Award, whose short De Sol a Sol won for Best Documentary Short. Baron’s film follows entrepreneurs Ricardo and Abraham, ice cream cart peddlers who have been working on Chicago’s northern shore for 20 years. Baron, currently enrolled in the University of Michigan’s Film,

How “The Unholy” Visual Effects Team Created Biblical Scares During Scary Times

“In the early innings, as the pandemic was ramping up, it was like looking out at the ocean and you see a storm coming, and you’re not sure you can get to shore before the storm gets there.” That’s an observation that might describe most of the past year; certainly, it’s politics, work and school life, and of course healthcare delivery. In this case, it also applies to the almost all-virtual workaround to finish the recent Screen Gems horror release The Unholy,

It’s Diesel vs. Cena in Insane “F9” Trailer

Universal has just kicked it into ninth gear—the new F9 trailer is here. We’ve been waiting a long time for the ninth film in the Fast & Furious franchise, and the new trailer reacquaints us with everybody’s favorite outlaw family of gearheads. We’ve known for a while that Han (Sung Kang) would be returning, and we get some Han action in the trailer. But the main focus of the longest look yet at F9 is the mano-y-mano brawl that’s brewing between Dom (Vin Diesel) and his brother Jakob (John Cena).

Editor Gabriel Rhodes on Cutting the Oscar-Nominated Doc “Time”

“I never thought a film could be made with such a minimal amount of information,” says editor Gabriel Rhodes. But not only was it made; it currently has an Oscar nomination for best feature-length documentary.

The film in question is called, simply, Time. Coming from director/artist Garrett Bradley, it chronicles a long stretch of time, twenty years’ worth, in which Louisiana-based wife and mother, Fox Rich,

“Godzilla vs. Kong” VFX Supervisor on Creating Titan Title Match of the Ages

John ‘D.J’. Des Jardin has been a go-to visual effects supervisor in Hollywood for decades, and he’s widely known as one of the best and nicest guys in the business. You can see his inventive, creative touch in The Matrix, X-Men, and Mission Impossible franchises. His work can be seen on Ang Lee’s achingly beautiful Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The man’s talents cross all genres—if you need something to exist on screen that doesn’t,

The Official Trailer for Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” is Here

With the buzz around Zack Snyder’s Justice League refresh finally faded, we can turn to his next big release—his upcoming Netflix zombie flick Army of the Dead. Netflix has just released the official trailer, and it’s a hoot. The film features Dave Bautista as Scott Ward, the leader of a group of mercenaries who will risk life and limb to push into the zombie quarantine zone in order to pull off a once-in-a-lifetime score.

Oscar-Nominated Costume Designer Bina Daigeler on Mixing History & Myth in “Mulan”

When director Niki Caro took on Disney’s live-action reboot of Mulan, you knew the New Zealand-born filmmaker was going to deliver something transporting. The original “Ballad of Mulan” was first shared in China in the 6th century, and was then shared again as a Disney animated movie in 1998. In Caro’s hands, the mythology of Mulan becomes a lush live-action epic, buoyant and beautiful, as our titular heroine goes from a headstrong daughter into a fearless warrior fighting to defend China,

Oscar-Nominated Editor Mikkel E.G. Nielsen on Giving “Sound of Metal” its Rhythm

Excitement was running high. The team behind Sound of Metal, Darius Marder’s offbeat drama about a punk rock drummer (Riz Ahmed) who faces life-changing decisions after losing his hearing, was gathered together via Zoom to watch the Oscar nomination announcements. Mikkel E.G. Nielsen, the film’s editor, was settled in front of his computer at his home in Copenhagen when the unthinkable happened. The screen went blank.

“My son needed some power for his phone so he unplugged the computer and everything went dead,” says Nielsen,

It’s Probably Time to Get Excited About “Indiana Jones 5”

Last Friday, you may have heard a bit of terrifically exciting casting news—Fleabag and Killing Eve creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge is joining the cast of Indiana Jones 5. This alone would be more than enough reason to be excited about the fifth installment of the franchise, considering Waller-Bridge is a genius. Deadline broke the story that she’ll be co-starring alongside Harrison Ford, and the pairing seems joyously unexpected and therefore likely wonderful.

“Nomadland” Cleans Up At BAFTA Film Awards

Nomadland continues to find a home at awards ceremonies. After making history (again) at the DGA Awards, director Chloé Zhao and Nomadland cleaned up at the BAFTA Film Awards, nabbing four prizes. Zhao won yet again for best director, while her star, Frances McDormand, won for lead actress, DP Joshua James Richards won for best cinematography, and the film itself earned the top prize.

The show was hosted by Dermot O’Leary and Edith Bowman,

Chloé Zhao Makes History (Again) With Best Director Win at DGA Awards For “Nomadland”

Chloé Zhao continues to make history on Nomadland‘s triumphant march towards the Academy Awards. Zhao became the second woman ever and the first woman of color to nab the prestigious Director’s Guild of America Awards’ Best Director award. The only other woman to win the award was Kathryn Bigelow in 2009 for her work on The Hurt Locker. 

It was a big year for women at this year’s DGA Awards,