Taylor Jewell/APTaylour Paige is on the cusp of stardom—even if she may not know it herself. The 30-year-old actress starred as Dussie Mae in Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom opposite Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman. She was the talk of Sundance last January with the titular role of Zola, a buck-wild viral Twitter thread spun into the hotly anticipated film by Jeremy O. Harris and Janicza Bravo, out June 30. And just hours before our interview, Paige was announced as one of the stars of Lena Dunham’s new shot-in-secret film Sharp Stick that was presented to potential buyers this week.But for now, Paige is Eleanor in Fresh Off the Boat producer Eddie Huang’s feature directorial debut Boogie, a coming-of-age film about a Chinese American basketball player from Queens, New York, with his sights set on the NBA. It’s a story that weaves together cultural pressures, societal flaws, self-realization, navigating love, disappointment, and of
Chadwick Boseman s 21 Bridges to Be First Hollywood Action Release in China This Year
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The Chadwick Boseman-starring police action film “21 Bridges” will hit Chinese theaters on March 19, the first Hollywood action title to debut in the world’s largest film market so far this year. It was produced by China’s Huayi Brothers, as well as Los Angeles’ AGBO and MWM Studios.
The news comes just days after Boseman posthumously won the Golden Globe for best actor in a drama motion picture with his work in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Chinese viewers paid more attention to the awards this year due to the best director win for China-born Chloe Zhao, which has sparked pride and nationalist anger.
Best Picture Potentials Offer a Time Capsule of the Current Zeitgeist
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Oscars are a time capsule. Though pundits may quibble about nominees or winners, one thing is beyond question: The film choices reflect the year in which they were released.
For example, in 1946, “The Best Years of Our Lives” hit a nerve as people were trying to rebuild their lives after WWII. The 1969 “Midnight Cowboy” captured all the sexual confusion, excitement and fear of that tumultuous decade.
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This year’s contenders similarly reflect the moment we’re living in: a time of racial tension, gender battles, political wars, health issues and an overriding sense of doubt and isolation. A montage of 2020 film highlights would sum up the year just as accurately as newsreel clips.
Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer Are Superhero Best Friends in Netflix s Thunder Force Trailer
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Netflix released the official trailer for “Thunder Force,” which stars Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer as two best friends with newly acquired superpowers. The film is set to make its streaming debut on April 9.
The superhero comedy is directed by Ben Falcone, who previously worked with McCarthy on films such as “Tammy,” “The Boss,” “Life of the Party” and HBO Max’s “Superintelligence.” His new film is expected to poke fun at comic book movie tropes while delivering some good-hearted laughs.
Korean Film Wears Brave Face at Berlin Market
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Triumph and pain were bedfellows last year for the Korean film industry. But Berlin’s European Film Market and the imminent Hong Kong FilMart see Korean companies putting on a brave face.
Korean cinemas were in defensive mode early on in the coronavirus pandemic, as a population familiar with epidemics chose to stay away from crowded places. Social distancing regulation caught up and then was wound down again in summer. That allowed for the successful theatrical releases of “Deliver Us From Evil,” which scored $34.4 million, “Peninsula,” which grossed $29.5 million and the year’s top Hollywood film “Tenet” ($16.4 million).