Exclusive: Napoleon star Vanessa Kirby will reunite with The Crown’s Benjamin Caron on a movie based on Willy Vlautin’s 2021 novel The Night Always Comes, about a working-class woman in the Pacific Northwest who embarks on a 24-hour quest to call in old debts and raise enough money to keep a roof over her head.
Netflix has acquired the project for release.
Kirby portrayed Princess Margaret in the first two seasons of The Crown and many of the episodes she appeared in were directed by Caron.
Caron was also a director of Disney+ series Andor. Last year, he directed Apple Studios feature film Sharper, starring Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith and Briana Middleton.
The Night Always Comes film is based on a screenplay by Seattle-based screenwriter Sarah Conradt whose credits include Mothers’ Instinct and 50 States of Fright. Vlautin’s 2010 book Lean on Pete was adapted and directed...
Netflix has acquired the project for release.
Kirby portrayed Princess Margaret in the first two seasons of The Crown and many of the episodes she appeared in were directed by Caron.
Caron was also a director of Disney+ series Andor. Last year, he directed Apple Studios feature film Sharper, starring Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith and Briana Middleton.
The Night Always Comes film is based on a screenplay by Seattle-based screenwriter Sarah Conradt whose credits include Mothers’ Instinct and 50 States of Fright. Vlautin’s 2010 book Lean on Pete was adapted and directed...
- 3/5/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Sam Esmail’s years-in-the making adaptation of Fritz Lang’s classic 1927 sci-fi film Metropolis became one of the first major casualties of the 2023 Hollywood strikes. Seven weeks into the WGA work stoppage, the UCP studio, where Esmail has been under an overall deal, pulled the plug on the big-budget series, which had been prepping in Australia with a partial cast set, including Briana Middleton and Lindy Booth.
Because of the strike, Esmail could not comment on the cancellation at the time. He shared his reaction tonight on the red carpet for his upcoming Netflix movie Leave the World Behind starring Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali.
“Obviously, it was heartbreaking,” he told Deadline. “But during the strike, we all understood. And I got to work with a lot of talented people out in Australia, where we were mounting the production. It was a really good experience, and I don’t regret it for a second.
Because of the strike, Esmail could not comment on the cancellation at the time. He shared his reaction tonight on the red carpet for his upcoming Netflix movie Leave the World Behind starring Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali.
“Obviously, it was heartbreaking,” he told Deadline. “But during the strike, we all understood. And I got to work with a lot of talented people out in Australia, where we were mounting the production. It was a really good experience, and I don’t regret it for a second.
- 10/26/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva and Natalie Sitek
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Elias Koteas (Shutter Island) and Briana Middleton (The Tender Bar) have been set to topline Silent Planet, a sci-fi thriller written and directed by Jeffrey St. Jules (Bang Bang Baby), which has wrapped production in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and been picked up for worldwide distribution by Quiver Distribution.
Produced by Andrew Bronfman’s Good Movies, Jonathan Bronfman’s JoBro Productions and Mark O’Neill’s St. John’s-based Panoramic Pictures, the film follows two prisoners in the near future who are sentenced to a lifetime of hard labor on a distant planet. As things unravel, they become increasingly paranoid and start to lose a sense of who they are and their past lives.
Pic was produced in association with Telefilm Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation, Canada Media Fund, New Tang Dynasty and Vigilante Productions. Allan Ungar and Jason Jallet exec produced alongside Quiver’s Jeff Sackman and Berry Meyerowitz,...
Produced by Andrew Bronfman’s Good Movies, Jonathan Bronfman’s JoBro Productions and Mark O’Neill’s St. John’s-based Panoramic Pictures, the film follows two prisoners in the near future who are sentenced to a lifetime of hard labor on a distant planet. As things unravel, they become increasingly paranoid and start to lose a sense of who they are and their past lives.
Pic was produced in association with Telefilm Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation, Canada Media Fund, New Tang Dynasty and Vigilante Productions. Allan Ungar and Jason Jallet exec produced alongside Quiver’s Jeff Sackman and Berry Meyerowitz,...
- 6/28/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
A passion project for Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail, the TV series Metropolis, inspired by the 1927 sci-fi classic directed by Fritz Lang, was officially ordered by Apple TV+ fifteen months ago. Earlier this year, Briana Middleton (Sharper) and Lindy Booth (The Librarians) were cast to star in the show. But now Deadline reports that Metropolis has been scrapped, becoming “one of the highest-profile casualties of the growing uncertainty in Hollywood” due to the writers strike.
Deadline has learned that Metropolis had been prepping for production in Australia, but has now been permanently shut down. “The crew was just notified that the ambitious project will not move forward with production, which had been targeting a summer start.” A representative for the production company UCP confirmed, “Push costs and uncertainty related to the ongoing strike led to this difficult decision.” They go on to note, “Metropolis had been in limbo for the past seven weeks.
Deadline has learned that Metropolis had been prepping for production in Australia, but has now been permanently shut down. “The crew was just notified that the ambitious project will not move forward with production, which had been targeting a summer start.” A representative for the production company UCP confirmed, “Push costs and uncertainty related to the ongoing strike led to this difficult decision.” They go on to note, “Metropolis had been in limbo for the past seven weeks.
- 6/19/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Sam Esmail‘s (Mr. Robot) big-budget sci-fi series Metropolis, based on the 1927 Fritz Lang movie of the same name, has been scrapped amid the ongoing writers strike and rising production costs. As reported by Deadline, the ambitious Apple TV+ series, which had been prepping in Australia, has been permanently shut down, with the crew being notified the project will not be moving forward. Production was scheduled to begin over the summer. “Push costs and uncertainty related to the ongoing strike led to this difficult decision,” a rep for UCP, the production studio behind the series, told Deadline. Briana Middleton (The Tender Bar) was set to lead the series, with Lindy Booth (The Librarians) also tapped for a major role. Based on Thea von Harbou’s 1925 novel and screenplay, Metropolis is set in a futuristic dystopian society, where Freder, the privileged son of a city master, and Maria, a rebellious teacher,...
- 6/19/2023
- TV Insider
Our trip to the world of Metropolis has officially been cancelled: Sam Esmail’s adaptation of Fritz Lang’s classic 1927 sci-fi film has been scrapped, our sister site Deadline first reported.
“Push costs and uncertainty related to the ongoing strike led to this difficult decision,” a rep for its studio UCP (a division of Universal Studio Group) said.
More from TVLineApple TV+ Orders Metropolis, Based on 1927 Film, From Mr. Robot's Sam EsmailTVLine Items: Hot Zone Season 2 Cast, SAG Awards on the Move and MoreJulia Roberts, Homecoming EP Team on TV Adaptation of Slow Burn Podcast; Sean Penn Among A-List...
“Push costs and uncertainty related to the ongoing strike led to this difficult decision,” a rep for its studio UCP (a division of Universal Studio Group) said.
More from TVLineApple TV+ Orders Metropolis, Based on 1927 Film, From Mr. Robot's Sam EsmailTVLine Items: Hot Zone Season 2 Cast, SAG Awards on the Move and MoreJulia Roberts, Homecoming EP Team on TV Adaptation of Slow Burn Podcast; Sean Penn Among A-List...
- 6/19/2023
- by Nick Caruso
- TVLine.com
Exclusive: Sam Esmail’s years-in-the making adaptation of Fritz Lang’s classic 1927 sci-fi film Metropolis has become one of the highest-profile casualties of the growing uncertainty in Hollywood driven by labor unrest against the background of economic headwinds.
The big-budget UCP series for Apple TV+, which had been prepping in Australia, has permanently shut down. The crew was just notified that the ambitious project will not move forward with production, which had been targeting a summer start.
UCP confirmed to Deadline that Metropolis has been scrapped. “Push costs and uncertainty related to the ongoing strike led to this difficult decision,” a rep for the studio said.
Metropolis had been in limbo for the past seven weeks. Since production drafts of the scripts for the large-scope, special effects-heavy series had not been finished before the May 2 start of the writers strike, that delayed setting budgets and other key elements of pre-production.
The big-budget UCP series for Apple TV+, which had been prepping in Australia, has permanently shut down. The crew was just notified that the ambitious project will not move forward with production, which had been targeting a summer start.
UCP confirmed to Deadline that Metropolis has been scrapped. “Push costs and uncertainty related to the ongoing strike led to this difficult decision,” a rep for the studio said.
Metropolis had been in limbo for the past seven weeks. Since production drafts of the scripts for the large-scope, special effects-heavy series had not been finished before the May 2 start of the writers strike, that delayed setting budgets and other key elements of pre-production.
- 6/19/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
This is turning into a banner year for movies shot on Kodak film, led by such Oscar hopefuls as Christopher Nolan’s IMAX’d “Oppenheimer” biopic, Martin Scorsese’s first Western, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein film, “Maestro,” Wes Anderson’s latest, “Asteroid City,” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ subversive “Frankenstein” re-imagining “Poor Things.”
And those are just the prestige films.
Likewise, Cannes Film Festival boasted 29 features and shorts shot on Kodak film, including such Oscar hopefuls as Martin Scorsese’s first Western “Killers of the Flower Moon,” (shot by Rodrigo Prieto), Wes Anderson’s ’50s sci-fi comedy-drama, “Asteroid City” (shot by Robert Yeoman) Ken Loach’s “The Old Oak,” about a pub in tension-filled Northeast England, (shot by Robbie Ryan), and Steve McQueen’s “Occupied City,” a documentary about Amsterdam under Nazi occupation during World War II (shot by Lennert Hillege).
Four on-film entries compete for the Palme d’Or.
And those are just the prestige films.
Likewise, Cannes Film Festival boasted 29 features and shorts shot on Kodak film, including such Oscar hopefuls as Martin Scorsese’s first Western “Killers of the Flower Moon,” (shot by Rodrigo Prieto), Wes Anderson’s ’50s sci-fi comedy-drama, “Asteroid City” (shot by Robert Yeoman) Ken Loach’s “The Old Oak,” about a pub in tension-filled Northeast England, (shot by Robbie Ryan), and Steve McQueen’s “Occupied City,” a documentary about Amsterdam under Nazi occupation during World War II (shot by Lennert Hillege).
Four on-film entries compete for the Palme d’Or.
- 4/7/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Set in a shadowy world of scam artists and grifters, Sharper follows four characters through interlocking stories set in a modern-day noir version of New York City. From Park Avenue penthouses to abandoned warehouses, director Benjamin Caron builds a dangerous world filled with betrayals and double-crosses. Justice Smith plays Tom, manager of a used bookstore. A chance meeting with Sandra (Briana Middleton) leads to Max (Sebastian Stan), a self-professed con man. Max will encounter Madeline Phillips (Julianne Moore), a wealthy widow with designs on corporate titan Richard Hobbes (John Lithgow). Sharper is the feature debut for Caron, best known for his […]
The post “To Shoot on the 48th Floor is a Dp’s Nightmare”: Dp Charlotte Bruus Christensen on Sharper first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “To Shoot on the 48th Floor is a Dp’s Nightmare”: Dp Charlotte Bruus Christensen on Sharper first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 3/29/2023
- by Daniel Eagan
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Set in a shadowy world of scam artists and grifters, Sharper follows four characters through interlocking stories set in a modern-day noir version of New York City. From Park Avenue penthouses to abandoned warehouses, director Benjamin Caron builds a dangerous world filled with betrayals and double-crosses. Justice Smith plays Tom, manager of a used bookstore. A chance meeting with Sandra (Briana Middleton) leads to Max (Sebastian Stan), a self-professed con man. Max will encounter Madeline Phillips (Julianne Moore), a wealthy widow with designs on corporate titan Richard Hobbes (John Lithgow). Sharper is the feature debut for Caron, best known for his […]
The post “To Shoot on the 48th Floor is a Dp’s Nightmare”: Dp Charlotte Bruus Christensen on Sharper first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “To Shoot on the 48th Floor is a Dp’s Nightmare”: Dp Charlotte Bruus Christensen on Sharper first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 3/29/2023
- by Daniel Eagan
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
A number of recent releases have flown under the radar due to the hustle and bustle of Oscar season, and Benjamin Caron’s Sharper is among those titles that warrants your attention.
Released last month on Apple TV+, Caron’s feature directorial debut stars Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan, as well as John Lithgow, Justice Smith and Briana Middleton. And while it’s best to go into the thriller completely blind, it chronicles a New York City-based confidence game that affects a number of interconnected characters. The story’s underbelly hit somewhat close to home for the filmmaker as he was able to draw on experiences from his childhood in the Midlands of England.
Because the film is most rewarding without the foreknowledge of con artists being involved, Caron was rather protective of the film’s marketing campaign. In fact, he even suggested a trailer that would include misdirection in the form of a rom-com.
Released last month on Apple TV+, Caron’s feature directorial debut stars Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan, as well as John Lithgow, Justice Smith and Briana Middleton. And while it’s best to go into the thriller completely blind, it chronicles a New York City-based confidence game that affects a number of interconnected characters. The story’s underbelly hit somewhat close to home for the filmmaker as he was able to draw on experiences from his childhood in the Midlands of England.
Because the film is most rewarding without the foreknowledge of con artists being involved, Caron was rather protective of the film’s marketing campaign. In fact, he even suggested a trailer that would include misdirection in the form of a rom-com.
- 3/20/2023
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Potential spoilers follow.
Director Benjamin Caron's new feature, "Sharper," certainly takes several pages from the great mystery and heist films of past decades, but manages to make its own story feel fresh and new.
/Film's Ben Pearson spoke with Caron about the project's influences, and interestingly enough, he cited "Seven" as a major tentpole, especially for the thriller's famous ending:
"[There was] even a bit of 'Seven.' The very end of 'Seven,' when they go out to the desert. What I loved about that film is that you were so claustrophobic for such a long period of time. You were held in that city. It was all mainly shot at night and it was [raining], but then right at the very end of the film, you suddenly had this big desert expanse where there was nothing else. There was nowhere else to hide. And I loved the idea...
Director Benjamin Caron's new feature, "Sharper," certainly takes several pages from the great mystery and heist films of past decades, but manages to make its own story feel fresh and new.
/Film's Ben Pearson spoke with Caron about the project's influences, and interestingly enough, he cited "Seven" as a major tentpole, especially for the thriller's famous ending:
"[There was] even a bit of 'Seven.' The very end of 'Seven,' when they go out to the desert. What I loved about that film is that you were so claustrophobic for such a long period of time. You were held in that city. It was all mainly shot at night and it was [raining], but then right at the very end of the film, you suddenly had this big desert expanse where there was nothing else. There was nowhere else to hide. And I loved the idea...
- 2/27/2023
- by Lex Briscuso
- Slash Film
Creatives are burning with rage over Hollywood’s hottest new trend: streaming platforms’ habit of canceling finished films and TV series before they’ve aired or pulling projects from platforms and shelving them indefinitely.
The Hollywood Reporter has been asking around about the effects of consolidation, budget cuts and tax write-offs kneecapping projects like Batgirl, Snowpiercer, Scoob!: Holiday Haunt and Westworld, among others. It’s happening all over town as entertainment companies have been forced to contend with consolidation, inflation, a possible recession and a constant chase for subscribers.
“It’s been horrifying,” prolific creator Rian Johnson (Glass Onion) tells THR. “The fact that it’s becoming common practice is terrible and adds to the awfulness. In the history of the business, there has been a constant evolution of horrible things.”
Last month, THR reported that two Netflix feature films were up for grabs after the streamer opted not to distribute the films.
The Hollywood Reporter has been asking around about the effects of consolidation, budget cuts and tax write-offs kneecapping projects like Batgirl, Snowpiercer, Scoob!: Holiday Haunt and Westworld, among others. It’s happening all over town as entertainment companies have been forced to contend with consolidation, inflation, a possible recession and a constant chase for subscribers.
“It’s been horrifying,” prolific creator Rian Johnson (Glass Onion) tells THR. “The fact that it’s becoming common practice is terrible and adds to the awfulness. In the history of the business, there has been a constant evolution of horrible things.”
Last month, THR reported that two Netflix feature films were up for grabs after the streamer opted not to distribute the films.
- 2/25/2023
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Last week, it was announced that Briana Middleton (Sharper) will be starring in the Apple TV series Metropolis, created by Mr. Robot‘s Sam Esmail and inspired by the 1927 sci-fi classic directed by Fritz Lang. Now Variety reports that a key supporting role has gone to Lindy Booth, who may be best known for playing the role of Cassandra Cillian on 42 episodes of The Librarians.
Based on a novel by Thea Von Harbou, Metropolis was set in a futuristic urban dystopia and followed the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city master, and Maria, a saintly figure to the workers, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes in their city and bring the workers together with Joh Fredersen, the city master. Plot details for the TV series are being kept under wraps.
Reports of Middleton’s casting revealed that she will be playing a character named Finnie...
Based on a novel by Thea Von Harbou, Metropolis was set in a futuristic urban dystopia and followed the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city master, and Maria, a saintly figure to the workers, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes in their city and bring the workers together with Joh Fredersen, the city master. Plot details for the TV series are being kept under wraps.
Reports of Middleton’s casting revealed that she will be playing a character named Finnie...
- 2/20/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for “Sharper,” a new film from A24 and Apple TV+ featuring Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan and John Lithgow in a film about deception and circumstances. Currently in select theaters (see local listings) and streaming on Apple TV+ beginning February 24th.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
The film opens with a burgeoning relationship between Tom (Justice Smith) and Sandra (Briana Middleton). As their love grows, Tom is sucked into the conflict between Sandra and her horrible brother Max (Sebastian Stan), but Tom insists he can make it right. This is a set-up for a larger circumstance, involving Julianne Moore’s character Madeline, in a relationship with Tom’s father Richard (John Lithgow) and a situation that goes from fuzzy to sharper as the story unfolds.
”Sharper” is currently in select theaters and streams on Apple TV+ beginning February 24th. Featuring Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith,...
Rating: 4.0/5.0
The film opens with a burgeoning relationship between Tom (Justice Smith) and Sandra (Briana Middleton). As their love grows, Tom is sucked into the conflict between Sandra and her horrible brother Max (Sebastian Stan), but Tom insists he can make it right. This is a set-up for a larger circumstance, involving Julianne Moore’s character Madeline, in a relationship with Tom’s father Richard (John Lithgow) and a situation that goes from fuzzy to sharper as the story unfolds.
”Sharper” is currently in select theaters and streams on Apple TV+ beginning February 24th. Featuring Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith,...
- 2/20/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Stars: Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Briana Middleton, John Lithgow | Written by Brian Gatewood, Alessandro Tanaka | Directed by Benjamin Caron
A small, wealthy family in New York City gets progressively torn apart by secrets, lies, and the theft that orchestrates all of it.
I have to respect Sharper, the latest psychological thriller from Benjamin Caron, even though it didn’t completely blow me away. It’s definitely the kind of movie we rarely get to see these days. It has a convoluted plot that only expands and gets crazier as the movie goes along with each new scene.
It all begins with a man named Tom who runs a modest bookstore with a homey atmosphere. One day, a young woman approaches and asks for assistance finding a book as he’s working. Tom assists her in finding it, and the two soon click. He finally asks her out on a date.
A small, wealthy family in New York City gets progressively torn apart by secrets, lies, and the theft that orchestrates all of it.
I have to respect Sharper, the latest psychological thriller from Benjamin Caron, even though it didn’t completely blow me away. It’s definitely the kind of movie we rarely get to see these days. It has a convoluted plot that only expands and gets crazier as the movie goes along with each new scene.
It all begins with a man named Tom who runs a modest bookstore with a homey atmosphere. One day, a young woman approaches and asks for assistance finding a book as he’s working. Tom assists her in finding it, and the two soon click. He finally asks her out on a date.
- 2/20/2023
- by Caillou Pettis
- Nerdly
It’s a very light weekend for new awards-contending movies on streaming. In fact, it’s been a pretty light week for new movies on streaming in general. Netflix doesn’t have any major movie releases today, and the other streaming services seem to be following suit. If you really want to stream an awards contender this weekend, “Elvis” is still on HBO Max. As people have astutely noted on Twitter, the cut at the end of the movie from Austin Butler as Elvis Presley singing “Unchained Melody” while sitting at a piano strewn with Coke cups to the real Elvis is heartbreaking and energizing and capital-c Cinema of the highest order. The movies below don’t have a moment like that, but they’re all right.
The contender to watch this weekend: “Sharper”
This slick A24-produced psychological heist thriller has some highly decorated names in the cast. Oscar winner Julianne Moore stars,...
The contender to watch this weekend: “Sharper”
This slick A24-produced psychological heist thriller has some highly decorated names in the cast. Oscar winner Julianne Moore stars,...
- 2/18/2023
- by Liam Mathews
- Gold Derby
To celebrate the release of Sharper, we celebrated by talking to the stars and director of the film.
Sharper revolves around a young bookshop owner who falls in love with a customer, only to find she may not be who she seems.
We spoke with lead Brianna Middleton and Justice Smith about keeping the film secrets and building the chemistry with one another.
We also spoke with director Benjamin Caron about building the layers of this film and working with composer Clint Mansell.
Sharper arrives Friday, February 17, 2023 in select cinemas and globally on Apple TV+
The post Sharper Interviews – Justice Smith, Briana Middleton & more on the secrets their characters keep appeared first on HeyUGuys.
Sharper revolves around a young bookshop owner who falls in love with a customer, only to find she may not be who she seems.
We spoke with lead Brianna Middleton and Justice Smith about keeping the film secrets and building the chemistry with one another.
We also spoke with director Benjamin Caron about building the layers of this film and working with composer Clint Mansell.
Sharper arrives Friday, February 17, 2023 in select cinemas and globally on Apple TV+
The post Sharper Interviews – Justice Smith, Briana Middleton & more on the secrets their characters keep appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 2/17/2023
- by Sarah Cook
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Before diving into a new role, Briana Middleton prepares her suit of armor. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
“I love prep and research,” the actress says of her process. “I don’t like this analogy, but it feels like ammo or armor going into a project. If I have all of this stuff surrounding me, and then I go into the chaos that is filming, I don’t go crazy.”
In Benjamin Caron’s A24 psychological thriller Sharper, Middleton plays Sandra, a young woman who finds herself wrapped up in the ruthless world of New York City con artists. What begins as a picture-perfect love story between Sandra and Tom (Justice Smith) slowly unravels, as the story reveals its characters are not who they appear to be.
Upon reading the script, the New Orleans-based actress says she immediately was won over by her character. “I fell in love with her heart,...
“I love prep and research,” the actress says of her process. “I don’t like this analogy, but it feels like ammo or armor going into a project. If I have all of this stuff surrounding me, and then I go into the chaos that is filming, I don’t go crazy.”
In Benjamin Caron’s A24 psychological thriller Sharper, Middleton plays Sandra, a young woman who finds herself wrapped up in the ruthless world of New York City con artists. What begins as a picture-perfect love story between Sandra and Tom (Justice Smith) slowly unravels, as the story reveals its characters are not who they appear to be.
Upon reading the script, the New Orleans-based actress says she immediately was won over by her character. “I fell in love with her heart,...
- 2/17/2023
- by Sydney Odman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Benjamin Caron’s Sharper, Apple TV+’s sleek but unsatisfying new thriller, needed to be a little smarter to work. It’s more plain than titillating, more predictable than mysterious. But its opening stretch is pleasurably deceptive. Sandra (Briana Middleton) is a grad student at NYU who walks into a humble indie bookstore on the hunt for a copy of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. Tom (Justice Smith), who owns the store, is a depressive bookworm who isn’t looking for love only because he seems...
- 2/17/2023
- by K. Austin Collins
- Rollingstone.com
Sharper is a thriller movie directed by Benjamin Caron with Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Briana Middleton and John Lithgow.
An elegant and very classic thriller you can enjoy this Friday on Apple TV+.
This movie knows how to balance a slow technique, brilliant actors and classic plot which is totally familiar.
Movie Review
A paused rhythm for this movie about tricksters that is totally predictable and yet manages to fool us from its direct title and its “film noir” look, studied and elegant: it does not bring us anything new and does not promise to do so either, but the entire setting, the characters and its giddy calm rhythm knows how to work with precision to do the exact thing it needs to do at each moment, without getting lost or trying to invent something new.
Needless to say that this movie would not be anything if Julianne...
An elegant and very classic thriller you can enjoy this Friday on Apple TV+.
This movie knows how to balance a slow technique, brilliant actors and classic plot which is totally familiar.
Movie Review
A paused rhythm for this movie about tricksters that is totally predictable and yet manages to fool us from its direct title and its “film noir” look, studied and elegant: it does not bring us anything new and does not promise to do so either, but the entire setting, the characters and its giddy calm rhythm knows how to work with precision to do the exact thing it needs to do at each moment, without getting lost or trying to invent something new.
Needless to say that this movie would not be anything if Julianne...
- 2/17/2023
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
With this film’s release so close to the big “hearts and flowers” holiday, you might think that it’s a modern twist on the old romantic stories of boy meets girl. And you’d be mistaken, except for the “twist” angle. Yes, it does begin with a “meet cute”, but soon the filmmakers take us down a road of deception and devious designs, full of, yes, twists and turns. Now it’s not another thriller built on that cybercrime of “catfishing” as in the very recent Missing. This tale owes much more to the previous “con capers” like The Sting, Body Heat, and, naturally The Grifters. Ah, but these “players” are aiming for much larger stakes as they go after their NYC high-society “marks”. That’s why they have to aspire to be Sharper.
Oh, as I mentioned this story takes place in Manhattan and opens on a quaint...
Oh, as I mentioned this story takes place in Manhattan and opens on a quaint...
- 2/17/2023
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Lindy Booth (The Librarians) is set to star opposite Briana Middleton in Apple TV+’s drama series Metropolis, inspired by Fritz Lang’s classic 1927 science fiction film, from Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail and UCP where he is under an overall deal.
Booth will play Maria, one of the lead characters in the movie, directed by Lang and written by Thea Von Harbou. Based on the latter’s 1925 novel, the movie was set in a futuristic urban dystopia and followed the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city master, and Maria, a saintly figure to the workers, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes in their city and bring the workers together with the city master.
Middleton plays the series’ lead Finnie Polito, a new character, as the TV adaptation tells a new story.
Metropolis is executive produced by Esmail via his deal with UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group,...
Booth will play Maria, one of the lead characters in the movie, directed by Lang and written by Thea Von Harbou. Based on the latter’s 1925 novel, the movie was set in a futuristic urban dystopia and followed the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city master, and Maria, a saintly figure to the workers, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes in their city and bring the workers together with the city master.
Middleton plays the series’ lead Finnie Polito, a new character, as the TV adaptation tells a new story.
Metropolis is executive produced by Esmail via his deal with UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group,...
- 2/16/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Lindy Booth is the latest cast member to join Sam Esmail’s “Metropolis” series adaptation at Apple, Variety has learned.
Booth is now the second confirmed cast member for the series alongside Briana Middleton. Exact plot details for the show are being kept under wraps aside from the fact that it is inspired by the 1927 Fritz Lang sci-fi film of the same name, which has been hailed as one of the greatest and most influential films of the silent film era. Booth will appear in the role of Maria.
Booth is best known for her starring role in the TNT series “The Librarians,” which was a spinoff of TNT’s “The Librarian” film series. The show ran for four seasons at the cable network. Booth is also known for recent appearances in shows like “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” “The Flash,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Stumptown.” She has appeared in films...
Booth is now the second confirmed cast member for the series alongside Briana Middleton. Exact plot details for the show are being kept under wraps aside from the fact that it is inspired by the 1927 Fritz Lang sci-fi film of the same name, which has been hailed as one of the greatest and most influential films of the silent film era. Booth will appear in the role of Maria.
Booth is best known for her starring role in the TNT series “The Librarians,” which was a spinoff of TNT’s “The Librarian” film series. The show ran for four seasons at the cable network. Booth is also known for recent appearances in shows like “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” “The Flash,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Stumptown.” She has appeared in films...
- 2/16/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
The Good Doctor fans will have to wait a little bit longer for the Good Lawyer backdoor pilot, which will now air Monday, March 13 at 10/9c on ABC, it was announced on Wednesday.
In the episode, which was previously scheduled for March 6, Dr. Shaun Murphy (played by Freddie Highmore) “seeks legal representation to help him win a case and puts his faith in a promising, young lawyer (Nancy Drew‘s Kennedy McMann) who has obsessive compulsive disorder,” reads the official synopsis.
More from TVLineEllen Pompeo Clarifies Grey's Anatomy Status Ahead of 'Exit,' Accuses ABC of Playing a 'Bit of...
In the episode, which was previously scheduled for March 6, Dr. Shaun Murphy (played by Freddie Highmore) “seeks legal representation to help him win a case and puts his faith in a promising, young lawyer (Nancy Drew‘s Kennedy McMann) who has obsessive compulsive disorder,” reads the official synopsis.
More from TVLineEllen Pompeo Clarifies Grey's Anatomy Status Ahead of 'Exit,' Accuses ABC of Playing a 'Bit of...
- 2/15/2023
- by Erianne Lewis and Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail has been working on a TV series adaptation of Fritz Lang’s classic sci-fi movie Metropolis for some time, and now he finally has a star. It was reported today that Briana Middleton is set to star in the Metropolis TV series, which Esmail is developing for Apple.
Plot details for the Metropolis TV series continue to be kept under wraps, but Briana Middleton will be playing a character named Finnie Polito. Based on the novel by Thea Von Harbou, the original 1927 film was set in a futuristic urban dystopia and followed the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city master, and Maria, a saintly figure to the workers, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes in their city and bring the workers together with Joh Fredersen, the city master. We’ll be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the movie in just a few short years.
Plot details for the Metropolis TV series continue to be kept under wraps, but Briana Middleton will be playing a character named Finnie Polito. Based on the novel by Thea Von Harbou, the original 1927 film was set in a futuristic urban dystopia and followed the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city master, and Maria, a saintly figure to the workers, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes in their city and bring the workers together with Joh Fredersen, the city master. We’ll be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the movie in just a few short years.
- 2/14/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Briana Middleton has been cast in the lead role of Sam Esmail’s Apple series adaptation of the film “Metropolis,” Variety has learned.
The series was originally greenlit at the streamer in March 2022. It is inspired by the 1927 Fritz Lang sci-fi film of the same name, which has been hailed as one of the greatest and most influential films of the silent film era.
Middleton will play the role of Finnie Polito. The announcement of her casting in the series comes days ahead of the Friday launch of the Apple film “Sharper,” in which Middleton also stars. Her other recent credits include the George Clooney film “The Tender Bar.” Her casting in the series marks her first starring television role.
She is repped by Gersh and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
“Metropolis” has been on Esmail’s plate since at least 2016, when it was first reported that he was developing a series adaptation of the film.
The series was originally greenlit at the streamer in March 2022. It is inspired by the 1927 Fritz Lang sci-fi film of the same name, which has been hailed as one of the greatest and most influential films of the silent film era.
Middleton will play the role of Finnie Polito. The announcement of her casting in the series comes days ahead of the Friday launch of the Apple film “Sharper,” in which Middleton also stars. Her other recent credits include the George Clooney film “The Tender Bar.” Her casting in the series marks her first starring television role.
She is repped by Gersh and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
“Metropolis” has been on Esmail’s plate since at least 2016, when it was first reported that he was developing a series adaptation of the film.
- 2/14/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Briana Middleton, one of the leads of Apple TV+’s upcoming movie Sharper, has been tapped by the streamer to headline its high-profile drama series Metropolis, inspired by Fritz Lang’s classic 1927 science fiction film. Middleton is the first actor cast in the project, from Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail and UCP where he is under an overall deal.
Middleton will play the lead role of Finnie Polito. It is a new character that did not appear in the movie, directed by Lang and written by Thea Von Harbou based on the latter’s 1925 novel, which was set in a futuristic urban dystopia and followed the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city master, and Maria, a saintly figure to the workers, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes in their city and bring the workers together with the city master.
Metropolis is executive produced by Esmail via his deal with UCP,...
Middleton will play the lead role of Finnie Polito. It is a new character that did not appear in the movie, directed by Lang and written by Thea Von Harbou based on the latter’s 1925 novel, which was set in a futuristic urban dystopia and followed the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city master, and Maria, a saintly figure to the workers, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes in their city and bring the workers together with the city master.
Metropolis is executive produced by Esmail via his deal with UCP,...
- 2/14/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
"Sharper" is a new Apple Original comedy feature, directed by Benjamin Caron from a screenplay by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, starring Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Briana Middleton and John Lithgow, opening in theaters February 10, 2023 and streaming February 17, 2023 on AppleTV+:
"...'Sharper' follows a con artist (Moore), working her way through Manhattan's billionaire echelon, along with another slick fraudster (Stan), known for setting up and carrying out elaborate cons that typically net large sums of money..."
Click the images to enlarge...
"...'Sharper' follows a con artist (Moore), working her way through Manhattan's billionaire echelon, along with another slick fraudster (Stan), known for setting up and carrying out elaborate cons that typically net large sums of money..."
Click the images to enlarge...
- 2/14/2023
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Sharper Review — Sharper (2023) Film Review, a movie directed by Benjamin Caron, written by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka and starring Julianne Moore, John Lithgow, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Briana Middleton, Hannah Dunne, Giullian Yao Gioiello, Phillip Johnson Richardson, Quincy Dunn-Baker, Tom White, Patrick Cooley, Blaise Corrigan, Samara Joy and Doris McCarthy. Director Benjamin [...]
Continue reading: Film Review: Sharper (2023): Benjamin Caron’s Film is Interesting and Has Plenty of Surprises and Tricks Up Its Sleeve...
Continue reading: Film Review: Sharper (2023): Benjamin Caron’s Film is Interesting and Has Plenty of Surprises and Tricks Up Its Sleeve...
- 2/12/2023
- by Thomas Duffy
- Film-Book
Director Benjamin Caron says that he was “yearning to flex a different muscle” and go from the “historical period drama” that is The Crown to the thrills and spills of Andor and on to the delicious deceit at the heart of his accomplished first feature film Sharper, starring Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, John Lithgow, Justice Smith and Briana Middleton, giving a star-in-the-making performance.
Related Story ‘Sharper’ Review: Julianne Moore & Sebastian Stan In A Deliciously Twisty New York Noir Full Of Secrets And Lies Related Story Ben Foster, Justice Smith, Katherine Waterston & Maria Bakalova Set For 'Floodplain' Thriller From Topic Studios – EFM Related Story Gaspar Noé's 'Irréversible: Straight Cut' In Theaters, Distributor "Extremely Aware This Is An Extremely Tough Film" – Specialty Preview
His excitement over Sharper, which is highly praised in a review by my Deadline colleague Pete Hammond, is palpable when we meet for a cuppa tea, which he prepares,...
Related Story ‘Sharper’ Review: Julianne Moore & Sebastian Stan In A Deliciously Twisty New York Noir Full Of Secrets And Lies Related Story Ben Foster, Justice Smith, Katherine Waterston & Maria Bakalova Set For 'Floodplain' Thriller From Topic Studios – EFM Related Story Gaspar Noé's 'Irréversible: Straight Cut' In Theaters, Distributor "Extremely Aware This Is An Extremely Tough Film" – Specialty Preview
His excitement over Sharper, which is highly praised in a review by my Deadline colleague Pete Hammond, is palpable when we meet for a cuppa tea, which he prepares,...
- 2/11/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
I was thinking the other day about the kinds of movies I used to love that they just don’t make enough of anymore. I’m thinking in particular of “Body Heat,” the 1981 neo-noir erotic thriller from writer-director Lawrence Kasdan that starred William Hurt and Kathleen Turner. It had a bundle of twists and turns that kept us in thrall and off balance. I had no idea where it was going, but I knew I wanted to travel wherever it was. I was rewarded with an enormously satisfying story and a scintillating climax I never saw coming.
“Body Heat” was what came racing to mind while I watched “Sharper,” a new feature that has a limited theatrical release on Friday before settling in as a streamer on Apple TV+ starting February 17. It’s a slick drama that ensnared me in its web and left me grasping at straws (in a...
“Body Heat” was what came racing to mind while I watched “Sharper,” a new feature that has a limited theatrical release on Friday before settling in as a streamer on Apple TV+ starting February 17. It’s a slick drama that ensnared me in its web and left me grasping at straws (in a...
- 2/10/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Diverse festival notables from Hannah Ha Ha to The Blue Caftan join a spattering of specialty horror titles led by Consecration, and the U.S. theatrical debut of Gaspar Noé’s controversial Irréversible: Straight Cut.
The last is presented by Altered Innocence, whose owner Frank Jaffe spoke with Deadline about why he wanted to give Noe’s unusual 2019 director’s cut — of the Argentinian/French director’s disturbing 2002 film Irreversible — a release Stateside. “It’s a film that needs to be seen. Or made available,” he said. StudioCanal approached him twice. “They said, ‘No one is brave enough to take on this film. Will you?’” And “there is an audience for it…Tickets are selling.”
Jaffe said he first watched Irreversible, or tried to, via Netflix mail order DVD when he was 14. “My dad made me turn it off halfway through.”
It had a big impact on him. He...
The last is presented by Altered Innocence, whose owner Frank Jaffe spoke with Deadline about why he wanted to give Noe’s unusual 2019 director’s cut — of the Argentinian/French director’s disturbing 2002 film Irreversible — a release Stateside. “It’s a film that needs to be seen. Or made available,” he said. StudioCanal approached him twice. “They said, ‘No one is brave enough to take on this film. Will you?’” And “there is an audience for it…Tickets are selling.”
Jaffe said he first watched Irreversible, or tried to, via Netflix mail order DVD when he was 14. “My dad made me turn it off halfway through.”
It had a big impact on him. He...
- 2/10/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s a tricky proposition to talk to director Benjamin Caron about his new movie “Sharper.” Not because it doesn’t elicit conversation — there is so much in the wickedly smart thriller to discuss, from the plot that keeps you guessing to the fantastic cast, to Caron himself, who never expected to be a film director. But the movie, opening in U.S. theaters this weekend before hitting Apple TV+ and U.K. theaters on Feb. 17, is best experienced when one goes in knowing as little as possible.
Suffice to say that the script, by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, centers on a group of individuals in New York City who may or may not be conning one another at any given time. The film is divided into sections that give the audience time to get to know all the different characters — from young lovers Sandra and Tom (Briana Middleton...
Suffice to say that the script, by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, centers on a group of individuals in New York City who may or may not be conning one another at any given time. The film is divided into sections that give the audience time to get to know all the different characters — from young lovers Sandra and Tom (Briana Middleton...
- 2/9/2023
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
I love a good con film. "The Crown" and "Andor" director Benjamin Caron has delivered a new one as his feature directorial debut in the form of "Sharper," a twisty Apple TV+ neo-noir about a bunch of people in New York City who are angling to get what they want. Con men, billionaires, gold diggers, and victims collide in this fascinating examination of the lengths people will go for greed, and it has a killer cast: Julianne Moore, John Lithgow, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, and the stellar Briana Middleton, who not only hangs with these relative veterans, but practically leaps off the screen. In a movie full of theft, the most impressive one of all is how Middleton steals this movie with her performance.
I had the chance to speak with Caron in the lead-up to his film's release, and ask him about his influences, how he kept the audience surprised,...
I had the chance to speak with Caron in the lead-up to his film's release, and ask him about his influences, how he kept the audience surprised,...
- 2/9/2023
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Plot: Unfolds within the secrets of New York City, from the penthouses of Fifth Avenue to the shadowy corners of Queens. Motivations are suspect and expectations are turned upside down when nothing is as it seems.
Review: Con artists and thieves always make for intriguing movie plots. With a long legacy of such films to choose from, from classic noir to contemporary indies, filmmakers have to rely on solid casting and unique twists to try and entice audiences. The new film Sharper, starring a small cast of talented performers, almost delivers on both despite getting a bit too confident in a story that ends up being more familiar than the trailers suggest. But, thanks to five solid performances from the ensemble cast, Benjamin Caron’s twisty thriller is good enough to warrant some attention this weekend. After a brief theatrical run, Sharper will premiere on AppleTV+, giving it even more...
Review: Con artists and thieves always make for intriguing movie plots. With a long legacy of such films to choose from, from classic noir to contemporary indies, filmmakers have to rely on solid casting and unique twists to try and entice audiences. The new film Sharper, starring a small cast of talented performers, almost delivers on both despite getting a bit too confident in a story that ends up being more familiar than the trailers suggest. But, thanks to five solid performances from the ensemble cast, Benjamin Caron’s twisty thriller is good enough to warrant some attention this weekend. After a brief theatrical run, Sharper will premiere on AppleTV+, giving it even more...
- 2/9/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
The trick to Sharper––a new con picture from director Benjamin Caron––is that it’s deceivingly simple. Featuring multiple lead characters, many points of view, and more twists than a Twizzler, this construct may feel convoluted in spots. Yet it is a concise, well-told piece of entertainment that’s smart enough to know being too clever can be a crutch.
We open on a meet-cute. Sandra (Briana Middleton) stumbles into a small NYC bookstore owned by Tom (Justice Smith). They’re both shy sorts, he a bit more than she. Their whirlwind romance is interrupted by the needs of Sandra’s unseen brother. He is in debt and in danger and needs a whole bunch of money as soon as possible. Tom––quietly rich thanks to his father (John Lithgow)––offers to help out. Begrudgingly, Sandra accepts.
If you’ve ever seen a con film before, you know what happens next.
We open on a meet-cute. Sandra (Briana Middleton) stumbles into a small NYC bookstore owned by Tom (Justice Smith). They’re both shy sorts, he a bit more than she. Their whirlwind romance is interrupted by the needs of Sandra’s unseen brother. He is in debt and in danger and needs a whole bunch of money as soon as possible. Tom––quietly rich thanks to his father (John Lithgow)––offers to help out. Begrudgingly, Sandra accepts.
If you’ve ever seen a con film before, you know what happens next.
- 2/8/2023
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
It’s Super Bowl weekend, as the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs with pop star Rihanna providing the half-time entertainment. Normally, studios wouldn’t release any prominent new movies on this weekend, since they know they would lose a lot of business to the Super Bowl, regularly the biggest televised event every year. Then again, Tuesday is Valentine’s Day, and there’s a chance that Saturday date night could be a good excuse for couples to see one of this weekend’s two romantic offerings. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.
Coming into the weekend is Channing Tatum’s “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” who is no stranger to the Super Bowl weekend, having starred in “Dear John” opposite Amanda Seyfried way back in 2010, which launched on Super Bowl weekend to the tune of 30.5 million. Tatum has reteamed with Steven Soderbergh for “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,...
Coming into the weekend is Channing Tatum’s “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” who is no stranger to the Super Bowl weekend, having starred in “Dear John” opposite Amanda Seyfried way back in 2010, which launched on Super Bowl weekend to the tune of 30.5 million. Tatum has reteamed with Steven Soderbergh for “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,...
- 2/8/2023
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
The double and triple-crosses pile up to preposterous heights in “Sharper,” a drama about con artists and the people they’re playing that takes the hoary adage “nothing is as it seems” to contrived extremes. A deep ensemble cast is game for this ambitiously overwrought material, but no amount of committed acting can overcome the movie’s manipulative artifice.
Things begin simply, with a title card introducing the first of the ensemble’s characters, “Tom.” Played by the likable Justice Smith (“Jurassic World: Dominion”), Tom owns a small bookshop in lower Manhattan, where Sandra (Briana Middleton), a graduate college student working on her thesis, comes looking for a copy of Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God.”
The couple hit it off and go out on a date, which soon leads to an intimate relationship. They bond over their mutual love of Fellini and their shared fluency in Italian.
Things begin simply, with a title card introducing the first of the ensemble’s characters, “Tom.” Played by the likable Justice Smith (“Jurassic World: Dominion”), Tom owns a small bookshop in lower Manhattan, where Sandra (Briana Middleton), a graduate college student working on her thesis, comes looking for a copy of Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God.”
The couple hit it off and go out on a date, which soon leads to an intimate relationship. They bond over their mutual love of Fellini and their shared fluency in Italian.
- 2/8/2023
- by Rene Rodriguez
- Variety Film + TV
Seeing the nifty grifter drama Sharper reminded me how rarely we encounter this kind of clever cat-and-mouse game that might fall into the noirish genre but really relies on diving into a world filled with characters who reveal slices of their lives that keep changing moment to moment. It is the kind of movie I find enormously difficult to review because its ultimate success for a viewer is just watching it unfold, beat by beat, never quite knowing exactly where it is heading but still glued to the screen to find out.
Related Story Gun Control Campaigner Julianne Moore Holds A Firearm On Screen For First Time In 15 Years In ‘Sharper’ Related Story 'The Backrooms' Horror Film Based On Viral Shorts By 17-Year-Old Kane Parsons In Works At A24, Atomic Monster, Chernin & 21 Laps Related Story Apple Falls Short Of Wall Street Quarterly Targets But Surpasses 2 Billion Active Devices
Almost any...
Related Story Gun Control Campaigner Julianne Moore Holds A Firearm On Screen For First Time In 15 Years In ‘Sharper’ Related Story 'The Backrooms' Horror Film Based On Viral Shorts By 17-Year-Old Kane Parsons In Works At A24, Atomic Monster, Chernin & 21 Laps Related Story Apple Falls Short Of Wall Street Quarterly Targets But Surpasses 2 Billion Active Devices
Almost any...
- 2/7/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
The opening credits of Benjamin Caron’s — con artist drama “Sharper” tell us all we need to know about what’s coming. They’re slick, a little mean, and definitely kind of silly. In fact, “credits” is too generous a term, because Caron opens his feature film debut with a single word: “Sharper.” Flash to its textbook definition, wonderfully simple in its information: “one who lives by their wits.”
Isn’t that everybody? Not like this, not like these people. God, you’d hope to not be like these people.
Based on Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka’s Blacklist script, “Shaper” slices and dices a classic con story and refashions it as its own kind of whodunit, one where everyone is some degree of guilty or culpable or just damn deserving of being tricked, and delights in piling on the just plain mean twists for the hell of it. Told...
Isn’t that everybody? Not like this, not like these people. God, you’d hope to not be like these people.
Based on Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka’s Blacklist script, “Shaper” slices and dices a classic con story and refashions it as its own kind of whodunit, one where everyone is some degree of guilty or culpable or just damn deserving of being tricked, and delights in piling on the just plain mean twists for the hell of it. Told...
- 2/7/2023
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Sharper, an A24 and Apple TV+ psychological thriller starring Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan, opens with a love story. A graduate student named Sandra (Briana Middleton) walks into a used bookstore in New York searching for a first edition copy of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. The man working the counter, Tom (Justice Smith), is immediately smitten. He clumsily asks her on a date. She rejects him. Later that evening, Sandra returns to the store and timidly announces she’s changed her mind.
They fall into an easy romance: Mornings at the bookstore in Soho, afternoon walks in Washington Square Park, evenings spent cooking in Sandra’s apartment somewhere downtown. Tom and Sandra are a perfect match — a couple whose story would make for a great season of HBO’s Love Life. When Sandra vanishes, both Tom and the viewer are left to ask: What went wrong?...
They fall into an easy romance: Mornings at the bookstore in Soho, afternoon walks in Washington Square Park, evenings spent cooking in Sandra’s apartment somewhere downtown. Tom and Sandra are a perfect match — a couple whose story would make for a great season of HBO’s Love Life. When Sandra vanishes, both Tom and the viewer are left to ask: What went wrong?...
- 2/7/2023
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Sharper” opens with a fake out—in its own title. A dictionary definition fades up on the screen, declaring “sharper” as a noun that means “one who lives by their wits.” This little bit of cheeky word play is a harbinger for the never-ending rug pulls and elaborate deceptions to come in this con artist thriller, directed by longtime TV director Benjamin Caron and written by the team of Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka. Things are never what they seem in “Sharper.”
The film is a slickly-executed piece, an enjoyable but almost unbearably twisty puzzle box of narrative fun, but once everything slots together the box is unfortunately empty. Just like the characters in the film who seem to con, grift, and scam just because they can, it feels a bit like the filmmakers tied the narrative up in knots just so they could untangle it in front of us with a flourish,...
The film is a slickly-executed piece, an enjoyable but almost unbearably twisty puzzle box of narrative fun, but once everything slots together the box is unfortunately empty. Just like the characters in the film who seem to con, grift, and scam just because they can, it feels a bit like the filmmakers tied the narrative up in knots just so they could untangle it in front of us with a flourish,...
- 2/7/2023
- by Katie Walsh
- The Wrap
Teenage FaceTime detectives, talking shells and a donkey: February is an eclectic, not to mention eccentric, month for cinema.
Throughout the year, there is a near-constant deluge of new releases arriving – on the big screen and small – and it’s hard to know which to prioritise. This new column will pick out the five best films for you to move to the top of your watch list each month.
In February, there are plenty of surefire blockbusters on the way – from acclaimed Puss in Boots sequel The Last Wish and new M Night Shyamalan thriller Knock at the Cabin (both 3 February), to Marvel’s wordily titled Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (17 February). Smaller indies, like Saint Omer, Blue Jean and Joyland, will also be arriving on the 3, 10 and 24 February, respectively.
Meanwhile, James Cameron will engage in a box office battle with himself after Avatar: The Way of Water became the...
Throughout the year, there is a near-constant deluge of new releases arriving – on the big screen and small – and it’s hard to know which to prioritise. This new column will pick out the five best films for you to move to the top of your watch list each month.
In February, there are plenty of surefire blockbusters on the way – from acclaimed Puss in Boots sequel The Last Wish and new M Night Shyamalan thriller Knock at the Cabin (both 3 February), to Marvel’s wordily titled Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (17 February). Smaller indies, like Saint Omer, Blue Jean and Joyland, will also be arriving on the 3, 10 and 24 February, respectively.
Meanwhile, James Cameron will engage in a box office battle with himself after Avatar: The Way of Water became the...
- 2/4/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
In a surprising move, Netflix has decided not to release the completed genre films The Inheritance (directed by Alejandro Brugués) and House/Wife (directed by Danis Goulet) as Netflix Originals. Thankfully, this isn’t a situation like Warner Bros. deciding to scrap Batgirl instead of going through with its release. The filmmakers behind these two projects will be able to try to find a new home for them… and the search is already underway. The Hollywood Reporter hasn’t been able to dig up any information on why Netflix decided not to release either of the two movies.
Scripted by Joe Russo and Chris Lamont and produced by Paul Schiff, The Inheritance stars Bob Gunton, Peyton List, Austin Stowell, Briana Middleton, David Walton, Reese Alexander, and Rachel Nichols. The story takes place on the eve of billionaire Charles Abernathy 75th birthday, when he invites his four estranged children back home out...
Scripted by Joe Russo and Chris Lamont and produced by Paul Schiff, The Inheritance stars Bob Gunton, Peyton List, Austin Stowell, Briana Middleton, David Walton, Reese Alexander, and Rachel Nichols. The story takes place on the eve of billionaire Charles Abernathy 75th birthday, when he invites his four estranged children back home out...
- 1/31/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
A trend among entertainment companies as Hollywood continues its will-they/won’t-they relationship with a possible recession is the unloading of completed projects. The move has been seen across the industry, from AMC+ to Parmaount+ and Disney to HBO Max. Now The Hollywood Reporter has learned of two completed Netflix feature films, The Inheritance and House/Wife, that will no longer be distributed by the streamer, with filmmakers shopping them elsewhere for distribution.
The Inheritance, directed by Alejandro Brugués and produced by Paul Schiff, and House/Wife, from director Danis Goulet and producers Tripp Vinson and Daniel Bekerman, are genre films that were set to be released by Netflix, which will now no longer move forward with the movies.
In the summer, HBO Max made the announcement that the DC feature film Batgirl and the animated movie Scoob!: Holiday Haunt would be shelved after both had completed production. At the time,...
The Inheritance, directed by Alejandro Brugués and produced by Paul Schiff, and House/Wife, from director Danis Goulet and producers Tripp Vinson and Daniel Bekerman, are genre films that were set to be released by Netflix, which will now no longer move forward with the movies.
In the summer, HBO Max made the announcement that the DC feature film Batgirl and the animated movie Scoob!: Holiday Haunt would be shelved after both had completed production. At the time,...
- 1/27/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"Sharper" is a new Apple Original comedy feature, directed by Benjamin Caron from a screenplay by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, starring Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Briana Middleton and John Lithgow, opening in theaters February 10, 2023 and streaming February 17, 2023 on AppleTV+:
"...'Sharper' follows a con artist (Moore), working her way through Manhattan's billionaire echelon, along with another slick fraudster (Stan), known for setting up and carrying out elaborate cons that typically net large sums of money..."
Click the images to enlarge...
"...'Sharper' follows a con artist (Moore), working her way through Manhattan's billionaire echelon, along with another slick fraudster (Stan), known for setting up and carrying out elaborate cons that typically net large sums of money..."
Click the images to enlarge...
- 1/26/2023
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Sharper Trailer — Benjamin Caron‘s Sharper (2023) movie trailer has been released by Apple TV+. The Sharper trailer stars Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Brianna Middleton, Darren Goldstein, and John Lithgow. Crew Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka wrote the screenplay for Sharper. “It’s produced by Erik Feig, Jessica Switch, Julianne Moore, Bart Freundlich, Brian Gatewood, [...]
Continue reading: Sharper (2023) Movie Trailer: Julianne Moore & John Lithgow star in Benjamin Caron’s Family Crime Thriller...
Continue reading: Sharper (2023) Movie Trailer: Julianne Moore & John Lithgow star in Benjamin Caron’s Family Crime Thriller...
- 1/22/2023
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
The official trailer and poster for the forthcoming Apple Original Films & A24 production Sharper starring Julianne Moore have both just been released, and you can check it out right here on CinemaNerdz!
Starring Julianne Moore, Sharper unfolds within the secrets of New York City, from the penthouses of Fifth Avenue to the shadowy corners of Queens. Motivations are suspect and expectations are turned upside down when nothing is as it seems.
Sharper is directed by Benjamin Caron and features a star-studded ensemble cast led by Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, newcomer Briana Middleton and John Lithgow. The film is produced by Jessica Switch and Erik Feig of Picturestart along with Julianne Moore, Bart Freundlich, Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, and written by Gatewood and Tanaka. Julia Hammer and Amy Herman serve as executive producers.
About The Film Genre: Drama Cast: Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Brianna Middleton, Darren Goldstein...
Starring Julianne Moore, Sharper unfolds within the secrets of New York City, from the penthouses of Fifth Avenue to the shadowy corners of Queens. Motivations are suspect and expectations are turned upside down when nothing is as it seems.
Sharper is directed by Benjamin Caron and features a star-studded ensemble cast led by Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, newcomer Briana Middleton and John Lithgow. The film is produced by Jessica Switch and Erik Feig of Picturestart along with Julianne Moore, Bart Freundlich, Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, and written by Gatewood and Tanaka. Julia Hammer and Amy Herman serve as executive producers.
About The Film Genre: Drama Cast: Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Brianna Middleton, Darren Goldstein...
- 1/15/2023
- by Editor
- CinemaNerdz
Streamers had been in the news a lot over 2022. Less for what they were providing their subscribers but more for what they weren’t providing. Finished movies were shelved forever, projects canceled outright, and shows that seemed a shoo-in to be renewed were canceled. Luckily for 2023, it looks like we’re still about to get a lot of great content sent directly to our homes. What streaming films should we be anticipating?
Teen Wolf: The Movie – Paramount+ January 26th
It’s finally come full circle. First, there was the 80s Teen Wolf movie. Then MTV took that idea and based a young adult TV series on it. Now, that MTV series is getting a reunion movie to premiere on Paramount+. As it was, it shall be. A new evil has emerged, and Scott must reunite with his old friends, as well as some new ones, to fight this new menace.
Teen Wolf: The Movie – Paramount+ January 26th
It’s finally come full circle. First, there was the 80s Teen Wolf movie. Then MTV took that idea and based a young adult TV series on it. Now, that MTV series is getting a reunion movie to premiere on Paramount+. As it was, it shall be. A new evil has emerged, and Scott must reunite with his old friends, as well as some new ones, to fight this new menace.
- 1/14/2023
- by Bryan Wolford
- JoBlo.com
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