UPDATED, 3:55 p.m. PT:Pornhub’s Instagram account came back online for a few hours Sunday — but that was a mistake, according to Meta.
On Sunday (Feb. 19), the Pornhub Instagram account, which has 12.9 million followers, appeared to have been reinstated. However, “This was done in error,” a Meta spokesperson told Variety. “As we’ve said previously, we permanently disabled this Instagram account for repeatedly violating our policies.”
A rep for Pornhub provided this statement: “Within hours of reinstating our Instagram account, Meta has demonstrated that its policies have no rhyme or reason when they deactivated our account again, despite not violating any guidelines. This comes at a time of increased censorship and discrimination against performers in the adult space, when platforms like Instagram should be inclusive and provide safe communities for creators to express themselves. Instead, Meta and Instagram’s haphazard and irrational enforcement of their policies place undue hardships on the livelihoods of those in the adult industry, an already marginalized group. We call on Meta to once again reverse its decision.”
Separately, in December 2022 YouTube shut down Pornhub’s YouTube channel, claiming that Pornhub violated the platform’s policy against linking to external websites that host content that isn’t allowed on YouTube itself.
MindGeek, Pornhub’s parent company, has been the target of numerous lawsuits alleging Pornhub has profited by distributing child pornography and nonconsensual sex videos. MindGeek has said the allegations lack merit and that it has “instituted the most comprehensive safeguards in user-generated platform history.”
“Top Gun: Maverick” director Joseph Kosinski continued to celebrate the theatrical success and industry praise for his 2022 star-studded sequel at the Directors Guild Awards on Saturday.
In the week ahead of the ceremony, Tom Cruise attended the Oscars Luncheon on Feb. 13 and was recognized by industry peers for the historical achievement of grossing over $1 billion at a pandemic-impacted box office. At the event, Cruise was praised by Steven Spielberg, who told the star that “‘Top Gun: Maverick’ might have saved the entire theatrical industry.”
Kosinski unpacked his response to hearing Spielberg’s praise in a conversation with Variety at the Directors Guild Awards.
“It absolutely blew my mind. That’s so kind of Steven to say,” the “Maverick” helmer said. “All of us, every director here can look at Steven’s movies and find inspiration or some movie that touched them and made them want to be a director… So to hear that from him, it makes me so proud and so happy for Tom because I know how hard he worked on this movie.”
While Spielberg stated that “Top Gun: Maverick” “saved Hollywood’s ass” and theatrical distribution, Kosinski modestly retreats from making that declaration.
“I could never say that, no, no.” Kosinski explained/ “If we put good stories on the big screen, the audience will come in that’s what I’m trying to do. I know that a lot of people are working hard on telling great stories that have to be seen in theaters. So that’s what we’re all working on.”
“We didn’t think award. We didn’t think about box office. All [the entire crew] thought about was just telling the best version of the story we had. And this has been a wonderful surprise for all of us,” Kosinski added. “Nothing makes me happier than having people come up to me and say they saw it in the theater… They took their grandpa, they took their grandkids, they took their brother and they had a wonderful time. That is what makes me so happy. That’s why we made it.”
As for the possibility of a third “Top Gun,” Kosinski says “It’s just a faint idea at this point… It’s a conversation that you know, hopefully someday happens between Jerry, Tom and myself.”
“Top Gun: Maverick” stars Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Ed Harris and Val Kilmer. In addition to Kosinski’s DGA nomination, the sequel has been nominated for six Academy Awards.
The International ANDY Awards is the first awards show of the season, and as such, it often predicts what campaigns may come out on top in the rest of the awards shows. To prove that point, the Advertising Club of New York strapped a select group of top creatives to a lie detector test to have them truthfully state the importance of the awards and maybe trip them up along the way as well.
The “Lie Detector Film” is the campaign film for the ANDYs and in partnership with R/GA, seven top industry creative leaders submitted to the lie detector test to emphasize the importance of the awards, sweating out their answers while tied to a machine. The film and stunt were done ahead of the March 1 closing date for entry.
In the nearly three-minute film, the creatives are hooked up to a lie detector and asked questions around the ANDYs regarding their agency’s work and the submission process. In the hot seat were: Susan Fowler Credle, global chair, global CCO, FCB; Bianca Guimaraes, partner and ecd, Mischief; Chris Beresford-Hill, NA president and CCO, Oglivy; Tom Murphy, CCO NA, Wunderman Thompson; PJ Pereira; CCO and co-founder, Pereira O’Dell; Jaime Robinson, co-founder and CCO, Joan Creative; and Tiffany Rolfe, global CCO, R/GA.
There were a few softball questions, including: “If you win at the ANDYs, do you expect that work to win at other shows?” and “Ever told a client their idea was good when you didn’t really think so?” Others definitely threw up red flags, like baiting questions, including “You’re Ogilvy’s CCO. Have you actually read any of David Ogilvy’s books?” and “Have you ever tried to schmooze someone judging your work?”
The faces on the creatives as the questions were asked told plenty and elicited a lot of laughter, but all apparently knew what they were getting into, with Beresford-Hill even commenting, “Who would say no to a lie detector?”
The tests were administered at a studio in Brooklyn by certified forensic psychophysiologist Jessica Freda and moderated by R/GA ecd, Chapin Clark.
The film ends with relieved creatives as well as a few truths, especially that 90% of ANDY winners go on to win at other major shows and the promise of “win at the ANDYs and at least one other major, or next year’s entry is on us.”
This year’s awards show tagline extends the theme of the video, “Win early, it pays off.”
“We want the community to appreciate the significance of the ANDY Awards and what it means in the award show landscape,” said Gina Grillo, president and CEO of The Advertising Club of NY + International ANDY Awards in a statement. “Our goal continues to be to recognize excellence in the work and highlight the people doing the best work.”
In November 2022, the Ad Club partnered with R/GA as Rolfe became the global jury chair of the ANDY Awards. In addition, R/GA CEO Bob Greenberg’s Inspiration Series interview was released, which was created and produced by Rick Boyko, former chief creative officer, Ogilvy North America and former director of the VCU Brandcenter in partnership with the Club/ International ANDY Awards.
“Winning at the ANDYs is something all creatives aspire to in their careers,” said Rolfe in a statement. “And this film, amusement and all, is meant to showcase that the ANDYs is where the best ideas are surfaced by the biggest creative leaders in our industry. ANDYs is a predictor for what’s to come in the awards season. And that’s no lie.”
The creatives seemed to have fun with the process, and all were truthful in saying that the ANDY Awards lead to more awards.
“I love the ANDY Awards—one jury looks at everything, and there’s only one level of award, which is gold,” Beresford-Hill told Adweek. “I said this while plugged into the lie detector test, and it was shown to be truthful, but I guess it did not make for good video content, so now I will just say it as a quote”
‘Choked’, the title of Anurag Kashyap’s new film, works on two levels. It is both the state of a drainage pipe in a residential building that becomes the source of unexpected wealth, and it is also the momentary condition that comes over the film’s protagonist at a crucial point in her promising career that derails the rest of her life.
Kashyap has called ‘Choked’ the warmest film he’s made yet, and while it may be a stretch to use the word ‘warm’ to describe a movie about the corrupting power of ill-gotten money, it may well be among his least cynical films.
Not that you can tell straight away. Sarita (Saiyami Kher) is a middle-class Maharashtrian woman stuck in a joyless job as a cashier at a local bank, who returns home everyday to an unemployed husband, a young son, and a houseful of chores. She’s at her wit’s end with Sushant (Roshan Mathew), who was a struggling musician once; now he can’t hold a job, he just bums around doing nothing. On top of that his creditors won’t stop calling her.
Kashyap stages their domestic disharmony in a modest rented flat within the sort of suburban housing society that is a microcosm of Mumbai. Neighbors walk in and out of each other’s homes seeking help for all manner of struggles, to exchange gossip about other residents, or simply to check what’s cooking. Amruta Subhash is terrific as ‘Tai’, a nosy divorcee in the flat downstairs overwhelmed by all the arrangements for her daughter’s wedding. This is an authentic world, and Kashyap populates it with characters one can recognize and creates scenarios that feel familiar. In one crackling scene, Sarita and Sushant, laying in bed at night, their son asleep between them, break into an argument but in whispers. Within moments it escalates into a high-decibel exchange, both parents badgering the child to take their side.
But Kashyap isn’t making his version of “Marriage Story”. Or maybe he is…but with a twist. When Sarita discovers bundles of cash thrown up by a leaking drain in the kitchen one night, it becomes a test of her character, and it tests her marriage. Should she tell Sushant? Should she clear his debts with the money? Should she look for more where that came from? Should she find out who the money belongs to?
The script, by Nihit Bhave, packs some winning moments. Like Sarita thinking on her feet to protect her kitchen and the secret it holds when Tai’s wedding guests must be accommodated in her home. The makers throw a curveball in the form of 2016’s Demonetization and the phasing out of existing currency notes.From here the film takes the shape of a suspense thriller, but it also becomes convoluted and frequently confusing.
It’s clear that Kashyap and Bhave are interested in exploring the ethical and moral questions around keeping what doesn’t belong to you, and the greed that it breeds. But it leads to a weak third act that the film never fully recovers from despite the unpredictable ending. Also flashbacks to the moment from the past that she blames for her sad and ordinary life are repetitive and loosen the grip of an otherwise compelling story.
‘Choked’ has an intriguing premise at its heart but in raising the stakes the makers burden an intimate story of a strained marriage with a load it can’t carry. Saiyami Kher transforms convincingly into the caustic, impatient Sarita, and although there are moments that the rawness shows, she does the bulk of the heavy lifting in the film. Roshan Mathew has a charming presence that serves the character of Sushant well; it’s easy to see why Sarita fell for him all those years ago. Sushant has an integrity about him despite basically being a slacker, and Roshan brings out his complexities effectively.
The film is certainly a change of pace for Kashyap who is far away from the badlands of Wasseypur here. In its little moments of unexpected humor, crackling dialogues, and the overall authenticity of the world created, it still bears some of his stamp. What it needed was a sharper, more focused script.
I’m going with two-and-a-half out of five for ‘Choked’. It’s a minor entry in Kashyap’s varied filmography.
Rajeev Masand is the Entertainment Editor of CNN-IBN. An avid film buff, and critic, Masand also hosts the popular To Catch a Star on CNN-IBN. …Read More
One of the leading stars from the MCU‘s WandaVision celebrated her pregnancy with some exciting Avengers-themed merchandise.
Teyonah Parris is about to have a huge year with her MCU character, bringing Monica Rambeau back to the forefront with her first major Marvel movie appearance in November’s The Marvels.
Even though her MCU sequel was delayed until the end of the year, she also has another project set for July with a role in They Cloned Tyrone, as she teams up with Star Wars sequel trilogy star John Boyega.
And by the time that new entry arrives, she’ll have one more huge responsibility on her plate as well, which she recently celebrated on social media.
WandaVision Star Celebrates Pregnancy
Marvel
WandaVision star Teyonah Parris took to Instagram to share an update on her pregnancy with a new video of her progress.
In the video, Parris is all smiles as she wears a shirt with the Marvel branding on it, one which reads “growing an Avenger” over her stomach.
Instagram
The shirt sports logos for Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk, and Thor as Parris flashes a happy smile, looking forward to meeting the new addition to her family.
Marvel fans have gotten to celebrate a number of heartwarming life moments for the MCU’s biggest names over the last couple of years, including pregnancies for both Scarlett Johanson and Zawe Ashton.
Parris now joins that group with her first child on the way delighting Marvel devotees with her reference to the franchise dressing up her baby bump.
Based on the timing of her previous announcement, Parris is moving along well with her pregnancy with this update coming about five months after her initial post revealing the news.
The WandaVision star should be getting close to starting her journey as a mother, marking one of the most special moments in her life as she embraces a new job taking care of her first child.
Add this to her upcoming work in and out of the Marvel universe, and Parris has plenty to look forward to in the coming months.
A new report came to light that indicated Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom star Jason Momoa plans on leaving the titular hero behind due to the subpar quality of the upcoming sequel.
The upcoming sequel also has the unfortunate spot of being the very last film in the DCU continuity Momoa started out in. For many, it makes Lost Kingdomthat much harder to be excited for.
The Future of Jason Momoa in the DCU
DC
Thanks to reliable insider Jeff Sneider, fans have word on Jason Momoa’s future in the DCU.
According to him, he heard Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is “terrible” and that “Momoa is gonna be Lobo going forward.”
“I hear it’s terrible and that’s why Momoa is gonna be Lobo going forward. But they can’t say that yet because then it would be a lame duck… and DC is hoping to wring another billion out of the box office. First one was awful too, so not a huge surprise.”
For those who don’t know the character of Lobo, he’s a cosmic mercenary and bounty hunter who tends to rub some heroes the wrong way.
It does seem like Momoa knows his next step with Warner Bros., and it doesn’t involve his fish-loving hero.
Given the actor’s love of Lobo, it would not be surprising if the actor took this opportunity, alongside a soft reboot of the DCU, to bring Lobo to life—a character he’s wanted to portray for a long while.
Earlier this year, ahead of all the new DCU announcements, the star made a cryptic post that teased he had gotten “great news with Warner Bros.” while specifically thanking new DC Studios leads James Gunn and Peter Safran.
But fans weren’t sure if he was teasing Aquaman 3 or his dream role of Lobo, a big anti-hero in DC Comics.
Sadly, fans will almost certainly have to wait until the upcoming DCU sequel is out before any announcements are made about both the character and Momoa’s future.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hits theaters on December 25, later this year.
It’s hard to overstate the impact of Dwayne McDuffie on the DC Universe. He wrote and produced iconic animated series like Justice League Unlimited, created beloved characters like Static, co-founded the creation of Milestone Media, and wrote countless comics for countless characters which earned him a total of three Eisner nominations through his career. With a legacy like that, it’s pretty difficult to zero in on just one thing to read—and rest assured, you could pretty much throw a dart at McDuffie’s bibliography and come up with some excellent stories—but I’m here today to talk about one of my favorites. It’s called Batman: Blink, and though you can find it collected as a trade now, it was originally published in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #156-158 and #164-167.
The Premise:
Blink is a good ol’ fashioned detective story for Batman and Gordon, featuring a mysterious serial killer stalking the streets of Gotham. Bruce is working alongside the GCPD to try and put the pieces together when something strange happens—a blind man by the name of Lee Hyland arrives at one of the murder scenes one day and inadvertently makes himself a suspect.
But naturally, there’s more to it than just dumb luck or fateful accidents. It turns out Hyland has a remarkable ability to see through the eyes of the people he touches. It doesn’t last forever—just a few hours, maybe a day. But it ultimately allows him a window into their lives. Of course, this is Gotham, so Hyland’s been using his gift to scam people until he winds up using it on the wrong person and witnesses a murder. That’s how and why he arrived on the scene, but now he has to convince Batman and Gordon he’s not guilty and help lead them to the real killer.
The Talent:
We already talked about McDuffie’s legacy, so it won’t surprise you to know that this book is fantastically written, but McDuffie’s scripts are elevated by the lines and color of a phenomenal writing and coloring team. Val Semeiks, Dan Green and James Sinclair join forces across the issues. Their work brings a bright, graphic look to the grit and grime of an otherwise noir story. This book looks and feels like pure, early-aughts Batman—and we mean that in the best way possible. Also, Brain Stelfreeze provided the covers for the issues, so make sure you don’t miss out on them.
A Few Reasons to Read:
If you like Batman as the World’s Greatest Detective, look no further. This is your quintessential Batman mystery, with interesting twists, a (mostly) grounded flavor, and plenty of moments that will keep you guessing to the very end. It also introduces a handful of brand new, very colorful characters to populate the story. They may not be major players like the Joker or Catwoman, but they’re certainly memorable!
McDuffie’s work on animated TV shows earns a lot of well-deserved praise, but this story drives home his skill as a writer in a brand new way. If you only know him from things like Static Shock or Justice League Unlimited, this is the perfect stepping stone to bridge the gap.
Looking for a Batman story that requires absolutely no catching up? Look no further! This Weekend Escape is exactly that—you don’t have to be caught up on any current storylines and it requires no prior knowledge of any sort of continuity. You can start from absolute zero and still enjoy every page.
Have you already read and memorized other classic Batman mysteries like Hush or The Long Halloween and now want something that will offer up the same pulp-y true crime vibes? Give Blink a shot!
Why We Think You’ll Love It:
There really is nothing better than a good Batman murder mystery and this one’s got everything anyone could ask for: grisly murders, hard-boiled detective action, plenty of weird and wonderful surprises that only a city like Gotham can deliver, all wrapped up in a punchy, easily digestible shell. Blink is a Batman book for everyone, from brand new readers who have maybe only seen the animated TV shows or watched a movie or two, to long time veterans who are looking to fill in the gaps in their knowledge. It’s the very definition of a Weekend Escape—perfect for a quiet Saturday or Sunday evening at home.
Mason Downey writes about comics, movies, TV and the history of superheroes for DC.com. Look for more of his writing on IGN, GameSpot and Polygon, and follow him on Twitter at @rustypolished.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Mason Downey and do not necessarily reflect those of DC Entertainment or Warner Bros.
Political assassinations, war, espionage, royal scandals, teen angst and magic: new German series are setting the bar ever higher in terms of challenging and risky subject matter.
The Berlinale Series Market’s Up Next: Germany showcase on Monday presented four forthcoming series projects that look set to entice international buyers:
Sperl Film’s political drama “Herrhausen – Lord of the Money,” about Deutsche Bank Chairman Alfred Herrhausen, whose mysterious assassination remains one of Germany’s most infamous unsolved murders;
Studio Zentral’s “Feelings,” a coming-of-age mystery tale that boasts an innovative multi-platform distribution strategy;
Contrast Film and Letterbox Filmproduktion’s German-Swiss co-production “Davos,” a spy-thriller set in the Alpine resort town during World War I;
and Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion’s “Juan Carlos,” an investigative documentary about the disgraced former Spanish monarch.
Presenting “Herrhausen,” creator Christer von Lindequist and actor Oliver Masucci discussed the impact of the 1989 assassination, which continues to reverberate in Germany. It was also the subject of Andres Veiel’s acclaimed 2001 documentary “Black Box BRD.”
“If you were born in the ’70s like me I think you remember where you were when this happened because it was a big event,” said von Lindequist. “It happened right after the fall of the Wall.”
Particularly as a native of Frankfurt, Lindequist said the mystery of Herrhausen’s death had always intrigued him. The former Deutsche Bank chairman was on his way to the city when he was killed near his home in nearby Bad Homburg by a roadside explosion that pierced his armored Mercedez-Benz.
Set against the backdrop of fall of the Berlin Wall, shifting geo-political alliances, the closing of the East-West divide and Herrhausen’s controversial support for debt relief for developing countries that pitted him against many Western bank executives, the series is particularly relevant today, von Lindequist noted.
“Herrhausen” is produced by Gabriela Sperl’s Sperl Film in cooperation with X Filme and in co-produciton with ARD Degeto, RBB, SWR, HR, Belgium’s Beside Productions and Avriofilms in Greece.
In “Feelings,” presented by head writer Riccarda Scheemann, director Clara Zoë My-Linh von Arnim and producer Christine Hartmann, a teenage girl moves with her father to a small village near the woods. As she struggles to adjust to her new life and make new friends, she feels the pull of the mysterious woods.
In creating the story, Scheemann said she sought “to find a dramatic expression” for feelings she herself experienced as a teenager, of not fitting in, “being different, being a freak. I think a lot of young people can relate to this feeling.
“With this story, I really wanted to dive into this emotional state.” At the same time, Scheemann sought to “make this connection between teenage emotion and magic.”
The magical story is also a message to young people who are having similar emotions that they are not alone, “and that there might be some magic in what you are experiencing.”
“Feelings” is produced by Studio Zentral, a Berlin-based division of ZDF Studios’ Network Movie, for ZDF.
Traveling back to the Great War in 1917, “Davos” follows a desperate nurse who is trying to find her child in the midst of a relentless spy war between the world powers raging in neutral Switzerland.
Producers Ivan Madeo of Contrast Film and Lisa Arndt of Letterbox joined creator and head writer Adrian Illien to discuss the project.
At the height of the war, Davos hosted high-ranking members and political elites of all the warring parties who were suffering from tuberculosis. Brits, Germans, Russians and Italians ended up neighbors as they recovered in the town’s famed sanitorium, resulting in high tensions and an ideal setting for espionage activities.
The series, which stars Dominique Devenport (“Sisi”), Jeanette Hain and David Kross (“A Stasi Comedy”), is co-produced by Amalia Film, Swiss public broadcaster SRF and ARD Degeto.
Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion/Picture Alliance/Associated Press/Daniel Ochoa de Olza
Daniel Ochoa de Olza
Set to further shake Spain’s battered royal establishment, “Juan Carlos,” from documentary production powerhouse Gebrueder Beetz, promises a look at “the dark side of the Spanish crown” with its uncompromising examination of the former king, who was celebrated for helping to reform the country in the immediate post-Franco years until scandals and allegations surrounding his financial arrangements led to his abdication in 2014.
The four-part documentary offers perspectives of Juan Carlos’ close friends and confidants, palace insiders, former intelligence officials and critics, shedding new light on his personal life and the affairs, allegations of corruption and alleged abuse of power, leading up to and including the events and circumstances of his abdication.
Underscoring the danger the filmmakers faced in taking on the project, producer Christian Beetz recounted his first trip to Madrid to speak to journalists about the planned documentary. While there, he received threatening phone calls from lawyers who warned against producing the project. The company’s website was later hacked and his team was forced to change to a more secure email system.
Director Anne von Petersdorff noted that the Spanish crown may no longer have “explicit power,” but it does have “implicit power,” adding that the project was indeed “quite challenging.”
Indeed, Christian Asanger, VP of entertainment at Sky Germany, which is co-producing through Sky Studios, stressed that the investigative documentary was so “very risky” that its legal team had been kept very busy providing vital assistance.
Paul Rudd is recalling his time on Friends and reflecting on how he felt being on the hit sitcom thinking that he shouldn’t be there.
“It was really fun, and they were great! The whole thing was a bit surreal, I must say, to be a part of that, because I came on really at the end,” he said during an appearance on Heart radio.
The star of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania joined the sitcom on a recurring basis in Season 9 playing the role of Mike Hannigan, who eventually ends up marrying Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe Buffay in Season 10.
Rudd also said, “I never knew that I was going to be in as many [episodes] as I was. But it also felt strange. I was in that last episode, and I just thought, ‘I shouldn’t be here. I’m getting a front-row seat to things I’m not supposed to see.’ They were all crying, it was all emotional, and I was just like, ‘Woah!’”
Friends ended its run after 10 seasons on NBC with 236 episodes produced. Rudd returned to the Friends reunion special on HBO Max to recall his time sharing the screen with Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer.
An hour into Sharper, the new A24 thriller that began streaming on Apple TV+ this weekend, you won’t know who to trust. That’s what makes this twisty drama about the art of the con so fun. Directed by Benjamin Caron, with a screenplay by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, Sharper stars Justice Smith as a young, troubled man who is scammed out of $350,000. But as the film switches points of view through its ensemble cast—which includes Oscar-winner Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Briana Middleton, and John Lithgow—you’ll come to appreciate just how far this con goes. It’s a smart, satisfying puzzle of a movie that slowly pieces together, anchored by a phenomenal performance from Julianne Moore.
Bill Hader and Alan Alda now share an important DGA Record. At least until their next next win that is.
With the Oscars getting closers, Awards Season is still in full swing, this time it was time to shine a light on the Directors Guild of America’s Outstanding Directorial Achievement Awards for 2022. The DGA Awards honor the best directors in both film and television. Judd Apatow hosted the ceremony for the fourth time before a capacity audience of more than 800 guests.
There had been only one individual to ever win 3 Directors Guild Awards for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series, and that is the iconic actor and director Alan Alda (M*A*S*H, Marriage Story), but now after his 3rd win for “Barry” at the 2023 DGA Awards, Bill Hader is joining him in that spot. Bill Hader was recognized for his work on “Barry” for a 3rd time, making him the 2nd person ever to win 3 DGA Awards, and 2 consecutively.
The Saturday Night Live alum turned TV show producer co created the show “Barry” in 2018. The dark comedy, crime drama created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader stars Hader as Barry Berkman, a hitman from Cleveland, disillusioned at the thought of taking down another “mark,” Barry seeks a way out. When the Midwesterner reluctantly travels to Los Angeles to execute a hit on an actor, he finds himself joining an acting class taught by Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler), where he meets aspiring actress Sally Reed (Sarah Goldberg) who becomes the object of his affection. While Barry wants to start a new life as an actor, his handler, Fuches (Stephen Root) and his associate NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan) has other ideas, and the hit man’s criminal past won’t let him walk away so easily.
This is Hader’s third DGA Award nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series. He won twice consecutively in this category in 2019 for Barry, “Chapter One: Make Your Mark”, the pilot episode of the series, and again in 2020 for Barry, “Ronny/Lily”, one of the show’s best episodes, season 2 episode 5. After the show took a long hiatus from production due to covid restrictions, “Barry” returned with season 3 in 2022 and in 2023 Hader won again for “710N”, episode 6 of season 3. The show is currently in production for season 4.
Courtesy of Getty Images
Courtesy of Getty Images
The comedy series category also included Tim Burton for “Wednesday”, Amy Sherman-Palladino for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, Christopher Storer for “The Bear” and Mike White for “The White Lotus”.
When announcing Bill Hader as the winner, Judd Apatow did not hesitate to poke fun at the fact that he did not make it to the ceremony. “Let’s have another round of applause for Bill Hader for NOT showing up!” Apatow said.
The show with the most amount of wins in the Comedy series category is “M*A*S*H” with 8 awards, while “Barry”, “All in the Family”, “Seinfeld” and “Veep” are all tied at 2nd place with 3 wins.
The number of the most DGA Awards for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series by any individual is currently held by James Burrows. Following him is Alan Alda and Bill Hader, the two now share the spot for the 2nd Individual with the most DGA Wins in the category, both now tied with 3 wins and 2 consecutive wins. Funnily enough Alan Alda is someone Hader has impersonated multiple times on SNL, and to now share a record with him is quite a feat.
Ant-Man & the Wasp : Quantumania Review – Kang Conquers an Otherwise Standard MCU Affair
Ant-Man & the Wasp : Quantumania is the 31st film in the MCU, marking the start of its 5th phase. Up until now, the Multiverse Saga has seen many various projects that either had little to do with the Multiverse, or heavily feature it. With the start of Phase 5, Marvel aims to start connecting it all together and set up Kang as the next cross-movie threat, with Ant-Man and the Quantum Realm at the forefront. The result is a film that can’t quite escape its MCU-isms, despite some creative ideas and one of the most intimidating villains of the MCU.
Majors’ Captures the Weight and Gravitas of the MCU’s Strongest Villains
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
One of the most important tasks this movie has is to make the audience fear the next cross-movie villain. While the movie may have mixed results elsewhere, Kang is easily the best part of this movie. While the audience got a glimpse of what Majors’ would bring to the MCU in Loki, his performance here shows why Kang is such a threat. Kang carries some similarities to He Who Remains from Loki, mainly wanting to stop his other variants by any means necessary.
The difference, however, comes from the ruthlessness of Kang. Quantumania thankfully cuts back on many of the MCU jokes, to the benefit of Kang. When this character makes a threat, it’s clear that he is more than willing to follow through with it. Even without his armor, which gives him his deadly abilities, the physicality Majors’ puts on display shows he is a threat in mind, body, and spirit.
A CGI Mixed Bag
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
One area Marvel has been struggling with in recent years is in CG. Quantumania is no exception, though unlike other projects like She-Hulk where the CG floundered, or Wakanda Forever, which looked great, this film is somewhere in the middle. One of the areas this film stands strong in is how creative the film can get with the Quantum Realm. Strange creatures like broccoli people or living buildings inhabit the building. Unique ideas such as a scene involving multiple Scotts, or the Quantum Realm itself stand as some of the most creative aspects of the MCU.
However, this film also includes the character of MODOK. While this character has always looked ridiculous in the comics, the movie at first does a great job introducing the character and how dangerous he is. That said, when the mask comes off and his face is revealed, it still somehow looks… not right, and not in the way it’s supposed to be intended. It is one of the most uncomfortable instances of an uncanny valley recently.
Final Thoughts and Verdict – A New Dynasty Begins with Mixed Results
While these aren’t necessarily positives or negatives, there are some things to keep in mind. Despite this movie having The Wasp as a titular character, she isn’t really all that important to the story. This is more focused on Scott, his daughter Cassie, and of course, Kang. All the actors are as charming as ever, and Kathryn Newton does a solid job as the adult Cassie. In addition, the two post-credit scenes are worth staying for, especially the first one, which shows some of the dangerous things to come.
As it stands though, Ant-Man and the Wasp : Quantumania is simply a fine movie, but for how important this film is made out to be, is just being fine a good thing? Phase 4 as it stands was a mixed bag, and if the MCU is going to survive, it needs to regain that consistency in quality from Phase 3. As it stands, this movie is fine, but focus needs to be put into making future projects great, but this movie at least provides a solid enough basis to do so.
SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains spoilers from Episode 6 of “The Last of Us,” now streaming on HBO Max.
HBO’s “The Last of Us” series just took a major leap to the video game’s sequel, “The Last of Us: Part II,” that fans are sure to recognize: The snowy Jackson, Wyoming, settlement where “Part II” begins was faithfully recreated in Episode 6 — despite not appearing in the original game.
It’s the first major connection to “Part II” that the show has made. Without spoiling the events of the sequel, the wintery Jackson town is a major location in the opening hours of the game. In the original “The Last of Us,” players learn about Jackson from Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Maria (Rutina Wesley), but they mainly stay at the hydroelectric dam encampment and see Jackson only at a distance. The section of the game also takes place during the fall, not the winter.
HBO has already renewed “The Last of Us” for Season 2, which seems like a perfect opportunity to return to this established Jackson set for the sequel’s story. This version of Jackson, however, was actually created in Canmore, a small town 50 miles west of Calgary, in Alberta, Canada, where much of “The Last of Us” was filmed.
Filmmaker Jasmila Žbanić, born in Sarajevo, Bosnia, made her TV directorial debut with Episode 6, titled “Kin.” Her most recent film, “Quo Vadis, Aida?,” was nominated for best international feature at the 2021 Academy Awards. It dramatized the harrowing events of the Srebrenica massacre in 1995, when more than 8,000 Bosnian men were killed during the Bosnian War of the 1990s. Žbanić’s experience surviving the Siege of Sarajevo during the war influenced how she directed the episode, in which Joel (Pedro Pascal) is reunited with his brother Tommy in the burgeoning Jackson settlement.
“There was no electricity, no food, nothing. But we managed to survive because of solidarity and the way the city was restructured. You have to start from zero. That experience for me was something that I felt very close about Jackson,” Žbanić said, adding that “The Last of Us” creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin were interested in her background as it related to the episode.
With Variety, Žbanić discussed the below-freezing temperatures in Canmore, filming the highly emotional reunion between Joel and Tommy and why working with the animal handlers on set was “heaven.”
HBO
How familiar with the video game were you? Did you watch videos of “The Last of Us: Part II” to understand what Jackson looked like?
When I got the job, I didn’t know anything about the game, so I had to really educate myself with what it is. I bought the game and I tried to play it, and then I watched a lot of YouTube videos of people playing it. I was watching the part that concerns my episode a million times. I was talking a lot with Neil about all the atmosphere of the city and what he had in mind, and what is also not there. There are some elements that Craig added to the whole piece. I was also talking to a lot of gamers. I always ask, “What do they want to see? What do you expect from the game?” They would be saying to keep these emotions and atmosphere. These two things were like a checklist for me. I would check with each scene that they’re there.
Did you talk with creators Druckmann and Mazin about why they wanted to incorporate Jackson from “Part II” into this episode?
I didn’t really talk about it, because for me it was very natural. What we talked a lot about was that I survived the war in Sarajevo in the ’90s. I think for Craig and Neil, it was interesting that I was kind of living in a place which was like Jackson in a way, because we were surrounded by the Serbian army, we were constantly bombarded. We had to be on alert, we had to survive, we had to learn how to live without anything, without civilization. There was no electricity, no food, nothing. But we managed to survive because of solidarity, and the way the city was restructured. You have to start from zero. That experience for me was something that I felt very close about Jackson. It’s a community that functions, and I find it really beautiful and hopeful because I really believe even in the worst catastrophes, like war, I survived. People are able to keep the society. They are not always the enemy to each other. So I was really happy to direct this episode that really said something that I deeply believe in.
The reunion between Joel and Tommy was so sweet, but their relationship turns very rocky. What direction did you give them to portray this up-and-down, brotherly relationship?
We were very lucky because we had the opportunity to have rehearsals before we were on the set. The set was quite difficult because of the cold weather. Sometimes it was even -15 degrees Celsius, so very, very cold. That scene with Tommy and Joel was especially taken care of. They would be reading it, act, repeat and trying different stuff. They also suggested some changes, so it was very deep for both of them in each scene. It was so beautiful, because it’s a very long scene in the shoe shop. It’s a very emotional scene for Pedro. I was filming him as a second; first we filmed Gabriel, and then I noticed that each time we repeated, Pedro was crying. He was not on camera, but he was crying because he was giving his partner everything so that he can act. This is very special. It’s so generous of an actor to do this so deep. I was amazed by Pedro’s talent.
How did the “I sure as hell ain’t your dad” scene between Pedro and Bella go?
It was so emotional. Sometimes I would be crying behind the camera because they were so truthful and beautiful. This relationship is so touching. I really like that it’s changing from the beginning to the end. It’s just one episode, but it has so many changes of their relationship, which is really great.
HBO
There’s the flashback to Joel and Sarah putting up Christmas ornaments, which wasn’t in the original game. Where did that scene come from?
I think the moment came out after Craig and I talked about certain things, how Joel is always trying not to connect his emotions toward Ellie with emotions that he has for Sarah because he buried those. It’s really hard for him when they come up. Ellie is just bringing everything out. Because of this kind of Christmas atmosphere in Jackson, songs that he hears, all the lights and feeling of normality, he’s not able to keep it in anymore. It’s out. That’s where he starts connecting, “OK, these emotions are real, and it is for her.”
With the freezing temperatures and all the animals, were there any obstacles that came up in shooting?
Look, I’m coming from Bosnia, from a very crazy film industry. We make one film per year. So we don’t have amazing professionals like America has. So for me, nothing was a challenge, but a gift. For example, I would talk to people who were dog trainers and they would tell me, “Make a script of what you want our dog to do.” I would say, “One leg up, this face, how much the dog should open its mouth.” Everything. Then they would come with that and the dog would know it exactly. I was joking that in Bosnia it wouldn’t be possible. You would have a dog, and if the dog is angry, it’s angry. There is nothing like that. For me, all of this was not a challenge, but a total pleasure to work with such professionals. The people dealing with horses were amazing. You just tell them, “I want the first horse one meter away from the second, then three of them.” They would do it and keep it all the way through the scene. For me, it was just heaven to work this way.
In the game, Joel falls off a balcony and gets impaled on a piece of metal, but in this episode he gets stabbed. Why was that changed?
I got it in the script, and I really liked it because it was more subtle. Ellie thinks they made it, and then it’s a shock. Otherwise it would be immediately over. I really liked how Craig wrote it. They travel, she’s hopeful, they go on together — and then it’s a shock.
And the other major change is that Tommy and Maria are expecting a child. How do you think that will end up for them in the apocalypse?
We wanted to give this feeling of hope that this society has. Life doesn’t stop. It always goes on; even in the worst circumstances, life goes on. For me, this is a really important touch that Maria is pregnant. It makes Tommy’s decision much, much heavier that he accepted to take Ellie. It makes everything hard, with more drama for Tommy.
The actor began his career acting opposite Alicia Silverstone in ‘Clueless’ and went on to appear in Judd Apatow comedies like ‘Knocked Up’ and ‘This Is 40’ before starring in the ‘Ant-Man’ franchise for Marvel.
Rattled by sudden unemployment, a Manhattan couple (Jennifer Aniston and Rudd) surveys alternative living options, ultimately deciding to experiment with living on a rural commune where free love rules.
“Leave your baggage behind”
55
R1 hr 38 minFeb 24th, 2012
In director Baz Luhrmann’s contemporary take on William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, the Montagues and Capulets have moved their ongoing feud to the sweltering suburb of Verona Beach, where Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Juliet (Claire Danes) fall in love and secretly wed. Though the film is visually modern, the bard’s dialogue remains.
Rising executive Tim Conrad (Rudd) works for a boss who hosts a monthly dinner in which the guest who brings the biggest buffoon gets a career-boost. Tim plans on not attending until he meets Barry (Steve Carell), a man who builds dioramas using stuffed mice. Barry’s blundering but good intentions send Tim’s life into a downward spiral, threatening a major business deal and possibly scuttling Tim’s engagement to his fiancee.
“Takes One To Know One.”
57
PG-131 hr 54 minJul 30th, 2010
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1991. High school freshman Charlie (Logan Lerman) is a wallflower, always watching life from the sidelines, until two senior students, Sam (Emma Watson) and her stepbrother Patrick (Ezra Miller), become his mentors, helping him discover the joys of friendship, music and love.
“We are infinite.”
78
PG-131 hr 43 minSep 21st, 2012
Having suffered a tragedy, Ben (Rudd) becomes a caregiver to earn money. His first client, Trevor (Craig Roberts), is a hilarious 18-year-old with muscular dystrophy. One paralyzed emotionally, one paralyzed physically, Ben and Trevor hit the road on a trip into the western states. The folks they collect along the way will help them test their skills for surviving outside their calculated existence. Together, they come to understand the importance of hope and the necessity of true friendship.
“Caring is a funny thing.”
73
R1 hr 37 minJun 24th, 2016
Paramount Pictures
With the 70s behind him, San Diego’s top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to take New York’s first 24-hour news channel by storm.
“It’s kind of a big deal”
61
PG-131 hr 59 minDec 18th, 2013
Straitlaced Princeton University admissions officer, Portia Nathan (Tine Fey) is caught off-guard when she makes a recruiting visit to an alternative high school overseen by her former college classmate, the freewheeling John Pressman (Rudd). Pressman has surmised that Jeremiah (Nat Wolff), his gifted yet very unconventional student, might well be the son that Portia secretly gave up for adoption many years ago.
“Let someone in.”
56
PG-131 hr 47 minMar 22nd, 2013
Following the events of ‘Age of Ultron,’ the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) or Captain America (Chris Evans), which causes an epic battle between former allies.
“United we stand. Divided we fall.”
74
PG-132 hr 27 minMay 6th, 2016
When Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) dumps aspiring musician Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) for rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), Peter’s world comes crashing down. His best friend suggests that Peter should get away from everything and to fly off to Hawaii to escape all his problems. After arriving in Hawaii and meeting the beautiful Rachel Jansen (Mila Kunis), Peter is shocked to see not only Aldous Snow in Hawaii, but also Sarah Marshall.
Just when his time under house arrest is about to end, Scott Lang (Rudd) once again puts his freedom at risk to help Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) dive into the quantum realm and try to accomplish, against time and any chance of success, a very dangerous rescue mission.
Universal Pictures
For fun loving party animal Ben Stone (Seth Rogen), the last thing he ever expected was for his one night stand (Katherine Heigl) to show up on his doorstep eight weeks later to tell him she’s pregnant.
“Save the due date.”
62
NR2 hr 9 minJun 1st, 2007
When a single mom (Carrie Coon) and her two kids (Finn Wolfhard and McKenna Grace) arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather (Harold Ramis) left behind.
“Discover the past. Protect the future.”
76
PG-132 hr 4 minNov 19th, 2021
Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) has a pleasant life with a nice apartment and a job stamping invoices at an electronics store. But at age 40, there’s one thing Andy hasn’t done, and it’s really bothering his sex-obsessed male co-workers: Andy is still a virgin. Determined to help Andy get laid, the guys make it their mission to de-virginize him. But it all seems hopeless until Andy meets small business owner Trish, a single mom.
“The longer you wait, the harder it gets.”
64
R1 hr 56 minAug 11th, 2005
Two salesmen (Rudd and Seann William Scott) trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 service hours with a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn’t look half bad.
“They’re about to get more than they plea-bargained for.”
65
R1 hr 39 minNov 7th, 2008
Peter Klaven (Rudd) is a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey (Rashida Jones), discovers, to his dismay and chagrin, that he has no male friend close enough to serve as his Best Man. Peter immediately sets out to rectify the situation, embarking on a series of bizarre and awkward “man-dates.”
“He needed a best man… He got the worst.”
65
R1 hr 45 minMar 20th, 2009
Paramount
Shallow, rich and socially successful Cher (Alicia Silverstone) is at the top of her Beverly Hills high school’s pecking scale. Seeing herself as a matchmaker, Cher first coaxes two teachers into dating each other. Emboldened by her success, she decides to give hopelessly klutzy new student Tai (Brittany Murphy) a makeover. When Tai becomes more popular than she is, Cher realizes that her disapproving ex-stepbrother (Rudd) was right about how misguided she was — and falls for him.
“Sex. Clothes. Popularity. Is there a problem here?”
It’s the 1970s and San Diego anchorman Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) is the top dog in local TV, but that’s all about to change when ambitious reporter Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) arrives as a new employee at his station.
“They bring you the news so you don’t have to get it yourself.”
67
PG-131 hr 35 minJul 9th, 2004
After the devastating events of ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
“Avenge the fallen.”
83
PG-133 hr 1 minApr 26th, 2019
Pete (Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are both about to turn 40, their kids hate each other, both of their businesses are failing, they’re on the verge of losing their house, and their relationship is threatening to fall apart.
“The sort-of sequel to ‘Knocked Up'”
58
R2 hr 14 minDec 21st, 2012
Marvel Studios
Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Doctor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
A pair of Oscar bellwether ceremonies took place this weekend, heralding uncertainty and unpredictability to an awards season where no one agrees on what contenders will end up taking home Academy Awards.
The DGA Awards, which has historically matched up best with the eventual winner of best director, chose the “Everything Everywhere All at Once” duo of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. They’re the third directing team to win in the DGA’s 75-year history (after Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins for “West Side Story” and Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for “No Country for Old Men”). Only eight DGA winners have failed to walk away with the Academy Award in the same season, with the last instance being Sam Mendes (“1917”), who won at DGA but lost to Bong Joon Ho (“Parasite”) at the 2020 Oscars.
But on Sunday, the BAFTA Awards swung the pendulum in the opposite direction, with Netflix’s German remake “All Quiet on the Western Front” crowned the best film by the British Academy. BAFTA also embraced Searchlight’s bleak comedy “The Banshees of Inisherin” and Warner Bros.’ music biopic “Elvis,” while mostly passing on A24’s “Everything Everywhere” which won a single award for editing (Paul Rogers).
“All Quiet” walked away with seven BAFTAs – best film, director (Edward Berger), adapted screenplay, cinematography, sound, original score and non-English language film. Berger is the first non-Oscar nominated director to win since Ben Affleck for “Argo” (2012), which went on to win best picture. The muscular showing puts the remake of the original best picture winner in a solid position for the streaming giant to make a play for the top category, coming one year after Apple became the first streamer to win the best picture Oscar for “CODA.”
With 14 BAFTA noms (tied for the second most of any film in history), “All Quiet” was expected to do well with voters across the pond, but I don’t think anyone expected this well. Nevertheless, without DGA, SAG, PGA or WGA noms (it wasn’t eligible for WGA), it’d be a mountain to climb for the war drama to emerge victorious at the Academy Awards, despite being the second most Oscar-nominated film.
Nonetheless, “All Quiet” is locked and loaded for best international feature, along with some BAFTA wins having a good chance of translating to Oscar. Still, each has its fair share of historical obstacles and competition to overcome – adapted screenplay (but “Women Talking” was snubbed for a BAFTA nomination), cinematography (the film missed ASC), sound (close competition with editing nominee “Top Gun: Maverick”) and original score (battling with “Babylon”).
One thing you can take away from its haul, particularly Berger’s win for best director, is that it has arguably maintained Steven Spielberg’s Oscar chances for best director following his massive DGA loss. The Golden Globe win for directing will be what accompanies the veteran filmmaker walking into the ceremony. You have to go back to Mel Gibson for “Braveheart” (1995) to find an Oscar-winner for directing that only had a Globe and no other major precursors.
Notably, Spielberg’s chances are slightly elevated because, despite Kwan and Scheinert beating him on his DGA home turf, there’s no sugarcoating the fact that “Everything Everywhere” received a massive campaign blow at BAFTA. It’d be far too simple to chalk it up to “it’s just the Brits,” as many shared on social media.
We are witnessing one of the most competitive Oscar races for best picture in quite some time (and yes, I too feel like I write that every year). It was in the 2001-2002 awards season when “A Beautiful Mind” won the Oscar for best picture after the four major precursor groups — BAFTA, DGA, SAG and PGA — went to four different movies. We seem to be headed toward a similar outcome.
Martin McDonagh’s “Banshees” made a compelling case for in the original screenplay race after beating out the Daniels at the BAFTAs. Nominated for nine Oscars, the film seemed to slip in the charts over the past few weeks, but “Banshees” has a winning combination, paired with the Golden Globe for best screenplay. Worth noting, the last time the Globes and BAFTA matched for an original screenplay winner was McDonagh’s “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri” (2017), which went on to lose the Oscar to Jordan Peele’s “Get Out.”
For his performance as Elvis Presley, Austin Butler managed to dance past Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) and, notably, Colin Farrell (“Banshees”), who was heavily favored to win the BAFTA prize among pundits.
With four days left in the SAG voting period, Butler may have received a much-needed boost to push him across the finish line, especially if he manages to repeat next Sunday at the SAG Awards ceremony. Fraser and Farrell both have one televised award thus far, with the former having Critics Choice and the latter with the Golden Globe for lead actor (comedy or musical).
Cate Blanchett won her fourth BAFTA (second most in history) for her turn in Todd Field’s “Tár.” The win over her closest challenger, Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere”), has placed her on a clear path to winning her third competitive Oscar following “The Aviator” (2004) and “Blue Jasmine” (2013). She would be the fifth woman and eighth actor to achieve this feat. Yeoh’s last shot at gold comes at the SAG ceremony.
Condon’s triumph over Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” in addition to Keoghan’s shocking win over comeback sensation Ke Huy Quan from “Everything Everywhere,” isn’t expected to translate to the Oscars. Rather, it could point to the strength of other films or possible international weakness of support for the populist titles in the race, such as “Top Gun: Maverick” (which went home empty-handed).
Other races that seem like flip coins are best documentary feature (between “Fire of Love” and “Navalny”) and production design (despite ADG and BAFTA win for “Babylon,” it could still be an “Elvis” or “Fabelmans” triumph).
Next up is the Producers Guild of America Awards on Saturday, Feb. 25, one day before the SAG Awards on Feb. 26.
In 1984, an action sci-fi B-movie took the box office by storm. Created by James Cameron, the film begins with an obliterated Los Angeles in 2029, an explanation of the machine uprising, and then a nude Arnold Schwarzenegger went on to make over $78 million worldwide from a mere $6.4 million budget. It was a masterclass of realizing a far-out story within a somewhat low-sci-fi scope.
Since then, the Terminator franchise has gone from a peak to a seemingly new low with each additional return. Still, with over $2 billion made at the box office worldwide following the 2019 installment, you know that Hollywood wants more of the Terminator. As it turns out, Cameron claims to be in talks to get the Terminator franchise going again, and seemingly, the only way is up for the series.
An all-time great sci-fi duology
Even with the way that social media and modern Hollywood seek to retroactively damn or erase many movies and tropes of the era, you’d be hard-pressed to find many respected outlets that call The Terminator anything less than iconic. The premise of the Terminator and the human protectorate, Kyle Reese, both going back in time in search of Sarah Connor brings a very futuristic scenario to what was the modern day, helping to bridge the monetary gap.
It’s a tight story, infused the sci-fi elements in an easy-to-understand manner, and it focuses on a small collection of characters in what is essentially a horror-driven plot. Then comes Terminator 2: Judgement Day, which pivots the antagonist Terminator into a hero to protect Conner, boasting a $100 million budget to go all-in on the action. Terminator set the stage very well, and its sequel perfectly expands on the capabilities of the narrative and setting.
These two films, as a duology, comprise one of the greatest sci-fi stories ever put to film, which appears to be the popular opinion. So beloved are the movies that they inspired a host of copycat movies, set new tropes, and expanded beyond the big screen. It’s a testament to the enduring popularity of the 1991 sequel that an official online slot could be made in 2014 and still rank among the top slot games available on popular platforms. By infusing the T-1000, the cast, and a feature that takes it from 243 ways to 1,024 ways, the T2 slot delivers an action-packed experience for fans of the hit movie.
As has long been the case in fandom, collectibles are also a big part of the experience, and to this day, new T2 merchandise is being released and sells out. You only need to look at Planet Merch and its selection of products for the classic movie to see that T-800 Terminator Heads sold out. At online entertainment stores, you’ll also notice that the 4K Ultra HD 30th Anniversary Steelbook sold so well that a re-print of the special edition release was ordered and still fetches around $30.
Returning to the long-declining franchise
Hollywood is famed for not knowing when to stop building out its so-called “franchises,”, especially over the last few years. It seems as though producers only think that audiences want a return to proven stories and won’t pay to see something original. Such thinking has given us many lackluster movies or shows that either relies too heavily on recalling previous events and even movie lines or completely miss the essence of the source material. Terminator hasn’t been immune to this, with Dark Fate being full of plot holes, callbacks, and forgettable characters.
That said, the 2019 addition to the franchise may not even be the most maligned post-T2. Terminator 3 is discussed with similar derision to Godfather Part III, being called a complete abomination of everything that made the series so strong. Both are fairly solid movies taken on their own but fail to live up to the incredibly high standards of what was set before.
With the trilogy taking 19 years to get through, in 2009, the biggest budget of the franchise to date ($200 million) was given to Terminator: Salvation. It would bring back $365.5 million worldwide, but poor characters, dialogue, and writing overall made it forgettable. In between Salvation and Dark Fate came Genisys in 2015. It achieved the second-highest box office haul of the six-movie series so far (not adjusted for inflation), buoyed by Emilia Clarke’s Game of Thrones fame of the time.
When Dark Fate was in the works, it was announced that it would be the first of an intended three-part series into the universe. That’s clearly been scrapped now after its mediocre return of $250 million worldwide on a $185 million budget. As detailed on the SmartLess podcast with Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes in December 2022, Cameron is in talks to launch the franchise again. This time, though, he’d rather focus on AI being the issue rather than crazed bad robots.
Some will see yet another return to the Terminator universe as beating a dead horse, again, but if he is involved, a T7 movie would mark Cameron’s first return to direct, write the story, and write the screenplay since 1991. Even if his discussion to relaunch doesn’t work out, there is the Skydance and Netflix collaboration in the works for a Termination animated series.
Turning up the heat. Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes were spotted kissing while they soaked up the sun in Mexico weeks after leaving GMA3.
Robach, 50, was seen kissing Holmes, 45, while they enjoyed some time at a pool in Puerto Vallarta, according to photos obtained by the Daily Mailon Saturday, February 18.
Holmes wore multicolored board shorts while Robach donned a black string bikini with gold accents. The Arkansas native smiled from his chair with a beer in hand as he watched Robach spray herself with sunscreen. Both of the news anchors were grinning from ear-to-ear as they enjoyed their time off.
Prior to the newest PDA pics, the duo were spotted holding hands as they explored Mexico. They were photographed putting their arms around each other’s waists as they toured Puerto Vallarta on Wednesday, February 15.
Their Mexican getaway comes weeks after Holmes and Robach’s exit from ABC. “Amy and T.J are out, a decision has been made,” a source exclusively confirmed to Us Weeklyon January 13. “The network is negotiating with them on their exit deals and an announcement.”
The network confirmed on January 27 that the duo will not return to the daytime show after news of their relationship made headlines in November 2022. “After several productive conversations with Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes, about different options, we all agreed it’s best for everyone that they move on from ABC News,” the network announced in a statement. “We recognize their talent and commitment over the years and are thankful for their contributions.”
A source exclusively told Us earlier this month that Robach was given “a better severance package” due to her history with the network.
“She had been at ABC longer and had a bigger contract. She also had other hosting duties on GMA3 and 20/20,” the insider explained. “They got paid what they would have been owed for the remainder of their contracts.”
The coanchors were originally pulled from the show one week after photos emerged of the pair getting cozy throughout November 2022 — despite being married to their respective partners.
Robach and Holmes’ relationship heated up amid their hiatus from the network. On December 26, 2022, Robach and Holmes were photographed cozying up together at the Atlanta airport. Days later, Holmes officially filed for divorce from now-estranged wife Marilee Fiebig, Us confirmed at the time.
Three years after he split from ex-wife Amy Ferson, with whom he shares daughter Brianna, 28, and son Jaiden, Holmes married Fiebig. They welcomed daughter Sabine in January 2013.
Robach, for her part, married Andrew Shue in 2010, two years after she split from first husband Tim McIntosh, with whom she shares daughters Ava, 19, and Analise, 16. The 20/20 coanchor also became a stepmother to the Melrose Place alum’s kids — Nate, Aidan and Wyatt — from his previous marriage to Jennifer Hageney.
“He wants nothing to do with her leaving GMA and her being with T.J.,” a source exclusively told Us on Valentine’s Day. “He’s taking it hard because the whole thing has been so messy.”
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Despite the tension, Robach continues to focus on her future. “Amy found love and now she has to find a new job and she’s OK with it,” the source concludes. “She is fine with their love being out there. Some think they might even have more job opportunities together because they are being so open.”
Meta Platforms Inc. is launching a “Meta Verified” subscription service on Facebook and Instagram that allows users to verify their accounts with a government ID.
The company’s Chief Executive Mark Zuckerbergrevealed Sunday on social media that the platform will begin testing the service in Australia and New Zealand. The authentication will also include proactive account monitoring for account impersonation, direct access to customer support and increased account visibility and reach.
The monthly subscription-based plan can be purchased on Instagram or Facebook for $11.99 on the web and $14.99 on iOS and Android. According to a news release, for users to be eligible, accounts must meet minimum activity requirements and submit a government ID.
Meta clarified that there will be no changes to already verified accounts as they test the new plan.
The news release said that the “Meta Verified” service was developed after the platform received an abundance of requests from creators for broader access to verification and account support. The release explained that the service’s goal is “to help up-and-coming creators grow their presence and build community faster.”
The company added that it hopes to expand the service globally soon.
Meta isn’t the first social platform to introduce a paid verified subscription plan. When Elon Musk took over Twitter in October 2022, he re-vamped Twitter Blue, with a paid plan for users to sign up for $8 a month on the web and $11 a month for iOS. He also replaced the “official” label with a gold or gray checkmark, depending on the account.
Meta is launching a subscription service that, for a monthly fee, allows Facebook and Instagram users to get verified, chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Sunday.
“This week we’re starting to roll out Meta Verified — a subscription service that lets you verify your account with a government ID, get a blue badge, get extra impersonation protection against accounts claiming to be you and get direct access to customer support,” Zuckerberg said in a statement posted on Facebook. “This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services.”
Meta Verified starts at $11.99/month on the web or $14.99/month on iOS. It will be rolled out and tested in Australia and New Zealand this week with more countries added in increments.
Shares of Meta Platforms skyrocketed 20% at the opening bell earlier this month after the Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp parent posted better-than-expected results for the fourth quarter and Zuckerberg promised that 2023 would be a “year of efficiency.” Wall Street cheered Zuckerberg’s promise for a newfound focus on containing costs this year, pledging for expenses to fall between $89 billion and $95 billion for the year, from $87.66 billion in 2022.
This new paid verification service comes on the heels of Twitter relaunching its paid verification service, Twitter Blue, in December after a rash of fake “verified” accounts forced them to pull the feature. Twitter Blue costs $11 a month for iOS and Android subscribers.
Two months into Twitter Blue, the social media site’s Blue subscription tier counted for just 180,000 paying users as of the middle of January, a figure that represents just 0.2% of the social media app’s monthly active users. The 180,000 Blue subscribers represent 62% of Twitter Blue’s total global subscribers, implying the app has 290,000 subscribers for the premium offering in total.
Aca-believe it! Pitch Perfect hit theaters in 2012 and became an instant classic.
The film centers on the Barden Bellas a cappella team — who make music using only their mouths — and has proven its staying power. The franchise has since released two aca-awesome sequels.
In 2015, the musical group took on international competitors in hopes of keeping their group’s performance abilities intact. Three years later, The Bellas reunited as college graduates to sing in Europe as a part of the USO Tour and a spot on DJ Khaled’s label.
Characters have been added along the way, but the original Bellas — made up of Beca (Anna Kendrick), Aubrey (Anna Camp), Chloe (Brittany Snow), Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) and more — cemented their place in fans’ hearts early on.
There are also a few Barden Treblemakers — including Bumper (Adam DeVine), Jesse (Skylar Astin) and Benji (Ben Platt) — who made a lasting impression from their first appearance on screen.
“It’s our favorite thing to do,” Snow told Us Weekly exclusively in October 2017. “We would do these movies forever, not only because we’re such a family, but also because we’ve now gotten into a routine and a system and we understand each other’s comedy.”
That family dynamic led to the stars being able to add in their own lines and actions in the third film. “Our director let us improve anything that we wanted to do,” the Florida native explained. “The majority of the movie is basically what we wanted to say and how we would say it, which in the other two was pretty much always being stuck to the script.”
The ladies are also “Dixie Chicks serious” about their bond and WhatsApp group chat.
“Yeah, of course,” Kendrick told Us exclusively in November 2019. “It’ll go a while without a reason to talk but then sometimes people will have events that they’ll ask us to come [to]. Someone will be performing [and they’ll text], or sometimes it will just be, ‘Hey, what’s up,’ or a little gossip, or did you guys see this? It’s very cute.”
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Scroll down to see what the original Bellas, some of their later additions and rivals have been up to since the musical franchise began.
Pathaan crosses Rs 500 crore in India; Kiara-Sidharth impress all with reception pics. (Photos: Instagram)
Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan to Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra’s reception pics; here are the top headlines of the day.
While Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan is inching close to Rs 1000 crore globally, the film has also minted Rs 500 crore at the nationwide box office. On Sunday, trade analyst Taran Adarsh reported that the Hindi version of Shah Rukh Khan starrer has collected Rs 493 crore so far. However, if Tamil and Telugu versions’ collections are also added, Pathaan has already crossed Rs 511 cr at the box office. Pathaan was released on January 25.
Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra’s latest pictures from their star-studded wedding reception in Mumbai have surfaced online. In these clicks, the two stars look royal as they pose together in their black and white outfits. In one of the photos, Sidharth can also be seen kissing his wife Kiara. Kiara and Sidharth tied the knot on February 7 in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
In a big development in Tunisha Sharma’s death case, the Waliv police in Mumbai has filed a 524-page chargesheet. Reportedly, the chargesheet includes statements from 31 witnesses including Tunisha’s co-actors, family members and friends. Not just this, but in the chargesheet, the cops have claimed that it was the 10-minute-long conversation between the actress and Sheezan Khan which caused Tunisha to take her own life.
ALSO READ: Kiara Advani, Sidharth Malhotra Cannot Keep Their Hands Off Each Other In Unseen Reception Pics
Kartik Aaryan has finally revealed that the decision to postpone his recent release Shehzada was taken by the producers and director of the film because Pathaan ‘worked really well’ at the box office. He also mentioned that the decision to postpone his movie seemed correct to him. Shehzada was initially supposed to hit the big screens on February 10. However, it was postponed to February 17.
On Sunday, Karan Kundrratook to his Instagram handle and shared a series of pictures in which he can be seen sporting an off-white sherwani. The pictures have only left fans super excited who wish to see him dressed as a groom in real life too. Interestingly, the pictures come days after Karan mentioned that he is ready to marry his ladylove in March this year but for that, both of them should be free from their respective work commitments.
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Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the directors of “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” were awarded top honors for feature filmmaking by the Directors Guild of America at the 75th DGA Awards, a strong indicator of who could win at the Academy Awards next month.
The unrest between Hollywood studios and the guild did not put a damper on the awards, which were held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on Saturday evening. Winners have aligned with the Oscars in nine of the last 10 years. Sam Mendes won the DGA Award for “1917” in 2020, while Bong Joon-Ho won the Oscar for “Parasite.” Jane Campion won both awards last year for directing “The Power of the Dog.”
Other nominees for the top DGA prize were “Tár” director Todd Field, Martin McDonagh for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Joseph Kosinski for “Top Gun: Maverick” and Steven Spielberg for “The Fabelmans.” Kosinski did not make the final Oscar list, with Ruben Östlund rounding out that list for “Triangle of Sadness.”
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If you get involved in discussions about movies, it’s likely that you’ve heard the term “auteur” mentioned before. The word auteur is thrown around a lot in film conversation, but is not explained as often. So, for those who didn’t have to learn about auteur theory at school or elsewhere, the idea can be mystifying. Some may have succeeded in piecing together a vague contextual understanding of the word — you wouldn’t be surprised to hear someone like Quentin Tarantino referred to as an auteur, for example. However, it’s an often misunderstood idea and a proper explanation may be in order.
Auteur theory is also hotly debated. In many ways, it’s a sought-after label, a great honor. It implies a director has a singular and impressive vision. But not everyone sees it that way. It’s a term that takes an individualistic look at film production, arguing that the auteur is almost solely responsible for the outcome of the movie. So, if you’re someone who has left conversations wondering what on earth an auteur is, this one’s for you. Here’s a crash course in the basics of what auteur theory is, who might be called an auteur, and what the debates around the term are.
What Makes Someone an Auteur?
Showtime Networks
The term auteur comes from the French word for author. When a director is referred to as an auteur, it’s not about having written the script of a movie, it is calling them the author of a movie in a grander sense. Labeling someone an auteur insinuates that their distinct artistic vision and control over the movie is so strong that they alone can be seen as the individual responsible for the outcome of the production. Most often, the word describes directors who have an idiosyncratic and recognizable style — like Alfred Hitchcock or David Lynch.
As you might imagine from the name, auteur theory originated in France in the 1950s. The theory developed from an idea posited by Francois Truffaut, who argued that many directors were simply adapting novels into movies without exerting any influence on the text. This idea suggests that directors who have a visible impact on their movies are superior: they become the author of the movie. The American film critic Andrew Sarris is responsible for popularizing the term among the English-speaking world with an essay, “Notes on the Auteur Theory.”
It was Sarris who devised a set of criteria for what makes an auteur based on Truffaut’s writing. He argued auteurs needed technical competence, distinguishable personality, and interior meaning. With this in mind, directors who would not fit the bill could include those like Michael Bay or James Gunn. They may have distinguishable personality, but a debatable amount of technical competence and definitely lack interior meaning. In contrast, directors who match up to each of those requirements (beyond the usual mentions like Scorsese and Tarantino) include people like Greta Gerwig, Barry Jenkins, and Yorgos Lanthimos.
The Debate Around Auteur Theory
Via: Craig Duffy
Looking back, Sarris recalls the controversy of auteur theory, saying, “we were so gloriously contentious” (via Roger Ebert). The reason that so many are against this idea is that there are a vast number of people who work on each individual movie, so reducing all authorial credit down to one person is unfair. Director David Fincher, who has been described as an auteur himself, argues against the idea of auteurism: “I don’t ultimately feel that anyone can inform a moment so explicitly, that what everyone is in service to is simply that one person’s idea.”
Auteur theory holds a significant place in film history because it played a huge role in the medium finally being taken seriously as an art form. A significant amount of movies made before the 1950s are lost to us because of this careless attitude toward filmmaking. Therefore, the state of film culture now owes a debt to the theory because it helped us to reach this position of acclaim. However, the fact that it took auteur theory to do this says more about Western values of individualism than it does about the validity of the theory itself. Auteur theory didn’t make movies more valuable because the movies changed, it was simply because Western cultures place so much emphasis on the idea of an individual’s achievement.
Like it or not, auteur theory is firmly planted in conversations around movies and the making of them. It can be an interesting tool when discussing directors whose movies have a distinct style as long it’s not taken too far. Especially when considering that many directors have consistent collaborators in departments like cinematography and scores who they would want to credit above themselves.
The Wanderlust Invocation, popularly known as the Standard Banner in Genshin Impact, has always been known as one of the game’s biggest gambles. And don’t forget we’re talking about a gacha game here. You have plenty of 5-star options, but they’re quite limited when it comes to characters, and those big prizes were barely updated throughout the years. Well, not anymore, it seems.
When the 3.0 update arrived, the first 5-star Dendro character Tighnari was announced to be joining the Standard Banner in the following update, making it the first time a new 5-star character was introduced there. But now in 3.5, another new 5-star has those same honors: Dehya is not limited and she heads straight for the permanent pool of characters after her debut.
More 5-stars Joining the Standard Banner
During the Genshin Impact Version 3.5 live stream, the hosts surprised all viewers by announcing that Dehya would also join the other six 5-star characters in the standard banners. The team was initially composed of Jean, Mona, Keqing, Diluc, and Qiqi, but Tighnari later joined them.
Those characters are usually seen as “good, but not great”. Some quickly fell into oblivion and are rarely used these days, but most of them are still well-regarded by the community. That is, when they don’t randomly decide to appear and be a 50/50 party pooper, of course. People will hate them in those cases.
But the main point here is that being somewhat “average” (as in, not the best but far from the worst in that role) seems to be the main criteria to be introduced to the permanent banner. Dehya’s arrival means that more characters can be introduced directly to it as time passes, or that even some older ones can later join them. Albedo is often regarded as a candidate since there’s no 5-star Geo in it, and he has that “Standard” feel surrounding him.
What About Weapons?
Well, weapons are complicated. Even limited weapons considered average or bad (like the Liyue series) were never brought to the banners and still haunt the Weapon’s Banner from time to time. The same happens for the limited 4-star weapons. But with Dehya’s introduction, this might indicate a change in the near future.
Her weapon and Tighnari’s didn’t join the other ten standard 5-star weapons, but since HoYoverse seems to be willing to add new loot for those banners, even if rarely, it could be possible for more weapon options to be available soon. Tighnari’s weapon hasn’t returned yet since its debut either and could fit well in the Wanderlust Invocation.
It feels bad to always get the same 5-stars every time when we lose a pity, so a wider selection alleviates that frustration, even if only a bit. But well, let’s see what Fontaine holds for us in that regard.
The Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) provides a consistent reference for both realities when working in VFX. Here’s how you do it on a budget.
Lighting for visual effects can be tricky. As one tries to virtually replicate light and shadow within a virtual space, matching the real ambient lighting in the original scene can be challenging if you don’t use the right workflow. And doing it by eye? Forget about it.
One visual effects guru on YouTube has a new workflow that uses a few simple yet high-tech tools to realistically insert a 3D model into a scene with no one being the wiser.
A Little History
Most use a high dynamic range image (HDRI) to capture as much of the scene as possible and to see the direction of the light and how the shadows play around it. This is then used to create a lighting map to match the light that was present on the day your plates were shot.
Since the 90s, filmmakers have used an HDRI chrome sphere for this purpose because it can capture light in 360 degrees, reflections, and the dynamic range that comes with it, from all angles. The concept was invented by visual effects artists Paul Debevec and Jitendra Malik, who noticed the reflections of light on a teapot. You can read their research paper here.
Multiple images of the sphere can be taken at different shutter speeds and aperture settings and then “unwrapped” and merged in software to create the high dynamic range image that shows all the light data and reflections that were present in the scene. With this data, visual effects artists can replicate the light conditions by putting a virtual sun in the proper position in the sky, showing how shadows will be cast, and creating the right reflections on shiny surfaces.
New High-Tech Tools
However, InLightVFX, also known as Jacob Holiday, has created a new workflow that uses a 360° camera, a color checker, and the ACES Color system to more accurately insert a 3D model into a scene while matching the ambient lighting that was naturally reflecting off surfaces all around.
Holiday set up the camera in the shot and then remotely triggered it, capturing over and under exposures, as well as a properly still image. Then, he merged all the images to create a master HDRI that best represented what his eye and camera saw, showing detail in light and shadow.
While he was on set, Holiday also laid out a color checker so that he could get the proper color balance based on how the light reflects off the colors during that time of day. Shades can change subtly over time, and so knowing how color reflects light at the time the original scene was shot makes color grading the scene a lot easier. A simple gray card, like a paint swatch from a local hardware store, would also provide the necessary color data.
The New Workflow
With those two tools, and the images were taken to measure the light data, Holiday was able to being his CGI workflow in Blender and a free version of NUKE compositing software. His first step was to convert the video footage, and the images to use the same color space, in this instance, the ACES color system. The key here was to get all the data to have the same color space, as well as the same gamma readings.
To do that, Holiday went into Nuke to apply the aces input display transform (IDT) to convert all the data into the same ACES color space. This is where the images of the color checker come in. Holiday selected the ACES IDT in the project settings, then applied the proper ACES IDT for his Panasonic GH5 camera. To do that, he did a simple google search to find out which one to select.
He then brought in the HDRI. To match the original footage, he sampled the color checker gray to ascertain the proper shade values. He sampled the pixel values of the gray patch, and read the RGB values indicated. He did the same for the HDRI. Noting the differences, he did a little math to adjust consistent pixel values for both. In theory, he had the original footage, and the HDRI matched for color.
The one downside with this method is that any color grading at this point will mess up the workflow. So, it’s important to grade beforehand or keep the adjustments to gain to keep everything consistent.
Then, it’s time to move to Blender. This is where Holiday is going to bring in the 3D model that he wants to insert into the scene. There are a lot of steps here, but the gist is to apply the same RGB values into the scene and then apply them to the 3D model imported, along with the ACES IDT. This provides the diffuse, color, and albedo of the model, as well as the reflection, color, and displacement of the light on the 3D model.
This is where Holiday had to deal with the “bad sun” in the sky that was backlighting the scene, but with some judicious masking in software, he was able to do just that. Then, he was able to create a virtual sun, aligning the shadows with how they appear in the original footage and adjusting the color and darkness of the shadows based on the color checker in the reference image.
Adjust the RGB curves, roughness, and project the footage on the floor plane, and Holiday was able to realistically insert the 3D model into the scene. A few adjustments to account for errant reflections, color, and visibility, and then rendering the file out, and the 3D model is properly lit within the scene like it was actually there.
Taking the Proper Steps
There are a lot of steps, including a few steps we didn’t cover, but they are all manageable after spending time familiarizing myself with the interfaces of Nuke or Blender. It’s a clever way to apply the ACES color system to properly light a 3D image for some basic CGI work. With it, users will have a virtual model to interact with the live scene around it.
Holiday has offered the elements on his website, including an ACES kickstart kit, with which to practice his new workflow.
So give it a try and let us know in the comments if it worked for you!
Richard Belzer in 2012Photo: Francois Durand (Getty Images)
Richard Belzer, the stand-up known for his lanky frame and dark glasses who became a one-man cinematic universe (or whatever the equivalent TV terminology would be) thanks to his many appearances as John Munch, has died. Belzer introduced the iconic cop on NBC’s Homicide: Life On The Street, but he became an iconic pop culture figure when he transitioned over to Law & Order spin-off Special Victims Unit—opening the door for Munch to appear on several other shows, plus the times Belzer played overtly Munch-like characters without literally playing the same guy. Belzer was 78.
Belzer was born in Connecticut in 1944 and worked various jobs before moving to New York in the ‘70s to start working as a stand-up. He became part of comedy group Channel One and starred in the cult indie comedy The Groove Tube alongside Chevy Chase. He also became close friends with Lorne Michaels and was Saturday Night Live’s warm-up comic (though he never joined the cast, he did make many appearances on the show over the years). In the ‘80s, Belzer appeared on Moonlighting and Miami Vice, and he had a regular role on The Flash.
In 1993, he was cast as Detective John Munch on Homicide: Life On The Street, based on a book by David Simon (who later went on to create The Wire, which featured an appearance from Munch). The quirky cop with a fondness for conspiracy theories (a trait the real Belzer shared) stuck around for the show’s entire run, popping up for cameos on Law & Order and The X-Files at the same time as the same character (and as a Munch-like cop on Mad About You).
As soon as Homicide ended, Belzer and Munch moved over to Law & Order: SVU, becoming a sort of comic relief character on the otherwise grim show (especially when eventually paired with frequent partner Fin Tutuola, played by Ice-T). He appeared in 325 episodes of the show, plus a crossover with Law & Order: Trial By Jury and a cameo on Arrested Development as Munch (and, again, a Munch-like character on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). When he retired from acting in 2016, Munch had appeared regularly on TV for a record-breaking 22 years, on nine shows and five different networks.
Belzer also wrote several books, including four about conspiracy theories (primarily centering around the assassination of John F. Kennedy, a favorite topic of Belzer’s and Munch’s). Belzer is survived by wife Harlee McBride, who appeared on Homicide with him, and two stepdaughters.
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Jesse Williams hasn’t been a full-time member of Grey’s Anatomy’s cast for a couple of seasons now, after he exited the show in 2021, but it’s no surprise that playing Dr. Jackson Avery for 12 seasons has left an impression on fans of the medical drama. He continues to get recognized for the role when he’s out and about, but there seems to be a bit of confusion sometimes, as the Your Place or Mine actor revealed an “odd” phenomenon he’s encountered in regards to his medical training (or lack thereof).
The actor joined the cast of Grey’s Anatomy in Season 6, and since leaving in Season 17 has returned as a guest star in a couple of episodes and even directed one. Jesse Williams appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert recently, where he revealed that not only does he get recognized as Jackson, those around him sometimes seem to forget that he’s not a real doctor — he just plays one on TV! The actor said:
It’s odd, and I’ve said this before, but I’ve been on a plane two different times when they have said, ‘Is there a doctor on board? Somebody needs it,’ and they look at me. And I say, ’The one thing you know about me for sure is I’m not a doctor.′ Yet still, it’s happened on two different occasions.
Hearing someone shout, “Is there a doctor on the plane?” does sound like something that would definitely happen on Grey’s Anatomy, so maybe when faced with that situation in real life, people went with what they knew? What’s funny is that it didn’t just happen once, but twice.
Now, it should be noted that Grey’s Anatomy goes through a lot of trouble to make sure their depiction of the medical workers is as realistic as possible — even taking days to film those big surgery scenes — so maybe it’s a testament to their hard work paying off, as well as Jesse Williams’ acting skills. But still, 12 years of acting like a surgeon does not a surgeon make. You can check out his full Late Show interview below:
Not only was Jesse Williams a fan favorite during his time on Grey’s (and, obviously, beyond), but he’s one half of the revered couple “Japril,” along with Sarah Drew’s April Kepner. Fans are still holding out hope that the duo will lead their own series one day (and with Ellen Pompeo’s impending exit, now would be the perfect time for a Boston spinoff).
While Jesse Williams was featured in one episode of Season 19 so far, Sarah Drew has not been back since the Season 18 finale confirmed that Japril had rekindled their romance. It’s unknown if she’ll make an appearance on the back half of the current season, but Krista Vernoff has promised some “delightful surprises” to close out her final season as showrunner, so it’s definitely a possibility.
All the best looks from British film’s biggest night.
Getty Images
Hollywood’s biggest names all descended upon London this weekend for the BAFTA Film Awards. Britain’s most prestigious award show is often seen as a mirror to the Oscars, and the results can sometimes be used to predict the winners at next month’s Academy Awards.
“All Quiet on the Western Front” set a BAFTAs record with 14 nominations, while “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” each scored 10 nominations a piece. “Elvis” and “TÁR” were close behind with nine and five nominations, respectively.
The high profile list of nominees ensured that virtually all of the year’s biggest movie stars would be in attendance, and they all put on their Sunday best for the red carpet. There won’t be this much Hollywood glamour in one room again until the Oscars. Keep reading for our updating selection of the best looks from the red carpet.
Riley Burruss visited The Sharpton Sisters to discuss what it was like growing up with her mother, The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss.
The Sharpton Sisters talk to Riley Burruss about the experience of growing up with a celebrity and how it influenced their lives, whether it be throughout childhood, school life, or professional careers.
“I think it was pretty cool, I feel like when you have a parent, whose grown up with that life, you’re able to learn a lot and have a lot of cool experiences. So, I was able to go to a lot of concerts and meet a lot of cool people…It can be kind of stressful, but looking back on it, I’m glad I was able to experience those things rather than not…”
But fame does not just bring adoration. It also brings criticism. Her thoughts on that were,
“I think it can definitely be stressful, because when you’re young and on TV, you’re exposed to a lot of outside criticism that you wouldn’t be, compared to if you weren’t on TV…just the constant outside criticism…I’m not like my mom, where I’m on the show constantly. So, a lot of people don’t know that much about me, but it’s a lot of assumptions and people using things that they saw from when I was like 10…that’s really hard, especially because most people are much older than me, and it’s different when you have criticism from people your age, but when it’s like an adult talking down on you it feels kind of sad.”
Not only was her mother in the public eye, but Riley Burruss was in the public eye as well, something she discussed with The Sharpton Sisters as they gave an insight into what it meant to go to a private school and be watched by the public.
However, Riley Burruss does admit that there are perks to having a famous parent,
“The biggest thing that is helpful is obviously the connections she’s made and the experiences she can tell me. I can learn so much from her, and I just love being able to call her and give me the whole run down…”
Kandi Burruss’ career also helped inspire and influence the direction Riley Burruss went regarding her interest in entertainment and music. She is enrolled at NYU and is interning at a label.
When discussing her music career, Riley Burruss said,
“Since she [Kandi] was in the music industry, ever since I was younger, I knew I wanted to do something related to the music industry…and I don’t think I would’ve known that without her [Kandi]…Seeing my mom in the studio, collaborating with other artists…I really like R&B and Hip-Hop, but I want to focus on Atlanta music. And of course, Atlanta’s always going to be at the top in the music industry, but I just want to focus on bringing it to the ‘top-top’, kind of like the early 2000s vibe…I really want to work on AR and developing more artists coming from Atlanta.”
The Sharpton Sistersairs on FOX SOUL every Wednesday at 9:00 pm ET.
The quandry you face as a filmmaker, is to decide which is more strategy is more potent. Its the battle between film festivals vs film distribution.
I’m waiting in the Heathrow Departure lounge awaiting a flight to the Berlinale and the European Film Market. In Berlin, I’m going to be researching film festivals vs ilm distribution. My flight’s been delayed 3 hours giving me a chance to catch up on emails.
I’m reminded of two dear friends who both have films nearing completion. They both have submitted to the so-called Tier One film festivals and each of them has had offers from distributors. So the quandary is, do you accept the distribution deal and possibly see the premier status of your film ruined? Or do you wait it out to see if your movie is in a big-time film festival?
Two Case Studies
One of my friends, who happens to be a Raindance Postgraduate Film Degree student is waiting for the SWSX and Tribeca Festivals. They announce their lineup beginning of March – a fortnight from now. In her case I think she should wait, hoping to get accepted and if so use the festival appearance to leverage a higher price. If she isn’t accepted perhaps she could consult with her distributor and take advice about entering into Toronto for a North American profile, or consider some of the great autumn European festivals like Venice and Raindance.
My other friend has a micro-budget film with some name talent. He is currently juggling offers from two different distributors for North America rights. He doesn’t think his film will make it into TIFF in Toronto in the fall. So has submitted to some of the excellent Tier 2 North American festivals like Banff, Seattle, Santa Barbara, New York and Vancouver. I don’t need to remind you what the objectives of attending a film festival are, do I?
The strategy is to hype up the bidding war, and if a distributor ponies up with the cash, then the distributor will decide whether or not to proceed with the festival screenings.
Both filmmakers have a similar head-banging decision to make. Do you wait for the big festivals to get back to you? And remember that SWSX had over 10,000 submissions last year. Or do you go to the Tier 2 festivals and hope you can use those festivals to leverage a distribution deal. Tier 2 festivals usually don’t require world premieres. Usually (as Raindance) only require a national or regional premiere.
Another factor to consider is the length of time a film goes from “SOLD” to distribution can vary greatly. When my film Deadly Virtues was sold to Germany – it was ten months before it came out in Germany.
Then there is the case of the feature Alice, which I EP’d. It won the Grand Jury Prize at SWSX in 2019, and then COVID hit meaning it was only screened online. By the time COVID cleared, the early distribution offers evaporated.
Other Film Distribution Strategies
Why not consider going a film market? After Berlinale, I next will go to Marche Du Film in Cannes in May. The American Film Market hits LA in November. It could be you can time your film market debut with a sales and distribution push.
A film market allows you to manage international sales efficiently. You can then leverage your international sales as a way to promote your film to other territories, along the lines of “The Runaway Romanian Art-house Hit!
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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is recalling Quebec-made cheese fondues under brand name “1001 Fondues” due to possible Listeria contamination.
The affected products were sold in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Nova Scotia and include the following:
Chic! Fondue Quebec artisan cheese and beer fondue (125 g and 350 g)
Chic! Fondue Quebec artisan cheese fondue Michel Jodoin Crackling Rosé Cider (125 g and 350 g)
Chic! Fondue Quebec artisan cheese fondue GIN Violette (125 g and 350 g)
Chic! Fondue Quebec artisan smoked cheese fondue (125 g
The agency warns that foods contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria won’t necessarily look or smell spoiled, but they can still make people sick.
Symptoms of the illness include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscles aches, severe headaches and neck stiffness.
The bacteria poses a greater risk for pregnant women, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
According to CFIA, pregnant women might only experience mild flu-like symptoms but an infection can have serious consequences including premature or stillbirths.
Anyone who thinks they might have become infected after eating contaminated food should contact a health-care provider.
If you have any of the recalled products in your home, they should be thrown out or brought back to the store where they were bought.
The CFIA said the recall was issued on Feb. 18, following an inspection but there have been no reports of illness connected to the consumption of the affected products.
Ask The Doctor: What is Listeria and how to avoid it
Presidents’ Day mattress savings are here, but are they worth shopping? In short, yes – Presidents’ Day mattress sales tend to rival the prices we see during Black Friday deals. But as I’ve learned in my years of covering these major shopping events, there are ways to maximize your savings.
Before browsing this year’s Presidents’ Day mattress sales, follow these four shopping tips to get the best value for your money. I’ve kept a keen eye on the ever-fluctuating prices of the best mattresses, especially in light of inflation, so I’m able to impart the knowledge I’ve accrued as a deal-hunter and conscientious consumer.
With the extra cash you pocket as a result of following this buying advice, you can put your money towards other Presidents’ Day deals you have on your wish list. Just keep these mattress shopping hacks in mind…
Is Presidents’ Day a good time to buy a mattress?
National holidays are usually accompanied by sales, but Presidents’ Day tends to yield the best mattress deals of the year outside of Black Friday. It’s the first major shopping event of the year, so a lot of brands want to make an impact with low prices. Plus, it’s an opportunity for manufacturers to clear old stock as they prepare to release new mattresses in spring.
4 ways to save during Presidents’ Day mattress sales
1. Prioritize price over discount
A screaming percent-off discount doesn’t always guarantee a good deal. Mattress companies adjust their suggested retail prices (MSRPs) all the time, while inflation continues to gradually bump up costs. That leads to many mattress bargains seeming better than they actually are, so it’s better to focus on the price you’re paying.
The best way to know if you’re scoring a legitimate mattress deal is to check the price history. Our shopping experts continuously monitor mattress prices and include all of that information on our dedicated sales pages. That way, you’ll be able to readily discern whether or not you’re getting a bonafide bargain on the bed you want.
Check out our dedicated sales pages for top mattress brands below, and bookmark your favorite ones for quick access to the latest discounts:
Meanwhile, head to CamelCamelCamel to check the price history for mattresses sold at Amazon and its third-party sellers. For all other merchants, Google Shopping (opens in new tab) provides a 30-day snapshot of mattress sale prices.
2. Look for free gifts with purchase
Brands are keen to sweeten their mattress deals by offering free sleep accessories with purchase. These items typically include pillows, sheets, a mattress protector – or all of the above. This is a convenient option if you’re swapping to a different mattress size, adding a new bed to your home, or looking to refresh your current bedding.
Free gifts can be tempting, but it’s important to be discerning here, too. Some mattress brands embellish the value of their freebies to give the impression that you’re saving more money than you really are. If your sheets and pillows are perfectly fine, don’t risk paying extra for things you don’t need – look for the best savings you can find on a mattress alone.
That said, if you’re hoping to upgrade your sleep setup in one fell swoop, take a look at this editor’s choice Presidents’ Day mattress bundle:
3. Know exactly what you want
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Don’t base your purchase solely on discounts and brand reputation. Knowing what you need from a mattress can help you avoid a costly mistake. Falling into a cycle of buying-and-trying mattresses can add up over time.
Sleeping on the wrong mattress can also take a toll on your health – either causing back pain or negatively affecting your well-being due to low-quality sleep. Head that potential issue off at the pass by assessing your needs according to your build and weight, dominant sleep position, and whether you deal with any sleep-related issues.
Of course, firmness and comfort are subjective. That’s why it’s crucial to purchase a mattress with an at-home trial period so you can get a feel for it yourself. (More on that below.) Also, read the reviews for an idea of how well a mattress performs in the areas that are most essential to you.
By arming yourself with the knowledge you need to make an informed buying decision, you’ll be less likely to wind up with a mattress that’s totally wrong for you.
4. Shop around (but try to buy direct)
The best mattress deals tend to come straight from the brands themselves, but it’s still worth shopping around. Major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Mattress Firm host their own Presidents’ Day mattress sales. These stores generally match whatever discounts mattress brands are offering, but you may stumble upon a much lower price elsewhere.
Shopping around is also helpful if the mattress you want is out of stock directly from the manufacturer. Alternatively, you could avail of perks such as free 2-day shipping via Amazon Prime, or curbside pickup from a store with a physical location nearby if you need your new mattress right away.
However, if prices are the same everywhere, we strongly recommend purchasing straight from the source. The best mattress brands offer generous at-home sleep trials and warranty periods, perks third-party retailers may not honor or match. Plus, buying directly from a mattress manufacturer will ensure more straightforward aftercare should you need anything repaired or replaced down the line.
If you insist on purchasing from an authorized reseller, go over their terms and conditions with a fine-tooth comb to see what you qualify for when it comes to trials, returns, and aftercare.
Now that you know how to maximize your savings during this year’s Presidents’ Day mattress sales, have a look at some of the best deals we’re finding today:
For filmmaker Damien Chazelle, one of the most compelling aspects of Justin Hurwitz’s score to Babylon is the way it plays with “all colors of the spectrum,” seamlessly synthesizing a lifetime of musical influences on the part of the composer.
“I hear the guy who was writing rock songs…and sort of dance music for the band we were in, in college. I certainly hear classical; I certainly hear jazz,” Chazelle tells Hurwitz in today’s edition of The Process. “I also hear you pushing your own sensibilities more towards avant-garde than I’ve ever heard before, even [with] stuff that starts to verge on noise music or soundscapes.”
Hurwitz admits that in the early days of his work on the film, this confluence of styles wasn’t something he was consciously pursuing. But in the end, he of course also sees his score as one of many “colors.” One guiding idea behind it was to take the “jazz band horns and rhythm section” they’d long been working with and filter it through a “rock and roll writing style” for a project less “tonally grounded” than any they’d made before. His “really driving, riff-based pieces of music” culminated in an atmosphere of “crafted, thoughtful cacophony” befitting a piece on the cocaine-fueled debauchery of early Hollywood.
Babylon is the fifth feature collaboration for Chazelle and Hurwitz, on the heels of First Man, La La Land, Whiplash and their “senior thesis” of sorts, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench. The original epic traces the rise and fall of assorted characters amidst the decadence and depravity of 1920s Los Angeles, as Tinseltown makes the transition from silent films to talkies. The trio at its center are Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt), a once beloved silent film star on the decline; the hard-partying, aspiring actress, Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie); and Manny Torres (Diego Calva), who bonds with Nellie over his dreams of achieving Hollywood greatness during his journey from assistant to executive.
Prior to their own stratospheric Hollywood climb, which has seen Chazelle become the youngest-ever Best Director Oscar winner with La La Land and Hurwitz thus far claiming two statuettes, the pair were Harvard peers who spent time together in a band and, as Hurwitz recalls, bonded over “philosophical ideas of work ethic and drive.” Indeed, the pair had sights themselves on taking over the town, “egging each other on” back then to forego the pleasures of campus life, in order to lay the foundation for the accomplishment of their dreams.
Hurwitz is back in the awards race this season, having last month landed both an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe for his Babylon score. And to Chazelle, the continued successes of his collaborator are a natural byproduct of the qualities he saw in him from the very beginning. “I will always remember, and it’s kind of I guess similar to how you are today…You’re such a monomaniacal, work ethic-oriented, sort of obsessive personality. I think you take all these things as compliments, so I think it’s okay for me to say this, but I feel like that was part of why…it felt very organic that after the band, we eventually just started working together,” reflects Chazelle. “Beyond just my knowing at that point what you were capable of musically…I also knew that whatever you put your mind to, you were just going to do it relentlessly, and do it for as long as it took to reach utter perfection.”
Released by Paramount Pictures on December 23 and also currently Oscar nominated in the categories of Costume and Production Design, Babylon also stars Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, Jean Smart, P.J. Byrne, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Tobey Maguire, Max Minghella, Rory Scovel, Katherine Waterston, Flea, Jeff Garlin, Eric Roberts, Ethan Suplee, Samara Weaving, Olivia Wilde and more. Chazelle directed from his own script, with Marc Platt, Matthew Plouffe and Hamilton producing, and Michael Beugg, Maguire, Wyck Godfrey, Helen Estabrook and Adam Siegel serving as exec producers.
In his time on The Process, Babylon‘s composer reflects on becoming known as “jazz composer Justin Hurwitz” despite the fact that he only came to jazz by way of Chazelle; musical themes planted in Babylon‘s opening party sequence and finding ways to “twist” them; his regret about not going in a more profane direction he’d initially considered for the titling of Babylon‘s climactic end-sequence cue; musical odes to his grandfather Herman embedded in each of his scores; his Babylon music’s circus influences; and the “magic” that comes in relying as much as possible on the “living, breathing mechanism” of real instruments rather than their virtual counterparts.
Hurwitz also discusses getting his start at a composer at age 10 and beginning to contemplate film scoring in high school; his natural attraction to orchestral music and why film might be the best venue for it today; the people who were instrumental in expanding his musical knowledge and taste; rebelling during his time at Harvard against its “really uncool,” “old-school” and “snobby” rules as far as composition; being behind the curve in his music production knowledge as he headed out for L.A.; the evolution in his craft from Guy and Madeline through Babylon; and his drive to expand “the toolbox” on each film he makes with Chazelle.
Chazelle speaks on The Process to his natural gravitation toward jazz, Hurwitz’s penchant for classical, and how their areas of expertise collide to produce richer work; building toward the “total cacophony” of the “biggest musical meal” that was Babylon‘s end sequence; his enjoyment of the love theme penned for Manny and Nellie; instrumentalists who were key contributors in making this score special; and more.
The film is directed by ‘We Are Lady Parts’ creator, Nida Manzoor.
Image via Focus Features
A new clip from the upcoming action comedy Polite Society teases a sibling dispute to end all sibling disputes. The clip, which was released by IGN, shows sisters Lena and Ria Khan have a verbal disagreement that escalates to full-blown hand-to-hand combat. Directed by Nida Manzoor, Polite Society blends the visual humor of Edgar Wright’s movies with the slick martial arts of Jackie Chan’s cinema, for a “merry mash-up” of genre thrills and social satire.
Ritu Arya and Priya Kansara play the sisters Lena and Ria Khan, but when Lena accuses Ria of meddling in her relationships — particularly her newly announced engagement — the argument can only be resolved through a good, old-fashioned brawl. “Khan vs. Khan,” bold yellow letters declare in Street Fighter fashion as the two sisters start begind fighting in their bedroom. “I told you to piss off,” Lena tells Ria, as she rhythmically bashes her head against a framed photo of the two of them. As the sisters fight upstairs, we cut to their parents looking quizzically at the ceiling.
COLLIDER VIDEO OF THE DAY
Despite what the clip might suggest, Lena and Ria actually love each other deeply. The real reason behind Ria’s anger is that Lena has agreed to an arranged marriage with someone she doesn’t even know, and Ria worries she has thrown her life away. Lena was, after all, the only person who supported Ria in her dream of becoming a stunt woman. And now, she’s giving up on her own dreams of becoming an artist in favor of settling down and resigning herself to what society expects of young women like her. Ria isn’t having it.
Polite Society satirizes the dictates that are often imposed upon women, particularly South Asian women. The “villain” of the film is what people from South Asian communities would call an “aunty”; and nobody has described what an aunty is better than Devi from Never Have I Ever. “Aunties,” she said for everybody’s convenience in the first season of the show, “are old Indian women who have no relation to you but are allowed to have opinions about your life and shortcomings.” In recent years, there has been a boom in stories about the South Asian experience, thanks in large part to the success of shows like Never Have I Ever. Last year, Ms. Marveldid more to bridge the gap between India and Pakistan than most elected officials.
Polite Society premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival to positive reviews. Collider’s own Chase Hutchinson praised the film’s heart and ambitious tonal shifts. He wrote in his review, “Polite Society proves to be a triumphant action comedy with wonderful characters you only wish you could get to know even more.” Also starring Nimra Bucha, Shobu Kapur and Ella Bruccoleri, Polite Society will be released in theaters on April 28. You can watch the new clip here, and read the film’s official synopsis down below:
A merry mash-up of sisterly affection, parental disappointment and bold action, POLITE SOCIETY follows martial artist-in-training Ria Khan who believes she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting the help of her friends, Ria attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood.
Reality TV Stars Who Need To Be On “The Traitors” Season 2
If you haven’t been watching The Traitors on Peacock, then I don’t know what you’ve been doing with your life.
The show was such a smashing success that Peacock has already greenlit a Season 1 reunion and a Season 2.
But since casting for Season 2 is presumably underway, I’d like to provide the Peacock team with a few suggestions as to who would make great contestants.
I’ve scoured my encyclopedia of reality TV shows to pull 30 of the most exciting options so that we can replicate the wonder that was Kate Chastain in Season 1.
Here are 30 reality TV stars I’d like to see on Season 2 of The Traitors:
1.
Allison Harvard — America’s Next Top Model
2.
Alyssa Edwards — RuPaul’s Drag Race
3.
Britney Haynes — Big Brother
4.
Colton Underwood — The Bachelor
5.
David Atherton — The Great British Baking Show
6.
Dino Luciano — MasterChef
7.
DJ Pauly D — Jersey Shore
8.
Gary Levy — Big Brother Canada
9.
Hai Giang — Survivor
10.
Hannah Ann Sluss — The Bachelor
11.
Harry Jowsey — Too Hot to Handle
12.
Heather Gay — The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City
13.
Ika Wong — Big Brother Canada
14.
Jason Carrion — Married at First Sight
15.
Jinger Duggar — 19 Kids and Counting
16.
Joey Sasso — The Circle
17.
Jordin Sparks — American Idol
18.
Josh Martinez — Big Brother
19.
LC Palmer — Claim to Fame
20.
Luann de Lesseps — The Real Housewives of New York City
21.
Normani — Dancing with the Stars
22.
Nyle DiMarco — America’s Next Top Model
23.
Omarosa Manigault Newman — Celebrity Big Brother
24.
Parvati Shallow — Survivor
25.
Rachel Reilly — Big Brother
26.
Rob Mariano — Survivor
27.
Sandra Diaz-Twine — Survivor
28.
Sean Taylor — The Circle
29.
Symone — RuPaul’s Drag Race
30.
Tiffany Pollard — I Love New York
Watch the first season of The Traitors only on Peacock.
Bollywood star Karisma Kapoor has made a triumphant return to acting with Zee Studios’ noir thriller “Brown,” the only Indian show at the Berlin Series Market Selects platform.
Kapoor, one of the top movie stars in India in the 1990s and early 2000s, took a hiatus to devote time to her young family. She made a comeback with parenting-themed series “Mentalhood” for streamer ALTBalaji in 2020. “Brown” is her first acting gig since then.
The series is based on the 2016 novel “City of Death” by Abheek Barua, adapted by Digvijay Singh, Sunayana Kumari and Mayukh Ghosh and directed by Abhinay Deo (“24: India”). It follows Rita Brown (Kapoor), a world-weary, recovering alcoholic, ace detective in the Kolkata police force belonging to the city’s small but influential Anglo-Indian community, who is assigned to the murder case of a young woman from a well-connected family.
“I’ve had a long career, I’ve been there, done that, done a variety of roles, but when I read the character Rita Brown, I just felt it, because she was so different, so diverse – she was flawed, but human, super smart, super intelligent, and you can literally see the growth of this woman,” Kapoor told Variety. “For me, as an actress to be stripped down of all the glamor and the glitz, that was extremely interesting for me.”
“Many people around the world will identify with her – she’s beat up, she’s been through so much, people have knocked her out. And that’s what happens in normal life,” Kapoor added. “It’s not only depression, or alcoholism – nobody discusses this, but there’s a time where people just become irrelevant. She bounces back, because she has it in her. Rita Brown is very inspirational to women out there and that’s something that really touched me because I’ve also been through a journey in life.”
Apart from not wearing any makeup to achieve a worn-out look for her character, Kapoor also used method acting techniques to enhance the role. Someone who rarely consumes alcohol in real life, Kapoor would skip dinner, have a few drinks and pass out in order to wake up with a hangover. A non-smoker, she learnt to roll a cigarette. The actor also trained with a language coach to learn the Bengali language that is native to Kolkata and to speak a few words of it and English with an Anglo-Indian accent.
The city of Kolkata is as important a character in “Brown” as the humans. “The city in itself has such colors, such variety of cultures, traditions, there is a certain sleepiness to it, there is a certain, very interesting element of small town-ness, that was the first level of the visual template I was creating,” Deo told Variety adding that for the second level he drew upon the characters who are “hugely complex with a lot of baggage” and adding to the texture was the strong sonic template the city offers.
The cast also includes veteran actor Helen making her comeback, Soni Razdan, Surya Sharma and K.K. Raina.
Zee Studios has an extensive slate lined up for 2023. The series, while being instantly appealing to South Asian audiences, is also aimed at a global audience.
“I strongly believe that there is no better time than now for stories to travel, and as a studio we are always on the lookout for compelling stories for both series and films, which are deeply rooted in our culture and yet have a global appeal. ‘Brown’ is exactly that. It is a crime drama, set in Kolkata, a culturally diverse city with a rich heritage of arts and literature, and while it has crime as a backdrop, it really focuses on real human emotions which are universal. And that is what we feel will appeal to the global audience,” Ashima Avasthi, senior VP and head of content for Zee Studios Originals, told Variety.
Zee Studios chief business officer Shariq Patel added, “The Berlin Series Market is a great opportunity for us to showcase the series on the world stage. We have already got a number of meetings with broadcasters and platforms lined up and are looking to syndicate this globally.”
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Mark Hamill and Star Wars fans rejoice! The always delightful actor is selling signed Star Wars memorabilia in an effort to help the Ukrainian army. That’s right, you can get your hands on limited edition Star Wars posters in an auction starting soon. Mark Hamill revealed the news about these signed posters in a Politico interview (thanks to Collider for bringing this to our attention) and admitted that he’s not usually big into selling Star Wars memorabilia in general.
Lucasfilm
However, after decades in this galaxy, he knows the franchise is all about doing what feels right. And, to him, this fundraising project between the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and United24 feels like a way to use his international celebrity to help others.
It’s not just that they’re acquaintances though, it’s the blunt way Saitama shuts down Fubuki’s burgeoning feelings. When asked about his connection to her, “Well, we aren’t friends or comrades or even friends of friends. I guess we’re just acquaintances.” It’s a cold blooded answer that the godlike and detached Saitama can only give, and now Fubuki will carry that rejection forward into the next arc.
How do you feel about the way Saitama sees his relationship with Fubuki? What do you think she will do next now that she knows the way he feels? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animated and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!
Check out some exciting films from Summerhill at the European Film Market! We will be at Marriott, Stand #139, with Monique White. We look forward to meeting with you!
Be sure to check out our website at www.summerhillfilms.com to see all our available films. We look forward to working with you throughout the rest of 2023 and beyond! If you’re interested in any of these titles, feel free to schedule a meeting below:
FEATURED RELEASES:
Nate, a suicidal 28-year-old incidentally finds the beauty in life after mysteriously waking up naked in a park and discovering he is involved in a marijuana heist. Nate is forced to find a special “pillowcase” he lost the night before which is hidden somewhere in the park. He embarks on a journey by putting the puzzle pieces together while encountering a variety of people who include the girl of his dreams and his menacing landlord. All Nate wants to do is get through the day however it may not be that easy.
Sirena’s Gallery follows a Salvadoran-American woman’s struggle as an art gallery owner during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently widowed, Sirena adapts to self-isolation, grief-induced visions, and the world of e-commerce.
Daniel Finley, a mentally-ill Native American of mixed race, struggles to reconcile love versus inner trauma, as do a storytelling female inmate, and a prostitute and car thief in a hotel suite.
Once every 100 years, Earth Mother walks the planet for a single day.
When 16-year-old Mariam’s little brother Vince falls ill on her watch, she calls their family doctor to make a house call. But when the doctor ends up dead, nothing prepares the children for the night of terror that follows.
A genre-bending ‘operatic cinema’ featuring 18 classical music pieces, this psychological horror feature tells the story of a young couple that has issues when confronted with an unexpected pregnancy. A film that explores love, romance, and changing gender roles, and most of all, themes of power and control.
A young Canadian woman in London dreams of becoming a successful songwriter. Things are going well until she receives a threatening letter from the government demanding that she return to Ontario. Desperate for a British passport, Chloe decides to find a local husband using internet dating. Rushing from one would be suitor to another, she receives an unexpected education from the University of life and as the day of deportation arrives, she begins to question whether marriage should be for love or convenience.
Interested in these films? Find them in our screening room! Click the link below:
Matt Damon revealed he is in the early stages of research in a documentary project tackling the war in Ukraine at the Berlin Film Festival on Sunday.
The Jason Bourne actor and producer was at the festival as one of the producers on Kiss The Future.
The documentary revisits the Siege of Sarajevo in the 1990s through the prism of U2’s solidarity with the city’s besieged citizens as well as its underground music scene. Watch the first trailer here.
Asked at the press conference whether he could see himself getting involved in a documentary on the war in Ukraine, in the vein of Sean Penn’s Superpower, Damon revealed he was researching a potential project.
The actor-producer said he had not had direct exchanges with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy but had met his wife Olena Zelenska at the U.N. Assembly last year.
“I think a lot of wonderful films are being made about it now. I’m sure there will be many, many more going forward. We don’t have anything on right now… although we actually do have somebody over there researching one but it’s in its early stages.
Damon boarded Kiss The Future under the banner of his former joint company with Ben Affleck, Pearl Street Films, having been approached by Yugoslavia-born Canadian, San Francisco-based director Nenad Cicin-Sain at the development stage.
He said he had been “intuitively” drawn to the project in the same way he selects roles as an actor. He said he had been “a sounding board” at the editing stage.
“Nenad is very humble, but it was a very, very personal story for him and to listen to him talk about it, it was really impossible for us not to want to be involved,” Damon explained.
Cicin-Sain said he had been drawn to the story of the U2 concert as a way to re-explore what had happened in Sarajevo after seeing a “re-flaring” of nationalism in the region in recent years.
An obstacle to the idea was that very little footage exists of the event. Cicin-Sain, who had worked with Damon and Affleck on other projects, knew Damon was friends with Bono and thought he might be able to help facilitate access.
Damon emphasized that Cicin-Sain along with screenwriter Bill S. Carter, producer Sarah Anthony at Los Angeles-based Good Wolves Productions, Pearl Street EVP Drew Vinton and editor Eric Burton had been the real drivers of the final film.
“It was a very hard production for the people who were day to day on it, Sarah, Eric, for all these people who like grinding and grinding in the edit. For me, I would get these cuts. Each cut I would watch was better than the last cut and it just kept getting better and better. It was exactly what he [Nenad] said he was going to do,” recalled Damon.
“We would get on the phone and talk for an hour or two. Really, he was using me as a sounding board at that point. It’s like, you get so close to a movie. Terrence Malick could call it ‘getting snowblind’ where you’re just you’re so deep in the edit, it’s very hard to see what you’re at.”
Damon said he was open to getting behind other documentaries but that they had to be projects he really believed in.
“This one just kind of came to me. It was a real blessing. It just it’s an incredible story… that these incredible people opened up and let us help tell it and were open with us, and these interviews that were just amazing. Their willingness and their vulnerability. That’s really what this was about,” he said.
“Our interests are in making things like this, but there’s not an overarching strategy… as we see these great stories we’ll do our best to facilitate the people who can tell them really, really well.”
Bono, who features prominently in the film has been confirmed for the red carpet on Sunday evening but did not participate in the press conference.
In the Alex Gibney documentary “Boom! Boom: The World vs. Boris Becker,” the then-active tennis player recalls a 1980s conversation with a tabloid newspaper editor who told him that only three subjects were guaranteed to get the German public’s attention: Adolf Hitler, German reunification and Boris Becker.
Released from prison in the U.K. in December, Becker turned up in person in Berlin on Sunday to attend a press conference. Once again he dominated the court. Quotable, self-deprecating and larger than life, Becker maintained the candor that was characteristic of the multiple interviews he gave to filmmaker Alex Gibney — himself a tennis player and Becker admirer.
“I’m a huge fan. I watched him during his tennis playing days and listened to his commentary on the BBC,” said Gibney. “The talent that Boris has, unlike many great athletes, is his ability as a storyteller. My opportunity to tell the story and [Becker’s] ability as a storyteller to tell his own story, that was hugely exciting to me.”
The film, presented at Berlin is already feature-length, but is the first part of a two-episode work that stops when Becker is at the height of his playing career. It ends abruptly, explaining that the seeds of Becker’s self-destruction have all been identified in the previous 100 minutes and the star’s trajectory is downhill from then on. It will air on Apple TV+.
At Sunday’s event — just as in the remarkable interviews he gave Gibney for “Boom! Boom!” — Becker was neither shy, nor evasive.
“I’m the last person to complain about my life. I’m 55 years old and I’m very proud of the things that I’ve done. But I’ve made mistakes,” Becker said. “It is very difficult to win Wimbledon at age 17. You have to be a bit crazy. Borderline. Crossing the line. Doing things that nobody has done before in order to achieve something nobody has achieved before. To have that mindset and live a normal lifestyle is almost impossible. And when the going gets tough I usually get better, I’m not afraid of a tie break, I’m not afraid of a final. But in real life that is a problem sometimes.
“I’ve paid a heavy price for some of the things I did in my past. Today I’m a bit better for it. Hopefully a bit smarter. Maybe a bit more humble.”
The film’s first series of interviews were conducted in 2019 when Gibney toured Wimbledon with Becker and gave the filmmaker a grand tour. “The pandemic intervened. We began to edit,” said Gibney. The second interview was just two days before Boris was sentenced and taken to prison in 2022 over charges relating to his 2017 bankruptcy case. Becker is shown red-eyed, but still as hard-hitting as his famous serve.
“It was a very powerful and emotional interview. It caused me to reconsider the structure and essential elements of the film. Documentary is like a fiction film except you write the script at the end instead of the beginning,” Gibney shot.
“[It was] a time when I really didn’t know what the rest of my life would look like,” Becker volleyed.
Asked by a reporter to name his favorite movies, Becker named Sean Penn, Jack Nicolson, James Dean and Marlon Brando, actors rather than titles. “They are all a bit rebellious. I like them,” Becker said with a twinkle. “My life seems like a movie sometimes. Only it is real.”
Gibney kept the rally going. “We wanted to take [the story] out of the genteel world of the tennis club and put it in the dusty world of the gunslinger. So we used some of Ennio Morricone’s scores from Sergio Leone spaghetti Westerns to give it that mano a mano vibe.”
Becker remains tabloid fodder — headlines on Sunday had his ex-wife calling him a “devil” — but the star was as cool as a Wimbledon cucumber sandwich. “It feels great to be free and at peace with myself. We all have to try to be our better selves.”
The series is a co-production between John Battsek’s Ventureland and Gibney’s Jigsaw Prods., from Lorton Entertainment.
Milo Ventimiglia in The Company You Keep; Damson Idris in Snowfall; Madelyn Cline in Outer BanksPhoto: Eric McCandless/ABC; Ray Mickshaw/FX; Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix
Welcome to What’s On, our weekly picks of must-watch shows. Here’s what you need to watch from Sunday, February 19, to Thursday, February 23. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekend edition of What’s On drops on Fridays.]
The biggies
The Company You Keep (ABC, Sunday, 10 p.m.)
The Company You Keep – Official Trailer – ABC
Milo Ventimiglia loves a complicated on-screen romance. The Gilmore Girlsand This Is Usstar leads ABC’s new action dramedy, The Company You Keep, in which he plays a con man whose entire family is involved in a criminal enterprise. Charlie lands them in trouble when he falls for a one-night stand, Emma (Catherine Haena Kim), who turns out to be a CIA officer. Naturally, they both have to keep their identities hidden while navigating their feelings. The show is based on the South Korean drama My Fellow Citizen and it features Sarah Wayne Callies, Tim Chiou, James Saito, Frida Foh Shen, and Polly Draper.
Snowfall (FX, Wednesday, 10 p.m.)
Snowfall | Season 6 Official Trailer | FX
Co-created by the late John Singleton, Eric Amadio, and Dave Andron, FX’s acclaimed Snowfalllaunches its sixth and final season. Set in 1983 L.A., the drama follows young drug dealer Franklin Saint (Damson Idris), who becomes a linchpin in the life of several characters, including a CIA operative, a Mexican wrestler, and a crime boss’ niece.
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Outer Banks (Netflix, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
Outer Banks 3 | Official Trailer | Netflix
Get ready for more Pogues vs. Kooks because Netflix’s teen drama Outer Banksis back for season three. Set in the titular North Carolina coastal town, where there’s a social divide between working-class locals (Pogues) and rich seasonal residents (Kooks), Outer Banks follows a group of teens who team up to find out what happened to their friend’s missing father. The cast includes Madelyn Cline, Chase Stokes, Madison Bailey, and Jonathan Daviss. Look out for The A.V. Club’s review and additional coverage of the show this week.
Hidden gems
Melody (Prime Video, Wednesday, 12:01 a.m.)
Melody “La Chica del Metro” (Official Trailer)
Prime Video’s coming-of-age musical drama Melody is inspired by the real experiences of co-stars Yas Gagliardi and Sarah Lenore. The Spanish-language series chronicles their characters’ journeys in the industry and in reality TV. The show also boasts original songs and music videos.
Bel-Air (Peacock, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
Bel-Air | New Season | Official Trailer | Peacock Original
Peacock’s Bel-Airis a re-imagination of the 1990s NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. Jabari Banks plays Will Smith, a teen thrust into the world of Bel-Air’s gated mansions and racial tensions. Adrian Holmes, Cassandra Freeman, Olly Sholotan, Coco Jones, Akira Akbar, Jimmy Akingbola, Jordan L. Jones, and Simone Joy Jones also star. Season two will premiere with three episodes, with the remaining episodes dropping weekly. Check out The A.V. Club’s review of the show this week.
It’s the end of the road for Meredith Grey. That’s right, Ellen Pompeo is bidding adieu to ABC’s Grey’s Anatomyafter 19 seasons of playing the character. As the show returns for its winter premiere, titled “I’ll Follow The Sun,” she’ll leave the hallowed halls of Seattle Grace forever. She will, however, continue to narrate the rest of the episodes. Who knows how Grey’s will look without Pompeo, but no one can fault her for wanting a break, right?
More good stuff
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO, Sunday, 11 p.m., season 10 premiere)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Season 10 | Official Trailer | HBO
Late-night host John Oliver returns to Last Week Tonightwith season 10, a.k.a. “the biggest, boldest season ever,” according to the show’s trailer. Oliver is, of course, known for his satirical, periodically insightful takes on world events, which have earned him Outstanding Variety Talk Series honors seven times in a row at the Emmys.
Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (Netflix, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal – Official Trailer – Netflix
Fyre Fest’s Jenner Furst and Jennifer Willoughby Nason are back with the three-part true crime docuseries Murdaugh Murders. The show follows the unraveling of South Carolina’s Murdaugh family dynasty, which began after five people died over a six-year period. And a lot of the evidence points to one man’s suspected involvement in the deaths or the attempts to cover them up. The docuseries looks at the family’s connections, influence with law enforcement, and how the family’s shattered legacy.
SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2023 REVIEW! When you’re at the end of your rope and life has shoved you into the corner, the only people you can count on is family. One such story is Sean McEwen’s thriller, American Outlaws, based on the true 2012 story of the Dougherty Gang.
The Dougherty Gang is made up of older brother Dylan (Emory Cohen) and his twin siblings Lee Grace (India Eisley) and Ryan (Sam Strike). Ryan finds himself in serious trouble. His girlfriend is about to have a baby, and he’s about to return to prison for a parole violation. Now add Dylan, who has a go-nowhere life, and former stripper and drug addict Lee Grace. Dylan proposes that the three siblings just “go.” Just leave the country and head south to Costa Rica.
With a little convincing and a strong sibling bond, Lee Grace and Ryan agreed. The plan is to slip out of their hometown of Lacoochee, Florida, and make their way to the Mexico border. Dylan draws up several rules for this plan to work, like staying by the car, doing as he says without question, and finally, drawing no attention. Ryan blows that last one within hours as the cops are chasing our heroes for speeding so much for slipping out of town.
In need of money, the Dougherties rob a bank with Lee Grace toting an AK 47. Though they get away with it, the authorities have been alerted and slowly catching up to them. They then take to small-time larceny by robbing an elderly couple and a family on a camping trip. Dylan assures them they’ll make it to the border.
American Outlaws is a low-budget indie film that looks like a big-budget Hollywood feature. However, writer/director Sean McEwen knows how to shoot an action thriller from close-up camera angles on his cast and that rust-colored daytime temperature film that makes everything look like it was shot during magic hours. These close-up shots elevate the action sequences during the car chases and shoot-outs…again that’s how it’s done on the cheap, and it looks incredible.
“Dylan proposes that the three siblings just ‘go.’ Just leave the country and head south to Costa Rica.”
Another star is the story. Based on Kathy Dobie’s GQ article, “The Whole True Story of the Dougherty Gang,” American Outlaws paints an incredibly sympathetic portrait of a family that wants to rise above their hopeless situation as a lower-middle-class family eaten up by the recession of the 2010s. They want to escape in hopes of a better life away from the United States. None of them wants to hurt anyone…they just want to go.
INDIE FILMMAKERS TAKE NOTE: One device that director McEwen employs is interweaving the narrative with actual news reports about the Dougherties from local and national news channels. This trick effectively adds immediate context as the story rolls along and plays well in the “where are they now” end credits.
To pull off this story, McEwen casts his Dougherty family in Emory Cohen, India Eisley, and Sam Strike. Heck, they even look like siblings. The cast nails down a specific dynamic to this family perfectly. The three are young, immature adults who act more out of desperation than malice. They are also incredibly flawed but brilliantly developed characters making one wrong decision after the other while wanting their true kind nature to come out yet forced to turn to their violent nature to escape. We have the makings of true anti-heroes. I couldn’t help but root for their escape while praying they wouldn’t pull that trigger, sealing their fate.
I should probably address the “inspired by real events.” I never read Dobie’s article, nor did I have any knowledge of this story until now. My guess is with McEwen’s slick action-thriller vibe to American Outlaws that, a lot of liberties were taken facts-wise. Except for the actual news reports, it feels like a Hollywood thriller. I still debate over whether there should be a line between cinematic storytelling and docudrama. Debating aside, American Outlaws is a helluva thriller, and I suppose that’s what counts in the end…it’s a fun movie.
Ultimately, I highly recommend Sean McEwen’s sophomore feature film, American Outlaws. It’s clear he’s a fan of action movies, and American Outlaws looks like a big Hollywood film…done on the cheap. From the pace to its swagger to its tone, McEwen is an action director in the making. However, his most incredible feat is making up care about and feel sympathy for his criminal protagonists to the point that I was rooting against the cops until the very end.
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