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Chris Evans and Alba Baptista Hold Hands During Romantic Stroll Through Central Park in New York City | Entertainment Tonight
































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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Twitter Blues

While Twitter Blue signups are currently on pause, we might finally have some insight into how well (or not) the new program is proceeding.

According to a report in Mashable (opens in new tab), which got some Twitter Blue signup numbers from app-tracking firm Sensor Tower (opens in new tab), Twitter Blue signups generated $488,000, which is, at $8 a pop, 61,000 subscribers. 

Let’s just say that’s not quite a blue wave. It’s not terrible, but Twitter has hundreds of millions of daily active users and only a fraction of them are legacy verified. We should have seen millions of people signing up for Twitter Blue, right?

If 91% of Twitter’s revenue is generated from ads (roughly $5 billion in 2021), Twitter Blue has an incredibly long way to go before it can support 50% of Twitter’s overall revenue.

As of this moment, though, there is no Twitter Blue signup, and there probably won’t be until Musk and Twitter can figure out how to get people to sign up without causing significant verification and identity issues.

This system is a joke

Over at The Washington Post, tech journalist Geoffrey Fowler (opens in new tab), with the permission of a sitting Senator and a comedian, created two fake “verified” Blue Check Twitter accounts in minutes.

Massachusetts Senator Edward J. Markey and comedian Blaire Erskine both agree to let Fowler create the fake accounts in their names.

As Fowler writes:

“Twitter has said accounts that impersonate people are not allowed and face suspension when they’re discovered. It booted comedian Kathy Griffin after she changed her Twitter screen name to Elon Musk. But there’s very little about Twitter’s new paid service that stops you from verifying a fake account. As of the time I published this column, its systems hadn’t detected these were not authentic accounts and they remained online.”

What does this prove? That there is no verification in this “verification.” Elon Musk has created a broken system (one since hidden) and that has already been gamed by others to more devastating effect. 

Someone created a fake Ely Lilly And Co “verified” Twitter account and then tweeted that insulin was now free (opens in new tab). While it may have been coincidental. the real drug company’s stock did take a dive.

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Unchecking

Despite the controversy surrounding the new Blue Check process and the ability to become a Twitter Blue member suddenly disappearing from the platform, many people have already opted to pay $8 for their own Blue Check.

If, however, you’re not satisfied, you can, according to Twitter user @Dash, get a quick refund on your $8 subscription charge through Apple.

This isn’t surprising since it’s easy to unsubscribe to almost any service you’ve paid for through Apple’s App Store.

What @Dash claims, though, is that after your refund, you still get to keep the “tick” (Blue Check) for 30 days. That may or may not be so, though. While it might take some time for Apple to process the cancellation and hand it off to Twitter, it seems unlikely that the Blue Check would hang around for long.

If there’s anyone out there who did have Blue Check buyer’s remorse, canceled, and still has the tick, let us know.

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What’s a journalist?

Lance Ulanoff hopping in here:

For Chief Twit Elon Musk, so much of the Blue Check verification mess boils down to Citizen Journalism. 

Musk wants everyone on Twitter to deliver the news (nothing has stopped them up to now). However, the unlevel playing field of Blue Check haves and have-nots has created, as Musk sees it, an imbalance. With the meaning and value of Blue checks reduced to the price of an expensive cup of coffee (one per month), it means anyone can be verified and, if they report news on Twitter, have the same visibility.

Musk Tweeted Friday afternoon, “As Twitter pursues the goal of elevating citizen journalism, media elite will try everything to stop that from happening.”

In Musk’s eyes, professional journalists are the “media elite” and we’re blocking his everyone is a journalist dream.

As this tech reporter told Musk on Twitter, though, the issue is not citizen journalists, it’s that the entire Blue Check system is no longer tied to identity, quality, or any semblance of truth. Without that, no one, including his citizen journalists, can be trusted.

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Here’s a reply from Musk an hour ago, where he’s enthusiastic of how Twitter Blue is going so far.

Which makes us wonder – has he gotten the memo?

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I was thinking back to when I first used Twitter on my iPhone, and it was indeed Tweetie, which was bought by the company, and then turned into the app you use today.

The pull-to-refresh gesture is now a standard on many apps, such as Apple’s Safari and Mail apps.

Just to add to the chaos, Musk has now tweeted this from the Twitter HQ. While we don’t ever suggest reading too much into tweets, especially from someone as mercurial as Musk, it does perhaps give us a glimpse into the current mindset of the remaining Twitter employees…

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By tweeting and highlighting this, it seems that Musk is aware, though what he thinks of it is a mystery, as always.

Mastodon apps on iOS and Android

(Image credit: TechRadar)

If you’ve heard of Mastodon this week, you’re not alone. Luckily, I’ve been trying it out lately and it’s a great alternative. There are a couple of apps you can use right now on iOS and Android if you’ve already signed up to Mastodon as well.

Lance Ulanoff materializes

(Image credit: Future)

Our US Editor-In-Chief Lance Ulanoff sent us this which reads as though he’s saying farewell to Twitter:

“I’ve met some of the coolest people on Twitter. I’ve interacted with my idols and icons and made true friends. Twitter has always worked the way my brain works – in bite-sized pieces. Honestly not sure how I’ll maintain certain friendships and connections or where I’ll post random thoughts that make me happy without it. Please, Microsoft, buy Twitter.”

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Zoë Schiffer (opens in new tab), writer at Platformer, tweeted the above that a message was posted in the Twitter Slack, that confirmed the end of Twitter Blue and paid blue ticks in order to stop the impersonations, but any existing subscriptions to the service will carry on as usual.

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Another one that was sent to me from Muskaan, this tweet shows how broken the verification system under Twitter Blue was. One is the genuine Apple TV Plus account, another is a fake one.

Hopefully we’ll see a reversal of this, as it’s already confusing to tell which one is real or fake for many users.

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Our (fantastic) Computing writer Muskaan Saxena sent me this tweet, and it’s a great analogy for how users are feeling on Twitter.

A mad iceberg in the shape of the Twitter bird is quite the image.

So where do we stand so far?

Musk has yet to react to any development to Twitter today, which is surprising. The above is, at the time of posting this, his latest tweet.

However, we’ve noticed a small change with the ticks, where it’s also blue when you’re in dark mode on the site.

The top image shows what an Actually Verified account looks like, while the bottom shows you what a Paid for Verification account looks like

(Image credit: Wseagar / Eight-Dollars)

An interesting read by Hamish Hector here – there’s a Chrome extension where it will tell you if a user has been verified with a blue tick, or if they’ve gained one by signing up to Twitter Blue when it was live.

Worrying about Twitter

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Let’s be clear – there’s not going to be a replacement for Twitter. Nothing really can be, but there are potential alternatives.

With this in mind, we’ve got three for you to consider.

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Here’s our US Editor-in-Chief Lance Ulanoff showing his very first tweet back in 2007.

As it includes a bagel, it’s already a great tweet in my book. The next question for me is, could his final tweet include a bagel to round it off?

Elon Musk at 2022 Met Gala

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Let’s recap:

On October 30, Elon Musk, CEO and Founder of Space X, CEO of Tesla, finally took charge of Twitter after a long-winded buyout of the platform.

In under a month, we’ve seen the verification process become irrelevant and confusing due to the subscription service, Twitter Blue being able to grant any user a blue tick, and there’s also been a huge firing of staff.

On November 11, Twitter Blue was removed entirely, and there’s been silence from Musk since.

So, almost inevitably, it seems the Blue Tick verification process has been canned.

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As the tweet above states, the chaos continues – hence why we’ve started this live blog. What is going on?

Here’s an example of how hard some of these fake accounts are to spot:

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Musk himself fell victim to this, with countless fake accounts popping up claiming to be him – and with a Blue Tick to prove it. This seemed to be the final straw, as Musk then backtracked on some of the more lax elements of the new verification process.

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However, as people predicted, verified accounts started popping up on Twitter, and while many of them were obviously parodies, because they had the ‘Blue Tick’, it became difficult to tell, especially with the more subtle accounts.

Unsurprisingly, the individuals and companies that were being parodied weren’t too happy about this. 

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Worryingly for Twitter, many brands started to announce that they would no longer advertise on the platform.

Despite the concerns and complaints, Musk was initially dismissive.

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By posting memes about people’s complaints, it left many people feeling that he wasn’t exactly taking the issue seriously.

Perhaps the most controversial thing to come from Musk’s Twitter takeover has been the changes to how accounts are verified. 

Previously, if the verified account of a media outlet (such as TechRadar (opens in new tab)) or other organization published something, you would at least know that it came from an official source. The Blue Check also enabled Twitter users to tell the difference between the many celebrities on Twitter and users who were imitating them.

However, Musk implemented a change that would allow anyone to get verified for $8 a month.

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This led to some people worrying that users could pretend to be official accounts and get easily verified, making it hard for people to tell which accounts were real – and which weren’t. And that’s exactly what happened.

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Refresh 2022-11-12T13:35:04.265Z (Image credit: Getty Images)Twitter BluesWhile Twitter

Video

Seth Rogen recalled that he and writing partner Evan Goldberg would spoof famous movies growing up, including Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction.”

Seth Rogen may be pitching a “Pulp Fiction” reboot, with a twist.

During the MoMA Contenders series panel for Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical film “The Fabelmans,” Rogen revealed that he used to make home videos with current writing and producing partner Evan Goldberg. A particularly “quite disgusting” comedy the duo filmed together involved a spoof remake of Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-winning “Pulp Fiction” with one key update.

“I was a big ‘Pulp Fiction’ fan, and I’m Jewish as well, that plays into the story,” Rogen said. “I was recently watching a scene, me and my friend Evan [Goldberg] who is still my writing partner to this day, it was us doing the Christopher Walken scene from ‘Pulp Fiction’ about the watch, but except it was a giant Hanukkah menorah.”

Rogen joked, “He was like, ‘I smuggled this in my ass out of the old country.’”

The scene in question involves Walken telling his son, later played by Bruce Willis, about carrying a pocket watch in his anus out of the Vietnam War.

Related

Related

Rogen participated in a 2014 live reading of “Pulp Fiction” for the Film Independent at LACMA alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jordan Peele, and Michael Chiklis. He even tweeted for the film’s anniversary in 2020 that he had been bothered since he was “12 years old” that Samuel L. Jackson looks different in the “Pulp Fiction” marketing materials than he does in the film.

While Rogen has a slew of other projects on his agenda, including the star-studded “Dumb Money” drama about the GameStop short squeeze helmed by “Pam & Tommy” director Craig Gillespie, the actor mused on working with legendary filmmaker Spielberg for “The Fabelmans.”

“He’s hyper-focused,” Rogen shared. “No one was talking about anything other than the movie at all times, basically. There was almost never conversation about what we were doing. That’s not how movies are often. Sometimes it feels like making the movie is one of the many things happening, weirdly.”

Rogen continued, “I remember turning to Michelle [Williams] and being like, ‘You’ve worked with [Martin] Scorsese, amazing filmmakers, did this feel special to you?’ And [she] was like, ‘Yeah, this feels cool.’ I turned to Paul [Dano] and was like, ‘Paul Thomas Anderson, amazing people,’ and he was like, ‘No, this feels different.’ I almost just needed to make sure people felt the same way I felt.”

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Seth Rogen recalled that he and writing

Entertaintment

Paris Hilton had all eyes on her as she arrived hand-in-hand with husband Carter Reum at the launch party for her virtual realm ‘Paris World’ on Friday night in Santa Monica.

The star-studded event was attended by the likes of actress Rebel Wilson and Hilton’s mother Kathy Hilton.

The 41-year-old socialite flaunted her runway-worthy figure in a flashy neon floral mini dress by Oscar de la Renta.

Star-studded: The star-studded event was attended by the likes of actress Rebel Wilson and Hilton's mother Kathy Hilton

Paris World: Paris Hilton had all eyes on her as she arrived hand-in-hand with husband Carter Reum at the launch party for her virtual realm ‘Paris World’ on Friday night in Santa Monica

Boasting shades of pink, yellow, blue and orange, the eye-catching number was decked out in floral appliques adhered to nude mesh fabric. 

It clung tightly to Paris’ statuesque frame and stopped mid-thigh.

The Simple Life star styled her designer dress with coordinating neon yellow stiletto heels.

Her signature blonde tresses were swept up in a curly ponytail that cascaded down her back as she posed for snaps in a psychedelic photo booth on Santa Monica Pier.

Designer darling: The 41-year-old socialite flaunted her runway-worthy figure in a flashy neon floral mini dress by Oscar de la Renta

Designer darling: The 41-year-old socialite flaunted her runway-worthy figure in a flashy neon floral mini dress by Oscar de la Renta

Barbie girl: Her signature blonde tresses were swept up in a curly ponytail that cascaded down her back as she posed for snaps in a psychedelic photo booth on Santa Monica Pier

If the shoe fits! The Simple Life star styled her designer dress with coordinating neon yellow stiletto heels

Barbie girl: Her signature blonde tresses were swept up in a curly ponytail that cascaded down her back as she posed for snaps in a psychedelic photo booth on Santa Monica Pier

She threw on some neon shades and sparkly diamond stud earrings to complete her launch day look.

Ever the supportive husband, Carter styled his plain black suit with a vibrant pink dress shirt that matched the pink in Paris’ dress.

His short brunette hair was gelled in place and he strolled the pier with his wife in black lace-up sneakers.

Along with launching Paris World, the businesswoman also celebrated her first wedding anniversary with Carter on Friday.

Coordinating: Ever the supportive husband, Carter styled his plain black suit with a vibrant pink dress shirt that matched the pink in Paris' dress

Lovebirds: The pair put on a loved-up display upon their arrival Friday night

Coordinating: Ever the supportive husband, Carter styled his plain black suit with a vibrant pink dress shirt that matched the pink in Paris’ dress

The duo tied the knot last November during a lavish ceremony at her late grandfather’s Bel-Air estate.

Paris’ mother Kathy, who looked stylish in a vibrant patterned blazer, was captured arriving to the launch with her husband and Paris’ father, Richard Hilton, 67.

The 63-year-old RHOBH star layered her unique outerwear over a plain black top and dark denim jeans.

Her blonde hair fell onto her chest in spiral curls and she toted her belongings in a ‘Be Kind’ tote bag. 

Nicky put on an ultra leggy display in a dazzling blue rhinestone mini dress that hugged her fit figure.

Proud parents: Paris' mother Kathy Hilton, who looked stylish in a vibrant patterned blazer, was captured arriving to the launch with her husband and Paris' father, Richard Hilton, 67

Proud parents: Paris’ mother Kathy Hilton, who looked stylish in a vibrant patterned blazer, was captured arriving to the launch with her husband and Paris’ father, Richard Hilton, 67

Supportive sis! Paris' younger sister Nicky Hilton put on an ultra leggy display in dazzling blue rhinestone mini dress that hugged her fit figure

Snapping back: The 39-year-old gave birth to her and her husband James Rothschild's third child, a son, back in July

Supportive sis! Paris’ younger sister Nicky Hilton put on an ultra leggy display in dazzling blue rhinestone mini dress that hugged her fit figure

Prizes: Attendees could play games during the launch where they'd have the change to win pillows featuring Paris' likeness

Prizes: Attendees could play games during the launch where they’d have the change to win pillows featuring Paris’ likeness

The ruched number was worn with glitzy open-toed flats and a sparkly silver purse. 

The 39-year-old gave birth to her and her husband James Rothschild’s third child, a son, back in July.

New mom Rebel Wilson, who revealed earlier this week that she’d welcomed her first child via surrogate, rolled up to the event with her girlfriend Ramona Agruma.

The Pitch Perfect actress bundled up in a bubblegum pink Gucci hoodie and a funky green knit cardigan.

Plus one: New mom Rebel Wilson, who revealed earlier this week that she'd welcomed her first child via surrogate, rolled up to the event with her girlfriend Ramona Agruma

Plus one: New mom Rebel Wilson, who revealed earlier this week that she’d welcomed her first child via surrogate, rolled up to the event with her girlfriend Ramona Agruma

Bundled up: The Pitch Perfect actress bundled up in a bubblegum pink Gucci hoodie and a funky green knit cardigan

Winner! While playing one of the many carnival games on the world famous Santa Monica Pier, the Australian star won a pillow of Paris' face

Bundled up: The Pitch Perfect actress bundled up in a bubblegum pink Gucci hoodie and a funky green knit cardigan

She completed the look with black vinyl leggings, colorful sneakers and a pair of fuzzy black earmuffs.

Rebel and Ramona confirmed their relationship earlier this year and recently declined engagement rumors.

While playing one of the many carnival games on the world famous Santa Monica Pier, the Australian star won a pillow of Paris’ face.

She showed off her prize proudly in a snap captured during the Friday night festivities. 

Casey Affleck kept comfy in a gray hooded sweatshirt as he wrapped an arm around his much younger girlfriend Caley Cowan.

Loved-up: Casey Affleck kept comfy in a gray hooded sweatshirt as he wrapped an arm around his much younger girlfriend Caley Cowan

Loved-up: Casey Affleck kept comfy in a gray hooded sweatshirt as he wrapped an arm around his much younger girlfriend Caley Cowan

Goth glam: Tattoo artist Kat Von D showed off her goth glam style in a striking black coat and black leather knee-high boots

Goth glam: Tattoo artist Kat Von D showed off her goth glam style in a striking black coat and black leather knee-high boots

The actor, 47, and the rising starlet, 24, were captured strolling the pier before heading into the event to mingle with fellow celebrities.

Tattoo artist Kat Von D showed off her goth glam style in a striking black coat and black leather knee-high boots.

Paris has been teasing the launch of ‘Slivingland’ aka Paris World all week on the official Instagram page for her media company, 11:11 Media.

Paris World, similar to Facebook’s metaverse, is a virtual reality platform where users create an avatar and explore an online universe.

Exciting: Paris has been teasing the launch of 'Slivingland' aka Paris World all week on the official Instagram page for her media company, 11:11 Media

Exciting: Paris has been teasing the launch of ‘Slivingland’ aka Paris World all week on the official Instagram page for her media company, 11:11 Media

Virtual: Paris World, similar to Facebook's metaverse, is a virtual reality platform where users create an avatar and explore an online universe; Paris and Carter seen wearing VR headsets on Friday at Crypto Summit in LA

Virtual: Paris World, similar to Facebook’s metaverse, is a virtual reality platform where users create an avatar and explore an online universe; Paris and Carter seen wearing VR headsets on Friday at Crypto Summit in LA

The fantastical world, that features ‘unicorns, dazzling rainbow rivers and forests made of cotton candy,’ allows fans of the star to interact with one another.

‘Chill with other fans, explore the world to unlock hidden treasure chests,’ the opening page of the website reads, before prompting visitors to give their email address.

Paris World was first tested out last year as a featured area in the popular Roblox online game.  

11:11 Media, which Paris founded with business partner Bruce Gersh, is a ‘global media company that exists at the intersection of innovation, entertainment, ideas and possibilities, as per the official Instagram page.

Anniversary: Along with launching Paris World, the businesswoman also celebrated her first wedding anniversary with Carter on Friday; the couple seen on November 5

Anniversary: Along with launching Paris World, the businesswoman also celebrated her first wedding anniversary with Carter on Friday; the couple seen on November 5

Hilton previously spoke about her ever-expanding business portfolio with CNN Business, where she expressed that she had been paying close attention to virtual entrepreneurial efforts.

‘I’ve always been an undercover nerd, so I’ve been obsessed with anything to do with technology and the future,’ she said.

The socialite also remarked that she had been paying close attention to the NFT market in recent years.

‘I became obsessed with it and started collaborating with artists. … It’s something I really believe in,’ she stated.

'I do!': The duo tied the knot last November during a lavish ceremony at her late grandfather's Bel-Air estate

‘I do!’: The duo tied the knot last November during a lavish ceremony at her late grandfather’s Bel-Air estate

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Paris Hilton had all eyes on her

Film

Uunchai, Review: Plateau

Rajshri Productions have a tradition of making family oriented subjects and shaping them into very lengthy films. By comparison, Uunchai, at 169 minutes, is a short film. Even at that length, it fails to reach the heights that the cast and the director promise. With no less an actor than Amitabh Bachchan himself heading the cast, Uunchai (height; spelt unconventionally this was instead of the phonetic Oonchai) was expected to reach some dizzy heights, with a subject based on friendship and a senior citizens’ expedition to the Everest Base Camp thrown in. What we find here is that there are some emotions that keep recurring and a narrative that has very few twists or plot points. If you plot the emotions and twists, you are more likely to draw a plateau rather than peaks.

 

Four aging friends are truly devoted to each other. They are Amit Shrivastav, an author, Om Sharma, a bookseller, Javed Siddiqui, a hosiery dealer and Bhupen, whose profession is unspecified. They celebrate Bhupen’s birthday, after which Bhupen suffers cardiac arrest. Before dying, he leaves tickets for an Everest Base Camp Expedition and expresses a last wish that he wants to go there with his buddies once before he dies. Bhupen was a Nepali and had grown-up on the mountains around Mount Everest. Although the three surviving friends are on the wrong side of 60, they decide to honour Bhupen’s wishes and begin making preparations to leave for the base camp, with the expedition still two months away.

 

Amit takes the lead in the matter and convinces a reluctant Om to agree to the journey. Convincing Javed is a tough task, because he cannot stay away from his wife Sabina even for a single day. But they spin a yarn and take her along. The men decide to go as far as possible by road, with Amit at the wheels. Starting from native Delhi, they go via Agra, Kanpur and Gorakhpur. They stop over at the home of Heeba and Vali, the daughter and son-in-law of Javed and Sabina, because it is Heeba’s birthday. However, the parents are shocked to find that the couple have their own plans and a number of guests are invited to stay over, leaving no room for the ‘surprise’ guests. Heeba’s parents and the other travellers have to stay in a hotel for the night. Along the way, a mysterious woman called Mala Trivedi joins the fellow travellers, with a ticket for the same Everest Base Camp Expedition, to be led by Shraddha Gupta.

 

An extremely thin storyline by Sunil Gandhi unfolds at a leisurely pace, courtesy screenplay writer Abhishek Dixit. Considering the beginning of the narrative is the death of Bhupen, it cannot be called a twist. But yes, there are a few genuine twists, like the identity of Mala and Amit’s illness. Too bad. Too little, too late. We know nothing of the background of Bhupen, and only skeletal flashes about Amit. However, there is a detailed look into the family and past of Om. This becomes a lop-sided picture. Details about Shraddha’s family predicament are revealed only through conversations she has with Amit, during the trek. In the trek itself, you are ready for a natural phenomenon that will threaten the lives of these old men as well as the certainty that one of them will fall very ill, but not die. Two deaths would be too much to mourn, in a saga of four friends. You are also sure that Javed will not opt out, come what may.

 

You also get a detailed peep into the work and family life of Javed, all the more because Sabina is part of the expedition till the real ‘expedition’ begins. And although you might not expect Mala and her story, you surely expect a blast from the past of Bhupen’s life, since he was a bachelor. With turns and twists being predictable, the going does become laborious. Dialogue is faulty at many places. Attempts at inserting comedy via Javed and Sabina are only mildly funny, and sometimes not even that. We see only short snatches of the preparations the trio make for the trip. One of these, the medical tests and its results, is interesting. However, I don’t think it is the norm to discuss the results of such tests before all candidates openly and simultaneously. Yet, the fact that the doctor withholds one reading of one member and reveals the ramifications to the candidate separately was the correct prodedure.

 

Not a prolific director by any stretch of the imagination, Sooraj R. Barjatya (Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Hum Saath Hain, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo; 8 films in 23 years) specializes, self admittedly and for all to see, in family subjects, propounding traditional values and extended households. This is the first time he has stepped outside his comfort zone, and that too, not quite, for everyone in the escapade has a back-story and all the main characters are dealing with demons from their past. But the real demon that he tackles through only phone calls, that too from one side, is dogging Shraddha Gupta. That is the one that is most subtly handled. Although Om’s back-story is the most elaborate and convincing, that of Amit is clichéd, and that of Javed a bit over-the-top.

 

Amit, who writes apparently ‘autobiographical self-help books based on his own life experiences’, is given to sleuthing and trying to find out more about Mala, a trait that is not in his character. Why no real back-story about Bhupen, expect him and a girls prancing around the hills when they were apparently in their early teens or even younger? All those stopovers, en route, seem contrived and deliberate, ending up as side-tracks, not really adding much to the main track. Sooraj gets to the real action, of the climb up to the base camp, rather late in the day. Shraddha says that helicopters cannot fly at that height, that is why the trek, but sure enough, there is a helicopter that does arrive and fly at that height. Every time there is an argument and there seems to be an impasse, the other two ask Amit to intervene. He uses either of two techniques to quell the dispute: emotional blackmail or diversionary tactics. Emotional blackmail is fine, but how is he ever-ready with some convoluted logic to convince an adamant party-member? That takes some believing.

 

 

Though he has been there and done that dozens of times, here Amitabh as Amit (what else) seems to be putting in an effort. For company, he has two actors who are in different age brackets in real-life – Anupam Kher as Om is 67, while Boman Irani as Javed is just 62. Amitabh is 80. Of course, with make-up, you can’t really tell their ages, yet why choose actors who differ up to 13 years in age? And how did they become such thick friends, a need of the story, is not depicted. Amitabh walks with a swagger, arms in a curve as if he is ready to pull out a gun. But even then, Amitabh is Amitabh, and though his talent if not fully tapped in this outing, he leaves a lasting impression. Anupam is restricted by one expression of tearful sorrow. There is very little variety in his performance. Boman Irani is hopelessly miscast as Javed, who, by virtue of being a North Indian Muslim, made to speak Urdu. For a man who has problems with his Hindi, Urdu is a pitfall. Also, his romantic angle with his spouse does not ring true as there is lack of chemistry between him and Sabina (Neena Gupta). Neena has a meaty role, albeit not well-written, yet she manages to impress. Danny Denzongpa as Bhupen has a Special Appearance, looks his age (now 74) and speaks with a hint of a slur. The scene stealer is Parineeti Chopra, who exudes supreme confidence in the presence of stalwarts. It is time her abilities were noticed. Raju Kher is good as Guddu, Om’s estranged brother, while Nafisa Ali Sodhi puts in the other Special Appearance as Abhilasha, not having much to do. Adequate support comes from Sheen Dass as Heeba, Abhishek Singh Pathania as Vali, Ajay Dutta as a doctor (better than most stereotypes who are made play this part), Umesh Kaushik, Sharik Khan and Shalin Thakur.

 

A location like the foothills of Mount Everest, in Nepal, and a rope-wood bridge across difficult terrain for some tense action, is a sure-fire treat for any cinematographer, Manoj Kumar Khatoi makes the most of it. Music by George Joseph takes a life of its own and attacks almost every scene with dizzy decibels. On its own, it might sound musical, though. The five songs (one has three versions) are a relief by comparison, well-written by Irshad Kamil and tunes by Amit Trivedi (another Amit!). For a film of this length, five songs are okay. But that is the point. Uunchai takes ages to cut to the chase, and the chase itself is either predictable or tame, in turns. I remember the length on the Censor Certificate at 169 minutes while on a website, it is mentioned as 173 minutes. At least 53 minutes of the film need to be excised to keep viewers engrossed. Maybe editor Shweta Venkat Mathew is listening, but what can be done now? One aspect of the cutting is odd, which often happens in the middle of a word, especially when Boman is speaking. VFX used to transpose dangerous action from a set to the location are okay, without being great. Credits go to Biraja Kinkar Barik, Anup Kumar and Vishal Padewal.

 

Like any trek involving high altitudes and 60+ climbers, the film moves very slowly in the first half, which, incidentally, involves no climbing at all. Such an assembly of actors could have been put to much better use. Some might even wonder whether the breaking out of the mould by Sooraj R. Barjatya, known for indoor family dramas involving pet hero Salman Khan, into an outdoor adventure drama about aged male bonding, was an unwise move. You stick to what you know best. However, such a predicament is severely constraining and restraining for a director who might want to test his own mettle. He might want to rise to greater heights…a noble thought indeed. For the time being, though, with Uunchai, released on an interesting date, 11-11-22, he has a few emotional highs and then he hits a plateau.

 

Rating: ** ½ 

 

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Uunchai, Review: Plateau Rajshri Productions have a

TV

“I was like, ‘Oh, no, no, you can’t touch “Mean Girls”!'” Lohan said of the 2004 high school comedy’s legacy. “Sorry, you can’t do that.”

Lindsay Lohan’s “Falling for Christmas” almost fetched a “Mean Girls” callback.

While lead star and executive producer Lohan belts a few bars of “Jingle Bell Rock” in the Netflix Christmas romantic comedy (and simultaneously released a holiday single), the “Mean Girls” alum said that fully recreating the iconic talent show dance sequence would cross a line for its legacy.

“It was my brilliant idea to bring it up in a conversation with the directors and the producers. I was like, ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be fun if we did a blooper reel at the end and we all kind of did the Christmas scene from the talent show in “Mean Girls”?”” Lohan said during the “Live With Kelly and Ryan” talk show. “That was the first idea. Then I was like, ‘Let’s not actually do that,’ and then they said, ‘Oh, what about the song?’”

Lohan added that she “didn’t want to ruin” the legacy of “Mean Girls,” which also starred Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, and Amanda Seyfried as Lohan’s fellow Plastics.

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“I shouldn’t have said it because it went straight to, ‘Oh, let’s recreate the “Mean Girls” talent show scene,’” Lohan added. “I was like, ‘Oh, no, no, you can’t touch “Mean Girls”! Sorry, you can’t do that.”

Lohan’s former “Mean Girls” co-star Jonathan Bennett, who carved out a Christmas niche of his own on the Hallmark Channel, told E! Online that he was “bursting at the seams” to watch “Falling for Christmas.”

“[Lindsay is] one of the best actresses of our generation, and to see her not only do what she does in comedy, but to do it at Christmas, it’s like my three favorite things: Christmas and comedy and Lindsay Lohan,” Bennett said. “I’m going to be rooting and I can’t wait to do a Christmas movie with her at Hallmark hopefully!”

Lohan recalled the pressure to perfect “Jingle Bell Rock” in “Falling for Christmas,” telling Entertainment Tonight she was “nervous because I haven’t recorded in a long time and felt the pressure of doing it in a way that people who had seen ‘Mean Girls’ would like it the same.”

“I mean, with ‘Mean Girls,’ we had the dance behind it and I had all the other girls with me,” Lohan said, where “Falling for Christmas” was “just my voice. So, it was nerve-racking.”

Lohan continued, “I haven’t been on set in such a long time that I was so excited to be there. Like, nothing could bother me. I was just in the happiest spirits and then put Christmas on top of that and especially working with Chord [Overstreet], we had a lot of fun. It was so incredible to see just how excited people were to have me in a movie again.”

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What to Watch


At the age of 75, Sylvester Stallone makes his TV series debut in Tulsa King as Dwight Manfredi, a mafia capo who spent 25 years in prison for murder rather than rolling on his mafia family.


What makes this Taylor Sheridan-created and Terence Winter-run series different is that it embraces the Stallone we’ve rarely seen, a funny and well-spoken intelligent man.


Even Stallone finds it refreshing that he’s been given this challenge to play someone much like himself, which he says is far more difficult than clamming up and using his machismo for movies he’s been known for, such as Rambo.


Tulsa King is a fish-out-of-water story. You either love them, or you hate them.


Lucky for me, I find seeing situations through fresh eyes to be utterly delightful, and Stallone is game for pretty much everything, at points playing for genuine laughs, introspective, philosophical dialogue, and ultimately tapping into genuine emotions.




Not everyone who spends 25 years in prison likely comes out as behind the times as Dwight, but instead of wasting time watching TV or reading about current events, he was reading the classics and learning about life and business principles, which help him understand people and drive business negotiations with the best.


The family he chose turned on him in the end, essentially banishing him to Tulsa under the guise of paving the way for new mafia territory. In reality, his old-school mafia ways no longer fit his chosen family. It certainly gives him pause that he chose them at the expense of his actual family, whom he hasn’t seen in 18 years.


Dwight wastes no time planting his flag in Tulsa, and before he arrives at his motel from the airport, he’s already got a driver, Tyson (Jay Will), who will show him the 2022 ropes.




Dwight is easygoing and makes friends everywhere he goes, some more willingly than others. He meets a lady his first night in town (Andrea Savage’s Stacy) and befriends the owner of the Bred2Buck Saloon (Garrett Hedlund).


In real life, people in the midwest might be put off by a man like Dwight, but in this fictional take, people gravitate toward him, even those he meets with a punch in the nose first and a handshake later.


Tulsa King Season 1 Episode 1 goes for genuine, gut-busting laughs, and it succeeds. It sets the tone that anything goes in this world and upends expectations of normal mob-related content.




The fun continues through the second episode, but we also get a feel for what Dwight isn’t showing everyone, the pain of being lost to civilization for a quarter of a century and regret for giving up on the people who once loved him.


Winter is known for The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire, which leaned heavily on violence and didn’t flinch the bloodier it got. It’s still early in this show, but Stallone isn’t a young man, and he seems content playing a heavy who doesn’t have to get too bloody to make his point.


Dwight has learned enough about the human condition that he doesn’t need violence to reach people, although, in a pinch, a pop here and there is easy and effective.




After the success of Yellowstone, Sheridan-affiliated projects land impressive talent before and behind the camera.


Tulsa King appears to be a labor of love. Just watch the videos peppered throughout this review to get a feel for what has gone into the production.


Like Sheridan’s other productions, Tulsa King fully utilizes its setting, too. The series visits a variety of locations, even making good use of one of the local interests, the Center of the Universe, which is actually the title of Tulsa King Season 1 Episode 2.




After two episodes, Dwight has merely dipped his toes into what Tulsa has to offer. If the series continues on the trajectory paved during the first two hours, we’re going to be watching Tulsa King for a long time.


Stallone is comfortable in Dwight’s shoes. Playing a version of himself suits him, and it’s sure to hit home with viewers, as well.


Tulsa King premieres with two episodes on Sunday, November 11, on Paramount+.

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.

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At the age of 75, Sylvester Stallone

Awards

The Israeli-Palestinian drama “Roll,” from Italian-American first-time director Loris Lai and producer Lawrence Bender, has wrapped production in Tunisia and in Tarak Ben Ammar Studios in Tunis.

The film, which is inspired by the Italian novel “Sulle Onde della Libertà” by Nicoletta Bortolotti, is written by Lai and Dahlia Heyman. The story is set in the midst of war-torn Gaza, where two 12-year-old boys, one Palestinian and the other Israeli, along with an ex-surfing champion, form an unlikely friendship over their mutual love for the water. The lessons they learn from one another go beyond the waves, helping influence their decision-making and show their community that peace can exist.

The Palestinian and Israeli boys are played by newcomers Marwin Hemdan and Mikael Fridel, while Tom Rhys Harries (“The Gentleman; White Lines”) will play the ex-surfing champion. Lyna Khoudri (“The French Dispatch”) also stars.

“Roll” is co-produced by Jean Vigo Italia, Lawrence Bender Productions, Eagle Pictures, Potemkino and Rai Cinema, with the support of Eurimages, the Italian Ministry of Culture and Lazio Cinema International Fund. It is produced by Elda Ferri, Lawrence Bender, Frédéric Ollier, Peter De Maegd and Lai, and its executive producers are Patric Palm, Cindy Cederlund and Dahlia Heyman.

Bender is a three-time Oscar nominee for best picture for his work on Gus Van Sant’s “Good Will Hunting” (1997) and Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” (1994) and “Inglourious Basterds” (2009). Coincidentally, all three won the Oscar for best original screenplay.

“Roll” is expected to be completed in Spring 2023.

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The Israeli-Palestinian drama “Roll,” from Italian-American first-time

Docs

Between the myriad of awards bait finally being released as awards season campaigning heats up and the frenetic pace of Film Independent Presents screenings lately, we have an abundance of recommendations for you this month! So, sit back and enjoy this month’s cinematic offerings.

 

CAUSEWAY

 

When You Can Watch: November 4

Where You Can Watch: Theaters (Limited) & Apple TV+

Director: Lila Neugebauer

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Brian Tyree Henry, and Linda Emond

Why We’re Excited: Part of the Film Independent Presents series, theater director Neugebauer’s psychological drama was screened at the NeueHouse Hollywood last month, followed by an in-person Q&A with Neugebauer (Netflix series Maid) and producer Justine Ciarrocchi. Recently premiering at TIFF to critical praise for Lawrence and Henry’s respective performances, the director’s feature debut takes a deep dive into traumatic brain injury (“TBI”) suffered by many soldiers returning from tours in combat zones. An engineer in the Army deployed in Afghanistan, Lynsey – played by 2013 Spirit Awards winner for Silver Linings Playbook, Lawrence – returns home to New Orleans after suffering TBI resulting from an IED explosion in the field. As she works hard to regain her physical and mental abilities – relearning to walk, bathe, use her hands, etc. – she comes across mechanic James (Henty), with whom she bonds over their traumatic pasts, as he had lost a leg in a car accident. Executive Producer Sophia Lin is a member of Film Independent.

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BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS (Orig. title: Bardo, falsa crónica de unas cuantas verdades)

When You Can Watch: November 4

Where You Can Watch: Theaters (Limited) & Netflix (December 16)

Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Cast: Daniel Giménez Cacho, Griselda Siciliani, Ximena Lamadrid

Why We’re Excited: Two-time Spirit Awards winner – for Birdman and 21 Grams – writer-director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s latest offering is Mexico’s official submission for Best International Feature for the upcoming 2023 Academy Awards. Co-written with Birdman scribe Nicolás Giacobone (Biutiful, The Last Elvis), the black dramedy competed for the Golden Lion award at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. Spanish-born Mexican actor Cacho – who won a Goya Award for his work in the Spanish B&W silent drama Blancanieves – plays renowned Mexican journalist and doc filmmaker Silverio in the film. After winning a prestigious journalism award, he has to return to his native Mexico, a visit that would become a transformational emotional and spiritual journey as he is forced to face his past and reconcile with his culture and identity. The project is very personal to Iñárritu, as it mirrors his own journey having emigrated from Mexico to Los Angeles some 20 years ago.

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SALVATORE: SHOEMAKER OF DREAMS

When You Can Watch: November 4

Where You Can Watch: Theaters (Limited)

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Why We’re Excited: Another Film Independent Presents event, the film was screened last week at The Grove’s AMC in Los Angeles, followed by an in-person conversation with director Luca Guadagnino and writer Dana Thomas. [As previously covered in August’s Don’t-Miss Indies.] Best known to American audiences for his mesmerizing, gorgeously shot 2017 romantic drama Call Me by Your Name, Spirit Award winner Luca Guadagnino’s English-language documentary centers on Italian fashion icon Salvatora Ferragamo. Narrated by Michael Stuhlbarg–who played Elio’s father in Call Me by Your Name – the film incorporates parts of Ferragamo’s 1955 memoir as well as 100-year-old archival footage, tracing the artist’s humble beginnings as a poor cobbler in Bonito, Italy. Ferragamo immigrated to the United States in 1915 and settled in Southern California, soon becoming Hollywood’s go-to shoemaker during the silent film era. Clients of the shoemaker-to-the-stars included greats ranging from Douglas Fairbanks to Audrey Hepburn and Rita Hayworth. The love letter to Ferragamo premiered at the 2020 Venice Film Festival.

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WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY

When You Can Watch: November 4

Where You Can Watch: Roku

Director: Eric Appel

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Evan Rachel Wood, Rainn Wilson, Diedrich Bader (voice), Toby Huss, and Arturo Castro

Why We’re Excited: A filmmaker really couldn’t get any better publicity for a project than having Vanity Fair’s review declaring the film as “weirding people out in a good way”! TV director Appel’s (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Silicon Valley) feature directing debut is a biographical parody about the famous parody singer, which began its life as a fake trailer for Funny or Die in 2010. After the real Yankovic showed the trailer at some of his concerts, interest on a feature-length film based on his life began gaining momentum, leading to his collaboration with Appel on the original screenplay. The hilarious satire of biopics follows Yankovic’s (Radcliffe) – who first became a household name with “Eat It,” his parody of Michael Jackson’s smash hit “Beat It” in the early 1980s – and has since gone on to birth hilarious parodies such as “Like a Surgeon” (Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”), “Fat” (Michael Jackson’s “Bad”), “Lasagna” (Los Lobos’ “La Bamba”), and countless others. The priceless casting choices in the film include Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna and late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien as Andy Warhol. For more insights on the film, check out the in-person Q&A after the Film Independent Presents screening of the film last month. Film Independent member Tim Headington serves as one of the Producers on the film.

 

 

 

NOCEBO

When You Can Watch: November 4

Where You Can Watch: Theaters (Limited) & VOD (Nov 22)

Directors: Lorcan Finnegan

Cast: Eva Green, Mark Strong and Chai Fonacier, and Billie Gadson

Why We’re Excited: This psychological supernatural thriller from Lorcan Finnegan (2019 sci-fi thriller Vivarium) is also the first-ever co-production between Ireland and the Philippines. Fashion designer Christine (Green of Casino Royale fame) appears to be going through some trauma-induced short-term memory loss, on top of a long list of ailments including rashes and headaches, bewildering her doctors and baffling her husband Felix (Strong).  She simply has no time for this mess: not only is she busy premiering a new line of children’s clothing, the couple is also busy with their 8-year-old daughter Roberta “Bobs” (Gadson). Eight months later, an apparent godsend arrives in the form of Filipina housekeeper, Diana (Fonacier), but neither Christine nor Felix recalls ever hiring anyone ….

 

MY POLICEMAN

When You Can Watch: November 4

Where You Can Watch: Amazon Prime

Director: Michael Grandage

Cast: Harry Styles, Emma Corrin, David Dawson, Linus Roache, and Rupert Everett

Why We’re Excited: In 1950s Brighton, England, when it was not easy to deviate from any type of social convention – and when homosexuality was still illegal – three young people embark on a path that would forever entwine their lives. Gay policeman Tom (Styles) is married to school teacher Marion (The Crown’s Princess Diana, Corrin), but he remains in a relationship with museum curator, Patrick (Dawson). Some 40 years later, Patrick’s sudden reappearance threatens to unearth the secrets they have worked so hard to keep for decades. Film Independent member Sarah Schecter is amongst the producing team on this period drama.

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THE FABELMANS

When You Can Watch: November 11

Where You Can Watch: Theaters

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and Judd Hirsch

Why We’re Excited: A semi-autobiographical drama loosely based on Spielberg’s early life, the coming-of-age drama is told through the lens of fictional 16-year-old aspiring filmmaker, Sammy Fabelman (LaBelle). Set in post-WWII Arizona (where Spielberg grew up IRL), the ambitious Sammy immerses himself in his passion in filmmaking despite familial objections, and in the process, discovers a shocking family secret. Already shaping up to be a frontrunner in the Oscars race, the film has received much praise for its ensemble cast, in particular for LaBelle, two-time Spirit Awards winner Williams, Spirit Awards alum Dano, and Hirsch. Once he landed the coveted role, LaBelle was granted exclusive access to 8mm features shot by the illustrious director when he was young in order to prepare for the role.

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SHE SAID

When You Can Watch: November 18

Where You Can Watch: Theaters

Director: Maria Schrader

Cast: Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan, Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, and Jennifer Ehle

Why We’re Excited: A year after she enthralled us with the lighthearted yet poignant sci-fi romantic fantasy – German film I’m Your Man – director Schrader is back with a dramatization of how two New York Times investigative journalists would take down one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood in the fall of 2017. The drama takes us through Megan Twohey (last year’s Spirit Awards winner for Promising Young Woman, Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor’s (2012 Spirit Awards nominee for Ruby Sparks, Kazan) months-long investigation into Harvey Weinstein’s systemic sexual abuse of countless women over decades, culminating in the October 5, 2017 story published in the New York Times. In the months that followed, the story sparked a much-delayed reckoning that convulsed through not only Hollywood, but across all industries and levels of society throughout the world. Based on Kantor and Twohey’s 2019 book by the same title, the film’s producing team includes Film Independent members Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner.

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LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER

When You Can Watch: November 23

Where You Can Watch: Theaters (Limited) & Netflix (December 2)

Directors: Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre

Cast: Emma Corrin, Faye Marsay, Jack O’Connell

Why We’re Excited: Yet another film featured in last month’s Film Independent Presents series, the latest film adaptation of D.H. Lawrence’s explicit and controversial novel premiered in Toronto back in September. Married to a Baronet with whom she is no longer in love, Lady Chatterley (Corrin) engages in a sultry affair with gamekeeper Mellors (O’Connell), who works on her husband’s estate. Does she do what’s proper for a woman in her station at that time? Or follow her heart, come what may? Spirit Awards nominee two years ago for The Mustang, director de Clermont-Tonnerre’s reimagining is adapted by screenwriter David Magee (the upcoming A Man Called Otto and Life of Pi). To learn more about the film, tune into the in-person Q&A with de Clermont-Tonnerre after last month’s members-only screening at the Linwood Dunn Theater.

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THE SON

When You Can Watch: November 25

Where You Can Watch: Theaters

Director: Florian Zeller

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, Zen McGrath, and Anthony Hopkins

Why We’re Excited: French director Florian Zeller’s sophomore outing – since 2020’s Oscar-winning psychological drama about dementia, The Father – is a family drama that is also based on his play by the same title. As Peter (Jackman) settles into a new life in Brooklyn with partner Beth (Mission Impossible: Fallout and The Crown’s Kirby) with their infant son, his ex-wife Kate (two-time Spirit Award winner, Dern) drops by with an unwelcome surprise. Their clinically depressed teenage son, Nicholas (McGrath), has been skipping school for months and at this point, the only way forward is to have the boy move in with Peter. Taking care of Nicholas stirs up emotional turmoil from his tattered relationship with his own father, Anthony (Hopkins).

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KEY

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Film Independent Fellow or Member

Film Independent Presents Screening, Q&A

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Filmmaker or Lead Characters of Color

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(Header: ‘She Said’)

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Global

Tucked away in the basement of a nondescript midtown Toronto government building, a group of talented international medical researchers conduct their business in secret.

Or so they like to joke.

“I think we’ve been a bit shy about sharing our successes in Canada compared to at least the U.S. and a lot of sites worldwide,” Neil Vasdev, the director of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Brain Imaging Centre, told Global News.

Notoriety aside, Vasdev and his team are doing groundbreaking work in making the connection between repetitive concussive trauma and mental health. The key, they believe, is a disorder called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which was first discovered in the brains of deceased NFL football players. No treatment exists because thus far nobody has been able to see evidence of it in a living brain.

“Absolutely, that’s our goal,” he says. “We want to be the first centre in the world to image CTE in life.”

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Dr. Neil Vasdev


Dr. Neil Vasdev/Director of the CAMH Brain Health Imaging Centre.

CAMH

To get there, Vasdev has teamed up with Project Enlist, a military-focused group working under the umbrella of the Concussion Legacy Foundation. The goal of Project Enlist is to get military veterans to donate their brains. So far 250 veterans have signed up, but they need more.

Read more:

Veterans Affairs assisted dying discussion a ‘serious wake-up call,’ advocates tell MPs

“Almost all the data we have from CTE brains comes from American football players,” says Vasdev. “So we really need to see populations such as military populations.”

Tim Fleiszer, an ex-CFL star who started the foundation in 2012 says “it is an incredibly, incredibly serious issue.”

“And it’s important that we’re starting to put attention and resources towards trying to solve this problem,” he says.

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The problem, as Fleiszer says, is how the medical community has historically underestimated the role of brain injuries as they relate to mental health.  The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke only recently announced a definitive link between head trauma and CTE, which doctors say can lead to depression and other mental health issues.

Fleiszer became interested in the subject at first because of his own history of being exposed to concussive trauma playing football and rugby.

He began working with concussion experts at Boston University to make life better for athletes. But when researchers in the U.S. autopsied the brains of military veterans and found almost two-thirds came back positive for CTE, he realized the scope of the problem was far greater than he initially thought.

“And what the big takeaway is, is that the brain is far more fragile than I think we realize,” says Fleiszer. “And the prevalence of these issues is far more widespread than I think we could have ever imagined.”

What they also need is funding, which now comes from a mix of the Ontario government and private donors. Fleiszer says they’ve asked the federal government for $12 million over three years and while he says Veterans Affairs has shown interest, it has yet to write a cheque.

———

Canada has more than 40,000 veterans who served during the war in Afghanistan, many of whom are now experiencing symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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Ryan Carey served in the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) after leaving the CFL. He was never wounded in battle but when he left the forces he was put on medication for operational stress injuries.

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“I certainly felt like for years that nothing was working and I felt like I was following everything,” he says.  “And, you know, the challenge was just more and more medication and nothing was working for me.”

He only got better when he considered all the trauma he’d inflicted on his brain, first as a football player, where he says they used to joke, “You got your bell rung, you saw stars.” And over 14 years in the military he was in countless training sessions where he was exposed to large concussive blasts.

“There’s a lot of head contact-slash-brains sloshing around in your skull,” he says.


Click to play video: 'Variety Week 2022: Supporting children suffering from post-concussion syndrome'


Variety Week 2022: Supporting children suffering from post-concussion syndrome


He was able to wean off the medications when he began taking his brain health seriously by focusing on exercise, nutrition and sleep to build up his cognitive reserves.

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When he became involved with Project Enlist, he learned of another RCR veteran who was travelling across the country on his motorcycle talking to veterans about PTSD.

When Michael Terry retired after 23 years in the military, like Carey, he struggled. Early in his career, he was diagnosed with PTSD, operational stress injury and major depressive disorder.

“To be completely honest, I was a mess,” he says. “The only thing I had in my life at that time was the forces. But I couldn’t stay in the forces any longer. I had to leave. And I was really probably on the verge of suicide.”

Getting out on the road likely saved his life. This past summer he travelled 33,000 kilometres and met with 620 veterans to talk about PTSD, which he documented online in a post called Dispatches. But before he spoke with Carey, he says he hadn’t considered the bigger picture, that his symptoms could be the result of all the training he’d done over the years.


Veteran Michael Terry rode his motorcycle 33-thousand kilometres across Canada in 2022.

Michael Terry

“I said, ‘You know, Ryan, I’m a PTSD guy,’” he says. “I don’t have a brain injury…. I said those famous words: ‘I’ve never had a concussion. Why do you keep talking to me about this?’”

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Read more:

Can mindfulness help anxiety? Study suggests meditation works as well as drugs

He may not have suffered a concussion but for years Terry served as an instructor on the firing range, where he taught soldiers how to properly use the Carl Gustaf 84-mm recoilless rifle. While his students might fire one or two of the anti-tank rounds each, as an instructor he was exposed to up to 60 detonations a session.

“It’s a lot like getting kicked in the guts, I think would be the best way to describe it,” he says. “It’s just a massive shockwave. You’re standing right there in the midst of it.”

Terry shook off the discomfort and never considered the long-term implications, much as Carey did during his years in the CFL.

“One of the big challenges is we as members of the forces, we’re taught to actively fight off discomfort, to fight through discomfort,” Terry says. “And it’s a great tool, you know, for being on operations, for being in combat. It’s not such a great tool when you’re hurting afterwards.”


Brain Scan of Canadian soldiers showing an increase in the tau protein that could indicate presence of CTE.

Supplied by Shamantha Lora and Dr. Isabelle Boileau/CAMH Brain Imaging Centre

Vasdev says the brain can only handle so many concussive events. While they can’t definitively say they can diagnose CTE in a live brain, in unpublished images shared with Global News, researchers are able to use radioactive tracers to show a dramatic increase in tau proteins that could indicate CTE in a live brain that has more years of blast exposure.

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It’s a huge, and possibly groundbreaking, step.

“We use a technique called positron emission tomography, or PET, which detects the radioactivity in specific regions of the brain,” he says. “And we can use this method to study all facets of brain health diseases.”

In the meantime, Carey and Fleiszer say they will continue to push for funding while Terry focuses on outreach, one veteran at a time.

“I worry most about the soldiers who think they’re OK, think they’re fine,” says Carey, “but they know deep down inside that they’re walking on thin ice. And any day, you know, they could fall through.”

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Tucked away in the basement of a

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Alec Baldwin has filed a cross-complaint in regard to the on-set shooting death of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, alleging in a lawsuit filed Friday that the blame lies with three of the film’s crew members, as well as the man who supplied ammunition to the set.  

Baldwin named Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, David Halls, Seth Kenney, PDQ Arm and Prop, LLC (“PDQ”) and Sarah Zachry collectively as “cross-defendants” in a suit originally filed against him last year by Mamie Mitchell, the film’s script supervisor. In his suit, he claims that he relied on the four of them to do their jobs and that Hutchins’ death was a result of their negligence and, as a result, Baldwin says has experienced “immense grief” and suffered an “emotional, physical and financial toll.” 

“The negligence of Gutierrez-Reed, Halls, Kenney, PDQ, and Zachry has caused Baldwin substantial harm,” Baldwin’s complaint reads. “Over the last year, Baldwin has suffered substantial damage as a result of the events on October 21. He has suffered physically and emotionally from the grief caused by these events. Not a day goes by that he doesn’t think about, and suffer from, the events that happened that day. Baldwin has also lost numerous job opportunities and associated income. For example, he’s been fired from multiple jobs expressly because of the incident on Rust and has been passed over for other opportunities, which is a direct result of the negligence of Cross-Defendants Gutierrez-Reed, Halls, Kenney, PDQ, and Zachry.”

“More than anyone else on that set,” the actor’s attorney, Luke Nikas of Quinn Emanuel, wrote, “Baldwin has been wrongfully viewed as the perpetrator of this tragedy. By these Cross-Claims, Baldwin seeks to clear his name and hold Cross-Defendants accountable for their conduct.” 

Baldwin “demands a trial by jury” and seeks “compensatory, nominal, statutory, and punitive damages where applicable to Cross-Complainant in an amount to be determined at trial, including any damages arising out of Plaintiff Mitchell’s claims in this lawsuit.”

On Oct. 21, 2021, Baldwin was holding a Colt .45 revolver when it went off during preparation for a scene near Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has asserted that he pulled the hammer back, although not far enough to cock it, and then released it – causing the gun to fire. He has stated that he did not pull the trigger.  

The Colt .45 should have contained dummy rounds, which contain neither projectile nor charge, but it was loaded instead with one live round, which passed through Hutchins’ body and lodged in the shoulder of director Joel Souza.  

Alec Baldwin’s ‘Rust’ Shooting Case: New Mexico Prosecutors Hint at Homicide Charges in Funding Request

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office recently completed its criminal investigation, and local prosecutors are currently considering whether to file charges against Baldwin or any of the other crew members. The cross-complaint is what amounts to a detailed and lengthy exoneration of Baldwin prepared by his civil attorneys. It includes text messages and photos from the Sheriff’s investigation.  

The document faults armorer Gutierrez-Reed for having “failed to perform her job carefully and as a result, a live round was loaded into a gun that she had negligently failed to identify.”

The suit alleges that “Gutierrez-Reed failed to check the bullets or the gun carefully, Halls failed to check the gun carefully and yet announced the gun was safe before handing it to Baldwin.”

Baldwin also accuses David Halls, the first assistant director, of failing to check the gun carefully and faults him for declaring the gun to be “cold” as he handed it to Baldwin, on-set lingo stating that the rounds did not contain any charges.  

In addition, the cross-complaint faults Sarah Zachry, the propmaster, for failing to adequately supervise Gutierrez Reed and failing to maintain a safe set. Baldwin also accuses Seth Kenney, the supplier, of showing a “cavalier disregard for proper separation between live and dummy ammunition.” All four have previously denied culpability. Gutierrez-Reed has sued Kenney for supplying her with live ammunition that closely resembled dummy rounds, which Kenney has denied. 

Alec Baldwin and ‘Rust’ Producers Settle With Slain Cinematographer’s Estate; Filming to Resume in January

Mitchell, who is represented by Gloria Allred, alleges in her lawsuit that she was four feet away when the gun went off and that she suffered painful ringing in her ears in addition to emotional trauma. She says that Baldwin intentionally “cocked and fired the loaded gun even though the upcoming scene to be filmed did not call for the cocking and firing of a firearm.” 

Baldwin has tried to throw out the suit, arguing that on-set accidents are the exclusive domain of New Mexico workers’ compensation system.  

A Los Angeles judge denied his motion on Nov. 1, 2022. 

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Alec Baldwin has filed a cross-complaint in

Video

YouTube has a new Live Q&A feature to help you host dedicated question and answer sessions during livestreams.

Here’s how it works: when you start a Q&A as a creator, your prompt shows up as a pinned message at the top of your stream’s chat, and then viewers can submit their questions. When you find a question you want to discuss, you can pin it so that it’s featured and everyone knows what you’re responding to. To move on, you can pin another question, and it will replace what’s at the top of the list. When you’re done with the Q&A session, you can go back to a standard chatroom.

This dedicated Q&A tool could be a useful way for creators to have conversations directly with their audiences. Before now, they’d just have to field questions as they flood in the chat, but viewers who wander in mid-way through a Q&A might not know what’s going on or what question the streamer is responding to. Giving streamers the ability to pin prompts and questions might make those Q&As run more smoothly.

As YouTube continues to improve its livestreaming platform to compete with Twitch, the company has added a number of features to make its chats more enticing for streamers. Those additions include Super Chats, which let viewers pay to have a pinned comment, and Super Thanks, which is basically a tip. Live Q&A doesn’t directly help a streamer earn money, but if a viewer feels heard in a Q&A, they might toss the streamer some money down the line.

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YouTube has a new Live Q&A feature

Entertaintment

The best slippers for women are indoor essentials year-round, but they’re especially needed in the colder months. While fuzzy socks and throw blankets might help ward off the toe-chilling effects of cold floors, nothing is quite as effective at keeping your feet cozy as house shoes—and now’s the perfect time to buy a pair for yourself (and everyone else in your life).

Whether you’re in the market for shearling house shoes for lounging around in comfort, styles that accommodate wide feet, or a new pair of Ugg slippers to work into your winter ’fits, there are plenty of cute options out there. Can’t wait to plunge your feet into the coziest footwear you’ve ever had the pleasure of wearing? Same—and we found the very best slippers for women below. (Your winter boots need never know.)

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Movies

Actor Alia Bhatt’s girl squad, which includes sister duo Anushka Ranjan and Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, has never failed to dish out major friendship goals. Thanks to the shutterbugs, the gang has often been seen letting their hair down and catching up at some of the most happening spots in the city. And often, actor Aditya Seal, who married Anushka last year, has been spotted hanging out with the girls. Needless to say, he is elated with the arrival of Alia and actor Ranbir Kapoor’s baby girl.

In an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, Aditya says that he only wishes the very best for the little bundle of joy and that she has brought in more love and bliss for the couple, who tied the knot in April this year. “My only wish is that the little angel brings a lot more happiness into both their lives. Alia and Ranbir seem to be so in love and now with the baby, it’s only going to grow,” he shares.

On the work front, Aditya shared screen space with Ranbir on the song Har Bachcha Hai Rocket from the recently released film, Rocket Gang. Happy to have collaborated with his buddy, Aditya says, “I’ve always looked up to Ranbir as a performer. I haven’t met any better. But he’s so friendly that you’re not nervous around him. Even as a dancer, he’s so smooth that no matter what you do, he’ll still look a lot more effortless.”

The Indoo Ki Jawani and Forbidden Love actor is rather inspired by Ranbir’s body of work and the choices that he has been making as an artiste. Talking about it, Aditya says, “I feel Ranbir has been very experimental with his choices and that is the first quality that I respect. He’s done a Wake Up Sid, a Rocket Singh: Salesman Of The Year and a Rockstar to an Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani and a Tamasha… that’s an unnatural range for an actor to have and he has excelled in all. I too would love to experiment with roles because I enjoy the challenge and it keeps me motivated.”

Rocket Gang sees Aditya flaunt some amazing dancing skills and he is overwhelmed with the response that his peers in the film industry have showered on him. In fact, south superstar Ram Charan recently gave its trailer a thumbs up on social media. “After seeing the trailer, they realised that there hasn’t been a film catering to kids and young adults in a while. They were pleasantly surprised with it. I met Ayushmann (Khurrana; actor) paaji at a Diwali party and he had a lot of positive things to say about the trailer and the audience that we are targeting. And it was a surprise and an absolute honour for all of us when Ram Charan spoke for Rocket Gang,” Aditya states.

The dance-based film marks the directorial debut of ace choreographer Bosco Martis. While Aditya feels grateful to have been directed by him, he adds that he was ‘a task master’. He elaborates, “He used to make us practice a lot. Any free day that we had also went into practice. Bosco wants what he wants but he will give you time for it. He’s not unrealistic about his demands but he demands the absolute best.”

The actor, who will next be seen in Amar Prem, remarks that working on the film has proved to be quite fruitful for his career. “Whatever I’ve done in the film was very new to me. There was a section in a song where I did some aerial dancing. I was suspended 15-20 feet up in the air with absolutely no harness. I was only relying on a piece of cloth and my strength to stay put. Even the other kinds of dances I did in it was very new to me. When I look back at it, I feel like I’ve gained a lot more than what I gave to the film. Working on Rocket Gang made me a lot more confident in my work, art and craft,” he says.
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Film

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Cast, Character Quiz

To celebrate the highly anticipated premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we sat down with some of the cast — Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta, Mabel Cadena, and Alex Livinalli — to see which characters truly matches their personalities.

We had a great time welcoming the new cast members into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The entire shoot was full of laughter!

From choosing their go-to karaoke song…

…to finding out their results, Letitia, Tenoch, Mabel, and Alex were all surprised by how accurate the quiz was.

Now it’s your turn! Answer the questions below, and let us know which character you ended up with!

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And be sure to check out Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is currently in theaters.

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Cast, Character Quiz

TV

Thanksgiving dinner is a highlight of the holidays—but the hours of prep work to make it happen certainly aren’t. Thanks to the best Thanksgiving meal delivery services, though, it’s possible to enjoy all of the good stuff (namely perfectly cooked turkey and decadent side dishes) with almost none of the stress of cooking and cleaning.

Sure, it might sound shocking at first—shouldn’t Thanksgiving dinner be a DIY situation? But folks, another way is possible. When you order your meal online, there’s no chance of forgetting an ingredient and frantically searching for a grocery store that’s open. Heat-and-eat options also ensure that you won’t drastically dry out (or worse, undercook) your turkey, while meal kits allow you to put an elaborate menu for two on the table with minimal effort. And there’s flexibility, too. Many retailers allow you to order turkeys and sides à la carte, so your own family recipes can make a cameo alongside prepared dishes.

Whether you hate cooking or you could just use some extra help in the kitchen, we suggest you give the best Thanksgiving meal delivery services a shot this November. After all, this isn’t a holiday for working—you deserve to sit back, watch the parade, and take a nap right after dinner wraps up. These are the options you can’t go wrong with for Thanksgiving 2022.

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Entertaintment, TV

Love has been pouring in across the globe from fans and celebrities around in honor of the late, Kevin Conroy. Conroy passed away on November 10, 2022, at the age of 66 and was best known for voicing the iconic Batman in multiple animated series and films. The news was first revealed when Diane Pershing posted on her on her facebook page.

Courtesy of Diane Pershing

3 hours ago

Very sad news: our beloved voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, died yesterday. He’s been ill for a while but he really put in a lot of time at the cons, to the joy of all of his fans. He will be sorely missed not just by the cast of the series but by his legion of fans all over the world.
Below are pictures of Kevin with Loren Lester who plays Robin another with me and and Tara Strong who is in the later episodes of Batman cartoons. And then finally, one of Kevin and me in front of the huge audiences we used to get when we did our panels. RIP, friend.?

https://dianepershing.com/

May be an image of 2 people
May be an image of 4 people, people sitting and indoor
May be an image of one or more people and people standing
Many others took to twitter paying tribute to the legendary actor which you will find below:

His final Batman credit is listed on IMDb as the upcoming TV series Batman: Caped Crusader, which is currently filming. He was set to play Thomas Wayne in the show, which is slated for a 2023 premiere.

You will sadly be missed by all but your legend will live on. Condolences goes out to all of his family and friends.

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What to Watch


By Greta Bjornson

We’re all cheering for the George Clooney and Julia Roberts reunion in Ticket to Paradise, but it’s also got us feeling nostalgic, which brings us to Ocean’s Eleven. The 2001 crime comedy pairs Clooney and Roberts as ill-fated couple Danny and Tess, whose relationship has deteriorated during his prison stay. Once his time is up and he’s a free man once again, Danny plots an epic heist, targeting a casino conveniently owned by Tess’s new boyfriend (Andy Garcia). Even if you’re not amused by the quick plot or pulled in by the all-star ensemble, you can’t argue with Clooney and Roberts’ chemistry — watch Ocean’s Eleven for them alone.

 

 

Photo: Everett Collection

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By Greta Bjornson We’re all cheering for the George

Awards

The actor names Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, first AD Dave Halls, prop master Sarah Zachry and ammunition supplier Seth Kenney in a lawsuit.



Alec Baldwin Rust

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Alec Baldwin has filed a lawsuit Friday accusing the armorer and crew members on “Rust” of negligence, saying they were responsible for handing him the loaded gun that fired and killed the film’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, in October 2021.

Baldwin in his suit, as obtained by The New York Times, named the armorer tasked with handling the weapons on set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, first assistant director Dave Halls, the individual in charge of props, Sarah Zachry, and Seth Kenney of PDQ Arm & Prop, which supplied the ammunition and guns to the film set. Baldwin specifically accused Gutierrez-Reed of failing to check the gun or the bullets of the gun carefully, as well as Halls for not checking the weapon before he had announced that it was a “cold gun” and handed it to Baldwin. It also says Zachry failed in her duties as prop master by not ensuring the safety of the weapons and ammunition on set.

Related

Related

“This tragedy happened because live bullets were delivered to the set and loaded into the gun,” the lawsuit said, according to the New York Times.

Lawyers for Baldwin, Gutierrez-Reed, Halls and Kenney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An attorney for Zachry could not be reached for comment.

The allegations against the “Rust” crew members is part of a cross-complaint that follows a lawsuit filed against him and other members of the crew last year by the film’s script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell, claiming that the shooting caused her emotional distress. That lawsuit is ongoing, and a judge earlier this month declined to dismiss Baldwin as a defendant in the case.

Baldwin as part of the lawsuit says he has lost work and other opportunities as a result of the shooting and is asking for indemnification from legal damages stemming from Mitchell’s case.

“Hutchins lost her life, and her young child lost his mother,” the lawsuit as obtained by the Times reads. “Producer Joel Souza was shot in the shoulder and has suffered physical and emotional pain. Though by no means comparable, Baldwin must live with the immense grief, and the resulting emotional, physical, and financial toll, caused by the fact that Cross-Defendants’ negligent conduct, assurances, and supervision put a loaded weapon in his hand and led him, Hutchins, and everyone else on set to believe that his directed use of the weapon was safe.”

The deadly “Rust” shooting took place on October 21, 2021 in which Baldwin held a gun that discharged and contained a live bullet, ultimately killing Hutchins and injuring the film’s director Joel Souza. Last month, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office turned over its final investigative report to the state’s district attorney, which is reviewing the material and is determining whether to press criminal charges. The Sheriff’s office has yet to release any findings of its final report.

However, Baldwin’s lawsuit cites some evidence that was released earlier this year by the Santa Fe County Sheriff, including photos that claimed Kenney’s company had kept weapons and ammunition in “disarray.” It also cited an FBI report that found that live bullets had been found in multiple places on set, including in a bandoleer that Baldwin was wearing on the day of the accident.

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The actor names Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, first AD

Music

After listening to Midnights — an already record-breaking album from Taylor Swift, who may have done this whole songwriting and performing thing once or twice before — you may immediately feel inclined to compare it to albums and songs of Swiftdom past.

There are much more interesting ways to reflect on new music from the person who has brought us, as artists do, a fair share of hits and misses over the years. Which is hard to do, I know, considering so much of Midnights relies on acknowledging what has come before — though maybe not in the way you expected.

The era of Swift we have entered accomplishes two things simultaneously: The artist calling out herself, but also calling out the listener. You. The deeper you submerge yourself in this music the more you ultimately begin to think about who you left behind, who you’ve been thinking about. Your regrets. Your secret wishes for revenge.

Isn’t the point of absorbing a story — a song, a poem, any form at all — to find and extract the elements that speak to you personally?

(Not that it isn’t fun for a certain segment of Swifties to speculate about the significance of every other word, you know who you are.)

I’ve said before that Swift’s music has this particular way of speaking to me in moments I need my own thoughts mirrored back to me, and Midnights is no exception. In its sound, it’s quite unlike most of what Swift has released before — but in its words, it’s the level of depth and honesty we’ve come to expect from her, though perhaps a notch or two up in its intensity.

And it’s that unapologetic vulnerability that makes it relatable.

The lyrics say a lot of things, yet so pointedly point at someone like me specifically to say, “Hi, you’re not broken because you think about your past, what could have been but never was, everyone does it, embrace it.”

Because even though most of us will never write songs about the dumb choices we made when we were younger or the people who hurt us or the people we hurt more (and also, the selves we wounded along the way), Swift’s words are universal whether you want to admit it or not.

Perhaps the sound won’t vibe with you, maybe you’re tired of hearing her lyrics through the lens of the famous and rich, but it’s possible you’re also forgetting that these songs were written by a real person who has felt real pain just like you have.

The difference between you and her, us and them, is that one party doesn’t have millions of eyes on their emotions and the other always will.

If Midnights is an ode to the things that never were, used to be, aren’t anymore, or are different now, then what we must take away from the album itself and the additional tracks released to accompany it isn’t that the past is bad, but instead that our futures depend on reflection.

Whether that soul-searching happens at noon or at midnight, it is the key to unlocking who we might become.

Who we were is nothing but a step toward growing into who we want to be. Not overnight, but over a lifetime.

When you listen to this album, think about what was, if only to better understand where you are.

Then decide what’s next, and pursue it.

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Docs

Noriaki Tsuchimoto is a towering figure in Japanese documentary cinema, but only known by name and reputation in the West. Beyond festival screenings, his films rarely show here. That is about to change, however. Following a program held at the Open City Documentary Festival in London, the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York will host a retrospective dedicated to Tsuchimoto’s work; the series runs from November 12-27.  Before this rare opportunity occurs, it’s time to take a hard look at just what makes his documentaries special.

With a body of work spanning six decades and over 100 movies, Tsuchimoto’s career can be roughly divided into three parts: the early shorts directed for Iwanami Productions; the series of films dedicated to Minamata disease; and the later documentaries on Afghanistan. Each phase of his career has movies worth watching. And as with any artist, his focus and aesthetic changed over time. 

A man’s reflection in a rearview mirror, from Noriaki Tsuchimoto’, ‘On the Road: A Document’ (1964). Photo courtesy of Motoko Tsuchimoto. Tsuchimoto’s entry into the world of cinema was a matter of happenstance and being in the right place at the right time. Though born in Gifu Prefecture, he grew up relatively poor in Tokyo. At the end of World War II, he lived with relatives in Setagaya Ward, next to Toho studios. During these final days, citizens would stand guard for potential nocturnal air raids. It was at this time Tsuchimoto would keep watch with film crew, including cameraman Keiji Yoshino. Tsuchimoto would strike up conversations with Yoshino pertaining to craft. Years later, the cameraman would recommend Tsuchimoto to Iwanami Productions, a company that specialized in making promotional and educational films for companies. Starting in 1956, Tsuchimoto worked as a location manager before getting a crack at directing as a freelancer. 

For such an industrial outfit, Iwanami allowed for formal experimentation from its filmmakers, many of whom were, ironically, leftists subverting the content and messages they were given by the company. In this way, Iwanami’s creative permissiveness can be likened to the Centre Office of Information in Britain, another pragmatic entity where daring creation flourished. Such radical technique Tsuchimoto expressed in one of his efforts for the company: An Engineer’s Assistant (1963). Although made for Japanese National Railways (JNR) to promote train safety after a wreck killed 160 people, the color short ultimately follows a fireman on a steam train. Reminiscent of Artavazd Peleshian’s train movie End (1992), Engineer’s Assistant is a montage-based actioner comprised of accumulated details: the loaded hand signals of a train conductor; a graphic transition from an emergency flare to a rising sun; the heavy breathing on post-sync sound as an engineer’s assistant runs through a simulated accident. What Tsuchimoto conveys is the precision of movements performed so routinely that they become ritualized, exuding a mechanized professionalism straining against a tight schedule. The engineer and the assistant are one with the train.

At this time, filmmakers working for Iwanami would often meet up, forming what has been called the “Blue Group,” to discuss and analyze projects that they were working on. It was a casual setting for the crew to hang out, commiserate and workshop. Yoichi Higashi and Shinsuke Ogawa—the other major figure in post-war Japanese documentary cinema—were also part of this group.

The following year, Tsuchimoto made On the Road: A Document. Far more subversive than Engineer’s Assistant, the movie ended his relationship with Iwanami. Commissioned by the Metropolitan Police, the movie was supposed to demonstrate proper traffic safety. The finished product was far from the mark and ultimately shelved for four decades. One can see why: In direct opposition to the backers, Tsuchimoto worked with a drivers’ union to record the plight of cabbies. Pushing montage further than Engineer’s Assistant, Tsuchimoto’s objective is not to explain but to evoke, that of a mood and atmosphere pervading post-war Tokyo: a chaotic hodgepodge of half-built buildings, incessant construction, and haphazard traffic in lane-less thoroughfares. What Tsuchimoto ultimately conveys is a sense of isolation and alienation at the heart of living in the city at the time. At one point he fixes his camera on a Cryon plastered on the façade of a building. The scrolling text announces the death of a four-year-old girl and the critical condition of her mother, and then nonchalantly moves on to the weather—the tragic news is just a part of everyday life in Tokyo.

The next year, 1965, Tsuchimoto made for TV The Children of Minamata Are Living, the first in a decade-spanning series on the city and the disease. What he found while filming in Kumamoto Prefecture were families resistant to media coverage and suffering since 1956, when the first cases of mercury poisoning were publicly recorded. Chisso Corporation, a powerhouse chemical company, had been dumping an organic compound of the element directly into the sea, tainting fish (the area’s main industry) in the process, which fishermen would catch and innocent people would eat. Tsuchimoto was so shaken up by the experience that he questioned whether his movie would further add to the people of Minamata’s misery. Producer Ryutaro Takagi convinced Tsuchimoto to reconsider, leading him to make Minamata: The Victims and Their World (1970), a high achievement in his career. The movie documents the many people affected by Chisso’s actions, such as a boy afflicted with ataxia (lack of muscle control) asking the filmmakers about the waters in Tokyo. In fact, Tsuchimoto is more of a presence here than in his prior works, appearing on camera and asking questions in voiceover. It’s part and parcel with confidence in his filmmaking, a sense of pacing and rhythm that perhaps wasn’t as mature in the PR films. As with Engineer’s Assistant and On the Road, sound and image aren’t in sync, which Tsuchimoto puts to creative use. Consciously selecting the appropriate combination of audio and visual, he creates a quietly dislocating, disorienting effect that makes one more aware of what is being seen and heard. Never once does Minamata feel sentimental. Rather, Tsuchimoto offers it as a sobering document made of a patchwork of imagery, sprinkled with title cards that stitch the shots together, providing context for the events depicted onscreen. The movie climaxes with outrage as victims, who have purchased stock in Chisso, attend a meeting to confront board members with the admission of their responsibility. Here, in contrast to the rest of the footage, the camera is battered around as it gets swept up with the angry mob rushing the stage to corner the corporate suits. 

A Japanese fisherman man wearing a hat to shade himself from the sun wades through water while fishing. Photo courtesy of Siglo, Inc. None of the volcanic ire in Minamata’s finale seeps into The Shiranui Sea (1975), for this installment in the series—one of the longest at two-and-a-half hours—is more reflective and episodic, with fade-to-black scene transitions. In a way, it’s an extension and refinement of the earlier documentary. Tsuchimoto returns to a few of the victims first seen in Minamata. Onscreen, he asks how his film crew should film them, allowing for empathy and communal, participant filmmaking. Sometimes the director’s response stands for the viewer’s own, such as questioning a public medical doctor’s lack of first-hand encounters with full-blown Minamata disease victims as unconscionable. And other times, he has the artistic instincts to remove himself from the scene, such as a moment between a teenage victim and a doctor at the site where the disease was first discovered. The girl starts to cry at one point, not knowing what she can do with herself. The doctor speaks to her directly and honestly, while still retaining an air of comfort. This is a crucial moment in the film that gets to the heart of why Tsuchimoto’s cinema is worthy: It documents a heartrending conversation at a respectful distance, allowing the moment to happen and emotion to filter into the scene. 

In the following decade, Tsuchimoto would branch out by visiting and shooting footage in Afghanistan. Co-directed by Hiroko Kumagai and Abdul Latif, Afghan Spring (1989) documents a transitional period in the country’s history. As Soviet forces leave, the movie depicts a moment of respite for Afghanistan before the Taliban would take power and wreck the country anew. Afghan Spring offers a cross-section of people and places, hopscotching from Kabul and Herat to Hadda and Jalalabad; the crew visits the home of a rebel leader looking after a village, farmers tilling arid fields, and a museum curator safeguarding precious artifacts. The movie is a snapshot of the Afghan people and their mindset, as they offer the film crew their thoughts on war, marriage, and refugees returning from Iran after many years. 

After NATO and the US invaded the country in 2001, Tsuchimoto returned to his footage shot in Afghanistan, re-editing it into two short works, some of his last: Another Afghanistan: Kabul Diary 1985 and Traces: The Kabul Museum 1988 (both 2003). The former both provide context on the history of Afghanistan from an outsider’s perspective and depicts developments happening at the time: a successful campaign for education and literacy; and the issuance of deeds—the first in the country—after the new government’s land reformation policy. The latter is important for preserving to film art and artifacts once housed in the museum but destroyed when looted in the ‘90s.

Amid his long, variegated career, Noriaki Tsuchimoto’s approach remained elastic, bending to the contours of the subject matter at hand. Along with Shinsuke Ogawa, he would continue to pursue matters of interest with an abiding determination. Publishing Of Sea and Soil, an essential dossier devoted to the filmmakers, Stoffel Debuysere and Elias Grootaers wrote,“They made films that convey a material understanding of the world they document, films not on a subject but with a subject.” It’s this horizontal relationship that makes these directors endure. Subsequent filmmakers have taken it as a model on which to base their approach. Kazuo Hara, arguably Japan’s most important living documentarian, continues to make movies about and with people on the margins of society, including Minamata Mandala (2020), a six-hour feature on the very disease that was Tsuchimoto’s life’s work. John Gianvito has publicly acknowledged Tsuchimoto’s influence, especially when it comes to the ethics of representation. “Perhaps this sounds a commonplace, an obvious and simple requisite for the documentary filmmaker,” Gianvito wrote, “but it is only deceptively so or we would encounter it more frequently.” Tsuchimoto paid attention, and the quality of his attention was rich. In the end, he shared wealth.   

Tanner Tafelski is a freelance film critic based in New York City and the editorial director for Kinoscope, a streaming platform for arthouse cinema. If he isn’t watching a movie, he’s reading crime fiction.

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SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers from all of Season 5 of “The Crown,” now streaming on Netflix. 

As handsome as the sharp-jawed British actors bringing it to life, “The Crown” has been nothing short of dazzling, luring curious viewers like me into Peter Morgan’s reimagining of the impossibly tangled web that is the British monarchy. Five seasons in, the Netflix drama’s ability to shock and awe with its immense budget, top- tier acting, and nigh impeccable production design is a well-worn fact — and also a lifesaver, given how blunt it’s now become. 

In the six years and 21 Emmy wins since its debut, the show’s managed to distract millions from the fact that each season has been less subtle than the last. Season 5, which dropped on Nov. 9, is far from the first “Crown” installment to lean too heavily on metaphors to sell its themes. (Remember Season 1’s “Act of God,” in which a deadly fog represented Winston Churchill’s indecision paralysis, or something?) This new season is, however, an especially egregious offender, with Morgan’s scripts hammering their most obvious themes home with clattering thuds, pushing allegory after allegory with vanishingly little nuance. 

Season 5, hinging on Queen Elizabeth (now Imelda Staunton) feeling more like an outdated relic and the contentious divorce between Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) and Prince Charles (Dominic West, doing his best despite being wildly miscast), features shaggy scripts that never met a metaphor they didn’t want to catapult straight into viewers’ faces. As typically good as actors like Debicki, Lesley Manville (Princess Margaret) and Olivia Williams (Camilla Parker-Bowles) are at adjusting to their inherited roles, it’s almost as if Morgan doesn’t quite trust them (and/or the audience) to understand exactly what’s going on at all times. In telling the stories of some of the most repressed, private people on the planet, “The Crown” constantly makes them spell everything out. Subtext is dead; long live tortured metaphors. 

Need convincing? Here are the new season’s five most jarring metaphors and allegories, ranked from least to most ridiculous. 

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SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers from

Tech

Elon Musk is planning to dismantle Twitter’s decade-plus-old verification program, designed to increase trust in the social network by providing a visual signifier that high-profile accounts are, in fact, who they say they are.

Going forward, Musk’s $7.99/month Twitter Blue subscription will the only way to get the “verified” blue check-mark — except that the identities of the users who pay for that are not actually going to be verified by Twitter.

“Far too many corrupt legacy Blue ‘verification’ checkmarks exist, so no choice but to remove legacy Blue in coming months,” Musk tweeted Thursday in reply to a user who asked why her “legacy” verification status was now showing up as a Twitter Blue verified account.

“Blue check will be the great leveler,” Musk tweeted on Wednesday, after he abruptly canceled Twitter’s rollout of separate “official” labels for high-profile accounts, which were supposed to replace Twitter’s legacy verification.

Entrepreneur and multibillionaire Mark Cuban tweeted at Musk that the change “killed the most valuable part of Twitter, the ability to quickly and easily find information from sources I have chosen to trust.” Cuban added, “I just spent too much time muting all the newly purchased checkmark accts in an attempt to make my verified mentions useful again.” Musk replied, “It’s working for me. That said, we can definitely make the verified mentions tab more usable.”

Twitter first introduced verified accounts in 2009, in order to help users identify that celebrities, politicians, companies, entertainment brands, news organizations and other accounts “of public interest” are the real deal and not impostor or parody accounts. Since Twitter Blue “verification” launched Nov. 9, numerous parody and fake Twitter accounts have cropped up.

For now, the blue check-mark can mean two different things: either that an account was verified under the previous verification criteria (i.e., that it’s an active, notable and authentic account), or that the account has an active subscription to the new Twitter Blue subscription service. Clicking on a Twitter account’s check-mark badge will pull up a message that explains which “verified” status it has.

Musk, the world’s richest individual who is CEO of Twitter, Tesla and SpaceX, completed the $44 billion acquisition of Twitter two weeks ago and laid off 50% of the staff one week ago

In his first email to Twitter employees on Wednesday (Nov. 9), Musk said remote work would no longer be allowed and that staffers would be expected in office for at least 40 hours each week, Bloomberg News reported. “Sorry that this is my first email to the whole company, but there is no way to sugarcoat the message,” Musk wrote in the memo. “Frankly, the economic picture ahead is dire, especially for a company like ours that is so dependent on advertising in a challenging economic climate. Moreover, 70% of our advertising is brand, rather than specific performance, which makes us doubly vulnerable!”

Musk continued, “Without significant subscription revenue, there is a good chance Twitter will not survive the upcoming economic downturn,” adding that the company needs “roughly half of our revenue to be subscription.”

Meanwhile, more Twitter execs have resigned. Lea Kissner, Twitter’s chief information security officer, wrote in a tweet that they have left the company. In addition, chief compliance officer Marianne Fogarty and chief privacy officer Damien Kieran have quit, the Verge reported.

An attorney on Twitter’s privacy team, in a post on the company’s Slack system that the Verge obtained, wrote that the legal team is asking engineers to “self-certify” compliance with FTC regulations and other privacy laws. “Elon has shown that his only priority with Twitter users is how to monetize them,” the Twitter lawyer, whom the Verge did not identify, wrote. “I do not believe he cares about the human rights activists. the dissidents, our users in un-monetizable regions, and all the other users who have made Twitter the global town square you have all spent so long building, and we all love.”

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Twitter faces changes – and exits – by the minute in the hands of new owner Elon Musk, who purchased the social media site for $44 billion.

It’s not the first time the bird app has switched features up, though. Twitter has seen its share of comings and goings before Musk muddied the waters further. It attempted, for instance, to popularize a story feature similar to that of Snapchat and Instagram through users’ profile icons. Those were called Fleets. Then, Twitter adopted Instagram’s close friends story feature, repackaging the function as the Twitter Circle, where Tweets can be set for viewing only by the user’s selected group of “closest” follower friends.

And Twitter has faced competition before from various platforms sparked specifically by political leanings — such as former president Donald Trump’s Truth Social and Jason Miller’s Gettr, the latter of which was billed as “The Marketplace of Ideas.” Kanye West made a bid to purchase Parler, a more conservative-minded outlet owned by Candace Owens’ husband George Farmer. Rumble, backed by Peter Thiel as well as “Hillbilly Elegy” author and senator J.D. Vance, has surged in popularity amongst those searching for a more conservative version of YouTube.

So with the options out there and mounting reasons to ditch your Twitter account, here are alternatives to Twitter you can use if you’re looking for another social media platform.

Clubhouse (4.8/5 Apple Store, 4.5/5 Google Play Store)

For those who will miss their Twitter Spaces, Clubhouse mimics the format that Twitter used for the audio conferences. The space function allows profiles to come together to speak on different subjects, denoting who is speaking by highlighting their profile icon. The live, open forum podcast format allows for collision conversations that may not happen on a more structured, text-only platform.

Discord (4.7/5 Apple Store, 4.2/5 Google Play Store)

Although Discord does not have a Twitter-like look nor a single server, the platform might fulfill users’ desire for professional and social circles that foster conversation while keeping up to date with the latest news. Similar to Mastodon and Facebook groups, Discord holds different servers where groups create their own rules and culture, so the app is inherently private, unlike Twitter. However, you can search for servers based on your interests here.

FTC Tracking Twitter With ‘Deep Concern’ as Top Security Executives Resign, Elon Musk Warns of Bankruptcy

Tumblr (4.1/5 Apple Store, 4.3/5 Google Play Store)

Tumblr traces trending topics just like Twitter does. There is also a staff picks section. Most of the posts involve visual content more than words, but pictures are worth a thousand words. Hashtags permeate the caption-like feature of the posts, and you can leave notes, which are kind of like comments, on posts. There are also reposting, liking and sharing features.

Mastodon (4.5/5 Apple Store, 2.6/5 Google Play Store)

If you’ve been in the weeds of Musk’s Twitter takeover, you’ve likely heard of Mastodon, a decentralized social media that has experienced massive growth since the $44 billion Twitter acquisition was finalized. While Mastodon has a Twitter-like look to it — and users post toots in place of tweets — all the content isn’t housed on a single server like Twitter. Instead, Mastodon’s platform links together a slew of servers — which can each be considered social networks in their own right — that are governed by different groups or users. 

Though the set-up has created headaches for many new users who have struggled to find a server with people who share their interests, Mastodon encourages users to share the information from the server they join with followers who have similar interests.

What Is Mastodon, the Twitter Alternative That’s Seen a 2,600% Surge in Signups?

Facebook (2.2/5 Apple Store, 3.2/5 Google Play Store)

Facebook has always served as an outlet for opinions far and wide. The posts combine photo and visual components with wide caption fields. Users can dedicate entire posts to photo albums. After purchasing Instagram so that the two social media platforms now fall under the same parent company, Meta, Facebook also has the story function that Instagram cribbed from the Snapchat app. Other helpful features include status updates, pages, Facebook groups and the beloved Marketplace, which competes with Craigslist for secondhand retail.

Bluesky (not yet launched)

Though Bluesky has not been formally launched, all eyes are on the social media alternative created by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. The platform is anticipated to be decentralized, similar to Mastodon, and distinguishes itself from Twitter by claiming user data will be controlled by users and free of governmental or corporate influence.

In October, the company announced that it had 30,000 signups for the app, tweeting, “thanks for the overwhelming interest, we’ll do our best to get you in soon.”

Cohost (not yet launched)

Cohost advertises “posting, but better.” The new social media platform aims to target people who like sharing things on the internet – but without all the side snags of blaring ads that pop up right where you’re about to click or the omnipresent algorithmic force behind the curation of the content each user sees. The yet-to-be launched app acknowledges “borrowing liberally” from other sites with the idea that no platform has perfected the recipe yet. Other core values include sharing the same space with both like and unlike-minded individuals, and acknowledging the restrictions metrics pose on creative content cultivation. Cohost also seems to cater to individuals as cogs in their larger machine, though they denounce the toxic focus on “getting engagement” as a driver of traffic.

Elon Musk Kills New Twitter Feature Hours After Launch, Promises to Try ‘Lots of Dumb Things’ in Immediate Future

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Entertaintment

In the place of his more characteristic touch is a confident, faithful, and occasionally synthetic-sounding accompaniment provided largely by Aniello as his one-man band. (Sam Moore of Sam & Dave makes two welcome appearances as a guest vocalist.) Since 2012’s Wrecking Ball and its grab-bag follow-up High Hopes, Aniello has proven to be Springsteen’s most focused studio collaborator, seemingly pushing him to explore a specific element on each release. On 2019’s Western Stars, it was a wistful, melodic side of his solo songwriting, embellished with lush orchestral arrangements that felt like completely new territory. On 2020’s warm plate of comfort food Letter to You, it was the live-in-the-studio sound of the E Street Band: a familiar atmosphere that encouraged Springsteen to dig back into his catalog for abandoned songs he had yet to record with his bandmates.

On Only the Strong Survive, as Springsteen tells it, the focus is his voice. In an introductory video, he is practically shouting with excitement about the fruits of this exercise. (“I’m a good old man,” he says, cracking himself up.) You can hear what’s got him so hyped. From a gravelly whisper to a full-throated croon, a giddy roar to an anguished howl, the material allows him to explore the range of his late-career delivery, the same way his Broadway show could swerve between vulnerability and self-effacing humor without losing its narrative thread. There’s a jolt of comic desperation as he bellows “I live with emptiness” to kick off “7 Rooms of Gloom” and a sense of profound tenderness as he tells us it’s “gonna be all right” in “Nightshift.” He makes the nostalgia of “Soul Days” feel like a recollection of his formative years in Asbury Park, while it’s easy to imagine the regret of “I Forgot to Be Your Lover” situated between his own tortured chronicles of couples drifting in and out of each other’s lives.

On a record whose unrelenting brightness veers as close to Vegas as Springsteen has ever allowed himself—even 1992’s Human Touch, another largely upbeat collection with a similar set of influences, feels downright gritty by comparison—these moments of purpose help earn its place in his ongoing winning streak of studio work. It’s got character, and more than that, it’s got energy: Springsteen has never sounded quite so lighthearted, so unburdened, on record. It’s easy to think of a few ways he could have made this music feel more essential to his body of work—say, enlisting his E Street bandmates to help flesh some songs out—but at this stage in his career, he seems more driven by the act of creating itself: lighting a spark and watching as it grows, knowing someone, somewhere, could find a little hope in its light. After all, he reminds us, that’s what these songs provided for him.

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Bruce Springsteen: Only the Strong Survive

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Entertaintment, TV

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of actor, Kevin Conroy. Known for being the beloved voice of Batman in the animated history of the character. Conroy died Thursday, at the age 66 after a short battle with cancer. Being a fighter through and through and still pushed himself until the very end. Conroy was the best iteration of Batman in the history of the DC franchise. With a voice befitting of an intelligent billionaire, detective, and superhero rolled into one.

Kevin Conroy

Courtesy of GT Marmots/PR, Inc.

His Rise to Fame

He was a noted stage, film and television performer and rose to unparalleled voice acting fame as the title character of the landmark series the Batman: The Animated Series  from 1992-1996. He would establish never-to-be-broken records as the quintessential voice of Batman, bringing the super hero to animated life in nearly 60 different productions. Which included 15 films,  highlighted by the acclaimed Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, 15 animated series, spanning nearly 400 episodes and more than 100 hours of television. As well as two dozen video games. Conroy was also featured as a live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event.

Below you will find scenes from the crossover featured as an older Bruce Wayne:

In recent years, Conroy was a notable fixture on the Con circuit, greeting fans with the same warmth, respect and enthusiasm they reserved for him.

Kevin Conroy

Courtesy of Andrea Romano’s Twitter

“Kevin was far more than an actor whom I had the pleasure of casting and directing – he was a dear friend for 30+ years whose kindness and generous spirit knew no boundaries,” said Emmy Award winning casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano. “Kevin’s warm heart, delightfully deep laugh and pure love of life will be with me forever.”

Kevin Conroy

Courtesy of Mark Hamill’s Twitter

“Kevin was perfection,” recalled Mark Hamill, who redefined the Joker playing opposite Conroy’s Batman. “He was one of my favorite people on the planet, and I loved him like a brother. He truly cared for the people around him – his decency shone through everything he did. Every time I saw him or spoke with him, my spirits were elevated.”

His Early Life

Born on November 30, 1955 in Westbury, New York. Raised in Westport, CT, Conroy began establishing himself in the acting community. While under the tutelage of John Houseman at The Julliard School is where he studied alongside the likes of Christopher Reeve, Frances Conroy and his roommate Robin Williams.

He began his career following his love of the theatre, keeping him on stage in both New York and at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. The actor received rave reviews for his starring performances in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Public Theater, Eastern Standard on Broadway, Arthur Miller’s The Last Yankee, and in the title role of Hamlet at the 1984 New York Shakespeare Festival. In addition, he performed in films and television, most notably in the mid-1980s when he had recurring roles on Dynasty, Tour of Duty and Ohara. He had successful runs on soap operas such as Search for Tomorrow and Another World and guest roles on the popular series Cheers, Murphy Brown and Spenser: For Hire and Matlock.

Kevin Conroy

Courtesy of GT Marmots/PR, Inc.

Being Batman

But it was his incomparable, nuanced performance as the voice of Batman that put Conroy on the map and the fans’ radar when Batman: The Animated Series debuted on September 5, 1992. Voicing in the TV series Batman Beyond and Justice League/Justice League Unlimited as the Dark Knight. He also starred in films ranging from Batman: the Killing Joke and Batman: Gotham Knight to Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero and Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman and more than two dozen video games.

“Kevin was a brilliant actor,” Hamill said. “For several generations, he has been the definitive Batman. It was one of those perfect scenarios where they got the exact right guy for the exact right part, and the world was better for it. His rhythms and subtleties, tones and delivery – that all also helped inform my performance. He was the ideal partner – it was such a complementary, creative experience. I couldn’t have done it without him. He will always be my Batman.”

“Kevin brought a light with him everywhere,” said Paul Dini, producer of Batman: The Animated Series, “whether in the recording booth giving it his all, or feeding first responders during 9/11, or making sure every fan who ever waited for him had a moment with their Batman. A hero in every sense of the word. Irreplaceable. Eternal.”

Conroy is survived by his husband Vaughn C. Williams, sister Trisha Conroy, and brother Tom Conroy. Memorial services are currently pending.

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It is with great sadness that we

Movies

The devil works in public relations in “ Spirited,” a new spin on “A Christmas Carol” starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. With songs by “The Greatest Showman” duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, big ensemble dance numbers choreographed by Chloe Arnold and special effects galore, “Spirited” it is a maximalist affair that spares no expense in its heart-on-sleeve efforts to entertain. The sincerity isn’t necessarily a bad thing: If you’re going to make a holiday-themed musical on Apple’s dime, you might as well go all out, right?

You’d also think that if you’re going to make a big movie musical, a genre that it seems every top filmmaker dreams of getting a chance to do, that you wouldn’t feel the need to have someone make a joke about it every time another character is about to burst into song. But that is the paradox of “Spirited,” which wants to be everything to everyone. The most egregious sin, though, is the fact that no one seems entirely sure of how to shoot a big, choreographed dance number effectively. At times, it feels like you’re watching a live show that wasn’t rehearsed with camera movements and cuts beforehand, doing a disservice to the songs, the dancers and sets.

And yet, though “Spirited” comes up short as a musical, it is still pretty enjoyable. Perhaps that’s because it is just so stuffed with everything else: If one part doesn’t totally work, there’s plenty else in the four-quadrant buffet to sample. In addition to the committed leads, there are comedy gems from Christmas Past (Sunita Mani), Christmas Yet-to-Come (Loren Woods with Tracy Morgan’s voice), Pasek and Paul’s easily digestible pop ballads and Octavia Spencer’s lovely singing voice.

Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell and Octavia Spencer launch their musical version of “A Christmas Carol,” as Reynolds admits he is no singing and dancing match for Hugh Jackman. (Nov. 8 / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Ferrell has already written his Christmas movie legacy with “Elf,” which is somehow turning 20 next year. Others might have cashed in after a holiday home run like that, but Ferrell seems to have exercised some discernment before jumping into another seasonal romp. Then Sean Anders, who directed him in “Daddy’s Home” and its sequel, came to him with this idea to re-imagine “A Christmas Carol” from the ghosts’ point of view. He would be the Ghost of Christmas Present, who is one part of a big operation that every year finds Scrooge-y humans to change with their hauntings. “Present” as he’s called, is long due for a retirement which the company’s HR department tries to remind him. (It’s just used for a joke, but it is also a crushingly depressing idea that this heavenly operation for good has HR at all).

But Present still doesn’t feel like his work is done and he sets his sights on Reynolds’ Clint Briggs, a media consultant who has made a fortune peddling hate, controversy, misinformation and outrage for his clients, who range from pop stars and presidents to the National Association of Christmas Tree Growers. We meet him presenting to this latter group in a song-and-dance about bringing back Christmas that’s part Professor Harold Hill singing “Ya Got Trouble,” part Chicago’s Billy Flynn talking about how they both reached for the gun. Reynolds does a good job, too, though he is more of the Rex Harrison “talk on key” school than a classical Broadway guy like his friendly foe Hugh Jackman.

Start your holidays on a high note. Spirited is in theaters Nov. 11 and streaming Nov. 18 on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_Spirited

Clint is going to be a tough case for Present, though, as an “unredeemable.” Because this movie is constantly apologizing for itself, Broadway veteran Patrick Page, as Jacob Marley, while explaining to Clint what’s about to happen says that, yes, it’s “Like the Dickens book, the Bill Murray movie and every other adaptation no one asked for.” But they try anyway with Ferrell playing the wide-eyed innocent to Reynolds’ smarmy schemer — a comedic combo that may be familiar but is also still funny and the two stars seem game for anything.

After a brief theatrical run, “Spirited” will live on Apple TV+ starting on Nov. 18, which is a good thing for families looking for some fun holiday viewing options. Parents will get to sample the PG-13 movie before deciding on who gets to watch and everyone can take a popcorn break over the 2-hour runtime, which even that you’ll forgive because, it’s the holidays and Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds literally singing and dancing for you.

“Spirited,” an Apple TV+ release in theaters Friday and streaming Nov. 18, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for language, some suggestive material and thematic elements. Running time: 127 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

—-

MPA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

—-

Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr.

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The devil works in public relations in

Entertaintment, Film

The Bat signal will burn brighter over the citizens of Gotham City this evening to honor the memory of Kevin Conroy, the beloved actor, writer, and voice of Batman. Diane Pershing announced Conroy’s passing, the voice of the DC character Poison Ivy, and publicist Gary Miereanu confirmed the sad news. Conroy passed after “a short battle with cancer,” according to Miereanu.

You can read Pershing’s heartfelt post about Mr. Conroy below:

More to come…

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The Bat signal will burn brighter over

TV

Today’s trailer roundup includes The Witcher: Blood Origins, HBO Max’s 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and My So-Called High School Rank.

The Witcher: Blood Origin debuts on Netflix December 25. More than a thousand years before the world of The Witcher, seven outcasts in the elven world unite in a blood quest against an unstoppable power. The cast includes Sophia Brown, Laurence O’Fuarain and Michelle Yeoh.

The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will stream on HBO Max and air November 19 at 8 p.m. ET on HBO. This year’s inductees include: Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie and Carly Simon.

My So-Called High School Rank premieres on HBO Max November 29. The documentary chronicles the creation of a musical theater production at Granite Bay High School in Sacramento, CA, inspired by students’ stories of the constant pressures to achieve a top-rank in every part of their lives to get ahead in today’s fierce college admissions process.

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Today’s trailer roundup includes The Witcher: Blood

What to Watch

Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna in the Roku Channel’s ‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.’

Rock and Roll musicians always make interesting subjects for biopics, and often win Oscars like in the case of ‘Ray’ or Bohemian Rhapsody.’

We’ve already seen the release of director Baz Luhrmann‘s ‘Elvis’ earlier this year, and Naomi Ackie will play Whitney Houston in ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody,’ opens in December.

Meanwhile, ‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story‘ premieres on The Roku Channel November 4th and stars Daniel Radcliffe as Yankovic, and Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna.

In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down the top 20 Rock and Roll biopics of all time. Since the term “Rock and Roll” can cover several different genres of music, we are only including movies about musical artists who were known for performing popular music within the rock genre, including jazz, blues, country, rap, etc.

Without further ado, let’s begin!

“Notorious” is the story of Christopher Wallace (Jamal Woolard). Through raw talent and sheer determination, Wallace transforms himself from Brooklyn street hustler (once selling crack to pregnant women) to one of the greatest rappers of all time: The Notorious B.I.G. Follow his meteoric rise to fame and his refusal to succumb to expectations – redefining our notion of “The American Dream.”

Notorious

Notorious

“No dream is too B.I.G.”

69

R2 hr 2 minJan 16th, 2009

Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens (Lou Diamond Phillips) becomes an overnight rock ‘n’ roll success in 1958, thanks to a love ballad called “Donna” that he wrote for his girlfriend. But as his star rises, Valens has conflicts with his jealous brother, Bob (Esai Morales), and becomes haunted by a recurring nightmare of a plane crash just as he begins his first national tour alongside Buddy Holly (Marshall Crenshaw).

La Bamba

La Bamba

“Born into poverty. Destined for stardom. He lived the American dream.”

72

PG-131 hr 48 minJul 24th, 1987

The Dirt

The Dirt

“Their Music Made Them Famous, Their Lives Made Them Infamous”

75

R1 hr 48 minMar 22nd, 2019

Netflix basic with Ads logo
Netflix logo

The drama tells the story of John Lennon‘s (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) teenage years in Liverpool and the start of his journey to becoming a successful musician. The story also examines the impact on his early life and personality of the two dominant females in his childhood.

Nowhere Boy

Nowhere Boy

“As a boy all John Lennon needed was love.”

72

R1 hr 38 minJan 27th, 2010

Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) and Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning ), two rebellious teenagers from Southern California, become the frontwomen for the Runaways — the now-legendary group that paved the way for future generations of female rockers. Under the Svengali-like influence of impresario Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon), the band becomes a huge success.

The Runaways

The Runaways

“It’s 1975 and they’re about to explode.”

65

R1 hr 46 minMar 19th, 2010

20th Century Fox

20th Century Fox

Singer Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek), guitarist Brian May (Gwilym Lee), drummer Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) and bass guitarist John Deacon (Joe Mazzello) take the music world by storm when they form the rock ‘n’ roll band Queen in 1970. Hit songs become instant classics. When Mercury’s increasingly wild lifestyle starts to spiral out of control, Queen soon faces its greatest challenge yet – finding a way to keep the band together amid the success and excess.

Bohemian Rhapsody

An exploration of the life and music of Miles Davis (Don Cheadle).

Miles Ahead

Miles Ahead

“If you gonna tell a story, come with some attitude.”

65

R1 hr 40 minApr 22nd, 2016

A drama based on Jimi Hendrix’s (André 3000) life as he left New York City for London, where his career took off.

Jimi: All Is by My Side

The story of Joy Division’s lead singer Ian Curtis (Sam Riley), from his schoolboy days in 1973 to his suicide on the eve of the band’s first American tour in 1980.

Control

Control

“He had the spirit, but lost the feeling.”

75

R2 hr 1 minOct 10th, 2007

January 1978. After their success in England, the punk rock band Sex Pistols venture out on their tour of the southern United States. Temperamental bassist Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) is forced by his band mates to travel without his troubled girlfriend, Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb), who will meet him in New York. When the band breaks up and Sid begins his solo career in a hostile city, the turbulent couple definitely falls into the depths of drug addiction.

Sid and Nancy

10) Ray (2004)

Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

Born on a sharecropping plantation in Northern Florida, Ray Charles (Jamie Foxx) went blind at seven. Inspired by a fiercely independent mom who insisted he make his own way, He found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered coupling gospel and country together.

Ray

Ray

“The extraordinary life story of Ray Charles.”

74

PG-132 hr 32 minOct 29th, 2004

In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson (Paul Dano and John Cusack) stops touring, produces “Pet Sounds” and begins to lose his grip on reality. By the 1980s, Wilson, under the sway of a controlling therapist, finds a savior in Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks).

Love & Mercy

Love & Mercy

“The Life, Love and Genius of Brian Wilson”

71

PG-132 hrJun 19th, 2015

The story of Elton John’s (Taron Egerton) life, from his years as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his influential and enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell).

Rocketman

Rocketman

“Based on a True Fantasy”

73

R2 hr 1 minMay 31st, 2019

The life story of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) as seen through the complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).

Elvis

Elvis

“The Man. The Legend. The King of Rock & Roll.”

78

PG-132 hr 39 minJun 24th, 2022

Singer Tina Turner (Angela Bassett) rises to stardom while mustering the courage to break free from her abusive husband Ike (Laurence Fishburne).

What's Love Got to Do with It
Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

A chronicle of James Brown’s (Chadwick Boseman) rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.

Get on Up

Get on Up

“The Funk Don’t Quit”

68

PG-132 hr 19 minAug 1st, 2014

A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash’s (Joaquin Phoenix) life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.

Walk the Line

Walk the Line

“Love is a burning thing.”

75

PG-132 hr 16 minNov 18th, 2005

The story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer).

The Doors

The Doors

“The Ultimate Story of Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘N’ Roll”

71

R2 hr 20 minMar 1st, 1991

In 1987, five young men, using brutally honest rhymes and hardcore beats, put their frustration and anger about life in the most dangerous place in America into the most powerful weapon they had: their music. Starring O’Shea Jackson Jr. as O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson, Corey Hawkins as Andre “Dr. Dre” Young, and Jason Mitchell as Eric “Eazy-E” Wright.

Straight Outta Compton
The Weinstein Company

The Weinstein Company

Six actors (Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, and Ben Whishaw) portray six personas of music legend Bob Dylan in scenes depicting various stages of his life, chronicling his rise from unknown folksinger to international icon and revealing how Dylan constantly reinvented himself.

I'm Not There

I’m Not There

“All I Can Do Is Be Me Whoever That Is.”

66

R2 hr 15 minDec 7th, 2007

 

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Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna in the

Awards

Just like that, Manu Cornet’s time at Twitter was over. The prolific cartoonist and software engineer watched his services disconnect and laptop go blank in a meeting on Nov. 1. Less than a half hour later, he learned he was out, an early cut among the 3,700-plus Twitter employees who lost their jobs this month.

Cornet’s time at Twitter was brief but well llustrated. With dozens of cartoons, Cornet depicted the feeling inside as Musk acquired the company. As the person behind some of the tech world’s best-known cartoons — including an all-timer on big tech org charts — Cornet was perfectly placed to document the wild 2022 Twitter experience.

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Just like that, Manu Cornet’s time at Twitter

Music

Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy in House Of The Dragon

Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy in House Of The Dragon
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO

In hindsight, it’s hard to imagine a better time, over the last few years, to be Nielsen than in the fall of 2022. After a decade of fighting tooth and nail to maintain some fleeting relevance in a world where streaming was rapidly coming into dominance, the ratings company finally had both the tech, and the positioning, to try to answer a question it was uniquely suited to answering, and which millions of people cared about: Who won the big ol’ medieval TV fight, huh? House Of The Dragon or Rings Of Power?

Today (per Variety), Nielsen released another piece of that slowly revealing puzzle, showing off the streaming data for both shows from the week of August 15 to October 10, the last week the company currently has data on. (Oh, you know we love that slow-burn drama in prestige TV country; two more weeks, presumably, until the complete picture becomes clear.) And while the data shows that Amazon’s Lord Of The Rings show tended to win any given week in streaming—keeping in mind that House Of The Dragon was splitting its online viewership with folks actually watching it on HBO—there’s also an interesting trend that develops over several weeks. Namely, that streaming viewership of Rings Of Power fell off pretty strongly after its first two weeks of availability, while viewers for House Of The Dragon tended to go up.

Admittedly, both series only had those individual directions to go in; House Of The Dragon had a slow start on streaming, before picking up momentum as it headed toward its finale. Rings Of Power, meanwhile, had a huge surge with the release of its first two episodes, then a pretty major drop off. Even then, it picked up again as its own end-point got closer; a chart of the comparative performances looks like a trough for Rings, vs. a rising slope for House.

Does that mean the Game Of Thrones spinoff handled its middle chapters better, while Rings got lost among the Harfoots? Did viewers get drawn back in by the Tolkien adaptation’s gestures toward forthcoming plot reveals, luring them back ahead of the finale? Is there a correlation between ratings and how shitty Paddy Considine looks in any given episode of TV? These are the answers only Nielsen can give. Nielsen has all the power, now.

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Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy in House

Docs

November 10, 2022 · 3:02 PM

Coming to Netflix tomorrow, Friday, November 11:
IS THAT BLACK ENOUGH FOR YOU?!?

Director:
Elvis Mitchell

World Premiere:
New York Film Festival 2022

Select Festivals:
Montclair, AFI Fest, Indie Memphis

About:
A definitive narrative of the Black revolution in 1970s cinema, from genre films to social realism.

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November 10, 2022 · 3:02 PM Coming to

Global

Worker falls into vat of 720C molten aluminium at Swiss factory but survives after managing to fight the pain and pull himself out

  • A worker miraculously survived after he fell into a vat of molten aluminium 
  • The 25-year-old electrician fell into a furnace filled with 720C molten metal
  • He was working on Wednesday at factory in St Gallen, north-eastern Switzerland
  • Man was treated at the scene then helicoptered to hospital with extensive burns
  • **Do you know the man? Email chris.matthews@mailonline.co.uk** 

By Chris Matthews For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

A worker miraculously survived after he fell into a vat of molten aluminium at a factory but managed to pull himself to safety.

The 25-year-old electrician fell into a furnace filled with 720C (1,328F) molten aluminium while he was working at the factory in St Gallen, north-eastern Switzerland.

The young man was immersed in the molten metal up to his knees but managed to brave the pain and pull himself out of the furnace.

A 25-year-old electrician survived falling into this furnace in Switzerland filled with molten 720C aluminium

The accident happened in St Gallen City, north-eastern Switzerland. The city's police said it was investigating how it happened

The accident happened in St Gallen City, north-eastern Switzerland. The city’s police said it was investigating how it happened

He had been carrying out work with a colleague on the furnace holding the aluminum on Wednesday evening.

The man fell into a circular opening at the top of the furnace. 

Two emergency Swiss air rescue doctors and paramedics looked after him at the factory.

He was then helicoptered to hospital with extensive burns.

St Gallen City Police are investigating how the accident happened.

It’s not the first time an accident has happened in a factory. 

Earlier this year a packaging company pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations after a grandfather picked up his own severed hand after it was chopped off in an industrial accident – and carried it for doctors to save.

Christopher Wright, 59, had the limb packed in a bag to be taken to hospital with him, where it was reattached in an 11-hour operation.

Christopher Wright, 59, (pictured with wife Elaine) lost his hand in an industrial accident when he was dragged into a machine he was operating and his employer has now been fined £115k

Christopher Wright, 59, (pictured with wife Elaine) lost his hand in an industrial accident when he was dragged into a machine he was operating and his employer has now been fined £115k

Mr Wright was taken to hospital where his hand was reattached in an 11-hour operation

Mr Wright was taken to hospital where his hand was reattached in an 11-hour operation

His hand horror was revealed as his employers were fined £115,000 after being found to be in breach of health and safety laws.

Despite having the hand reattached, Christopher has been left with lifelong pain – and struggles to cuddle his granddaughter.

Engineer Christopher was working at a packaging factory when his hand was pulled inside a machine.

Christopher was working for Riftward Limited, trading as Playford Packaging, in Wrexham when the accident happened two years ago.

In the same year, a young woman was left with permanent injuries after her right arm was dragged into a rolling machine at a salt factory.

Courtney Herbert, 18, was left in agonising pain after her arm was trapped in the machinery at the Pacific Salt factory in Whyalla, South Australia, on April 17, 2020.

Courtney Herbert was left in agonising pain after her arm was trapped in the machinery

Courtney Herbert was left in agonising pain after her arm was trapped in the machinery

The incident was more than two years ago but she still regularly has bouts of pain from the incident

The incident was more than two years ago but she still regularly has bouts of pain from the incident 

Ms Herbert was taken to hospital to receive surgery and left with damage to her tendons. 

Pacific Salt, which is the producer behind the famous Olsson’s Salt, was taken to the South Australian Employment Tribunal following the incident and pleaded guilty to breaching the Work Health and Safety Act.

She had been brushing excess salt from a conveyor belt when her shirt became caught, dragging her arm into the roller.

Court documents revealed the desperate measures Ms Herbert’s colleagues resorted to with one grabbing a nearby spanner to release the tension of the roller so she could pull her arm out. 

Another worker frantically turned off the machine to stop the conveyor belt crushing her arm.

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British network ITV has ordered Changing Ends, an autobiographical scripted comedy based on stand-up and presenter Alan Carr’s life.

Gavin & Stacey and Alan Partridge producer Baby Cow Productions is making the six-part comedy, which Carr is co-writing with Simon Carlyle (Two Doors Down). It will follow Carr’s life in Northampton, England in the 1980s, growing up as the son of a fourth division football manager.

Carr will star as himself in the present day, with Oliver Save (Belfast) taking on the role of a younger Alan. Further casting will follow closer to the show’s broadcast.

ITV said the series would be “told with warmth and wit” and would be more “than just a trip down memory lane, it’s a love letter to a time and a town where things weren’t always so inclusive.” Carr, who is known for his talk show Alan Carr: Chatty Man and his stand-up comedy, has often talked about growing up gay in the East Midlands, living at home with his former footballer father.

Carr and Carlyle are executive producers along and Simon Carlyle. The director is Dave Lambert. The Exec producers are Baby Cow’s Sarah Monteith and Rupert Majendie and Danny Julian.

For Baby Cow, the series comes after it earlier this year launch Channel 4 comedy-drama Chivalry and debuted co-founder Steve Coogan’s live show Alan Partridge Live: Stratagem, which we revealed would be streaming on Prime Video in several international territories.

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British network ITV has ordered Changing Ends,

Tech

Major layoffs are hitting Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms Inc. as the company says it will lay off about 11,000 employees, or about 13 percent of its global workforce.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the decision in an email to staff Wednesday morning.

“Today I’m sharing some of the most difficult changes we’ve made in Meta’s history,” Zuckerberg wrote. “I’ve decided to reduce the size of our team by about 13% and let more than 11,000 of our talented employees go. We are also taking a number of additional steps to become a leaner and more efficient company by cutting discretionary spending and extending our hiring freeze through Q1.”

The Facebook boss said that he wants “to take accountability” for the shift, and he went on to explain the rationale for the cuts, citing a misreading of COVID-induced digital trends, macroeconomic concerns, and Apple’s move to cut off user data from third parties.

“At the start of COVID, the world rapidly moved online and the surge of e-commerce led to outsized revenue growth. Many people predicted this would be a permanent acceleration that would continue even after the pandemic ended. I did too, so I made the decision to significantly increase our investments,” Zuckerberg wrote. “Unfortunately, this did not play out the way I expected. Not only has online commerce returned to prior trends, but the macroeconomic downturn, increased competition, and ads signal loss have caused our revenue to be much lower than I’d expected. I got this wrong, and I take responsibility for that.”

Zuckerberg added that the company is slashing its employee base and implementing the freeze because it wants to operate more efficiently, focusing investment on a small number of core areas and reducing costs elsewhere, like in its real estate footprint, perks, and, yes, employee base.

In a securities filing Wednesday, the company said that its 2022 expense outlook of $85 billion-$87 billion remains unchanged and includes the costs associated with the restructuring. It added that the company continues “to refine our 2023 expense budget and now expect 2023 total expenses to be in the range of $94 billion-$100 billion, lowered from $96 billion-$101 billion previously.”

“The updated range reflects our plan to add fewer employees in 2023 than we previously expected as we are significantly slowing our hiring trajectory through the beginning of 2023,” the filing continues.

To that end, Zuckerberg said in his memo that recruiting will be impacted particularly hard by Wednesday’s layoffs “will be disproportionately affected “since we’re planning to hire fewer people next year. We’re also restructuring our business teams more substantially.”

The filing also says that losses in Meta’s Reality Labs division (the unit that focuses on the metaverse) will “grow significantly” in 2023.

The major cuts at Meta follow similar cuts at Twitter, which slashed thousands of employees after Elon Musk completed his acquisition of the platform, and at Snap, which cut 20 percent of its staff and also refocused on a few core areas earlier this fall.

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Major layoffs are hitting Facebook and Instagram

Video

“Once I got into the business, I realized how much I loved telling stories through the art of costume design,” says The Woman King costume designer Gersha Phillips. “It was really interesting how much you can tell about a character and how important the costume design is for the production and for the storytelling.”

The Woman King, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, tells the story of the Agojie warriors in the Kingdom of Dahomey. Inspired by true events in the 1820s, the film stars Viola Davis as Nanisca, the leader of the all-female unit of warriors known as the Agojie, as she trains the next generation of recruits and prepares for battle against an invading army.

Having assisted costume designer Ruth Carter on her research for the female warriors in Black Panther, the Dora Milaje, Phillips was excited to work on the project depicting their real life inspiration. “It was nice to go on the journey and actually figure out just how many other amazing women warriors there were from Africa,” she says.

Phillips says one of the most important aspects of the costume design was to create an accurate representation of the outfits worn by the real Agojie. “At the beginning I thought I was going to make all my fabric and print it all ourselves, which was impossible,” she says. Using African artisans, like a block printer in Gambia and weavers from Northern Ghana, she was able to keep the costuming as historically accurate as possible. “They used the resist dye method,” she says, “and used indigo a lot so we tried to replicate that.”

Certain aspects of the costumes were designed to differentiate rank between the warriors, which Phillips was able to do by basing everything off of Nanisca. “The thing we would do to elevate her was to just add more things,” she says. “She had her own private set of jewelry, custom made by our team, and her belts and accessories would always have grass on it, which is something that would show rank.” The rest of the warriors had less accessories, but Phillips and her team had each actress choose their own symbols for their wristbands and belts. “Some were Dahomey specifically, and some were West African.”

Click the video above to watch the full discussion.

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“Once I got into the business, I

Entertaintment

Carrying his legacy. After Chadwick Boseman‘s 2020 death, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler decided that his Marvel character would also die and a new Black Panther would be born in Wakanda Forever. (WARNING: Spoilers ahead.)

“You consider everything, when something like that happens, it’s like ‘I don’t think I can come back and make another one, I don’t think I can do this. I don’t think there should be another one.’ You go through all of the extremes,” Coogler said on the November 4 episode of “Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast.”

The director considered recasting T’Challa briefly, but he knew it would be unfair to any actor joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe and having to follow Boseman, who died of colon cancer at age 43 in August 2020.


Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri, at the ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ premiere. John Salangsang/Shutterstock

“For somebody else to be him, for us in the world that we created, we wouldn’t have believed it. No matter how good the actor was, it would’ve been lacking the necessary truth for us to do a good job,” he explained.

Thus, it was decided that T’Challa would die offscreen in very similar way to Boseman. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, audiences learn that the king didn’t tell his family he was terminally ill until it was too late. His sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright) was in the lab trying to recreate the heart-shaped herb, which gave him the superhuman powers of the Black Panther in the 2018 film. However, she didn’t have enough time to figure out the right chemical composition and her brother died.

T’Challa’s younger sister is the true star of the film. “Where we started was this idea of who would be the most affected by his loss,” Coogler told Variety in the Wednesday, November 9, cover story. “Shuri had never known a day without him. He’d always been there, so she would be the most unmoored by him passing away.”

She isn’t just the leading lady — Shuri is the new Black Panther. However, it took the scientist a little while to accept that she was meant to take over her brother’s mantle.

T'Challa and Shuri in 2018's 'Black Panther'
Marvel/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock

After T’Challa’s funeral, the film skipped ahead one year. Shuri still refused to acknowledge her grief. She was determined to break tradition, refusing to become the Black Panther. She wasn’t even sure she believed in all of Wakanda’s spiritual tales about the ancestors and the afterlife.

Her beliefs were tested when her mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) was killed by Namor (Tenoch Huerta). Overwhelmed by grief and determined to avenge her mom’s death, Shuri went back to recreating the heart-shaped herb and finally makes it work. She refused to be buried in sand as is traditional, instead opting to stay in the lab just in case she needed a defibrillator. She allowed Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) to make the mixture and keep watch over her as she went through the transformation.

After drinking the purple liquid, she passed out and went to see the ancestors. This was where T’Challa visited his late father in the 2018 film. Shuri believed she’d see her mother — but Ramonda wasn’t the last one to take the herb. That was Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), who makes a surprise appearance to test the new hero. She wanted to avenge her loved ones, much like him. Was she just like the villain?

Shuri came out of her dream-like state shaken and angry, believing the herb didn’t work. When she lashed out and pushed over a mannequin, it went flying with strength far beyond what she expected. She is the Black Panther now.

She built a new suit and led the Wakandans into battle at sea with Namor and his people. Shuri wrangled Namor away from water and into a desert to dry out the villain, who lives in the ocean. However, while flashing back to Killmonger’s confrontation, she also remembered her mother telling her to show the world who she really is. She decided not to kill Namor, instead showing him mercy and allowing him to yield.

It seemed like Shuri was the only one left to become the Black Panther, but the end of the movie revealed that she has another living family member — T’Challa’s son.

He and Nakia had a child in secret, and he is the reason the spy has stayed in Haiti since Thanos’ attack. Nakia didn’t want to raise him in the spotlight of the royal Wakandan family. The little boy is called Toussaint in Haiti, but he revealed a secret to Shuri: His real name is Prince T’Challa, son of King T’Challa of Wakanda.

Shuri didn’t seem angry that she was left in the dark (even Ramonda knew of the child before her death). Instead, she seemed overjoyed that her brother’s legacy would live on.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in theaters now.

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Carrying his legacy. After Chadwick Boseman‘s 2020

Film

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Star Tenoch Huerta on Introducing Namor to the MCU (Exclusive) | Entertainment Tonight

































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TV

Dave Chappelle will indeed be delivering live comedy this weekend on Saturday Night Live, regardless of the news cycle.

This Saturday’s episode of the long-running NBC comedy series marks the comedian’s third time hosting. On Thursday, SNL released promos touting Chappelle’s appearance, including one clip that appeared to poke fun at the social media backlash surrounding the recent announcement of his return.

After Chappelle announces that he is hosting with musical guest Black Star, castmember Ego Nwodim is seemingly confused and asks, “Wait, we’re doing it live?” When Chappelle confirms that they are, she responds, “With you?”

Chappelle responds, “Obviously,” leading Nwodim to fire back, “In this news cycle?” Upon the Chappelle Show star’s confirmation, Nwodim pointedly responds, “Interesting.”

In a different spot, Chappelle quips that he will be hosting “in an episode that’s so Black, it’s gonna be on BET.”

Chappelle’s selection spurred criticism in light of his controversial jokes centered on the transgender community from his 2021 Netflix special The Closer. The New York Post reported this week that some SNL staff writers have chosen to sit out the episode, citing an unnamed source, although the comedian’s representative told the outlet that there has been “no evidence of a boycott.”

It was widely reported that SNL writer Celeste Yim, who uses they/them pronouns, had recently posted a message to their Instagram stories that seemingly referenced Chappelle’s planned appearance. “I’m trans and non-binary. Transphobia is murder and it should be condemned,” read Yim’s message, according to a screenshot shared to Reddit.

All three of Chappelle’s SNL hosting appearances will have aired less than a week after a national election, with his most recent taking place Nov. 7, 2020.

Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. on NBC.

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Dave Chappelle will indeed be delivering live

What to Watch

The beauty of Octavia Butler’s Kindred is how the novel frames empathy and care for others as forces powerful enough to move people through space and time. But the first trailer for FX’s upcoming series based on the book makes it seem like this take on Kindred’s going to be much more focused on scaring viewers with the horrors of time-traveling while Black.

Kindred tells the story of writer Dana (Mallori Johnson) and her partner Kevin (Micah Stock), an interracial couple, after she’s just moved into a new home in Los Angeles. While both Kevin and Dana are excited to begin the next chapter of their lives together in a new city, the unshakable unease Dana feels as she tries to settle in LA soon reveals itself to be much more than just a feeling. In Butler’s book, Dana realizes that she’s somehow being pulled back and forth through time and space from her present in LA to an antebellum plantation, and in the trailer, that realization’s something that prompts Dana to question whether she’s losing her mind.

The trailer works not to give too much of the show’s premise away, but those familiar with the book will recognize the brief shots of slave owner Thomas Weylin (Ryan Kwanten) and his son Rufus (David Alexander Kaplan) and understand how their stories are part of what’s pulling Dana back in time. It’s interesting to see how much emphasis showrunner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins has put on the psychological horror elements of FX’s Kindred. But what remains to be seen ahead of the adaptation’s December 13th premiere on FX on Hulu is how its story might enhance or deepen Butler’s work, something that’s much easier said than done.

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The beauty of Octavia Butler’s Kindred is

Awards

Fire of Love and The Territory landed a field-leading seven mentions, including best feature, in the Cinema Eye Honors nominations, which were announced Thursday.

The CEH organization, which celebrates nonfiction work on screens big and small, also nominated All That Breathes (six noms), All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (four noms), Navalny (three noms) and A Night of Knowing Nothing (four noms) for its top honor.

Meanwhile, in the directing category, an unprecedented five of the six nominees are women: Laura Poitras (All the Beauty and the Bloodshed), Rebecca Huntt (Beba), Margaret Brown (Descendant), Sara Dosa (Fire of Love) and Payal Kapadia (A Night of Knowing Nothing). The sixth nominee is Shaunak Sen (All That Breathes).

Poitras, with her noms for feature and direction, ties Steve James for the most CEH noms of all time, with 13.

Alex Pritz has the most individual noms this year, with five for The Territory.

HBO leads all distributors with 16 noms, while Hulu has 12 and both Nat Geo and Neon have 11.

The 16th annual Cinema Eye Honors Awards ceremony will be held Jan. 12 at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria.

A full list of nominees follows.

Outstanding Nonfiction Feature

All That Breathes

Directed and Produced by Shaunak Sen

Produced by Aman Mann and Teddy Leifer

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Directed and Produced by Laura Poitras

Produced by Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Nan Goldin and Yoni Golijov

Fire of Love

Directed and Produced by Sara Dosa

Produced by Shane Boris and Ina Fichman

Navalny

Directed by Daniel Roher

Produced by Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris

A Night of Knowing Nothing

Directed by Payal Kapadia

Produced by Thomas Hakim, Julien Graff and Ranabir Das

The Territory

Directed and Produced by Alex Pritz

Produced by Darren Aronofsky, Gabriel Uchida, Sigrid Dyekjær, Lizzie Gillett and Will N. Miller

Outstanding Direction

All That Breathes

Shaunak Sen

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Laura Poitras

Beba

Rebeca Huntt

Descendant

Margaret Brown

Fire of Love

Sara Dosa

A Night of Knowing Nothing

Payal Kapadia

Outstanding Editing

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Amy Foote, Joe Bini and Brian A. Kates

Fire of Love

Erin Casper and Jocelyne Chaput

Moonage Daydream

Brett Morgen

Riotsville, USA

Nels Bangerter

Three Minutes: A Lengthening

Katharina Wartena

Outstanding Production

All That Breathes

Aman Mann, Shaunak Sen and Teddy Leifer

A House Made of Splinters

Monica Hellström

In Her Hands

Juan Camilo Cruz and Jonathan Schaerf

Navalny

Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris

The Territory

Alex Pritz, Darren Aronofsky, Gabriel Uchida, Sigrid Dyekjær, Lizzie Gillett and Will N. Miller

Outstanding Cinematography

All That Breathes

Ben Bernhard

Cow

Magda Kowalczyk

A House Made of Splinters

Simon Lereng Wilmont

A Night of Knowing Nothing

Ranabir Das

The Territory

Alex Pritz and Tangãi Uru-eu-wau-wau

Users

Bennett Cerf

Outstanding Original Score

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Soundwalk Collective

Descendant

Ray Angry and Rhiannon Giddens/Dirk Powell

Fire of Love

Nicolas Godin

Nothing Compares

Linda Buckley and Irene Buckley

The Territory

Katya Mihailova

Users

Dave Cerf

Outstanding Sound Design

All That Breathes

Niladri Shekhar Roy, Sound Designer, and Susmit “Bob” Nath, Sound Design Consultant

Fire of Love

Patrice LeBlanc, Sound Designer, and Gavin Fernandes, Re-recording Mixer

I Didn’t See You There

Tom Paul, Lead Sound Designer & Re-recording Mixer, and Andrés E. Marthe González, Supervising Sound Editor

Moonage Daydream

Samir Foco, John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone, Sound Designers

The Territory

Rune Klausen and Peter Albrechtsen, Sound Designers

Outstanding Visual Design

Dear Mr. Brody

Gary Walker, Visual Effects; John Mark Lapham, Collages; Sam Klatt, Graphics & Compositing

Fire of Love

Lucy Munger, Animation; Kara Blake, Graphic Artist; and Rui Ting Ji, Hand-drawn animation & Illustrations

Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues

Hectah Arias, Animation and Graphics

Moonage Daydream

Stefan Nadelman, Animation

My Old School

Rory Lowe, Animation Director, and Scott Morriss, Lead Animator

Outstanding Debut

Bad Axe

Directed by David Siev

Beba

Directed by Rebeca Huntt

I Didn’t See You There

Directed by Reid Davenport

A Night of Knowing Nothing

Directed by Payal Kapadia

Nothing Compares

Directed by Kathryn Ferguson

The Territory

Directed by Alex Pritz

Outstanding Nonfiction Short

In Flow of Words

Directed by Eliane Esther Bots

Last Days of August

Directed by Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck and Robert Machoian

Long Line of Ladies

Directed by Rayka Zehtabchi and Shaandiin Tome

The Martha Mitchell Effect

Directed by Anne Alvergue and Debra McClutchy

Nuisance Bear

Directed by Jack Weisman and Gabriela Osio Vanden

Shut Up and Paint

Directed by Alex Mallis and Titus Kaphar

Audience Choice Prize

All That Breathes

Directed by Shaunak Sen

The Balcony Movie

Directed by Paweł Łoziński

Fire of Love

Directed a by Sara Dosa

Last Flight Home

Directed by Ondi Timoner

Mija

Directed by Isabel Castro

My Old School

Directed by Jono McLeod

Navalny

Directed by Daniel Roher

Nothing Compares

Directed by Kathryn Ferguson

Sr.

Directed by Chris Smith

The Territory

Directed by Alex Pritz

Spotlight

After Sherman

Directed by Jon-SesrieGoff

Brotherhood

Directed by Francesco Montagner

Hidden Letters

Directed by Violet Du Feng and Zhao Qing

Into the Ice

Directed by Lars Henrik Ostenfeld

Master of Light

Directed by Rosa Ruth Boesten

Heterodox

Aftersun

Directed by Charlotte Wells

Dry Ground Burning

Directed by Joana Pimenta and Adirley Queirós

Dos Estaciones

Directed by Juan Pablo González

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp

The Rehearsal (Season One)

Directed by Nathan Fielder

The Unforgettables (Non-Competitive Honor)

All That Breathes

Mohammad Saud and Nadeem Shehzad

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Nan Goldin

Bad Axe

Chun Siev

Beba

Rebeca Huntt

Fire of Love

Katia and Maurice Krafft

Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down

Gabby Giffords

I Didn’t See You There

Reid Davenport

In Her Hands

Zarifa Ghafari

Last Flight Home

Eli Timoner

Mija

Doris Muñoz

My Old School

Brandon Lee

Navalny

Alexei Navalny

Nothing Compares

Sinead O’Connor

Sr.

Robert Downey Sr.

The Territory

Bitaté Uru-eu-wau-wau and Neidinha Bandeira

The following were previously announced on Oct. 20 during the annual Cinema Eye Fall Lunch in Los Angeles.

Broadcast Film Nominees

Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes

Directed by James Jones | HBO Documentary Films/HBO Max

Downfall: The Case Against Boeing

Directed by Rory Kennedy | Netflix

Four Hours at the Capitol

Directed by Jamie Roberts | HBO Documentary Films/HBO Max

George Carlin’s American Dream

Directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio | HBO Documentary Films/HBO Max

Playing With Sharks

Directed by Sally Aitken | Disney+

Nonfiction Series Nominees

The Beatles: Get Back

Directed by Peter Jackson | Disney+

Black and Missing

Directed by Geeta Gandbhir and Samantha Knowles | HBO Documentary Films/HBO Max

Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey

Directed by Rachel Dretzin | Netflix

LuLaRich

Directed by Julia Willoughby Nason and Jenner Furst | Amazon Studios

Mind Over Murder

Directed by Nanfu Wang | HBO Documentary Films/HBO Max

We Need to Talk About Cosby

Directed by W. Kamau Bell | Showtime

Anthology Series Nominees

How To with John Wilson (Season Two)

Nathan Fielder, Michael Koman, Clark Reinking and John Wilson, Executive Producers | HBO

Origins of Hip Hop

Peter Bittenbender, Mark Grande, Slane Hatch; Supervising Producers: Amira Lewally and Phoenix Skye Maulella, Executive Producers | A&E

Prehistoric Planet

Jon Favreau and Michael Gunton, Executive Producers; Tim Walker, Series Producer | Apple TV+

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (Season Two)

Tom Barry, Adam Hawkins, Eve Kay and Stanley Tucci, Executive Producers; Robin O’Sullivan, Series Producer | CNN

Women Who Rock

Jessica Hopper, Rachel Brill, John Varvatos, Derik Murray and Jesse James Miller, Executive Producers | EPIX

The World According to Jeff Goldblum (Season Two)

Jeff Goldblum, Jane Root, Sara Brailsford, Keith Addis and Arif Nurmohamed, Executive Producers, Ben Jessop, Series Producer | Disney+

Broadcast Editing Nominees

37 Words

Jessica Congdon and Dave Marcus | ESPN

The Beatles: Get Back

Jabez Olssen | Disney+

Four Hours at the Capitol

Will Grayburn | HBO Documentary Films/HBO Max

How to Survive a Pandemic

Adam Evans and Tyler H. Walk | HBO Documentary Films/HBO Max

How To with John Wilson (Season Two)

Adam Locke-Norton | HBO

We Need to Talk About Cosby

Meg Ramsay | Showtime

Broadcast Cinematography Nominees

Four Hours at the Capitol

Jamie Roberts | HBO Documentary Films/HBO Max

jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy

Coodie Simmons and Danny “DNA” Sorge | Netflix

Playing With Sharks

Michael Taylor, Judd Overton, Nathan Barlow and Toby Ralph | Disney+

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (Season Two)

Andrew Muggleton | CNN

Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Come Off

Sam Jones and Jesse Green | HBO Documentary Films/HBO Max

Legacy Award

Crumb

Directed by Terry Zwigoff

Produced by Lynn O’Donnell and Terry Zwigoff

Edited by Victor Livingston

Cinematography by Maryse Alberti

Music by David Beddinghaus

Sound by Scott Breindell

Shorts List Films

Anastasia
Directed by Sarah McCarthy                                                                                                     

The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone
Directed by Maya Newell                                                                                  

The Joys and Sorrows of Young Yuguo
Directed by Ilinca Călugăreanu

Keys to the City
Directed by Ian Moubayed

Audience Choice Long List Films

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
Directed by Laura Poitras                                                                                             

Good Night Oppy
Directed by Ryan White                                                                        

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song
Directed by Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfire

In Her Hands
Directed by Tamana Ayazi and Marcel Mettelsiefen

Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues

Directed by Sacha Jenkins

Moonage Daydream

Directed by Brett Morgen

Nominations by Film

*denotes the film is also recognized in the non-competitive Unforgettables category

7

Fire of Love*

The Territory*

6

All That Breathes*

4

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed*

A Night of Knowing Nothing

3

Four Hours at the Capitol

Moonage Daydream

Navalny*

Nothing Compares*

2

The Beatles: Get Back

Beba*

Descendant

A House Made of Splinters

How To with John Wilson (Season Two)

I Didn’t See You There*

My Old School*

Playing With Sharks

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (Season Two)

Users

We Need to Talk About Cosby

1

37 Words

After Sherman

Aftersun

Bad Axe*

The Balcony Movie

Brotherhood

Black and Missing

Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes

Cow

Crumb

Dear Mr. Brody

Downfall: The Case Against Boeing

Dry Ground Burning

Dos Estaciones

George Carlin’s American Dream

Hidden Letters

How to Survive a Pandemic

In Flow of Words

In Her Hands*

Into the Ice

jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy

Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey

Last Days of August

Last Flight Home*

Long Line of Ladies

Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues

LuLaRich

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

The Martha Mitchell Effect

Master of Light

Mija*

Mind Over Murder

Nuisance Bear

Origins of Hip Hop

Prehistoric Planet

The Rehearsal (Season One)

Riotsville USA

Shut Up and Paint

Sr.*

Three Minutes: A Lengthening

Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Come Off

Women Who Rock

The World According to Jeff Goldblum (Season Two)

Recognized in Unforgettables category

Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down*

Nominations by Distributor

Note: Number of Nominations does include Unforgettables

30

HBO

17

National Geographic Documentary Films

16

Neon

8

Netflix

7

Participant

Picturehouse

6

Disney+

Sideshow

5

Cinema Guild

CNN

Showtime

3

Film Collaborative

Magnolia Pictures

Warner Bros. Pictures

2

A24

Apple TV+

Cinephil

Hulu

Icarus Films

IFC Films

Independent Lens

The New Yorker

POV

1

A&E

Amazon Studios

Cargo

EPIX

ESPN

Grasshopper Films

Greenwich Entertainment

MTV Documentary Films

New York Times

Sony Pictures Classics

Super LTD

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Fire of Love and The Territory landed

Music

Rauw Alejandro has been known to spin off in unexpected directions. The Puerto Rican star, recognized for his quick-footed, anti-gravity choreography, has danced his way through a dizzying mix of genres: Risque, racy raps on his two-part EP Trap Cake, thudding old-school reggaeton on Afrodisiaco. Last year’s Vice Versa was his biggest triumph yet, a sharp sophomore effort that somersaulted between pop, drum ‘n’ bass, and Brazilian funke while delivering the mammoth hit “Todo De Ti,” which is nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year at this year’s Latin Grammy Awards. Such success left his rabid base of screaming fans wondering one thing: Where would Rauw go next?

The answer, it turns out, is another planet. His third album Saturno is a transmission from some brave new world in outer space, built on silvery synths, slick dancefloors, and Eighties and Nineties techno glitter. It’s not totally unexplored territory: The album fits into pop’s post-pandemic fascination with euphoric club sounds, roving in the same universe as The Weeknd’s Dawn FM and Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia. But Rauw has found a spot in the cosmos that’s distinctly his, shaping Saturno into an electro-lit, nocturnal haven that also runs on reggaeton. Rauw picks up influences from across Puerto Rico, and adds leftover pop stardust from “Todo De Ti,” rocketing listeners into the expanses of his imagination. 

The main strength of Saturno is that it shows just how adept Rauw is at world-building. Little skits and interludes, such as “Rauleeto,” made up of voicemails from Rauw’s friends wondering where he’s gone, shape a neat plotline about the artist getting lost in some unknown galaxy. The album’s aesthetic identity is full of edgy blue aliens, cyberpunk suits, and pearly spacecrafts. He’s good at piecing sonic moods and colors into cohesive concepts, maximizing sleek visuals, intricate choreography, and deep-rooted references to bring stories alive. One of the best examples might be “Punto 40,” a revival of a Nineties hit by Puerto Rican duo Baby Rasta Y Gringo. Rauw actually brings Baby Rasta onboard for a verse, and also pulls in the track’s original producer, the legendary DJ Playero, who makes cameos elsewhere on Saturno. It’s reggaeton futurism that acknowledges the music’s history; it’s also a nod to how reggaeton and electronic genres have been in conversation with one another for decades. On the slippery standout “Cazadores,” Rauw tips his hat to the rapper Arcangel and his style of perreo galactico, a nickname for spacey, 2000s-era reggaeton.

The allure of electronic sounds has only gotten stronger over the last few years, with artists from Bad Bunny to Farruko stretching the possibilities of EDM inspiration. Rauw himself has carved out different avenues into such styles in the past, first powering the 2020 track “Química” with voltaic house production from DJs the Martinez Brothers and experimenting with drum ‘n’ bass fireworks on last year’s standout “¿Cuándo Fue?” Saturno is a little smoother, feeling like a more refined version of something he’s been after for a while. Songs such as “Dime Quien???” and “No Me Sueltes” are kinetic, purposeful, and confident in their pop direction; if anyone is worried that it’s all too glossy for the scene he inhabits, Rauw doesn’t seem to care. Just in case, though, he gets Playero back for “Dejau,” a quick reminder that these kinds of experiments often expand rather than dilute what we hear in the genre.

Rauw, who co-produced the album with frequent collaborators like Mr. NaisGai and Tainy, constantly finds new avenues into his music: He’s joined by a harem of female voices — and a Susana Estrada sample — on “Mas De Una Vez,” and incorporates explosive techno breaks on  “Verde Menta.” His tendency to be self-referential feels playful, rather than repetitive, as he riffs on past releases and sounds that have surrounded him (the catchy “Corazon Despeinado” starts with the line “Chica, que dices?,” borrowed from his girlfriend Rosalia’s “Saoko”). But if there’s one part of the album that feels airless, it’s the lyrical composition. Rauw has been playing the come-hither lothario for so long that it can border on cringe, like on “Que Rico Ch**ngamos.” The song works when its understood as an extension of its his overtly sexual “2/Catorce;” on its own, it feels flat. For someone bursting with concepts and audiovisual ideas, there’s so much more thematically for him to try.

“De Carolina,” another Playero special, is far more dynamic, with the lyrics stretching beyond his standard fare and paying homage to his home. It would serve as a worthy introduction to any extraterrestrial beings ready to party on Saturn; back home, the thrilling, bass-heavy mash-up of influences makes it exciting to guess where Rauw’s sonic wayfaring might take him in the future.

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Rauw Alejandro has been known to spin

Docs

Prior to the advent of streaming, documentaries had a reputation for being, as Jerry Seinfeld put it at the 2007 Oscars, “incredibly depressing.”

Politics, the environment, warfare, and the farming industry were all topics routinely explored by documentary filmmakers for several decades. But Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Apple, and Disney have effectively altered the nonfiction landscape by seeking out documentaries that have mass appeal, which has in turn helped them build their respective audiences. Netflix has a knack for determining what will appeal to viewers. “Tiger King,” “The Last Dance” and “The Tinder Swindler” were all released on the streaming service.

Given the ongoing worldwide pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, America’s school shooting crisis, the yearly uptick in extreme weather events, it’s not exactly a surprise that viewers are attracted to nonfiction content that isn’t didactic. It makes sense that factual features and series about celebrities, sports, and music are all the rage. Ironically so are true crime documentaries focused on serial murderers, fraudsters and crypto criminals.

Recent examples of docus absent of political and eco-related issues include Peter Jackson’s “The Beatles: Get Back,” Ryan White’s “Good Night Oppy” and Amanda Micheli’s “Halftime.”

“Anytime there’s been either a war or some form of depression or recession, people turn to Hollywood for entertainment,” says Imagine Documentaries co-head Justin Wilkes. “Because docs have become so mainstream over the last number of years, it only makes sense that people are looking to docs to be entertained or uplifted and feel better
about themselves.”

Veteran documentary filmmaker Dawn Porter (“John Lewis: Good Trouble,” “Trapped”) has spent the past several years making films about various urgent issues including mental health, abortion and politics, but in 2020 the helmer decided she wanted a break.  

“I, like many doc filmmakers, am a news addict, but I found myself needing to watch something else,” Porter says. “I needed to not have this constant terror about my fellow Americans being willing to descend into fascism.”

Not only did Porter want to watch upbeat content, but she also wanted to work on a project that was lighthearted. So, two years ago, she began filming MGM’s “Cirque Du Soleil: Without a Net,” a doc that chronicles the circus company’s move to reboot its flagship production, “O,” more than a year after an abrupt global shutdown.

“Everybody loved going to work every day,” says Porter. “How often does that happen in documentary? Part of the reason for that was the hard things that were going on with [Cirque Du Soleil] were business hard. They weren’t, ‘Oh my goodness, we are not going to make it’ hard. So, my crew and I could really just lose ourselves in their story. It was such a welcome relief.”

While streamers and networks alike aren’t clamoring to program factual fare that will leave audiences angry or petrified, they are still distributing docs that explore pressing social issues. But instead of those issues being thrown in viewers faces, subject matters including racism, political upheaval, and climate change are often sprinkled into many of today’s documentary features and series. More often than not, a celebrity is used to lure viewers into a story that has a few Debbie Downers to swallow. 

Julie Cohen and Betsy West’s “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down,” which grapples with the Constitution’s Second Amendment and Ron Howard’s “We Feed People,” about celebrity chef José Andrés and his nonprofit World Central Kitchen are two of several docus this year that used a celebrity lens to take a deep dive into hot button political issues.

“I would one hundred percent say and argue that ‘We Feed People’ is a social-issue film,” says Imagine Documentaries co-head Sara Bernstein. “It’s a story about the importance of food relief in the world, but the vehicle to get into that story is a recognizable personality and that’s Jose Andres, which is great for the project and great for the issue.”

Even docus solely focused on a celebrity such as Kathryn Ferguson’s “Nothing Compares,” about Sinead O’Connor, Derik Murray’s “Sidney,” about Sidney Poitier and Alek Keshishian’s “Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me,” about the star take on weighty subject matters including sexism, racism and mental health.

“So many of these platforms need to be able to cut through to the consumers,” says Wilkes. “So, to have a recognizable name that they can put on the side of a bus and a billboard is critical right now. That’s why you’re seeing these name brand docs coming out because when you can put The Beatles or Jose Andres on the side of bus, the marketing value of that is exponential.”

Chris Smith’s “Sr.,” about the life and career of Robert Downey Sr. and Sacha Jenkins’ “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues” are among the celebrity-driven docs vying for awards consideration this year. 

Wilkes categorizes “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues,” which Imagine produced, as an upbeat title.

“It’s ultimately a film about issues of race,” he says. “But through those issues of race we are also able to paint a portrait of somebody who was genuinely an inspiring, happy person who created a lot of happiness in the world based on the music that he made.”

But not every documentary being produced these days features a recognizable face. Those that don’t often employ storytelling tactics to draw viewers including exquisite and unique imagery (“Fire of Love,” “All That Breathes”) and/or suspenseful, on-the-ground storytelling (“Navalny,” “Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom,” “Retrograde”.)

“The days of just, ‘Here’s a really big problem, audiences pay attention,’ are sort of gone,” says Porter, who is currently making a four-part docuseries about the Supreme Court for Showtime. “We, as documentary filmmakers, have to do more than that. We have to say we are going do something thoughtful that does not cause you to just throw up your hands in despair.”

One streaming executive who isn’t afraid of audience anguish is Sheila Nevins. 

As the head of HBO Documentaries for 38 years, Nevins was influential in elevating the documentary form and bringing to light uncomfortable subjects including the rape of soldiers within the U.S. military and clerical sex abuse. Despite the shifting nonfiction landscape Nevins, currently the head of MTV Documentary Films, is still hunting for docus that are impactful, but not necessarily happy.

“The world is depressed,” says Nevins. “It would be nice to do a doc that was a musical. It would be nice to do something in which you feel like you’re going to wake up tomorrow and it might be a good day. But I don’t think docus serve that function right now.”

Ondi Timoner’s “Last Flight Home,” about her father’s decision to make use of California’s End of Life Option law and Patricia E. Gillespie’s “The Fire That Took Her,” about a woman doused in petrol and set on fire by her crazed ex-boyfriend are among the handful of feature docus MTV has qualified for Academy Awards consideration this year. 

While “Last Flight Home” makes a case that all states should authorize end-of-life options, “The Fire That Took Her” wrestles with how the medical and legal systems have failed victims of domestic violence
in America.

“Depressing with a purpose can be happy,” says Nevins. “If the docu is about somebody that you didn’t accept before and you accept now, who lives a very sad life, but now you have empathy for him, I would say that’s a happy doc.”  

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Prior to the advent of streaming, documentaries

Global

Liudmyla Faradzheva looks at photos of her son each day and messages him whenever they have a chance.

Originally from Odesa, Faradzheva hasn’t seen her 21-year-old in more than a year. He’s back home in Ukraine fighting for their country.

Faradzhava says she’s touched to see Canadians wear poppies, reminding younger generations about the fallen soldiers and veterans who sacrificed so much for them to enjoy a relatively good and free life.

“You can sleep in your bed, calm, all night without the sounds (of) alarm(s), like you must run somewhere (and) hide,” Faradzheva, who arrived in Manitoba four months ago, told Global News on Thursday.

Read more:

Where to pay your respects in Manitoba on Remembrance Day

This year, Remembrance Day highlights a painful reality the Ukrainian community has been experiencing for nearly nine months.

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Refugee Lesia Yaroshenko sees how the Ukrainian children at Winnipeg’s Chief Peguis Junior High, where she works, are holding their first Remembrance Day on Canadian soil close to heart.

“For them, the war and those who are in the military service, it’s not something from the past and from faraway lands and from the TV screen. For them, it’s their personal story,” Yaroshenko said.

“Those pictures remind us of what we see every day in the news from Ukraine and what we receive from our friends and relatives from Ukraine, so it really hurts.”

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This year, Ralph Brown School, an English-Ukrainian bilingual school in Winnipeg, incorporated Ukrainian music into its annual Remembrance Day assembly, along with references to a book called My Name is Not Refugee by Kate Milner.

“We were very mindful of how we were planning it with our Ukrainian families,” principal Trevor MacVicar told Global News.

“We were very mindful not to include images of airplanes and the bombs,” he said, adding he hoped students found the ceremony meaningful.

“If we don’t talk about it, we don’t understand it, and if we don’t understand it, it’s a scary thing.”

Ukraine observes Defenders Day on Oct. 14 — a public holiday since 2015 that honours members of the Ukrainian armed forces — along with Victory Day in May, which commemorates the end of the Second World War.

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Ukrainian mother of two arrives in Winnipeg: ‘I hope to find our peaceful home here’

For Yaroshenko, Russia’s invasion into Ukraine felt like a remote possibility until it happened in February.

As people all over the world feel the effects of the war, she wants Canadians to realize how connected they all are.

“What I want people to think about is being grateful for every day of the peace and freedom, not to take it for granted,” she said.

The poppies pinned close to people’s hearts remind Yaroshenko of her husband still overseas serving in the Ukrainian armed forces.

“I’m hoping he joins us here.”

— with files from Drew Stremick


Click to play video: 'Remembering the forgotten fallen: honouring Indigenous Veterans Day'


Remembering the forgotten fallen: honouring Indigenous Veterans Day


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Liudmyla Faradzheva looks at photos of her