“One Battle After Another” Dominates National Board of Review Awards

Posted on December 6, 2025 by admin

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another continued its awards-season surge, leading the 2025 National Board of Review honors with five major wins, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Supporting Actor for Benicio Del Toro, and Breakthrough Performance for Chase Infiniti.

The strong showing follows the film’s recent victories at both the Gotham Awards and the New York Film Critics Circle, positioning the Warner Bros. title as one of this season’s most formidable contenders.

Rose Byrne was named Best Actress for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, continuing her streak across multiple critics groups. Other notable winners included Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value, Ryan Coogler for Sinners (Best Original Screenplay), and Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar for Train Dreams (Best Adapted Screenplay).

NBR also recognized Arco as Best Animated Feature, It Was Just an Accident as Best International Film, and Cover-Up as Best Documentary. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning earned the group’s stunt artistry honor, while Sinners cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw received Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography.

As usual, the organization released additional top-ten lists spanning films, international selections, documentaries, and independent features, which continue to serve as an early barometer of industry consensus.

The winners will be celebrated at the NBR’s annual gala on January 13, 2026, in New York City.

AFI Announces 2025 Honorees Across Film and Television

Posted on December 5, 2025 by admin

The American Film Institute has unveiled its selections for the 2025 AFI Awards, recognizing ten films and ten television programs that the organization deems the year’s most significant artistic achievements. One additional project, It Was Just an Accident, received the annual Special Award, given to works outside AFI’s standard eligibility.

This year’s film lineup spans major studio releases, acclaimed auteurs, and international literary adaptations, with titles including Avatar: Fire and Ash, Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Jay Kelly, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Sinners, Train Dreams, and Wicked: For Good.

On the television side, the honorees reflect a broad mix of prestige drama, genre storytelling, and serialized world-building. The 2025 selections include Adolescence, Andor, Death by Lightning, The Diplomat, The Lowdown, The Pitt, Pluribus, Severance, The Studio, and Task.

AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale emphasized the awards’ long-standing focus on celebrating collective achievement rather than competition. Honorees will be recognized at AFI’s annual luncheon on January 9, 2026, a gathering known for bringing filmmakers and television creators together in an informal, industry-wide celebration of the year’s work.

The AFI Awards have become a consistent bellwether for awards-season momentum, often overlapping significantly with later Oscar and Emmy nominations.

Pantone Reveals Cloud Dancer as 2026 Color of the Year

Posted on December 4, 2025 by admin

Cloud Dancer, the Pantone color of the year for 2026.Pantone

Pantone has unveiled Cloud Dancer, a soft white neutral, as its official 2026 Color of the Year, marking a notable shift toward subtlety after years of saturated and expressive tones.

Described by the Pantone Color Institute as a “calming, aerated white” that embodies clarity, serenity, and creative renewal, Cloud Dancer reflects what the organization sees as a cultural move toward quiet focus and intentional simplicity. The shade is positioned as both versatile and expressive, able to harmonize with softened palettes or provide crisp contrast across fashion, interiors, product design, and digital spaces.

Pantone’s annual selection—launched in 1999—draws on global research across design, technology, culture, entertainment, and emerging visual trends. According to the Institute, Cloud Dancer represents a desire for a fresh start in a world negotiating rapid digital acceleration while seeking deeper human connection.

The announcement follows recent picks such as Mocha Mousse (2025), a warm, comforting brown, and Peach Fuzz (2024), a soft peach tone symbolizing gentleness and wellbeing.

As Pantone describes it, Cloud Dancer is a “pared-back, reflective white that encourages balance and creative expression”—a quiet statement hue chosen for a moment defined by transition.

New Distributor EKKL Entertainment Launches With “She Dances,” Hitting Theaters in March 2026

Posted on December 3, 2025 by admin

EKKL Entertainment, a newly formed distribution banner focused on values-driven, audience-friendly filmmaking, has officially launched with its first acquisition: She Dances, the feature debut of writer-director Rick Gomez. The film, co-written with Steve Zahn, will receive a North American theatrical release in March 2026.

The family drama stars Steve Zahn, Audrey Zahn, Mackenzie Ziegler, Rosemarie DeWitt, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Ethan Hawke. After premiering at Tribeca earlier this year, the film drew strong audience reaction and was recently added to the 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival lineup.

EKKL is led by producer Michael Scott, known for helping establish the modern faith-based boxoffice landscape. The company plans to release roughly eight theatrical titles annually, aiming to serve audiences looking for uplifting, character-driven storytelling.

In a joint statement, Gomez and Zahn said they were “thrilled” the film would play in theaters, noting that its emotional impact is strongest when shared communally.

She Dances centers on a strained father-daughter relationship navigating loss and reconciliation during a regional youth dance competition, an intimate portrait of grief, resilience, and rediscovery.

Recording Academy Sets “A GRAMMY Celebration of Latin Music” Special for Dec. 28 on CBS

Posted on December 2, 2025 by admin

The Recording Academy and CBS will close out the year with A GRAMMY Celebration of Latin Music, a two-hour primetime special spotlighting the cultural and commercial impact of Latin music in the U.S. The event airs Sunday, Dec. 28 on CBS and streams on Paramount+.

Wilmer Valderrama and Roselyn Sánchez will co-host the telecast, which features performances, tributes, and conversations across genres. The lineup includes Ángela Aguilar, Gloria Estefan, Luis Fonsi, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, Maren Morris, Prince Royce, Jon Secada, and members of the Broadway production Buena Vista Social Club, among others.

The special also includes appearances from figures such as Daddy Yankee, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Rita Moreno, Carlos Santana, Emilio Estefan, and John Leguizamo. Filmed in Miami, the program is produced by The POPGarage and GRAMMY Studios, with José Tillán and Harvey Mason jr. serving as executive producers.

The broadcast marks the Academy’s latest standalone music special following its recent push to expand GRAMMY-branded programming outside the annual awards telecast.

Documentary “More Than Santa Baby” Honors Composer Philip Springer

Posted on December 1, 2025 by admin

The new documentary short More Than Santa Baby shines a spotlight on the remarkable life of composer Philip Springer, best known for writing the holiday classic “Santa Baby.” Directed by his daughter, Tamar Springer, the film reveals an artist whose career stretches across eight decades and far beyond his most famous song.

Running 39 minutes, the film blends archival footage, rare recordings, and interviews to trace Springer’s creative journey from 1940s Tin Pan Alley to the studio eras of New York and Hollywood. Along the way, his work connected with icons including Eartha Kitt, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Judy Garland.

The documentary has quickly become a festival favorite, premiering at Dances With Films in Los Angeles, winning the Documentary Short Audience Award, and continuing with a successful multi-city run, including the Big Apple Film Festival.

Set partly in New York City, the film serves as both a tribute to the Golden Age of American songwriting and a personal look at resilience, legacy, and lifelong creativity. Now 99, Springer continues to compose, making the film a timely portrait of enduring artistry.

Glen Powell Leads Dark Inheritance Thriller ‘How to Make a Killing,’ Arriving February 2026

Posted on November 30, 2025 by admin

A24 has unveiled the first trailer for How to Make a Killing, a darkly comic thriller led by Glen Powell and set to hit theaters on February 20, 2026.

Powell stars as Becket Redfellow, a working-class outsider who was cut off from his wealthy family long before he had the chance to inherit anything. After the death of his mother, he decides to claim the fortune he believes should have been his and devises a lethal plan to eliminate the relatives who stand between him and the estate. The film follows Becket’s increasingly brazen efforts to move up the family line, while navigating complicated relationships with a devoted girlfriend and a flirtatious figure from his past.

The cast also includes Margaret Qualley, Jessica Henwick, Bill Camp, Zach Woods, Topher Grace, and Ed Harris.

John Patton Ford, who earned acclaim for Emily the Criminal, writes and directs the feature. The story draws loose inspiration from the classic 1949 film Kind Hearts and Coronets.

How to Make a Killing opens in theaters nationwide on February 20, 2026.

“Monstress” Marks 10th Anniversary With Special Gold Foil Edition

Posted on November 29, 2025 by admin

Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda’s award-winning fantasy series Monstress is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a newly printed edition of Volume 1, now featuring a commemorative gold-foil cover. The anniversary release arrives as the franchise continues to expand its lineup, joining the recently published Volume 10, the Monstress Book One hardcover collection, and the nearly 900-page Compendium edition, all available ahead of the holiday season.

First launched in 2015, Monstress quickly became one of Image Comics’ most acclaimed titles, earning multiple Eisner, Harvey, Ringo, Hugo, World Fantasy, and British Fantasy Awards. In 2016, Liu made industry history as the first woman to win the Eisner Award for Best Writer for her work on the series. The comic has also been featured on Best-of-Year lists from major outlets including Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, and Powell’s.

Set in an alternate, art-deco-infused version of early 1900s Asia, the series follows Maika Halfwolf, a young woman navigating the aftermath of war while bonded to a powerful eldritch entity. Its blend of political intrigue, myth, and detailed steampunk-influenced artwork has made it a mainstay among modern fantasy readers. The anniversary edition and the full Monstress catalog are available through comic shops, major booksellers, and digital platforms.

Diane Kruger Leads Psychological Thriller Visions, Opening December 12

Posted on November 28, 2025 by admin

Dark Sky Films will release the French psychological thriller Visions on December 12, featuring Diane Kruger in the lead role. The film is directed by Yann Gozlan, known for Black Box and Burn Out.

Kruger stars as Estelle, an accomplished airline pilot whose stable life with her husband (Mathieu Kassovitz) begins to fracture when she enters a sudden, consuming affair with a woman from her past, played by Marta Nieto. The relationship sets off a chain of increasingly disorienting events, pushing Estelle to question what is real as her personal and professional worlds begin to unravel.

The film explores themes of desire, memory, and psychological instability, continuing Gozlan’s interest in high-tension, character-driven thrillers. Visions arrives with strong European pedigree, produced by SND, Eagle Team Entertainment, and 24 25 Films.

Visions will open in select theaters and debut on digital VOD on December 12.

Billy Wilder’s The Lost Weekend Returning to Theaters in 35mm This December

Posted on November 27, 2025 by admin

Billy Wilder’s landmark 1945 drama The Lost Weekend is set for a limited theatrical return beginning December 26, screening in a 35mm print for one week. The film, which won four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Ray Milland, and Best Adapted Screenplay, remains one of cinema’s most influential depictions of alcoholism.

Milland stars as Don Birnam, a writer whose battle with addiction spirals over a destructive four-day binge, anchored by Jane Wyman’s performance as the woman determined to pull him back from the edge. Initially met with hesitation from preview audiences unaccustomed to its stark realism, The Lost Weekend later emerged as one of Wilder’s defining achievements and a milestone in Hollywood’s shift toward more unsparing drama.

Screenings will also include the 1947 Warner Bros. “Merrie Melodies” short Slick Hare, which features animated caricatures of 1940s celebrities, including Ray Milland himself, in a playful nod to the film.

A post-screening discussion with Eric Monder, author of Dashing to the End: The Ray Milland Story, and film critic Molly Haskell will be held on opening night, December 26.