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Podcast: What's hot at Sundance 2022 and Samsung's upcoming Unpacked
This week, Cherlynn and Devindra discuss highlights from Sundance 2022, Samsung's upcoming Unpacked, Neil Young, Spotify and Antiwork.
Podcast: A chat with the directors of 'A Glitch in the Matrix' and 'Users'
We chat with Rodney Ascher and Natalia Almada about their new documentaries, A Glitch in the Matrix and Users.
Our favorite films and VR experiences at Sundance 2021
Here’s what we’ve learned from covering the 2021 Sundance: Virtual film festivals can be awkward, but it’s still an absolute rush to get an early look at some of the year’s most interesting films.
'A Glitch in the Matrix' and the obsession of simulation theory
If you've heard of simulation theory -- the idea that our entire universe could be running inside of some sort of extra-dimensional computer -- there's a good chance you encountered it from a high profile believer like Elon Musk. If you're even somewhat intrigued by exploring the subculture, you'll appreciate A Glitch in the Matrix, Rodney Ascher's latest documentary about uniquely obsessive personalities.
Engadget Podcast: Virtual Sundance, Bezos leaves Amazon and the Apple Car
We dive into everything we loved (and hated) at the virtual Sundance 2021 Film Festival.
My AI-moderated video chat with strangers gave me hope
The questions also differ slightly across all the sessions, according to McCarthy. Had I only been speaking with Serenity, I would have missed out on the collaborative aspect. But of course, the quality of your BTB experience hinges on the people you get to interact with.
'Users' is a fascinating meditation on life and parenting in the digital age
It’s not hard to imagine Users becoming its own series like the Qatsi films. It felt as if I was handing my newborn over to our new god -- technology. “She's in the satellites orbiting around us in space. “She and I are in a battle over my children’s affection.
In ‘Searchers’, looking for love on dating apps is a revealing journey
Apps have taken over dating. If you’ve ever sat down with a friend and asked to go through people on a dating app with them, Searchers is a film for you. If you’re one of the lucky people who have never had to use a dating app and are curious about the experience, Searchers is for you.
Apple just paid a record $25 million to buy a Sundance movie
Apple has paid $25 million to buy the movie 'CODA' — a record amount for a Sundance Film Festival deal.
Disney releases interactive short 'Baymax Dreams' on GeForce Now
Sundance Film Festival isn’t happening this year — not in person, anyway — so creators are finding new ways to showcase their creations. The folks at Disney, for instance, are offering an interactive short through NVIDIA’s GeForce Now, a streaming service that’s usually focused on blockbuster games. Any user can search for Baymax Dreams of Fred’s Glitch and experience the charming but all-too-brief adventure, which focuses on the cast from Big Hero 6.
YouTube wants you to film your day for a Ridley Scott documentary
They're working with director Kevin Macdonald on a sequel to 2010's 'Life in a Day.'
Amazon will debut 'The Report' in theaters before it hits Prime Video
Amazon is making good on a plan to offer Netflix-style theatrical releases for movies before they reach Prime Video. The internet giant now plans to release one of its Sundance picks, the political thriller The Report, in theaters on September 27th -- two weeks before it starts streaming on October 11th. The approach not only ensures that it's a contender for the Oscars and other big awards, but ensures that people will see the movie while it's still fresh.
Hulu snaps up award-winning social media influencer documentary
Streaming services have been snapping up Sundance hits left and right -- Amazon even spent over $40 million to grab a handful of titles from the festival, including One Child Nation and The Report. Now, Hulu has announced that it has secured the rights for the Liza Mandelup-directed documentary Jawline, which won Sundance's Special Jury Prize for Emerging Filmmaker.
Amazon buys Sundance's prize-winning documentary 'One Child Nation'
Amazon's spending spree at this year's Sundance festival now includes at least one of the event's award winners. The internet giant has bought the rights to One Child Nation, the documentary that just won a grand jury prize at the festival. The cash value is relatively modest ("high-six figures" according to Variety), but Amazon is clearly interested in the prestige rather than the immediate financial value.
Amazon buys Shia LaBeouf's semi-autobiographical 'Honey Boy'
It's no secret that Amazon has been on a buying spree at Sundance, but its latest acquisition is an unusual one. The internet giant has snapped up Honey Boy, a Shia LaBeouf drama influenced by the actor's childhood and created as part of his rehab program. It's not the hugest purchase at Sundance with a $5 million price tag (Amazon paid $14 million for The Report), but it has a well-known cast beyond LaBeouf. Musician FKA Twigs, Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea) and Natasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black).
Amazon secures CIA torture thriller 'The Report' at Sundance
Just days after it nabbed the US rights for Mindy Kaling's crowd-pleaser Late Night for a record $13 million, Amazon has doubled down on the Sundance hits by nabbing The Report. The film -- a political thriller starring Adam Driver that probes the CIA's use of torture -- has garnered buzz at the indie film festival for its taut writing and performances. Amazon forked out somewhere in the region of $14 million to secure the film globally, reports Variety.
Amazon sets Sundance record by acquiring Mindy Kaling's 'Late Night'
Amazon might just be the biggest player at the Sundance Film Festival this year. The internet giant has spent $13 million to acquire the US rights to Late Night, a movie written, produced and starring Mindy Kaling. As Deadline pointed out, that's a record for any US-only deal at Sundance -- even Amazon's $12 million rights deal for The Big Sick included a few places beyond American borders. There was reportedly a fierce four-way fight for the movie, suggesting that Amazon was determined to stay on top.
Aronofsky's VR project 'Spheres' will premiere at Venice Film Festival
Darren Aronofsky's three-part virtual reality series Spheres -- bought for a seven-figure sum at Sundance earlier this year -- will make its world premiere at the upcoming Venice Film Festival. Adding to its sci-fi credentials is the announcement that Millie Bobby Brown, aka Eleven from Netflix series Stranger Things, will be lending her voice to the final instalment of the trilogy, Spheres: Chorus of the Cosmos.
Theater subscription service MoviePass snaps up its first film
MoviePass is wasting no time in making good on its plans to invest in films. The company behind the 'unlimited' theater subscription has snapped up crime caper American Animals for $3 million at Sundance. The move sees it share North American distribution rights for the film with indie studio The Orchard, according to Variety.
Darren Aronofsky-backed VR series 'Spheres' lands a 7-figure deal
If you want evidence that VR is maturing as an entertainment medium, you just got it. CityLights just bought the rights to Spheres, the three-part VR black hole series written by Eliza McNitt and produced by Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures, for a "seven-figure" amount at the Sundance Film Festival. That might not sound like much by Hollywood standards, but it's the first-ever seven-figure VR purchase at the event. It was slated to reach the Oculus Rift in 2018 (Oculus and Intel backed the project) and should get wider distribution as a result.
