Latest news with #MovieMeter
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
USA TODAY readers pick their favorite film of the year in new Movie Meter
The people have spoken. In USA TODAY's inaugrual Movie Meter, our readers picked "Wicked" as their best film of the year. "Wicked" also was a hit at the box office, grossing more than $728 million worldwide, and becoming the top-grossing film based on a Broadway musical. The film earned 10 Oscar nominations and was in the running for the night's biggest prize, and took home two Oscars. 'Congratulations to the cast, crew and Universal Pictures for 'Wicked' winning USA TODAY's inaugural Movie Meter as ranked by the public. This program delivers on our mission to provide our audiences with the content and experiences they crave,' said USA TODAY Senior Vice President, Monica Richardson. 'The continued success of Movie Meter will further cement USA TODAY as the nation's source for entertainment news and more.' USA TODAY Host and Producer of "Entertain This!"Ralphie Aversa appeared on the TODAY Show to announce the inaugural winner of USA TODAY Movie Meter. "Wicked" earned 10 Oscar nominations and was in the running for the night's biggest prize, and took home two Oscars: best costume design and best production design. 'Wicked' is the untold story of the witches of Oz, based upon the popular Broadway musical. The film explores the power of friendship, acceptance and standing up for what is right, set to a soundtrack ofsongs performed by Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo. USA TODAY launched USA TODAY Movie Meter to harness the opinions of the public, not industry insiders, to rate the year's most beloved film based on the movies nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the Academy Awards. Movie goers voted on their favorites of the movies nominated for best picture. Readers other top picks included, in order: "A Complete Unknown," "Conclave" "Brutalist" and "The Substance." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Movie Meter: See what USA TODAY readers say was their favorite
USA Today
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Karla Sofía Gascón plans to attend Oscars despite social media controversy
Karla Sofía Gascón's awards season victory lap was derailed by a series of resurfaced social media posts. But the controversial "Emilia Pérez" star is set to make a comeback at Sunday's Academy Awards. Gascón, who is up for best actress for her performance as the title character in Jacques Audiard's musical crime thriller, confirmed her Oscars attendance in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter published Monday. "I'm not sure how I feel, but I'm grateful to be back," Gascón told the outlet. "I'm grateful to all those who've believed in me — to Netflix, the production company and my colleagues. We can close this beautiful and difficult path that began three years ago." Gascón's attendance at the ceremony, which will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, will reportedly be financed by Netflix, according to Variety and CNN. According to previous reports, the streaming giant was allegedly reevaluating its awards season courtesies for Gascón, such as providing transportation and accommodations for events. USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Gascón and Netflix for comment. Rate your 'Film of the Year': Join our Movie Meter panel and make your voice heard! Gascón's scheduled Oscars appearance comes after the actress, who made history as the first openly transgender actress to receive a nomination, sparked online backlash with racist and xenophobic social media posts about Muslims, George Floyd and diversity at the Academy Awards. The Spanish actress was notably absent from the Critics Choice Awards earlier this month, where she won the award for best song, as well as the Independent Spirit Awards and Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards. Her co-stars Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez were in attendance at the SAG Awards, however, and the actresses presented their film alone. Karla Sofía Gascón's social media controversy explained In late January, journalist Sarah Hagi shared screenshots of several of Gascón's previous posts on X, some of which date as recently as 2020, and they quickly gained steam —and backlash — from people on social media. Variety was first to report the news. The offending posts ranged in subject from Gascón's view on the Muslim population in Spain, the series of 2020 U.S. demonstrations responding to George Floyd's murder at the hands of police and the 2021 Academy Awards ceremony, which she described as an "ugly gala." "More and more the #Oscars are looking like a ceremony for independent and protest films, I didn't know if I was watching an Afro-Korean festival, a Black Lives Matter demonstration or the 8M," Gascón wrote in one of the posts. Gascón quickly apologized for the controversial posts, telling USA TODAY in a statement, "As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well, and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain." In a follow-up statement on Feb. 1, issued via Instagram, Gascón maintained that she "is not a racist" and claimed her resurfaced comments were taken out of context. "I have always fought for a more just society and for a world of freedom, peace and love. I will never support wars, religious extremism or the oppression of races and peoples," she wrote in Spanish. 'I am not a racist':Karla Sofía Gascón apologizes for George Floyd, diversity at Oscars tweets Netflix, 'Emilia Pérez' stars address Karla Sofía Gascón controversy During a Feb. 12 episode of "The Town with Matthew Belloni" podcast, Netflix's chief content officer Bela Bajaria lamented the backlash brought on by Gascón's online controversy. "It really has kind of taken the conversation in a different way (from) this incredible movie that Jacques Audiard — who is an incredible director — has made," Bajaria said. "It really is a bummer for a lot of the people, like (co-stars) Zoe (Saldaña) and Selena (Gomez). And our awards team did an incredible campaign for that movie." Gascón's co-stars Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez also weighed in on the controversy. During a Jan. 31 Q&A in London, Saldaña said the resurfaced posts made her "really sad because I don't support (it), and I don't have any tolerance for any negative rhetoric towards people of any group." Meanwhile, Gomez said during a Feb. 9 appearance at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival that "some of the magic has disappeared," but added that she lives "with no regrets... I would do this movie over and over again if I could." "Emilia Pérez" director Jacques Audiard, who previously distanced himself from Gascón amid the controversy, gave the actress a shoutout when the movie was awarded best film not in the English language at the British Academy Film Awards on Feb. 16. "I would like to thank all the wonderful artists who brought this film to life and who are here with us tonight: My dear Zoe (Saldaña), my dear Selena (Gomez) … But also you, my dear Karla Sofía, that I kiss. I'm deeply proud of what we have all achieved together. Long live 'Emilia Pérez,' " Audiard said. Contributing: Pamela Avila, Anthony Robledo, Bryan Alexander, Patrick Ryan, Jay Stahl, KiMi Robinson and Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY
USA Today
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
James Bond is now controlled by Amazon, Jeff Bezos solicits casting ideas
A major shakeup is coming to the world of James Bond. Amazon MGM Studios is set to take creative control of the Bond franchise as part of an agreement with longtime producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. In a statement on Thursday, Wilson, 83, said he will step back from producing the Bond movies to "focus on art and charitable projects," while Broccoli, 64, will focus on "other projects" going forward. Amazon MGM Studios, Wilson and Broccoli will remain co-owners of the franchise. "Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future," Wilson said. Just after news of the deal was announced, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos asked followers on X, "Who'd you pick as the next Bond?" Rate your 'Film of the Year': Join our Movie Meter panel and make your voice heard! Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, on Thursday thanked Wilson and Broccoli "for their unyielding dedication and their role in continuing the legacy of the franchise that is cherished by legions of fans worldwide," adding, "We are honoured to continue this treasured heritage, and look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world." Review: 'No Time to Die'ends Daniel Craig's James Bond run with a stirring if flawed effort The news marked the end of an era for Bond, a franchise that Broccoli and her half-brother Wilson have controlled since 1995. The film series began with 1962's "Dr. No" under the stewardship of Albert R. Broccoli, Barbara's father, and Harry Saltzman. 'I didn't feel I could do it anymore':Daniel Craig on why he almost quit Bond before 'No Time to Die' Amazon gained the rights to distribute the Bond films after acquiring MGM in 2022, the year after Daniel Craig's final outing as 007 in "No Time to Die," though Wilson and Broccoli retained creative control. Thursday's deal could open the door for Amazon to expand Bond into new areas, such as spinoff films and streaming shows. The company previously released "007: Road to a Million," a reality competition show based on the world of Bond, in 2023. Amazon will also be taking creative control at a key moment for Bond as fans await an announcement about who will succeed Craig in the role. No casting decisions have been announced, nor have producers revealed when the next Bond movie will be released. Contributing: Aditya Soni and Zaheer Kachwala, Reuters
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What were 2024's best movies? Our new Movie Meter will track your votes before the Oscars
Do you love movies as much as we do? Well, the Des Moines Register is partnering with USA TODAY to launch USA TODAY Movie Meter, which lets you choose the nation's best film of the year. Whether you enjoyed the Best Picture nominees from the Fleur Cinema, Varsity Cinema, your favorite Cinemark movie theater or from the comfort of your couch, we want to hear your opinions. The platform is a way to rate the year's most beloved films, based on the movies nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the Academy Awards. USA TODAY Movie Meter will lift up the opinions of the public, not industry insiders. Cast your votes now at and then tune in on March 2 to see how they compare to the winners. More: The Oscar nominations are out. How to watch the Best Picture nominees in Des Moines. The 2025 Best Picture nominees include a range of films including drama offerings like "The Brutalist" or "Conclave" and box office blockbuster "Wicked." Alex Coco, Samantha Quan and Sean Baker, Producers Nick Gordon, Brian Young, Andrew Morrison, D.J. Gugenheim and Brady Corbet, Producers Fred Berger, James Mangold and Alex Heineman, Producers Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell and Michael A. Jackman, Producers Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe and Denis Villeneuve, Producers Pascal Caucheteux and Jacques Audiard, Producers Maria Carlota Bruno and Rodrigo Teixeira, Producers Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Joslyn Barnes, Producers Coralie Fargeat and Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, Producers Marc Platt, Producer Movie Meter builds on the popularity of Ad Meter, which USA TODAY launched in 1989 and has become the leading tracker of public opinion on Super Bowl ads. 'Movie Meter expands panelist ratings into the world of cinema, creating a new standard for audience-driven awards,' said USA TODAY Senior Vice President Monica Richardson. 'USA TODAY is evolving our content to better serve our audiences, and Movie Meter is a testament to that commitment. USA TODAY Movie Meter seeks to be the industry's leading opinion tool to gauge true public sentiment regarding films and their impact on consumers. We are creating a platform that truly reflects the voices of everyday Americans.' Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@ or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What were 2024's best movies? Vote with Movie Meter before the Oscars
USA Today
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Help us pick the best picture. Vote with USA TODAY's Movie Meter
Most fans will never get a chance to choose best picture at the Oscars. Now we're giving you a vote with the inaugural USA TODAY Movie Meter. Ten movies are vying for the top prize at the 97th Academy Awards on March 2, hosted by Conan O'Brien on ABC and Hulu (7 p.m. ET/4 PT). There's a little bit of everything for everyone, from a papal thriller to a gonzo horror film, and we want to hear what the American public thinks is the true best picture. That's where you come in. Watch the movies (most of them are on streaming services or on demand if you need to catch up) and then rate them from 1 to 5. The first Movie Meter winner will be announced the day after the Oscars on The TODAY Show and at Vote and have your cinematic tastes heard! Here are the 10 nominated films and how USA TODAY rated them. 'Anora' A tragicomedy with a screwball center, Sean Baker's bittersweet fable "Anora" stars Mikey Madison as 23-year-old New York exotic dancer Ani, who falls for her newest client, Russian oligarch's son Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn). They elope to Vegas, his parents don't approve and a bunch of goons are sent to annul the marriage. Vanya runs off and Ani gets stuck tracking him down alongside a quiet, caring henchman (Yura Borisov) in a stirring Cinderella story of hope and human connection. USA TODAY movie critic Brian Truitt describes it as 'entertainingly confident but tonally dissonant': ★★★ (out of four) 'The Brutalist' Director Brady Corbet's rich historical epic takes a hard look at the immigrant experience and what happens when the "American dream" is held just out of arm's length. In "The Brutalist" a Hungarian Jewish architect (Adrien Brody) lands in Pennsylvania after the Holocaust, where he winds up working for an industrialist (Guy Pearce) as he tries to bring his wife (Felicity Jones) over from Europe. It's a remarkably honest drama about our history and the human way we manage to create beauty out of tragedy. USA TODAY movie critic Brian Truitt hails it as 2024's best movie: ★★★★ (out of four) Rate your 'Film of the Year': Join our Movie Meter panel and make your voice heard! 'A Complete Unknown' Whether unplugged or electric, Timothée Chalamet hits all the right notes in "A Complete Unknown" – singing, playing guitar and blowing on harmonica, no less – as Bob Dylan. Directed by James Mangold ('Walk the Line'), the music biopic chronicles the enigmatic icon's early years in the 1960s, rising quickly in the New York music scene. He finds chemistry on and off stage with Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), befriends Johnny Cash (Boyd Holbrook) and goes to war with the folk establishment as the times change around him. USA TODAY movie critic Brian Truitt calls it 'an entertaining and magnetic watch': ★★★½ (out of four) 'Conclave' Who would have figured the election of a pope could be this much of a potboiler? Ralph Fiennes stars in the thriller "Conclave" as Cardinal Lawrence, a man navigating his own crisis of faith when the holy father dies and he has to lead the meeting of peers to elect a new one. A stressful situation turns worse as Lawrence, with the help of a nun (Isabella Rossellini), investigates the previous pope's mysterious death and various candidates vie for power in a white-knuckle, thought-provoking affair. USA TODAY movie critic Brian Truitt calls it 'a scintillating, white-knuckle affair': ★★★★ (out of four) 'Dune: Part Two' If Timothée Chalamet as a music legend doesn't do the trick, maybe you prefer him as a messianic space warrior in "Dune: Part Two"? In Denis Villeneuve's sprawling, sandworm-filled sci-fi sequel, Paul Atreides (Chalamet) works with the indigenous people of a desert world – including love interest Chani (Zendaya) – on a quest for vengeance against the villains who destroyed his family. It's the rare gripping, action-packed blockbuster that explores power, colonialism and religion. USA TODAY movie critic Brian Truitt praises the film's 'staggering visuals' and says 'Part Two' bests 'Part One' 'in every significant way': ★★★½ (out of four) 'Emilia Pérez' In just over two hours, the Spanish-language film "Emilia Pérez" manages to be a noir crime thriller, thought-provoking redemption tale, deep character study, comedic melodrama and, yes, even a go-for-broke movie musical. Karla Sofía Gascón plays a notorious drug kingpin desperate to transition and live life as a woman, Selena Gomez is the wife and mom driven back into old bad habits, and Zoe Saldaña is the ambitious attorney caught in the middle. USA TODAY movie critic Brian Truitt calls it 'inventively original and never, ever bland': ★★★½ (out of four) 'I'm Still Here' Based on a true story, Walter Salles' family drama "I'm Still Here"is set in Brazil during the politically unstable 1970s. A former congressman (Selton Mello) working as a civil engineer and living an idyllic life by the beach is taken by military forces and disappears. His wife (Fernanda Torres) begins a long process to find out what happened to him while also fighting to keep their family together and figuring out a new life for herself. USA TODAY movie critic Brian Truitt calls it an 'intense emotional tale of heroism': ★★★ (out of four) 'Nickel Boys' Director RaMell Ross' innovative drama "Nickel Boys" tells its riveting tale from the first-person vantage of its two young protagonists. In 1960s Jim Crow Florida, Black teenager Elwood (Ethan Herisse) has his college dreams derailed when he's unjustly convicted of car theft and sent to reform school. While his grandmother (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) tries to free him, Elwood befriends fellow student Turner (Brandon Wilson) as they cope with cruel abuse and racist corruption. USA TODAY movie critic Brian Truitt calls it 'a powerfully immersive coming-of-age story': ★★★½ (out of four) 'The Substance' In Coralie Fargeat's bonkers horror film "The Substance", a never-better Demi Moore stars as a TV fitness celebrity forced out of her job in favor of a younger star. Desperate to stay relevant, she signs on for an underground treatment that unlocks her younger self (Margaret Qualley), and for it to work, the two have to share their existence. Those rules are broken and the results are messy, monstrous and metaphorical in a hilariously jaw-dropping hoot about beauty and self-worth. USA TODAY movie critic Brian Truitt calls it 'a bloody body-horror spectacle not to be missed': ★★★½ (out of four) 'Wicked' Theater kids and old-school 'Wizard of Oz' fans alike will be wowed by the origin story of the future Wicked Witch of the West. Green-skinned and awkward, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) arrives at Shiz University in "Wicked" and immediately butts heads with popular girl Glinda (Ariana Grande). The frenemies begin to let their guards down and end up becoming pals who go off to see the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) in a song-and-dance spectacle with a whiff of political allegory. USA TODAY movie critic Brian Truitt says the film 'casts a big-hearted spell that you'd have to be wicked not to appreciate': ★★★ (out of four)
