Latest news with #Kosinski
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Brad Pitt's ‘F1: The Movie' is a technical masterpiece depicting the high-octane world of Formula One, but lacks emotional weight
By Dhruv Kabir F1: The Movie uses speed as a language, and director Joseph Kosinski speaks it fluently. With sweeping camera work, cockpit POV, and a remarkable score by Hans Zimmer, the film captures the kinetic intensity of Formula 1 like never before. But, while the visuals boost adrenaline and the engines roar, the movie lacks the emotional weight or narrative subtlety needed to keep pace with its technical prowess. It's a spectacle well worth looking at, but one that never quite shifts into top gear where storytelling is concerned. Brad Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a retired driver brought back into the F1 world to mentor a rising star for a fictional 11th team on the grid – APXGP. The setup is familiar and not without charm: the weathered veteran, the ambitious newcomer, the gruff but loyal pit crew. Hayes walks through paddocks and press conferences like a man trying to outrun his past, and Pitt imbues him with a seasoned gravitas that is, at times, magnetic. He's better when he's behind the visor than in front of the camera, though, not because of a lack of performance, but because the script rarely gives him more than recycled sports-film wisdom to deliver. The most consistent star of the film is the camera itself. Claudio Miranda's cinematography is one to be remembered. Kosinski and his crew collaborated with F1 engineers and the teams themselves to rig actual race cars with cameras, and the result is immersive in a way that very few racing films have been able to achieve. The viewer isn't just watching a race, they're a part of it. One can feel the tension of a late-braking duel into Turn 1, the turbulence of turns at Silverstone, and the stillness of the grid before the storm. The final race sequence caps this film on a high. Using natural light and gritty track-side realism, it is a masterclass in action choreography. The transitions between cockpit POV, aerial tracking, and static ground-level shots are seamless. Kosinski builds an epic finish, not just with throttle and speed, but with spatial coherence and a rising tempo. Every overtaking manoeuvre and pit wall reaction feels earned. It is reminiscent of the final scene in Whiplash (2014), where the audience becomes one with the final act of delivering what the film has been building towards in its entirety, and is gripped to the edge of their seats. For those final 15 minutes, F1: The Movie leaves fiction behind and becomes a pure love letter to the sport. Still, beneath all the technical glory, the film's emotional ground feels underdeveloped. The narrative arc never strays far from the well-worn path of sports redemption: broken hero, second chance, slow build, triumphant return. There's comfort in the familiarity, but little surprise or sharpness. The drama is formulaic where it could have been introspective, and too often, characters serve roles rather than becoming people. Most crucially, the film lacks the emotional connection that audiences were able to build with characters in films like Rush and Ford v Ferrari, where the racers are not merely present on the screen, they are a hearty addition to the ordinary lives of those watching. The dialogue tends to lean on exposition and cliché, and while there are moments of sincerity, especially in quieter scenes between Hayes and his engineers, they're often smothered by the film's need to move fast. In trying to emulate the relentless pace of Formula 1, the film forgets that reflection is not the enemy of rhythm; it's what gives it meaning. The most glaring blind spot is in its portrayal of women. Kerry Condon plays Kate McKenna, F1's first female Technical Director in the film's universe, yet the script undercuts her authority at almost every turn. Initially introduced as a sharp strategist and team architect, McKenna is soon reduced to a background figure, then a love interest. Her scenes feel functional, and the same applies to other women in the narrative, such as a pit‑crew mechanic, who is relegated to comic relief, fumbling tools until she's rescued by male characters (even though it is passingly addressed in a smart retort to Pitt). Mechanics, reporters, even rival team principals are allowed complexity or presence. In an era where F1 is actively working to expand its female talent pool and viewership, the film's gender politics feel regressive, even lazy. To its credit, the movie does succeed in other forms of representation. The inclusion of real-world drivers, appearing in cameos or background paddock sequences adds credibility. The fictional team APXGP, built from the bones of real F2 infrastructure, mirrors F1's own aspirations toward accessibility and future expansion. And in the age of Drive to Survive, where the sport's drama is increasingly defined by its narrative packaging, this feels like a logical, if slightly sanitized, cinematic evolution. In the end, F1: The Movie delivers on the spectacle but not quite on the soul. For what it builds up in soothing the eyes, it lacks in heart. For fans, it's a reminder of why they love the sport. For the uninitiated, it's a focused close-up rather than the big picture. And for the sport itself, it's a powerful piece of image-making. It captures the speed, the sound, the smoke, but not always the silence in between.
Edmonton Journal
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
Joseph Kosinski on putting Brad Pitt in the driver's seat for 'F1'
Article content Looking ahead, the filmmaker, who has also directed Tron: Legacy and Cruise's sci-fi thriller Oblivion, has spoken in other interviews about wanting Sonny's story to continue in a crossover with Cruise's 1990 racing drama Days of Thunder. Article content 'Well, right now, it'd be Cole Trickle, who was (Cruise's) Days of Thunder character, we find out that he and Sonny Hayes have a past,' Kosinski said about his dream pitch in a recent chat with GQ Magazine UK. 'They were rivals at some point, maybe crossed paths … who wouldn't pay to see those two go head-to-head on the track?' Article content But before that storyline becomes a reality, Kosinski lifted the hood on his latest starry vehicle with Pitt in the driver's seat. Article content I've always been interested in racing and machines. I did my undergrad in mechanical engineering. So I was always a project-oriented kid; building cars, rockets, airplanes, so it was a world suited to my interests. But it was that first season of (the Netflix docuseries) Drive to Survive that hooked me. That season they focused on the last-place team. The team that doesn't win every weekend. The rookie trying to prove himself in a car that's just not as fast as everyone else's. To me, that was a way into this world. Telling the story at the back of the grid, and a racer who was once thought to be the next world champion that lost his way and gets one more chance to prove he belongs there. That was my way in from a story point of view. Then it was about building the ultimate team around me to make it. Luckily, I was able to do that. Article content Article content In Maverick, you had six cameras inside the cockpit. When people watch F1 they're going to wonder how you got all the cameras in the cars. Tell us about the technical challenges you faced making this movie. Article content Working with cinematographer Claudio Miranda, who also shot Top Gun: Maverick, we wanted to take everything we learned and push it further. So the first thing we had to do was take that camera system and miniaturize it and make it much smaller. We worked closely with Sony to develop a whole new camera system that was a third of the size and much lighter. Then we worked with Mercedes and Formula 1 to design a race car that had 15 different mounting positions built into the chassis that had space for a camera, recorders, batteries, transmitters and receivers built into the car itself. We were able to mount four cameras at a time in those positions and then we developed a panning camera mount, so we could control the movement of the camera and move it left to right while we were shooting, which is an innovation beyond anything we could do on Top Gun. It allowed us to connect the action to the actor and give you a perspective of what it feels like to be in a Formula 1 race. That was the challenge Lewis (Hamilton) gave me from the beginning. Article content I knew that he was interested in racing … Driving a real race car, going to real events, capturing it during race weekends, those were all things Brad was up for doing. Article content Luckily, F1 is run by Stefano Domenicali, who is a man that has a real vision for the sport. In our first meeting with him, he instantly got what we were going for. We also showed him Top Gun: Maverick to show him what it meant to capture it for real versus CGI. So, he understood the vision and opened the doors for us. All the teams and drivers embraced us as the 11th team on the grid for two years and made space for us and provided their feedback and expertise. Without that collaboration we wouldn't have been able to make it the way they did. Article content
Geek Tyrant
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Joseph Kosinski Wants Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise to Reunite for a DAYS OF THUNDER and F1 Crossover — GeekTyrant
Director Joseph Kosinski has an idea that sounds so wild it just might work, and it involves reuniting Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise on the racetrack in an F1 sequel that also serves as a Days of Thunder crossover. In a recent interview with GQ Magazine UK, Kosinski opened up about the fantasy team-up, saying: 'Well, right now, it'd be Cole Trickle, who was [Cruise's] 'Days of Thunder' character, we find out that he and [Brad Pitt's] Sonny Hayes have a past. They were rivals at some point, maybe crossed paths… 'I heard about this epic go-kart battle on 'Interview With a Vampire' that Brad and Tom had, and who wouldn't pay to see those two go head-to-head on the track?' Kosinski, who previously directed Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick , has clearly been itching to put these two legends in the same cockpit again. He almost pulled it off years ago with a Ford v Ferrari -style racing film. 'Yeah, I got close with that. But yeah, you know, everything worked out for the best. I got to do 'F1.' But anything's possible.' The Cruise/Pitt dream team hasn't shared screen time since Interview With the Vampire in 1994, but their chemistry and real-life friendship have kept fans hoping for another collaboration. While at the London premiere of F1, when asked by E! News if he'd ever work with Cruise again, Pitt said: 'I'm not gonna hang my ass off airplanes and shit like that.' Still, the timing might be perfect. Cruise has been actively thinking about a return to Days of Thunder , previously saying that he's 'thinking and talking about what could we do and what's possible' for a follow-up to the 1990 NASCAR drama. Kosinski is already juggling massive-scale projects, including a Top Gun: Maverick sequel. While it's still in early development, he teased: 'I think we've found a way to do it, not only in the scale of what we're proposing, but the idea itself of the story we're telling. We're thinking much bigger than… It's a really existential crisis that Maverick has in this, and it's much bigger than himself. 'It's an existential question that Maverick has to deal with, that would make Maverick feel small, I think, as a movie, compared to what we're talking about. There's one last ride. So we're working on it now… we'll only do it if we feel like we've got a strong enough story.' If he can deliver that, why not emotional pit-stops and ego-fueled laps between Hayes and Trickle? At this point, Kosinski's crossover idea feels like a challenge waiting to be accepted. A Brad Pitt/Tom Cruise racing showdown? Fans would love it, but it all comes down to telling the right story.
Business Insider
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
'F1' is Apple's first box office hit. Its director shared an idea for a crossover sequel featuring Tom Cruise.
Warning: spoilers ahead for "F1." " F1" could be on the road to getting a sequel after it broke box office records in its opening weekend. Joseph Kosinski, the film's director, said in interviews published by GQ and Entertainment Weekly last weekend that it's up to the audience to decide if a sequel should be made. So far, things are looking good. The racing drama is already being dubbed a hit after it topped box office charts in its opening weekend, grossing $144 million worldwide. In the US, "F1" beat the record for the best domestic debut for an original movie held since 2020, which was broken earlier this year by " Sinners." "F1" is also Apple 's most successful theatrical debut. The movie was produced by the tech company's original film branch, which has until now struggled to make box office hits. F1 has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to shows like Netflix's documentary series "Drive to Survive" and social media platforms like TikTok, Twitch, and podcasts. Capitalizing on the trend, "F1" follows APXGP, an underdog Formula 1 racing team as it tries to win its first race and establish itself. Damson Idris plays Joshua Pearce, a rookie for APXGP who represents the modern F1 driver. JP is forced to act like a celebrity by attending influencer parties, modeling, and constantly smiling for the camera. Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a veteran racer whose F1 career was ruined by a near-fatal crash, is the opposite. He's a rulebreaker who refuses to engage with the press, but APXGP is desperate, since the board plans to sell the team if they do not win their next competition. "I think we leave it on a really open-ended moment for Sonny, for Kate, and for Joshua," Kosinski told GQ, referring to Kerry Condon's character Kate, who was APXGP's technical director. "So yeah, I think there's certainly more to tell of the APXGP team, and where Sonny Hayes goes from here. But that's not my decision." The 'F1' director proposed a 'Days of Thunder' crossover starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt In the interview with GQ, Kosinski was asked to pitch a film idea starring Tom Cruise and Pitt, as he worked with them in his last two films, "F1" and "Top Gun: Maverick." Kosinski suggested the film could be a crossover with the 1990s racing drama "Days of Thunder," which starred Tom Cruise as a rookie NASCAR driver trying to win the Daytona 500. Kosinski's pitch was: "Well, right now, it'd be Cole Trickle, who was [Cruise's] 'Days of Thunder' character, we find out that he and Sonny Hayes have a past. They were rivals at some point, maybe crossed paths. "I heard about this epic go-kart battle on 'Interview with a Vampire' that Brad and Tom had, and who wouldn't pay to see those two go head-to-head on the track?" he added, referring to the 1994 movie, which starred both actors. While the crossover movie is only an idea, Cruise did show up at the "F1" premiere. Cruise and Pitt almost starred together in the Oscar-winning racing drama " Ford v. Ferrari." When Kosinski was chosen as the movie's director, they were going to play the rival lead characters, Shelby and Miles. Kosinski told GQ that he, Pitt, and Cruise left the movie when the studio couldn't meet his proposed budget, and James Mangold decided on a different cast.
Indian Express
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
F1: Brad Pitt, Joseph Kosinski reminds what going to the movies is all about
In a world too eager to draw lines between 'cinema' and 'content,' there's something liberating about watching a film that unapologetically blurs them. F1: The Movie is that film. It screeches into the cultural conversation like a perfectly timed overtake — sleek, loud, emotionally resonant, and utterly commercial. But most importantly, it reminds us why we fell in love with going to the movies in the first place. Yes, it's a popcorn flick. But perhaps, it's time we act as if it's a bad thing. There's a particular kind of snobbery that often trails behind the phrase 'popcorn movie.' It suggests something frivolous, temporary, even intellectually disposable. As if real cinema can only happen in quiet conversations, long takes, or prestigious festival halls. But anyone who's ever clutched their armrest during a climactic car chase or felt goosebumps rise as the score swelled in a packed auditorium knows that what commercial cinema offers is no less sacred. As I walked out of my IMAX show of F1, heart racing, breath caught somewhere between awe and adrenaline, I was entertained, sure, but I was also revived. It was a visceral reminder that spectacle, when done with care and vision, is not the enemy of art. It is art. When we talk about blockbusters – real, heart-thumping, stadium-filling blockbusters – we have to start with Tom Cruise. The man has never pretended to chase awards. The Academy's recent decision to honour him with a career-first Honorary Oscar is less about a golden statue and more a belated acknowledgment of something much bigger: Cruise doesn't just make movies. He fights for them. He was one of the first global stars to urge people back to theatres when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak –– even flying to London to support Christopher Nolan's Tenet. That was less about promotion and more about preservation. Cruise, more than a star, has always been a patron of the big screen. His last major commercial success, Top Gun: Maverick, was described by Spielberg as the film that 'saved Hollywood's a**.' That wasn't hyperbole, it was history. But Cruise didn't do it alone. Director Joseph Kosinski, who returned after the elegant dogfights of Maverick, now turns his eye to the tarmac. In F1, Kosinski cements his place as the next great architect of big-budget cinema –– one who understands that spectacle without soul is just noise. Kosinski doesn't just choreograph speed, he composes with it. His action sequences aren't stitched together in the edit, they're scored like symphonies. There's rhythm. Tension. Payoff. Somewhere along the way, 'popcorn movie' became shorthand for something unserious. But what if that label isn't an insult, but an invitation? I've argued against this kind of cinema myself. I've scoffed at Minecraft making millions. I've raised eyebrows at Animal dominating the box office. But then, F1 hit me like a memory I didn't know I'd misplaced. It brought me back to Ta Ra Rum Pum, a racing drama that might not rank high in Bollywood's pantheon but, for me, was where it all began. I rooted for Saif Ali Khan's RV. I sang the title track. I felt something. Maybe I've always had a thing for racing films. Or maybe racing films just know how to tap into something primal: motion, momentum, meaning. There is a strange, beautiful alchemy that happens in a dark theatre. The communal gasps. The silence that falls before the final lap. The vibration of engines that you feel in your ribcage. That can't be replicated on a phone. It's not supposed to be. F1 is a reminder of why we gather in the dark –– why we still need those towering screens and that cavernous sound, and why the theatrical experience isn't dead, just dormant, waiting for the right ignition. And F1 is nothing if not a push-start for cinema. Let's retire the old dichotomy: that art belongs at Cannes and commerce belongs at the box office. History has proven otherwise. From Jaws to Titanic, The Dark Knight to Avatar, and now Maverick to F1—blockbusters can have brains, and heart, and soul. F1 doesn't just make the case for popcorn movies. It makes them personal again. It proves that emotional depth and mass appeal aren't contradictions—they're co-drivers. Beneath the rubber, the smoke, the turbocharged glitz, there's philosophy. Time. Obsession. Mortality. A meditation on the human need to chase, to risk, to move. Blockbusters like F1 don't dumb us down. They lift us up. They unite us, move us, and yes, sell us popcorn. And maybe – just maybe – that's exactly what movies are meant to do.
