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“A Hug Moment” Would Have Stopped Oscar Slap – Deadline

In a few days Kenan Thompson will host his first Primetime Emmys show, but he’s not afraid of an ‘Oscar slap’, he says.

Speaking at an Emmy preview event in LA on Wednesday night, the SNL comic reflected on the infamous physical clash between Oscars host Chris Rock and Will Smith, and on the pitfalls of ‘roasting’ at awards shows in general.

“I think a good comic is supposed to be aware,” Thompson said. “I mean I’m not calling Chris a bad comic, he just wasn’t necessarily aware of that situation, so it’s not fair to lump him into that conversation. But overall those kind of roast-y kind of people, you have to be smart, because you know, there’s a way to jab at people without offending, like for real for real. I don’t think offense necessarily gets us anywhere as a society.”

In July Smith posted an apology video online, but last weekend, during a stand-up show in London, Rock compared that recording to a “hostage video”. In Thompson’s opinion, that (literally) show-stopping moment could have potentially been quickly resolved .

“I feel like a hug moment would have stopped all of that, you know what I’m saying?” Thompson said. “But it was so unfathomable that [Rock] didn’t know that was even coming. He would have never in his wildest dreams have imagined his friend of 30-plus years would attempt some s**t like that.”

When he takes the stage at the Microsoft Theater on Monday night, for the Emmys’ first return to that venue since the pandemic, Thompson intends to make sure everybody gets—and enjoys—the joke.

“You know, I’m not going out there like hurting anybody’s feelings for the sake of other people laughing,” he said. “We’re supposed to all be laughing together, even that person the joke is about.”

“This being a roasting opportunity kind of night, a lot of people expect to hear that,” Thompson added. His approach, he says, will be “more so about the zeitgeist about what’s going on, maybe like the jokes are about the shows or the different platforms. Because it’s bigger than a famous person who’s having a moment, because it’s a room full of famous people.”

Monday’s show will see a return to the updated ‘dinner-party’ vibe of last year, only this time, executive producers Reginald “Reggie” Hudlin and Ian Stewart, who are returning for the third and fifth time respectively, said it will be on a much more expanded, immersive scale.

They also announced that John Legend would be performing his new song “Pieces” for the ‘In Memoriam’ segment.

The three-hour, live telecast will begin Monday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and will also stream on Peacock.

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September 9, 2022

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In a few days Kenan Thompson will

Movies

Review: Jiminy Cricket! A live-action ‘Pinocchio’

After a string of live-action remakes, from “Beauty and the Beast” to “The Lion King,“ the Walt Disney Co. has finally gotten around to “ Pinocchio.” Along the way, there have been some nice performances, enormous heaps of CGI and, lest anyone forget, one very blue Will Smith.

Whether any of these movies have done much to improve the originals is very much up for debate, and undertaking “Pinocchio” poses even more particular challenges. Most pressing: What you do with Pinocchio? Nice kid and all. A little wooden. But if we’re being honest here, he’s always been a bit of a dud.

Do you cast a young actor to play the puppet once brought to life? Alongside some live performers (Tom Hanks, Cynthia Erivo) and some CGI characters, director Robert Zemeckis has used computer imagery to render Pinocchio (voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) much in the style and vocal pitch of the 1940 cartoon. The effect is an awkward fusion of fake and real that strains to find any magic in between. This “Pinocchio,“ unfortunately, is no real boy, at all.

It’s also one of two adaptations of the fairy tale coming this fall. Zemeckis’ “Pinocchio” premieres Thursday on Disney+. Later comes a stop-motion version by Guillermo del Toro. The directors are magicians both, and they will surely have radically different takes on the old Italian tale. In a few months, we’ll be able to compare them, nose to nose.

Zemeckis’ film opens with a reminder of how foundational “Pinocchio” has been to the Disney myth-making machine. As the familiar castle logo plays with “When You Wish Upon a Star,“ Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) floats down under an umbrella to stake claim to the studio theme song. “Isn’t that a catchy little tune?” he asks.

But aside from any poignant corporate lineage, the original “Pinocchio” remains about as pure an example of Disney at its archetypal best as anything. Maurice Sendak once aptly described it as possessing “the golden glamour of a lost era; it is a monument to an age of craft and quality in America.”

Zemeckis’ film, in its ways just as representative of its cinematic era, keeps much of the 1940 film’s narrative shape but maintains little of its tension as a morality tale. Pleasure Island feels too much like where rafts of financially motivated remakes like “Pinocchio” might properly reside.

This time, the story — penned by Zemeckis and Chris Weitz — feels like it’s lurching from one set piece or song-and-dance number to another, with cameos from Erivo (in the flesh, as the Blue Fairy and “Wish Upon a Star” singer) and Keegan-Michael Key, as the voice of the deceptive red fox Honest John. Certainly, “Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee (An Actor’s Life For Me)” has a different resonance in a movie where actors compete with CGI creations for oxygen.

The best reason to see “Pinocchio” is, unsurprisingly, Hanks, who brings a soulful melancholy to Geppetto. It’s a corollary to Hanks’ performance as another European-accented performance as Presley manager Tom Parker in “Elvis.“ Only in that film, Hanks was the one pulling the strings on a big-tent star.

There are moments, still, that remind you of Zemeckis’ considerable powers. Enchantment doesn’t always feel so far away when the director has scale to play with, like when Jiminy floats gracefully down to the whale-like creature that has swallowed Pinocchio. Or when Pinocchio’s nose shoots out and Jiminy teeters on it like how Gordon-Levitt, as high-wire artist Philippe Petit, did at a higher altitude in “The Walk.”

If I’m picking a modern marionette to dance with, it’s “Annette,” Leos Carax’s 2021 wild and wonderful (and not so family friendly) musical opus with a simple, hand-crafted puppet at the center of another opera about art and parenthood. In that film, what was incongruous between the actors and the puppet was part of the film’s strange drama. It was fitfully ridiculous and emotionally devastating, and a reminder that real boy, or not, it makes no difference who are you.

“Pinocchio,” a Disney+ release, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for peril/scary moments, rude material and some language. Running time: 111 minutes. Two stars out of four.

___

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

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September 9, 2022

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‘The Inspection’ Review: Even in Brutality, Moments of Tenderness

TIFF: Elegance Bratton brings his tumultuous life story as a gay Marine to the big screen, with a major assist from breakout star Jeremy Pope.

We know that Ellis French (Jeremy Pope) survives — and thrives, we hope — because Elegance Bratton survived. And, yes, thrived: turning his deeply painful, wonderfully human life story into his first narrative feature, the remarkable “The Inspection.” Bratton’s artful eye previously caught the attention of the indie documentary community, care of his rich “Pier Kids,” and he seamlessly carries over his ability to navigate complex human emotions (read: complex humans) into his own attempt at an autobiography. How lucky we are he is here to tell this story and, as ever, we can only hope to tell more.

Loosely based on Bratton’s own unexpected early aughts entry into the military, the 2005-set “The Inspection” follows young Ellis French, a young, gay, unhoused Black man struggling through life in New Jersey. Ellis has already decided his next step before we meet him, but as we enter into his orbit, he’s about to tell the most important person in his life: his mother Inez (a haunting Gabrielle Union). As Ellis will tell another character later on, he has raised himself since he was 16, presumably around the time his mother discovered he was gay and kicked him out. It’s been nearly a decade, and Inez still refuses to reconcile her love for some vague idea of “her son” with the actual young man who shows up on her doorstep, a tiny bouquet of flowers clutched in his hand.

Ellis is all hope, because he has to be. There is nothing left for him, or at least, nothing else good. As Ellis tells Inez during one of the film’s many emotionally immersive longer sequences, he’s joining the Marines. Inez hopes it will make a man out of him. She hopes he will come back heterosexual. She hopes she can love him again. Ellis, a empathetic character of the highest order — one both capable of giving and deserving of receiving empathy — is desperate to make his mother proud.

“The Inspection”

A24

Framed against the backdrop of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and the War on Terror, there’s no question how Ellis’ entry into boot camp will go, but the great trick of Bratton’s “The Inspection” is the repeated ways he finds to invert what we think we know about Ellis, about military life, about how men bond, and about how deep tenderness can be found even in the midst of profound trauma and brutality. Ellis’ fellow recruits run the gamut, from the legacy squad leader Harvey (McCaul Lombardi) to conflicted Castro (Aaron Dominguez) and the similarly shunned Ismail (Eman Esfandi). Their drill instructor? No less than Bookem Woodbine, giving texture to a very traditional take on the trope (he’s a jerk!).

But mostly, there is Rosales (a stirring Raúl Castillo), an assistant instructor who Ellis fixates on immediately and earnestly. Bratton moves between rough-and-ready training sequences and lusty fantasy diversions — all of them reorienting the many men Ellis forced to live and work around — all of them evocatively lensed by cinematographer Lachlan Milne. Color saturations help tip off different variations of Ellis’ experiences, warm reds for the erotic stuff, flat greens and grays for drab military exercises. That they all feel of the same piece and the same story, even when Bratton makes literal jumps from scene to scene, speak to his persistence of vision. (Music by Animal Collective further binds the big swings, particularly in turning seemingly expected training montages into gritty, grinding performances that take on a truly fresh cast.)

How difficult it must be to choose the person who will star as your avatar in your most personal story, and how blessed Bratton must have felt when he picked Jeremy Pope (already nominated for an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony for his varied career). Pope’s giant eyes catch the light even in dark moments; you can’t look away from them. “The Inspection” is Ellis’ story, and Pope carries the character with such depth and such ease that there seem to be no lines between performer and character. Pope is also naturally charming in a way can be deployed for moments of great amusement, and as dark as “The Inspection” might sound, Bratton’s surprising sense of humor finds an easy home in Pope’s work.

That’s part of the appeal of the film, which manages to be both intensely personal and widely enjoyable, engendering empathy at every turn, but never falling into cheap machinations or callow drama just for the hell of it. This is a human story, as messy and complex and maddening as any ever told, and while Bratton makes it his own (how could he not?), the generosity with which he shares it with us make it special indeed.

Grade: B+

“The Inspection” premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. A24 releases it in theaters on Friday, November 18.

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September 9, 2022

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TIFF: Elegance Bratton brings his tumultuous life

Lifetime Sets Two New Ann Rule-Inspired Films (TV News Roundup)

Lifetime has announced two new TV movies, “A Rose For Her Grave” and “Desperate Hours,” both inspired by novels from author Ann Rule.

“A Rose For Her Grave” stars Chrishell Stause of “Selling Sunset” fame, Colin Egglesfield and Laura Ramsey, and follows serial wife-killer Randy Roth opposite the woman who finally brings him to justice.

Gina Gershon will serve as a first-time director for “Desperate Hours.” Samantha Mathis, Harrison Thomas and David Conrad star in the film. The screenplay is an adaptation of Rule’s novel “Last Chance.” The film follows a mother who finds herself and her young children held hostage by a man who forces his way into their home after committing a murder earlier in the day.

Both films will debut on the network in 2023.

Also in today’s TV news:

EXECUTIVE NEWS

WWE announced two new hires: Dan Ventrelle will join as executive vice president of talent, and Maurice F. Edelson will join as executive VP, chief legal officer. Ventrelle, who most recently was president of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, will now oversee WWE’s talent department and report to chief content officer Paul Levesque. Prior to joining WWE, Edelson boasts 25 years of legal and business experience within media, arts and entertainment industries. Now, he will report to chairwoman and co-CEO Stephanie McMahon.

PROGRAMMING

Home shopping network HSN has debuted on YouTube TV. On the new platform, HSN brings live video commerce programming across a variety of product categories. HSN and QVC are the only two retailers currently on YouTube TV.

STREAMING

Spectrum News has launched its connected TV app for Roku and Apple TV streaming devices. The new app, meant to complement the Spectrum News mobile app, provides Spectrum customers live streams of all of Spectrum’s local linear TV news networks. It also includes video-on-demand content and full episodes of Spectrum News specials. The app is free to anyone for a 30-day trial, after which it will be available to all Spectrum customers at no additional charge.

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September 9, 2022

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Lifetime has announced two new TV movies,

Dancing with the Stars TV show on Disney+: season 31 premiere and contestants

What to Watch

Dancing with the Stars: Season 31 Celebrities and Dancers Announced by Disney+ – canceled + renewed TV shows

Disney+ has announced the participants for the upcoming 31st season of Dancing with the Stars. Debuting on Monday, September 19th at 8:00 PM, this will be the first year that the competition will be released as an exclusive for the streaming service and won’t be airing on ABC.

The celebrities and their dancing partners for season 31 are actor Joseph Baena and Daniella Karagach; actress Selma Blair and Sasha Farber; comedian Wayne Brady and Witney Carson; weather anchor Sam Champion and Cheryl Burke; TikTok star Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas; reality star Heidi D’Amelio and Artem Chigvintsev; country singer Jessie James Decker and Alan Bersten; actor Trevor Donovan and Emma Slater; deaf actor Daniel Durant and Britt Stewart; reality star Teresa Giudice and Pasha Pashkov; reality star Vinny Guadagnino and Koko Iwasaki; actress Cheryl Ladd and Louis van Amstel; actor Jason Lewis and Peta Murgatroyd; drag queen Shangela and Gleb Savchenko; singer Jordin Sparks and Brandon Armstrong; and Bachelorette Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy.

Tyra Banks is returning as host and will be joined by America’s Funniest Home Videos host Alfonso Ribeiro. The dancing teams will be scored by returning judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough.

‘Dancing With The Stars’ Is Back For Season 31 With An All-New Celebrity Cast Dancing Their Way To Disney+ And The Mirrorball Trophy

Joseph Baena, Selma Blair, Wayne Brady, Sam Champion, Jessie James Decker, Trevor Donovan, Daniel Durant, Teresa Giudice, Vinny Guadagnino, Cheryl Ladd, Jason Lewis, Shangela, Jordin Sparks and Gabby Windey Join Previously Announced Celebs Charli D’Amelio and Heidi D’Amelio

Fan-Favorite Pro Dancers Mark Ballas and Louis van Amstel Return to the Ballroom

‘Dancing with the Stars’ Premieres Live, Monday, Sept. 19, in Its New Home on Disney+

BURBANK, Calif. (Sept. 8, 2022) – Today, Disney+ announced the “Dancing with the Stars” season 31 celebrity cast and their professional dancing partners, while live in studio on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” The series, hosted by supermodel and businesswoman Tyra Banks and new co-host, actor and television personality Alfonso Ribeiro, returns to the ballroom with a lineup of celebrities including a platinum recording artist, a Real Housewife, a Bachelorette and a drag queen superstar, to name a few. The cast joins Charli and Heidi D’Amelio for season 31, both of whom were previously announced live on “Good Morning America.” The new celebrity cast will learn some new twists, tricks and kicks as the live show begins Monday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m. EDT / 5 p.m. PDT, only on Disney+.

Fan-favorite pro dancing partners Mark Ballas and Louis van Amstel make a long-awaited return to the ballroom.

The “Good Morning America” cast reveal for “Dancing with the Stars” will be available for replay on Disney+ beginning at 9 a.m. PDT today.

As announced this morning on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” the celebrities and professional dancers heading to the ballroom this season (in alphabetical order) are as follows:

Celebrities and Professional Dancers:

Fitness model and actor Joseph Baena with partner Daniella Karagach
Movie star Selma Blair with partner Sasha Farber
Comedian, actor and singer Wayne Brady with partner Witney Carson
Good Morning America contributor and WABC-TV New York’s weather anchor Sam Champion, with partner Cheryl Burke
TikTok star Charli D’Amelio with partner Mark Ballas
Heidi D’Amelio (“The D’Amelio Show”) with partner Artem Chigvintsev
Country star Jessie James Decker with partner Alan Bersten
TV star Trevor Donovan with partner Emma Slater
Daniel Durant (Oscar®-winning “CODA”) with partner Britt Stewart
Teresa Giudice (“The Real Housewives of New Jersey”) with partner Pasha Pashkov
Vinny Guadagnino (“Jersey Shore”) with partner Koko Iwasaki
“Charlie’s Angels” star Cheryl Ladd with partner Louis van Amstel
Jason Lewis (“Sex and the City”) with partner Peta Murgatroyd
Drag queen superstar Shangela with partner Gleb Savchenko
Platinum recording artist Jordin Sparks with partner Brandon Armstrong
Gabby Windey (“The Bachelorette”) with partner Val Chmerkovskiy
The pairs will be judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts, including Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough.

After an impressive 30 seasons on ABC, “Dancing with the Stars” moves to its new home on Disney+, premiering exclusively in the U.S. and Canada this fall, and making “Dancing with the Stars” the first live series to debut on the streaming service.

“Dancing with the Stars” is produced by BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions.

JOSEPH BAENA – A native of Los Angeles, California, Joseph Baena is a fitness model and actor. He is known for his film work in “Called To Duty: The Last Airshow,” “Terminator 2 remake with Joseph Baena: Bad to the Bone,” “Encounters” and “Bully High.”

SELMA BLAIR – Throughout her diverse career, Selma Blair has been one of the most versatile and exciting actresses on screen. Blair’s film career began with her comedic roles in pop-culture classics “Cruel Intentions” and “Legally Blonde”  and has since worked with an array of esteemed directors, including Guillermo del Toro and Todd Solodnz. In 2017, she was named one of Time Magazine’s People of The Year as one of their Silence Breakers.

Recently, Blair released her first memoir to critical acclaim, The New York Times Bestseller, “Mean Baby.” Over the course of the beautiful and, at times, devastating memoir, she lays bare her addiction to alcohol, her devotion to her brilliant and complicated mother, and the moments she flirted with death. There is brutal violence, passionate love, true friendship, the gift of motherhood, and, finally, the surprising salvation of a multiple sclerosis diagnosis.

Blair was most recently seen on screen as the subject of the documentary, “ Introducing, Selma Blair,” which premiered to rave reviews at the 2021 SXSW Festival, where the feature won the Special Jury Recognition for Exceptional Intimacy in Storytelling. The film also won the New York Women in Film & Television Documentary Award at the Hamptons Film Festival and received three Critics Choice Documentary Award nominations, including Best Documentary Feature and Blair won for Most Compelling Subject of a Documentary.  The Hollywood Reporter “Raising Our Voices” awarded the film with the Outstanding Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking. The film, which chronicles Blair’s intimate and raw journey with multiple sclerosis and her stem cell transplant is currently streaming on the Discovery+ after its initial theatrical run.

In 1999, Blair played the role of Cecile Caldwell, opposite Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Michelle Gellar, in “Cruel Intentions” for director Roger Kumble. She then reunited with the director for “ The Sweetest Thing,” opposite Cameron Diaz and Christina Applegate.

On television, Blair was recently seen co-starring as Kris Jenner in FX’s “The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story”  for Ryan Murphy.

Blair recently entered the beauty space as chief creative officer of Guide Beauty, a multi-award-winning cosmetics company that is expanding the culture of inclusion in the beauty industry by using Universal Design to create tools and products that make the application of makeup easier and more accessible to all.

For her advocacy, Blair was honored with the Equity in Entertainment award by The Hollywood Reporter.

WAYNE BRADY – Multiple Emmy Award-winning and Grammy Award- nominated Wayne Brady has made his mark on stage and screen as an actor, producer, singer, dancer, songwriter, and television personality.

A true multi-hyphenate, Brady’s career path and personal life journey, has helped him see the world in a unique way. His aspirations have always gone beyond solely starring in various entertainment projects, and under his Makin’ It Up Productions banner, he’s set out to create new content across different platforms that showcase innovation and inclusivity in fun and powerful ways.

A five-time Emmy winner (the first to win Daytime and Primetime awards in two consecutive years), Brady has an impressive TV resume including Whose Line Is It Anyway? The Masked Singer, Black Lighting, The Good Fight and the upcoming American Gigolo– each spotlighting different aspects of his immense talent.

In addition to being a force in front of the camera, Brady is heavily active behind the scenes wearing the hats of host & executive producer for Let’s Make A Deal, Game of Talents and Comedy IQ, which he also co-created. All of this following on the heels of the success of his award-winning daytime talk show The Wayne Brady Show.

Long an accomplished singer and performer, Brady’s musical acumen has always been a personal passion and he used that as fuel to help win the second season of The Masked Singer. Off his victory, Brady dropped a brand-new original single, entitled “Flirtin’ w/ Forever,” which quickly climbed the streaming charts, as well as an accompanying music video.

Brady has also triumphed on-stage started with his Broadway debut starring as legal showman ‘Billy Flynn’ in the long-running hit musical, “Chicago.” Soon after Brady starred as the ground-breaking character ‘Lola’ in “Kinky Boots,” Broadway’s Tony Award- winning Best Musical, with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein. Brady would later assume his biggest theatrical role to date headlining as ‘Aaron Burr’ in the Chicago production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award- winning juggernaut “Hamilton.”

Recently Brady returned to Broadway as part of Freestyle Love Supreme working with the production team of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, and Anthony Veneziale. The unique show combines the fusion of hip hop, improv, and comedy which won it a special Tony Award for its innovation and contributions to the world of theater. Earlier this year he announced he will again partner with the Freestyle Love Supreme team as well as Speechless to create “FLS+,” a new company committed to making improv globally accessible.

SAM CHAMPION – Sam Champion started at Eyewitness News in 1988 as the weekend and 5 p.m. weather anchor, eventually becoming the main weather anchor for the 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. In 2006, he became the weather anchor for “Good Morning America.” In his capacity as weather editor, he also built ABC News’ Weather, Climate and Environment Unit, and oversaw all weather, climate and environmental coverage and content on all ABC platforms. In 2012, Champion became the managing editor of the Weather Channel, where he created and hosted AMHQ, a four-hour morning show, and 23.5, a climate and science interview program in primetime. He received a Peabody Award for his “Sandy Coverage” and has won four Emmys. Champion returned home to WABC in 2019, when he became the weather anchor for Eyewitness News “This Morning.”

CHARLI D’AMELIO – Charli D’Amelio is a digital superstar, crowned “the reigning queen of TikTok,” by The New York Times. She was the first on the platform to hit 100 million followers and is the current leading female TikTok creator. Charli was named one of YouTube’s Top 10 Breakout Creators of 2020. Her influence on social media has earned her coveted spots on lists such as Forbes 30 Under 30, Fortune’s 40 under 40, AdWeek’s 2020 Young Influentials and Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood Impact List in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Charli and her bubbly personality, combined with her impeccable dance skills and social media sensibility, have catapulted her to stardom by captivating the screens of teens and adults worldwide. Now, she is one of the most recognizable faces online, in print and on screen with her family’s new Hulu docuseries, “The D’Amelio Show.” A proud voice of her generation, who continues to use her platforms to create positive change, Charli is an advocate against cyberbullying and has partnered with organizations such as UNICEF to raise awareness on the negative effects cyberbullying can have on young adults. She added author to her resume when she released her first book, “Essentially Charli,” her official guide to staying positive and navigating social media. In May 2021, Charli and Dixie launched their own clothing brand, Social Tourist. She also has partnered with luxury brands Louis Vuitton and Prada. Charli can also be found on her new snapchat series, “Charli vs. Dixie,” where they go head-to-head in different competitions. Most recently, Charli launched her first-ever fragrance venture, Born Dreamer, available in ULTA.

HEIDI D’AMELIO – Heidi D’Amelio, maybe best known as mom to Dixie and Charli – two of the most popular names in social media today, but there is a lot more to juggling being a wife and mom than meets the eye. Heidi started her professional career as a model and fitness trainer, but when she met her husband, Marc, in NYC, she knew her dream of always wanting to be a mom was the path she wanted to take. The couple married, moved to Connecticut, and started their family where teaching her children about values, reputation and giving back to others became a central conversation for all four members even before the family skyrocketed to fame.

Utilizing her love for dance and a decade of practice, Heidi’s youngest daughter, Charli, started posting dances on the popular app TikTok and literally overnight became the most followed name on the platform. The family soon joined in and currently have a combined following of over 200 million. Heidi’s dedication to being a present but not overbearing mom has launched her own following of over 10 million and growing.

On top of being a full-time mom and overseeing her family’s demanding schedules, Heidi continues to pursue her passions which include health and wellness, fitness and philanthropy. Balancing personal and work life, and ensuring the internet is a safe place not only for her daughters but for other teens, is always her main priority. Heidi stars in the family’s docuseries, “The D’Amelio Show” (on which she serves as an executive producer), available on Hulu. Heidi has also made it a point to use her and her family’s platforms for good, raising awareness and donations for COVID-19, childhood cancer causes and natural disasters such as the hurricanes in her hometown of Louisiana.

JESSIE JAMES DECKER – Singer, songwriter, TV personality, fashion designer, beauty and lifestyle influencer/entrepreneur and two-time New York Times bestselling author, Jessie James Decker has emerged as a multiplatform juggernaut juggling fashion brands like her personally designed Kittenish line with three retail stores and growing, along with her television hosting duties. Signed to Warner Music Nashville, Decker’s passion for music has made the multitalented artist one of music’s true breakout firebrands. The singer’s authentic style immediately captivated listeners everywhere on her 2009 self-titled debut. She continued to keep it real with her second studio album, 2017’s “Southern Girl City Lights,” which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Now it’s onto a new musical chapter of growth and empowerment with “The Woman I’ve Become” EP, out now. Decker lives with her husband, retired NFL player Eric Decker, and their three children in Nashville, Tennessee.

TREVOR DONOVAN – Born in Mammoth Lakes, California, Trevor Donovan grew up skiing and snowboarding, and was on the U.S. teen ski team as a teenager. He is most known for his work as, fan-favorite Teddy Montgomery on the global pop-culture phenom “90210,” the show’s first and only LGBTQ+ character that was a series regular. Donovan also starred in History Channel’s epic miniseries “Texas Rising,” opposite Bill Paxton, Ray Liotta and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Donovan’s upcoming projects include the movie “Reagan,” as well as “Wolfhound,” “Aloha with Love,” “The Engagement Plot” and “Hot Water.”

His TV credits include recurring roles on “Sun Records,” “The Client List,” “Melissa & Joey,” “Awkward,” “NCIS” and “Lucifer.” As a leading man in romantic comedies, Donovan has starred in the following titles: “Strawberry Summer,” “Love on a Limb,” “Marry Me at Christmas,” “Snowcoming,” “Nostalgic Christmas,” “Love, Fall & Order,” “USS Christmas,” “Two For The Win,” “Nantucket Noel,” “Jingle Bell Princess,” “Aloha with Love,” “The Engagement Plot,” “Love Finds You in Charm,” “Runaway Romance,” “Prescription for Love” and “Love, Lost & Found.”

Donovan is also an author and has written three children’s books: “Love Always, Dogbert & Tito” and “Love Always, Dogbert’s Journey.” The third book is called “Love Always, Chance the Courageous.” Donovan’s “Love Always” series is inspired by real-life everyday experiences that have been shared with millions of devoted fans around the world via his social media channels. Donovan is a true renaissance man, aside from being proficient at most sports; he can play guitar, sing, earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design, is an active ambassador for Habitat for Humanity and the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights, a canine advocate, and started a nationwide anti-bullying program called Team Upstanders. Donovan resides in both Mammoth and Los Angeles, California.

DANIEL DURANT – Daniel Durant is best known for his starring role as Leo Rossi in “CODA,” a film that garnered three Oscars, including the top prize of Best Picture. Durant received numerous accolades for his role, including a Screen Actor’s Guild Award (Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture), Sundance Award (Best Ensemble), HCA Spotlight Award and the AFI Award for Best Ensemble. “CODA” was purchased by Apple TV for a record sum and showed both in theaters and on Apple TV+.

Durant has received numerous awards and recognition, including the 2016 Theatre Award (Outstanding 2016 Broadway Debut Performance), Broadway.com’s Top 10 Show-Stopping Performances of the 2015-2016 Broadway Season, Huffington Post’s Top 10 Best Theatrical Performances of 2015, Theatremania.com’s 12 Best Broadway Debuts of 2015 and a 2014 Robby Award nomination for Excellence in Theatre. He was also the 2014 Deaf Awareness Month Honoree for the City of Los Angeles, honoring his outstanding contributions to the arts and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities of Los Angeles.

TERESA GIUDICE – A graduate of Berkeley College with a degree in fashion marketing and management, Teresa Giudice is an inspirational working mom. In addition to being on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” she is a self-made entrepreneur who has launched her own line of bottled bellinis, Fabellini, and is a four-time New York Times bestselling author.

“Standing Strong,” her second memoir, Guidice chronicles her life since her release from prison and what it’s been like to weather difficult times as a single mother. With unparalleled honesty and courage, she opens up in “Standing Strong” in ways she never has before, showing her fans what it truly means to be a survivor. In her explosive and ultimately uplifting first-ever memoir, “Turning the Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again,” she offers a behind-the-scenes look at her marriage, rise to fame, the importance of her family, and the reality TV franchise that made her a household name.

She is a dynamic business woman who has showcased her business savvy by starring on NBC’s hit show “Celebrity Apprentice,” where she raised $70,000 for the charity NephCure. Most recently, Guidice has met and married her soulmate Luis “Louie” Ruelas. The two have bought a beautiful new home together,

VINNY GUADAGNINO – Vinny Guadagnino is one of the most recognized lifestyle personalities and digital influencers. He first rose to fame in 2009 on the MTV series “Jersey Shore,” which over its six-season run became the highest-rated series in the history of the network and a cultural phenomenon. During his time away from the shore, Guadagnino starred in series including “Guadagnino & Ma Eat America” on Food Network and “Joking Off” on MTV2. In 2018, the franchise returned as “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” and immediately recaptured the zeitgeist, breaking viewership records along the way. The reboot has become a huge hit and is currently airing its fifth season. In addition, Guadagnino has starred in MTV’s “Double Shot at Love” and “Revenge Prank,” with Pauly D. Guadagnino has a residency at the world-famous Chippendales Las Vegas, where he serves as the celebrity guest host throughout the year. Off-screen, Guadagnino is a two-time bestselling author. His most recent book, “The Keto Guido Cookbook: Delicious Recipes to Get Healthy and Look Great,” led to Guadagnino becoming one of the most known personalities in the Keto/Health and Wellness and fitness communities.

CHERYL LADD – Since her big break as one of the beloved “Charlie’s Angels,” Cheryl Ladd has enjoyed a career that has traversed television, film, Broadway and beyond. Cheryl currently stars in “A Cowgirl’s Song,” a new movie from Samuel Goldwyn Films. Cheryl was seen in the Lifetime Christmas movie “Christmas Unwrapped” as part of their It’s A Wonderful Lifetime event. She also guest starred on HBO’s “Ballers” and Showtime’s “Ray Donovan,” where she played a fouled mouth version of Vanna White. Next, she starred in FX’s “American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson” playing Linell Shapiro, the wife of Simpson’s defense attorney Robert Shapiro portrayed by John Travolta.

Ladd has also starred in the Hallmark Channel movie “Garage Sale Mysteries: The Wedding Dress” and the faith-based film “The Perfect Wave,” opposite Scott Eastwood. Her other credits include Ladd singing and dancing as ‘Mrs. Claus’ in the Disney musical “The Search For Santa Paws: Santa Pups 2,” as well as starring as an unhinged love interest to medical examiner ‘Ducky’ (David McCallum) on television’s #1 rated drama, “NCIS.” Ladd starred in the Warner Bros. feature film “Unforgettable” opposite Katherine Heigl, and in the indie feature “Camera Store” opposite John Larroquette and John Rhys-Davies.

Moving effortlessly between mediums has always been second nature for Ladd, and the seasoned performer demonstrated such versatility when she starred as ‘Annie Oakley’ in “Annie Get Your Gun!” on Broadway, realizing a lifelong dream.

JASON LEWIS – Jason Lewis has been entertaining audiences on stage and screen for over 20 years. He is recognized globally for his iconic role as Smith Jerrod, Samantha’s (Kim Cattrall) lovable, kind boyfriend on HBO’s groundbreaking comedy series “Sex and the City.” He reprised his role in both feature films, “Sex and the City” and “Sex and the City 2,” directed by Michael Patrick King. Since his breakout role, Lewis has successfully parlayed his stardom into a series of quality film and television roles. Most recently, he starred for two seasons on NBC’s supernatural drama series “Midnight, Texas.” Some of his television work includes recurring and guest star roles on ABC’s family drama series “Brothers & Sisters,” “House M.D.,” “Animal Kingdom,” “The Evidence,” “Six Degrees,” “CSI,” “CSI: Miami,” “How I Met Your Mother” and “Charmed.” In 2018, Lewis starred in the independent features “Half Magic” with Heather Graham and Angela Kinsey, and the western “Running Wild with Sharon Stone.” Other feature work includes psychological thriller “Mr. Brooks,” “The Jacket,” “The Death and Life of Bobby Z,” ”The Attic” and “The Pardon.” He also starred as the lead in Kenneth Lonergan’s world-renowned stage play “This Is Our Youth” for director Woody Harrelson. Lewis was born and raised in Southern California, and his first major break in entertainment was in fashion as a model. He quickly became one of the top male models and modeled in campaigns and on runways worldwide for some of the most luxurious houses, including Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors and GUESS. In addition to acting, he is a passionate philanthropist and has supported many charities over the years. Currently, he is very active with nonprofit organization Best Buddies and has also previously worked with Habitat for Humanity.

SHANGELA – Currently the star of “We’re Here” on HBO (which just got picked up for a third season), Shangela is perhaps best known as one of the All Stars from “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” She was the first person to walk the carpet in drag at the Oscars for her supporting role in “A Star Is Born” and was recently ranked second on Vulture’s list of “America’s Most Powerful Drag Queens.” Other recent acting credits include shows such as “Lovecraft Country,” “Station 19,” “Katy Keene,” “2 Broke Girls,” etc.

JORDIN SPARKS – Jordin Sparks is a GRAMMY-nominated, multiplatinum singer/songwriter and actress who won season six of “American Idol” during one of the show’s highest-rated seasons. She garnered worldwide attention as the youngest winner, just 17 years old.

Her self-titled debut went platinum, selling over 2 million copies worldwide. The first three singles of “Jordin Sparks” went top five, and the album’s second single, “No Air,” sold four million digital downloads. “No Air” has the distinction of being the third highest-selling single by any “American Idol” contestant and is listed No. 27 in Billboard’s Top 40 Biggest Duets of All Time. Sparks’ second release, “Battlefield,” debuted on the Billboard Album chart at No. 7. Cumulatively, Sparks’ popular singles have sold over 10 million digital tracks in the U.S.

Today, when she is not hard at work on her next album (slated for release this year), she enjoys spending time with her family, husband Dana Isaiah and their son, DJ.

GABBY WINDEY – Gabby Windey is an American television personality who most recently appeared on ABC’s “The Bachelorette” alongside Rachel Recchia as one-half of the series’ first-ever co-lead season! Prior to that, she appeared on season 26 of ABC’s “The Bachelor.” Windey is much more than meets the eye. Not only is she beautiful, but she also has a quick wit, substance, emotional depth and a wealth of lived experiences. Windey worked throughout the pandemic as an ICU nurse at the University of Colorado Hospital, and before that she was a cheerleader for the Denver Broncos. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California, with her beloved goldendoodle, Leonardo.

What do you think? Have you enjoyed watching the Dancing with the Stars TV series? Will you keep watching it on Disney+ later this month?

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September 8, 2022

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Disney+ has announced the participants for the

Awards

Syrian Drama Finds a Mix of Sports and Politics

The last decade has seen a plethora of movies about the crisis in Syria, most of them hard-hitting documentaries tracking the brutal effects of the war and the plight of those who’ve left and those who’ve stayed. At the same time, there’s never been a shortage of inspirational sports films where plucky athletes overcome obstacles to realize their dreams.

But “The Swimmers,” which opened the Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday, is a rare mixture of the two: It’s an inspirational sports movie about a pair of Syrian swimmers, sisters Yusra and Sara Mardini, who fled from their home in Damascus during the Syrian civil war in 2015 to Europe, where they might have a chance to advance their athletic careers and swim in the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

TIFF has opened with sports movies in the past, though you might be forgiven for forgetting about the festival’s 2010 opener, “Score: A Hockey Musical,” or 2017’s “Borg/McEnroe,” with Shia LaBeouf perhaps typecast as the petulant John McEnroe.

At any rate, “The Swimmers” is more substantial than either of those films. Directed by Welsh/Egyptian filmmaker Sally El Hosaini (“My Brother the Devil”) and starring real-life sisters Nathalie and Manal Issa, the Netflix film contains more ecstatic, celebratory montages than you’ll ever see in a movie about war and displacement, while at the same time packing more horrors into its two hours than a barrel of sports movies.

It makes for an awkward fit at times, and El Houdini lays the melodrama on thicker than the nuance, but there’s no denying that the story packs a punch.

A few other recent films have mixed politics and sports, including last year’s Czech Oscar entry, “Zatopek,” but the contrasts are even more marked in “The Swimmers.” That’s clearly the way the movie is designed, with the early scenes of Yusra and Sara painting their life in Damascus as a whirl of intense swim training with their father, but also intense partying. That day-glo festivity remains even when the timeline flashes forward four years and bombs begin dropping in the distance, while the Mardini sisters dance the night away.

Tiara, the more cautious of the two and the more accomplished swimmer, is somewhat worried; Sara would prefer not to think about it. But eventually, the civil war reaches them when a bomb drops in a pool during one of Yusra’s races, and the family has to consider sending the girls to Germany, where they might have a chance to continue their swimming.

Accompanied by their cousin (Ahmed Malek), they head to Turkey as tourists, though even the flight attendants on the plane know what’s really happening: An in-flight announcement reminds the passengers that the life jackets are the property of the airline, and those who attempt to take them will be prosecuted.

14 Buzziest Films for Sale at Toronto 2022, From ‘Dalíland’ to ‘Butcher’s Crossing’ (Photos)

The center stretch of “The Swimmers” could be a movie of its own. The sisters endure a nightmarish trip across the sea with 18 refugees in a leaky rubber boat designed for a third that many, followed by a trek across Europe involving long walks and a succession of smugglers, each one more devious than the last.

The scenes at sea are particularly harrowing, making up an unbroken stretch that alternates between fast, jarring cuts inside the boat and periodic calmer overhead shots to show the tiny craft lost in a vast sea. It’s not easy to follow what’s going on, but that’s part of the point: All is chaos, even after Yusra and Sara jump overboard to lighten the load and help get the boat to the island of Lesbos.

After that stretch, it’s jarring when the movie returns to more typical training montages and repeated scenes of momentary bliss and celebration along the way. The filmmaking tends to overplay everything, so the ecstatic moments are so heightened that it’s hard to reconcile them with the voyage we’ve just seen. (To say the least, a joyous pillow fight during the journey seems a bit incongruous.)

But the juxtaposition of jubilance and misery is the film’s modus operandi, however jarring it may seem. And by the end, Sara gives a rousing speech that ties together the horror and the happiness, and Yusra rises to the occasion. It’s corny as hell, but also undeniably effective. You can’t keep a good inspirational sports movie down, even when it’s carrying the baggage this one is.

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September 8, 2022

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The last decade has seen a plethora

Music

Why the hell doesn’t this trailer for the new Quantum Leap play the theme song?

Look: There are a lot of things, probably, that Peacock’s upcoming reboot of classic time travel TV series Quantum Leap has to offer. The basic premise, lifted from the original series—scientist jumps into the bodies of people throughout time with hologram pal, setting right what once went wrong—remains basically unimpeachable as a way to get a whole new “kind” of show pretty much every week. And new series star Raymond Lee has that “baffled but charming everyman” quality that such a series demands. But, hey, Peacock: Are you really going to bust out a trailer for a Quantum Leap revival project and not give us a hit of that classic theme song? What the fuck?

Quantum Leap: Official Trailer | NBC’s Quantum Leap

Penned by Mike Post—whose ubiquitous TV composing work encompasses some of the best television soundtracking of a generation, including Magnum, P.I., The Rockford Files, and the “dun-dun” sound from Law & Order—the Quantum Leap theme was the perfect introduction for a show that blended high-concept sci-fi with the classic beats of an old-school adventure series. We’re not saying the new show has to use the song in its entirety. We’re not totally beholden to our nostalgia for a TV show, even one that sort-of, kind-of defined our childhoods completely. But a few licks couldn’t have killed them, right?

Quantum Leap – Original Show Intro | NBC Classics

Anyway.

If we’re being honest, the reboot looks a little on the streaming-TV-budget side; some of those effects shots in the trailer are definitely a bit dubious, which we might just have to accept as the price of doing business. The basic idea is solid, though, including the reveal that Dr. Benjamin Seong’s holographic helper Addison (Caitlin Bassett) is also a former romantic partner he no longer remembers because of the whole “Swiss-cheesed memory” thing. And the setups for various leaps seem solid enough: Getaway driver, rock star, boxer, astronaut, all good “How’s he gonna get out of this one?” opportunities. (We’re just going to accept that Dr. Seong apparently says “Oh shit” instead of the series’ classic “Oh boy”; like we said, we’re not the ones trapped in the past!) Ultimately, the show is going to live or die on Lee; fingers crossed that he can find his proper place in time.

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September 8, 2022

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Look: There are a lot of things,

Docs

In Theatres: THE BENGALI | what (not) to doc

September 8, 2022 · 3:02 PM

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, September 9:
THE BENGALI

Director:
Kavery Kaul

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, New Orleans, Rhode Island

About:
Fatima, a New Orleans dwelling descendant of African Americans and Indian immigrants, ventures to Kolkata, India, in search of her long-lost family.

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September 8, 2022

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September 8, 2022 · 3:02 PM Coming to

Global

How San Francisco’s Chinatown fought back against anti-Asian hate – BC

San Francisco’s Chinatown appears safe on the surface, but like Vancouver, the northern California city saw an explosion of anti-Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But south of the border, grassroots groups fought back against a series of cowardly attacks that forced seniors to stay home – and their efforts empowered Asian Americans to stand up for their community.

3:06
VPD and B.C. business leaders tour San Francisco Chinatown

VPD and B.C. business leaders tour San Francisco Chinatown

By day, Ebert Kan deals in automotive parts.

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After hours two days a week, he shifts to defending San Francisco’s Chinatown as the president of the United Peace Collaborative (UPC).

“Chinatown for me, you know, has a special place in my heart,” Kan told Global News.

“I grew up here and a lot of my friends and family grew up here.”

Kan was moved to act after an elderly man was violently pushed to the ground in a daylight attack in January, 2021.

Eighty-four-year-old Thai grandfather Vicha Ratanapakdee died of his injuries.

84-year-old Thai grandfather Vicha Ratanapakdee died of his injuries after being pushed to the ground in San Francisco in January 2021.

Global News

“That kind of set me off,” Kan said.

San Francisco police statistics show a 567 per cent spike in hate crimes reported against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during the pandemic – from nine victims in 2020 to 60 in 2021.

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The UPC was founded in March 2020 by Leanna Louie, who together with her partner Robert Lowe, started conducting safety patrols in San Francisco’s Chinatown in response to the rise in anti-AAPI hate crimes.

More than two years later, UPC volunteers continue to patrol the area seven days a week to ensure the safety of elders, women and children.

“In the year and seven months that I’ve been doing this now, all the attacks have stopped in Chinatown,” Kan said.

“They haven’t stopped completely but they’ve stopped in Chinatown in general.”

The UPC’s mission to take back the streets also expanded to keeping Chinatown clean from graffiti with volunteers removing tags from roll-up doors and rooftops.

Murals and minimal graffiti: VPD and business leaders tour San Francisco Chinatown

“Chinatown will not survive unless we can ensure that this is a place that’s safe,” Lily Ho said.

Ho formed the Delta Chinatown Initiative to help combat the rise in hate crimes, deter crime and support police in holding criminals accountable.

The non-profit organization organized rallies and town halls against anti-Asian hate, and also secured funding to install surveillance cameras in laneways and along Grant Avenue, with little pushback from privacy groups.

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“This is our community,” Ho told Global News.

“I mean it’s not something that I feel comfortable not doing something about.”

Small businesses were already struggling economically when COVID-19 hit, leading to shuttered storefronts and an increase in crime, vandalism and violent attacks.

“As Chinese here, we get the blame because people think the virus is from China,” Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory owner Kevin Chan said.

“It was unnerving to come down to Chinatown during that time when everything was locked down,” Lieut. Douglas Farmer of the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) said.

Farmer is the acting captain of Central Police Station, which includes Chinatown, where he was the daywatch lieutenant at the height of the pandemic.

“It was a tough time, but we know at Central Station that Chinatown’s tough,” Farmer said.

The SFPD added dedicated foot patrols to every watch to help businesses battle back.

“The secret: struggle, every time like we’re trying to fight for our life,” said Edward Siu with the Chinatown Merchants United Association.

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Siu, who also runs the travel company Classics Tour, said merchants launched a WeChat group to share suspect photos and help prevent crime.

“They see something real suspicious or some crime is going, or will be going on, and then we’ll put up the chat on it and then we’ll send it to police,” Siu said.

“The officers really take it to heart and take it personally when they see something bad happen,” Farmer said.

“I feel like the entire community does feel very protective of this space,” Ho added.

But even with a visible police presence and the community invested in change, Ho said anti-Asian hate hasn’t disappeared.

“Unfortunately, it’s still an issue,” he said.

Both Ho and Kan are not giving up the fight.

“Somebody asked me how long I plan on doing this and I [said] when all the violence stops,” Kan said.

“So realistically I’m probably going to do this the rest of my life.”

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September 8, 2022

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San Francisco’s Chinatown appears safe on the

Trending

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ End With Season 6

“The Handmaid’s Tale” has been renewed for a sixth and final season ahead of its Season 5 premiere on Hulu.

Adapted from the classic novel by Margaret Atwood, the Elisabeth Moss-led “The Handmaid’s Tale” will debut its fifth and penultimate season with a two-part premiere Sept. 14.

In the fifth season, “June faces consequences for killing Commander Waterford while struggling to redefine her identity and purpose,” per Hulu. “The widowed Serena attempts to raise her profile in Toronto as Gilead’s influence creeps into Canada. Commander Lawrence works with Nick and Aunt Lydia as he tries to reform Gilead and rise in power. June, Luke and Moira fight Gilead from a distance as they continue their mission to save and reunite with Hannah.”

Racking up 15 Emmy awards, including the honor for top drama in 2017, “The Handmaid’s Tale” TV series is created by Bruce Miller, who is actively developing “The Testaments,” a follow-up to “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which picks up years later, for Hulu.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 5 stars Elisabeth Moss, Bradley Whitford, Yvonne Strahovski, Max Minghella, O-T Fagbenle, Samira Wiley, Ann Dowd, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel and Sam Jaeger.

The series is executive produced by Miller, Warren Littlefield, Moss, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, Eric Tuchman, Yahlin Chang, Rachel Shukert, Sheila Hockin, John Weber, Frank Siracusa, Steve Stark and Kim Todd.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” is produced and internationally distributed by MGM Television.

“It has been a true honor to tell the story of Margaret Atwood’s groundbreaking novel and chillingly relevant world, and we are thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’” “The Handmaid’s Tale” creator, showrunner and executive producer Miller said in a statement Thursday, when the news was revealed out of TIFF. “We are grateful to Hulu and MGM for allowing us to tell this story, which unfortunately has remained as relevant as ever throughout its run, and are in awe of our incredible fans for their unwavering support, and without whom we never would have gotten to this point.”

Craig Erwich, president of ABC Entertainment, Hulu and Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals, added: “Five years ago, almost to the day, ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ made history when it became the first show to win an Emmy for a streaming service. In the time since, it has been a privilege and pleasure to work with some of the finest creative talent in our industry on this show – a distinct and exceptional group of people who continue to produce the highest quality television that has made and continues to make significant cultural impact. Bruce, Warren, Lizzie and the entire team at MGM have been amazing partners, and we hope fans enjoy these last two seasons.”

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September 8, 2022

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“The Handmaid’s Tale” has been renewed for a sixth

Tech

Rings finally adds end-to-end encryption to wireless cameras, but there’s a catch

Home security brand Ring is expanding end-to-end encryption (also known as E2EE) support to more devices while also introducing a new data transfer feature. It’s a welcome security update, but it also forces the deactivation of some useful Ring features.

Previously, E2EE was only available to wired products like the Ring Video Doorbell Pro and Floodlight Cam. Now that support is migrating over to Ring’s wireless cameras and doorbells. However, it’s unknown if everything in the lineup will get it. Nowhere in the announcement does it say whether or not all wireless devices will have the E2EE support; although there are reports (opens in new tab) stating the support is indeed universal. We reached out to the company to see if it could clear up this confusion. This story will be updated if we hear back.

As for the new data transfer tool, it’s called Deactivated Device State. It allows users to save past recordings from an old Ring device to their account. This way, you don’t have to manually download every single video one by one. Users must stay a Ring subscriber to use this tool, however. Otherwise, they’ll have to download everything to their local computer before the company deletes the videos.

Instructions on how to save recordings and deactivate devices can be found on Ring’s website (opens in new tab). It’ll involve updating the Ring mobile app and going into a device’s personal settings to keep events.

End-to-end encryption

Either way, if you do have a wireless Ring camera or doorbell, we recommend updating the mobile app to see if the E2EE is available. The company has a set of instructions (opens in new tab) on its website that detail how to set up end-to-end encryption. Similar to Deactivated Device State, you’ll have to update the app and go into the Control Center. From there, activate E2EE, create a passphrase, and then add whichever devices you want.

It’s worth enabling E2EE is because, somewhat obviously, it improves Ring Device security. Videos recorded on Ring cameras are uploaded to the company’s cloud storage which, as it turns out, isn’t the most secure. The company has a history of security problems from 1,500 passwords leaking onto the dark web to possibly giving hackers a way to steal Wi-Fi from houses.

With end-to-end encryption, your recordings have their data protected and unreadable. No one – not Ring, Amazon, hackers, or even the government – can view your encrypted videos. All they’ll get is a jumbled mess of data. Only the Ring user and their connected device can view recorded videos.

That said, there’s a catch to having this level of security. End-to-end encryption on Ring devices actually disables many features including Bird’s Eye View, Virtual Security Guard, Event Timeline, and Alexa Greetings just to name a few. The full list of disabled features (opens in new tab) can be found on the company website. Users will essentially have to ask themselves whether the better security is worth the loss of convenience.

Given Ring’s history, it may be better to opt for security.

Room for improvement

Expanded E2EE support and the new data transfer feature are great and all, but Ring still has room for improvement. Cybersecurity research firm Checkmarx recently discovered a vulnerability within the Ring Android app that could allow “threat actors to steal identity data including geolocation and camera recordings.” On top of that, it might be possible for someone to upload malware to an Android phone via this vulnerability and steal even more sensitive data, including addresses.

And what’s scary is that theRing Android app has more than 10 million downloads. Now that end-to-end encryption is available to most of RIng’s offerings, perhaps it’s time for the company to patch the holes in its own security and stop the constant leaks.

If you’re interested in beefing up your home security, be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best home security systems of 2022.

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September 8, 2022

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Home security brand Ring is expanding end-to-end

Video

Thor: Love and Thunder Credits Scenes: How Many Are There?

Can you feel the thunder?

“Thor: Love and Thunder,” the fourth standalone movie centered around Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the increasingly self-aware Norse God of Thunder, is finally upon us.

This time Thor, after paling around with the Guardians of the Galaxy (including Chris Pratt’s Star Lord), goes on a quest to find himself. This quest turns out to be way more literal than Thor would have probably imagined, when he runs into someone with his powers, using his old hammer Mjölnir. What’s more, this new Thor is none other than his ex-flame Jane Foster (Natalie Portman, returning to the franchise for the first time since “Thor: The Dark World”). Awkward! Together, the two Thors (along with Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie) go on a cosmic quest to defeat Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale). It’s another classic Thor adventure!

This being a Marvel movie, we know you’re ready to stick around for some “Thor: Love and Thunder” credits scenes. But how many are there exactly?

Consider this your spoiler-free heads up.

Does “Thor: Love and Thunder” have credits scenes?

Is the Marvel Cinematic Universe a vast, interconnected network of feature films and streaming series that tell one epic, ongoing saga? (The answer is yes.) The first post-credits scene started as a lark, with Samuel L. Jackson showing up after “Iron Man” (2008) was over. Since then, it has become one of the most reliable – and most fun – aspects of these Kevin Feige-produced films.

So yes, of course, “Thor: Love and Thunder” has credits scenes.

How many credit scenes does “Thor: Love and Thunder” have?

It has two. This is par for the course with most Marvel Studios movies, although occasionally there are more (“Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2” had five, which was fitting for its more-is-more aesthetic) or less (some of the Disney+ shows only have one). The first scene happens after the extremely metal, extremely ‘80s main-on-end credits sequence and the second scene happens after everybody has been properly thanked, at the very end of the credits.

Do you need to stick around for both?

Let’s be honest, some of these credits scenes are puzzling or unnecessary or both. With “Thor: Love and Thunder,” it is probably wise to stick around for both. Both are sweet and funny and surprising, just like the rest of “Thor: Love and Thunder.” Neither of them are as wonderfully silly as Pizza Poppa or Captain America’s lesson about patience.

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Ending Explained: What Does It Mean for the MCU?

Do you have time to run to the bathroom after the mid-credits scene but before the post-credits scene?

Yes. A ton of people worked on “Thor: Love and Thunder.” You have plenty of wiggle room when it comes to getting to the bathroom and making it back in time for the second scene. Just don’t step out to get a beer or use the bathroom at the place next door. Stay in the building and you should be okay.

Do the scenes contribute in meaningful ways to the ongoing mythology of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Yes. Probably. Listen, we’re not entirely sure but they both have a certain weight to them that could impact future Marvel Studios features or streaming series. One of them, like “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” introduces a new character to the MCU and the other one is a very sweet grace note to end the movie on. Both could impact the status quo in different ways. But who’s to say!

Are either of the scenes better than the karaoke post-credits scene from “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings?”

No.

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September 8, 2022

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Can you feel the thunder? “Thor: Love and

Entertaintment

Final Emmy Predictions 2022: ‘Abbott Elementary,’ ‘Squid Game’

“Abbott Elementary” just might do it. After winning for casting, the ABC hit freshman sitcom could make history in many significant ways. After Quinta Brunson made history by becoming the first Black woman to be nominated for comedy series, acting and writing categories in the same year, she would be only the second Black person ever to win as a producer in the comedy series. The first was Winifred Hervey for “The Golden Girls” back in 1987. Also, forecast to go along with the top category a win for writing (Brunson would be the third Black person after Larry Wilmore for “The Bernie Mac Show” in 2002 and Lena Waithe for “Master of None” in 2017) and Sheryl Lee Ralph in supporting actress (she would be the second Black woman to win the category after Jackee Harry for “227” in 1987).

Let’s be clear, I’m aware I may be “overthinking much of this, and there are more “safe picks” to make as we barrel towards the ceremony. “Ted Lasso” winning comedy would not be shocking, along with its three stars Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham, matching once again.

The race for drama series remains as open as ever with “Squid Game” asserting itself with four huge wins including guest actress drama for Lee You-mi. With 25 nominations, HBO’s “Succession” leads overall but so far, it’s only walked away with one Creative Art category for casting (which is no small feat). The casting and drama series categories have matched the last six of the last 10 years, including the last four consecutively.

However, after much internal debate, Netflix might just squeak it out and make history as the first non-English program to win the category. The show is predicted to also win directing for Hwang Dong-hyuk, who would be the first Asian winner ever.

It might be foolish to not predict Lee Jung-jae, but the momentum for AMC’s “Better Call Saul” really picked up during the voting window. Feeling like a packaged deal, Rhea Seehorn is also projected to win in supporting actress over SAG winner Jung Ho-yeon.

HBO’s “Euphoria” does currently lead the tally with Creative Arts wins, alongside Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and its HBO counterpart “The White Lotus.” Even though Zendaya would be the youngest producer ever to win, it seems too high of an obstacle to getting over. While she’s the favorite in lead actress drama, we felt a surge of support for Melanie Lynskey from Showtime’s “Yellowjackets,” which is the best way to reward the show.

“The White Lotus” feels just fine to walk away with a multitude of awards including limited or anthology series, directing and writing. Hulu’s “Dopesick” and “The Dropout” may just have to make do with wins for Michael Keaton and Amanda Seyfried.

Other potential surprises include HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” besting NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” in variety sketch series and Amazon Prime Video’s “Watch Out for the Big Grrrls” getting past VH1’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race” for competition program.

Down below are the final picks for who will win, could win and should win ahead of Monday’s ceremony.

Outstanding Drama Series

Will Win: “Squid Game” (Netflix) – Kim Ji-yeon and Hwang Dong-hyuk, executive producers

Could Win: “Succession” (HBO)

Should Win: “Severance” (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Comedy Series

Will Win: “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Quinta Brunson, Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker and Randall Einhorn (executive producers); Brian Rubenstein (co-executive producer); Scott Sites and Jordan Temple (producers)

Could Win: “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)

Should Win: “Abbott Elementary”

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Will Win: “The White Lotus” (HBO) – Mike White, David Bernad and Nick Hall, executive producers; Mark Kamine, co-executive producer

Could Win: “Dopesick” (Hulu) – Danny Strong, John Goldwyn, Warren Littlefield, Karen Rosenfelt, Barry Levinson, Beth Macy and Michael Keaton, executive producers; Jane Bartelme, Mandy Safavi, Eoghan O’Donnell, Jessica Mecklenburg, Ann Johnson and Graham Littlefield, co-executive producers

Should Win: “Dopesick” (Hulu)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Will Win: Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul” (AMC) – “Plan and Execution”

Could Win: Lee Jung-jae, “Squid Game” (Netflix) – “Gganbu”

Should Win: Jeremy Strong, “Succession” (HBO) – “Too Much Birthday”

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu) – “How Well Do You Know Your Neighbors?”

Could Win: Bill Hader, “Barry” (HBO) – “starting now”

Should Win: Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu) – “How Well Do You Know Your Neighbors?”

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Will Win: Michael Keaton, “Dopesick” (Hulu)

Could Win: Himesh Patel, “Station Eleven” (HBO)

Should Win: Michael Keaton, “Dopesick” (Hulu)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Will Win: Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets” (Showtime) – “Doomcoming”

Could Win: Zendaya, “Euphoria” (HBO) – “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird”

Should Win: Zendaya, “Euphoria” (HBO)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Jean Smart, “Hacks” (HBO Max) – “The Click”

Could Win: Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary” (ABC) – “Pilot”

Should Win: Jean Smart, “Hacks” (HBO Max)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Will Win: Amanda Seyfried, “The Dropout” (Hulu)

Could Win: Sarah Paulson, “Impeachment: American Crime Story” (FX)

Should Win: Toni Collette, “The Staircase” (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Will Win: Matthew Macfadyen, “Succession” (HBO) – “All the Bells Say”

Could Win: Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show” (Apple TV+) – “My Least Favorite Year”

Should Win: John Turturro, “Severance” (Apple TV+) – “Defiant Jazz”

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+) – “Rainbow”

Could Win: Henry Winkler, “Barry” (HBO)

Should Win: Anthony Carrigan, “Barry” (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Will Win: Murray Bartlett, “The White Lotus” (HBO)

Could Win: Seth Rogen, “Pam & Tommy” (Hulu)

Should Win: Murray Bartlett, “The White Lotus”

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Will Win: Rhea Seehorn, “Better Call Saul” (AMC) – “Hit and Run”

Could Win: Jung Ho-yeon, “Squid Game” (Netflix) – “Gganbu”

Should Win: Christina Ricci, “Yellowjackets” (Showtime) – “Sic Transit Gloria Mundi”

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary” (ABC) – “New Tech”

Could Win: Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+) – “No Weddings and a Funeral”

Should Win: Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary” (ABC) – “Ava vs. Superintendent”

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Will Win: Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus” (HBO)

Could Win: Mare Winningham, “Dopesick” (Hulu)

Should Win: Natasha Rothwell, “The White Lotus” (HBO)

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

Will Win: “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (HBO)

Robin Thede, Issa Rae, Tony Hernandez, Brooke Posch, Dave Becky and Jonathan Berry, executive producers; Tracey Ashley and Bridget Stokes, co-executive producers; Chloé Hilliard, Deniese Davis, Montrel McKay and John Skidmore, producers; Linda Morel, produced by

Could Win: “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

Should Win: “A Black Lady Sketch Show”

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

Will Win: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (HBO)

John Oliver, Tim Carvell and Liz Stanton, executive producers; Jeremy Tchaban, co-executive producer; Catherine Owens and Christopher Werner, supervising producers; Laura L. Griffin, Kate Mullaney, Matt Passet, Marian Wang and Charles Wilson, producers

Could Win: “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC)

Should Win: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (HBO)

Outstanding Competition Program

Will Win: “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls” (Amazon Prime Video)

Could Win: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (VH1)

Should Win: “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrls”

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

Will Win: “Squid Game” (Netflix) – Hwang Dong-hyuk, “Red Light, Green Light”

Could Win: “Succession” (HBO) – Mark Mylod, “All the Bells Say”

Should Win: “Severance” (Apple TV+) – Ben Stiller, “The We We Are”

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

Will Win: “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu) – Cherien Dabis, “The Boy from 6B”

Could Win: “Hacks” (HBO Max) – Lucia Aniello, “There Will Be Blood”

Should Win: “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu) – Cherien Dabis, “The Boy from 6B”

Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Will Win: “The White Lotus” (HBO) – Mike White

Could Win: “Dopesick” (Hulu) – Danny Strong, “The People vs. Purdue Pharma”

Should Win: “Dopesick” (Hulu) – Danny Strong, “The People vs. Purdue Pharma”

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

Will Win: “Succession” (HBO) – “All the Bells Say” by Jesse Armstrong

Could Win: “Squid Game” (Netflix) – “One Lucky Day” by Hwang Dong-hyuk

Should Win: “Severance” (Apple TV+) – “The We We Are” by Dan Erickson

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

Will Win: “Abbott Elementary” (ABC) – “Pilot” by Quinta Brunson

Could Win: “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu) – “True Crime” by Steve Martin and John Hoffman

Should Win: “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Will Win: “The White Lotus” (HBO) – Series by Mike White

Could Win: “Dopesick” (Hulu) – “The People vs. Purdue Pharma” by Danny Strong

Should Win: “The White Lotus” (HBO)

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special

Will Win: “Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel” (HBO) – Jerrod Carmichael

Could Win: “Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special” (Netflix) – Norm Macdonald

Should Win: “Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel” (HBO) – Jerrod Carmichael

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September 8, 2022

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“Abbott Elementary” just might do it. After

Movies

Olivia Wilde Responds To Don’t Worry Darling Drama

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September 8, 2022

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Film

Why should you go to the movies on National Cinema Day?

Labor Day weekend will be memorable for more reasons than just Monday being a day off work.

This Saturday, September 3rd, more than 3,000 theaters across the United States will offer movie tickets at $3. Yes- $3 movie tickets.

It is a discount day in theaters nationwide including AMC, Cinemark, Regal Cinemas, and more. In participating theaters, tickets will be no more than $3 for every show and every format.

The newly launched “National Cinema Day” was created by The Cinema Foundation, a non-profit organization of the National Association of Theater Owners. Its president, Jackie Brenneman, said in a statement, “after this summer’s record-breaking return to cinemas, we wanted to do something to celebrate moviegoing. We’re doing it by offering a ‘thank you’ to the moviegoers that made this summer happen, and by offering an extra enticement for those who haven’t made it back yet.”

Because movie theaters were forced to shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is said to be an initiative to start bringing more moviegoers back into theaters. With the showings on Saturday, moviegoers will get a sneak peek of upcoming movies from Disney, Sony, Universal, Amazon Studios, Paramount, Warner Bros, and more.

Movies that will be showing in theaters nationwide this Saturday include:Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Invitation, Beast, Bullet Train, Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul., Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, and Top Gun: Maverick.

If it is a success, The Cinema Foundation hopes to repeat the celebration in the Fall and make it an annual event. Not only will tickets be discounted but certain movie theater chains are also offering discounts on food and snacks. AMC just announced that it is offering a popcorn and drink combo for $5. Cinemark is offering $3 small popcorn, $3 medium fountain drinks & ICEEs, and $3 any-size candy.

So if you want $3 movies to last, this weekend is the perfect time to go to the movies! What movie will you watch? Check out all the movie theaters that are participating here.

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September 8, 2022

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Labor Day weekend will be memorable

The Conjuring 2 subbed out a cool devil man for its scary nun

A painting that would’ve been a lot cooler if it featured a winged demon-thing instead.

The Conjuring movies are pretty good, pretty scary demon-centric horror films. As a side effect of being pretty good, pretty scary demon-centric horror films that star ghost-hunting Christian hucksters, they’re also movies that serve a secondary function as nightmare advertisements for the power of Christ to defeat even the scariest ghouls and ghosts.

In light of this, it isn’t surprising that one of the series’ breakout specters is a spooky nun, who first appeared in the second Conjuring to terrify lapsed Catholics with memories of being yelled at by habit-wearing spinsters before she embarked on a solo career with her very own spin-off movie.

As The Conjuring 2 director James Wan explains in a recent Instagram post, this scary nun almost didn’t appear in the movie. She was, in fact, originally meant to be portrayed in the much cooler form of a towering, horned devil man that Wan’s shown off on his Instagram and described as “the best demon I never used.”

A video from the post sees the movie’s composer, Joseph Bishara, standing on set in a wrinkly black bodysuit with taloned gloves as a sweet demon head is set down on his shoulders. The clip then shows off the monster’s animatronics in action, its bloody mouth working aimlessly and its yellow eyes squinting open and closed as if it’s trying its best to read aloud from a particularly difficult section of a (presumably evil) book.

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Wan writes that “this winged demon” featured “a beautifully/hideously sculpted animatronic puppet head and practical body-suit” designed by collaborator Justin Raleigh and the team at Fractured FX Inc. Its wings would have been created through CGI, though Wan says that he thinks he has “only one fully finished shot with CGI wings in place.”

“It was really grand and epic,” Wan continues. “But as cool as it was, it felt out of place within the Conjuring world we had built.”

While The Conjuring 2 was in post-production, Wan “reconceived the villain” in order to make the demon Valak into something “more grounded, more personal, and creepier.” The evil nun design was then created and used in the movie instead of the original concept. “New scare set-pieces like the ‘painting on the wall’” were also added to the movie to take advantage of the redesign.

That’s all well and good, but we still believe that the bloody-mouthed demon guy gets his due. If The Nun 2 and other spin-offs get to exist, surely Wan and Co. can make room for a movie starring this big ol’ freak.

[via Bloody Disgusting]

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September 8, 2022

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The Conjuring movies are pretty good, pretty