Nic Cage To Receive Cheval Noir Career Achievement Award At This Year’s Fantasia Fest

Owen Wilson’s dream co-star “would love” to work with him.

Dennis Harvey Film Critic Watching Nicolas Cage add another notch to his belt of gonzo performances can be a movie’s main attraction. But it shouldn’t be all it has to offer — there ought to be some “there” there. Falling short in that regard is “Sympathy for the Devil,” a hazily familiar black comedy-cum-thriller with the star as a mystery man who carjacks Joel Kinnaman for a wild night’s ride.  Not wild enough, however, as Yuval Adler’s film seems to reprise elements from more distinctive road movies without settling on a consistent tone or persuasive narrative to call its own. Essentially a two-hander, Luke Paradise’s screenplay provides its leads with plenty of opportunity for histrionics; only a credible context and conviction are lacking. RLJE Films opens this just-passable diversion in limited U.S. theaters this Friday, July 28. 

Dow Griffith is set to receive the Location Managers Guild International’s (LMGI) Lifetime Achievement Award at the 10th Annual LMGI Awards taking place on Aug. 26, the guild announced Wednesday. With a lifetime career defined by over 65 motion pictures, Griffith is being honored for his rich creativity and enthusiasm that have “set the scene for movies sites literally around the world.” Griffith’s movie credits span across titles including “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” “Jumanji,” “And Justice For All,” “Proof of Life,” “Carrie,” “Dinosaur,” “Mission to Mars” and “Sleepless in Seattle,” among others.

Veteran location manager Dow Griffith (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Jumanji, And Justice For All) will be honored with the 2023 Location Managers Guild International’s Lifetime Achievement Award. It will be presented at the 10th annual LMGI Awards on Saturday, August 26 at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica. 

Even though last year’s “Death on the Nile” wasn’t nearly as much of a box office hit as 2017’s “Murder on the Orient Express,” there’s no denying that quite a lot of people enjoy Kenneth Branagh’s adaptations of Agatha Christie mystery novels. And for the third adaptation, “A Haunting in Venice,” it appears Branagh is trying something a bit different—a horror film.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Nicolas Cage has cancelled attendance at Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival, North America’s biggest genre festival, where he was expected next weekend on July 22 for the world premiere of director Yuval Adler’s “Sympathy for the Devil,” where he was due to pick up Fantasia’s Cheval Noir career achievement award.  “We’re sad to announce that due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Nicolas Cage will no longer be able to attend the festival next weekend,” Fantasia has announced on its website.  “We’ll be updating our website regularly as we receive news from other announced guests while circumstances evolve. Our hearts are with the actors, as well as with the WGA, and we hope to see the unions get a fair deal soon,” the Festival added. 

Lisa Marie Presley‘s cause of death has finally been confirmed and revealed to the public.Lisa Marie Presley – the only daughter of Elvis Presley – died in January at the age of 54 from what was reported at the time as a cardiac arrest. However, a newly published report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office has confirmed that Presley died from a “sequelae of a small bowel obstruction.”Small bowel obstructions are defined as intestinal obstructions and complications that cut off the blood supply to the intestine.

It’s kinda nice to be at the point in Nicolas Cage’s career where the actor is willing to take truly batshit crazy roles. And a lot of the time, it feels as if the films he stars in are tailor-made for his own unique brand of acting.

With the much expected SAG-AFTRA strike announced Thursday, fall film festivals are in wait-and-see mode as to whether it’s a season sans stars.

So what film will win the coveted Golden Lion at the 80th edition of the Venice Film Festival this year? Well, there’s no front-runner right now because festival director Albert Barbera hasn’t even anvnounced the in-competition line-up yet. But now we know who will choose the winners alongside jury head Damien Chazelle.

Tiffany Haddish used to crash weddings in order to feed herself while she was homeless. Haddish, 43, admitted she would often show up to a hotel in the Westchester neighborhood of Los Angeles that held wedding receptions in search of the food catered to the events.

Yvette Nicole Brown and Frank Scherma, the chair of the Television Academy. Emmys: Jenna Ortega makes history as youngest Latina nominee for ‘Wednesday’Colombian actress Sasha Calle is officially the first Latina Supergirl in DC UniverseEva Longoria gets a standing ovation after tossing a ceremonial pitchA post shared by Emmys / Television Academy (@televisionacad)The awards are meant to air on September 18th, although this date may be pushed back depending on the ongoing writer’s strike that’s affecting the industry at large.

It’s kinda nice to be at the point in Nicolas Cage’s career where the actor is willing to take truly batshit crazy roles. And a lot of the time, it feels as if the films he stars in are tailor-made for his own unique brand of acting.

outfestla.org. Exactly Right Media is welcoming its new Roz Hernandez-led podcast “Ghosted! By Roz Hernandez” on July 17, Variety can exclusively reveal. Hernandez will have conversations with comedians, celebrity guests and paranormal professionals each week to discuss their own personal experiences with the supernatural. Slated guests include actor Busy Philipps, “My Favorite Murder” podcast co-host Georgia Hardstark, “Scam Goddess” host Laci Mosley and comedian Patton Oswalt.  “Ghosted!” will be available to listeners on all major podcast platforms.  “Roz Hernandez is a vibrant personality in the LA comedy scene. Her wit, vulnerability and wide-eyed exploration of the occult make her a perfect fit for the Exactly Right network,” said Karen Kilgariff, CEO of Exactly Right Media. “Roz allows her guests to dive deep into the eerie and unexplained with humor, curiosity and an open mind. We’re thrilled to share her unique voice and talents with the Exactly Right audience.” Hernandez is a transgender actor, comedian and paranormal enthusiast. “Ghosted!” is set to welcome varying guests including Bryan Fuller, Margaret Cho, Nicole Byer and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winner Jinkx Monsoon.

EXCLUSIVE: VMI Worldwide has hired Scott Freije, former Vice President of Global Sales at XYZ Films, as President of Global Sales. 

The Locarno Film Festival will fete Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård with its Honorary Career Leopard award at the upcoming edition, running August 2 to 12.

Pedro Pascal, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in popular TV series and movies like “Narcos,” “The Mandalorian,” and “The Last of Us,” credits his career transformation to his breakthrough role on the hit fantasy show “Game of Thrones.” In season four of the HBO series, Pascal portrayed the charismatic and memorable character Oberyn Martell  (via Far Out Magazine).Pascal describes his time on “Game of Thrones” as an incredible and ideal experience. Playing a beautifully written and iconic character allowed him to showcase his talent in a solid season of the series.

Marta Balaga Nicolas Cage will pick up this year’s Cheval Noir Career Achievement Award at Fantasia. “He is one of the most individualistic and captivating screen presences in the last 40 years. Beyond his unique charisma, the kinds of atypical characters he’s been drawn to and what he can bring to them is so special and rare,” artistic director Mitch Davis told Variety. “Audiences lose their minds when he goes to these energetically extreme places: ‘Vampire’s Kiss’ was my first experience with that and I was absolutely floored. But they are also transfixed by the quiet, textured qualities he brings to more somber characters. He’s a one-of-a-kind treasure in American film.”

Actor Nicolas Cage will be the featured guest at Quebec’s Fantasia International Film Festival, where he will receive the festival’s Cheval Noir Career Achievement Award. 

EXCLUSIVE: SquareOne Entertainment CEO Al Munteanu tells us new European studio Vuelta Group is about “distributors who morph into producers — that’s our DNA, believing in film as a theatrical proposition, but also in TV production.”