Notebook

Reminiscences of the late poster artist by our columnist and by his main artistic collaborator, Midnight Marauder. Pictured: Tony Stella’s studio with a work-in-progress painting of “Cora” from The Underground Railroad (Barry Jenkins, 2021). Photo courtesy of Midnight Marauder. When the news came that movie poster artist Tony Stella had died unexpectedly on May 1st it sent shockwaves through the world of poster design.

In the latest episode, we explore the making of this heartbreaking drama and the iconic ‘80s pop hits that define its soundtrack. Isolated during the COVID pandemic, director Andrew Haigh (Looking, 2014; 45 Years, 2017) wrote a feature about a man trying to break out of isolation and loss...and peppered it with the dance-pop hits that made him feel less lonely as a gay teen in the '80s.

This week’s essential news, articles, sounds, videos, and more from the film world. Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on X and Instagram. NEWS The Wrong Move (Wim Wenders, 1975) The US Department of Justice stated it will not challenge Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros.

Steven Spielberg's career wrestles with the power and meaning of image-making, and his sci-fi "Disclosure Day" makes this its very subject. Disclosure Day (Steven Spielberg, 2026). During the 2016 Academy Awards, which took place in the middle of the #OscarSoWhite debate, host Chris Rock a taped segment in which he went to Los Angeles’s Compton neighborhood to talk with locals about how much they knew that year’s Best Picture nominees.

Restlessly mocking the Trump administration and its depravities, the cartoon’s last two seasons turned vulgarity into something liberating. "Sermon of the 'Mount'" (S27E01), South Park. Twenty years after its first episode, and barely six months into Trump’s second presidency, the 27th season of South Park (1997–) premiered on Paramount+ on July 23, 2025. It was a period of great mischief.

As "The Furious" (2026) hits theaters, a deep dive into the pathbreaking fight choreography of action director Kensuke Sonomura. The Action Scene explores the form, history, and visceral power of action cinema through its set pieces Clockwise from top-left: Hydra (Kensuke Sonomura, 2019), Baby Assassins: Nice Days (Yugo Sakamoto, 2024), The Furious (Kenji Tanigaki, 2026), Ninja Hunter (Seiji Chiba, 2015). The Furious (2026) is the action cinema event of the year.

The iconic Japanese actor delves into his origins, breakthrough in “Shall We Dance?” and work with auteurs ranging from Kurosawa to Wenders. Illustration by Yuko Shimizu. The sun is shining in Udine this April. This small Italian castle town, a little over an hour’s drive north of Venice, is mostly recognized for its medieval piazzas and loggia; its enduring Serie A football team; and its Friulian cuisine (try frico, a kind of fried cheese pancake).

“Needle on the Record, Side Two” continues with a look at the 2002 sleeper hit. On the opening day of the World Cup, we take a look and a listen to the soccer-centric sleeper Bend It Like Beckham (2001). Director Gurinder Chadha tells Rico about making her breakthrough rom-com about girl power, Indian-British identity, and football—and how its mashup soundtrack of pop hits and Bhangra bangers scored goals of its own.

The actress’s daring refusal to be known makes for one of the most unforgettable performances not only in Mike Leigh’s films, but in cinema. Secrets & Lies (Mike Leigh, 1996). The woman in the black suit and gem earrings first appears as one among dozens of intoning faces captured from afar. Her calm eyes are fastened on a program, voice blended in hymn at the gravesite of the unidentified deceased. But as “How Great Thou Art” continues, she ceases to sing.

The legendary Hong Kong producer and director reflects on his filmmaking, from his early, inventive genre films to later CGI-filled epics. Illustration by Alix Pentecost Farren. There are few blockbuster filmmakers who are as industrious as Tsui Hark.