The 18 Best Spring-Ready Amazon Fashion Finds: Shop Swimsuits, Dresses, Sandals and More
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Fresh off his Industry Leadership Award at the ABFF Honors and brokering a $90+ million-dollar strategic funding plan with a group of blue-chip investors, it was time to decompress as Charles D. King and wife Macro chief brand officer Stacey Walker King hosted their fifth annual pre-Oscars party.
The festivities, again presented by Chase Sapphire, were in full swing at Mother Wolf in Hollywood Thursday night attracted some of Hollywood’s best known people of color. “Abbott Elementary” stars Quinta Brunson, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Tyler James Williams were in attendance, while producer/actress and “Black-ish” star Marsai Martin hit the dance floor alongside Lena Waithe, Affion Crockett and Teyana Taylor.
Courtney B. Vance and Lena Waithe at the 5th Annual Macro Pre-Oscars Party, Presented by Chase Sapphire held at Mother Wolf on March 9, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Christopher Polk for Variety
Crafted cocktail bars flanked by gorgeous red and pink floral arrangements set the tone with talent dancing in hallways and doorways like no one was watching.
Also there were “Bel-Air” cast members, Cassandra Freeman, Jimmy Akingbola, Olly Sholoton, Jordan L. Jones, directors Tim Story and Mario Van Peebles, Lakeith Stanfield, Yayha Abdul-Mateen II, Skai Jackson, Dominique Thorne, “All-American’s” Chelsea Tavares, “A League of Their Own” star Chanté Adams, Bresha Webb, Storm Reid, Courtney B. Vance, model-actress Winnie Harlow, Keith Robinson, “Power Book IV: Force” actor Kris D. Lofton, Will Catlett, Algee Smith, Sierra Capri, Marvel Studios star Teyonah Parris, April Reign and the cast of Prime Video’s “Harlem,” including Meagan Good, Jerrie Johnson and Shoniqua Shandai.
Marsai Martin at the 5th Annual Macro Pre-Oscars Party, Presented by Chase Sapphire held at Mother Wolf on March 9, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Christopher Polk for Variety
With client Michael B. Jordan’s wildly successful directorial debut of “Creed 3” taking hold of Hollywood, Macro continues to be a template illustrating what’s possible when people of color collaborate while celebrating what diverse filmmaking looks like. Charles D. King summed up his company and its mission best during his ABFF Honors acceptance speech on Wednesday night: “Just like I was an artist advocate during my time at WME, we are doing the same thing at Macro by using our capital, using our experience, and using our clout to open up doors for others.”
Christina Milian and Karrueche Tran at the 5th Annual Macro Pre-Oscars Party, Presented by Chase Sapphire held at Mother Wolf on March 9, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Christopher Polk for Variety
Fresh off his Industry Leadership Award at
EXCLUSIVE: The Documentary Spotlight section of SXSW features one of the most inventive films in the festival, This World Is Not My Own, directed by Petter Ringbom and Marquise Stillwell. The SXSW program describes it as spanning five genres – animated, biography, documentary, history, and hybrid – which gives you some idea of the ambitious nature of the project.
The film, which premieres on Saturday, immerses viewers in the life and work of late self-taught artist Nellie Mae Rowe, whose mediums ranged from paper and collages to hand-sewn dolls, sculptural displays and more. Actress Uzo Aduba provides the voice of Rowe, who was born at the turn of the 20th century and died in 1982. We have your first look at the film in the clip above, which features an animated 3D character “based on Nellie’s likeness.”
“For most of her life, Nellie Mae Rowe made art in obscurity in her home outside of Atlanta,” a description of the film notes. “Six years before her death, a wealthy gallerist introduced her work to the art world. Over four acts, This World is Not My Own traces the lifespan of an artist who struggles to dedicate her life to art while exploring the personal and political events that shaped her singular body of work. The film mixes traditional documentary techniques with animations and scripted scenes based on Nellie Mae Rowe quotes.”
Rowe’s work was the subject of a recent exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. “Rowe’s materials were modest — felt-tip and ballpoint pens, pencil sand colored pencils and above all, crayons with which she achieved an unusual magnificence: solid planes of brilliant color that give so many of her drawings the power of paintings,” Roberta Smith wrote in a New York Times appreciation timed to the exhibition.
Smith observed that Rowe’s works “rivet the eye with bright, dense colors, ingenious patterns and thickets of line and buoyant, sometimes bulbous figures and animals. Arranged in the topsy-turvy manner of a patchwork quilt, these elements fill the page and push forward with an energy that is both modern and primal.”
Ringbom and Stillwell direct This World Is Not My Own, with Ringbom also serving as cinematographer. Stillwell serves as executive producer along with Dream Hampton, who earned acclaim with her 2019 documentary series Surviving R. Kelly. Ruchi Mital produces and also co-writes the screenplay with Ringbom. Princess A. Hairston is the editor.
The impressive VFX – character animation is by Andreas Wiklund; the VFX producer is Sigfrid Söderberg. Matthew Head is the composer.
The exclusive clip above begins with uncovering the grave of Rowe’s late husband, who died in 1948. The plainspoken Nellie Mae – voiced by Aduba – shares that she has no desire to get married again.
“I ain’t in the mood for one [a husband],” she says. “I don’t want ‘em and I am happy without ‘em.” She goes on to describe how the grounds around her house blossomed into a mind-blowing display of artwork.
This World Is Not My Own is an acquisition title, with worldwide rights available.
EXCLUSIVE: The Documentary Spotlight section of SXSW
The golden age of television. As networks make decisions about their roster of shows, Us Weekly will continue to track what has been renewed and which projects have been canceled.
As Abbott Elementary‘s second season premiered on ABC, the hit sitcom received an early renewal for season 3.
“This renewal is a richly deserved feather in the cap of Quinta Brunson, Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker and Randall Einhorn, as well as the rest of the cast and crew of Abbott Elementary,” Warner Bros. Television Group CEO Channing Dungey said in a January 2023 statement. “Each week, this talented group of artists celebrates true unsung heroes — public school teachers. And for some extra icing on the renewal cake, our favorite group of teachers was honored this morning with two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and last night with three Golden Globe Awards. Abbott Elementary is the gift that keeps on giving, and I look forward to many more magnificent episodes of this brilliant, authentic and just plain funny series.”
The ABC series explores stories about teachers in a Philadelphia public school. Abbott Elementary stars Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
Ahead of the exciting news, president of ABC Entertainment Craig Erwich opened up about the future of Abbott Elementary.
“The show is in its second year, and I think it just continues to grow creatively,” he told Variety during the 2023 Golden Globes that same month. “In Season 2, which is what we’re watching, each of the characters are getting more dynamic and the situations are getting funnier. So there’s years for this show to go. As for the future of Abbott, I’m just constantly delighted and surprised by what Quinta and her team do.”
Meanwhile, CBS delivered a highly-anticipated renewal of its own with Fire Country. The drama show focuses on a former inmate seeking redemption by joining a prison release firefighting program in Northern California.
Fire Country stars Max Thieriot, Kevin Alejandro, Jordan Calloway, Stephanie Arcila, Jules Latimer, Diane Farr and Billy Burke. It was originally renewed for a full-season order before receiving a second season pickup as well.
“It’s pretty remarkable to see a new series resonate like this with both broadcast and streaming audiences right out of the gate,” president of CBS Entertainment, Amy Reisenbach, said in January 2023. “Fire Country has so many appealing entry points for the audience. It combines high-stakes action with small town charm, mystery and romance, and a family franchise at its core. We’re blessed to have an incredible team in front of and behind the camera led by amazing producers and writers and an exceptionally talented cast.”
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Scroll down to see which TV shows have been renewed or canceled so far for 2023-2024:
The golden age of television. As networks
Over the years, many amazing television series have been introduced by women.
Shonda Rhimes has created shows you know and love like Inventing Anna and Scandal.
As has Mindy Kaling, the co-creator of shows such as Never Have I Ever and The Sex Lives of College Girls.
And there are many more to mention. Here’s a list of 17 women you can credit for your initiating some of your favorite series. Can you match them to the shows they made possible?
Adrienne Watkins to her love, Mark Pilgrim: ‘You have been the greatest soundtrack to my life’
Adrienne Watkins to her love, Mark Pilgrim:
The best way to get inspiration to create your own Leo Web Alerts and optimize the signal-to-noise ratio for your intelligence purposes is to look at examples that other researchers and analysts have created in Feedly. Here, we’ll show you examples of Leo Web Alerts that real Feedly users across industries use to track relevant trends and topics across the web.
Analysts at a gaming company combine the Non-Fungible Token (NFT) concept with Video Games to track NFTs in their space.
Track innovation by your competitors or companies of interest, whether they’ve filed a new patent or created an existing technology.
An analyst at a retail company tracks the strategic moves their competitors are making: Are they launching new products? Raising funds? Signing partnerships? Combine the company with the various strategic moves you’re interested in to track these happenings.
Analysts in the finance space combine the Consumer Insights concept with the Finance Industry” topic to surface insights on changes in consumers’ behavior in their space.
Content Type concepts look for specific types of content (tutorials, listicles, expert insights, interviews, etc). Content creators and content strategists find inspiration for specific types of content by combining a content type with a social media platform, industry, or topic. For example, if you’re a social media strategist, you can track TikTok AND Tutorials to find examples of existing tutorials about TikTok.
This one’s simple. Salespeople targeting leads interested in specific leaders in the space just ask Leo to track that specific person.
Automate analysis with machine learning and effortlessly surface the insights that matter to you.
Cyber threat intelligence analysts use the Vulnerability concept to track vulnerabilities and filter them based on their CVSS score (actual or predicted). They combine the Vulnerability concept with a specific company, whether one of their customers or in their supply chain, to keep an eye out for critical vulnerabilities affecting the company.
Analysts research specific threat actors and their corresponding tactics and techniques according to the MITRE ATT&CK framework by combining Threat Actor names with the Tactics and Techniques (MITRE ATT&CK) concept.
Analysts use the Cyber Attacks concept combined with companies of interest (their own company, vendors, customers, or competitors) to track cyber attacks affecting these companies.
Streamline your open-source intelligence workflow with Leo, your easy-to-train AI research assistant.
Researchers at biopharma companies combine their disease of interest (like Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2) with the Scientific Breakthroughs concept to stay on top of the latest breakthroughs and innovations made by companies, startups, and research teams around this disease.
Researchers at top pharma companies combine the concept of their disease of interest (Neoplasms, in this case) with the Regulatory Changes concept to track new laws and regulations, high-court rulings, bans, FDA and EMA approvals concerning this disease.
Create personalized biopharma feeds to proactively track specific diseases, topics, and trends.
The best way to get inspiration to
87
Scooby-Doo! Where Are you? Well, if you’re talking about the cancelled Scooby/DC crossover film Scooby-Doo & Krypto Too!, then all you have to do is look online, as the scrapped film has been leaked online, in its entirety.
Recently, pieces of footage leaked online from the film, which got people buzzing about it and added fuel to the already burning rage that many have for Warner Bros. Discovery in the wake of them cancelling several projects, reportedly for tax write-off purposes. This included other Scooby-Doo projects, such as the Scooby-Doo & the Mystery Pups, Scoob! Holiday Haunt, and Scooby-Doo & the Haunted High Rise, which featured the fan-favorite Hex Girls.
This also isn’t the first DC project to get shelved like this, as the highly anticipated Batgirl film, starring Leslie Grace and Brendan Fraser, was cancelled for a tax write-off while in post-production, as well as the planned Wonder Twins movie. And while WBD’s President and CEO David Zaslav claimed they were done purging content for the time being, it seems they’re up to their old tricks, which is very disappointing.
Scooby-Doo & Krypto Too! would see yet another crossover with DC Comics, partnering the two titular pups for some always wonderful hijinks as they investigate the disappearance of the Justice League. The film was originally slated for release on September 25, 2023 and stars Frank Welker, Grey DeLisle, Matthew Lillard, Kate Micucci, P.J. Byrne, Victoria Grace, Charles Halford, Nolan North, Tara Strong, Fred Tatasciore, James Arnold Taylor, and Niccole Thurman.
It’s unclear how the film was leaked online, or how it will affect WBD’s tax write-off status, but for fans this was a blessing as they got the chance to see the film, and it’s being praised by many. Will this cause WBD to rethink their position on cancelling films like this, especially ones that are finished or near-finished? Will we see more of these tax write-off films get leaked? Only time will tell.
87 Scooby-Doo! Where Are you? Well, if you’re
BLG says, “The Resident Evil 4 Chainsaw Demo isn’t just an opportunity to get our hands on the remake, but it’s also a wonderful trip down memory lane.”
BLG says, "The Resident Evil 4 Chainsaw
The Asian premiere of Soi Cheang’s “Mad Fate” is just one of three locally-produced movies that have been set as the opening and closing titles of the upcoming Hong Kong International Film Festival.
“Mad Fate” is joined in the festival opening slot on March 30 by “Elegies,” Ann Hui’s documentary portrayal of the topography of contemporary local poetry, which will have its world premiere. The closing film, another world premiere, is “Vital Sign,” an affecting drama directed by Cheuk Wan-chi and starring Louis Koo, Yau Hawk-sau, and Angela Yuen, which will wrap up proceedings on 10 April.
In total, the festival has programmed some 200 films from 64 countries and territories. These include nine world premieres, six international premieres, and 67 Asian premieres.
“Mad Fate,” an intense examination of murder, local superstition and the lower depths of society, premiered last month at the Berlin festival in a special section. Cheang will be a major feature of the HKIFF, which will pay tribute to the prolific filmmaker with a previously announced 10-film showcase. He will also hold a masterclass presentation on April 8.
The festival is to be held in-person and in its usual calendar slot for the first time in 2019. In recent weeks the Hong Kong authorities have eased travel restrictions imposed due to the COVID pandemic and from the beginning of this month have dropped the mask mandate from almost all indoor public places. That has made it easier for overseas filmmakers to return to the event.
Those confirmed include Tsai Ming-Liang, who will bring his latest feature “Where,” and hold a masterclass with Lee Kang-Sheng following the screenings of his short “Where Do You Stand, Tsai Ming-Liang?”.
The festival’s twin Firebird competition sections for young directors working in Chinese and in other languages are also impressive.
The former includes: “Absence” by mainland Chinese director Wu Lan, which premiered in Berlin; “Bad Education,” by Taiwanese actor-director Kai Ko; “Coo-Coo 043,” an already much decorated Taiwan family drama by Chan Ching-lin; “Kissing the Ground You Walked on,” by Hong Heng-fai; “Night Falls,” by China’s Jian Haodong; “Stonewalling,” by Huang Ji and Otsuka Ryuji; “To Love Again,” by Gao Linyang; and “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” which also appeared in Berlin’s Gerneration-14 section and is directed by Singapore’s Jow Zhi Wei.
The equivalent international competition includes: Berlin hit “20,000 Species of Bees,” “Animalia,” by Sofia Alouai, which won the special jury prize in Sundance; David Depresseville’s “Astrakan”; acclaimed “Autobiography,” by Indonesia’s Makbul Mubarak; Malika Muisaeva’s Berlin film “The CageIs Looking for a Bird”; Argentinian director Martin Benchimol’s “The Castle”; Giacomo Abruzzese’s “Disco Boy”; and Lila Aviles’ Berlin Ecumenical jury prize winner “Totem.”
– More to follow.
The Asian premiere of Soi Cheang’s “Mad
Lopez vs Lopez is a sitcom that connects two generations of thinking between families. Many times we have had those clashes with our parents regarding how we do things and this sitcom, explores that in a funny way. George Lopez is a good comedian/actor to base this around as many millennials grew up with the sounds of Lowrider waking them up because they had left their television on.
The George Lopez show was a way for Latinos to feel seen in the world of television like we had seen families of other cultures before. Now with Lopez vs Lopez, we can take that to see a new generation of Latinos. One that is often trying to be better in the way of sensitivity to others and ourselves and breaking those old stubborn traditional ways of thinking.
On Friday night NBC will premiere their fourteenth episode titled ‘Lopez vs Work’ which explores the work ethic of the Lopez family. LRMOnline‘s Manny Gomez spoke with actor Al Madrigal who plays Oscar in the series. His character is one of George’s long-time friends and co-workers in the dream of a successful moving company.
During our conversation, we chat about that exploration of thinking that has evolved in Latino families. How things like anxiety and appropriation have become a bigger topic with families. We also chat about the fun that they have on set and the impact that The George Lopez Show has had that this show builds upon. You can check out the full interview below!
George and Mayan, a once-estranged father and daughter, navigate dysfunction, reconnection and all the headaches and joy in between as they make up for lost time like only they can. With George back in the picture, he can always be counted on to provide Mayan with some unconventional parenting advice about her son, Chance — while saving a few lighthearted barbs for her boyfriend, Quinten, for good measure. Then there’s George’s ex-wife, Rosie, who hasn’t quite forgiven him, but they’re staying on good terms… mostly. In the end, the Lopez clan gets by with a little drama, a lot of love and a lifetime of laughter.
NBC’s Lopez vs Lopez airs Fridays at 8/7c on NBC and you can catch up on the series on Peacock.
Lopez vs Lopez is a sitcom that
I can’t believe I actually thought Joe was changing for the better this season. I’m not usually tricked so easily.
When Penn and Greg and I sat down to just discuss the possibility of him playing Joe Goldberg, one of the things that he asked was, “Are you going to redeem the character? Is that the ultimate arc? Is it a redemption arc?” I promised him we wouldn’t and that we would feel no obligation to. And if that changed, it would be a conversation we all had together.
So the season is about the bullshit ways people talk about redemption when they’ve done horrible things, but they’re not actually changing. So of course, Joe thought he had, he was now good, and he had done better, and he had, in some ways, balanced the karmic scales, but actually, he just has been lying to himself more cleverly.
Marienne talked Nadia out of going to the police and basically said, “If Joe knows I’m alive, he’ll never stop.” Is that true? Is there a world where Joe—who now seems happy with Kate (Charlotte Ritchie)—finds out Marienne is alive in Paris with her daughter and just lets her be?
He would have to be very distracted by another problem. I mean, don’t you agree with her based on what you know about Joe? It’s very dangerous, and Nadia sacrificed a lot to help her truly disappear.
There’s now a club of people he’s sent to prison—and a lot of people who know the truth about him.
The idea is not really to let Joe off the hook. The fun of the show is to see him sort of, by the seat of his pants, slide through the crack every season to live to fight another day. But he has a lot of people out there who are very, very smart and know what he is now. Dr. Nicky (John Stamos), I wouldn’t say is very, very smart but Ellie (Jenna Ortega), Nadia, and Marienne totally have his number. But you know, the question is, what are you willing to risk for something like that? We definitely leave a lot of those dangling threads on purpose to threaten Joe with.
Netflix
I can't believe I actually thought Joe
Britney Spears is no stranger to reposts on social media. The beloved pop singer regularly drops pictures with different filters, reruns her favorite clips and re-edits some of her dancing videos. Yesterday, however, she turned a few more heads than usual when she posted pictures of herself wearing the same red dress in five separate posts, all of which went up in quick succession.
All of the social media posts came without captions and simply featured Spears rocking a fantastic red dress, though the angles and her expressions are different in each one. You can check out the first one below…
Now, if you’re like me, and you’re a regular follower of Britney Spears on her social accounts, you may be thinking haven’t I seen that dress before? Yes. The answer is yes. The pop star actually posted a video of herself looking fabulous in the same dress five weeks ago. At the time, she said she was channeling Julia Roberts, as the outfit has a bit of a Pretty Woman vibe to it. In the previous post, which contained video footage, she also rocked a red hat, though there wasn’t any sign of it in the above post.
There also wasn’t any sign of the red hat in any of the other four posts either. Each does, however, contain a happy Britney Spears looking terrific and seeming to have a lot of fun. You can check out another of the pictures below…
All five of the pictures have gotten tens of thousands of likes, but fans have responded to one a little more than the other. It already has more than 35,000 likes, which is about 5,000 more than its nearest competitor. Maybe that’s an algorithm thing or maybe there’s just something subtle in the way she’s looking that is connecting with her fans a little bit more.
You can check out the most popular of the pictures below…
Britney Spears’ social media posts and general behavior have been scrutinized to an extreme levels since her conservatorship ended. Last year, a flurry of reposts caused some fans to start dropping conspiracy theories under her pictures and videos about where she was living and whether she was okay, to the point where she had to turn off comments. Of course it later came out she just didn’t like her new house and was still spending time in her old house, and there was absolutely nothing untoward about what was going on.
More recently, rumors about an alleged intervention have made the rounds. They claimed Spears’ loved ones were planning to push her into treatment for supposed substance abuse issues. Britney denied there was an issue and nothing seemed to come from it, except more looking over her shoulder and second guessing from fans. Her husband Sam Asghari also released a statement making it clear Spears is an adult and will make her own medical choices.
I can’t speak to what’s going on in Britney Spears’ life or why she decided to drop these pictures as five separate posts instead of one post with multiple pictures. But I can tell you she looks excellent in her red dress, and I’m glad she looks like she’s having fun modeling the fantastic look.
Britney Spears is no stranger to reposts
“The Last Word” host Lawrence O’Donnell predicted Thursday that 2023 will either be the first time that a former U.S. president is charged with a crime or the year when Donald Trump “finally gets all of his criminal legal problems behind him.”
But he also intimated that Trump’s legal woes isn’t all bad news for the Republican Party. In fact, criminal charges “might actually help House Republicans,” the MSNBC host said.
“If Donald Trump is charged with a crime, it might actually help House Republicans because it would take away attention from the way they are humiliating themselves in their own hearings just about every day now,” O’Donnell said.
He noted, for instance, that the GOP did not present a budget for the federal government on Thursday because “they don’t have one.”
“Instead, they held clownish hearings in which the Republican members of the committees and their witnesses were humiliated repeatedly by the truth,” he said.
O’Donnell proceeded to play clips of several House hearings, noting that “hypocrisy” was in all of them.
One focused on investigating what was happening at Twitter before Elon Musk bought it for $44 billion in October, in which Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz grilled Matt Taibbi for profiting off his “Twitter Files” by using cherry-picked information fed to him by the social media giant’s new owner.
Another was about enforcing subpoenas served on the Biden administration, in which Democrat Eric Swalwell ripped Republican Jim Jordan for calling the hearing despite being “absolutely out of compliance in the last Congress” by ignoring a subpoena related to the events of Jan. 6.
In the final clip, Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ripped her Republican colleagues for calling a hearing focused on why the federal government is “woke.”
“There’s no definition of what woke is but what is being criticized in this hearing is that the so-called woke policies are remote work for federal workers, especially those that live in rural areas and those who have disabilities. Paying interns so that critical opportunities don’t just go to privileged kids who’s parents can afford to pay for their rent while they go on a free internship,” she said. “That is what is woke here. That is what the other side is calling woke here.”
Watch O’Donnell’s full “The Last Word” segment in the video above.
“The Last Word” host Lawrence O’Donnell predicted
SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2023 REVIEW! I’ve heard of ALS before, but admittedly I did not know much until filmmakers Miriam McSpadden and Brian Beckman’s inspirational and insightful documentary Go On, Be Brave. The main subject of the film is the courageous and charismatic athlete Andrea Lytle Peet, who amazingly attempts to be the first person with ALS to compete in a marathon in all fifty states.
Andrea was diagnosed with the condition at the young age of thirty-three, with many people dying within the first five years of being diagnosed. However, that five-year mark is an important marker for Peet because of the life expectancy, so she decided to take on her near-impossible challenge after five years of living with ALS.
ALS robs people of their ability to walk, speak, feed themselves, and ultimately use their lungs to breathe, all while the mind stays as sharp as it was before. It’s heartbreaking to watch Andrea and others in the film go from being such active, independent people to suffering from this debilitating disease.
Another interesting (and cruel) fact I learned from the movie is that athletes are more prone to getting ALS. People who played a varsity sport in high school are twice as likely to get it than those who did not (Andrea specialized in triathlons previously, doing one more after being diagnosed). Doctors quickly point out that this doesn’t mean people should avoid sports or exercise because the chances of getting ALS are still so low (with fewer than 20,000 US cases per year).
“…amazingly attempts to be the first person with ALS to compete in a marathon in all fifty states.”
It’s impressive for anyone to complete a marathon in every state, let alone someone dealing with ALS. Andrea’s supportive husband, David Peet, is just as impressed, although he knows precisely how incredibly resilient his wife is.
I have to say that the inspiration of the film and Andrea Lytle Peet’s spirit and determination floored me to the point of joyful tears. Despite every reason to feel otherwise, she stays generally positive, good-natured, and strong-willed. There’s one particularly touching scene near the end of the documentary where Andrea is struggling up a gigantic hill with her husband by her side. A group of friends rush over, providing encouraging words, and then start singing the Rocky theme music that’s so familiar to us all. Rocky ain’t got nothing on Andrea.
Kudos to McSpadden and Beckman for documenting this story while following Andrea for over three years, including the lockdown from the pandemic, during which we all know that there wasn’t much of anything happening during those dark days. The movie forces you to take a closer look at your own life, and you realize that your challenges don’t amount to a hill of beans compared to someone dealing with something like ALS.
I was told that Andrea and the film received two standing ovations, and she rolled down the red carpet in her trike at the world premiere of Go On, Be Brave. I would have loved to have seen it. What a hero and a role model, so much more deserving that the typical athletes that we grow up idolizing.
Go On, Be Brave screened at the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2023 REVIEW!
British holidaymakers made the most of a Costa winter heatwave today as Storm Larisa sparked chaos in the UK.
Bare-chested tourists downed pints of lager in Benidorm under sun and blue skies as others packed the beaches with temperatures reaching a glorious 23 degrees Celsius (73.5 degrees Fahrenheit).
On Saturday it was due to be more of the same, except hotter still with thermometers set to reach an incredible 26 degrees Celsius (78.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in the popular Costa Blanca resort.
Spain‘s mini-winter heatwave also blessed the Costa del Sol, with top temperatures around the same dizzy heights as Brits back at home struggled with gales, blizzards and snow.
Sun worshipers on Benidorm’s beaches today soaked up some unexpected winter rays
Bare-chested tourists downed pints of lager in Benidorm as they enjoyed the mid-winter sun and blue skies
On Saturday it was due to be more of the same, except hotter still with thermometers set to reach an incredible 26 degrees Celsius (78.8 degrees Fahrenheit)
Hundreds packed the beaches in Benidorm today as temperatures reached a glorious 23 degrees Celsius (73.5 degrees Fahrenheit)
Ricky Davis, 35, who stripped off his T-shirt to enjoy a lager at a pub in Benidorm’s Little England area at lunchtime today said: ‘I’ve got here yesterday and I can’t believe it.
‘I come from Manchester and have just got off the phone to a mate who says it’s freezing back there.
‘He was supposed to join me but a last-minute work thing got in the way. He’s really gutted.’
Londoner Sheila Cummings, sunning herself on Benidorm’s famous Levante beach with a couple of friends, added: ‘I only packed my bikini at the last minute when I saw there was going to be a mini-heatwave.
‘I was still half-expecting the weathermen to have got it wrong but it’s better than I thought it was going to be.
‘I never thought I’d have to be putting on factor 15 sunscreen in Benidorm in winter. I’ll be needing an ice cream in a bit.’
Spanish weather agency Aemet is predicting temperatures this weekend will be up to 15 degrees Celsius than normal, especially on the Mediterranean coast.
In cities like Murcia in south-east Spain experts reckon they could surpass 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
Holiday makers enjoy the mid-winter sun and a mini heat wave hits Spain’s coastal resorts
Meanwhile, Storm Larisa sparked chaos in the UK. A man walks his dog in Tow Law, County Durham, after heavy overnight snowfall this morning
Bare-chested beachgoers lay in the sun during the mini heatwave this week in Benidorm
Hundreds headed for the beach to enjoy the blue skies and unexpected mid-winter rays in Benidorm
British Holidaymakers and resort locals enjoy the Spanish Sun on Benidorm’s beaches today
Many Brits headed for some winter sun in Benidorm as the UK continues to brace for Storm Larisa
Brits and locals sat out in the sun as they enjoyed the mid-winter rays in Benidorm today
Valencia is another place where the top temperature tomorrow could reach 30 degrees Celsius, the first time ever in the first half of March since records began in 1869.
The temperatures are more akin to those Spain normally experiences at the end of May and beginning of June.
The unseasonal weather comes less than a fortnight after heavy snow brought chaos to Majorca.
Around 20 inches of snow shut roads and cut power in dozens of towns on the holiday island at the start of last week.
Temperatures on the Costas are due to drop again after the weekend, to around 16 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit) in Benidorm by Wednesday and the same in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol although it is expected to remain reasonably sunny.
Jessica Chastain attends the opening night of her show “A Doll’s House” at Hudson Theatre in NYC.
Jessica Chastain attends the opening night of
If last year’s SXSW was driven by panels and events around Web3, NFTs and the metaverse, this year’s has decidedly cooled on the crypto craze and is instead focused on something entirely different: chatbots.
Though chatbots are by no means new technology, the launch last fall of OpenAI’s ChatGPT has sparked renewed interest in — and anxiety over — the use of AI-powered chatbots across multiple industries, in part because of their growing sophistication. Screenwriters in film and TV have become more wary of the impact ChatGPT could have on the scriptwriting process, given that the chatbot is already capable of churning out short scripts; organizations like the Writers Guild of America West say they are actively monitoring the technology “in the event they require additional protections for writers.”
All of these dynamics will be at play in Austin on March 10, the first day of SXSW, when executives and creatives gather to discuss the ramifications of generative AI. OpenAI’s co-founder and president, Greg Brockman, will participate in a featured discussion to talk about the real-world impact of his company’s generative AI, which also includes the AI-powered digital image creator DALL-E.
Earlier that day, Chris Hyams, CEO of the jobs listing site Indeed, will talk about how AI is disrupting the workplace by replacing some job functions or positions entirely.
On March 12, BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti, who has announced that the digital media company will rely in part on AI-generated content, will join Semafor co-founder Ben Smith to discuss how the technology will affect the next generation of creatives.
Also on March 12, a related conversation about deepfakes and AI-generated imagery — by the likes of OpenAI’s DALL-E — will encourage guardrails around generative media.
This story first appeared in the March 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
If last year’s SXSW was driven by
As he’s often done in recent days, Stephen Colbert had a lot of fun mocking the ongoing troubles at Fox News, thanks to the damning and embarrassing revelations about the network that have come out as part of the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit.
But this time, Colbert didn’t mock Fox News heavyweights like Tucker Carlson or Rupert Murdoch; instead, he poked fun at self-described “straight news” journalists who still work there – and at the idea that Fox has ever even done anything close to “straight news.”
The “Late Show” host had some simple advice for these people: “You can quit. It’s legal.”
Colbert got into it by bringing up the documents, released as part of the lawsuit, that prove that the Fox News stars who keep promoting the lie that the 2020 election was somehow stolen from Donald Trump didn’t actually believe it themselves. But these documents also showed these same stars’ disdain for their colleagues in the news division.
“They even mocked the network’s own reporters for correctly calling the election for Joe Biden. Turns out, these reporters are incredibly angry that the revelations ‘further sully the reputation of the network’s “straight news” journalists,’” Colbert said, quoting from a recent Daily Beast article.
Colbert seemed to find the idea that Fox News even has “straight news” journalists particularly hilarious.
“Really?” he said with heavy sarcasm. “That’s like the people at Taco Bell worrying that the cool ranch in fiery Doritos Locos tacos is going to further sully the reputation of their ass-blasting salt pockets.”
Colbert noted how, according to news reports, a current Fox News employee described these revelations as “soul crushing.”
“Aw. It’s nice to know someone there still has a soul,” he joked, adding, “because we know so few of them have a brain.”
Then Colbert noted the account of one employee who told The Daily Beast that “it’s just a really bad time to be working” at Fox News.
“Yes. Unlike the golden age of their journalism: Warning us about woke Legos and longing for Mr. Potatohead’s lost penis,” Colbert joked. And that brought him to his advice.
“Also, you know what you can do if it’s a really bad time to be working at Fox News. You can quit,” he said. “It’s legal. You’re not handcuffed to a radiator in a basement.”
You can watch the whole “Late Show” monologue at the top of the page.
As he’s often done in recent days,
We have some movie release for our readers on this cold and snowy morning, as high-octane, action-packed Sci-Fi opus sees Colonials from Mars take on The Exiles in a battle to save humankind in the latest release from Reel 2 Reel Films.
Get ready for some epic space action with Colonials – the spectacular Sci-Fi opus from directors Andrew Balek (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End) and Joe Bland (Ellipse). Can colonists from Mars save the galaxy from human extinction in this action-packed, interstellar feature? The film gets its UK premiere on 10 April 2023 courtesy of Reel 2 Reel Films.
A space explorer travelling from Mars, Silas (Greg Kriek – Black Mirror, Maze Runner: The Death Cure), embarks on a reconnaissance mission to Earth – which lies in ruin – to figure out what happened to the ‘humans of old’.
But before he can reach his destination, his squad is intercepted by the Exiles – a dangerously advanced and perilously evil Moon-based civilisation – who destroys their ship.
Separated from his squadron, Silas crash-lands alone on Earth. But, having lost his memory in the accident, he must figure out who he is and his purpose on Earth before the Exiles find and destroy him…
What ensues is a high-octane fight for humanity set in an awe-inspiring dystopian future. With striking musical compositions, electrifying visuals, exhilarating battles and a rip-roaring plot that will have audiences on the edge of their seats – this atmospheric actioner promises thrills aplenty.
Join the Colonials, for an interplanetary adventure like no other on 10 April 2023 courtesy of Reel 2 Reel Films.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
Last Updated: March 27, 2020, 07:48 IST
Maska
Cast: Prit Kamani, Manisha Koirala, Nikita Dutta, Jaaved Jaafery, Shirley Setia
Director: Neeraj Udhwani
An Irani café in Mumbai is waiting for revival through its once-famous item ‘bun-maska,’ which was its former owner Rustom’s (Jaaved Jaafery) specialty. His son Rumi (Prit Kamani) isn’t keen on taking up the family legacy despite his mother Diana’s (Manisha Koirala) requests.
Rumi wants to be an actor but he is probably not cut out for the film business as he couldn’t pick up simple steps and nuances. This forces him to think of alternate ways to fulfil his dream, and the easiest one is to sell his café and finance a film.
Manisha, as the affable yet feisty single mother, is very likeable from the very beginning. Her genuine happiness and Prit Kamani’s easy-go-lucky attitude hint that there might not be any overdose of emotions even later in the film.
Nikita Dutta’s Punjabi-heavy Hindi works as the filler, but you, somehow, know where all this is headed. It’s one of those slice of life stories that might slightly ease your burden but probably won’t remain with you for long. Like those Disney films where the viewers mostly care about the ‘cuteness’ quotient.
There are moments though. For example, when Dutta realises her loneliness in the pursuit of a better life and career. Her unhinged emotions don’t have any takers and you immediately understand director Neeraj Udhwani’s idea of combining the two worlds—one for the family and the other for excellence.
It’s not a new concept as the personal versus professional has spawned many ideas but most of the time, they work because of their intensity, which Maska lacks.
Similarly, Jaaved Jaafery’s excellent comic timing and ‘dead man’ jokes work but mostly in isolation. You would laugh but the energy wouldn’t be carried to the next scene.
Interestingly, it’s difficult to pin point any one actor for such a broken loop as all of them have done well individually, but they couldn’t manage to bring a little ‘extra’ collectively. Actually, what is missing is the sense of urgency. Everybody behaves as if they definitely know what’s about to happen.
However, there are areas where Maska doesn’t disappoint, like the nostalgia it evokes about the old Parsi buildings in South Bombay. These are the houses with amazing stories and characters, sometimes totally disconnected from the outside world that’s changing faster than their imagination.
These spaces, despite fading plasters, take pride in carrying history unknown to the new Mumbai. These are people who don’t treat the city as a potential goldmine but a part of their upbringing. The compassion and warmth are the hallmark of their presence. They form the city’s spirit and vice versa.
I wish the makers could have explored a bit more on that front. Maska could have been a different and engaging film if it had not fallen for the typical Bollywood tropes. It’s still good enough to help you sail through the total lockdown though.
Rating: 2.5/5
Interact with Rohit Vats at Twitter/@nawabjha
Last Updated: March 27, 2020, 07:48 ISTMaska Cast:
It’s been a year and a day since “Everything Everywhere All at Once” premiered at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. No one proclaimed it an Oscar contender then. But that was before it became a box office hit, before we were reintroduced to Ke Huy Quan, before Jamie Lee Curtis turned into a weapon of mass promotion.
Now, on the eve of the Oscars, this loopy, frenetic family drama appears poised to win best picture, along with several other awards.
If it duplicates its showing at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, netting individual honors for Quan and Curtis along with star Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” would become just the third movie to win three acting Oscars. (The others: “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Network.”)
That would be a lot, particularly because in the last decade or so, Oscar voters have spread the love each year among several movies. The last best picture winner to take more than four Oscars? That was “The Artist” in 2012, a triumph that, like many other moments in Oscar history, hasn’t aged particularly well.
The thing is, it feels like ages since “Everything Everywhere All at Once” lost. Anything. The movie swept through the Producers Guild, the Directors Guild, the Screen Actors Guild and the Independent Spirit awards. How many hot dog finger high-fives will be happening at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday? Here are my final predictions for each and every category.
Could Jamie Lee Curtis, from left, Stephanie Hsu, director Daniel Scheinert, Ke Huy Quan, director Daniel Kwan and Michelle Yeoh possibly have known “Everything Everywhere All at Once” would go from the South by Southwest festival a year ago, when this was taken, to being on the verge of an Oscars sweep?
(Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
PICTURE
“All Quiet on the Western Front”
“Avatar: The Way of Water”
“The Banshees of Inisherin”
“Elvis”
“Everything Everywhere All at Once”
“The Fabelmans”
“Tár”
“Top Gun: Maverick”
“Triangle of Sadness”
“Women Talking”
Will win: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
As voting began, I was on the phone with a motion picture academy member who insisted that despite its awards season dominance, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” would not win best picture. So what’s going to win, I asked. After a long silence, they replied, “I don’t know. But it can’t be that.”
For a lot of academy members, “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” with its googly eyed rocks, hot dog fingers and weaponized dildos, has been a test of both their patience and belief in traditional storytelling. I find that reaction weirder than anything in the movie. At its heart, “Everything Everywhere” is a classic tale of a marriage coming apart and a family that needs healing. It’s a broadside against despair and nihilism. It practically ends with a group hug, and watching that, feeling that, has been therapeutic for a lot of people, many of whom vote for awards.
DIRECTOR
Martin McDonagh, “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (a.k.a. Daniels), “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Steven Spielberg, “The Fabelmans”
Todd Field, “Tár”
Ruben Östlund, “Triangle of Sadness”
Will win: Kwan and Scheinert
Could surprise: Spielberg
The other grievance — usually aired by people not old enough to know better — is that if “The Fabelmans” had been directed by anyone other than Spielberg, it wouldn’t have been interesting. That’s like arguing that Paul McCartney’s touching tribute to John Lennon, “Here Today,” wouldn’t be as affecting if it had been written by another songwriter. Guess what? Artists have legacies. And one of the abiding pleasures in following a filmmaker or actor over time is the relationship you build with their work. Every movie Spielberg has made is personal. With “The Fabelmans,” it just went deeper, with Spielberg taking a tough, tender look at his parents and examining how art can help you work through pain while simultaneously providing a measure of remove. It’s a terrific movie on every level — and one that doesn’t look like it’ll make good on any of its seven Oscar nominations.
Michelle Yeoh is likely to take the lead actress Oscar, though it’s a close call with Cate Blanchett.
(Jessica Chou / For The Times/Jessica Chou / For The Times)
LEAD ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, “Tár”
Ana de Armas, “Blonde”
Andrea Riseborough, “To Leslie”
Michelle Williams, “The Fabelmans”
Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Will win: Yeoh
Could surprise: Blanchett
All the momentum appears to be with Yeoh and, outside of those triggered by the playful creativity of “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” I think most people would enjoy seeing her at the podium. And yet … this race reminds me a bit of the year Anthony Hopkins won a second Oscar for his magnificent work in “The Father,” prevailing over sentimental favorite Chadwick Boseman. Is Blanchett so awe-inspiring as the monstrous maestro in “Tár” that she can overcome the “Everything Everywhere All at Once” steamroller? Maybe. But she does already have two Oscars and hasn’t seemed particularly invested in winning a third. And as Yeoh serves as the spiritual center of her beloved movie, I think she has the edge.
Austin Butler delivered an electrifying star turn in “Elvis,” a movie that earned eight Oscar nominations.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
LEAD ACTOR
Austin Butler, “Elvis”
Colin Farrell, “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Brendan Fraser, “The Whale”
Paul Mescal, “Aftersun”
Bill Nighy, “Living”
Will win: Butler
Could surprise: Fraser
If Fraser prevailed for “The Whale,” would it become the worst movie to feature an Oscar-winning performance? Let’s just say that it’d be in the conversation. Not everyone agrees, of course. Fraser did win the Screen Actors Guild Awards honor for a stirring performance in a hateful film almost completely lacking empathy and compassion. But “The Whale” did not earn a best picture nomination, partly because voters didn’t want to subject themselves to its exploitative aesthetic. Those who tried watching it on the academy’s portal found it dark and dingy. Did anyone make it through to the end?
Butler, meanwhile, delivered an electrifying star turn in “Elvis,” a movie that earned eight Oscar nominations, including best picture. Sure, it’s kind of funny that he still talks like Elvis. But if I had mastered that honeysuckle tone, I might not want to return so fast to my Orange County roots, either. Plus, did you see him walking Sally Field and Jennifer Coolidge onstage at the SAG Awards? Chivalry is not dead!
Kerry Condon may take the only Oscar awarded for “The Banshees of Inisherin.”
(Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Angela Bassett, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Hong Chau, “The Whale”
Kerry Condon, “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Jamie Lee Curtis, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Stephanie Hsu, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Will win: Condon
Could surprise: Curtis
Let me state from the outset that I have no idea who is going to win this Oscar. Not long ago, I thought it’d be either Bassett or Curtis, women who haven’t won many awards for decades of exemplary work. One of them could still win, though their similar narratives don’t help their cause. And then there’s this: Beginning with Patricia Arquette winning for “Boyhood” in 2015, the last eight winners of this category have taken the only Oscar from their film. It’s a weird stat … but supporting actress has long been a quirky category full of surprise winners. Just ask Marisa Tomei. And as I don’t think “Banshees” is going to win anything else …
Ke Huy Quan’s masterful multiverse hopping in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” all but guarantees he’ll win for supporting actor.
(Philip Cheung / For The Times)
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Brendan Gleeson, “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Brian Tyree Henry, “Causeway”
Judd Hirsch, “The Fabelmans”
Barry Keoghan, “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Ke Huy Quan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Will win: Quan
If you aren’t familiar by now with Quan’s comeback story or haven’t cried along with him during one of the many speeches he’s made while accepting awards for his masterful multiverse hopping in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” then you must be just waking up from a year-long coma. Go watch his movie. And then check out last year’s Oscars. That thing between Will Smith and Chris Rock? It wasn’t a scripted bit.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” Rian Johnson
“Living,” Kazuo Ishiguro
“Top Gun: Maverick,” Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks
“Women Talking,” Sarah Polley
Will win: “Women Talking”
Could surprise: “All Quiet on the Western Front”
Polley’s sensitive and thoughtful adaptation of Miriam Toews’ 2018 novel about sexual assault clocks in at 104 minutes, a testimony to her skill and precision as a writer. Her extraordinary work has been marked as a favorite for this Oscar since its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, and, after winning the Writers Guild and USC Scripter awards, it looks like Polley will indeed prevail.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Martin McDonagh
“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
“The Fabelmans,” Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner
“Tár,” Todd Field
“Triangle of Sadness,” Ruben Östlund
Will win: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Could surprise: “The Banshees of Inisherin”
For Daniels, those hot dog fingers would come in handy for lugging around three (!)(?) Oscars.
ANIMATED FEATURE
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”
“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”
“The Sea Beast”
“Turning Red”
Will win: “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”
Del Toro won Oscars as a director and producer of “The Shape of Water,” and now he’ll add a third for his agreeably weird, dark take on Carlo Collodi’s 19th century folk tale.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
“All That Breathes”
“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed”
“Fire of Love”
“A House Made of Splinters”
“Navalny”
Will win: “Navalny”
Could surprise: “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed”
Daniel Roher’s suspenseful and galvanizing portrait of Alexander Navalny, the Russian opposition leader poisoned by Putin operatives, won top honors from the Producers Guild and British Film Academy just as the war in Ukraine entered its second year. Oscar voters will likely follow suit, saluting the movie and the defiant bravery of its hero.
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
“All Quiet on the Western Front”
“Argentina, 1985”
“Close”
“EO”
“The Quiet Girl”
Will win: “All Quiet on the Western Front”
Edward Berger’s grueling adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s perfect novel made some unnecessary additions to the book, but succeeded fully in hammering home the horrors of war. It earned nine Oscar nominations, won seven British Film Academy awards and will most assuredly take this prize.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
“All Quiet on the Western Front,” James Friend
“Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths,” Darius Khondji
“Elvis,” Mandy Walker
“Empire of Light,” Roger Deakins
“Tár,” Florian Hoffmeister
The American Society of Cinematographers gave its top award to Walker, who became the first woman to win the group’s feature prize honor. She’s just the third woman to earn Oscar recognition in this category, joining recent nominees Ari Wegner (“The Power of the Dog”) and Rachel Morrison (“Mudbound”). Can Walker pull off another historic first? To quote The King: I just can’t help believin’.
COSTUME DESIGN
“Babylon,” Mary Zophres
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Ruth E. Carter
“Elvis,” Catherine Martin
“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Shirley Kurata
“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” Jenny Beavan
Will win: “Elvis”
Pink suits, head-to-toe black leather, iconic white jumpsuits … four-time Oscar winner Martin and her team designed 90 outfits for Butler to wear for “Elvis,” plus an additional 9,000 for other cast members and extras. Zophres undertook a similarly mammoth task for “Babylon,” but I think it’ll be eclipsed by the shadow cast from Elvis’ giant belt buckle.
FILM EDITING
“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
“Elvis,” Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond
“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Paul Rogers
“Tár,” Monika Willi
“Top Gun: Maverick,” Eddie Hamilton
Will win: “Top Gun: Maverick”
Could win: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
The American Cinema Editors Awards divides its prizes by genre, and this year, “Everything Everywhere” won for comedy and “Top Gun” prevailed for drama. As the editing and sound categories usually line up, I’m giving the edge to “Top Gun,” which would be a deserving winner in both.
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová
“The Batman,” Naomi Donne, Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Camille Friend and Joel Harlow
“Elvis,” Mark Coulier, Jason Baird and Aldo Signoretti
“The Whale,” Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Anne Marie Bradley
Will win: “Elvis”
Could surprise: “The Whale”
In one corner, you have the mountain of silicone and foam latex that molded Fraser into a 600-pound man. In the other, Butler’s Elvis pompadour and sideburns, plus the many prosthetic enhancements that transformed Mr. Tom Hanks into Col. Tom Parker. Add in Priscilla’s beehive and the late Elvis period when all those fried peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwiches had taken a toll, and you have the knockout winner.
PRODUCTION DESIGN
“All Quiet on the Western Front,” production design: Christian M. Goldbeck; set decoration: Ernestine Hipper
“Avatar: The Way of Water,” production design: Dylan Cole and Ben Procter; set decoration: Vanessa Cole
“Babylon,” production design: Florencia Martin; set decoration: Anthony Carlino
“Elvis,” production design: Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy; set decoration: Bev Dunn
“The Fabelmans,” production design: Rick Carter; set decoration: Karen O’Hara
Will win: “Babylon”
Could surprise: “Elvis”
Oscar voters cannot resist a movie that re-creates La La Land. (And, yes, “La La Land” won this Oscar, as did “Mank” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood….”) Even those who found “Babylon” a bore will concede that it was, in its own way, everything, everywhere, all at once. The only nominee that could — and, frankly, should — derail its chances is “Elvis,” in which two-time Oscar winner Martin memorably re-created Memphis, Tenn., in Australia.
SCORE
“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Volker Bertelmann
“Babylon,” Justin Hurwitz
“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Carter Burwell
“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Son Lux
“The Fabelmans,” John Williams
Will win: “All Quiet on the Western Front”
Could upset: “Babylon”
It’s rare for a movie outside the best picture field to win. Hurwitz’s often discordant big band jazz “Babylon” score clocked in at more than two hours, making it the most score — and, like the movie, a bludgeoning exercise in indulgence. Still, try as you might, you can’t forget it, so it could win. But Bertelmann’s gut-rumbling, pulse-quickening cues for “All Quiet” linger too, and more voters have seen the film. It’s a toss-up though, so march to the beat that moves you here.
SONG
“Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman”; music and lyric by Diane Warren
“Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick”; music and lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop
“Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”; music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler
“Naatu Naatu” from “RRR”; music by M.M. Keeravaaani; lyric by Chandrabose
“This Is a Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once”; music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne
Will win: “Naatu Naatu”
Could surprise: “Lift Me Up”
The divas don’t have much of a chance against “RRR” and its joyous dance.
SOUND
“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Viktor Prásil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel and Stefan Korte
“Avatar: The Way of Water,” Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers and Michael Hedges
“The Batman,” Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray and Andy Nelson
“Elvis,” David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson and Michael Keller
“Top Gun: Maverick,” Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor
Will win: “Top Gun: Maverick”
As mentioned earlier, voters usually match up sound and film editing. And if you saw “Top Gun: Maverick” in a good theater, the roar of all those jets probably lingered in your ears — and memory — well after the closing credits.
VISUAL EFFECTS
“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller, Markus Frank and Kamil Jafar
“Avatar: The Way of Water,” Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett
“The Batman,” Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands and Dominic Tuohy
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Geoffrey Baumann, Craig Hammack, R. Christopher White and Dan Sudick
“Top Gun: Maverick,” Ryan Tudhope, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson and Scott R. Fisher
Will win: “Avatar: The Way of Water”
Never mind the number of groundbreaking ways the “Avatar” team advanced the use of visual effects. Just look at those space whales.
ANIMATED SHORT
“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse”
“The Flying Sailor”
“Ice Merchants”
“My Year of Dicks”
“An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It”
Will win: “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse”
Could surprise: “Ice Merchants”
Sara Gunnarsdóttir’s “My Year of Dicks” boasts the standout title (who doesn’t want to hear that read after the envelope is opened, hehehe) and story, a superb, original tale of teen girlhood. But the Oscar will probably go to the hand-drawn “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,” winner of the BAFTA prize and four Annies.
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
“The Elephant Whisperers”
“Haulout”
“How Do You Measure a Year?”
“The Martha Mitchell Effect”
“Stranger at the Gate”
Will win: “The Elephant Whisperers”
Could surprise: “Stranger at the Gate”
First rule of Oscar prognostication: Don’t pick against a movie about orphaned elephants.
LIVE-ACTION SHORT
“An Irish Goodbye”
“Ivalu”
“Le Pupille”
“Night Ride”
“The Red Suitcase”
Will win: “Le Pupille”
Could surprise: “An Irish Goodbye”
The endearing coming-of-age tale “Le Pupille” boasts an impeccable pedigree with director Alice Rohrwacher (“Happy as Lazzaro”) and producer Alfonso Cuarón and, if you’ve seen it on Disney+, you know that its whimsical look at conformity is every bit as winning as you’d expect. But … the heartfelt brothers’ reunion short “An Irish Goodbye” is the sole English-language nominee and, in the year of “Banshees” and “The Quiet Girl,” could pull off a feckin’ upset.
It’s been a year and a
A new rumor indicated The Marvels, aka Captain Marvel 2, is in “chaos” at Marvel Studios ahead of its November 2023 release.
Marvel Studios has reportedly been making some major changes to its Phase 5 & 6 plans behind the scenes after mixed reactions to Phase 4. This has led to a swarm of MCU delays, the latest of which came just weeks ago as The Marvels shifted from July 28 to November 10.
Granted, this wasn’t even the first delay faced by the Captain Marvel sequel as the movie previously swapped places with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania last April, hopping from February 17 to July 28. Naturally, this raised plenty of concerns among fans, especially after the negative response to Ant-Man 3.
Speaking on The Hot Mic Podcast, Above the Line’s Jeff Sneider shared that, according to his sources, The Marvels may be in trouble, referring to the development as “just a shitshow” and “kind of chaos.”
Sneider noted that this troubled development was the cause of the recent delay from July 28 to November 10. That shift already marked the movie’s second delay as Captain Marvel 2 previously swapped release dates with February 17’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, taking over the July 28 date.
He went on to share apparent troubles with Captain Marvel actress Brie Larson, noting the star was “upset that this movie is called The Marvels” – a title designed to allude to the team-up of Carol Danvers, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau – as opposed to Captain Marvel 2.
The news follows reports from The Wrap that the delay was spurred by a desire to fix some of the sequel’s significant issues and allow more time for post-production, likely to allow for VFX improvements.
Marvel Studios has not commented on the report.
Exactly what troubles The Marvels is facing remain unclear, although Sneider also noted difficulties with Brie Larson after the actress clashed with Monica Rambeau actress Teyonah Parris on set. Given the pair will lead the flick alongside Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel, that conflict undoubtedly made for a tough production.
Many of the MCU’s latest releases have been criticized for various reasons, although VFX quality has been a common concern among fans. Previous reports did claim the delay was to allow for further post-production time, so perhaps that will be a focus in the coming months to avoid similar criticism to Ant-Man 3.
Additionally, if the conflict between Larson and Parris did end up causing production difficulties and affecting the quality of the product, Marvel Studios could be planning on conducting reshoots at some point this year to rectify that.
Director Nia DaCosta only has one major release on her directorial resume in the form of the 2021 slasher flick Candyman which was well-received. But her lack of experience, particularly in the major blockbuster game, could have been a factor in this apparent “chaos” – although Marvel Studios clearly chose her for a reason.
No matter the case, Marvel Studios and The Marvels team have plenty of time to fix the issues plaguing the sequel, provided of course none of the key problems in question are too fundamental with regard to the story, acting, or anything else.
The Marvels hits theaters on November 10.
Last year’s announcement that James Gunn would be taking the helm of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran was met with a mostly positive reaction. While there were many other factors to considered at the time, such as the unpopular decision of Henry Cavill having his Superman return cut down almost the instant it was announced, Gunn’s subsequent plans for the DCU also gained a mostly favorable reaction among fans. It seems that someone who feels that people should getting excited is the MCU’s Hulk, Mark Ruffalo.
Having been a part of the Marvel Studios franchise since 2012’s The Avengers, Ruffalo has gone through a number of changes as Bruce Banner/Hulk, in a literal sense. However, while appearing at Emerald City Comic Con, Ruffalo was asked about Marvel’s comic book rival and what kind of advice he would give DC Studios. In his response, Ruffalo took the moment to acknowledge that Gunn could cause some problems for the MCU in future. He said:
“I would say, hire James Gunn, cause nobody does it better. And Marvel should be sweating because James Gunn is a really gifted filmmaker and I think he’s going to be amazing for that franchise.”
Of course, someone already made that decision, and Gunn is now very much hired to take the DCU to the next level. While Ruffalo seems confident that the Guardians of the Galaxy helmer has more than what it takes to turn around the DC franchise, fans will be more inclined to wait and see how the likes of Superman: Legacy land in 2025.
The Incredible Hulk was the second movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2008. However, due to some of those pesky and complex rights issues, that movie is the only time the Hulk has appeared in his own movie. Between that and Hulk’s next appearance in The Avengers, the character underwent a complete transformation when Edward Norton stepped aside and Mark Ruffalo took over as the long-term Hulk of the franchise.
However, in the two decades since, Ruffalo has yet to appear in his own Hulk movie. The reason for this is similar to why Marvel Studios and Sony have to agree on Spider-Man’s solo movies, with in this case the rights to the Hulk being owned by NBC Universal. Those rights have been rumored to be passing back to Marvel Studio for some time now, and it was recently reported that Disney’s upcoming sale of Hulu could even be used to ensure the Hulk, and another recent MCU addition of Namor, could be returned to Marvel Studios soon.
If this does happen, then it could pave the way to the long rumored World War Hulk movie. While there is no way of knowing exactly how this will pan out in the future, Mark Ruffalo is another of the MCU stars who could soon be looking to take a step out of the franchise. Many just hope that he gets the chance to bring back the not-so-jolly green giant for another solo smash one more time before that happens.
Last year’s announcement that James Gunn would
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Mar10 Day is here and to celebrate gaming’s favorite mustachioed plumber, Nintendo is offering a Switch bundled with a free Mario game for $300. The Mario Choose One bundle comes with the Switch system, the Switch dock, Joy Cons in Mario Red and a full-game download of either Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. The deal went live today at Nintendo, Walmart, Target and Best Buy.
Nintendo’s super-popular gaming console doesn’t go on sale often, and while this isn’t a discount on the actual device itself, the inclusion of a free game means you’ll save up to $60 — assuming you were thinking about grabbing one of the included titles. You’ll also get stickers for the upcoming The Super Mario Bros. Movie which will feature the voices of Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi and Jack Black as Bowser.
In anticipation of Mario Day, both Nintendo and Amazon began offering discounts earlier this week on a handful of Mario titles including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for 35 percent off, Super Mario Odyssey for 33 percent off and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope for half price.
If you like the idea of pairing up real live RC cars with in-game Mario Kart action, you may want to bring home the augmented reality set Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. It’s down to $60 from its usual $100 price tag — since you just get one car with each set, maybe now’s a good time to grab two for better in-home competition. Just note that the discounts on the above titles are set to expire after March 11th, so if one of them is on your list, you may want to grab it now.
Deals on a few other Switch games will stick around longer, with sale prices extending through March 23rd. Both Nintendo and on Amazon are offering discounts on Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Mario Party Superstars and Luigi’s Mansion 3.
Shop Mario Day video game sales at Amazon
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A director’s ability to work effectively with actors is critical to the success of any film. By establishing a collaborative relationship, communicating effectively, creating a supportive environment, understanding the actor’s process, and balancing creativity with practicality, directors can bring out the best in their actors and create powerful, authentic performances that resonate with audiences.
By keeping these five key considerations in mind, directors can elevate their work and bring their creative vision to life on the big screen.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
A director's ability to work
Remember when “Ted Lasso” was a sitcom? The show might have included plenty of unexpected pathos and the faster cuts of a single-camera production, but its first season still set up an accessible fish-out-of-water comedy about an optimistic American football coach (Jason Sudeikis), heading to England during a time of personal crisis, to try his hand at soccer. It felt like Apple TV+ took the core of a network-TV project and, using strong characterization and well-chosen swear words, polished it into a streaming gem.
In its third and possibly final season, there are still aspects of “Lasso” that recall network
television — though not always comedy. The first four episodes of its 12-episode season all run around 50 minutes, closer to the length of a brisk network drama than even a supersized-by-streaming sitcom. And now that Ted has become more acclimated to his job and temporary home, the show’s framework is less fish-out-of-water and more back-to-school.
That’s the vibe the Season 3 premiere episode gives off, anyway, as Ted sends his young son back to the U.S. following an off-screen six-week holiday in England, and then returning for a new round of coaching the Richmond football club. Fellow coaches Beard (Brendan Hunt) and Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) come off like the other faculty members, club owner Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) serves as the competitive principal, and the younger soccer players fill the role of student body — sort of. Another way that “Ted Lasso” now feels more like a school-set show is that it often seems to think of its audience as the ones in need of moral instruction, or maybe just confirmation of their better natures.
That’s especially true whenever the show handles the heel turn of Nate (Nick Mohammed), featured so heavily in Season 2. His journey from meek kit man to valued member of the coaching team to validation-craving, status-seeking jerk has never really been played for laughs, and the first episode of Season 3 offers a compare-contrast in case anyone missed the point the last time around. Nate has been lured away to coach at West Ham United by Rebecca’s caddish ex-husband Rupert (Anthony Stewart Head), and he revels in rosy pre-season predictions for West Ham that also set up the lowest possible expectations for their newfound Richmond competitors. It shouldn’t count as a spoiler to say that Ted ultimately continues to handle this rift gracefully, without the poor sportsmanship that Nate gives into as he wrestles, unfunnily, with his demons. Nate isn’t the focus of every episode so far, but a third of the way into the season, the show adds several more Goofus-and-Gallant lessons to its already-long line of them.
Unfortunately, Nate’s storyline isn’t the only instance of the show appearing not to trust the audience to hold capacity for both serious-minded characterization and actual, you know, humor. In early girl-talk scenes between Rebecca and her model-turned-PR-mogul bestie Keeley Jones (Juno Temple), any potentially snappy dialogue between the two slows down, so that the characters can smile and laugh at each other’s jokes with appreciation. It’s as if somehow, after two full seasons, the audience won’t understand that these two people like each other without constant reassurance. For the first couple of episodes, supportive bonding and laugh-free angst both seem to take priority over comic timing.
In the third and particularly the fourth episodes of the season, “Ted Lasso” starts to resemble a comedy series again, rather than warmed-over dramedy, especially as it introduces a new star player who boosts Richmond’s fortunes while engaging in pompous, quasi-spiritual showboating. (It’s a serious conflict, but not a self-serious one.) The episode’s running times are still shockingly protracted, but they at least use the extra time to accommodate more of the character-based laughs that the show offered so readily at its peak.
Even past that peak, “Lasso” still has plenty of charm; it’s a tribute to the work done by series
creators Sudeikis, Hunt, Bill Lawrence, and Joe Kelly that it can survive for long stretches depending so heavily on audience investment in its characters, rather than joke density. Sudeikis remains one of the most purely endearing comic leads on television, and because Ted’s persona involves putting on a cheerful face even in dire circumstances, he remains both a consistently funny character and the one best-equipped to handle the heavier material. Hunt, as ever, makes an impeccable sidekick.
But really, there’s no fault in any of the cast members. Goldstein’s gruff Roy Kent still cuts through treacle, and Temple and Waddingham show plenty of range. It’s just hard to shake the feeling that “Ted Lasso” has accelerated to late-stage “Parks and Recreation” a little too fast — that it’s more concerned with its characters’ personal and professional well-being (and their capacity to impart life lessons!) than crafting stories of genuine surprise, nevermind hilarity.
There’s no doubt that the eventual conclusion of this season will be an emotional one. But is it too much to ask that it stays funny along the way?
“Ted Lasso” Season 3 premieres Wednesday, March 15, on Apple TV+.
Remember when “Ted Lasso” was a sitcom?
The Philippines’ former broadcasting heavyweight turned content producer ABS-CBN has set up a high-end TV spinoff of its popular digital series Bagman. Filipino actor Arjo Atayde will reprise his lead role from the original Bagman show, which ran two seasons beginning in 2019 and was picked up by Netflix.
The new series, titled The Bagman and running eight hour-long episodes, will be co-produced by ABS-CBN and other leading Filipino studios, including Dreamscape Entertainment, Rein Entertainment and Nathan Studios Inc. The show will be ABS-CBN’s tentpole offering to international buyers at the Filmart content market in Hong Kong, which kicks off Monday (March 13).
The original Bagman told the story of Benjo Malaya, a neighborhood barber who lands a job as the governor’s henchman and gets caught up in a dangerous web of crime, corruption and political turmoil. The new series returns to Malaya, now a former governor convicted of past crimes who has vowed to turn his back on the underworld. But when he learns tragic news about his family having gone missing, he is left with no choice but to return to the vicious criminal world to take on a new mission — this time as a fixer for the sitting president of the Philippines to stop an impending civil war.
Political corruption and power politics are never far away in the contemporary Philippines, a reality that ABS-CBN has experienced firsthand. The company was once the country’s leading broadcaster, but after its outlets criticized the policies of former strongman Rodrigo Duterte, its TV licenses went conspicuously un-renewed. The company has since pivoted as a quality film and TV content producer, while also operating a news site, streaming service iWantTFC and various popular YouTube channels. Along with the original Bagman sale to Netflix, the company had some international success last year with series Cattleya Killer, which launched at MIPCOM.
“Having had the privilege of being the first Filipino company to screen a series at MIPCOM, we are honored to be following up on the success of Cattleya Killer with our new premium drama series The Bagman,” said Ruel S. Bayani, head of ABS-CBN’s international production division. “We continue to advocate Filipino representation in a manner that is engaging and entertaining in today’s global marketplace. I have no doubt The Bagman, packed with action, suspense, and dark humor, will have audiences around the world on the edge of their seats.”
The Philippines’ former broadcasting heavyweight turned content
Licensed video games aimed at kids don’t have the best reputation because they were often low-effort titles that were rushed to market in order to make a quick buck. However, that isn’t always the case as evidenced by games like SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake. Justice League: Cosmic Chaos definitely has some of that patented licensed game jank, but its top-notch presentation and attention to detail help elevate this basic action game above any accusations of being a cash-in.
Three of DC’s most iconic heroes are at the forefront, as players can control Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Each character can easily be swapped in and out — which works well since it supports local two-player co-op — and offers their own array of special attacks and ultimate abilities, the latter of which are tied to cooldowns. However, the formula for taking down Mr. Mxyzptik and Starro’s minions mostly just consists of a whole bunch of basic button mashing.
Things get a bit better when moves are powered up over time, but with such repetition and a pretty limited move set, it becomes better to simply put the game at a lower difficulty. This makes the game less annoying since the admittedly cute aquatic enemies die more quickly. With a very simple combat loop, there isn’t much here for anyone looking for a more involved gameplay experience, which does make sense since it is targeted at younger gamers.
While such a monotonous core could spell doom for this Justice League game, a well-written story and some stellar voice acting significantly boost the experience. Justice League: Cosmic Chaos features a surprisingly star-studded cast with Diedrich Bader of The Drew Carey Show and Batman: The Brave and the Bold fame doing a great job reprising the Caped Crusader alongside Nolan North’s Superman and Vanessa Marshall’s Wonder Woman. Dialogue is lighthearted and often referential in ways that cleverly poke fun at DC’s history. Dana Snyder’s Mr. Mxyzptlk is a particular highlight, as he walks the fine line between being purposely annoying and hilarious by being simultaneously punchable and a scene-stealer.
Most of the other Justice League heroes are out of commission because of Starro, but players rescue Cyborg, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and The Flash over the course of the game. They then get to join the fray as assist characters and essentially give the player another cooldown attack. They come with their own abilities to unlock, too, thus giving players more of an incentive to explore the game’s reasonably sized open world. The comic book collectibles strewn about also make for solid incentives to search around since they unlock comic-accurate alternate costumes for its three protagonists.
Besides some well-written jokes and gags, such as the trio having to go undercover and Batman wearing a plaid suit with a cowl rather than just being Bruce Wayne, there aren’t many standout moments. Boss fights aren’t all that special and are just regular spongier enemies, and the level designs are often on the plain side, something that clashes with its vibrant art style. It’s a very charming game that just can’t quite get over the hump to be the surprisingly good and memorable title that it wants to be.
Even though its gameplay is basic and the combat lacks depth, Justice League: Cosmic Chaos is propelled by its delightful presentation and wonderful voice acting. The colorful art design is appealing and seemingly aimed at kids, but the surprisingly sharp dialogue and jokes means that it isn’t a dumbed-down title soled for younger audiences. While not an example of a licensed title going above and beyond, it’s certainly a spirited effort and one that PHL Collective put a lot of care and love into.
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 6.5 equates to “Decent.” It fails to reach its full potential and is a run-of-the-mill experience.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a PlayStation 5 copy for our Justice League: Cosmic Chaos review. Reviewed on version 1.000.001.
Licensed video games aimed at kids don’t
Casting Society honored achievements in casting across film, television and theater on Thursday night with its 38th annual Artios Awards. CSA celebrated with three star-studded award ceremonies, the first in-person celebrations in three years. Yvette Nicole Brown hosted the Los Angeles show at the Beverly Hilton, while Amber Ruffin hosted in New York’s Edison Ballroom and Gordon Griffin M.B.E. at London’s Union Club.
Among the film winners were Oscar-nominated features Everything Everywhere All at Once, which received the Zeitgeist Award. Marcel the Shell With Shoes On won in the animation category, while The Fabelmans and The Banshees of Inisherin won for big budget film (drama) and studio or independent film (drama), respectively.
Among the television winners were Abbott Elementary and Yellowjackets, both earning prizes for TV pilot/first season. Hacks and Succession won the prizes for comedy and drama casting, respectively, while Dopesick won for limited series. The Tony-winning revivals of Take Me Out and Company were honored in the theatrical categories.
Special honorees include EGOT winner Rita Moreno, who was presented with the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement. Leslee Feldman, head of casting at Amblin, received the Hoyt Bowers Award for excellence in casting and outstanding contribution to the profession — an honor presented by Oscar winner Octavia Butler, which included a special video tribute from Steven Spielberg.
Tony winner LaChanze accepted the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award on behalf of Black Theatre United, which was honored for its commitment to the New York entertainment industry through collaboration with casting professionals.
Jessica Sherman was the recipient of the Rosalie Joseph Humanitarian Award, which Simone Bär received a posthumous European Capelier-Shaw Award, with Bär’s casting partner Alexandra Montag accepting the award on her behalf.
The Associated Casting Director/Unscripted Casting Producer Spotlight Awards went to Joy Gordo in Los Angeles, the first unscripted member to receive the honor; the Chicago-based Jenn Noyes in New York, who is the first regional member to receive the honor; and Martin Ware in London, the first European member to receive the honor.
Finally, the London-based United Agents received the Creative Collaboration Award from the European Board of Governors.
See the full list of winners below.
ANIMATION
The Bad Guys (Universal)
Christi Soper Hilt
Lightyear (Disney/Pixar)
Natalie Lyon, Kevin Reher, Kate Hansen-Birnbaum (Associate Casting Director)
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (A24) — WINNER
Jessica Kelly, Kate Geller (Associate Casting Director)
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (Universal)
Christi Soper Hilt
Turning Red (Disney/Pixar)
Natalie Lyon, Kevin Reher, Kate Hansen-Birnbaum (Associate Casting Director)
BIG BUDGET – COMEDY
Bros (Universal)
Gayle Keller, Allison Kirschner (Associate Casting Director)
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix)
Mary Vernieu, Bret Howe
The Menu (Searchlight)
Mary Vernieu, Bret Howe, Lisa Mae Fincannon (Location Casting), Kimberly Wistedt (Location Casting), Becca Burgess (Associate Casting Director)
Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (Netflix) — WINNER
Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann
White Noise (Netflix)
Douglas Aibel, D. Lynn Meyers, (Location Casting), Matthew Glasner (Associate Casting Director)
BIG BUDGET – DRAMA
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Disney/Marvel)
Sarah Halley Finn, Carla Hool (Location Casting), Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Chase Paris (Location Casting), Molly Doyle (Associate Casting Director)
Elvis (Warner Bros.)
Denise Chamian, Nikki Barrett, Beth Day (Associate Casting Director) Liz Ludwitzke (Associate Casting Director)
The Fabelmans (Universal) — WINNER
Cindy Tolan, Nicholas Petrovich (Associate Casting Director)
Tár (Focus Features)
Avy Kaufman, Simone Bär (Location Casting), Jeremy Zimmerman (Location Casting)
Till (United Artists)
Kim Coleman, Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Chase Paris (Location Casting), Stefni Colle (Associate Casting Director)
FILM, NON-THEATRICAL RELEASE
The Adam Project (Netflix)
Carmen Cuba, Tiffany Mak (Location Casting), Judith Sunga (Associate Casting Director)
Better Nate Than Never (Disney+)
Bernard Telsey, Bethany Knox, Pat Goodwin
Deep Water (Hulu)
Ellen Chenoweth, Tracy Kilpatrick (Location Casting), Susanne Scheel (Associate Casting Director)
The Harder They Fall (Netflix) — WINNER
Victoria Thomas, Jo Edna Boldin (Location Casting)
The Survivor (HBO)
Ellen Chenoweth, Susanne Scheel (Associate Casting Director)
LOW-BUDGET, COMEDY OR DRAMA
Emily the Criminal (Roadside Attractions) — WINNER
Chelsea Ellis Bloch, Marisol Roncali
Family Squares (Screen Media Films)
Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas
Montana Story (Bleecker Street)
Avy Kaufman, Harrison Nesbit (Associate Casting Director)
Please Baby Please (Music Box Films)
Eyde Belasco
The Swearing Jar (Gravitas Ventures)
Nicole Hilliard-Forde, Matthew Lessall
MICRO BUDGET, COMEDY OR DRAMA
The Cathedral (MUBI)
Ally Beans, Daryl Eisenberg
Down With the King (Stage 6 Films)
Scotty Anderson, Harrison Nesbit
Four Samosas (IFC Films)
Emily Schweber
They/Them/Us (Gravitas Ventures)
Joey Montenarello, Duncan Stewart, Benton Whitley, D. Lynn Meyers (Location Casting)
The Same Storm (Juno Films) — WINNER
Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Adam Caldwell, Karyn Casl (Associate Casting Director)
STUDIO OR INDEPENDENT – COMEDY
The Bubble (Netflix)
Victor Jenkins, Gayle Keller, Allison Kirschner (Associate Casting Director)
Catherine Called Birdy (Prime Video) — WINNER
Nina Gold, Catriona Dickie
Emergency (Prime Video)
Kim Coleman, Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Chase Paris (Location Casting)
I Love My Dad (Magnolia Pictures)
Eyde Belasco
Spoiler Alert (Focus Features)
Avy Kaufman
STUDIO OR INDEPENDENT – DRAMA
Armageddon Time (Focus Features)
Douglas Aibel, Matthew Glasner (Associate Casting Director)
The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight) — WINNER
Louise Kiely
Causeway (A24/Apple TV+)
Ellen Chenoweth, Tracy Kilpatrick (Location Casting), Susanne Scheel (Associate Casting Director), Blair Foster (Associate Casting Director)
Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+)
Angela Demo, Nancy Mosser Bailey (Location Casting)
The Whale (A24)
Mary Vernieu, Lindsay Graham Ahanonu, Bret Howe (Associate Casting Director)
THE ZEITGEIST AWARD
Avatar: The Way of Water (20th Century Studios)
Margery Simkin, Katrina Wandel George (Associate Casting Director), Jasmine Gutierrez (Associate Casting Director), Sydney Shircliff (Associate Casting Director)
The Batman (Warner Bros.)
Cindy Tolan, Lucy Bevan, Nicholas Petrovich (Associate Casting Director), Olivia Grant (Associate Casting Director)
Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24) — WINNER
Sarah Halley Finn, Djinous Rowling (Associate Casting Director)
Scream (Paramount)
Rich Delia, Lisa Mae Fincannon (Location Casting), Craig Fincannon (Location Casting), Adam Richards (Associate Casting Director), Meredith Petty Hughes (Associate Casting Director)
Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount)
Denise Chamain, Jordana Sapiurka (Associate Casting Director)
TELEVISION PILOT AND FIRST SEASON – COMEDY
Abbott Elementary (ABC) — WINNER
Wendy O’Brien
Ghosts (CBS)
Elizabeth Barnes, Tannis Vallely, Andrea Kenyon (Location Casting), Randi Wells (Location Casting)
Julia (HBO Max)
Sharon Bialy, Gohar Gazazyan, Lisa Lobel (Location Casting), Angela Peri (Location Casting), Stacia Kimler (Associate Casting Director), Melissa Morris (Associate Casting Director)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Destiny Lilly (Associate Casting Director)
Reservation Dogs (FX/Hulu)
Angelique Midthunder, Jennifer Schwalenberg, Chris Freihofer (Location Casting), Stacey Rice (Associate Casting Director), Lisa Zambetti (Associate Casting Director)
The Sex Lives of College Girls (HBO Max)
Elizabeth Barnes, Jennifer Euston
TELEVISION PILOT AND FIRST SEASON – DRAMA
Kevin Can F**k Himself (AMC)
Felicia Fasano, Rikki Gimelstob, Angela Peri (Location Casting), Lisa Lobel (Location Casting), Katie Lantz (Associate Casting Director)
Pachinko (Apple TV+)
Mary Vernieu, Michelle Wade Byrd, Ko Iwagami (Location Casting), Corinne Clark (Location Casting), Jennifer Page (Location Casting)
The Gilded Age (HBO)
Bernard Telsey, Adam Caldwell, Kristian Charbonier (Associate Casting Director)
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (HBO) – Francine Maisler, Kathy Driscoll-Mohler, Melissa Kostenbauder, Molly Rose (Associate Casting Director)
Severance (Apple TV+)
Rachel Tenner, Bess Fifer (Location Casting), Rick Messina (Associate Casting Director)
Yellowjackets (Showtime) — WINNER
Junie Lowry Johnson, Libby Goldstein, Corinne Clark (Location Casting), Jennifer Page (Location Casting), Josh Ropiequet (Associate Casting Director)
TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY
Barry (HBO)
Sherry Thomas, Sharon Bialy, Stacia Kimler (Associate Casting Director)
Hacks (HBO Max) — WINNER
Jeanne McCarthy, Nicole Abellera Hallman, Anna Mayworm (Associate Casting Director)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Theo Park
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Cindy Tolan, Anne Davison (Associate Casting Director)
The Other Two (HBO Max)
Allison Estrin, Henry Russell Bergstein, Jenn Gaw (Associate Casting Director), Dayna Katz (Associate Casting Director)
TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Russel Scott, Marie K. McMaster (Location Casting), Alyssa Morris (Associate Casting Director)
Euphoria (HBO)
Jessica Kelly, Mary Vernieu, Bret Howe, Jennifer Venditti (Location Casting)
Ozark (Netflix)
Alexa L. Fogel, Chase Paris (Location Casting), Tara Feldstein Bennett (Location Casting), Kathryn Zamora-Benson (Associate Casting Director)
Succession (HBO) — WINNER
Avy Kaufman, Lilia Trapani (Location Casting), Harrison Nesbit (Associate Casting Director)
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Victoria Thomas
LIMITED SERIES
Dopesick (Hulu) — WINNER
Avy Kaufman, Erica Arvold (Location Casting), Scotty Anderson (Associate Casting Director), Dustin Presley (Associate Casting Director)
Inventing Anna (Netflix)
Linda Lowy, Henry Russell Bergstein, Allison Estrin, Jamie Castro, Simone Bär (Location Casting), Juliette Menager (Location Casting), Dayna Katz (Associate Casting Director)
Maid (Netflix)
Rachel Tenner, Corinne Clark (Location Casting), Jennifer Page (Location Casting), Rick Messina (Associate Casting Director)
The Dropout (Hulu)
Jeanie Bacharach, Alison Goodman, Mark Rutman
The Staircase (HBO Max)
Douglas Aibel, Tracy Kilpatrick (Location Casting), Matthew Glasner (Associate Casting Director), Blair Foster (Associate Casting Director)
LIVE TELEVISION PERFORMANCE, VARIETY OR SKETCH – COMEDY, DRAMA OR MUSICAL
Annie Live! (NBC) — WINNER
Bernard Telsey, Patrick Goodwin
That Damn Michael Che (HBO Max)
Erica A. Hart
The G Word with Adam Conover (Netflix)
Lindsey Weissmueller, Chrissy Fiorilli-Ellington
True Story with Ed & Randall (Peacock)
Melissa DeLizia
Would I Lie to You? (The CW)
Mark Saks
CHILDREN’S PILOT AND SERIES (LIVE-ACTION)
Bunk’d (Disney Channel)
Howard Meltzer, Biz Urban (Associate Casting Director)
Noggin Knows (Noggin)
Danielle Pretsfelder Demchick
The Babysitters Club (Netflix) — WINNER
Danielle Aufiero, Amber Horn, Tiffany Mak (Location Casting), Leigh Ann Smith (Associate Casting Director)
Young Dylan (Nickelodeon)
Kim Coleman, Rhavynn Drummer (Associate Casting Director)
Warped! (Nickelodeon)
Nickole Doro, Shayna Sherwood, Devon Brady (Associate Casting Director), Jeremy Gordon (Associate Casting Director)
ANIMATED SERIES
Big Mouth (Netflix) — WINNER
Julie Ashton
Bob’s Burgers (Fox)
Julie Ashton
Central Park (Apple TV+)
Julie Ashton
Family Guy (Fox)
Christine Terry, Jackie Sollitto
Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)
Ruth Lambert, Robert McGee
REALITY SERIES
Nailed It! (Netflix)
Ron Mare, Anna Sturgeon
Queer Eye (Netflix)
Jessica Jorgensen, Danielle Gervais, Quinn Fegan, Natalie Pino, Pamela Vallarelli
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1) — WINNER
Goloka Bolte, Ethan Petersen
Shark Tank (ABC)
Mindy Zemrak
Top Chef (Bravo)
Ron Mare, Heather Allyn
SHORT FILM
El Carrito
Emily Fleischer
The F Word — WINNER
Rachel Reiss
Milk
Shakyra Dowling
North Star
Jeffrey Gafner
We’re Too Good for This
Shakyra Dowling
SHORT FORM SERIES
Breakwater
Jeffrey Gafner
Love, Death + Robots
Ivy Isenberg, Natasha Vincent (Location Casting)
State of the Union — WINNER
Kathleen Chopin, John Ort
NEW YORK BROADWAY THEATER – COMEDY OR DRAMA
Chicken & Biscuits
Erica A. Hart
Clyde’s
Will Cantler, Karyn Casl, Destiny Lilly, Charlie Hano (Associate Casting Director)
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf
Erica Jensen, Heidi Griffiths, Kate Murray
POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive
Taylor Williams
Take Me Out — WINNER
Jim Carnahan, Jason Thinger (Associate Casting Director)
NEW YORK BROADWAY THEATER – MUSICAL
Caroline or Change
Jim Carnahan, Jilian Cimini, Carrie Gardner, Stephen Kopel
Company — WINNER
Cindy Tolan, Nicholas Petrovich
Girl From the North Country
Jordan Thaler, Heidi Griffiths
MJ The Musical
Rachel Hoffman
The Music Man
Craig Burns, Bernard Telsey, Rebecca Scholl
NEW YORK THEATER – COMEDY OR DRAMA (TIE)
A Case for the Existence of God
David Caparelliotis
Fairycakes — WINNER
Adam Caldwell, Destiny Lilly, Charlie Hano (Associate Casting Director)
Letters of Suresh
Karyn Casl, Destiny Lilly, Charlie Hano (Associate Casting Director)
Prayer for the French Republic
Kelly Gillespie
The Daughter in Law
Stephanie Klapper
Which Way to the Stage
Will Cantler
Wish You Were Here — WINNER
Karyn Casl
NEW YORK THEATER – MUSICAL
Americano! A New Musical
Michael Cassara
Black No More
Kristian Charbonier, Rebecca Scholl
Oratorio for Living Things
Henry Russell Bergstein
The Bedwetter
Rachel Hoffman, Charlie Hano (Associate Casting Director)
Trevor — WINNER
Tara Rubin, Merri Sugarman
Whisper House
Tara Rubin, Peter Van Dam
REGIONAL THEATER
A Christmas Carol
Jim Carnahan, Jason Thinger (Associate Casting Director)
Bhangin’ It A Bhangin’ New Musical
Erica Jensen, Paul Davis
Bob Fosse’s Dancin’
Tara Rubin, Xavier Rubiano (Associate Casting Director)
Bug
JC Clementz
School Girls: Or the African Mean Girls Play — WINNER
Lauren Port, Rachael Jimenez (Associate Casting Director)
LOS ANGELES THEATER
A Christmas Carol — WINNER
Jim Carnahan, Jilian Cimini, Jason Thinger (Associate Casting Director)
God of Carnage
Michael Donovan, Richie Ferris
Head Over Heels
Ryan Bernard Tymensky
Man of God
Phyllis Schuringa
Power of Sail
Phyllis Schuringa
SPECIAL THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE
Candide
Stephanie Klapper
The Life — WINNER
Destiny Lilly, Charlie Hano (Associate Casting Director)
Kismet
Peter Van Dam
The Tap Dance Kid
Craig Burns
THEATER TOURS
Hadestown
Duncan Stewart, Benton Whitley
Moulin Rouge
Jim Carnahan, Stephen Kopel, Alexandre Bleau (Associate Casting Director)
Oklahoma!
Taylor Williams
Six the Musical — WINNER
Tara Rubin, Peter Van Dam, Kevin Metzger-Timson (Associate Casting Director)
To Kill a Mockingbird
Adam Caldwell, Destiny Lilly, Amelia McCarthy (Associate Casting Director)
Casting Society honored achievements in casting across
Tame Impala main man Kevin Parker is recovering from major surgery to correct a fractured hip.
The Australian production whizz posted several pictures of himself in hospital, an MRI of the injury, and an x-ray of his femur, or thigh bone, complete with a collection of freshly-inserted screws and rods.
“Fractured my hip,” he writes in a post on Instagram. “Tried to run a half marathon on what turned out to be an existing stress fracture. Whoops. Made it to within 1km of the finish line. That’s life I guess.”
A hip fracture occurs when a break appears in the upper part of the femur, the longest, strongest bone in the human body.
According to the U.K.’s NHS, a broken hip is a serious injury, which typically requires immediate surgery and has a recovery time of several weeks or months. “But it can take longer,” reads a backgrounder on the NHS page. Depending on the age of the patient, and the severity of the injury, you’ll usually spend around 1 to 4 weeks in hospital.
Parker is keen to get back on his feet, and back out onto the road, as soon as possible. “All shows in Mexico and South America going ahead as planned I’m not quitting on you guys,” he writes in the post, uploaded Thursday (March 9).
Those dates include six concerts in March, with a concert Friday (March 10) in Mexico City and three Lollapalooza shows in separate countries.
Parker and his psychedelic rock outfit is supporting its award-winning fourth album The Slow Rush, which dropped in February 2020, just weeks before the WHO declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic, resulting in a years-long pause for touring. The Slow Rush led the Australian chart, and peaked at No. 3 in the U.S. and U.K.; the set went on to win five ARIA Awards, including album of the year.
Tame Impala on Friday (March 10) released “Wings of Time,” a rollicking psych-rock number lifted from the soundtrack to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and Parker collaborated with Gorillaz on “New Gold,” which appears on Cracker Island, the current No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.
Stream “Wings of Time” below.
Tame Impala main man Kevin Parker is
“Navalny” follows the Russian dissident Alexei Navalny as he investigates a Kremlin plot to assassinate him. Today, Navalny is in prison, but this film by Daniel Roher keeps his voice alive and is nominated for an Academy Award.
"Navalny" follows the Russian dissident Alexei Navalny
The data from Statistics Canada will give an update on how the labour market is faring amid high interest rates and a slowing economy.
The data from Statistics Canada will give
This year’s Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) will open with two local films – Soi Cheang’s noir thriller Mad Fate and the world premiere of Ann Hui’s Elegies, a documentary about contemporary local poetry.
Mad Fate, starring Gordon Lam and Lokman Yeung, a member of hot boy band Mirror, recently had its world premiere at the Berlin film festival. Soi Cheang has also been chosen as the Filmmaker In Focus at this year’s HKIFF.
The world premiere of Cheuk Wan-chi’s Vital Sign, starring starring Louis Koo, Yau Hawk-sau and Angela Yuen, will close the festival.
HKIFF, which runs for 12 days from March 30 to April 10, is returning to its usual spring dates after being postponed to August last year due to Hong Kong’s fifth and most serious wave of Covid.
Overseas filmmakers, including Taiwan’s Tsai Ming-Liang and Lee Kang-Sheng, will be returning to the festival to meet local audiences for the first time since 2019. While HKIFF managed to keep running as an in-person but scaled down event during the pandemic, Hong Kong’s strict quarantine rules mostly kept overseas visitors away.
In total, the festival’s programme includes 320 in-theatre and online screenings of 200 films, including nine world premieres, six international premieres and 67 Asian premieres. Special sections include a programme of Nordic cinema and retrospectives of Jean-Luc Godard and Japanese filmmaker Itami Juzo.
Gala presentations include a restored version of Patrick Tam’s Nomad (1982) and recent festival hits including Christian Petzold’s Afire, Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun, Laura Poitras’ All The Beauty And The Bloodshed. Nomad will screen as part of a sidebar of restored Chinese classics, which also includes Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s A City Of Sadness and Edward Yang’s A Confucian Confusion.
This year’s Hong Kong International Film Festival
Mortal Kombat 12 is coming out in 2023. The latest iteration of the classic fighting game from NetherRealm Studios will bring yet more no-holds-barred action and bloody violence to our screens.
Mortal Kombat 12 was only announced recently via a Warner Brothers earnings call, so we don’t yet have many concrete details about the fighting game.
Like its predecessors, Mortal Kombat 12 is likely to be a 2D fighting game, replete with an expansive roster of returning characters, such as Scorpion, Sub Zero, and Lui Kang. If Mortal Kombat 11 is anything to go by, however, we’ll most likely be in for an over-the-top story mode stuffed with delicious lore. Mortal Kombat 11 also introduced a character customization system that allowed players to customize their fighters with new skins, gear, and moves. It’s likely that we’ll see an expansion on this system in Mortal Kombat 12.
Though we’ve had no official word as to which consoles Mortal Kombat 12 will be available for, it seems likely that the game will be available for PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. Given that Mortal Kombat 11 also came to Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One, there’s a chance that the title may be released for those consoles as well. However, there are no guarantees at this stage.
Thanks to the understated way in which Mortal Kombat 12 was announced there are currently no trailers or teasers for the upcoming game. When NetherRealm does release a trailer, you’ll likely find it on Mortal Kombat’s official YouTube channel (opens in new tab), or via the game’s Twitter account (opens in new tab).
With no concrete details about Mortal Kombat 12, we don’t yet know how NetherRealm will change the series. However, this is what we’d like to see.
Whether or not you’re using a controller or one of the best fight sticks, Mortal Kombat 11 had some solid fundamentals. However, the fights in Mortal Kombat 11 had a slower pace than in previous games, placing an emphasis on more methodical play at the expense of fast-paced rush-down playstyles. Mortal Kombat 11 also got rid of running, which, in the view of our hardware editor and Mortal Kombat veteran, Aleksha McLoughlin, was something of a misstep.
Mortal Kombat as a franchise is known for its fatalities, brutalities, and over-the-top action violence. While Mortal Kombat X had a particularly gritty tone, things were a little more tongue-in-cheek with Mortal Kombat 11 which was a bit brighter aesthetically and more colorful. It’s arguable that there was even some influence from NetherRealm’s DC Comics fighter series, InJustice, with the tonal shift.
We’d like to see Mortal Kombat 12 return to the more fast-paced style of gameplay for which the series was originally known. Though we don’t know if NetherRealm will go in this direction, we here at TechRadar Gaming are keeping our fingers crossed.
Given how the Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath expansion ends, with series lead and Earthrealm defender Lui Kang ascending to godhood in place of Thunder God Raiden, things are quite open-ended for Mortal Kombat 12. With Kronika defeated, the sands of time had been extinguished and the new era had been stopped in its tracks, meaning that we could see anything from a full-scale reboot to a continuation of the past trilogy.
If the three animated movies that have succeeded the launch of Mortal Kombat 11 are anything to go by, it’s likely that many of the characters and ideas from the predecessor will make their way into Mortal Kombat 12. The series has experimented with Elseworld stories for some time now, as well as a live-action movie back in 2021 which retained some of the franchise’s staple roster from the 2D and 3D eras.
It would make the most sense for NetherRealm to carry over the expansions made with Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11 into Mortal Kombat 12. In particular, the new characters and fleshed-out settings including the Kombat kids and Outworld. That’s because this trilogy has given us the offspring of fan-favorite characters Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, Kenshi, and Jax with Cassie Cage, Takeda, and Jackie Briggs respectively.
At the very end of Mortal Kombat 11‘s story expansion, Liu Kang goes back in time and meets The Great Kung Lao, one of the fiercest warriors that Earthrealm ever knew. Should Mortal Kombat 12 pick up where the trilogy left off, this means we would see the continued fight against the emerging forces of Outworld and Earthrealm. Whether they go back to the roots or carry on remains to be seen.
Mortal Kombat 12 announced in Warner Brothers investor call
Mortal Kombat 12 has been announced in a surprisingly left-of-field fashion: at a Warner Brothers investor call. The title is expected to release sometime in 2023, but, as of yet, no trailer or preview has been released. This is odd, considering it is one of the biggest [upcoming games] of the genre. However, we anticipate that NetherRealm will have something more tangible for us, soon.
Mortal Kombat 12 is coming out in
EXCLUSIVE: A wrenching documentary premiering at SXSW points to a terrible dilemma facing a huge number of people in this country: “Today, nearly two million Americans are being held for ransom. Without insulin, they’ll be dead in days.”
Pay or Die, directed by Rachael Dyer and Scott Alexander Ruderman, “follows three families on the receiving end of these ransom notes, revealing the harrowing reality of life with chronic illness in the richest country in the world.” The exclusive clip above offers your first look at the film, which is playing in Documentary Feature Competition.
“From a mother and daughter struggling to rebuild their lives after losing their home when they had to spend their rent money on insulin,” a description of the film says, “to a young adult diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during the Covid-19 pandemic, to a Minnesota family thrust into the national spotlight when their 26-year-old son dies from rationing his insulin, Pay or Die lays bare the human cost of America’s insulin affordability crisis.”
“The astronomical price of insulin hurts American families,” a Rand Corporation headlined a study it published in 2021. Rand found the average price of insulin in the United States ran almost $99 a vial, compared to $7 in Australia, $7.52 in the U.K., and $12 in our neighbor to the north, Canada.
“The average price in America, across all types of insulin, was more than ten times higher than the average for all of the other countries combined,” the Rand study reported. “The differences were especially stark when the researchers looked at rapid-acting insulin, which makes up about a third of the U.S. market. Its average price in other countries was just over $8. In America, it was $119.”
In the clip above, a young woman tries to master giving herself insulin injections without losing precious fractions of the costly substance. “The last time we did it, you wasted a lot of insulin,” her partner comments anxiously. “And this time it was just as [bad]. You’re not looking at what the costs are going to be long term.”
Taylor Jane Stimmler, who’s had type 1 diabetes since she was a teenager, displays her insulin and needles used for injection, on March 2, 2023 in New York City.
Photo Illustration by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
In an announcement earlier this month, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly said it would cap insulin costs for users at $35 a month out of pocket (in line with a provision of the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law in January that imposes a $35 a month out of pocket cost on insulin for seniors on Medicare). But Eli Lilly is only one of three big providers of insulin in the United States – the other two are Novo Nordisk and Sanofi. And as for the Inflation Reduction Act provision, it doesn’t cover people with private insurance or the uninsured.
Sarah Silverman is seen at ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ on October 13, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo by RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Pay or Die holds its premiere on Saturday at the Alamo Lamar, with additional screenings set for the same theater complex on March 13 and 16. Sarah Silverman is among the executive producers of the film. In a video shared with Deadline, she said, “The cost of insulin has skyrocketed in recent years and it’s made it difficult for people to be able to afford it. It is especially challenging for our 26-year-olds who are aging off of their parents’ insurance. As a result, many people are forced to ration their insulin, meaning they have to take less than they need in order to live, and it’s putting their lives at risk.”
In addition to Silverman, the executive producers of Pay or Die are Amy Zvi, Russell Long, Douglas Choi, Martina Bassenger, Marci Wiseman, Dawn Bonder, Sarah Lucas, Zak Kilberg, Trish Adlesic, and Lauran Bromley. The film is produced by Rachael Dyer, Scott Alexander Ruderman, and Yael Melamede, and directed by Dyer and Ruderman. Ruderman is the cinematographer; the editors are Will Rogers and Tony Shimin. Music is by T. Griffin.
Pay or Die is an acquisition title at SXSW. Watch the exclusive clip above.
EXCLUSIVE: A wrenching documentary premiering at SXSW
Justin Anderson joined Realscreen as senior staff writer in 2021, reporting and writing stories for the newsletter and magazine. During his 20-year career he’s filled a variety of roles as a writer and editor at a number of media organizations, covering news and current affairs as well as business, tech, the film and music industries and plenty in between. He’s also spent time behind the scenes in television production, having written everything from voiceover scripts for documentaries to marketing copy. He has a degree in Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University).
Let’s take a look at how many films were released with their collaboration.
Filmmaking is a collaborative art wherein hundreds of people come together to create magic on screen. Naturally, nobody can deny the power of great collaborations. One such collaboration that has given many hits in the film industry is that of Chiranjeevi and Kodi Ramakrishna. Actor Chiranjeevi’s combination with director Kodi Ramakrishna has a good craze in the Telugu film industry. Let’s take a look at how many films were released with their collaboration and also see how many of those films were successful at the box office.
Chiranjeevi and director Kodi Ramakrishna worked on six films in total. Intlo Ramayya Veedhilo Krishnayya was their first film, which was released in 1982, and it turned out to be a blockbuster at the box office. JV Raghavulu’s music was a major asset of this film.
Aalaya Sikharam was the second film in Chiranjeevi and director Kodi Ramakrishna’s combination. The film did fairly well at the box office when it was released in 1983. Chellapilla Satyam composed music for the venture.
Chiranjeevi and director Kodi Ramakrishna’s third film was Gudachari No.1, which was released in 1983. This movie registered a good footfall at the ticket counters. K Chakravarthy’s music created a separate fan base for the film.
The 1983 film Simhapuri Simham was the fourth film in which Kodi Ramakrishna directed the ace actor. The film was a flop at the box office. JV Raghavulu had given music for this film.
The next film from the powerful combination of Chiranjeevi and Kodi Ramakrishna was released 12 years later in 1995. It was titled Rikshavodu. The film was a disaster at the box office. The music composed by Raj–Koti became a big hit.
Anji, the Telugu-language 2004 film, was the sixth film from the collaboration of Chiranjeevi and director Kodi Ramakrishna. The film was a flop at the box office. The film was produced by Shyam Prasad Reddy under the banner of MS Art Movies. Mani Sharma gave the music for the film.
In total, out of six films of Chiranjeevi and director Kodi Ramakrishna’s combination, three were successful and three were flops. It must be noted here that Ramakrishna was also an actor, and in the two films mentioned above, Simhapuri Simham and Rikshavodu, he and Chiranjeevi played dual roles as father and son.
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Let's take a look at how many
Italian sales company True Colours has closed a raft of sales following Berlin’s European Film Market. Italy’s box office hit “La Stranezza” (“Strangeness”) got picked up for a dozen territories and queer romantic drama “Norwegian Dream” also sold widely, including to North America.
Directed by Roberto Andò, “Strangeness” (pictured) toplines Toni Servillo (“The Great Beauty”) as Nobel-prize-winning playwright Luigi Pirandello. This tragicomic period piece about how Pirandello found inspiration to write his masterpiece “Six Characters in Search of an Author” has been a sleeper hit at the Italian box office, coming from nowhere to pull more than €5.5 million ($5.8 million) and becoming the local 2022 box office champ.
Now “Strangeness,” which is produced by Bibi Film and Tramp Limited with RAI Cinema and Medusa, will be playing in: Spain (Alfa Pictures); Poland (Aurora Film); Portugal (Il Sorpasso); Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay (Zeta Film); former Yugoslavia (Stars Media); Taiwan (AV-Jet); Bulgaria (Beta Pictures) and Australia – New Zealand (Palace Films).
True Colours head of sales Giulia Casavecchia has also closed multiple deals on “Norwegian Dream,” which is Norwegian-Polish director Leiv Igor Devold’s feature debut. The LGBTQ drama has been sold for U.S. and Canada to Uncork’d Entertainment and Dark Star Pictures who will jointly handle its joint distribution, and also to Peccadillo Pictures for the U.K., and TLA for France, while Edition Salzgeber was already on board for German Speaking territories.
“Norwegian Dream,” which is about a 19-year-old Polish immigrant working in a fish factory in Norway who begins to develop feelings for a Norwegian co-worker who is confident in his own sexuality in a way that he is not, recently opened Norway’s Kosmorama fest and will soon be in Norwegian theaters via Storytelling Media.
Additionally, among other EFM deals, True Colours has secured a new distributor on Mario Martone’s Cannes 2022 competition title “Nostalgia” which will be going out via Another World for Denmark and Norway. “Nostalgia,” which recently played really well in France, has now been sold to 40 territories, including to Breaking Glass Pictures for North America.
Prominent Middle East distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment has acquired MENA rights to “Prophets” to ISIS-themed drama “Prophets” by Alessio Cremonini (“On My Skin”) which toplines Italian A-lister Jasmine Trinca (“Fortunata”) as Sara, an Italian journalist kidnapped in Syria by ISIS while working on a wartime news report in 2015.
Italian sales company True Colours has closed
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Batman: Caped Crusader reportedly found a new home after HBO Max opted to abandon the series being worked on by three top creatives.
DC will soon have two live-action Dark Knights on the go at once across Matt Reeves‘ The Batman franchise and James Gunn’s new Brave and the Bold movie. But that hasn’t stopped Warner Bros. Discovery from setting the course for a third new Bruce Wayne in the Batman: Caped Crusader animated series.
Although HBO Max opted not to move ahead with the project, Caped Crusader was revealed last August to be searching elsewhere for a new streaming home. This comes as Netflix just recently picked up Dead Boy Detectives, a series once set for HBO Max but was abandoned due to its conflicts with Gunn’s DCU plans.
According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), Batman: Caped Crusader seemingly found a new home at Amazon as the streaming giant picked up the DC animated series with a two-season order.
The news follows HBO Max’s decision to scrap Caped Crusader last August in a cost-cutting move, following which the project was shopped to other streamers including Netflix, Apple, and even the Disney-owned Hulu.
Caped Crusader previously received a straight-to-series order at HBO Max a year and a half prior to the streamer’s abandonment of the Batman series.
The Batman director Matt Reeves and Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams will serve as executive producers while Bruce Timm takes the lead as showrunner, just as he once did on Batman: The Animated Series.
Abrams and Reeves opened up on Caped Crusader in a joint statement at the time of the announcement, revealing their excitement for the series which will be “thrilling, cinematic and evocative of Batman’s noir roots:”
“We are beyond excited to be working together to bring this character back, to tell engrossing new stories in Gotham City. The series will be thrilling, cinematic and evocative of Batman’s noir roots, while diving deeper into the psychology of these iconic characters. We cannot wait to share this new world.”
Veteran comic writer Ed Brubaker was announced as Caped Crusader‘s head writer in January 2022 with the show set for a 10-episode first season. The writer is best known as the creator of Marvel’s Winter Soldier but also worked on some Batman-related books in the early 2000s as some of his first major ventures.
THR clarified that all parties involved refused to comment as the formal deals have not yet been closed at this time.
Batman: Caped Crusader pushing ahead with a two-season order seems to offer hope for both the quality and future of the series. The news indicates this was not just a project that was too far along to cancel when James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC in November 2022, but actually something special.
That should come as no surprise given the talent involved. After all, Matt Reeves is already being left to push ahead with The Batman universe as one of DC Studios’ few Elseworlds projects while Bruce Timm’s Batman: The Animated Series is regarded by many as the benchmark for a quality adaptation of the Dark Knight.
As almost two years have now passed since Caped Crusader was first announced, one can only imagine the first season is quite far along in development. While a 2023 release is somewhat unlikely at this point, the Batman animated series coming to Amazon in 2024 could be a very real possibility.
Unfortunately, Caped Crusader likely won’t bring back any of the Batman: The Animated Series cast after Bruce Wayne actor Kevin Conroy passed away in November 2022 and Joker actor Mark Hamill indicated he won’t play the role again as without Conroy “there doesn’t seem to be a Batman for [him].”
Batman: Caped Crusader has yet to set a release window for its premiere on Amazon Prime.
Capcom has dated Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak for PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
During Thursday’s Capcom Spotlight digital event, the publisher confirmed that the Monster Hunter Rise expansion will be released for Sony and Microsoft systems on April 28, 2023.
In addition, Capcom said it will hold a digital event in April to reveal the next free content coming to the series.
To play the expansion, users are required to own the base Monster Hunter Rise game, which was released for PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in January.
Monster Hunter Rise was originally released for Nintendo Switch in March 2021 before making its way to PC in January 2022.
It is already Capcom’s second-highest selling game of all time, having sold 11.7 million copies as of December 2022. It trails only Monster Hunter World, which was released in 2018 and has sold 18.6 million units.
Capcom said in January that the Sunbreak expansion for Monster Hunter Rise had sold five million copies across Switch and PC.
“The original Monster Hunter Rise is an absolutely fantastic game, so for this expansion to be just more would have been fine, but Sunbreak feels like it earns its price tag and then some,” we wrote in our Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak review.
Capcom has dated Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
The 21st International Forum for Films about Music (May 8-10) will face issues that that no one considered relevant until recently. The music world has suddenly become political again. Artists are rated according to nonartistic criteria; today exile, war and forced migration shape our music life, personally and substantively. That is why this year “The Look of Sound” questions new music films from the past two years about their explicit or implicit political significance.
This focused look will also extend to portraits of musicians who were able to overcome the political or social limitations of their day and age and became pioneers in their field.
The presentation of opera in film has not developed so much politically, but for pandemic-related reasons. A new hybrid form of cinema and the opera stage will find its way into movie theaters in June. Will it find its audience, or even a new audience?
This year “The Look of Sound” targets for the first time an audience interested in these questions and presents a broad spectrum of music genres and themes.
Accreditation is not necessary, all events are open to everyone.
The 21st International Forum for Films about
Florence Pugh has a checklist when choosing roles: they must be intense, and the character must cry…a lot.
“It’s no secret that I only pick very intense roles,” Pugh said during the premiere of Zach Braff’s “A Good Person,” in which she plays an opioid addict grappling with grief following a fatal car accident (via Variety). “This isn’t the first time I’ve been reduced to tears pretty much every single scene that I’ve been in. I like finding the ugliness in humans. I love being raw. I love being given a script where it challenges myself and I have never picked a role unless I’ve been scared of it.”
Pugh added of writer-director Braff, with whom she was romantically involved with for years leading up to the film, “And this is someone that knew me, knew my potential and wanted to work with me. I think it would have been strange if he wrote a Nancy Meyers thing for me to be like, ‘So…you’re not going to cry in this movie.’ I’d be like, ‘Oh God!’”
The “Oppenheimer” actress continued of Braff knowing her darker inclinations onscreen, “I wouldn’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing. I think if anything, it means that he could believe that I could do it.”
Pugh also produced “A Good Person,” which co-stars Morgan Freeman, Molly Shannon, Celeste O’Connor, Zoe Lister-Jones, and Chinaza Uche. The film was shot in Braff’s native New Jersey.
“When we moved to the town, Florence felt like she was in a Nancy Meyers movie,” Braff said, adding that the project was “incredibly emotionally taxing on Florence” due to the intense subject matter.
“I wanted to write something for Florence, and this is kind of what came out of me,” the “Garden State” filmmaker said. “I am in awe of her talent. It’s like if you’re with the most incredible violinist in the world, and you’re going to write him a piece, you’re not going to write something that’s simple. You’re going to write something that is going to take all of them because you know that they can do it.”
While Pugh’s upcoming roles decidedly do not include a Nancy Meyers movie, the rom-com director recently made headlines for Netflix film “Paris Paramount” which reportedly has a budget between $130 and $150 million. Netflix declined to comment on the production, which is set to star Scarlett Johansson, Penélope Cruz, Owen Wilson, and Michael Fassbender. The film marks Meyers’ return to Hollywood since 2015’s “The Intern,” with Meyers confirmed to write, produce, and direct the “semi-autobiographical rom-com,” as described by Puck.
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Playing an opioid-addicted grieving woman is the
Grace Van Dien seemingly has it all. She has a big role in a hit TV series, and is admired for her video gaming skills.
But there’s a darker side to her Hollywood experiences. That’s why she’s choosing to more streaming projects.
During a recent Twitch livestream, the 26-year-old Van Dien confessed that she has had some awful experiences, the worst being an unnamed movie producer who propositioned her for a threesome.
“The fact of the matter is, the last few projects I worked on, I didn’t have the best experiences with some of the people I had to work for,” Van Dien said. “And with streaming, I get to choose who I hang out with, who I talk to, etc., etc.”
She added, “One of the last movies I did, one of the producers asked me to — he hired a girl that he was sleeping with, and then he had her ask me to have a threesome with them. So like, that’s my boss. And then I didn’t, and I cried and I was so upset.”
Van Dien plays Chrissy on the fourth season of Stranger Things. She also appeared on such shows as White Famous, The Village, and The Rookie. She is the daughter of Starship Troopers actor Caspar Van Dien and the great-granddaughter of legend Robert Mitchum.
Grace Van Dien seemingly has it all.
Ted Lasso season 3 begins with trepidation that is only natural given how much is at stake, but as the AFC Richmond players find their footing so does the show. Known for its unrelenting positivity in a television landscape full of the dark and gritty, season 3 of Ted Lasso mines the less enthusiastic moods that can overcome even the biggest optimist. It’s undoubtedly fitting at a time when Ted himself is still grappling with the end of his marriage, raising his son from across the Atlantic, and the very real possibility that his team will be relegated again at the end of next year. Ted Lasso season 3 retains its hope and wacky one-liners, sometimes going even wackier than necessary, but it’s also learned to play with nuance.
When season 2 ended, Richmond was finally back as a Premier League team but lost their assistant coach Nate to West Ham in the process. Ted Lasso picks up on the eve of their first match of the football season, and no one seems to be feeling that loss more than Ted himself. The season 3 premiere opens with a more somber Coach Lasso, though he tries to mask his hesitation for the sake of his son and colleagues. Masking in, in fact, what several characters are doing in their respective storylines — which contributes to an overarching theme that happiness is not guaranteed regardless of how far success has taken one thus far.
Thankfully, one set of Ted Lasso characters who are high on life in spite of circumstances are the players themselves. Unlike earlier seasons, where one football player or another would receive a special spotlight for the audience to better understand them, season 3 sees them gelling more as a team and reaching an “us against the world” mentality that’s refreshing. Of course, this does not change the fact that a new player does join the team. Zava, played by Maximilian Osinski, is a superstar who leaves many bewildered but all in awe — and yet his presence serves more as a centrifuge that sets every character around him spinning. Some of the sillier gags include his character and others’ reaction to him, but the show is careful to pull itself back from the edge most of the time.
The internal journeys of the coaches and owner of AFC Richmond seem to be the main focus of Ted Lasso as the season kicks off, especially as Rebecca’s renewed determination to defeat her ex-husband Rupert and his West Ham team clash with Ted’s unusual passivity. They’re not the only ones experiencing minor crises, as newly-minted Coach Roy Kent is going through his own bout of self-doubt. His problems are only compounded by the current status of his relationship with Keeley, whose problems at her start-up PR firm start to overwhelm her in turn.
Once again, there is a bright side to all the insecurity popping up in Ted Lasso season 3. Keeley and Rebecca are given the chance to lean on each other more than ever before, making their fabulous friendship one of the highlights of the first few episodes (which were provided for review). Each woman lends the other strength, and the lack of petty squabbles between them is a primary argument for why conflict doesn’t always mean quality content. Romance takes a back seat in season 3 (except for one surprise ship that is sure to delight viewers), but the value of platonic friendships has never been better displayed.
As for the villain in everyone’s mind and the character audiences love to hate, Ted Lasso wisely continues its high-wire balancing act with Nate the Great. Just when it seems like he’s a man with no remorse and no redemption in sight, a twist comes out of left field to even the score. The best part is that his arc is perfectly in character with what was shown in season 2, but also further expands on why his previous heel turn was so galling.
Ted Lasso may not be in the business of delivering as much joy to as many people as possible this season, but it very much seeks to deliver enlightenment. Whether or not it succeeds will be decided once the (supposedly final) episode has aired, but for now the game it’s playing is well worth the price of admission.
Ted Lasso season 3 premieres March 15 on Apple TV+, with new episodes released each Wednesday.
Ted Lasso season 3 begins with trepidation
The Fabelmans, The Banshees of Inisherin, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On and Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical were among the big film winners Thursday at the Casting Society’s 38th annual Artios Awards.
The casting pros behind Abbott Elementary, Succession, Hacks and Yellowjackets took home some of the prime TV hardware at the triad of Artios ceremonies held in Los Angeles, New York and London. Winners from live theater included Take Me Out and Company. The full list of honorees for excellence in casting across features, television and live theater is below.
Rita Moreno (FilmMagic)
Rita Moreno was among the special honorees at the 2023 Artios Awards. The EGOT winner whose career has spanned more than 70 years — from Singin’ in the Rain and The King and I through The Electric Company and both West Side Story films — was presented with the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement by her 80 for Brady co-star Glynn Turman. Oscar winner Olivia Spencer presented the Hoyt Bowers Award for excellence in casting and outstanding contribution to the casting profession to Leslee Feldman, Head of Casting at Amblin Partners. See the full list of special honorees below.
“This evening was fantastic — from New York to London to Los Angeles, celebrating our peers and recognizing their hard work and masterfulness in their craft across film, television and theater,” Casting Society President Destiny Lilly said in a statement. “We are continuing to see changes and advancements in the industry to recognize our craft and tonight’s celebration fortifies our commitment and urge to move our mission forward. And we couldn’t do it without actors. They are our craft.”
Yvette Nicole Brown hosted the L.A. ceremony at the Beverly Hilton, Amber Ruffin fronted the New York event at the Edison Ballroom, and Gordon Griffin emceed the London gathering at the Union Club. They marked the Casting Society’s first in-person celebrations in three years.
Here are the winners at the Casting Society’s 38th annual Artios Awards, including all of the special honorees:
ANIMATION
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Jessica Kelly, Kate Geller (Associate Casting Director)
BIG BUDGET – COMEDY
Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical
Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann
BIG BUDGET – DRAMA
The Fabelmans
Cindy Tolan, Nicholas Petrovich (Associate Casting Director)
LOW BUDGET – COMEDY OR DRAMA
Emily the Criminal
Chelsea Ellis Bloch, Marisol Roncali
MICRO BUDGET – COMEDY OR DRAMA
The Same Storm
Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Adam Caldwell, Karyn Casl (Associate Casting Director)
STUDIO OR INDEPENDENT – COMEDY
Catherine Called Birdy
Nina Gold, Catriona Dickie
STUDIO OR INDEPENDENT – DRAMA
The Banshees of Inisherin
Louise Kiely
THE ZEITGEIST AWARD
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Sarah Halley Finn, Djinous Rowling (Associate Casting Director)
FILM, NON-THEATRICAL RELEASE
The Harder They Fall
Victoria Thomas, Jo Edna Boldin (Location Casting), Marie K. McMaster (Associate Casting Director)
TELEVISION PILOT AND FIRST SEASON – COMEDY
Abbott Elementary
Wendy O’Brien
TELEVISION PILOT AND FIRST SEASON – DRAMA
Yellowjackets
Junie Lowry Johnson, Libby Goldstein, Corinne Clark (Location Casting), Jennifer Page (Location Casting), Josh Ropiequet (Associate Casting Director)
TELEVISION SERIES COMEDY
Hacks
Jeanne McCarthy, Nicole Abellera Hallman, Anna Mayworm (Associate Casting Director)
TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Succession
Avy Kaufman, Lilia Hartmann Trapani (Location Casting), Harrison Nesbit (Associate Casting Director)
LIVE TELEVISION PERFORMANCE VARIETY OR SKETCH – COMEDY, DRAMA or MUSICAL
Annie Live!
Bernard Telsey, Patrick Goodwin
LIMITED SERIES
Dopesick
Avy Kaufman, Erica Arvold (Location Casting), Scotty Anderson (Associate Casting Director), Dustin Presley (Associate Casting Director)
CHILDREN’S PILOT AND SERIES (LIVE ACTION)
The Babysitters Club
Danielle Aufiero, Amber Horn, Tiffany Mak (Location Casting), Leigh Ann Smith (Associate Casting Director)
ANIMATED SERIES
Big Mouth
Julie Ashton
REALITY SERIES
Rupaul’s Drag Race
Goloka Bolte, Ethan Petersen
SHORT FILM
The F Word
Rachel Reiss
SHORT FORM SERIES
State of the Union
Kathleen Chopin, John Ort
NEW YORK BROADWAY THEATER – COMEDY OR DRAMA
Take Me Out
Jim Carnahan, Jason Thinger (Associate Casting Director)
NEW YORK BROADWAY THEATER – MUSICAL
Company
Cindy Tolan, Nicholas Petrovich
NEW YORK THEATER – COMEDY OR DRAMA
(Tie)
Fairycakes
Adam Caldwell, Destiny Lilly, Charlie Hano (Associate Casting Director)
Wish You Were Here
Karyn Casl
NEW YORK THEATER – MUSICAL
Trevor
Tara Rubin, Merri Sugarman
REGIONAL THEATER
School Girls: Or The African Mean Girls Play
Lauren Port, Rachael Jimenez (Associate Casting Director)
LOS ANGELES THEATER
A Christmas Carol
Jim Carnahan, Jillian Cimini, Jason Thinger (Associate Casting Director)
SPECIAL THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE
The Life
Destiny Lilly, Charlie Hano (Associate Casting Director)
THEATER TOURS
Six The Musical
Tara Rubin, Peter Van Dam, Kevin Metzger-Timson (Associate Casting Director)
LYNN STALMASTER AWARD FOR CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
Rita Moreno
HOYT BOWERS AWARD
Leslee Feldman
MARION DOUGHERTY NEW YORK APPLE AWARD
Black Theatre United
ROSALIE JOSEPH HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Jessica Sherman
EUROPEAN CAPELIER-SHAW AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN CASTING
Simone Bär (posthumuously)
ASSOCIATED CASTING DIRECTOR/UNSCRIPTED CASTING PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT AWARD
Joy Gordo (Los Angeles)
Jenn Noyes (New York)
Martin Ware (London)
CREATIVE COLLABORATION AWARD
United Agents
The Fabelmans, The Banshees of Inisherin, Marcel
SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2023 REVIEW! The Palestinian perspective is admittedly a new point of view for me. The little that I do hear in the media is usually skewed towards a negative representation of their culture. The cinematic arts is a way for us to walk in other’s shoes, so seeing things in a different light is refreshing, especially since Hollywood recycles the same stories and concepts over and over again.
Writer/director Firas Khoury’s Arab feature debut film, Alam (which translates to “flag”), is about a typical seventeen-year-old boy named Tamer (Mahmood Bakri). He loves video games, smoking pot, and just taking it easy until he meets the strikingly stunning Maysaá (Sereen Khass). He decides to join a mission with their radical friend Safwat (Muhammad Abed Elrahman) to raise the Palestinian flag on Israel’s Independence Day, which is also a day of mourning for Palestinians called Al Nakba. It’s significant because that is the day Palestinian residents were forced to leave their homelands.
Safwat is quite vocal in their classroom and outside of it about how Israelis have rewritten Palestinian history to paint themselves in a brighter light. Tamer has stayed away from politics up to this point in his life because his Uncle Naji (Saleh Bakri) was tortured and imprisoned for his revolutionary activities. Tamer’s father (Amer Hlehel) is always telling his son to stay away from the trouble that political rallies and actions can lead to.
“…decides to join a mission…to raise the Palestinian flag on Israel’s Independence Day…”
Alam does involve a healthy dose of politics, but there is also a lot of human, down to Earth moments as well. There are scenes of Tamer just being a typical teenager and hanging out with friends (which we never see in the media here). There’s a moment where Maysaá sings a beautiful song to Tamer. My favorite moment is at a wedding where we get to see the celebration of Palestinian culture in such a gorgeous (and newfound to me) light.
The performances are all top-notch. The main trio of Mahmood Bakri, Sereen Khass, and Muhammad Abed Elrahman all shine, but in different ways. Bakri and Khass share a nice chemistry, which is essential to believe that Tamer would risk his laid-back way of life for Maysaá.
The cinematography by Frida Marzouk is excellent, with many great wide shots as opposed to close-ups. Of course, things do not go as planned on the teen’s flag mission, but the filmmaker injects some comedic moments to lighten the heaviness of what just happened. Striking that kind of balance can be difficult, but Khoury pulls it off. It all adds up to a quite successful debut. Alam is an enjoyable viewing experience, which many films dealing with politics are not. I credit the filmmaker for the humanity that he’s instilled into the picture.
The media and society, in general, love to label groups of people as “the others.” But throughout the world, we have more in common than we realize. It takes films like Alam to see that we’re all in this together.
Alam screened at the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2023 REVIEW!
“If this drought persists, I will have no livelihood and nothing for my family,” Lepaine mourned. “We are praying hard for the rains.”
But a few thousand miles south, communities are facing the opposite problem.
Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which has already caused 21 deaths and displaced thousands of others in Madagascar and Mozambique, is set to make landfall in Mozambique once more on Friday. The nation is already suffering from Freddy’s first battering last month and severe flooding before that.
Meteorologists told The Associated Press the uneven and devastating water distribution across Africa’s east coast states is caused by natural weather systems and exacerbated by human-made climate change with cyclones sucking up water that would otherwise be destined for nations further north.
“The trend has always been two contrasting weather systems,” said Evans Mukolwe, the former head of Kenya’s meteorological department. “Intensified cyclones in the southern Africa region translates into drought on the eastern side including Horn of Africa.”
The current drought in the region began in late 2020, when the region’s short rains season failed. Meteorologists traced the lack of rain to the start of La Nina in late summer of the same year, the natural and cyclical weather event that cools sea surface temperatures in the Pacific, with knock-on effects for the African continent and the rest of the world.
La Nina, together with El Nino and the neutral condition are called ENSO, which stands for El Nino Southern Oscillation. These events have the largest natural effects on climate and can dampen or juice up the effects of human-caused climate change.
“There is a connection between the El Nino Southern Oscillation, rainfall patterns and drought in east and southern Africa,” said climate scientist Marjahn Finlayson. La Nina means east Africa “would be primed for drier conditions while southern Africa would be more primed to experience wetter and more humid conditions.”
When it comes to tropical cyclones, ENSO is a large factor in where they form and end up, said Anne-Claire Fontaine, a scientific officer with the World Meteorological Organization’s tropical cyclone program.
El Nino favors tropical cyclones forming over the central basin of the Indian Ocean that then move toward the south pole, Fontaine said. “Whereas La Nina favors tropical cyclone formation over the eastern to central part of the basin and zonal tracks running westward to south westward” where it slams into southern Africa.
The damaging La Nina was declared over on Thursday by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which meteorologists say might spell better news ahead for the continent.
“It means that we will be entering an ENSO-neutral period until about June or so,” said Finlayson, when El Nino is then expected to take over — potentially zapping the drought.
“End of La Nina means El Nino rains. But this may not happen immediately. For Africa, El Nino rains are normally expected in the short rains seasons which run from October to December,” said Mukolwe.
But there’s still the effect of climate change, which is worsening cyclones and drought by making them longer, more intense and more severe, according to the United Nations’ weather agency. Studies going back to mid-1980s suggest there is a clear link between warmer oceans and the intensity and number of cyclones.
Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather events like floods, cyclones, droughts, wildfires and sandstorms because it has less capacity to prepare for natural disasters, according to a U.N. report. The continent only contributes about 4% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions but suffers disproportionately.
Southern Africa is still in the throes of its cyclone season, with heavy flooding killing dozens, destroying homes and uprooting communities. Since 2019, the region has borne the brunt of 20 cyclones. A scientific analysis of the cyclones in the region last year found that climate change made the tropical storms more damaging and intense.
Meanwhile in the east and Horn of Africa, now in its sixth straight dry season, communities are counting huge losses. Authorities say 11 million livestock and iconic wildlife species have died due to the drought, leaving pastoralist families in abject poverty. Over 6,000 wild animals were lost to drought in Kenya alone by mid-February, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service, including elephants, giraffes and wildebeests.
But Finlayson is cautiously optimistic for the east of the continent in the short to medium term.
“Predictions are that we should expect a strong El Nino that will last from June to August,” she said, which would provide better conditions on Africa’s east coast. “It may be likely that we see those effects in the boreal autumn, but we have to wait and see.”
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Comment on this storyCommentMOMBASA, Kenya — Surrounded
