Latest news with #JohnMagaro
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Prime Video adds two underrated 2024 movies that I love and you need to watch right now
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. To me, the best part of streaming are that great movies and TV shows that may not have made a splash upon their initial release for whatever reason can get a second chance to find an audience. This week I'm hoping we get two examples of that as two of the better movies I saw at the tail end of last year but weren't able to crack through against the likes of Gladiator 2, Wicked and more, land on Prime Video — September 5 and The Fire Inside. Both movies arrived on the streaming service on May 27 and both should be added to your watchlist real quick. September 5 was one of the best movies of 2024 that I saw, while The Fire Inside is a winning crowd-pleaser sports movie that goes deeper than others in the genre. Let's start with September 5, a journalism thriller that follows the ABC Sports broadcast crew of the 1972 Olympics that find themselves in the middle of the story of their lives when the Munich hostage situation takes place. Tim Fehlbaum directed and co-wrote the movie, which takes place almost entirely in the broadcast room of ABC Sports, using archival footage of the actual event to chronicle the story. The movie also features an outstanding ensemble that consists of John Magaro, Peter Sarsgaard, Ben Chaplin and breakout star Leonie Benesch. My September 5 review gave the movie five stars, as not only is it a gripping thriller (I was hooked to see how everything unfolded despite the fact that the event happened more than 50 years ago), but it immediately put itself with the best journalism movies of all time, All the President's Men and Spotlight. Other critics were of a similar mind, as September 5 is 'Certified Fresh' at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Yet audiences and awards bodies mostly ignored it. While I never would have expected September 5 to be a $100 million movie, a shifting release date that ultimately had it open limited on December 13, 2024, before releasing everywhere in the US on January 17, 2025, yielded disappointing results (just $2.5 million in the US). Major awards bodies didn't recognize it either, with the Golden Globes only giving it one nomination (even though it was for Best Picture) and the Oscars following suit (nominating it for Best Original Screenplay). The German Film Awards gave the movie its proper due, handing it nine of the 10 awards it was nominated for, including Outstanding Feature Film. At just over 90 minutes and an almost non-stop, tense thriller, September 5 can hopefully find its audience at last on Prime Video. Moving on to The Fire Inside, directed by Rachel Morrison, this is another based-on-a-true-story movie, this time about Claressa Shields, a young boxer from Flint, Mich., who became the first American woman to win a gold medal at the Olympics for boxing. Her incredible athletic accomplishment is just one part of the movie though, as it also touches on the reality that Olympic glory does not always bring the benefits you might expect. That extra bit of depth to the story (courtesy of a script from Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins), along with the chemistry between stars Ryan Destiny and Bryan Tyree Henry, are the secret sauce to this movie, which I gave four stars in my The Fire Inside review. Unfortunately again, The Fire Inside failed to register at the box office (just over $8 million) and felt like it was quickly forgotten. We need to remedy that for both The Fire Inside and September 5. I highly recommend you give these movies a chance now that they are available to stream on Prime Video.
New European
08-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New European
Matthew d'Ancona's culture: How September 5 and the Munich Olympics changed the newsroom
John Magaro is excellent as Geoffrey Mason, the young producer left in charge of the control room overnight, who suddenly finds himself covering the biggest story in the world. After he and his colleagues hear shots fired in the Olympic Village, it emerges that the Palestinian terrorist group Black September has killed two Israelis and taken nine others hostage. Peter Jennings (Benjamin Walker), a star reporter with deep experience of the Middle East, gets close to the apartment block where the crisis is unfolding, huddling on a balcony. As security tightens, Mason smuggles 16mm film reels back and forth from his location by dressing a crew member as a Team USA athlete. Arledge hits the phones and trades satellite time with CBS. He also resists his bosses' demands to yield control of the story: 'We're not giving this story to News… Sports is keeping it'. His stubbornness is consequential because the ensuing coverage uses all the techniques of sports reporting – and its emphasis upon spectacle. As the hours pass, it dawns on Mason that ABC is not just reporting the story but – because the terrorists can see how the crisis is being covered on-screen – participating in it. 'Can we show someone being shot on live television?' he asks. Nobody has an answer to the question, because it has never confronted a major news network. Any film director tackling this story afresh must acknowledge the long shadow of Kevin Macdonald's Oscar-winning 1999 documentary One Day In September and, to a lesser extent, Steven Spielberg's Munich (2005). But Fehlbaum's subject is not the hostage crisis itself but the journalistic milestone of its coverage. The movie communicates the flop sweat of a claustrophobic studio, of DIY methods employed at speed in the analogue age, of making do under extraordinary pressure with walkie-talkies and hand-made logos. September 5 has been criticised for failing to engage with the broader context of the Middle East conflict, then and now. But the whole point of the movie is that the geopolitical significance of the crisis trembles at the nervous edges of the screen, as the newsmen remorselessly pursue the story, and the story alone. A German translator, Marianne Gebhardt (Leonie Benesch), fears that the horrors unfolding in the village will become yet another charge levelled against her nation. Senior producer Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin), who is the son of Holocaust survivors, growls about the complicity of her parents' generation in wartime atrocities. But these are asides in an otherwise tightly focused drama. ABC would go on to scoop up 29 Emmys for coverage that was watched by 900 million people. The reporting of crises in real time was transformed forever – as big a change in media culture as was brought about by the US party convention debates between Gore Vidal and William F Buckley Jr in 1968 (also on ABC). What September 5 conveys with impressive subtlety is the repressed unethical unease that lurked beneath the spirit of newsroom triumph. Oedipus (The Old Vic, London, until March 29) You wait ages for one Oedipus , then two come along at the same time. Hot on the heels of Robert Icke's production starring Mark Strong as the king of Thebes and Lesley Manville as his queen, Jocasta, comes another striking version, with Rami Malek and Indira Varma in the lead roles. Co-directed by Matthew Warchus and Hofesh Shechter, Ella Hickson's new adaptation of Sophocles' text is rendered as a primeval fable of power, climate disaster and humanity's restless search for knowledge. Malek's other-worldliness embodies the play's nervous thematic core, which is that the drought afflicting the ancient city is related to a terrible secret. Varma is a more rational figure, urging him not to seek answers so compulsively – least of all from the seer Tiresias (Cecilia Noble). Nicholas Khan as Creon, the theocratic pretender, is also very good. As I wrote last month of Elektra (the other big Sophocles production in the West End, at the Duke of York's Theatre until April 12), myth translates best to stage when it is elemental, primal and dynamic. The most dazzling feature of this production is the choreography: Schechter deploys his dancers as a chorus in motion, intervening in the drama with power and precision. Along with Tom Visser's remarkable lighting, these moments entrench the sense of divine fury and a relentless path towards a terrible fate. Paradise (Disney+) A populist US president who bows to the wishes of a ruthless tech oligarch: stretches credulity, no? Dan Fogelman cannot possibly have foreseen the ascendancy of Elon Musk when he was creating this excellent eight-episode drama, but the resonance is uncanny. In his bathrobe and with a glass of the hard stuff in hand, President Cal Bradford (James Marsden) appears content to defer to Julianne Nicholson's Samantha Redmond – codenamed 'Sinatra' because she is boss of the rat pack. He doesn't know where Syria is on the map, which is also pretty close to the bone. 'People seem to like me,' he says, as if that makes up for everything else. Since the trailers included this plot point, it is hardly a spoiler to say that, in episode one, Bradford is found dead in the presidential residence by his lead Secret Service agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K Brown, terrific). Collins is a widower raising two children, and, it is clear, has distinctly mixed emotions about the murdered commander-in-chief – for whom he previously took a bullet. He is also increasingly concerned by the behaviour of his subordinate and friend, Billy Pace (Jon Beavers), whose back-story is quite something. There is a humongous reveal at the end of episode one, which I certainly will not spoil: suffice to say that it will transform the way you see the whole show; and, to my mind, makes Paradise all the more enjoyable. Day of the Fight (Icon Film Channel now; selected cinemas March 7) In the canon of boxing movies, a special place is reserved for Stanley Kubrick's 1951 documentary short about middleweight Walter Cartier, from which Jack Huston's excellent directorial debut borrows its title. As the grandson of the great John Huston – whose Fat City (1972) is also a magnificent fight flick – he also has big dynastic shoes to fill. But he accomplishes the task with grace and confidence. Michael Pitt is excellent as 'Irish' Mike Flannigan, a former champion whose manager Stevie (Ron Perlman) has blagged him a spot on an undercard at Madison Square Garden. On the day of the bout – some time in 1989 – he visits all the significant people in his life: his best friend Patrick, now a priest (John Magaro again); his uncle (Steve Buscemi); his ex-wife Jessica (Nicolette Robinson); and his father Tony, stricken by a stroke, and, in a knowing wink to Raging Bull (1980), played by Joe Pesci. Peter Simonite's fine black-and-white cinematography also nods to the Scorsese classic and gives aesthetic force to the theme of a man looking back on a profoundly troubled past. 'I don't deserve to live,' says Mike. 'Not with what I done.' The trope of the haunted pugilist seeking redemption with one last fight is a familiar one. But this is an exquisitely realised genre piece. Source Code: My Beginnings , by Bill Gates (Allen Lane) As so many tech titans sell their souls to the Dark Side, it is a good moment to be reminded that not all digital pioneers are Lords of the Sith. Step forward Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and renowned philanthropist, with this first volume of a planned trilogy of memoirs. The author, who turns 70 in October, offers an origin story that is refreshingly candid about the privileges of his upbringing in Seattle, Washington – not least his very early access to a computer at school in 1968, when he was only 13. He would go on to found Micro-Soft (as it was originally known), with a fellow pupil, the late Paul Allen. Aged 15, the techno-prodigy was writing payroll programmes for local companies. 'I loved how the computer forced me to think. It was completely unforgiving in the face of mental sloppiness,' he recalls. 'It demanded that I be logically consistent and pay attention to details'. At Harvard, he gained access to the university's Aiken computation lab and fell in love with its DEC PDP-10 mainframe. There is considerable self-awareness in these pages. Once Gates had discovered his youthful aptitude for maths, he became 'an argumentative, intellectually forceful, and sometimes not very nice adult'. The formal discipline of coding 'appealed to my sense of order' – as well as a ferocious competitiveness that made him want to be first and best in this fledgling revolution, 'to win every game I played' and to inhabit a 'zone of total focus'. He speculates that if 'I were growing up today, I probably would be diagnosed on the autism spectrum.' Gates was once the very incarnation of tech disruption and radicalism. Today, his dedication to the Enlightenment values of science and conviction that 'the world can be understood' feel appealingly old-fashioned compared to the monomania of the generation that followed him.
USA Today
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
2025 Sundance Film Festival recap 2: Omaha, Marlee Matlin and a movie about ... cabbages?
As many ventured to Park City to brave the cold and take in the best of independent moviemaking in 2025 at the Sundance Film Festival, For the Win will be enjoying some of this year's slate from the couch. As the virtual window opened on Wednesday for far-flung critics covering Sundance from the comfort of their homes, we'll be giving you daily recaps on the films we're watching and how they stack up with one another. Here's our first recap from this year's festival. From a new family drama with John Magaro to a quirky comedy about cabbage smuggling, all five of these 2025 Sundance films honor the grand tradition of finding variety in the festival. Let's dive in.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Omaha' Star John Magaro Takes Sundance Audiences for a Ride
Name: John Magaro Sundance project: 'Omaha,' a quiet drama about a father on a mysterious road trip from Utah to Nebraska with his two young children and dog. More from WWD Russell Tovey Dives Into Undercover Drama 'Plainclothes' at Sundance Stephanie Suganami on Her Journey to an A24 Horror Star in Sundance Movie 'Opus' 'True Detective' Breakout Kali Reis Heads to Sundance With 'Rebuilding' Notable past credits: Magaro stars in historical drama 'September 5,' nominated for best film at the Golden Globes earlier this month; he was one of the stars of 2023 Sundance film 'Past Lives,' and starred in Kelly Reichardt's 'First Cow' and 'The Big Short.' 'I've talked to some parents who've seen it already, and they all say the same thing,' says John Magaro of reaction to his new film 'Omaha,' a couple days after the premiere. 'So many people have been like, 'I was so devastated, I called my family. I needed to talk to my family right after.'' Magaro stars in director Cole Webley's feature debut as a young widowed dad of two children. The family has fallen on hard times: At the start of the film, they get evicted from their home and set out on a roadtrip from Utah to Nebraska. Neither the kids nor the audience know why they're headed there, but suspicion starts to creep in midway through the film. The quiet film, set primarily on the road, was shot in Salt Lake City with a mostly Utah-based crew. The actor was last at Sundance in 2023 with breakout hit 'Past Lives,' which went on to become a major award season contender. 'It's early days,' Magaro says of the positive reaction to 'Omaha.' 'This is my fourth time here now. So I know with films that come here, this is the beginning of a long journey. You have to sell it. Then you have to introduce it to the public. There's still so far to go. But obviously it's good to have the initial reaction be so positive.' Magaro was introduced to Webley through mutual connections, including several directors the actor had worked with on recent projects including 'Leroy, Texas,' directed by Webley's former BYU classmate Shane Atkinson. Magaro felt a quick affinity for his character after reading Robert Machoian's script. 'What resonated most with me is that I'm a father. My daughter is almost five years old,' he says. 'I think most fathers can relate to that feeling of being desperate and wanting to keep a good facade up to protect your children; doing everything you think that's in your capability to protect your children. And then the nightmare of potentially losing your children — I mean, that's most parents' biggest fear,' he adds. 'I obviously have never been pushed to that limit like the dad is in this film, but when you're a parent you can't help but think of, god, what if I was in those shoes?' Much of the film's power is conveyed in the unspoken moments onscreen, as the trio stops to fly kites at the Bonneville Salt Flats, for lunch at a roadside fast-food restaurant, and at the zoo in Omaha. 'I like directors or writers who are willing to let silence tell the story,' Magaro says. 'Where only the things that need to be said are said, and letting everything else play through the silences. I think that's one of the most magical things about cinema.' Reflecting on his experience as a Sundance regular, Magaro pointed to the festival's role as a launchpad for new voices in American cinema. 'So many great auteurs are introduced to the world here at Sundance, and it really is the forefront of what's happening in American cinema,' he says. 'It's such a joy to be here as an American actor.' After Sundance, Magaro was headed home to New York for a few days before heading to London for the U.K. premiere of 'September 5.' Afterward, he'll head to Berlin for the premiere of another film, 'Köln 75,' about jazz musician Keith Jarrett. 'Probably the most famous jazz pianist of all time,' says Magaro, who plays Jarrett in the film. 'He did this concert in Cologne, Germany, in the '70s that was put together by an 18-year-old girl. It was really difficult, there was a lot of challenges to make it happen. And they put it on, they recorded it, and it is now still the highest selling solo live jazz album of all time.' From there, he'll go to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival where he's being honored at the Virtuoso Awards. He'll have a short break before going back to begin filming the second season of 'The Agency' in April; the season one finale aired just before Sundance. 'It's been so nice to be here, and hear people who found the series and are really responding to it,' he says. 'I'm really excited to see where the show goes.' Best of WWD Gia Carangi: Remembering Fashion's 'First Supermodel,' Her Tragic Legacy & Last Photos Grace Kelly's Daughter Princess Caroline of Monaco's Style Evolution: From '70s Party Girl Glamour to '80s Trends [PHOTOS] Angelina Jolie's '90s to Early 2000s Outfits: A Rebellious Style Journey to Red Carpet Glamour [PHOTOS]
