

Robert Ito
Posts

The Most Intriguing Animated Films You’ll Never See
A digital book, “Drawing for Nothing,” highlights some of the best art from canceled animation projects like “Me and My Shadow.”

A Universe of Inspirations Swirls Within ‘Janet Planet’
The playwright Annie Baker shares the artistic influences behind her feature film debut.

Paul Simon Faced Unexpected Struggles. Cameras Were Rolling.
The singer and songwriter invited Alex Gibney to capture the making of his album “Seven Psalms.” The filmmaker was surprised to find a musician losing...

Robert Downey Jr. and Christopher Nolan on ‘Oppenheimer.’
These Oscar nominees for “Oppenheimer” met years ago, but the director had no plans to cast this star then, noting, “I was also a little...

Can ‘Wonka’ Save the Oompa-Loompas?
“Wonka” is the latest film to try to shake the tiny unpaid laborers from their colonialist roots in Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

How ‘Nimona’ Helped Its Creator Explore His Emerging Identity
The graphic novelist ND Stevenson wrote the trans allegory long before he came out. When it was time to adapt it for a new film,...

Meet Greta Lee, the Star of “Past Lives”
She’s known for playing offbeat characters in “Russian Doll,” “High Maintenance” and “Girls,” but Greta Lee is winning raves for her restrained performance in “Past...

Making a Michael J. Fox Movie With Michael J. Fox’s Movies
How the documentary “Still” uses footage from its subject’s films and TV shows to tell its story.

John Wick Sure Has a Lot of Friends for a Lone Assassin
How does a taciturn solo killer have so many pals? The films’ creators can’t really explain, but each character has a raison d’être in this...

For Two Broadway Stars, a Love Story Blossoms in a Honky-Tonk Bar
The new musical “The Lonely Few,” starring Lauren Patten and Ciara Renée, puts a romance between two women at its very heart.