Coolest Film Festivals; Jordan Peele Defends John Carpenter; Bill Murray and Wes Anderson Part Ways

Our list of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World 2022 is here; Bill Murray won’t be in Wes Anderson’s latest; Jordan Peele says he’s not the best horror director — John Carpenter is. All in today’s Movie News Rundown.

And Now: Here is our list of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World 2022.

Huge Thanks: To the Panel of Cool that helped us assemble this list: the great Miriam Bale, Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, Jim Cummings, Micah Gottlieb, Noel David Taylor and Iman Zawahry. We’re deeply grateful to them all, and you can learn more about them here.

Speaking of Film Festivals We Love: I’m writing this from Fantasia, in Montreal, where writer-director Andy Milton introduced his new Covid horror film The Harbinger last night by noting what a blessing it is that we can watch movies together again. Here are some thoughts on The Harbinger, in which the excellent Gabby Beans leads a story about our fear of disappearing.

Bill Murray and Wes Anderson Part Ways: Bill Murray will not be in Wes Anderson’s latest, Asteroid City, Josh Encinias exclusively reports. This ends a nine (!) film run in which Murray has appeared in every Anderson film since Rushmore, way back in 1998. Could they reunite? Sure!

If It’s Any Consolation: A ridiculous number of people are in Asteroid City, including a slew of Wes Anderson regulars, as well as Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie and Steve Carell.

Out Today: Nope, the latest from Jordan Peele. Peele is a master of horror, but not, he would like to clarify, the master of horror. We learned this when author Adam Ellis asked on Twitter yesterday, “At what point do we declare Jordan Peele the best horror director of all time?” and Peele replied: “Sir, please put the phone down I beg you. … Sorry. I love your enthusiasm but, I will just not tolerate any John Carpenter slander!!!” Then he shared a fabulous GIF.

Trying to Tell a Great True Crime Story? Follow your gut, says director and producer Skye Borgman, whose latest Netflix hit, Girl in the Picture, looks for answers in the death of a mysterious 20-year-old woman who went by many names.

Meet ‘The Tom Cruise’ Guy: I recommend reading this Hollywood Reporter essay by actor Miles Fisher, who, through the magic of deep fakes and a very good impersonation, has become best known as the fake Tom Cruise.

Film at Lincoln Center: Florence Almozini has just been named senior director of programming for Film at Lincoln Center, where she was previously a senior programming consultant. She also serves on the selection committees for the New York Film Festival, New Directors/New Films (committee co-chair 2022), and Rendez-Vous with French Cinema. She has organized FLC retrospectives on Walerian Borowczyk, Anna Magnani, Marcello Mastroianni, Jiri Trnka, Luchino Visconti, Agnès Varda and Wong Kar-wai, among others.

The Harbinger: Here is the trailer for the film.

Main image: Jordan Peele in the Robert Redford nodding GIF.