The official site and social channels for the King Of Prism mixed media project have been revived after a long period of inactivity to announce that the fan-favorite spinoff of the Pretty Rhythm franchise will return with a brand new film following 2019's King Of Prism All Stars: Prism Show Best 10 compilation film. The feature will premiere this summer in Japan. A new teaser and celebratory visual illustrated by franchise character designer Mai Matsuura have also been released. King Of Prism comeback visual by Mai Matsuura The male idol-focused franchise originally launched in January 2016 as a spin-off to the 2013-2014 TV anime Pretty Rhythm: RainbowLive , the third installment of the Pretty series co-produced by Tatsunoko Production and Dong Woo Animation. The first film, King Of Prism by Pretty Rhythm , was released in January 2016, and its sequel King Of Prism: Pride the Hero followed in June 2017. Its third installment King Of...
- 3/22/2024
- by Humberto Saabedra
- Crunchyroll
Last year, Brendan Fraser won Best Actor for “The Whale,” which also won Best Makeup and Hairstyling for artists Adrien Morot, Judy Chin, and Annemarie Bradley. This is a combination of Oscar categories that have popped up several times over the years. But could it happen again this year? Well, theoretically, yes.
The brilliant makeup artist Kazu Hiro, also known as Kazuhiro Tsuji, turned Bradley Cooper into Leonard Bernstein in Netflix’s “Maestro.” Kazu Hiro landed himself an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling alongside Kay Georgiou and Lori McCoy-Bell. Meanwhile, Cooper is nominated for Best Actor.
Along with “The Whale,” several other movies have done well with this pair of Oscar categories. In 2018, “Darkest Hour” won Best Actor for Gary Oldman and Hiro won Best Makeup and Hairstyling alongside David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick. In 2014, “Dallas Buyers Club” won both awards, too, with Matthew McConaughey winning for acting...
The brilliant makeup artist Kazu Hiro, also known as Kazuhiro Tsuji, turned Bradley Cooper into Leonard Bernstein in Netflix’s “Maestro.” Kazu Hiro landed himself an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling alongside Kay Georgiou and Lori McCoy-Bell. Meanwhile, Cooper is nominated for Best Actor.
Along with “The Whale,” several other movies have done well with this pair of Oscar categories. In 2018, “Darkest Hour” won Best Actor for Gary Oldman and Hiro won Best Makeup and Hairstyling alongside David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick. In 2014, “Dallas Buyers Club” won both awards, too, with Matthew McConaughey winning for acting...
- 3/6/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The films up for the 2024 Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar are “Golda,” “Maestro,” “Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” and “Society of the Snow.” Our current odds show that “Maestro” (10/3) is favored to win, followed in order by “Poor Things” (71/20), “Oppenheimer” (9/2), “Society of the Snow” (9/2), and “Golda” (9/2).
This lineup is the category’s second in a row to include a 54% first-timer majority, thus constituting a new trend after 70% remained the norm for the preceding half decade. The present rookie subset consists of “Golda” trio Suzi Battersby, Karen Hartley Thomas, and Ashra Kelly-Blue as well as one artist from each other film: Luisa Abel (“Oppenheimer”), Ana López-Puigcerver (“Society of the Snow”), Lori McCoy-Bell (“Maestro”), and Josh Weston (“Poor Things”).
McCoy-Bell and Weston share their respective nominations with Kazu Hiro and Mark Coulier, each of whom succeeded on two of his previous four outings. While Coulier won for “The Iron Lady” (2012) and “The Grand Budapest Hotel...
This lineup is the category’s second in a row to include a 54% first-timer majority, thus constituting a new trend after 70% remained the norm for the preceding half decade. The present rookie subset consists of “Golda” trio Suzi Battersby, Karen Hartley Thomas, and Ashra Kelly-Blue as well as one artist from each other film: Luisa Abel (“Oppenheimer”), Ana López-Puigcerver (“Society of the Snow”), Lori McCoy-Bell (“Maestro”), and Josh Weston (“Poor Things”).
McCoy-Bell and Weston share their respective nominations with Kazu Hiro and Mark Coulier, each of whom succeeded on two of his previous four outings. While Coulier won for “The Iron Lady” (2012) and “The Grand Budapest Hotel...
- 3/6/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
“Maestro” makeup artist Kazu Hiro misses Bradley Cooper’s Lenny. “This is the first show I felt like, ‘Oh, at the end of the filming, we can keep going. He was so fun.'”
For them, every shooting day began with hours in the chair as the two-time Oscar-winning makeup artist Hiro silently applied Cooper’s makeup that would allow him to portray 40 years of the composer-conductor’s colorful life.
“We don’t talk much,” said Hiro, who was part of a “Maestro” panel that I hosted for Netflix’s Tudum event January 13. “It’s a long day, so it’s quite tough. And he asked me to do the makeup by myself. Usually we make a team, but he noticed that everybody has a different brain and eyes and hands. He needed space. That helped Bradley to focus and get ready for the film.”
Even on a normal day,...
For them, every shooting day began with hours in the chair as the two-time Oscar-winning makeup artist Hiro silently applied Cooper’s makeup that would allow him to portray 40 years of the composer-conductor’s colorful life.
“We don’t talk much,” said Hiro, who was part of a “Maestro” panel that I hosted for Netflix’s Tudum event January 13. “It’s a long day, so it’s quite tough. And he asked me to do the makeup by myself. Usually we make a team, but he noticed that everybody has a different brain and eyes and hands. He needed space. That helped Bradley to focus and get ready for the film.”
Even on a normal day,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The crucial moment in “Maestro,” when Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein furiously conducts Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection” at England’s Ely Cathedral in 1973, marks the culmination of Kazu Hiro’s remarkable transformation of the actor-director as the musical legend. This will likely earn the prosthetic makeup guru his third Oscar (following “Bombshell” and “Darkest Hour”).
Like Cooper, this was a passion project for Hiro, who dreamed of sculpting Bernstein’s face ever since he fell under its spell watching a documentary at the age of 19. Thus, the collaboration between actor-director and makeup artist became a close one in their shared desire to portray Lenny’s iconic look as authentically as possible (covering the ages of 25 to 71 in five stages). They even shared a room together, making it easier to apply the prosthetics in the middle of the night. Hiro had never before encountered anyone as open and communicative as Cooper,...
Like Cooper, this was a passion project for Hiro, who dreamed of sculpting Bernstein’s face ever since he fell under its spell watching a documentary at the age of 19. Thus, the collaboration between actor-director and makeup artist became a close one in their shared desire to portray Lenny’s iconic look as authentically as possible (covering the ages of 25 to 71 in five stages). They even shared a room together, making it easier to apply the prosthetics in the middle of the night. Hiro had never before encountered anyone as open and communicative as Cooper,...
- 2/12/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
As IndieWire’s Ben Travers’ noted in his review of Prime Video’s latest original, “This isn’t your parents’ ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.'”
The Prime Video series starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine shares a title with Simon Kinberg’s 2005 film, but similarities mostly stop there. Francesca Sloane, who co-created the series with Glover, told IndieWire that they “didn’t really consider the movie very much at all.”
“This is without any shade on the movie — I think the movie is really fun, and does what it’s supposed to do for that kind of film,” she said. “We just wanted to tell a story that felt satisfying to us. We wanted to tell a love story about people who might actually be incompatible, and then see why they want to work through that anyway — first because of circumstance and then by choice — and then have that go...
The Prime Video series starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine shares a title with Simon Kinberg’s 2005 film, but similarities mostly stop there. Francesca Sloane, who co-created the series with Glover, told IndieWire that they “didn’t really consider the movie very much at all.”
“This is without any shade on the movie — I think the movie is really fun, and does what it’s supposed to do for that kind of film,” she said. “We just wanted to tell a story that felt satisfying to us. We wanted to tell a love story about people who might actually be incompatible, and then see why they want to work through that anyway — first because of circumstance and then by choice — and then have that go...
- 2/6/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Writer, director and actor Bradley Cooper began working on “Maestro” years before the film went into pre-production. One person he turned to early on in that process was his collaborator on his directorial debut (“A Star is Born”), cinematographer Matthew Libatique.
On this episode of the award-winning Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Libatique discusses his process for shooting one of the most emotional scenes in the film – the Thanksgiving scene where Felicia (Carey Mulligan) finally confronts her husband, Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) over his late nights away from home.
Listen below.
In prepping for “Maestro,” the Oscar-nominated Libatique tells Variety: “What Bradley wanted to do was crack the code on the makeup and how he was going to physically transform into Lenny and working with Kazu.”
The result was a 40-minute proof of concept where they shot actual scenes. It was through that process that Libatique learned about what lenses they liked and what format worked.
On this episode of the award-winning Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Libatique discusses his process for shooting one of the most emotional scenes in the film – the Thanksgiving scene where Felicia (Carey Mulligan) finally confronts her husband, Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) over his late nights away from home.
Listen below.
In prepping for “Maestro,” the Oscar-nominated Libatique tells Variety: “What Bradley wanted to do was crack the code on the makeup and how he was going to physically transform into Lenny and working with Kazu.”
The result was a 40-minute proof of concept where they shot actual scenes. It was through that process that Libatique learned about what lenses they liked and what format worked.
- 2/2/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
The official website of Demon Slayer disclosed the opening theme song and artists for the upcoming Hashira Training arc on Feb 2, 2024.
My First Story and Hyde will collaborate to perform the opening theme song, titled “Mugen,” for Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc.
To commemorate the announcement, Hiro from My First Story and Hyde shared their comments on the collaboration. Check them out below:
Hiro (My First Story):
“I am genuinely thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to the TV anime ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc’ as the artist behind the opening theme song. I am sincerely grateful for this overwhelming honor. Singing ‘Mugen,’ a song with Hyde-san, who is not only our mentor but also a kind senior, fills me with immense joy. I hope that this song, created with our wholehearted effort, will add even more vibrancy and refinement to a series that is beloved worldwide,...
My First Story and Hyde will collaborate to perform the opening theme song, titled “Mugen,” for Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc.
To commemorate the announcement, Hiro from My First Story and Hyde shared their comments on the collaboration. Check them out below:
Hiro (My First Story):
“I am genuinely thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to the TV anime ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc’ as the artist behind the opening theme song. I am sincerely grateful for this overwhelming honor. Singing ‘Mugen,’ a song with Hyde-san, who is not only our mentor but also a kind senior, fills me with immense joy. I hope that this song, created with our wholehearted effort, will add even more vibrancy and refinement to a series that is beloved worldwide,...
- 2/2/2024
- by Ami Nazru
- AnimeHunch
This post contains spoilers for "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" season 1.
"Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" wrapped up its first season this week with a surprisingly satisfying finale that wove together disparate threads the show has been untangling all season. The sci-fi series' overlong debut season still managed to keep plenty of viewers intrigued with a myriad of monsters, an endless stream of mysteries, and two Russells for the price of one, but its final two episodes are the best "Monarch" has been yet.
There's no bloat in the season's big payoff episode, which sees Lee Shaw and his team of assorted and sundry amateur sleuths enter the Titan realm (Aka the Hollow Earth) after an attempt to seal it off went wrong. Along the way, they finally figure out what happened to Shaw's friend and colleague Kei (Mari Yamamoto) all those years ago. Part emotional reunion, part thrilling, monster-filled adventure, the...
"Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" wrapped up its first season this week with a surprisingly satisfying finale that wove together disparate threads the show has been untangling all season. The sci-fi series' overlong debut season still managed to keep plenty of viewers intrigued with a myriad of monsters, an endless stream of mysteries, and two Russells for the price of one, but its final two episodes are the best "Monarch" has been yet.
There's no bloat in the season's big payoff episode, which sees Lee Shaw and his team of assorted and sundry amateur sleuths enter the Titan realm (Aka the Hollow Earth) after an attempt to seal it off went wrong. Along the way, they finally figure out what happened to Shaw's friend and colleague Kei (Mari Yamamoto) all those years ago. Part emotional reunion, part thrilling, monster-filled adventure, the...
- 1/12/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
The Amazon Prime Video streaming service confirmed a number of 'genre', 'high-profile' drama series in development, including "Snow Crash", adapting the science fiction novel by author Neal Stephenson, covering history, linguistics, anthropology, archaeology, religion, computer science, politics, cryptography, memetics and philosophy:
"...'Hiro Protagonist' is a hacker and pizza delivery driver for a criminal mob. He meets 'Y.T.' a young skateboard ;Kourier', during a failed attempt to make a delivery on time. Y.T. completes the delivery on his behalf and they strike up a partnership, gathering intel and selling it to the 'Cic', the for-profit organization that evolved from the 'CIA' merger with the 'Library of Congress'.
"Within the 'Metaverse', Hiro is offered a datafile named 'Snow Crash' by a man named 'Raven' who hints that it is a form of narcotic.
"Hiro's friend and fellow hacker 'Da5id' views a...
"...'Hiro Protagonist' is a hacker and pizza delivery driver for a criminal mob. He meets 'Y.T.' a young skateboard ;Kourier', during a failed attempt to make a delivery on time. Y.T. completes the delivery on his behalf and they strike up a partnership, gathering intel and selling it to the 'Cic', the for-profit organization that evolved from the 'CIA' merger with the 'Library of Congress'.
"Within the 'Metaverse', Hiro is offered a datafile named 'Snow Crash' by a man named 'Raven' who hints that it is a form of narcotic.
"Hiro's friend and fellow hacker 'Da5id' views a...
- 1/6/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Exclusive: Cameras have started rolling in Tokyo on Akashi, the debut feature from Japanese and Canadian writer-director Mayumi Yoshida.
Yoshida, best known as an actor for her role in The Man in The High Castle, will also star in the film alongside veteran performers Hana Kino, Chieko Matsubara, Kunio Murai, and rising performer Ryo Tajima.
Described as a “coming-of-age love story,” Akashi follows Kana (Yoshida), an artist who is at a crossroads in her career. After finding out her Grandmother (Kino) has passed, she returns home to Tokyo for the funeral, where she rekindles a romance with childhood love Hiro (Tajima) and uncovers a family secret about her Grandpa (Murai).
Akashi is written and directed by Yoshida, who developed the script through the TIFF Writer’s Studio. The pic produced by Nach Dudsdeemaytha,...
Yoshida, best known as an actor for her role in The Man in The High Castle, will also star in the film alongside veteran performers Hana Kino, Chieko Matsubara, Kunio Murai, and rising performer Ryo Tajima.
Described as a “coming-of-age love story,” Akashi follows Kana (Yoshida), an artist who is at a crossroads in her career. After finding out her Grandmother (Kino) has passed, she returns home to Tokyo for the funeral, where she rekindles a romance with childhood love Hiro (Tajima) and uncovers a family secret about her Grandpa (Murai).
Akashi is written and directed by Yoshida, who developed the script through the TIFF Writer’s Studio. The pic produced by Nach Dudsdeemaytha,...
- 12/11/2023
- by Zac Ntim and Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
When backlash over Bradley Cooper’s nose prosthetic in “Maestro” first erupted in August ahead of the film’s world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, Cooper himself could not speak out to defend his choice as it was in the midst of the SAG-AFTRA strike. He finally got the opportunity to do so during an interview with “CBS Mornings,” explaining that he first attempted to play famed composer Leonard Bernstein without the prosthetic but ultimately decided “we just had to do it.”
“Nothing catches me off guard,” Cooper said when asked about the initial backlash over the fake nose. “You never know what’s going to happen. I’ve done this whole project out of love and it’s so clear to me where I come from. My nose is very similar to Lenny’s actually. The prosthetic is actually like a silk sheet.”
“I thought, ‘Maybe...
“Nothing catches me off guard,” Cooper said when asked about the initial backlash over the fake nose. “You never know what’s going to happen. I’ve done this whole project out of love and it’s so clear to me where I come from. My nose is very similar to Lenny’s actually. The prosthetic is actually like a silk sheet.”
“I thought, ‘Maybe...
- 11/21/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Steve Aoki has been a household name for the last two decades, but that hasn’t stopped him from perpetually experimenting — bounding from one sound to the next — and challenging how his music is consumed, understood, and memorialized.
“There’s no one doing what I’m doing,” he tells Rolling Stone when reflecting on HiROQUEST 2: Double Helix, an expansive 23-track album released Friday. The ambitious project simultaneously spans country, latin, and dance — building on Aoki’s early roots while embracing today’s appetite for genre-breaking music. Paris Hilton, Akon,...
“There’s no one doing what I’m doing,” he tells Rolling Stone when reflecting on HiROQUEST 2: Double Helix, an expansive 23-track album released Friday. The ambitious project simultaneously spans country, latin, and dance — building on Aoki’s early roots while embracing today’s appetite for genre-breaking music. Paris Hilton, Akon,...
- 11/17/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Bradley Cooper had a problem. The Oscar-nominated actor was gearing up to play Leonard Bernstein, the musical genius behind “West Side Story” and “Candide” and one of the driving cultural forces of the 20th century. Except, Cooper looked nothing like the distinctive composer and conductor.
Enter Guillermo del Toro. The two men discussed Cooper’s predicament on the set of del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley,” which the actor starred in while working to get “Maestro,” his look at the private life of Bernstein, off the ground. Cooper confessed that he needed to be transformed, and according to del Toro, only one person was right for the job: Kazu Hiro. The Oscar-winning makeup artist had used his gift for prosthetics to transform Gary Oldman into Winston Churchill in “The Darkest Hour.” When Cooper sent Hiro a text asking if he was interested, he jumped at the chance.
Still, the task was...
Enter Guillermo del Toro. The two men discussed Cooper’s predicament on the set of del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley,” which the actor starred in while working to get “Maestro,” his look at the private life of Bernstein, off the ground. Cooper confessed that he needed to be transformed, and according to del Toro, only one person was right for the job: Kazu Hiro. The Oscar-winning makeup artist had used his gift for prosthetics to transform Gary Oldman into Winston Churchill in “The Darkest Hour.” When Cooper sent Hiro a text asking if he was interested, he jumped at the chance.
Still, the task was...
- 11/15/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
The last time legendary Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada – star of :a[Westworld]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/westworld-season-4/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, :a[Mortal Kombat]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/mortal-kombat/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, and :a[Bullet Train]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/bullet-train/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} –graced our screens, he was helping his old pal John Wick and going toe-to-toe with Donnie Yen in Chad Stahelski's all-out action epic :a[John Wick: Chapter 4]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/john-wick-chapter-4/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}. And in the first trailer for feudal Japan-set FX series Shōgun, it looks like the man they call Hiro has even bigger fish to fillet. Check out the trailer below;
Close-quarters combat. Beach-bound archer batallions. Symbolic birds of prey. Portentous talk of living and dying. Sanada rallying the troops,...
Close-quarters combat. Beach-bound archer batallions. Symbolic birds of prey. Portentous talk of living and dying. Sanada rallying the troops,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Jordan King
- Empire - TV
Ava DuVernay’s Origin and Matthew Heineman’s American Symphony were among the top winners at the Virginia Film Festival, the four-day Charlottesville event that ran from October 25-29.
Origin, based on Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, won the festival’s Audience Award for narrative feature. Heineman’s American Symphony, about musician Jon Batiste, was recognized for documentary feature.
Other Audience Award winners included Dreams of Home for narrative short and Black Godfather of Scuba for documentary short.
The winners of the Programmers’ Awards were American Fiction in the narrative category and No Ordinary Campaign in the documentary category. For the Moon was recognized in the narrative short category and 1-15-41 in the documentary short.
DuVernay also was recognized with the festival’s Visionary Award as she sat down for a post-screening Q&a with the Washington Post‘s Ann Hornaday.
Jon Batiste performs as...
Origin, based on Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, won the festival’s Audience Award for narrative feature. Heineman’s American Symphony, about musician Jon Batiste, was recognized for documentary feature.
Other Audience Award winners included Dreams of Home for narrative short and Black Godfather of Scuba for documentary short.
The winners of the Programmers’ Awards were American Fiction in the narrative category and No Ordinary Campaign in the documentary category. For the Moon was recognized in the narrative short category and 1-15-41 in the documentary short.
DuVernay also was recognized with the festival’s Visionary Award as she sat down for a post-screening Q&a with the Washington Post‘s Ann Hornaday.
Jon Batiste performs as...
- 11/2/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Maestro’ Trailer: Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein Grapples with His Sexuality and Grasps at Love
Bradley Cooper’s tour de force of a sophomore directorial effort “Maestro” crescendoes into theaters this fall just in time for Oscars season.
Cooper, who co-wrote, produced, and directed the decades-sweeping romance film, stars as famed musician and composer Leonard Bernstein, whose marriage to Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan) is at the core of the feature.
The official synopsis reads: “Maestro” is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. A love letter to life and art, “Maestro” is, at its core, an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.
In addition to Cooper and Mulligan, “Maestro” stars Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Josh Hamilton, Scott Ellis, Gideon Glick, Sam Nivola, Alexa Swinton, and Miriam Shor.
Cooper co-wrote the film with “Spotlight” scribe Josh Singer. Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg produce, along with Cooper, Kristie Mackso Krieger, Fred Burner, and Amy Durning.
Cooper, who co-wrote, produced, and directed the decades-sweeping romance film, stars as famed musician and composer Leonard Bernstein, whose marriage to Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan) is at the core of the feature.
The official synopsis reads: “Maestro” is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. A love letter to life and art, “Maestro” is, at its core, an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.
In addition to Cooper and Mulligan, “Maestro” stars Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Josh Hamilton, Scott Ellis, Gideon Glick, Sam Nivola, Alexa Swinton, and Miriam Shor.
Cooper co-wrote the film with “Spotlight” scribe Josh Singer. Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg produce, along with Cooper, Kristie Mackso Krieger, Fred Burner, and Amy Durning.
- 10/25/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The makeup for Bradley Cooper’s Maestro, in which he plays legendary composer Leonard Bernstein, has drawn a lot of attention. Not all of it has been positive, but some crew members want moviegoers to know just how dedicated Cooper was with the makeup — and his duties as director — saying he pushed some call times up to an absurd hour so he could direct his cast “as” Bernstein.
Makeup artist Kazu Hiro told attendees at the New York Film Festival that not only was there a consuming amount of time that went into turning Cooper into Bernstein, but he was adamant about having the Maestro makeup and hair team in at 1 a.m. at one point “The last stage, the whole time, our call time was 1 in the morning…The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny to...
Makeup artist Kazu Hiro told attendees at the New York Film Festival that not only was there a consuming amount of time that went into turning Cooper into Bernstein, but he was adamant about having the Maestro makeup and hair team in at 1 a.m. at one point “The last stage, the whole time, our call time was 1 in the morning…The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny to...
- 10/14/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Best Actor looks set to be one of the most intriguing Oscar races this year with Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) and Leonardo DiCaprio (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) currently battling it out at the top of our odds chart in this category.
Colman Domingo (“Rustin”) and Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”) are also predicted to reap nominations but it is Bradley Cooper in third spot that makes things really interesting. Cooper stars as Leonard Bernstein in Netflix’s “Maestro,” which he also produces, directs and co-writes. The Netflix feature, which opens on November 22, explores the complex marriage between the renowned composer and his wife Felicia Montealegre, who is played by Carey Mulligan. Mulligan is, as always, excellent, but Cooper has the transformative role here.
Makeup artist Kazu Hiro, also known as Kazuhiro Tsuji, turns him into Bernstein with astounding makeup and prosthetics. Cooper’s mannerisms, gestures, and vocal work prove add to his performance.
Colman Domingo (“Rustin”) and Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”) are also predicted to reap nominations but it is Bradley Cooper in third spot that makes things really interesting. Cooper stars as Leonard Bernstein in Netflix’s “Maestro,” which he also produces, directs and co-writes. The Netflix feature, which opens on November 22, explores the complex marriage between the renowned composer and his wife Felicia Montealegre, who is played by Carey Mulligan. Mulligan is, as always, excellent, but Cooper has the transformative role here.
Makeup artist Kazu Hiro, also known as Kazuhiro Tsuji, turns him into Bernstein with astounding makeup and prosthetics. Cooper’s mannerisms, gestures, and vocal work prove add to his performance.
- 10/11/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Carey Mulligan has insisted 'Maestro' isn't a Leonard Bernstein biopic.The actress plays the composer's wide Felicia Montealegre opposite Bradley Cooper as Bernstein and she's declared the movie is actually more about the couple's marriage than the celebrated composer/conductor's rise to fame.During an interview with Vogue magazine conducted before the start of the Hollywood actors strike, she explained: "I know people will talk about Maestro as a biopic, but not. It’s a movie about a marriage - a very complicated marriage."The 38-year-old actress went on to reveal her preparations for the role was intense and included a "dream workshop" with her co-star and writer/director Cooper.She told the publication: "This was the most intense preparation I’ve ever done for a film ... I guess Bradley’s been doing this kind of thing forever, using your dreams to connect your subconscious to the character’s,...
- 10/11/2023
- by Louise Mary Randell
- Bang Showbiz
Hollywood star Bradley Cooper went through a five-hour makeup process to transform into Leonard Bernstein in ‘Maestro’. The 48-year-old actor both plays the lead role and directs the new biopic about the celebrated composer and the Oscar-winning makeup artist Kazu Hiro revealed how he and his team would spend all night applying the cosmetics so he could be behind the camera in character, reports aceshowbiz.com.
“The last stage, he had covered pretty much everywhere, the bodysuit and arms. That took over five hours. The last stage, the whole time, our call time was 1 in the morning,” Hiro told an audience at the picture’s New York Film Festival screening on October 2.
“The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny to set up the shoot and everything. That also kind of made our call time two hours earlier than normal,...
“The last stage, he had covered pretty much everywhere, the bodysuit and arms. That took over five hours. The last stage, the whole time, our call time was 1 in the morning,” Hiro told an audience at the picture’s New York Film Festival screening on October 2.
“The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny to set up the shoot and everything. That also kind of made our call time two hours earlier than normal,...
- 10/9/2023
- by Agency News Desk
Hollywood star Bradley Cooper went through a five-hour makeup process to transform into Leonard Bernstein in ‘Maestro’. The 48-year-old actor both plays the lead role and directs the new biopic about the celebrated composer and the Oscar-winning makeup artist Kazu Hiro revealed how he and his team would spend all night applying the cosmetics so he could be behind the camera in character, reports aceshowbiz.com.
“The last stage, he had covered pretty much everywhere, the bodysuit and arms. That took over five hours. The last stage, the whole time, our call time was 1 in the morning,” Hiro told an audience at the picture’s New York Film Festival screening on October 2.
“The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny to set up the shoot and everything. That also kind of made our call time two hours earlier than normal,...
“The last stage, he had covered pretty much everywhere, the bodysuit and arms. That took over five hours. The last stage, the whole time, our call time was 1 in the morning,” Hiro told an audience at the picture’s New York Film Festival screening on October 2.
“The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny to set up the shoot and everything. That also kind of made our call time two hours earlier than normal,...
- 10/9/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Fresh from a victory tour of the fall festivals, four of the key creatives behind Netflix awards favorite Maestro stopped by Contenders London to reveal some of the secrets behind the scenes. Speaking to Baz Bamigboye, producer Kristie Macosko Krieger, makeup designer Kazu Hiro, costume designer Mark Bridges and production designer Kevin Thompson shared their thoughts and experiences on Bradley Cooper’s poignant biographical portrait of world-famous New York conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein, who died in 1990 aged 72.
Praising the performance by Cooper’s co-star Carey Mulligan, Kreiger noted that Bernstein’s passionate but tortured love for his wife Felicia formed the backbone of the film. “It’s a movie about a really complicated love story and a movie about art,” she said. “In order to make the music he made, Leonard needed that complexity in his life. Felicia was the scaffolding — she really was his rock, and she was there for him.
Praising the performance by Cooper’s co-star Carey Mulligan, Kreiger noted that Bernstein’s passionate but tortured love for his wife Felicia formed the backbone of the film. “It’s a movie about a really complicated love story and a movie about art,” she said. “In order to make the music he made, Leonard needed that complexity in his life. Felicia was the scaffolding — she really was his rock, and she was there for him.
- 10/7/2023
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
Bradley Cooper endured a five-hour makeup process to transform into Leonard Bernstein in 'Maestro'.The 48-year-old actor both stars in and directs the new biopic about the celebrated composer and the Oscar-winning makeup artist Kazu Hiro revealed how he and his team would spend all night applying the cosmetics so he could be behind the camera in character.Hiro told an audience at the picture's New York Film Festival screening on Monday (02.10.23): "The last stage, he had covered pretty much everywhere, the bodysuit and arms. That took over 5 hours."The last stage, the whole time, our call time was 1 in the morning."The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny to set up the shoot and everything. That also kind of made our call time two hours earlier than normal, so that was quite tough."Hiro explained...
- 10/4/2023
- by Joe Graber
- Bang Showbiz
Bradley Cooper was so committed to staying in character during the filming of his upcoming Leonard Bernstein biopic, Maestro, that he spent five-hour sessions in makeup for the parts of the movie when he appeared as the composer in his 70s.
While speaking at the New York Film Festival on Monday (October 2nd), Oscar-winning makeup artist Kazu Hiro said (via Entertainment Weekly) that Cooper also moved up the film’s already-early call times to 1:00 a.m. toward the end of filming to ensure he would only appear in front of the cast and crew while fully transformed — controversial prosthetic nose and all.
“The last stage, he had covered pretty much everywhere, the bodysuit and arms. That took over five hours,” Hiro recalled. “Our call time was 1 in the morning. The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny...
While speaking at the New York Film Festival on Monday (October 2nd), Oscar-winning makeup artist Kazu Hiro said (via Entertainment Weekly) that Cooper also moved up the film’s already-early call times to 1:00 a.m. toward the end of filming to ensure he would only appear in front of the cast and crew while fully transformed — controversial prosthetic nose and all.
“The last stage, he had covered pretty much everywhere, the bodysuit and arms. That took over five hours,” Hiro recalled. “Our call time was 1 in the morning. The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny...
- 10/3/2023
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Film News
Bradley Cooper wanted to fully immerse himself in the role of Leonard Bernstein for his sophomore directorial effort, “Maestro.”
That meant Cooper, who co-wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the Netflix film, after much prep work, would often only appear in front of cast and crew after he had physically transformed to resemble Bernstein. Makeup artist Kazu Hiro told Entertainment Weekly that Cooper spent over five hours in hair, makeup, and prosthetics prep to transform into the elderly composer/conductor, with “Maestro” spanning the majority of the composer’s adult life.
“The last stage, the whole time, our call time was one in the morning,” Hiro said. “The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny to set up the shoot and everything. That also kind of made our call time two hours earlier than normal, so that was quite tough.
That meant Cooper, who co-wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the Netflix film, after much prep work, would often only appear in front of cast and crew after he had physically transformed to resemble Bernstein. Makeup artist Kazu Hiro told Entertainment Weekly that Cooper spent over five hours in hair, makeup, and prosthetics prep to transform into the elderly composer/conductor, with “Maestro” spanning the majority of the composer’s adult life.
“The last stage, the whole time, our call time was one in the morning,” Hiro said. “The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny to set up the shoot and everything. That also kind of made our call time two hours earlier than normal, so that was quite tough.
- 10/3/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Working on Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro” meant incredibly long hours for prosthetics master Kazu Hiro and his makeup team. Hiro, an Oscar winner for transforming Gary Oldman into Winston Churchill for “The Darkest Hour,” revealed at the New York Film Festival (via Entertainment Weekly) that he needed to be on set at 1 a.m. during parts of the film where Bradley Cooper appears as Leonard Bernstein in his 70s.
“The last stage, he had covered pretty much everywhere, the bodysuit and arms. That took over five hours,” Hiro revealed. “The last stage, the whole time, our call time was one in the morning. The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny to set up the shoot and everything. That also kind of made our call time two hours earlier than normal, so that was quite tough.”
Cooper appears...
“The last stage, he had covered pretty much everywhere, the bodysuit and arms. That took over five hours,” Hiro revealed. “The last stage, the whole time, our call time was one in the morning. The other thing was he wanted makeup to be finished before the crew call, so he would appear as Lenny to set up the shoot and everything. That also kind of made our call time two hours earlier than normal, so that was quite tough.”
Cooper appears...
- 10/3/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
From left: Maleficent, Ursula, Chernabog, Dr. Facilier, Cruella de Vil (All images courtesy of Disney)Graphic: The A.V. Club
With the live-action version of The Little Mermaid now swimming in the calm blue waters of Disney+, audiences can see Melissa McCarthy camp it up as Ursula in all her glory.
With the live-action version of The Little Mermaid now swimming in the calm blue waters of Disney+, audiences can see Melissa McCarthy camp it up as Ursula in all her glory.
- 9/22/2023
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
The Amazon Prime Video streaming service confirmed a number of 'genre', 'high-profile' drama series in development, including "Snow Crash", adapting the science fiction novel by author Neal Stephenson, covering history, linguistics, anthropology, archaeology, religion, computer science, politics, cryptography, memetics and philosophy:
"...'Hiro Protagonist' is a hacker and pizza delivery driver for a criminal mob. He meets 'Y.T.' a young skateboard ;Kourier', during a failed attempt to make a delivery on time. Y.T. completes the delivery on his behalf and they strike up a partnership, gathering intel and selling it to the 'Cic', the for-profit organization that evolved from the 'CIA' merger with the 'Library of Congress'.
"Within the 'Metaverse', Hiro is offered a datafile named 'Snow Crash' by a man named 'Raven' who hints that it is a form of narcotic.
"Hiro's friend and fellow hacker 'Da5id' views a...
"...'Hiro Protagonist' is a hacker and pizza delivery driver for a criminal mob. He meets 'Y.T.' a young skateboard ;Kourier', during a failed attempt to make a delivery on time. Y.T. completes the delivery on his behalf and they strike up a partnership, gathering intel and selling it to the 'Cic', the for-profit organization that evolved from the 'CIA' merger with the 'Library of Congress'.
"Within the 'Metaverse', Hiro is offered a datafile named 'Snow Crash' by a man named 'Raven' who hints that it is a form of narcotic.
"Hiro's friend and fellow hacker 'Da5id' views a...
- 9/16/2023
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Bradley Cooper appears to have another winner on his hands.
The actor-director’s latest film, “Maestro”, made its debut at the Venice International Film Festival this weekend, and received a rousing reception at its festival premiere.
As Variety reports, the Cooper-directed biopic — in which Cooper also portrays famed composer Leonard Bernstein — was met with a standing ovation that went on for a full seven minutes.
Read More: ‘Maestro’ Trailer: Bradley Cooper Stars As Leonard Bernstein Alongside Carey Mulligan’s Felicia Montealegre
While neither Cooper nor co-star Carey Mulligan were in attendance due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Bernstein’s three children — Jamie Bernstein, Alexander Bernstein and Nina Maria Felicia Bernstein — tearfully welcomed the applause, waving to the crowd.
As the end credits rolled, accompanied by one of their father’s rousing compositions, they could be seen cheering and dancing while motioning their arms as if conducting a symphony.
Leonard Bernstein’s children Jamie,...
The actor-director’s latest film, “Maestro”, made its debut at the Venice International Film Festival this weekend, and received a rousing reception at its festival premiere.
As Variety reports, the Cooper-directed biopic — in which Cooper also portrays famed composer Leonard Bernstein — was met with a standing ovation that went on for a full seven minutes.
Read More: ‘Maestro’ Trailer: Bradley Cooper Stars As Leonard Bernstein Alongside Carey Mulligan’s Felicia Montealegre
While neither Cooper nor co-star Carey Mulligan were in attendance due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Bernstein’s three children — Jamie Bernstein, Alexander Bernstein and Nina Maria Felicia Bernstein — tearfully welcomed the applause, waving to the crowd.
As the end credits rolled, accompanied by one of their father’s rousing compositions, they could be seen cheering and dancing while motioning their arms as if conducting a symphony.
Leonard Bernstein’s children Jamie,...
- 9/3/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Five years after “A Star is Born” debuted on the Lido, on its way to seven Oscar nominations, “Maestro” — Bradley Cooper’s long-awaited second film as director — screened at the Venice Film Festival to rapturous applause. The drama about the life of legendary stage composer Leonard Bernstein landed a seven-minute standing ovation at its world premiere at the Sala Grande Theatre on Saturday night.
Cooper, who plays Bernstein in the Netflix film (with the help of nose prosthetics), and his co-star Carey Mulligan didn’t attend the night’s festivities due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. But Bernstein’s three children — Jamie Bernstein, Alexander Bernstein and Nina Maria Felicia Bernstein — received the audience’s affection, waving to the crowd through tears once the lights came up. And then they basked in the joy of their father’s life. As the credits rolled to Bernstein’s music, they started to flap their arms as conductors,...
Cooper, who plays Bernstein in the Netflix film (with the help of nose prosthetics), and his co-star Carey Mulligan didn’t attend the night’s festivities due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. But Bernstein’s three children — Jamie Bernstein, Alexander Bernstein and Nina Maria Felicia Bernstein — received the audience’s affection, waving to the crowd through tears once the lights came up. And then they basked in the joy of their father’s life. As the credits rolled to Bernstein’s music, they started to flap their arms as conductors,...
- 9/2/2023
- by Ramin Setoodeh and Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
The makeup artist for “Maestro,” Bradley Cooper’s biopic of famed conductor Leonard Bernstein, feels bad about the controversy over the nose prosthetics he gave the film’s lead. Kazu Hiro spoke about the backlash over the large nose at a Venice Film Festival press conference for the film.
“I wasn’t expecting that to happen. I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings,” Hiro said at the press conference. “My goal was, and Bradley’s goal was, to portray Lenny as authentic as possible. Lenny had a really iconic look that everybody knows — there’s so many pictures out there because he’s photogenic, too.”
The nose was an issue for some due to the feeling that it played to antisemitic tropes and that the Jewish composer’s actual nose wasn’t as large as what Cooper was seen wearing in photos from the film. Cooper himself is not Jewish.
“I wasn’t expecting that to happen. I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings,” Hiro said at the press conference. “My goal was, and Bradley’s goal was, to portray Lenny as authentic as possible. Lenny had a really iconic look that everybody knows — there’s so many pictures out there because he’s photogenic, too.”
The nose was an issue for some due to the feeling that it played to antisemitic tropes and that the Jewish composer’s actual nose wasn’t as large as what Cooper was seen wearing in photos from the film. Cooper himself is not Jewish.
- 9/2/2023
- by Mike Roe
- The Wrap
Makeup artist Kazu Hiro is an Oscar winner for making astonishing actor transformations in films like “Darkest Hour,” which made Gary Oldman unrecognizable as Winston Churchill. But now, he’s mixed up with some unexpected backlash to the prosthetic nose that actor/director/co-writer Bradley Cooper wears in his new film “Maestro” to play Jewish conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein.
Members of the production team along with Kazu, plus Leonard’s daughter Jamie Bernstein (portrayed in her younger years in the film by Maya Hawke), spoke to the corps at the Venice Film Festival today ahead of the film’s Saturday night competition premiere.
“I wasn’t expecting that to happen,” Kazu said when quizzed about the internet response to the first teaser. “I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings.”
Kazu, who also made John Lithgow disappear into a six-piece fat suit to play Roger Ailes in “Bombshell,...
Members of the production team along with Kazu, plus Leonard’s daughter Jamie Bernstein (portrayed in her younger years in the film by Maya Hawke), spoke to the corps at the Venice Film Festival today ahead of the film’s Saturday night competition premiere.
“I wasn’t expecting that to happen,” Kazu said when quizzed about the internet response to the first teaser. “I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings.”
Kazu, who also made John Lithgow disappear into a six-piece fat suit to play Roger Ailes in “Bombshell,...
- 9/2/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The makeup artist for Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro responded Saturday at the Venice Film Festival to the recent backlash over the film’s prosthetic nose.
Cooper was absent in Venice because he’s chosen to support the SAG-AFTRA strike by not walking the red carpet for his film, which he wrote, directs and stars in. But a large contingent of crew members — as well as Leonard Berstein’s daughter, Jamie Bernstein — were on hand at the festival to discuss Maestro and its creation. It didn’t take long at the press conference before makeup artist Kazu Hiro was asked about the backlash that has engulfed the film on social media in recent weeks. The Maestro team came under criticism in some quarters for Cooper’s decision to wear a prosthetic nose for his portrayal of the iconic Jewish composer, which some claimed was unnecessarily partaking in anti-Semitic stereotypes.
Cooper was absent in Venice because he’s chosen to support the SAG-AFTRA strike by not walking the red carpet for his film, which he wrote, directs and stars in. But a large contingent of crew members — as well as Leonard Berstein’s daughter, Jamie Bernstein — were on hand at the festival to discuss Maestro and its creation. It didn’t take long at the press conference before makeup artist Kazu Hiro was asked about the backlash that has engulfed the film on social media in recent weeks. The Maestro team came under criticism in some quarters for Cooper’s decision to wear a prosthetic nose for his portrayal of the iconic Jewish composer, which some claimed was unnecessarily partaking in anti-Semitic stereotypes.
- 9/2/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kazu Hiro said he “wasn’t expecting” the controversy; “I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings.”
Kazu Hiro, make-up designer on Bradley Cooper’s Maestro, has responded to the controversy around the nose of Cooper’s lead character Leonard Bernstein, saying “I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings.”
Speaking at the press conference in Venice for the Competition title, Hiro said “I wasn’t expecting [the controversy] to happen. My goal and Bradley’s goal was to portray Lennie [Bernstein] as authentically as possible.
“Lennie had a really iconic look that everybody knows,” said Hiro, who earlier...
Kazu Hiro, make-up designer on Bradley Cooper’s Maestro, has responded to the controversy around the nose of Cooper’s lead character Leonard Bernstein, saying “I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings.”
Speaking at the press conference in Venice for the Competition title, Hiro said “I wasn’t expecting [the controversy] to happen. My goal and Bradley’s goal was to portray Lennie [Bernstein] as authentically as possible.
“Lennie had a really iconic look that everybody knows,” said Hiro, who earlier...
- 9/2/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
“Maestro” makeup designer Kazu Hiro has responded to backlash over Bradley Cooper’s nose prosthetic in the upcoming film, in which he portrays iconic conductor Leonard Bernstein.
“I wasn’t expecting that to happen… I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings,” Hiro said during a press conference at Venice Film Festival on Saturday. “My goal was and Bradley’s goal was to portray Lenny as authentic as possible. Lenny had a really iconic look that everybody knows — there’s so many pictures out there because he’s photogenic, too — such a great person and also inspired so many people. So we wanted to respect the look too, on the inside. So that’s why we did several different tests and went through lots of decisions and that was the outcome in the movie.”
Cooper, who also directed the film, has been the subject of criticism in recent...
“I wasn’t expecting that to happen… I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings,” Hiro said during a press conference at Venice Film Festival on Saturday. “My goal was and Bradley’s goal was to portray Lenny as authentic as possible. Lenny had a really iconic look that everybody knows — there’s so many pictures out there because he’s photogenic, too — such a great person and also inspired so many people. So we wanted to respect the look too, on the inside. So that’s why we did several different tests and went through lots of decisions and that was the outcome in the movie.”
Cooper, who also directed the film, has been the subject of criticism in recent...
- 9/2/2023
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Steve Aoki is expanding the HiROQUEST universe.
The Grammy-nominated artist will release his 10th studio LP HiROQUEST: Double Helix on Nov. 17, Rolling Stone can exclusively reveal. The record will feature collaborations with Paris Hilton, Akon, Ángela Aguilar, Dana Paola, Greeicy, Galantis, JJ Lin, Hayley Kiyoko, Galantis, Timmy Trumpet, and John Martin, and follows 2022’s HiROQUEST: Genesis.
“HiROQUEST is an entire world I crafted around an enigmatic character named HiRO,” explained Aoki in a statement. “Part I was largely driven by my alt-music roots in hardcore punk bands. Now, the story continues on Double Helix,...
The Grammy-nominated artist will release his 10th studio LP HiROQUEST: Double Helix on Nov. 17, Rolling Stone can exclusively reveal. The record will feature collaborations with Paris Hilton, Akon, Ángela Aguilar, Dana Paola, Greeicy, Galantis, JJ Lin, Hayley Kiyoko, Galantis, Timmy Trumpet, and John Martin, and follows 2022’s HiROQUEST: Genesis.
“HiROQUEST is an entire world I crafted around an enigmatic character named HiRO,” explained Aoki in a statement. “Part I was largely driven by my alt-music roots in hardcore punk bands. Now, the story continues on Double Helix,...
- 8/18/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Before Fran Rubel Kuzui helmed 1992’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she debuted her first feature Tokyo Pop at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival to much acclaim. Due to its distributor going bankrupt, the film never got a fully fledged U.S. run, but now––35 years later––her bubbly pop adventure has been restored in 4K and will open in U.S. theaters (starting on August 4) from Kino Lorber.
Ahead of its release, we’re pleased to exclusively debut the new trailer for the film that follows the unlikely love story between American wannabe rocker Wendy and the struggling Japanese singer Hiro (Diamond Yukai of the Japanese band Red Warriors) as they seek music stardom in 1980s Tokyo, only to discover it might be found together.
Here’s the expanded synopsis: “Bleach-blonde wannabe rocker Wendy is disillusioned with her life in New York City. After receiving a postcard from Japan saying “wish you were here,...
Ahead of its release, we’re pleased to exclusively debut the new trailer for the film that follows the unlikely love story between American wannabe rocker Wendy and the struggling Japanese singer Hiro (Diamond Yukai of the Japanese band Red Warriors) as they seek music stardom in 1980s Tokyo, only to discover it might be found together.
Here’s the expanded synopsis: “Bleach-blonde wannabe rocker Wendy is disillusioned with her life in New York City. After receiving a postcard from Japan saying “wish you were here,...
- 7/10/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
A show like “Skull Island” usually gets bogged down by demands and expectations. The new animated Netflix series isn’t about King Kong, but the big fella definitely makes his presence known.
Given that this eight-episode season exists within a broader umbrella that also encompasses kaiju of all kinds, you’d expect that series creator and showrunner Brian Duffield would have to wade through an ocean of demands and limitations. Instead, writing “Skull Island” became a chance to focus on a new batch of explorers who find themselves on Kong’s home island and discover otherworldly creatures dotting its beaches and forests.
Duffield said that his experience on “Skull Island” wasn’t hampered by the usual meddling and franchise maintenance preciousness that we’ve come to associate with high-profile shows that have become brand extensions, regardless of what medium they’re presented. The biggest “Skull Island” sticking point was the...
Given that this eight-episode season exists within a broader umbrella that also encompasses kaiju of all kinds, you’d expect that series creator and showrunner Brian Duffield would have to wade through an ocean of demands and limitations. Instead, writing “Skull Island” became a chance to focus on a new batch of explorers who find themselves on Kong’s home island and discover otherworldly creatures dotting its beaches and forests.
Duffield said that his experience on “Skull Island” wasn’t hampered by the usual meddling and franchise maintenance preciousness that we’ve come to associate with high-profile shows that have become brand extensions, regardless of what medium they’re presented. The biggest “Skull Island” sticking point was the...
- 6/24/2023
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
The legend of King Kong has attained a significant place in the sci-fi genre since the character’s first appearance nine decades ago led to the creation of a number of similarly monster-oriented media across the world. One key aspect that has always been associated with Kong’s origin is the enigmatic, mysterious Skull Island. Inspired by Jules Verne’s sci-fi novels on the exploration of the treacherous unknown, Skull Island is the quintessential perilous tropic, the result of the exaggerated accounts of European adventurers.
Often depicted as a land outside time, Skull Island is home to the giant ape Kong and numerous monstrous forms of creatures, prehistoric fauna, and flora. In Peter Jackson’s iteration of Skull Island, V-Rex and Brontosaurus were among the chief denizens of Skull Island, while in Legendary’s Monsterverse movies, unique amalgamation and evolutionary traits resulted in creatures like the Swamp Locust, Magma Turtle,...
Often depicted as a land outside time, Skull Island is home to the giant ape Kong and numerous monstrous forms of creatures, prehistoric fauna, and flora. In Peter Jackson’s iteration of Skull Island, V-Rex and Brontosaurus were among the chief denizens of Skull Island, while in Legendary’s Monsterverse movies, unique amalgamation and evolutionary traits resulted in creatures like the Swamp Locust, Magma Turtle,...
- 6/22/2023
- by Siddhartha Das
- Film Fugitives
A year before the release of another monster battle royale, which will once again feature Godzilla and Kong, Legendary Studio’s Monsterverse gets another expansion in the form of the animated series Skull Island. An integral part of Kong the Giant Ape’s mythos since the release of King Kong in 1933, Skull Island and its mysteries have influenced a number of fictional tropes and franchises. While fans have seen various iterations of the treacherous island filled with different forms of monstrosities, the animated adaptation really broadens the scope of imagination, and Skull Island takes full advantage of that. The series follows the misadventures of a group of humans who get stranded on Skull Island, and their ulterior motivations start creeping up as they learn the existing hierarchy of this enigmatic place.
Spoilers Ahead
Turbulent Waters: Who Are The Adventurers?
As Skull Island begins, the viewers are introduced to Annie, a...
Spoilers Ahead
Turbulent Waters: Who Are The Adventurers?
As Skull Island begins, the viewers are introduced to Annie, a...
- 6/22/2023
- by Siddhartha Das
- Film Fugitives
Before “This Is Us,” Milo Ventimiglia’s major roles felt of one voice. There’s Jess Mariano, the troubled young rebel on “Gilmore Girls”; Peter Petrelli, a tortured nurse struggling to control his powers in “Heroes”; Robert Balboa, Rocky’s son who’s stuck in his father’s shadow, even when he doesn’t know who he is without it. Ventimiglia’s specialty was playing the bewildered bad boy with a good heart, and whether it was a woman (like Rory), a calling (like Hiro’s), or a father (like Rocky), he just needed one thing to go right for the rest of his life to fall into place. In other words, he was the guy someone looked at and thought, “I can fix him” — and they were usually right.
Then “This Is Us” came along. Jack Pearson wasn’t some kid trying to put the pieces together; he was...
Then “This Is Us” came along. Jack Pearson wasn’t some kid trying to put the pieces together; he was...
- 2/19/2023
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
For casual moviegoers, there may only be a peripheral connection between the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category at the Oscars and the lead acting contenders on which that makeup is applied and whose hair is styled. For the longest time, this race was all about the special FX makeup, prosthetics and the like for genre films. The original 1968 “Planet of the Apes,” Rick Baker’s work on “An American Werewolf in London” in 1981, and the makeup effects for David Cronenberg’s “The Fly” are all examples of that.
In recent years, it has become more about making an actor look like the real-life person they’re playing. In fact, I wrote more about this very thing last year when “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” and “House of Gucci” were in the mix, although only the former helped actress Jessica Chastain on her way to winning her first Oscar. Neither Lady Gaga...
In recent years, it has become more about making an actor look like the real-life person they’re playing. In fact, I wrote more about this very thing last year when “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” and “House of Gucci” were in the mix, although only the former helped actress Jessica Chastain on her way to winning her first Oscar. Neither Lady Gaga...
- 2/10/2023
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
The Amazon Prime Video streaming service confirmed a number of 'genre', 'high-profile' drama series in development, including "Snow Crash", adapting the science fiction novel by author Neal Stephenson, covering history, linguistics, anthropology, archaeology, religion, computer science, politics, cryptography, memetics and philosophy:
"...'Hiro Protagonist' is a hacker and pizza delivery driver for a criminal mob. He meets 'Y.T.' a young skateboard ;Kourier', during a failed attempt to make a delivery on time. Y.T. completes the delivery on his behalf and they strike up a partnership, gathering intel and selling it to the 'Cic', the for-profit organization that evolved from the 'CIA' merger with the 'Library of Congress'.
"Within the 'Metaverse', Hiro is offered a datafile named 'Snow Crash' by a man named 'Raven' who hints that it is a form of narcotic.
"Hiro's friend and fellow hacker 'Da5id' views a bitmap image...
"...'Hiro Protagonist' is a hacker and pizza delivery driver for a criminal mob. He meets 'Y.T.' a young skateboard ;Kourier', during a failed attempt to make a delivery on time. Y.T. completes the delivery on his behalf and they strike up a partnership, gathering intel and selling it to the 'Cic', the for-profit organization that evolved from the 'CIA' merger with the 'Library of Congress'.
"Within the 'Metaverse', Hiro is offered a datafile named 'Snow Crash' by a man named 'Raven' who hints that it is a form of narcotic.
"Hiro's friend and fellow hacker 'Da5id' views a bitmap image...
- 12/14/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Some stories seem impossible to translate from the written page to the moving image, but a few brave creatives have taken on the task and created masterpieces. Japanese author Yasutaka Tsutsui's acclaimed 1993 novel "Paprika" is one such story, about a brilliant young psychologist named Chiba who begins experimenting with dream therapy. Chiba and her research partner, Tokita, develop a machine that allows them to not only view the dreams of others but experience them firsthand. When their dream-walking machine is stolen, the two have to figure out how to track him down in the real world while dealing with the repercussions in their dreams. It's mind-bending science fiction that works in part because of the limitless potential of the imagination.
Now, Prime Studios has announced that they will be producing and releasing a live-action series based on the novel, helmed by "Birds of Prey" director Cathy Yan. It's going...
Now, Prime Studios has announced that they will be producing and releasing a live-action series based on the novel, helmed by "Birds of Prey" director Cathy Yan. It's going...
- 8/22/2022
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
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