cate blanchett – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY – Review by Walker Conger (Mentorship Program Critic)

March 2, 2026March 8, 2026 Guest Post Anthony Minghella, AWFJ/UNCSA MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, cate blanchett, gwyneth paltrow, Jack Davenport, jude law, matt damon, Patricia Highsmith, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Talented Mr. Ripley, walker conger

When Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) first plays the piano while wearing a borrowed Princeton jacket, there’s no way to expect what a thrilling ride director Anthony Minghella will take you on for the next two hours in his 1999 adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley. Adapted from Patricia Highsmith’s novel of the same name, this underrated entry of Damon’s extensive filmography captures the beautiful Italian scenery of small, tight-knit towns and the expansiveness of Rome and Venice. Aided by the heavy use of jazz throughout the score, the film paints a picture of a carefree, “la dolce vita” post-war lifestyle that would be very enticing to a struggling New York restroom attendant like Tom Ripley.

Reviews

BLACK BAG – Review by MaryAnn Johanson

June 16, 2025June 22, 2025 MaryAnn Johanson Black Bag, cate blanchett, steven soderbergh

Steven Soderbergh’s perfect little cinematic contraption is old-fashioned in the very best sort of way. Movies used to be like this, not that long ago: smart, sexy stories about grownup people, not the serious dramas but the sophisticated nonsense. Sleek and elegant, full of gorgeous, charismatic people with genuine star quality engaging in deliciously amusing balderdash.

Reviews

THE NEW BOY – Review by T. J. Callahan

May 20, 2025May 21, 2025 T. J. Callahan Aswan Reid, cate blanchett, Deborah Mailman, Stolen Generations, The New Boy, Warwick Thornton

Cate Blanchett is back, wearing the black habit of a nun who runs a monastery and orphanage on the Australian outback in The New Boy. Blanchett is Sister Eileen, charged with “ breeding out the Black” of young, parentless aboriginal boys and turning them towards the White man’s Christianity. She is a God-fearing woman who believes she is doing the Lord’s work, but when a new boy is dumped on her doorstep in the middle of the night, he tests the faith of everyone in the monastery.

Reviews

BLACK BAG – Review by Nadine Whitney

March 15, 2025March 15, 2025 Nadine Whitney Black Bag, cate blanchett, david koepp, michael fassbender, Pierce Brosnan, steven soderbergh

David Koepp and Steven Soderbergh step into the world of British Intelligence with the spy thriller-romantic drama Black Bag. Starring Michael Fassbender as the cerebral George Woodhouse and Cate Blanchett as his glamourous and capable wife, Kathryn St. Jean: Black Bag is a winning combination of style and game playing reminiscent of John le Carré. The puzzles are plenty in Black Bag and the world of these fundamentally untrustworthy people in charge of a shadow milieu that goes beyond conventional politics and morals is a blast to inhabit. Black Bag proves Soderbergh has a lot of juice left in his genre game and it invites the audience to play with him. Go to the party.

Reviews

BLACK BAG – Review by T.J. Callahan

March 11, 2025March 11, 2025 T. J. Callahan Black Bag, cate blanchett, michael fassbender, steven soderbergh

Black Bag: Something’s are best kept under the rug. If you are looking for a liar, just spike the Chana Masala. In Black Bag, that’s how a legendary intelligence agent tries to ferret out a mole within the bureau. By inviting the prime suspects to a dinner party like an Agatha Christie mystery, he’s sure one will speak the truth. But what if the traitor turns out to be his Mata Hari wife?

Reviews

RUMOURS – Review by Liz Braun

October 4, 2024October 5, 2024 Liz Braun bleecker street mediaalicia vikander, canadian films., cate blanchett, Charles Dance, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson, Guy Maddin, Kristian Eidnes Andersen, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Roy Dupuis, Rumours

The end of the world is probably nigh, what with climate change and the state of global politics and all. Luckily, Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin will make you laugh about it. The big question with his newest feature, Rumours, is whether it’s funnier for a Canadian audience. Certainly, there will be bits appreciated more by those viewing north of the 49th parallel. In Rumours — Canadian spelling, people — co-directed with Evan and Galen Johnson, Maddin zooms in on G7 leaders at a summit meeting in Germany.

Festivals

Cannes Film Festival 2024: Yes, Women Cannes – Nikki Fowler reports

May 30, 2024May 29, 2024 Nikki Fowler Adriana Paz, Agathe Riedinger, Anasuya Sengupta, andrea arnold, Camille Cottin, Cannes Film Festival 2024, cate blanchett, Coralie Fargeat, demi moore, Elizabeth Chisela, emma stone, greta gerwig, justine triet, Karla Sofía Gascón, Kelly Rowland, Lily Gladstone, margaret qualley, meryl streep, Omarra Shetty, palme d'or, Payal Kapadia, Rungano Nyoni, Selena Gomez, Trine Dyrholm, victoria carmen sonne, Wei Liang, You Qiao Yin, zoe saldana

This year, the Cannes Film Festival spotlighted a rich diversity within its Official Selection Jury, including prominent women like Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) and the Jury President, Oscar-winning director Greta Gerwig (Barbie). The festival celebrated the achievements of many female filmmakers and actresses, who not only appeared on screens in the South of France but also took home prestigious awards. The festival was a powerful celebration of women’s contributions to cinema, setting a high standard for future events.

News

WEEK IN WOMEN: New Proof of Concept Accelerator Program is accepting applications – Brandy McDonnell reports

January 31, 2024February 3, 2024 Brandy McDonnell annenberg inclusion initiative, cate blanchett, Coco Francini, female directors, netflix, Proof of Concept, Stacy L Smith, the week in women, twiw

Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett and Emmy Award nominee Coco Francini, along with Stacy L. Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, have launched the Proof of Concept Accelerator Program, which is now taking applications for 2024. Supported by Netflix, the program’s goal is to identify the next generation of filmmaking talent whose stories promote the perspectives of women, transgender and nonbinary people. Proof of Concept is designed to challenge the three most significant barriers these directors face as they navigate the industry: funding, mentorship and exposure. As many as eight filmmakers will be selected for the program’s inaugural cohort. Each of these filmmakers will receive $50,000 in funding to create a short film that can serve as “proof of concept” for a feature film or television series.

Reviews

THE NEW BOY – Review by Nadine Whitney

July 5, 2023July 9, 2023 Nadine Whitney Aswan Reid, cate blanchett, Deborah Mailman, Stolen Generations, The New Boy, Warwick Thornton

Any film by indigenous Australian director Warwick Thornton is vital to understanding aboriginal culture. His WWII-set drama The New Boy, features Cate Blanchett as a nun operating an outback orphanage. We witness a clash of cultures where the dominant white Australian belief system erodes the specificity of aboriginal culture. The central tension in the film is faith and spirituality where even those who believe they are acting in the best interests of indigenous people participate in an arrogant paternalism which denies the power of one of the oldest cultures on earth.

News

WEEK IN WOMEN: Bassett, Blanchett and Curtis honored at Santa Barbara Film Fest – Brandy McDonnell reports

January 22, 2023January 26, 2023 Brandy McDonnell Angela Bassett, cate blanchett, jamie lee curtis, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the week in women, twiw

Angela Bassett, Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis will be honored with tributes at the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Bassett will receive the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Montecito Award, given to a person in the entertainment industry who has made a great contribution to film. With her powerhouse supporting turn as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, she became the first performer to earn an Golden Globe acting nomination for a film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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