“Cinema was always a passion for me,” says composer Alexandre Desplat. “I was very lucky to have a friend who had directed a short movie and he asked me if I could write the score… and it became my demo tape and opened to me many, many doors.” Having worked with director Guillermo del Toro before on many projects, most recently The Shape of Water, Desplat was thrilled when del Toro sent him the script for Pinocchio. “His take on this story was amazingly exciting,” says Desplat. “Not at all like what Walt Disney had done, because Walt Disney used to tweak and change all the fairy tales to his taste. Guillermo did the same with the Pinocchio story, but wrote it to his own world.”
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio delivers a visually stunning stop-motion adaptation of the Pinocchio fable, reimagining the story in 1930s Italy during the Fascist reign of Benito Mussolini. After the loss of his son Carlo due to an aerial bomb, woodcarver Geppetto (David Bradley) carves a wooden boy from the tree at Carlo’s grave, which has recently become the home of a cricket named Sebastian (Ewan McGregor). A mysterious Wood Sprite (Tilda Swinton) brings the puppet to life, names him Pinocchio (Gregory Mann), and promises to grant Sebastian a wish if he serves as the boy’s conscience.
Before he got to work on the score, Desplat needed to work with del Toro and lyricist Roeban Katz to create the songs. “When the film was getting closer to being completed, I started working on the score,” he says. “But having written the songs before helped me a lot because I could connect the songs – the melodies of the songs, the motifs of the songs – to the score. Then I suggested to Guillermo to only use wood instruments for the score to keep our sound really special and belonging to our Pinocchio only.” While he blended most songs into the score, Desplat showed a certain reverence to “Ciao Papa” by leaving that song by itself. “I wanted it to be a unique moment in the film… I didn’t want to abuse that song and that melody.”
The most notable thing about the score is the blending of joyful and sad elements to create what Desplat calls a joyful melancholy, “which means that we like to be moved and at the same time feel like something is opening up.” The story of Pinocchio brings a lot of sadness and excitement, as a father mourns the passing of his son and is surprised when a new boy shows up, only to leave again soon after. “I think we really wanted, with Katz and Guillermo, to express that sadness and mixed feelings about the departure of a child.”
Click below to watch the full clip of “Ciao Papa”, sung by Gregory Mann, with music by Desplat and lyrics by Katz and del Toro.
Netflix, now with advertising to sell, has swooped in to take the traditional CBS slot capping off the traditional broadcast upfront week in May.
The streaming giant, which rolled out an advertising tier in November, will host ad buyers at the Paris Theater in New York on May 17. CBS parent Paramount Global, which had continued the tradition of the company’s Carnegie Hall upfront, decided this year to abandon the slot at the end of what had always been known as broadcast upfront week. The company instead will focus on more intimate gatherings with ad clients.
Of course, the broadcast upfronts long ago morphed into something more blended, with presentations incorporating cable and dollops of digital and streaming for years. But they still have a place in the hearts and calendars of decision-makers controlling billions in advertising dollars.
Netflix took over the lease of the Paris in 2019 and has used the fabled single-screen venue next to the Plaza Hotel to screen a range of films and series. Of course, many of them are Netflix originals and the site often hosts premieres, but it’s also a repertory house of sorts where directors can program work that influenced them, for example. During upfront week, of course, it won’t be about the art of cinema, but about the realities of commerce. After insisting for years that it would never take advertising, Netflix made an about face a year ago amid worsening financial performance. It hasn’t indicated any early numbers for the $7-a-month tier, but many Wall Street analysts see it developing into a multi-billion-dollar contributor to total revenue by 2025.
Another tech giant, YouTube, has long been a presence during the NewFronts, an tech-centric ad blitz held earlier in the spring, though last year was the first time the digital video destination held forth during the traditional upfront week. Although Paramount bailed, NBCUniversal has committed to an event kicking off the week on May 14 at Radio City Music Hall. It’s unclear what other players intend to do. Last year, Disney wove messages about Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ into a broader pitch about its many linear brands. Warner Bros Discovery took over the prior slot of WarnerMedia and the Turner networks during upfront week last year and gave HBO Max and Discovery+ periodic shout-outs. The CW is under new ownership at Nexstar Media Group, and given the cost-conscious atmosphere the new parent has established, a splashy upfront event reminiscent of past editions appears unlikely.z
The semi-autobiographical, Netflix offer, The Duchess, reminded me of Ayushmann Khurrana’s Vicky Donor, where the protagonist is a sperm supplier (his own, of course) to help women who cannot have babies. Vicky, that is his name, does this for a fee that a fertility clinic (nothing illegal about it, as the doctor, played with remarkable excellence by Anu Kapoor, avers) gives him. His fee gets fatter as the clinic begins to hit gold with parents delirious after getting a child.
In The Duchess, Katherine (essayed by Katherine Ryan herself) is a fire-breathing feminist who believes that the women of the world can get on without men. They can always walk into a clinic and buy/get the sperm they need. Only that here in this case, Katherine is desperate to have a kid that will resemble her own nine-year-old Olive (Katy Byrne) – whose father is Shep (Rory Keenan). The problem – Katherine and Shep are divorced, and she literally hates even the sight of him, describing him as a member of a useless boy band. Shep is good natured, living like a hippie in his ramshackle boat and is all set to plunge into another marriage.
Although Katherine develops a soft stop for her daughter’s dentist, young and handsome Evan (Steen Raskopoulos), she is undecided about walking into another binding relationship. And if the two do get married and have a baby, it may not be quite like what even Olive desires. A sibling just like her! Katherine of course dotes on her girl, who can be moody and mercurial. But for the mother, she is the epitome of perfection, and she wants to duplicate this.
So, Katherine hits upon an idea. Why not ask Shep to donate his sperm and she could conceive with it to produce another flawless offspring! Shep agrees but with riders, several of them: payment and actual sex with her.
All these lead to some hilarious situations, some of them are quite silly. In Ryan’s effort to create something funny, she slips with some highly implausible situations. To reveal what they are would mean letting spoilers out.
In the end, the movie can be somewhat unfunny. It is certainly vile with some of the scenes at Olive’s school serving as examples. It can also be vulgar; look at the logo on Katherine’s sweater. And, I would think modern women with their economic independence and attracting an arsenal of popular sympathy would hardly need to beg for a man’s sperm. Herein lies the contradiction in Katherine’s character, which is a slip in the script.
The universe is bigger than you realize, and so are the Oscar-nom possibilities. The nomination period for AMPAS members runs from Jan. 12-17, which means voters will be casting ballots prior to the reveal of noms from key guilds such as BAFTA and the WGA. That poses some tantalizing questions about how Academy voters will approach this year’s crop.
The three highest-grossing films of 2022 — “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and “Top Gun: Maverick” — are feasibly in the running for best picture nods. Since the start of modern box office tracking in 1977, the Oscars have never nominated all three of the year’s top-grossing films. Only twice have they recognized the top two: “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “On Golden Pond” in 1981 and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and “Tootsie” in 1982.
That said, five highest-grossing films have won best picture: “Kramer vs. Kramer” (1979), “Rain Man” (1988), “Forrest Gump” (1994), “Titanic” (1997) and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003).
Will AMPAS embrace directors resurfacing after long breaks?
Several helmers returned to the director’s chair after more than a decade away, most notably Todd Field with “Tár” (16 years), James Cameron with “The Way of Water” (13 years) and Sarah Polley with “Women Talking” (10 years). All have drawn critical acclaim and shown strength with the precursor awards, putting them firmly in the conversation for nods from their directing colleagues. Will voters think it was worth the wait?
Will the Oscar best picture lineup mirror BAFTA’s best-film shortlist?
This year, BAFTA changed its voting process, shortlisting 10 movies instead of 15, and will narrow that list to five for final nods. That means the British Academy’s selections, which included surprises like A24’s “Aftersun” and Sony Pictures Classics’ “Living,” may be more influential than ever. The significant overlap of BAFTA and AMPAS members might be good news for entrants like Neon’s “Triangle of Sadness” and troubling for movies like 20th Century Studios’ “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which was snubbed.
Beginning with “Born on the Fourth of July” (1989) and continuing with “Jerry Maguire” (1996) and “Magnolia” (1999), Tom Cruise seemed destined to win an Oscar. However, despite the star’s acclaimed turns in films such as “The Last Samurai” (2003) and “Tropic Thunder” (2008), the Academy hasn’t shown much interest in recognizing his wide range of roles. Due in part to a weaker actor field than in other years, his return in the “Top Gun” sequel has been on the bubble for consideration after securing a Critics Choice nom. And as a producer of the film, the Hollywood fixture has two shots at recognition. Will the actors branch, the Academy’s largest, be charmed by the high-altitude eye movements and voice-over behind the oxygen mask?
Women have won best director for two consecutive years. And there has been significant progress with the highlighting of directors of color, such as Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”) and Lee Isaac Chung (“Minari”). However, this year the chances for diversity in the category seem slim, based on precursor notices so far.
Pundits agree two-time winner Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”) is locked for another nod. Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), Todd Field (“Tár”) and Baz Luhrmann (“Elvis”) are likely shoo-ins as well.
With only one spot left, hope is resting on “Everything Everywhere All at Once” directing duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert to prevent a #DirectorsSoWhite outcry.
Meanwhile, Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”) and Gina Prince-Bythewood (“The Woman King”) are the only women directors with the momentum to cross the nomination threshold. But it doesn’t have to be one or the other. AMPAS can vote for both.
AMPAS nomination voting is open and closes on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 5 p.m. PT.
Paramount+ has revealed the official trailer and key art for the upcoming original series Wolf Pack, premiering Thursday, Jan. 26,the same day as “Teen Wolf: The Movie” exclusively on the streaming service in the U.S. and Canada.
Despite coming from Teen Wolf boss Jeff Davis, “Wolf Pack” is not a spinoff of the hit MTV series. Instead, it’s based on a book series by Edo Van Belkom. “I know that everybody gets confused by it, but I always say, ‘Nobody thinks Twilight is in the same universe as Interview With The Vampire. There can be two werewolf shows that exist in separate spaces. It’s funny because one of the things we did was consciously try and do things differently with Wolf Pack.” Said Jeff Davis to SFX magazine.
The series will premiere on Friday, Jan. 27 on Paramount+ in the U.K., Australia, Latin America and Brazil. Premiere dates for other Paramount+ international markets will be announced at a later date.
Wolf Pack follows a teenage boy and girl whose lives are changed forever when a California wildfire awakens a terrifying supernatural creature and drives it to attack a highway traffic jam beneath the burning hills. Wounded in the chaos, the boy and girl are inexplicably drawn to each other and to two other teenagers who were adopted 16 years earlier by a park ranger after another mysterious wildfire. As the full moon rises, all four teens come together to unravel the secret that connects them – the bite and blood of a werewolf.
Courtesy of Paramount+
Courtesy of Paramount+
Courtesy of Paramount+
Courtesy of Paramount+
Courtesy of Paramount+
Courtesy of Paramount+
Courtesy of Paramount+
Courtesy of Paramount+
Courtesy of Paramount+
Courtesy of Paramount+
Courtesy of Paramount+
Sarah Michelle Gellar will star as arson investigator Kristin Ramsey. An expert in her field and no stranger to personal loss, Kristin is brought in by authorities to catch the teenage arsonist who started a massive wildfire which may have also led to the reawakening of a supernatural predator terrorizing Los Angeles.
Joining Gellar are Rodrigo Santoro (Westworld), Armani Jackson (Honor Society, Chad), Bella Shepard (iCarly, The Wilds), Chloe Rose Robertson (Wildflower), and Tyler Lawrence Gray (Our Town, Macbeth).
Additional cast includes Bailey Stender, Chase Liefeld, Hollie Bahar, Lanny Joon, Rio Mangini, Stella Smith, Zack Nelson, James Martinez, Amy Pietz, Bria Brimmer, John L. Adams and Sean Philip Glasgow.
Courtesy of Paramount+
In an interview with US Weekly in September 2022 horror icon Sarah Michelle Gellar compared her two projects Buffy and Wolf Pack and spoke on the real life issues the shows tackles. “One of the things that I love so much about Buffy was how it was utilizing the idea of the horrors of high school and the vampires were the metaphorical version of those horrors. And you could only take it so far in those days because it was network television,” she said “So now you take what our horrors are today, which is depression and anxiety. And we are utilizing these monsters [in Wolf Pack] as the actual personification of that and what happens and finding how much harder it is to face your past these days.” Gellar also mentions that “the backdrop of the Los Angeles fires” is addressed on the show.
Jeff Davis promises Wolf Pack will be “more adult” and “a little bit extreme in places”, from what we’ve heard from Sarah Michelle Gellar, This show will take on more mature themes compared to Teen Wolf. However the show will still have a sense of humor, just “not as comedic as Teen Wolf.”
Written and executive produced by Jeff Davis, the series is a part of his multi-year deal with MTV Entertainment Studios. Davis is also writing and producing the upcoming Paramount+ original film “Teen Wolf: The Movie”, which is produced by MTV Entertainment and MGM. In addition to Davis, Joe Genier, Mike Elliott and Karen Gorodetzky serve as executive producers for Capital Arts. Jason Ensler, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Christian Taylor serve as executive producers.
For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com.
Way too many guides on how to curl your hair begin with the painfully obvious: Finding the best curling iron for you. Even if you’re a total beginner at curling your hair, that step is kind of a no-brainer. Having the right-size (and -shape) barrel makes a world of difference in the type of curl you’re looking for—but so does your hair type, the products you use, how hot the iron gets, and how you hold the tool. Fortunately, we asked the experts for tips on how to get the perfect curl (or wave, depending on your preference).
What types of curling irons are there?
First things first: You want to distinguish between the different types of curling irons out there. The most common curling irons are made with ceramic barrels; those tend to spread heat evenly to ensure smooth, shiny results—and are a great pick for people with finer hair. “I recommend selecting an iron with ceramic barrels and customizable heat settings,” celebrity hairstylist Joseph Maine tells Glamour. Those tend to be less damaging on hair, while the adjustable temperature allows you to tailor it to your hair type’s needs for lasting results. (Thin or fine hair requires less heat than thick hair; the ideal temp for thin hair will be no more than 300 degrees Fahrenheit while thicker or coarser hair textures that can handle high heat from 350 to 450 degrees.)
Then there’s titanium iron, which professional stylists tend to love for thicker hair since it’s more durable and able to style curls at higher temps for longer. Tourmaline is another material that crops up in product descriptions—it tends to be a solid pick for people with frizzy or damaged hair since it emits negative ions that react with the positive ones in your hair to minimize dullness and frizz. “And for those with long hair, find a long barrel length to ensure you have enough space around the barrel,” he adds.
Finally, if you like wearing your curls in various sizes and hairstyles (think: bouncy ringlets, tight curls, beachy waves), you might also want to consider a styling tool with interchangeable barrels. This way, you don’t have to buy multiple hair tools to achieve different looks.
What’s the best way to use a curling iron?
“Your hair should be completely dry before curling it,” Maine says. He also suggests using a heat protectant both while the hair is wet and once it’s dry. “A leave-in conditioner or protectant like Color Wow’s Dream Coat works well while well, but on dry hair you want to use a dry thermal protectant that isn’t sticky like Color Wow’s Style on Steroids.” If you prefer sprays, Maxine Salon stylist Raven Hurtado recommends DryBar’s Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist. “It’s a super lightweight mist that you apply onto dry hair before you style with hot tools,” she says.
The techniques and barrel sizes you use will differ depending on the look you’re after. “The smaller barrel size curling iron you use, the tighter the curls will be while the bigger barrel size will let you achieve a loose wave,” Hurtado explains. “To style while using any size curling iron, place the hair in the middle of the clamp and curl away from your face to achieve a standard formal curl.”
“Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters” follows a group of young dancers as they stage a new production of a work that debuted in response to the AIDS epidemic. Filmmakers Rosalynde LeBlanc and Tom Hurwitz show how Jones’ work, “D Man in the Waters,” remains as powerful today as it was in 1989.
The distraught family of missing rugby and X Factor star Levi Davis, who vanished in Barcelona three months ago, say they have received a new information that he may have been snatched off the streets in the Catalan capital and kidnapped by British gangsters.
Former Bath rugby player Levi, 24, went missing on October 29 after leaving a friend in Ibiza to get the ferry to Barcelona alone.
Now his mother Julie Davis says a private detective working on the case has uncovered that the 5ft 9in rugby star may have been kidnapped by criminals from London in a dispute over money, in what they believe could be a major breakthrough.
Detectives searching for Levi in Catalonia have been notified and are treating the tip seriously, although the case remains a missing person enquiry.
Former Bath rugby player Levi, 24, (pictured in September 2019) went missing on October 29 after leaving a friend in Ibiza to get the ferry to Barcelona alone
Now his mother Julie Davis (pictured with an image of herself and Levi) says a private detective working on the case has uncovered that the 5ft 9in rugby star may have been kidnapped by criminals from London in a dispute over money, in what they believe could be a major breakthrough
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, distraught Julie said the investigator had received an anonymous tip several days ago to say that her son had got into a dispute with criminals two years ago while he was playing rugby for Ealing Trailfinders in 2020.
‘We desperately need to know more because this could change the whole nature of the investigation,’ she said. ‘The anonymous tip was given to private investigators who are helping police look for Levi.
‘The person was very cagey and revealed very little details other than to say that ‘persons in the UK are involved in Levi’s disappearance’ and that it stems from a falling out he apparently had with a gang in London when he played rugby there.
‘I do know of some difficulties he had with some people who showed up to his flat in Ealing but don’t know what the disagreement was about or how serious it was.
‘But this is a very important piece of information to come to light and the police in Barcelona are aware.
‘We need that anonymous tipster – and any others who may know something – to get in touch and tell us more because this could now become a suspected abduction and may explain why my son has seemingly disappeared without a trace.’
Gavin Burrows, the private detector, added: ‘We’ve received several anonymous pieces of information that point to the fact that Levi’s disappearance is not voluntary.
‘There are definitely people in both London and Barcelona who know what’s happened to him and we are following the leads we have been given.’
MailOnline obtained CCTV footage showing rugby star Levi Davis leaving the Old Irish Pub on the bustling La Rambla street on October 29 at 10.05pm
Levi’s family and friends are growing increasingly worried for his safety.
He has not been seen since leaving the Old Irish Pub on Barcelona’s bustling La Rambla in October.
Missing posters have been plastered all over Barcelona in an effort to find Levi Davis
Security cameras caught him leaving the bar, where he had enjoyed a pint while watching football, at 10.05pm.
He walked the short distance north on La Rambla to the Hard Rock Cafe where the trail has gone cold.
Police say Levi has still not used his phone nor either of his two bank accounts in the nearly three months he has been missing.
There have been no credible sightings of him and his passport was found by police in November, meaning he is unable to travel, rent accommodation or even book into a hotel.
Levi had only been in Barcelona for three hours, having arrived at the ferry port at 7pm following an eight-hour crossing from Ibiza, where he had been on holiday with friends.
The last time his phone signal was picked up was close to the city’s Sants mainline train station overnight on October 29, which is just over two miles from the Old Irish Pub, which Mr Davis visited for just 35 minutes.
Mr Davis travelled on a ferry from Ibiza to Barcelona from where he went missing
Mr Davis starred on Celebrity X Factor in 2019 alongside fellow rugby stars Ben Foden and Thom Evans in a singing group known as Try Star. He was also on E4’s Celebs Go Dating in 2020
He ordered a pint of Heineken and watched the Liverpool vs Leeds game on television as well as a live singer before leaving, according to the barmaid who served him.
Levi twice sent his mother video messages shortly before his disappearance. One on the ferry and another while he was watching the singer perform in the Old Irish Pub.
Security cameras caught him heading out the venue – towards the Hard Rock Cafe – carrying a small black rucksack and wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt, black trousers and black and white trainers.
Missing posters have been plastered all over the Catalan city in an urgent appeal for information of his whereabouts.
Levi played Premiership rugby union for Bath between 2017 and 2020, when he joined Ealing Trailfinders. A year later he signed for Worthing Raiders.
He starred on Celebrity X Factor in 2019 alongside fellow rugby stars Ben Foden and Thom Evans in a singing group known as Try Star. He was also on E4’s Celebs Go Dating in 2020.
Levi’s family have set up a GoFundMe page to appeal for donations to help continue the search.
After debuting in the No. 4 position last week, “Harry & Meghan” has risen to second place on Nielsen’s weekly streaming rankings with the debut of its second set of three episodes.
The series was watched for 1.7 billion minutes during the Dec. 12-18 viewing window, during which its final episodes were available for four days. This marks an increase of 34% in viewership from the Dec. 5-11 viewing window, which included the first four days of availability of the first three episodes.
“Harry & Meghan” was second only to “Wednesday,” the Addams Family offshoot starring Jenna Ortega that is now in its fourth week in the No. 1 position with 2.2 billion minutes watched. On Netflix’s proprietary streaming rankings, “Wednesday” broke several records and remained in first place for six straight weeks, so it’s presumable that the series will continue to lead the Nielsen Streaming Top 10 for weeks to come.
At No. 3 was “Cocomelon,” the animated preschool series that runs on Netflix and regularly makes Nielsen’s streaming chart, though not usually in such a high position. The show’s high performance could potentially be explained by the timing of the holiday season, when children spend more time at home due to school breaks. “Cocomelon” was watched for 959 million minutes from Dec. 12 to 18.
Similarly, usual suspect “NCIS” rose to fourth place as opposed to its usual spot near the bottom of the chart. With 941 million minutes watched, its likely that people returned to the series as a comfort watch throughout the holidays. The same is true for “Friends,” which made a rare appearance on the Top 10 last week and returned this week in the No. 8 position with 723 million minutes watched.
“The Recruit,” Netflix’s CIA drama starring Noah Centineo, debuted at No. 5 with 925 million minutes watched in just three days of availability. Following it in the No. 6 position was “The White Lotus” on HBO Max. The anthology series created by Mike White was watched fr 902 million minutes in the first full week of availability of its Season 2 finale.
Interestingly, seventh place went to a film that’s almost ten years old. “Dune” director’s 2013 movie “Prisoners” was added to Netflix on Dec. 11 and racked up 857 million viewing minutes in its first full week on the streamer. The thriller stars Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis and Paul Dano among others.
“Criminal Minds” took the No. 9 position with 672 million minutes watched. This only accounts for viewing on Hulu, though the series also streams on Paramount+, which on Thanksgiving premiered revival series “Criminal Minds: Evolution.” The revival was recently renewed for another season.
The bottom position on the chart went to “Firefly Lane,” which was viewed for 672 million minutes in the second full week of availability of its second season.
See Nielsen’s list of overall streaming rankings for Dec. 12-18 first, followed by original streaming titles, acquired titles and then films.
With Phase 5 set to begin soon with Ant-Man and the Wasp : Quantumania, it feels right to reflect on MCU up to this point. After polling the members of Time Warner Entertainment, this ranking represents the collective opinion on MCU. But first, a few things to address. Anything that directly ties into the MCU is a part of this list. This includes the various Spider-Man films including Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. This does not include the X-Men films, however, as Professor X in the Multiverse of Madness is different from the ones that appeared in those films. Similarly, the various shows not produced by Marvel Studios aren’t in consideration, as their place in the MCU is still uncertain. With those rules set, this is our ranking of the MCU.
D Tier : Average Rank of 5.5/10 : Eternals
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
The only film with this score, Eternals is far from awful. In fact, there are quite a few positives to this film. Its willingness to depart from the traditions of the MCU are appreciated. All the cast and characters have distinct personalities, and have something memorable to them. The scale and shots can be breathtaking.
At the end of the day though, this story was far too grand for a 2.5 hour film. Not enough time is given to properly develop the ideas and characters in this film. In addition, the constant flashbacks can make the film hard to follow at times. It doesn’t help that it has the least interesting villain in the MCU(something Maleketh must feel grateful no longer being).
C- Tier : Average Rank of 6.5/10 : Spider-Man 3, Ant-Man & the Wasp, Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Each of these films have a common flaw; there’s too much going on, and not enough time for each idea. Ant-Man & the Wasp, the shortest of these films, is constantly moving forward. Fitting for a heist-based film, but with the number of characters introduced, and the emphasis on humor that’s hit or miss, the result is a film that seems to overstay its welcome.
As for the two Sam Raimi directed films, both have the benefit of the unique vision of the iconic director. Visually they are stunning, and the action sequences are highlights. Still, both films suffer from too many plot-lines and underdeveloped ideas. Add onto that disappointing takes on iconic characters such as Venom, and the Illuminati, and the result is films that aren’t bad, but disappointing.
C Tier : Average Rank of 6.75/10 : The Incredible Hulk, Thor The Dark World
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Charismatic actors, awesome action sequences, and greater importance to the MCU in the long run help prevent these two movies from being entirely forgotten any time soon. Otherwise, the word that most commonly describes these films in discussion is boring. Both films would go on to find some appreciation after Avengers : Endgame. Still, glimmers of excellence can only go so far to prop up films that are mostly forgettable.
C+ Tier : Average Rank of 7/10 : The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man : Far From Home, What if…?, Thor : Love and Thunder
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Starting with the Spider-Man films, the similar points of praise for both go to their leads. Both Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland knock it out of the park with their respective performances. Tom’s anxiety at taking over the mantle of Iron Man, and Andrew’s emotional grief of Gwen highlight their talents as actors, and shows why they were each chosen to play the iconic web-slinger. The action in both is also great, with the Mysterio illusion and the web-swinging of Garfield’s Spider-Man standing as highlights. Still, both have notable problems. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 suffers the same problems as Spider-Man 3, being overly stuffed with too many plot lines. Far From Home meanwhile suffers upon closer inspection of its writing. Mysterio’s plan isn’t entirely well thought out, and being another villain motivated by scorn for Stark is unoriginal.
As for Love and Thunder, humor is this film’s biggest killer. Underneath all of the excess of MCU humor, a compelling story of Gods, Death, and loss, the writing of this film comes across as parody. Still, Gorr is a highlight, and Jane Foster stands as a more compelling character in this film than previous films. What if…? meanwhile can be inconsistent with its quality. Episodes such as the Dr. Strange’s or the Zombie focused are amazing and creative, while the finale and first episode feel rushed and unfulfilling. Still, the animation works surprisingly well, and exploring different ways the MCU could’ve plated out is fun.
B- Tier : Average Rank of 7.25/10 : Captain Marvel, Hawkeye, She-Hulk : Attorney at Law
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Looking at this tier, there doesn’t seem to be anything major connecting these in terms of similar strengths and weaknesses. That said,what links all of these together is that they each have a few major weaknesses that take away from an otherwise fine story. Captain Marvel was a fine film, with great side characters and a solid soundtrack. That said, the titular character turned out to be the worst part of the film, with no clear arc or personality. She-Hulk meanwhile suffers from polarizing humor, with some instances working, while others really don’t. Despite that, it has a unique premise and its experimental, 4th wall breaking nature makes it memorable.
Finally, Hawkeye introduces the wonderful Kate Bishop, and explores the grief of one of the most under rated MCU characters. That said, the finale leaves a lot to be desired as it forces in Kingpin. The finale falters as such; his inclusion feels done more to set up future events, and its hard to see how he really ties into Clint or Kate as a character.
B Tier : Average Rank of 7.5/10 : The Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man 3, Ant-Man, Spider-Man : Homecoming, Black Widow, Ms. Marvel
Courtesy of Sony/Marvel Studios
Much like the previous tier, some of these projects have at least one major issue which can take away from the quality of the project. From the controversial twists involving the Mandarin in Iron Man 3, and Taskmaster in Black Widow, or the messy CGI of the latter. Still, each of these projects have something which elevates it to slightly above average. From the fun and bubbly relationship between Gwen Stacy and Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker, the unique high school perspective of a superhero world in Ms. Marvel or Spider-Man : Homecoming. Even the movies with more notable or controversial aspects have something to offer. Iron Man 3 shows a hero coming to terms with a new reality after an earth shattering event, and Black Widow shows the power that family, even found family, can have.
B+ Tier : Average Rank of 7.75/10 : Avengers : Age of Ultron, Falcon & The Winter Soldier, Moon Knight
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Getting into the projects that show a lot of promise, all three projects seem to have just as many critics as defenders. It’s not hard to see why though. In Age of Ultron’s case, the movie can feel much like a re-imagining of the first Avengers movie. At the time, it was also criticized for having many elements that were meant to set up future events, rather than tie into this film. As such, many have argued that this film aged particularly well.
As for the latter two shows, both flounder by the time of the finale, but both have strong ideas and premises. Falcon & The Winter Soldier manages to handle the issue of race surprisingly well. In addition, the legacy of Captain America is explored well through how Sam Wilson and John Walker handle the responsibility. That said, the Flag Smashers and their leader Karli detract from the show. This is largely due to the disconnect of their motivations and actions. As for Moon Knight, the show is at its best when it focuses on the dual performance of Oscar Isaac. Playing both Stephen and Marc, and learning how the split personalities formed is tragic. The show’s exploration of Egyptian mythology is also fascinating, being something new for the MCU. That said, the finales of both shows are both rushed, bringing what could have been two great shows to an underwhelming end.
A- Tier : Average Rank of 8/10 : Iron Man 2, Captain America : The First Avenger, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
With both having an effective cast of characters, and important places in the story lines for their respective character, Iron Man 2 and Captain America : The First Avenger only seem to have gotten better since Avengers : Endgame. Of course, both have problems with their villains, as do many of the early MCU projects. Still, these films have solid performances, effects, action sequences, and important roles in the greater story.
As for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the film continues working with the strengths of its predecessor, though it changes some things up. Ego is a more effective and memorable antagonist than Ronan in the first film. In addition, Yondu acts as a surprisingly effective emotional center of the film. Many of the movie’s most effective moments come from his interactions with Rocket and Quill. Due to this, while some of the other Guardians get a fair amount of time, this is mainly a Quill-centric movie. It’s both a strength and a weakness, as it does make it a far more personal story, though the first film was able to juggle multiple story lines so effectively that it’s hard not to feel like something is missing. Still, with how this pays off in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, it’s hard to be upset about that.
A Tier : Average Rank of 8.25/10 : Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Captain America : The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor Ragnarok, Black Panther, Werewolf by Night, Black Panther : Wakanda Forever
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Getting to the cream of the crop, all of these projects elevate the typical super hero genre. From the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films focusing on the drama and hardships of balancing average life with superhero life, to the out of this world creativity of Guardians of the Galaxy. What unites these films is that they utilize the Superhero genre to elevate their stories into something truly special. All are grand, epic spectacles, with something special at their core that everyone can relate to. Of course, there are some minor weaknesses, from the poor CGI of both Spider-Man and Black Panther, or unmemorable villains like Ronan in Guardians of the Galaxy. Still, these movies do so much right, that its hard to find anything too much wrong with them.
A+ Tier : Average Rank of 8.5/10 : Thor, Captain America : Civil War, Wandavision
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Something common among each of these projects was that they all either set the tone for their respective phases of the MCU, or changed the trajectory of it entirely. Thor introduced the cosmic side of the MCU, Civil War tore the Avengers apart and set the tone for Phase 3. Finally, Wandavision took an experimental approach to its storytelling, likewise setting up Phase 4 beyond. Of course, each of these projects have more strengths than just that. All have charismatic leads, interesting ideas, and all introduce characters to become fan-favorites.
S Tier : Average Rank of 8.75/10 : The Avengers, Dr. Strange, Avengers : Infinity War, Loki, Spider-Man : No Way Home
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Of all the projects that represent the best of the MCU, the projects from here on show how inventive, creative, and hype-inducing the MCU can truly be. From the surreal visuals of Dr. Strange and the time travel shenanigans of the devious Loki. Both of these projects experiment with the MCU in unique ways that show how creative the superhero genre can be.
Of course, the big crossover events are what solidified the MCU as a pop-culture goliath. The original Avengers marked the first time characters from different franchises met on the big screen in such a big way. Even after all these years, it’s still a joy to go back to. Likewise, seeing the culmination of years of build up to Avengers : Infinity War will forever be remembered for the devastating ending and compelling character of Thanos. The only projects to arguably beat it in hype are Avengers : Endgame, and of course, Spider-Man : No Way Home. Not only a celebration of Spider-Man’s cinematic history, but a compelling journey of how great power, brings great responsibility.
S+ Tier : Average Rank of 9.25/10 : Iron Man, Avengers : Endgame
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Honestly, how could it not be these two projects? The film which started it all, and the perfect ending to a story ten years in the making. Iron Man wasn’t always seen as a huge success. In fact, many people believed the film would be a failure. Yet not only does it hold up the best of all the previous MCU films, it’s just a great film in general. Robert Downey Jr. is Iron Man, and the journey Stark begins in this film and goes on makes him a hero for the ages.
The conclusion to that journey, and many more in Avengers : Endgame, are so expertly handled. The way all the heroes cope with their grief in different ways reflective of their journeys throughout all these films. The climax to this day is still mind-blowing, given all the time, planning, and adjustments taken to making the moment work. The MCU may still be going strong, and it’s difficult to say if it can really be topped, but it is certain that it will still be going strong for a long time.
A Pentagon office studying unidentified aerial phenomena, better known as UFOs, has determined that nearly 200 recently reported sightings were “unremarkable” and possibly can be attributed to routine objects found in the air, including drones, balloons and clutter, such as plastic bags.
The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, established last summer, analyzed 366 reports gathered as part of a new push by the government to encourage reporting of unidentified flying objects, which have frequently occurred near military installations and naval vessels. The review left more than 170 reports uncharacterized, some of which “appear to have demonstrated unusual flight characteristics or performance capabilities, and require further analysis,” according to a report submitted to Congress this week by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which has worked with the Pentagon to try to determine the nature of the objects.
Multiple government reviews have found no evidence that the flying objects, as well as others that have been spotted in the ocean or moving back and forth between the air and the sea, can be attributed to alien life or extraterrestrial visitors. Defense officials told reporters last month, though, that while the U.S. government has discovered no such signs, its search is set to expand. Congress included a provision in this year’s defense policy bill requiring deeper historical inquiry.
In June 2021, the intelligence director’s office issued a preliminary report based on a review of 144 sightings, many of which came from U.S.naval aviators. The results were largely inconclusive and fueled public fascination around the objects, some of which “appeared to remain stationary in winds aloft, move against the wind, maneuver abruptly, or move at considerable speed, without discernible means of propulsion,” the report found.
Since that document was published, the Pentagon office has received a total of 247 new reports of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), as well as 119 reports on events that were not included in the preliminary intelligence assessment. Since last year, investigators have catalogued 510 reports involving UAPs.
“UAP events continue to occur in restricted or sensitive airspace, highlighting possible concerns for safety of flight or adversary collection activity,” the new report said. Investigators will continue to look at evidence of “possible foreign government involvement,” underscoring concerns that some of the sightings are likely drones that may be monitoring U.S. military equipment and personnel.
On May 17, Congress held a hearing on UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena), better known as UFOs. Here’s why. (Video: Monica Rodman, Sarah Hashemi/The Washington Post)
Some officials had previously expressed concerns that some of the objects that appeared to exhibit extraordinary flying capabilities could be evidence of highly-advanced technology built by U.S. adversaries such as Russia or China. No information has emerged to attribute those sightings to a foreign government, but some sighting of objects that appeared to loiter in the sky have been characterized as drones by U.S. defense officials.
The increase in UAP sightings is explained in part by a reduction in the stigma long associated with reporting strange objects or lights in the sky, particularly in the military and among pilots, investigators found. The majority of the new reporting came from U.S. Navy and Air Force aviators and operators who witnessed the UAPs while performing their official duties and described them through official channels. Many of those reports, “lack enough detailed data” to say definitively what the personnel saw, investigators found.
They also acknowledged in their report that “a select number of UAP incidents” may be the explained by “sensor irregularities or variances, such as operator or equipment error.”
New Jersey governor Phil Murphy and writer Harlan Coben spoke in Variety’s Streaming Room with Executive Vice President, Content Executive Editor Steven Gaydos about the growth in the state’s film production over the last several years. Tracing New Jersey’s tax incentive programs back to 2018 when they were first implemented, Murphy explained how production capabilities are expanding across the state, starting from the premise for studios and productions that “the math has to work.”
“We’re the fourth smallest state geographically, and yet within that very tight confine we can give you looks that are as disparate as any American state, mountain seashore, urban, horse farms, you name it,” said Murphy.
Coben, who was born in Newark and spent his entire life in New Jersey, said he was encouraged to film his new series “Shelter,” based on the first chapter in his “Mickey Bolitar” book series, for more reasons than that he was able to shoot scenes at his high school alma mater. “This series is a little bit of my love letter to this great and diverse state.”
“There’s a line that one of my characters says, we’re looking at this gorgeous view of Manhattan saying, ‘Yeah, the best view of Manhattan, you got to see it from New Jersey’,” Coben said. “Having that ability, the suburbs, the mix of the city, the suburbs, this is such a dynamic state.”
Murphy explored New Jersey’s proximity to New York City and the state governments’ efforts to retain cast and crew that may be venturing to the cultural mecca for work, and then to further prepare subsequent generations of New Jersey natives for the challenges of increased film and television production in the state. “Because New York City has been a big production center for a long time, we have a lot of crew already living in Jersey — but we also want to make sure we are training the next generation,” Murphy said. “So we’ve actually, in our incentive plans, put aside monies to invest in workforce development for this industry specifically.”
They also spoke philosophically about some of the external factors that may impact a company’s decision to mount a production in New Jersey, even if comparable facilities exist in another state. “If either talent or workers anywhere above the line, below the line, in front of the camera or behind it, if they care about reproductive freedom, if they care about the environment, voting rights, treatment of the LGBTQIA plus community, gun safety, to pick sort of the big five, New Jersey is on the right side of history,” Murphy said. “And that is not an inconsequential factor in a lot of the discussions that we have, particularly with talent and at the highest levels of the studios.”
Coben, who Murphy described as a “two decade plus friend,” further reinforced the state’s welcoming nature — logistically, financially, and dispositionally — as the conversation between them and Gaydos came to a close. “It was a dream to film here, but frankly, economically, they would’ve probably wanted to go someplace else originally,” Coben admitted. “But how welcome they made us feel and how quickly they turned it around for being a place I wouldn’t even raise as a possibility.”
“It wouldn’t have happened without the incentives that they’ve put in place, obviously the financial stuff,” said Coben. “But also the warm welcoming stuff — I consider them tremendous assets.”
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The NFL playoffs officially kick off this weekend, with the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles set as the top seeds. Saturday will mark the first two of the six-round games: Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers, followed by Los Angeles Chargers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars.
The lead-up to the final week of the regular season was shrouded by the horrific incident that occured during the last game of Week 17 when Buffalo Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest mid-game and collapsed on the field. The cancellation of the Bills-Bengals game led to a slightly modified playoff format but much of the schedule remains intact. As always, the playoffs will culminate with Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12.
Here are the best ways to stream the NFL this year, in addition to the NFL 2023 schedule:
Disney Plus, which also wraps in ESPN Plus and Hulu for only $12.99/month, may be the most affordable way to stream the NFL this year — especially if you’re already paying for separate ESPN or Hulu subscriptions.
Sling is one of the best options for affordable live streaming. You can choose between Sling Blue and Sling Orange, both half off for your first month. You can also get both for $27.5 your first month. Sling Orange has ESPN, while Sling Blue includes the NFL Network for added analysis and commentary once the season kicks off in September. Plus, NFL fans can add the Sports Extra package to their plan for an additional $11/month to gain access to NFL RedZone.
Fubo is one of the more expensive options for streaming the NFL, but it’s also the most comprehensive. The Starter Plan gets you ESPN for coverage of the Draft, in addition to more than 100 live TV channels for cable-free streaming. You’ll also have access to the NFL Network for Thursday Night Football through ESPN.
VidGo is one of the newest streaming platforms whose offerings cater towards sports fans with access to ESPN and the NFL Network. After football season is over, you can use the service to stream other tournaments, events and games on channels such as Fox Sports, ESPN 2, ESPN U, Big Ten Network and beIN Sports. Plus, VidGo also boasts live access to NFL Red Zone and the Pac 12 networks for college sports. Test out the service with a 3-day free trial today and pay $10 for your first month if you decide to keep it.
Lisa Marie Presley, 54 years old, has passed away only a few hours after she was rushed to the hospital Thursday morning after suffering cardiac arrest. Her mother, Priscilla Presley, confirmed Lisa’s passing through a statement provided by her rep, “Priscilla Presley and the Presley family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Lisa Marie. They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time.”
TMZ was the first to confirm that Lisa Marie had been taken to the hospital this morning. According to TMZ, “sources directly connected to Lisa Marie told them paramedics performed CPR at her house this Thursday in Calabasas.” She was then rushed to the hospital after they were able to regain a pulse for her. The hospital then put her in a medically induced coma and life support. She was in the Intensive Care Unit, with a temporary pacemaker in critical condition.
Fans and friends from all over the world began to send their prayers and thoughts online but those turned into grief posts only a few hours later.
Courtesy of People
Lisa Marie was born on Feb. 1, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee and was an American singer-songwriter. She was the only child of the Rock and Roll superstar and icon Elvis Presley and actress Priscilla Presley. They were wed on May 1, 1967, at the Aladdin in Las Vegas. They divorced when she was only 4 years old. She then moved to Los Angeles to live with her mom and she visited her dad in Memphis. She is the sole heir to her father’s estate.
She took after her father in looks and voice by developing a career in the music business and issued three albums. On April 8, 2003, she released her debut album, To Whom It May Concern. It reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and was certified gold in June 2003. Lisa Marie wrote all the lyrics (except “The Road Between”, which was co-written with Gus Black) and co-wrote every melody. To promote it, she presented a concert in the UK. The album’s first single, “Lights Out”, reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 chart and No. 16 on the UK charts. Lisa Marie collaborated with Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins for a co-written track called “Savior”, which was included as the B-side.
Courtesy of Getty Images
Her second album, released April 5, 2005, Now What, which reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. She co-wrote 10 songs and recorded covers of Don Henley’s “Dirty Laundry”, the album’s first single, which hit No. 36 on the Billboard 100 AC singles chart and the Ramones’ “Here Today and Gone Tomorrow”. The song “Idiot” is a jab towards different men in her life. Unlike her first album, Now What included a Parental Advisory sticker. Lisa Marie covers Blue Öyster Cult’s “Burnin’ for You” as a B-side. Pink makes a guest appearance on the track “Shine”. Her third album, Storm & Grace, was released on May 15, 2012. She said: “It’s much more of a rootsy record, organic record, than my previous work.” It is produced by Oscar and Grammy winner T-Bone Burnett.
On her 25th birthday in 1993, Lisa Marie inherited her father’s estate, which, thanks largely to the stewardship of her mother, had grown to an estimated $100 million. In 1998, Lisa Marie became more closely involved in the management of the Elvis Presley Trust and its business entity, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE). She was owner and chairman of the board until February 2005, when she sold 85% of the estate’s business holdings to CKX, Inc., excluding the Graceland property and surrounding land. Lisa Marie also released non-album singles, including duets with her father using tracks he had released before he died.
Courtesy of ExtraTV
Lisa Marie attended the Golden Globe Awards this past Tuesday night at The Beverly Hilton to support the film ‘Elvis’ which stars Austin Butler. The film is an autobiography of her father Elvis which follows his career from the beginning of his success through to his passing.
Lisa Marie praised the film it as “truly mind-blowing.” “I really didn’t know what to do with myself after I saw it,” she recalled of the blockbuster biopic. “I had to take, like, five days to process it because it was so incredible and so spot on and just so authentic that, yeah, I can’t even describe what it meant.” “I’m so excited,” she added, “and I hope he wins.” Butler won a Golden Globe for his portrayal. In Butler’s acceptance speech he said, “Thank you for opening your hearts, your memories, your home to me. Lisa Marie, Priscilla, I love you forever,”
See Butler’s full acceptance speech in the video below:
Last June, Lisa Marie attended the Hollywood Walk of Fame hand-and footprint ceremony with her mother, Priscilla and daughter Riley Keough.
When Elvis was touring he would frequently dedicate songs to his daughter, specifically Rags to Riches, Are You Lonesome Tonight, End of The Rainbow, and Always On My Mind. About a decade ago, Lisa Marie decided she wanted to perform with her dad. She took Elvis’s version of ‘I Love You’ and changed it into a duet. It starts with his original track with her coming in mid-way through the song. She later released a music video of her recording the song.
Watch the duet music video of ‘I Love You’ below:
TWE would like to sends our thoughts and prayers to the entire Presley family.
Ankit Gupta, Gashmeer Mahajani, Hitesh Bhardwaj and more TV actors extend greetings on the ocassion of Lohri and Makar Sankranti.
The festival of Lohri, a symbol of happiness, prosperity, and good fortune, is celebrated on the last day of the Pausa month of the Hindu calendar. Lohri is celebrated in several states, mainly in Punjab, and it holds special prominence for the farmers. Lohri marks the beginning of a new year for farmers in Punjab. The commencement of the Indian harvesting festivals is just around the corner. Though the occasions hold a close resemblance with each other, the festival is referred to by different names in different communities. The festival is also known as Makar Sankranti. On the auspicious occasion, TV stars including Ankit Gupta, Surbhi Chandna, Gashmeer Mahajani and more extend greetings to their fans.
Ankit Gupta who will be seen essaying the role of Jahaan in ‘Junooniyatt’ shared, “Lohri has always been about spending quality time with family for me. One of its biggest highlights is the delicious food that’s prepared for the day. My family loves gorging on sarson da saag and makki di roti along with some of my favorite desserts, such as til ki barfi, makhane ki kheer, and pinni. I think that it’s a celebration of harmony and new beginnings. I pray for everyone’s well-being this Lohri.”
Surbhi Chandna who plays the role of Manmeet in Sherdil Shergill shared, “One of my fondest memories of Makar Sankranti is waiting for the special food prepared for it. The khichdi, til gul laadu and puran poli are my absolute favourites. This year, I’ll be celebrating the festival with my COLORS family on the Sherdil Shergill set as well. I might bring kites to the sets and fly them during our break. May everyone have something to celebrate on this Makar Sankranti.”
Gashmeer Mahajani who will be seen playing the role of Armaan in ‘Ishq Mein Ghayal’ shared, “I grew up in Pune, where Makar Sankranti is brought in with much fanfare. My favorite memory is kite-flying on the terrace with all of my friends and family. As a kid, I was very excited about purchasing fancy kites that can trump others in a kite-flying competition. Now, the festival is all about being with my family. I wish all the viewers of COLORS a very happy Makar Sankranti.”
Ravi Gossain, who plays the character of Randeep in Dil Diyaan Gallaan, said, “Lohri is a festival that brings back many fond memories. These days outside of shooting, I usually have a small celebration in my society. I really miss Delhi and Punjab around this time! As kids, we used to run around gathering kindling for the fire and picking up pieces of wood, trying to make sure every bonfire was bigger than the next. I also remember learning to make Gajak with my Nani! It’s one of my favorite things to look back on. My grandparents used to be a big part of our Lohri celebrations. They would quietly pass along 5–10-rupee notes to us and we always saved those! My message to the people and fans out there is, spend time with your family this Lohri, especially your elders! Maybe learn how to make some Gajak and send it my way if there’s any left! A very Happy Lohri to everyone!”
Hitesh Bharadwaj who plays the role of Ekam in ‘Udaariyaan’ shared, “Celebration of Lohri is one of my favourite childhood memories. As a child, I waited for this festival every year. While we bid farewell to the gloomy and chilly winter days, we enjoyed ourselves by lighting up the bonfire. We used to sing songs, dance, and gather around the bonfire with our family and friends. Even today, we abide by the ritual of praying to the holy Lohri fire and asking for everyone’s good health.”
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Gerard Butler says he’s no stranger to getting hurt on movie sets — but what went down on the set of Plane might be his worst injury to date.
“No matter what I’m doing, I manage to hurt myself,” Butler admitted on a recent episode of Late Night With Seth Meyers.
While working on Plane in Puerto Rico, Gerard revealed that he ended up with burns from phosphoric acid all over his face!
It all happened while Gerard was filming a scene where he had to pretend to fix his character’s plane and was working with the wheels.
“Now I’m sticking my hand in between these two wheels, kind of pretending that I know what I’m doing,” Gerard said. “Every time I bring my hands out, they’re covered in blood and green fluid, right? And I’m like, ‘I don’t know what this green fluid is.'”
On top of that, it was a hot day so Gerard was “covered in sweat” and was constantly wiping his face with his hands.
“I’m rubbing my face and, suddenly, it’s in my throat. It’s in my mouth. It’s up my nose. It’s in my eyes,” Gerard shared. “It’s burning my face, and I mean burning.”
That’s when he discovered the green fluid was “essentially phosphoric acid.”
“I’m just, like, burning alive…So it was intense. It actually burned for hours,” Gerard said.
Everyone on set quickly stepped in to try to stop the burning, eventually deciding to pour water all over his face and body.
And while it was pretty painful, Gerard joked that it ended up being “great for the sequence.”
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Update: 12th January 2023 It’s been confirmed that Season 5 will be the last.
FX’S MAYANS M.C. Renewed for Fifth Season
Gritty Biker Drama Led by Co-Creator and Executive Producer Elgin James Will Return for a Fifth Season Next Year
20th Television Signs Elgin James to New Multiyear Overall Deal
First Four Seasons Available to Stream on Hulu
LOS ANGELES, July 24, 2022 – FX’s Mayans M.C., the gritty biker drama co-created by Elgin James, will be coming back for a fifth season, it was announced today at San Diego Comic-Con. James shared the news with fans during a panel event for the series. The first four seasons are currently available to stream on Hulu and the fifth season will premiere in 2023. Additionally, 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios, has signed James to a new multiyear overall, it was announced by 20th Television President Karey Burke.
“The Mayans have battled for respect, territory and power through four intense seasons that have set the stage for an explosive fifth season that will test their very survival under ‘EZ’s’ newly claimed leadership,” said Nick Grad, President, Original Programming, FX Entertainment. “Elgin James and the creative team, the brilliant cast, crew and our partners at 20th Television have kept fans coming back for more and we are ready to take that ride with them for another season.”
“Elgin is a visionary leader who has managed the nearly impossible task of being in multiple places at one time as director, showrunner and writer on his brilliant Mayans M.C.,” commented Karey Burke, President, 20th Television. “He’s also a passionate champion of emerging voices and young storytellers both in front and behind the camera, which is another reason we love being in business with him. There’s virtually nothing he can’t do and we’re grateful to have him at 20th.”
“20th is my home,” said James. “Dana, Karey and Jane are family who’ve always championed, supported, and challenged me to get the best out of myself. I’m so incredibly grateful to them and to all of the 20th team. I can’t wait to see what we’re able to create together moving forward. And every single member of the Mayans family, from our top of the call sheet to our set PAs and every single person in between have put their blood and sweat into making Mayans something special on the set and on the screen. I’m deeply indebted to John, Eric, Nick and all of FX (particularly Colette Wilson who’s been in the trenches with us from day one) for allowing us to continue to explore and create.”
Mayans M.C. follows the life of Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes (JD Pardo), a member of the Mayans M.C. charter on the Cali/Mexi border. Once the golden boy with the American Dream in his grasp, EZ, his brother Angel (Clayton Cardenas) and the rest of the Santo Padre M.C. face retaliation from other chapters after a failed attempt to align under one King. Meanwhile, EZ and Angel have grown distant from their father Felipe (Edward James Olmos) after a heart wrenching betrayal.
Danny Pino, Carla Baratta, Michael Irby, Raoul Max Trujillo, Emilio Rivera, Sarah Bolger, Frankie Loyal, Joseph Lucero and Vincent Vargas also star.
Mayans M.C. was co-created by Kurt Sutter and Elgin James. The series is executive produced by James and Sutter. The series is produced by 20th Television and FX Productions.
Elgin James was a fixture in Boston’s hardcore punk scene and a member of a multi-ethnic national street gang that targeted neo-Nazi skinheads. After spending a decade and a half in the gang, James left for Los Angeles where he was shepherded by the Sundance Institute Feature Film program and given the tools of filmmaking to learn how to express himself through art instead of violence.
James wrote, directed and scored his debut film, Little Birds, starring Juno Temple and Leslie Mann, which was nominated for the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and nominated for Best International Feature Film at the Zurich Film Festival. Little Birds was released by Millennium Entertainment and won a National Board of Review award. James was named one of Variety’s “Ten Directors to Watch” and to IonCinema’s list of “The American New Wave 25.”
While in prison, James co-wrote the script Lowriders for Imagine Entertainment and Universal Pictures, released in theaters in 2017.
James co-created the hit FX show, Mayans M.C., of which he currently serves as showrunner and Executive Producer. James, along with Stephen Merchant, is also the co-creator of the Amazon/BBC series, The Outlaws.
James is repped by Abe Cohen Hoffing and Erin Junkin at WME, Jamie Patricof at Hunting Lane and Tara Kole at Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
And two movies directed by women did not make the cut: all ten nominees are directed by men.
The Producers Guild of America (PGA) has announced the nominations for both their Motion Pictures and Television categories for the 34th Annual Producers Guild Awards happening on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
As previously announced, the Producers Guild will also use the February ceremony to present special honors to powerhouse producers and leaders who have left their undeniable marks on the industry. Honorees this year include Tom Cruise (David O. Selznick Achievement Award), Mindy Kaling (Norman Lear Achievement Award), and Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy (Milestone Award). “Till” will receive the Stanley Kramer Award sponsored by Delta Air Lines.
After strong showings at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards nominations, the PGA Awards film nominations show that three movies continue to pace the pack as Oscar voting gets under way January 12: Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” Daniels’ “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and Martin McDonagh’s “The Banshees of Inisherin” all turned up, as expected, on the Producers Guild of America list of ten motion pictures vying for the night’s biggest award, the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures.
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Making the cut after weak showings at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards nominations are three box-office behemoths, sequels all: James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” (Disney), Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Disney), and DGA nominee Joseph Kosinski’s “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount). Assuming all three land in the Best Picture race on Oscar nominations morning January 24, there will be plenty of mainstream movies to root for on Oscar night March 12.
Similarly, Netflix is happy that Rian Johnson’s popular sequel “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” which not only played well in theaters over the Thanksgiving holiday week, but also performed well on the platform (which did not win a Globe or land a SAG nod), outperformed the original by scoring a PGA nomination. In all likelihood, ”Glass Onion” is duking it out for the tenth BP slot with “Wakanda Forever.”
And steady as they go is the year’s most successful original film: Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” (Warner Bros., $282 million worldwide), starring Globe-winner and SAG nominee Austin Butler, which did not land a SAG Ensemble slot or DGA nomination for Luhrmann. But craft, producer, and actor support should easily earn it a place in the Best Picture race.
On the art film side, it was no surprise that heady “TÁR” (Focus Features), featuring high-profile Globe winner and SAG nominee Cate Blanchett, was included by PGA voters. But Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” (A24, $8.6 million domestic) may have more support than expected outside the hair & makeup and acting categories, where Brendan Fraser and Hong Chau are strong contenders.
PGA voters tend to be more male, white, and mainstream than the Academy. This may account for the shocking omission of two movies directed by women: Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking,” which made SAG Ensemble but did not notch any acting nominations at SAG, and Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King,” which only yielded a SAG Leading Female nomination for Viola Davis. Neither landed a DGA nomination.
This is a sign of weakness for both films, although Academy voters are younger, more international and diverse. That said, the stats are still damning: After all the inclusion efforts since 2015, Oscar voters are 66 percent male and 81 percent white.
Are these films being punished for being ardently feminist or for being at the end of the alphabet? The Academy portal, surprisingly, is organized alphabetically. This favors “Banshees of Inisherin” over anything that starts with W. “Women Talking” falls into the Oscar-friendly drama category, while “The Woman King” is a period action epic about women warriors in Africa, comparable to Oscar-winners “Gladiator” or “Braveheart.”
Also not making the PGA top ten are any foreign language films. In 2019, “Parasite,” that film that eventually won Best Picture Oscar, did get nominated, while “1917” won.
While the guild’s nominations are often seen as an important bellwether for what films will be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, as the guild has determined 23 of the last 33 Best Picture winners (including “CODA” last year), the 10 PGA nominees do not always match up with the Best Picture roster (also guaranteed to be 10 nominees this year). In 2022, the Guild nominated “Tick Tick Boom” and “Being the Ricardos,” which both did not make the final cut at the Oscars, but snubbed “Nightmare Alley,” which did (It takes something less than 900 votes to land in BP). That all said, the Oscar winner is almost always a PGA nominee.
Nominees for Theatrical Motion Pictures are:
Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
“Avatar: The Way of Water”
“The Banshees of Inisherin”
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
“Elvis”
“Everything Everywhere All at Once”
“The Fabelmans”
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”
“TÁR”
“Top Gun: Maverick”
“The Whale”
Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”
“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”
“Minions: The Rise of Gru”
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”
“Turning Red”
The following Documentary nominees were previously announced in December. Since then, all but “Nothing Compares” made the 95th Oscars shortlist. With Laura Poitras’ “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” not making the cut for this awards show, the PGA Awards could be the grounds for its presumed main Best Documentary Feature competitor “All That Breathes” to pull ahead. Though the rest of the nominees are in good standing for an Oscar nomination as well, and could use a PGA Awards win to garner more attention from overlapping Academy members before final Oscar voting opens.
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Picture
“All That Breathes”
“Descendant”
“Fire of Love”
“Navalny”
“Nothing Compares”
“Retrograde”
“The Territory”
As for the PGA Awards TV nominations, the Producers Guild mainly focuses on titles already recognized by the Emmys last year, from the final season of “Ozark” to the deluge of limited series that came last spring like “The Dropout” and “Pam & Tommy.”
Still, one look at the nominees list also offers good insight into what new TV shows could break into the Emmys race this fall.
Final ballots for Theatrical Motion Pictures, Animated Motion Pictures, Documentary Motion Pictures, Television Series/Specials Streamed or Televised Motion Pictures Will Close on February 17, 2023; final ballots for Children’s, Short Form and Sports Programs Will Close on February 10, 2023. Winners of these categories will be announced at the 34th Annual Producers Guild Awards on February 25, 2023.
Nominees for Television are:
Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Drama
“Andor”
“Better Call Saul”
“Ozark”
“Severance”
“The White Lotus”
Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy
“Abbott Elementary”
“Barry”
“The Bear”
“Hacks”
“Only Murders in the Building”
David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television
“Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”
“The Dropout”
“Inventing Anna”
“Obi-Wan Kenobi”
“Pam & Tommy”
Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures
“Fire Island”
“Hocus Pocus 2”
“Pinocchio”
“Prey”
“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”
Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television
“30 for 30”
“60 Minutes”
“George Carlin’s American Dream”
“Lucy and Desi”
“Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy”
Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television
“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
“Saturday Night Live”
Award for Outstanding Producer of Game & Competition Television
“The Amazing Race”
“Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars”
“Top Chef”
“The Voice”
The following nominees were previously announced.
The Award for Outstanding Sports Program
“Formula 1: Drive to Survive”
“Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Detroit Lions”
“Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers”
“McEnroe”
“Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Come Off”
The Award for Outstanding Children’s Program
“Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock”
“Green Eggs and Ham”
“Sesame Street”
“Snoopy Presents: It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown”
“Waffles + Mochi’s Restaurant”
The Award for Outstanding Short-Form Program
“Better Call Saul: Filmmaker Training”
“Love, Death + Robots”
“Only Murders in the Building: One Killer Question”
“Sesame Street’s #ComingTogether Word of the Day Series”
There have been a variety of films that came out during the pandemic that addressed all sorts of issues from isolation, mental health, re-connecting with family, and boredom. The industry was full of independent films that ranged from documentary, to horror, and now comedy — with a new film called, Who Invited Charlie?
The film starring Adam Pally, Reid Scott, and Jordana Brewster has decided to tackle COVID in a new way — through laughs and heart. The film takes place during COVID but its not the focus of the story its more of the catalyst. The film, which debuted at the Hampton’s International Film Festival, ponders the question what would happen if you were quarantining with your family and an old friend unexpectedly shows up to isolate with you?
The Vertical Entertainment comedy is one of a kind because it shows a mix bag of emotions during isolation but also a bunch of shenanigans that their “friend” Charlie gets them into. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will walk out of the theater feeling different than when you walked in.
From writer Nicholas Schutt and director Xavier Manrique, the movie stars Scott as “Phil Schreiber, a self-involved hedge fund manager who escapes to the Hamptons with his wife (Brewster) and son at the beginning of the pandemic. Making an already fraught situation worse is the surprise arrival of Phil’s college roommate Charlie (Pally),” per the release. “An exemplar of Falstaffian excess, Charlie is also the keeper of some of Phil’s darkest secrets. To make matters worse for Phil, his wife and son love Charlie. As Charlie makes himself at home — secrets are revealed that threaten to do more harm than the virus they’re all hiding out from,” per the release.
Check out the brand new trailer and images below:
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Who Invited Charlie? will be in Theaters and On Demand February 3, 2023.
James Holden started his career as the sort of producer-DJ who would pepper his output of melodic techno anthems with the occasional official remix for Madonna or Britney Spears. In light of his later releases, it’s a marvel that he was ever allowed so close to the pop pantheon. On albums like 2013’s classic The Inheritors and its 2017 full-band followup The Animal Spirits, he imagined a post-apocalyptic dancefloor where lichens hang from the rafters and the few remaining souls rave in ritualistic communion with the natural world.
Six years later, Holden is back to acting as a producer rather than a bandleader, with breakbeats and synth stabs on his nearly 10-minute new single “Contains Multitudes” replacing the live drummer and free-jazz horn section of his last album. Though the sounds are a good deal looser than his precision-engineered early hits, this is closer to straightforward club fare than anything he’s released in the last decade.
At first, anyway. As “Contains Multitudes” progresses, entropy takes hold. Melodies grow and propagate like fungi; a bassline punches in and out with gleeful disregard of any obligation to hold down a repeated groove. (His upcoming album arrives with the title Imagine This Is a High Dimensional Space of All Possibilities, a clear signal that he hasn’t quite shorn his music of its shaggy hippie locks.) Eventually, the drums dissolve entirely, and the track’s second half succumbs to an overgrowth of chattering piano and droning strings. Ultimately, “Contains Multitudes” feels like the comedown from a psychedelic trip: You may be coming back to civilization, but you’ve seen some things out there that will stay with you for a long time.
The legendary James Cameron is the first Director to have 3 films pass $1.5 Billion at the World Wide Box Office.
With “Avatar: The Way Of Water” now having passed $1.7 billion at the worldwide box office, making it the seventh highest-grossing film of all time, James Cameron is the first and only director to have 3 films in the top 10 highest grossing movies of all time, with all three films having been released in different decades. Titanic which was released in 1997 is at Number 3 with 2.2 Billion. Cameron won the best director Oscar in 1998 for Titanic. 2009’s “Avatar,” is the number 1 highest-grossing movie of all time at $2.9 billion. Keep in mind, none of that would be possible, without packed audiences in theatres, the way it was meant to be.
Courtesy of 20th Century Studios
When asked by a Variety reporter at the Golden Globes about Way of Water nearing the $2 Billion threshold, and the success of the film, James Cameron took the opportunity to point out how important it was for us to experience films like Avatar and films in general in a movie theater. At first when he was told about the stats he responded “I’m not thinking of it in those terms, I’m thinking of it in the terms of we’re going back to theaters around the world.” He then went on to some remarks about how society needs theatres. “We need to go to movie theaters and have that experience.” Even the Chinese market has been flooding in to see The Way of Water amidst a COVID surge, just to have that cinematic experience.
Cameron went on to address streaming “Enough with the streaming already! I’m tired of sitting on my ass,” and those people in the theatre who text during the film. “They’re missing the point, when we go to the movies we make a deal with ourselves to have undivided attention for a couple of hours. It’s about immersing yourself…choosing to commit to that ahead of time.” There are some things that streaming just cannot get you, and that is the magic and the complete immersive experience of cinema.
James Cameron has said there will be three more Avatar sequels set to arrive every two years, with release dates in 2024, 2026 and 2028 and thanks to the the momentum that The Way of Water has, they will definitely be able to make the sequels. “It looks like I can’t wiggle out of this and I’m gonna have to do these other sequels, I know what I’m going to be doing the next six or seven years.” says James Cameron.
Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love, and in today’s digital age, love can come in many forms. That’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of our “Love at First Like” short film competition, a Valentine’s Day, digital love-themed competition that will be hosted on Instagram.
The theme of the competition is “Digital Love,” and we’re looking for original and creative one-minute films that explore the theme in any way you see fit. Whether it’s a romantic comedy about a couple who met online, a heart-wrenching drama about long-distance love, Ai-involved love, or something in between, we want to see what you can come up with.
1) Shoot a film following all these conditions:
It can’t be longer than 60 seconds
It must feature a Dutch angle
It must be centered around the theme: digital love
2) Post the completed film on Instagram, including @raindancefilmfestival and the hashtag #Loveatfirstlike
Note: Make sure your account is public so we can see your entry!
3) The top 3 films will be reposted on our Instagram account for an audience vote on February 21st.
One entry per person.
Submissions under 60 seconds will be accepted, however, submissions over 60 seconds will be ineligible. Opening titles and closing credits are included in your runtime.
The winners will receive:
1st Place: 2x Raindance Film Festival 2023 Passes + your #Loveatfirstlike film will be screened at the festival
As Kingston aims to make the transition to net-zero vehicles, and to hit other green energy targets, there’s one problem the city faces: there isn’t enough electricity to do it.
Kingston has become a fast-growing city, according to the 2021 census.
But as the population grows, so does the need for power, and with the city’s push to be ‘greener’ by moving toward zero-emission vehicles, even more electricity will be needed.
“Right now, we are starting to see some potential challenges about making sure we would have enough electricity for continued growth that we’re seeing in the city,” says Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson.
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“That doesn’t even account for the fact that we are full-on invested in the conversion to electrification. Electric vehicles, electric buses, other sorts of conversions. We need to start working now to make sure we’ve got the electricity supply that we need on that.”
Utilities Kingston director of engineering Remi Adedapo says the problem lies not with how much power there is, but the capacity to distribute it.
“Kingston Hydro is a local distribution company, so what we do is take what we receive, and distribute it locally,” she says.
For example, if everyone in Kingston suddenly began plugging in electric vehicles to charge at home, it would be too much for distribution centres to handle.
“We try and generalize and look at what the demand is going to be like, and what are we going to use it for,” says Adedapo.
“The demand that we did use it for in previous years, would not have included electrical vehicles.”
Adedapo says there are short-term plans in place, such as stockpiling excess energy in storage batteries.
But for the long term, increasing the city’s capacity to distribute more electricity is a major priority.
“The plans in place would be to expand or build new transformation stations, for instance,” says Adedapo.
Time is of the essence in completing these kinds of upgrades, with bold emission reduction targets fuelling a move to greener power sources across the country.
If it wants to keep pace, Kingston will to need to charge ahead quickly before its green initiatives grow faster than the vines that can feed them.
Von Kuhn will lead Oxbelly as it expands its activities bringing international storytellers together in a communal atmosphere.
“Oxbelly was started with a vision to construct an international community of world builders, based on the values of generosity and inclusiveness inherent in Greek hospitality,” said Konstantakopoulos.
“I can’t think of a better person than Caroline to lead Oxbelly into our next chapter, as we expand our programmes, to serve and empower storytellers on their own terms in the ever-shifting creative industries.”
Since its creation in 2015, as a non-profit focused on film and TV education, it has supported more than 60 projects by around 80 filmmakers and screenwriters across the world. The initiative takes its name from a beach in Oxbelly after a beach near Pylos, Greece.
“I had the pleasure of attending Oxbelly in 2019. The warm, inclusive hospitality that is so distinctly Greek, where the most talented yet unproven fellows and some of our heroes in cinema can exchange ideas as peers is something I’ve never witnessed so successfully realized,” said von Kuhn.
“It’s a privilege to join Christos in this movement built on the foundation of both ancient and contemporary culture of Greece which is grounded in generosity, inclusivity and deep commitment to story and craft,” said von Kuhn.
Film industry veteran von Kuhn most recently served as Director of Industry & Catalyst at the Sundance Institute, where she expanded Sundance’s independent film financing from an annual three-day Forum into a year-round investor curriculum for both seasoned and new funders alike.
Before Sundance, she was Director of Artist Development at the Francisco Film Society where she ran grants, residencies and artist programs and launched SFFILM Invest, an ethical film financing initiative in partnership with Cinereach.
Prior to SFFILM, von Kuhn co-founded the Points North Institute with Ben Fowlie and Sean Flynn, turning the four-day Camden International Film Festival into an internationally recognized documentary institute. She remains on as Points North Institute’s Board Chair and serves on the Catapult Film Fund Board. She will now split her time between Athens and Los Angeles.
Known for its screenwriter and Director labs held under the artistic direction of Athina Rachel Tsangari, past participating mentors include Maren Ade, Michael Almereyda, Paul Thomas Anderson, Willem Dafoe, Dee Rees and Lulu Wang.
Oxbelly is due to unveil the first of its new programs for 2023, both serving writers, next week.
Warner Bros. Discovery is raising the monthly price of HBO Max for the first time since launching it more than two years ago.
Effective Thursday, Jan. 12, the price of a new HBO Max no-ads monthly subscription in the U.S. will increase from $14.99 to $15.99 (plus applicable taxes). That’s a nearly 7% increase. Existing HBO Max subscribers who are currently paying $14.99/month will see their monthly rate increase to $15.99/month effective their next billing cycle on or after Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023.
“This price increase of one dollar will allow us to continue to invest in providing even more culture-defining programming and improving our customer experience for all users,” the company said in a statement.
HBO Max launched in May 2020 at $14.99 per month, back when it was part of AT&T-owned WarnerMedia. In June 2021, the company introduced an ad-supported HBO Max plan that costs $9.99/month; it isn’t immediately clear if the price of that package also will be increasing.
Warner Bros. Discovery had previously signaled that an HBO Max price hike was coming. In November, JB Perrette, president and CEO of global streaming and games, told investors that the company had an “opportunity” to increase the price of HBO Max’s ad-free. By 2023, he said, “it will have been three years since pricing has moved, which we think is an opportunity, particularly in this environment… We believe there’s actually some pricing advantage for us on the ad-free [HBO Max] service and we can probably move north of where the prices are today.”
CDGA nominations put “Elvis,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Avatar: the Way of Water,” and “Babylon” in the lead.
We will update all our Oscar predictions throughout the season, so keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2023 Oscar race. The nomination round of voting will take place from January 12 to January 17, 2023, with the official Oscar nominations announced on January 24, 2023. The final voting is between March 2 and 7, 2023. Finally, the 95th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 12 and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT.
See our initial thoughts for what to expect at the 95th Academy Awardshere.
The State of the Race
The Oscar chances for Best Costume frontrunners “Elvis,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Avatar: the Way of Water,” and “Babylon” have been shored up by the films’ nominations for the 25th Costume Designer Guild Awards.
The January 12 announcement of nominees for excellence in costume design in sci-fi/fantasy, period, and contemporary films also included “Hocus Pocus 2,” “Thor: Love and Thunder,” “Don’t Worry Darling,” “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” “The Woman King,” “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” “Nope,” “TÁR,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” and “Women Talking.” The CDGAs will be held February 27th at Fairmont Century Plaza.
Related
Related
Noteworthy omissions include Oscar winners Mark Bridges (“The Fabelmans”), Alexandra Byrne (“Empire of Light”), Sandy Powell (“Living”), and Ann Roth (“White Noise”). We’ll see if any of them sneak in among the Academy’s nominations — or, for that matter, if last year’s Best Costume Design winner, Jenny Beaven (“Cruella”), makes the cut for “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” a tour de force of 1950s haute couture revolving around the House of Dior.
Two other previous winners have the inside track for aquatic-themed action-adventures: Ruth E. Carter (“Wakanda Forever”), who taps the ancient Mayan civilization with a touch of sea life for the underwater Talokan people in Ryan Coogler’s sequel; and Deborah L. Scott (“Avatar: The Way of Water”), who accomplishes a new convergence of costume design and world building for the Metkayina reef people in James Cameron’s sequel.
Meanwhile, the final two slots are looking good for Shirley Kurata (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) and Mary Zophres (“Babylon”). In the Daniels’ maximalist Best Picture contender, Kurata traces a multitude of characters in the complex multiverse. But her main focus was on the colorful and exotic costuming of mother and daughter Michelle Yeoh and Stephanie Hsu for their time-hopping kung fu fighting.
And Zophres delivers the greatest work of her career in Damien Chazelle’s magnum opus about Hollywood’s Bacchanalian coming of age in the late ’20s. Gathering costumes and fabrics from all over the country and Europe, she proceeded to fit 250 speaking parts and 7,000 background players. But the highlight was dressing Margot Robbie’s it girl Nellie LaRoy, including her unforgettable red party dress.
Frontrunners:
“Elvis” (Warner Bros.) “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel/Disney) “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24) “Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century/Disney) “Babylon” (Paramount)
Contenders:
“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” (Focus Features) “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix) “The Woman King” (Sony) “Women Talking” (UA) “Don’t Worry Darling” (Warner Bros.)
EXCLUSIVE: Bad Sistersstar Michael Smiley has boarded Hulu dark comedy Obituary, as the show sets the rest of its cast and enters principal photography in Ireland.
Smiley will play lead Elvira Clancy’s (Siobhán Cullen) protective and troubled father Ward Clancy in the APC/Magamedia-produced six-parter that was first revealed by Deadline late last year.
Smiley, whose past credits include the BBC’s Bloodlands and who played well-meaning-but-troubled-neighbor Roger Muldoon in Sharon Horgan’s Apple TV+ hit Bad Sisters, is joined by Ronan Raftery (The Rook), Danielle Galligan (Shadow and Bone) and David Ganly (Moon Knight) as the show rounds out cast and enters principal photography in County Donegal.
Obituary, which has been pre-bought by Irish network RTÉ, follows an unpaid obituarist working at a small town newspaper. When she ‘accidentally’ kills a nasty piece of work in the town, she discovers she might have an untapped bloodlust and starts relishing using crafty methods to kill off the town’s unpleasant residents.
Ray Lawlor is writer, John Hayes is director and Nell Green is producing. APC Studios’ Laurent Boissel and Magamedia’s Paddy Hayes are executive producers of the series, which will premiere on Hulu in the U.S. later this year. Obituary is produced in association with Fís Éireann/ Screen Ireland, BAI and The Wrap Fund.
First, the real-life facts of the case, more shocking than you’ll find in most fiction: In November 2013, a mother took a train from Paris to the northern French coast, along with her 15-month old daughter. She checked into a hotel, walked down to the water at night, fed the hungry child, and left her to drown at high tide.
That mother, Fabienne Kabou, went on trial in 2016, where she acknowledged the killing and spoke of sorcery and witchcraft, but added: “Nothing makes sense in this story.”
Sitting in that courtroom was French documentary filmmaker Alice Diop. Like Kabou a woman of Senegalese descent, Diop had been fascinated by the case since she’d seen a grainy surveillance photo in a newspaper and felt that “I know her so well, I recognize myself.” She spent days sitting in the courtroom, staring at the woman in front of her, seeking to understand the impossible.
What emerged from that experience is the spellbinding “Saint Omer,” Diop’s debut feature, but really a film that exists somewhere in the space between documentary and scripted narrative, between truth and fiction. Most crucially, it’s a film so original in approach that one feels only Diop could have made or even conceived of it.
Whether it answers the question that an empathetic defense lawyer asks the jury to consider — not whether, but WHY — is less clear. But the film, which Diop co-wrote with Amrita David and Marie NDiaye, peels back so many layers by merely asking it — layers of race, gender, motherhood, and the lasting effects of French colonialism, for starters — that in the end, you’ll likely feel an answer isn’t really the point.
Diop begins with a mercifully brief scene on a dark beach, a woman walking, holding something, while the waves in the distance grow louder. The scene turns out to be a dream, experienced by Rama, a French novelist and professor, also of Senegalese descent. Rama is a proxy for Diop; she has developed an obsession with the infanticide story, and wants to base her next novel on it.
Soon Rama (a soulful Kayije Kagame), like Diop, is traveling to the coast and settling onto a bench into a wood-paneled courtroom (the film set was next door to the real courtroom) where defendant Laurence Coly, a fictional stand-in for Kabou, is facing a methodical but incredulous judge (Valerie Dréville).
Laurence is not the kind of defendant anyone expects — and that’s part of what’s both fascinating and troubling. She is highly educated, a fact that seems surprising to the media and to others. Even Rama’s book editor back in Paris tells her he’s heard Laurence speaks in a “sophisticated“ way; Rama retorts that she speaks like any other educated woman.
Laurence’s mother in Senegal, we learn, was obsessed with her education and upward mobility, and wouldn’t let her daughter speak the native Wolof language, only French. “Her obsession with my success tortured me,” she testifies. (In a heartbreaking moment, her mother, attending the trial, buys every newspaper she can, so proud is she that her daughter is generating headlines.) As for her father, he severed ties and stopped funding her studies in France when she switched from law to philosophy.
Lacking resources to survive, Laurence finally had to stop her studies and move in with an older white boyfriend, Luc, who hid their relationship from his own family. When she became pregnant, keeping the child against Luc’s wishes, she withdrew completely from the world. When Luc is on the stand, the judge draws out how this supposedly devoted father didn’t even attend the baby’s funereal — it was too far, the man complains. “It was very abstract to me.”
All the testimony is taken from the official record, brought to life by Guslagie Malanda as a maddeningly serene and utterly riveting Laurence, and a supporting cast of theater actors. The spectators are played by local townspeople, and the proceedings were filmed in chronological fashion, all contributing to a documentary-style feel.
But unlike a documentary, we’re witnessing it all though Rama. She’s horrified not only by the crime but by the prejudices, large and small, directed at Laurence — some that she herself experiences, as a woman, as a woman of color, as an academic in a white world — and as a daughter, with a mother who often treated her selfishly.
There’s another parallel. Rama is pregnant, just as Diop was during the trial. In bed one night with her partner, she tells him: “I’m scared I’ll be like her.” It’s her mother she is talking about, she clarifies. Or is it?
“I hope this trial will give me an answer,” someone says at the beginning of the film. If you think it’s Rama, or the judge, you’re wrong. It’s Laurence herself, admitting to a stunned courtroom that she has no tidy explanation up her sleeve.
Likewise, Diop refuses to wrap her film with a neat bow. In fact, she doesn’t even tell us what sentence, if any, Kabou received (there’s Google for that.) But in her unique way, she has taken us further into the emotional, social and moral crevices of this real-life case than any documentary could. And we’re much the better for it.
“Saint Omer,” a Super release, has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America “for some thematic elements and brief strong language.“ Running time: 122 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.
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Back in July of 2021, it was announced that V/H/S and Southbound filmmakers Roxanne Benjamin and David Bruckner were teaming up again for the survival thriller Fall Into Darkness, a remake of the 2014 Spanish-language film La Cueva. Benjamin would be directing the film, working from a screenplay Bruckner wrote with Nick Tecosky. Nell Tiger Free (Servant), Thomas Doherty (Legacies), and Lorenza Izzo (The Green Inferno) were all signed on to star. Filming was expected to begin at Lantica’s Pinewood Studios in the Dominican Republic in the fall of ’21. But Fall Into Darkness never went into production. And during a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Free theorized that it fell apart due to the pandemic.
When asked for a status update on the project, Free replied, “I think Fall Into Darkness became a victim to Covid. You know how things were. There were so many beautiful projects that were potentially going to happen, and then things got taken away because of timing and Covid. So I think that might have been what went wrong there, but never say never. If it resurfaces and the time is right and all the original people are available, then I’m sure we’d all saddle up and do that movie.“
It’s kind of surprising to hear that the pandemic was still ruining movie plans after July 2021, since a lot of productions had figured out how to work in the Covid era by then. But here’s hoping that Fall Into Darkness will happen someday.
Described as “an elevated Lord of the Flies tale”, Fall Into Darkness would have centered on American backpackers stranded with locals in a vast cave system in Dominican Republic.
Directed by Alfredo Montero from a screenplay he wrote with Havier Gullon, La Cueva (also known as In Darkness We Fall) had the following synopsis: Five friends have decided to set out on a vacation to the beautiful island of Formentera, where they expect to spend their days full of fun and debauchery. On one of their outings they come across a cave set in a cliff and decided that it would be exciting to investigate it and see what they could find. However it isn’t long before the group realizes that they have lost their way, prompting them to try to find the exit instead of exploring further. Unfortunately they are unsuccessful in their attempt and are forced to stay the night and as a result they find their sanity weakening. As the lack of food, water, and sunlight paired with the isolation from society due to a lack of cell phone reception begins to take its toll on the group, they find themselves beginning to panic and hallucinate. Eventually their survival will rely on them making certain decisions that will change them forever.
Bruckner and Tecosky developed the story for the remake with executive producers Pedro Uriol and Juan Gordon of Morena Films. Bruckner was an executive producer on the project, along with Connie Hoy and Blue Ridge Media Capital. Fall Into Darkness was being produced by Peter Block of A Bigger Boat and Zak Kilberg of Social Construct.
Are you sorry to hear Fall Into Darkness fell apart? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.
Exclusive: Explore the fast-paced dialogue for the period piece starring Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, and Diego Calva.
Academy Award winner Damien Chazelle is back on the awards circuit with his ode to Old Hollywood, “Babylon.”
The star-studded ensemble film charts the chaos, glory, and mayhem of the City of Angels during the transition between silent films and talkies. Set in the 1920s, “Babylon” immortalizes the A-listers of today by placing them in the context of yesterday’s golden era. Brad Pitt stars as world-weary aging film icon Jack Conrad, who crosses paths with rising starlet Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie) as she does whatever it takes to reach stardom. The foray into fictionalized film history is told through the eyes of both “Babylon” and real-life Hollywood newcomer Diego Calva, who plays aspiring filmmaker Manny Torres. Outsider Manny’s true love is cinema, and he flirts with the elusive art form as the entire industry is turned on its head.
As an IndieWire exclusive, you can now read the full screenplay for Chazelle’s “Babylon” here.
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The film also stars Samara Weaving, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, and Jean Smart, plus Katherine Waterston, Olivia Wilde, Spike Jonze, Lukas Haas, Jovan Adepo, Tobey Maguire (who additionally executive produces), and Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea. Max Minghella is playing the only true real-life figure included in the historical fiction feature, studio exec Irving Thalberg.
“Babylon” has already racked up a Golden Globes win for Best Original Score while garnering nominations at upcoming awards ceremonies. Critics Choice nominations for writer-director Chazelle and star Robbie are among the many nods, as well as Best Picture, Best Editing, Cinematography, and Score. The SAG Awards also recognized “Babylon” among the Outstanding Cast Performance for a Motion Picture nominees.
Writer-director Chazelle called “Babylon” an ode to the “wild West” of the Roaring Twenties that has been in the works for close to 15 years. Chazelle told IndieWire’s Anne Thompson that he had to “take a machete” to the extensive research and notes he compiled for over a decade to finally craft “Babylon.” The original script was a whopping 180 pages long, with Chazelle admitting he “cheated with the margins” and that the script was closer to 220 pages prior to formatting changes.
Its length led to multiple studios passing on the project despite “Whiplash” and “La La Land” director Chazelle’s Oscar wins. Paramount eventually came on board. Yet even star Pitt was surprised at how much of the lengthy script made it into the final cut, with Chazelle comparing the film’s pacing to a jazz score.
“You know Damien’s films; there’s a rhythm — a syncopation — to the scenes,” Pitt said in a recent interview. “The way he puts it together and doles out the information. There’s always this kind of movement that I think comes from his early days as a jazz drummer. I find that I’m looking for that in life, you know? We all need to find the music in the day.”
A Million Little Things will end its run on ABC this year, and the trailer for the final season hits you right in the feels.
“From the beginning, we fell in love with a friendship, a family, a romance, a laugh, a triumph, a moment, a million little things,” we hear, setting the stage for the season ahead.
The trailer reminds us of some of the most pivotal moments from the series while teasing what’s on the agenda as we head into the last-ever episodes.
Here’s the official logline from ABC:
As Rome Howard says, “Life isn’t just about the moments, it’s about who you share them with.”
And as the fifth and final season of the beloved ABC drama series “A Million Little Things” unfolds, we’ll watch through laughter and tears as we bring this incredible journey to its conclusion.
Along the way, we’ll explore the depths of friendship, love, and sorrow as we bid this special family of friends goodbye, once again proving that friendship really is a million little things.
ABC and series creator DJ Nash confirmed the end of the series in November.
“I know seeing this show end may be sad for many people (especially my mom who watches live every week), but I always knew I wanted to follow these friends for five seasons and leave them when the time was right,” Nash said at the time.
“When we started making our show, I never could have imagined this incredible community of ‘Millionaires’ who would come together and not only watch, but also share with each other their personal struggles, their pain and ultimately their true grit.”
“I am both honored and humbled by all of it and am so in awe of the incredible actors, writers, directors and crew who lend their talent to make our show.”
He continued: “I am also so grateful that ABC now makes mental health awareness one of the top issues for which it advocates.”
“[Executive producer] Terrence [Coli] and I can’t wait for the Millionaires to watch what we have planned for our final season.”
A Million Little Things stars David Giuntoli as Eddie Saville, Romany Malco as Rome Howard, Allison Miller as Maggie Bloom, Christina Moses as Regina Howard, and Grace Park as Katherine Kim.
The cast is rounded out by James Roday Rodriguez as Gary Mendez, Tristan Byon as Theo Saville, Lizzy Greene as Sophie Dixon, and Chance Hurstfield as Danny Dixon.
Check out the teaser below, and catch the season premiere on Wednesday, February 8 on ABC.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
Dorothy Tristan, a model, screenwriter, and actress most known for her roles in “Klute,” “The Looking Glass,” and “Scarecrow,” died in her home in northwest Indiana after battling Alzheimer’s for over ten years, her husband, director John D. Hancock announced on Facebook.
“I was lucky. She was something,” Hancock wrote. “In life, she was a gentle soul and my sweet darling.”
Tristan was most active in the 1970s, where she played in several films, including “Klute.”
After taking a break from the big screen, she resurfaced in 2015 and starred in a film she wrote, and her husband directed called “The Looking Glass.”
The independent film was about a 13-year-old troubled girl who lost her mother and had to relocate to Indiana and live with her grandmother, who was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Her grandmother wanted to pass on everything she knew to her granddaughter before it was too late.
Northwest Indiana was home in recent years, but Tristan was born in Yorkville Heights, Westchester County, New York, just north of New York City, on Jan 1. 1942. She got her start in the early 70s on the big screen playing in films like “The End of the Road” (1970) and “Scarecrow” (1973) with Gene Hackman and Al Pacino.
Not only did Tristan play roles on the big screen, but she also made appearances on TV in movies and series such as: “Isn’t It Shocking?” (ABC, 1973-74) and “Journey From Darkness” (NBC, 1974-75) and The Waltons” (CBS, 1972-1981).
Hancock said he is hosting an open house to celebrate her life on Saturday, Jan 14.
For more information about the open house, click here.
Memphis heavyweights Moneybagg Yo and Glorilla have come together for a new single, “On Wat U On.” It’s the first collaboration from the CMG labelmates, and it comes with a new music video that’s available below.
Glorilla signed with Yo Gotti’s CMG last year after the success of her single “F.N.F. (Let’s Go).” She soon appeared on the label’s Gangsta Art compilation, contributing another hit, “Tomorrow.” (Moneybagg Yo also featured across Gangsta Art, but never on the same track as Glorilla.) Glorilla released her debut EP, Anyways, Life’s Great…, in the fall via CMG and Interscope.
Moneybagg Yo shared his latest full-length, A Gangsta’s Pain, in 2021. He more recently dropped the single “Quickie.”
NOW IN THEATERS! In Marc Forster’s feature film, A Man Called Otto, Tom Hanks plays against type by playing a grumpy old man. The catch is that he turns into Tom Hanks by the film’s end.
The aforementioned Hanks plays the grumpy and annoyed Otto. Nobody likes him… really, nobody likes him anymore. Otto is the “Karen” of his HOA holding everyone to the strict letter of the bylaws. He bristles at any form of happiness or joyful quirkiness from his neighbors and is in constant conflict with everyone around him.
After being forced to retire from his long-time blue-collar job and walking out on his cake, Otto heads home to his empty cold townhouse. He then cancels all his utilities and prepares to hang himself. At the last moment, there’s a commotion across the street when new neighbors Marisol (Mariana Treviño) and Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) attempt to parallel park their U-Haul trailer. The annoyed Otto pushes the helpless Tommy aside to get the job done. Otto’s actions gain Marisol’s respect, and she delivers a container of authentic Mexican food to Otto right before he tries to hang himself again.
When you strip the film down to its basics, A Man Called Ottois essentially a big-budget Hallmark movie starring America’s Dad (which seems appropriate). From here, you know exactly what’s going to happen. Otto’s burgeoning friendship with Marisol spurs him to reconsider his attitude and open his life. Her unrelenting niceness causes Otto’s heart to grow three sizes. Of course, Marisol’s super cute children are around to help as well. Yes, through flashbacks, we learn about Otto’s wife, Sonya (Rachel Keller), who died years ago.
Otto (Tom Hanks, center) surprises Jimmy (Cameron Britton, right) after turning over the keys to his car to Malcolm (Mack Bayda, left) in Columbia Pictures A MAN CALLED OTTO. photo by: Niko Tavernise
“Otto’s burgeoning friendship with Marisol spurs him to reconsider his attitude…”
A Man Called Ottois your quintessential feel-good movie about being a good person while playing it safe for the most part. There is clearly a market (and a need) for feel-good movies. But let’s face it, this film relies heavily on the gimmick of schmaltz and heaping portions of it. There’s a cast of quirky characters radiating sunshine, the restoration of a friendship after a betrayal, and an act of kindness that Sonya showed upon a kid named Malcolm (Mack Bayda), who was the only one to call him “Malcolm.” The icing on the cake is the evil real-estate investor, played by Mike Birbiglia, versus the social-media journalist Julia (Josefine Lindegaard).
As a film, there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with A Man Called Otto — solid acting by its veteran cast and emerging supporting actors. Truman Hanks does a fine job as young Otto but needs to be much more passionate about the craft of acting if he wants to make a career (which I understand he isn’t). Tom Hanks’ veteran status as an award-winning actor keeps the story on track while keeping the eye rolls to a minimum. Only he can keep this narrative as grounded as it was.
Considering the plot surrounds Otto’s repeated failed attempts at suicide, I will say I was a wee bit weepy at the end. However, there’s a lot of goodness on display, and the woke moments were at least incorporated into the story and not merely virtue signals. It’s all on par for high-end Hallmark films.
A Man Called Ottois not for the hardcore cynic, though maybe it should be (it worked for the Grinch). It’s a heartwarming tale about finding life after loss and finding the good in others. Unfortunately, like a Hallmark film, it’s wrapped up in a lot of schmaltz.
Crowned with cranes, the Jeddah Tower emerges in the distance as an under-construction 826-foot-tall spaceship presiding over Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city. Through the desert haze you can almost see the more than 3,000-foot height it was supposed to reach, the lively business district its innovative design was meant to inspire and the tens of thousands of people filling the palm-tree-lined boulevards at its feet.
Planners envisioned the tower as the piece de resistance of a full-on economic revitalization with the declared aim of nothing less than “changing the mind-set of Jeddah.”
Instead, six years after it was to open, it remains a construction site with no construction — at the moment, anyway — and looms like a question mark over Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s gamble to overhaul his country of 36 million people.
The Jeddah Tower, the centerpiece of an ambitious development project in Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city, remains unfinished six years after it was to open.
(Amr Nabil / Associated Press)
Enlisting some of the world’s star architects, Saudi Arabia is launching mammoth development projects by the dozen that it says will remake the country’s oil-based economy, cement its claim as the region’s commercial superpower and supercharge its cities’ ascent to global status.
With the powerful, $600-billion Saudi sovereign Public Investment Fund behind him, the crown prince is intent on eclipsing rivals in a region that is no stranger to Ozymandian-scale projects. In 2017, he announced his flagship Neom project, a Massachusetts-sized megacity being built in Saudi Arabia’s northwest. Then came the Line, a pair of “horizontal skyscrapers” stretching 105 miles — yes, miles, meaning that the two complexes would run an unbroken distance equal to that between downtown Los Angeles and Joshua Tree National Park.
There’s also Trojena, a ski resort that will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games; Oxagon, the world’s largest floating industrial complex; King Salman Airport, a so-called aerotropolis that is supposed to handle 120 million travelers by 2030; and Sindalah, an island project off Neom’s coast announced last month that bills itself as a 9-million-square-foot “playground for the world’s luxury travelers.”
More of what Saudi Arabia dubs giga-projects are expected. This year, the kingdom dominated the Middle East’s construction sector with 35% of contract awards by value, according to the Middle East Economic Digest group. Out of $719 billion earmarked for 15 giga-projects, only $30 billion has been awarded so far, meaning that the developments are still at a nascent stage, with the pace expected to accelerate in the coming few years.
But clouding those ambitions are the husks of previous endeavors across Saudi Arabia and the wider region that were supposed to do much the same thing yet now stand all but abandoned. Their failure points up the central question that various Persian Gulf potentates, despite billions of dollars and decades of effort, have been unable to answer: Can the combination of limitless funds, architectural star power and sheer chutzpah create a place where people actually want to live? Or to put it more simply, if you build it, will they come?
Launched in 2008 but still incomplete, the Jeddah Tower was the brainchild of Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, center.
(Amer Hilabi / AFP/Getty Images)
Launched in 2008, the Jeddah Tower was the brainchild of Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, at the time the country’s most high-profile royal entrepreneur, before the crown prince became the kingdom’s de facto ruler. It was Neom writ small, if that’s what you could call a $1.5-billion, 252-story Y-shaped skyscraper with apartments, a Four Seasons Hotel and hyper-fast elevators that would rocket visitors to the observation deck on the 157th floor in just over a minute. It was to form the nucleus of a new downtown district drawing entrepreneurs in tech and tourism as the country diversified its economy away from oil.
The tower’s planned height of more than 3,280 feet was a riposte to Dubai’s Burj Khalifa — the two projects share the same “starchitects,” Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill — which tops 2,700 feet and remains the world’s tallest building. But the ambition was about more than size: In a 2018 interview with CNN, the project’s development boasted that the tower “would reposition Jeddah on the international scene of modern cities. You speak about downtown Dubai — and now we’re going to have downtown Jeddah.”
The comparison was intentional, said John Peronto, a Milwaukee-based principal of Thornton Tomasetti, the structural engineering firm working on the Jeddah Tower, who described the project as a “catalystic development.”
“It’s a model of what was done once with Burj Khalifa. The aspirations were that you build the tower, and that would be the catalyst for the city around it,” he said.
Construction progressed rapidly at first, erecting 63 stories by the end of 2017. Then Mohammed became crown prince and launched an anti-corruption purge — critics characterized it as a power grab — that ensnared Prince Alwaleed and the Binladin Group, the tower’s main contractor. Work stalled; just as it was about to restart in 2020, the pandemic hit.
Since then, the site has remained quiet despite the occasional statement to the contrary — and a website that still features a fly-through animation of the tower with the tagline “It’s happening.”
The crown prince has his own plans for Jeddah, which might explain the lack of progress on the tower. In December 2021, he announced the Jeddah Central Project, previously known as the New Jeddah Downtown, which is spending $20 billion to develop 2.2 square miles in the southern part of the city. Using much of the same rationale behind Neom and the Jeddah Tower, Saudi authorities say, the project will add 47 billion riyals — $12.5 billion — to the country’s economy by 2030.
The development has required going ahead with a long-standing plan to raze what the municipality categorized as “slums” or “older local areas” beset by substandard infrastructure and high crime. In their place would be 17,000 homes in luxury high-rises, along with hotels, parks, a stadium, an oceanarium and an opera house.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman adjusts his robe as leaders gather at the Group of 20 major economies’ summit in Buenos Aires in 2018.
(Ricardo Mazalan / Associated Press)
Similar demolitions had been proposed in the past but foundered over concerns of how to deal with the displaced. Over the last year, however, authorities tore down 32 neighborhoods, displacing hundreds of thousands of people — some estimates say more than 1 million — almost half of them migrants whose families came decades ago for the pilgrimage to Mecca and never left. Sometimes residents were given only 24 hours’ notice before power and water were cut off, with no chance to stop the bulldozers that soon followed.
“They gave the people here less than 48 hours to leave,” said a man who emerged with two companions one morning from an abandoned building in the Ghulail district, a rubble-filled moonscape whose ripped-up streets and alleys still appear on Google Maps like some electronic fossil. Only a few blocks of the district are left.
Beyond lay a vast expanse of flattened earth with a clear view of the loading cranes of Jeddah’s port. The man, who declined to give his name, pointed toward the derricks.
“All of this before was buildings,” he said. “Now you can see all the way to the coast.”
The speed and breadth of the demolitions brought a raft of condemnation from rights groups saying they violated international human rights standards and discriminated against foreigners.
They also spurred rare demonstrations and an online campaign by former residents who said the destroyed areas, far from being hotbeds of crime, were working-class, multicultural districts that have given Jeddah a looser, friendlier image than that of cities like the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The motto of the city was “Jeddah gheyr”: “Jeddah is different.”
At a dilapidated strip mall, workers, many of them Sudanese immigrants, sat on dirt-stained plastic chairs inside a cafe and sipped jebena, coffee spiced with ginger.
“We don’t know if the plan is to continue and tear down this building, too,” said one 56-year-old man, who declined to be identified for fear of reprisals.
He gave a wan smile. “We’re foreigners. We can’t say anything. If we don’t do what they want us to do, we’re out.”
Other detractors level an often-repeated criticism that the Saudi government should invest in improving creaking infrastructure in Jeddah rather than building fancy towers. Recent events demonstrated their point: A few days of heavy rain in November saw widespread flooding in the city that killed two people and forced schools and universities to close; pictures on social media showed cars swept away by the deluge. Earlier this month, authorities warned of more flash floods and called on motorists to stay home. In 2009, floods killed 123 people.
Men push a car stuck in a flooded street after heavy rain in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Dec. 30, 2010.
(Amer Hilibi / AFP/Getty Images)
Beyond the forced evictions, skeptics say there is a mentality at work that aims to create closed-off, Disneyland-like communities that function as profit generators but don’t provide the texture of a real city.
“Our cities are now being built by bankers. They’re capitalist cities of the first order,” said a Jeddah architect, who spoke anonymously to be able to comment freely.
“A city is supposed to be a common baseline. Everyone can live here,” the architect said. But the Jeddah Central Project’s chief backer, the sovereign fund controlled by the crown prince, “considers this backwards. The mandate is to make money. But some things just don’t make money.”
None of it will have the feel of a city, the architect added. “Before those neighborhoods were destroyed, you would walk around them and know they’re real. They pulsed with life. It’s not sterile like a mall.”
Even if the south Jeddah redevelopment is completed as planned, it’s unclear who will be able to afford to live there. The demolitions spurred a doubling of rents across the city, including less expensive neighborhoods on the periphery. Many residents were forced to leave altogether.
Jeddah authorities defend the project as a necessary corrective to decades of neglect and insist that compensation to those displaced is being disbursed equitably.
But the track record of similar endeavors, in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, raises questions of whether people want to live in the sort of sterile environment on offer.
King Abdullah Economic City, which opened more than a decade ago and sits on a pristine chunk of coast nearly 70 miles north of Jeddah, was supposed to attract 2 million people by 2035; to date, its population has numbered anywhere from 4,000 to 7,000. Another intended mini-Dubai is Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District, a $10-billion white elephant that was announced 15 years ago but that the central government has since criticized as being built without consideration for its economic feasibility. It’s now undergoing restructuring and has yet to finish the first phase of its master plan.
A view of the Saudi coast from the administrative building of the King Abdullah Economic City, a mammoth development project on the Red Sea.
(David Degner / Getty Images)
Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia’s Forest City and similar projects in China also report lackluster numbers of residents, despite similarly ambitious plans to remake urban life.
As for the seemingly frozen Jeddah Tower development, people associated with the project insist that construction will resume but offer no timeline. Others say a realignment in ownership needs to happen, along with a resolution of the debt-ridden Binladin Group’s liabilities.
Kingdom Holding, Prince Alwaleed’s company, sold a portion of its shares to the sovereign Public Investment Fund, meaning the state is now invested in the tower’s future. In the 2018 CNN interview, the company chief executive said that the tower project was in line with the crown prince’s vision to remake Saudi Arabia.
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Still, a recent visit to the site showed no sign of progress or even preparations to restart construction; the only workers present were finishing up a nearby power substation meant to serve the 6,000 homes of Jeddah Economic City.
“We’ve been here for two years and seen no one on the tower,” said one worker, who did not give his name for privacy reasons.
Other developments also cast doubt on the project’s viability. Riyadh, with a Dubai-sized chip on its shoulder, aims to supersede not just its Emirati rival but also its sister city Jeddah, leading to reports last month that the Public Investment Fund is mulling over plans for a 6,000-foot-tall mega-tower as part of a larger development in Riyadh.
Consultants privately wonder whether that means the Jeddah Tower is orphaned; some speculate that an alternative plan could be to finish it at its current height or tear it down and start something new, despite more than a third of the concrete having already been poured and a lot of money spent.
A man works on construction of the Jeddah Tower in May 2014.
(Hasan Jamali / Associated Press)
Kingdom Holding declined to comment. In an email, Smith, one of the tower’s designers, said he believes “it would be an incredible boost to the tourism industry and to Jeddah to see this tower restart and to reach its design height.”
Asked whether he expects the Jeddah Tower district to flourish as envisioned, the worker shrugged.
“It all depends on the tower. That’s the main attraction,” he said.
“If the tower doesn’t happen or go to the planned height, it’ll be difficult to get people here.”
Even though Tom Brady did not want his marriage with Gisele Bündchen to end, he did not make the necessary effort to save the relationship. According to an article in People Magazine, the NFL player, who is 45 years old, was willing to do everything it took to make things work between him and his wife before they filed for divorce and finalized it on Friday.
After their 13-year marriage, Brady reportedly sought to patch things up because he “didn’t want the kids to have divorced parents,” according to sources quoted by the publication.
According to reports, the quarterback was willing to do anything needed to make things work, even going to therapy or marriage counseling. However, Bündchen, 42 years old, thought it was too little, too late to make a difference.
They proceeded by saying that she gave him a lot of opportunities to mend things, but he didn’t take advantage of any of them. They also mentioned that while Brady was pursuing his passion, the supermodel was left to raise their children alone.
According to the insider, Tom did not develop the concept for the breakup on his own. Likewise, Tom did not come up with this on his own. When the ex-Secret Victoria’s model requested him on multiple occasions to be more present with their children, he felt like he wasn’t hearing what she was saying because he thought she was talking to someone else.
Amid their dramatic battle, back in September, Bündchen gave an interview to Elle magazine in which she expressed her reservations regarding Brady’s violent profession.
The model stated to the publication that she has undoubtedly had those chats with him about wanting him to retire. Still, she also mentioned that everybody has to make a decision suitable for [them]. He must pursue what brings him joy.
But not long after that, Bündchen reportedly had a change of heart and threatened to cancel her marriage to the sportsman after she issued him a challenge and presented him with a request.
Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grainge said the business models for music streaming need to “evolve” to better reward artists — regardless if they are signed to a major label — and listeners.
In a message to staff sent on Wednesday, the executive took aim at the royalty model that streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify; these services, broadly speaking, determine their payments to rights holders based on a pool of money coming from subscriptions and ads, divided by contributions to the total number of streams.
Though Grainge name checked Spotify and UMG’s collaborations with the company as part of the industry’s shift toward streaming, the CEO said it was time to develop a new model “to keep pace with change.”
“There is a growing disconnect between, on the one hand, the devotion to those artists whom fans value and seek to support and, on the other, the way subscription fees are paid by the platforms. Under the current model, the critical contributions of too many artists, as well as the engagement of too many fans, are undervalued,” Grainge said.
Without sharing specifics, Grainge said the ideal updated model would not pit artists against one another but would instead support “DIY, indie and major” artists that would similarly reward subscribers and offer an enhanced “value proposition of the platforms themselves, accelerating subscriber growth, and better monetizing fandom.” He noted that UMG would be working toward that model this year and emphasized fair compensation for creators of “all music content, whether in the form of audio or short-form video.”
Grainge’s comments come roughly four months after major streaming services and music publishers, including Universal, came to an agreement on royalty rates for song owners through 2027. Under the agreement, owners are set to receive a royalty rate upwards of 15.35 percent, raised incrementally through 2027 beginning this year.
“How I Met Your Father,” the gender-swapped spinoff of the CBS original, has a lot in common with its predecessor in its centering of a core group of friends and the mystery of one child’s parental lineage. However, star Hilary Duff is cognizant of how the Hulu series course-corrects some of its source material, which has received no shortage of criticism online throughout the years for some of its misogynistic or otherwise problematic material.
“Hilarious show. You guys, I stan it to this day. Of course, it was a different time,” Duff told TheWrap during the Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour. “Lots of things on TV wouldn’t fly now that did then, and we can still hold them in a special place of like, ‘Wow, that was wild TV.’”
In particular, fans have pointed out Neil Patrick Harris’ Barney as an instigator of many off-color remarks, with the brash character frequently spewing derogatory or sexist jokes. By contrast, the spinoff’s central relationship is found in Duff’s Sophie and Francia Raisa’s Valentina, a strong female friendship that the former characterizes as a “love story” in its own right.
“We have this incredible writers room that’s mixed with people that are incredibly thoughtful, different ages, different walks of life and everyone has an opinion: ‘This is right, this is wrong, this is too far, this is fun, this isn’t,’ and everyone checks at all times,” Duff continued. “But the really cool part for me is — I don’t even know if this is appropriate to say — I’m like, ‘Ah, are we taking all the fun out of everything ’cause we’re all very sensitive?’ There’s no fun missing; the creative lines that are taking the place of things that would possibly hurt someone’s feelings or just be wrong in this day and age is so powerful in the writers room. I’m always impressed.”
“How I Met Your Mother” ran for nine seasons from 2005 through 2014, racking up a whopping 10 Emmy wins, in addition to a nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series and four nods for Harris in the Supporting Actor category.
“How I Met Your Father,” which will return for a second season on Hulu beginning Jan. 24, has won two Emmys. It’s executive produced by Emmy nominee Pamela Fryman, who also directs and was heavily involved with the original show, as well as co-creators Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, the team behind “Love, Victor.”
Could Netflix save the Snyderverse? Fans were led down big time when Henry Cavill announced that he will not be returning as Superman. That was likely due to James Gunn wanting to change plans for the next decade of DC studios. Not only Cavill but even Wonder Woman’s Gal Gadot and Ben Affleck’s Batman were cut out for good.
Despite the decision, fans have not given up on the thought of seeing Cavill back as Superman. Perhaps Netflix could bring back the glory of the superheroes by bringing on the Snyderverse or we could get a sequel to Justice League if the streaming giant ever considers this.
How Netflix could bring back Henry Cavill by purchasing Snyderverse
While Henry Cavill announced that he will not be returning as Superman, fans are not ready to accept the outcome yet. As per Fandomwire,fans have been requesting Netflix to purchase the Snyderverse, the fantasy universe of director Zack Snyder. He was the maker of Man of Steel starring Cavill, which became a timeless hit. Both the director and actor are advocates of sticking to the original source as much as possible, which likely led to the success of the 2013 movie. But Snyder had to leave the world of DC later for personal reasons.
The #SellZSJLtoNetflix has been trending on social media, with one video explaining what it really means. Not only are people counting on it, but apparently, Zack Snyder is also vouching and keeping a close eye on the moment. Although the chance of this ambition becoming a reality could be slim, considering how the new Co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are yet to prove themselves.
While Black Adam turned out to be an average movie, Man of Steel 2 was scrapped despite the mass demand. Perhaps if Snyder ever gets a green light, he could bring back Justice League with Henry Cavill and every scrapped actor along with him. Meanwhile, The Witcher actor is in talks for other projects like David Fincher’s prequel to Chinatown.
Would you like to see Zaslav give control back to Snyder for saving the DC universe? Comment your thoughts.
After three seasons, Netflix canceled Santa Clarita Dietdue to “a combination of things,” mostly, though, it seemed to be a budget issue.
The show, about a woman, Sheila (Drew Barrymore), who turns into a flesh-eating zombie, ends right as she bites her husband, Joel (Timothy Olyphant), after he gets possessed by a spider-like creature. Quite the cliffhanger if you ask me, but at least the show’s creator, Victor Fresco, gave us some sort of closure. He tweeted: “Yes, Joel is Possessed by Mr. Ball Legs who at first makes him do his bidding…but then, he and Sheila hunt bad people together, and their love for each other goes on forever!”
More than two decades ago, Kate Winslet iconically starred as Rose DeWitt Bukater in the 1997 romantic tragedy Titanic opposite Leonardo DiCaprio’s boyishly charming Jack Dawson. The historical blockbuster cleaned house during the 1998 awards season, winning Golden Globes, Academy Awards, and Grammys—though neither Winslet nor DiCaprio won any acting awards, despite nominations. (The real win was their heartwarming friendship.)
Now, 25 years later, Paramount Pictures revealed a new Oscar-worthy main character of Titanic: Kate Winslet’s hair.
The film is set to relive its glory days when a remastered version is rereleased in theaters. Instead of promoting the 25th anniversary with the original, fondly remembered movie poster, Paramount Pictures had something different in mind. The new poster has dropped the titular ship, and instead highlights Jack and Rose’s warm embrace—except it’s a little hard to focus on the star-crossed lovers when Kate Winslet’s confusing hairstyle steals the show.
On one side of Winslet’s hair is a tightly coiled updo mirroring a style she wore frequently throughout the film; the other half of her hair cascades in loose waves. It’s a bizarre stylistic choice, and fans of the legendary film have questions.
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It’s worth stating up front that you’re probably going to hate Copenhagen Cowboy. Yes, I can sense your befuddlement. You’re probably wondering “Why would this guy recommend something to me that he thinks I’m probably going to hate?” Well, it’s my experience that most people are bewildered by the output of the Danish visionary director Nicolas Winding Refn. Perhaps it’s the stilted performances, perhaps it’s the glacial pacing, perhaps it’s the ultraviolence, perhaps it’s all of that and more. The byNWR experience is not for everyone, and that’s okay!
However, if you’ve somehow acquired the taste for NWR’s sordid, neon-drenched worldview, it’s time to count your blessings. Every frame of Copenhagen Cowboy oozes mood and atmosphere in his very recognizable and inimitable style (and makes you wonder what Netflix, a content mill that aims most of its middling content at roundbellies, was hoping for when they greenlit this series). Refnheads won’t mind that the plot machinations, which loosely revolve around the underworld of Eastern European scumbag sex traffickers, are secondary to the VIBES. This is 6 hours of pure, uncut NWR, a series that solidifies his reputation as one of the few auteurs who refuses to bend the knee.
In 1862, Crimean War nursing veteran Lib Wright (Florence Pugh) sets off from London to the foggy Irish Midlands for a mystifying endeavor. Thirteen years since the Great Famine, devout villagers are eager to believe in a miracle: Young Anna (Kíla Lord Cassidy) hasn’t eaten in four months, and Lib must determine whether the 11-year-old truly is surviving on “manna from heaven.”
Lib’s vibrant blue nursing ensemble feels bold and authoritative, as she challenges the village’s — and the all-male tribunal’s — rigidity with her pragmatic, science-based knowledge. “Lib is coming as the modern, practical woman, going into a repressed, traditional society,” says costume designer Odile Dicks-Mireaux. “She’s trying to show there’s another world out there, really.”
Dicks-Mireaux’s research revealed that the highly trained Nightingale nurses did not wear a standard uniform but just “something practical.” Thus, she gleaned inspiration from imagery of bold color against the dusty Oregon desert in another 19th century-set movie, Kelly Reichardt’s Meek’s Cutoff. Director Sebastián Lelio, who didn’t want a “sad-looking film,” made the final decision on the commanding shade of blue, which looks striking against the lush Irish landscape.
Over her 15-day examination of Anna, Lib’s linen layers — a basque waistline dress and a tonal herringbone jacket with a peplum and pagoda sleeves — take on a life of their own. As she becomes more frantic, Lib leaves her outer-layer buttons undone and forgoes her light petticoats, altering the shape of her skirt, which also becomes increasingly muddy.
Lib’s detachable eyelet lace collar, an authentic vintage piece, speaks to cleanliness practices during infrequent Victorian-era laundering while also offering a character tell. Lib starts her assignment with the delicate accoutrement worn in an immaculate manner. As she soon discovers the reason for Anna’s brother’s absence, the scalloped corners are neglectfully tucked under her jacket. In a literally and figuratively exposed moment, Lib, suffering from her own personal traumas, wears the collar still attached to her chemise undershirt — but not much else. Then, it’s gone altogether, “as she becomes more distracted about how she’s going to save the child,” says Dicks-Mireaux, “rather than being the prim, proper Florence Nightingale nurse.”
Chinonye Chukwu’s Emmett Till biopic opens with a tender, carefree mother-son moment: Mamie Till (Danielle Deadwyler) and her 14-year-old (Jalyn Hall) playfully sing in the car as they drive to Chicago department store Marshall Field’s. Mamie’s rose pink dress, with floral texture coordinating with her petal-like Juliette cap, parallels the spirit of her son’s striped button-up in his signature golden yellow “to match the emotion, the vibrance and the cinematic language,” says costume designer Marci Rodgers. “I wanted it to be equal to Emmett’s shirt.”
A professional working in the Air Force office, Mamie is, as always, impeccably outfitted from head to toe: white gloves, beaded bag, spotless black pumps and rhinestone jewelry favored by the real Till. Mamie knows the racism she’ll face in the store — and she’ll need to shield Emmett from it. Rodgers, who custom-built the dress, recognized the importance of “setting the tone that Mamie was a woman of grace, poise, class and Black excellence, no matter what.”
A proud Windy City native, Rodgers also understood the gravity of depicting the historic black-and-white photo documentation — which helped spark the civil rights movement — through dynamic costumes. “The world does not know what Black Chicago — Black America — looked like in 1955 in color,” says Rodgers.
Before apprehensively sending Emmett off on a train South, Mamie emulates her son’s bright palette in a nature-printed marigold silhouette with cap sleeves, a trompe l’oeil bolero and gathered skirting. “That dress represented letting her son go to Mississippi,” says Rodgers. “Be small,” says Mamie, warning the bright, confident Emmett, whose tie and pocket square set gleams with gold in the prism patterns. Later at the train station, in a “full circle” costume callback, a background actor, in yellow, will walk by the duo as they say what will be their final goodbyes. “Her son was a martyr, and she had to take that on and be the light and beacon of it through her pain,” says Rodgers.
Staying true to Steven Spielberg’s personal photos of his pianist mom Leah Adler, costume designer Mark Bridges placed purposeful “Easter eggs” throughout the costumes worn by onscreen matriarch Mitzi Fabelman (Michelle Williams). “Steven would recognize it as his mother’s style,” says the two-time Oscar winner about underscoring significant moments of connection (or strain) between Mitzi and her aspiring auteur son, Sammy (Gabriel LaBelle).
Teen Spielberg alter ego Sammy documents a fateful Fabelman camping trip with his 8mm turret camera. Sitting around the campfire, Mitzi, who steadfastly encourages her son’s artistic pursuits, wears a plaid wool cape with her trademark — and Adler-loved — Peter Pan collar peeking out. “That’s actually in [Spielberg] home movies. She made a poncho out of a blanket,” says Bridges, recalling footage of Adler “frolicking in the snow.” He custom-designed a similar cloak for Mitzi, harmonizing with checks-clad father Burt (Paul Dano) and Sammy’s sister, but without telling Spielberg beforehand. “You could see that he was touched by that,” says Bridges of the director’s quiet recognition upon seeing Williams in costume. “He went out and shot that scene for two nights, and we never said a word about it.”
Following an ensuing rift with Mitzi, Sammy screens his amateur World War II epic, Escape to Nowhere, for his fellow Boy Scouts, parents and family friend Bennie (Seth Rogen). Bridges referenced a black-and-white photo of Adler, looking on as a young Spielberg receives a Scouts badge. In a cerulean dress with a white rounded flat collar and strand of pearls, Mitzi beams with pride and amazement at her son’s impressive work. “[Sammy] gives her a cold shoulder,” says Bridges, who wanted to evoke a formative “memory” through his wardrobe composition. “That blue dress very much sticks out in that sea of green.”
Bridges recalls Spielberg’s initial reaction on set after seeing Williams, Dano and Rogen in costume for that turning point in the film. “He was choked up,” says Bridges. “So, my work is done here, I felt.”
This story first appeared in a Jan. stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
Welcome to Fiscal Spotlight, a special monthly round up of projects—at all stages of production—working their way through Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorshippipeline.
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Effective cinematic storytelling begins and ends with tone. Sitting through a TV show or film with an inconsistent grasp on its narrative can feel a little like making a rapid deep-sea ascent, your unsteady brain struggling to equalize air pressure as is vacillates from fathom to fathom. And no tonality is quite so difficult for filmmakers to nail than the dark comedy—stories of mayhem and occasional trauma rendered with a comic’s eye for the incisive and the absurd. Plenty of moviemakers have stumbled mightily trying to pull off this tightrope walk, and even some of the best have rarely attempted it more than once.
In our first Fiscal Spotlight column of 2023, we’re taking a look at three narrative shorts attempting to balance moments of darkness (or at least moderately dark, with a side of grievous injury) with humor and a keen eye for what it means for their characters so suddenly be confronted with an impossible situation. In all three shorts, identity and societal and/or familial expectations play a big role in guiding the protagonists’ actions.
All three projects are supported by Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program, which enables filmmakers to solicit tax-deductible donations and seek organizational grants in partnership with Film Independent. Here’s how:
January’s featured projects are Unconditional, Legally Brown and Vanitas. Read on to learn more about each project and how to support.
UNCONDITIONAL
Project type: Narrative Short
Project status: Development
Writer/Director: Zao Wang
Co-Writers: Tom Toro, Carmiel Banasky
Producers: Joyce Liu-Countryman, Louise Barretto
Lead Actor: Margaret Cho
About the project: Eva rebels against her uptight Asian American parents by getting engaged to a White hippie boy. But when she accidentally shoots him dead during a family hunting trip, mom, dad and daughter have to sort through their own dysfunctional dynamics to figure out who’s taking the blame—or getting rid of the body. As the family collides with each other on what’s the right thing to do, tensions and long-buried secrets about the family’s journey to America begin to surface. Faced with this expanded understanding of their collective pasts and sacrifices, Eva eventually must make a hard decision to save her family. Starring stand-up legend Margaret Cho.
Meet the filmmaker: To learn more about Unconditional, including how to support the project, click here. Filmmaker Zao Wang was born in Beijing into a family of filmmakers. At 14, his family emigrated to Mississippi, where he first learned English by watching a lot of American TV. After graduating college with degrees in physics and philosophy, Wang’s original passion for visual storytelling landed him at NYU-Tisch, where he received an MFA in Film Directing. His films have won numerous awards at Tribeca, Fantasporto, Fantasia, Yubari, Busan and Palm Springs, among others. Later, Wang was chosen by J.J. Abrams as his only Directing Fellow at the production company Bad Robot. He is a part of the Sony Diverse Directors and NBCUniversal Emerging Directors Programs, as well as a Directing Fellow at HBO Access.
LEGALLY BROWN
Project type: Narrative Short
Project status: Development
Writer/Producer: Maya Vyas
Director: Kirsten Hoang
Producer: Alyssa Callahan
About the project: A scrappy brown high schooler must fight her way to be Elle Woods when the lead of her school’s production of Legally Blonde: The Musical gets seriously injured 10 minutes before show time. A shy brown girl who doesn’t understand how to break out of her shell, Sita, discovers a bleeding blonde, Lake, at the bottom of the stairs of the Ohio Regional Theatre Competition, 10 minutes before they are set to go on stage. Sita returns to the green room, dragging Lake’s live carcass across the green room floor. Alone, Sita helps Lake as other people begin to question her involvement in the accident. Sita keeps her head down like her parents raised her, but on the inside screams that she has practiced the part of Elle for hours, staying late at every rehearsal and knowing the part inside and out. Sita works up the courage to ask Lake if she can have her blessing to be Elle, finally understanding that sometimes you have to play white people’s games to get white people’s prizes.
Meet the filmmakers: To learn more about Legally Brown, including how to support the project, click here. Writer/producer Maya Vyas was raised in the small town of Tipp City, Ohio. From a Hindu family, she joined musical theatre as a form of church because her mom wouldn’t let her go to the real one. Currently, Vyas is the writer’s assistant on the CW’s Walker where she wrote her first episode of television in March of 2022. Vyas attended USC for Writing for Screen and Television where she received the distinction of Jon Chu Scholar (2021) and was both a Humanitas (2020) and Scriptapalooza Semifinalist (2021). Director Kirsten Hoang is a Vietnamese-American filmmaker, editor and graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. Her work has screened at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, NFFTY, Dances with Films, the Austin Film Festival and more.
VANITAS
Project type: Narrative Short
Project status: Development
Writer/Director/Producer: Lucy Gamades
Producer: Mike Ferlita
About the project: A woman hires a photographer to document her estranged family’s last day with their dying matriarch, but her sister is running late. Monica has always longed for the approval of her narcissistic mother. In one final grand gesture she hires a neophyte photographer—who would be out of her depth at a senior photo session—to take pictures of her family with their dying matriarch. Personalities clash when they must wait for Rose, the favorite child, who has not shown up. Vanitas is a darkly comic exploration of art, memory and a family reconciling their expectations of each other with reality.
Meet the filmmakers: To learn more about Vanitas and how to support the project, click here. Filmmaker Lucy Gamades’ love of filmmaking began in high school, when a teacher expressed shock that none of the students in his suburban Texas classroom had never seen Trainspotting. She immediately watched it. Since then, Gamades has worked on both film and theatrical works. She has worked full-time for The History Channel, producing and doing post-production for countless Clio and Promax award-winning promos. Her prior credits include directing Annie Baker’s Pulitzer-winning play, The Flick; directing music videos for Brooklyn musician, Emma Jayne; and writing/producing the award-winning short film, A Little Tent.
You can learn more about Fiscal Sponsorship, including its benefits and eligibility requirements, by visiting our website. Check out our Sponsored Projects page to see the projects are currently being supported.
Iran ‘is preparing to execute’ British dual national: Tehran tells family of condemned former defence minister to come to jail for a ‘final visit’ after convicting him of spying for MI6
Alireza Akbari has been behind bars for three years in Tehran accused of spying
He denies the charges and says he was tortured and ordered to confess
The former politician is in solitary confinement ahead of his imminent execution
A British-Iranian ex-government official been sentenced to death by Tehran for allegedly spying for MI6.
Alireza Akbari, who has been behind bars for three years, is facing execution after being found guilty of espionage on behalf of the UK, which he has denied.
Britain’s Foreign Office has requested the dual national’s immediate release.
Mr Akbari’s wife Maryam said an official asked her to visit her husband in prison for a ‘final meeting’ before the state killing.
Alireza Akbari, a British-Iranian former deputy in Iran’s defence ministry, has been sentenced to death by Tehran for allegedly spying for MI6
He has also been transferred to solitary confinement, a sign that the execution is imminent after the death was sentenced issued by the Revolutionary Court.
But there are no details about the specific charges and court proceedings he underwent.
An audio message received by BBC Persia from Mr Akbari claims he has been tortured and forced to confess on camera to crimes he did not commit.
He says he was forced to take psychedelic drugs and was interrogated for ten months.
Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence described the politician as ‘one of the most important agents of the British spy service’.
He previously worked in Iran’s military and security institutions and has joint citizenship of Iran and Britain.
He then served as the international deputy of the Ministry of Defence under two-star general Ali Shamkhani, who served from 1997 to 2005.
Shamkhani is the current secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, a key decision-making body.
Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence described the politician (pictured) as ‘one of the most important agents of the British spy service’
Some believe the charges against Mr Akbari may be politically motivated by rivals of Shamkhani.
Iran claims that after Mr Akbari was identified as a spy, he was used by Tehran authorities to mislead Britain with ‘directed information’.
At one point, Mr Akbari was in Europe but he said he left Iran legally and was involved economically in several companies on the continent.
But Iran accused him of ‘running away’ and having a ‘front company’, and his financial lawyers have been accused of being intelligence agents.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: ‘We are supporting the family of Mr Akbari and have repeatedly raised his case with the Iranian authorities.
‘Our priority is securing his immediate release and we have reiterated our request for urgent consular access.’
Image Credit: David Fisher/Pressinphoto/Shutterstock
Nothing inspires like a broken heart! Singer Shakira, 45, released a hot new track called “BZRP Music Sessions #53” with DJ Bizarrap, 24, on Jan. 11, and it threw some heavy shade at her ex-boyfriend, Gerard Piqué, 35. “You left me the in-laws as my neighbors, media outlets at my door and in debt with the Treasury,” the hitmaker sings in Spanish. “You thought you hurt me, but you made me stronger/ Women don’t cry anymore, they cash in.” The single also hinted at Shakira’s 2009 hit single “She Wolf” by referencing that she is a wolf herself. “A wolf like me doesn’t have time for novices like you/ I was too much for you, that’s why you’re now with someone more like yourself,” she sounded off.
After the blonde beauty shared a clip of the music video to the song via Instagram, many of her 78.4 million followers flooded the comments section with support for the star. “Another banger!!”, wrote DJ Tiesto, while an admirer chimed in, “Hold on.” Many of Shakira’s fans also couldn’t help but quote the song in the comments, like one follower who preached, “LAS MUJERES YA NO LLORAN LAS MUJERES FACTURAN!!!!!!!!!”
In the sexy music video for the breakup anthem, Shakira rocked a neon pink bra and bright-green windbreaker. She also paired the stunning look with silk pink trousers and made sure her extravagant manicure matched her jacket’s neon green color. The 45-year-old musician opted to style her honey-blonde stresses straight down parting from her staple curls for the fun new hit. At the time of publication the YouTube video for the song has over 4.3 million views and counting! One Shakira admirer even took to Twitter on Jan. 11 to note how iconic the new release is. “um, this @shakira x @bizarrap collab already has over 4.3M views in just a few hours… impact is crazy #BZRPMusicSession53,” they wrote.
Shakira shaded her ex, Gerard Piqué, on her latest song. (David Fisher/Shutterstock)
Shakira and the former pro soccer player dated for a total of 11 years! They began their romance in 2011 and officially called it quits by June 2022. During a Sept. 2022 interview with ELLE Magazine, the Grammy-winner revealed that she was going through one of the most difficult times of her life following her and Gerard’s breakup. “Exactly. And I feel like in this moment of my life, which is probably one of the most difficult, darkest hours of my life, music has brought light,” she said at the time.
The mom-of-two’s latest music release also comes one day after a source told Page Sixthat Shakira is “devasted” after photos showed her ex’s new fling, Clara Chia Marti, inside of their home prior to their split. The insider told the outlet that the songstress is “devastated to learn that this woman clearly felt at home in the house they shared with their children.” The 35-year-old and Shakira welcomed two children during their relationship: Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7. Despite the new song, this is not Shakira’s first breakup anthem since she and Gerard parted ways. On Oct. 19, 2022, the beauty dropped the song “Monotonía,” which notably was accompanied by a music video of a crying Shakira singing about a love lost.
Microsoft has apparently added UEFI and Secure Boot to Windows 7, potentially extending the life of machines still utilizing the platform without the worries of being hit by a cyberattack.
Secure Boot allows a computer to check that the software and firmware drivers it uses at boot are signed off by the manufacturer. Its late addition to Windows 7 could be a further nod to the fact that the platform remains a firm favorite for many business users who rely on the OS to run certain office software.
Windows 7 Secure Boot
While official support for Windows 7 ended in 2020, in recognition that many enterprise and education users were still using the OS that first debuted in 2009, Microsoft opened up an Extended Security Updates program in an effort to keep bugs at bay in its hit operating system.
Fast forward three years, and Microsoft has now ended that program, as of 10 January 2023, which leaves many users now wondering what to do, and whether they should bite the bullet and upgrade to a newer version of the Windows operating system.
According to figures by Statcounter (opens in new tab), Windows 7 accounted for 11.2% of all Windows installations at the end of 2022, making it less popular than Windows 11 which accounted for a touch under 17% of all installs, though the figures suggest that Windows 11 only passed Windows 7 in terms of popularity in August 2022.
Heading up the charts, according to Statcounter, is Windows 10, occupying more than two-thirds of the Windows market, while Windows 8 and 8.1 take up just 3.26% combined.
Joining Windows 7 in its end of life is Windows 8.1, which never gained as much traction as its predecessor, leaving computer users who want regular security patches to pick between Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Jessie Buckley was nominated Wednesday for a SAG Award as part of the ensemble of Sarah Polley’s extraordinary film Women Talking. She is also up for two Critics Choice Awards on Sunday for the same film including for Best Supporting Actress. She recently won the Olivier Award for her performance as Sally Bowles in the London revival of Cabaret opposite Eddie Redmayne. Last year, she received her first Oscar nomination for Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter.
Buckley’s work since her 2017 breakout role in Beast has made her one of the top new talents of her generation. That work includes her BAFTA-nominated role as a country singer in Wild Rose and such high-profile projects as the Emmy-winning Chernobyl, Season 4 of Fargo, Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things and so much more. Not bad for a young woman who entered a 2008 BBC talent competition to be in a stage production of Oliver and came in second, but with no big ambitions beyond that until it all happened, and continues to happen.
She joins me for this week’s edition of my Deadline video series The Actor’s Side where she talks about all of it — where she’s been, where she is now, and where she is headed. Straight to the top, if you ask me.
To watch our conversation, click on the video above.
