More from Patrick Brzeski
International Dark Horse Contenders Making Waves Ahead of Oscars Shortlist Announcement
Denmark The Promised Land Mads Mikkelsen stars in this Nordic Western as a low-born military man determined to tame the wild Jutland heath, whatever the costs. Touching on themes of class, racism and labor exploitation, it’s an old-fashioned period romp with stunning set pieces, plenty of romance and a satisfying villain in Simon Bennebjerg’s scene-chewing […]
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Japan’s Toho Buys 25 Percent Stake in Fifth Season for $225M
Japanese studio Toho has taken a $225 million stake in Fifth Season, the U.S.-based independent studio known for producing Apple TV+’s hit series Severance and Max’s Tokyo Vice. The new partners unveiled the deal Monday, saying it will allow Fifth Season to “continue expanding its broad slate of premium content.” Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM […]
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Paramount+ Launches in Japan in Partnership With J:COM, Wowow
It’s official: Paramount+ is finally available to consumers in Japan. As first tipped by the company in September, the streaming service launched in Japan Wednesday as a no-additional-cost addition to the on-demand services of local operators J:COM and Wowow. J:COM is one of Japan’s top cable television operators and broadband internet providers, while Wowow is the longstanding leading […]
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Korean Mega-star Song Kang-Ho on the Difference Between Good and Bad Acting
There was a time when any great international actor tended to be reduced to their perceived Hollywood counterpart whenever they were discussed in the U.S. press. Under this outmoded prerogative, Korean screen icon Song Kang-ho easily could be described as his country’s simultaneous answer to both Marlon Brando and Tom Hanks, such is his seemingly […]
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‘Godzilla Minus One’ Is a Giant Hit With Critics: “See It on the Biggest Screen Possible”
Godzilla Minus One, the 37th film in Japan’s long-running giant monster movie franchise, marches into U.S. theaters Friday — and the early reaction from critics is ecstatic. “Godzilla Minus One isn’t just a good Godzilla movie,” writes ReelViews critic James Berardinelli in a characteristic take. “It’s an excellent Godzilla movie — arguably among the best […]
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China Box Office: Disney’s ‘Wish’ Goes Unfulfilled, Local Thriller ‘Across the Furious Sea’ Opens to $25M
Local crime thriller Across the Furious Sea, directed and co-written by Cao Baoping, dominated China’s box office over the weekend with a $24.7 million two-day opening kicking off Saturday. The film’s strong start continues a recent market trend of Chinese moviegoers favoring well-told local crime stories. But it was another weekend of struggle for Hollywood filmmaking in […]
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‘Aquaman 2’ Sets China Release Date, Will Test Market’s Superhero Fatigue
Could James Wan’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom snap the Hollywood studios’ box-office losing streak in China? Film buffs and analysts will soon find out. The Warner Bros. and DC Studios superhero sequel has been set for release on Dec. 20, two days before it opens in North America, according to mainland Chinese news sites […]
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China Box Office: ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel Flops as Audiences Continue to Snub U.S. Franchise Movies
Lionsgate’s prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes opened at China’s movie box office in third place over the weekend, losing to two holdover local films and earning just $4.6 million. It’s just the latest disappointing performance by a U.S. franchise film in the market. Songbirds & Snakes has earned low to middling social scores […]
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Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ Secures China Release Date
Ridley Scott‘s Napoleon has charted a course for China. The big-budget historical epic has locked down a potentially lucrative release date in the country on Dec. 1, according to multiple mainstream Chinese media sources. Napoleon is from Apple Original Films and released in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment. It will be released in North American […]
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Disney’s “Turbocharging” of Theme Park Business Gathers Pace With ‘Frozen Land’ Launch in Hong Kong
A full decade after the Walt Disney Co.’s musical animation Frozen became a worldwide box-office phenomenon — and the enduring soundtrack to the lives of parents with little kids everywhere — the very first theme park attraction dedicated to the film is set to open its doors Monday at the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. The belated […]
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China Box Office: ‘The Marvels’ Bombs as Superhero Fatigue Deepens
The Marvels‘ disappointing start at the North American box office over the weekend — $47 million, a record low for a Marvel Studios release — is adding to analysts’ concerns that superhero fatigue is an urgent and growing problem for the major studios. But in China, filmgoers have been snubbing America’s caped crusaders for far longer […]
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AFM: South Korean Tentpole ‘Noryang: Deadly Sea’ Sells to Japan
Major U.S. acquisitions of Asian film titles have been scarce at the American Film Market so far this year, but business within the region nonetheless has been humming. The much-anticipated Korean period action tentpole Noryang: Deadly Sea has scored a deal at AFM for Japan distribution with Tokyo-based Twin Co. Ltd. Seoul-based sales agent Acemaker Movieworks […]
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