Thompson on Hollywood

Watch: Wim Wenders' 1982 Documentary 'Room 666' Talks with Godard, Herzog, Fassbinder, Spielberg, Antonioni and More

Video

Check out this strangely hypnotic stream-of-thought documentary essay, "Room 666," made by Wim Wenders at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival. The 44-minute film features thoughts on cinema from an impressive roster of filmmakers: Jean-Luc Godard, fellow New German Cinema directors Werner Herzog and Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Michelangelo Antonioni and Steven Spielberg, among others. In an unsettling turn of events, Fassbinder would die of a drug overdose mere weeks after these interviews were shot. (The 31st anniversary of his death was June 10.)

By Beth Hanna
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June 12, 2013 4:16 PM
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'Blue Is The Warmest Color' Wins Cannes Palme d'Or

Awards

In a twist in Cannes Sunday evening, director Abdellatif Kechiche's "Blue is the Warmest Color" not only won the Palme d'Or, but the jury, headed by Steven Spielberg, made the extraordinary gesture of also giving its actresses Adele Exarcholpoulos and Lea Seydoux honorary scrolls for their bravery in the film. The three-hour feature had received terrific word-of-mouth after its initial screening though some speculated its heavy and explicit sexual content, which is based on the French graphic novel Le Bleu est une couleur chaude by Julie Maroh, would possibly hinder a Palme d'Or win.

By Anne Thompson and Brian Brooks
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May 26, 2013 1:05 PM
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Spielberg and Competition Jury Tell It Like It Is in Cannes

Festivals

"We're going to make this all up as we go. The good news is that I'm proud to be a part of this wonderful event," said jury president Steven Spielberg in Cannes. Introduced by the hosts of a festival-produced TV program that is broadcast throughout the Palais des Festivals as the "world's most famous film director," Spielberg along with fellow jurors (and fellow Oscar-winners) Nicole Kidman, Christoph Waltz and Ang Lee as well as Cristian Mungiu (Romania), Daniel Auteuil (France), Vidya Balan (India) and Lynne Ramsay (Scotland) skirted the usual questions about how they will go about selecting this year's Palme d'Or winner.

By Brian Brooks
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May 15, 2013 3:05 PM
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Steven Spielberg Picks Next Project Starring Bradley Cooper

News

I keep hoping that Spielberg will push forward with biopic “Gershwin" with Zachary Quinto in the lead role. But Spielberg has chosen his post-"Lincoln" directing gig, and it's not the postponed "Robapocalypse." He's going to Warner Bros. to do “American Sniper” starring Bradley Cooper.

By Anne Thompson
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May 2, 2013 4:29 PM
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WATCH White House Correspondent Dinner Parodies from Steven Spielberg, Daniel Day Lewis, and Kevin Spacey (VIDEO)

Video

This year's annual D.C. schmooze-fest, the White House Correspondents Dinner, featured some mischievous film and television parodies. There's nothing subversive or particularly astute here, but watching big muckety-mucks make fun of themselves is always a pleasure.

By Maggie Lange
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April 28, 2013 7:41 PM
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Cannes Announces Director-Dominated Jury, Unveils Producers on the Move Lineup

News

The Cannes Film Festival has revealed the members of Steven Spielberg's 2013 jury: this year, directors dominate. Lynne Ramsay ("We Need to Talk About Kevin"), Cristian Mungiu (whose "Beyond the Hills" racked up prizes in last year's main competition), Ang Lee ("Life of Pi") and Japanese director Naomi Kawase will all deliberate over the best films in the main competition.

By Ryan Lattanzio
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April 24, 2013 11:35 AM
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Time Announces 100 Most Influential People in the World, Including Jennifer Lawrence, Steven Spielberg and Lena Dunham

News

Today, TIME Magazine announced its 10th annual TIME 100, a list of the 100 most influential people in the world. A number of entertainers made the list including Lena Dunham, Jennifer Lawrence, Daniel Day-Lewis and Steven Spielberg. Below are a few excerpts from the list, penned also by famous actors and writers.

By Ryan Lattanzio
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April 18, 2013 12:45 PM
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Immersed in Movies: For Nolan's 'Interstellar,' Anne Hathaway to Star with Matthew McConaughey UPDATED

News

UPDATE: Per Deadline, recent Oscar winner Anne Hathaway is in final talks to star alongside Matthew McConaughey in Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar." This reunites Hathaway and Nolan following the actress' 2012 turn as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in "The Dark Knight Rises."

By Bill Desowitz
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April 10, 2013 12:58 PM
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What's Next for Ang Lee, From FX's 'Tyrant' to Eyeing Moses and 'Cleopatra'

News

Fresh off his Oscar win as Best Director for "Life of Pi," Ang Lee is fielding a number of potential and solidified upcoming projects. News comes today that the Taiwanese-born director is being eyed to helm Warner Bros.' Moses biopic "Gods and Kings," now that Steven Spielberg has dropped out.

By Beth Hanna
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March 15, 2013 2:49 PM
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Spielberg Taps Indie Colin Trevorrow to Direct 'Jurassic Park 4'

News

"Thrilled to have director on JP4, Colin Trevorrow, an exciting young filmmaker who understands and respects the world that is Jurassic Park," tweets @LeDoctor, aka producer Frank Marshall. Colin who? Well, in the honorable tradition of tapping a gifted indie filmmaker to take on a studio project, Marshall and exec producer Steven Spielberg have turned to indie writer-director Colin Trevorrow to direct "Jurassic Park 4."