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These 3 Super 35 Cinema Zooms Are Perfect for Quick Shoots

With these lenses, you’ll barely need to swap your glass. For our “Deals of the Week,” we found three cinema zooms you won’t want to miss.

Imagine you’re on set, things are moving fast, and you need to swap to a different focal length. With primes, you’d need to grab your lens kit, remove the lens you have on your camera, then replace it with something else. Maybe you’ll get the right one, maybe you won’t.

With cinema zooms, all you need to do is twist the zoom ring, and you’re done. While they won’t always have fast apertures or be cost-effective as primes, cinema zoom can save you time on set. And like we always say, that’s money in your pocket you can use on other things.

Tokina Cinema 11-16mm T3.0 (PL Mount)

The Cinema 11-16mm T3.0 with PL Mount is a wide-angle zoom lens for APS-C or Super 35-sized sensors and features a PL lens mount. The lens uses the same distortion-free design and optical performance as Tokina’s 11-16mm f/2.8mm DSLR lens and puts it into an all-metal housing optimized for video and digital cinema use. The housing provides manual focus control with an easy-to-read distance scale, and a de-clicked aperture ring for smooth iris pulls. The focus, aperture, and zoom rings all have standard cine-style gears for use with follow-focus systems.

In addition to the new housing, the lens also has been updated with a parfocal design that allows you to maintain focus on your subject while zooming. The Tokina 11-16mm T3.0 utilizes two super-low dispersion and two aspherical lens elements to produce images with high contrast and sharpness, while multilayer coating helps minimize flare and ghosting. Filmmakers will also get some great focal lengths if shooting on Super 16.

Tokina Cine ATX 11-20mm & 25-75mm Zoom Kit (PL Mount)

For more variety, here’s a kit with a pair of zoom lenses to cover 90% of the range you’ll need for any production. the Tokina Cinema ATX 11-20mm T2.9 Wide-Angle Zoom Lens features a super-wide field of view and cine-style design elements. It covers Super 35mm image sensors and is a parfocal lens, holding focus throughout zoom moves. The Cinema ATX 11-20mm maintains a constant T2.9 aperture throughout its zoom range, eliminating the need for exposure compensation as you zoom.

Interchangeable EF, LPL, MFT, Nikon F, and Sony E lens mounts are available separately for swapping with the PL mount, expanding the lens’s compatibility with additional cameras.

In addition, the Tokina 25-75mm T2.9 Cinema Lens sports a 36mm image circle that covers Super 35 and some larger image sensors. Designed to match the Tokina Cinema 50-135mm T2.9 Mk II and 11-20mm T2.9 zoom lenses, the 25-75mm zoom lens features a constant T2.9 maximum aperture, limited focus breathing, and low distortion. With this pair, you’ll have practically all your needs covered if you’re shooting in Super 35.

Venus Optics Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine Lens (PL Mount)

The Venus Optics Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine Lens features focus scales marked in feet and has an interchangeable PL lens mount. It is designed to deliver a vintage look in both color rendition and bokeh performance. The lens features a 4x zoom range, and it covers Super35 with a greater than 33mm image circle from 25 to 100mm.

This enables the lens to be used with a wide variety of cameras and sensors, including those that define Super35 with a larger image circle such as the RED MONSTRO in 6K, GEMINI in 5K, and HELIUM in 8K. The lens also covers the ARRI ALEXA Mini in 4K. The lens comes with a PL mount attached, which allows the lens to be used with a variety of digital cinema cameras.

In addition, the PL mount is interchangeable and can be swapped out with the included E and EF mounts, which makes this an incredibly versatile lens that will last you for years as you switch mounts and camera bodies.

Diffusion, Variable ND, and Streak Filters from Moment (Honorable Mention)

Moment has been making some amazing gear for creatives using smartphones, DSLRs, and Mirrorless cameras. Now that you have a lens for your next project, you’ll need a filter to really make get the best image you can.

No lens kit is complete without ND filters. This variable ND filter is available as a 2-5 stop or 6-9 stop, and is necessary for controlling your exposure. Made with premium Schott B270 Pro Cinema Glass, these filters are crisp edge to edge without color fringing or cross-polarization. The filter rings are precision machined from aerospace-grade metal, delivering the durability we expect when shooting.

Moment Variable ND Filters also feature a unique flared geometry, allowing you to see your ND number from behind the viewfinder. This provides fast, precise control over your shots in tricky lighting without moving from behind the camera. Made to shoot on the go, the filters also feature hard stops at both ends of the range to prevent unwanted cross-polarization for the cleanest image possible.

The Moment CineBloom Diffusion Filters are the secret sauce for capturing dreamy, film-like footage. Escape the clinical, ultra-sharp look of digital with this specialty glass. Available in densities of 5%, 10%, and 20%, they not only catch and bloom light but soften hard edges and provide a smoothing effect on skin tones, making wrinkles less noticeable.

The glass itself is made by fusing a microlayer of NanoBlack particulates between two layers of top-grade Japanese filter glass, allowing us to maintain full image quality. The ring of the filter is precision machined from aerospace-grade metal and designed to be thin enough to stack underneath another filter without compromising the field of view. This means you can use an ND or VND on top of it for shooting cinematic frame rates and capturing motion blur.

For faking the anamorphic look, the CineFlare Filters are the next ingredient you’ll need. Available in both blue and gold options, they will help you create eye-catching cinematic looks with the camera and glass of your choice. Made from precision-machined aluminum, the housing is fully rotatable, so you can adjust the flare angle however you like. You can even stack them with a CineBloom Filter for an ultra-dreamy look.

What’s your favorite lens and filter? Let us know in the comments!

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March 29, 2023

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With these lenses, you'll barely need to

Film

“Hellier” Investigator Connor J. Randall Discusses The Stanley Hotel and Co-Creating the Estes Method [Interview]

Welcome back to DEAD Time. This month we’re getting technical with paranormal investigator and co-creator of the Estes Method, Connor J. Randall, who you know from Hellier and Spirits of the Stanely. If, like me, you’ve fallen down the Hellier rabbit hole, you know there’s no coming back. The wildly addictive paranormal docuseries follows a team of paranormal investigators on what begins as a search for potential goblins in Kentucky but turns into a much more complicated mystery. After receiving a couple of bizarre emails, paranormal researchers Greg and Dana Newkirk assemble a team which includes filmmaker Karl Pfeiffer and paranormal investigator Connor J. Randall and the team heads to Kentucky in search of answers.

If you’ve seen Hellier, you’ve seen the team use a tool called the Estes Method to attempt to communicate with the entities they are in search of. In 2016, while working at the Stanley Hotel, paranormal investigators Connor J. Randall, Michelle Tate, and Karl Pfeiffer created the Estes Method and now it’s widely used on paranormal television shows and by teams all around the world.

Bloody Disgusting was thrilled to have the chance to talk with Connor J. Randall about working at the famous Stanley Hotel, creating the Estes Method, Hellier season 3, and a lot more.

Bloody Disgusting: A lot of people have gotten to know you from your work on Hellier, but before that you had the web series Spirits of the Stanley. When did you first become interested in the paranormal and why?

Connor Randall: Like many, that interest sort of stems from childhood; from having a couple of experiences, but nothing that was hugely shocking. Just having an early fascination, which was compounded by living so close to the Stanley Hotel. Being there regularly and going there a few times as a child, the idea of ghosts was something that’s not far-fetched, but actually there. This was really exciting. When the show Ghost Hunters came along I already loved playing with my dad’s old camcorder and remaking ridiculous Star Wars movies and things like that with my siblings when I was a little kid. We started going up to the Stanley Hotel and pretending like we were making a ghost hunting TV show, but we were 12 years old [laughs]. Being able to do that sort of stemmed the interest and that’s where I got my first job.

I was seventeen and got a job as a concierge at the Stanley Hotel and just wanted to be nearby the cool ghost stories. The place draws you in, so that was my first job. Then I kind of moved up from there. I became one of their history tour guides and then when they started to get a little more ghost inclined, I became one of the ghost tour guides. I helped with the tours and eventually they started opening up overnight paranormal investigations. That was an advanced tour and that’s when I was able to transfer over to doing that. Ghosts are definitely the gateway drug for a lot of people like me.

BD: During your time as a paranormal investigator at The Stanley Hotel, you and fellow investigators Karl Pfeiffer and Michelle Tate created a new technique to aid in paranormal investigations called the Estes Method, using a spirit box, blindfold, and headphones. How did the three of you first come up with the idea for the Estes Method?

CR: I think like a lot of ideas, the Estes Method was born out of a little bit of boredom and wanting to innovate. Karl, Michelle, and I were there three or four nights a week; it was basically a regular job. We were hosting paranormal investigation tours of the Stanley Hotel, so people would pay to spend seven hours ghost hunting the hotel. We would always take them on the regular ghost tour and then it would be “after hours” from 9pm to 1am. We would take groups of ten or so around to different areas. We had some basic equipment, we had some K2 meters, and we had a spirit box, and things like that. We just enjoyed telling people ghost stories and potentially looking for ghosts and kind of showing them the basics. It was almost like a crash course in investigating ghosts. Then it would be after hours and because I lived an hour away there were often times when I would stay at the hotel. Karl and Michelle didn’t live too far away, so we would decide to stay afterwards and hang out by ourselves after the members of the public went home.

When we were hanging out by ourselves, we still wanted to investigate and we sort of got it in our heads that the ghosts liked to hang out with us; at least we liked to think so. It was kind of fun to hang out and say, “Okay, guys. You know us. We’re here every night.” And then we’d hopefully try to interact with the spirits that way. We had started to film the time that we spent after the tours went home. Karl thought it would be a great way to advertise our little tours and we thought it would be a fun way to document a long-term paranormal study. It’s pretty rare to be in a location over and over again every night for years at a time and that’s what we were doing. We started to keep track of all sorts of things. We would keep track of the weather on interesting nights and the phase of the moon or what day of the week it was, trying to see if there was some sort of pattern behind the activity. So, we initially had our camcorders and were filming that sort of work after hours.

Then one night Karl was just sitting there, and he said, “You know, the spirit box has a headphone jack in it. Why can’t we just plug headphones into it and listen? Maybe it will be different.” That simple statement sort of turned into, “Okay, what if the person listening can’t hear what everybody else is asking?” That becomes interesting. We tried it and got maybe a couple of interesting results and then decided to amplify it from there. We decided to bring in equipment that makes it absolutely impossible for somebody to hear what everyone outside is listening to. I play drums, so I had these giant drum headphones that are made for studio drummers, and they block out 23 decibels of sound around you. Now you definitely can’t hear all the noises things around you. You also want to make sure people can’t read lips or see the interactions or what’s going on, so let’s put a blind fold on them. So, that’s how the method was just really quickly born, in a couple of weeks back in 2016. What’s really cool is that that was actually filmed on camera. People can actually watch it and see the “invention” of the Estes Method.

BD: How has the Estes Method proven to be helpful on investigations you’ve been involved with?

CR: The method is helpful in that if you’re doing it correctly, the person who is the receiver is incredibly shut off from outside influence. If somebody is shut off from outside influence, hopefully, that person doesn’t even really know any of the stories of the location that they’re at either. That’s sort of the idea. The Estes Method is the best attempt that I can think of in modern day paranormal investigation to rid ourselves of confirmation bias. It places somebody in the location, but that person is blinded, hopefully not only to what’s around them because of the equipment, but to the stories that are around them as well, thereby making any results triply impressive. Because this unknown consciousness is entering into the person who is speaking through those receiver headphones. Then we’re able to sort of say what might actually be going on without a tainted view of these scary stories and history that often kind of bogs down the paranormal field in some ways.

BD: I think the Estes Method is such a fascinating tool in paranormal investigations. A lot of other paranormal groups have started using the Estes Method in television shows and web series. How does it feel to see so many people in the paranormal community embrace something you helped to create?

CR: It is kind of crazy. I’ve pinched myself a little bit because a bunch of these people who I grew up watching on TV are now regularly utilizing our method. It’s very cool and hopefully it adds something new and exciting. I understand just from a production standpoint that it’s interesting to look at, and it’s easy to do. And frankly, this goes not just for paranormal television, but for anybody I see doing it, I want to make sure that it’s all being done correctly. So, that’s part of it too. The major television shows usually mostly get it right in terms of the equipment, but sometimes you have people wearing headphones that aren’t soundproof. Or you have people who are not sort of following very good protocol asking the questions, or they’re leading themselves down a path. Or that person already knows what kind of story they’re looking for. That kind of taints the view of the person who is listening, which isn’t really what we ideally have in mind. Regardless, every time I turn on the TV it seems like it’s there and it’s flattering. It’s very cool.

BD: Some of the results you’ve gotten using the Estes Method on the Hellier case, for example, seem to make too much sense to be considered coincidences. And Hellier was based, in part, on a series of synchronicities. What are your thoughts on the concept of synchronicities?

CR: I think of synchronicities as number one, really only meaningful to the person who is experiencing them and that’s hard to convey and it’s hard to show the impact if you’re just a third party watching somebody else go through something like that. But when you’re a person experiencing them you sort of understand it a little bit better and I’m sure a lot of people have. I think additionally of synchronicities sort of as checkpoints alongside some sort of cosmic path. I don’t necessarily think that something is leading us down a straight and narrow road.

Sometimes I go back and forth and sometimes I kind of think of it that way. But I almost think of it as time itself being a confusing concept and having these ideas as we’re following along this path, as we’re getting intertwined in all of the high strangeness and beautiful oddness of the world, and synchronicities happen when you’re in tune with something larger.

BD: You’re currently working on the Haunted Objects Podcast with Greg and Dana Newkirk. Can you tell me a little bit about that?

CR: Greg and Dana asked me to help them produce and create their new podcast, which is the Haunted Objects Podcast. Every episode centers around a particular haunted object. Greg and Dana have been collecting items for years but they really collect them mostly as kind of a charity service. They’re not going out seeking a lot of stuff that’s labeled as haunted or something like that. The stuff that they get really is stuff that’s sent to them from people who are scared of it. So, they’re like, “Well, if you’re afraid of it, I’ll take it off your hands.” Greg and Dana have amassed this enormous collection in their house and they take it on the road sometimes. I think when Covid hit, some of the road shows were a little less frequent, and Greg and Dana still wanted to share these objects with the world and their cool stories. So, that’s kind of when the idea was sparked.

Now what we do is every other week we dive into the story of a haunted object from the collection and not only tell the story of the object, but the story of the idea surrounding it, why it’s scary. We talk about antique, spiritualist equipment and spirit slates and we tell the story of not only the séance that took place with these spirit slates, but also the spiritualism movement in general. When we talk about this haunted clown doll that they, we’re talking not just about the clown doll, but about why people are afraid of clowns and where does this stem from. We take everything with a touch of humor and really deep interest and each episode is a real nice dive into something totally different from the last episode.

BD: Hellier fans want to know if we’re getting a Season 3. Can you give me an update on that?

CR: It’s in our mentions all the time [laughs]! Hellier 1 and 2 were released very quickly back-to-back even though they took us four years to sort of put together in totality, and Hellier 3 is the next step in that. So, we’re working on it but it’s going to take time. We’re not actors on a filming schedule on set, we kind of have to see what the phenomena gives us. Then what we do is we each head down our different paths and then we meet back together as a group and compare and contrast and then figure out what the next steps are together. So, that takes time, but I can say that we are working on it.

Catch up on season 1 and 2 of Hellier free at https://www.hellier.tv/ and tune into the Haunted Objects Podcast to hear Greg, Dana, and Connor discuss the haunted objects in the Newkirk’s collection. Hellier is also streaming on the BD-powered SCREAMBOX.

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March 29, 2023

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Welcome back to DEAD Time. This month

Blue Bloods Renewed for Season 14 After Big Pay Cuts – The Hollywood Reporter

The stars and producers of Blue Bloods are going to see less green.

CBS has renewed the venerable cop drama for its 14th season after the cast and producers agreed to take what sources described as a 25 percent pay cut.

Sources close to the Tom Selleck production say the stars and key producers all agreed to the pay reduction in order to keep the Friday night cop drama running, and keep the hundreds of production staffers employed for another season.

With the renewal, Blue Bloods becomes CBS’ second longest-running current series as NCIS: Los Angeles is ending this season after 14 seasons. Only the flagship NCIS series, which was recently renewed for its 21st season, has aired longer than Blue Bloods.

“Blue Bloods has dominated Friday nights since its premiere and remained an important anchor for CBS’ winning lineup,” said Amy Reisenbach, CBS Entertainment president. “Led by the outstanding Tom Selleck, and an incredible cast and creative team, viewers continue to embrace the Reagans, their law enforcement family, and the series’ dramatic storytelling. We can’t wait to pull a chair up to the Reagan family dinner table for another fantastic season.”

Produced in-house at CBS Studios, Blue Bloods has been a cash cow for Paramount Global thanks in part to rich syndication and international deals. The drama remains one of CBS’ most-watched originals and anchors its Friday night primetime lineup. The show is broadcast’s No. 3 drama in total viewers, averaging more than 9.5 million per episode. With delayed viewing, that number grows to top 11 million.

Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes and Len Cariou star alongside Selleck in the series that, alongside SWAT, CBS had sought budget reductions. The fate of SWAT, a co-production between Sony TV and CBS, remains unclear. Co-creator Shawn Ryan recently told THR podcast TV’s Top 5 that the SWAT renewal hinges on both studios coming up with more favorable economics.

“Right now, it’s up in the air whether SWAT will get picked up for a seventh season, and that has nothing to do with ratings. You would never see that situation 15 years ago,” he said. “SWAT is third in the demo at CBS; there’s no reason why the show shouldn’t be picked up other than the economics of the business are changing. CBS and Sony will or will not figure out a way to economically make a season seven work.”

Blue Bloods joins CSI: Vegas, The Equalizer, all three of Dick Wolf’s FBI shows, rookies Fire Country and So Help Me Todd, NCIS and its spinoff, NCIS: Hawai’i, as CBS dramas that earned early renewals. The network’s comedy roster for the 2023-24 season includes Bob Hearts Abishola, Ghosts and The Neighborhood, all of which also were renewed early. Left on the bubble are SWAT, and first-year shows East New York and True Lies, the latter of which debuted in March. The network has already picked up Justin Hartley drama Tracker for next season.

Keep up with all the broadcast renewals, cancellations and new series orders with THR’s handy scorecard.

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March 29, 2023

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The stars and producers of Blue Bloods

Character Screaming in Unicorn Warriors Eternal

What to Watch

Samurai Jack Creator’s Striking New Show

The trailer for Unicorn Warrior Eternal unveils a striking new animated series from Samurai Jack and Primal creator Genndy Tartakovsky.

A trailer has dropped for Genndy Tartakovsky’s new animated series Unicorn Warriors Eternal, featuring a striking animation style. Tartakovsky is best known for creating animated action series like Samurai Jack and Primal, as well as directing the first three films in the Hotel Transylvania series. Unicorn Warriors Eternal was greenlit in 2020, with footage of the series premiering exclusively at Annecy Festival in June 2022.

Now, Adult Swim has released an official trailer for Unicorn Warriors Eternal, showing off a striking animation style alongside a story about resurrection and ancient evils.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAYSCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT

The animation in the trailer is reminiscent of Tartakovsky’s Primal, which had a similar art style to Unicorn Warriors Eternal. The trailer also features a release date at the end, revealing the series will premiere on May 4 at midnight.

Everything We Know About Unicorn Warriors Eternal

Robot Character wearing a hat in Unicorn Warriors Eternal

The new trailer for Unicorn Warriors Eternal features many instances of action-adventure elements, as well as supernatural characters and powers mixed with a Victorian-inspired setting. These types of ideas are fitting for a work by Tartakovsky, who previously introduced Vikings to Primal‘s prehistoric setting. Because of how much supernatural ideas and general action is featured in the trailer, it seems Unicorn Warriors Eternal will have plenty of excitement throughout its story.

This appears to be slightly different from the show’s original descriptions when it was first greenlit. While the trailer retains the idea of ancient heroes being resurrected to defeat evil, original descriptions for the series billed it as having comedic elements as the characters navigate through teenage issues while trying to piece together fragmented memories. These teenage elements appear to be absent in the official trailer, but it’s still possible the series will explore this part of its description more thoroughly once it premieres.

Unicorn Warriors Eternal also underscores how Tartakovsky is dedicated to creating stories that are both exciting and unique experiences audiences haven’t seen before. His dedication to his craft is backed up by his history in animation, with Adult Swim previously giving him a chance to give Samurai Jack a definitive ending with season 5. If the trailer is anything to go by, then it seems Unicorn Warriors Eternal will be able to live up to the same greatness as the previous Tartakovsky series.

Source: Adult Swim

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March 29, 2023

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The trailer for Unicorn Warrior Eternal unveils

Awards

2023 Emmys Drama Series Predictions

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

OSCARS | EMMYS | GRAMMYS | TONYS

UPDATED: March. 23, 2023

2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Drama Series

(L-R): Sophie Nélisse as Teen Shauna and Jasmin Savoy Brown as Teen Taissa in YELLOWJACKETS Season 2. Photo Credit: Kailey Schwerman/SHOWTIME.
Courtesy of Kailey Schwerman/Showtime

Weekly Commentary: It’s been a time of change for HBO over the past few years with the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery. One thing that doesn’t seem to change this year is the network’s awards prospects. Four juggernaut series are among its hopefuls — the prequel show “House of the Dragon” and the video game adaptation “The Last of Us” are among its freshman series in the running. “The White Lotus,” subtitled “Sicily” moves to this category after sweeping the limited categories last year, and the reigning champ “Succession” with its fourth and final season.

With the network coming off celebrating its 50th anniversary, if these early projections are accurate, four series noms from a single network would tie an Emmy record, which NBC has held since 1992. Notably, NBC achieved this feat when there were only five slots, versus this year where eight are expected.

Less likely, but HBO also has “The Idol,” “Perry Mason” and “Westworld” on its roster.

There are other freshman series in the running, which are among the substantial amount of genre programs seeking awards recognition. Those include three prequel series from two beloved franchises — “Andor” and “The Mandalorian” from Disney+ and “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” from Amazon Prime Video.

Amazon will also seek to repeat its surprise nom for “The Boys” two years ago for the superhero show’s third season from last summer.

Showtime is returning with the sophomore season of the horror-thriller drama “Yellowjackets,” said to be even better than its inaugural outing.

The farewell seasons can drum up added support which is why we shouldn’t discount AMC’s “Better Call Saul” getting one more trip around Emmy’s sun.

And then there’s the adult programming and westerns that hope to break through such as Netflix’s “The Crown,” Paramount+’s “1923,” FX’s “The Old Man” and Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone.”

Emmy Nominations voting runs from June 15-26. The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced on July 12. Check back every Thursday for the latest updates. All information is preliminary and is subject to change.

And the Predicted Nominees Are:

“The Mandalorian” (Disney+)
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” (Amazon Prime Video)

Other Top-Tier Possibilities

“The Boys” (Amazon Prime Video)
“Yellowstone” (Paramount Network)
“The Old Man” (FX)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
“The Diplomat” (Netflix)
“Bad Sisters” (Apple TV+)
“Interview with the Vampire” (AMC)
“1923” (Paramount+)
“The Good Fight” (Paramount+)
“Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” (Netflix)

All Eligible Titles (Alphabetized by Network)**

**This list is not yet complete and is subject to change.

2022 category winner: “Succession” (HBO) — Season 3 — Jesse Armstrong, Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Mark Mylod, Jane Tranter, Tony Roche, Scott Ferguson, Jon Brown, Lucy Prebble, Will Tracy (executive producers); Georgia Pritchett, Ted Cohen (co-executive producers); Susan Soon He Stanton, Dara Schnapper (supervising producers); Gabrielle Mahon (produced by); Francesca Gardiner (consulting producer)

Emmy Awards Predictions Categories

Creative Arts and Other Emmy Categories

About the Primetime Emmy Awards

The Primetime Emmy Awards, better known as the Emmys, are given out by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Since 1949, the awards have recognized excellence in American primetime television programming. They are divided into three classes – Primetime Emmy Awards, the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards (honors artisan achievements), and

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March 29, 2023

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Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all

Music

Jessy Lanza: “Don’t Leave Me Now” Track Review

Jessy Lanza coats her neurotic, tightly-wound dance jams in a crisp candy shell. On 2020’s All the Time, the Canadian-born musician turned a song about pill dependency into a sensual R&B slow jam; she made a rage spiral sound as euphoric as falling in love. The lollipop exterior of her music often obscures the real, unsettling darkness at its core, much of which regards the terror of losing control over your own life.

On her new standalone single “Don’t Leave Me Now,” Lanza once again finds fertile creative ground at the intersection of lyrical anxiety and buoyant production. Over a turbulent juke beat, Lanza reacts to an incident in which she was nearly hit by a car in L.A., triggering agoraphobic panic. “Don’t leave me,” she repeats in a breathy, helium-voiced coo—the oblique lyrics seemingly drawn from a love song but in context pointing to totalizing fear. In a contrast to the dissociated ambiance of prior tracks like “You Never Show Your Love” or “VV Violence”, which still feel vaporous even at their most banging, “Don’t Leave Me Now” is embodied, insistent, and forceful. It pushes Lanza into the zone of big-tent favorites and pulls off the feat of making a near-death experience sound rapturous.

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March 29, 2023

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Jessy Lanza coats her neurotic, tightly-wound dance

Docs

‘Lac-Megantic: This Is Not an Accident,’ From Oscar Nominee Philippe Falardeau, Debuts Trailer Ahead of Canneseries, Hot Docs Premieres

Academy Award-nominated director Philippe Falardeau (“Monsieur Lazhar,” “My Salinger Year”) will present his documentary series “Lac Mégantic: This Is Not an Accident” at Canneseries as its world premiere, followed by its North American premiere at Hot Docs as part of the Deep Dive category. Variety debuts its heart-breaking trailer here (see below).

In the four-part series, Falardeau investigates one of the worst oil train tragedies in history; a foreseeable catastrophe ignited by corporate and political negligence.

Almost 10 years ago, on July 6, 2013, a devastating tragedy occurred in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, when a runaway train derailed in the heart of this idyllic town. Within seconds, six million liters of Bakken oil explode, killing everyone in its vicinity, and incinerating downtown.

At the heart of this series are the survivors who share their most intimate stories of lost loved ones and the string of injustices they’ve faced since that summer night. Yet, the steps needed to prevent another Lac-Mégantic tragedy are still not in place.

“It was extremely important to me to give a voice and a face to the people of Lac-Mégantic, who not only suffered a massive tragedy, but have been reliving the trauma over the past 10 years as the powers-that-be continue to make negligent decisions that affect their everyday lives,” said Falardeau.

“Unfortunately Lac-Mégantic is not an isolated event. Even though this tragedy shocked the world and prompted widespread calls for greater safety measures, current events show that little has been done to avoid these types of transportation disasters. Our series is a call to action to bring much needed attention and change, in honor of all of those who lost their lives.”

Following its festival premieres, the French language version of the series begins streaming May 2 on VRAI, with other broadcast announcements to follow.

The series was co-written by Falardeau with Nancy Guerin (“Left Behind America,” “A Sister’s Song,” “Pink Ribbons Inc.”).

It was produced by Annie Sirois (“Can You Hear Me?,” “Last Summer of the Raspberries,” “Escobar Told By His Sons”) for Canadian production company Trio Orange, in collaboration with Quebecor Content, and executive produced by Carlos Soldevila.

It was created with the support of SODEC Quebec, Quebecor Fund, Rogers Documentary Fund and Canada Media Fund.

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March 29, 2023

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Academy Award-nominated director Philippe Falardeau (“Monsieur Lazhar,”

Fears are growing for 13-year-old Maria Moskalyova, a Russian girl who was taken away from her father after she drew an anti-war picture at school

Global

Fears for Russian girl, 13, taken away from her father for drawing an anti-war sketch

Fears are growing for a Russian girl who was taken away from her father after she drew an anti-war picture at school, with the single dad now missing after fleeing house arrest under Vladimir Putin‘s regime.

Alexei Moskalyov, 54, escaped on Tuesday after he was handed a two-year sentence for ‘discrediting’ the Russian army after his online activity was investigated by police in the small town of Yefremov, south of Moscow.

His 13-year-old daughter Maria was taken away from him earlier this month and placed in a local children’s home, with the pair denied contact and their lawyers now raising concerns over her uncertain future.

Moskalyov came to the attention of the authorities last April after Maria, then 12, drew a picture at school showing Russian missiles raining down on a Ukrainian mother and child.

Following international condemnation, the Kremlin has today stood by what many have seen as its harsh sentencing of Moskalyov and slammed what it called his ‘deplorable parenting’.

Fears are growing for 13-year-old Maria Moskalyova, a Russian girl who was taken away from her father after she drew an anti-war picture at school

Single dad Alexei Moskalyov, 54, escaped on Tuesday after he was handed a two-year sentence for ‘discrediting’ the Russian army

But, in a bizarre twist, the sentencing of Moskalyov was slammed by the boss of the feared Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has historically been close to Putin.

In a surprise intervention, founder of the Wagner private army that is fighting for Russia in Ukraine, Prigozhin called the verdict ‘unfair, especially in view of the fact that his daughter Masha will be forced to grow up in an orphanage’.

Prigozhin even asked the prosecutor to review the verdict, and also requested that lawyers associated with Wagner be allowed to work with Moskalyov’s defence.

Moskalyov’s lawyer Vladimir Biliyenko said he was in favour of both requests, even if he was unsure of Prigozhin’s motives. ‘I’m ready to accept any help that will help my client,’ he said.

Later on Wednesday, in a short audio message laced with expletives, Prigozhin angrily rejected the idea he was motivated by ‘political ambitions’.

The case has garnered international attention, as Moscow cracks down on any dissent while Putin’s forces wage a brutal war in Ukraine.

Moskalyov’s lawyer Vladimir Biliyenko said he did not know where his client was and that he was denied access to Maria, but was passed drawings from her.

He also confirmed the authenticity of a letter published on social media written by Maria to her father.

In a bizarre twist, the verdict on Moskalyov was slammed by the boss of the feared Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin

‘I love you very much and know that you are not guilty of anything,’ the letter read.

‘Everything will be ok and we will be together. You are my hero,’ it said.

She called him ‘the bravest person in the world.’

Biliyenko said it was now ‘difficult to predict’ what will happen to Maria, with a court due to decide on April 6 on restricting the 54-year-old father’s parental rights.

‘We will do everything possible to defend (Moskalyov) from these charges,’ the lawyer said.

He criticised Russia’s children’s rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova and rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova for not getting involved in the case.

‘The fate of a child is being decided here and they are not interested,’ he said.

A local rights activist, Yelena Agafonova, has said she was prepared to take the girl in.

Moskalyov looks out through the window of his flat after he was placed under house arrest (dated March 23)

‘We will apply for custody of Masha (a diminutive of Maria), we are preparing the documents,’ she said to reporters.

She believed the case was a ‘show case to demonstrate what will happen with those who do not agree’ with Moscow’s Ukraine campaign.

Russia’s top human rights organisation Memorial, which has been closed down by Russian authorities, said it considered Moskalyov a ‘political prisoner’.

Maria, or Masha as she is known, drew a pro-peace picture back in April last year.

The head of her school called the police, who began to investigate her father and fined him for comments critical of the Russian army.

He was then investigated for a second time last December on suspicion of discrediting the armed forces, a crime under laws passed shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine last year.

Vladimir Bilyenko, the lawyer of Alexei Moskalyov. Biliyenko said it was now ‘difficult to predict’ what will happen to Maria

Moskalyov’s current whereabouts are unknown. A human rights lawyer, Dmitry Zakhvatov, said on Wednesday that Moskalyov had been in touch with him and sent him a copy of a letter that Masha had written him from the children’s home where she has been living since early March.

‘Hi Dad, I really ask you not to get sick and not to worry. Everything is fine with me, I love you very much and know that you’re not guilty of anything. I am always on your side, and everything you do is right,’ she wrote.

Written neatly on lined paper, the letter ended with ‘I love you’ in English, and the words ‘you are a hero’ inside a crudely drawn heart.

The prosecutor’s office in Tula, south of Moscow, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Prigozhin’s request and on the investigation into Moskalyov’s escape.

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March 29, 2023

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Fears are growing for a Russian girl

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WME, Inevitable Foundation Partner To Empower Disabled Writers – Deadline

WME is teaming with Inevitable Foundation, the non-profit helping disabled screenwriters to reach their full commercial and creative potential, on a new initiative to empower them.

While there’s no official name for the initiative, Inevitable Foundation will look through it to leverage the leading agency’s expertise, resources and relationships to break down barriers for disabled writers. The Foundation will now receive financial support from WME, also working with their TV and MP lit agents to increase development and staffing opportunities for disabled writers, and setting their Accelerate Fellows up with opportunities for mentorship by notable agency clients.

“We are thrilled to partner with WME to help disabled writers build creative power in the film and television industry,” said Inevitable Foundation co-founders Richie Siegel and Marisa Torelli-Pedevska. “Disabled writers represent only 0.15% of first-look and overall deals, 3% of upper-level television writers, and less than 1% of the WGA. Having an industry power broker like WME put their strength behind radically reshaping how the entertainment community values disabled people will make a meaningful difference in this fight.”

Added WME President Ari Greenburg: “There is simply not enough access for writers from underrepresented groups, and that is even more apparent amongst the disabled population. Richie and Marisa have put together a thoughtful plan to address this issue, and WME is proud to support them and the Inevitable Foundation in providing more opportunity for disabled writers to see their stories come to the screen.”

Since its inception in 2021, Inevitable Foundation has granted over a quarter million dollars directly to disabled screenwriters via its Accelerate Fellowship, Elevate Collective and Elevate for Podcasters programs, while providing the creatives with further opportunities for job placement, professional development, funding, networking and mentorship.

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March 29, 2023

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Tech

Google wants to make an AI-powered GitHub competitor

Artificial intelligence-powered (AI) code collaboration platform Replit is partnering with Google Cloud to give it an significant power boost.

Replit is known for its Ghostwriter tool, which allows users to use simple prompts, in the same fashion as Open AI’s ChatGPT and similar AI-powered chat apps, to generate code. Where Ghostwriter differs is that it has access to, and the context of a user’s project to assist with composition.

With the partnership, announced in a blog post (opens in new tab), both companies are working towards assisting businesses with accelerating and simplifying development processes to turn “non-developers into developers”, with Google Cloud and Workspace customers gaining access.

AI code collaboration

Though Replit already boasts 20 million users, its partnership with Google comes at an opportune moment. with AI seemingly having broken into the public consciousness following Microsoft Bing’s multi-billion dollar investment into OpenAI, and its implementation of ChatGPT into its search engine.

“Our partnership with Google Cloud on infrastructure and AI is a clear step toward our mission of bringing the next billion software creators online,” said Amjad Masad, Replit’s CEO and Head of Engineering.

“Generative AI can bring significant new capabilities to businesses and developers, including the ability to easily, safely, and scalably create new software applications and online experiences with little or no coding experience,” said June Yang, Google Cloud’s VP for Cloud AI and Industry Solutions.

The rise of no-code tools to write code itself is an enticing idea, but it comes with several problematic caveats, such as issues of ownership, and the fact that authors of similar tools, like Github’s Copilot, have been accused of using open source code to train them.

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March 29, 2023

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Artificial intelligence-powered (AI) code collaboration platform Replit

Video

Juliette Lewis Chokes Up Talking About Christmas Vacation on Kelly Clarkson

Juliette Lewis got all choked up on Wednesday’s episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” – and it wasn’t from discussing the trauma her character endures as a stranded survivor of a plane crash on Showtime’s “Yellowjackets.”

Instead, Kelly Clarkson asked the longtime actor about one of her earliest timeless classics, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”

“I know that you’ve talked about this a billion times, but my family will actually kill me if I don’t bring it up, so you’re welcome,” Clarkson began, explaining that she watches “Christmas Vacation” with her family every year.

“How could I be mad at that?” Lewis said, genuinely warmed by the thought.

“It’s one of my favorite, I have never – like, I spend Christmas with you,” Clarkson said. “Like, everyone does. That’s an incredible thing to make so many movies, shows, music, but to have this thing that is so culturally just in our brains and in our – every year, different generations. Very few people are a part of something like that. Did you know it was gonna be like that?”

“No, I did not,” Lewis said, noting that she’s being interviews for “Yellowjackets” lately and at this point in her life she’s feeling especially reflective. “I’m mid-life, so I’m going through many important emotional, transitional things, seizing beautiful, learning how to appreciate what you have.”

“And so I get really – I’m gonna cry,” she continued, pointing herself in the face in mock embarrassment before choking up further. Clarkson grabbed the tissues. “‘Christmas Vacation,’ it’s so touching that every year as a little, I was just 15. Sorry, I didn’t mean to cry.”

Lance Reddick Reflects on the ‘John Wick’ Family He Built With Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane in One of His Final Interviews (Video)

“No, look, I cry so much on this show,” the host assured. “They have it here for me! It’s an incredible thing though to be a part of people’s lives every Christmas.”

“They’re like, ‘You’re part of my family,’ people have lost their parents or whatever – what it meant to them, it’s a tradition,” Lewis said, sharing interactions she’s had with fans about the movie.

“You’re a part of those memories.”

“So what I’m saying is no, you can never imagine that is ever gonna happen in a film you do,” Lewis said. “I was just 15 years old.”

Watch the full interview clip from “The Kelly Clarkson Show” in the video above.

Juliette Lewis Says ‘Natural Born Killers’ Backlash Carried a Double-Standard: I Was ‘Crazy,’ Woody Harrelson Was ‘Acting’

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March 29, 2023

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Entertaintment

Rachel Weisz as Co-Dependent Twins in TV Remake – The Hollywood Reporter

Rachel Weisz is revealing her and Alice Birch’s updated take on Dead Ringers.

Amazon’s modern, gender-swapped reworking of David Cronenberg’s 1988 thriller that starred Jeremy Irons sees Rachel Weisz now in the double lead role as identical twins Elliot and Beverly Mantle, who are gynecologists at the top of their field in a near-future setting.

The six-episode psychosexual thriller describes the pair as “twins who share everything: Drugs, lovers, and an unapologetic desire to do whatever it takes — including pushing the boundaries on medical ethics — in an effort to challenge antiquated practices and bring women’s healthcare to the forefront.”

The Oscar-winning star, also an executive producer, and showrunner/writer Alice Birch held a panel on Monday for press, including The Hollywood Reporter, to debut the trailer (watch, below) and expand upon the themes and what to expect from their remake series, which has been three-and-a-half years in the making. (The trailer’s release was delayed until Wednesday in light of Monday’s Nashville school shooting that left six dead, including three children.)

When taking on the project, Birch has said the appeal was capturing “the intensity of identical twins, the God-like power that comes with being a doctor, the signature body horror of Cronenberg and the fun the Mantle twins seemed to have (always with a martini glass in hand).” They set out to find a tone that was both twisted and camp, sexy and subversive — complete with an ’80s soundtrack, a nod to the film — and explore birth and maternal healthcare in a graphic and truthful way.

“It’s quite deliciously mischievous at times. Emotional. Moving. And there is some humor, also — darkly, darkly humorous,” summed up Weisz. Birch described the series as a “twisted, darkly comedic thriller about these two dangerously co-dependent twins who are obsessed with each other. It’s a very intense relationship. They love each other very deeply, but I think they kind of feel everything about each other very deeply, and that takes us to more of a dangerous co-dependent place.”

To drive that point home, Birch explained the twins have never spent a night apart from each other. And yet, the brilliant obstetricians and gynecologists are professionally at the top of their game, and driven to improve the way women give birth. To tackle the latter, the show spoke to experts and scientists, and had experts on sets for medical procedures.

What motivates the doctors, however, depends on the twin. “Beverly is altruistic, thoughtful, careful, kind, has a complicated relationship to pleasure, really wants to change the way that all women birth irrespective of their economic background, their wealth. And Elliot’s very, very different,” said Weisz. “She loves Beverly, so she’ll go along with her dream to change the way that women birth, but she’s not altruistic. She is into science, and she wants to really change the world through scientific research and discovery, and she’s pushing the boundaries of what’s ethical and what isn’t.”

Elliot also has a mischievous sense of humor. “She has a kind of sexual appetite, a career appetite and just a good ole appetite for food. She likes to eat a lot, so I enjoyed that,” added Weisz with a laugh. Birch has previously said that showing female pleasure onscreen “still feels radical to me — watching Elliot ravenously eat burgers, kebabs, seafood platters, seeing both of them having sex that works for them, unapologetically on their terms was essential for us.”

Playing opposite herself required a learning curve, said the pair, who described the technical process of capturing each twin’s perspective when in a scene together. “This was without a doubt the biggest challenge of my acting life,” said Weisz. “But also the most joyous in many ways. It was hard work. But as Alice mentioned, it was a whole crew kind of moving as one organism. It was the effects, motion control, hair, makeup, the set dresses, props. Everybody was shifting from one character to the next. I didn’t shoot Beverly for one day and then Elliot for another day. It was within one scene.”

But Weisz said the writing for each character was so distinct, so “psychologically layered and profound” that she felt like she was playing “two totally separate people on the page before I even got into hair, makeup, costume, and the way in which they might look different.”

Elliot Mantle, left, and Beverly Mantle, both played by Rachel Weisz in Dead Ringers.

Courtesy of Amazon Studios

Made up mostly of an all-female creative team, including the all-women writers room, which Weisz was a part of, Birch said that the updated take of the twins being women “changes everything, but it also changes nothing. We wanted it to be as fun and as wild as the film, and let the series go in its own direction.”

Birch previously said she wanted to engage with the “horror of the medical system that many women and birth-givers find themselves in,” citing the high maternal mortality rate particularly for the BIPOC community. “By the end [of the series], Elliot’s research is pushing at the limits of what we can imagine … that feels almost futuristic, almost both within and beyond reach.”

In clips that were shown from upcoming episodes, the twins swap their identities while seeing patients — which tees up the twisted twin-swapping storyline from the original film — and, at a dinner party with potential investors, Elliot proposes a controversial technique to delay the onset of menopause.

Weisz and Birch explained that the series — which releases all episodes at once — begins more grounded but ends in a heightened reality. “We wanted each episode to be quite different and we wanted the show to begin in a very grounded place in a place that we really recognize, like it’s two doctors are walking in and out of a hospital in Manhattan. We want it to feel like today and that they’re meeting real women with these real kind of issues. And by the end, we’re in a more heightened, more operatic place,” said Birch.

The ensemble cast also includes Britne Oldford, Poppy Liu, Michael Chernus, Jennifer Ehle and Emily Meade.

Dead Ringers is a co-production between Amazon Studios and Annapurna Television. Weisz also serves as executive producer, along with Birch, who wrote the series, Stacy O’Neil, Sue Naegle, Ali Krug, Sean Durkin, Erica Kay and Anne Carey. James G. Robinson, David Robinson and Barbara Wall from Morgan Creek Entertainment also are executive producers.

All six episodes release April 21 on Prime Video.

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March 29, 2023

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Rachel Weisz is revealing her and Alice

Film, MCU, TV

Marvel and Disney NEED to Course Correct – Opinion Piece

A Studio in Peril

To say that opinions of the MCU has shifted post Infinity Saga would be an understatement. Phase 4 is undeniably a massive step down in quality when looking at the previous 3 Phases of the MCU. Not helping matters is the start of Phase 5, Ant-Man and the Wasp : Quantumania. As though a left over of Phase 4. Predictable writing, poor over-use of CGI, and inability to take risk hampers what could’ve been an amazing introduction to Kang. Instead, it’s one of the lowest reviewed films of the MCU, and on track to be a box-office bomb. Couple this with Disney cutting down staff, and potential legal troubles with Majors; leaves Disney and Marvel Studios in a horrible position.

That said, there are ways in which Marvel Studios and Disney can change the Multiverse Saga for the better.

1.) Marvel Needs to Pump the Breaks

Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Phase One has six films released in the span of four years. Likewise, Phase Two also has six films released in the span of three years. Phase Three picks things up with eleven films, though still over the span of four years. Enter Phase 4, releasing seven films, eight shows, and two short films in the span of two years. In total, that is seventeen projects in such a short time.

As a result, so much money and resources are spread thin among each of these projects. This explains why the quality of the writing feels so haphazard. This explains why the CGI looks so bad in these recent films. Topping this with reports of many CG artists trying to avoid working for Marvel given the strict deadlines, it’s no wonder the quality took such a hit. Thankfully, this seems to be something Marvel Studios and Disney are acutely aware of. Many upcoming projects had been postponed till further notice. In addition, Victoria Alonso being removed from her role as President of VFX may lead to change in leadership, one which will hopefully lead to a more conducive and effective work environment. However, there’s another issue that plagued Phase 4 that runs the risk of hampering at the very least Phase 5.

2.) Where’s the Overarching Narrative?

Courtesy of Empire

While not all movies in Phase 1-3 had to explicitly deal with the Infinity Stones, each movie felt important for developing the characters, relationships, and themes of each respective Phase. Phase 1 served as an introduction to the MCU and the interconnected nature of it. Phase 2 expands from that to plant hints of the overarching narrative with the Infinity Stones. This then reaches its apex in Phase 3, which sees the heroes divided as Thanos finally begins his conquest for the Infinity Stones. Each movie could stand on its own, but there was always something thematically or narrative wise connecting each project. This is something Phase 4 tries to do. The problem is there are so many ideas vying for attention that there isn’t really any narrative to easily discern.

Some stories are about overcoming trauma. Others try to navigate life in the MCU post-Blip. But for this next Saga titled the multiverse saga, only four of the seventeen projects in Phase 4 dealt with the multiverse; No Way Home, Multiverse of Madness, Loki, and What if…? Not helping this is there isn’t a massive event movie or show to bring all of these different characters, themes, and ideas together. Everything else either tries to focus on worldwide issues, mythical issues, set-up mutants, street-level, etc. Simply put, there is far too much to juggle. Thematically, Wakanda Forever tries to fulfill that purpose, but it otherwise doesn’t feel like a Phase ending film. In fact, ask a casual Marvel watcher, most of them wouldn’t even know Phase 5 even started.

Once again, Phase 5 looks to rectify some of these issues. Despite its problems, Quantumania does promise to start putting far more emphasis on Kang and the multiverse. In addition, upcoming projects like New World Order and Thunderbolts look to better fill in the role of uniting these story lines around more central ideas. And with rumors of Daredevil : Born Again tying into the fourth MCU Spider-Man film, and Spider-Man himself supposedly playing a large role in The Kang Dynasty, the MCU may hopefully figure out how to balance individual story telling with the overarching narrative of the Multiverse Saga. On the subject of individual storytelling…

3.) Stop Making a Joke or Statement of Everything

The writing and dialogue in Phase 4 at times can be frankly embarrassing. Thor : Love and Thunder and She-Hulk are the biggest offenders of this. While other films and shows had a problem of undercutting sentimental moments with forced humor, these two projects show the Marvel humor at their worst. It’s almost like the projects were made out of spite for the MCU and the people who enjoy it. That’s not to say Marvel Studios should go overly serious, but the MCU never treated itself like a joke. Meanwhile, films like No Way Home, Wakanda Forever, and shows like Wandavision, Loki, and Ms. Marvel manage to balance the humor and maturity with more grace.

While also not the biggest problem with this Phase, it’s also important to note that Phase 4 has a particularly bad habit of trying to make statements about something in society, often without having a good way of making that statement. She-Hulk of course fails at this to the most annoying degree(especially from a legal standpoint, given the writers never knew how to write courtroom dramas), but Falcon and the Winter Soldier has the most egregious example of this. While the show manages to deal with the weight of being a black Captain America and the role African Americans played in the military quite well, everything with the Flag Smashers and Sam’s talk with the senators feel forced and uninformed. Yes Sam, blowing up buildings and innocent people, regardless of motive, is something a terrorist would do.

It’s entirely fine to have aspects of the world connect to the universe, or inform these stories. After all, look at how much people love The Winter Soldier and Civil War. However, audiences hate it when you preach to them. Audiences come to the MCU for escapism and entertainment, not to be talked down to.

Conclusion – Marvel Can Still Thrive, But Change Needs to Happen

Nobody ever wants to see someone fail. Something Marvel and Disney need to realize, is when critics, fans, and audiences are harsh against the MCU, it’s not out of spite, but rather because they want it to succeed as well. They might not all see eye to eye on certain things, but they all agree that Marvel Studios needs to make changes happen. While Lucasfilm seems to be having a harder time with Star Wars, Marvel Studios at least has a plan, and has shown with the Infinity Saga that they can course correct when needed. Now, more than ever, they need to demonstrate that ability again.

Check out the MCU on Disney +.

March 29, 2023

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A Studio in Peril To say that opinions

Entertaintment, Festivals, Film

Review: “The Gesture and The Word” Short Film, 5 Stars

DISCLAIMER SPOILERS AHEAD DO NOT READ — IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE FILM. WATCH THE SHORT IN FULL BELOW:

The Gesture and The Word (2020), directed by Helen Alexis Yonov (Burden & Light), features James Michael Tyler as Gilbert, a postman with a crush on the local florist. The opening scene starts at the flower shop that Eloïse owns and since it is on Gilbert’s route, he stops by with her mail. She reaches for a flower and he prepares for her to pin it to his jacket, which shows that they have done this before and it is now routine for them. While pinning the freesia to his jacket, she explains that it symbolizes innocence and friendship, but in the Victorian era, it would be added to bouquets to convey trust.

She looks at him with shyly and seems a little nervous while explaining. The audience would catch this obvious sign of affection, but the main character remains doubtful as he carries on with his route. He stops at another place on his route, receiving advice from a former poet on how to tell Eloïse that he has feelings for her. Mr. Rostalle tells him that and that it’s about both the gesture and the word. As a poet, Gilbert is sure that Mr. Rostalle has the words to help him, but he is trying to figure out how to piece together the gesture and the word to share his affections with Eloïse.

Gilbert has been pressing the flowers that he receives from Eloïse every day, and as he continues on his route to deliver other mail, he notices postcards with landscapes of different countries on them, addressed to “Aurore”. At one point, the postcards stop, and Gilbert continues writing them, just to see Aurore smile when they are delivered to her. By the end, the young man (Eric) who had been sending the postcards returns home, and Aurore puzzles over the sender since Eric denies writing them, just as Gilbert finishes sorting the mail and the couple looks back to see the empty path.

Throughout the film, Gilbert collects and presses flowers into a book for Eloïse, and one night he visits a bar that happens to be the same one she performs burlesque at, giving him a chance to say something, and he doesn’t. He visits Mr. Rostalle late at night after the outing, distressed because he “chickened out” of talking to her. Mr. Rostalle, rather than being bothered by the late visit, he invites Gilbert in to talk with him. He explains that the reason he is having these feelings of insecurity is because he’s too “ordinary”, to which Mr. Rostalle responds: “so am I; most of us are.”

Courtesy of Burden & Light

He tells Gilbert that he has lived a full life, and he has no regrets. His last piece of advice to end the scene is “life’s too short not to tell her.” An empowered Gilbert goes to the flower shop again the next day, and when Eloïse gives him an orchid and describes the meaning behind the flower, he bravely presents the book with pressed flowers to her, and they look through the book, smiling and standing close to each other. He puts his arm around her shoulders, and she seems to be giddy with excitement that they finally confessed feelings for one another.

Review

The short is a meaningful slice-of-life film with excellent storytelling, cinematography, and concept. Performance-wise, the subtle actions and expressions really brought each character to life and made their story believable. Gilbert is so relatable— his doubts about Eloïse‘s affection and his emphasis on how he is ordinary are things that many of us deal with when we are looking for love. The character of Mr. Rostalle is a great addition to the story because he was more than just a man that lived in a house on Gilbert’s mail route; he was a role model for Gilbert and someone to look to for advice. The reason for the five-star review is the concept of Gilbert writing the postcards after Eric stops writing them to Aurore— initially, but it can be misconstrued as stalking and certainly portrays crossing a boundary — but some may deem it seem sweet or flattering. Overall a great watch.

Overall: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ /5

March 29, 2023

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***DISCLAIMER*** SPOILERS AHEAD DO NOT READ --

Entertaintment, Latest News, Press Releases, TV

Starz & Channel 4 greenlight thriller, ‘The Couple Next Door’ with Sam Heughan, Eleanor Tomlinson

STARZ and Channel 4 have commissioned a six-part thriller, “The Couple Next Door,” starring Sam Heughan (“Outlander,” “Suspect”), Eleanor Tomlinson (“The Outlaws,” “Poldark”), Jessica De Gouw (“Pennyworth,” Our Man from Jersey) and Alfred Enoch (Tigers, “How To Get Away with Murder”) from Eagle Eye Drama. The series is a deliciously dark, psychological drama, exploring the stultifying claustrophobia of suburbia and the fallout of chasing your darkest desires.

When Evie (Eleanor Tomlinson) and Pete (Alfred Enoch) move into an upscale neighborhood, they find themselves in a world of curtain twitching and status anxiety. But soon find friendship in the shape of the couple next door, alpha traffic cop Danny (Sam Heughan) and his wife, glamorous yoga instructor Becka (Jessica De Gouw). Sam Heughan heads up the cast as Danny who shares a passionate night with Evie, his beautiful but troubled neighbor.

Sam Heughan said: “l’m thrilled to be working with Eagle Eye Drama and director Dries Vos again and adding a third series with my STARZ family. Dries has a unique visual flair and I’m sure we’re going to make something special.”

Eleanor Tomlinson added: “Evie is an exciting challenge for me – a girl whose world is turned upside down as she navigates devastating trauma, which isn’t helped by unresolved issues from her past. We have an excellent team on board, and I am looking forward to exploring this dark and complicated world alongside Sam and our director Dries.”

“Sam has truly found his home at STARZ as he continues to shine on our slate,” said Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming for STARZ. “This marks our third series with the brilliant actor and we cannot wait to see the chemistry he and Eleanor will ignite together in this provocative series.”

Caroline Hollick, Head of Drama, Channel 4 said: “This series is an addictive, emotional roller-coaster with something to say about modern sexual mores, with an electrifying cast that will set our screens on fire.”

Jo McGrath, Executive Producer and CCO of Eagle Eye Drama, commented: “At the heart of this series are two couples who get increasingly close to each other, and one fateful night become sexually entangled in a way that will change the rest of their lives forever. You never really know what goes on behind closed doors but this series sets out to make you wonder.”

Loosely adapted from the Dutch series “New Neighbours” the series is written by David Allison (Marcella, “Bedlam”), directed by award winning director Dries Vos (“Suspect,” “Professor T”), Series Produced by Jen Burnet, and is Executive Produced by Jo McGrath, Walter Iuzzolino and Alison Kee. The Couple Next Door is commissioned by Channel 4’s Head of Drama, Caroline Hollick and Commissioning Editor, Rebecca Holdsworth. Karen Bailey, EVP of Programming, is the executive overseeing “The Couple Next Door” for STARZ.

The series is produced by Eagle Eye Drama and distributed worldwide by Beta Film. “The Couple Next Door” has begun filming in Leeds and Belgium. “The Couple Next Door” will be available on Channel 4 in the UK and on STARZ in the US and Canada, as well as on LIONSGATE+, the international premium streaming service from STARZ, in Latin America, including Brazil.

About STARZ
STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company, is a leading global media streaming platform committed to delivering premium content that amplifies narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences. STARZ is home to the highly rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app that offers the ability to stream or download STARZ premium content, as well as the flagship domestic STARZ® service, including STARZ ENCORE, 17 premium pay TV channels, and the associated on-demand and online services. In 2018, STARZ launched its international premium streaming platform STARZPLAY, now LIONSGATE+, to provide subscribers access to bold, curated storytelling. LIONSGATE+, coupled with the STARZPLAY ARABIA joint venture in MENA and Lionsgate Play in South and Southeast Asia, has a footprint that extends across the globe. STARZ and LIONSGATE+ are available across digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies around the world. In February 2021, STARZ launched #TakeTheLead, a multi-faceted and innovative inclusion initiative expanding its existing efforts to improve representation on screen, behind the camera and throughout the company.

About EAGLE EYE DRAMA
Eagle Eye Drama was formed by Walter Iuzzolino, Jo McGrath and Jason Thorp, the same three founders and creative team behind the global drama company Walter Presents. The company produces dramas and animations, based on adaptations and original ideas. In 2022, Eagle Eye launched two new companies Belgian based Happy Duck Films and animation company Eaglet Films.

Follow Eagle Eye Drama on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

About Channel 4
Channel 4 exists to create change through entertainment. Publicly owned yet commercially funded, Channel 4 generates significant and sustainable cultural, economic and social impact across the UK – at no cost to the taxpayer.

The broadcaster’s distinctive remit is set by Parliament, and it has a role to represent unheard voices, challenge with purpose and reinvent entertainment. For 40 years, it has been a British success story, engaging generation after generation of young people.

Through a unique publisher-broadcaster model, Channel 4 commissions its content from the UK independent production sector. Working with around 300 creative companies every year, Channel 4 makes a major contribution to the local, regional and national economy, creating and supporting thousands of jobs and businesses across the country.

In 2020, Channel 4 launched its Future4 strategy to become a digital-first public service media company and to continue to deliver significant impact for UK audiences and investment into the UK creative economy.

Across its bases in London, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow, Channel 4 is turbocharging its efforts to find, nurture and develop talent across the UK. Through its training and development initiative 4Skills, Channel 4 is opening up opportunities in broadcasting, with a particular focus on disadvantaged young people, and addressing skills gaps across the Nations and Regions.

Channel 4 has the UK’s biggest free streaming service, All 4, plus 11 television channels including: Channel 4, E4, E4 Extra, More4, Film4, 4Seven and The Box Plus Network. Through Film4 Productions, Channel 4 also invests in British filmmakers to huge critical acclaim, producing 37 Oscar wins and 84 BAFTA wins in its history.

About BETA FILM
A leading independent Film & Television group, Beta Film produces, finances and distributes high-end content for the global market, nurturing extensive partnerships spanning from public to private broadcasters, streaming platforms to special interest channels, production companies and top international talent, theatrical and video distributors to major film and TV festivals. Founded by Leo Kirch in 1959 and owned by Jan Mojto since 2004, Beta Film is based in Munich, Germany, with offices in the US, Latin America, Asia and throughout Europe.

March 29, 2023

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Movies

The Elephant Whisperers’ Bomman-Bellie Reveal Life After Oscar Is Changed, People Now Ask For Selfies

The Elephant Whisperers couple celebrate Oscars win.

Bomman and Bellie also mentioned that it is because of The Elephant Whisperers that people are now aware of how difficult it is to raise a baby elephant.

The Elephant Whisperers’ couple Bomman and Bellie also joined News18 Rising India Summit via video call on Wednesday, March 29. During the session, the couple reiterated how they did not expect an Oscar for their documentary. “Thanks to Guneet because of her people know about us,” Bomman said.

The couple also shared how their life has changed after the historic Oscar victory and shared that people now ask them for selfies too. “People have started recognising us. People are starting to take selfies with us,” they said.

During the interaction, Bomman also mentioned that it is because of The Elephant Whisperers that people are now aware of how difficult it is to raise a baby elephant. “Even if you have a family emergency, you cannot leave because somebody has to take care of a baby elephant,” he said.

Adding on the same, Guneet Monga, who was also present at the News18 Rising India Summit also said, “We did a press conference in Mumbai and it’s hard for them. They are so sufficient in the forest that it is beautiful”.

She also called Bomman and Bellie ‘the most beautiful people’ and added that they are the ‘real stars’. “I am in awe of them. How much love do they have to give! They are so thoughtful and spiritual in their way. Their connection, their love story, and their love for the animals. It is beautiful. I am teary-eyed but it’s beautiful,” Guneet shared.

The Elephant Whisperers is a heartwarming story of this couple, Bomman and Bellie – who have been given an orphaned elephant, Raghu, to look after. The film depicts the couple’s journey as they relentlessly work to ensure Raghu’s recovery and survival. The short documentary beautifully stitches the tale of how the couple falls in love with the majestic creature over the course of time. Set against the backdrop of the wild spaces of South India, The Elephant Whisperers highlights the beauty of exotic wildlife, unforgettable untamed spaces, and the people and animals who share this space.

Read all the Latest Movies News here

Chirag Sehgal

Chirag Sehgal, Sub Editor at News18, covers Bollywood, television and K-pop group BTS. Apart from digging deep into the world of television and Bollyw…Read More

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March 29, 2023

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Review: An excellent cast shines in L.A. Opera’s ‘Pelléas et Mélisande’

The first and only time, until Saturday, that Los Angeles Opera had mounted Debussy’s “Pelléas et Mélisande” was in 1995. The company, then Music Center Opera, was an ambitious 9-year-old newcomer to a Music Center with grand plans that included building Walt Disney Concert Hall and renovating the aging Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Meanwhile, the city had its own high hopes in the process of recovering from the traumas of the early 1990s, including earthquakes, social unrest and a recession.

But Peter Sellars’ 1990s-era production, set in modern-day Malibu, reminded us that we first had to look truly at who we were. The mysterious French opera had its premiere in 1902 at a time when Paris was artistically reinventing itself into the city of 20th century modernism. Where might that lead? What did it mean?

Rather than offer answers, Debussy created a study of obfuscation and its consequences, an opera not of buoyant “La Bohème” Parisians with fantasies of greatness in their miserable garrets but characters disillusioned by fantasies in the presence of fate and nature.

In the process, Debussy opened opera up to the unknowing. Meaning in “Pelléas” is, as in life, hidden. Revelations lie like a buried treasure under the wondrous but imperturbable musical surface. Every detail contains a piece of the puzzle, a prize morsel to be unearthed. That becomes the job of each director, each singer and each conductor.

Sellars shocked with his discoveries in a staging resonant of that with which we still struggle, be it the LAPD menacing unhoused people or deadly family dysfunction hidden away in a sleek Malibu mansion, replete with racial and sexual implications. Whether admired or deplored, an L.A. “Pelléas” proved a radically prophetic act.

This time around in the Chandler, a neon-lit beach setting is replaced by the dismal cool of a decaying castle interior inspired by the muted sheen found in the canvases of Dutch painter and Debussy contemporary Vilhelm Hammershøi. You don’t have to wait for dysfunction to reveal itself; it is apparent in every gloomy lighting clue and every emotionless hard surface of David McVicar’s 2017 production, which L.A. Opera has imported from Scottish Opera.

The claustrophobic set and period costumes by Rae Smith house a royal family as formal and chilly as their environment. Yet this, too, becomes a decidedly American “Pelléas” in its own right. There are no French voices. All in the consistently excellent cast are, with one exception, from California, Illinois, Iowa, Texas or New York. These are full-throated, demonstrative singers well practiced in the idioms of contemporary American opera, singers of our place and time.

Debussy’s opera, of course, typically asks for something somewhat different in the precise textural setting of Maurice Maeterlinck’s mysterious play. Mélisande is found lost in the woods by Golaud, a prince out hunting. She reveals nothing of her background. She responds to her environment and those in it directly, reflecting back whatever is said or done to her as though some kind of otherworldly magical mirror. Others find themselves and their place in the world through her.

She opens Pelléas, Golaud’s younger half-brother, to love. She brings out the angst and subdued violence in Golaud, whom she marries with seeming nonchalance. She offers the reminder of youth to King Arkel, the brothers’ grandfather. She brings to the castle needed woman’s perspective and companionship for Geneviève, mother to the clueless Golaud and Pelléas. But through it all, Mélisande remains impenetrable, a galvanizing life force from another world. Her voice seldom rises in volume, and sometimes she can barely be heard. Her music, though, is the most sublime in an opera that remains consistently ravishing for its full three hours.

Sydney Mancasola’s Mélisande takes unusual agency. She may be a character unknowable to others, but as vibrantly sung by this versatile soprano (who was to have starred in a 2021 L.A. Opera production of Missy Mazzoli’s “Breaking the Waves” that had to be canceled because of the pandemic), she presents a formidable strength. Will Liverman, fresh from starring in Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” at the Metropolitan Opera and about to assume the role of Malcolm X in Anthony Davis’ “X,” is a boyishly eager Pelléas, with a beaming, high baritone that easily asserts.

Kyle Ketelsen as Golaud, left, and Sydney Mancasola as Mélisande in L.A. Opera’s new production of Debussy’s opera.

(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

The Golaud of Kyle Ketelsen, who also arrives fresh from the Met (in his case, Kevin Puts’ “The Hours”), does simmer. His is a subdued authority that nurses, as his angst comes out of hiding, deadly menace.

But both Susan Graham, as Geneviève, and the remarkable 11-year-old boy soprano, Kai Edgar, as Golaud’s son, Yniold, function on a different plane, and both sing with exquisite finesse. Whether Arkel is wise or a doddering old fool is a matter of question, which the veteran Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto answers with a loud affirmation of the latter.

“Pelléas” comes to us courtesy of the company’s music director, James Conlon. In his preconcert talk, which can be heard as an “LAO” podcast, he calls Debussy’s transformative opera one of the great works of art. Period. The essence of the opera, moreover, lies in the orchestra, and it rewards conductors above all. On recordings, there are Abbado’s “Pelléas” and Karajan’s and Boulez’s and Salonen’s and Rattle’s.

In the Chandler, Conlon’s was a little harder to gauge — mainly due to difficulties of putting on “Pelléas” in a space lacking intimacy and its ever-awaited acoustical makeover. But a full-bodied richness, mellow yet effusive, does manage to rise from the pit. Heard in the downstairs seats, the higher-pitched instruments tended to be muted, and some solo instrumental passages lacked presence. Details more likely sparkle in the seats upstairs.

Seven years ago, Salonen conducted a concert performance of “Pelléas” with the L.A. Phil across the street at Disney, where everything could be heard with revelatory clarity. Let the L.A. Opera “Pelléas,” therefore, be a call for acoustical action at the Chandler. Debussy resisted the idea of concert performances of his opera. “Pelléas” demands, as L.A. Opera is now consequentially proving, staging.

Furthermore, as the performers become more comfortable with the space, they are certain to make critical acoustical adjustments throughout the consequential three-week run. And keep this in mind: Higher up in the Chandler is often where you get the best balance and where seats can be as inexpensive as $15. For a full performance of Debussy’s opera, which doesn’t come around all that often, and with singers, conductor and sets at this level, that could just be the best bargain in the performing arts anywhere in America.

‘Pelléas et Mélisande’

Sung in French with English subtitles.
Where: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles
When: Through Apr. 16. Check website for dates and times.
Pricing: $15-$284
Running time: Approximately 3 hours, 10 minutes, including one intermission.
Info: laopera.org, (213) 972-8001

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March 29, 2023
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MCU

Jeremy Renner Shares Tweet Where He’s Walking on Anti-Gravity Treadmill

Jeremy Renner, who is best known for his role as Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently took to Twitter to share his progress in rehabilitation after a snow plow accident in January caused significant injuries. In a recently posted clip, Renner can be seen exercising his legs in a anti-gravity treadmill.

Check out Renner’s tweet below:

I now have to find OTHER things to occupy my time so my body can recover from my will. #minduful #intended #recovery pic.twitter.com/TuDFSMVJHY

— Jeremy Renner (@JeremyRenner) March 26, 2023

In the footage you can see Renner walking on a special treadmill that allows him to exercise while putting less weight on his legs. You can hear Renner saying that he’s only walking with 40% of his weight in the clip. “I now have to find OTHER things to occupy my time so my body can recover from my will,” Renner, 52 captioned the tweet.

Renner was left in critical condition earlier this year after he tried to stop a large snowplow that he owned from hitting his nephew before the vehicle crushed his leg. According to a recent piece in the NY Post, Renner lost a lot of blood and needed multiple surgeries after breaking 30 bones in his body during the accident.

Renner has taken to social media over the last few months to keep worried fans updated about his progress. Above is an Instagram post that also shows the actor working on strengthening his legs during a physical therapy session.

The actor also shared an image earlier this month of the snowplow that was involved in the accident being returned to his Lake Tahoe home. He was using the plow to clear a driveway on his property after the area was hit by a snowstorm. “She’s finally making her way home,” he wrote in the Instagram story as a crew could be seen delivering the snowplow on the back of a truck bed.

We will continue to keep Jeremy Renner in our thoughts and will keep you updated on his progress! Readers are encouraged to keep following along with MickeyBlog for further Walt Disney World news and updates. We’ll be coming to you LIVE! from the theme parks each and every week.

Have you heard the news? MickeyTravels just earned the incredible distinction of being a Diamond Earmarked Agency!

Whether its a visit to the theme parks, a Disney cruise, a stay at Aulani in Hawaii or the trip of a lifetime with Adventures by Disney, I can’t wait help you plan your vacation utilizing all of our incredible concierge-level services. This includes discount monitoring, itinerary planning, flexible booking and so much more.  Best of all my services are 100% FREE!

Find out more or get your FREE no-obligation quote at mroden@mickeytravels.com at 1.800.801.4025 or via Facebook

Source: NY Post

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March 29, 2023
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DCU

Elevator Thriller Rises to a Wicked Climax

A horror movie actress gets stuck in her hotel’s freight elevator with a seemingly shy and reserved camera man in Stalker, an ultra-lean thriller that ebbs and flows with palpable tension. It realizes the frightening scenario of being trapped in a confined space with a creepy stranger. Claustrophobia becomes the least of their problems as the elevator threatens to fall. But something about the situation triggers worse suspicions when prior events come to light. There are twists aplenty as the characters struggle to deal with their predicament and the unknown other. Audiences may see the big reveal coming, but the ride is enjoyable nonetheless.

Rose Hepburn (Sophie Skelton) arrives at her shoddy hotel late on a stormy night. There’s no one at the front desk, and the main elevator is out of service. She ends the call with her sister to figure out how to get to the room; Rose isn’t going to walk up 13 flights of stairs, after all. She decides to take the freight elevator.

A hand blocks the door before it closes. A stocky man with spectacles and bags enters the lift. Rose asks what floor, and he sheepishly requests the 14th. The elevator lurches to a sudden halt and starts to jerk. A panicked Rose presses the alarm. Nothing happens… She desperately tries the intercom. It’s broken. Her phone has no signal.

Rose & Daniel

Gravitas Ventures

Rose turns to the man with trepidation. She recognizes him from the movie set. Daniel (Stuart Brennan) introduces himself as a B-roll camera operator. Incredibly, he doesn’t have a phone to try and call for help. Rose and Daniel look around with unease. Their fear increases as the elevator continues to rattle. Rose begins to hyperventilate, and a stammering Daniel tries to calm her down. They might have to wait until the morning to be discovered. Rose tries light conversation to ease their discomfort. Alice, the film’s previous star, mysteriously disappeared. What does Daniel think happened to her?

Skelton transfixes as Rose. She’s an attractive woman alone with an odd man. Neither of them know where they are. Her nerves are frayed. She can’t handle small spaces for extended periods of time. Daniel isn’t exactly forthcoming; his timid personality doesn’t reassure, and his efforts to alleviate her anxiety aren’t helping. She apologizes for snapping at him. They need to work together.

Related: Here are 7 Films That Will Make You Feel Claustrophobic

Director Steve Johnson (Convergence) uses his extensive experience as a cinematographer to great effect. Stalker takes place inside the elevator with fleeting black and white flashbacks. The interaction between Rose and Daniel is the entire focus. A single set becomes tiring unless variables change, though. Fortunately, Johnson cuts to the elevator shaft and continually switches lighting. The flashing of the overhead bulb, red warning signals, and different height perspectives sell increasing danger. Environment creates the mood for actors, and Stalker creates an unnerving one in which the characters devolve with their surrounding structure. It’s all very realistic and believable.

A Wicked Climax

The film dips in the second act before a wicked climax. This may have been intentional, in order to soften the audience for heavy blows to come. The twists aren’t completely obvious, but rational thought raises skepticism, so that viewers may quickly ascertain that there’s something sinister brewing. Skelton, known primarily for the hit series Outlander, gives a gripping performance. Stalker succeeds on her capable shoulders.

Stalker is a production of Stronghold Studios. It will have a theatrical and VOD release on March 31st from Gravitas Ventures.

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March 29, 2023
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Comics

Kia’s EV9 electric SUV will offer Level 3 autonomy and a 336-mile range

Kia is finally sharing some specs for the EV9 electric SUV, and they may be good news for families planning road trips. The three-row EV will now include Level 3 self-driving (that is, the car drives itself in some situations but may need you to take over) in some countries when you spring for the GT-line trim. The planned Highway Driving Pilot will use LiDAR and other sensors to let you “take a break” from driving, where conditions allow.

The EV9 might also deliver more range than you’d expect for an SUV this size. Kia claims the RWD Long Range model with a 99.8kWh battery will offer up to 336 miles of range, based on WLTP testing. We’d expect a more conservative estimate from the US’ Environmental Protection Agency, but that’s still a very healthy figure for this vehicle class. There will also be an AWD variant with the same battery as well as 76.1kWh RWD Standard Range base configuration. The 800V charging architecture should give the EV about 149 miles of range in 15 minutes, and vehicle-to-load tech lets you power camping gear and laptops.

Performance can be relatively brisk depending on the model. The RWD Long Range with a 150kW motor will be the slowest-accelerating model with a 0-62MPH time of 9.4 seconds, but the Standard Range edition with a 160kW motor will manage that run in 8.2 seconds. Opt for the AWD model and you’ll get a dual-motor 283kW powerplant that can normally hit 62MPH in six seconds (more on that in a moment).

Like it or not, Kia is joining the ranks of automakers locking car features behind digital purchases. You’ll need to buy items from the company’s Connect Store to enhance the pattern lighting on the grille, and even to add a “Boost” that delivers extra torque for a 0-62MPH dash in 5.3 seconds. Yes, you’ll have to pay for features your EV9 can technically handle. You will get a number of driver aids and conveniences, including hands-off parking and navigation-based “Smart Cruise Control.” This will be the first Kia to support ultra-wide band digital keys, so you won’t have to take out your conventional key to step inside.

Kia hasn’t yet divulged pricing for the EV9. The machine will go on sale in some countries sometime in the second half of the year, with South Korean pre-orders starting this spring. It’s safe to presume the SUV will sell for more than the EV6 crossover. Not that this will necessarily be a problem for the brand. There are few three-row electric SUVs, and those that exist (such as the Tesla Model X) are likely more expensive.

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March 29, 2023
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Festivals

VIDEO Jack Black: “Super Mario Movie comes to the theaters next week”

The Super Mario Bros. Movie – Only In Theaters April 5
Tickets on sale now.

Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | #SuperMarioMovie

For the first time, the iconic global entertainment brands Illumination and Nintendo join forces to create The Super Mario Bros. Movie, a new, big-screen adventure starring one of pop culture’s most prominent plumbers of the past four decades.

Based on the world of Nintendo’s Mario games, the film invites audiences into a vibrant, thrilling new universe unlike any created before in an action-packed, exuberant cinematic comedy event.

While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario (Chris Pratt; Jurassic World and The LEGO Movie franchises) and brother Luigi (Charlie Day; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.

With the assistance of a Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad (Keegan-Michael Key; The Lion King) and some training from the strong-willed ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy;The Queen’s Gambit), Mario taps into his own power.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie features an extraordinary comedic cast, including Jack Black (Jumanji films) as Bowser, Seth Rogen (Neighbors franchise) as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen (Portlandia, Saturday Night Live) as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson (American Dad!, Family Guy) as Kamek and Sebastian Maniscalco (Green Book) as Spike, plus a special voice appearance by Charles Martinet, who has voiced the characters of Mario and Luigi in the Super Mario games for more than 30 years.

The film is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (collaborators on Teen Titans Go!, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies) from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel (Minions: The Rise of Gru, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part).

From Nintendo and Illumination—creator of the global blockbuster Despicable Me, Minions, Sing and The Secret Life of Pets franchises—The Super Mario Bros. Movie is produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri p.g.a. and by Nintendo’s Representative Director and Fellow Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, after more than six years of close bond and discussions between the two. The film is co-financed by Universal Pictures and Nintendo and will be released worldwide by Universal Pictures.

Genre: Action-Comedy

Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Kevin Michael Richardson, Sebastian Maniscalco

Screenplay: Matthew Fogel

Directors: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic

Producers: Chris Meledandri p.g.a., Shigeru Miyamoto

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March 29, 2023
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Film

A UFO Arrives in the Desert in the Latest From Wes Anderson

Asteroid City, the new film from Wes Anderson, tells a story of a widower and his kids trapped in a small desert town — along with a varied array of other colorful characters — when a UFO apparently lands nearby, forcing the government to lock everything down. The trailer has just landed, too.

It sounds like an intense setup, but this is Wes Anderson. So instead of scares and paranoia, we get Jason Schwartzman, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson and a slew of other stars drolly sharing witty, melancholic asides. The film arrives in theaters June 16.

Asteroid City — which includes pretty much every Wes Anderson regular — with the exception of Bill Murray — marks the director’s first film since the excellent but under-seen The French Dispatch, which was hotly anticipated, but lost momentum when it was delayed by COVID theater closures.

The Asteroid City trailer suggests a return to the near-universal acclaim for Anderson’s other recent films. He is heralded as the “director of Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

Here is the trailer for the film, which is from a story by Anderson and longtime collaborator Roman Coppola, with a screenplay by Anderson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r5L_PT5-34&t=135s
The Asteroid City trailer.

The Cast of Asteroid City

The impressive cast of the film includes the aforementioned Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson and Tom Hanks, as well as Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Ed Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan, Grace Edwards, Aristou Meehan, Sophia Lillis, Ethan Lee, Jeff Goldblum, Rita Wilson and more.

Not all of them turn up in the trailer, which most prominently features Schwartzman, Johansson, Tom Hanks, Hope Davis, Maya Hawke and Jeffrey Wright.

Focus Features, which is releasing Asteroid City, has previously described it as “poetic meditation on the meaning of life. It tells the story of a fictional American desert town circa 1955 and its Junior Stargazer convention, which brings together students and parents from across the country for scholarly competition, rest/recreation, comedy, drama, romance, and more.”

Asteroid City is the 11th film for Wes Anderson, who broke into feature films with 1996’s Bottle Rocket, co-written with his University of Texas at Austin roommate Owen Wilson.

Wilson talked a little bit about the experience of writing that film — and 2000’s The Royal Tenenbaums — in MovieMaker’s spring cover story about Wilson and his new movie Paint.

Wilson says in the story that despite sharing an Oscar nomination with Anderson for co-writing Tenenbaums, he hasn’t written lately because writing can be such an isolating, grinding experience.

“Although writing with Wes — I wouldn’t describe that as lonely,” Wilson said. “That was kind of fun. I think that would be a good challenge to do, to kind of sit down, rather than contribute or try to make something better.”

Hanks plays the dry elder figure in Asteroid City often played by Murray in Anderson’s movies. Hanks has never appeared in a Wes Anderson film before, but Murray made consecutive appearances in the last nine Anderson films, and anchored The French Dispatch as the curmudgeonly but deeply dedicated editor of a meticulous American magazine covering France.

Last April, Searchlight Pictures halted production on Aziz Ansari’s new film Being Mortal after a complaint was lodged against Murray accusing him of inappropriate behavior on set. Murray later addressed the situation during an appearance on CNBC.

“I did something I thought was funny, and it wasn’t taken that way,” Murray said. “The company, the movie studio, wanted to do the right thing, so they wanted to check it all out, investigate it, and so they stopped the production.”

Murray has since appeared in Marvel’s Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantummania.

Main image: Scarlett Johansson as a stranded actress in Asteroid City, directed by Wes Anderson.

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March 29, 2023
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Asteroid City, the new film from Wes

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TV

UK TV Host & Comedian Was 67 – Deadline

UPDATE 6.20 a.m. PST: ITV is pushing on with the latest season of Paul O’Grady For the Love of Dogs and has changed its upcoming schedules to commemorate the TV star, who died unexpectedly Tuesday evening aged 67.

The UK network will repeat an episode of Paul O’Grady’s For the Love of Dogs: A Royal Special at 5 p.m. GMT (9 a.m. PST) tonight in place of The Chase, before For the Love of Paul O’Grady airs on Sunday April 9 in tribute to the star.

The new series of Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs, his hit ITV animal show which programs boss Kevin Lygo called “one of our best-loved series,” will air as planned from Thursday April 13.

PREVIOUSLY: British TV host, comedian and actor Paul O’Grady died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday evening according to a statement by his husband which was provided to local media. He was 67.

Known for his drag queen persona Lily Savage as well as hosting several TV game and talk shows, the multi-award winning O’Grady was also a radio personality.

One of his most recent TV appearances was in 2022 with now Queen Consort Camilla for an episode of ITV’s For the Love of Dogs, a series O’Grady helped launch in 2012, which follows the staff at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. More recently, he had been on tour playing Miss Hannigan in a touring version of Annie. Two weeks ago, he posted to Instagram saying he was “thoroughly enjoying” playing the role alongside “a truly amazing and lovely cast.”

O’Grady’s husband Andre Portasio said in the statement: “It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening. He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion. I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years… We ask, at this difficult time, that whilst you celebrate his life you also respect our privacy as we come to terms with this loss.”

Tributes flooded in from across the UK media sector, from ITV, newspaper journalists, TV producers and celebrities such as ITV presenter Lorraine Kelly, It’s a Sin writer Russell T Davies and Elton John.

ITV said the “much-loved presenter and comedian” had “passed away peacefully” and sent wishes to his husband, family and friends.

Paul O’Grady the much-loved presenter and comedian unexpectedly passed away peacefully at the age of 67.

We are sending lots of love to Paul’s husband, and all his family and friends ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ZV4fuiN00j

— ITV (@ITV) March 29, 2023

Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden posting on social media: “Woken up to this sad, sad news. I loved Paul. He was brilliantly opinionated, searingly sharp and very funny. I loved our conversations… I can’t quite believe it. Thoughts with Andre and their family.”

Malcolm Prince, who produced O’Grady’s show on local network Boom Radio, told news media the presenter was in cheerful mood and good health this week. “Yesterday afternoon, I popped round to Paul’s for a good old catch-up. Surrounded by his beloved dogs, he was laughing, smiling, and full of life. He was so proud of Annie, so happy to be back on Boom Radio, and he was looking forward to so many new projects.”

The Royal Family released a message, saying it was “deeply saddened” by O’Grady’s death and paying tribute to his work with the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. He and Queen Consort Camilla promoted the animal welfare charity together over many years.

O’Grady began developing the beloved Lily Savage character in the 1970s and performed as her in a solo show that ran for eight years at London’s Royal Vauxhall Tavern. The character made a name by speaking out about LGBT issues and for a saucy sense of humor. O’Grady later hosted The Lily Savage Show for a short 1997 stint and then hosted a rebooted version of BBC gameshow Blankety Blank in character.

Other credits include BAFTA-winning The Paul O’Grady Show, which had runs on both ITV and Channel 4, Paul O’Grady’s Saturday Night Line Up and the 2017 reboot of Blind Date for Channel 5.

Last summer, he presented his final BBC Radio 2 show after hosting the Sunday afternoon program for 14 years.

Jesse Whittock contributed to this report.

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March 29, 2023
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UPDATE 6.20 a.m. PST: ITV is pushing

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What to Watch

Potential Theories and Where the Franchise Heads After Rise of the Beasts

With some franchises, there is but little origin soil to dig from. However, with others, the source material is so vast in rich that the treasure trove is bottomless. And, with the Transformers franchise, there is a lot of material to explore.

Michael Bay introduced his cinematic vision of the Transformers to global audiences in 2007. According to Screenrant,

“it was director Michael Bay who gave the Cybertronic shape-shifting robots the Hollywood treatment when the first Transformers film,”

Ultimately, it was a successful venture spawning several follow-up features, one that will soon be released. However, many took issue with Michael Bay’s production, citing it had little tie to the comics. In fact, it was deemed to be supremely divergent. As Screenrant noted,

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“Fans of the original series have also been heavily critical of the American filmmaker for straying too far from the canon in favor of big-budget effects and larger-than-life storylines.”

Currently, fans are waiting for the upcoming film Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, set to release on June 9. Curiosity is often the companion of anticipation. One question that always raises its head when a sequel arises is, is this the end, or what could be next? Rumors run thick, and for those who haven’t heard, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is assuredly not the franchise’s end. Reportedly Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will be a prelude to another set of Transformer films. And they are already in progress. ScreenRant reports,

“The studio is developing multiple Transformers movies that will release in the next several years.”

Reportedly, there will be Transformers 8 and 9 released, with the ninth film’s release being predicted for 20028-2029. However, given how far out that remains, there are no details about what those films may encompass. Nevertheless, there are a few theories on what might work if explored.

Transformers: Two Unique Possibilities

Considering the amount of untapped material in the Transformers comics, there are numerous possibilities for the franchise’s future. Two possibilities include a Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover. Another could be an exploration of the New Avengers/Transformers crossover. Why these two storylines? Because both capitalize on very popular franchises already in existence. Thus, if done right, it has the propensity to maintain interest in the franchise and bridge the fandom, resulting in a larger box office and greater reception.

New Avengers/Transformers

Cartoon Network

According to Comic Book Resources, New Avengers/Transformers crossover was a miniseries that introduced “Robots in Disguise.” “Robots in a Disguise” was a comic series encapsulated in an animated film featured on Netflix in 2015. There is a lot of reason this direction could work. One reason is Marvel’s current trajectory. It is public knowledge that Marvel has two New Avenger films set for release in 2025, one being Secret Wars. This could solidify a premise for a New Avenger/Transformers crossover. According to Comic Book Resources,

The miniseries [New Avengers/Transfomers] sees the Auto bots team with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to stop Megatron from provoking a war between Doctor Doom’s homeland Latveria and the neighboring Symkaria.”

Additionally, it was rumored that Dr. Doom could be a feature character in Marvel’s upcoming slate following Kang the Conqueror’s time as the big bad of the multiverse saga. However, given the current timeline and the upcoming Transformer films on the docket, this could be a hypothetical rationalization that will never see the light of day.

Related: Marvel’s Upcoming Fantastic Four Film to Stay True to Comic Source Material, Says Marvel Producer

Transformers and GI Joe Crossover

Marvel Productions/Sunbow Productions

The comic world has seen several crossovers between Transformers and GI Joe. While only a little has been made of converting such to film, it holds great promise for exploration. This being the age of mining for gold in creative projects that already exist in some form makes it an equally exciting prospect. While both series have separate fan bases, both stand the possibility of suffering from fan fatigue. There is too much of the product that it becomes watered down, clichéd, and banal. The only way to re-invigorate is to explore a new angle. Such a feature would serve the purpose of finding a new angle while maintaining and benefiting from current franchise fans. Of course, fans love to see crossovers, and the combination of different franchises uniting under one film, so their inclusion could light up the box office if this ever came to fruition.

Related: Channing Tatum Confesses He Asked to Be Killed Off in G.I. Joe: Retaliation

This is theoretical. While things sound good theoretically, they may not pan out well when actualized. It is given that the Transformers series is crossing the threshold where it’s close to wearing on the frayed nerves of fans. While fans know what to expect in the near future, there is always room left to wonder what could lie beyond the horizon. But what comes to fruition, only time will tell.

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March 29, 2023
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With some franchises, there is but little

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Awards

2023 Emmys Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special Predictions

Networks are still playing it by ear a bit, but projects that recently vied for Oscars, like Prime Video’s “Good Night Oppy,” are once again allowed to campaign for the Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.

We will update this article throughout the season, along with all our predictions, so make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2023 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting takes place from June 15 to June 26, with the official Emmy nominations announced Wednesday, July 12. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be presented over two consecutive nights on Saturday, September 9 and Sunday, September 10, with an edited presentation of the ceremonies to be broadcast on FXX at a later date. Finally, the 75th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards take place on Monday, September 18, and air live on FOX at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT.

The State of the Race

In an Emmys year that has seen plenty of interesting updates to eligibility rules, one gamechanger affecting the Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special category is the re-introduction of projects that were also Oscar contenders. As of this February, the new rules dictate that if a 2022 documentary did not ultimately receive an Oscar nomination, it can compete in this year’s Emmys (as long as it also fits inside the June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023 release window as well).

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That means “Goodnight Oppy,” an award-winning film from Amazon Prime Video that was shut out by the Academy, now has more than a fighting chance at an Emmy. Interestingly enough, the film about NASA’s triumphant Mars rovers was directed by Ryan White, the same filmmaker behind one of Netflix’s big contenders: “Pamela: A Love Story.” The director of Emmy nominees like “The Keepers” now sees himself on both sides of the debate surrounding letting films double dip, having made a project that went theatrical, and a project specifically made for television.

The distinction between the two does not seem to be as important to voters as it was originally made out to be, when the TV Academy made the rule in 2021 that films on the AMPAS viewing platform were not allowed to submit for Emmys, as plenty of projects specifically made for television beat even Best Documentary Oscar winners like “Icarus” in this category in recent years.

So, with all that said, it does seem like networks are still being careful, not pushing films that were on the Oscars shortlist (i.e. NatGeo’s “The Territory”), but “Sidney” on Apple TV+, which also was in the mix this past awards season, but just missed making the shortlist, is fair game for Emmys.

And those films have plenty of competition from projects like “Sin Eater: The Crimes of Anthony Pellicano,” from the FX series “The New York Times Presents,” which has caught the attention of voters with the success of its two episodes on Britney Spears, credited with helping the popstar become free of her conservatorship.

Current Contenders (In Alphabetical Order):
“A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” (HBO)
“Call Me Miss Cleo” (HBO Max)
“Goodnight Oppy” (Amazon Prime Video)
“If These Walls Could Sing” (Disney+)
“Judy Blume Forever” (Amazon Prime Video)
“Katrina Babies” (HBO)
“Pamela: A Love Story” (Netflix)
“Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields” (Hulu)
“The Sound of 007” (Amazon Prime Video)
“Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me” (Apple TV+)
“Sidney” (Apple TV+)
“Sin Eater: The Crimes of Anthony Pellicano” (FX)
“‘Sr.’” (Netflix)
“Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” (Apple TV+)
“Wildcat” (Amazon Prime Video)

Last Year’s Winner: “George Carlin’s American Dream”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: Judd Apatow’s George Carlin documentary happened to actually be a HBO Max project, rather than a film made for HBO proper, so something like “Call Me Miss Cleo” winning this year would extend the streak after what has been a tough few months for the streaming service that’s under new management.
Notable Ineligible Series: “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” (ineligible as a 2023 Oscar nominee); “All That Breathes” (ineligible as a 2023 Oscar nominee); “Fire of Love” (ineligible as a 2023 Oscar nominee)

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March 29, 2023
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Networks are still playing it by ear

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Music

Watch the First Trailer for Wes Anderson’s New Movie Asteroid City

The first trailer for Wes Anderson’s new film Asteroid City is here. Check out the extremely Andersonian, bluegrass-soundtracked sci-fi clip below. The movie, which arrives in select theaters June 16 and nationwide June 23, stars Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Maya Hawke, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Steve Carell, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, and Jeff Goldblum, among others.

An official synopsis of the film reads: “The itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention (organized to bring together students and parents from across the country for fellowship and scholarly competition) is spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events.” Roman Coppola cowrote the movie with Anderson.

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March 29, 2023
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The first trailer for Wes Anderson’s new

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Docs

How to Rank Your Videos on Google Search

According to data collected by Statista, there were over 3 billion internet users watching streaming or downloaded video at least once a month in 2022. That number is only expected to increase throughout 2023.

Cisco also reported that videos made up more than 82 percent of all consumer internet traffic, in 2022. On average, users watch 16 hours of online video each week.

Clearly, video is the ideal content type to reach an audience – and businesses are noticing. Video has become a prime marketing tool, but it’s not as simple to produce a compelling video as an article.

Videos also need SEO, just like other types of content. While video results are 50x more likely to be organically ranked in Google, they may not be found on their own, so you need to put effort into getting them in front of your audience.

How to Get Videos Ranked on Google

In many ways, getting a video ranked on Google is similar to written content.

Produce High-Quality Content

There are numerous factors that influence a video’s ranking, but quality is considered above all else. While this isn’t a direct ranking factor, the quality of your video has a huge impact on how much it engages users – which is a direct ranking factor.

The more people see, watch, like, comment, and share a video, the better it’s ranking will be. That comes from providing value, not focusing on yourself and what you have to offer.

What does value mean? Make it about the audience by:

Answering frequently asked questions

Teaching viewers how to use a product or get the most out of a service

Providing in-depth insights or analyses for your industry

Value is part of it, but your video has to be entertaining as well. The most useful information is irrelevant if your audience is bored. Consider presenting the information in an exciting storytelling format that captures attention.

Use the Best Video Length

The ideal video length varies across different channels. YouTube is the best platform for long-form video content or a series of videos on the same topic, while YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and TikTok have audiences that are short and impactful.

The ranking factors used to be tied to the number of comments and likes, the length viewed, and the number of views. Tools to take shortcuts, such as click farms, became available to artificially inflate these factors, so the numbers were no longer reliable.

With so much video saturation, the factors go beyond simple numbers. Content-rich videos that create top user engagement rank better. Google is focused on the authentic views, not the users who are clicking on a video and only watching a few seconds.

There’s no set rule for how long the ideal video is, since it depends on the industry and content. A good guideline to follow is that your video should be long enough to cover the topic but short enough to hold the viewer’s attention.

Choose the Right Video Name

Your video’s name has a significant impact on the ranking. Obscure names don’t tell Google what your video is about, making it more difficult to index and categorize.

Choose a video title that’s optimized for search, then back that up with optimized data. Include keyword tags and synonym keywords for your video, then add a caption or description to tell viewers – and Google – what the video covers.

Leverage Keywords

Along with the title and tags, use the keywords in your description (naturally) to help with indexing. You shouldn’t stuff the description with keywords for the sake of it, but include them where you can.

Your description should also have a link to your website or related content. Avoid reusing the same description across multiple videos. Each description should be unique and targeted to your topic.

Create a Custom Thumbnail

When you upload a video, you can select a shot to use as the still – the thumbnail. If that image is an unflattering image, a blurred image, or blank space, it doesn’t inspire the viewer to watch it.

All videos should have a custom thumbnail that makes a good first impression. Try to create a thumbnail that shows the viewer what the video is about, such as a title card with a summary or snappy caption. Pair that with bright colors and high contrast that will capture attention on the search results page.

Optimize Your YouTube Channel

Each video you upload to YouTube can help your channel page rank, and your channel page helps your videos get more visibility. Make sure your channel page is optimized to gain visibility.

Here’s how:

Include profile pictures and backgrounds that reveal what your channel is about

Add links to social media pages to drive traffic

Include detailed descriptions for your channel with targeted keywords

Share Your Video on Social Media

SEO relies on on-page and off-page SEO, such as site speed and links. With videos, there’s a third consideration: relevance.

Google is interested in providing the best possible experience to the user, not promoting brands or filmmakers. The intent behind ranking websites, pages, and content is to give the users what they’re looking for.

Social signals are part of relevance. If users are engaging with your video on social media, it shows that it’s relevant. Don’t be shy about sharing on all your social media accounts. Post to your personal accounts or groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.

You can also set your videos to sync with your preferred channels. With this feature, any video you post will automatically post to your selected social media accounts.

Work on Building Links

Ranking for competitive keywords can be challenging, but if you can attract high-quality links, you can significantly improve your visibility. Conversely, getting low-quality links will hurt your ranking, getting your video flagged as spam.

Link building takes time and patience. Don’t rush it! You can build links on your own, or rely on the experts for digital PR services.

Get Visibility for Your Videos

Video marketing is only getting more popular. While making a sharp video is a challenge, it’s important to put just as much work into the process of getting your video ranked once you post it.

Jason Khoo started freelancing in SEO back in college, sold his first agency, and now is founder of Zupo, which is an Orange County based SEO consulting agency helping construct powerful long term SEO strategies for our clients. Jason also enjoys multiple cups of tea a day, hiding away on weekends, catching up on reading, and rewatching The Simpsons for the 20th time.

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March 29, 2023
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According to data collected by Statista, there

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Global

Nashville school shooting: Suspect fired indiscriminately at victims, police say – National

The shooter who killed three students and three staff members at a Christian school in Nashville legally bought seven weapons in recent years and hid the guns from their parents before carrying out the attack by firing indiscriminately at victims and spraying gunfire through doors and windows, police said Tuesday.

The violence Monday at The Covenant School was the latest school shooting to roil the nation and was planned carefully. The shooter had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre, authorities said.

The suspect, Audrey Hale, 28, was a former student at the school. Hale did not target specific victims — among them three 9-year-olds and the head of the school — but did target “this school, this church building,” police spokesperson Don Aaron said at a news conference Tuesday.

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Hale was under a doctor’s care for an undisclosed emotional disorder and was not known to police before the attack, Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake said at the news conference.

If police had been told that Hale was suicidal or homicidal, “then we would have tried to get those weapons,” Drake said. “But as it stands, we had absolutely no idea who this person was or if (Hale) even existed.”

Tennessee does not currently have a “red flag” law, which lets police step in and take firearms away from people who threaten to kill.

3:49
NBC reporter covering Nashville school shooting reveals she was herself a school shooting survivor

On Tuesday night, Tennessee’s governor said one of the victims, 61-year-old substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, was a close friend of his wife, Maria, and that the two had been scheduled to have dinner after Peak taught that day.

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“Maria woke up this morning without one of her best friends,” Gov. Bill Lee said, adding that his wife once taught with Peak and another victim, Katherine Koonce, and the women and “have been family friends for decades.”

Hale legally bought seven firearms from five local gun stores, Drake said. Three of them were used in Monday’s shooting. Police spokesperson Brooke Reese said Hale bought the guns between October 2020 and June 2022.

Read more:

Nashville school shooting comes as Tennessee continues to loosen gun laws

Hale’s parents believed their child had sold one gun and did not own any others, Drake said, adding that Hale “had been hiding several weapons within the house.”

Hale’s motive is unknown, Drake said. In an interview with NBC News on Monday, Drake said investigators don’t know what drove Hale but believe the shooter had “some resentment for having to go to that school.”

Drake, at Tuesday’s news conference, described “several different writings by Hale” that mention other locations and The Covenant School.

Asked at a Senate hearing whether the Justice Department would open an investigation into whether the shooting was a hate crime targeting Christians, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said federal officials were working with local police to identify a motive.

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0:57
‘Aren’t you tired of this?’ Woman asks reporters during emotional call for U.S. gun control

Police have released videos of the shooting, including edited surveillance footage that shows the shooter’s car driving up to the school, glass doors being shot out and the shooter ducking through one of them.

Additional video, from Officer Rex Engelbert’s bodycam, shows a woman meeting police outside as they arrive and telling them that all the children were locked down, “but we have two kids that we don’t know where they are.”

The woman then directs officers to Fellowship Hall and says people inside had just heard gunshots. Three officers, including Engelbert, search rooms one by one, holding rifles and announcing themselves as police.

Read more:

Nashville school shooting: Suspect had bought 7 guns in recent years, police say

The video shows officers climbing stairs to the second floor and entering a lobby area, followed by a barrage of gunfire and an officer yelling twice: “Get your hands away from the gun.” Then the shooter is shown motionless on the floor.

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Police identified Engelbert, a four-year member of the force, and Michael Collazo, a nine-year member, as the officers who fatally shot Hale. The White House said President Joe Biden spoke Tuesday with Drake, Engelbert and Callazo to thank them for their bravery.

Police response times to school shootings have come under greater scrutiny after the attack in Uvalde, Texas, in which 70 minutes passed before law enforcement stormed the classroom. In Nashville, police said about eight minutes passed from the initial call to when officers arrived at the scene.

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Surveillance video shows a time stamp of just before 10:11 a.m., when the attacker shot out the doors. Police said they got the call about a shooter at 10:13. Aaron said in an email Tuesday that dispatch records show officers arrived on campus shortly before 10:22.

1:54
Nashville school shooting: Security, body camera footage sheds more light on timeline of deadly rampage

At about 10:24, officers engaged the suspect, the chief said during the news conference. Within two minutes of that, the suspect was down, according to the dispatch records.

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“There were police cars that had been hit by gunfire. As officers were approaching the building, there was gunfire going off,” Drake said.

“We feel, our response right now, from what I’ve seen, I don’t have a particular problem with it. But we always want to get better. We always want to get there in two or three minutes,” he said, adding that traffic was “locked down” at the time.

Traffic was indeed stopped along a nearby two-lane road with a turning lane as police tried to weave their way to the school.

Police have given unclear information on Hale’s gender. For hours Monday, police identified the shooter as a woman. Later in the day, the police chief said Hale was transgender. After the news conference, Aaron declined to elaborate on how Hale identified.

In an email Tuesday, police spokesperson Kristin Mumford said Hale “was assigned female at birth. Hale did use male pronouns on a social media profile.” Later Tuesday, at the news conference, Drake referred to Hale with female pronouns.

Authorities identified the dead children as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney. The adults were Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Mike Hill, 61.

The website of The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001, lists a Katherine Koonce as the head of the school. Her LinkedIn profile says she has led the school since July 2016. Peak was a substitute teacher, and Hill was a custodian, according to investigators.

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Koonce was remembered as someone who would run toward danger, not away from it.

“I guarantee you if there were kids missing (during the shooting), Katherine was looking for them,” friend Jackie Bailey said. “And that’s probably how she got in the way — just trying to do something for somebody else. She would give up her own life in order to save somebody else’s.”

Founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, the school is in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville. It has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade and roughly 50 staff members.

Before Monday’s violence in Nashville, there had been seven mass killings at K-12 schools since 2006 in which four or more people were killed within a 24-hour period, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. In all of them, the shooters were males.

The database does not include school shootings in which fewer than four people were killed, which have become far more common in recent years. Last week alone, for example, school shootings happened in Denver and the Dallas area within two days of each other.

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March 29, 2023
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The shooter who killed three students and

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Trending

Melissa Joan Hart Cries, Says She Helped Kids In Nashville Shooting – Hollywood Life

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Image Credit: Gary Gerard Hamilton/AP/Shutterstock

Melissa Joan Hart lives in Nashville, and she was on the scene right nearby the Covenant School on Monday, March 27, after a shooter killed three children and three adults. Melissa took to Instagram on March 28 to share a video of herself breaking down in tears as she recalled helping young children get to safety amidst the shooting. “My kids go to school right next to where there was a shooting today,” she explained. “We moved here from Connecticut where we were in a school a little ways down from Sandy Hook. So this is our second experience with a school shooting with our kids being in close proximity.”

The actress confirmed that she and her three children — Mason, 17, Braden, 15, and Tucker, 10 — are all okay. However, the shooting was much too close to home. “My husband and I were on our way to school for conferences and we helped a class of kindergarteners across a busy highway that were climbing out of the woods, that were trying to escape the shooter situation at their school,” she shared. “We helped all these tiny little kids cross the road and get their teachers over there. We helped a mom reunite with her children. I just don’t know what to say anymore. Enough is enough. Just pray for the families.”

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The six victims of Monday’s shooting were said to be targeted randomly by 28-year-old shooter Audrey Hale, per CNN. The 28-year-old was a former student of the school that she attacked, and police confirmed that she was under care for an “emotional disorder” at the time of the shooting. Police on the scene shot and killed Audrey to put an end to her killing spree. A motive has not been confirmed, but police believe that Audrey specifically targeted the Covenant School.

The Nashville community is absolutely devastated after this tragedy, with stars who live in the area flooding social media with tributes. Many have also donated money to the victims’ families during this difficult time.

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Michael Cohen: 5 Facts About Trump’s Former Lawyer Who Testified For The NYC Grand Jury

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March 29, 2023
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View gallery Image Credit: Gary Gerard Hamilton/AP/Shutterstock Melissa Joan

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Tech

Ryan Coogler Is Circling a Diverse Version of ‘The X-Files’

“The X-Files” creator Chris Carter says writer-directer Ryan Coogler is going to remake the iconic mystery series with a diverse cast.

Dana Scully, Fox Mulder, Walter Skinner and the rest of “The X-Files” characters are set to be reimagined through the lens of the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” director and co-writer, according to Carter, who shared the news on Gloria Macarenko’s CBC radio show “On the Coast With Gloria Macarenko.”

After Macarenko asked how the showrunner would make the series for today, he mentioned that the effort was already in progress.

“Actually there’s a — I just spoke to a young man Ryan Coogler, who is going to remount the ‘X-Files’ with a diverse cast,” Carter said. “So, he’s got his work cut out for him because we covered so much territory.”

A representative for “X-Files” producer 20th Television told TheWrap “there is nothing to confirm at this stage.”

“The x-Files” first premiered Sept. 10, 1993 and ended with 11 seasons on March 21, 2018. The cast included David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, William B. Davis, Robert Patrick, Tom Braidwood, Bryan Cranston, Jame Pickens Jr. and Seth Green.

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March 29, 2023
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“The X-Files” creator Chris Carter says writer-directer

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Video

‘Elemental’ Pixar Movie Sets Trailer, Additional Cast – Deadline

Disney and Pixar have unveiled the first full-length trailer for their newest animated feature Elemental, starring Leah Lewis (Nancy Drew) and Mamoudou Athie (Jurassic World: Dominion), while rounding out its cast.

Others lending their voices to the pic hitting theaters on June 16th include Inside Out‘s Oscar-nominated co-director and story writer Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi (Tehran), Wendi McLendon-Covey (The Goldbergs), Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek), Mason Wertheimer and Joe Pera, the creator and star of Adult Swim’s soul-soothing comedy series, Joe Pera Talks with You.

Inspired by the New York childhood of director Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur), Elemental journeys alongside an unlikely pair, Ember (Lewis) and Wade (Athie), in a city where fire, water, land and air-residents live together. The fiery young woman and the go-with-the-flow guy are about to discover something elemental: how much they actually have in common.

The trailer introduces us to Element City, where a host of elements live and work, showcasing air, earth, water and fire and what sets each element apart according to Ember. John Hoberg & Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh scripted the pic from a story by Sohn, Hoberg & Likkel and Hsueh. Denise Ream produced, with Pete Docter exec producing, and Thomas Newman providing the score.

Disney/Pixar also announced today that Elemental will be accompanied in theaters by the Pixar short “Carl’s Date,” which returns the beloved Up characters of Carl (Ed Asner) and his talking dog, Dug (Bob Peterson), to the spotlight. The short written and directed by Peterson and produced by Kim Collins finds Carl reluctantly agreeing to go on a date with a lady friend — but admittedly with no idea how dating works these days. Ever the helpful friend, Dug steps in to calm Carl’s pre-date jitters and offer some tried-and-true tips for making friends — if you’re a dog.

View today’s Elemental trailer above.

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March 29, 2023
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Disney and Pixar have unveiled the first

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Entertaintment

Channel 5 Finds New Jane McDonald & Susan Calman Homes – Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: Channel 5 is on the brink of finding a new producer for its next Jane McDonald and Susan Calman shows. This follows owner Paramount Global’s decision to close the Viacom International Studios (VIS) UK unscripted division, revealed by Deadline last month.

Deadline understands that Daisybeck Studios, which makes some of Channel 5’s biggest hits including The Yorkshire Vet and Our Yorkshire Farm, is extremely close to taking on the work with two of the channel’s highest-profile presenters. Based in Leeds, eOne-owned Daisybeck is a trusted Channel 5 supplier that has made hundreds of hours of shows for the channel including many that focus on the outfit’s native Yorkshire.

The move comes as Paramount begins the process of apportioning dozens of hours of VIS’s factual programing to the UK indie sector.

McDonald’s next project is unknown but will likely be within her travelog wheelhouse. She is best known for Cruising with Jane McDonald, which has run for eight seasons and earned the presenter a rare Channel 5 BAFTA, while she has also helmed spin-offs Jane & Friends, Holidaying with Jane McDonald and Jane McDonald: My Yorkshire, all for Channel 5.

Calman has more recently hosted the Cruising strand following a break for McDonald and she has also presented the likes of Big Antique Adventure with Susan Calman and Susan Calman’s Grand Week by the Sea. The comedian is a regular on BBC radio shows.

Deadline revealed last month that Paramount Global was shuttering the UK unscripted division of its international production arm, which makes the likes of Catfish UK and True Life Crime, with around 20 roles impacted. A number of these execs posted the news on LinkedIn last week.

Paramount will shift international production focus to high-end scripted and several UK-based Paramount TV studio execs working on shows such as the big budget Sexy Beast remake and A Gentleman in Moscow are unaffected by the changes, with more news on the scripted pivot expected shortly. Deadline revealed this morning that Paramount+ is developing a UK drama based on Sarah Pinborough’s Insomnia.

VIS will close its unscripted division later this week but enter a transition period until the summer, with several execs understood to be staying on to finish shows including Channel 5 double Best British Places to Live and Caught on Camera, and Comedy Central’s East Mode with Nigel Ng and Most Ridiculous. Other high-profile recent VIS shows include Channel 5’s Into The Grand Canyon with Nick Knowles.

Some execs have begun seeking roles elsewhere such as Oliver Wright, who is launching an unscripted label with All3Media’s Objective Media Group. Deadline understands at least three other former VIS execs have joined him and the yet-to-be-named indie is making Channel 5’s upcoming space doc series Tim Peake: Secrets of Our Universe.

VIS’ closure comes with Channel 5 in rude health.

Under Chief Content Officer Ben Frow, Channel 5 has had a fine few years, working with high-profile stars such as Knowles, McDonald and Michael Palin, greenlighting a number of successful dramas and drawing neck-and-neck with rivals BBC Two and Channel 4 in the ratings.

Paramount declined to comment for this story.

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March 29, 2023
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EXCLUSIVE: Channel 5 is on the brink

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Movies

How Keanu Reeves made John Wick 4 a smash hit

Over the weekend, “John Wick 4” eclipsed its own box office franchise record, earning a staggering $73.5 million. This shouldn’t come as a surprise: the story of a legendary hit man who returned to his craft to avenge his dead puppy, “John Wick” has established itself as a critical and cultural darling. But its success is especially gratifying because of its hero, Keanu Reeves, a unique brand of superstar who has come to be beloved in almost every role he’s taken on, including that of himself.

It’s been an unlikely arc, but fans of Reeves always knew he had it in him. He showcased his gift for the dramatic in “My Own Private Idaho” (1991) and his talent for comedy through the “Bill & Ted” movies (1989, 1991). Then came “Speed” (1994), which proved that Reeves could carry a catalytic action movie while showcasing an accessible brand of vulnerability (at least to those not acquainted with 1991’s “Point Break”). Reeves went on to spend the nineties in roles ranging from serious to romantic to questionable (here’s looking at you, “The Devil’s Advocate”) before closing out the millennium with “The Matrix.” Maybe you’ve heard of it.

As Neo, a computer hacker-turned-world-saviour, Reeves added yet another dimension to an actor who clearly refused to discriminate against roles. Scrolling through his filmography, you’d be pressed to find a creative lull; it’s a resume rich in diversity, originality and cameos (it’s in everyone’s best interest to watch Key & Peele’s 2016 parody, “Keanu,” in which Reeves plays himself; a kitten co-stars). Ultimately, it reads like the life and career of a man who’s unafraid of having fun, and in an oft humourless and self-serious industry, this is a particularly refreshing quality to exude.

Sure, you may have skipped over “The Lake House” (2006) or “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee” (2009), but especially since he stepped into “John Wick,” Reeves has been joyfully present in our cultural discourse; a willing participant in a climate rife with cynicism and ridicule. He shows up for interviews ready and willing to share. He respects and pays service to the roles that earned him a place on the map (see: “Bill & Ted”’s 2020 instalment).

And even when memed as “Sad Keanu” in 2010, Reeves jumped at the chance to explain to Stephen Colbert — 11 years later — that he was caught in a moment of genuine hunger. What’s more relatable than that?

But while relatability is certainly a form of social currency, Reeves refrains from pandering. He’s avoided falling prey to trends, oversharing for the sake of sound bites, or risking overexposure via publicity stunts. He’s found lasting success by creating the career he wants and prioritizing his personhood over celebrity. He’s created a life that most of us would aspire to if we found ourselves in a position where people paid us to be in movies.

This is what makes the gigantic success of John Wick so satisfying. In the spirit of sleeper hits like “Taken,” the plot of the original “John Wick” is relatively simple: a widowed man avenges his dog’s death by wreaking havoc on his enemies.

However, where the “Taken” franchise and its counterparts have descended into parodies of themselves, “John Wick” has enough heart to adhere viewers to the man and his mission. Wick’s M.O. may be simple but his intentions are far from it: he grapples with grief, mortality and the decisions responsible for leading him to his current situation. While any actor can try their hand at stunts and action tropes, few can bring soul to a franchise defined by fight scenes and vendettas. A complex character like Wick deserves a complex actor like Reeves. This role wouldn’t work as well for an actor unwilling to diversify himself through experience, nor one too busy courting the Oscar vote to appear in rom-coms like “Something’s Gotta Give” or “Call Me Maybe.”

Reeves may be having fun, but he still honours his roles by taking them all seriously.

In fact, the real surprise here is that anyone ever doubted Reeves’ unstoppable staying power. Still: $73.5 million. As the eternally humble superstar might put it himself, “Whoa.”

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March 29, 2023
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Latest News

Georgia Brown to Chair U.K. Skills Task Force

Former Amazon Studios Europe boss Georgia Brown has revealed her first industry role since leaving the streamer last year. She is set to chair a skills task force for the U.K. screen industry with the intention of focusing on critical labor shortages in the production sector.

Joining her on the task force will be senior representatives from major U.K. broadcasters BBC, ITV and Channel 4 as well as international studios and streamers including Prime Video, Netflix, Disney and NBCUniversal, key orgs such as ScreenSkills, PACT and the British Film Commission and national screen agencies.

The British Film Institute (BFI) have convened the task force following a skills review commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport showing crew shortfalls will soon reach breaking point. Its remit is to produce and support a plan of action that will result in growth, training and increased retention in the screen sector as well as improvements in equity, diversity and inclusion and mental health. Where appropriate, the task force will make recommendations to the U.K. government.

“In order to implement the step change needed to address the skills gap and ensure our workforce can meet the demands of our growing industry, the Skills Review made it very clear that an industry-led response was fundamental,” said Ben Roberts, BFI CEO. “We are therefore really pleased with the commitment and dedication of these key industry players, and with an executive of Georgia’s calibre and experience at the helm, we believe industry working with key partners such as ScreenSkills, can come together to drive this work forward and help ensure sustainable change.”

Brown added: “The U.K. has an important and well-earned reputation for being the centre of creative excellence, however if we want to accelerate growth and build a sustainable industry, we must accelerate change by creating a robust framework to develop, support, train and ignite the next generation of talent. This task force will build on and complement the essential strategic work already undertaken by industry, ScreenSkills, the BFI and public bodies across the U.K. and it’s an honour to work collaboratively with colleagues from across the industry to lead this important work.”

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March 29, 2023
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Former Amazon Studios Europe boss Georgia Brown

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MCU

Why Marvel Studios’ X-Men Movie Is Taking So Long

Disney’s acquisition of Twentieth Century Fox was completed in 2019, and over four years later, it feels like fans are no closer to seeing the X-Men in the MCU—so what’s taking so long?

The best audiences have gotten so far has been a surprise reveal in Ms. Marvel‘s finale stating that the titular hero has a mutation and Namor blatantly calling himself a mutant during Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Of course, there’s the upcoming Deadpool 3, which will include both Ryan Reynold’s merc with a mouth and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. But that adventure seems more about those former Fox characters and not so much introducing the X-Men to the wider MCU.

Recently, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige noted that the team knows when and how they plan on introducing the X-Men into the MCU,but they ”aren’t going to talk about it 1680087398.”

Marvel’s Strategic Delay of the X-Men

The Direct

Brian Volk-Weiss, the producer for Vice’s Docuseries Icons Unearthed: Marvel, exclusively talked with The Direct’s Russ Milheim about why he thinks that the MCU is taking its time introducing mutants into its world.

When asked if he believes that it’s a smart move for Marvel Studios to take its time with the X-Men, Volk-Weiss shared how he thinks “it’s extremely smart,” and is due to how everyone over there “think[s] in five-year blocks:”

“I think it’s extremely smart and I know the reason for it and maybe that’s why I think it’s smart. The reason is, these people think in five-year blocks so… they can’t wake up one morning and be like, ‘Oh, [Disney CEO] Bob Iger just texted me. Now we own X-Men. Let’s put it into production.’”

He continued, pointing out how they “have to plant the creative seeds in movies that are coming:”

“They have to be methodical. They have to plant the creative seeds in the movies that are coming, which they’re doing, and then, they have to do it right. They need the right script, they need the right director, they need the right cast. None of that happens quickly.”

While previously speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference, Disney CEO Bob Iger specifically referenced these five-year blocks:

“There’s nothing in any way inherently off in terms of the Marvel brand… I think we just have to look at what characters and stories we’re mining. If you look at the trajectory of Marvel in the next five years, there will be a lot of newness. We’re going to turn back to the Avengers franchise with a whole new set of Avengers, for example.”

Icons Unearthed: Marvel airs every Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST on Vice.

Is the MCU’s Handling of the X-Men a Good Idea?

The Direct

In the long run, holding off on the X-Men is almost certainly a good idea. Just looking at the upcoming slate, there’s hardly enough room to service all the characters and stories that the MCU is currently dealing with.

Given all the recent delays, it’s clear that even Marvel Studios is having trouble keeping up with itself. It’s hard to imagine how the X-Men would even fit in.

Perhaps Marvel Studios intends on using Avengers: Secret Wars as a reset of sorts—like the event functioned for the comics back in 2015. It would be the easiest way to integrate mutants into the wider MCU while also having the opportunity to recast or reposition other big characters, such as Iron Man or Steve Rogers.

Until then, Deadpool 3 will be the next place audiences see full-on mutants. Given the rumors of the film being a Multiversal adventure, odds are there might be more than audiences expect.

Deadpool 3 lands in theaters on November 8, 2024, while Secret Wars is currently slated for May 1, 2026.

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March 29, 2023
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DCU

All 12 Live-Action Batman Costumes, Ranked

Since first appearing on screen way back in the ’40s, Batman has worn many variations of his costume. And with many different actors wearing the cape and cowl of the DC Comics icon. But which version is the best one? We looked at almost 80 years of live-action Batman costumes, and ranked them from best to worst. We judged them on their accuracy at representing the iconic character, and just their visual aesthetic overall.

1. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Warner Bros.

While we might not be the biggest fans of the film it came from, there’s almost no denying that the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Batman suit looks absolutely perfect. The costume, designed by Michael Wilkinson, looks like it stepped right off of the comic book page. And Ben Affleck simply had the perfect jawline for this cowl. He wore the mask, the mask didn’t wear him.

The BvS suit took bits of Frank Miller’s Dark Knight, with a dash of artist Jim Lee’s, and the result is the most comic-accurate Batman costume of them all. And one that actually looks good on screen (and almost comfortable) on the actor wearing it. Also, unlike many other Batman costumes on this list, the bat emblem stands out and isn’t obscured by armor plating or other things. This one just nailed it.

2. Batman, Batman Returns (1989, 1992)

Warner Bros.

Although the costume took some liberties with the source material, the Michael Keaton 1989 Batman costume creates one of the most striking silhouettes of them all. Yes, in the comics at the time, Batman wore blue and grey, or sometimes black and grey. The all-black suit was a complete Hollywood concoction. But it just worked. True, Tim Burton’s Bruce Wayne might not have been able to turn his head with that rubber mask, but it just looked so cool, we didn’t care.

The pitch-black body suit with the bright yellow emblem and yellow utility belt made a stark contrast that was extremely eye-catching. There were slight modifications for the Batman Returns version a couple of years later, but it was essentially the same outfit. When we saw Michael Keaton wear this one in the trailer for The Flash, we got all the nostalgic feels. Because it’s just that good of a Batman costume, even years later.

3. Batman Forever (First Suit) 1995

Warner Bros.

For almost 30 years, people have clutched their pearls over the nipples on the Batsuit, first seen in Batman Forever on Val Kilmer. And they use it to knock this costume down. But you know what? This is a pretty cool upgrade to the Keaton suit. The only downside we can see is that the oval is mustard yellow. It doesn’t really pop like on the Keaton suit. Also, the utility belt is black. It should be yellow to break up the absence of color in the torso. Otherwise, we might have ranked this one even higher. Oh, and every other muscle and contour of the human body is replicated in this rubber on this suit. Who cares if there are two tiny dots representing nipples? Go outside.

4. The Batman (2022)

Warner Bros.

We love the most recent cinematic Batman suit, worn by Robert Pattinson in The Batman. Yes, it has too much padding and extra details in order to be “realistic” looking for a more grounded Caped Crusader, which kind of bugs us on other Bat suits. But the cape and cowl are perfection, and bring to mind great DC Elseworlds comics like Gotham by Gaslight. We also like the gauntlets above the hands, which make it look almost like a steampunk Dark Knight. We’re not crazy about the Bat-emblem on this one, we hate when it’s hard to make out. However, the good outweighs the bad here. Nice job, Matt Reeves.

5. Batman Begins (2005)

Warner Bros.

The original Batman costume worn by Christian Bale in Batman Begins was essentially a more modern, more practical version of the 1989 Michael Keaton suit. He still had a cowl that didn’t allow him to turn his neck, but it sure looked cool. This one was made of more flexible materials than the rubber body suit from the Tim Burton movies, without being overwhelmed by all the extra padding of the follow-up films. It also has perhaps the best onscreen Batman cape, that actually flows in the wind. We would vote for this one as “most underrated live-action Batman suit.”

6. Batman TV Series (1966)

Warner Bros.

Yes, by today’s standards, the Adam West costume is a totally ridiculous relic of a bygone age. The tights, the cape, the cowl, all look like a cheap Halloween costume. But in 1966, the Batman TV series suit did its job, which was to bring the comic book look to life. And the comic book costume of the time pretty much looked like that. It was a blue cape and cowl over gray tights with blue trunks, just like a Carmine Infantino Detective Comics drawing of the time. Is it silly looking? Yes. But it’s oh so iconic, so we love it.

7. The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises (2008, 2012)

Warner Bros.

We understand all the reasons why Christopher Nolan updated the Batman suit for The Dark Knight, and later The Dark Knight Rises. He wanted even more realistic fighting gear for Bruce Wayne to use, and a cowl that lets him turn his neck for once. But just from an aesthetic standpoint, the armor looks way too much like the hockey pads his fanboy imitators used in the film, which Batman openly mocked. It works in the movie, but it loses all its sleekness for the sake of realism. It just isn’t that pleasant to look at overall. We do like the white eyes when he turns on his surveillance mode in his cowl. That scores it some points.

8. Batman v Superman Power Suit (2016)

Warner Bros.

We could easily go our whole lives without seeing Batman fight Superman in any media ever again. However, to give credit where credit is due, the folks behind Batman v Superman recreated the best Batman battle suit, from Frank Miller’s seminal 1986 story The Dark Knight Returns, to a tea. It genuinely makes Batman look like someone who could legit beat the Man of Steel in a fight. And the glowing white eyes? Again, we love when any live-action Batman suit gives us that. We wouldn’t want to see it all the time (or even ever again), but Zack Snyder deserves credit for bringing this iconic suit to life in such a faithful way. Martha would be proud.

9. Batman Forever “Sonar Suit” (1995)

Warner Bros.

As much as we loved the first Batman Forever costume we saw Val Kilmer wear in the film, the second chrome “sonar suit” felt like it was made for the Kenner action figure only. The extra details don’t look like muscles, just weird shapes that don’t make sense as armor-plating. If they were on a black rubber suit they might blend in, but in shiny silver tones, they just pop out and are distracting. Everything about this outfit screams Happy Meal toy. Also, why do the Bat-ears have all those ridges? That’s weirder than any nipples. Still, it’s better than our next entry, also from a Joel Schumacher Batman film.

10. Batman and Robin “Ice Suit” (1997)

Warner Bros.

The first Batman costume we see George Clooney’s Dark Knight wear in 1997’s Batman and Robin is basically the same one Val Kilmer wore at the start of the previous movie, with only minor alterations. No, the truly terrible Batman costume Clooney made famous was the ice suit that he wore in the film’s big climax when fighting Mister Freeze. There is just way too much silver plating all over this costume, for no real reason except, once again, to sell action figure variants. It’s just an awful design overall.

11. Justice League Tactical Suit (2017)

Warner Bros.

This costume, which appears in both versions of Justice League, commits the biggest crime of all: it doesn’t quite look like Batman anymore. Yes, the extra armor plating is much like the Nolan suits, and is equally not aesthetically pleasing. But it’s not that which makes us rank it so low. The goggles and the ears on the cowl make Affleck’s Batman look way more like Nite Owl from Watchmen. Say what you want about the other suits on this list, they all instantly read like our favorite Gotham vigilante. He should never look like another famous superhero. We should never look at Batman and ask “hey, is that Batman?”

12. Batman Serials (1943, 1949)

Warner Bros.

Ok, this one is the worst of all. The Columbia Pictures Batman movie serials of 1943 and 1949 were done on the cheap, even by ‘40s standards. But still, there was no excusing that cape and cowl. The cowl literally slides down the actor’s face, looking extremely silly, and his ears don’t even look like bat ears. They look like horns on a devil costume. The Batman costume of the comics of the time looked much cooler, and unlike the ‘60s suit, this didn’t evoke the comics’ look sufficiently. We get it, it was a different time. But it’s still an embarrassing effort.

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March 29, 2023
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Comics

Chris Pratt says ‘go watch The Super Mario Bros Movie, then we can talk’ about the voice

Chris Pratt has asked Mario fans to watch The Super Mario Bros Movie before making judgements on how he performs the title character’s voice.

The casting of Pratt as Mario has been met with some resistance ever since it was announced back in September 2021, and this resistance still remains to some extent despite the release of a number of trailers since then.

Speaking to ExtraTV about the Brooklyn accent he appears to have given Mario, Pratt explained: “You know, come watch the movie. Go watch the movie, and then we can talk. I really think that once you’ve seen the movie – you know what, in all honesty, I think you probably need to watch it twice.”

He added: “In all honesty the answer, though, is that this is a passionate fanbase and it makes sense. I understand, I’m part of it.

The Super Mario Bros Movie – final trailer

“This is the soundtrack to your youth. You don’t want someone to come along and cynically destroy it as a cash grab with a movie. I fully understand that, you do not want that to happen, and there are so many hearts and souls and minds dedicated to making sure that didn’t happen.”

Meanwhile, Pratt’s co-star Seth Rogen has been somewhat less defensive about his performance as Donkey Kong in the movie, and is fully aware that the character just sounds like him.

Speaking to ComicBook.com, Rogen said: “I was very clear, I don’t do voices. And if you want me to be in this movie, it’s gonna sound like me and that’s it. And that was the beginning and end of that conversation.

“I was like, ‘if you want Donkey Kong to sound a lot like me, I’m your guy’. But it did seem to work, you know. I think in the film and in the game I think all you really know about Donkey Kong is that he throws barrels, and he does not like Mario very much.

“That’s honestly kind of what I ran with – this idea that he hates Mario, that they have an adversarial relationship, that he’s annoyed by him, that he doesn’t want to be stuck with him, that he wishes he was on this adventure without him. To me that was funny and that was kind of the root of the character, and it was born out of the mythology of the games.”

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One thing both Pratt and Rogen agreed on was that they’d like to see more movies in the future.

Speaking to ExtraTV interviewer Jenn Lahmers, Pratt said: “You saw the movie. It really honours the video game, it honours the world of Mario and it’s very promising as to what we could expect over the next 10 years, like an entire universe of these types of movies.

“They’re super nostalgic, they’re really fun, it’s Illumination so they know what they’re doing, and it’s great because – especially for me, now that I have kids, I have to see every animated movie whether it’s good or not, so I’m really grateful when a great animated movie comes out, and that’s what this is thankfully. And hopefully there’ll be more.”

Rogen was similarly enthusiastic about the possibility of a Donkey Kong movie, telling ComicBook.com: “It would be fun. I honestly had a great time doing it and I think it’s a big world, gigantic, and it seems to be a thing that people are excited to see.”

Originally set to release on April 7, The Super Mario Bros Movie release date has now been moved forward to April 5 in “the US and in more than 60 markets around the world”, including the UK.

Along with Pratt as Mario and Rogen as Donkey Kong, the movie stars Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit) as Peach, Jack Black (Jumanji) as Bowser and Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele) as Toad.

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March 29, 2023
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Chris Pratt has asked Mario fans to

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Festivals

Paramount sets French theatrical release for Killers Of The Flower Moon – Deadline

Paramount will give Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon a theatrical release in France from October 18, Deadline has confirmed, in a move that will make the film subject to the country’s strict windowing rules.

Paramount Pictures France revealed the local theatrical date on Tuesday in an updated line-up posted on its website and Deadline has confirmed the film will get a normal release via the distributor and then go directly to Apple TV+.

Apple Orginal Films announced Monday that Killers Of The Flower Moon will be released exclusively in theaters worldwide in partnership with Paramount Pictures, kicking off on a limited basis from October 6, to go wide from October 20, ahead of streaming on Apple TV+.

There were questions as to whether the film would show in cinemas in France, where current media chronology laws stipulate a 17-month window between a film’s theatrical launch and its streaming release for most global platforms, including Apple TV+.

Netflix has negotiated a 15-month window by pledging extra investment for local feature films and signing an accord with the local film and TV guilds. Other streamers such as Apple TV+, Amazon and Disney+ have yet to go down that route.

Scorsese has a big following in cinephile France but his Netflix-backed The Irishman only received two preview screenings in France – at Cannes Delegate General Thierry Frémaux’s Lumière Festival in Lyon and the French cinematheque in Paris – ahead of its release via streaming in November 2019.

This was in contrast to the U.S. and the UK where the film was given limited releases.

Expectations remain high that Killers Of The Flower Moon, about the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation in 1920s Oklahoma, will world premiere at Cannes in May.

Confirmation of the French theatrical release opens the door for Killers Of The Flower Moon to play in Competition, if indeed, the film has been made available to Cannes, and the festival and Scorsese want to go down that route.

Under Cannes rules, which are in step with the French windowing laws, only films guaranteed a theatrical release in France can compete for the festival’s coveted Palme d’Or, a stipulation that has kept Netflix and its top titles away from the Croisette in recent years.

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March 29, 2023
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Paramount will give Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of

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Film

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Trimmed to 8 Episodes

Expect a shorter than normal winter when “Game of Thrones” prequel series “House of the Dragon” returns. HBO has given the hit series a shortened run of 8-episodes for its upcoming second season, TheWrap has confirmed.

The decision to shorten the show’s second season comes amid months of belt-tightening measures at HBO’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery. However, individuals with knowledge of the matter insist the move is due only to the needs of the story being told and not to any other concerns.

HBO didn’t have any comment, but according to Deadline, which first reported the news, the shortened season is part of a longer plan that includes the possibility of an early Season 3 renewal.

In late 2022 HBO Max announced rounds of show cancellations and removals from the platform, cuts that came just months after a similar round shocked viewers in August. “House of the Dragon” had a very hugely successful premiere around that time, however, which helped make up for the losses.

Once “House of the Dragon” concluded its first season, total demand for HBO Max shows droppednearly 4% from what it had been in July, according to Parrot Analytics‘ data. The show was an enormous hit for HBO and HBO Max, with the finale being streamed for over 1 billion minutes total, according to Nielsen.

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March 29, 2023
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TV

James Burstall Writes Crisis Management Book ‘The Flexible Method’

Argonon CEO James Burstall was prompted to write his new crisis management book “The Flexible Method: Prepare to Prosper in the Next Global Crisis” by the COVID-19 pandemic, when the TV industry – like much of the world – came to a grinding halt almost exactly three years ago. Shows including “The Masked Singer U.K.,” which is produced by Argonon subsidiary Bandicoot and usually filmed in front of a live audience, found themselves jeopardy.

But the seeds for the book were sown a decade or so earlier, during the 2008 “credit crunch.” Then, Burstall was the CEO of Leopard Films, which he had founded in 2001 following stints at Oxford University and Stanford and a transitory career in journalism working for Vanity Fair and London’s Evening Standard newspaper. Leopard was chugging along nicely, pumping out hits such as BBC daytime staple “Cash in the Attic,” when disaster struck for the first time. Fuelled by the sub-prime mortgage crisis, the economic downturn saw broadcasters tightening their belts and commissions trickled to a halt.

“I remember walking into the office in the morning of January, in 2009, and talking to my team,” Burstall tells Variety. “And saying, ‘This is a really extremely difficult existential crisis for all of us. But I want you to know, we are not going to lose anybody. Everybody stays. It does mean we’re going to have to do a number of things differently while there is potentially no business coming in for the next one, two, three months or more.”

Some of the changes Burstall instigated during that period included focusing more on ideas, looking for new clients particularly those such as publicly funded broadcasters like the BBC who still had budget to commission (which saw Leopard move into children’s programming for the first time) and asking staff whether they would be willing to take a temporary step down, going from exec producing to editing and line producing. “It was a temporary measure that meant that we could keep all of our people keep working,” Burstall explains.

And it worked. Almost two decades on, Leopard not only survived but thrived. It is now part of the Argonon Group, a television production conglomerate also founded by Burstall, which is comprised of ten companies across the U.K. and the U.S. including Scotland-based Bandicoot and L.A.-based Rose Rock Entertainment.

Courtesy of ITV/Bandicoot

So when the pandemic struck, Burstall was, in some ways, already prepared. “You must heeds the signs, you must listen to things that are coming down the track,” is his one of his key pieces of advice. “We knew in January, February [2020] that COVID was getting really chronic in Italy, that of course it was going to come to the U.K. So you must move early.” Two weeks before the U.K. government implemented the first nationwide lockdown on March 23, Burstall had already sprung into action, moving 1,500 employees onto remote working within 48 hours.

After ensuring not just his employees’ wellbeing but also their families’ – “you needed to make sure that the children were safe, that elderly parents were in a safe place, and that they were getting food,” he says – the next step was to look at how to get key shows, such as the second season of “Masked Singer” and drama series “Worzel Gummidge,” which stars Mackenzie Crook, back into production. “Because all of us, both full time and freelancers, we all need to produce, not least, of course, because if we don’t produce we’re not earning any money and the business can’t survive,” says Burstall.

After implementing a “gold standard” set of COVID protocols that stretched to 1,000 items (including no handles on toilet doors), “Masked Singer” went into production, albeit without a studio audience and with the judges separated by Perspex panels. In Burstall’s book, “Masked Singer” judge Davina McCall recalls coming back on set with those protocols in place. “It was jarring,” she says. “At first, we couldn’t hear each other and it was a bit odd. And then we worked with it.”

“A lot of the show is dependent upon really vibrant, dynamic banter,” Burstall explains. “And [the judges, which also included Rita Ora, presenter Jonathan Ross and comedian Mo Gilligan, who replaced Season 1’s Ken Jeong due to COVID travel restrictions] completely stepped up and indeed, the show that we shot in the middle of COVID was probably one of the funniest and sharpest that we did, because there was a sense that ‘there’s just no way that we can do this’ and yet we have to. We have no choice.”

As well as COVID-19 and the credit crunch, “The Flexible Method,” which comes out in the U.K. on March 30 and in the U.S. on July 18, also looks at how individuals and businesses have responded to disasters ranging from the California wildfires to Hurricane Katrina to the war in Ukraine. The book includes guidance such as what to do when disaster first strikes, how to steer a company through a crisis and how to set course for the future. Burstall says he has most recently been applying the method to the current economic downturn and post-pandemic recovery.

While “The Flexible Method” is rooted in Burstall and Argonon’s own experiences of those disasters, the TV boss says he hopes the lessons in it can be applied by anyone in any industry who runs a business or manages a team. “Crises are not only an intrinsic part of our past, but they are absolutely going to be an intrinsic part of our future, there is no escape,” Burstall says. “So what are we going to do? Well, we have choices. We can either cower and bow down and feel terror, all of which is completely natural human instinct, or we can think, ‘We’re gonna have to turn this around and make it work in our favour. So what can we do in order to basically not only survive, but also come out on top?’”

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March 29, 2023
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What to Watch

Is ‘Vaathi (Malayalam)’ on Netflix? Where to Watch the Movie

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Great news! “Vaathi (Malayalam)” is available to watch on Netflix USA!

Date Added: 28th March 2023

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Description:

When a private school teacher is assigned to a neglected public school, he must overcome personal and political strife in his fight for education.

Certificate: TV-PG
Parental Guidance suggested

Year: 2023

Duration: 2hr 14m

Audio: Malayalam

Subtitles: English

Cast and Crew

Director: Venky Atluri

Cast: Dhanush, Samyuktha Menon, Samuthirakani, Tanikella Bharani, P. Sai Kumar, Aadukalam Naren, Sha Ra, Hyper Aadi

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March 29, 2023
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Awards

Melissa Joan Hart Breaks Down Recounting How She Helped Kindergarteners Escape Nashville Shooter (Video)

Actress Melissa Joan Hart, in video on Instagram posted Tuesday, revealed in heart-wrenching detail that she and her husband ended up helping several young children who were trying to escape the deadly shooting at a school in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday.

“Hey guys, for those of you that know, I live in Nashville, and what’s been going on here today. My kids go to school right next to a school where there was a shooting today,” Hart said in the video, which you can watch at the top of the page now. “We moved here from Connecticut where we were in a school a little ways down from Sandy Hook. So this is our second experience with a school shooting with our kids being in close proximity.

Hart said she and her husband were on their way to a conference at their children’s school, when they encountered a group of fleeing children.

“We helped a class of kindergartners cross a busy highway,” Hart said as her voice cracked. “They were climbing outta the woods, they were trying to escape the shooter situation at their school.”

Hart continued, “So we helped all these tiny little, little kids across the road and get their teachers over there, and we helped a mom reunite with her children. And, I don’t know what to say anymore. It is just enough is enough, and just pray. Pray for the families.”

On Monday, a 28-year-old armed with several weapons, including an assault rifle, shot their way into the door of The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennesse. The shooter ultimately killed three children and three adults. Metro Nashville Police responded within minutes and killed the shooter.

The shooter’s motives are unknown at this time.

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March 29, 2023
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Docs

Felines | Film Threat

The sad irony of childhood trauma is that often it leads the victim to traumatize themselves or others when they reach adulthood. It’s a vicious cycle that needs to be dealt with head-on and broken, or else it can lead to a downward spiral. It’s a similar dynamic with toxic relationships, they’re fun and exciting at first, but they’ll take you down a dark hole if you allow them to.

Writer/director Rich Mallery’s Felines is an erotic drama/thriller about two lesbians named Max (Madison Santos) and Lily (Kate Lý Johnston) who have some significant issues. Still, they’re drawn to each other like moths to a flame. Max is a bartender, and that’s how she meets Lily, who pickpockets one of her customers at the bar while flirting with him. Of course, Max observes all of this, but the excitement only adds fuel to the fire.

Max knows that Lily is trouble, but she just can’t get her out of her head, especially when she’s in the shower. The two women start hanging out, which leads to drinking, drugs, and hooking up. They both have issues from their childhood that they don’t want to talk about. It’s easier to drown their sorrows in the techno dance soundtrack of the film.

“…about two lesbians…who have some major issues, but they’re drawn to each other like moths to a flame.”

Lily has a webcam show that she tries to cox Max to be on, but Max is trying to maintain some of her dignity despite the dalliances with sex, drugs, and alcohol. Eventually, Lily convinces Max to join in on a date with a “client” named Walter (Chris Spinelli), where they put on a show and make a ton of cash. Max enjoys it and falls further down the rabbit hole of sorrow, especially as her relationship with Lily starts to falter from all of the drama.

Felines is a bit reminiscent of a low-budget and lighter version of Darren Aronofsky’s dark masterpiece Requiem for a Dream. They both deal with characters who let addictions take them down a path that can be difficult to watch (although it’s tough for any movie to compare to the depravity seen in Requiem for a Dream) by doing destructive things such as selling their bodies for more money and drugs. In the case of Felines, it leads to a murder.

Kate Lý Johnston is believable as an out-of-control troublemaker and has good chemistry with Madison Santos. Santos also does a fine job portraying a broken woman who lets Lily corrupt her. This film plays on the voyeuristic nature of watching two attractive lesbians with each other.

It’s much easier to watch someone else’s drama on screen than deal with it in real life. Some viewers will enjoy the madness, while others will not, so it can be easy to anticipate reactions to this movie varying wildly. I liked Felines because realistic human behavior in all its forms interests me, and having two beautiful leads will no doubt be a selling point for some people.

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March 29, 2023
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Global

Dad on the run after being sentenced to Putin’s gulag over Russian daughter, 13, drawing ‘No to War’ picture at school

A RUSSIAN dad has gone on the run after his daughter’s drawing landed him a prison sentence for slamming Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.

Masha Moskalyova, 13, penned a picture at school showing Russian missiles hurtling towards a Ukrainian woman and child.

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Masha Moskalyova, 13, draw a picture at school saying ‘no to war’Credit: East2West

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Her dad has been sentenced to two years in a penal colonyCredit: East2West

The drawing also featured a Ukrainian flag with the words “Glory to Ukraine” and a Russian tricolour with the slogan “No to war“.

Her single dad Alexei Moskalyov, 54, was placed under house arrest earlier this month while Masha was taken to a grim rehabilitation centre which is part of the state orphanage system.

He was sentenced to two years in a harsh penal colony on Tuesday for “discrediting the armed forces” – but has not been seen since Monday.

Moskalyov was not in court and court officials said he had fled fearing a jail sentence.

He is also likely to be deprived of his parental rights – which would mean he never sees Masha again as she could be sent permanently to an orphanage or given to a foster family.

The repressive action against the schoolgirl began when she drew an anti-war picture at school last April.

Pupils had been told by a teacher to do artwork in support of Russia’s troops.

She was reported to police by a teacher, and quizzed by the FSB, Putin’s feared counterintelligence service.

Her father was quizzed and found to have posted his support for Ukraine and caricatures of Vladimir Putin on social media for which he was fined £350.

Legal action against him continued culminating in Tuesday’s sentence.

It is the first time since the Soviet era that a child has been separated from a parent based on political views.

Moskalyov’s lawyer Vladimir Biliyenko added that the defence would appeal against the verdict and Masha would remain in the children’s home for the time being.

The sentencing has provoked an outcry among Russian human rights activists and sparked an online campaign to reunite father and daughter.

Even Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner Group, Russia’s most powerful mercenary group involved in some of the fiercest fighting in Ukraine, called the verdict “unfair” and asked that it be reviewed.

In a letter to the prosecutor, Prigozhin wrote: “Especially in view of the fact that his daughter Masha will be forced to grow up in an orphanage.”

Police began examining Moskalyov’s social media activity and he was initially fined 35,000 roubles (£370) for comments critical of the Russian army.

In December, investigators opened another case against him on suspicion of discrediting the armed forces, this time based on a social media post in June.

The banned Russian human rights group Memorial said it considered Moskalyov to be a political prisoner.

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Masha’s drawings were shown in courtCredit: East2West

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Moskalyov was not in court and court officials said he had fled fearing a jail sentenceCredit: East2West

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March 29, 2023
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‘Only Murders in the Building’ Cast Dating History: Selena Gomez, More

Finding The One. The Only Murders in the Building cast has had more success in their dating lives than their fictional counterparts.

The Hulu series, which premiered in August 2021, follows three strangers who form a bond over their love of true crime. After a mysterious death occurs in their New York City apartment building, Mabel (Selena Gomez), Oliver (Martin Short) and Charles (Steve Martin) come together to track down the killer.

While working on the first season of the hit comedy show, Gomez sparked romance rumors with her onscreen love interest Aaron Dominguez (Oscar). After trolls slammed Dominguez’s friendship with his costar, the actor took to social media to call out the hate.

“Remain Unfazed ? Happy Friday,” he captioned an Instagram selfie in February 2021 after showing a glimpse at the rude messages in his inbox.

The Selena + Chef star, for her part, defended her connection with Dominguez. “We had just started working together,” she told the Los Angeles Times one month later. “I honestly thought, ‘No wonder guys don’t want to date me!’ I think people only care because I’m young, and the older I get the less they’ll care. For now it’s a part of the job that I don’t really like.”

Gomez added: “I’m actually grateful that I’m not involved with anyone right now.”

After previously making headlines for her tumultuous relationship with Justin Bieber over the years, Gomez chose to not publicly address her personal life. For the Spring Breakers star, her dating life has come with many ups and downs.

“I think most of my experiences in relationships have been cursed,” she shared with Vogue Australia in June 2021. “I’ve been way too young to be exposed to certain things when I was in relationships. I guess I needed to find what was that word for me, because I felt so less than in past relationships, and never really felt equal.”

Us Weekly broke the news in January 2023 that Gomez is dating The Chainsmokers’ Drew Taggart. “They aren’t trying to hide their romance by sneaking around at members only clubs,” an insider revealed to Us about the couple’s “very casual and low-key” bond.

At the time, the source noted that Gomez and Taggart would “go bowling and to the movies” on their dates. “Selena can hardly keep her hands off him,” the insider added about the twosome “having a lot of fun together.”

After Gomez’s brief romance with the “Who Do You Love” artist came to an end, she was spotted smooching Zayn Malik in New York City in March 2023.

While romance rumors swirled, a source exclusively told Us that the two are not “super serious” or exclusive — though the former One Direction member is “definitely into” the actress.

Sign up for Us Weekly’s free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!

Scroll down to see who the Only Murders in the Building cast has dated:

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March 29, 2023
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Tech

Adnan Syed Murder Conviction Reinstated After ‘Serial’ Subject Freed

Adnan Syed’s murder conviction — which gained worldwide attention from the hit podcast “Serial” in 2014 — has taken another turn. A Maryland court has reinstated Syed’s conviction after it was previously overturned in September 2022 and Syed was released from prison.

The Appellate Court of Maryland ruled on Tuesday that a lower court had violated the right of Young Lee, the brother of the late Hae Min Lee — whom Syed was found guilty of murdering in 2000 — to have been notified of and attend a hearing on the state’s motion to vacate Syed’s conviction. The Maryland court ordered a new hearing on the motion to vacate Syed’s murder conviction in a 2-1 decision.

“[The court] has the power and obligation to remedy those violations, as long we can do so without violating Mr. Syed’s right to be free from double jeopardy,” the decision read, according to the New York Times. “We can do that, and accordingly, we vacate the circuit court’s order vacating Mr. Syed’s convictions, which results in the reinstatement of the original convictions and sentence. We remand for a new, legally compliant, and transparent hearing on the motion to vacate, where Mr. Lee is given notice of the hearing that is sufficient to allow him to attend in person, evidence supporting the motion to vacate is presented, and the court states its reasons in support of its decision.”

In September 2022, Syed was freed from prison from serving a life sentence after a Baltimore court found that prosecutors failed to turn over evidence that would have helped Syed in his trial. Syed had maintained his innocence despite being convicted of murdering his former girlfriend and classmate Hae Min Lee, whose body was found in a Baltimore park in 1999. The NPR podcast “Serial” drew massive attention to Syed’s case and cast doubt on his conviction, as did the 2019 HBO docuseries “The Case Against Adnan Syed.”

“It took over two decades for prosecutors to finally acknowledge what Adnan Syed and his loved ones have been saying since day one: he did not murder Hae Min Lee,” a statement from Syed’s attorney, Erica Suter, reads. “The appeal was not about Adnan’s innocence but about notice and mootness. The Appellate Court of Maryland has reinstated Adnan’s convictions, not because the Motion to Vacate was erroneous, but because Ms. Lee’s brother did not appear in person at the vacatur hearing. We agree with the dissenting judge that the appeal is moot and that Mr. Lee’s attendance over Zoom was sufficient.”

Suter continued, “There is no basis for re-traumatizing Adnan by returning him to the status of a convicted felon. For the time being, Adnan remains a free man. We remain optimistic that justice will be done. We intend to seek review in Maryland’s highest court, the Supreme Court of Maryland, and will continue to fight until Adnan’s convictions are fully vacated. Ensuring justice for Hae Min Lee does not require injustice for Adnan.”

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March 29, 2023
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Video

Honor Among Thieves’ Rolls a ‘Freaks and Geeks’ Reunion and We Love It (Video)

“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” seems like an absolutely delightful movie, and we can’t wait to see it. And helping us with that assessment considerably is an absolutely delightful new ad for the film that debuted earlier today.

The ad doesn’t actually contain any footage from the movie — you can watch one of those here, in case you need to see it again (you do). Instead, it hilariously reunites three of the stars of “Freaks and Geeks” to finally finish up that game of “Dungeons & Dragons” they played all the way back in the show’s final episode.

Now, we assume if you’re reading this you know what the previous paragraph is talking about, but just in case, “Freaks and Geeks” was a hugely influential single camera comedy-drama that ran for a single season from 1999-2000. Created by future “Bridesmaids” director Paul Feig and executive produced by Judd Apatow, the show also boasted one of the greatest casts in TV history — Linda Cardellini, John Francis Daley, Samm Levine, Seth Rogen, Jason Segal, Martin Starr, and Busy Phillips (and, sigh, also James Franco before, well, you know). And yes, despite lasting only a season the show is credited with launching all of them into stardom.

The show took place during the 1980-81 school year and its final episode, titled “Discos and Dragons,” featured among other things a game of “Dungeons & Dragons.”

Skip ahead to 2023 and Daley is a celebrated comedy writer and director alongside his frequent collaborator Jonathan Goldstein — and yes, they directed “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.” Which brings us to the clip.

In the new ad — introduced on Twitter by Levine — we see Levine, who played Neal, Daley, who played Sam, and Starr, who played Bill Haverchuck, sitting around a table for a good ol’ D&D session.

“Oh, a 4,” Daley says over footage of a die being rolled. “The great ooze of the black pudding slowly pull you and Carlos the Dwarf into their sticky ooze, dissolving your flesh and bones.”

“Should I roll again,” Levine asks.

“No,” Starr replies. “You have no flesh, you have no bones. You’re dead.”

“Sorry man, he’s right. You are dead,” Daley says.

“Does this mean I get to keep the Orb of Constant Pleasant Vibration?” asks Starr.

“Yes, the orb is yours to keep,” Daley confirms.

“Hell yeah,” says Starr.

“We should probably wrap this up, it’s getting late, we’ve bene playing for,” Daley says as he checks his watch, “23 years.”

“Man, time really flies when you’re playing D&D,” Levine says.

“How long have you had that beard?” Levin asks Starr (who, by the way, is almost unrecognizable when you look at him on “Freaks and Geeks” vs now.)

“I don’t know,” Starr replies. “You?”

“Oh. Not sure,” Levine answers.

“Where’s your beard,” Levine asks Daley.

“Haven’t hit puberty yet,” Daley says. (One thing about his role on “Freaks and Geeks” is that his character looked way younger than he was. Daley was 14 during the show’s run.)

After some more fun banter, Daley says “You know, it’s such a fun game. Someone should make it into a movie.”

“That would never work,” Levine cracks.

“Why are you even saying that?” asks Starr.

“It’s the stupidest idea in the world,” Daley agrees.

“I hope it never happens,” Levine says.

“It won’t,” Daley promises — right before the film’s logo plays.

OK in addition to the fact that the ad perfectly captures the vibe of a good table top session, it’s also nice to see these three actors riff like this. Let’s see more of this, ok?

Meanwhile, “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” which is getting absolutely fantastic reviews, hits theaters on Friday (March 31). It was written by Goldstein, Daley and Michael Gilio.

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March 29, 2023
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Entertaintment

Paul O’Grady, British Presenter and Comedian, Dead at 67

British presenter and comedian Paul O’Grady has died. He was 67.

O’Grady’s death was confirmed to the BBC by his partner Andre Portasio, who said the popular TV host died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday evening.

O’Grady was known for his drag queen persona Lily Savage, and had been performing as Miss Hannigan (a role he first played 25 years ago) in the touring musical “Annie,” which ran for a week at the Edinburgh Playhouse from March 21 to 25. (The show is scheduled to travel to Southampton in April. )

On his official Instagram page, O’Grady wrote on March 13 that he was “thoroughly enjoying playing Hannigan again after so long, especially with a truly amazing and lovely cast.”

A mainstay on British television, he was also the host of ITV’s daytime chat show “The Paul O’Grady Show” and Channel 5’s “Blind Date” reboot. A well-known animal lover, O’Grady presented ITV’s “For the Love of Dogs” and was a vocal supporter of the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

Portasio said in a statement: “It is with great sadness that I inform you that Paul has passed away unexpectedly but peacefully yesterday evening…He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion.

“I know that he would want me to thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years,” continued Portasio.

O’Grady was born to a working-class Irish migrant family in Tranmere, Cheshire, in 1955. In the late 1970s, he moved to London and worked at various bars, for the civil service and for social services. In 1978, he developed his drag alter ego Lily Savage, who was based on O’Grady’s experiences with various female relatives.

He performed as Savage throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including an acclaimed eight-year stint at South London’s Royal Vauxhall Tavern, where O’Grady used the platform to speak out for gay rights.

Under the Savage persona, he also went on to host light entertainment shows such as “The Big Breakfast,” “Blankety Blank” and “Lily Live!”

O’Grady eventually began presenting shows as himself, hosting ITV travelogues and “The Paul O’Grady Show.” In 2017, Channel 5 made waves when it announced its reboot of “Blind Date” with O’Grady — a long-time friend of original host Cilla Black — tapped as host. He fronted the show until it concluded in 2019.

A compassionate animal campaigner, O’Grady also hosted “For the Love of Dogs,” which he has led since 2012. The show was set to return for its latest season on ITV in early 2023.

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March 29, 2023
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British presenter and comedian Paul O’Grady has

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Movies

Carl’s Date Pixar Short Twitter Reactions

They also surprised us with a screening of Carl’s Date, an incredibly sweet short featuring the late Ed Asner. They’ve been holding onto it for a while, but it’s gonna play before Elemental this June.

So, y’know, if the opening of UP still makes you cry… get ready for THAT.

04:40 PM – 28 Mar 2023

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Latest News

Sarah Ferguson’s emotional tribute to Diana: ‘She was so funny – too young to die’

Sarah Ferguson’s emotional tribute to Diana: ‘She was so funny – too young to die’

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March 29, 2023
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Sarah Ferguson’s emotional tribute to Diana: ‘She

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With these lenses, you’ll barely need to swap your glass. For our “Deals of the Week,” we found three cinema zooms you won’t want to miss.

Tokina Cinema 11-16mm T3.0 (PL Mount)

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2023 Emmy Predictions:Outstanding Drama Series

And the Predicted Nominees Are:

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About the Primetime Emmy Awards

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A Studio in Peril

1.) Marvel Needs to Pump the Breaks

2.) Where’s the Overarching Narrative?

3.) Stop Making a Joke or Statement of Everything

Conclusion – Marvel Can Still Thrive, But Change Needs to Happen

***DISCLAIMER*** SPOILERS AHEAD DO NOT READ — IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE FILM. WATCH THE SHORT IN FULL BELOW:

Review

Overall: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ /5

Bomman and Bellie also mentioned that it is because of The Elephant Whisperers that people are now aware of how difficult it is to raise a baby elephant.

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Networks are still playing it by ear a bit, but projects that recently vied for Oscars, like Prime Video’s “Good Night Oppy,” are once again allowed to campaign for the Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.

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Marvel’s Strategic Delay of the X-Men

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1. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

2. Batman, Batman Returns (1989, 1992)

3. Batman Forever (First Suit) 1995

4. The Batman (2022)

5. Batman Begins (2005)

6. Batman TV Series (1966)

7. The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises (2008, 2012)

8. Batman v Superman Power Suit (2016)

9. Batman Forever “Sonar Suit” (1995)

10. Batman and Robin “Ice Suit” (1997)

11. Justice League Tactical Suit (2017)

12. Batman Serials (1943, 1949)

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2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Drama Series

DISCLAIMER SPOILERS AHEAD DO NOT READ — IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE FILM. WATCH THE SHORT IN FULL BELOW:

**1. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)**

**2. Batman, Batman Returns (1989, 1992)**

**3. Batman Forever (First Suit) 1995**

**4. The Batman (2022)**

**5. Batman Begins (2005)**

**6. Batman TV Series (1966)**

**7. The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises (2008, 2012)**

**8. Batman v Superman Power Suit (2016)**

**9. Batman Forever “Sonar Suit” (1995)**

**10. Batman and Robin “Ice Suit” (1997)**

**11. Justice League Tactical Suit (2017)**

**12. Batman Serials (1943, 1949)**