Widescreen: Director of Nicolas Cage's unique 'Pig' will next visit 'A Quiet Place'
A director's path from small independent production to blockbuster franchise has gotten very short in recent years, with producers like Marvel czar Kevin Feige inviting fresh faces aboard the superhero train after a few indie darlings (or even just one). Chloe Zhao had already won a universe's worth of awards for "Nomadland" when her Marvel epic "Eternals" hit theaters in November; it debuted this week on Disney+.
The latest filmmaker to get called up to the big leagues, as it were, is Michael Sarnoski. Deadline.com reported Tuesday that the writer/director of the unique Nicolas Cage drama "Pig" has been hired to helm the next installment of the "Quiet Place" horror series for Paramount Pictures.
What did producers John Krasinski, Michael Bay and Co. see in "Pig" that will translate to their alien scarefest? An earthy aesthetic, for one, and patience - "Pig" runs just a hair over 90 minutes, but doesn't rush in telling its tale of a former hotshot chef (Cage) who dropped out of society to live with his truffle-hunting pig.
He returns to Portland when the pig is stolen, suspecting old acquaintances know what happened. What follows is not a John Wick bloodbath, but an unlikely meditation on art, food and love, with a reserved, haunted performance - not a typically unhinged one - from Cage.
"Pig" is available now on Hulu, and also stars Alex Wolff ("Hereditary") and Adam Arkin ("Chicago Hope").
Back in St. Olaf ...
Speaking of Hulu, the streaming series now features all 24 episodes of the "Golden Girls" spinoff you probably didn't know existed.
Bea Arthur only shows up for two episodes, but Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty are as funny as ever in "The Golden Palace," which sees Rose, Blanche and Sophia buy a hotel (yes, really) run by Don Cheadle (yes, really). Oh, and Cheech Marin plays the chef - yes, really!
White gets top billing, and without Dorothy (Arthur) around, Rose gets a little snarkier! Some of the jokes haven't aged well, but 24 "bonus" episodes of Rose Nylund are delightful gifts for fans of the dearly departed Betty.
So, you know, all of us.
• Sean Stangland is an assistant news editor who would like a slice of cheesecake right now.