#critic-audience-gap

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#faces-of-death
Film
fromWIRED
5 hours ago

A New Horror Movie Depicts Realistic Snuff. That's Not the Most Disturbing Thing About It

The reboot of Faces of Death reflects modern society's exposure to real violence through social media and its impact on viewers.
Independent films
fromFilmmaker Magazine
3 days ago

"Decontextualized Little Clips of Violence": Daniel Goldhaber and Isa Mazzei on Faces of Death

Faces of Death reflects society's evolving relationship with graphic depictions of death and violence over the decades.
Film
fromWIRED
5 hours ago

A New Horror Movie Depicts Realistic Snuff. That's Not the Most Disturbing Thing About It

The reboot of Faces of Death reflects modern society's exposure to real violence through social media and its impact on viewers.
Independent films
fromFilmmaker Magazine
3 days ago

"Decontextualized Little Clips of Violence": Daniel Goldhaber and Isa Mazzei on Faces of Death

Faces of Death reflects society's evolving relationship with graphic depictions of death and violence over the decades.
Television
fromThe Atlantic
2 days ago

Seven Documentaries for Fans of Fiction

Documentaries can effectively tell engaging stories, appealing even to those typically averse to the genre.
Media industry
fromFast Company
20 hours ago

Hollywood stars blast the Paramount-Warner merger in an open letter

Hollywood professionals oppose the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, citing job losses and reduced opportunities for creators.
NYC music
fromVulture
1 day ago

C'est Absurde, In the Best Possible Way: Titanique

Broadway's current season celebrates queer culture through vibrant productions like Titanique and Rocky Horror Show, showcasing defiance and joy amidst challenges.
Podcast
fromWIRED
2 days ago

'The Audacity' Is the Broligarchy Takedown You Were Waiting For

Duncan Park embodies the toxic mindset of Silicon Valley's elite, showcasing the absurdity and moral bankruptcy of the tech industry's culture.
#cannes-film-festival
NYC LGBT
fromQueerty
3 days ago

Everyone knows what gay director Ira Sachs' latest film is about... So why won't they say it out loud? - Queerty

The 2026 Cannes Film Festival features a lineup of LGBTQ+ filmmakers, including Ira Sachs' new film The Man I Love.
Independent films
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

Cannes looks beyond Hollywood as US film-makers mostly fail to make the grade

Cannes 2023 selection favors world cinema over Hollywood, showcasing prominent international directors and reflecting geopolitical tensions.
NYC LGBT
fromQueerty
3 days ago

Everyone knows what gay director Ira Sachs' latest film is about... So why won't they say it out loud? - Queerty

The 2026 Cannes Film Festival features a lineup of LGBTQ+ filmmakers, including Ira Sachs' new film The Man I Love.
Independent films
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

Cannes looks beyond Hollywood as US film-makers mostly fail to make the grade

Cannes 2023 selection favors world cinema over Hollywood, showcasing prominent international directors and reflecting geopolitical tensions.
Humor
fromwww.theguardian.com
5 days ago

The Assembly review TV has rarely seen anything like this delightful gem

The Assembly features celebrities interviewed by young adults with neurodivergence, allowing for direct and profound questions that challenge conventional interview norms.
Medicine
fromVulture
6 days ago

Ogilvie Originally Had a Much-Different Ending on The Pitt

Season two introduces James Ogilvie, a medical student who evolves from a self-centered persona to a more empathetic character through experiences in the ER.
#box-office
Independent films
fromVulture
17 hours ago

The Future of the Black Rom-com Shouldn't Depend on You, Me & Tuscany

Movies often succeed or fail based on box office performance, with middling films like You, Me & Tuscany facing uncertain futures.
Independent films
fromVulture
17 hours ago

The Future of the Black Rom-com Shouldn't Depend on You, Me & Tuscany

Movies often succeed or fail based on box office performance, with middling films like You, Me & Tuscany facing uncertain futures.
Film
fromwww.npr.org
4 hours ago

The labor economics of Alien and its lessons for inequality on Earth

Income inequality in America is likened to the labor dynamics in the movie Alien, highlighting the need for confrontation in the labor market.
fromThe Independent
2 days ago

Netflix scraps Millie Bobby Brown movie after actor exits over creative differences

Millie Bobby Brown was set to portray Kerri Strug, a member of the 1996 'Magnificent Seven' USA gymnastics team, but left due to creative differences.
Television
Podcast
fromSFGATE
2 days ago

Bill Simmons, Ringer colleagues talk SF film 'Basic Instinct' in NSFW live show

The Ringer's 'The Rewatchables' podcast features a live taping discussing 'Basic Instinct' as a quintessential San Francisco film.
#netflix
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago
Film

Thrash review cursed shark thriller sinks like a stone on Netflix

Netflix often acquires films that were rejected by studios, resulting in a mix of quality content.
fromOpen Culture
2 months ago
Film

How the "Netflix Movie" Turns Cinema into "Visual Muzak"

Netflix shifted from a DVD-era cinephile resource to a streaming outlet with diminished classic selections, debased brand, and formulaic, algorithm-driven big-budget originals.
Media industry
from24/7 Wall St.
4 days ago

Long-Form vs. Short-Form: The AI Debate That Misses Netflix's Real Strength

Netflix's strong fundamentals and growth prospects make it a compelling investment despite misconceptions about AI competition.
Independent films
fromVulture
3 days ago

13 Movies You Shouldn't Miss on Netflix This Month

Netflix offers a curated list of must-watch films for April, featuring both new releases and classic favorites.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

Thrash review cursed shark thriller sinks like a stone on Netflix

Netflix often acquires films that were rejected by studios, resulting in a mix of quality content.
Film
fromABC7 Los Angeles
17 hours ago

Beyond breaking news: local reporter follows his passion for film making

Sean Au emphasizes the emotional connection movies create between characters and audiences, inspiring his journey as a filmmaker.
fromKqed
22 hours ago

In Steven Soderbergh's 'The Christophers,' an Artist Meets His Match

Sklar's indefatigable, but his cachet has waned. Where his early paintings now sell for millions, he can barely give his more recent work away.
Independent films
Television
fromSan Francisco Bay Times
4 days ago

The World of Broadcasting as Depicted on the Big and Little Screen - San Francisco Bay Times

Movies like 'A Face in the Crowd' and 'Network' accurately depict the broadcasting industry's cruelty and complexities.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 day ago

Ken Loach revisits I, Daniel Blake: We were asking if food banks are tolerable. Now they're an institution'

The film 'I, Daniel Blake' highlights the cruelty of a system that blames poverty on the poor and the struggles of those in need.
Media industry
fromDigiday
6 days ago

Future of TV Briefing: A TV advertising staple is missing from YouTube show sponsorships

YouTube channels are beginning to offer TV-style make-goods and viewership guarantees to sponsors as episodic series gain popularity.
#ai-in-film
fromKotaku
1 day ago
Independent films

Soderbergh Says He's "Obligated" To Use AI On John Lennon Doc

Steven Soderbergh plans to incorporate AI in future projects, including a documentary about John Lennon's final interview.
fromWIRED
2 months ago
Artificial intelligence

Hollywood Is Losing Audiences to AI Fatigue

Contemporary Hollywood's frequent AI stories have grown repetitive, commercially unreliable, and have undermined the cinematic treatment of artificial intelligence.
Independent films
fromKotaku
1 day ago

Soderbergh Says He's "Obligated" To Use AI On John Lennon Doc

Steven Soderbergh plans to incorporate AI in future projects, including a documentary about John Lennon's final interview.
fromVulture
3 days ago

The 14 Best Movies and TV Shows to Watch This Weekend

A time jump resets this show's character dynamics with Rue (Zendaya) working off her debt to a drug dealer and seemingly nearly all the series' other female characters engaged in sex work of some kind. Sam Levinson's vision of a woman's life is pretty depressing.
Television
Film
fromFilmmaker Magazine
3 days ago

Exclusive: Watch a Clip of the LAFM World Premiere Drinking and Driving

Drinking and Driving is a lo-fi film exploring youthful recklessness and stagnation in small-town life.
Television
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

There's no shortage of terrifying technology': how AI became TV drama's new go-to villain

AI is portrayed as a powerful and dangerous tool in modern surveillance and military operations.
#independent-film
Media industry
fromIndieWire
1 week ago

To Access Stranded Capital, Filmmakers Need to Learn Demand-Side Thinking

Shifting from supply-side to demand-side thinking is crucial for independent filmmakers to attract investment and audience interest.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
1 week ago

Brands Won't Save Indie Film: They're Changing It

Independent filmmakers face financing challenges while brands are shifting towards storytelling, but brands won't fill the financing gap for traditional filmmaking.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
2 days ago

Bowling Alleys, Premium Formats, More Films: Which Fixes Can Save Movie Theaters?

A 45-day exclusive theatrical window is essential for small and mid-budget films to thrive against streaming competition.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

I'm not a commercial director I'm not even a professional film-maker': Jim Jarmusch on the seven-year journey to make his new film

Jim Jarmusch's film Night on Earth features Gena Rowlands, who brought depth and melancholy to her role as a casting director.
DC food
fromVulture
1 month ago

The Logic Behind The Madison's Unusual Release

Paramount+ releases Taylor Sheridan's The Madison in two three-episode batches on consecutive Saturdays to emphasize its cinematic qualities and position it as date-night events for audiences.
Independent films
fromThe Atlantic
3 days ago

The Real Heist in Steven Soderbergh's New Movie

The Christophers explores the relationship between art and commerce through a whimsical theft orchestrated by a cantankerous artist's greedy children.
fromOregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
5 days ago

FilmWatch Weekly: 'The Blue Trail,' 'Hamlet,' 'Exit 8,' and more * Oregon ArtsWatch

The Blue Trail is set in a recognizable, vaguely dystopian future, where the government ships elderly people off to a distant location known only as The Colony when they reach the age of 80. This is justified by the need to preserve jobs and resources for the younger population, but it doesn't sit well with 77-year-old Tereza, especially when she learns that the cutoff has been lowered to 75.
Film
Independent films
fromThe Independent
4 days ago

Steven Spielberg shares huge admission about Christopher Nolan film Interstellar

Interstellar was originally intended to be directed by Steven Spielberg before Christopher Nolan took over the project.
Film
fromInsideHook
1 week ago

"The Drama" Has No Idea How to Handle Its Controversial Twist

The Drama presents a romantic comedy that takes a dark turn with a shocking revelation about a character's past involvement in a school shooting plot.
Film
fromInverse
6 days ago

10 Years Ago, A Controversial Action Thriller Tried - And Failed - To Reinvent Cinema As We Know It

Hardcore Henry innovates first-person cinema by combining action with video game mechanics, creating a unique viewing experience.
Independent films
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

Outcome review Keanu Reeves sends himself up in Jonah Hill's Hollywood satire

The film presents a comedic take on a famous image of Keanu Reeves, exploring themes of fame, loneliness, and personal growth.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
6 days ago

Charli xcx's Brat movie marks the moment the mockumentary died | Zach Schonfeld

The mockumentary genre has become stale, lacking the innovative spirit that characterized earlier works by directors like Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner.
#horror-films
fromFast Company
3 days ago
Independent films

'Exit 8' and liminal space horror: A low-budget movie trend shaped by Gen Z's most traumatic formative years

Independent distributors are focusing on low-budget horror films set in liminal spaces, appealing to Gen Z's love for horror.
fromIndieWire
1 week ago
Film

Horror Movies Seemed Unusually Good in Q1 - What Went Wrong at the Box Office?

Q1 2026 saw unexpected quality in horror films, contrasting with historical trends of poor releases during this period.
Independent films
fromFast Company
3 days ago

'Exit 8' and liminal space horror: A low-budget movie trend shaped by Gen Z's most traumatic formative years

Independent distributors are focusing on low-budget horror films set in liminal spaces, appealing to Gen Z's love for horror.
Film
fromIndieWire
1 week ago

Horror Movies Seemed Unusually Good in Q1 - What Went Wrong at the Box Office?

Q1 2026 saw unexpected quality in horror films, contrasting with historical trends of poor releases during this period.
Arts
fromwww.npr.org
1 month ago

If you loved 'Bugonia,' here's what to watch next

Bugonia, a Yorgos Lanthimos remake of a 2003 Korean thriller starring Emma Stone, combines tonal shifts and violence with accessibility, earning four Academy Award nominations.
Film
fromFast Company
1 week ago

Why people are suddenly hesitant to watch Zendaya's new movie, "The Drama"

The film 'The Drama' faces backlash for its sensitive plot involving a character's confession about planning a school shooting.
Media industry
fromIndieWire
1 month ago

If You've Been Waiting for Normal in Hollywood, Here It Is

YouTube surpassed Disney as the world's largest media company while accomplished independent producers like Ted Hope struggle to find industry support, signaling a fundamental shift in entertainment's structure and sustainability.
fromIndieWire
4 days ago

'Outcome' Review: Keanu Reeves Is a Troubled Movie Star in Jonah Hill's Desperate and Unfunny Comedy About the Pain of Public Opinion

Hill struggles to open up despite his unabated desire for vulnerability, feeling that he had to turn his own therapy sessions into a Netflix documentary to force himself to an uncomfortably honest place.
Independent films
fromInverse
5 days ago

15 Years Ago, a Forgotten Fantasy Satire Tried To Change Hollywood

Your Highness is described as a 'self-indulgent dream project for the 11-year-old in me' by director David Gordon Green, showcasing a unique blend of stoner comedy and high fantasy.
Independent films
Independent films
fromFilmmaker Magazine
4 days ago

"Personal Storytelling, Experimentation, and a DIY Spirit": A Look Inside LAFM 2026

This year's festival showcases debut features emphasizing personal storytelling and experimentation from both international and local filmmakers.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

From the phone to the plex: why TV shows are turning into movies

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man achieved over 25 million views on Netflix in three days, showcasing the shift from cinema to streaming.
Film
fromEsquire
2 weeks ago

The 9 Best Movies of 2026 (So Far)

Major studio films have underperformed, while smaller films have offered fresh ideas and engaging stories.
fromThe New Yorker
1 week ago

In Film, Sometimes the Greatest Drama Is Offscreen

"Cinematic Immunity" offers a workers'-eye view of Hollywood on the Hudson, revealing the intricate dynamics of filmmaking in New York City from 1954 to 9/11.
Independent films
Silicon Valley
fromSilicon Canals
2 months ago

Psychology says if you check movie reviews before watching you probably display these 9 distinctive traits - Silicon Canals

People who check reviews before watching movies tend to be highly conscientious, detail-oriented, time-conscious, and thorough, often researching extensively across decisions.
fromRaymondcamden
2 weeks ago

Checking if a Movie has a Post or Mid Credit Scene

The app is incredibly simple. I made use of the wonderful SimpleCSS for my design and then made use of the TMDB API. The TMDB APIs are pretty easy to use, but finding out how to get this information did take a bit of digging.
Film
fromIndieWire
1 week ago

You Can't Make a 'Cult Classic' with Marketing - Opinion

'Forbidden Fruits' has been widely hailed as a 'cult classic' by critics and fans, but labeling it as such too soon risks undermining the process that establishes a film's cultural significance over time.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
3 weeks ago

What Went Wrong at One of Hollywood's Newest Indie Distributors

Row K Entertainment was conceived as a niche solution to a specific problem: too many indie movies, not enough indie buyers. Launched in August 2025, the fledgling label entered the movie market with a clear pitch.
Independent films
Media industry
fromVulture
1 month ago

Everybody Loses

David Ellison's Paramount acquisition of Warner Bros. over Netflix's bid will likely result in massive debt, layoffs, reduced content production, and a rightward-leaning combined news operation.
Film
fromVulture
4 weeks ago

Finally, an Oscars for People Who Actually Bother to Watch Movies

The Academy Awards ceremony featured humorous recreations of film scenes, signaling a shift toward celebrating cinema rather than attempting to modernize the show through external entertainment formats.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
3 weeks ago

Indie Film Has an Architecture Problem

The indie film model is structurally designed to fail, with misaligned incentives between investors, filmmakers, distributors, and audiences, resulting in only 0.025% of screenplays achieving profitable theatrical outcomes.
Film
fromEsquire
1 month ago

Do Original Movies Have Any Hope Left? I Went on a Journey to Find Out.

Theaters must create unique event experiences to compete with home entertainment, driving elaborate marketing stunts and premium screen innovations.
Film
fromIndieWire
1 month ago

Have You Been Hurt by Media Consolidation? I Have.

The infrastructure supporting independent film production and distribution has collapsed, eliminating financing options, distribution channels, and profit opportunities that sustained filmmakers for decades.
Independent films
fromVulture
1 month ago

Why Universal Committed to Keeping Movies in Theaters Longer

Universal Pictures extends theatrical exclusivity windows to five weeks immediately and seven weeks by 2027, though most viewers already wait longer for streaming access via Peacock subscription service.
Film
fromEntrepreneur
1 month ago

This Cult Filmmaker Learned Something About Audiences Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know'Make Them Feel Something'

Kevin Smith built a personal brand by connecting directly with fans, which created lasting career opportunities beyond individual film projects in an unpredictable industry.
fromVulture
1 month ago

17 Movies With Exclamation-Point Titles, Ranked!

During a junket interview with OutNow, Gyllenhaal explained that the punctuation mark was included to represent the "whole lot of energy" that comes out when the historically muted Bride of Frankenstein is finally allowed to speak. That's all well and good, but to viewers the titular exclamation point is less of a metaphor and more of a golden arrow saying, "This movie is going to be crazy."
Film
Film
fromInsideHook
1 month ago

Of Course Oscar Voters Still Aren't Watching All the Movies

The Academy's new requirement for voters to certify they've watched all nominated films relies on an honor system that voters are openly admitting to circumventing through false attestations and technical loopholes.
fromThe Independent
1 month ago

17 great movies ruined by terrible endings

10 Cloverfield Lane Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman and John Gallagher Jr are locked in an underground bunker for the majority of this left-field sequel to Cloverfield, with thrilling results. In the film's final throes, Winstead's character exits the bunker, and finds that her captor was telling the truth about an alien invasion above - a twist that completely and ruinously dissipates the hard-earned tension that came before.
Film
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Letterboxd's most eager reviewers are changing cinema etiquette: I was excited to pull out my phone'

Turning off a phone during films creates uninterrupted, luxurious solitude, while Letterboxd drives rapid, seat-side reviews and incentivizes cinephiles to produce immediate, polished critiques.
Film
fromPAPER Magazine
1 month ago

Can Social Media Be More Like Letterboxd?

Letterboxd provides a low-stakes space for casual, unguarded movie opinions amid broader internet fatigue, outrage-driven monetization, and retreat from public discourse.
Film
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

The Real Secret to a Filmmaker's Success

Coppola, Lucas, and Spielberg in the 1970s combined artistic daring with commercial ambition, reshaping Hollywood through auteurism and blockbuster filmmaking.
Film
fromInsideHook
2 months ago

In Defense of Movie Sex Scenes

Onscreen sex scenes can be narratively essential but are often gratuitous, harmful, or disruptive when objectifying participants, reinforcing stereotypes, or damaging a film's flow.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

People feel like they're in on the joke': the new wave of pseudo-biopics

Filmmakers increasingly create pseudo-biopics that borrow recognizable elements from real people and events while changing names and details to avoid legal liability and maintain creative freedom.
Film
fromInverse
1 month ago

'How To Make A Killing' Is A Screwy Social Satire That Falls Just Short Of The Mark

How to Make a Killing follows Becket Redfellow murdering wealthy relatives in a tonal blend of black comedy and satire, buoyed by Glen Powell's charm.
Film
fromVulture
2 months ago

So What's the Deal With Iron Lung?

Markiplier's Iron Lung, a self-financed sci-fi horror adaptation of the 2022 game starring him largely alone, achieved unexpectedly massive box-office success.
Film
fromThe Verge
2 months ago

Iron Lung's path to theaters was unique, even if the movie isn't

Iron Lung is a small-budget horror film that leveraged Markiplier's YouTube audience to gross over $20 million without major studio backing.
fromPortland Monthly
2 months ago

The Movies We're Actually Going To

Nearly every other month since 2015, Carla Rossi has hosted a movie screening at the Hollywood Theatre that's also a drag show. The event, called Queer Horror, helps explain why The Ring is a "lesbian-coded ode to unwanted queer kids" and contextualizes Hellraiser 's "outrageously horny injection of iconic '80s queer horror." If Rossi's intro alone doesn't forever change your relationship to the night's movie, the on-theme drag performances-burlesque, lip-syncing, acrobatics-certainly will.
Film
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

This fun thriller does the impossible: it makes you feel sorry for influencers (yes, really)

A coldly clever thriller where a charismatic killer murders influencers and steals their social media identities, exposing loneliness and performative online lives.
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