Glenn Whipp

Is this the best year ever for Best Picture nominees? We put it to the test

March 3, 2024 at 2:01 p.m.

Ever since the motion picture academy super-sized the Oscars' best picture category up from five in 2009, there has been constant complaining about how the prestige of a nomination has...

‘You Hurt My Feelings’: Bruised egos, rueful comedy and … socks, lots and lots of socks

May 25, 2023 at 6:09 p.m.

Filmmaker Nicole Holofcener has fashioned a wonderful career mining her characters' angst and annoyances. So when in her latest wry comedy, "You Hurt My Feelings," Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Beth lets out...

‘Ticket to Paradise’ has Julia Roberts and George Clooney, and that’s enough

October 20, 2022 at 11:26 p.m.

Like we needed any additional proof, but the breezy new romantic comedy "Ticket to Paradise" confirms that Julia Roberts and George Clooney still look great in the air, on dry...

In ‘Triangle of Sadness,’ strained satire, and vomit, on the high seas

October 19, 2022 at 10:34 p.m.

Ruben Östlund's Palme d'Or-winning social satire, "Triangle of Sadness," is many things: a cautionary tale about the perils of slurping shellfish on rough seas, a blunt (as in dull) critique...

Esto es lo que realmente sucedio despues de que Will Smith abofeteara a Chris Rock en los scar

April 13, 2022 at 10:00 p.m.

"Oficialmente, no queremos que te vayas. Queremos que te quedes".Ese fue el mensaje que Will Packer, el productor de los Óscar de este año, salió corriendo a entregarle a Will...

Will Smith’s Oscars punishment: an unprecedented 10-year ban

April 9, 2022 at 2:54 a.m.

Nearly two weeks after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars over a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced...

La controversia de los scar pasa a segundo plano en el almuerzo de celebracion de los nominados

March 9, 2022 at 7:19 p.m.

Todavía es emocionante ser nominado, incluso si su Óscar no se presenta durante la ceremonia en vivo.Y en el almuerzo anual de los nominados al Óscar el lunes, nadie con...

Kristen Stewart en su dia perfecto en Los Angeles, su nominacion al Oscar y, si, sus planes de boda

February 25, 2022 at 4:12 a.m.

Kristen Stewart busca en su teléfono una canción que la haya hecho llorar. Es el día de San Valentín. El sol se está poniendo sobre Griffith Park y estamos sentados...

Kristen Stewart blows critics away as Princess Diana. She’s ready to talk about it

September 8, 2021 at 6:16 p.m.

TELLURIDE, Colo. — "I'm a total L.A. scumbag," Kristen Stewart says, bending her wrist to show me an expertly inked Los Angeles Dodgers logo. It's the last day of the Telluride Film...

Anya Taylor-Joy’s got work to do – a lot of it. And the messier the better

August 24, 2021 at 11:23 p.m.

Anya Taylor-Joy posted a brief Instagram video a few weeks ago during a car ride, her hair damp, her face smeared with dirt and her smile radiant as she laughed...

Get ready for ‘CODA,’ the feel-good movie that will emotionally destroy you

August 12, 2021 at 7:21 p.m.

My first review of "CODA," Siân Heder's sublime coming-of-age story of a child of deaf adults (the film's title is that very acronym), came right after watching it on the...

‘Summer of Soul’: A rousing cultural and musical revolution, now finally seen

July 1, 2021 at 6:09 p.m.

The California Times is committed to reviewing theatrical film releases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because moviegoing carries risks during this time, we remind readers to follow health and safety guidelines...

‘Sparks Brothers’ doc celebrates the greatest band you’ve never heard of

June 17, 2021 at 6:24 p.m.

The CaliforniaTimes is committed to reviewing theatrical film releases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because moviegoing carries risks during this time, we remind readers to follow health and safety guidelines as...

‘One more!’ How Chadwick Boseman embraced life and his ‘Ma Rainey’ castmates

March 30, 2021 at 8:57 p.m.

To watch Chadwick Boseman in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" is to see an artist fully committing to life. As Levee, an ambitious trumpet player fighting for his place in a...

After an exhausting 2020, the gentle ‘Minari’ is the movie we need right now

February 11, 2021 at 10:56 p.m.

In the opening moments of Lee Isaac Chung's moving immigrant drama "Minari," Monica (Yeri Han) looks out the station wagon window at the lush Ozark landscapes she's ing through while...

Golden Globe nominations 2021: TV, film snubs and surprises

February 3, 2021 at 3:07 p.m.

The Golden Globes divides its movie categories between drama and comedy/musical, leading to a surplus of contenders and the ability for horrible movies like “Burlesque” to promote themselves as (god...

‘Schitt’s Creek’ Emmy haul sets an all-time record

September 21, 2020 at 1:30 p.m.

"Schitt's Creek" entered the 72nd Emmys having never won anything. It left taking everything, becoming the first comedy program to sweep all seven of the major series prize categories.Cast ...

Hillary Clinton slams Trump handling of dual crises: ‘He is without shame’

June 5, 2020 at 1:34 p.m.

Since "Hillary," Hulu's four-part documentary about Hillary Clinton, premiered in early March, America has been devastated by a pandemic and convulsed by nationwide protests following the police killing of George...

‘The Booksellers’: If you love books, you’ll adore this documentary

April 16, 2020 at 11:25 p.m.

With states closing all but the most essential businesses to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, there's been some debate about what qualifies as "essential." Some bookstore owners have...

‘1917’ dominates our 2020 Oscar predictions, but ‘Parasite’ could surprise

February 6, 2020 at 5:40 p.m.

Brad Pitt will make us laugh. Joaquin Phoenix will make us nervous. And "Little Women" will win exactly one Oscar, costume design, richly deserved, don't get me wrong, but, wow,...

Surrender to the charming self-deprecation of Robert Pattinson

November 24, 2019 at 5:54 p.m.

When other people were out celebrating the New Year, Robert Pattinson was staring at an empty calendar, thinking, "God. Nothing. My career is over. I need to quit. I need...

Louis C.K. is on a bizarre comeback tour. But he’s afraid you’ll find out about his post-#MeToo jokes

November 17, 2019 at 5:29 a.m.

RALEIGH, N.C. — On a brisk November night, a solitary man wandered around the plaza outside the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts on the edge of downtown. He had just...

Here are the movies that could – and should – earn Oscar nominations for best picture

November 16, 2019 at 5:18 p.m.

Flying home from the Toronto International Film Festival, I was talking about this year’s Oscar race with an editor from another publication. He told me his boss believed that “Jojo...

As Judy Garland, Renee Zellweger reveals new facets of her gifts – and herself

November 5, 2019 at 2:22 p.m.

Renée Zellweger is making her way through a bowl of potato chips in the lobby of Casa del Mar, the beachfront Santa Monica hotel she used as an office for...

Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe and the ‘orgasm that won’t stop’ in ‘The Lighthouse’

October 24, 2019 at 6:40 p.m.

Robert Pattinson knows he needs to stop talking about masturbation.Case in point: At a Q&A last weekend for "The Lighthouse," the loopy, claustrophobic chamber piece that pairs him with Willem...

Emmy predictions: Who will, should and could win at Sunday night’s awards

September 22, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.

If you were among the more than 1 million people who signed a petition asking HBO to remake the final season of "Game of Thrones," you might want to avoid...

If you ask ‘Better Call Saul’s’ Giancarlo Esposito for a selfie, be prepared to take two

August 9, 2019 at 1:10 a.m.

What would you do if you came face to face with Gustavo Fring?It’s a question that Giancarlo Esposito, the actor who plays the drug lord (and purveyor of delicious chicken),...

Michelle Williams and Sam Rockwell are swearing off chicken and cigarettes after ‘Fosse/Verdon’

August 7, 2019 at 12:11 p.m.

Michelle Williams never wants to see a chicken breast again. And though Sam Rockwell used to enjoy the occasional smoke, half a year spent with a cigarette dangling from his...

Anthony Carrigan shares NoHo Hank’s guide to L.A., including the Galleria and Grove

August 6, 2019 at 12:11 p.m.

Bill Hader and Henry Winkler have already won Emmys for their work on “Barry” — and deservedly so — but if you had to pick one actor who embodies the...

Emmy predictions: ‘Barry,’ ‘Veep,’ ‘Maisel’ and ‘Fleabag’ fighting it out

August 5, 2019 at 3:10 p.m.

All the Emmy drama this year is on the comedy side. We know the “Game of Thrones” cast will be taking the stage to end the evening. Will “Veep” likewise...

Review: David Crosby hoping for a little more time in elegiac doc ‘ My Name’

August 4, 2019 at 1:01 p.m.

David Crosby, a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member for his tenure with the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, has talked freely about his addictions and missteps...

David Crosby hoping for a little more time in elegiac doc ‘ My Name’

August 2, 2019 at 5:16 p.m.

David Crosby, a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member for his tenure with the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, has talked freely about his addictions and missteps...

The biggest snubs and surprises from the 2019 Emmy nominations

July 16, 2019 at 5:35 p.m.

No Emmy nominations day would be complete without at least a few snubs and surprises. The 2019 list— announced by D'Arcy Carden and Ken Jeong on Tuesday — surprisingly includes...

‘Game of Thrones’: Daenerys actress Emilia Clarke was unsure about the finale. She called her mom

May 21, 2019 at 1:08 p.m.

Note to readers: This article contains a spoiler about the series finale of “Game of Thrones.” When Emilia Clarke finished reading the scripts for the last two episodes of “Game...

A night of surprises at the Golden Globes adds twists to the Oscar race

August 7, 2019 at 5:39 p.m.

Golden Globes cohost Sandra Oh got choked up seeing the diverse sea of faces in the Beverly Hilton’s ballroom. A Netflix movie won a Golden Globe for the first time....

Golden Globes preview: 5 things to watch for, from Bradley Cooper to the Dude

January 4, 2019 at 2:28 p.m.

Does it feel like “A Star Is Born,” the consensus Oscar front-runner for best picture, came out a really long time ago? Like, I don’t think I’ve heard the song...

Golden Globes preview: 5 things to watch for, from Bradley Cooper to the Dude

January 4, 2019 at 2:28 p.m.

Does it feel like “A Star Is Born,” the consensus Oscar front-runner for best picture, came out a really long time ago? Like, I don’t think I’ve heard the song...

Gold Standard: ‘Roma’ puts Netflix in the thick of the best picture Oscar race

November 16, 2018 at 7:44 p.m.

Many best picture Oscar hopefuls are arriving in theaters. If you’re a Netflix subscriber, one of the season’s leading contenders will begin streaming next month, though, in a break from...

Emmys preview: The five races we’ll be watching on television’s big night

September 16, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.

The big four broadcast networks have the Emmys telecast locked up through 2026, by which time we’ll probably have some kind of algorithm that’ll recommend whether we should watch the...

Emmys preview: The five races we’ll be watching on television’s big night

September 16, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.

The big four broadcast networks have the Emmys telecast locked up through 2026, by which time we’ll probably have some kind of algorithm that’ll recommend whether we should watch the...

Emmys preview: The five races we’ll be watching on television’s big night

September 17, 2018 at 5:54 p.m.

The big four broadcast networks have the Emmys telecast locked up through 2026, by which time we’ll probably have some kind of algorithm that’ll recommend whether we should watch the...

Review: In ‘We the Animals,’ a young man finds his way in a tumultuous world

September 7, 2018 at 9:05 a.m.

A tender and sometimes terrifying story of a young boy’s discovery of his identity and artistic ability, “We the Animals” unfolds almost as a dream, albeit it one that never...

Review: Chloe Grace Moretz stars in brave, empathetic gay conversion drama ‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’

August 24, 2018 at 9:00 a.m.

“The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” the Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner about a group of teens enduring a gay conversion therapy boarding school, opens with a pastor warning adolescents that...

Facing declining Oscars ratings, motion picture academy announces creation of new ‘popular film’ category

August 9, 2018 at 2:28 p.m.

It’s safe to assume that few in Hollywood woke up Wednesday morning thinking that the Oscars as they knew them were about to change forever.With no prior warning or public...

There’s no escaping politics in these Emmy races

June 14, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.

“Saturday Night Live” earned a show-record 22 Emmy nominations last year for its 42nd season, winning eight, including variety sketch series. But its ratings tumbled this year — even Donald...

Review: Stanley Kubrick’s assistant takes center stage in ‘Filmworker’

May 25, 2018 at 9:05 a.m.

Leon Vitali landed his big break as an actor when Stanley Kubrick cast him in a key role in his 1975 movie, “Barry Lyndon.” The collaboration would change Vitali’s life,...

Who gets invited to the Oscars?

March 4, 2018 at 6:08 p.m.

Over the past two years, most everyone has applauded the motion picture academy’s decision to add nearly 1,500 new industry professionals as a long-needed step toward diversifying the group’s ranks.But...

Final predictions for all 24 Oscar categories from L.A. Times awards columnist Glenn Whipp

March 2, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.

Talking to academy the past couple of weeks, I heard an earful about all the problems they had with various best picture contenders — “Why’d she have to …...

With the Golden Globes’ recent respectability, don’t expect any surprises in the nominations

December 11, 2017 at 7:24 a.m.

Where have all the weirdos gone in the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., the ones who’d nominate “Burlesque” for best motion picture or think that Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie both...

After 38 women accuse filmmaker James Toback of sexual harassment, 200 more reach out to share their stories

October 24, 2017 at 5:25 a.m.

Filmmaker James Toback has long had a bad reputation with women.Stories about the writer-director often referred to him as a womanizer, but what that actually meant did not become clear...

After 38 women accuse filmmaker James Toback of sexual harassment, 200 more reach out to share their stories

October 24, 2017 at 5:19 a.m.

Filmmaker James Toback has long had a bad reputation with women.Stories about the writer-director often referred to him as a womanizer, but what that actually meant did not become clear...

38 women have come forward to accuse director James Toback of sexual harassment

October 22, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.

He prowled the streets of Manhattan looking for attractive young women, usually in their early 20s, sometimes college students, on occasion a high schooler. He approached them in Central Park,...

Kate Winslet didn’t thank Harvey Weinstein when she won the Oscar. Here’s why.

October 16, 2017 at 2:18 p.m.

Reporting from New York — When Kate Winslet won the lead actress Oscar for “The Reader” in 2009, she thanked 19 people by name along with many others in general.She did not...

Kate Winslet didn’t thank Harvey Weinstein when she won the Oscar. Here’s why

October 16, 2017 at 1:26 a.m.

Reporting from New York — When Kate Winslet won the lead actress Oscar for “The Reader” in 2009, she thanked 19 people by name along with many others in general.She did not...

Harvey Weinstein is finding that few in Hollywood want to be on his side

October 8, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.

Harvey Weinstein, the brash outsider from Queens who upended Hollywood, has always liked to think of himself as an underdog. So there may have been no prouder moment for him...

Stephen Colbert on ideas that ‘could kill us all’ and the moment that changed his life

August 17, 2017 at 12:00 p.m.

Stephen Colbert’s desktop computer monitor is ringed with reminders — Post-it notes (“Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God,” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin), keepsakes (cards from...

‘La La Land’ producer on handing over the best picture Oscar – ‘I just righted a wrong’

March 4, 2017 at 7:11 a.m.

“La La Land” producer Jordan Horowitz may not have the Oscar for best picture, but he does now possess a distinction uniquely his own.“I got to accept the Academy Award...

Here’s who’s going to win all 24 Oscar categories

February 23, 2017 at 8:38 p.m.

After six months of campaigning and cajoling and trying to get “City of Stars” out of our heads, the Oscars are finally here. So it’s time for some final predictions...

Lin-Manuel Miranda talks ‘Mary Poppins,’ Bob Dylan and a mother’s love

February 10, 2017 at 7:09 a.m.

He’s mastering Spotify. He’s humbled by all the “Hamilton” shout-outs. And he’s hoping his mom doesn’t pick out an Oscar dress with a train.Heading home to an Epsom salts bath...

SAG Awards: A night when politics trumped the prizes themselves

January 22, 2018 at 10:04 p.m.

Anyone tuning in to the SAG Awards on Sunday thinking they might be escaping news headlines for a couple of hours was quickly disabused of that notion as winner after...

Golden Globes preview: Out with the snark, in with the Hollywood hokum

January 7, 2017 at 5:54 a.m.

When Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globes for the fourth (and, hopefully, not final) time last year, he joked that the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. threatened to...

Golden Globes preview: Out with the snark, in with the Hollywood hokum

December 13, 2017 at 10:23 p.m.

When Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globes for the fourth (and, hopefully, not final) time last year, he joked that the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. threatened to...

Who’s to blame for Mariah Carey’s not-so-rockin’ New Year’s Eve? Depends who you ask

January 1, 2017 at 9:47 p.m.

The day after Mariah Carey’s New Year’s Eve nightmare in Times Square, the blame game began to explain why she could not — or would not — sing during her...