Alien: Resurrection director Jean-Pierre Jeunet isn't a fan of Joss Whedon, either
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House of Dior officially announced their partnership with Robert Pattinson in 2013, so it’s no surprise that he was chosen to partake in their Spring 2023 menswear campaign. The campaign is rumored to be launching Nov. 10, 2022! Fans took to twitter all excited spreading the good news and welcome surprise:
Just hopping on since this morning while I was working! More information about where these DIOR photos of Robert Pattinson came from!
Robert Pattinson in the Dior spring 2023 menswear campaign.
Photographs were taken by Rafael Pavarotti! https://t.co/GYAuhUPxpE pic.twitter.com/ixIuFcgXVR
— Robert Pattinson WorldWide (@robpattinsonww) October 24, 2022
NEW ROBERT PATTINSON PICS for Dior Homme Spring 2023 posted by Esquire Taiwan https://t.co/oKTbzrxAgz pic.twitter.com/XKMgNOnFJ6
— Mr Ninja (@Robsjaw) October 26, 2022
Dior released photographs this week featuring Pattinson looking like Bruce Wayne, who he plays in the recently released movie The Batman. Pattinson is seen here wearing a mix of the brand’s various tailored pieces which range from casual sporty to tailored suits. It was shot by Rafael Pavarotti, below you will see Pattinson sporting three different looks from Jones’ Spring 2023 runway that also featured a surprise collaboration with Eli Russell Linnetz.
Also we got a teaser video from the campaign featuring sultry looks and multiple versions of himself and I am not complaining because swoon!:

Courtesy of Rafael Pavarotti & Dior

Courtesy of Rafael Pavarotti & Dior

Courtesy of Rafael Pavarotti & Dior
Pattinson is no stranger to modeling given his background with it and his mother working in a modeling agency. The actor got a taste of this at a very young age. As we can see from all these pictures, he can certainty pull it off. He first started with Dior as the face for their Dior Homme fragrance in 2013. Joining the ranks of previous Dior faces like Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Charlize Theron, Pattinson’s ad was photographed by Nan Goldin, while a film was shot by Romain Gavras, below you will see the steamy ad and film featuring Pattinson and French model Camille Rowe.

Courtesy of Dior
Pattinson is one of the first Hollywood actors to represent the Dior Homme fashion campaign line. The actor and the fashion house have built a relationship through the years since 2013, Being designed by Kris Van Assche and shot by the one and only Karl Lagerfeld, Pattinson modeled the autumn 2016 collection. Dior Homme offered four collections a year: spring, summer, fall and winter.
Below you will find photographs from the photoshoot shot by famous photographer, Karl Lagerfeld.

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior
And behind the scenes video courtesy of Dior:
Continuing his association with the French fashion house, Pattinson starred in another Dior Homme Campaign for the Spring/Summer 2017 line. Photographed again by Karl Lagerfeld, below you will find photographs that was featured in the collection:

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior
Next up, Pattinson posed for Dior Homme’s Fall Winter, 2018 campaign and looked like the Dior man with their signature and classic feel and the French fashion house’s tailored pieces.

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior
Here the actor posed for Dior’s Spring Summer 2018 advertising campaign which was again photographed by Karl Lagerfeld. Below you will find photographs that was featured in the collection:

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior

Courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld & Dior
He also did the Dior Homme‘s Spring Summer 2019 Collection for New Horizons which was photographed by fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh. Here you will find them below:

Courtesy of Peter Lindbergh & Dior

Courtesy of Peter Lindbergh & Dior

Courtesy of Peter Lindbergh & Dior
In 2020 Pattinson appeared in the I’m your man campaign. This Dior Homme advert, starring Robert Pattinson and Latvia-born Paris-based model Lana Zakocela, inspired by the iconic song “I’m your Man” by Leonard Cohen, was released in France on February 1, 2020. It was directed by The Blaze, the French producing and directing duo consisting of cousins Guillaume and Jonathan Alric.
Lastly, the caped crusader while filming The Batman was featured in the Dior Spring Summer 2021 Menswear campaign. The photoshoot was shot by the famous British fashion photographer. Here you will find them below:

Courtesy of David Sims & Dior

Courtesy of David Sims & Dior

Courtesy of David Sims & Dior

Courtesy of David Sims & Dior
One thing is for sure Pattinson never ceases to surprise us and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us next with this fashion powerhouse.
House of Dior officially announced their partnership
Without a doubt, unknown things attract people, and they cannot resist them. Especially those that no one can solve. And it is in such a strange and frightening atmosphere that the creators of this new hit – Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan – immerse the audience. Just recently their project about serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was released on Netflix, from which viewers will take a long time to recover. And their new project is already available to us for viewing on the same platform. The title alone – The Watcher – will make the audience shiver, and their blood run cold in their veins. And when such professionals like Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan get down to business, the audience is even more interested in this project. But this story is also interesting because it is based on real events. So what’s the story about? You’ll find out soon…
This show tells the real story of a family (of course, their last name is changed in the series) who receives a series of letters from a “mysterious stranger” after they move into their dream house in Westfield, New Jersey. Dean (Bobby Cannavale) and Nora Brannock (Naomi Watts) have spent most of their lives in the city. In search of a quieter life, Dean spends all his savings on buying a beautiful house built in the early 20th century. After they move into their dream house with their two children, strange and very frightening events begin to happen. You might wonder what can happen in a nice quiet neighborhood like this? At first glance, this place seems to this family like a real paradise on earth.

Courtesy of Netflix
But, unfortunately, it’s just a beautiful cover. As soon as the Brannock family tries to fit into this beautiful life, terrifying events begin to happen in their house. And nothing seems so sweet and innocent anymore. The neighbors who surround them begin to frighten them with their unpredictable behavior. And it seems that everyone is against their family. It seems as if it can’t get any worse. But no, it will! In their mail box the Brannocks discover strange letters from an unknown person who calls themself “the Watcher”. At first, these letters do not portend anything bad. But is it so? Over time, they become so creepy and threatening that the Brannocks fear for their lives.
But things get even worse when the mysterious “Watcher” and protector of this house demands that Dean and Nora give the house “what it wants”. Throughout the episodes, the creators of the show are trying to answer many questions and entice viewers into this mystical world. But, of course, the most important questions are – who is this “Watcher” and what is this person trying to obtain from the Brannock family? But we are not given a specific answer to these questions. Because in the real story, this mysterious “Watcher” was never found and revealed. Naturally, in the series, they can’t reveal this to us either. But creators of this show are so good at what they do that they give viewers the opportunity “to solve this case” themselves.
When watching this series, viewers will constantly ask this question – who is this mysterious person “the Watcher”? As soon as all these horrific events begin, the Brannocks (and, no doubt, the audience too) begin to suspect literally everyone. Moreover, the frightening music and a rather gloomy atmosphere scare the audience even more. The directors always use this technique to make it interesting for the audience to solve this riddle. But, nevertheless, what scares us, always draws us in even more. But why is everyone under suspicion? Because that’s the way it is.

Courtesy of Netflix
Nora and Dean’s neighbors are a community of people who have their own rules and laws. And they are definitely not thrilled about the arrival of a new family in this “beautiful house”. But why?! The answer to this question is simple. The house doesn’t belong to them, but they all want to own it. In other words, these people are just “obsessed” with this house. And each of them shows their obsession in their own way. It seems that this family is in some kind of sinister trap where everything is against them.
Their neighbors Maureen (Margo Martindale) and Mitch (Richard Kind) watch the Brannocks closely through binoculars and are not friendly with them. Others – Pearl (Mia Farrow) and her emotionally unstable brother Jasper (Terry Kinney) – meddle in their own business and constantly wonder what the Brannocks will do with this house. And all this, of course, confuses the Brannocks. They literally do everything in their power to protect their family from the attacks of “the Watcher” and at the same time from their strange neighbors. But can’t anyone in this city help them?

Courtesy of Netflix
It seems that only Nora’s old friend Karen Calhoun (Jennifer Coolidge) is on their side. She helped them buy this “dream house”. But was she really helping? Over time, Karen also begins to behave very suspiciously. What about the police? Detective Rourke Chamberland (Christopher McDonald), at first glance, seems very suspicious. Perhaps he knows something about the mysterious “Watcher” and sometimes does not even hide it. The only one who agrees to help the Brannock family is a private investigator (former singer) Theodora Birch (Noma Dumezweni). At first glance, it seems that she is also in cahoots with the locals, but this is far from the case. She turns out to be the only person who really helps this family.
Every time the next episode ends, the audience has even more questions, and it all grows like a snowball. Towards the end of the season, each of the characters and even the Brannock family itself come under suspicion. The audience’s head is spinning from the number of mysteries and riddles that come out with each new episode of this show. Among other things, this series shows the ideal Brannock family (as it seems), but over time it disintegrates right before our eyes. Was it so perfect after all? Or was it also a “beautiful cover”? Undoubtedly, all these terrible events affected the development of relationships in this family, but they were already broken.
Of course, we must pay tribute to the creators of this project – Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan. This series is very unusual and interesting for its emotional intensity and abundance of plot twists. The viewer thinks that nothing terrible will happen for sure. But as soon as the audience relaxes, the creators of the series again add new and unpredictable moments to the plot. Without a doubt, this series wouldn’t be so interesting to watch if it weren’t for the perfectly matched cast. Everyone reveals new sides of themselves to the viewer and even the minor roles are played at the highest level.

Courtesy of Netflix
But especially, of course, it is especially worth noting the amazing performance of the following actors. Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale really complement each other well. On the one hand, Cannavale shows us a storm of emotions and feelings that control him throughout the series. Sometimes he reacts very sharply to situations, but the viewer empathizes with him. On the other hand, Watts shows her vulnerability and fragility but, at certain moments, she shows resilience to everything that happens to her family. It’s a really rare mixture. And each of them adds a piece of their signature styles to their roles.
Jennifer Coolidge is just beautiful in her role. It seems that she is not acting, and once she was a real estate agent herself. But this is the goal of a brilliant actor – to show it so that we believe. And the combination of oozing sexuality and excellent humor surpasses all the audience’s expectations. After all, it is so important to be able to joke (and at the same time look stunning) and do it so that even in such a gloomy film, the audience could laugh out loud. And Coolidge does it amazingly and in her inimitable manner.

Courtesy of Netflix
Another amazing and phenomenal actor is Noma Dumezweni. She plays a very interesting and mystical character. You might wonder what could be mysterious about a private investigator? But as soon as the Noma’s character appears on the screen, all questions immediately disappear. Her motives and goals will become clear to the viewer only by the end of the season. It is very interesting to watch her amazing investigation and the information she learns along the way. This character so immerses the audience in this investigation that it seems that they also want to solve this mystery.
And of course, this series is also different due to the fact that in addition to a wonderful narrative and quite fascinating plot twists, a recurring note of black humor is added here. Is it really appropriate to do this in this kind of series? Yes, when the creators of this show do it unobtrusively and at the most appropriate plot moments.

Courtesy of Netflix
The Watcher is a stunningly mystical and gloomy story that has been masterfully adapted to the TV screen. This is a perfect example of how an amazing script, cast and the main idea of the creators of the series can turn a real story into a great TV show that millions of viewers will follow.
Of course, the Watcher’s mystery will remain unsolved forever. But that shouldn’t stop viewers from watching this show. Start watching the first episode, and you definitely won’t be able to tear yourself away from the screen.
Check out the official trailer below:
The TV series is currently streaming now on Netflix.
Without a doubt, unknown things attract people,
We are pleased to announce the official winners of the Urban Legend Horror short film competition! It was a very difficult choice, and we received some incredible submissions, but after careful consideration we have chosen our Top 3.
Thank you to everyone who submitted.
First Place
Second Place
Third Place
Help us meet our goal of raising £10,000
We’re an entirely independent film festival and rely on donations from our Raindance community and support from our wonderful sponsors in order to keep showcasing the boldest and freshest content from filmmakers around the world.
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Bailey Graham is the Marketing and Media and follows her passion on the side as a successful sculpture artist. She has won many awards for her work, being recognized by adobe as well as often featured in art blogs.
We are
A 15-year-old girl has been charged following an officer-involved hit and run Thursday morning in Calgary.
At around 3:30 a.m. on Oct. 27, a woman called the Calgary Police Service to report her 15-year-old daughter was missing along with the woman’s vehicle.
The mother tracked her daughter’s location to the Huntington Hills area using a locator app on her daughter’s cellphone.
Police located the vehicle in the 0 to 100 block of Hunterhorn Drive N.E. with two occupants inside.
“As one officer was speaking to the driver, the driver pulled the vehicle away from the curb, making contact with the officer’s leg, and fled the area,” police said in a press release.
After the girl returned home, she was arrested. The 15-year-old has been charged with one count of motor vehicle theft.
Police continue to investigate the incident.
Anyone with information is asked to call the CPS non-emergency line at 403-266-1234, or to provide anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers.
A 15-year-old girl has been charged following
Kourtney Kardashian and her husband, Travis Barker, have collaborated on a collection of cruelty-free, all-natural, and vegan goods for the rocker’s Barker Wellbeing label, which has lately moved into the skincare market.
The collection consists of three items: two distinct types of bath flakes, a body oil, and a body butter. The body oil retails for $40, while the other two products cost $35 each. Unfortunately, the collection can only be purchased through the websites of Barker Wellness and Poosh.
This cooperation came about due to my fascination with taking baths, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and taking care of my body, and I am over the moon with how the finished items turned out. In a press statement, Kim Kardashian, 43, said, “I wish that you enjoy this collection as much as we do and that it becomes a part of regular as they are a part of ours.” Currently, Kardashian and her family regularly use her new brand’s products.
Both Kourtney and I are passionate about leading healthy lives. Barker, who is 46 years old, noted that it is exciting to share the items they have created with the world because they are products that they love and require to help with recovery and well-being.
The magnesium in the Rejuvenation and Calm versions of bath flakes comes directly from the old Zechstein seabed. The Rejuvenate variety also uses lava clay from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.
In contrast, the Calm type boasts OptiMSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), an organic sulfur-containing component that, based on the announcement, can assist maximize the workout effects and the post-workout reset. Both variations of bath flakes are available for purchase.
The body butter features a blend of identical elements in whipped shea butter. In contrast, the body oil comprises a mixture of other organic oils such as jojoba, sweet almond, and lavender.
Twitter today is filled with users who say they’re done with the site and don’t want to tweet their thoughts on a Musk-run app. Unfortunately, there’s no one clear Twitter alternative, and even if there was everyone would have to agree to relocate to the same service.
One buzzy option is Mastodon, an open source Twitter alternative that has tried to catch on as a less toxic Twitter for years. Mastodon gained 27,796 new accounts this past week, and 7,719 on the day after Musk took over, Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko said on Friday.
Twitter today is filled with users who
“The Shining” icon Shelley Duvall is back on the big screen.
After parting ways with Hollywood more than 20 years ago, Duvall is set to star in “The Forest Hills,” an upcoming thriller from writer/director Scott Goldberg (“Moirai: The Drifter”). “The Forest Hills” is centered on Rico, a disturbed man (Chiko Mendez) who is plagued with nightmare visions after enduring head trauma while camping in the Catskill Mountains, as Deadline reported. The cast also includes Edward Furlong and Dee Wallace.
Duvall will play Rico’s mother, who serves as his inner voice. The “Three Women” alum previously appeared in the 2002 comedy “Manna from Heaven” and announced her retirement that same year.
“We are huge fans of ‘The Shining’ and it’s honestly one of my favorite horror movies of all time, up there with John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween’ and George A. Romero’s ‘Day of the Dead’ with the dark tones they delivered in their movies, along with perfect scores and elements that make them my personal favorites,” Goldberg said of Duvall’s casting. “Shelley contributed to ‘The Shining’ being an absolute masterpiece by giving her all, and performing in a way that really showcased the fear and horror of a mother in isolation.”
“The Forest Hills” is produced by Scott Hansen alongside Dreznick Goldberg Productions and Digital Thunderdome Studios, with Goldberg serving as co-producer.
Duvall exited public life decades ago, notoriously appearing in 2016 on “Dr. Phil,” where she said she was “very sick” and needed mental health support. In 2021, she gave a wide-ranging interview to The Hollywood Reporter, seeming lively and content with her life outside the limelight in Texas. Duvall has won a Peabody Award, the Cannes Film Festival’s prize for Best Actress, two Emmy nominations, and a BAFTA nomination for her work with Robert Altman in “Brewster McCloud,” “McCabe & Mrs. Miller,” “Nashville,” “Three Women,” and “Popeye,” and more films like “Annie Hall,” “Roxanne,” and of course, Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.”
Duvall landed a Razzie Award for Worst Actress in “The Shining” back in 1980, with Razzie co-founders John J.B. Wilson and Maureen Murphy rescinding the satirical honor more than 40 years later.
“Knowing the backstory and the way that Stanley Kubrick kind of pulverized her, I would take that back,” Murphy said earlier this year. “We’re willing to say, ‘Yeah, maybe that shouldn’t have been nominated.’ Everybody makes mistakes. That’s being human.”
Kubrick’s daughter Vivian Kubrick helmed the documentary “Making ‘The Shining,’” which captured the emotional toll the film took on Duvall. Kubrick pushed Duvall to the limit across a half-year-long shoot at Elstree Studios in England.
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Duvall retreated from Hollywood two decades ago,
Jamie Lee Curtis has watched her career hit another high this year, not only wrapping up her four-decade-plus association with the Halloween franchise and her iconic role as Laurie Strode, but also as the wacky tax auditor Deidre Beaubeirdre in one of the certified smash critical and audience hits of the year, Everything Everywhere All At Once. It seems the time for a tribute is definitely in order, and that is exactly what she will get on February 11 when she receives the highest award the Santa Barbara Film Festival hands out: the Maltin Modern Master Award.
The award is named for famed film critic, author and historian Leonard Maltin, who will be conducting the in-person conversation onstage with Curtis at the Arlington Theatre.
“Jamie Lee Curtis has long since proven that she has staying power. People want to watch her, whether it’s in a Halloween movie or an offbeat character role. She’s talented and charismatic, and in the process does her movie-star parents proud,” said Maltin.
Curtis has demonstrated her versatility as a film actress, starring in acclaimed films such as the blockbuster True Lies, for which she won a Golden Globe; Trading Places, for which she earned a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress; A Fish Called Wanda, for which she received duel Best Actress nominations from BAFTA and the Golden Globes; and the Disney feature film Freaky Friday, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. In 2021, she received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival.
Among recent hits was 2019’s Knives Out. In addition to her acting career on the big screen and television, Curtis is a bestselling children’s book author having written 13 books.

The Modern Master Award was established in 1995 to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through accomplishments in the motion picture industry. It was re-named the Maltin Modern Master Award in 2015 to recognize Maltin’s long association with SBIFF. Past recipients include Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, Bill Murray, Brad Pitt, Glenn Close, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Bruce Dern, Ben Affleck, Christopher Plummer, Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, Cate Blanchett, Will Smith, George Clooney and Peter Jackson.
The 38th Santa Barbara Film Festival will take place live February 8-18. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes will be held throughout the city.
Jamie Lee Curtis has watched her career
Wednesday night, Marvel’s long-awaited sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiered, and cast, crew, and fans from all over the world came together to walk the purple carpet and celebrate the film.
Here are all the looks from the night:
4.
Courtney B. Vance and Angela Bassett
6.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky
7.
Simone Ledward-Boseman
10.
Zinzi Evans and Ryan Coogler
14.
Janeshia Adams-Ginyard
23.
Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani
36.
Sheila Kelley and Richard Schiff
42.
Rebecca Gross and Berkeley Gross
47.
Divine Love Konadu-Sun
54.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw
56.
And finally, Elsa Majimbo
Quentin Tarantino is setting the record straight on Kanye West’s claims that the director stole his idea for the plot for his Oscar-winning film Django Unchained.
West made the claim in an interview earlier this week with Piers Morgan, telling Morgan he pitched a similar slavery idea to Tarantino when the two met to talk about the rapper’s 2005 Gold Digger music video.
“There’s no truth to the idea that Kanye West came up with the idea of Django. And then he told it to me and I go, ‘Hey, wow, that’s a really great idea, let me take Kanye’s idea and make Django Unchained out of it.” OK that didn’t happen,” Tarantino told Kimmel.
Tarantino acknowledged, “He [West] did have an idea for a video, and I do think it was for the Gold Digger video, that he would be a slave. And the whole thing was the slave narrative, where he’s the slave, and he’s singing “Gold Digger.” And it was very funny. It was a really, really funny idea.”
Kimmel then questioned, “A funny slave video?”
‘It was meant to be ironic,” Tarantino clarified. “And it’s like a huge musical. I mean, like no expenses spared with him in this slave rag outfit, doing everything. And then that was also part of the part of the pushback on it.”
In the end, the music video for “Gold Digger” didn’t go with the idea West alleged he had. Django Unchained is a 2012 revisionist Western film about a freed slave (Foxx) who teams up with a bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) to free his wife from a slavery.
You can watch Tarantino’s interview with Kimmel above.
Quentin Tarantino is setting the record straight
It’s always the right time to watch horror movies, but it just feels better at Halloween. October is made for warm drinks, cozy sweaters, and jump scares. And there is no shortage of classic films (and shows!) to dig into during this time of the year. But that means the new stuff can often be overlooked — which is a shame because this year in particular featured a handful of interesting additions to the spooky season canon, from family-friendly stop-motion to much more disturbing horror anthologies. Here are six recent releases across Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus to watch after the trick-or-treating is done.
Though it’s only coming out just now, Wendell & Wild still manages to feel like a classic piece of the spooky canon of [Henry] Selick films that many of us grew up loving, one that will become part of the Halloween rotation for years to come.
Cabinet of Curiosities is definitely something that will appeal to fans of del Toro’s work. But it also expands beyond those horizons with a collection of very different takes on horror. It’s what I imagine wandering around Bleak House would be like: a glimpse into del Toro’s mind through the work that inspires him.
The Midnight Club… is clearly part of this [Mike Flanagan] anthology series but differentiates itself by playing like a collection of fireside ghost stories. It’s a little uneven, but when it works, it channels the best parts of [The Haunting of] Hill House.
There’s quite a bit to admire about Hellraiser, particularly for those interested in testing their own limitations with consuming disturbing works of art. But in its efforts to be as beautiful as it is macabre, Hellraiser sometimes becomes almost too potent of a grotesquerie, which to be fair, may be either a feature or a bug depending on what kinda stuff you’re into.
Streaming services like Disney Plus open up the possibilities for stuff that’s a lot weirder, and we’ve already seen some of that in the form of What If…?, I Am Groot, and Star Wars: Visions. Werewolf by Night expands that experimental spirit to the world of live-action. It’s kind of like a Marvel movie crossed with Tales From the Crypt, and it does something that the more recent blockbusters have often failed at: it makes me want more.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone might not be quite as memorable as some of [Stephen] King’s more iconic stories. It’s hard to imagine it penetrating the public consciousness like Carrie or It. But it’s also a great showcase for some of the writer’s less-celebrated strengths: namely, building strong relationships between characters and imbuing everyday objects or moments with a newfound sense of dread. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone might not terrify you in the moment, but it made me jump the next time I heard my phone ring.
It’s always the right time to watch
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages are Davis’ assessment of the current standings of the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any film or performance. Like any organization or body that votes, each individual category is fluid and subject to change. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
LAST UPDATED: Oct. 27, 2022
Shonka Dukureh as Big Mama Thornton in “Elvis”
Warner. Bros Pictures
CATEGORY COMMENTARY: Ruth E. Carter became the first Black woman to win this category for “Black Panther” (2018). With two other nominations for “Malcolm X” (1992) and “Amistad” (1997), she even has a few snubs under her belt including “Dolemite Is My Name” (2019). Her work on “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is another worthy entry that could bring her back to the stage.
Other hot titles vying for attention for best costume design include Catherine Martin’s music threads in “Elvis,” Gersha Phillips’ creation of the Dahomey in “The Woman King” and Mary Zophres’ upcoming look at old Hollywood in “Babylon.
See the latest film predictions, in all 23 categories, in one place on Variety’s Oscars Collective.
To see the ranked predictions for each individual category, visit Variety’s Oscars Hub.
BEST PICTURE | DIRECTOR | ACTOR | ACTRESS | SUPPORTING ACTOR | SUPPORTING ACTRESS | ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY | ADAPTED SCREENPLAY | ANIMATED FEATURE | PRODUCTION DESIGN | CINEMATOGRAPHY | COSTUME DESIGN | FILM EDITING | MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING | SOUND | VISUAL EFFECTS | ORIGINAL SCORE | ORIGINAL SONG | DOCUMENTARY FEATURE | INTERNATIONAL FEATURE | ANIMATED SHORT | DOCUMENTARY SHORT | LIVE ACTION SHORT
The 95th Oscars ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theatre and televised live on Sunday, March 12, 2022, on ABC.
2022 category winner: “Cruella” (Walt Disney Pictures) – Jenny Beavan
Variety’s unmatched coverage gives its readership unbeatable exposure in print and online, as well as provides inside reports on all the contenders in this year’s awards season races. In addition to predictions, the section includes — Awards Circuit Column, a weekly analysis dissecting the trends and contenders in the race; Awards Circuit Podcast, a weekly series featuring interviews with the top contenders in the awards race and an expert roundtable discussion with Variety’s leading editors and columnists; Awards Circuit Predictions Video Series, a deep dive into specific categories, led by the leading pundits.
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home
Two years after SZA first teased her song “Shirt,” the song is finally out. On Friday, SZA released the track — teased originally as “Bloodstain/Shirt.”
“Bloodstain on my shirt/New bitch on my nerves/Old n—a got curved/Going back on my word/Damn, bitch, you like thirty,” SZA sings in the chorus. “Stealing all of my worth/Still question my affection/Let you all in my mental/Got me lookin’ so desperate.”
In the new music video, directed by Dave Meyers, SZA stars with actor and musician LaKeith Lee Stanfield, who also appears in the visuals for “I Hate U.” The pair are seen cycling through different lifetimes together, from pizza shop heists to going undercover as nuns. As both SZA and Stanfield eventually meet their fatal ends, each lover is shown haunting the other from the past. In the final scene, SZA solo-rides a boat into a rainbow. As the credits roll, SZA teases yet another track, this one with the lyrics: “It’s so embarrassing/All of the things I need living in side of me/I can’t see it/It’s so embarrassing/ All of the love I seek living in side of me/I can’t see/I’m blind.”
The teeny snippet of “Shirt” that SZA originally teased on Instagram back in 2020 became a viral sensation on TikTok, with fans dancing along to it. She also teased the unreleased song in the outro of her “Good Days” music video, where she’s seen pole dancing to the song. And last summer, during her 360-degree In Bloom performance for Grey Goose, SZA performed a minute-long snippet of the track.
Back in June 2021, SZA spoke to People about the track and how it “wasn’t going to be included on the album” but has since become its centerpiece.
“It’s always interesting to see what people gravitate toward and what they don’t,” she said. “And I think that teaches a lot about the human psyche and our culture at the same time. It’s always a surprise for me, always on both ends, whether something is positively received or negatively received.”
“Sometimes what I like doesn’t line up with other people, and that is tricky, always tricky,” she added. “You never know what people want to see. It’s just a matter of how much you psych yourself up and do what you want to do no matter what anyone else wants to see. It takes a lot of willpower and energy.”
Over the summer, SZA released a deluxe edition of her 2017 LP Ctrl, after releasing “I Hate U” in late 2021. This year, she joined Future on DJ Khaled’s song “Beautiful” and sings with Doechii on a remix of the rapper’s track “Persuasive.”
Two years after SZA first teased
Writer-director-producer-editor Bobby Blood’s Hell Nurse is his sophomore feature-length effort. The horror film’s an intentionally cheesy effort harkening back to 1970s revenge thrillers such as I Spit On Your Grave and The Last House On The Left. The filmmaker throws in some Satanic rituals just for good measure. Is this throwback horror a success, or is it dead on arrival?
Darla (Fiona Kennedy) is a caretaker for a sweet old couple. One particular night, criminals Wayne (Brad Stein), Terry (Steve Miller), and Stacy (Rachel Rigall) bust into the couple’s home, kill them and leave Darla for dead. The thing is, Darla did not die that day, and after a year of recovery, she goes back to being a nurse.
But a desire for revenge has been burning inside Darla this whole time. Since Darla sold her soul to the Devil, her chance to avenge the couple and feed her hunger for violence is now at hand. Will viewers be as satisfied with her murder dishes as Darla is?
Hell Nurse is an interesting mashup of a revenge thriller and a demonic horror flick. It’s surprising that more films don’t blend the two together as they work well together (general supernatural eerieness is not the same as a pact with the Dark Lord). Blood realizes that adding in the Satan stuff makes his horror film more over the top than the usual revenge tales. As such, he throws audiences a curveball: comedy.
“…Darla sold her soul to the Devil…to avenge the couple and feed her hunger for violence…”
The movie is full of intentionally funny moments that initially seem incongruous with the darker parts of the plot. But, as the story progresses, the humor fits more and more. This gives the production a unique vibe, though it takes some getting used to.
The director uses digital effects to add grain to just about every scene of Hell Nurse. Unfortunately, the effects are awkwardly noticeable and don’t enhance the picture as presumably intended. The CGI blood splatter is also only so-so. But the physical carnage and mayhem of Darla’s rampage are really well done. The practical effects are impressive, especially a face that appears to have been seared off near the end.
Kennedy gives an interesting performance. Before her deal with Satan, the actor comes off as stiff and wooden. But, after revenge is guaranteed to be hers, Kennedy feels more natural in the role. She is sinister and vicious in all the right ways to sell the brutality.
Stein, Miller, and Rigall are all effective as the baddies of the picture. Each of them plays their characters’ penchant for crime with a sense of fun, and they share solid chemistry. Bradford Eckhart plays Father Moretti, and he’s hysterical. But the best performance belongs to Brittney Ladd as Carrie. Every line she says is creepy yet enticing at the same time.
Hell Nurse will appeal to gorehounds and horror fans longing for the icky atmosphere of the 1970s. While it has flaws, the film more than makes up for them in the balancing of tones and graphic violence. For the most part, the cast embodies their roles believably and knows what kind of picture they are in.
For more information on Hell Nurse, visit Bobby Blood’s Instagram page.
Writer-director-producer-editor Bobby Blood’s Hell Nurse is his
The BBC’s technology editor looks at the path ahead for the tech company and the billionaire.
The BBC's technology editor looks at the
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The day that Rihanna’s fans have been waiting for has finally arrived. On Friday (Oct. 28), Rihanna, 34, made her eagerly-anticipated return to music with the release of “Lift Me Up,” the lead single from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. Arriving weeks after the NFL announced Rihanna as the headliner of the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, “Lift Me Up” marks the first new Rihanna track in over six years. The deeply emotional and moving song had a spiritual feel to it, inspired by church music with piano and harp elements.
“Burning in a hopeless dream/Hold me when you go to sleep/Keep me in the warmth of your love/When you depart, keep me safe/Safe and sound,” she sings in the first verse of the song, produced by Oscar winner Ludwig Goransson. “Lift me up/Hold me down/Keep me close/Safe and sound,” she then sings in the chorus of the down tempo track.
“Lift Me Up” was written in tribute “to the extraordinary life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman” by Tems, Goransson, Rihanna, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler, according to the press release sent out to herald the new song. The song was recorded in five countries and was produced by Göransson. “After speaking with Ryan and hearing his direction for the film and the song, I wanted to write something that portrays a warm embrace from all the people that I’ve lost in my life,” said Tems. “I tried to imagine what it would feel like if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them. Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honor.”
lift me up
10.28.22 pic.twitter.com/hIvhUQP8Bj— Rihanna (@rihanna) October 26, 2022
Rihanna’s last single as the lead artist came in 2016. That year, she dropped her eighth studio album, Anti and she released “Sledgehammer,” a single for the Star Trek Beyond soundtrack. Rih put out a handful of promotional singles into 2017 and worked with a few artists over the next year or so. She lent her vocals to N.E.R.D.’s “Lemon,” Future’s “Selfish,” to DJ Khaled for “Wild Thoughts” (featuring Bryson Tiller), and to PartyNextDoor’s 2020 song “Believe It.”
The announcement of “Lift Me Up” resulted in Rihanna being the top Twitter trend for hours, as fans were ecstatic that they finally were getting new music. To say fans want a new album is an understatement. The six-year span between Anti and now marks the longest that Rihanna’s NAVY has gone between albums, as she would usually release a new LP every two years. The hype has, in some cases, turned rude. “If one of y’all motherf-ckers ask me about the album one more time when I’m trying to save the world […] ….on sight,” she said in April 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, her music career has taken a backseat to surviving the coronavirus pandemic, her growing fashion and beauty empire, as well as to her newborn son. But, during her pregnancy, Rih gave fans a hint that the album is coming.
“I’m looking at my next project completely differently from the way I had wanted to put it out before. I think this way suits me better, a lot better,” she told Vogue in 2022. “It’s authentic, it’ll be fun for me, and it takes a lot of the pressure off.”
View gallery Image Credit: Frank Micelotta/Picturegroup/Shutterstock The day that
Elon Musk has taken control of Twitter.
The mega-billionaire’s $44 billion deal to acquire Twitter — following a six-month saga during which Musk tried to back out of the pact and Twitter sued to enforce the terms of his buyout — officially closed Thursday, as first reported by CNBC and followed by multiple reports. The world’s richest individual immediately fired several senior execs, including CEO Parag Agrawal; CFO Ned Segal; Vijaya Gadde, Twitter’s head of legal, policy and trust, and safety; and general counsel Sean Edgett, the New York Times reported.
Representatives for Twitter did not respond to requests for comment. Musk, who currently has more than 110 million followers on Twitter, has not directly commented on the deal closing. His takeover ends Twitter’s nearly nine-year run as a publicly traded company, after it went public in November 2013.
In a tweet late Thursday, he said, “the bird is freed.”
What changes Musk might make now that he’s taken Twitter private are not clear.
Layoffs at Twitter appear likely — but Musk this week told Twitter employees that he does not plan to cut 75% of the company’s workforce, according to a Bloomberg report. The Washington Post reported last week that Musk previously told potential investors in the Twitter deal that he planned to lay off nearly three-fourths of Twitter’s staff, or about 5,500 employees.
In a tweet on Oct. 4, Musk said, “Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app.” He didn’t elaborate, but he previously praised apps like TikTok and WeChat as models for what Twitter should become.
He’s also spit-balled a number of ideas like requiring all Twitter users to be authenticated and charging businesses a fee to use the social network. In addition, Musk has said he wants to make Twitter adhere to principles of “free speech” — and has accused the company of censoring conservatives. Liberal advocates are worried the right-leaning Musk may roll back Twitter’s policies restricting hate speech and misinformation, or reverse Twitter’s permanent ban on Donald Trump that was imposed because of his tweets during and after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Musk says most of the speculation about why he’s buying Twitter has been wrong — claiming he’s buying Twitter not “to make more money” but to “try to help humanity, whom I love.”
In a letter posted to Twitter Thursday morning, seeking to calm the fears of advertisers, he wrote, “The reason I acquired Twitter is because it is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence.”
“Twitter obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences!” Musk wrote. “In addition to adhering to the laws of the land, our platform must be warm and welcoming to all, where you can choose your desired experience according to your preferences, just as you can choose, for example, to see movies or play video games ranging from all ages to mature.”
He added, “Fundamentally, Twitter aspires to be the most respected advertising platform in the world that strengthens your brand and grows your enterprise.”
Last week, on Tesla’s Q3 earnings call, Musk said, “Although, obviously, myself and the other investors are obviously overpaying for Twitter right now, the long-term potential for Twitter in my view is an order of magnitude greater than its current value.”
Over the past two days, Musk has visited the company’s San Francisco offices; he also changed the bio in his Twitter profile to “Chief Twit” and set his location as “Twitter HQ.” On Wednesday, he posted a video of himself walking into the building holding a sink. “Entering Twitter HQ – let that sink in!” he tweeted. On Thursday, he retweeted a photo of himself at the Twitter headquarters’ coffee bar.
Also on Thursday, Musk brought in some Tesla engineers to Twitter’s headquarters to “review” the social network’s code and “assess and explain to Musk what the company needs,” Bloomberg reported.
Musk, a Twitter power user famous for sharing memes and jokes on the platform, was originally enthusiastic about the prospect of owning his favorite social network. “Twitter has tremendous potential — I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it,” Musk said on April 25, after reaching a binding agreement to buy the company for $54.20/share.
But then the stock market tanked. Within a few weeks, Musk decided he didn’t want to pay $44 billion for Twitter after all. Lawyers for Musk notified Twitter on three separate occasions, first on July 8, that he believed Twitter breached the terms of the acquisition agreement. He alleged the company made “false and misleading representations” to Musk, including underreporting the proportion of spam and bot accounts on Twitter. Each time, Twitter responded that Musk’s objections were “invalid and wrongful.”
Twitter sued Musk in Delaware Chancery Court to hold him to the original buyout price, and the company’s lawyers alleged Musk got cold feet after his personal net worth dropped with the decline in Tesla’s stock price.
In its lawsuit against Musk, Twitter alleged that the tech mogul had “repeatedly disparaged Twitter and the deal, creating business risk for Twitter and downward pressure on its share price.” Indeed, Musk had belittled and undermined Twitter and its employees at least 16 times in tweets through mid-July, including replying with a poop emoji to then-CEO Agrawal’s thread explaining how Twitter estimates spam and fake accounts and posting a meme with photos of Gadde mocking Twitter’s purported “left-wing bias.”
Legal experts said Musk had a weak hand if the case were to go to trial, given the high bar needed to prove Twitter was in material breach of the original agreement. By early October, Musk reversed course after apparently realizing he would likely lose his legal fight with Twitter — and on Oct. 4, he notified Twitter the deal was back on.
The judge overseeing the case granted Musk’s motion to halt the trial until Oct. 28 to let him secure the debt financing he needed to close the deal, which he evidently succeeded in doing.
In Twitter’s final earnings report, for the second quarter of 2022, the company said its average monetizable daily active users increased by 8.8 million sequentially, to 237.8 million, up 16.6% year over year. Musk has criticized Twitter’s monetizable daily active user (mDAU) proprietary metric, alleging that it doesn’t accurately reflect the ad revenue generated from the social network’s user base.
Twitter’s Q2 revenue totaled $1.18 billion, down 1% year over year, which reflected “advertising industry headwinds associated with the macroenvironment” as well as “uncertainty related to the pending acquisition of Twitter” by Musk, the company said. Twitter costs ballooned 31% in the quarter, leading to a $270 million net loss.
Elon Musk has taken control of Twitter. The
YouTube is updating its website and app so Shorts, live streams, and regular videos each have their own tab on a creator’s channel, instead of being thrown together in a single list (via 9to5Google). In a support post, the company says the change is based on user feedback, and that it’ll “make it easier for viewers to discover the kinds of content they’re most interested in when exploring a creator’s channel page.”
Before the update, if you went to a channel you’d see a single tab labeled “videos,” which showed you a list of all the user’s uploads, including shorts, live streams, and regular-length videos. While there is a filter that lets you change which format the list shows, it gets reset every time you leave the page, so when you come back everything will be mixed together again.
The change giving each type of content its own tab started rolling out on Thursday, and should make its way to more users “in the coming weeks.”
The one downside to this approach is that it could make things a bit harder for completionists, who want to watch everything a channel puts out, and enjoyed having it all on one screen. For me personally, though, it’s a blessing — lots of the creators I follow will create clips of their regular content, and upload it as shorts, and it was always a bit of a hassle to switch to the videos tab, scroll through a few thumbnails, and then remember that I have to go back to the top to turn the filter on. It’ll also help users who just want to watch shorts, who don’t want to have to filter out regular videos.
For Youtube and creators, that’s good news: the company recently announced that, starting next year, creators in its Partner Program will get a cut of the revenue generated from ads that play in front of shorts. That could give the platform a leg up over TikTok, which currently pays creators via a creators fund, and lets them make some of their own money via tips.
YouTube is updating its website and app
No more pencils, no more books, no more Oscar voters’ dirty looks! At least when it comes to accepting new forms of cinema.
Too often, the industry hears, “It’s good, but not for the Oscars,” or “That’s not something the branch will go for.”
As the Academy heads into the future with new leadership in place, CEO Bill Kramer, just-elected president Janet Yang and the 54-person Board of Governors have a chance to invite the casual movie lover along for the ride. The organization has the opportunity not only to broaden the appeal of its telecast but also to expand what it deems “worthy of achievement.”
Recently, we learned the Academy’s animation branch rejected Netflix’s “Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood” for consideration, stating it “does not feel that the techniques meet the definition of animation in the category rules” due to “extensive use” of live-action footage (it’s currently being appealed). And A24’s “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” is feared to be headed toward a similar disqualification fate.
How would a classic animated hybrid like “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (1988) fare today? The motion-capture animated film “The Adventures of Tintin” (2011) was deemed eligible but later snubbed. How about movies like “Avatar (2009), which didn’t submit for animated but uses mo-cap, or “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993), which contended before the animated category was created and features clay puppets? There’s no real categorical difference among any of them except the filmmaker’s aesthetic preference.
Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who were behind Oscar winner “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018), have steadily advocated for the Academy to take their medium more seriously. “I would like to make the controversial statement that films that have been animated are animated films,” Lord tweeted following the news of the disqualification of “Apollo 10½.”
This pearl-clutching by the Academy’s old guard goes beyond the animation branch. The documentary branch, which has just over 650 active members, has long barred anyone outside its community from weighing in on its shortlist or nomination field. By contrast, for best international and animated features, Academy members can opt in to vote for the eventual nominees. International feature averages about 90 submissions per year and animated roughly 28. In the past two years, the doc branch has had to review 238 and 138 features, respectively. It’s hard to believe the branch took ample time to properly consider the pool, especially given how infrequently films are added to the Academy Screening Room. Instead, voters maintain the status quo, relying on name recognition rather than seizing the opportunity to embrace a discovery.
Read: the latest predictions, visit Variety’s Oscars Hub.
We’ve seen doc features evolve in the way they tell their stories and also find acceptance from the branch — take last year’s “Flee” (which was nominated in the international, animated and doc categories). But there are countless head-scratcher examples of films omitted from their respective lineups, such as “The Rescue” (2021), “Dick Johnson Is Dead” (2020) and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” (2018).
Let cinema — in all its many forms — reign.
BEST PICTURE | DIRECTOR | ACTOR | ACTRESS | SUPPORTING ACTOR | SUPPORTING ACTRESS | ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY | ADAPTED SCREENPLAY | ANIMATED FEATURE | PRODUCTION DESIGN | CINEMATOGRAPHY | COSTUME DESIGN | FILM EDITING | MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING | SOUND | VISUAL EFFECTS | ORIGINAL SCORE | ORIGINAL SONG | DOCUMENTARY FEATURE | INTERNATIONAL FEATURE | ANIMATED SHORT | DOCUMENTARY SHORT | LIVE ACTION SHORT
No more pencils, no more books, no
Tribhanga: Tedhi Medhi Crazy
Cast: Kajol, Tanvi Azmi, Mithila Palkar
Director: Renuka Shahane
Estranged relationships, humanising women and retrospection are some heavy terms that went around when Netflix announced its latest release — Tribhanga: Tedhi Medhi Crazy. Given the cast of Kajol, Tanvi Azmi and Mithila Palkar, film’s director Renuka Shahane was anticipated to pull off the tricky task of making an impactful and layered film, however, it didn’t turn out as planned.
At 1 hour 30 minutes, Tribhanga oscillates between past and present as Milan (Kunaal Roy Kapur) interviews award-winning author Nayantara Apte (Tanvi Azmi). Kajol plays Nayan’s daughter Anuradha, who is a foul-mouthed, controversial celebrity. She is also a protective single mother to Masha (Mithila Palkar). Nayan suffers a brain stroke and Anu, who doesn’t have a very cordial relationship with her, rushes to be by her mother’s side and so does Masha. It is in the hospital that they get to think about the debatable decisions of their lives.
Nayan is an ambitious author who prioritised her career over her husband. Seeing her predicaments with a failed marriage, Anu reasons being a single mother can be a solution to all the complications. But for Masha, neither works. Her controversial mother has been the reason of her miserable childhood and hence she wants to be a dedicated family woman.
The three generations are antithetical who question and challenge the rigid traditional interpretations of women in our patriarchal society but they appear very much alike. They have seen their preceding generations struggling to adjust themselves between being rebels and ideal mothers and don’t want to be like them. But they end up being the same.
The film shows the complex past of these women and how they are rethinking about it but what do they do about it? The film never answers that. You desperately wait for the closure but you don’t find it. It simply refuses to move ahead. Because the duration of the film is rather short, you don’t realise when an hour and a half passed away, but Tribhanga fails to hold attention.
Tribhanga scores 100 on 100 on the relatability factor. One can certainly make a connection and relay to the thought process of these characters. But it is very short-lived because their actions seem impractical. You want to empathise longer, step into their shoes and reason with them but they lack agency and often appear superficial and confused.
The problem is not with the actors. Azmi as the composed Nayan is phenomenal and it is nostalgic to see Kajol with her Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham energy albeit feminist avatar, it is the execution that limits the film in general. It starts a conversation around humanising relationships and tries to build a narrative asking viewers to stop putting them on a pedestal but it doesn’t lead them there.
The thought behind Tribhanga deserves attention, but the film? Not so much.
Rating: 2/5
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Tribhanga: Tedhi Medhi CrazyCast: Kajol, Tanvi Azmi,
" American Horror Story is at its
Thursday’s episode of “Call Me Kat” included a short tribute to Leslie Jordan after his death at age 67 in a car accident on Monday.
During the episode, Fox aired a short supercut featuring Jordan in the Fox shows “The Masked Singer,” “Fantasy Island,” “The Cool Kids” and “Lego Masters.” The tribute ends with a “Call Me Kat” scene where Jordan’s character Phil says, “I’m a big believer in celebrating every moment.”
Since the debut of “Call Me Kat in 2021,” Jordan starred in the comedy as the head baker at Kat’s (Mayim Bialik) cafe. He had completed production on eight episodes of Season 3, and was due to finish shooting Episode 9 this week. In Episode 7, which is set to air on Nov. 10, Jordan’s character gets his first love interest (guest star John Griffin).
“The Masked Singer” and “Lego Masters” also have upcoming episodes that will feature Jordan.
Fox and Warner Bros. TV, which produces the series, confirmed on Monday that production on Season 3 would pause as a result of Jordan’s death.
“We are shocked and devastated by today’s tragic passing of Leslie Jordan,” Fox said in a statement. “Leslie was far more than an Emmy Award-winning comedic talent with whom we’ve laughed alongside for all these years. He was the kindest person you could ever imagine who simply lit up a room and brought pure joy and huge smiles to millions of people around the world. The truest of Southern Gentlemen, Leslie carried an infectious exuberance, indelible sense of humor and, throughout, gifted us with countless fond memories that will last forever. As we grieve this sad news, we also wish to extend our most profound sympathies to Leslie’s family, friends and fans, whom he held so dear.”
Added WBTV, “Warner Bros. Television is devastated about the tragic and sudden loss of our dear friend Leslie Jordan. Leslie was an extraordinary person and talent. He brought joy to fans across the globe. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans at this time.”
Thursday’s episode of “Call Me Kat” included
Outlander is not a show to shy away from nudity and violence. However, Sam Heughan explained there was one scene where he felt like the nudity in it was “unnecessary” and that the decision to leave it in the show betrayed his trust.
The scene Heughan is talking about comes at the end of Season 1, when his character Jamie is sexually assaulted by Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies). In the episode, there is a full-frontal shot of Heughan’s penis, and he said that it was “unnecessary.” He explained this further in his memoir Waypoints: My Scottish Journey (via Insider):
Times have changed. The cock shot was unnecessary and did betray my trust in the creative team a bit. We don’t need to see the horror to imagine what the characters go through. Imagination is way more powerful.
Heughan did note that he is contractually obligated to film nude scenes, he also noted that the show does not shy away from tough topics like sexual violence. However, in this scene, he said he didn’t feel like his character needed to be nude. It was an incredibly brutal and difficult-to-watch moment in the series. He wrote:
This wasn’t a moment where I felt that being naked would add to the horror of what Jamie undergoes in that castle dungeon as a form of punishment, subjugation, and humiliation.
He later explained that his pushback on the scene caused a debate on set. Eventually, it was agreed that the explicit shots would end up “on the cutting room floor.” Heughan also wrote about how something like this would not happen today.
The evolution of how sex is filmed and depicted on TV shows has been rapid over the last few years, and Outlander has been on the air through it all. The show has been on Starz since 2014, and has recently brought an intimacy coordinator onto the set to help make the filming of intimate scenes more comfortable and safer.
Intimacy coordinators have started to be used more frequently, especially on shows where there are a lot of sex scenes. Bridgerton is a show that has famously started using an intimacy coordinator, and the show’s coordinator has explained what she does on set. She said her main role is to make sure everyone is comfortable, especially the actors. Along with Bridgerton, hit shows like House of the Dragon use intimacy coordinators as well and have spoken up about the importance of the job. This all comes back to Outlander because Heughan brought an intimacy coordinator onto the set in Season 6.
The actor has been very open about what it was like working on the earlier scenes of Outlander, saying it was a “different time.” However, now with an intimacy coordinator, they are able to ensure everyone on set feels safe, and when there are sex scenes they are helping move the story forward.
It’s good to know that show has evolved in a way to make the more intimate scenes safer and more comfortable, especially after hearing what Heughan went through in Season 1.
We know that Season 7 of Outlander is on the way, which is exciting after that cliffhanger. However, it will be a while before Jamie, Claire, and co. make their way back to our screens. While you wait for the latest season of the hit show, you can stream Outlander on Starz, and you can watch Seasons 1 through 5 with a Netflix subscription.
Outlander is not a show to shy
Getty Images for Prime Video
Chloë Grace Moretz hit the ground running. The actress landed the role of Hit Girl in “Kick-Ass” at the age of 13 and starred in Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” soon after, establishing herself as one of the most successful child actors of her generation. Plenty of notable roles followed, including a “Kick-Ass” sequel and the lead role in Kimberley Peirce’s “Carrie” remake. But now, she’s ready to slow things down.
In a revealing interview with NME to promote her new Prime Video series “The Peripheral,” Moretz opened up about life as a former child star and how her approach to choosing roles has changed.
“When you’re a child actor, it’s really about making hay while the sun shines, working as much as you can,” Moretz said. “As I grew up, I realized that I wanted to peel back. I’d rather make zero movies in one year if it means I didn’t connect to anything. That’s literally what I did this year. 2016 was kind of a trial run to figuring that out.”
Moretz, who recently spoke about the ways that the pressures of the Hollywood spotlight turned her into a “recluse,” is now perfectly happy to select roles at her own pace.
“What’s fun about this job is that it should change with how you grow,” she said. “I read a ton of scripts and had a ton of meetings this year, but I just did not find a project that connected with me. And this is the first time, outside of the pandemic years, when I actually just effectively chose not to work. That was really scary and brought up a lot of insecurities in my body, but it’s important for me to sit back and trust how i’ve been planting the seeds, and now I’m finally able to reap what I’ve sown. And I need to just trust myself. I’ve been calling it my ‘fuck it’ era!”
While the actress is being more selective than ever, she has a couple of film projects on the horizon. She’s set to star alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the thriller “White Night” and remains attached to the long-gestating “Bonnie and Clyde” reimagining, “Love Is a Gun.”
“The Peripheral” Episodes 1 and 2 are now streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes weekly.
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Moretz explained that being a child actor
As the fall awards season starts to heat up ahead of the Spirit Awards nominations announcement next month, our intrepid team at Film Independent has been working tirelessly to bring you another signature event – the 2022 Film Independent Forum. With a plethora of programming offered this year, filmmakers, curators and cinephiles alike converged at the Directors Guild of America Theater in Los Angeles to plumb the depths of the machinations behind independent cinema.
The 16th incarnation of the Forum commenced on Monday, October 24 with a full day of in-person events, ranging from one-on-one Industry Connect meetings and an in-depth presentation on impact producing, to the Filmmaker Keynote from writer-director duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (aka “Daniels”) and Opening Night—a screening of A24’s The Inspection, followed by a conversation with the filmmakers.
This week marks the first time in the Forum’s history where the event is offered in a hybrid format: after yesterday’s in-person programming, the rest of this jam-packed week is filled to the brim with virtual and livestream panels, case studies, and workshops for global audiences to enjoy! Here are some of the highlights of the day.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 24: (L-R) Producers Chester Algernal Gordon and Effie T. Brown and writer / director Elegance Bratton attend the 2022 Film Independent Forum at the DGA Theater Complex on October 24, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)From contributing writer, Cortney Matz:
“This is a huge moment for me,” reflected writer-director Elegance Bratton in the post-screening Q&A for his feature directing debut and this year’s Opening Night Film, The Inspection. The upcoming military coming-of-age drama – and deeply personal “festival darling” – blurs the lines between documentary and narrative, retelling Bratton’s own experience of homelessness and the challenges he faced in the Marine Corps as a gay man.
The genuine love amongst the creators was palpable on the stage, as the producers Effie T. Brown and Chester Algernal Gordon – also Bratton’s life partner – recalled meeting at the Film Independent Project Involve gala a few years back and the enthusiasm with which Brown boarded the project. Warm fuzzies notwithstanding, the three Film Independent fellows agreed that the path from script to screen certainly had its challenges.
Even so, Bratton’s love for sharing the finished film with audiences has not diminished as the adventure continues from one festival to another. For him, the film’s success is the answer to his prayers when he was 16 and living in a homeless shelter. “This is for anyone who’s been disregarded and underestimated, so you can see [that] your life has value.”
The Inspection opens in theaters on November 18 with a limited theatrical release by A24.

Under a clear blue sky on a balmy fall afternoon, everyone mingled at the welcome reception in the DGA Atrium and patio – replete with wine, cocktails, cheese & charcuterie delights – before returning inside for the first of the evening’s offerings.

Spirit Awards Best First Feature nominees for their feature directing debut – the 2016 surreal Swiss Army Man – Daniels treated the packed theater to hilarious tales from their journey to this year’s indie success story, Everything Everywhere All at Once. Before the duo took on the Michelle Yeoh-starring absurdist dramedy sci-fi, the college buddies from Boston’s Emerson College directed music videos for almost a decade before moving to narrative features.
“Love the guard rails,” quipped Kwan at one point, advising filmmakers to see the positive when things don’t go according to plan, because that is often when you rediscover what’s most important about your project. Along the way, they also developed handy VFX skills, to the point where they took care of 150 of the 250 VFX shots required in Swiss Army Man.

This year’s Industry Connect – where participants meet agents, casting directors, distributors and other execs in one-on-one meetings lasting 12 minutes each – was abuzz with connections. Participating filmmakers included CAA agent Charlotte Lichtman, Radiant Films International’s Director of Acquisition and Distribution Andrew Neel and Disney Television Studios’ VP of Casting, Kim Williams, amongst others.

The four-day industry conference got underway at 2pm PT with a two-hour deep dive into how filmmakers can propel social, political and cultural transformation by injecting impact considerations into the earliest stages of any project. To help us navigate all this, we had two experts in the field from leading social impact agency Picture Motion.
CEO Brian Walker is a veteran in infusing social impact into entertainment and media content, dating back to his days with the Enterprise Diversity & Inclusion group at The Walt Disney Company. Director of Strategy & Impact Asif Khan works alongside Walker on projects that range in size to come up with nontraditional marketing and distribution models that optimize the reach of any filmed content with a story that deserves to be told.
But more than that, they want to leave audiences with actionable intelligence and action items after watching a particular film. Want to learn more about how to set up Grassroots Screenings for your project? What are some of the questions that you should be asking before solidifying the social impact goals for your film? How do you decide on the kind of impact you would like your film to inspire and activate? Watch the presentation on-demand with your Full Access pass or purchase a Virtual Only pass now!
The Forum continues through Thursday, October 27 with more superb pre-recorded panels and case studies releasing each day on the virtual platform, followed by a livestreamed panel at 5:30pm PT each evening. Be sure to keep up with Film Independent’s blog and YouTube channel for more illuminating event coverage throughout the week.
The 2022 Film Independent Forum is sponsored by the Directors Guild of America, SAGindie and the Mississippi Film Office.

[Header image: Opening Night Film ‘The Inspection’ screening at the 2022 Forum. Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images]
Vladimir Putin has declared that the ‘age of western domination is over’ and called for a ‘new world order’ in a major foreign policy speech in Moscow.
The Russian leader, laying out his warped view of global politics, accused westerners of ‘fanning the flames’ of war in Ukraine and Taiwan, of sparking a global energy crisis and of causing a food crisis – all allegations that have been levelled at him.
Putin warned the world has entered its most dangerous period since the Second World War and a ‘new world order’ must emerge in which Russia gets a bigger say.
‘The West is no longer able to dictate its will to the humankind but still tries to do it, and the majority of nations no longer want to tolerate it,’ he said.
‘Dominion of the world is what West has decided to stake in this game. It is a dangerous, deadly and dirty game.’
Vladimir Putin has given another ranting anti-Western speech in Moscow, accusing westerners of fanning the flames of war in Ukraine and of causing an energy crisis
While at points Putin sounded as if he was offering an olive branch – saying Russia ‘is not an enemy of the West’ and ‘only wants the right to develop’ – he made it clear that any talks on his ‘new order’ would have to be on Moscow’s terms
While at points Putin sounded as if he was offering an olive branch – saying Russia ‘is not an enemy of the West’ and ‘only wants the right to develop’ – he made it clear that any talks on his ‘new order’ would have to be on Moscow’s terms.
The West, he said, had repeatedly rejected Moscow’s plans for peace laid out before the war in Ukraine – such as the withdrawal of all NATO troops from ex-Soviet states, against the wishes of their governments – and had instead chosen conflict.
He claimed that he had told the West: ‘Let’s be friends, have dialogue and strengthen trust and peace.’
‘We were completely sincere,’ he added. ‘What did we get in response? A ‘no’ on every possible area of cooperation.’
In fact, the US and NATO had both sent letters to Russia laying out possible grounds for cooperation before Putin invaded Ukraine, which Moscow rejected.
Russia isn’t the enemy of the West but will continue to oppose the diktat of Western neo-liberal elites, he said, accusing them of trying to subdue Moscow.
‘Their goal is to make Russia more vulnerable and turn it into an instrument for fulfilling their geopolitical tasks, they have failed to achieve it and they will never succeed,’ Putin said.
The Russian president reaffirmed his long-held claim that Russians and Ukrainians are part of a single people and again denigrated Ukraine as an ‘artificial state,’ which received historic Russian lands from Communist rulers during the Soviet times.
Putin laid out his warped version of global events at the Valdai International Discussion Club, saying it is time for a ‘new world order’
The Russian president reaffirmed his long-held claim that Russians and Ukrainians are part of a single people and again denigrated Ukraine as an ‘artificial state,’ which received historic Russian lands from Communist rulers during the Soviet times
A Russian righter jet swoops low over the wreck of a burning fuel train in occupied Ukraine, after it was destroyed in shelling overnight
Firefighters work to extinguish burning fuel tanks of a Russian train sat near the occupied city of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine
Ukrainian servicemen shoot from the seized Russian T-80 tank on a road near the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk area
epa10269650 Ukrainian servicemen shoot from the seized Russian T-80 tank on a road near the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk
The Russian president also stated that his country is ‘ready for talks’ on Ukraine.
Speaking about the conflict, Putin said he thinks ‘all the time’ about the casualties Russia has suffered in the conflict, but insisted he was left with no choice but to attack and that Russia would have paid a higher price if it had not acted.
He denied underestimating Ukraine’s ability to fight back and insisted that his ‘special military operation’ has proceeded as planned.
The Russian leader said: ‘About our country, you know, of course, we have costs, most notably regards losses in the special military operation. I think about it all the time. There are also economic losses, but there are enormous gains. And ultimately, and I want to emphasize, ultimately, all that is happening now will undoubtedly benefit Russia and its future. Why? Because it’s connected to strengthening our sovereignty.’
Putin also acknowledged the challenges posed by Western sanctions, but argued that Russia has proven resilient to foreign pressure and become more united.
The speech is just the latest in a string of ranting addresses that Putin has given since launching his war, laying out his historical grievances, distorted view of current events, and his vision for the future.
He has repeatedly talked of creating a ‘multipolar world order’ in which Western capitals, including Washington, would have to kowtow to Moscow and Beijing.
Accusing the West of trying to ‘cancel’ Russia and its history, he has presented the conflict in Ukraine as an existential struggle for what he presents as ‘Russian values’.
Kyiv argues the Russian invasion is a genocidal mission to both rewrite history – including the fall of the Soviet Union, which Putin called a ‘catastrophe’ – and to ensure Ukraine cannot draw closer to the West.
In his speech, Putin accused NATO of ‘starting to seize the territories of Ukraine long ago’ and insisted he was forced to invade to protect people.
He also said on Thursday that hard-line Ukrainian nationalists were willing to ‘fight until the last Ukrainian’ in the conflict with Russia.
Putin said Ukraine had suffered heavy losses in the eight-month conflict and criticised Ukrainian ‘hardline patriots’ and ‘banderites,’ a tag Russian officials and commentators often use to describe Ukrainian fighters who they say are neo-Nazis and fascists, for being willing to sacrifice their fellow fighters.
Amid fears that Putin’s war could go nuclear, he today denied having any intentions of using the weapons in Ukraine.
But he described the conflict there as part of alleged efforts by the West to secure its global domination, which he insisted are doomed to fail.
Speaking at a conference of international foreign policy experts, Putin said it’s pointless for Russia to strike Ukraine with nuclear weapons.
‘We see no need for that,’ Putin said. ‘There is no point in that, neither political, nor military.’
Putin said an earlier warning of his readiness to use ‘all means available to protect Russia’ didn’t amount to nuclear saber-rattling but was merely a response to Western statements about their possible use of nuclear weapons.
He particularly mentioned Liz Truss saying in August that she would be ready to use nuclear weapons if she became Britain’s prime minister, a remark which he said worried the Kremlin.
‘What were we supposed to think?’ Putin said. ‘We saw that as a coordinated position, an attempt to blackmail us.’
Without offering evidence, the Russian leader repeated Moscow’s unproven allegation that Ukraine was plotting a false flag attack involving a radioactive dirty bomb it would try to pin on Russia.
Ukraine has strongly rejected the claim, and its Western allies have dismissed it as ‘transparently false.’ Ukraine argued Russia might be making the unfounded allegation to serve as a cover for its own possible plot to detonate a dirty bomb.
Putin said he personally ordered Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to call his foreign counterparts to tell them about the purported plot. He maintained that Russia knows the Ukrainian facilities working on the project.
Putin claimed, still without citing any proof, that Kyiv’s plan was to rig a missile with radioactive waste and to characterize its explosion as a Russian nuclear strike in an effort to isolate Russia in the global arena.
He mocked the allegations by Ukraine and the West that Russia was firing on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine as ‘ravings.’ Russian troops have occupied the plant, Europe’s largest, since the early days of the conflict and Moscow has accused Ukraine of continuously shelling it.
Putin claimed, still without citing any proof, that Kyiv’s plan was to rig a missile with radioactive waste and to characterize its explosion as a Russian nuclear strike in an effort to isolate Russia in the global arena
Ukrainian service members prepare to shoot from a towed howitzer FH-70 at a front line, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Zaporizhzhia Region, Ukraine
Andriy Zhizhema wraps his amputated leg in an ace bandage in his hospital room at a military hospital in the Kyiv region, Ukraine. He was injured in Bakhmut, after joining the army as a volunteer in March
Firefighters work to extinguish fire following recent shelling at a railway junction in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in the town of Shakhtarsk (Shakhtyorsk) near Donetsk
A view of a collapsed building after a fire broke out at a factory following an airstrike by Russian forces that hit Ukraine’s Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast
A Ukrainian service member, holds a display munition during a mine-clearing demonstration with the Armtrac 400 demining machine in the background, amid Russia’s invasion, in the Kharkiv region
Also in his speech, speaking about Saudi Arabia, he said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman should be respected and that Russia was set on boosting relations with them.
It comes amid tensions between Saudi Arabia and the US after the OPEC+, chaired by Saudi Arabia, voted to reduce oil output by around 2 million barrels per day on October 5.
The United States’ has criticised Prince Mohammed and the OPEC+ oil alliance for agreeing to cut oil production, a move seen as a boost to Russia’s attempts to protect its economy in the face of Western sanctions.
Putin also used today’s address to state that the price of oil is ‘not that important’, after the US were forced to scale back a plan to impose a cap.
Also in his speech, speaking about Saudi Arabia, he said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman should be respected and that Russia was set on boosting relations with them
It comes amid tensions between Saudi Arabia and the US after the OPEC+, chaired by Saudi Arabia, voted to reduce oil output by around 2 million barrels per day on October 5
The United States’ has criticised Prince Mohammed and the OPEC+ oil alliance for agreeing to cut oil production, a move seen as a boost to Russia’s attempts to protect its economy in the face of Western sanctions
Putin also today said that Russia’s relations with China were at an ‘unprecedented level’ as he called China’s President Xi Jinping a ‘close friend.’
Moscow and Beijing signed a no-limits partnership just days before Russia launched its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine in February, and Russia has sought to forge closer political and economic ties with China in the face of Western sanctions.
China’s foreign minister Wang Yi today reiterated Bejing’s backing of Russia, despite western criticism over the war.
Wang said in a call with his counterpart Sergei Lavrov, according to state broadcaster CCTV: ‘China will also firmly support the Russian side, under the leadership of President (Vladimir) Putin, to unite and lead the Russian people to overcome difficulties and eliminate disturbances,’
‘China is willing to deepen contacts with the Russian side at all levels,’ Wang said.
Putin also today said that Russia’s relations with China were at an ‘unprecedented level’ as he called China’s President Xi Jinping a ‘close friend.
Moscow and Beijing signed a no-limits partnership just days before Russia launched its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine in February, and Russia has sought to forge closer political and economic ties with China in the face of Western sanctions
Putin today also said in his speech that the United States was wrong to destroy its relations with China over Taiwan.
He said Russia recognises Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China and said visits by U.S. officials, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – who Putin referred to as ‘grandma’ – to Taiwan were a provocation.
The Russian leader also said that the United States will have to replenish its oil reserves as they release them now.
He also rubbished the allegation that Russia blew up Nord Stream in the Baltic Sea, referring to it as ‘crazy’.
Danish police have said powerful explosions caused ruptures to the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 undersea pipelines, potentially putting them permanently out of use. Putin previously said the West blew up the pipelines, while European leaders have accused Russia of sabotage.
The Russian leader claimed that one of the two pipelines is working but that Europe ‘does not want to use it.’
He said Russia recognises Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China and said visits by U.S. officials, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – who Putin referred to as ‘grandma’ – to Taiwan were a provocation
Ukrainian service members prepare to shoot from a towed howitzer FH-70 at a front line, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Zaporizhzhia Region
A Ukrainian soldier prepares a mortar in the front line near Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battle against the Russian troops in the Donetsk region
The Russian president used his long speech to also declare that the country will let its partners in Asia to develop energy producing assets.
Speaking of South Korea’s decision to supply weapons to Ukraine, he said that it would ‘destroy our relations.’
He also launched into a rant against ‘cancel culture’, accusing the West of trying to erase diversity and stamp out whatever it cannot tolerate.
‘Those who formulate [global] rules believe others don’t have right to unique path,’ he told listeners.
‘It is no coincidence that West wants their view accepted as universal, and they insist through their politics of everyone must be accepting these values.’
And speaking of South Korea’s decision to supply weapons to Ukraine, Putin said that it would ‘destroy our relations’
Ukrainian sappers walk during the presentation of the Armtrac demining machine on the outskirts of Kharkiv
In his address, Putin also took aim at France for publishing contents of a phone call he had with President Emmanuel Macron days before Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February
Putin, pictured in June, said the release showed that his conversations with the French leader were being listened in on
He also criticised European leaders in his speech, claiming that the crisis in the area has been caused by them.
Putin added that Russia is not an enemy of Europeans and ‘never had any malicious intentions towards Europe.’
In his address, he also took aim at France for publishing contents of a phone call he had with President Emmanuel Macron days before Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February.
Putin said the release showed that his conversations with the French leader were being listened in on.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly hit out at Vladimir Putin after the Russian president gave a speech on Thursday.
‘Putin’s message today to the Russian people is unclear, untrue and unedifying,’ he tweeted.
‘What is crystal clear, is our message to the world:
‘Aggressors must not be able to invade their neighbours with impunity.
‘We will resolutely support Ukraine in its fight for freedom and democracy.’
Meanwhile, the White House said after Putin’s speech that his address ‘was not that new’ and does not indicate a change in strategic goals.
But Foreign Secretary James Cleverly hit out at Vladimir Putin after the Russian president gave a speech on Thursday. ‘Putin’s message today to the Russian people is unclear, untrue and unedifying,’ he tweeted
Ukrainian soldiers fire a mortar in the front line near Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine
A Ukrainian soldier carries a shell with a written message to the Russian army, in the front line position near Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region
Ukrainian soldiers target their mortar in the front line position near Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battle against the Russian troops in the Donetsk region
Firefighters work to extinguish fire following recent shelling at a railway junction in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in the town of Shakhtarsk (Shakhtyorsk) near Donetsk
Ukrainian service members fire a shell from a towed howitzer FH-70 at a front line, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Zaporizhzhia Region
Since the beginning of the war, Putin has passed sweeping censorship laws and jailed anyone who criticses him.
Russia is now into its ninth month of the Ukraine war and has so-far failed to achieve any of Putin’s war aims, which included the overthrow of the government and the ‘liberation’ of the Donbas region.
Having fought Russia to a standstill across almost the entire country, Ukraine is now recapturing territory from Putin’s troops.
Thousands of square miles of land in the north and south have been returned to Ukrainian control in recent weeks, with the city of Kherson now within reach.
Kyiv has vowed that it will not stop fighting until all of its land – including areas annexed by Putin in 2014 – has been liberated.
In order to stop the rot, Putin has been forced to mobilise 300,000 reservists into the army and call on allies such as Iran to supply additional weapons.
He has also annexed the Ukrainian territory Russia currently occupies to the mainland, and threatened to use nukes to protect it.
However, that has failed to stop the Ukrainian advanced and has done nothing to weaken Western resolve to supply arms and money to Kyiv.
Vladimir Putin has declared that the 'age

TMI? Megan Fox asked her “devastatingly handsome” fiancé Machine Gun Kelly to “get me pregnant” while gushing over him online.
“Never has anyone with better bone structure walked this earth ?,” the Transformers actress, 36, wrote in the comments of the 32-year-old rapper’s Wednesday, October 26, Instagram post, calling him “exquisitely, devastatingly handsome.” Fox continued, “And 6 foot 5? Kill me or get me pregnant. Those are the only options.”
The “My Ex’s Best Friend” artist — whose real name is Colson Baker — shares daughter Casie, 13, with ex Emma Cannon. Fox, for her part, is the mom of sons Noah, 10, Bodhi, 8, and Journey, 6, whom she shares with ex-husband Brian Austin Green.
Earlier this month, the New Girl alum fired back at a social media troll who wondered where her children were after she shared a series of sexy selfies via Instagram on October 19. “Wait wait wait. I … have kids?!?” Fox sarcastically responded, per a screenshot posted by a fan account.
She added, “Quick, someone call the valet at the Beverly Hills hotel. That’s the last place I remember seeing them. Maybe someone turned them into lost and found.”
The Above the Shadows actress’ comments came eight months after she and Green, 49, finalized their divorce. The former couple, who tied the knot in 2010, confirmed their split in May 2020, shortly before Fox and Kelly went public with their romance.
“The second that I was in a room with him … I knew right away that he was what I call a twin flame,” the Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen star revealed during a July 2020 appearance on he “Give Them Lala … With Randall” podcast. “Instead of a soul mate, a twin flame is actually where a soul has ascended into a high enough level that it can be split into two different bodies at the same time. So we’re actually two halves of the same soul, I think. And I said that to him almost immediately because I felt it right away.”

Fox has frequently fired back at mom shamers since she began dating her Midnights in the Switchgrass costar, telling InStyle that she’s faced “so much judgement” while raising her boys in a July 2021 interview.
“Do you ask their dad when he’s out?” she asked, referencing the constant comments she receives online. “No, because you don’t expect a dad to be with the kids all the time, but I’m supposed to not be seen and be at home with my kids. They have another parent.” (In addition to his three sons with Fox, Green welcomed son Zane with Sharna Burgess in June and also shares son Kassius, 20, with Vanessa Marcil.)
The Jennifer’s Body star continued: “I have to leave and sometimes I don’t want them photographed and they don’t come with me. This whole year I’ve been very surprised by how archaic some of the mindsets still are in some people.”
The “Bloody Valentine” musician popped the question in January — but the pair are not rushing down the aisle just yet.
“Megan and MGK haven’t set a date yet but they’re secretly planning their wedding. They’re working on it and also working hard on themselves,” a source told Us Weekly about the couple on Tuesday, October 25. “They’ve worked on their problems and worked really hard to get to the place where they are today. It’s still a struggle at times and they tend to have a lot of ups and downs. He is making a lot of effort to be more mature. He’s not always easy to deal with. He still has this teenage side to him.”
The insider added that though there was “a point … where [Fox] was done with him” earlier this year, things have “turned around” for the twosome. “She was fed up with his BS. It got really bad between them,” the source said. “He loves her so much and was the one that pushed to make it work. He wanted it to work and wanted them to be a happy couple.”
Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly
MrBeast, the massively popular YouTube creator who is reportedly approaching investors for a fundraising round that values his media empire at $1.5 billion, topped the list of nominees for the 2022 YouTube Streamy Awards for the second year in a row.
The creator, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, received a total of seven nominations, including in the creator of the year, collaboration and creator product categories. He is followed by fellow YouTube creator Mark Rober, who received a total of six nominations for this year’s Streamy Awards and will compete with returning winner MrBeast in the creator of the year category.
Newcomers this year include the true crime podcaster MrBallen (John Allen), who is recognized in the creator of the year, breakout creator, creator for social good and podcast categories. With four nominations, the podcaster — who is about to begin an exclusive deal with Amazon Music next month — is the most-nominated first-time nominee on the list.
Entering its 12th year, the Streamys have also added new gaming-focused categories that recognize top streamers and virtual YouTubers or VTubers.
The 2022 Streamy Awards, produced by Dick Clark Productions and Tubefilter, will take place Dec. 4 at the Beverly Hilton and stream on YouTube. See below for a selection of this year’s nominees.
CREATOR OF THE YEAR
Addison Rae
Airrack
Blogilates
Charli D’Amelio
Dream
JiDion
Logan Paul
Mark Rober
MrBallen
MrBeast
SHOW OF THE YEAR
Challenge Accepted • Michelle Khare
Chicken Shop Date • Amelia Dimoldenberg
Good Mythical Morning
Hot Ones • First We Feast
I spent a day with • AnthonyPadilla
In Space with Markiplier • Markiplier
RDCWorld
Sidetalk
Twitch Rivals
UNHhhh • WOWPresents
STREAMER OF THE YEAR
HasanAbi
IShowSpeed
Kai Cenat
Kyedae
Ludwig
Pokimane
Quackity
tarik
Valkyrae
xQc
INTERNATIONAL
Anasala Family (United Arab Emirates)
Enaldinho (Brazil)
HikakinTV (Japan)
Khaby Lame (Italy)
Mythpat (India)
SHORT FORM
DeMarcus Shawn
Ian Boggs
Savanah Moss
Sheena Melwani
the cheeky boyos
BREAKOUT CREATOR
BENOFTHEWEEK
Kallmekris
Kirsten Titus
MrBallen
Ryan Trahan
BREAKOUT STREAMER
Emiru
IShowSpeed
Kai Cenat
kkatamina
QTCinderella
COLLABORATION
JustDustin, Hacksmith Industries, Unspeakable • First YouTuber To Break The Orb Wins $10,000
Ludwig • My Gameshow Broke YouTube
Mark Rober, Jim Browning, Trilogy Media • Pranks Destroy Scam Callers – GlitterBomb Payback
MrBeast • Extreme $1,000,000 Hide And Seek
Sam and Colby, Kallmekris, Celina SpookyBoo • Our Unexplainable Night at Crescent Hotel
CREATOR FOR SOCIAL GOOD
Invisible People
MrBallen • MrBallen Foundation
MrBeast and Mark Rober • #TeamSeas
Ryan Trahan • Feeding America
The Game Theorists • St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
CREATOR PRODUCT
Feastables • MrBeast
Happy Dad • NELK
Holo Taco • Simply Nailogical
POPFLEX • Blogilates
PRIME Hydration • Logan Paul x KSI
CROSSOVER
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
Gordon Ramsay
Hailey Rhode Bieber
Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Madelaine Petsch (blondebrunetteredhead)
Post Malone
FIRST PERSON
Airrack
courtreezy
JiDion
Safiya Nygaard
Yes Theory
JUST CHATTING
BruceDropEmOff
HasanAbi
Kai Cenat
Quackity
xQc
VARIETY STREAMER
Asmongold
Lirik
Ludwig
MoistCr1TiKaL
Valkyrae
VTUBER
CodeMiko
Ironmouse
Nyanners
Veibae
Zentreya
PODCAST
Call Her Daddy
H3 Podcast
IMPAULSIVE
MrBallen Podcast
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
SCRIPTED SERIES
Dhar Mann
In Space with Markiplier • Markiplier
Jack Pop
NORMAL BRITISH SERIES • Brandon Rogers
RDCWorld
UNSCRIPTED SERIES
Challenge Accepted • Michelle Khare
Chicken Shop Date • Amelia Dimoldenberg
I spent a day with • AnthonyPadilla
Sidetalk
UNHhhh • WOWPresents
ANIMATED
Haminations
illymation
Jaiden Animations
Ketnipz
MeatCanyon
BEAUTY
Bailey Sarian
Brad Mondo
Mikayla Nogueira
MissDarcei
NikkieTutorials
COMEDY
Adrian Bliss
Kallmekris
RDCWorld
Rich Black Guy
The McFarlands
COMMENTARY
Chad Chad
Danny Gonzalez
Drew Gooden
Jarvis Johnson
LegalEagle
COMPETITIVE GAMER
iiTzTimmy
NICKMERCS
Shroud
tarik
TenZ
DANCE
BDASH
Enola Bedard
Matt Steffanina
Merrick Hanna
Michael Le
FASHION AND STYLE
Gunnar Deatherage
Kenz Lawrén
Mina Le
Nikita Dragun
Wisdom Kaye
FOOD
Babish Culinary Universe
Cooking With Lynja
Nick DiGiovanni
Sideserf Cake Studio
Uncle Roger
GAMER
Aphmau
Dream
LazarBeam
Markiplier
TommyInnit
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Austen Alexander
Blogilates
Doctor Mike
Dr Julie
The Fitness Marshall
KIDS AND FAMILY
Brody Hudson Schaffer
FunnyMike
Ninja Kidz TV
Rebecca Zamolo
Zeth & Saylor
LEARNING AND EDUCATION
bigweirdworld
Casual Geographic
Colin and Samir
Tom Scott
Veritasium
LIFESTYLE
Alexa Rivera
Brent Rivera
Charli D’Amelio
Kara and Nate
Retirement House
NEWS
Brian Tyler Cohen
Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan
Gay News • Josh Helfgott
HasanAbi
The Philip DeFranco Show
SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
I did a thing
JLaservideo
Mark Rober
Simone Giertz
Westen Champlin
SPORTS
Blind Surfer Pete Gustin
FaZe Deestroying
Jesser
Ryan Garcia
Tara and Hunter
TECHNOLOGY
Glarses
iJustine
Linus Tech Tips
Marques Brownlee
Mrwhosetheboss
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ashley Xu
Go4x4
James Hoffmann
Lyrical Lemonade
Samba Films
EDITING
Airrack
Brandon Rogers
Cooking With Lynja
MrBeast
UNHhhh • WOWPresents
VISUAL AND SPECIAL EFFECTS
Buttered Side Down
Corridor Crew
Happy Kelli
SoKrispyMedia
Zach King
WRITING
Baron Ryan
Brandon Rogers
Daniel Thrasher
Julie Nolke
LongBeachGriffy
MrBeast, the massively popular YouTube creator who
Former “Saturday Night Live” regular Chris Redd was punched in the face Wednesday night by an unknown assailant outside the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan, TMZ reported on Thursday.
He was then rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he was treated and released. Witnesses said police took photos of Chris’s injuries, which included a deep cut on his nose. The assailant was reportedly wearing a security guard uniform but it’s not clear if he was a Comedy Cellar employee or what motivated the attack.
The suspect fled by the time police arrived on the scene.
Witnesses also said that the suspect pulled a chain from Redd’s neck.
Redd left “SNL” ahead of Season 48 after five seasons on the show.
A representative for the comedian did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
Former “Saturday Night Live” regular Chris Redd
Hushed audiences witnessed footage of the first Russian shells hitting cities in Ukraine on the opening night of the Ji.hlava Intl. Documentary Film Festival on Tuesday as frontline filmmaking was honored.
Oksana Moiseniuk’s “8th Day of the War” screened at the Czech city’s venerable DKO cultural hall after audiences heard from the Ukrainian director via video link from Kiev, which remains under shelling in the eighth month of the war. The film’s diary-like immediacy captures the outbreak of the Russian attacks through the eyes of Ukrainians in the Czech Republic as they try to carry on with a semblance of normalcy, while their minds are consumed with the events taking place back home and they try to help any way they can.
Amid dimly lit tables in the decades-old theater building, Romanian producer Ada Solomon, a key film figure in regional art film behind “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn,” was awarded the world excellence award by the Czech Audiovisual Producers Assn.
Solomon, recalling the long history of international co-productions in the region, commended the Czech Republic as one of the most active partners making such films possible, saying such teamwork “speaks to what a united Europe means.”
Belgian director Lize Cuveele, best short film winner
Lize Cuveele (Courtesy of Ji.hlava IDFF)
The APA award annually recognizes an outstanding contribution to film production, going this year to the producer of more than 60 titles including “I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History As Barbarians” by Radu Jude, winner of the Karlovy Vary fest Crystal Globe in 2018, 2015 Berlin Silver Bear winner “Aferim!” and 2013 Golden Bear winner “Child’s Pose” by Calin Netzer.
She has worked with celebrated Romanian filmmakers including Cristian Nemescu, Ivana Mladenovic, Alexandru Solomon and Răzvan Rădulescu, and was executive producer for Maren Ade’s “Toni Erdmann,” among other credits.
The Ji.hlava fest audience prize for best short film in the Short Joy section, chosen by online viewers at the platform DAFilms.com, honored “Blue Bed,” an intimate insight into the relationship of a loving couple, by Belgian director Lize Cuveele.
The Ji.hlava fest, the largest event of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe, runs through Oct. 30, with nearly 400 titles screening and some 97 world premieres.
Hushed audiences witnessed footage of the first
Last Updated: October 27, 2022, 21:59 IST
Swara Bhasker thanks fans for their dedication towards work.
How do you know if Kartik Aaryan is at the airport? How do you know if Hrithik Roshan and Saba Azad were snapped together holding hands at an event? How do you what Kareena Kapoor Khan was wearing at a recent family gathering? Well, the answer is simple PAPARAZZI! They follow our favourite actors and make sure we get their latest pictures at the earliest. Recently, Bollywood diva Swara Bhasker took to her Instagram stories and penned down a long note thanking the paparazzi.
The Veere Di Wedding expressed her gratitude for the photographers who work 24*7 in a ‘harsh ecosystem’ to click pictures of celebrities. Bhasker also thanked paps for their service and sent them Diwali wishes.
“The business of celebrity is a strange thing and dependent on many factors and many people… one such bunch are the paparazzi. The other is the service industry. I often wonder guiltily as we get papped, whether (in our image-hungry age) the paps ever get to celebrate festivals with their near and dear ones. I mean I know it’s a job they’re doing, but still. It’s a weird and harsh ecosystem really… and we are all part of it!” Swara wrote.
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“Anyway, Happy Diwali to the good old Paparazzi! Aap nahi hotey toh hum nahi hotey (we are nothing without you)! Happy Diwali!” the actress added.

On the work front, Swara Bhasker was recently seen in Kamal Pandey’s directorial ‘Jahaan Char Yaar’ alongside Meher Vij, Shikha Talsania and Pooja Chopra. The female buddy comedy-drama highlighted the journey of four married friends who set off to Goa seeking solace from their ordinary lives but find themselves in an extraordinary adventure. The actress will be next seen in ‘Mrs Falani’. The film will be a compilation of nine short stories that will feature Swara in different characters.
Read all the Latest Movies News here
Last Updated: October 27, 2022, 21:59 ISTSwara
On the JoBlo Movies YouTube channel, we will be posting one full movie every day of the week, giving viewers the chance to watch them entirely free of charge. The Free Movie of the Day we have for you today is the witchcraft horror film The Evil Rises – a movie we had previously posted as a Friday Fright Nights feature a while back. Then we ran into some YouTube issues and had to take The Evil Rises down for a while… but now it’s back! You can watch it over on the YouTube channel linked above, or you can just watch it in the embed at the top of this article.
Here’s what was written about The Evil Rises for Friday Fright Nights:
Don’t you love it when a movie gets right to the point? That’s certainly what this week’s Friday Fright Nights feature does. The movie is writer/director Daniel Florenzano’s 2018 feature debut The Evil Rises, and as soon as it begins a couple attending a party on the beach are already digging up an ancient, mysterious statue. And thanks to the fact that one of their pals just happened to attend a seminar on this sort of thing a couple months earlier, we have all the information we need to know about the statue just a few minutes into the movie. That means we’re free to just watch as the partiers decide to handle their discovery in the worst way possible… a decision that results in most of them being wiped out by the time the opening credits have finished. Now that’s a way to get a movie started!
The surviving partiers are then tasked with killing sixty-six people in six days so their new evil master can wreak some havoc. It’s a nice, simple story for a first-time writer/director to bring to the screen – and Florenzano definitely brought a unique touch to the way he tells the story. I don’t think any other filmmaker would have written this story, its characters, or its dialogue in a way that would come close to how Florenzano did.
The Evil Rises has the following official synopsis:
A group of young friends discover an ancient statue that unleashes an evil spirit who enslaves them to collect human blood so that the evil spirit can come back to life and rule the world. It’s up to a detective, a priest, and a pizza boy to infiltrate the group’s sinister compound to ward the evil spirit from the Earth before it’s too late.
The film stars Bailey La Flam, Michael Glauser, and Julian De La Mora as the blood-collecting servants of the evil spirit, who is played by Erik Cram. As the detective we have Joe Paulson, with Ed Hollingsworth as the priest and Alec Lobato as Chazz the pizza boy. Viewers might spot adult actress Angel Cassidy along the way as well.
Sadly, Hollingsworth passed away in 2020 at the age of 72, after racking up nine screen acting credits over the last few years of his life. If you want to seek out Hollingsworth’s other screen performances, you can find him playing Dr. James O’Hara in an episode of The Golden Age: Heroes of Men, a butler in Daydream Hotel, Travis Bentley in the crime thriller Carbon, an older father in the short film A Son Never Forgets, Albert in the TV show Promiseland, a Lieutenant in the short film The Day I Woke Up, and Vagabond #3 in a TV movie called Kid Fix.
So check out The Evil Rises – after all, it’s free! Check out the late Ed Hollingsworth’s performance in this goofy fright flick – which remains Florenzano’s only feature film at this point, but IMDb promises us another Florenzano horror movie called Sellout is on the way. Then share your thoughts on the film by leaving a comment below or over on YouTube.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jso_CtK0nDI[/embed] On the JoBlo Movies YouTube channel, we will
Hear us out: Big Mouth is actually the perfect TV show for Halloween. What’s scarier than being a teen going through puberty, with nary an idea of how to deal with sudden body and emotional changes? The new episodes of Netflix’s adult animated comedy arrive at an opportune time during spooky season, with the show continuing to deliver on the tragicomedy of pubescence as the middle school kids of Bridgeton High deal with relationships, shifting familial dynamics, coming-of-age issues, and most importantly, being horny as hell.
Big Mouth’s sixth season keeps the show raunchy, hilarious, and often emotional. The 10 half-hour episodes feel familiar as the series has carved a successful, distinctive voice for itself over the years. This isn’t necessarily a problem, though, but it does pose the question: How long can Nick, Andrew, and their fellow classmates/hormone monsters keep going without the storylines getting repetitive?
For now, season six sits in a comfortable spot: It plays with similar themes without compromising on the laugh-out-loud humor, extraordinary voice performances (especially from series co-creator Nick Kroll and his co-star, John Mulaney), meta satire, or ability to be unapologetically provocative. Take episode three’s opening scenes—or the entire installment, actually—as a shining illustration of Big Mouth’s triumph. “Vagina Shame” kicks off with animated images of the vagina, and follows four female characters dealing with intimate, highly specific problems. Jessi (Jessi Klein) freaks out about a yeast infection, Missy (Ayo Edebiri) gets her first period, Lola (Kroll) succumbs to peer pressure about pubic hair, and Jessi’s pregnant stepmom, Kaitlyn (Jenny Slate), is forced to change her delivery plans due to health concerns.
Big Mouth refuses to hold back while exploring those topics. The writing is layered and resonant, but it’s also funnily dramatized. And that’s really the show’s comedic sweet spot. Lola chopping off her hair is depicted as an old-school beheading, with her pubic hair begging her not to kill them. At one point, Nick is asked to draw a vagina, and he shows off the lame triangle he sketched, seriously wondering if it’s too graphic for Netflix to display it. It allows Big Mouth to dig into how little most men are taught to care about female pleasure.
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The remaining episodes explore the teens pursuing various relationships. Andrew’s jealousy impacts his long-distance bond with Bernadette “Bernie” Sanders (Kristen Schaal). Mulaney is exceptional as his character becomes more unhinged and perverted, or as Andrew’s dad accurately phrases it, transforms into a “depraved little heathen.” However, the actor finds unexpected vulnerability in voicing Andrew, especially once season six digs into the reasons for his obsessive behavior. Missy connects with a new student, Elijah (Brian Tyree Henry), who becomes Big Mouth’s first asexual character. Jay (Jason Mantzoukas) and Matthew (Andrew Rannells) are a full-fledged couple now, much to Lola’s chagrin. Lola remains the MVP, and Big Mouth acknowledges that with an original song that dubs her as a breakout star. Of the many (many, many) characters he voices, Kroll’s work as Lola Ugluglio Skumpy is his best.
While all these storylines are entertaining if not formulaic, Big Mouth thrives in this new season by focusing on the parental relationships. There are hardly any scenes set in the school, and even the kids’ friendships take a narrative backseat. Instead, season six acknowledges how Nick, Andrew, Jessi, Missy, Lola, and Jay’s upbringings—or, in some cases, lack thereof—have shaped them into the teens they are today. By dwelling on this aspect, the show morphs beyond being a raunchy comedy, to its benefit. Still, staying true to its funky nature in the end, it converges these parent-child arcs in a finale that pays homage to Freaky Friday.
There are gaps this time around, though. Maya Rudolph’s Connie isn’t as present (although Rudolph gets to flex her muscles as Diane, Nick’s loving mom who is at the end of her rope). Supporting characters like Jordan Peele’s Duke Ellington, David Thewlis’ Shame Monster, and Ali Wong’s Ali don’t get sufficient screen time. Which we get. It’s just an unavoidable after-effect of juggling multiple storylines to accurately depict the kids growing up.
Despite these minor flaws, Big Mouth remains one of Netflix’s superior creative comedies. It’s visceral and uncomfortable because the show understands the horror of puberty and capitalizes on the animation to brutally depict it, whether it’s Jay “fucking” his pillows or a turkey, or Missy constantly fantasizing about Nathan Fillion. Big Mouth is a frantic, incisive, nostalgic journey about the difficulties of maturing—and shows no signs of slowing down.
Big Mouth season six premieres October 28 on Netflix.
Big Mouth season 6Image: NetflixHear us out:
Peacock has announced a new political thriller will be hitting hits streaming service next month called, The Independent, which follows a young journalist who discovers a conspiracy involving a U.S. Presidential candidate that could change the election and the fate of the country with it set to premiere on November 2.

Courtesy of Peacock
It’s the final weeks of the most consequential presidential election in history. America is poised to elect either its first female president (Ann Dowd) or its first viable independent candidate (John Cena).
Reporting history as it’s made, an idealistic young journalist (Jodie Turner-Smith) teams up with her idol, legendary journalist Nick Booker (Brian Cox), to uncover a conspiracy that places the fate of the election, and the country, in their hands.
The film was provided by Relatively Media film from Park Pictures, Anonymous Content and NEXT productions. The Independent is the latest addition to Peacock’s growing library of iconic films, including Beast, Jurassic World Dominion, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Vengeance, Brian and Charles, Downton Abbey: A New Era, and The Northman.

A political thriller where investigative journalist Eli ‘follows the money’ and uncovers a conspiracy that hits closer to home than he first thought. Starring Brian Cox, Jodie Turner-Smith, John Cena and Ann Dowd.
CAST & FILMMAKERS:
• Director: Amy Rice
• Writer: Evan Parter
• Producers: Sam Bisbee, Theodora Dunlap, Caddy Vanasirikul, Ryan Cunningham, Evan Parter
• Executive Producers: Laura Grange, Julia Stuart, Brian Cox, Jodie Turner-Smith, John Cena, Blair Ward, Anders Erdén, Eric Harbert, Bill Kiely, Whitney Moehle, Michael Arrieta, Marc Danon, David Robbins, Lex Miron, Amy Jarvela, Charles Stiefel, Brian O’Shea, Giovanna Trischitta, Nat McCormick, Jackie Kelman Bisbee, Lance Acord, Cody Ryder
• Produced by: Park Pictures, Anonymous Content and NEXT Productions in Association with Orogen Entertainment and The Exchange
• Cast: Jodie Turner-Smith, Brian Cox, John Cena, Ann Dowd
For more about movies on Peacock, click here:https://www.peacocktv.com/collections/must-see-movies-on-peacock
Peacock has announced a new political thriller
According to Deadline, long-time voice actress Cree Summer has been tapped to play a live-action role in Marvel Studios’ highly-anticipated Disney+ series Ironheart. Her casting comes after multiple reports regarding Sacha Baron Cohen’s Mephisto role have surfaced online. The outlet’s sources note that he might be appearing in episodes five and six of the Dominique Thorne-led show.
Summer is no stranger to the superhero genre, as she previously had done voice work for both Marvel and DC animated shows including The Incredible Hulk, Batman Beyond, Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, Justice League Unlimited, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Young Justice, Guardians of the Galaxy, DC Super Hero Girls, Big Hero 6: The Series, and more.
RELATED: Ironheart Set Photos Reveal First Look at Riri Williams’ Armor
Ironheart will be led by Dominique Thorne (If Beale Street Could Talk), who will be taking on the role of Riri Williams. Joining Thorne are Anthony Ramos (In the Heights), Manny Montana (Good Girls), Lyric Ross (This is Us), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story), Zoe Terakes (Nine Perfect Strangers), Shea Couleé (RuPaul’s Drag Race), Regan Aliyah, and GLOW alum Shakira Barrera.
Riri Williams is described as “a brilliant teenager who, in the comics, built her own version of the Iron Man suit in an MIT dorm.” In the comics, she sometimes takes over for Tony Stark as Iron Man. The character the series is based on was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mike Deodato, and first debuted in Invincible Iron Man Vol. 2 #7 in 2016.
RELATED: Wonder Man: Ben Kingsley Returns to the MCU in Marvel Studios’ Upcoming Disney+ Series
Ironheart hails from head writer Chinaka Hodge (Snowpiercer). It is being directed by Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes, with Ryan Coogler executive producing through his Proximity banner.
The genius titular hero is set to make her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the long-awaited Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which will arrive in theaters later this year.
According to Deadline, long-time voice actress Cree
The Pale Blue Eye will be available to watch in select theaters on December 23, 2022 and streaming on Netflix, January 6, 2023. Netflix released it’s first set of details about the film today including a full summary, teaser trailer, and set of first look stills. The film is set in West point in 1830 —
In the early hours of a gray winter morning, a cadet is found dead. But after the body arrives at the morgue, tragedy becomes savagery when it’s discovered that the young man’s heart has been skillfully removed. Fearing irreparable damage to the fledgling military academy, its leaders turn to a local detective, Augustus Landor (Christian Bale), to solve the murder. Stymied by the cadets’ code of silence, Landor enlists the help of one of their own to pursue the case, an eccentric cadet with a disdain for the rigors of the military and a penchant for poetry—a young man named Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling).
Check out the official teaser trailer below:
The film which has an all star cast is written and directed by Scott Cooper. Cooper also serves as a producer on the film. The film is an adaptation from Louis Bayard’s book with the same name. Additional producers include Christian Bale, Tyler Thompson, and John Lesher. Executive producers include: Tracey Landon, Dylan Weathered, Louis Bayard, Chris Sharp, Jennifer Lamb, Emily Salveson, and Ryan Smith. Catherine Farrell and Chris Surgent are set to co-produce.
Here is a first look at photos from The Pale Blue Eye:
The full cast line up includes: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey, Simon McBurney, Hadley Robinson, Timothy Spall, Joey Brooks, Brennan Cook, Gideon Glick, Fred Hechinger, Matt Helm, Jack Irving, Steven Maier, Charlie Tahan and Robert Duvall
To find out more information about the film, visit Netflix’s official website for it here: www.Netflix.com/ThePaleBlueEye or visit Twitter using the hashtag #ThePaleBlueEye.
The Pale Blue Eye will be available
Today, Prime Video released the official Season Three trailer and key art for the highly anticipated return of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. The series stars John Krasinski in the titular role, with Wendell Pierce and Michael Kelly reprising their roles as CIA Officer James Greer and former CIA Officer Mike November, respectively.
Joining the cast this season are Nina Hoss as Czech President Alena Kovac and Betty Gabriel as CIA Rome Station Chief Elizabeth Wright. As previously announced, Season Three will premiere all eight episodes on Wednesday, December 21 exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

John Krasinski (Jack Ryan)
In the third season of the action-thriller series, Jack Ryan is working as a CIA case officer in Rome, when he is tipped off that the Sokol Project, a secret plan to restore the Soviet Empire, is being resurrected more than 50 years after it was thought to have been shut down. Jack embarks on a mission to confirm the intelligence, but things quickly go awry, and he is wrongly implicated in a larger conspiracy.
Accused of treason, with a Red Notice out for his arrest, Jack is forced to run from his own government, if he has any hope of uncovering the rogue faction before it’s too late. Crisscrossing Europe as he is hunted by former allies and new enemies alike, Jack races against the clock to stop the cascade of destabilizing conflicts from leading to global catastrophe.
Prime Video’s Official Trailer below:
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is co-produced by Amazon Studios, Paramount Television Studios, and Skydance Television, and executive produced by Andrew Form, Allyson Seeger, John Krasinski, Vaun Wilmott, Brad Fuller, and Michael Bay. Additionally, Tom Clancy and Skydance Television’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Bill Bost executive produce the third season, along with Mace Neufeld and Carlton Cuse.
Below are some first look photos from Prime Video:
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Today, Prime Video released the official Season
Air Date: Wednesday October 19/22
On October 19/22, Big Sky’s episode 5 “Flesh and Blood” aired on ABC, and before we recap this episode, lets touch on a few things; Paige is alive! Is she a captive or not? It doesn’t seem all that clear yet. At first glance I would say no, but what would happen if she tried to leave? Cormac doesn’t seem to know anything about his half-brother Walter and Sunny and Buck are determined to keep it that way. The tension between Beau and his ex-wife Carla seems palpable. Cassie and Cormac have discovered the dead body of Mark Woodman. Cassie is convinced that his death is foul play. Things don’t seem to be cooling off between Cassie and Cormac, so a romantic turn isn’t out of the question yet. There is no news yet about Jenny’s mom and the stolen 30K. Emily continues to be suspicious of Luke. Avery is still an unknown. Why did he go snooping in Paige’s tent to begin with? Now that he has, he knows more then he has let on, until now. Does he really want to help Luke, or is there some sinister motive behind his interest in Luke and Paige? Its unclear what Tonya and Donno will do upon learning what Luke and Paige have stolen. Will they deliver them to the crime boss who hired them, or double-cross?

ABC Big Sky-Walt kisses Paige’s Hand
The episode opens with a scene at Walt’s cabin between him and the missing Paige. He claims he saved her life. Walt has told Paige that Luke was coming after her with a rock to bash her head in. We saw Luke pick up that rock up in episode two, so it sounds like he may have tried it. Walt also tells Paige that Luke is no good for her and that he has already “moved on.” We know this is true when we saw Luke and Mary together in the episode after Paige went missing. She asks Walt if he would accept a mission to retrieve her things from the camp and he agrees to do so. My guess is she is going to ask Walt to retrieve her bag, but we know that Sunny buried it after taking the gun. Walt tends to her injured leg and kisses the back of her hand. He seems completely smitten with Paige.
We see Beau shopping for a motorcycle for Emily. The salesman helping him steps outside to see a man messing with one of the bikes and is stabbed with a screwdriver. Beau chases after him and gets the licence plate of the truck he jumped into.

ABC Big Sky-Jenny Cassie and Mark
In last week’s episode, we know that Cassie and Cormac found Mark, the missing backpacker. The coroner is at the scene where they found him. Jenny is there and they look at the body. Jenny notices the wood carved figurine in Mark’s shirt pocket and shows Cassie. Cassie confides in Jenny about the strange man she saw on the side of the road in a blue and white Suburban with a tarp covering something in the back. Cassie said she got strong Ted Kaczynski vibes about him.
New campers arrive at Sunny Day, and we can see its Carla, Beau’s ex-wife, and Tonya and Donno. Sunny greets them and then chats with Cormac where he shares the news about the dead backpacker that he and Cassie found. She tries to warn Cormac off of any pursuit he may have of Cassie, but he doesn’t seem to heed his mom’s warning. I think we get a pretty good indication that Sunny now has Cassie in her sights as a threat to Walter, and perhaps even Cormac.
Beau and Poppernak know that the getaway truck is registered to a Sam Dillard. They split up so Poppernak can look for the truck on the lot, and Beau goes to chat with the lot Manager. As Poppernak finds and questions a female mechanic named Heather, Trent comes up behind him and puts a gun to his head. Poppernak is taken as a hostage. Beau sees the truck drive by as he chats with the Manager and calls out to Poppernak. Little does he know in this moment that Poppernak has been abducted.

ABC Big Sky-Mark’s Personal Effects
Jenny shows up at the office of Dewell & Hoyt and hands over the backpackers’ personal effects and Cassie thinks they should be held as evidence. She is convinced this is foul play. The timing points out that his parents were sent the email picture after Mark died and his phone is not with his things. Denise says this sounds like the old bleeding-heart murder case from 20 years ago. Mark Woodman’s parents are set to arrive soon. The coroner has ruled his death an accident. Jenny suggests that Cassie just stick to the facts till they know more. Jenny gets the call from Beau that Poppernak is missing.
When Mark Woodman’s parents arrive, Cassie shares that his death has been ruled an accident, but that she doesn’t believe that. She tells his parents
that she will continue to investigate if they want her too. His parents share that Mark was an experienced backpacker and has trekked some of the most dangerous places in the world but up until now he always came home safe and sound. Cassie asks his parents about the wood carved figurine they found on Mark, and they’ve never seen it – this isn’t something Mark would have kept. Cassie swears she will find out what happened to him.
Later that day, Denise delivers a visitor to Cassie – Cormac. He said he was happy to get her call. She tells him that she saw a creepy man in a blue and white suburban truck and wants to know if Cormac has seen anything. He says no. She then shows him the carved figurine that they found in Mark’s pocket. He said he’s never seen it before, but he has seen the red heart carved on the foot before. He tells Cassie it is carved into a number of trees in the forest around the camp.
Next, we see Cassie in the woods with a flashlight, looking for those carvings. She finds one and then sees fire in the distance. She goes towards it, and she can see the suburban burning. We can see Walt watching her, as she watches the truck burn.

ABC Big Sky-Poppernak Abducted
Jenny shows up at the truck lot and Beau tells her what happened. They find Pop’s phone and radio. They wonder if Pop was taken to cover up something bigger than attempted bike theft. Back at the station, Beau assembles the troops. They discover that the old guy who owns the truck is the grandfather of Trent Dillard, who has a record. They cross check the lot logs with open crimes and discover that bank robberies occurred every time the truck was taken out of the lot.
While en route to the bank, Heather tells Trent that she is not happy that he has taken a cop as a hostage. She wants to let Poppernak go. Trent says its too late for that and said she will have to prove she is tough enough to do this job. Heather’s boyfriend Wyatt opens the back of the truck. He vouches for Heather and suggests they get on with the bank job. It’s obvious that Trent would have no trouble killing Poppernak. When they show up at the bank threatening Pop’s death to coerce the bank clerk, she gives up her security badge and safety deposit master key, and Trent shoots her.
Trent is a loose cannon and after they pilfer the contents of many safety deposit boxes in the vault, he tells Heather he is done with her and attempts to shoot her. Before he can do that, Poppernak closes the vault door, saving her.

ABC Big Sky-Beau Comforts Jenny
Beau tries to reassure Jenny that Poppernak will be okay and gives her a hug. Madge comes to tell them that Green Meadow Savings and Loan hasn’t picked up their calls. Beau and Jenny head over to the bank and once they arrive, they hear a motorcycle revving and decide to split up. Beau goes after Trent riding Heather’s bike and Jenny stays in the bank looking for Poppernak. She gets everyone out of the bank and finds the clerk Anne who was shot and calls an ambulance and back up.
In continuing to search for Poppernak, Jenny finds the pass key and security badge on the floor outside the vault and opens it to find Heather and Pop inside. Heather has a gun on him and threatens to shoot if Jenny does not meet her demands. She wants a way out. It turns out that Heather’s motive to steal from the bank is because her mother cut her out of her inheritance. For Heather, this is about revenge on her mother.
Jenny does everything she can to meet Heather’s demands. Jenny says the car is on the way, the plane is on standby and it’s going to take time to get the

ABC Big Sky-Beau chasing Trent
money she wants. She did everything Heather wanted so she should let Pop go, but she says no – not until she is far away from the bank. Jenny tells Heather not to let her mom ruin the rest of her life. She realizes that Jenny is just placating her and none of her demands are going to be met. She hits Poppernak in the back of the head and he goes down. A scuffle ensues with Jenny who hits her across the face with a metal safety deposit box and puts her in cuffs.
While all this is happening, we see the ongoing chase between Beau and Trent. Beau sees the truck and knows that is where Trent will go eventually, so he doubles back and waits. Trent pulls into the back of the truck expecting Wyatt to speed away, but Beau comes around with his gun pointed on Wyatt. Trent knows he’s been caught and puts his hands in the air.
Once the case has been resolved, Pop, Beau, and Jenny are at the bar. Pop describes the bad guys as people just being scared. He said he was glad that Beau and Jenny came for him. They tease him that he’s fired. He gets up to go get beers for them all.
Beau asks Jenny how she is holding up. She says the whole ordeal has made her think of her Mom. Beau said that “all we can do is our best but at the end of the day all relationships have to be a two-way street. Even blood. Maybe, especially blood.” She says she likes his cowboy wisdom. Beau accepts the compliment and suggests they get drunk. They toast to family.

ABC Big Sky-Sunny and Buck
In tracking the goings-on at the Sunny Day Excursions camp, we see a few developments. Buck and Sunny have words. He knows about the dead backpacker and suspects Walt is involved. Sunny says no. She believes that Walt was trying to help him. Buck said that Cormac was never to know anything about Walt, but things with Walt seem to be closing in and Cormac is bound to find out. Sunny says they will cross that bridge if necessary.
Buck wants the whole story about the backpacker and Walt’s involvement. Sunny relents and explains it all to him, how Walt brought the injured backpacker to her. There was nothing anyone could do to save him. Buck doesn’t believe that and brought up the death of Walt’s adoptive parents again. Sunny said those people weren’t worth saving.
Buck wants to know if Walt did something to Paige. He continues to worry that Sunny is unable to see that Walt will bring trouble down upon them and all they built together. When Sunny asks what would Buck have her do? He suggests they let the law handle it. Sunny said no because Cassie saw him driving the truck when he was transporting Mark Woodman’s dead body. Her idea is to move Walt far away. Buck says you already tried that once, but this time Sunny says Walt won’t have a choice.

ABC Big Sky-Tonya Donno Emily Luke
At the camp, Emily approaches Luke. She said she has been thinking about the person in the woods. Luke says if you are smart you will stay out of it. Emily takes it as a warning but still wants to know more. Luke says Paige is no innocent but is interrupted by Tonya and Donno. Emily says she is on this trip with her stepdad and mom. Luke is with his girlfriend, but she had to go home. Looks like Sunny is watching them.
At one point Luke walks into his tent to find Tonya and Donno are inside. They ask him about Paige. Luke says she went home, but they say they know otherwise. Luke tells Tonya and Donno that he knows what they’re looking for and that he doesn’t have it. He said that Page took it. She took the 15 million. It looks like this sum of money surprises Tonya. She warns Luke that he better stay in the camp, or else!
Carla, Avery and Emily are sitting in one of the tents playing a card game. Carla asks Avery to go fly-fishing with her the next day. Carla then asks Emily about her conversation with “that boy Luke.” She wants to know what is going on. Emily says she is just after information on his missing girlfriend for her podcast about relationships. Emily tells her mom she isn’t sure that Paige made it home. This really upsets Carla and she urges Emily to stay away from Luke. Avery tells Carla not to get ahead of herself. Emily thinks Luke was going to share something important before they were interrupted. Carla wants to tell Beau about this. Avery disagrees with her. He said he insisted on a panic room and museum grade security at their home, because he worries. If he thought there was anything to be concerned about, he would sound the alarm.
Later in the evening, Sunny and Buck are in their tent. Buck knows he has to burn the Suburban to get rid of the blood and DNA evidence left behind when Walt tried to move Mark’s body. Him and Sunny hear a noise and Buck looks outside and sees Walt lurking around outside in the trees.

ABC Big Sky-Avery talks seed phrase with Luke
Elsewhere in the camp, Avery walks into the shower tent where Luke is washing his hands. Avery says these words; Once. Destroy. Hazard. Forever. Midnight. Risk. When Luke asks him what he is talking about, Avery tells him he was an early investor in Ethereum, so he knows a seed phrase when he sees one. Luke doesn’t seem to understand what he’s talking about. Avery challenges him. It’s a code that opens up a crypto account. Avery says that he saw Paige’s journal, and her gun. Avery claims the reason why he was looking through Paige’s things in her tent is because he has a step daughter to think about, and now his wife is here. He tells Luke that if he is in any kind of trouble, he should tell him. He claims he can help, but Luke lets on that there is nothing to tell.
| Character | Actor | Character | Actor | Character | Actor |
|
Jenny Hoyt |
Katheryn Winnick |
Avery |
Henry Ian Cusick |
Sgt. Madge Crowder |
Melissa Chambers |
|
Cassie Dewell |
Kylie Bunbury |
Cormac Barnes |
Luke Mitchell |
Jed (Shop Manager) |
Vic Browder |
|
Denise Brisbane |
Dedee Pfeiffer |
Carla |
Angelique Cabral |
Wyatt |
Matthew Menalo |
|
Tonya Walsh |
Jamie-Lynn Sigler |
Donno |
Ryan O’Nan |
Anne |
Megan Le |
|
Dep. Mo Poppernak |
J. Anthony Pena |
Emily Arlen |
Cree Cicchino |
Mark’s Mom Elise |
Gretchen Ho |
|
Sheriff Beau Arlen |
Jensen Ackles |
Luke |
Anirudh Pisharody |
Mark’s Dad Norm |
Greg Lutz |
|
Sunny Barnes |
Reba McEntire |
Paige |
Madalyn Horcher |
Carl (Salesman) |
David Gibson |
|
Walter |
Seth Gabel |
Heather |
Andrea Cortes |
|
|
|
Buck Barnes |
Rex Linn |
Trent |
Grant Harvey |
|
Big Sky S03 E05 Recap: Flesh and
With Episode 10 now out, House of the Dragon has concluded its first season. The Dance of the Dragons starts now. With unyielding, heartfelt performances, high flying action, and alliances forging, Episode 10 ends this season with an effective, stinging note.

Courtesy of HBO
When Game of Thrones concluded, many didn’t suspect that any other project set in Westeros would reach the highs of the first few seasons. By the end of this prequel’s first season, House of the Dragon delivers on the promise of a return of unyielding, harsh storytelling. While the path wasn’t necessarily perfect, the story of Fire and Blood has been done justice thus far. The changes made from the original narrative are not by accident or for the sake of change, but rather design. A theme of this season is miscommunication, suspicion, and broken promises contributing to growing animosity within a family. The result is an inevitability, that they begin to tear each other apart. Even if unintentional, the conclusion of this episode effectively sets in stone the destructive path to come.
In that conclusion, it hasn’t been often in Game of Thrones that there was a clash between two dragons. While the difference in scale and power is quite clear, simply thinking of an encounter of these great beasts and warriors when unchained and out for blood is alluring.

Courtesy of HBO
Among the greatest strengths of this show has been performances of the various actors and actresses. Of course, Matt Smith has been an intimidating, nuanced take on Daemon, but this episode truly highlights Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra. While Milly Alcock perfectly captured the youthful, naive, and ambitious side of Rhaenyra, D’Arcy perfectly captures the aware, jaded, and stoic side she gained as an adult. Truly, their performance in this episode captures all aspects of the character throughout this first season. And by this episode’s conclusion, one simple look to the camera is all D’Arcy needed to tell the audience what no number of words could.
Another actor who stole every scene he was in was Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen. The final minutes of this show truly highlight the fierce, cocky, and vengeful nature of Aemond. Still, Mitchell’s performance makes it clear that he realizes he has gone too far in his actions, and because of him, war is now inevitable. In many respects, Aemond is a more twisted version of Daemon. He’s unpredictable, fierce, and a rider of one of the biggest dragons. Unlike Daemon, however, he’s unable to see the downsides of his actions. Given these parallels, it’s not surprising the Daemon and Aemond share a rivalry in Fire and Blood, and chances are, it will lead to one of the most hype encounters in television history.
House of the Dragon episode 10, and by extension the entire first season, delivers on the promise telling a new, compelling story set in the world of Westeros. Not only does this show act as a return to form after the disappointing end of Game of Thrones, but it serves as one of the best shows to grace the small screen this year. How the next season will live up to the promises made by this season’s end is yet to be seen, but rest assured, it will certainly be worth the watch.
SEASON ONE SCORE – 9/10
Check out the previous episode recap here.
Check out House of the Dragon on HBO Max.
With Episode 10 now out, House of the
Among his eclectic filmography, Carpenter directed and co-wrote the landmark slasher film “Halloween” in 1978 with a $300,000 budget, which continues to fill theaters with sequels to this day. His other films include “The Fog,” “Christine,” “Escape from New York,” “The Thing,” “Big Trouble in Little China” and “They Live.” In addition to writing and directing, he writes and performs original compositions for the majority of his films. In recent years, he’s turned much of his artistic focus to original music, as seen in his albums “Lost Themes” and “Lost Themes 2.”
John Carpenter: Well I came out to film school to USC to go to cinema school in 1968. John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles. I saw all these guys in film school. They all came down and spoke to us. There was Orson Welles; there was Howard Hawks in my class. Man that’s a great time. But I digress. L.A. It was like coming home. I should have been born here. I should have been raised here. This is my home. I love Los Angeles. We have it all. We’ve got ocean. We’ve got mountains. We’ve got snow if you go high enough. We’ve got lots of crime. We’ve got lots of pretty girls. We’ve got the prettiest girls in the world here in Los Angeles and there’s a great music scene. And I learned what I learned about cinema here in Los Angeles so it’s always been really important to me as a city to live in and I love making movies about it.
John Carpenter: Most of them are improvised on a synthesizer, primarily using a synthesizer. My musical career as a movie composer began in film school. In film school you have no money so you don’t have money for a composer or an orchestra. So you have to find a way to make music that sounds big or sounds big enough for your movie, and the way to do it is with a synthesizer. Because with a number of tracks in using a synth you can build up a sound that sounds like orchestra or like Switched-On Bach or you can sound like a scary movie or it’s like an action film. All sorts of things. So that’s where I began. And my first score was “Dark Star,” which I can’t even tell you what kind of synthesizer I use but it was really primitive, and then “Assault On Precinct 13” and “Halloween” and then I just began one after another doing the scores to my movies. The technology and synthesizers got better over the years. But basically it’s a keyboard and you can call up various sounds. I mean you can do it now on a computer by just punching in a program or in the old days in the tube synthesizer days they had to tune the synth, saw-tooth or whatever sound they wanted. So I of course know nothing about that so I had to get somebody to do it for me. And that’s where all my associations and working with other people came and they were they had to work the machines. I couldn’t. All I could do was sit down at a keyboard, say make it sound like a deep bass sound, they would, and I’d play and that was it. And in the beginning I would just play the music and then cut it in in various places. But as time went on, I began to play to the image to the movie, which is great.
John Carpenter: Indifference, complete indifference. My first claim to fame was the theme to “Assault on Precinct 13.” Somebody in England did a cover recording of it and released it as a single and that was called “Can’t Beat the System,” I think it was called. God it was awful, awful. But, reaction was never much, you know, until later in my life people reflected on it.
John Carpenter: My father bought me a pair of bongos for Christmas when I was 13 and he taught me five-four time, “pop pop pop.” So I thought that was clever. I sat down with the piano just one in “dun-dun-dun” and played octaves—that’s where it came about. I showed the movie to an executive without music, which is a big mistake. Don’t ever show a movie to anybody unless it’s completely done. And the executive said that’s not scary and I’m not scared by anything like that. And then you know the movie came out and it was with the music, it got scarier.
Writer, director, musician and comic book creator
Elon Musk, the billionaire poised to acquire Twitter later this week, strolled into the company’s headquarters Wednesday carrying a porcelain sink and tweeting “Entering Twitter HQ – let that sink in!”
Musk’s US$44 billion deal to take Twitter private faces a Friday deadline, although the video he posted offered no evidence that the acquisition is complete. Twitter and Musk representatives had no comment on that question, although Twitter did confirm that Musk’s video tweet was real. Musk also changed his Twitter profile to refer to himself as “Chief Twit” and his location to Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters.
The splashy video — a vintage Musk production — also pulled the spotlight back to the world’s richest man and his on-again, off-again pursuit of the social platform.
Read more:
Planned cuts to Twitter workforce could grow to 75% if Musk takes over: report
Read More
The Friday deadline to consummate the deal was ordered by the Delaware Chancery Court in early October. It is the latest step in an epic battle during which Musk signed a deal to acquire Twitter, then tried to back out of it, leading Twitter to sue the Tesla CEO to force him to conclude the deal. If the two sides don’t meet the Friday deadline, the next step could be a November trial.
Robert Anderson, a law professor at Pepperdine University, said he fully expects the deal to close by Friday’s deadline but didn’t see much substance to Musk’s video. “I don’t see anything unusual about it, other than that he brought a sink,” he said.
Musk had been expected to visit Twitter this week and is expected to return again Friday if the deal is finalized, according to an internal memo cited in a report by Bloomberg News.
His apparent enthusiasm about visiting Twitter headquarters stood in sharp contrast to one of his earlier suggestions that the building should be turned into a “homeless shelter” because, he said, so few employees actually worked there.
The Washington Post reported last week that Musk told prospective investors that he plans to cut three quarters of Twitter’s 7,500 workers when he becomes owner of the company. The newspaper cited documents and unnamed sources familiar with the deliberation. Several hours after posting his sink video, Musk tweeted that he was meeting “a lot of cool people at Twitter today!” He gave no details.
One of Musk’s biggest obstacles to closing the deal was keeping in place the financing pledged roughly six months ago.
A group of banks, including Morgan Stanley and Bank of America, signed on earlier this year to loan US$12.5 billion of the money Musk needed to buy Twitter and take it private. Solid contracts with Musk bound the banks to the financing, although changes in the economy and debt markets since April have likely made the terms less attractive. Musk even said his investment group would be buying Twitter for more than it’s worth.
Less clear is what’s happening with the billions of dollars pledged to Musk by investors who would get ownership stakes in Twitter. Musk’s original slate of equity partners included an array of partners ranging from the billionaire’s tech world friends with like-minded ideas about Twitter’s future, such as Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, to funds controlled by Middle Eastern royalty.
The more equity investors kick in for the deal, the less Musk has to pay on his own. Most of his wealth is tied up in shares of Tesla, the electric car company that he runs. Since April, he has sold more than $15 billion worth of Tesla stock, presumably to pay his share. More sales could be coming.
Musk, 51, has shared few concrete details about his plans for the social media platform. While he’s touted free speech and derided spam bots since agreeing to buy the company in April, what he actually wants to do about either remains a mystery.
Technology analysts have speculated that Musk wants to use Twitter to help create an “everything app” similar to China’s WeChat service, which allows users to do video chats, message, stream video, scan bar codes and make payments.
Musk’s flirtation with buying Twitter appeared to begin in late March. That’s when Twitter said he contacted members of its board — including co-founder Jack Dorsey — and told them he was buying up shares and was interested in either joining the board, taking Twitter private or starting a competitor.
Then, on April 4, he revealed in a regulatory filing that he had become the company’s largest shareholder after acquiring a nine per cent stake worth about US$3 billion.
At first, Twitter offered Musk a seat on its board. But six days later, CEO Parag Agrawal tweeted that Musk would not be joining the board after all. His bid to buy the company quickly followed.
Inside Twitter, Musk’s offer was met with confusion and falling morale, especially after Musk publicly criticized one of Twitter’s top lawyers involved in content-moderation decisions.
In July, Musk abruptly reversed course, announcing that he was abandoning his bid to buy Twitter. His stated reason: Twitter hadn’t been straightforward about its problem with fake accounts he dubbed “spam bots.” Twitter sued, and two weeks before a 5-day trial was scheduled to begin, Musk changed his mind again, saying that he wanted to complete the deal after all.
© 2022 The Canadian Press
Elon Musk, the billionaire poised to acquire
Great news, Sony earbuds owners! Sony has pledged to upgrade three of its best true wireless earbuds with a free audio feature.
Multipoint audio support – which lets earbuds remain connected to two different Bluetooth devices simultaneously – is coming to the Sony LinkBuds, LinkBuds S and WF-1000XM4 earbuds in the next few months (H/T Engadget (opens in new tab)).
Sony says the feature will become available through a new firmware update heading to its LinkBuds models in November, while the WF-1000XM4 will get the same update some time between December and January.
This is a big deal for Sony’s wireless earbuds, because it brings them in line – or rather makes them even more useful – than Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro models. The latter devices have boasted easy-switching audio support since their respective launches, but the feature only works for Apple-branded products.
In contrast, Sony’s LinkBuds, LinkBuds S and WF-1000XM4 earbuds will soon be able to function simultaneously with any Bluetooth-enabled devices, regardless of manufacturer. If you’re watching Netflix on your Dell laptop, for instance, you’ll be able to remain aware of notifications pinging away on your Samsung phone.
For multipoint audio support to function, earbuds must necessarily support both A2DP and HFP/HSP connections for audio streaming and talking, respectively. Some devices can only support two simultaneous phone connections (which is pretty impractical, anyway), while others can handle simultaneous phone and computer connections.
Sony’s LinkBuds, LinkBuds S and WF-1000XM4 earbuds will soon be capable of the latter, though the brand’s budget wireless models – like the Sony WF-C500 – will miss out on the free upgrade.
The Sony LinkBuds, LinkBuds S and WF-1000XM4 are three already-great wireless earbuds in their own right, so it’s a welcome surprise to see Sony handing out a pretty significant upgrade – for free, no less – to each of them.
The WF-1000XM4, in particular, are our current pick for the best true wireless earbuds money can buy, so the imminent addition of multipoint audio support will only strengthen their claim to that title in the face of competition from rival manufacturers.
What’s more, we recently proclaimed the LinkBuds S to be some of the best-fitting earbuds for small ears we’ve ever tested – their support of multipoint audio will, unsurprisingly, make them even better from a practical point of view (for those with tiny ears or otherwise).
If you haven’t bought either pair and are thinking of investing in Sony’s wireless audio lineup, check out our Sony LinkBuds vs Sony WF-1000XM4 feature, as well as our report on why Sennheiser’s new true wireless earbuds put the pressure on Sony’s flagship model.
Great news, Sony earbuds owners! Sony has
In one of his most famous songs, Stephen Sondheim wrote about the challenge of creating art: “Having just a vision’s no solution/Everything depends on execution/The art of making art, is putting it together.”
But what if, as an aspiring talent, you’ve got the vision, the execution, you put it together just so and yet still can’t make it in the art world? That is, in some respects, the dilemma explored in the documentary The Art of Making It, which played as part of Deadline’s For the Love of Docs virtual event series. It examines an art ecosystem “on the verge of collapse,” as the filmmakers put it, one that serves extremely wealthy gallery owners, super-rich collectors, museum board grandees, a few “name” artists, but leaves young creators struggling to launch and sustain careers.
“I realized how challenging it is and also how at the highest levels of the art world, it seems like art is typically dialogued about more as a commodity and less as a place to exchange ideas,” director Kelcey Edwards observed during a panel discussion after the screening. “I started to kind of become concerned that these artists who were trying to express themselves and foster important cultural dialogue about some of the most pressing issues of our time were running against the unsustainability of what they were trying to do and so many barriers to entry.”
One of the only tickets to success for gifted but unknown artists is to pursue an MFA degree from a place like Yale University, which charges hefty tuition fees. Despite the prohibitive costs, what grads actually wind up with is a lottery ticket, with low odds of paying off.
“We were hoping to shine a light on people crazy enough to take on all this debt and receive all this education. And even with a terminal degree from a school like Yale, the chances of making It — which in our minds was being able to support yourself, doing what you’re trained to do — was less than 5 percent,” noted producer Debi Wisch. “I think you’d be hard pressed to find any other… nonlinear profession where the chances of making it are sort of so serendipitous and risky.”
The filmmakers interviewed an array of artists, art critics, professors, curators, gallery owners, art dealers, collectors, and museum directors to paint a portrait of a world that is insular by design. The film explores many themes, including the purpose of museums (an 18th century idea that perhaps doesn’t serve contemporary society, the documentary suggests), the lack of public funding for the arts, wealthy collectors buying art and squirreling it away from public view, and gallery owners joining museum boards, which perhaps constitutes a conflict of interest because they man the gates at two entry points to success.
The range of voices created a storytelling challenge for editor Nyneve Laura Minnear.
“It was 38 interviews, something like that, this daunting task of weaving together,” Minnear explained. “I came into this not so familiar with the art world — other than being an art lover and visiting museums — but learning about the issues through the interviewers themselves is sort of this process that, editors, we like to talk about it as an archeological process, an excavation of ideas, and how do you start to see connections and patterns and start to see how the footage speaks for itself?”
Minnear said the creative team behind the documentary set themselves a difficult task (as Sondheim wrote) “putting it together.”
“[We came] up with this method where each scene had to do three things: It had to help us fall in love with the art and artists, surprise us and be something new you didn’t necessarily know about the art world, and be entertaining,” Minnear said. “The pace of finding this way to make it entertaining while you’re also digesting a lot of information was very, very challenging.”
Edwards came to the film with an ideal background. Her father was a museum curator and in her 20s she started a nonprofit art gallery herself in Austin, Texas. Over time, she has seen some positive change in the art world, but not enough.
“There is more accountability and transparency than there has been, theoretically,” Edwards commented. “Just the fact that a film like this is getting made and seen is important… One of the biggest things I noticed in my interviews was how relieved everyone was to be talking about these things. It was palpable… People were dying to lift this veil. I think the art world, in a funny way, is sick of itself in the ways that it is problematic and contradictory and unjust and unfair.”
Edwards added, “I think the people engaging in the superficial kind of layers of [the art world] are trying to figure out themselves, how can we do a better job, where did we fall in love with all of this in the first place? There’s a long way to go.”
The Art of Making It comes from Wischful Thinking Productions, in association with Artemis Rising Foundation, Be Forward Productions and Iron Gate East Productions. Watch the full conversation with the filmmakers above.
For the Love of Docs screens a new documentary every Tuesday night into December. Our virtual event series is presented by National Geographic.
In one of his most famous songs,
The Midnights artists nearly stole the show when she and Iver sang Folklore‘s hit song for the crowd
Taylor Swift made a surprise visit to Bon Iver’s concert in London on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the OVO Arena in Wembley. As Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, began the first few verses of “Exile” from Swift’s eighth album, Folklore, the Midnights artist walked on stage. Immediately, the crowd lost it.
“Bon Iver bringing out Taylor Swift and playing Exile has fucking ended me honestly jesus christ” one audience member tweeted. Another wrote, spelling errors for effect, “TAYLOR SWIFT JUST CMAE OUT EITH BON IVER IM SHAKING.”
The duo was also accompanied on stage by the National’s Aaron Dessner as they performed the track to a screaming crowd. The Independent reported that after Swift exited, Vernon joked that her performance would be hard to follow, then proceeded to play “Skinny Love” and “Blood Bank.”
During her guest appearance, Swift called both Vernon and Dessner “the most talented men in the world,” according to the Independent.
Last week, the release of Midnights crashed Spotify as users scrambled to listen to Swift’s new album. The platform later revealed that the LP was the most-streamed project in a single day in the service’s history.
In reaction to the record-breaking news, the songwriter tweeted: “How did I get this lucky, having you guys out here doing something this mind-blowing?! Like what even just happened??!?!”
Midnights, Swift’s 10th album, also marked the first time a musician’s album reached 1 million sales in the opening week since Swift herself did so with Reputation in 2017.
Vernon, for his part, has been exploring upgraded sonic avenues for his tour. The musician partnered with French sound company L-Acoustics for select immersive sound shows utilizing their L–ISA technology, including Thursday’s OVO performance.
The Midnights artists nearly stole the show
In Phyllis Nagy’s “Call Jane,” Joy (Elizabeth Banks) is a 1960s housewife married to a defense attorney (Chris Messina) with a teenage daughter (Grace Edwards) and a baby on the way. A heart condition, though, threatens her life in childbirth. The only treatment, her doctor tells her, is “to not be pregnant.”
When they, acting on the doctor’s advice, appeal to the hospital’s board for permission to conduct a therapeutic termination, this critical moment in Joy’s life passes curtly. The all-male board members discuss it briefly while not acknowledging Joy, across the table. “No regard for her mother?” she asks. Their votes sound the answer. “No.“ “No.” “No.“
“Call Jane,“ which opens in theaters Friday, is set more than 50 years ago but it could hardly be more up-to-the-minute. Following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier this year, abortion — which Pennsylvania Senate Republican candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz recently described as between “a woman, her doctor and local political leaders” — is again a hotly debated issue in upcoming elections.
Nagy, the screenwriter of Todd Haynes’ radiant ‘50s-set 2015 drama “Carol,” again illustrates how the past can illuminate the present. “Call Jane,“ made before the end of Roe v. Wade but when its future was increasingly precarious, dramatizes the Jane Collective, a Chicago network of women activists who in the years before legalized abortion, clandestinely helped other women obtain safe abortions.
“Call Jane” is just one of the films about abortion rights that by happenstance have debuted this year. Audrey Diwan’s piercing “Happening,” about a young woman in 1963 France, remains one of 2022’s standouts. Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes’ HBO documentary “The Janes” grippingly recalled the Jane Collective, with colorful reflections from the women who helped run it.
“Call Jane,” the glossiest of the bunch, lacks the vivid detail of “The Janes” or the riveting visual intimacy of Diwan’s movie. But all three films bear an of-the-moment urgency and a deep sense of empathy for the adversities faced by women whose choice has been taken from them. “Call Jane” distinguishes itself as a stirring portrait of the birth of an unlikely abortion-rights activist.
Banks, always good but especially strong here, plays a woman who looks more ‘50s than ’60s. But she is slowly awakening to the changing times. In the opening scene, she walks through an elegant hotel lobby with sumptuous music playing — a moment that would fit right in in “Carol” — only to be struck at the raucous sound of women protesting outside. “You can feel a shifting current,” she tells her husband.
Their family life is traditional, loving and — aside from a Velvet Underground record — conservative. Centering the story on a straight-and-narrow character like Joy is, itself, a reminder of the wide spectrum of people who might one day reluctantly seek an abortion. Joy’s options, initially, are terrible. “There’s always insanity,” the doctor tells her. One woman suggests: “Just fall down a staircase.”
It’s a paper ad at a bus stop that brings Joy to Jane. After a hesitant phone call, she’s brought to their offices by blindfold. But “Call Jane” doesn’t play up the covert aspect of the group’s activities. Nagy instead stays focused on Joy’s awakening to a wider world of female fellowship that’s more frank about sex and its repercussions. Virginia (Sigourney Weaver) is the group’s leader and a natural hippie foil to Joy. She calls Joy “Jackie O.“ Soon after Joy’s own procedure, Virginia lures Joy into volunteering with the collective. At first, Joy isn’t entirely convinced. One young woman who comes to Jane is having unprotected sex with a married man, Joy is appalled to learn. But Virginia lays down the law: “We help women. We don’t ask any questions.”
“Call Jane” loosens up notably inside the collective, a varied group of women that includes a Black Power activist (Wunmi Mosaku) and a nun who fields phone calls (Aida Turturro). There may have been more possibilities here for the film, which spends a lot of time with the group’s less valorous doctor (Cory Michael Smith), who performs the procedures. But that, too, becomes part of Joy’s storyline, as she gets more and more deeply involved with Jane. For Joy, it’s more than a cause. For the first time, she realizing her own power.
There are probably many more stories that could be told about the Jane collective, which facilitated an estimated 12,000 abortions in the years before Roe v. Wade. But few know how to tease out threads of repression in a society like Nagy. The conventional approach of “Call Jane” is a statement, itself. This could be anyone’s story.
“Call Jane,” a Roadside Attractions release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for some language and brief drug use. Running time: 121 minutes. Three stars out of four.
___
Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
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In Phyllis Nagy’s “Call Jane,” Joy (Elizabeth
