David Mamet JFK Conspiracy Thriller ‘Assassination’ Adds Al Pacino, Viggo Mortensen, Travolta, Shia LaBeouf & More

Guy Lodge Film Critic By the brazenly esoteric standards of Argentine director Lisandro Alonso, his last feature “Jauja” was virtually a concession to the mainstream. A lushly shot 19th-century historical drama led by Viggo Mortensen, it was — until a typically disorienting coda — close to linear in its colonialist-quest narrative, even as it moved in slow, ever-widening circles, and duly became Alonso’s most widely released film to date. Nine years later (the longest gap yet in a career taken at his own pace), Alonso’s follow-up “Eureka” playfully appears to mock whatever tentative gestures “Jauja” made toward accessibility: A glisteningly opaque meditation on Indigenous living that refracts viewers’ interpretations as it repeatedly switches gear, focus, locus and story, it’s a film built to frustrate those who don’t succumb to its oneiric spell, not that it especially imparts its secrets to those who do.

Dennis Harvey Film Critic You might think Shia LaBeouf portraying a 20th-century Italian saint under the direction of perpetual bad-boy expat Abel Ferrara is a pretty strange prospect. But that’s just the iceberg tip of the oddities in “Padre Pio,” which, despite the American star’s casting in the title role, often appears uninterested in its own venerated ostensible subject.  Instead, much of this awkward English-language period piece focuses on peasants’ struggle to overthrow padrone control just after the First World War. Depicting that conflict often feels beyond the modest production’s scale — and, in any case, is never meaningfully connected to the angsty histrionics of LaBeouf, who seems to be in his own separate, indulgent, semi-improvised movie. Though coherent relative to Ferrara’s last narrative feature, the impenetrable espionage tale “Zeroes and Ones,” this eccentric misfire will likely puzzle fans of his past cult favorites, while flummoxing Catholic viewers who expect straightforward religious uplift. Gravitas Ventures is releasing to 50+ U.S. markets. 

The Shia LaBeouf comeback tour continues as his movie with Abel Ferrara, “Padre Pio,” which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival last year, hits theaters today. Ferrara’s film is LaBeouf’s first acting performance since his ex-girlfriend, FKA Twigs, sued the actor for sexual battery and emotional distress.

. Keep up!In a preview for the next episode of season three shared by Page Six, discusses a mystery man with , saying, “My friends wanted me to meet someone.” In the clip, Disick suggests they nickname the guy “Fred” before asking if he meets “the standards.”“Oh, so meets the standards,” she replies. Cut to: Kim texting on her phone and a producer asking if it's Fred.

Does Kim Kardashian have a new man in her life?!

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Abel Ferrara announced in an interview with The Film Stage that his “Padre Pio” star Shia LaBeouf is currently writing a movie about Auschwitz that the two men are thinking of filming together. No other details were provided at this time. Variety has tapped LaBeouf’s manager for additional details. In Ferrara’s “Padre Pio,” which premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival, LaBeouf plays the eponymous 19th century religious figure, who rose to fame in the Catholic world for exhibiting stigmata — crucifixion wounds corresponding to those on the body of Jesus Christ — before becoming a symbol of hope for southern Italians during the country’s turbulent period between the two world wars.

Kim Kardashian is a savvy dater who knows what she wants. The reality star spoke out about her expectations for her next man on the season 3 premiere of “The Kardashians” on Hulu.

Hollywood is not a young man's game these days. Stars like Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Travolta, and Nicolas Cage dominated the Cannes Film Festival this month, showing no signs of career slowdown.

A signed guitar once owned by Kurt Cobain has sold at auction for nearly $600,000, Billboard reports. The black Fender Stratocaster was initially listed at $60,000 but bidding on the memorabilia was fiercely contested, pushing the price up way beyond expectations.

“Eureka” seems somewhat deceitfully simple: a man called Murphy (Viggo Mortensen) searches for his abducted daughter with the help of the mysterious El Coronel (Chiara Mastroianni), even if he has to shoot everyone who stands in his way.

For the glory of Rome! This summer will see filmmaker Ridley Scott return to the period epic genre with a sprawling sequel to his acclaimed 2000 pic “Gladiator.” And while he’s already assembled quite the cast for the film, one of his high-profile actors has sadly dropped out. According to Deadline, recent Oscar-nominee Barry Keoghan (“The Banshees of Inisherin“) will exit due to a scheduling conflict.

EXCLUSIVE: Shia LaBeouf has joined action thriller Mace, directed by Jon Amiel from a script by David Chisholm. Trevor Jackson (Grown-ish, Superfly) will co-star. Myriad Pictures is shopping the project to buyers here in Cannes this week. 

Sophia Scorziello editor The ATX TV Festival has made changes to their program amid the ongoing writers strike, including the addition of the WGA on Strike! panel of leading television writers. The conversation will address the key issues that writers are fighting for as they share why the strike matters to Hollywood and entertainment unions at large. The panel will host Zoanne Clack (WGA West), Greg Iwinski (WGA East, negotiating committee), Damon Lindelof (WGA West) and Julie Plec (WGA West) and will be moderated by Beau Willimon (WGA East). The festival has cancelled select programs, including “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” the “Andor” conversation with Tony Gilroy, “Tiny Beautiful Things” conversation with Liz Tigelaar and Cheryl Strayed and the “Dawson’s Creek” 25th Anniversary Screening & Conversation.

Assassination,” will be directed by David Mamet, and takes on a novel angle to the well explored story of John F. Kennedy’s murder. John Travolta celebrates 69th birthday in Vegas—joined by daughter EllaJohn F.

Kim Kardashian reveals that season 3 of “The Kardashians” has been her “most emotional and frustrating” season yet, after all her years of filming for reality TV.

Just friends — and nothing more. Despite relationship rumors, there is nothing romantic going on between Kim Kardashian and Tom Brady, Us Weekly can confirm.

Tom Brady is sparking romance rumors with another celeb!

This is the time of year, right before the kickoff of the Cannes Film Festival, when filmmakers put together tentative projects to present at the Cannes Film Market. This is when we get teases for massive features with amazing casts and filmmakers all being offered to the highest bidder.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International David Mamet’s JFK assassination thriller is taking shape, with Courtney Love, Viggo Mortensen, Shia LaBeouf, Al Pacino and John Travolta joining the cast. The newly titled “Assassination” (the pic was previously called “2 Days/1963”) will be presented to buyers at the film market in Cannes this week, with Arclight Films handling international sales. Here’s the official synopsis for the project: “1963. During a crucial justice hearing against organized crime, the head of the Chicago mob orders the assassination of President John F. Kennedy Jr., creating a deadly conspiracy while altering the fate of a nation.”

Oscar winner Al Pacino (The Godfather), Oscar nominee Viggo Mortensen (Green Book), Oscar nominee John Travolta (Pulp Fiction), BAFTA winner Shia LaBeouf (Honey Boy), NBR Award winner Rebecca Pidgeon (Heist) and Golden Globe nominated singer and actress Courtney Love (The People vs. Larry Flynt) are set to star in the thriller Assassination, we can reveal.