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Over the course of 100 minutes, Lost in Translation explores the relationship between two lost souls. Romantic and well-observed, with rich performances from Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray, the movie captures the longing shared by two people who don’t belong anywhere. And yet, despite the film’s many achievements, the conversation around Lost in Translation has been dominated by one question: “What did he say?”

At the end of the film, aging actor Bob Harris (Murray) hugs young grad student and newlywed Charlotte and whispers something in her ear. Writer-director Sofia Coppola puts just enough of the whisper into the mix to suggest that maybe it should be heard by a viewer who pays enough attention, but not enough to register, even with subtitles.

For 20 years, some corners of film fandom have obsessed over the question, as if hearing that brief bit of dialogue would unlock the meaning of the...

When IndieWire launched on July 15, 1996, the first movies on DVD were still months away. Ewan McGregor became a star with “Trainspotting” and Sony Pictures Classics released Sundance acquisition “Manny & Lo,” starring 11-year-old Scarlett Johansson in her first leading role. NBC had a death grip on the Nielsen ratings; Reed Hastings ran a company that tested software.

IndieWire began when future New York Film Festival director Eugene Hernandez emailed a newsletter to a couple hundred members of iLINE, the AOL film community he created with Cheri Barner and Mark Rabinowitz. (Lead stories: “Trainspotting Rumors About Dubbing and Re-Cutting Put to Rest by Its Director” and “Antonia’s Line Banned in The Philippines.”) He’d tried this before, as a monthly, but realized he wasn’t exploiting his advantage: Being online meant providing news faster.

There’s much more to the story of IndieWire, which we’ve previously captured in a couple of oral histories.

Scarlett Johansson to Star in and Produce Film Based on Disney Ride — Scarlett Johansson has again joined forces with Disney to make a film based on the Disney theme park attraction, Tower of Terror. When Scarlett Johansson starred in the 1996 Indie film Manny & Lo, it was unlikely anyone ever suspected she’d become one [...]

Continue reading: Tower Of Terror: Scarlett Johansson will Star In and Produce Upcoming Disney Film...

Scarlett Johansson, whose long-awaited solo Marvel movie Black Widow finally hits theaters and Disney+ next month, is being feted this fall as the 35th recipient of the American Cinematheque Award. After going with a virtual presentation last year for 2020 honoree Spike Lee, the organization’s marquee event returns to normalcy, with its November 18 ceremony taking place at the Beverly Hilton where it was held last in 2019, when Charlize Theron was the recipient.

The event is an annual fundraiser for the nonprofit organization that continues its year-round programming at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica and Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. After a year-plus shutdown due to the pandemic, the Aero just reopened June 10. The Egyptian, now under the purview of Netflix, is undergoing renovations before reopening as a venue both Netflix and American Cinematheque (on the weekends) will be using for their programming.

American Cinematheque board chair Rick Nicita announced Johansson...

Scarlett Johansson will receive the 35th annual American Cinematheque Award gala and tribute at the Beverly Hilton on Nov. 18.

American Cinematheque chair Rick Nicita said Johansson’s career embodies the essence of the prestigious award.

“Her immense talent has shone brightly from her movie debut as a child through her emergence as a megastar of blockbusters,” Nicita said in a statement Tuesday morning. “She has acted in adventurous independent films with cutting-edge directors. She has starred in the most commercial of franchises. She has taken leading roles and supporting roles in movies budgeted big and small. Whenever she graces the screen with her luminous presence, the audience knows that they will see a dedicated artist at the height of her powers. We can’t wait to share in the next phase of Scarlett Johansson’s marvelous career.”

A New York native, Johansson made her professional acting debut at the age...

Get ready for Diane, the first narrative feature from Kent Jones, the noted film critic, historian and director of the New York Film Festival — it has the power to sneak up and floor you. The title role is played by the magnificent Mary Kay Place (The Big Chill, The Rainmaker, Manny & Lo) in her finest two hours on screen. If you want to understand what nuanced acting is, study the quiet miracles Place performs here. Her woman on the verge is in a race with time. The years won...