We all know he’s guilty — even the New York appeals court majority that ordered a new trial for Harvey Weinstein knows it. That makes the narrow, 4-3 reversal of Weinstein’s conviction all the more enraging.
Anyone who has ever watched a cop show knows how difficult it is to get a conviction in a sexual assault case. Yet the court majority found that the trial judge made an “egregious” mistake in letting three women testify about alleged sexual assaults even though their claims were not part of the charges against Weinstein (known as “Molineux witnesses”). Without that testimony, the majority concluded that Weinstein might have walked.
Dissenting Judge Anthony Cannataro wrote that the decision was “endangering decades of progress in this incredibly complex and nuanced area of law.” What message does the New York appeals court ruling send? In a new trial, the women whose testimony achieved the...
Anyone who has ever watched a cop show knows how difficult it is to get a conviction in a sexual assault case. Yet the court majority found that the trial judge made an “egregious” mistake in letting three women testify about alleged sexual assaults even though their claims were not part of the charges against Weinstein (known as “Molineux witnesses”). Without that testimony, the majority concluded that Weinstein might have walked.
Dissenting Judge Anthony Cannataro wrote that the decision was “endangering decades of progress in this incredibly complex and nuanced area of law.” What message does the New York appeals court ruling send? In a new trial, the women whose testimony achieved the...
- 4/30/2024
- by Kim Masters
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Supreme Court, amid an unprecedented crisis of legitimacy pertaining to unreported gifts to justices, debated on Monday whether a contractor making a $13,000 gratuity to a politician is similar to taking a teacher to Cheesecake Factory.
In 2012, James Synder was elected mayor of the Northwest Indiana town of just under 38,000 people. Synder, who was struggling to keep his own business afloat and was behind on taxes, oversaw the bidding process for a contract to buy new garbage trucks for the town. The contract, which was worth over $1.1 million, went to a local company,...
In 2012, James Synder was elected mayor of the Northwest Indiana town of just under 38,000 people. Synder, who was struggling to keep his own business afloat and was behind on taxes, oversaw the bidding process for a contract to buy new garbage trucks for the town. The contract, which was worth over $1.1 million, went to a local company,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Former SNL cast member Kristen Wiig joined the show’s “five-timers club” on Saturday, with her monologue featuring appearances by a number of other former hosts, some of whom haven’t had that gig five times but wore jackets of their own nonetheless.
Wiig, whose most recent Saturday Night Live appearance was in December during fellow SNL alum Kate McKinnon’s monologue, didn’t make it far into her monologue before Paul Rudd–a legitimate five-timer–called out from the audience.
When Wiig informed him that there was no club-related...
Wiig, whose most recent Saturday Night Live appearance was in December during fellow SNL alum Kate McKinnon’s monologue, didn’t make it far into her monologue before Paul Rudd–a legitimate five-timer–called out from the audience.
When Wiig informed him that there was no club-related...
- 4/7/2024
- by William Vaillancourt
- Rollingstone.com
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Christine Blasey Ford — the psychology professor who testified at Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing alleging he assaulted her when they were both teenagers — is speaking out again nearly six years later. In a new memoir, Ford insists that Kavanaugh “must know” what he did the night of the alleged assault and discusses in depth the consequences she faced, including many death threats, for coming forward.
Christine Blasey Ford — the psychology professor who testified at Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing alleging he assaulted her when they were both teenagers — is speaking out again nearly six years later. In a new memoir, Ford insists that Kavanaugh “must know” what he did the night of the alleged assault and discusses in depth the consequences she faced, including many death threats, for coming forward.
- 3/17/2024
- by Peter Wade
- Rollingstone.com
Olivia Rodrigo handed out free condoms and morning-after pills at her St. Louis Guts world tour stop, while a portion of her tour’s total ticket sales will go to abortion funds across the country through her new initiative Fund 4 Good.
Through her fund, which she launched in collaboration with the tour, the Grammy-winning artist will partner up with local chapters of the National Network of Abortion Funds. Together, they will work to “ensure those most impacted by systemic racism, misogyny, and healthcare barriers can get the reproductive care they deserve,” according to its page on the Entertainment Industry Foundation website.
At her St. Louis stop on Tuesday, Rodrigo worked with the Missouri Abortion Fund to pass out Julie morning-after pills. The brand launched in September 2022 after the overturning of Roe v. Wade and was built to change the conversation around emergency contraception, expanding access to communities that need it the most.
Through her fund, which she launched in collaboration with the tour, the Grammy-winning artist will partner up with local chapters of the National Network of Abortion Funds. Together, they will work to “ensure those most impacted by systemic racism, misogyny, and healthcare barriers can get the reproductive care they deserve,” according to its page on the Entertainment Industry Foundation website.
At her St. Louis stop on Tuesday, Rodrigo worked with the Missouri Abortion Fund to pass out Julie morning-after pills. The brand launched in September 2022 after the overturning of Roe v. Wade and was built to change the conversation around emergency contraception, expanding access to communities that need it the most.
- 3/13/2024
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that states could not remove Donald Trump from their ballots using the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause.
However, the Supreme Court justices were divided about how broadly this decision would end up sweeping. A five-to-four majority wrote that no state could exclude a federal candidate from any ballot – but four justices argued that the court should have kept its opinion limited.
A five-justice majority – Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh – wrote that states cannot remove any federal officer from the ballot, especially the president, unless Congress first passes legislation.
“We conclude that States may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office. But States have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the Presidency,” these justices said.
“Nothing in the Constitution delegates to the States any...
However, the Supreme Court justices were divided about how broadly this decision would end up sweeping. A five-to-four majority wrote that no state could exclude a federal candidate from any ballot – but four justices argued that the court should have kept its opinion limited.
A five-justice majority – Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh – wrote that states cannot remove any federal officer from the ballot, especially the president, unless Congress first passes legislation.
“We conclude that States may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office. But States have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the Presidency,” these justices said.
“Nothing in the Constitution delegates to the States any...
- 3/6/2024
- by Alessio Atria
- Uinterview
The Supreme Court has agreed to take up rule on whether Donald Trump is immune from prosecution in the Justice Department’s election interference case. The decision means a high-profile trial will be further delayed, possibly for multiple months — if it even takes place at all. The court will begin hearing oral arguments on April 22.
The Justice Department indicted Trump last August over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The former president has spent recent months trying to get the case thrown out, arguing he is immune...
The Justice Department indicted Trump last August over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The former president has spent recent months trying to get the case thrown out, arguing he is immune...
- 2/28/2024
- by Ryan Bort
- Rollingstone.com
Update: Supreme Court justices have been grappling all morning on the question of whether social media platforms are neutral gatekeepers, or whether their content moderation practices count as expressive activity protected by the First Amendment.
The justices raised a series of questions over the broadness of the Florida law, which restricts the content moderation practices of tech platforms. Some of the justices were skeptical of the law when it came to content decisions, but also wondered whether why it should not apply to the activity of Etsy or Uber.
Paul Clement, attorney representing the industry group NetChoice, offered the court a prediction of what will happen if the Florida law were allowed to stand.
“What some of these companies might do is say, ‘Let’s just do puppy dogs in Florida,'” Clement said, suggesting that platforms would default to featuring only non-controversial content “so no one can say we are not being consistent.
The justices raised a series of questions over the broadness of the Florida law, which restricts the content moderation practices of tech platforms. Some of the justices were skeptical of the law when it came to content decisions, but also wondered whether why it should not apply to the activity of Etsy or Uber.
Paul Clement, attorney representing the industry group NetChoice, offered the court a prediction of what will happen if the Florida law were allowed to stand.
“What some of these companies might do is say, ‘Let’s just do puppy dogs in Florida,'” Clement said, suggesting that platforms would default to featuring only non-controversial content “so no one can say we are not being consistent.
- 2/26/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The Supreme Court heard arguments on Thursday in the case over whether states can toss Donald Trump off their ballots. Much of the discussion centered around a wildly inane legal question: whether America’s president qualifies as “an officer of the United States.”
The case will review Colorado’s decision to disqualify Trump from its ballot on the grounds that he committed “insurrection” by inciting the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as lawmakers were preparing to certify President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
At issue is Section 3 of the 14th Amendment,...
The case will review Colorado’s decision to disqualify Trump from its ballot on the grounds that he committed “insurrection” by inciting the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as lawmakers were preparing to certify President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
At issue is Section 3 of the 14th Amendment,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez and Andrew Perez
- Rollingstone.com
The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the Biden administration has the authority to remove razor wire installed by the state of Texas across swaths of the state’s border with Mexico.
The 5-4 ruling overturned a December 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that placed an injunction on a lower court order allowing federal agents to cut through the wires, which have been linked to hundreds of reported injuries of migrants attempting to cross the border.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett, both conservative, joined...
The 5-4 ruling overturned a December 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that placed an injunction on a lower court order allowing federal agents to cut through the wires, which have been linked to hundreds of reported injuries of migrants attempting to cross the border.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett, both conservative, joined...
- 1/22/2024
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
Special Counsel Jack Smith took Donald Trump’s claims of presidential immunity straight to the Supreme Court on Monday. Smith’s office had petitioned the court to rule on Trump’s central defense against charges of election interference: that his former status as president make him immune to criminal charges related to his attempt to subvert the 2020 election.
In response, the ex-president’s camp issued a statement decrying Smith’s attempt to appeal to the very court Trump helped appointment. A Trump spokesperson accused the special counsel of attempting to...
In response, the ex-president’s camp issued a statement decrying Smith’s attempt to appeal to the very court Trump helped appointment. A Trump spokesperson accused the special counsel of attempting to...
- 12/11/2023
- by Charisma Madarang and Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Florida’s request to temporarily suspend a judge’s ruling that prevented the state from the enforcement of a newly enacted law that bans minors from drag shows.
The state filed a request with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to stay Judge Gregory Presnell‘s ruling. However, the panel was divided and ultimately denied the request.
The decision not to grant the stay, requested by Florida, received a majority agreement from the court. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in opinion with Justice Amy Coney Barrett, expressed that the court was unlikely to grant a full review of the case and said their refusal to reinstate the Florida law does not reflect their view about whether it violates the First Amendment.
The restaurant chain Hamburger Mary’s is known to host drag and comedy shows. In May, they filed a lawsuit against the state of Florida that...
The state filed a request with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to stay Judge Gregory Presnell‘s ruling. However, the panel was divided and ultimately denied the request.
The decision not to grant the stay, requested by Florida, received a majority agreement from the court. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in opinion with Justice Amy Coney Barrett, expressed that the court was unlikely to grant a full review of the case and said their refusal to reinstate the Florida law does not reflect their view about whether it violates the First Amendment.
The restaurant chain Hamburger Mary’s is known to host drag and comedy shows. In May, they filed a lawsuit against the state of Florida that...
- 11/18/2023
- by Baila Eve Zisman
- Uinterview
Francine Coeytaux and Elisa Wells have been at this for awhile. In the ’90s, the pair were part of the team that helped bring Plan B, Aka the “morning-after pill,” over the counter to anyone who needed it. Even after the initial Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973 — which made abortion a protected right in the United States — the pro-life versus pro-choice fault lines remained in America and extended even to medically safe (and legal) oral contraceptives and abortion medications.
But that was Plan B. These days, it’s all about Plan C. Founded in 2015 and led by Coeytaux, Wells, and Amy Merrill, the organization was designed with one pressing mission: to envision and help establish “a near future in which the ability to end an early pregnancy is directly in the hands of anyone who seeks it.” Easier said than done.
For “Plan C,” filmmaker Tracy Droz Tragos embeds with...
But that was Plan B. These days, it’s all about Plan C. Founded in 2015 and led by Coeytaux, Wells, and Amy Merrill, the organization was designed with one pressing mission: to envision and help establish “a near future in which the ability to end an early pregnancy is directly in the hands of anyone who seeks it.” Easier said than done.
For “Plan C,” filmmaker Tracy Droz Tragos embeds with...
- 10/5/2023
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Daniel D’Addario is stepping into a new role at Variety.
The journalist, who was brought on as chief television critic in 2018, has been named chief correspondent for the magazine, co-editors-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh and Cynthia Littleton announced. In his new position, D’Addario will be writing substantial features as well as commentary for print and online. He will continue to work with editor-at-large Kate Aurthur.
“I am so excited to try new kinds of writing for Variety,” D’Addario says. “I love thinking like a critic, but bringing my perspective to bear on narrative journalism after getting out in the field and talking to people represents an exciting opportunity, and a fun challenge.”
In his time covering television for Variety, D’Addario has won multiple Los Angeles Press Club Awards, including prizes for political commentary for his coverage of the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings and “The Lincoln Project.” He has served...
The journalist, who was brought on as chief television critic in 2018, has been named chief correspondent for the magazine, co-editors-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh and Cynthia Littleton announced. In his new position, D’Addario will be writing substantial features as well as commentary for print and online. He will continue to work with editor-at-large Kate Aurthur.
“I am so excited to try new kinds of writing for Variety,” D’Addario says. “I love thinking like a critic, but bringing my perspective to bear on narrative journalism after getting out in the field and talking to people represents an exciting opportunity, and a fun challenge.”
In his time covering television for Variety, D’Addario has won multiple Los Angeles Press Club Awards, including prizes for political commentary for his coverage of the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings and “The Lincoln Project.” He has served...
- 8/21/2023
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Full disclosure: This essay is being written by an avowed Bender (Aka Judd Nelson’s character in “The Breakfast Club”) apologist. And yes, nearly four decades since the release of the classic John Hughes teen dramedy, I’m well-aware of how problematic that is by our contemporary standards. While (sigh) the fingerless gloves, shredded denim vest, and studs made Bender the epitome of swoon-worthy bad boy chic, it took close to a decade for my still-forming teenage brain to realize that no, that is not, in fact, the ideal form of sensitive masculinity….because Bender is kind of a creep.
But this just goes to show how deeply the ’80s-era sexist, problematic dreamboat bad boy character has permeated culture. It’s the patriarchy of romance, by way of Reagan era sensibilities still relevant fifty years later. Broken boys will be broken boys in need of healing; but why has it...
But this just goes to show how deeply the ’80s-era sexist, problematic dreamboat bad boy character has permeated culture. It’s the patriarchy of romance, by way of Reagan era sensibilities still relevant fifty years later. Broken boys will be broken boys in need of healing; but why has it...
- 8/17/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
A federal judge appointed by former President Trump restricted parts of the Biden administration from contacting social media sites on Tuesday, the New York Times reported. The preliminary injunction could curtail efforts from the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services from working with companies like Meta, Twitter, and Google to fight misinformation.
The Republican attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana, along with four other plaintiffs — including a California professor who lost his job after refusing to be vaccinated for Covid-19 — filed a lawsuit last year against President...
The Republican attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana, along with four other plaintiffs — including a California professor who lost his job after refusing to be vaccinated for Covid-19 — filed a lawsuit last year against President...
- 7/4/2023
- by Joseph Hudak
- Rollingstone.com
This week, the Supreme Court declared affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional, killed Biden’s student debt relief plan, and permitted a graphic designer in Colorado to refuse service to same-sex couples. Of course, twice-indicted former president Donald Trump wasted no time in taking credit for it all during his speech at a summit for Moms for Liberty — a right-wing, anti-government group — on Friday.
“Many presidents never get the opportunity to appoint a Supreme Court justice. I had three. They are gold,” he boasted to the crowd gathered in Philadelphia that night,...
“Many presidents never get the opportunity to appoint a Supreme Court justice. I had three. They are gold,” he boasted to the crowd gathered in Philadelphia that night,...
- 7/1/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
“The View” dedicated the entirety of their Monday episode to celebrating Juneteenth, and it began with a bit of surprise out of Alabama, at least for Whoopi Goldberg.
“We’re gonna celebrate something I think very few of us ever thought we were gonna be celebrating,” Goldberg said with a chuckle. “But recently, the Supreme Court ruled that Alabama’s electoral maps unlawfully continued to dilute Black voters’ power. The Supreme Court said, ‘Hey! Quit it!'”
Once she got over her visible shock, the moderator continued, explaining the case it more concisely: “Now, I was kind of surprised because they’ve not given any feeling like they were on top of voters’ rights, in particular for people of color, so…”
Indeed, on Thursday, June 8, the Supreme Court ruled that the state had weakened the power of Black voters with a new drawing of a congressional voting map, and thus rejected it.
“We’re gonna celebrate something I think very few of us ever thought we were gonna be celebrating,” Goldberg said with a chuckle. “But recently, the Supreme Court ruled that Alabama’s electoral maps unlawfully continued to dilute Black voters’ power. The Supreme Court said, ‘Hey! Quit it!'”
Once she got over her visible shock, the moderator continued, explaining the case it more concisely: “Now, I was kind of surprised because they’ve not given any feeling like they were on top of voters’ rights, in particular for people of color, so…”
Indeed, on Thursday, June 8, the Supreme Court ruled that the state had weakened the power of Black voters with a new drawing of a congressional voting map, and thus rejected it.
- 6/19/2023
- by Andi Ortiz
- The Wrap
After a decade of steadily chipping away at the Voting Rights Act, the Supreme Court actually upheld a piece of the landmark civil rights legislation on Thursday, ruling that Alabama had diluted the power of Black voters in the state.
The case concerned Alabama’s new congressional district map, which was drawn after the 2020 census — and actually wasn’t much different than the map it had throughout the 2010s. The state was split into seven districts, six of which were majority white and reliably voted for Republican representatives, while the...
The case concerned Alabama’s new congressional district map, which was drawn after the 2020 census — and actually wasn’t much different than the map it had throughout the 2010s. The state was split into seven districts, six of which were majority white and reliably voted for Republican representatives, while the...
- 6/8/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
In light of the revelations about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ unreported gifts from a right-wing megadonor Harlan Crow and his wife Ginni Thomas’ involvement in the attempts to overturn the 2020 election, many Democrats in Congress are calling for court reform, including Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who appeared on Meet the Press and called the Supreme Court a “fact-free” and “ethics-free zone.”
Discussing the issue of ethics on the court, Whitehouse dismissed the idea of having justices make an upfront ethics pledge. “Because if you try to do it on the...
Discussing the issue of ethics on the court, Whitehouse dismissed the idea of having justices make an upfront ethics pledge. “Because if you try to do it on the...
- 5/28/2023
- by Peter Wade
- Rollingstone.com
In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court restricted the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate water pollution in the nation’s wetlands. The court determined that the 1972 Clean Water Act only applies to “wetlands with a continuous surface connection to bodies that are waters of the United States in their own rights.”
“Wetlands that are separate from traditional navigable waters cannot be considered part of those waters, even if they are located nearby,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the court’s majority opinion.
The justices, ruling on Sackett v.
“Wetlands that are separate from traditional navigable waters cannot be considered part of those waters, even if they are located nearby,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the court’s majority opinion.
The justices, ruling on Sackett v.
- 5/25/2023
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
Republicans drastically underperformed in the 2022 midterm elections, only narrowly taking control of the House of Representatives while leaving the Senate in Democratic control. The overturning of Roe v. Wade was seen by many as the primary culprit. Donald Trump isn’t exactly distancing himself from the ruling — at least as he tries to fend off his far-right primary opponents.
“I was able to kill Roe v. Wade,” he crowed Wednesday morning on Truth Social. He also took credit for the wave of abortion bans that have gone into effect since...
“I was able to kill Roe v. Wade,” he crowed Wednesday morning on Truth Social. He also took credit for the wave of abortion bans that have gone into effect since...
- 5/17/2023
- by Ryan Bort
- Rollingstone.com
Busy Philipps was pulling up her Spanx in a private dining room in Midtown, New York, when we met on an October afternoon. “Are we in a Goodfellas movie?” she asked, using an expletive and laughing as she took in the ostentatiously luxe cherry-wood-walled space. “What is about to happen?”
She was about halfway through a frenetic day of publicity, having knocked out an appearance on Good Morning America to promote her candid new memoir, This Will Only Hurt a Little.
The book is a freewheeling tour through Philipps’ career, relationships and on-and-off-again stardom. Though she began writing it before the #MeToo movement took off last year, it has already generated some related headlines. One old story resurrected was her account of James Franco being rough with her on the set of Freaks and Geeks.
The book’s release is just part of what was the biggest month (October) of Philipps’s career so far.
She was about halfway through a frenetic day of publicity, having knocked out an appearance on Good Morning America to promote her candid new memoir, This Will Only Hurt a Little.
The book is a freewheeling tour through Philipps’ career, relationships and on-and-off-again stardom. Though she began writing it before the #MeToo movement took off last year, it has already generated some related headlines. One old story resurrected was her account of James Franco being rough with her on the set of Freaks and Geeks.
The book’s release is just part of what was the biggest month (October) of Philipps’s career so far.
- 4/13/2023
- by Ilana Kaplan
- The Independent - TV
When “Summer of Soul” sold for $15 million out of the 2021 pandemic-virtual Sundance Film Festival, we saw the peak of the documentary boom. Questlove’s feature debut was a Sundance record, but it wasn’t alone; other Sundance docs like “Fire of Love” and “Flee” sold for high-seven figures.
Today, Sundance 2023 premiere “It’s Only Life After All,” which included its subjects the Indigo Girls performing at the festival’s Opening Night fundraiser, has yet to find a buyer. Ditto “Going Varsity in Mariachi,” “The Disappearance of Shere Hite,” or Doug Liman’s Brett Kavanaugh doc “Justice.”
Sundance also had documentaries that came with distribution, like Hulu’s “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” Amazon’s “Judy Blume Forever,” and Apple’s “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.” However, if you’re looking for documentaries that aren’t based on high-recognition IP, or concepts that can’t be parceled into irresistible, cliff-hanging episodes — well,...
Today, Sundance 2023 premiere “It’s Only Life After All,” which included its subjects the Indigo Girls performing at the festival’s Opening Night fundraiser, has yet to find a buyer. Ditto “Going Varsity in Mariachi,” “The Disappearance of Shere Hite,” or Doug Liman’s Brett Kavanaugh doc “Justice.”
Sundance also had documentaries that came with distribution, like Hulu’s “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” Amazon’s “Judy Blume Forever,” and Apple’s “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.” However, if you’re looking for documentaries that aren’t based on high-recognition IP, or concepts that can’t be parceled into irresistible, cliff-hanging episodes — well,...
- 4/11/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Roy Wood Jr. was a bit baffled on Thursday night’s episode of “The Daily Show” after it was revealed that a Republican billionaire has apparently gifted Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas several luxury gifts and trips over the last two decades. Wood couldn’t help but wonder why this man spent so much money on one justice, when he could’ve had another for a lot less.
In a bombshell report from ProPublica released Thursday, it was revealed that Harlan Crow, the real estate magnate and Republican megadonor who bankrolled a documentary about Thomas that got consideration for a 2020 Oscar, also provided decades’ worth of undisclosed luxury vacations to the Supreme Court justice.
In the report, Crow claimed he’s never tried to influence Thomas’ opinion on any cases or issues, and at that, Wood had a good laugh.
Also Read:
‘The Daily Show’ Goes On-Location to Investigate Melania Trump’s Absence,...
In a bombshell report from ProPublica released Thursday, it was revealed that Harlan Crow, the real estate magnate and Republican megadonor who bankrolled a documentary about Thomas that got consideration for a 2020 Oscar, also provided decades’ worth of undisclosed luxury vacations to the Supreme Court justice.
In the report, Crow claimed he’s never tried to influence Thomas’ opinion on any cases or issues, and at that, Wood had a good laugh.
Also Read:
‘The Daily Show’ Goes On-Location to Investigate Melania Trump’s Absence,...
- 4/7/2023
- by Andi Ortiz
- The Wrap
“The Last Word” host Lawrence O’Donnell aired an eight-minute takedown of South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham on Wednesday night, deriding him for shedding tears for former President Donald Trump but not children killed in school shootings.
“Lindsey Graham has never cried for a single child who has been murdered in a classroom in America. Not one,” O’Donnell said, naming the three children and three adults who were killed in the school shooting in Nashville just last week.
“Lindsey Graham did not shed a single tear for any one of those victims of America’s latest mass murderer who used an Ar-15 to fire 152 bullets in that school,” the host continued. “After that mass murder, Lindsey Graham proudly told reporters in Washington that he owns an Ar-15. He didn’t say why.”
Also Read:
Marjorie Taylor Green Slams ‘Fascist’ Democrats for Not Letting Her Speak in NYC: ‘They Want to Repeat Jan.
“Lindsey Graham has never cried for a single child who has been murdered in a classroom in America. Not one,” O’Donnell said, naming the three children and three adults who were killed in the school shooting in Nashville just last week.
“Lindsey Graham did not shed a single tear for any one of those victims of America’s latest mass murderer who used an Ar-15 to fire 152 bullets in that school,” the host continued. “After that mass murder, Lindsey Graham proudly told reporters in Washington that he owns an Ar-15. He didn’t say why.”
Also Read:
Marjorie Taylor Green Slams ‘Fascist’ Democrats for Not Letting Her Speak in NYC: ‘They Want to Repeat Jan.
- 4/6/2023
- by Benjamin Lindsay
- The Wrap
With the indictment of former president Donald Trump on 34 felony counts, our country is in uncharted territory. Never has a former president been indicted for criminal activity, and never has a former president warned of “potential death and destruction” as a result.
What’s more, the indictments — stemming from Trump’s behavior after an alleged affair with Stormy Daniels — may just be the first of many, with the more serious charges still to come, amid alleged crimes including pressuring the Georgia secretary of state to “find 11,780 votes,” fomenting the January 6 insurrection,...
What’s more, the indictments — stemming from Trump’s behavior after an alleged affair with Stormy Daniels — may just be the first of many, with the more serious charges still to come, amid alleged crimes including pressuring the Georgia secretary of state to “find 11,780 votes,” fomenting the January 6 insurrection,...
- 4/5/2023
- by Jay Michaelson
- Rollingstone.com
ChatGPT, the popular new AI program, is getting smarter by the day, and “The Daily Show” guest host Kal Penn is starting to get nervous. Now that ChatGPT has a significantly high chance of passing the bar exam, Penn is worried it’ll replace Supreme Court justices — but only after it learns how to harass women.
On Thursday night’s episode of the show, Penn kicked off his headlines segment with the latest news on the AI, which is known simply as Gpt-4. According to reports, while earlier versions of the AI had only a 10% chance of passing the bar exam — the exam needed to become a lawyer in the U.S. — the latest version now has a 90% chance of passing.
“The point is, this thing is learning fast,” Penn warned. “Once it figures out how to get drunk and grope someone, it’ll be qualified for the Supreme Court.
On Thursday night’s episode of the show, Penn kicked off his headlines segment with the latest news on the AI, which is known simply as Gpt-4. According to reports, while earlier versions of the AI had only a 10% chance of passing the bar exam — the exam needed to become a lawyer in the U.S. — the latest version now has a 90% chance of passing.
“The point is, this thing is learning fast,” Penn warned. “Once it figures out how to get drunk and grope someone, it’ll be qualified for the Supreme Court.
- 3/17/2023
- by Andi Ortiz
- The Wrap
The fate of the social media industry is in the hands of the Supreme Court. The highest court in the land has heard oral arguments for Gonzalez v. Google, a case that concerns Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996.
Section 230 is the controversial piece of legislation that provides platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter with “safe harbor” status. The 27-year-old rule shields tech companies from being legally liable for any content posted on their platforms by third parties — so long as the companies react to moderation demands in a timely manner.
There have been many challenges to Section 230’s authority over the years, and Gonzalez v. Google is the latest attempt to rewrite the law. The case centers around Nohemi Gonzalez (pictured above), who was one of the 130 people killed in the November 2015 Paris attacks perpetrated by Isis.
The prosecution is arguing that the YouTube algorithm aided and abetted...
Section 230 is the controversial piece of legislation that provides platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter with “safe harbor” status. The 27-year-old rule shields tech companies from being legally liable for any content posted on their platforms by third parties — so long as the companies react to moderation demands in a timely manner.
There have been many challenges to Section 230’s authority over the years, and Gonzalez v. Google is the latest attempt to rewrite the law. The case centers around Nohemi Gonzalez (pictured above), who was one of the 130 people killed in the November 2015 Paris attacks perpetrated by Isis.
The prosecution is arguing that the YouTube algorithm aided and abetted...
- 2/21/2023
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
After two years of a predominantly virtual festival experience, the Sundance Film Festival returned to (mostly normal) with its 2023 edition. And while simply saying, “Hey, we’re back!” only goes so far (and has been so often repeated that it doesn’t really hold much excitement these days), a sampling of the top stories you — our very own IndieWire readers — were most interested in from this year’s festival reveals that things happening on the ground were most appealing.
While Sundance’s virtual platform — available to both members of the press and regular ol’ cinephiles — was packed with new films to watch, things that unfolded only in Park City, from the news of Doug Liman’s secret Brett Kavanaugh documentary to the controversy surrounding captioning availability to in-person events, picked up the most eyeballs.
Also of interest to readers: reviews for buzzy films, a smart unpacking of all the s-e-x in the lineup,...
While Sundance’s virtual platform — available to both members of the press and regular ol’ cinephiles — was packed with new films to watch, things that unfolded only in Park City, from the news of Doug Liman’s secret Brett Kavanaugh documentary to the controversy surrounding captioning availability to in-person events, picked up the most eyeballs.
Also of interest to readers: reviews for buzzy films, a smart unpacking of all the s-e-x in the lineup,...
- 1/31/2023
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Between 20 million for “Fair Play,” eight figures for “Flora and Son,” and a hefty theatrical deal for “Theater Camp,” any handwringing over the Sundance market seems a little silly.
Both major streamers and traditional theatrical buyers got in on the Utah action, and while there may have been fewer fevered late-night deals, films like “A Little Prayer” to Sony Pictures Classics or “Flora and Son” to Apple closed within roughly 24 hours of their premieres. “Fair Play” had as many as seven potential buyers before Netflix reunited with its “Bridgerton” star Phoebe Dynevor. A24 had half a dozen movies already in the festival, but came away with the Midnight entry “Talk to Me,” beating out a few other bidders in the process.
Independent films, in trouble? Dealmaking for many films at Sundance seemed as swift and aggressive as ever —even pre-pandemic aggressive. A source who spoke with IndieWire on the condition...
Both major streamers and traditional theatrical buyers got in on the Utah action, and while there may have been fewer fevered late-night deals, films like “A Little Prayer” to Sony Pictures Classics or “Flora and Son” to Apple closed within roughly 24 hours of their premieres. “Fair Play” had as many as seven potential buyers before Netflix reunited with its “Bridgerton” star Phoebe Dynevor. A24 had half a dozen movies already in the festival, but came away with the Midnight entry “Talk to Me,” beating out a few other bidders in the process.
Independent films, in trouble? Dealmaking for many films at Sundance seemed as swift and aggressive as ever —even pre-pandemic aggressive. A source who spoke with IndieWire on the condition...
- 1/28/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
As the first in-person Sundance Film Festival since 2020 draws to a close, it’s time to see which films are taking home the festival’s most coveted awards. While there are many ways to measure success at Sundance — and many filmmakers are certainly more interested in a big sale than a trophy — the awards are nevertheless an important way of measuring which films resonated with the Park City crowd.
Friday’s award ceremony is the culmination of what has already been a very eventful festival. Despite the multitude of changes that the independent film world and the streaming industry are currently undergoing, this year’s festival still featured its share of buzzy premieres and splashy acquisitions. One of the most talked about movies in Park City has been Chloe Domont’s erotic thriller “Fair Play,” which sold to Netflix for a reported price of 20 million. The festival also featured some...
Friday’s award ceremony is the culmination of what has already been a very eventful festival. Despite the multitude of changes that the independent film world and the streaming industry are currently undergoing, this year’s festival still featured its share of buzzy premieres and splashy acquisitions. One of the most talked about movies in Park City has been Chloe Domont’s erotic thriller “Fair Play,” which sold to Netflix for a reported price of 20 million. The festival also featured some...
- 1/27/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
The 2023 Sundance Film Festival opened with the surprise announcement of a new documentary. However, Doug Liman’s Brett Kavanaugh-themed “Justice” wasn’t the only non-fiction exposé that secretly made its way to Park City. Until it premiered at the festival January 21, the festival site billed U.S. Documentary Competition selection “Beyond Utopia” as a look at “various individuals as they attempt to flee one of the most oppressive places on Earth,” but didn’t specify the location.
The location in question is North Korea, and the movie delivers an eye-opening look at defectors who cross its Chinese border. Sources tell IndieWire that Sundance refused to name North Korea in its official description until after the premiere. That decision came out of concern that the movie could lead to security threats from the country, not unlike the Sony hack that destabilized the studio ahead of 2014 satire “The Interview.”
Sundance made...
The location in question is North Korea, and the movie delivers an eye-opening look at defectors who cross its Chinese border. Sources tell IndieWire that Sundance refused to name North Korea in its official description until after the premiere. That decision came out of concern that the movie could lead to security threats from the country, not unlike the Sony hack that destabilized the studio ahead of 2014 satire “The Interview.”
Sundance made...
- 1/24/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
At the premiere of U.S. Documentary Competition title “Going Varsity in Mariachi,” the Q&a featured a rousing performance by the Edinburg North High School’s Mariachi Oro. Members of the “Theater Camp” cast performed a show tune at the premiere of their U.S. Dramatic Competition crowdpleaser. And at the screening of another hotly anticipated sales title, “Magazine Dreams,” the competition jury walked out in protest when captioning was not available for juror Marlee Matlin.
In short, Sundance is back and looks remarkably like its usual self with some excitement here, some disappointment there. That, along with a surprise screening (Doug Liman’s Brett Kavanaugh doc “Justice”), a little controversy (everyone will leave knowing what “open captions” mean), and a lot of snow make for a comfortingly familiar festival experience after a three-year gap.
Sundance 2023 even saw the results of its first bidding wars on Monday morning, with...
In short, Sundance is back and looks remarkably like its usual self with some excitement here, some disappointment there. That, along with a surprise screening (Doug Liman’s Brett Kavanaugh doc “Justice”), a little controversy (everyone will leave knowing what “open captions” mean), and a lot of snow make for a comfortingly familiar festival experience after a three-year gap.
Sundance 2023 even saw the results of its first bidding wars on Monday morning, with...
- 1/23/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Apart from a visible glow from the thrill of being back together in person, industry professionals at the Sundance Film Festival are undergoing a sort of crisis as they debate how serious the problems are facing independent film.
The one point of agreement: With theatrical in a state of severe decline, the future of independent and art house film is very much in a state of limbo. The business model for arthouse film has been crumbling for years, but now just resembles a haze of confusion. Regal just closed 39 theaters, AMC is expected to close venues to stave off a cash crunch, Landmark shut down in Los Angeles and the box office has re-set to a new, low baseline.
That leaves the streamers as the main port of call, but let’s face it — indie filmmakers would really prefer not to end up in the bottomless pit of Netflix.
Where will all these films go?...
The one point of agreement: With theatrical in a state of severe decline, the future of independent and art house film is very much in a state of limbo. The business model for arthouse film has been crumbling for years, but now just resembles a haze of confusion. Regal just closed 39 theaters, AMC is expected to close venues to stave off a cash crunch, Landmark shut down in Los Angeles and the box office has re-set to a new, low baseline.
That leaves the streamers as the main port of call, but let’s face it — indie filmmakers would really prefer not to end up in the bottomless pit of Netflix.
Where will all these films go?...
- 1/23/2023
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
When the 2023 Sundance began on Thursday evening, there was a giddiness in the air after two years of virtual festivals. For filmmakers and audiences, it was thrilling just to be back in crowded theaters to watch movies and bask in the Sundance buzz that, let’s face it, makes a lot of indie films look better at 6,900 feet than they will at sea level.
Sustaining the giddiness is, of course, more difficult than getting there in the first place. So as the delayed-gratification Sundance’s opening weekend nears its conclusion, it’s hard not to acknowledge that the initial rejoicing also required ignoring the fact that the movie business itself has been rocked, with theaters closing and box-office numbers still far from pre-covid numbers. And, oh yes, covid is still with us.
“It is a tough time. I don’t know where these small films go,” said Bob Berney, a...
Sustaining the giddiness is, of course, more difficult than getting there in the first place. So as the delayed-gratification Sundance’s opening weekend nears its conclusion, it’s hard not to acknowledge that the initial rejoicing also required ignoring the fact that the movie business itself has been rocked, with theaters closing and box-office numbers still far from pre-covid numbers. And, oh yes, covid is still with us.
“It is a tough time. I don’t know where these small films go,” said Bob Berney, a...
- 1/23/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Anyone who saw British director William Oldroyd’s “Lady Macbeth” at the Sundance Film Festival back in 2017 will hardly be surprised to hear that Oldroyd’s followup, “Eileen,” is one of the boldest provocations to hit Sundance in 2023. A blackly humorous riff on film noir that tells you with the opening notes of Richard Reed Perry’s score that it’s heading for some very dark and doomy places, it’s both a tour de force for a cast led by Thomasin McKenzie and a sign that Oldroyd hasn’t lost his unsettling touch in the seven years since his last film.
“Lady Macbeth” was a twisted and bloody drama with only vague thematic ties to Shakespeare, and it provided a powerful breakthrough role for a young Florence Pugh as a 19th-century wife whose passions could be both empowering and disturbing. “Eileen” isn’t exactly a breakthrough role for the New Zealand actress McKenzie who,...
“Lady Macbeth” was a twisted and bloody drama with only vague thematic ties to Shakespeare, and it provided a powerful breakthrough role for a young Florence Pugh as a 19th-century wife whose passions could be both empowering and disturbing. “Eileen” isn’t exactly a breakthrough role for the New Zealand actress McKenzie who,...
- 1/22/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Time’s Up is shutting down a year after the scandalized organization promised a “major reset,” the AP reported on Saturday. Remaining funds will be distributed to the independently-run Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund.
Board chair Gabrielle Sulzberger said that all operations will halt by the end of the month. She, Ashley Judd, and Colleen DeCourcy, the only remaining board members of Time’s Up Now and the Time’s Up Foundation, will leave their posts.
The decision comes just over five years after its public launch won resounding support in the wake of allegations against Harvey Weinstein and a wave of other industry predators. Hundreds of female-identifying actors, producers and agents signed an open letter pledging to make the entertainment industry a “safe and equitable place for everyone” and to uplift women’s voices in workplaces across the nation.
Also Read:
Former Time’s Up Leaders Take Up Abortion...
Board chair Gabrielle Sulzberger said that all operations will halt by the end of the month. She, Ashley Judd, and Colleen DeCourcy, the only remaining board members of Time’s Up Now and the Time’s Up Foundation, will leave their posts.
The decision comes just over five years after its public launch won resounding support in the wake of allegations against Harvey Weinstein and a wave of other industry predators. Hundreds of female-identifying actors, producers and agents signed an open letter pledging to make the entertainment industry a “safe and equitable place for everyone” and to uplift women’s voices in workplaces across the nation.
Also Read:
Former Time’s Up Leaders Take Up Abortion...
- 1/22/2023
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
After a group of Ukrainian journalists were able to escape the city of Mariupol, which fell under siege at the beginning of Russia’s invasion, they felt their work was incomplete. With more than 30 hours of unpublished footage, the AP journalists teamed up with PBS Frontline to create what would become “20 Days in Mariupol,” premiering this weekend at Sundance.
Director-producer Mstyslav Chernov, still photographer Evgeniy Maloletka, field producer Vasilisa Stepanenko, and PBS producer Michelle Mizner stopped by TheWrap’s Portrait and Video Studio at The Music Lodge for a discussion about their new documentary.
“We felt an obligation [as] journalists, as well as Ukrainians,” Chernov told TheWrap’s CEO and Editor in Chief Sharon Waxman. “This is our community. This is our country. And we do feel an obligation to keep telling these stories to make sure that everything that was possible to document will stay in history.”
Also Read:
Indigo...
Director-producer Mstyslav Chernov, still photographer Evgeniy Maloletka, field producer Vasilisa Stepanenko, and PBS producer Michelle Mizner stopped by TheWrap’s Portrait and Video Studio at The Music Lodge for a discussion about their new documentary.
“We felt an obligation [as] journalists, as well as Ukrainians,” Chernov told TheWrap’s CEO and Editor in Chief Sharon Waxman. “This is our community. This is our country. And we do feel an obligation to keep telling these stories to make sure that everything that was possible to document will stay in history.”
Also Read:
Indigo...
- 1/21/2023
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
Even Daisy Ridley gets starstruck seeing The Mandalorian himself, Pedro Pascal. Despite bringing the story of Rey to a conclusion in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” Ridley says she still watches and enjoys some of the expanding “Star Wars” stories being told in TV on Disney+.
“I haven’t watched all of them, but it’s just because of timing and stuff like that. But yeah, I mean the work everyone’s doing is amazing,” Ridley told TheWrap at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in support of her new film “Sometimes I Think About Dying.”
“I worked with Pedro Pascal and I was like, ‘This is really cool; he’s The Mandalorian.’ I still find it all very exciting.”
As the conversation turned to “Star Wars,” Ridley’s “Sometimes I Think About Dying” co-star Parvesh Cheena surprised her with the news that he has a voice performance in the upcoming third season of “The Mandalorian.
“I haven’t watched all of them, but it’s just because of timing and stuff like that. But yeah, I mean the work everyone’s doing is amazing,” Ridley told TheWrap at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in support of her new film “Sometimes I Think About Dying.”
“I worked with Pedro Pascal and I was like, ‘This is really cool; he’s The Mandalorian.’ I still find it all very exciting.”
As the conversation turned to “Star Wars,” Ridley’s “Sometimes I Think About Dying” co-star Parvesh Cheena surprised her with the news that he has a voice performance in the upcoming third season of “The Mandalorian.
- 1/21/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
On the opening day of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Doug Liman’s “Justice” was announced as a last-minute, top-secret addition to the lineup. The news raised eyebrows, not only because it would mark the documentary debut of the 57-year-old filmmaker — known for action thrillers such as “The Bourne Identity” and “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” — but also because “Justice” aimed to re-examine a shameful episode in recent history: the contentious appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in 2018 despite incriminating allegations of sexual assault against him.
Read More: 25 Most Anticipated Films at the Sundance Film Festival
Assisted by journalist Amy Herdy, who wrote and produced the film, Liman constructs “Justice'” as an engaging journalism documentary.
Continue reading ‘Justice’ Review: Doug Liman’s Brett Kavanaugh Documentary Wants Our Outrage [Sundance] at The Playlist.
Read More: 25 Most Anticipated Films at the Sundance Film Festival
Assisted by journalist Amy Herdy, who wrote and produced the film, Liman constructs “Justice'” as an engaging journalism documentary.
Continue reading ‘Justice’ Review: Doug Liman’s Brett Kavanaugh Documentary Wants Our Outrage [Sundance] at The Playlist.
- 1/21/2023
- by Poulomi Das
- The Playlist
At Friday’s Sundance premiere of Justice, the documentary about the FBI investigation into Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, director Doug Liman said he isn’t yet done with the film.
“I thought the film was done but it looks like we aren’t,” said the director at the post-screening Q&a. The reason? Tips about the allegations that have been leveled against Kavanaugh have continued to roll in after the documentary was announced Thursday, the opening day of Sundance.
Justice was an 11th-hour addition to the festival. Liman self-funded the documentary — which counts doc vets Amy Herdy, and Story Syndicate’s Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan as producers — and successfully kept it a secret for more than a year.
“Since the film was announced yesterday we are getting more tips,” said Herdy. “It’s not over.” Liman added: “Within half an hour of the announcement.”
Justice includes testimonials from Deborah Ramirez,...
“I thought the film was done but it looks like we aren’t,” said the director at the post-screening Q&a. The reason? Tips about the allegations that have been leveled against Kavanaugh have continued to roll in after the documentary was announced Thursday, the opening day of Sundance.
Justice was an 11th-hour addition to the festival. Liman self-funded the documentary — which counts doc vets Amy Herdy, and Story Syndicate’s Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan as producers — and successfully kept it a secret for more than a year.
“Since the film was announced yesterday we are getting more tips,” said Herdy. “It’s not over.” Liman added: “Within half an hour of the announcement.”
Justice includes testimonials from Deborah Ramirez,...
- 1/21/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Throughout “20 Days in Mariupol,” a documentary filmed during the first month of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine, people turn to conflict journalist Mstyslav Chernov’s cameras and make a demand: Film this. Show people what’s going on.
A policeman does it. Citizens whose homes have been destroyed by Russian artillery do it. A doctor does it most memorably, turning to Chernov in a makeshift emergency room and begging, “Film how these mothers—-ers are killing children.”
“20 Days in Mariupol,” which premiered on Friday night at the Sundance Film Festival, is the result of Chernov doing what they asked. It is not artful. It is urgent and ruthless and horrifying, and it shows the unspeakable.
Also Read:
‘Justice,’ Surprise Sundance Doc on Brett Kavanaugh, Reveals New Allegations Against Supreme Court Judge
A 4-year-old girl lies dead on a gurney. A grandmother cradles her cat in a makeshift bomb shelter after her home has been destroyed.
A policeman does it. Citizens whose homes have been destroyed by Russian artillery do it. A doctor does it most memorably, turning to Chernov in a makeshift emergency room and begging, “Film how these mothers—-ers are killing children.”
“20 Days in Mariupol,” which premiered on Friday night at the Sundance Film Festival, is the result of Chernov doing what they asked. It is not artful. It is urgent and ruthless and horrifying, and it shows the unspeakable.
Also Read:
‘Justice,’ Surprise Sundance Doc on Brett Kavanaugh, Reveals New Allegations Against Supreme Court Judge
A 4-year-old girl lies dead on a gurney. A grandmother cradles her cat in a makeshift bomb shelter after her home has been destroyed.
- 1/21/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Covertly-made Justice, from director Doug Liman, shows to sold-out audience and shines new light on allegations of sexual assault
A secretly made documentary expanding on allegations of sexual assault against supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh has premiered at this year’s Sundance film festival.
Justice, a last-minute addition to the schedule, aims to shine a light not only on the women who have accused Kavanaugh, a Donald Trump nominee, but also the failed FBI investigation into the allegations.
A secretly made documentary expanding on allegations of sexual assault against supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh has premiered at this year’s Sundance film festival.
Justice, a last-minute addition to the schedule, aims to shine a light not only on the women who have accused Kavanaugh, a Donald Trump nominee, but also the failed FBI investigation into the allegations.
- 1/21/2023
- by Benjamin Lee in Park City
- The Guardian - Film News
In “Justice,” the title’s double meaning is, of course, ironic. Amid all the systemic issues spotlit during the agonizing process of Brett Kavanaugh’s 2018 Supreme Court appointment — sexism, cronyism, partisanship, cowardice, mudslinging and good old-fashioned lying — justice was one quality largely absent. But it’s an irony that many would say is already present whenever the honorific “Justice Brett Kavanaugh” is used, and so if Doug Liman’s unimpeachably well-intentioned documentary — the first from a director known for slick, action-oriented Hollywood dramas — were to live up to its billing as an incendiary, top-secret, last-minute Sundance addition, it was surmised it must contain something more than we already know, some or other explosive new revelation.
Yet while Liman and writer-producer Amy Herdy deliver a painstakingly exhaustive lineup of talking heads, including psychologists, lawyers, journalists, a coterie of friends and associates of Kavanaugh’s accusers, and accuser Debbie Ramirez herself, actionable...
Yet while Liman and writer-producer Amy Herdy deliver a painstakingly exhaustive lineup of talking heads, including psychologists, lawyers, journalists, a coterie of friends and associates of Kavanaugh’s accusers, and accuser Debbie Ramirez herself, actionable...
- 1/21/2023
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
That sinking feeling you get watching a great conspiracy thriller usually boils down to this: all your worst fears are true.
Doug Liman’s “Justice,” a breathtaking documentary about Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s silenced sexual assault accusers, goes a long way to proving the reality of the fears at the heart of this particular case. Mainly, that there was such a desire at several levels of government to see Kavanaugh on the bench that due diligence wasn’t followed, and barely even attempted.
Tightly edited to a coiled 84 minutes, the film doesn’t offer quite as many revelations as some might have hoped. But it pieces together what already was known into a compelling argument that calls into question the entire process of Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Key to this is the account of Debbie Ramirez, the Yale undergrad classmate of Kavanaugh who told The New Yorker’s Ronan Farrow...
Doug Liman’s “Justice,” a breathtaking documentary about Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s silenced sexual assault accusers, goes a long way to proving the reality of the fears at the heart of this particular case. Mainly, that there was such a desire at several levels of government to see Kavanaugh on the bench that due diligence wasn’t followed, and barely even attempted.
Tightly edited to a coiled 84 minutes, the film doesn’t offer quite as many revelations as some might have hoped. But it pieces together what already was known into a compelling argument that calls into question the entire process of Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Key to this is the account of Debbie Ramirez, the Yale undergrad classmate of Kavanaugh who told The New Yorker’s Ronan Farrow...
- 1/21/2023
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
The big news on opening day of Sundance was the addition of Justice, an investigative documentary notable as the first foray into nonfiction filmmaking for major-league director Doug Liman, and for the fact that its existence had been kept under wraps for more than a year, with all participants signing NDAs. But to anyone who followed the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearings and the shameful treatment of Christine Blasey Ford, who came forward with accusations of attempted rape when they were at high school together in the early ‘80s, there will be very little here that comes close to an earth-shaking revelation. Sure, the outrage still stings, but where’s the news?
Liman and his producer and writer Amy Herdy spoke after the film’s premiere about the hope that it might trigger action and lead to “a real investigation with subpoena powers.” But with Kavanaugh now ensconced in a lifetime Supreme Court seat,...
Liman and his producer and writer Amy Herdy spoke after the film’s premiere about the hope that it might trigger action and lead to “a real investigation with subpoena powers.” But with Kavanaugh now ensconced in a lifetime Supreme Court seat,...
- 1/21/2023
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A collective eyebrow was raised when the 2023 Sundance Film Festival announced a last-minute addition to the lineup: Justice, a documentary probing the allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. That the film marked the first documentary directed by Doug Liman, the man behind Swingers and The Bourne Identity, and was produced by Amy Herdy, an ex-journalist and key researcher for the documentaries Allen v. Farrow and On the Record, only piqued curiosity further. Would the film contain new claims against Kavanaugh beyond what emerged during and around...
- 1/21/2023
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
A surprise documentary unveiled at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday night revealed new sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and raised disturbing questions about whether the FBI ever actually investigated his behavior.
The most heart-wrenching footage in the documentary by director Doug Liman and producer Amy Herdy involved a classmate of Kavanaugh’s at Yale. Deborah Ramirez went on camera for the first time to detail her story of being sexually harassed by Kavanaugh in front of their friends during a drunken college party in the 1980s.
Ramirez previously alleged in a New Yorker piece by Ronan Farrow and Jane Mayer that Kavanaugh pushed his penis in her face in front of a group of friends at a party, humiliating her. Kavanaugh has denied the incident ever occurred. Ramirez was never called to testify by the Senate Judiciary Committee that confirmed Kavanaugh.
Also Read:
How Brett...
The most heart-wrenching footage in the documentary by director Doug Liman and producer Amy Herdy involved a classmate of Kavanaugh’s at Yale. Deborah Ramirez went on camera for the first time to detail her story of being sexually harassed by Kavanaugh in front of their friends during a drunken college party in the 1980s.
Ramirez previously alleged in a New Yorker piece by Ronan Farrow and Jane Mayer that Kavanaugh pushed his penis in her face in front of a group of friends at a party, humiliating her. Kavanaugh has denied the incident ever occurred. Ramirez was never called to testify by the Senate Judiciary Committee that confirmed Kavanaugh.
Also Read:
How Brett...
- 1/21/2023
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
Director Doug Liman says his self-funded Brett Kavanaugh documentary Justice, which premiered at Sundance Friday night, might be far from finished as new tips started pouring within a half hour of the highly-secretive project being announced on Thursday.
“I thought the film was done… I thought I was off the hook. I’m in Sundance, I thought, I can sell the movie,” Liman said ruefully at a Q&a following the world premiere of his first documentary, which re-examines sexual assault accusations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised during his confirmation hearings in 2018. The film follows up tips the FBI apparently ignored in an investigation launched after Dr. Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her during a party in 1982 when they were both high school students in Maryland.
Justice gives extensive attention to allegations from another woman, Deborah Ramirez, who also came forward in the midst of the...
“I thought the film was done… I thought I was off the hook. I’m in Sundance, I thought, I can sell the movie,” Liman said ruefully at a Q&a following the world premiere of his first documentary, which re-examines sexual assault accusations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised during his confirmation hearings in 2018. The film follows up tips the FBI apparently ignored in an investigation launched after Dr. Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her during a party in 1982 when they were both high school students in Maryland.
Justice gives extensive attention to allegations from another woman, Deborah Ramirez, who also came forward in the midst of the...
- 1/21/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith and Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
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