Free & Cheap In New York: Saturday, Dec. 29

By JAKE COYLE, Associated Press Film Writer As fresh fires raced across the Los Angeles region, an embattled movie industry lined up behind the Netflix narco-musical about transgender identity “Emilia Pérez” in Oscar nominations Thursday. Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez,” a Spanish language, French-made film, dominated the nominations with a leading 13 nominations, including best picture and best actress for Karla Sophia Gascon, making her the first openly trans actor ever nominated for an Oscar. Another musical — “Wicked,” the smash Broadway adaptation — came away with nearly as many nominations.

If Wheat Ridge’s newest entertainment venue, The Werks, were a report card it would boast straight Bs – as in bowling, beer, burgers and bikes. According to owner Paul Porter, having all those under one roof is what makes visiting an A-plus experience. “It’s ridiculously fun,” Porter said. “We are pretty much everything everybody loves about Colorado.” The Werks opened in January at 2625 Kipling St., taking over the space formerly home to Paramount Bowl.

The Playmaker has secured international sales rights for “Red Stars Upon the Field,” the feature debut from writer-director Laura Laabs. The film will have its international premiere at International Film Festival Rotterdam following its world premiere at the Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis in Germany. The Playmaker will launch international sales at next month’s European Film […]

Prime Video has set a streaming debut for veteran Bollywood actor Boman Irani’s first directorial venture “The Mehta Boys,” following its acclaimed festival run. The family drama, which nabbed Best Feature Film at the 2024 Chicago South Asian Film Festival, explores the volatile dynamics between a father and son forced to spend 48 hours together.

“Saturday Night Live” cast member Chloe Fineman has no regrets about calling out X owner Elon Musk for making her cry when he hosted “SNL” in 2021. On Tuesday night, Fineman took to her Instagram Story (via Daily Beast) to write, “Remember when I got in trouble for calling out mr nazi salute?

Barry Goldberg, a blues-rock keyboard player whose work with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band led to playing with Bob Dylan in the 1960s, including the notorious 1965 Newport Folk Festival concert dramatized in “A Complete Unknown,” died Wednesday at 83. Bob Merlis, a representative, said that Goldberg died in hospice care after a 10-year struggle […]