There were movies about the Holocaust long before "Schindler's List." Superb movies. George Stevens' "The Diary of Anne Frank," Stanley Kramer's "Judgment at Nuremberg," Alan J. Pakula's "Sophie's Choice," and Paul Mazursky's "Enemies, a Love Story" (to name but a few) grappled with this staggeringly evil, carefully coordinated campaign of genocide so that moviegoers could, hopefully, comprehend how ordinary people could become bigoted, bloodthirsty monsters. The answers weren't comforting, but we couldn't move forward as a species without them.
Aside from the "how," there was another agonizing question that needed to be answered, one that was not as easy to dramatize: why didn't more people step up to stop this?
It doesn't take a great deal of research to realize that most good people were paralyzed by a mixture of cowardice and self-preservation. And while it is vital that we keep hammering home this observation for future generations,...
Aside from the "how," there was another agonizing question that needed to be answered, one that was not as easy to dramatize: why didn't more people step up to stop this?
It doesn't take a great deal of research to realize that most good people were paralyzed by a mixture of cowardice and self-preservation. And while it is vital that we keep hammering home this observation for future generations,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
“Schindler’s List was never a cure for antisemitism,” emphasizes Steven Spielberg. “It was a reminder of the symptoms of it.”
These days, tragically, antisemitism is all over the headlines: Neo-Nazis chanting “Jews will not replace us” in Charlottesville. The Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. The Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel that claimed the lives of some 1,200 Jews, the largest slaughter since the Holocaust. Not to mention a former and possibly future American president using Hitler-like language at his Nuremberg-esque rallies, referring to immigrants as “vermin” who are “poisoning the blood” of America.
Liam Neeson and Steven Spielberg were photographed Jan. 5 at Quixote Studios West Hollywood.
All of which is why, 30 years after Spielberg won best picture and best director for his movie about Oskar Schindler, the German businessman who saved 1,200 Jews from the Nazis during World War II, THR is revisiting his film with an oral history...
These days, tragically, antisemitism is all over the headlines: Neo-Nazis chanting “Jews will not replace us” in Charlottesville. The Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. The Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel that claimed the lives of some 1,200 Jews, the largest slaughter since the Holocaust. Not to mention a former and possibly future American president using Hitler-like language at his Nuremberg-esque rallies, referring to immigrants as “vermin” who are “poisoning the blood” of America.
Liam Neeson and Steven Spielberg were photographed Jan. 5 at Quixote Studios West Hollywood.
All of which is why, 30 years after Spielberg won best picture and best director for his movie about Oskar Schindler, the German businessman who saved 1,200 Jews from the Nazis during World War II, THR is revisiting his film with an oral history...
- 2/21/2024
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Steven Spielberg had tackled serious subjects before, but none of his previous work had the power and artistic vision of “Schindler’s List,” which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Based on the book by Thomas Keneally, “Schindler’s List” relates the true story of Nazi party member and war profiteer Oskar Schindler, who ended up saving 1,000 Jews from the Nazi death camps during World War II. Shot in black-and-white-save for a little girl wearig red coat- ‘Schindler’s List” is often a difficult watch, but it’s message of “Never Forget” is particularly relevant today with the rise of anti-Semitism and the white power movement. The epic stars Liam Neeson as Schindler, Ben Kingsley as the Jewish manager of Schindler’s factor and Ralph Fiennes, terrifying as a ruthless Nazi commandant Amon Goth.
The reviews were laudatory and despite its length — 3 hours 15 minutes — “Schindler’s List” made over $322 million worldwide. Nominated for 12 Oscars...
The reviews were laudatory and despite its length — 3 hours 15 minutes — “Schindler’s List” made over $322 million worldwide. Nominated for 12 Oscars...
- 12/18/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
British actor Ralph Fiennes, who graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, is now in his 60s with a celebrated career as a leading star and character actor.
He often plays compromised men on the big screen such as his Austrian Nazi Amon Göth, who oversees the building of a concentration camp in Poland in “Schindler’s List.” In 2011, Fiennes made his big-screen directorial debut and also starred in Shakespeare’s tragedy “Coriolanus.” He starred, produced and directed 2013’s “The Invisible Woman,” where he portrayed Charles Dickens. Most notably, Fiennes has been in several Best Picture Oscar winners including 1993’s “Schindler’s List,” 1996’s “The English Patient” and 2009’s “The Hurt Locker.” His 2022 movie “The Menu” has already brought him a Golden Globe nomination in the comedy/musical category.
In our photo gallery, enjoy our ranking of his 12 best films.
He often plays compromised men on the big screen such as his Austrian Nazi Amon Göth, who oversees the building of a concentration camp in Poland in “Schindler’s List.” In 2011, Fiennes made his big-screen directorial debut and also starred in Shakespeare’s tragedy “Coriolanus.” He starred, produced and directed 2013’s “The Invisible Woman,” where he portrayed Charles Dickens. Most notably, Fiennes has been in several Best Picture Oscar winners including 1993’s “Schindler’s List,” 1996’s “The English Patient” and 2009’s “The Hurt Locker.” His 2022 movie “The Menu” has already brought him a Golden Globe nomination in the comedy/musical category.
In our photo gallery, enjoy our ranking of his 12 best films.
- 12/15/2023
- by Susan Wloszczyna, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” is a sumptuous feast for the eyes according to film critics who just saw the film. The movie, detailing the life of the Emperor Napoleon (played by Joaquin Phoenix) and his relationship as both a ruler and a husband to Empress Josephine (Vanessa Kirby) is “a lot of movie” according to critic and writer William Bibbiani.
The film will premiere in a truncated two hour and 38 minute cut in theaters, while debuting a four-hour cut on Apple TV+.
Many critics cited the biggest flaw was that it felt like the time had been condensed. According to IndieWire’s David Ehrlich, “Napoleon definitely feels like a 4-hour movie that’s been cut to ribbons, but it’s So funny during the first half when it’s all about Ridley Scott just reading Napoleon for filth and laughing at how embarrassing it is to be a man with ambitions.
The film will premiere in a truncated two hour and 38 minute cut in theaters, while debuting a four-hour cut on Apple TV+.
Many critics cited the biggest flaw was that it felt like the time had been condensed. According to IndieWire’s David Ehrlich, “Napoleon definitely feels like a 4-hour movie that’s been cut to ribbons, but it’s So funny during the first half when it’s all about Ridley Scott just reading Napoleon for filth and laughing at how embarrassing it is to be a man with ambitions.
- 11/15/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2023 Venice Film Festival. Netflix releases the film in select theaters on Wednesday, September 20, and it will be available to stream on Netflix on Wednesday, September 27.
Rumor had it that Wes Anderson’s “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” — the first of the four Netflix shorts the filmmaker has made from Roald Dahl’s anthology book of the same name — would be such a radically faithful adaptation of its source material that it would ironically feel like something altogether new. Lucky for us, that rumor was at least half true. Two-thirds true, even.
On the matter of fidelity, there can be no question. Running 37 minutes long at a full sprint from the moment it starts, “Henry Sugar” recites Dahl’s text almost completely verbatim. It starts, as all movies should, with Ralph Fiennes muttering to himself in a miniature recreation of Dahl’s study.
Rumor had it that Wes Anderson’s “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” — the first of the four Netflix shorts the filmmaker has made from Roald Dahl’s anthology book of the same name — would be such a radically faithful adaptation of its source material that it would ironically feel like something altogether new. Lucky for us, that rumor was at least half true. Two-thirds true, even.
On the matter of fidelity, there can be no question. Running 37 minutes long at a full sprint from the moment it starts, “Henry Sugar” recites Dahl’s text almost completely verbatim. It starts, as all movies should, with Ralph Fiennes muttering to himself in a miniature recreation of Dahl’s study.
- 9/1/2023
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
In the vast tapestry of Oscar history, specific years define instants of talents converging to produce a constellation of extraordinary performances. 1993 was one such epoch when the best supporting actor lineup at the 66th Academy Awards ceremony showcased an assembly of unparalleled depth. The roster included Leonardo DiCaprio for “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” Ralph Fiennes for “Schindler’s List,” John Malkovich for “In the Line of Fire,” Pete Postlethwaite for “In the Name of the Father,” and ultimate victor, Tommy Lee Jones for “The Fugitive.”
Looking back on the 30th anniversary of Warner Bros’ taut thriller, “The Fugitive” from director Andrew Davis, Variety reflects on how Jones’ win anchored one of the single best Oscar lineups of all time.
Each nominated actor found themselves in unique career positions and created unforgettable characters that have left indelible marks in cinema. Any of them could have won the category and would stand tall...
Looking back on the 30th anniversary of Warner Bros’ taut thriller, “The Fugitive” from director Andrew Davis, Variety reflects on how Jones’ win anchored one of the single best Oscar lineups of all time.
Each nominated actor found themselves in unique career positions and created unforgettable characters that have left indelible marks in cinema. Any of them could have won the category and would stand tall...
- 8/6/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Bad guys tend to have a good time at the Oscars. From Christoph Waltz‘s 2010 “Inglourious Basterds” win for Best Supporting Actor to Anthony Hopkins‘ iconic 1992 Best Actor win for “The Silence of the Lambs,” you can always count on Oscar voters to take notice of a villain.
While those two examples are fictional, some actors have also had Oscar luck by playing real-life killers. For example, Charlize Theron won for playing Aileen Wuornos. Wuornos murdered seven men between 1989 and 1990 while she was a prostitute in Florida. She shot and robbed the seven men, who Wuornos claimed were clients who had either raped or attempted to rape, claiming self-defense. However, she was sentenced to death and executed in 2002 for six of the murders. Theron took home the Best Actress Oscar in 2004 for her transformative performance as the killer in “Monster.”
Ralph Fiennes also played a real-life killer in his role...
While those two examples are fictional, some actors have also had Oscar luck by playing real-life killers. For example, Charlize Theron won for playing Aileen Wuornos. Wuornos murdered seven men between 1989 and 1990 while she was a prostitute in Florida. She shot and robbed the seven men, who Wuornos claimed were clients who had either raped or attempted to rape, claiming self-defense. However, she was sentenced to death and executed in 2002 for six of the murders. Theron took home the Best Actress Oscar in 2004 for her transformative performance as the killer in “Monster.”
Ralph Fiennes also played a real-life killer in his role...
- 7/27/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
British actor Ralph Fiennes, who graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, is now in his 60s with a celebrated career as a leading star and character actor.
He often plays compromised men on the big screen such as his Austrian Nazi Amon Göth, who oversees the building of a concentration camp in Poland in “Schindler’s List.” In 2011, Fiennes made his big-screen directorial debut and also starred in Shakespeare’s tragedy “Coriolanus.” He starred, produced and directed 2013’s “The Invisible Woman,” where he portrayed Charles Dickens. Most notably, Fiennes has been in several Best Picture Oscar winners including 1993’s “Schindler’s List,” 1996’s “The English Patient” and 2009’s “The Hurt Locker.” His 2022 movie “The Menu” has already brought him a Golden Globe nomination in the comedy/musical category.
In our photo gallery, enjoy our ranking of his 12 best films.
Predict the 2023 Oscar nominees through January 24
Make your predictions at Gold Derby now.
He often plays compromised men on the big screen such as his Austrian Nazi Amon Göth, who oversees the building of a concentration camp in Poland in “Schindler’s List.” In 2011, Fiennes made his big-screen directorial debut and also starred in Shakespeare’s tragedy “Coriolanus.” He starred, produced and directed 2013’s “The Invisible Woman,” where he portrayed Charles Dickens. Most notably, Fiennes has been in several Best Picture Oscar winners including 1993’s “Schindler’s List,” 1996’s “The English Patient” and 2009’s “The Hurt Locker.” His 2022 movie “The Menu” has already brought him a Golden Globe nomination in the comedy/musical category.
In our photo gallery, enjoy our ranking of his 12 best films.
Predict the 2023 Oscar nominees through January 24
Make your predictions at Gold Derby now.
- 12/23/2022
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
, Antoine Fuqua’s thoroughly Oscar-pilled “Emancipation” is the kind of immaculate misfire that could only happen because Hollywood is spinning off its axis. Because the American film industry has sacrificed medium-budget programmers at the altar of monolithic franchise blockbusters, original stories can only expect to be told if they feed into the awards machine and/or manufacture a sense of cultural significance. That’s how you wind up with the director of “Olympus Has Fallen” making a stiff-jawed slavery epic that desperately wants to be something a lot smaller — and a little less important.
That was never an option. By virtue of its release date, subject matter, and star power alone, “Emancipation” was created to be seen through the same narrow lens of the system that produced it, and “The Slap” — an existential threat to any feature so dependent upon the Oscars for market enthusiasm — ironically did even more to...
That was never an option. By virtue of its release date, subject matter, and star power alone, “Emancipation” was created to be seen through the same narrow lens of the system that produced it, and “The Slap” — an existential threat to any feature so dependent upon the Oscars for market enthusiasm — ironically did even more to...
- 12/1/2022
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Recently, /Film's own Jack Giroux had the opportunity to talk about "The Menu" with the movie's screenwriters, Will Tracy and Seth Reiss. The pair had previously mentioned that they envisioned Ralph Fiennes in the role of Julian Slowik. In "The Menu," Julian is the celebrity chef whose multi-course, theatrically-presented, ultra-expensive meal will — on this particular night — involve multiple human deaths. The chef, in his hermetic kitchen cloister, takes the conceptual elements of his cooking a few steps too far and drives himself mad with notions of class, life, death, and how they all relate to meal prep.
Julian is calm and distressingly frank when discussing the deaths of his clientele, and Fiennes' terrifyingly soft-spoken performance is a memorable one. Fiennes, of course, has a long and varied career, appearing in intense independent films, mainstream effect-based blockbusters, and large-scale Hollywood dramas. Of the many notable characters Fiennes has played, writers Tracy...
Julian is calm and distressingly frank when discussing the deaths of his clientele, and Fiennes' terrifyingly soft-spoken performance is a memorable one. Fiennes, of course, has a long and varied career, appearing in intense independent films, mainstream effect-based blockbusters, and large-scale Hollywood dramas. Of the many notable characters Fiennes has played, writers Tracy...
- 11/18/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Universal Pictures will release a restored version of Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” on Dec. 7 for a limited theatrical engagement to commemorate the 25th anniversary of its opening.
“Schindler’s List” follows the enigmatic Oskar Schindler, played by Liam Neeson, who saved the lives of more than 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust. The film has been remastered in 4K, Dolby Cinema, and Dolby Atmos. Spielberg supervised the restoration from the original film negative.
The film won seven Academy Awards, including best picture and best director for Spielberg. It also won Oscars for composer John Williams, screenwriter Steven Zaillian, director of photography Janusz Kaminski, art directors Allan Starski and Ewa Braun, editor Michael Kahn, and producers Spielberg, Gerald R. Molen, and Branko Lustig. It was also a strong box office performer with $320 million worldwide.
Spielberg shot “Schindler’s List” in black-and-white over 72 days in Poland with the goal of giving the...
“Schindler’s List” follows the enigmatic Oskar Schindler, played by Liam Neeson, who saved the lives of more than 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust. The film has been remastered in 4K, Dolby Cinema, and Dolby Atmos. Spielberg supervised the restoration from the original film negative.
The film won seven Academy Awards, including best picture and best director for Spielberg. It also won Oscars for composer John Williams, screenwriter Steven Zaillian, director of photography Janusz Kaminski, art directors Allan Starski and Ewa Braun, editor Michael Kahn, and producers Spielberg, Gerald R. Molen, and Branko Lustig. It was also a strong box office performer with $320 million worldwide.
Spielberg shot “Schindler’s List” in black-and-white over 72 days in Poland with the goal of giving the...
- 8/29/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Shooting a Holocaust drama as grim as “Schindler’s List” obviously took an emotional toll on director Steven Spielberg, but it turns out the filmmaker had an unexpected lifeline to help him see the light on set. Spielberg, reuniting with cast members Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and more during a “Schindler’s List” 25th anniversary celebration at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, revealed that a weekly phone call with Robin Williams was the filmmaker’s saving grace.
“Robin knew what I was going through, and once a week, Robin would call me on schedule and he would do 15 minutes of stand-up on the phone,” Spielberg said. “I would laugh hysterically, because I had to release so much.”
Prior to “Schindler’s List,” Spielberg directed Williams in “Hook.”
“The way Robin is on the telephone, he’d always hang up on the loudest, best laugh you’d give him,” the director said.
“Robin knew what I was going through, and once a week, Robin would call me on schedule and he would do 15 minutes of stand-up on the phone,” Spielberg said. “I would laugh hysterically, because I had to release so much.”
Prior to “Schindler’s List,” Spielberg directed Williams in “Hook.”
“The way Robin is on the telephone, he’d always hang up on the loudest, best laugh you’d give him,” the director said.
- 4/27/2018
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
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