Cinematographer Alice Brooks on Lighting the Real Heights of “In the Heights”
In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s pre-Hamilton musical transformed into a film by screenwriter Quiara Alegría Hudes and director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) is set over a handful of days at the height of summer in Washington Heights. The action is centered on two would-be couples, Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) and Vanessa (Melissa Barrera), and Benny (Corey Hawkins) and Nina (Leslie Grace). Usnavi, an orphan and bodega owner who dreams of life in the Dominican Republic,
James Wan Reveals The Title for “Aquaman” Sequel
We finally know what Aquaman 2 will be called, thanks to director James Wan, courtesy his Instagram page. The next installment of Wan’s vision for Aquaman is titled Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, which is an interesting title considering Wan’s comments at last year’s DC FanDome event. “The second one is a little bit more serious, a little bit more relevant to the world we’re living in today. That’s where it wants to go.”
If Aquaman wants to go in a more serious direction,
Two New Epic “Black Widow” Videos Reveal Marvel’s Big Return to Theaters
The first Black Widow video is just a ripping 45-second teaser that showcases why people are so stoked for director Cate Shortland’s film. It gives us a few fresh looks at the film’s villain, Taskmaster, a masked master of whatever his opponent’s fighting style is. This means that Taskmaster will be able to do whatever Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johnasson) can do—and we know that’s a lot. The second video is a 90-second clip that features Natasha and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) fighting their way out of a building,
“In The Heights” Executive Music Producer Bill Sherman on Marshaling Many Musical Styles
Zooming in from his studio in his basement, executive music producer Bill Sherman was a week away from the end of a very long—but joyous—journey. Sherman was one of the main players responsible for everything you hear in director Jon M. Chu‘s In The Heights, an adaptation of the play that Sherman himself helped create, alongside his former roommate Lin-Manuel Miranda, and playwright (and screenwriter of the movie) Quiara Alegría Hudes,
“In The Heights” Director Jon M. Chu on Capturing a Neighborhood’s Magic
Director Jon M. Chu had to become “a complete listener” to bring the story of the largely Latinx community of In the Heights to life. In an interview, Chu talked about the connections he felt between his Chinese heritage and the characters in the film. He also brought the exuberance that made his previous films, like Crazy Rich Asians and Step Up 2, so vibrant.
How did you focus on the specifics of the Latinx culture for the film?
“The Eyes of Tammy Faye” Trailer Reveals Jessica Chastain as the Conflicted Televangelist
Jessica Chastain is likely not the first actress you’d imagine playing the famous televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, but once you watch the official trailer, you won’t be able to picture anybody else in the role. Chastain seems to channel Tammy Faye from the lashes to the soul, and the film, by the veteran comedy writer and director Michael Showalter, looks like a portrait created not out of a desire to punish or impugn,
Playwright & Screenwriter Quiara Alegria Hudes on Adapting “In The Heights” for the Big Screen
Quiara Alegria Hudes adapted her Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights for the big screen, with some streamlining and updates. As in the original, it follows the lives of a group of people in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan over a hot summer three-day period that includes a power black-out. In an interview, Hudes talked about using very specific, evocative details to tell a universal story of dreams, home, and family.
It’s often said that the more specific something is,
Review Roundup: “Loki” Mixes Wit, Wackiness, and the MCU’s Most Beloved Antihero
It seems as Marvel Studios is now 3-for-3 on the limited series front. WandaVision started things off as the first Marvel Studios Disney+ series, and creator Jac Schaeffer and director Matt Shakman‘s delivered a charming, beguiling, and ultimately heartbreaking mediation on love, grief, and sitcoms. (Just writing that sentence makes you appreciate what they pulled off). Then came creator Malcolm Spellman and director Kari Skogland‘s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,
“Black Widow” IMAX Screenings Will Boast 22 Minutes of Expanded Aspect Ratio
The fact that director Cate Shortland’s Black Widow is a mere few weeks away from its premiere is reason enough to celebrate, but now our reasons for excitement have been enlarged by around 26%. Deadline reports that the film will open with an expanded aspect ratio on IMAX—22 minutes worth—meaning the biggest possible picture to watch Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) face down her past.
IMAX revealed the news yesterday,
“In the Heights” Choreographer Christopher Scott on Dancing in The Streets
When Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda needed a director to adapt his 2008 stage musical In the Heights for the big screen, he enlisted Jon M. Chu, director of Crazy Rich Asians and mastermind behind Hollywood’s Step Up dance movie franchise. Chu, in turn, picked his go-to choreographer Christopher Scott to create the movie’s elegantly gritty dance sequences, performed to riveting effect by star Anthony Ramos and his castmates.
Steven Soderbergh’s Star-Studded “No Sudden Move” Drops Trailer
When Steven Soderbergh directs a movie, there are a few things you can expect no matter what. One of them is a star-studded ensemble, and that is certainly the case with his upcoming crime caper, No Sudden Move. Set in Detroit in 1954, No Sudden Move features a ridiculously potent ensemble in a story of small-time criminals tasked with what appears to be an easy, low-stakes crime—lift a document, babysit a family,
Watch the First 8 Minutes of “In The Heights”
Get a peek at why critics adore In The Heights by enjoying the first eight minutes of the film. Warner Bros. has made the opening available, and we’ve embedded it for your viewing pleasure, and it’ll give you a good sense of why this is going to be such a blast to see on the big screen.
In the Heights is centered on Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), a bodega owner with big dreams living in the largely Hispanic-American neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City.
“Mare of Easttown” & “The Underground Railroad” Hair Department Head Lawrence Davis
It’s rare enough to get an opportunity to work on one really good show in a year, but for hair department head Lawrence Davis, his handiwork can currently be seen on two of the best shows on television. One is Barry Jenkins’ achingly cinematic The Underground Railroad, his adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Davis was tasked with helping sustain the looks of characters,
Production Designer Amy Williams on the Ample Easter Eggs in “Master of None” Season 3
Director Aziz Ansari only appears briefly in the third season of Master of None, which turns its attention to the relationship between Denise (Lena Waithe) and Alicia (Naomi Ackie). At first blush, the pair’s marriage appears to have blossomed away from Brooklyn, in their new rambling, historic upstate home. Life seems as full as their charmingly eclectic abode — Denise is working on her second book, Alicia is getting into the antiques business,
Director David F. Sandberg Teases “Shazam! Fury of the Gods”
In case you missed this brief but electric Shazam! Fury of the Gods teaser from David F. Sandberg, we’ve got you covered. Sandberg took to Twitter yesterday to reveal a brief look at Zachary Levi’s costume in his upcoming sequel to the 2019 hit that introduced the lovable superhero to the DC Cinematic Universe. Shazam’s look is slightly tweaked, but the bold red and gold color palette remains.
The clip is truly brief,
“The Flash” Set Photo Teases Bloody Battle for Michael Keaton’s Batman
There appears to be trouble on the horizon for a very particular Batman. We’re talking about Michael Keaton’s Caped Crusader, who will be appearing in The Flash, a return to Bat form for the man who so memorably played the role in Tim Burton’s beloved 1989 Batman and again in Batman Returns in 1992. Director Andy Muschietti teased a potentially bloody future for Keaton’s Batman on Instagram,
New Footage Revealed in Ripping “Black Widow” Featurette
Marvel has just released a new Black Widow featurette that boasts some fresh footage of director Cate Shortland’s upcoming film. We’ve been waiting a long, long time to see Scarlett Johansson reprise her role as Natasha Romanoff, especially after the (extremely belated spoiler alert) tragic sacrifice Natasha made in Avengers: Endgame. The new video teases what happened to Natasha before she had to face Thanos in Infinity War and Endgame,
“Reminiscence” Trailer Reveals Hugh Jackman in “Westworld” Creator Lisa Joy’s Sci-Fi Feature
Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy clearly is no stranger to high-concept science fiction. In her new feature, Reminiscence, which she wrote and directed, Joy eschews sentient robots running amok for a tale of human beings searching their memories for loves lost. Hugh Jackman stars as Nick Bannister, a “private investigator of mind,” who is able to penetrate the past by gaining access to his clients lost memories. Reminiscence is set in a future ravaged by climate change,
“Solos” Creator David Weil on the Power of the Monologue
“It was funny, on lunch breaks, to see Ewoks running around.” That observation, from showrunner David Weil, who created the current series Solos for Amazon, might evoke a couple of different responses: “Ewoks? Running around at lunch? There has to be a good story behind that.” And: “Lunch breaks? Were there still formal ‘lunch breaks’ during lockdown?”
Both observations speak to the genesis of the show, which Weil, who previously created Hunters for Amazon,
“Thor: Love and Thunder” Wraps Filming as Taika Waititi Promises It’s Craziest Film He’s Ever Done
“Sometimes two people come together to inspire the world and change the cinematic landscape forever,” Taika Waititi writes in a caption on a recent Instagram post. “And then there’s me and Chris Hemsworth who are too cool to care about anything except making movies that bring people absolute joy.” This is how the co-writer and director of Thor: Love and Thunder celebrated wrapping the film, showing himself in a mo-cap suit next to his be-muscled star.
