2 w. ago ‘People raised hell’: why shouldn’t Scarlett Johansson and James Franco play queer characters?

If big names can get films telling fascinating queer stories green-lit, does their own sexuality really matter? In this extract from his new book, Ryan Gilbey takes a fresh look at the ‘queerbaiting’ conundrumJustin Kelly and I first met in 2008 when I was sent to Los Angeles to interview Gus Van Sant. I breezed into the screening room where Van Sant was viewing a rough cut of his film Milk, and promptly tripped over the film-maker’s Australian shepherd Milo, who was snoozing in the dark. Kelly was minding the dog that morning, so in some small but unshakable way I will always blame him for my spectacular stumble.Kelly was the editorial assistant on Milk, which starred Sean Penn as the assassinated San Francisco politician Harvey Milk, and James Franco as his lover. Kelly then went on to direct Franco on two occasions as gay characters based on real people: activist Michael Glatze, who renounces his former life after finding religion in I Am Michael; and the escort, porn producer an...

Politics

2 w. ago Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Stewart and Harris Dickinson are now directors. Here's what they say

The Cannes Film Festival has played host to the directorial debuts of three stars

Events

2 w. ago Scarlett Johansson debuts as a director in Cannes with a comic tale of grief and empathy

In an interview, Scarlett Johansson says there's “a lack of empathy in the zeitgeist.”

Politics

2 w. ago Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut premieres to mixed reviews at Cannes film festival

Some critics have predicted awards season success, while others called it ‘wobbly’ and ‘unconvincing’

Politics

2 w. ago Scarlett Johansson looks elegant in a strapless baby blue gown as she joins glamorous Eva Herzigova, Elsa Hosk and Toni Garrn at Cannes Film Festival's A Private Life premiere

The stars certainly captured attention as they were among the first stars to step out at the premiere of French film Vie privée (A Private Life), starring Jodie Foster.

Politics

2 w. ago Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut Eleanor The Great premieres to mixed reviews as critics brand it 'wobbly' and 'unconvincing'

The Hollywood star's hotly-anticipated film was shown for the first time at a special screening held at the 78th iteration of the star-studded festival on Tuesday afternoon.

Politics

2 w. ago Scarlett Johansson looks elegant in a strapless baby blue gown she joins glamorous Eva Herzigova, Elsa Hosk and Toni Garrn at Cannes Film Festival's A Private Life premiere

The stars certainly captured attention as they were among the first stars to step out at the premiere of French film Vie privée (A Private Life), starring Jodie Foster.

Politics

2 w. ago Eleanor the Great review – June Squibb takes on Holocaust survivor trauma in Scarlett Johansson’s iffy directing debut

The 95-year-old actor gives an enjoyably twinkly performance in a film that misjudges how seriously its story should be takenScarlett Johansson’s directorial feature debut, from a screenplay by Tory Kamen, is honestly intentioned and sweetly acted – notably by the film’s 95-year-old star June Squibb, whose remarkable career renaissance began with her being nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar for Alexander Payne’s 2013 film Nebraska. But this frankly odd film is misjudged and naive about the implications of its Holocaust theme. Its bland, TV-movie tone of sentimentality fails to accommodate the existential nightmare of the main plot strand, or indeed the subordinate question of when and whether to put your elderly parent in a care home.Squibb plays Eleanor Morgenstein, a widowed Jewish lady with a waspish way of speaking her mind to condescending youngsters, including the blandly unhelpful teen working in a supermarket who presumes to tell Eleanor that all pickles taste pre...

Events

3 w. ago The Phoenician Scheme review: Mia Threapleton shines in Wes Anderson’s muted new confection

Benicio Del Toro and Michael Cera are essentially wingmen to Kate Winslet’s daughter, making a breakthrough big screen turn in Anderson’s enjoyable yet airless ensemble rompWes Anderson has contrived another of his elegant, eccentric, rectilinear comedies - as ever, he is vulnerable to the charge of making films that stylistically resemble all his others, and yet no more, surely, than all those other directors making conventional films that resemble all the rest of their own conventional work. The Phoenician Scheme is enjoyable and executed with Anderson’s usual tremendous despatch, but it is somehow less visually detailed and inspired than some of his earlier work; there is less screwball sympathy for the characters, and it is disconcerting to see actors of the calibre of Tom Hanks, Willem Dafoe and Scarlett Johansson phoning in tiny, deadpan, almost immobile cameos. But there is a likeable lead turn from Mia Threapleton, an eerie visual and aural echo of her mother, Kate Winslet. ...

Politics

3 w. ago Michael Che apologizes to Scarlett Johansson on SNL after ‘vulgar’ joke about her body

Che previously likened the actor’s vagina to ‘Costco roast beef’ in a ‘Weekend Update’ segment

Politics

3 w. ago Jennifer Lawrence commits to the surreal Die My Love – but something has been lost in translation

Adapting Ariana Harwicz’s ambiguous bestseller was always going to be tricky – but despite strong work from Robert Pattinson, this Lynne Ramsay psycho-drama never achieves lift-off

Events

3 w. ago Scarlett Johansson says Lost in Translation crew were ‘on tenterhooks’ around Bill Murray

Johansson said co-star was ‘in a hard place’

Politics

3 w. ago Scarlett Johansson upset this Marvel movie didn’t get Oscar nomination: ‘One of the most successful films’

Actor says superhero film should have been nominated for best picture

Culture

3 w. ago Scarlett Johansson says filmmakers are being ‘muzzled’ by ‘big tech guys’

The 40-year-old Avengers star was also critical of artificial intelligence in an interview with Vanity Fare magazine.

Politics

3 w. ago Scarlett Johansson breaks silence on ex Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively's lawsuit amid Justin Baldoni collaboration

Johansson was asked about Baldoni during an interview with Vanity Fair, who noted she let 'out a loud, knowing laugh' at the mention of the Jane The Virgin star.

Society

3 w. ago Scarlett Johansson says ‘big tech guys’ have ‘muzzled’ the film industry

The ‘Marriage Story’ star also called out the lack of action against AI companies in Hollywood

Politics

3 w. ago The best books that don't get lost in translation: Checking Out By Meryem El Mehdati, WAIST DEEP By Linea Maja Ernst, Cooking in the Wrong Century By Teresa Praauer

James Carey-Douglas reviews the best Translated books out now.

Politics