Ethan Alter
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Writer, interviewer, Matrix sequels lover; 2023 NAEJ Online Journalist of the Year. Bylines: Yahoo Ent, EW, Film Journal, Giant, Indiewire, Premiere, TWoP.
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Articles by Ethan Alter
‘Project Hail Mary’ is on a mission to defeat ‘Dune: Part Three’ as the top Oscar space ‘Odyssey’
Ryan Gosling, Timothée Chalamet, and Matt Damon Are you regularly refreshing Gold Derby's Oscar leaderboards to see if we've opened the pod bay doors and ejected The Odyssey from its front-runner status? Sorry, Dave, we can't do that. Months into its still-lucrative Imax-enhanced theatrical run, Christopher Nolan's Grecian epic shows little sign of abating in its march to total Oscar domination.
Rocky meets Rocky as Sylvester Stallone praises Anthony Ippolito’s ‘I Play Rocky’ portrayal: ‘He really had to work hard’
When it comes to who should play Sylvester Stallone in a biopic, a certain two-time Oscar winner need not apply. That's according to Stallone himself, who held court at Brooklyn's historic Kings Theatre on a rainy Thursday night for a 50th anniversary screening of his 1976 Best Picture-winning boxing classic, Rocky.
‘Stranger Things’ prequel series ‘Other Worlds’ unleashes 1st look teaser
‘Stranger Things’ prequel series ‘Other Worlds’ unleashes 1st look teaser The new Netflix prequel series turns the clock back on the strange things happening in the Stranger Things universe.
Sam Rockwell was ‘giddy’ to be part of the John Malkovich show while making ‘Wild Horse Nine’
If the title hadn't already been claimed, Wild Horse Nine could have been called Being John Malkovich. Martin McDonagh's latest dark comedy, which opens in theaters on Nov. 6, gives the veteran actor and two-time Oscar nominee a character who feels like the natural culmination of the many and varied parts he's played over the decades.
Curry Barker wants to make a ‘f–ked up, rated-R version’ of Indiana Jones after striking box-office gold with ‘Obsession’ Original
If you have to make like Harrison Ford and shut your eyes during the face-melting climax of Raiders of the Lost Ark, just wait until you see — or, rather, don't see — what Curry Barker has in mind for his own version of an Indiana Jones adventure.
Curry Barker wants to make a ‘f–ked up, rated-R version’ of Indiana Jones after striking box-office gold with ‘Obsession’
4 hours ago She’s following in her mom’s footsteps as a singer. Fresh off her 30th birthday, Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon is gearing up to release her latest single. “Tramp Stamp,” she revealed yesterday, is out November 4. Lourdes, whose father is Carlos Leon, was photographed wearing a black sheer bodysuit …
‘La Bola Negra,’ ‘I Play Rocky’ win top honors at the 2026 Denver Film Festival Original
Guitarricadelafuente and Miguel Bernardeau in La Bola Negra From Cannes to Colorado, La Bola Negra can't stop collecting prizes. The sweeping Spanish-language epic took home the Best Feature prize at the 2026 Denver Film Festival, adding yet another festival honor to its formidable pre-Oscar war chest of awards hardware.
Sandra Hüller’s ‘Rose’ blossoms in the Best International Film race
Sandra Hüller’s ‘Rose’ blossoms in the Best International Film race Markus Schleinzer's period drama has seen its odds rise along with its star's Best Actress push.
Inde Navarrette’s Best Actress odds rise after the ‘Obsession’ star slays on ‘SNL’ Original
Inde Navarrette in Obsession No, David S. Pumpkins — we don't have any questions. Since hosting the best-reviewed Saturday Night Live episode of the show's 52nd season over the weekend, Inde Navarratte has strengthened her Best Actress odds across all three major film awards ceremonies among Gold Derby's expert prognosticators.
'A Few Good Men' on Broadway review roundup, Aaron Sorkin
Can you handle this truth? Aaron Sorkin's oft-quoted 1989 courtroom drama is back on Broadway for the first time in nearly four decades - and it features a West Wing reunion. Bradley Whitford has the plum part of Col. Nathan Jessep, the formidable Marine that Jack Nicholson enshrined in cinematic history in the late Rob Reiner's 1992 film adaptation. But Whitford and Sorkin's relationship dates back to before the Bartlett administration.
Russell T Davies unpacks that shocking ‘Tip Toe’ series finale: ‘A profound moment I’ll never forget’ Original
Russell T Davies always knew that he couldn't tiptoe around the shocking ending of Tip Toe, the prolific British TV creator's latest limited series that just wrapped up its five-episode stateside run on Starz. The finale's last scene depicts an act of neighbor-on-neighbor violence that leaves one man dead, the other man facing a future behind bars, and an entire London block stunned into silence.
The Gotham Film Awards fire the Oscar starting gun — and it’s a Wilde beginning Original
Penélope Cruz and Olivia Wilde in The Invite The Oscars may be Hollywood's biggest night, but the road to that shindig starts on the other side of the country in merry old Gotham town. The Gotham Film & Media Institute has cleverly planted its flag as the award season's first high-profile ceremony, bringing celebrities, industry leaders, and the film press corps to downtown Manhattan as November turns to December for the annual Gotham Film Awards.
‘A smart piece of entertainment’ or ‘starchy’ and ‘listless’? ‘A Few Good Men’ Broadway revival draws a mixed verdict from critics Original
Can you handle this truth? Aaron Sorkin's oft-quoted 1989 courtroom drama is back on Broadway for the first time in nearly four decades — and it features a West Wing reunion. Bradley Whitford has the plum part of Col. Nathan Jessep, the formidable Marine that Jack Nicholson enshrined in cinematic history in the late Rob Reiner's 1992 film adaptation. But Whitford and Sorkin's relationship dates back to before the Bartlett administration.
Best Animated Feature race: ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ charts, ‘Wildwood’ tops, and ‘Ray Gunn’ divides Original
Well, that was fast. On Tuesday, Gold Derby exclusively broke the news that Coyote vs. Acme had been ruled eligible by the Academy to compete for the Best Animated Feature statuette at the 2027 Oscar ceremony. Three days later, the Ketchup Entertainment-acquired Warner Bros. cast-off has already made like the Road Runner and zoomed into the Top 10 contenders on our combined leaderboard. Coyote vs. Acme is currently sitting at No. 9 with plenty of room to rise in the days and weeks ahead.
‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at 40: How Ellen Greene survived her encounter with that mean green mother from outer space
Ellen Greene in Little Shop of Horrors Musical fans know that there are a lot of strange characters down on Skid Row — characters like lovelorn, bespectacled flower shop employees; bubbly, lonely blondes; psychotic, motorcycle-riding dentists; and one super-sized mean green mother from outer space. Those are just some of the downtown citizens that populate Little Shop of Horrors, Frank Oz's much-loved movie version of the off-Broadway hit. Four decades after its pre-Christmas release on Dec.
‘Nocturne’: Stephen Graham and Liev Schreiber talk Hannibal Lecter comparisons and that Episode 2 cliffhanger Original
Hannibal Lecter's shadow looms large over the cop vs. serial killer genre. But rather than run away from comparisons to the not-so-good doctor's legacy, the cast and creative team behind the Apple TV thriller Nocturne ran toward Thomas Harris's signature creation.
From Nathan Fielder encounters to a new ‘Mummy’ movie and Indiana Jones dreams, life’s not scary for these ‘Obsession’ stars anymore Original
Michael Johnston, Megan Lawless, and Cooper Tomlinson in Obsession At this time last year, Michael Johnston and Cooper Tomlinson were mere observers of the annual crush of events and screenings that define Oscar season in Hollywood. Flash-forward 12 months, though, and the duo is at the center of the (gold) derby thanks to Obsession, 2026's biggest horror hit and a harbinger of larger industry shifts to come.
Corbin Bernsen couldn’t get his latest TV series on the air — so he made it himself Original
It's safe to say that Corbin Bernsen knows a thing or two about making television. Ever since L.A. Law catapulted him to stardom in 1986, the actor has been a regular or recurring presence on some of the biggest TV series of the past 40 years, including The Larry Sanders Show, JAG, and Boston Legal — and that's not counting his feature film roles in rewatchable cable favorites like Major League and The Dentist horror franchise.
Mike Flanagan answers our ‘Carrie’ burning questions ahead of Season 2: Who really killed Tommy? Is Emaline for real? Do all roads lead to ‘The Dark Tower’? Original
Summer H. Howell in Carrie Carrie White may have survived her bloody prom night, but she'd better keep an eye on the horizon for future dangers. In a major departure from Stephen King canon, Mike Flanagan's eight-episode Prime Video adaptation of the author's classic 1974 novel, Carrie, ends with the titular telekinesis-powered teen (played by Summer H. Howell) alive and kinda well after she wreaked havoc on the small town of Chamberlain, Maine.
‘Coyote vs. Acme’ will submit for Best Animated Feature in a major Loony Tuney Oscar shake-up Original
Wile E. Coyote and Will Forte in Coyote vs. Acme Wile E. Coyote to Woody and Buzz Lightyear: Hold my anvil. In a piece of breaking news too big to fit on a single sign, Gold Derby can exclusively reveal that Coyote vs. Acme has been ruled eligible to compete for Best Animated Feature at the 2027 Oscars.
‘Coyote vs. Acme’ will submit for Best Animated Feature in a major Looney Tuney Oscar shake-up
Wile E. Coyote and Will Forte in Coyote vs. Acme Wile E. Coyote to Woody and Buzz Lightyear: Hold my anvil. In a piece of breaking news too big to fit on a single sign, Gold Derby can exclusively reveal that Coyote vs. Acme has been ruled eligible to compete for Best Animated Feature at the 2027 Oscars.
2026 Gotham Film Awards: ‘You Can See Everything’ scores Best Documentary Feature nod, but ‘The Invite’ is A24’s most-nominated film
Elizabeth Holmes in You Can See Everything Since You Can See Everything's first peek-out at the Telluride Film Festival in September, audiences have debated how much of Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim's blockbuster profile of fallen Big Tech star Elizabeth Holmes is, or isn't, a documentary.
Why Catherine Hardwicke threw the original ‘Twilight’ script in the trash Original
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in Twilight When Catherine Hardwicke was seeking inspiration for her latest feature film, she simply looked out of her front window.
Will a gender-swapped ‘Fantasticks’ be Broadway’s answer to ‘Heated Rivalry’? Original
Shane and Ilya who? Musical theater fans have the chance to witness a Heated Rivalry-style love connection unfold in the first-ever Broadway production of The Fantasticks, now in previews at Manhattan's Hayes Theater. An off-Broadway and regional theater staple since the 1960s, the show tracks the romantic arc of two young lovers and the meddling, but well-meaning parents who come very close to spoiling their happy ending.
‘You Can See Everything’ locks up the youth vote for Best Picture. Can the buzz bridge the Oscar generation gap? Original
"I'm so excited to see this movie — it has one of the highest scores ever on Letterboxd." That's the pitch Gold Derby overheard an eager young You Can See Everything ticket holder make to their older moviegoing companion ahead of a sold-out screening of the Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim-directed phenomenon at an Upstate Films outpost in an outer county of New York on opening weekend.
KJ Apa got to act with Jimmy Stewart’s actual Oscar for ‘Jimmy’: ‘It was really heavy’ Original
The Hollywood that James Stewart knew has long since vanished into the mists of time, but that bygone Golden Age is recreated in Jimmy — with a few real mementos from the era included in the frame, including the late actor's actual Oscar. Directed by Aaron Burns, Jimmy casts Riverdale star KJ Apa as the silver screen legend who delivered indelible star turns in such classics as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, It's a Wonderful Life, and Harvey.
Best Animated Feature race: ‘Wildwood’ tops the odds as it seeks to top the box office
Best Animated Feature race: ‘Wildwood’ tops the odds as it seeks to top the box office Laika's first stop-motion feature in seven years holds a narrow lead in Gold Derby's odds.
‘The Imaginary Invalid’: Bill Irwin’s Broadway revival receives a mixed diagnosis from critics Original
Bill Irwin is ready for his close-up... and a check-up . The acclaimed actor and skilled clown stars in the new Broadway revival of The Imaginary Invalid, which he adapted from the 17th century comedy by noted expert in farce, Molière. Irwin plays Argan, a wealthy and committed hypochondriac who happily forks over large sums of money to have doctors at his beck and call. And if they don't find anything wrong with him on their first visit, he keeps them coming back until they do.
‘Yaga’: Carrie-Anne Moss talks playing the femme fatale, and falling for Hudson Williams’s double act
Hudson Williams and Carrie-Anne Moss in 'Yaga' Carrie-Anne Moss's first instinct about her role in the AMC+ thriller, Yaga, wasn't basic. When series creator Kat Sandler contacted The Matrix star about playing the part of Katherine Hargrove — a university professor who specializes in bones and leading younger men astray — she quickly confirmed the actress' assumption that Moss would be playing the requisite femme fatale at the center of this particular mystery.
Billy Crystal’s emotional return to Broadway in ‘860’ is a home run, say critics Original
Billy Crystal in '860' The last time Billy Crystal had a solo act on Broadway, he walked the audience through the 700 Sundays he shared with his late father while growing up on Long Island. With his latest one-man show, 860, the comedian and actor has another number on his mind — the address of the home he lost during the Palisades fire that devastated his adopted home of Los Angeles in 2025.
‘Sender’ director reveals how he captured Britt Lower’s attention — and won Jamie Lee Curtis her Oscar
Britt Lowerand David Dastmalchian in Sender Here's a fresh date to mark in your Oscar record books: Thanksgiving Day 2019. That's the day that Jamie Lee Curtis called up her then-assistant, Russell Goldman, with a question that ended up shaping Academy Awards history to come: "Do you know these gentlemen named the Daniels?" Reader, he did.
Kate O’Flynn is tracking for double nods at the Golden Globes and SAG Actor Awards Original
Kate O'Flynn could be seeing double when she attends the Golden Globes and SAG Actor Awards in a few months. Gold Derby's expert prognosticators are forecasting a path where the English actress can be recognized on both the TV and film side at those respective ceremonies thanks to the one-two punch of Apple TV's Emmy-winning phenomenon Widow's Bay and Mike Leigh's acclaimed feature film, Tender Loving Care.
Kate O’Flynn is tracking for double nods at the Golden Globes and SAG Actor Awards
3 days ago Matthew Rhyshas long been one of Hollywood's most compelling actors. After career-defining performances in Brothers & Sistersand The Americans, Rhys has continued to work steadily. At this year's Emmys, Rhys set a new record, becoming the first to win two Lead Actor awards in one night, for his work …
‘Warriors’ musical: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ‘Hamilton’ follow-up unveils principal cast
‘Warriors’ musical: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ‘Hamilton’ follow-up unveils principal cast The musical is based on Sol Yurick's novel and Walter Hill's beloved action film.
Ruth Madeley is set for historic Best Actress nods at the Golden Globes and SAG Actor Awards — is Oscar next? Original
Across the 98-year history of the Academy Awards, multiple performers have been nominated for or won Oscars for playing characters who are in wheelchairs. The list of winners includes Jon Voight as a paraplegic Vietnam War veteran in Hal Ashby's 1978 drama, Coming Home; Daniel Day-Lewis as Irish artist Christy Brown in Jim Sheridan's 1989 biopic My Left Foot; and, most recently, Eddie Redmayne as famed scientist Stephen Hawking in James Marsh's The Theory of Everything from 2014.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is ‘dynamite’ in ‘Other Desert Cities’ on Broadway, say critics Original
Allison Janney and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in 'Other Desert Cities' Looks like Jerry and his pals need to skip the Deathblow legacy sequel and head straight for Broadway. Emmy-winning Seinfeld and Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus has taken her talents to the heart of the New York theater world, leading the star-studded cast of Other Desert Cities, a revival of Jon Robin Baitz's 2011 play.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is ‘dynamite’ in ‘Other Desert Cities’ on Broadway, say critics
9 hours ago Jon Robin Baitz’s 2010 family bash-em-up gets an uneven Broadway revival, with a cast that also includes Allison Janney at her droll, insulting best. When the curtain rises on Jon Robin Baitz’s 2010 drama “Other Desert Cities,” we see a family in tableau. The actors are laughing and talking, but …
‘Rehearsals for a Revolution,’ ‘They’re Here’ win top documentary prizes at the 2026 Woodstock Film Festival en route to Oscar berths
A scene from 'Rehearsals for a Revolution' The 2026 Woodstock Film Festival revealed its Maverick Award winners on Sunday and two top documentary contenders for the 2027 Oswcars were among the spotlighted titles. Pegah Ahangarani's Rehearsals for a Revolution won the festival's Best Feature Documentary prize, while Laura Poitras and Rachel Lauren Mueller's They're Here was named Best Short Documentary.
‘Crystal Lake’ burning questions answered: Where’s Jason’s hockey mask? Will Pam kill again? And who’s left alive for Season 2?
Linda Cardellini in Crystal Lake If you spent the majority of Crystal Lake's eight episodes waiting for Jason Voorhees to show off his killer moves, the Season 1 finale gave you a real eyeful. The cheekily titled The Final Chapter — written by showrunner Brad Caleb Kane — climaxes with the Friday the 13th boogeyman fatally defying his duplicitous father, Elias (Hamish Linklater).
‘Obsession’ is campaigning like an awards monster, as ‘Whalefall’ and ‘Wicker’ look to swallow craft categories Original
We're two weeks out from Halloween, which means interest in all things strange and spooky is peaking right about now. That's true on the streaming charts — where Mike Flanagan's Carrie reimagining is Prime Video's top series, while Josh Hartnett's trip to Jaws territory, Below, is No. 1 on Netflix — and at the multiplex.
Best Animated Feature odds: It’s ‘Wildwood’ vs. ‘Toy Story 5’ for No. 1, and ‘Ray Gunn’ vs. ‘Tangles’ for No. 5 Original
Two of the final pieces of this year's Best Animated Feature puzzle were put in place this week as Netflix's Ray Gunn and Laika's Wildwood had their world premieres across the pond at London Film Festival.
Mike Leigh is within striking distance of a 6th Best Original Screenplay nod for his final film ‘Tender Loving Care’ Original
Thirty years ago, Mike Leigh broke into the Oscar race in a big way with 1996's Secrets & Lies, the British auteur's seventh feature film. In addition to joining the ranks of Best Picture nominees, the movie's stars Brenda Blethyn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste received respective Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress nods, while Leigh picked up nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
‘Crystal Lake’: How the ‘Friday the 13th’ prequel series kills Jason Voorhees… again Original
Linda Cardellini in Crystal Lake Just when Jason Voorhees thought it was safe to go back in the water, the Crystal Lake series premiere drowns the poor kid all over again.
Tao Okamoto is ‘All of a Sudden’ set for Best Supporting Actress nods at the Oscars and Golden Globes Original
Talk about All of a Sudden. After spending months hovering outside of the Top 5 contenders for Best Supporting Actress at the 2027 Oscars, Tao Okamoto is now firmly part of the conversation for her role in Ryusuke Hamaguchi's acclaimed drama.
Sandra Hüller’s Best Actress odds bloom as ‘Rose’ overtakes ‘Fatherland’ at the Oscars and Golden Globes Original
It may not open in theaters until Dec. 11, but Rose is already flowering into Sandra Hüller's best chance at a Best Actress nomination at the 2027 Oscars. The German star's lead role in Markus Schleinzer's 17th century drama has officially surpassed her other contender, Paweł Pawlikowski's Fatherland, on Gold Derby's experts-only leaderboard. Until recently, Fatherland ranked ahead of Rose among expert prognosticators.
Greta Gerwig and Stephen Colbert open the chronicles of ‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’ Original
Greta Gerwig shared a first look at the trailer for 'Narnia: The Magician's Nephew' It wasn't a Lazy Tuesday for Greta Gerwig and Stephen Colbert.
Is there a ‘Flow’ in this year’s Best Animated Feature race? Ranking 2026’s international ‘toon contenders Original
'Iron Boy,' 'Tangles,' 'The Violinist,' and 'In Waves' KPop Demon Hunters may have been golden, but 2025 was otherwise a famously dire year for Best Animated Feature contenders, particularly among American studios. Decidedly mediocre offerings like Paramount's Smurfs and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, DreamWorks's Dog Man and The Bad Guys 2, and Briarcliff's Sneaks mostly failed to stir the interest of audiences or Academy voters.
Brad Bird’s ‘Ray Gunn’ has ‘zippy’ firepower, but lacks some ‘texture and soul,’ say critics Original
It only took thirty years, but Brad Bird is finally heading back to the future with Ray Gunn. A longtime passion project for the Oscar-winning director, the retro-future film noir follows the titular gumshoe (voice by Sam Rockwell) through a richly animated world of tomorrow that's populated by femme fatales (Scarlett Johansson), aliens (Tom Waits), and, of course, ray guns. "This one took way longer than I ever imagined it would," Bird told Gold Derby recently.
5 things we learned about ‘Whalefall’ from Austin Abrams acting in a ‘trash bag’ to Josh Brolin’s secret heartbeat Original
Josh Brolin and Austin Abrams at the New York Comic Con 'Whalefall' panel If Jaws scared you from ever going into the water again, Whalefall may keep you away from the beach entirely. Based on a book by Daniel Kraus, the new survival thriller pits Resident Evil star Austin Abrams against a super-sized sperm whale that inadvertently swallows him whole.
5 things we learned about ‘Whalefall’ from Austin Abrams acting in a ‘trash bag’ to Josh Brolin’s secret heartbeat
This spooky season, we’re digging up new things for readers to be afraid of. I talked to Felipe Barajas, my fellow horror fan at KUOW, about some of …
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