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Paramount+ will bring a mountain of entertainment to this year’s San Diego Comic-Con with a weekend filled with unforgettable panels from fan-favorite series and franchises, featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes conversations and reveals. The mountain of entertainment continues with a “Star Trek”-themed activation and immersive experience, a Beavis and Butt-Head photo opportunity, and a chance to step inside the iconic Paramount Mountain at the official Paramount+ booth. The celebrations kick off on Thursday, July 21, and go through Sunday, July 24.

Additional details on Paramount+’s activations and San Diego Comic-Con 2022 panels are below:

“STAR TREK” RETURNS TO SAN DIEGO!

Courtesy of Paramount+

  • “Star Trek” Universe Panel in Hall H. The fan-favorite “Star Trek” universe panel returns to San Diego Comic-Con, featuring exclusive back-to-back conversations with the casts and executive producers from STAR TREK: PICARD, STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, and STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS as they discuss the latest seasons of their hit series and tease what’s ahead, along with a few reveals and surprises. Moderated by actress and STAR TREK: PICARD season two director, Lea Thompson (“Back to the Future”).
  • STAR TREK: PICARD cast members scheduled to appear to include Patrick Stewart and Gates McFadden, alongside executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Rod Roddenberry.
  • STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS will feature voice cast members Jack Quaid, Tawny Newsome, Noël Wells, and Dawnn Lewis and creator and executive producer Mike McMahan, executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Rod Roddenberry.
  • STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS will have its Hall H debut with cast members Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, and the latest addition to the cast, Paul Wesley, along with executive producers Henry Alonso Myers, Alex Kurtzman, and Rod Roddenberry. Saturday, July 23, 12:45 – 2:15 PM, PT, Hall H
  • Paramount+ Presents “STAR TREK’S 10 FORWARD: THE EXPERIENCE” in San Diego. For all of you “Star Trek” fans out there, look no further! Paramount+ is bringing “STAR TREK’S 10 FORWARD: THE EXPERIENCE” to San Diego this July. Step foot inside this one-of-a-kind immersive “Star Trek” experience with tasty food, intergalactic drinks, a multitude of photo opportunities, and interactive activations. Walk away with exclusive merch you can only buy at the experience. All species are welcome to attend including Vulcans, Kelpians, Saurians, Cardassians, and Humans. The tickets for “10 FORWARD” sold out quickly, but you can still purchase exclusive merch and enjoy a beverage outdoors in the official “STARFLEET OUTPOST” beer garden. Entry is first-come, first served. Live long and prosper! Thursday, July 21 – Sunday, July 24; 340 Fifth Ave, San Diego, 92101.
  • Wrath of P’Khan Coolhaus Ice Cream Truck. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” women-owned ice cream brand Coolhaus will be bringing fans in San Diego free, limited-edition Wrath of P’Khan ice cream sandwiches via a branded truck. The film-inspired wrapped truck will be visiting fans on Saturday, July 23, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM, PT (or while supplies last) at Petco Park Interactive Zone; 100 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101.

 TEEN WOLF THE MOVIE

Courtesy of Paramount+

 

  • Series creator and showrunner Jeff Davis and “Teen Wolf the Movie” star Tyler Posey, Tyler Hoechlin, and surprise guests preview the upcoming Paramount+ film while taking a look back at the iconic series that started it all. Thursday, July 21, 1:30 – 2:30 PM, PT, Hall H 

 

BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD

Courtesy of Paramount+

  • Join “Beavis and Butt-Head” creator Mike Judge and a celebrity moderator as they have a lively conversation about Beavis, Butt-Head, and everything in-between.  They’ll discuss the upcoming “Beavis and Butt-Head” Paramount+ original series, as well as the recently released movie “Beavis and Butt-Head, Do the Universe.”Thursday, July 21, 4:45 – 5:45 PM, PT, Ballroom 20

EVIL

Courtesy of Paramount+

  • EVIL Exclusive Screening and Panel: Come join the cast of Paramount+’s hit series EVIL! Now in its third season, the critically acclaimed psychological mystery examines the origins of evil along the dividing line between science and religion. The series focuses on a skeptical female psychologist who joins a priest and a contractor as they investigate the church’s backlog of unexplained mysteries, including supposed miracles, demonic possessions, and hauntings. Their job is to assess if there’s a logical explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work. Please join series stars Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Christine Lahti and Kurt Fuller for an exclusive sneak peek of an episode from Season Three followed by a panel discussion moderated by Devan Coggan from Entertainment Weekly. Saturday, July 23, 10:15 – 11:30 AM, PT, Ballroom 20

RUGRATS

Courtesy of Paramount+

  • Nickelodeon’s RUGRATS: The Babies Are Back! The Babies are Back! Hold on to your diapies, throw “Cynthia’s Workout” on the stereo, and HALT! for Reptar – your favorite babies are back and better than ever! Join voice talent from the Paramount+ Original Series Rugrats, EG Daily (Tommy), Cheryl Chase (Angelica), and Charlet Chung (Kimi), along with executive producer Eryk Casemiro as they bust out of the playpen to give fans an exclusive look at behind-the-scenes art and sneak peeks of never-before-seen content, perform a live table-read, and provide answers to popular questions. A baby’s gotta do what a baby’s gotta do! Moderated by Jim Viscardi, Executive Editor, Comicbook.com. Thursday, July 21, 2022, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, PT, Room 6BCF

SPONGEBOB UNIVERSE

Courtesy of Paramount+

  • SpongeBob SquarePants: Dive Into SpongeBob Universe: Put on your diving suit and get ready to delve deep into Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” and its two original spinoff series, “The Patrick Star Show” and the Paramount+ Original Series, KAMP KORAL: SPONGEBOB’S UNDER YEARS. Legendary voice talent from all three series – Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Jill Talley (Karen, Squidina), Kate Higgins (Narlene), and Carlos Alazraqui (Nobby) —and executive producers Marc Ceccarelli and Vincent Waller will take fans on an undersea adventure to explore these iconic shows and characters and reveal what to expect next from SpongeBob and the denizens of Bikini Bottom. Moderated by Patrick Gomez, Editor-in-Chief, Entertainment Weekly. Thursday, July 21, 2022, 3:30 – 4:30 PM, PT, Room 6BCF

TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK

Courtesy of Paramount+

  • Introducing TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK! Autobots, Roll Out! Meet the next generation of heroes in the new original animated series, Transformers: EarthSpark. From Nickelodeon and Entertainment One, the all-new Paramount+ Original Series will showcase an insider event that celebrates a new take on the iconic global franchise with a behind-the-scenes look at art, casting, and never-before-seen clips and a first-time look at the Hasbro toy line inspired by the series. Featured panelists include all new-series voice talent– Danny Pudi (Bumblebee), Kat Khavari (Twitch), and Zeno Robinson (Thrash)–along with co-executive producer Dale Malinowski and executive producer Ant Ward. Moderated by Mike Cecchini, Editor-in-Chief, Den of Geek. Friday, July 22, 2022, 2:15 – 3:15 PM, PT, Room 6A

PARAMOUNT+ INTERACTIVE BOOTH SPACE

  • Paramount+ will be coming to the convention floor with interactive booth space for fans to experience “a mountain of entertainment.” Fans can scan a QR code located on a mountain sculpture on the outside of the booth to watch their favorite characters come to life from their phone. Once inside the booth, fans will have the opportunity to experience a mountain climb led by some of their favorite characters from “Star Trek,” SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, and HALO. After making the climb, they will be led to a game where they can win different swag as well as take a photo to share on social media. Booth #3529.

BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD PHOTO BOOTH

  • Step inside Beavis and Butt-Head’s living room for a photo opportunity with the animated duo.  New merchandise, including items exclusive to San Diego Comic-Con, is available for purchase. Booth #3729.

 

About Paramount+

Paramount+ combines live sports, breaking news, and a mountain of entertainment. The premium streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows, and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, and the Smithsonian Channel. The service is also the streaming home to unmatched sports programming, including every CBS Sports event, from golf to football to basketball and more, plus exclusive streaming rights for major sports properties, including some of the world’s biggest and most popular soccer leagues. Paramount+ also enables subscribers to stream local CBS stations live across the U.S. in addition to the ability to stream other live channels: CBSN for 24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis, and ET Live for entertainment coverage.

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Paramount+ will bring a mountain of entertainment

Film, Movies

For a young imagination, there is something uniquely captivating about a stowaway story on the high seas. The stakes are great, but the adventure is so far removed from any reality that most kids know that it becomes a purely transportive experience. It is a fantasy you can get wrapped up in and put away when it’s over.

Disney veteran Chris Williams (“Big Hero 6”) said it was the rollicking adventures he grew up watching, “King Kong,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Treasure Island” and “Lawrence of Arabia” among them, that made him want to make movies. And with “ The Sea Beast,” an animated fantasy adventure that debuts on Netflix on Friday, Williams, who directed and co-wrote, has made something quite winning for all ages.

Courtesy of Netflix

This monstrous adventure attacks Netflix on July 8.

One of those children is Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator), a spirited orphan who dreams of fighting sea beasts herself like her hero Jacob Holland (Karl Urban). So she decides to stow away on his ship, the Inevitable, led by Captain Crow (Jared Harris), to help in their pursuit of the biggest conquest yet, the Red Bluster.

“The Sea Beast” is notable for its refusal to dumb itself down for a young audience. It’s anchored by interesting and fairly complex characters who actually have arcs to play. Harris’s Captain Crow is an unambiguous Ahab type, but he also has a sweet, surrogate paternal relationship with Urban’s Jacob, whom he rescued from a shipwreck at a young age. At times, “The Sea Beast,” with a lively score by Mark Mancina, more closely resembles something like “Pirates of the Caribbean” than your typical animated fare.

The action scenes are really quite exciting, too, and after an epic battle with the Red Bluster, Jacob and Maisie find themselves stranded on an island together and fighting for survival. For anyone who felt let down by the little Leia and Obi-Wan relationship in the recent Kenobi series, “The Sea Beast” features a much more compelling version of that relationship. Much of that has to do with Maisie’s believably precious dialogue. Plus, there’s a nice message at the end (though to reveal what that is would definitely be considered a spoiler). It straddles the delicate line of being both classic and modern.

Courtesy of Netflix

The monsters themselves, though the size of Godzilla and packing Godzilla’s destructive power, are exaggeratedly cartoonish (comparisons to “How to Train Your Dragon” are inevitable). This might seem like a silly thing to say considering it is a cartoon, but it’s an interesting choice when everything else is so painstakingly rendered with realistic, tactile details. It’s not a criticism, exactly. But it does ensure that the monsters won’t immediately be the stuff of nightmares for the youngest viewers, which seems to be a fair trade-off.

“The Sea Beast,” a Netflix release streaming Friday, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for “action, violence and some language.” Running time: 119 minutes. Three stars out of four.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

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For a young imagination, there is something

Film

Netflix will play host to Johnny Depp’s first new movie in over two years. Depp, who has spent the vast majority of 2022 engaged in a difficult legal battle with his ex-wife Amber Heard, has not made a feature film since Minamata, a drama released in 2020. He is now confirmed to star in La Favorite, where he will play French monarch, King Louis XV.

News first broke of Depp and Netflix’s involvement in the film earlier today (July 7), when reports from Bloomberg indicated that Netflix would be helping to finance and stream Depp’s new movie.

Courtesy of Getty Images

However, TechRadar has learned from a Netflix spokesperson that the streaming giant is not providing financing for the movie, but has licensed the movie for hosting on its platform after its theatrical release.

La Favorite is a production from a French company, Why Not Productions. It is expected to be released in 2023 in French movie theaters with Netflix then waiting a full 15 months before it will go on the platform. Even then, the movie will only be available to Netflix’s French subscribers.

The French newspaper Le Figaro (opens in new tab) has some details on the movie’s shoot, as well, which is set for this summer and will include work at France’s historic Palace of Versailles.

Working alongside Depp on the project will be Maïwenn Le Besco, known simply in France as Maïwenn. She will both direct and star in the movie, which will be a biopic of the life of Jeanne Bécu

Bécu, who grew up in poverty as the illegitimate daughter of an impoverished seamstress, went on to rise through the Court of Louis XV to become his last official mistress.

Booked to star alongside the pair are Pierre Richard and Noémie Lvovsky.

Analysis: A risky move for Netflix?

When speaking to TechRadar, Netflix’s spokesperson was keen to stress that the streaming giant is offering no money to the project and that it will only be available in France. This isn’t Netflix putting its arm around Depp and shepherding him back into the spotlight, else you’d imagine their executives would be putting their hands in their pockets.

After the end of his trial, which played out in brutal, unpleasant detail in televised proceedings, Depp has spent the summer on tour with veteran rocker Jeff Beck, but speculation had already been rife about when he would return to acting and in what sort of project.

Vanity Fair (opens in new tab) quotes a movie industry source in their report on the announcement of Depp’s involvement in the project, who tells the magazine: “I think it’s just going to take one studio hiring him. Maybe he has to make an independent film or make something that’s outside the studio system for it to be acceptable to hire him again.”

It seems Depp has made that precise move. An independent movie, shot in Europe away from the surroundings of his trial, as a first step back. Whether Vanity Fair’s source proves to be correct and a Hollywood studio will book Depp once again, only time will tell.

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Netflix will play host to Johnny Depp's

Film

The Dark Knight fans can rejoice because the long-awaited Batman: The Long Halloween-Deluxe Edition will receive a 4K Ultra and Blu-ray release. Fans can expect the edition to arrive on September 20, with standard Blu-ray, DVD, and digital releases coming later.

According to the press release, the film was inspired by the iconic mid-1990s DC comic book by Jeph Loeb and the late Tim Sale. It begins as atrocious serial killings on holidays in Gotham City send The World’s Greatest Detective into action confronting both organized crime and a unified front of classic DC Super-Villains while attempting to stop the mysterious murderer. The film was originally released as a two-part film, and both films still stand at 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Check out the trailer below:

A new featurette called Batman: The Long Halloween – Evolution of Evil will focus on the mystery surrounding the Holiday Killer, who shrouds Gotham in a sinister of darkness forcing Batman to stop the villain’s assault on the city.  This is a comprehensive look at The Long Halloween with the original writer, Jeph Loeb, and filmmakers.

Directed by Chris Palmer and written by Time Sheridan, the film features the voice acting talents of Jensen Ackles as Batman; the late Naya Rivera as Catwoman; Josh Duhamel as Two-Face; Billy Burke as Commissioner James Gordon; Katee Sackhoff as Poison Ivy; Titus Welliver as Carmine Falcone; Julie Nathanson; Troy Baker as Joker; and more. Producers include Jim Krieg and Kimberly S. Moreau and supervising producer Butch Lukic.

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Additional cast includes Robin Atkin Downes, John DiMaggio, Laila Berzins, Jim Pirri, and Zach Callison with additional voice work from Gary LeRoi Gray, Rick Wasserman, Frances Callier, and Greg Chun. Michael Uslan and Sam Register serve as executive producers.

It will be released on Movies Anywhere, a digital movie platform that enables movie fans to discover, access, and watch their favorite digital movies in one place. Movies Anywhere brings together a library of nearly 7,500 digital movies from Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film, The Walt Disney Studios (including Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm), and Universal Pictures (including DreamWorks and Illumination Entertainment) and Warner Bros.

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The Dark Knight fans can rejoice because

Film

Thor’s history in the MCU has been a tumultuous one, both in terms of his story, and the reception of his films.  First appearing in 2011’s Thor, directed by Kenneth Branagh, the film had a positive reception, with most of the praise geared at the setting of Azgard and the character Loki. Then MCU released The Avengers and Thor: The Dark World, both directed by Alan Taylor. These two films were not received as favorably with fans and critics alike picking apart the movie. To make matters worse, even Taylor had expressed dissatisfaction with how the film turned out after its release. While there was some positive attention given to the performances by Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, overall these were generally considered the weakest films in the MCU.

Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment

MCU continued pushing on to release Avengers: Age of Ultron and then Thor Ragnarok, which was directed by Taika Waititi. Unlike the previous two films which had more of an emphasis on drama, Waititi’s film had a faster pace, and placed a greater emphasis on comedy, resulting in what many considered the best Thor film, and one of the best films in Phase 3 of the MCU, with praise aimed at its action, performances, humor, and score.  The film would also see the best box office success of the Thor films, getting $854 million against a $180 million budget.

With such critical acclaim and financial success, it would make sense that Disney and Marvel Studios would seek a sequel directed by Waititi.

Following the climactic conclusion of the Infinity Saga with Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Thor finds himself unsure of his place in life, trying to close himself off emotionally to avoid further tragedy.  However, when multiple Gods are slain by Gorr the God Butcher, and his old flame Jane Foster, played once again by Natalie Portman, is given the powers of Thor, the titular character finds himself going on a journey to confront the God Butcher, and come to terms with the events of his past, in order to move forward.

To put it simply, if you liked Thor: Ragnarok, this movie provides you with more of that, in fact, on Rotten Tomatoes, the critical consensus is this movie is like Ragnarok redux.  That comparison is certainly warranted, but there’s a bit more to it than that.  The attempts at humor are ramped up, even moreso than Ragnarok.  In some regards, that is a pro and con.  On one hand, there is quite a likelihood that there will be some things which will entertain and make you laugh.  On the other hand, if you are looking for the dramatic moments to be quiet and taken seriously, then this movie will come across as tonally inconsistent.  Even Ragnarok, with its emphasis on humor, took time to let the dramatic moments sink in, such as the conversation Thor and Loki had with Odin prior to Hella’s arrival.  In that regard, it’s a bit more accurate to refer to Love and Thunder as a supercharged version of Ragnarok, which is both a good and bad thing.

Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment

This makes certain storylines, such as Jane Foster’s, feel like mood whiplash.  Given the severe nature of Foster’s condition in the film, one would think that there would be more moments it would be taken seriously.  While Love and Thunder do take time to slow down, these moments are few and far between, and they are often undercut by the typical Marvel-style humor that some have become critical of.  As a result, the consistent focus on humor, ironically makes some of the most humorous moments not hit as hard, despite some moments being quite funny.

On the subject of Jane Foster, the character’s journey in this film is easily the most compelling character that has been in her tenure in the MCU thus far.  Given she gains the powers of Thor, something that the film does a great job at explaining how and why she gains, some worried that she may very well overshadow Thor himself.  Thankfully, this is not the case, as the emotional crux of the film focuses on their relationship, and how both find solace with each other after all the struggles they’ve been through; both have equal importance, and neither overshadows the other.

Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment

The other stand-out performance of this film is Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher, easily one of the creepiest villains of the MCU.  From the beginning of the film, Gorr’s motivation is both clear, and sympathetic, having been abandoned by the Gods after having suffered great losses.  Bale easily steals any scene that he is in, with a highlight coming at the end of the 2nd act.  Without giving much away, the setting of this particular scene allows for unique coloring and lighting, and given the redesign of the character from the comics, makes Gorr feel like a creature out of a horror film.

In fact, thematically, the film covers the ideas of confronting death and losing your way.  Thor as a character has suffered many losses during his tenure in the MCU, and Love and Thunder makes it quite clear that the journey that the characters go through is motivated by death, and life moving on.  With the exception of Thor, the Gods in this movie, who have been staying out of the affairs of mortals and remaining in their own domains, they have not had to confront death.  As a result, they do not worry about Gorr’s rampage or plan to eradicate the Gods, even after killing minor Gods.  Meanwhile, Thor and his allies, all of whom confronted death, or are confronting death, are actively able to better themselves, learning to make the most of their lives, while the other Gods remain stagnant and forgotten, losing their sense of purpose in life.

Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment

Other characters in the film, such as Korg, Valkyrie, and newcomer Zeus, played by Russell Crowe, are notable standouts, getting quite a few laughs from the audience.  Still, much like the rest of the film, the overemphasis on laughs can undercut more serious moments.

The Guardians of the Galaxy also briefly appear in the film towards the beginning, but don’t expect them to be throughout the entire film.  The only reason they are there is essentially so that Star-Lord can explain to Thor, and thus to the audience, what Thor’s arc in the film will be.

Of course, the action and effects are visually impressive for the MCU, and the score is highly energetic, much like Waititi’s previous Thor film, although that is mostly par for the course with most Marvel Studios films, and given the more fantastical nature of the film, the heavy use of CGI in crafting unique settings isn’t as distracting as other films.  As for the post-credit scenes, the first one sets up the appearance of another character and possible next adversary for the God of Thunder, while the second serves as a means of further wrapping up one of the film’s storylines, while also providing an appropriate cameo to go along with it.

Overall, Thor: Love and Thunder can provide a fun time, and chances are, if you enjoyed Thor: Ragnarok, in particular the comedy of it, you’ll likely enjoy this film.  The characters are likable, with Portman and Bale being notable highlights, but the over-emphasis on humor can take away from the film’s more dramatic moments.  It isn’t as strong as Waititi’s previous MCU outing and isn’t among the strongest MCU outings in general, but it provides a fun time.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

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Thor's history in the MCU has been

Press Releases

New York, NY (July 8, 2022) – Marvel Entertainment returns to San Diego Comic-Con with all-star panels, exclusive announcements, fan favorite talent signings, and unforgettable fan experiences at the Marvel booth all starting Thursday, July 21 through Sunday, July 24.

Stop by the Marvel booth (#2329) for the livestream broadcast, giveaways, and signings, and check out Marvel’s merch booth (#2519) for exclusive San Diego Comic-Con merchandise, Marvel Unlimited subscription offers, and so much more!

Marvel Digital Media will be conducting around-the-clock coverage of all the biggest stories and breaking news at Comic-Con on social media. For exclusive livestream coverage, fans can watch on Marvel.com, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Twitch. Coverage is hosted by Ryan Penagos, Langston Belton, Angélique Roché, and Justin Warner. Experience the convention floor with Marvel, stay up to date on the breaking Marvel news, learn about some of your favorite Marvel characters, and don’t miss a beat from the Marvel stage and events within and around SDCC!

An overview of Marvel Entertainment’s panels can be found below. More details about Marvel Entertainment’s SDCC merchandise, booth, and booth activities, including additional signings and events are coming soon.

FRIDAY, JULY 22

60 YEARS OF SPIDER-MAN: A THIS WEEK IN MARVEL SPECIAL EVENT
3:00PM – 4:00PM | Room: 25ABC
Ryan Penagos (aka Agent M, VP & Creative Executive) and Nick Lowe (VP & Executive Editor) are joined by the one-and-only Dan Slott (Amazing Spider-Man, Fantastic Four) and other surprise guests for a very special live episode of the This Week in Marvel podcast! Ring in the 60th year of Spider-Man with Amazing Fantasy #1000 and see what dangers lurk at the Edge of the Spider-Verse!

Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment

MARVEL COMICS: MARVEL FANFARE
4:00PM – 5:00PM | Room: 25ABC
C.B. Cebulski (Editor in Chief) is here to answer your burning questions! Come to inquire about everything and anything you ever wanted to know about the Marvel Universe. What is the wackiest version of Spider-Man from across the multiverse? Does the Illuminati have a poker night? Which Marvel editors would survive Judgment Day? You’ll never know for sure unless you attend this panel! Featuring special guest TBA – and an exciting giveaway!

SATURDAY, JULY 23

MARVEL COMICS: JUDGMENT DAY
1:45PM – 2:45PM | Room: 6A
Nick Lowe (Executive Editor) and C.B. Cebulski (Editor in Chief) prepare to pass judgment on their fellow panelists, including Adam Kubert (Wolverine), David Pepose (Fantastic Four) and other Mighty Marvel guests! With the Eve of Judgment already behind us, join this can’t-miss discussion about what trials and tribulations are just around the corner for the Avengers, X-Men, Eternals, and the rest of the Marvel Universe!

Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment

MARVEL COMICS: NEXT BIG THING
3:00PM – 4:00PM | Room: 6A
Marvel’s most famous panel returns! C.B. Cebulski (Editor in Chief), Nick Lowe (VP & Executive Editor), and editors Darren Shan and Lauren Bisom lead a line-up of luminaries including Christopher Cantwell (Iron Man), Ram V (Venom, Carnage), and Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty). What lies ahead for Shang-Chi, Ms. Marvel, Ant-Man, Ghost Rider, and the rest of the Marvel Universe? And what is the mysterious looming danger of the DARK WEB that threatens the future of Spider-Man and the X-Men? This is the only place you can find out! Come for the incredible reveals and stay for a unique giveaway!

SUNDAY, JULY 24

WOMEN OF MARVEL
10:30AM – 11:30AM | Room: 6A
The Women of Marvel are here! Writer and podcast host Angelique Roche will lead a lively discussion with Marvel stars including Senior Editor Lauren Bisom, author Nic Stone (Shuri: A Black Panther Novel), and other Mighty Marvel Guests! What is it like for women working in the industry today, and what is next for Marvel’s woman-led titles? And don’t miss a special giveaway at the end of the panel!

Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment

About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media. For more information visit marvel.com. © 2022 MARVEL

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New York, NY (July 8, 2022) –

Awards

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is set to receive the Locarno Film Festival’s Excellence Award Davide Campari on Aug. 3.

The British actor will be presented with the honor by David Leitch, the director of Bullet Train, in which Taylor-Johnson stars.

Taylor-Johnson is also known for roles as John Lennon in wife Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Nowhere Boy, in Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina, in Joss Whedon’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet.

“An Excellence Award for a young and extremely talented actor, able to speak to all audiences, to jump from one genre to another, driven by an extraordinary ability to always put himself on the line and take risks,” Locarno artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro said of the award to be given to Taylor-Johnson.

Past recipients of the Locarno tribute include Isabelle Huppert, Edward Norton, Ethan Hawke and, last year, Laetitia Casta.

Sony’s upcoming Bullet Train, set to hit theaters Aug. 5, will have an international festival premiere in Locarno.

The action thriller’s ensemble cast includes Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon and Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio.

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Aaron Taylor-Johnson is set to receive the

TV

This past weekend, Stevenson Hall at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) buzzed with excitement as graduates lined the halls, ready to receive their diplomas. One of the recipients in attendance at the ceremony was none other than Outlander’s Sam Heughan. Heughan, an alum who graduated from the BA Acting programme in 2003, returned this weekend to accept the award of an honorary doctorate for his achievements on and off-screen.

Courtesy of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland/Martin-Shields

Known for his lead role as Jamie Fraser in Outlander, Sam is an actor, producer, author, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He is the executive producer for Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham with his Outlander co-star Graham McTavish. Heughan and McTavish co-wrote a New York Times bestselling nonfiction book Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other as well as the Clanlands Almanac. In 2020, he launched his whisky brand, The Sassenach, through a company he co-founded, Great Glen Company, and has earned several gold medals truly making a name for himself in the spirits industry. Always expanding, Heughan recently collaborated with El Tequileño and released a limited edition double wood reposado, called The Sassenach Select. Both of them are available to order through Reserve Bar or by clicking here.

Heughan created an annual award for RCS, the Write Start: The Sam Heughan Creative Commission, intending to encourage students to develop new work; he is also personally funding three annual scholarships for undergraduate students in the School of Drama, Dance, Production, and Film. He is the founder of My Peak Challenge, a holistic wellness program that helps to raise funds for various charities while inspiring members to challenge themselves and improve their physical fitness, emotional well-being, and mental health. Since its creation in 2015, it has grown to a community of over 14,000 members in 83 countries, and has raised over $6 million for several organizations, including Bloodwise, Marie Curie, Feeding America, and One Tree Planted.

Courtesy of Prof. Jeffrey Sharkey

The honorary doctorate from RCS is Heughan’s third, following honorary doctorates from the University of Stirling and the University of Glasgow which he received in 2019. In his address to the RCS Class of 2022, he said he was honored to receive the degree and told the students there is so much more ahead, “You have had many wonderful new, first experiences here, and will have many to come. This place has given you the greatest start and I’m incredibly excited for you…It is here, where my first dream became a reality. It’s here, where I have been shooting a major US TV show, and have been able to rely on the experience and lessons I learnt in this building,” Heughan continued “I’m willing you on, I want you all to succeed and I know you will. Dream big and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I cannot wait to see what you all achieve.”

The principal of RCS, Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, said Heughan “is a wonderful ambassador for the arts and Scotland” and ” an artist of international acclaim with an entrepreneurial spirit, who passionately believes in giving back and helping others to fulfil their potential.”

Heughan has a memoir he wrote while solo hiking called Waypoints, which is set to release on October 25 and is currently filming season seven of Outlander in Scotland which expects to wrap in early spring 2023.

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This past weekend, Stevenson Hall at the

Music

When thinking about Joe Jonas, most people don’t think of DNCE. Nevertheless, the band featuring Jonas, Jin-Joo Lee, and Jack Lawless is back together.

No doubt most of us thought DNCE was done after the Jonas Brothers reunited. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. Instead, the rock band decided to reunite in 2022 minus a member but is still just as strong.

Somehow, the band doesn’t really fit into one particular genre. While breakout hit, “Cake By The Ocean” is the ultimate summer song, the band is all over the place in terms of sound. Even the first two songs released in 2022 prove that.

Thankfully, we don’t have to wait much longer to get some new DNCE music as the band’s latest single, “Got Me Good” was released on July 8th, 2022.

Should you add “Got Me Good” by DNCE to your summer playlist?

Before talking about the song, it’s only right to feature the song. Be sure to give it a listen first and then we can break down if it’s worth making the cut on your favorite playlist.

The band’s first two singles, “Dancing Feet” and “Move” have had a similar vibe as they make you want to dance and it’s no different with “Got Me Good.” Rather than focus on love though, “Got Me Good” decided to flip the script in more ways than one.

“Got Me Good” does a unique take on the breakup song. Instead of being sad and melancholy, the song is more upbeat and focuses on how their lost love pulled their own tricks on them. Additionally, the song doesn’t bash the person for leaving but rather seems to admire them, especially with the lyrics “I can’t be that mad/got what I was giving,” and “took a page from my book/damn baby, you got me good.”

Most importantly, “Got Me Good” is catchy and it’s one you’ll want to play whether you’re by the pool, driving to work, or just need a pick-me-up. With fun lyrics, a good sound, and amazing vocals, “Got Me Good” is another solid addition to DNCE’s catalog. As someone who loves both DNCE and Joe Jonas, this song is a major win for me. It’s definitely getting added to my favorite songs of 2022 and makes me super excited for more DNCE in the future.

Maybe we’ll get a new DNCE and Jonas Brothers album in 2022. Even if we don’t, DNCE’s newest release, “Got Me Good” gets a major thumbs-up from me and is worth adding to your playlist.

Have you listened to “Got Me Good” by DNCE yet? Be sure to share your thoughts below.

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When thinking about Joe Jonas, most

Global

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Protesters in Sri Lanka stormed the president’s official residence and office Saturday demanding his resignation, marking the latest turn in the deepening economic and political crisis in the island nation. Dozens of people were injured in clashes with the police, hospital officials said.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose family many hold responsible for the worst economic crisis in decades, was moved to safety Friday ahead of the planned protests, according to a defense services official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Thousands of people carrying the yellow and red Sri Lankan flag marched toward the President’s home chanting “Gota, go home.” The police fired tear gas to deter the surging crowds. The crowd swept past the policemen and breached the barricades to break into the president’s office and residence. Visuals from local media showed people roaming through the president’s house taking selfies and taking a dip in the swimming pool.

“We are desperate,” said Himantha Wickremerathne, a 34-year-old lawyer who joined the protests. “People from all walks of life have united with one intention — to demand that the corrupt president who clearly does not have a mandate, to step down.”

By the afternoon, people began to pour into Colombo from other regions traveling by trains. Sanath Jayasuriya, a former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team joined protesters at a major protest site. Asking the president to step down he said, “The siege is over. Your bastion has fallen.”

Sri Lanka has been in the grip of an unprecedented economic crisis as fuel has nearly run out and food inflation has shot up to 80 percent. It’s defaulted on its foreign debt repayment and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout package.

For ordinary citizens it has become almost impossible to survive. More than 6 million people or about a fourth of the country’s population is unsure of where the next meal will come from, the World Food Program said last week.

In May, the president’s brother, Mahinda was forced to resign as the prime minister after his supporters clashed with anti-government protesters. A new prime minister and cabinet were sworn in but as the economic situation worsens, anger is beginning to spill over again.

The specter of more political instability threatens to send the embattled country into a deeper crisis and could undermine its efforts to secure a bailout.

Masih reported from New Delhi.

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Comment on this storyCommentCOLOMBO, Sri Lanka —

Trending


Shawn Mendes Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock

Treating himself better. Shawn Mendes has postponed some of his upcoming live shows in order to focus on his mental health.

“This breaks my heart to have to say this, but unfortunately I’m going to have to postpone the next three weeks of shows through Uncasville, CT until further notice. I’ve been touring since I was 15 and to be honest it’s always been difficult to be on the road away from friends and family,” the 23-year-old Canadian crooner wrote in a message shared via Instagram on Friday, July 8. “After a few years off the road, I felt like I was ready to dive back in, but that decision was premature and unfortunately the toll of the road and the pressure has caught up to me and Ive hit a breaking point.”

Mendes added, “After speaking with my team and health professionals, I need to take some time to heal and take care of myself and my mental health, first and foremost. As soon as there are more updates I promise I will let you know love you guys.”

The “Stitches” singer has been candid in the past about his ups and downs with his mental health. In April, he penned a vulnerable note to his followers about struggling to embrace his true self.

“Sometimes I ask my self [sic] what it is that I should be doing with my life and what I always hear in return is ‘to tell the truth, to be the truth,’” he wrote at the time. “I feel like that’s a hard thing to do though. I’m afraid that if people know and see the truth they might think less of me. They might become bored of me.”

The “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” artist admitted that he “constantly feels like he’s either flying or drowning,” predicting that some of his insecurity possibly stems from being in his 20s. “The truth is I really do wanna show up in the world as my 100% true honest unique self and not care what anyone thinks, sometimes I do!! Sometimes I really don’t care what people think and I feel free. Most of the time its [sic] a struggle [though]. That’s the truth,” he added.

Mendes said he felt compared to share his perspective because he thought it “might resonate with some people,” concluding by reassuring his fans that there was nothing to worry about. In a separate tweet, he wrote, “I’m honestly so okay! I just wanna communicate with you guys in a real honest way. so I just typed I big old note out for you lol. And I guess I’m like damn if I’m feeling this with all of the blessings I have I imagine there must be so many people feeling this and just don’t want them to feel alone !!”

The former Vine personality kicked off his Wonder tour in Portland, Oregon on June 27. He was scheduled to perform throughout the U.S. and Canada until October before heading overseas next spring.

News of Mendes’ break from tour comes less than one year after he and Camila Cabello split in November 2021. The musicians dated for two years before calling it quits. Both the Grammy nominee and the Cinderella actress, 25, have spoken openly about processing the end of their relationship in their own creative ways.

“Camila and I have always been writers for as long as we’ve known each other, so we understand what that means,” Mendes told Extra earlier this year. “And we respect what that means. And there’ll always be transparency between us.”

Cabello, for her part, recently got honest about taking her time when it comes to jumping back into the dating pool. “I don’t put a lot of focus on it,” she told Cosmopolitan UK this month. “I just really want to hang out with people, I want to make friends, and I’ve made a lot of great friends over the past year. … If something happens, then that’s really fun, but I don’t put any pressure on it.”

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Shawn Mendes Stephen Lovekin/ShutterstockTreating himself better.

Tech

Owning Twitter is tricky because the platform faces regulatory scrutiny and is embroiled in a debate over free speech online. Its business has also faced difficulties, especially in a competitive market for digital advertising. After Mr. Musk struck the acquisition agreement, Twitter reported 16 percent growth in revenue for the first quarter, below the 20 percent it had predicted.

Within weeks, Mr. Musk tweeted that the deal was on hold, saying he wanted more details about the volume of spam and fake accounts. At one point, he said striking a deal for Twitter at a lower price was “not out of the question.” He also responded to tweets from Parag Agrawal, Twitter’s chief executive, who posted details of how the company detects and fights spam, with a poop emoji.

Courtesy of NY Times

Behind the scenes, Twitter continued giving Mr. Musk and his team access to information about its platform, people with knowledge of the situation have said. Last month, the company agreed to allow Mr. Musk direct access to its “firehose,” the daily stream of millions of tweets that flow through the company’s network. Twitter, which has said roughly 5 percent of its accounts are spam since it went public in 2013, has also said the number is an estimate.

Even so, the number of fake accounts remained a concern for Mr. Musk. For years before proposing the acquisition, he complained about spam on Twitter and said the company should do more to authenticate its users. In 2020, he appeared at a Twitter employee event and said the company should do more to prevent spam.

Last month, in a six-paragraph letter, Mr. Musk’s lawyers demanded more information from Twitter about its methods for counting fake accounts and claimed the firm was “actively resisting and thwarting” his rights. The company was “refusing Mr. Musk’s data requests” to disclose the number of fake accounts on its platform, they said. That amounted to a “clear material breach” of the deal, the lawyers continued, saying it gave Mr. Musk the right to break off the agreement.

Twitter said on Thursday that it had heightened efforts to detect and block spam after Russia used fake accounts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The company has added new requirements to its sign-up process and said it used human auditors to vet its tally of spam accounts. It also said it removed one million spam accounts each day, and locked millions more per week until the operators of the accounts passed anti-spam tests.

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Owning Twitter is tricky because the platform

Video

Comprised of Jonah Kahanuola Solatorio, and brothers Nicholas and Zachary Lum, the musical trio of Keauhou prides itself on the preservation of both the land and the traditional music of Hawaiʻi.

The members of Keauhou are best known for making music, or mele, influenced by their love for their surroundings — an ideology known as Aloha ‘Āina — with an emphasis on the conservation of a sense of place for Hawaiians.

“Thinking back to those times of our youth, of our family, every Saturday, we would drive down the street right … to my grandma’s house just for family dinner,” says Nicholas, referring to the land where the non-profit agricultural organization of Papahana Kuaola sits and where this special episode of “Live From My Den” was filmed.

“It was a very normal thing for a ukulele to pop up and everyone to start singing. And it was also a very normal thing for us to go to karaoke in town. It never really dawned on me but everyone in our family could sing, and pretty well.”

While the Hawaiian language offers myriad meanings to a name, Keauhou can be translated as “the renewed generation.” However, the actual sentiment behind the moniker is much deeper.

Says Zachary: “The only Hawaiian tradition is change. That’s the only tradition we have. Which seems almost blasphemous today to think that all we do is change because ours is a culture that depends and relies so much on the idea that we know where we’re going because we know where we came from. But at the same time, as we look and as we walk back into the future, we also inherently and implicitly do things inspired by the past but now. And that is a very subtle change I think. It’s very subtle.”

All three men are graduates of the Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, where they participated in the concert glee club and played in the Warrior Marching Band — eventually going on to continue their higher education, having graduated with master’s degrees in the fields of education, ethnomusicology, and Hawaiian language, respectively, at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

“I think we can start looking at mele as this database from which we can learn so many things and so many stories, names, it goes on and on,” says Nicholas. “And that’s not to say that we can’t enjoy it for the face value and the beautiful music and whatnot. You could actually catalog these songs and learn so much about a place just by learning the songs associated with it.”

The band traces its musical inspiration to influences from the 1900s through the 1970s — otherwise known as the decade of the Hawaiian renaissance. Keauhou list composers John Kameaaloha Almeida, Charles E. King and Lena Machado as touchstones and share a laugh when remembering that a lot of the kūpuna (elders), “always tell us we remind them of Kahauanu Lake, an older trio, or people from their era. And we’re happy because that’s all a part of our name, bringing that current back, bringing that style back.“

Through music and education, the trio has managed to bridge the gap between older and younger listeners. As a doctoral student, Nicholas says he’s focused on observing innovation in music as a form of inspiring the younger generation “to learn their language, to get deeper into their culture… Perfect example of this is the whole K-pop music is becoming very big in America, right? I don’t understand a bit of Korean but I can still listen because of the musical value. … So if we can create Hawaiian music that is very catchy to a younger generation, it might inspire them to go, ‘Hey, this is my culture. I am Hawaiian. Maybe I should understand what’s being said.’”

Solatorio teaches Hawaiian language and Hawaiian studies at the school of Kamehameha Kapālama, where one of his exercises involves having students write their own songs about the places that they’re from or about their elders. As a PhD student in indigenous politics, Zachary spends his time learning how music creates community. “I think that education is major in us being able to — not just understand and articulate its value — but actually to put it to practice. And I think that’s what we strive to do.”

Watch the full video above.

This Live from My Den Special Edition is made possible by The Hawaiian Islands with additional support from Creative Industries Division – Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), and Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA).

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Comprised of Jonah Kahanuola Solatorio, and brothers

Film

Despite its deceptive format, found footage isn’t easy to pull off effectively. Horror fans have become savvy to the tricks and tropes, making it harder to stand out or deliver potent scares. Director Kevin Ko attempts to reinvigorate found footage horror with Incantation, a cult horror meets cursed video tale. A unique approach to found footage techniques can’t fully elevate a familiar supernatural setup or scares, however.

Li Ronan (Tsai Hsuan-yen) works to adopt her biological daughter Dodo (Huang Sin-ting) after an illness forced her to relinquish parental rights years ago. While legally chalked up to mental illness, Ronan’s life turned upside down six years ago when stricken by a curse for trespassing in a forbidden area. Shortly after regaining custody of Dodo, however, that curse comes rearing back, this time targeting the young child with a fury. Ronan goes to great lengths to save her daughter, even if it means confronting the past.

Ko, working from a script co-written with Che-Wei Chang, toggles between past and present. The events of Ronan’s adventures into a remote territory, where a cult-like compound holds mysterious rituals and reveres a strange child, get intercut with her struggles in motherhood. Incantation‘s biggest mystery lies with the inciting event that caused Ronan’s troubles, and it’s one withheld for almost the entire duration. The slow build-up to the reveal is filled with familiar imagery, scare tactics, and tropes seen in more iconic found footage horror. The child speaking to unseen figures hovering on the ceiling? Check. Amateur ghost hunters poking their noses in places explicitly off-limits? Of course.

While the relationship between Ronan and her adorable daughter does provide rooting interest and emotional resonance, Ko struggles to bridge the protagonist’s past to her present. Whether Ronan’s fervent drive to be a mother is rooted in guilt or love seems to be the guiding question. Still, the choice to pursue custody in the wake of such a violent curse, putting Dodo in danger in the first place, never gets addressed in a satisfying way.

It’s Ronan’s obsession with filming that offers up the closest resemblance to answers. She captures everything on camera and uses sentimentality as a default response to questions on her constant camera use. The continuous footage acquisition becomes even more prevalent in the plot, with Ronan breaking the fourth wall innovatively. It immerses the viewer in the horror on a new level. However, Ko can’t figure out how to capture everything through Ronan’s lens, though, and often switches to unexplained and contradictory third-person perspectives that confuse who’s responsible for this found footage.

Netflix Incantation review

As with most of its ilk, Netflix’s Incantation saves the best horror moments for its climax. The inciting event gives way to some thrilling, trypophobia-inducing imagery and occasional bloodshed, building toward a creative punchline for an unwavering curse.

Overall, Ko injects Incantation with plenty of pathos and clever techniques to engage, even if it’s still prone to the pitfalls of the format. The constant and abrupt shifts between past and present make for uneven pacing in stretches, and the scares rarely land for those well versed in the subgenre. It doesn’t help that much of the story, outside of Ronan’s maternal instincts and relationship with Dodo, feels like a patchwork of similar films. The horror familiarity and inconsistent logic choices work against a creative approach to the found footage format anchored by solid performances and a memorable conclusion.

Incantation is available on Netflix now.

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Despite its deceptive format, found footage isn’t

TV

This week—on Wednesday, July 6, specifically—Dua Lipa had a completely fabulous day in Paris. On Instagram, the singer shared her wedding-inspired Bottega Veneta look; on the same day, the star also walked the runway for Balenciaga in an incredible yellow dress for the fall-winter 2022-2023 haute couture show.

Dua Lipa is a fan of wearing looks taken almost directly from the catwalk, and she brought us a new fashion moment in this Bottega Veneta fit by Matthieu Blazy from the fall-winter 2022-2023 collection. It consists of a white lace slip dress with sequin details, matching opera gloves, and silver boots. A wedding-inspired look that she appropriately captioned with “wedding season.” 

It’s an inspiring outfit for any brides-to-be who aspire to take a more daring and trendy approach on their wedding day!

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Translation by Anissa Agrama. This post originally ran on Vogue France.

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This week—on Wednesday, July 6, specifically—Dua Lipa

What to Watch


CBS launched The Challenge: USA this week, and by the end of The Challenge: USA Season 1 Episode 1, Cely Vazquez and Javonny Vega were out of the game.


It was a shocking elimination match-up.


TV Fanatic got the chance to speak with Cely and Javonny about their time on the new series, who they would have targeted if they stayed, and more.


I’m happy to be chatting with you both. I wish it was under better circumstances. I wanted you both to make it further into the game.


Cely: Thank you. Us too!


Javonny: We wanted to win it all.

Javonny Cast Shot - The Challenge: USA Season 1 Episode 1


Starting with Cely, could you both speak a bit about why you decided to team up?


Cely: We were talking about this. It all happened so fast. And I hate the fact that we had to pick because everyone’s already partnered up, and I was looking around, and I was like, “I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”


And then I saw Javonny, and I was like, “yes, a familiar face. I love you. Please be my partner.” Then, we instantly said, “what did we do? “


Javonny: Basically, that’s how it happened, Paul. I went in there, we just walked up, and then next thing you know, TJ says, “Hey guys, partner up.”

Cely Cast Shot - The Challenge: USA Season 1 Episode 1


And then I’m just looking around, looking confused, like, “all right, everybody’s getting snatched up so quick,” and then came Cely. I was like, “all right, let’s do it. And the rest is history.


Cely: And then we were history.


Javonny: Yeah. That’s it.


Cely, you and Justine had such a great bond on Love Island, and I was excited to see you play The Challenge together. How do you think it will affect Justine that you’re no longer in the game?

First Challenge Time - The Challenge: USA


Cely: Honestly, I know she was crying at the end, and it literally, I was like, “I love you so hard,” but I know that like, this is going to push her to go even crazier and harder and she’s going to win the whole thing, period. I’m excited for her because she’s my girl, and she’s been preparing for this. She has it in the bag.


Starting with Javonny, could you both speak a bit about whether you had any idea you would be going into the elimination?


Javonny: I had an idea when Cely came up to me like, “Hey, you know, our name’s getting thrown in the air that we might get put into elimination?” And I was like, “Nah, I didn’t want to do that.”


As the night progressed, I was like, “you know what I said, man, if they do it, they do it, so be ready. I ain’t going to kiss nobody’s butt to try to get out of an elimination. This is The Challenge. We’re here to compete, and we’re here to show our best abilities to perform and to get back in the house. Me and Cely were ready.

Javonny - The Challenge: USA


We were ready to go in there and fight for our lives to come back.


Cely: I definitely had a feeling only because it was only Javonny and I and Cashel and Kyra that were a double Love Island pairing. And I knew it wouldn’t be Kyra because Kyra had a really good relationship with Angela.


But honestly, we were still shocked when they said our names because even though I had an inkling. And that it was a possibility, I still thought it was going to be Shannon and James, but they were out there politicing, and that was one thing Javonny and I were not going to do.


Starting with Cely, if you both returned to the house, would you have targeted Angela and Tyson?


Cely: Honestly, it would’ve been everybody. I would’ve been like, “y’all are all fake.” I would’ve gone in guns blazing, and I would’ve never stopped talking smack. I don’t know if I would’ve went directly for Angela and Tyson, but I would’ve just been pressed at the whole house.

Angela and Tyson - The Challenge: USA


Javonny: I would’ve definitely tried to get the Survivor people. That was like my whole plan. Get the Survivor people out as fast as I can, and how would I do that? I would have tried to turn people against the Survivor team.


That would make for a lot of drama!


Cely: Oh, we would’ve made drama. Y’all messed up because we were the TV y’all needed


This was a different experience for you both compared to Love Island. Starting with Javonny, was it as daunting doing the challenges as you thought it would be?


Javonny: I wasn’t worried. I played high school football and baseball. I ran track. I did wrestling. This is something I wanted. I wanted to compete because on Love Island, we were competing to go ahead and get the girl that we wanted. 

Making a Knot - The Challenge: USA


The competitive part of The Challenge was something I was looking forward to. I wasn’t worried at all. I was just ecstatic to be there. I was hyped as if I was going on Love Island!


I would say I was definitely nervous going into it. I’m five-two and a hundred pounds. I’m terrified. but honestly, after getting there and meeting everyone, I was like, “no one here is super scary.”


And even though we lost that challenge, I feel like I could have done so much more, and it just wasn’t in our favor. After going through the challenges, I said, “I could do this. I could easily do this.”


The Challenge: USA airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on CBS.

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.

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CBS launched The Challenge: USA this week,

Awards

The Hollywood Critics Association has unveiled its 2022 TV award nominations. NBC’s This Is Us and HBO’s Succession lead the broadcast network and cable nominations, and Apple TV+s Severance and Ted Lasso top the streaming awards noms.

This Is Us received 12 nominations, followed by Succession in second place with 11. For streaming, Ted Lasso and Severance tied with 12 nominations each.

The awards will be handed out over two nights in ceremonies at the Beverly Hilton. The broadcast network and cable TV awards ceremony will be held on August 13, followed by the streaming awards ceremony on August 14.

Here is the complete list of nominees:

Best Game Show

Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
Jeopardy! National College Championship (ABC)
Name That Tune (FOX)
Supermarket Sweep (ABC)
The Chase (ABC)
To Tell The Truth (ABC)

Best Broadcast Network Reality Show or Competition Series

America’s Got Talent (NBC)
Holey Moley (ABC)
Lego Masters (FOX)
Next Level Chef (FOX)
The Masked Singer (FOX)
The Voice (NBC)

Best Cable Reality Show or Competition Series

Bar Rescue (Paramount Network)
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses (TBS)
Project Runway (Bravo)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
Top Chef (Bravo)
Wipeout (TBS)

Best Broadcast Network or Cable Docuseries or Non-Fiction Series

30 for 30 (ESPN)
The New York Times Presents: Controlling Britney Spears (FX)
Janet Jackson (Lifetime)
Shark Tank (ABC)
The American Rescue Dog Show (ABC)
We Need to Talk About Cosby (Showtime)

Best Broadcast Network or Cable Documentary TV Movie

Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James (Showtime)
Black Patriots: Heroes of the Civil War (History)
Dean Martin: King of Cool (TCM)
End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock (Fuse)
Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer (National Geographic)
Sheryl (Showtime)

Best Broadcast Network or Cable Variety Sketch Series, Talk Series, or Special

A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO)
Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Real-Time With Bill Maher (HBO)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Best Broadcast Network or Cable Animated Series or TV Movie

Archer (FX)
Bob’s Burgers (FOX)
Family Guy (FOX)
Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)
South Park (Comedy Central)
Tuca & Bertie (Adult Swim)

Best Broadcast Network or Cable Live-Action TV Movie

A Clüsterfünke Christmas (Comedy Central)
List of a Lifetime (Lifetime)
Ray Donovan: The Movie (Showtime)
Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune (Lifetime)
The Survivor (HBO)
Vandal (Fuse)

Best Writing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Movie

Aaron Cooley, Cathy Schulman, Ellen Fairey, Abby Ajayi, The Thing About Pam “She’s a Killer” (NBC)
George Pelecanos and David Simon, We Own This City “Part One” (HBO)
Hagai Levi, Scenes From a Marriage “The Illiterates” (HBO)
Mike White, The White Lotus “Mysterious Monkeys” (HBO)
Sarah Burgess, Impeachment: American Crime Story “Man Handled” (FX)
Taylor Cox, Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail “What Happens in Branchwater” (TBS)

Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Movie

Gina Prince-Bythewood, Women of the Movement “Mother and Son” (ABC)
Hagai Levi, Scenes From A Marriage “The Illiterates” (HBO)
Mike White, The White Lotus “Mysterious Monkeys” (HBO)
Barry Levinson, The Survivor (HBO)
Ryan Murphy, Impeachment: American Crime Story “Man Handled” (FX)
Steve Buscemi, Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail “Over the Mountain” (TBS)

Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Movie

Alexandra Daddario, The White Lotus (HBO)
Betty Gilpin, Gaslit (Starz)
Connie Britton, The White Lotus (HBO)
Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus (HBO)
Judy Greer, The Thing About Pam (NBC)
Sydney Sweeney, The White Lotus (HBO)

Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Movie

Dan Stevens, Gaslit (Starz)
Josh Charles, We Own This City (HBO)
Josh Duhamel, The Thing About Pam (NBC)
Murray Bartlett, The White Lotus (HBO)
Steve Buscemi, Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail (TBS)
Steve Zahn, The White Lotus (HBO)

Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series, Anthology Series, or TV Movie

Julia Roberts, Gaslit (Starz)
Geraldine Viswanathan, Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail (TBS)
Jessica Chastain, Scenes from a Marriage (HBO)
Michelle Pfeiffer, The First Lady (Showtime)
Renée Zellweger, The Thing About Pam (NBC)
Sarah Paulson, Impeachment: American Crime Story (FX)

Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series, Anthology Series, or TV Movie

Ben Foster, The Survivor (HBO)
Bill Pullman, The Sinner (USA)
Daniel Radcliffe, Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail (TBS)
Jon Bernthal, We Own This City (HBO)
Sean Penn, Gaslit (Starz)
Oscar Isaac, Scenes from a Marriage (HBO)

Best Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series

Gaslit (Starz)
Impeachment: American Crime Story (FX)
Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail (TBS)
Scenes From a Marriage (HBO)
The White Lotus (HBO)
We Own This City (HBO)

Best Writing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy

Albertina Rizzo, American Auto “Commercial” (NBC)
Alec Berg & Bill Hader, Barry “Starting Now” (HBO)
Donald Glover, Atlanta “Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga” (FX)
Issa Rae, Insecure “Everything Gonna Be, Okay?!” (HBO)
John Carcieri, Danny McBride, & Edi Patterson, The Righteous Gemstones “As to How They Might Destroy Him” (HBO)
Liz Sarnoff, Barry “Candy Asses” (HBO)
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary “Pilot” (ABC)
Stefani Robinson, What We Do in the Shadows “Wellness Center” (FX)

Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy

Bill Hader, Barry – “701N” (HBO)
Danny McBride, The Righteous Gemstones – “As to How They Might Destroy Him” (HBO)
Hiro Murai, Atlanta – “New Jazz” (FX)
Iona Morris Jackson, black-ish – “If a Black Man Cries in the Woods” (ABC)
Pamela Adlon, Better Things – “We Are Not Alone” (FX)
Randall Einhorn, Abbott Elementary – “Pilot” (ABC)
Jay Duplass, Somebody Somewhere – “Tee-Tee Pa-Pah” (HBO)
Yana Gorskaya, What We Do In The Shadows – “Wellness Center” (FX)

Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy

D’Arcy Carden, Barry (HBO)
Danielle Pinnock, Ghosts (CBS)
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Kristen Schaal, What We Do In The Shadows (FX)
Sarah Goldberg, Barry (HBO)
Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Stephanie Beatriz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)
Zazie Beetz, Atlanta (FX)

Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy

Anthony Carrigan, Barry (HBO)
Bowen Yang, SNL (NBC)
Brandon Scott Jones, Ghosts (CBS)
Brian Tyree Henry, Atlanta (FX)
Harvey Guillén, What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
Henry Winkler, Barry (HBO)
Chris Perfetti, Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Tyler James Williams, Abbot Elementary (ABC)

Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy

Bridget Everett, Somebody Somewhere (HBO)
Issa Rae, Insecure (HBO)
Jasmine Cephas Jones, Blindspotting (Starz)
Natasia Demetriou, What We Do In The Shadows (FX)
Pamela Adlon, Better Things (FX)
Quinta Brunson, Abbot Elementary (ABC)
Rose McIver, Ghosts (CBS)
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish (ABC)

Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy

Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish (ABC)
Bill Hader, Barry (HBO)
Donald Glover, Atlanta (FX)
Kayvan Novak, What We Do In The Shadows (FX)
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Matt Berry, What We Do In The Shadows (FX)
Utkarsh Ambudkar, Ghosts (CBS)

Best Cable Series, Comedy

Atlanta (FX)
Barry (HBO)
Better Things (FX)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Resident Alien (SYFY)
The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)
Somebody Somewhere (HBO)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Best Broadcast Network Series, Comedy

Abbott Elementary (ABC)
American Auto (NBC)
Black-ish (ABC)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)
Ghosts (CBS)
Mr. Mayor (NBC)
The Wonder Years (ABC)
Young Rock (NBC)

Best Writing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama

Ashley Lyle & Bart Nickerson, Yellowjackets “Pilot” (Showtime)
Casey Johnson, David Windsor & Chrissy Metz, This is Us “The Hill” (NBC)
Clyde Phillips, Alexandra Franklin, Marc Muszynski, Dexter: New Blood “Sins of the Father” (Showtime)
Dan Fogelman, This is Us “The Train” (NBC)
Jesse Armstrong, Succession “All The Bells Say” (HBO)
Julian Fellowes, The Gilded Age “Face The Music” (HBO)
Sam Levinson, Euphoria “Stand Still Like The Hummingbird” (HBO)
Taylor Sheridan, Yellowstone “Half the Money” (Paramount Network)

Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama

Cathy Yan, Succession – “The Disruption” (HBO)
Jon Huertas, This Is Us – “Four Fathers” (NBC)
Karyn Kusama, Yellowjackets – “Pilot” (Showtime)
Lorene Scafaria, Succession – “Too Much Birthday” (HBO)
Mark Mylod, Succession – “All the Bells Say” (HBO)
Milo Ventimiglia, This is Us – “Guitar Man” (NBC)
Sam Levinson, Euphoria – “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird” (HBO)
Taylor Sheridan, Yellowstone – “Keep the Wolves Close” (Paramount Network)

Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama

Chrissy Metz, This is Us (NBC)
Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets (Showtime)
J. Smith-Cameron, Succession (HBO)
Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul (AMC)
Sandra Mae Frank, New Amsterdam (NBC)
Sarah Snook, Succession (HBO)
Susan Kelechi Watson, This is Us (NBC)
Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria (HBO)

Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama

Eric Dane, Euphoria (HBO)
Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul (AMC)
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul (AMC)
Jon Huertas, This is Us (NBC)
Justin Hartley, This is Us (NBC)
Kieran Culkin, Succession (HBO)
Matthew Macfadyen, Succession (HBO)
Michael Mando, Better Call Saul (AMC)

Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama

Freema Agyeman, New Amsterdam (NBC)
Juliette Lewis, Yellowjackets (Showtime)
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve (AMC)
Kelly Reilly, Yellowstone (Paramount Network)
Mandy Moore, This is Us (NBC)
Melanie Lynskey, Yellowjackets (Showtime)
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve (AMC)
Zendaya, Euphoria (HBO)

Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul (AMC)
Brian Cox, Succession (HBO)
Jeremy Strong, Succession (HBO)
Kevin Costner, Yellowstone (Paramount Network)
Harold Perrineau, From (EPIX)
Milo Ventimiglia, This is Us (NBC)
Daveed Diggs, Snowpiecer (TNT)
Sterling K. Brown, This is Us (NBC)

Best Cable Network Series, Drama

Better Call Saul (AMC)
Chucky (SYFY)
Euphoria (HBO)
The Gilded Age (HBO)
Snowpiercer (TNT)
Succession (HBO)
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (HBO)
Yellowjackets (Showtime)

Best Broadcast Network Series, Drama

9-1-1: Lonestar (FOX)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Kung Fu (The CW)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
New Amsterdam (NBC)
Superman & Lois (The CW)
The Cleaning Lady (FOX)
This is Us (NBC)

Best Comedy or Standup Special

Bo Burnham: The Inside Outtakes (YouTube)
Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel (HBO)
Jim Gaffigan: Comedy Monster (Netflix)
Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special (Netflix)
Ricky Gervais: SuperNature (Netflix)
Tig Notaro: Drawn (HBO)

Best International Series

Acapulco (Apple TV+)
Lupin (Netflix)
Money Heist (Le Casa de Papel) (Netflix)
Narcos: Mexico (Netflix)
Pachinko (Apple TV+)
Squid Game (Netflix)

Best Animated Short Form Series

Love, Death + Robots (Netflix)
Olaf Presents (Disney+)
Smiling Friends (Adult Swim)
Ted Lasso presents: The Missing Christmas Mustache (Apple TV+)
The Boys Presents: Diabolical (Prime Video)
The Wheel of Time: Origins (Prime Video)

Best Short Form Live-Action Series

Betsy & Irv (ESPN)
Carpool Karaoke: The Series (Apple TV+)
Cooper’s Bar (AMC)
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson (Netflix)
Mamas (Roku)
State of the Union (Sundance TV)

Best Streaming Docuseries or Non-Fiction Series

Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives (Netflix)
George Carlin’s American Dream (HBO Max)
Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy (Netflix)
Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Prime Video)
LuLaRich (Prime Video)
McCartney 3, 2, 1 (Hulu)
Prehistoric Planet (Apple TV+)
The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)
The World According to Jeff Goldblum (Disney+)
What Happened, Brittany Murphy (HBO Max)

Best Streaming Documentary Television Movie

Britney vs. Spears (Netflix)
Lucy & Desi (Prime Video)
Mary J. Blige’s My Life (Prime Video)
Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u (Disney+)
Our Father (Netflix)
Spring Awakening: Those You’ve Known (HBO Max)
The Tinder Swindler (Netflix)
White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch (Netflix)

Best Streaming Reality Show or Competition Series

Legendary (HBO Max)
Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Prime Video)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars (Paramount+)
Selena + Chef (HBO Max)
Snoop & Martha’s Very Tasty Halloween (Peacock)

Best Streaming Variety Sketch Series, Talk Series, or Special

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts (HBO Max)
Murderville (Netflix)
South Park: Post Covid (Paramount+)
The Amber Ruffin Show (Peacock)
The Kids in the Hall (Prime Video)
The Problem with Jon Stewart (Apple TV+)

Best Streaming Animated Series or TV Movie

Arcane (Netflix)
Big Mouth (Netflix)
Central Park (Apple TV+)
Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
Undone (Prime Video)
What If? (Disney+)

Best Writing in a Streaming Series, Drama

Chris Mundy, Ozark “A Hard Way to Go” (Netflix)
Dan Erickson, Severance “The We We Are” (Apple TV+)
David E. Kelly, Nine Perfect Strangers “Ever After” (Prime Video)
Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game “One Lucky Day” (Netflix)
Kerry Ehrin & Scott Troy, The Morning Show “La Amara Vita” (Apple TV+)
Michael Waldron, Loki “Glorious Purpose” (Disney+)
Soo Hugh, Pachinko “Chapter One” (Apple TV+)
The Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things “Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab” (Netflix)

Best Directing in a Streaming Series, Drama

Aoife McArdle, Severance “The You You Are” (Apple TV+)
Ben Stiller, Severance “The We We Are” (Apple TV+)
Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game “Red Light, Green Light” (Netflix)
Jason Bateman, Ozark “A Hard Way to Go” (Netflix)
Kate Herron, Loki “Journey into Mystery” (Disney+)
M. Night Shyamalan, Servant “Donkey” (Apple TV+)
Shawn Levy, Stranger Things “Chapter Four: Dear Billy” (Netflix)
The Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things “Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab” (Netflix)

Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama

Dichen Lachman, Severance (Apple TV+)
Julia Garner, Ozark (Netflix)
Jung Ho-yeon, Squid Game (Netflix)
Maya Hawke, Stranger Things (Netflix)
Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things (Netflix)
Patricia Arquette, Severance (Apple TV+)
Sadie Sink, Stranger Things (Netflix)
Sophia Di Martino, Loki (Disney+)

Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Christopher Walken, Severance (Apple TV+)
Joe Keery, Stranger Things (Netflix)
John Turturro, Severance (Apple TV+)
Owen Wilson, Loki (Disney+)
Park Hae-soo, Squid Game (Netflix)
Tramell Tillman, Severance (Apple TV+)
Zach Cherry, Severance (Apple TV+)

Best Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama

Britt Lower, Severance (Apple TV+)
Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Laura Linney, Ozark (Netflix)
Ming-Na Wen, The Book of Boba Fett (Disney+)
Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Simone Ashley, Bridgerton (Netflix)
Victoria Pedretti, You (Netflix)
Winona Ryder, Stranger Things (Netflix)

Best Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama

Adam Scott, Severance (Apple TV+)
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
Henry Cavill, The Witcher (Netflix)
Jason Bateman, Ozark (Netflix)
Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game (Netflix)
Penn Badgley, You (Netflix)
Tom Ellis, Lucifer (Netflix)
Tom Hiddleston, Loki (Disney+)

Best Streaming Series, Drama

Loki (Disney+)
Ozark (Netflix)
Pachinko (Apple TV+)
Severance (Apple TV+)
Squid Game (Netflix)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
Stranger Things (Netflix)
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)

Best Writing in a Streaming Series, Comedy

Bill Wrubel, Ted Lasso “Rainbow” (Apple TV+)
Christopher Miller, The Afterparty “Maggie” (Apple TV+)
Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio, Schmigadoon! “Schmigadoon” (Apple TV+)
James Gunn, Peacemaker “It’s Cow or Never” (HBO Max)
Jane Becker, Ted Lasso “No Weddings and a Funeral” (Apple TV+)
Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky, Hacks “The One, The Only” (HBO Max)
Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, Reservation Dogs “Fuckin’ Rez Dogs” (FX on Hulu)
Steve Martin, John Hoffman, Only Murders in the Building “True Crime” (Hulu)

Best Directing in a Streaming Series, Comedy

Cherien Dabis, Only Murders in the Building “The Boy From 6B” (Hulu)
Christopher Miller, The Afterparty “Yasper” (Apple TV+)
Declan Lowney, Ted Lasso “Inverting the Pyramid of Success” (Apple TV+)
Jamie Babbit, Only Murders in the Building “True Crime” (Hulu)
Lucia Aniello, Hacks “There Will Be Blood” (HBO Max)
M.J. Delaney, Ted Lasso “No Weddings and a Funeral” (Apple TV+)
Sterlin Harjo, Reservation Dogs “Hunting” (FX on Hulu)
Taika Waititi, Our Flag Means Death “Pilot” (HBO Max)

Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Comedy

Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Amy Ryan, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Ariana DeBose, Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)
Florence Pugh, Hawkeye (Disney+)
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks (HBO Max)
Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Juno Temple, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Kristin Chenoweth, Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)

Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Comedy

Ben Schwartz, The Afterparty (Apple TV+)
Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Nathan Lane, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Nick Mohammed, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Paul W. Downs, Hacks (HBO Max)
Taika Waititi, Our Flag Means Death (HBO Max)
Toheeb Jimoh, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)

Best Actress in a Streaming Series, Comedy

Elle Fanning, The Great (Hulu)
Hailee Steinfeld, Hawkeye (Disney+)
Jean Smart, Hacks (HBO Max)
Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)
Kat Dennings, Dollface (Hulu)
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Tiffany Haddish, The Afterparty (Apple TV+)

Best Actor in a Streaming Series, Comedy

Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
John Cena, Peacemaker (HBO Max)
Keegan-Michael Key, Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Nicholas Hoult, The Great (Hulu)
Rhys Darby, Our Flag Means Death (HBO Max)
Sam Richardson, The Afterparty (Apple TV+)
Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Best Streaming Series, Comedy

Dickinson (Apple TV+)
Hacks (HBO Max)
Only Murders in The Building (Hulu)
Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu)
Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
The Afterparty (Apple TV+)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)

Best Writing in a Streaming Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Movie

Antonio Campos, The Staircase “911” (HBO Max)
Danny Strong, Dopesick “The People vs Purdue Pharma” (Hulu)
Dustin Lance Black, Under the Banner of Heaven “When God Was Love” (FX on Hulu)
Elizabeth Meriwether, The Dropout “I’m In A Hurry” (Hulu)
Jeremy Slater, Moon Knight “The Goldfish Problem” (Disney+)
Lauryn Kahn, Fresh (Hulu)
Liz Hannah & Patrick MacManus, The Girl from Plainville, “Star-Crossed Lovers and Things Like That” (Hulu)
Patrick Somerville, Station Eleven “Unbroken Circle” (HBO Max)

Best Directing in a Streaming Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Movie

Craig Gillespie, Pam & Tommy “I Love You, Tommy” (Hulu)
Danny Strong, Dopesick “The People vs Purdue Pharma” (Hulu)
Hiro Murai, Station Eleven “Wheel of Fire” (HBO Max)
Isabel Sandoval, Under the Banner of Heaven “Revelation” (FX on Hulu)
Lake Bell, Pam & Tommy “The Master Beta” (Hulu)
Liz Hannah, The Girl From Plainville “Talking is Healing” (Hulu)
Michael Showalter, The Dropout “Green Juice” (Hulu)
Mimi Cave, Fresh (Hulu)

Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Andie MacDowell, Maid (Netflix)
Chloë Sevigny, The Girl From Plainville (Hulu)
Daisy Edgar-Jones, Under the Banner of Heaven (FX on Hulu)
Juno Temple, The Offer (Paramount+)
Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick (Hulu)
Laurie Metcalf, The Dropout (Hulu)
Melanie Lynskey, Candy (Hulu)
Rosario Dawson, Dopesick (Hulu)

Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Ethan Hawke, Moon Knight (Disney+)
Matthew Goode, The Offer (Paramount+)
Michael Stuhlbarg, Dopesick (Hulu)
Naveen Andrews, The Dropout (Hulu)
Peter Sarsgaard, Dopesick (Hulu)
Seth Rogen, Pam & Tommy (Hulu)
Will Poulter, Dopesick (Hulu)
Wyatt Russell, Under the Banner of Heaven (FX on Hulu)

Best Actress in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout (Hulu)
Anne Hathaway, WeCrashed (Apple TV+)
Daisy Edgar-Jones, Fresh (Hulu)
Elle Fanning, The Girl from Plainville (Hulu)
Jessica Biel, Candy (Hulu)
Lily James, Pam & Tommy (Hulu)
Margaret Qualley, Maid (Netflix)
Toni Collette, The Staircase (HBO Max)

Best Actor in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Andrew Garfield, Under the Banner of Heaven (FX on Hulu)
Colin Firth, The Staircase (HBO Max)
Hamish Linklater, Midnight Mass (Netflix)
Michael Keaton, Dopesick (Hulu)
Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight (Disney+)
Samuel L. Jackson, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)
Sebastian Stan, Fresh (Hulu)
Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy (Hulu)

Best Streaming Movie

Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers (Disney+)
Fresh (Hulu)
I Want You Back (Prime Video)
Kimi (HBO Max)
The Fallout (HBO Max)
Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas (Roku)

Best Streaming Limited or Anthology Series

Dopesick (Hulu)
Maid (Netflix)
Midnight Mass (Netflix)
Pam & Tommy (Hulu)
Station Eleven (HBO Max)
The Dropout (Hulu)
The Staircase (HBO Max)
Under the Banner of Heaven (FX on Hulu)

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The Hollywood Critics Association has unveiled its

Music

16. Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter)

Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones in Jessica Jones

Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones in Jessica Jones
Image: Netflix

Jessica Jones was remarkable in many ways. It was, technically, Marvel’s first female-led solo project (even if she’s since been exiled from the MCU canon). Tonally, it was darker than any live-action MCU project that came before it (though the series did have a sharp sense of humor). And Jessica herself, played to prickly perfection by Krysten Ritter, remains unique in the Marvel pantheon. Jess was a reluctant hero who couldn’t help herself from doing good, even when all she wanted was to self-destruct. The compounded trauma of her parents’ deaths and her non-consensual relationship with Kilgrave (David Tennant, one of the most chilling villains of all time) hardened her completely, but couldn’t stop her from caring about other people. Again and again, Jessica had to make impossible choices, often putting her in direct opposition to the people she loved, all while trying to pick up the pieces of a shattered life. It’s hard to imagine a Marvel hero in the Disney+ era directly confronting rape culture the way she did. Even beyond Marvel, few characters on television have depicted the reality of being a survivor like Jessica: not always likable, not always right, trying her best and failing and trying again. The super strength was cool too–but that was only ever a small part of what made Jessica Jones such an incredible hero. [Mary Kate Carr]

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16. Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter)Krysten Ritter as

Docs

What kind of person does it take to be a winner in sports? More importantly, what kind of person does it take to be a winner in life? Is there a connection between the two? Documentarian Thomas A. Morgan may have found just that person in the game of rugby in his feature film, Scrum.

Scrum is the story of Frank McKinney, one of the only black college rugby coaches in the United States… probably the only one. Coach McKinney runs the men’s rugby team at the Queens University of Charlotte. Right from the beginning, the Queens’ team has the deck stacked against it. The rugby program is now in its third season. Though when he was initially hired, the administrators’ only question to McKinney was when he would win a national championship. An odd question considering there wasn’t even a team yet.

“…the story of Frank McKinney, one of the only black college rugby coaches in the United States…”

McKinney’s first job was to hire assistant coach Tyree Reed. Reed knew a lot about the game, but the problem was he didn’t have a college degree. Ultimately, Reed’s position was his, contingent on earning his bachelor’s degree. Next on McKinney’s list was finding players. The first was Jharid, a student from Jersey City, who was the foundation of the team. Taking this opportunity to earn a college degree would make a difference in not only his life but his single mother’s as well.

McKinney then recruited other players wherever he could find them, primarily from the wrestling team and then even taking on the school’s mascot. He worked tirelessly for his players by helping them work out their financial aid woes, classwork, and grades while assuring minority parents that their children were safe in the predominantly white state of North Carolina.

Sports documentaries often follow a team’s improbable winning season, which no doubt Scrum does. Yet, winning seems to be an afterthought during the third act. The film is less a profile of a winning team and more a profile of Coach McKinney’s philosophy of winning. His primary focus is on the personal development of his players. McKinney believes that good students and good citizenship make good players. When players succeed in the classroom, the team celebrates. He also invests in each player by getting to know them and their circumstances.

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What kind of person does it take

Global

Europe’s press waved goodbye to Boris Johnson as the Prime Minister resigned today, delighting in the downfall of a man who finally got Britain out of the EU.

‘Borexit’ was the headline in Germany’s biggest tabloid Bild, which spoke of Mr Johnson’s ’embarrassing semi-resignation’ on the steps of Downing Street.

The Irish Examiner bid farewell to ‘Eton’s greatest mess’, with columnist Suzanne Harrington comparing his fall to watching posh neighbours brawl in their garden, calling it: ‘Just so enjoyable… So deeply, satisfyingly pleasurable.’

Spain’s biggest newspaper, El Pais, compared Johnson’s fate to Trump – saying he is another ‘Western populist down the drain of history’ who ‘lost power without much honour.’ ‘His fall is a fair reflection of the UK’s endless political crisis,’ it added.

‘Europe says goodbye to Boris Johnson without tears or sorrow,’ was how rival newspaper El Mundo covered the story, calling Mr Johnson an ‘unscrupulous leader’ who ‘has left not a single friend or admirer’.

‘The premier has done nothing but accumulate firewood and light matches,’ it said. 

Bild: Germany’s largest tabloid waved goodbye to Boris Johnson, as the Prime Minister who finalised Brexit resigned today

Ekstrabladet: Denmark's main tabloid went with the simple headline: 'Now he is done'

Ekstrabladet: Denmark’s main tabloid went with the simple headline: ‘Now he is done’

Irish Independent: Mr Johnson has 'finally agreed to resign', said the paper's lead story, after a week of what it described as 'political carnage'

Irish Independent: Mr Johnson has ‘finally agreed to resign’, said the paper’s lead story, after a week of what it described as ‘political carnage’

Faced with accumulating scandals, a raft of resignations, and outright demands from his own cabinet to step aside, Mr Johnson defiantly clung to power through a day of extraordinary political drama yesterday.

But, come the dawn today with ministers continuing to abandon ship and talk of a ‘constitutional crisis’ in the air, the Prime Minister reluctantly fell on his sword – saying he was ‘sad to be giving up the best job in the world, but them’s the breaks.’

Pablo Suanzes, Brussels correspondent for one of Spain’s largest papers, was among the first to react – saying the Prime Minister ‘had cooked in his own broth.’

Recalling him as ‘marter, more dangerous and less trustworthy’ than predecessor Theresa May, Mr Suanzes sums up two years of the UK under Boris as ‘a collection of deceptions, lies, vagueness, delays, lies and provocations’.

‘In Brussels the reaction [to his resignation] is almost indifference,’ he says. ‘There is little guilty pleasure in the downfall, without honor, of an unscrupulous leader. 

‘He has left not a single friend, a single admirer or almost a single supporter, for himself, but almost also for the United Kingdom.’

Reubblica, one of Italy’s largest outlets, describes Mr Johnson as a ‘modern King Lear… unable to distinguish between right and wrong.’

Mixing its Shakespearian references, it adds that he was ‘manipulated by his own Lady Macbeth, the power-hungry wife who eliminates one by one the councilors to become the involuntary accomplice in an inglorious end.’

His rise and fall ‘resembles a comedy of errors, to use another of the Bard’s titles.’

Boris, the paper concludes, ‘risks being remembered as one of the worst prime ministers.’

Italy’s other largest paper, Corriere della Sera, calls him ‘the child who wanted to be “King of the World”‘ who it says was brought down ‘by the clownish mask that he chooses to wear’.

El Mundo: One of Spain's largest papers said 'no one is going to cry' for Mr Johnson's departure in Brussels, describing him as an 'unscrupulous leader' who has left 'not one admirer'

El Mundo: One of Spain’s largest papers said ‘no one is going to cry’ for Mr Johnson’s departure in Brussels, describing him as an ‘unscrupulous leader’ who has left ‘not one admirer’

HLN: Belgium's largest news site showed Mr Johnson being metaphorically taken out with the rubbish as he agreed to step down

HLN: Belgium’s largest news site showed Mr Johnson being metaphorically taken out with the rubbish as he agreed to step down

Tagesspiegel: Berlin's main newspaper described Mr Johnson as a 'scandal noodle', saying it is 'no surprise' to those who have followed his career closely that he is falling from power

Tagesspiegel: Berlin’s main newspaper described Mr Johnson as a ‘scandal noodle’, saying it is ‘no surprise’ to those who have followed his career closely that he is falling from power

An opportunist whose Brexit gamble took him all the way to Downing Street, Boris was brought down ‘not by his political choices, but by his character (or lack thereof).’

‘Boris has lost his job due to his calibrated personality, that clownish mask that he built since he was a boy and which expresses itself in a disordered and amoral personality… A serial traitor, a hardened liar…

‘On his political epitaph of him it can be written that he was a scoundrel of genius: whose genius was overwhelmed by his irremediable character.’ 

Boris has ‘finally agreed to resign’ wrote the Irish Independent, saying a ‘week of political carnage’ had left him with the support of ‘just 65’ out of his 360 MPs.

Several newspapers chose to trawl back through the list of scandals that have dogged Boris over the years, with Tagesspeigel referring to him as a ‘sandal noodle’ under the headline: ‘Sex, drugs and rock & roll’.

Recalling how Mr Johnson once admitted to smoking cannabis, it pointed out that he is ‘the first British leader on record to have broken the law’ after being fined over parties in Downing Street during lockdown.

Sweden’s Aftonbladet rounded up what they called ‘Bojo’s three years of scandals’ which they said included ‘lockdown breaches, luxury travel and mistresses’ money’.

Euro Integration: One of Ukraine's main news sites lamented the fall of the man they called 'immortal Boris', noting fears that a new PM will be less supportive of their cause

Euro Integration: One of Ukraine’s main news sites lamented the fall of the man they called ‘immortal Boris’, noting fears that a new PM will be less supportive of their cause

But not everyone was so gleeful at his departure. Ukraine’s press – where Mr Johnson has earned a reputation as one of the staunchest defenders of the country’s liberty in the face of Russia’s invasion – were notably glum.

Less than 24 hours after running the headline ‘Immortal Boris’, Ukrainian newspaper Euro Integration was forced to report that he has agreed to step down.

‘Boris Johnson has been actively supporting Ukraine since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion,’ the paper lamented.

‘He advocates providing Kiev with sufficient military aid to retake all territories occupied by Russian forces, and has also promised billions of pounds in financial support.

‘In addition, Johnson has been to Kyiv twice since the end of February and held talks with Volodymyr Zelensky.’

Calling Mr Johnson ‘probably the most popular foreign leader in Ukraine’, it outlined ‘fears that under a new prime minister, Britain could adjust its foreign course and limit support for Kyiv.’

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Europe's press waved goodbye to Boris Johnson as

Film

With its release right around the corner, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies have released a new featurette for Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank. It features Hank,  voiced by Michael Cera, as he introduces himself as a samurai and is greeted with laughter by the village. Cera describes Hank as a dog in a world of dog-hating cats. Samuel L. Jackson, who will be doing the voice of Jimbo, Hank’s mentor in the film said, “The movie is pretty wacky and pretty wild, and also a lot of fun.”

Courtesy of IGN

 

It takes place in an anthropomorphic world of cats and dogs, where we follow Hank’s journey as he becomes a samurai while a new threat emerges that endangers the entire village.

With comedic animation featuring the talents of Cera, best known for Superbad, Scott Pilgrim v. The World, and Juno, along with Jackson, best known for Avengers, The Hateful Eight, and Captain Marvel it sounds like it’s going to be a film for the entire family.

According to the press release, the film will follow a hard-on-his-luck hound Hank who finds himself in a town full of cats that need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain’s (Ricky Gervais) evil plot to wipe their village off the map.

With help from a reluctant teacher to train him, our underdog must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day. The only problem… cats hate dogs.

 

 

 

Check out the new featurette below:

Originally brought in 2010 by Sony Pictures Animation under another name Blazing Samurai, the film remained in production for years. After being shopped between various film studios, Paramount Pictures finally obtained the rights to the movie earlier this year.

The film will be directed by Rob Minkoff (The Lion King) and animation extraordinaire, Mark Koetsier, who previously worked on Kung Fu Panda and Big Hero 6. Joining Minkoff and Koetsier will be Chris Bailey best known for Kim Possible. Additional announcements include writers Ed Stone, Nate Hopper, and Norman Steinberg, who all wrote previously for the film Blazing Saddles. Serving as executive producers are Adrian Politowski, Alex Schwartz, Ben White, Reginald Hudlin, Wang Zhongjun, Wang Zhonglei, and Mel Brooks. The film will be produced by Rob Minkoff, Adam Nagle, Peter Nagle, Guy Collins, Yair Landau, and Susan Purcel.

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank will finally make its debut on the big screen on July 15.

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With its release right around the corner,

Awards, Press Releases

The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) today announced its special achievement honorees for the 4th Annual AAFCA TV Honors who will be celebrated at an invitation-only, in-person luncheon on August 20th at the SLS Hotel in Los Angeles. Launched in 2019 with tremendous success, the AAFCA TV Honors recognize outstanding achievement in television and streaming with a special emphasis on entertainment representing the Black diaspora. The organization will bestow special achievement honors to several industry leaders including Universal Studio Group Chairman Pearlena Igbokwe who will receive the Ashley Boone Award, Alex Kurtzman who will receive AAFCA’s Ally Award, and AAFCA’s Inclusion Award will go to the Warner Bros. Television Group. WBTVG Chairman Channing Dungey will accept the award on behalf of the studio.

On July 18th AAFCA will announce winners in 14 categories, including best actor, best actress, best comedy series, best drama series and more. Those winners will be recognized and celebrated alongside the honorees at the August 20th event.

Morgan Stanley is once again the presenting sponsor of the AAFCA TV Honors. Over the past several years, Morgan Stanley has served as a dedicated supporter of AAFCA’s ongoing efforts and activities. “It remains a key mission for our company to support the creative community and platforms that amplify Black voices,” stated Sandra L. Richards, Head of Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment and Segment Sales & Engagement. “We’re proud to once again join AAFCA in celebrating the achievements of these extraordinary individuals and organizations.”

“AAFCA is so excited to be honoring Pearlena, Alex and Warner Bros. Television Group for their achievements,” stated AAFCA co-founder and president Gil Robertson IV. “In the ever-changing landscape of television, their creativity and progressive leadership is the foundation on which our industry is built and provides inspiration to all of us.”

Photo Credit: Maarten de Boer/Universal Studio Group

ABOUT PEARLENA IGBOKWE – ASHLEY BOONE AWARD RECIPIENT

Named after the trailblazing studio executive Ashley A. Boone, this award is presented to an executive who has distinguished themselves within the industry with excellence. Igbokwe is Chairman, Universal Studio Group (USG), where she leads four powerhouse studios: Universal Television, Universal Content Productions (UCP), Universal Television Alternative Studio, and Universal International Studios that produce over 3,000 hours of programming currently airing or streaming around the globe. Notable USG projects under her purview include “Hacks,” “Russian Doll,” “Never Have I Ever,” “Girls5eva,” “The Equalizer,” “The Umbrella Academy,” “Dr. Death,” “Gaslit,” “Made in Chelsea,” “Clickbait,” “We Are Lady Parts,” “Making It” and longtime NBC favorite “Hollywood Game Night.”

Photo Credit: James Dimmock/CBS

ABOUT ALEX KURTZMAN – ALLY AWARD RECIPIENT
The Ally Award is presented to an individual or company in recognition of their commitment to diversity/inclusion in their projects. Alex Kurtzman is one of the leading creative voices in the entertainment industry. Through his production company, Secret Hideout and his work as an executive producer, writer and director, Kurtzman is dedicated to developing and producing a wide array of sophisticated and compelling content across all platforms. Kurtzman’s credits include the award-winning “Star-Trek: Discovery,” the critically acclaimed “Star Trek: Picard,” and most recently “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” and “The Man Who Fell From Earth,” co-writing some of the decade’s biggest films including “Star Trek,” “Star Trek: Into Darkness,” “The Amazing Spider Man 2,” “Transformers” and directing films such as “The Mummy” and “People Like Us.”

ABOUT WARNER BROS. TELEVISION GROUP – INCLUSION AWARD RECIPIENT
The Inclusion Award recognizes an organization with a demonstrable commitment to inclusion in their programming and corporate activities. Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) oversees and grows the entire portfolio of Warner Bros.’ television businesses, including live-action scripted and unscripted programming, as well as animation. WBTVG production divisions include Warner Bros. Television, which produces live-action scripted comedies, dramas, limited series, and original movies; Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, which delivers unscripted and alternative series, documentaries, talk shows, and podcasts through three production units, Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, Telepictures, and Shed Media; and animated series from Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. As of July 2022, these divisions are producing more than 110 series for Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max, external streaming services, cable, the broadcast networks, and the first-run syndication marketplace in the U.S. Select current signature WBTVG programs include “Abbott Elementary,” “All American,” “All American: Homecoming,” “All Rise,” “The Bachelor” franchise, “Bob♥️Abishola,” “The Cleaning Lady,” “Craig of the Creek,” “The Flash,” “The Flight Attendant,” “Gossip Girl,” “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai,” “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” “Kung Fu,” “Mathis Family Matters,” “Queen Sugar,” “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip,” “Riverdale,” “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” “Ted Lasso,” “Titans,” “The Voice,” “Young Sheldon” and more.

ABOUT AAFCA
Established in 2003, AAFCA is the premier body of Black film critics in the world, actively reviewing film and television, with a particular emphasis on entertainment highlighting the Black experience in the US and throughout the rest of the African Diaspora. For more information on AAFCA and its programs visit http://AAFCA.com.

ABOUT MORGAN STANLEY
Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in 41 countries, the Firm’s employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

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The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA)

Entertaintment, TV

Jerry Harris, formerly featured on the Netflix docuseries “Cheer”, was sentenced on July 5th to 12 years of prison for charges involving child sexual abuse images. Harris was indicted on seven counts of receiving and attempting to receive child pornography, and also for persuading minors to engage in sexual contact. These instances allegedly occurred from August 2017 to August 2020. Prosecutors stated that the victims were from Florida, Texas, and Illinois.

The prosecutors sought a 15-year sentence, citing that he used his status as a competitive cheerleader and social media personality, along with his subsequent celebrity status, to convince minors to send him sexually explicit images.

Photo Credit: Jim Spellman / Getty Images

Though he portrayed himself to be a “mentor” to these minors, he would bribe and pressure them to conduct sexual favors, then if they wouldn’t, he would threaten to distribute the videos they had sent if they did not continue. Harris’ behavior continued until his arrest in September 2020. His attorneys asked for a six-year prison sentence, citing court documents that note a childhood history of experiencing sexual assault.

Two of the victims were twin brothers, and one stated that Harris solicited him for oral sex at a cheerleading competition they all attended, telling him to meet in the public bathroom where Harris then sexually assaulted him. One of the brothers was also contacted on Instagram in 2018 when he was 13 and Harris was 19. One of the brothers told an investigator that Harris was touchy— he would ask for explicit pictures of him, and when he refused, Harris became pushy.

According to USA Today, “the now-16-year-old twins gave statements in federal court detailing the lasting impact of Harris’ abuse, including the loss of friendships and their struggles with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Charlie said he became so afraid of public restrooms after Harris pressured him for sex in one that he stopped eating at school so he wouldn’t have to use the bathroom there.”

Another victim, who was 17 years old, stated that Harris continually asked him for pictures on Snapchat and the victim refused until Harris offered to pay him.

Harris told investigators that he had contacted the brothers to send and receive sexually explicit images, admitted to soliciting and receiving nude pictures from 10-15 other minors, and engaged in oral and anal sex with a 15-year-old.

Season 2 of “Cheer” covered the charges against Harris, discussing them in episode five, titled “Jerry.” The mother of the twin brothers gave a statement to NBC in early February 2022, stating that “… my sons took the brave step of speaking publicly about the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of Jerry Harris.”

After the seven-hour hearing, District Judge Manish Shah additionally sentenced Harris to eight years of supervised release following his 12-year prison sentence.

“Jerry Harris’ guilt has been firmly established,” said Sarah Klein, attorney for a Texas family that reported allegations against Harris to authorities. “The sentence he received reflects the severity of his crimes and the lifetime of pain his victims will suffer.”

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Jerry Harris, formerly featured on the Netflix

Entertaintment, Film

Although best known for their performance in the role of the speedy hero of the DC Universe, the Flash, as well as appearing as Credence in the Fantastic Beasts film series, Ezra Miller has found themselves becoming the center of controversy.

Born in 1992, Miller, who identifies as non-binary, made their debut in the 2008 film Afterschool, directed by Antonio Campos, and since appeared in various other film and televisions works, such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Royal Pains, and minor appearances in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Invincible.  It wasn’t until their performance as the DCEU’s version of the Flash, and the powerful yet tragic character of Credence in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, that Miller’s popularity came into the mainstream.

Photo by Vera Anderson/WireImage

Yet as more eyes were on Miller, the more controversy the actor enveloped themselves in.  Prior to 2020, Miller’s only notable legal issue was two citations for disorderly conduct during the filming of The Perks of Being a Wallflower in Pittsburgh, which initially was a charge for drug possession as they had been found with twenty grams of marijuana.  This, however, would prove only to be a minor controversy.

While drug use is a controversial subject, with varying opinions on the matter, Miller has since faced far more scrutiny due to troubling behavior in the past few years.  This began in April 2020, when a now-deleted tweet showed a video of Miller choking a woman at a bar in Reykjavik, Iceland, before throwing her to the ground.  Miller would often go to the bar during their stay in Iceland, when on April 1, they were approached by eager fans.  Miller at some point, lost their temper, when the incident had occurred, afterward being escorted off the premises.

Incidents would become even more frequent in 2022; the first notable incidents happening in Hawaii.  On March 28, Miller would be arrested after reportedly physically and verbally assaulting various people at a karaoke bar.  Following this, on April 19, Miller would once again be arrested for second-degree assault, after having thrown a chair at a woman, leaving her with a deep cut on her forehead.  It wouldn’t be long after this incident, that Miller would plead no contest for the March 28 incident, being charged $500 for disorderly conduct.

Courtesy of NJ

The most recent incidents would occur this month; the first of these incidents to come to light was a restraining order by the Standing Rock Sioux tribal court for the protection of Tokata Iron Eyes, a Native American activist born to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.  The order, requested by her parents, Chase Iron Eyes and Sara Jumping Eagle, was due in part to a relationship that began between Miller and Tokata in 2016; at the time, Miller was 23, and Tokata was 12.  Tokata’s parents would accuse Miller of grooming her and would state Miller would use violence, and drugs, and even have her fly to visit them whilst filming The Crimes of Grindelwald.  Following the issue of the order, Miller would post messages on Instagram, mocking law enforcement’s attempts to serve him the order.  Not long after this, on June 16, a mother and her 12-year-old daughter would be granted a restraining order against the actor in Massachusetts, after reportedly threatening the woman’s family and acting inappropriately toward the daughter, reportedly holding a gun while holding a bullet-proof vest, and ‘uncomfortably’ touching the girl’s hips.

Most recently, a father of three, all aged 1-5, claimed that they alongside their 25-year-old mother had been living on Miller’s farm in Stamford, Vermont, for the past few months in unsafe conditions, with two sources claiming there to be a number of unattended weapons around the house.  Despite the claims, the father states that the local police were unresponsive and a social worker of the state’s Department for Children and Families reportedly visited the house in May and didn’t see any issues.  The mother claims that Miller has been helping her and her children leave an abusive relationship, and according to Rolling Stone, was still posting pictures of the farm on Instagram, as of June 20(Roundtree 2022).

With all of these controversies and accusations, many following the story closely have been left wondering what will become of the actor in the entertainment industry, and how various companies will respond?  Most eyes, in this case, are on Warner Bros, no stranger to celebrity controversy in the past few years with Johnny Depp, the former actor of the character of Grindelwald before being replaced by Mads Mikkelson, and Amber Heard, actress of the DC character Mera, typically associated with the Aquaman films; both franchises Miller has prominent roles in.

Courtesy of People

Warner Bros. would face heavy scrutiny from fans with their handling of the Depp and Heard situation, as many would claim that the company would prematurely fire Depp, despite not being able to prove his innocence.  It would later come out during the trial this past year, that Heard’s role in the sequel to Aquaman was greatly diminished, getting less than 10 minutes of screentime.  Despite this information, and Depp’s victory in the trial, many fans have continued to express disappointment at Warner Bros.’s actions, and many still have issues with her still having a presence in the upcoming film.

With the controversies surrounding Miller, many fans are now expressing their frustration with Warner Bros. seeming inaction in firing Miller, despite multiple videos and accusations from multiple sources aimed at the actor.  One Twitter user, @EddyBeeDolls, would state “It shouldn’t take this long for @warnerbros to tell us they officially fired Ezra Miller and Amber Heard.  It’s not a cute look to remain silent.  You have an abuser still in Aquaman 2 and a predator/groomer still as The Flash”(Betancourt Jr, 2021).

This has many now wondering what the company will do with the upcoming Flash film, coming out in 2023, and the future films in the Fantastic Beast franchise.

For the latter, this could be handled in a similar manner in which Depp was let go of the role, where the character of Credence could be recast going forward.  For the DCEU, however, things are far more complicated, especially with the upcoming The Flash.

Credit to Warner Bros.

Unlike Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom, in which Mera is mainly a supporting character, thus allowing the company to more easily reduce Heard’s role in the film, Ezra Miller will play multiple versions of the titular character, as it tells a multiversal story, which sees the return of Michael Keaton’s Batman, as well as featuring the DCEU debut of Batgirl and Supergirl.  As a result, some, such as Forbes, speculate that the film will receive a quiet release on HBO Max, rather than a theatrical release, as the film is already deep in post-production, leaving Warner Bros. unlikely to cancel its release given the over $200 million budget, also as unlikely would be a complete reshoot of the film to exclude Miller or focus on different characters(Mendelson 2022).  It’s also uncertain if they may keep his salary for the project, much like Depp had when he was let go from the second Fantastic Beasts film, The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Other projects, such as the upcoming film Daliland, based on the painter Salvador Dali, directed by Mary Harron and starring Ben Kingsley, are expected to also be affected by the project as well, as Miller is set to play a young version of the painter.

As of July 1, it is still uncertain how these companies will proceed forward with the seemingly ever-growing list of controversies the actor has found themselves in.

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Although best known for their performance in

Music

With the anniversary fast approaching of the film Dirty Dancing, RCA Records and Legacy Recordings are releasing a special collectible edition for the original motion picture soundtrack. This 35th-anniversary cassette edition of Dirty Dancing (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) contains two sides, Side A and Side B featuring all of our favorite songs from the original movie, the way they were meant to be heard. The original soundtrack generated two multi-platinum albums and multiple hit singles including our favorite “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” performed by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

Courtesy of Icons

It was first released by RCA Records on July 18, 1987, spending more than four months at #1 on the top Billboard 200. The classics included “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life, performed by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes,” “Be My Baby” performed by The Ronettes, “Hungry Eyes” performed by Eric Carmen, and many more. The Dirty Dancing (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) became one of the best-selling albums of all time, with worldwide sales topping 32 million copies. An RIAA Diamond Award Album, Dirty Dancing (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) has been certified Multi-Platinum (14X).

Complete track listing below:

Side A

  1. “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” (from “Dirty Dancing” Soundtrack) – Bill Medley, Jennifer Warnes
  2. “Be My Baby” – The Ronettes
  3. “She’s Like the Wind” (from “Dirty Dancing” Soundtrack) – Patrick Swayze
  4. “Hungry Eyes” (from “Dirty Dancing” Soundtrack) – Eric Carmen
  5. “Stay” – Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs
  6. “Yes” (from “Dirty Dancing” Soundtrack) – Merry Clayton

Side B

  1. “You Don’t Own Me” – The Blow Monkeys
  2. “Hey! Baby” – Bruce Channel
  3. “Overload” (from “Dirty Dancing” Soundtrack) – Alfie Zappacosta
  4. “Love Is Strange” – Mickey & Sylvia
  5. “Where Are You Tonight?” (from “Dirty Dancing” Soundtrack) – Tom Johnston
  6. “(I’ll Remember) In The Still of the Night” – The Five Satins

Dirty Dancing changed a generation by featuring some of the most iconic scenes in film history. The movie, which has some of the best songs of all time, showed you that it was okay to be different and it was okay to fall in love. Written by Eleanor Bergstein, produced by Linda Gottlieb, and directed by Emile Ardolino; it starred Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle and Jennifer Grey as Francis Houseman but most lovers of the film will know her as “baby.”

COLLECTION CHRISTOPHEL © Great American Films Limited Partnership / Vestron Pictures

Baby is traveling with her family to a vacation resort to spend the summer in a time that can be described as nothing other than nostalgic. Pretty quickly into the film, it becomes clear that Baby is attracted to the attractive and popular dance instructor Johnny and we follow the two as they go through the wringer between rumors, fights, and some epic dance scenes. The film’s pro-choice storyline stoked controversy at the time of release and has only become more relevant in the coming years. It premiered at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival and was released in the US on August 21, 1987, and went on to earn more than $214 million worldwide while becoming the first film to sell more than a million copies in the home video market.

Lionsgate, GEA Live, and Karl Sydow announced Dirty Dancing in Concert, which will celebrate the film’s 35th anniversary on a full-size cinema screen with a band and singers performing all of the music live on stage in sync with the movie. The company promises that the soundtrack that defined a generation will be the next level for those who attend “Dirty Dancing in Concert.” Tickets are available now by clicking here.

Later this summer, Mondo will be releasing a limited edition 2xLP color vinyl collection featuring new pressings of Dirty Dancing (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) and more. Pre-orders will start on August 24, 2022, so bookmark this link to make sure you don’t miss out.

The special 35th-anniversary cassette edition of Dirty Dancing (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) will be available on August 19, 2022.

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With the anniversary fast approaching of the

Entertaintment, TV

Earlier today, it was reported that actors Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio would return to Disney+ in the upcoming Echo series.

The canonicity of the Netflix Marvel series in the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was put into question after Marvel Studios began development on shows for Disney+. One of which included, Charlie Cox reprising the role of Matt Murdock for Spider-Man: No Way Home, acting as Peter’s lawyer.  Shortly after that film’s release, D’Onofrio returned as the criminal mastermind, the Kingpin in the finale of Hawkeye. Combined with the recent arrival of Daredevil on Disney+, this seems to confirm somewhat of a transition from Netflix’s participation in the MCU, leaving many to wonder where the actors would appear next, and how the story of these characters would continue.

Credit to Marvel Studios

Throughout the series Hawkeye, the character of Echo, played by Alaqua Cox, is shown to constantly be hunting down the titular character, believing him to be responsible for her father’s death.  While Hawkeye confirms this to be true, he reveals to her that he got the order to kill him by the Kingpin, despite his claims to have treated her and her father like family.  By the end of season, after an encounter with Kate Bishop, Echo confronts Kingpin in an alleyway.  After cutting away, a gunshot can be heard, leaving the fate of their encounter unknown.

Given the nature of their encounter, alongside Murdock’s appearance in the latest Spider-Man film, most believed it to be unlikely for Kingpin to have died.  This dynamic will likely serve as a major driving force in the upcoming Echo series, with it reported by THR, that the show will “include a plotline in which Daredevil, whose alter ego is blind attorney Matt Murdock, is searching out a former ally.”  This provides many opportunities to tie in the Netflix original series, as well as other shows such as Jessica Jones, with the MCU moreso, and perhaps answer questions viewers had after the finale of Daredevil.

While many were excited to see the returning characters, others were also curious as to how their presence in more recent MCU content connects with where they were last seen in Daredevil’s finale. D’Onofrio stated in an interview with Collider that he viewed the character’s presence as a continuation of his portrayal in Daredevil, albeit with more physical strength.  He continued on stating that he approached the role as though Kingpin had lost power after the Blip, and he is trying to get it back.

How Marvel Studios will approach the story of these returning characters is yet to be seen, but given the studio’s nature for carefully connecting the dots between projects, it is certain that the return of these characters will be carefully considered and serve the story as it needs to.

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Earlier today, it was reported that actors

Entertaintment, Film

Tessa Thompson is known for her roles in Thor: Ragnarok,  Avengers: Endgame, Thor: Love and Thunder, Dear White People, Selma, and the title character in the romantic drama Sylvie’s Love (2020). Thompson thus far has proven herself a superstar and now she is doing her best to help those in a community that is extremely unrepresented.

Thompson came out as bisexual in June 2018, stating that she is attracted to both men and women. When asked about her character’s journey in Thor: Love and Thunder, Thompson told Variety, that she thinks “a part of really being able to normalize queer characters, LBGTQIA+ characters, is to allow them to exist in their humanity and that doesn’t always mean that they’re in love or in a partnership because plenty of us know that sometimes you’re not. So, yeah, we’ll see if she finds love.” However, Thompson spoke more in depth in an exclusive interview with Variety where she said a lot of what she is doing and speaking out about personally is for the fans.

Courtesy of Gilbert Flores for Variety

At the premiere of Thor: Love and Thunder, Thompson spoke openly to Variety about the impact that fans in the LGBTQIA+ community have had on her and how she is fortunate to work closely with people that want her to be herself. Thompson added that she is aware being in the entertainment industry can be a trigger for some specifically where sexual orientation is concerned.

Though Thompson believes that there is still a formidable amount of work to do, she acknowledges that she is lucky to have a supportive and loving network of people in her life, professionally and personally, who accept her for who she is. Mark Malkin, who interviewed her for Variety, spoke candidly about his own experience adding,  “I will say this to you and I will say it to any artist who lives their truth as a queer person, you’re saving lives. I truly believe that.”

Thompson agreed with Malkin and added, “There is something powerful about seeing an image of yourself reflected in any way. But we know all too well there are some ways that really just matter because we don’t have enough of it.”

Thompson’s character Valkyrie is the MCU’s first openly LGBTQIA+ superhero, which was confirmed by a Marvel executive in 2019, and she joins the list of Marvel characters that are either suspected to be queer or confirmed to be queer in the comics and/or the MCU: Deadpool (suspected), Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio (Deadpool 2, 2018), Loki and Sylvie (Loki Disney+ Series, 2021), Phastos (Eternals, 2021), America Chavez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, 2022), Wiccan and Hulkling (confirmed in Young Avengers comics), Iceman (confirmed in All-New X Men comics) and several more that have yet to be confirmed.

Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness;” Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Representation in media is critical- when stories are accurately and authentically told to audiences, they leave more educated about a community that may be different from their own. The visibility humanizes the LGBTQIA+ community and bolsters cultural acceptance, making the superhero genre more inclusive than it has ever been.

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Tessa Thompson is known for her roles

Video

The fourth “Thor” film could end up the summer’s #2 film, but that still means someone else is #1, and we already know who.

Despite some recent box office surprises — from Universal’s “Minions: The Rise of Gru” opening to $107 million last weekend ($30 million above industry expectations) to the low turnout for Pixar’s “Lightyear” — tracking and industry source-projections usually are still reliable. But just like in election campaign polling, they can have last minute shifts, particularly when advance reaction leaks. At the same time, with advance ticket buying (similar to early voting), the early trajectory sometimes can be locked in.

That said, this weekend’s projection for Taika Waititi’s second Marvel Cinematic Universe entry “Thor: Love and Thunder” (Disney) is $150 million (+/- $10 million). Still, that could be off-target, both up and down.

Any elevated expectations for the film come from, perhaps more than anything else, the unanticipated performance of “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount). Already over $575 million, the Tom Cruise-led sequel now looks like it will end at somewhere between $700-750 million domestic. That would be tantalizingly close to what “Spiderman: Far from Home” amassed ($805 million) when it was hailed as the savior of movie theaters.

Related

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In a nutshell, that’s the problem for “Thor”: Much of box office analysis centers around rankings and comparisons, and then judging by expectations, rather than a more rational (and logical) reaction. Without “Top Gun” for comparison, an eventual haul of $350 million domestic would seem terrific for “Thor.” But both the industry and fans tend to assess winners and losers, with the former often basing future production decisions on the perception of results.

Marvel films, of course, are in no danger of going into any decline, but the issue of how “Thor” does comes at a sensitive time for Disney’s film division. Again, perception matters. “Lightyear” could be an anomaly among the studio’s animated releases, and it still has value after its weak $200 million+ ultimate worldwide box office, including likely early streaming on Disney+.

“Thor: Love and Thunder”

Jasin Boland

But the MCU is central not only to Disney’s film slate, but the overall company. “Thor” opens at a time when the company seems vulnerable to media and investor scrutiny. Here’s what it is up against — when a franchise is the biggest in the industry (MCU has the four top grossing films since the start of 2018, including one from Sony; Disney has eight of the top ten) — and a top tier entry is placed on a prime July date, expectations can be overdone.

Not only will “Maverick” gross more, it will likely remain a headline story as “Thor” opens. It’s already won this summer’s box office race.

Why? It will reach more than the $600 million+ this weekend. Last weekend, its sixth, the film grossed $26 million. No film that had an initial wide release has done that since “Avatar.” And that’s triple what “Avengers: Endgame” made during its sixth weekend, and $12 million above “No Way Home.” (The record remains with “Titanic” which, adjusted, grossed $50 million its sixth weekend). That’s a phenomenon. “Thor” can’t compete with that story.

Arguments for a $150 million opening for “Thor” are myriad, and include: the $187 million start for “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” two months ago, “Ant-Man and the Wasp” opening on the same weekend in 2018 and grossing $207 million, the mainstream Marvel nature of the title character, elevated interest with Waititi as director, and the impressive improvement in theater attendance over recent weeks.

The arguments against involve intangibles. The early reactions (reviews and otherwise) are sharply divided, which can have more of an impact when expectations are sky-high. With more choices of top movies to see, competition greater as we get deeper into the summer, the chance that Marvel saturation has arrived (it’s the sixth MCU release in a year), some signs that we have passed peak moviegoing for the season, and inflation factors (the cost of going to theaters has risen sharply) all might be cited if “Thor” doesn’t quite perform as well as expected.

Initial international dates started Wednesday, with $15.7 million in 17 territories. In comparable situations, that’s 76 percent of “Doctor Strange.” Exact correlation to domestic results would suggest around a $142 million total, at the low end of estimates.

A scene from Marvel Studios' DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios 2022. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

That an opening of “only” $142 million might be considered disappointing is a sign of the quick change in fortunes for theaters. Based on prior “Thor” entry performances of 2.5 times or greater multiples from opening, that would suggest a domestic gross of about $350 million, the highest in this character’s history. And it would be the fourth film this summer to reach surpass $300 million (with “Minions” likeliest otherwise to reach that level).

But even a more modest “Thor” will likely be no worse than the #4 film for a very strong summer, and if it tops “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” ($411 million), it will land at #2. That’s should, by any fair analysis, be good enough.

And watch out “Top Gun: Maverick.” It may be riding high for now, but “Avatar: The Way of Water” is still coming out this year, which means Disney could still end up with the biggest bragging rights among 2022 releases.

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Entertaintment

Tributes have poured in for Godfather star James Caan following his death at the age of 82.

The actor — whose most memorable role was as Sonny Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece The Godfather — died on Wednesday evening.

His family said in a statement on Twitter: ‘It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.

‘A legend’: Tributes have poured in for Godfather star James Caan following his death at the age of 82. He is pictured here in 2007

‘The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.’

Adam Sandler, who was joined by Caan in 1996’s Bulletproof and That’s My Boy (2012), tweeted that he ‘loved’ the veteran actor ‘very much.’

‘Always wanted to be like him. So happy I got to know him. Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man. His movies were best of the best. We all will miss him terribly. Thinking of his family and sending my love.’

Rob Reiner, who directed Caan’s movie Misery, wrote: ‘So sorry to hear the news. I loved working with him. And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them. Love to the family.’

Sweet: Adam Sandler, who was joined by Caan in 1996's Bulletproof and That's My Boy (2012), tweeted that he 'loved' the veteran actor 'very much' and was 'so happy I got to know him'

Sweet: Adam Sandler, who was joined by Caan in 1996’s Bulletproof and That’s My Boy (2012), tweeted that he ‘loved’ the veteran actor ‘very much’ and was ‘so happy I got to know him’

Film legend: Rob Reiner, who directed the Caan-starring thriller Misery, wrote that he 'loved working' with the late actor

Film legend: Rob Reiner, who directed the Caan-starring thriller Misery, wrote that he ‘loved working’ with the late actor

It's a hit: Reiner and Caan's adaptation of Misery, based on the book by Stephen King, was a critical and commercial success; Caan (center) seen with Reiner (R) and Michael McKean (L) in 2014 in NYC

It’s a hit: Reiner and Caan’s adaptation of Misery, based on the book by Stephen King, was a critical and commercial success; Caan (center) seen with Reiner (R) and Michael McKean (L) in 2014 in NYC

Chilling: Caan starred in Misery (pictured) as a popular writer who is imprisoned by a homicidal nurse (Kathy Bates) obsessed with his romance series after she finds him in the wake of a car crash

Chilling: Caan starred in Misery (pictured) as a popular writer who is imprisoned by a homicidal nurse (Kathy Bates) obsessed with his romance series after she finds him in the wake of a car crash

Maria Shriver wrote: ‘So sad about Jimmy Caan. He was a legend. He was always kind to me. Sending his family my love.’

Guardians Of The Galaxy director James Gunn wrote: ‘Rest In Peace James Caan. There are so many movies of his I love, The Godfather films of course being at the very top, but here are a few more I adore (Thief in particular was a Gunn family classic — I had the poster on my wall in high school).’ 

The filmmaker included several posters for Caan’s most acclaimed films, including Michael Mann’s thriller Thief (1981), The Gambler (1974), the buddy police comedy Freebie And The Bean (1974) and Wes Anderson’s feature debut Bottle Rocket (1996), which Caan starred in with Luke and Owen Wilson. 

Paying tribute: Maria Shriver wrote: 'So sad about Jimmy Caan. He was a legend. He was always kind to me. Sending his family my love.'

Paying tribute: Maria Shriver wrote: ‘So sad about Jimmy Caan. He was a legend. He was always kind to me. Sending his family my love.’

Impressive filmography: Guardians Of The Galaxy director James Gunn singled out some of his favorite Caan performances in Michael Mann's Thief (1981) The Gambler and Freebie And The Bean (both 1974) and Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket (1996)

Impressive filmography: Guardians Of The Galaxy director James Gunn singled out some of his favorite Caan performances in Michael Mann’s Thief (1981) The Gambler and Freebie And The Bean (both 1974) and Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket (1996)

Forrest Gump actor Gary Sinise wrote that he was ‘heartbroken’ for the late actors family and friends.

‘Wonderful to know him & call him a pal. Jimmy was so supportive of Gary Sinise Foundation & my work w/ our veterans. He will be missed. Thank you my friend. Rest in Peace. God bless you.’ 

Comedian Andy Richter said he was ‘shocked’ to learn of Caan’s death.

‘Was lucky enough, after a lifetime of loving his work, to get to work with him and I loved him as a person even more. Funny, warm, self-deprecating, and effortlessly talented. They say never meet your heroes, but he proved that to be very very wrong,’ he tweeted.

He also urged his fans to watch Thief in a follow-up post. 

Piers Morgan wrote that Caan was a ‘brilliant actor’ and commended his ‘magnificent performance’ in The Godfather as ‘ferocious’ and ‘menacing.’

‘Met him once at a party in LA and he was a very funny & highly entertaining man. Sad news,’ he continued. 

Saluted: Forrest Gump actor Gary Sinise wrote that he was 'heartbroken' for the late actors family and friends while complimenting him on his work with veterans

Saluted: Forrest Gump actor Gary Sinise wrote that he was ‘heartbroken’ for the late actors family and friends while complimenting him on his work with veterans

Dream come true: Comedian Andy Richter said he was 'shocked' to learn of Caan's death before gushing about when he got to work with him on Elf. He also urged his fans to watch Thief

Dream come true: Comedian Andy Richter said he was ‘shocked’ to learn of Caan’s death before gushing about when he got to work with him on Elf. He also urged his fans to watch Thief

Impressed: Piers Morgan wrote that Caan was a 'brilliant actor' wrote about how 'funny' and 'entertaining' he was when they met at a party in Los Angeles

Impressed: Piers Morgan wrote that Caan was a ‘brilliant actor’ wrote about how ‘funny’ and ‘entertaining’ he was when they met at a party in Los Angeles

The movie star began his career appearing in off-Broadway productions.

He subsequently starred in numerous TV roles, including appearances in the ABC series ‘Naked City’, as well as ‘Route 66’, ‘Alcoa Premiere’ and ‘The Untouchables’.

Caan made his film debut in 1963, when he starred in ‘Irma la Douce’, an American rom-com. He also appeared in ‘The Glory Guy’ in 1965 and ‘Brian’s Song’ in 1971, before he landed his breakout role in the Francis Ford Coppola-directed ‘The Godfather’ in 1972.

In the iconic film, he appeared alongside a host of Hollywood A-listers, including Al Pacino, Marlon Brando and Robert Duvall.

Caan was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film, while he was also nominated for a Golden Globe.

The New York-born star reprised his most iconic character in ‘The Godfather Part II’ in 1974.

Caan only worked sporadically during the 1980s, but he still appeared in a number of well-known films over recent decades, including ‘Thief’ in

1981 and in the Christmas comedy ‘Elf’ in 2003.

Caan was also set to star alongside the likes of Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Adam Driver and Cate Blanchett in ‘Megalopolis’, the much-hyped new movie from legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola.

Caan was married four times, but got divorced to his last wife, Linda Stokes, in 2017.

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Movies

When the polarizing subject of natural wine arises, the discussion generally spirals to the stereotypes: flawed and funky wines, hippie producers and the debate over definitions. But a new documentary film, “Living Wine,” hopes to change that trite discussion.

The film, which opens in selected theaters July 15, focuses on a small group of natural wine producers in California. It examines, with far more nuance than is typical, the myriad reasons they choose to work in natural wine, along with the many rationales for consumers to drink it.

In this context, natural wine is presented neither as a trend nor a generational emblem. Involvement is a conscious choice. Though their reasons may overlap, each of the producers in the film has a different point of emphasis.

Gideon Beinstock and Saron Rice of Clos Saron in the Sierra Foothills make wine without additives because they believe that method makes the best wines and offers the best expression of their vineyard.

“The fact that we don’t add anything is not because it’s natural,” Mr. Beinstock said. “It’s because, why would I add anything? It will not improve the wine.”

Darek Trowbridge of Old World Winery in the Russian River Valley believes in the traditional methods embodied by his ancestors, who planted a vineyard in the area almost 100 years ago, before chemical farming became the norm. He wants to express the distinctive terroirs of his vineyards, but he sees himself as a custodian of nature, too, a role that he holds sacred.

“I try to work to do good on my farm for the land, for the ecosystem,” he said. “Where I reside spiritually is where I want to reside as a farmer and not separate the two.”

For Megan Bell of Margins Wines, who shares a production facility outside of Santa Cruz with James Jelks of Florèz Wines, the reasons are more political, born of her demeaning experiences as a young woman in a male-dominated winery in Napa Valley.

“I hated my job,” she said. “I loved what I physically did, but the culture and the way that I was treated, I dreaded going to work every day. Nobody wants to be at work when their abilities are doubted constantly.”

She is a minimalist, trying to work efficiently rather than trying to make art, and has chosen to work primarily with grapes and areas that she believes are ignored by the corporate wine world, which she might not have left it if she hadn’t felt driven out.

“If I worked in a nicer industry, I never would have started my own company,” she said.

The reasons to make natural wines are primarily cultural for Dani Rozman of La Onda, in the Sierra Foothills. He wants to wean Americans from the notion that the American wine industry traces directly to modern Europe. Instead, he wants to focus on North and South America, and their centuries of shared grape-growing and winemaking history that began when Spanish missionaries planted the listán prieto, or mission, grape in the Americas.

Having worked with farmers in Chile gave him insight into alternatives to mainstream winemaking. “All the equipment is developed to make winemaking easier, but that doesn’t make it better,” he said.

Following their personal muses, these producers have all ended up outside conventional winemaking, and have gravitated to styles of farming without chemical fertilizers and sprays, while employing traditional, preindustrial production methods.

Looming over all is the climate crisis, which in California has caused intense heat waves, drought and repeated threats of deadly, destructive fires. Over the course of filming, each of these producers was directly affected by the fires.

While these winemakers do not say they work specifically to combat climate change, the film addresses the vast harm that conventional agriculture has exacted on ecosystems and the climate. It also holds out hope that, if the world could step away from chemical farming and focus on building soil health and other regenerative methods, agriculture could be an important part of the solution.

Lori Miller, the producer and director of “Living Wine,” said she was drawn to these subjects because they work on the fringe.

“I love telling stories about people outside the normal corporate world, people who are not playing the game but are inspired from within,” she said in a phone interview. “This story fell within the mold.”

Though Ms. Miller, whose producer credits include “They Came to Play” and “Shakespeare High,” counts herself as a food and wine lover, she knew little about natural wine before beginning this project.

Her brother, Ben Miller, and his family had moved into a new home outside of Santa Rosa, which came with a vineyard. They were dismayed to learn that the vineyard had been regularly sprayed with the herbicide glyphosate, which could have seeped into the well that supplied their household water. He was introduced to Mr. Trowbridge, who began the process of weaning the vineyard from chemical treatments.

“That was the impetus for learning more about this,” Ms. Miller said. “I started looking into the wines I was buying, and I had no idea.”

She said she tries to buy and cook only organic foods, and was shocked to learn that most of the wines she was drinking bore no relation to the foods she was buying.

“I had always assumed wine was a natural beverage,” she said. “But if you go to the grocery store and pull something off the shelf, the likelihood is it was farmed with chemical inputs or farmed in a way that was terrible for the environment.”

Ms. Miller imagines that those who watch the film might be very much like her, hyperconscious about where their food comes from but giving little thought to the wine. The first words in “Living Wine” come from Mr. Trowbridge:

“The natural wine movement is about 20 years behind the organic food movement,” he said. “You can’t see the processing, but typically wine is a manufactured, machine-driven product. That means adjuncts to make it work in a timely manner.

“People just don’t understand that,” he continued. “I didn’t know that until I got a master’s degree in winemaking.”

With the help of two proponents of regenerative agriculture, Elizabeth Candelario and Dr. Timothy LaSalle, the film traces the rise of chemical agriculture to the repurposing of closed munitions factories after World War II. Nitrogen that went into bombs was instead used to make fertilizer, while nerve gas became an ingredient in pesticides.

With the support of the government and Big Agriculture, students and farmers were taught an industrialized form of agriculture to increase production. The industrial methods resulted in far more specialized farming rather than in the more natural, complex ecosystems of preindustrial farming, and built a dependency on Big Ag corporations.

“Nature only works in whole systems,” Dr. LaSalle said. “She can’t work separated out. When you bring something in, it changes and causes unexpected consequences.”

The film never loses the thread between agricultural and wine, which in many people’s minds is simply a product on a supermarket shelf.

“Every form of agriculture is detrimental to the environment, on any scale, even a garden, but we try to minimize the footprint,” Mr. Beinstock said.

Their winemaking facilities are rustic, far from the wealthy tourist outposts in the popular imagination. They are designed for work, and the labor is difficult. The motivation is more personal expression than profit, yet choosing to work outside the mainstream is stressful in its own ways.

“I’m at a spot still where I’ve been on food stamps for a year and I still have other jobs,” said Ms. Bell, of Margins Wines. “Because I’m putting all my money into my business.”

She and Mr. Jelks, of Florèz Wines, outfitted their utilitarian facility with secondhand equipment and castoffs. It’s not ideal, and not easy, but it’s liberating.

“We just stay scrappy and resilient, and we never stop,” Mr. Jelks said.

As for natural wines themselves, the film acknowledges that consumers may require time to adjust to them because of expectations that arise from years of drinking commonplace examples, just as a farm-raised tomato might prove shocking to one accustomed to glossy supermarket tomatoes.

At a tasting contrasting conventional and natural chardonnays, one consumer described the conventional bottle as “all the things you’re programmed to expect in a chardonnay.” The natural example was different, she said, but was “probably a more true expression of what the actual grape is.”

Like a good natural wine, the film is not without some minor blemishes. It’s too black-and-white in its portrait of conventional wine, for one, which offers far more of a spectrum of approaches.

But the idealism, selflessness and commitment of the growers and producers is inspiring. Though, as the film states, natural wine accounts for less than one percent of the wine produced in California, they have chosen to act on principle rather than resign themselves in despair.

What the film offers in the end is not a formula for the good life, a cliché of California wine country, but a way of living well and reflectively, as Tahnee Shields, a harvest intern at Clos Saron, says about Mr. Beinstock:

“His philosophy is, thinking about what a life can look like when you’re in constant cultivation and paying constant attention to something that you’re growing.”

Climate chaos can be overwhelming, but Ms. Miller hopes that film will be motivational.

“You can make a difference even if you’re only farming a few acres, or composting in your yard or have a small colony of bees,” she said. “I hope showcasing people who aren’t giving up will be inspiring.”

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Film

It seemed Bette Midler could say just about anything on Twitter without repercussions.

The Divine Miss M. has spent years slashing and burning her ideological foes on the platform. Most egregiously, she cheered on the man who nearly killed Sen. Rand Paul during a 2017 dispute.

Twice.

No Twitter suspensions. No blowback from her Hollywood peers.

That protective bubble burst this month.

RELATED: Trump Broke These Hollywood Stars (UPDATED)

Midler, in an attempt to critique the end of Roe v. Wade, worried that the folks behind the Supreme Court reversal were “erasing” women.

“They don’t call us ‘women’ anymore; they call us ‘birthing people’ or ‘menstruators,’ and even ‘people with vaginas!’” she added. “Don’t let them erase you! Every human on earth owes you!”

Midler’s message earned a curious response from conservatives. They grinned, realizing Midler had attacked fellow progressives. The modern Left is erasing the word “woman” from the vernacular, witness the pretzel-like conversations highlighted in the Daily Wire documentary “What Is a Woman?”

Now, Midler is under attack from her own side, and she’s trying to wriggle free from the woke vise.

That may not be enough. Or, Midler’s unrelenting messaging for Democratic causes may cause the woke mob to stand down. Said mob picks and chooses its victims carefully.

We’ll see.

Meanwhile, liberal singer Macy Gray is fighting her own battle with the woke mob. Gray, who called for a new American flag to replace the “tattered, dated, divisive, and incorrect” model and railed against President Donald Trump, shared some inconvenient thoughts with Piers Morgan this month.

Gray told the British broadcaster she doesn’t support trans females competing against biological women in sports.

She didn’t stop there.

“I will say this and everybody’s going to hate me, but, as a woman, just because you go change your parts, doesn’t make you a woman. Sorry … If you want me to call you a her, I will, because that’s what you want, but that doesn’t make you a woman just because I call you a her and just because you got a surgery.”

For that, Gray got pummeled by the far-Left on social media. Most stars embark on an Apology TourTM following these public kerfuffles.

It’s partly what Gray did … at first. She Tweeted the following message:

“i got nothing but love for lgbt+ and transgender communities …  i’ve been a supporter since day one and never a fake one. my statement on piers morgan was GROSSLY misunderstood. i respect everyone’s right to be whoever they wana be.”

The “I Try” singer quickly had a change of heart and deleted that missive. Her follow-up took a more aggressive, less conciliatory tone.

Will it work? Gray isn’t as famous as she was at the start of her musical career. She lacks the long-standing liberalism that helps protect Midler from the Cancel Culture cult.

Some stars, and even platforms, have begun fighting back against woke bylaws. Netflix and Paramount stood up for free expression in recent weeks. Comedians like Joe Rogan, Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais told “offensive” jokes and survived the ensuing attacks.

We’ll know in a few days if Gray and Midler’s damage control tactics worked.

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TV

Xfinity TV subscribers can now watch their favorite programs on Apple TV. Comcast made the announcement earlier today.

The redesigned stream app will launch on the Apple TV platform, offering a more intuitive user interface. The interface simplifies the search for content through editorial recommendations as well as a personalized algorithm that allows subscribers to continue watching their favorite shows and movies across platforms and devices.

“We are always looking for ways to enhance our entertainment experiences as the needs of our customers evolve – whether that’s expanding to new platforms, launching new features, or adding more programming options,” said Michael Delciello, svp of strategic development at Comcast, in a statement. “With today’s launch of the Stream app on Apple TV, our customers now have a new device option for accessing their Xfinity TV subscription in the home, and they will be the first to enjoy a new, streamlined UI designed to make it easier to find something to watch – whether that means getting back to a favorite show or movie, or finding something new.”

Subscribers can download the Xfinity Stream app from the App Store on Apple TV. Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD customers can watch their favorite programming from the Xfinity stream app along with the device’s other streaming apps, including Apple Music, Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness+.

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Xfinity TV subscribers can now watch their

What to Watch

 

[Warning: The following contains spoilers for the final episodes of Stranger Things Season 4. Read at your own risk!]

The battle for Hawkins — and the rest of the world — has entered its final stage. The jumbo-sized final episodes of Stranger Things Season 4 saw the core group reunite and temporarily stun Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), but not without great cost. The final two episodes followed a simple enough plan: Max (Sadie Sink) would bait Vecna in the real world to take over her mind and open his fourth and final gate, while Robin (Maya Hawke), Steve (Joe Keery), and Nancy (Natalie Dyer) would kill the monster in his trance state in the Upside Down. In the meantime, Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Eddie (Joseph Quinn) would distract the demobats to give the trio enough time to use every ounce of ammo they had on Vecna.

What could go wrong, right? Ha, well. Even though Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) found a way to piggyback into Max’s thoughts from a pizza dough oven in Nevada to take on Vecna herself, she wasn’t able to stave off the monster in time. He took enough of Max to open the fourth gate and bring the Upside Down to Hawkins, even if he was severely injured in the process. Max’s heart stopped in the process, and Eleven found a way to revive her, but the Kate Bush enthusiast remains in a coma with her mind empty — or at least her consciousness buried somewhere Eleven cant find it.

17 Shows and Movies Like Stranger Things to Watch Once You’ve Finished Season 4

Vecna definitely has the upper hand going into Season 5, but the crew wouldn’t have made it out as unscathed as they did if it wasn’t for Eddie, who sacrificed himself to the Upside Down demobats in order to give Robin, Steve, and Nancy the time they needed to take down Vecna in his vine cocoon. The Hellfire Club dungeon master became a hero in the end, and Stranger Things‘ latest sacrificial lamb.

Have we seen the last of Eddie, though? TV Guide doesn’t think so. We break down why, and we detail a few other fan theories about the upcoming fifth and final season of Stranger Things below.

Maya Hawke, Joe Keery, and Joesph Quinn, Stranger Things

 

 

Maya Hawke, Joe Keery, and Joesph Quinn, Stranger Things

 

Netflix

Theory 1: We haven’t seen the last of Eddie

Being dead on Stranger Things doesn’t mean you’re gone forever. Just ask Billy (Dacre Montgomery), who also had a hero’s death in Season 3 only to come back to haunt Max in Season 4. Considering that Dustin was with Eddie when he died and wasn’t able to save him, and Eddie’s body was never returned to the Right-Side-Up, it seems totally within reason that Eddie, or a Vecna-reanimation of Eddie, could be used to torment Dustin and other members of the Hellfire Club because they weren’t able to save their Dungeon Master. Which brings us to…

Theory 2: Will and Dustin are Vecna’s next victims

Vecna went after teens with shame issues in Season 4, multiple of whom felt responsible for the deaths of people dear to them. Dustin wasn’t able to get to Eddie in time to save him from the bats… does he feel guilty about that? The group also wasn’t able to clear Eddie’s name when it came to the gruesome teen murders around town. If Vecna is looking for someone who feels inadequate, Dustin is currently an easy and heartbreaking target for him to tap into, especially if he wants to get back at Eleven for delaying his world domination.

The other person with close proximity to Eleven (and Vecna) is Will (Noah Schnapp). After returning to Hawkins with Eleven and Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Will confirmed that his connection to the Upside Down/the Mind Flayer/Vecna still hadn’t been completely severed. He could feel the Upside Down overlord’s thoughts and confirmed Nancy’s shotgun blasts hadn’t officially killed the monster. More importantly, Will sensed that the Upside Down was officially growing into the center of Hawkins even before Eleven did. If that psychic connection between him and Vecna remains, he would make an easy vessel for Vecna to use to get around Hawkins and to torment Eleven while Vecna heals from his finale attack.

While Eddie’s death was heartbreaking, we have yet to see someone from the original core group perish at the hands of Vecna or the Upside Down. It seems unlikely we will end this adventure without someone in the original D&D club dying for the cause.

The Ultimate Guide to What to Watch on Netflix, Amazon, HBO Max, and More in July 2022

Theory 3: Max will wake up with powers 

Max is currently in a coma with two broken legs and two broken arms. Though Eleven was able to revive her after her heart stopped, Max’s mind was unnervingly blank when Eleven tried to wake her up in the hospital. This could mean a few things, including Max being buried deep in one of her subconscious memories or Vecna still having control of her.

The fact that Max’s mind was inhabited by two incredibly strong psychics before she went under means that if and when she wakes up from the coma, she will not be the same Max she was before. It remains to be seen whether the spark Eleven gave her to revive her heart will also give Max the power to break out of whatever mind prison she’s in, or whether Vecna still controls her. Max is just as close to Eleven as Will is, and if Vecna has her under his control, it’ll be easy to rip the group apart. We’re rooting for Eleven-like powers because Max has been through enough, but we will be shocked if Season 5 doesn’t see Max making some people levitate on her own, for better or worse.

Tom Wlaschiha, Brett Gelman, Winona Ryder, and David Harbour, Stranger Things

 

 

Tom Wlaschiha, Brett Gelman, Winona Ryder, and David Harbour, Stranger Things

 

Netflix

Theory 4: Part of the Mindflayer is still in Russia 

The Season 4 finale confirmed that the swirling particles that Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Hopper (David Harbour) found in the Russian prison were essentially Mindflayer particles/guts. The Russians were keeping it hostage and likely performing experiments with it and their demogorgons, but when Joyce, Hopper, and crew returned to the prison at the tail end of the finale to destroy the particles and the demogorgons in order to give the kids a leg up in the Upside Down, everything had escaped. We saw Murray (Brett Gelman) fillet the demogorgons, but the Mindflayer particles are still missing in action.

Since Eleven closed the gate between Hawkins and Russia at the end of Season 3, it would be a long journey back to the states for the swirling particles to rejoin Vecna and the rest of their brood. We also didn’t see Murray return to the States. It is possible that Murray was just dropped off at his bunker as the first stop in the secret government agency carpool before Joyce and Hopper were taken to reunite with the kids. However, he also could have stayed behind with Yuri (Nikola Đuričko) and Enzo (Tom Wlaschiha) to track down and destroy the particles. If they are able to do that, it could give the Hawkins crew the advantage they need to take down Vecna once and for all.

Theory 5: Will is questioning his sexuality 

This is less of a theory and more of a very obvious observation. The signs that Will has more-than-platonic feelings for Mike have been brewing since late Season 2, but came extremely close to exploding in the final episodes of Season 4. It started with Will being borderline repulsed by attention from girls at his school and escalated to Will giving Mike a barely veiled speech about how Mike makes Eleven feel like she’s not an outsider and Eleven will always need Mike. Will’s silent tears after the soliloquy and his heart-to-heart with Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) later all but confirmed that Will has been coming to terms with his sexuality. As a teenager in the ’80s, Will doesn’t need to have it all figured out, but we’d hate to see Vecna exploit Will’s vulnerability to torture him. The kid has been through enough.

The 31 Great Sci-Fi Shows to Watch Right Now

And there are several more burning questions that need to be answered, like what happened to Dr. Owens (Paul Reiser) after Eleven left Project Nina? Will Vecna return in a new form after being lit on fire and shot multiple times at close range? Will any of the parents besides Joyce and Hopper realize what is actually going on in this town? And most importantly, will Steve ever find long-lasting happiness?

Those questions will have to be answered when Stranger Things returns for Season 5. Seasons 1-4 are now streaming on Netflix.

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Awards

The nominations for the 74th Primetime Emmys will be announced on July 12, and shows like HBO’s “Succession,” Netflix’s “Squid Game,” ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” and Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” are expected to dominate and rack up multiple mentions. However, consumers may be unaware that certain shows did not fall in the release window and thus are not eligible for this year’s nominations.

Coming off a huge Fourth of July weekend, Netflix’s “Stranger Things” will be in an even stranger position for the following two Emmy ceremonies. The first seven episodes that dropped on the platform during Memorial Day weekend were submitted for consideration for the 74th ceremony and are eligible in categories like outstanding drama series and supporting acting races, including Millie Bobby Brown (as Eleven), Sadie Sink (as Max) and the season’s two new favorites Jamie Campbell Bower (as the villainous Vecna) and Joseph Quinn (as the loveable and guitar-ripping Eddie Munson). Unfortunately, the two final super-sized episodes of Season 4 that dropped over the holiday weekend are not included for this year’s eligibility period.

Read more: Variety’s Awards Circuit Emmys Predictions Hub

With a release date for the sci-fi horror show’s upcoming fifth and final season yet to be announced (and considering how long we had to wait for Season 4), it seems unlikely we’ll have it in time for the 2022-2023 eligibility season (which ends May 31). In that presumed case, these two episodes will be “orphaned” and only eligible for individual craft awards, but not best drama series or acting categories. Episodes 8 and 9 will also be eligible for directing and writing nods.

Besides “Stranger Things,” there have been plenty of buzzy series in June, including the third season of Amazon Prime Video’s adult superhero series “The Boys.” Though the show received a surprise nom for drama series in 2020, it dropped its first three episodes on June 3 and concludes its season this week on July 8, and is therefore not eligible for this year’s Emmys race.

The fourth season of HBO’s “Westworld” has made its long-awaited return, but don’t expect former nominees and winners such as Jeffrey Wright and Thandiwe Newton to be among this year’s entrants due to the May 12 cut-off date. Instead, you can look for them in the 2023 Emmy submissions.

FX’s THE BEAR “System” (Airs Thursday, June 23) Pictured: Jeremy Allen White as Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto. CR: Matt Dinerstein/FX
Matt Dinerstein/FX

New series generating acclaim, such as FX’s drama thriller “The Old Man” with Jeff Bridges and Hulu’s cooking dramedy “The Bear” with Jeremy Allen White, will surely factor into future awards discussion, but will only be eligible for the upcoming Golden Globe, SAG and Critics Choice Awards.

Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy” has popped up in the creative arts categories for its first two seasons in 2019 and 2020. With the added care given by series creator Steve Blackman in incorporating Viktor’s transition into Season 3’s story (played by Elliot Page), there could be a well-positioned campaign for 2023.

In addition, docuseries such as HBO Max’s “Menudo: Forever Young,” a look at the dark side of the iconic boy band, or the timely “Who Is Ghislaine Maxwell?” from Starz will seek recognition down the road.

Final Emmy nomination predictions will drop in Thursday’s Variety Awards Circuit updates.

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The nominations for the 74th Primetime Emmys

Music

 

The Strokes performed a version of Clairo’s song “Sofia” at Lisbon’s NOS Alive 2022 after the singer-songwriter cancelled her appearance at the festival.

Clairo was scheduled to perform at the festival, but had to pull out last minute due to a flight cancellation. The Strokes offered up their rendition of “Sofia,” off Clairo’s 2019 debut album Immunity, in tribute to the musician.

Earlier this week, Clairo joined Phoebe Bridgers for a live rendition of Clairo’s 2019 single “Bags” at a concert in Milan. Later in the evening, Clairo collaborated with Bridgers during the latter’s set, providing backing vocals on “I Know The End.”

The Strokes have been on the festival circuit this summer. A positive COVID case sidelined the rock band from their headlining appearance at Spain’s Primavera Sound in June, but they have since returned to the road.

The group also made headlines when frontman Julian Casablancas sold a stake in his Strokes catalog to Primary Wave, marking yet another major artist selling off their music rights amid a hot song acquisition market. Primary Wave declined to specify exactly how much of a stake in the catalog the company purchased or how much it paid in the deal, but the sale gives the company access to tracks including platinum-certified hits “Last Nite,” “Someday” and “Reptilia.” The company bought a stake in Casablancas’s publishing rights as well as the songs’ master rights.

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  The Strokes performed a version of Clairo’s

Docs

Each year, the Film Independent Spirit Awards give the Someone to Watch Award to an emerging filmmaker of singular vision. In this column, film critic David Bax revisits some of the grant’s recipients to see how their work and careers have continued to develop.

***

Making movies about poor kids is a fraught enterprise. Plenty of films have come under fire for charges of exploitation, especially in cases where the actors hail from the communities being depicted. One of the most notable of these is Hector Babenco’s 1980 crime drama Pixote, whose young star, Fernando Ramos Silva, was feted upon the film’s release but soon found himself back on the streets and was shot to death by police at the age of nineteen.

Socrates, which won director Alexandre Moratto the Someone to Watch award in February of 2019, also unfolds in the most rundown neighborhoods of São Paolo. But Moratto seems to have been aware of the risks at hand and made decisions—most of them before the cameras even began to roll—to mitigate them. First, the real-life counterparts of low-income teenagers depicted in the film aren’t onscreen. They’re behind the scenes, making up Socrates‘ production crew and thereby relieved of the camera’s all-consuming gaze.

Secondly, Moratto’s star, Christian Malheiros, is a trained actor, a few years older than the eponymous character he’s playing. Sudden success is likely to be less traumatic to a young man like that. More importantly, it doesn’t hurt that Malheiros is fantastically talented.

There’s another criticism Moratto is risking here, that of miserablism. In addition to the relentless indignations of poverty, Socrates endures the sudden death of his mother, the return of his abusive father and, in case all of that wasn’t enough, violent homophobia. Hope is in short supply and, often, such movies exist primarily for the likely liberal viewers to feel good about themselves for feeling bad about the underprivileged. But, again, Malheiros is the key to avoiding pitfalls. His soulful performance is as disarming as it is unarmored, disintegrating the cellophane layer of protection that usually exists between a movie and its audience.

So it’s a no-brainer that Moratto reteamed with his secret weapon Malheiros for his follow-up film, this year’s thrilling, confrontational 7 Prisoners. This time, Malheiros is Mateus, another kid from a struggling family but, unlike in Socrates, it’s a supportive one. It’s also a rural one but that setting only persists for the opening chapter, before Mateus heads off to São Paolo with some other local young men for the promise of a job that comes with food, lodging and the ability to send money back home. They’ve been fooled, though. What actually awaits them is not economic ascendance but indentured servitude. They aren’t allowed to leave the premises of the worksite (where they strip down cars and other machinery for parts and wiring) and they won’t be paid until their expenses are covered, which they never will be.

Some of Mateus’ fellow captives desire to react with immediate violence, an understandable response to such an infuriating injustice. But he instead begins to plan and maneuver, attempting to play a long game that will have a better chance of success, where the most obvious course of action would only lead to them being beaten and, in the worst case scenario, their families being killed. Thus, while maintaining all the social realism of Socrates, 7 Prisoners becomes a thriller. As it has so often throughout not just the history of cinema but of storytelling itself, the familiarity of genre gives a moral cry its shape, something for people to hold onto.

In just two films, Moratto has charted a similar journey to the one forged by the last subject of this column, Ramin Bahrani. Chop Shop and Socrates both plead with us to sympathize with their impoverished young protagonists. 7 Prisoners, like The White Tiger, is more accusatory, a direct challenge to the viewers’ comfort, Michael Haneke-style, but cloaked in gripping entertainment. Both films give us directors who seem to have hardened into a very useful mode of cynicism. Once again, we get a lead, in Mateus, who learns that the only way to achieve any sort of personal freedom is, paradoxically, to give in to the inherent oppressiveness of the system in which we toil. Hard work is not a ladder; it’s a pen in which you build the fence around yourself anew every day. It’s become au courant in certain progressive circles to wring an anti-capitalist message out of almost any critically approved work of popular art. 7 Prisoners is so fierce, though that it’s hard to read any other way. And, at the same time, it’s so entertaining that it’s hard to look away from.

Other nominees: Moratto is the most recent Someone to Watch winner I’ve been given the chance to write about and he is the only one of his class to have released a subsequent film. As for the other two movies that were nominated, Ioana Uricaru’s Lemonade, an immigration drama about a Romanian woman’s possibly fraudulent marriage to an American man, was well-received upon its release and at festivals. Jeremiah Zagar’s We the Animals is a sublime, beautiful and sometimes dangerous subjective coming-of-age story and his second feature, Hustle, is due to appear on Netflix next year. It looks to be another seriocomic Adam Sandler role from an indie director on the rise, so it will probably be amazing.

Film Independent promotes unique independent voices, providing a wide variety of resources to help filmmakers create and advance new work. To support our efforts with a donation, please click here and become a Member of Film Independent here.

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Toronto Blue Jays (45-38, fourth in the AL East) vs. Seattle Mariners (41-42, second in the AL West)

Seattle; Thursday, 10:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Blue Jays: TBD; Mariners: Marco Gonzales (4-9, 3.29 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 49 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE: The Seattle Mariners host the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday to open a four-game series.

Seattle is 20-20 in home games and 41-42 overall. The Mariners have hit 86 total home runs to rank seventh in the AL.

Toronto has a 45-38 record overall and a 20-20 record in road games. The Blue Jays have the third-best team batting average in MLB play at .257.

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The teams meet Thursday for the fourth time this season.

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TOP PERFORMERS: Julio Rodriguez leads Seattle with 15 home runs while slugging .490. Cal Raleigh is 6-for-33 with a home run and eight RBI over the past 10 games.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has 13 doubles and 19 home runs for the Blue Jays. Bo Bichette is 11-for-41 with four doubles, a home run and four RBI over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Mariners: 7-3, .238 batting average, 2.83 ERA, outscored opponents by 12 runs

Blue Jays: 4-6, .273 batting average, 4.55 ERA, outscored by nine runs

INJURIES: Mariners: Tom Murphy: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Taylor Trammell: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Luis Torrens: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Ty France: 10-Day IL (elbow), Evan White: 60-Day IL (hernia), Mitch Haniger: 60-Day IL (ankle), Kyle Lewis: 7-Day IL (concussion), Casey Sadler: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Blue Jays: Julian Merryweather: 60-Day IL (side), Kevin Gausman: day-to-day (ankle), Tayler Saucedo: 60-Day IL (hip), Hyun-Jin Ryu: 60-Day IL (forearm), Yimi Garcia: 15-Day IL (back), Andrew Vasquez: 15-Day IL (ankle), Danny Jansen: 10-Day IL (finger), Nate Pearson: 60-Day IL (mono)

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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© 2022 The Canadian Press

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Months after pleading guilty in his child pornography case, “Cheer” alum Jerry Harris received his prison sentence.

On Wednesday, Harris was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The sentence was announced with Harris in court. His friends and family were also in attendance, TMZ reports.

After completing his prison sentence, Harris will have eight years of court-supervised release.

In September 2020, Harris was arrested on a child pornography charge involving a 13-year-old boy.

According to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Chicago, Harris and the teen traded explicit photos and videos on Snapchat from December 2018 to March 2020.

The complaint also noted that Harris admitted to the communications with the boy, and acknowledged that he knew he was 13 at the time.

Three months later, Harris was indicted on federal charges, including four counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of enticement, one count of receiving child porn, and one count of travel with the intent to engage in an illicit sexual contact with a minor. At the time, he pleaded not guilty.

Harris eventually pleaded guilty to counts three and seven of the indictment. He told the judge in court, “Yes, it’s true, Judge. Yes, I am [guilty], Judge.”

Before the court hearing, Harris agreed to a plea deal with the government.

His plea agreement pointed out that sentencing guidelines “may recommend 50 years in prison,” but it was ultimately up to the judge to decide.

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Tech

“Luck,” the first animated feature from Skydance and Apple TV+ has debuted its first trailer.

The film tells the story of Sam Greenfield, the unluckiest person in the world, who when she stumbles into the never-before-seen Land of Luck, sets out on a quest to bring some good luck home for her best friend. But with humans not allowed, her only chance is teaming up with the magical creatures who live there to do it. 

The trailer begins with Sam (Eva Noblezada) blundering her way through a series of misfortunes: she wakes up a minute before she’s supposed to be somewhere, accidentally locks herself in a bathroom, and bonks her head on various objects. It seems like her luck is finally about to change when she finds a magical penny, “something that could finally turn my life around!”


When she accidentally flushes the token down the toilet, it seems as though her luck has truly run its course – until a cat starts speaking to her. She follows him to a portal into another world, The Land of Luck. Unfortunately, this magical, animal-populated world has a dark underside, and even the tiniest amount of bad luck could threaten the entire operation. As a harbinger of bad luck, Sam needs to find a solution before she accidentally curses everyone in both worlds to her life of perpetual misfortune.

“Luck” also stars Starring Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, Simon Pegg, Flula Borg, Lil Rel Howery, Colin O’Donoghue, John Ratzenberger and Adelynn Spoon. Peggy Holmes (“Secret of the Wings”) directed from a script by Kiel Murray (“Cars 3”).

Pixar veteran John Lasseter produced the film, along with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and David Eisenmann.

“Luck” will release globally August 5 on Apple TV+. Check out the trailer here and above.

Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem Join Rachel Zegler for Animated Movie Musical ‘Spellbound’

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“Luck,” the first animated feature from Skydance

Video

YouTube, Instagram, Discord, and Twitter moved quickly to pull social media pages that appeared to belong to Robert Crimo III, a person of interest in the Chicago suburb shooting that left six dead and dozens injured this afternoon. Under a pair of aliases, Crimo seems to have posted more than a dozen videos to YouTube and hosted a Discord channel named “SS,” which was open to the public through an invite link.

Crimo’s apparent YouTube account hadn’t posted in around eight months, based on The Verge’s viewing before the account was pulled. The most recent video included concerning language and imagery that appeared to involve classrooms and stick-art depictions of people being shot. Another clip seemed to be a music video for a rap song, which ended in Crimo wearing protective gear and handling bullets in what appeared to be a classroom. YouTube spokesperson Farshad Shadloo confirmed that “violative content” had been removed following the shooting.

Under a rap alias, which The Verge is declining to name, Crimo appeared to have posted multiple albums to Spotify and several EPs and singles to Apple Music, both of which remained online into the evening on July 4th. The tracks were later pulled from both platforms. A Spotify spokesperson, who asked not to be named discussing a sensitive situation, said the company made the decision to remove the content in partnership with its distributor.

The Verge reached out to all of the platforms mentioned above for comment. Instagram, Discord, Twitter, and Apple did not respond to requests for comment. Social media posts suggest a TikTok account linked to Crimo may have been removed as well. TikTok also did not respond to a request for comment.

After the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York in May, it was quickly found that the suspect in that shooting had discussed plans for his attack on a private Discord server. He also used Twitch to live stream his attack. Less than two weeks ago, the US Supreme Court ruled that it should be harder for states to place restrictions on guns.

Update July 5th, 12:10AM ET: The album’s under Crimo’s rap alias have now been removed from Spotify and Apple Music; this story has been updated with a comment from Spotify.

Update July 5th, 12:27PM ET: YouTube confirmed that it removed content following the shooting.

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Entertaintment

The best Amazon Prime Day vacuum deals won’t just save you serious cash; they might also improve your entire home. While the days of spring cleaning are long over, there’s no bad time to give your space some much-needed TLC—especially if you’re living with pets or kids. And who likes living among a layer of dust and dander?

Thankfully, Prime Day is on the horizon, bringing with it can’t-miss markdowns on tons of vacuums from brands like Dyson, Bissell, and iRobot. Whether you prefer a sleek, cordless stick vacuum, a heavy-duty upright option that can handle pet hair, or a robot vacuum cleaner for zero-effort cleaning, there’s an early Amazon Prime Day deal for everyone. Forget Black Friday sales and coupons—it’s already looking like the best time of the year to spring for a new dustbuster.

You don’t have to sort through the thousands of Prime Day vacuum deals alone. Instead, get started with our list of the best discounted devices available at Amazon right now, from Hoover to Shark. These vacuums suck—but these deals definitely don’t.

Looking for more deals? Shop the latest and greatest markdowns across Amazon Prime Day 2022, including fashion, beauty, books, as well as the rival sales that are bringing the heat.

All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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The best Amazon Prime Day vacuum deals

Movies

“Say, ‘I’m gonna look after them.’ Say it.” I AM STILL CRYING.

??WARNING: Before we go any further, I am putting out a MASSIVE spoiler warning that involves the recent Stranger Things episodes. There are also spoilers for Euphoria, Killing Eve, and Yellowjackets, so read at your own risk!!!??

Okay, you’ve been warned! Let’s get started!

1.

SHOCKING: Tara on Buffy the Vampire Slayer


UPN

Buffy’s two biggest deaths (not counting Anya’s since I do not acknowledge it) are extra heart-wrenching because neither of them are magical in nature. And in Season 6, the villains — even the woman-hating Warren — come across as a bit of a joke. So when Warren shows up with a gun and shoots Buffy, and a wayward bullet goes through the window to hit Tara…it felt even more horrifying and shocking than if there had been some supernatural reason Tara died. Also, Amber Benson had finally been added to the credits for that episode, and she’d JUST gotten back together with Willow, so it was extra shocking that she died.

2.

SAW IT COMING: Vision on WandaVision


Disney+ / Marvel

Vision started the show dead, and it was pretty clear he’d end it that way, too. Still, for Wanda to lose him AGAIN…ugh. WandaVision truly ripped out my heart and stomped on it, and I’m still a little mad Vision was barely even mentioned in the second Dr. Strange after this devastating scene.

3.

SHOCKING: Villanelle on Killing Eve


BBC

Look, the show’s called Killing Eve. And yet, Villanelle is the one who dies in the end??? Maybe that makes sense for the genre, but it just felt like in a show that subverted so many expectations, maybe the show really would end with them living happily ever after. Or in some other twisty way than this — it felt like a cop-out and almost a betrayal by the writers, so yeah, I was really shocked to see this. I’m still mad about it, tbh.

4.

SAW IT COMING: Eddie on Stranger Things


Netflix

Stranger Things has a penchant for killing beloved characters that were newly introduced that season, so heading into the Season 4 finale last week, it seemed pretty obvious that Eddie was going to die. And then, when he was telling Dustin to never change…I mean, come on. Still, his death was just as heartbreaking as I worried it would be, and I am frankly not okay. We only knew him for a season, but he was such a fantastic new character. LET EDDIE GRADUATE!!!

5.

SHOCKING: Quentin on One Tree Hill


The CW

This death was SO RANDOM. It didn’t even happen in a season finale or at any time you expect deaths to happen. Quentin was there, and then he was just…dead. I know this is how death often happens in real life — especially as a result of senseless violence — but still. This really tore the rug out from under me, and I’m still not over it. Quentin had gone through such a great arc, and it felt like there was so much more story for him to tell.

6.

SAW IT COMING: Jackie on Yellowjackets


STARZ

We knew Jackie was dead since she clearly wasn’t alive in the present day, but we had no idea how she died. It felt like we were waiting the whole season to find out. Still, that didn’t stop this from being just horrible to watch. I didn’t hate Jackie (TBH, Shauna really needed to get off her high horse), but it was still just such a depressing, horrifying thing to happen, and it obviously wasn’t what Shauna intended or expected.

7.

SHOCKING: Enzo on The Vampire Diaries


The CW

I didn’t love Enzo, but…Bonnie was finally happy!!!!! So close to the end of the show, I really thought they would let her be happy. And of all the characters for Stefan to target, Bonnie felt like the least likely option. This was just so out of pocket and shocking, and it happened so suddenly. 

8.

SAW IT COMING: Jack on This Is Us


NBC

We knew Jack was dead, and we even knew he died on Super Bowl Sunday, but we didn’t know exactly how or when or why. Still, it was obvious it would happen in this episode, which meant we spent the entire thing DREADING it happening. And yet, somehow it was even worse than I ever could’ve guessed. I literally had to stop watching This Is Us after this; that’s how much this episode broke me.

9.

SHOCKING: Lexie on Grey’s Anatomy


ABC

Maybe not so shocking after the plane crashed, but definitely shocking before. Lexie was such a sweet and pure character, and it felt like there was so much more story to tell with Mark. And then their story just ends, in the most heart-wrenching way. 

10.

SAW IT COMING: Ashtray on Euphoria


HBO

We knew going in that Ashtray or Fez was probably going to die, and after Ashtray killed Mouse, I knew which one it was going to be. It was still incredibly hard to watch, however, especially because Ash was so young and because Fez cared so much about him. 

11.

SHOCKING: Poussey on Orange Is the New Black


Netflix

This is probably one of the TV deaths that makes me the angriest — maybe because it felt so topical. And also so preventable. Poussey was such a great character, so to see her life end this way…it was a reminder that this show WOULD go there and forever changed the way I saw a show that was oftentimes more of a comedy. 

12.

SAW IT COMING: Tracy on How I Met Your Mother


CBS

We kinda knew the mother wasn’t around, so we knew this would come eventually…still, after waiting SO long to meet her, it was really disappointing and sad to see her story end this way. Especially because it was so quick! I feel like viewers were more sad about it than Ted himself.

13.

SHOCKING: Charlie on Lost


ABC

Lost was clearly a show where no one was safe, but Charlie was such a pure soul, and it felt like there was supposed to be so much more story for him, and especially for him and Claire…this remains, in my mind, one of the saddest TV deaths of all time. And it came out of nowhere!!!!

14.

SAW IT COMING: Fred on Riverdale


The CW

Obviously, we knew Fred was going to die because the actor, Luke Perry, had died in real life. And of course, the episode was devastating anyways, especially because Perry had died. But I also thought the show did a really good job of handling it, and helping the actors and the audience grieve in a way that felt true to both the character of Fred and the actor Luke. I sobbed throughout the entire episode and have never been able to bring myself to rewatch it.

15.

SHOCKING: Fred on Angel


The WB

Yes, Fred was dying this whole episode. But it was still shocking because our heroes came close to death in monster-of-the-week storylines like this all the time. And it seemed like Angel and Spike were going to save Fred, pretty much right up until the end of the episode. Fred says she’s going to keep fighting. And then she dies. This woman who has been through what feels like worse than this just dies in a single-episode arc. I sat staring at my TV screen after the episode was over in shock.

16.

SAW IT COMING: Finn on Glee


Fox

Yes, I know it’s kind of cheating to include another example where we knew the character was going to die because the actor died in real life. Still, how could I not include one of the most devastating TV deaths/episodes of all time on this list? This is a heart-breaking episode of television, and there was no way to emotionally prepare for it, even though you knew exactly what it was going to be like. 

17.

SHOCKING: Logan on Veronica Mars


Hulu

I mean, come on. THEY HAD JUST GOTTEN MARRIED. It was the last few minutes of the finale!!! It would’ve been so easy for the writers to just NOT do this. And yet, they did. It’s so freaking depressing that it makes me angry.

18.

SAW IT COMING: Hank in Breaking Bad


AMC

While Walt was certainly shocked, as a viewer I felt much like Hank did — that there was only one way this played out, no matter what Walt did or said. Watching this scene was especially painful for that reason. I knew Hank’s minutes were numbered, and waiting for him to die was just so, so difficult to watch.

19.

SHOCKING: Andrea on Breaking Bad


AMC

Unlike Hank, there was no clear narrative reason for Andrea to die. Jesse’s storyline was relentlessly tragic even without this, and this almost felt like overkill to just kill a female character as carnage to further bring Jesse into despair. I mean, she had a son!!!!! I was very distraught.

20.

SAW IT COMING: Dani on The Haunting of Bly Manor


Netflix

Dani herself warns of this happening, and it quickly becomes clear that this is the only way Dani’s story ends. I’m honestly surprised (and grateful) she got as long as she did to be happy — yet of course, I still sobbed when she died. Dani and Jamie deserved so much more. 🙁

21.

SHOCKING: Catelyn, Robb, and Talisa on Game of Thrones


HBO

I guess this wasn’t shocking if you read the books, but for me, it certainly was! I never expected them to kill so many characters at once. They essentially killed off an entire storyline that felt integral to the show. It was shocking and upsetting and really just the gold standard for TV twists.

22.

SAW IT COMING: Daenerys on Game of Thrones


HBO

In contrast, it seemed pretty obvious the writers would go this route with Daenerys. Once she began burning King’s Landing, it was clear she’d have to be taken out, and that Jon would probably be the one to do it. But for me, it just felt like such a disappointing and underwhelming end for her character. While I wasn’t necessarily sad to see Daenerys die in this scene, it made me sad for her character in general, and the potential she had had. 

23.

SHOCKING: Mary on Sherlock


BBC

I really hate Season 4 of Sherlock. Mary dying felt so unnecessary. I really liked the dynamic they’d found between Mary, John, and Sherlock, and it felt very much like they killed Mary as fodder to create conflict between John and Sherlock. Still, it was certainly shocking.

24.

SAW IT COMING: Sherlock on Sherlock


BBC

The episode starts with John saying Sherlock is dead, so obviously, we knew what was coming. But if you had asked me how Sherlock was going to die (okay, fine, he doesn’t really die, but we don’t know that until the episode’s end!!!), I would not have been able to guess how tragic it really was. Making John believe that this was how his best friend died…it still gets me, and I’m still angry that Sherlock never properly apologized. 

25.

SHOCKING: Robin on Once Upon a Time


ABC

Ah, yet another entry on this list where it felt like the character had more story to tell, and like the love interest the character was leaving behind had already lost too much. This also happened so late in the show, when we were just beginning to think Regina could be happy and that she might actually deserve to be. Oof, this one was rough.

26.

SAW IT COMING: Il-nam on Squid Game


Netflix

Okay, so this is sad because not only did Il-nam live, but he was actually behind everything….but when I first saw this, I sobbed! Even though it was clear from the start, an elderly man like Il-Nam was probably not going to make it through these games. And you become pretty certain he’s going to die once this game is announced, as it seems pretty early for our main character — who Il-nam is competing against — to die. It was extremely painful to watch at the time, especially as Il-nam had become a fan favorite.

27.

SHOCKING: Margaery on Game of Thrones


HBO

I should’ve known better after the Red Wedding, but I really, really did not see this one coming. It felt like Margaery had a plan up her sleeve like she always does — and, like many of the other characters on this list, it felt like she had so much more story to tell. I loved Margaery, so this one really upset me.

28.

And finally, let’s end on a somewhat happy one…SAW IT COMING: Chidi on The Good Place


NBC

So Chidi was technically already dead, but since all the characters started the show out dead, I’m going to count them going through the door at the very end their death. I definitely saw it coming that Chidi was going to be ready before Eleanor, especially because it was such a great end to his arc after dealing with so much indecision throughout his life. But watching him go was still difficult, even if I knew it was what he wanted, and felt like the right ending for the character.

What TV deaths did you see coming, and which ones were shocking to you? Let us know in the comments below!

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"Say, 'I'm gonna look after them.' Say

Film

James Gunn on Wednesday shut down comic Scott Adams’ shocking tweet that urged parents with violent teenagers to “watch people die” or “kill your son” by pointing out he was a violent teen addict who managed to turn his life around.

“Hey Scott Adams: As someone who was himself a violent teenager addicted to drugs & entered recovery with the help & love of his family, as well as someone who has seen dozens of other young men stay sober & become fruitful members of society, these are not the only two options,” Gunn tweeted.

Adams’ original tweet was in response to the arrest of Highland Park shooter Robert Crimo III, who killed seven people and injured more than three dozen on July 4.

“The Highland shooting and every Fentanyl overdose death among the young are teaching us the same lesson, and we refuse to learn it, the “Dilbert” comic artist tweeted on July 6. “It’s difficult, but I’m qualified to give you this lesson (unfortunately). This won’t be easy to read,” he wrote before adding this: “When a young male (let’s say 14 to 19) is a danger to himself and others, society gives the supporting family two options: 1. Watch people die. 2. Kill your own son. Those are your only options. I chose #1 and watched my stepson die. I was relieved he took no one else with him.”

Adams added, “If one more person hallucinates to me about some ‘program’ where teens are kidnapped and ‘fixed’ and returned to their happy parents, I might explode. No such thing exists. You have two options. Only two. No help is coming. Only death and suffering.”

The cartoonist previously said that he tried unsuccessfully to commit his stepson, who became addicted to drugs after a severe head injury at age 14. “I got to watch my dead, blue, bloated son taken out on a stretcher in front of his mother and biological father,” he said.

Gunn, who’s been very open about his past as an addict, pointed out that there are, as was the case for him, more options than Adams’ coldly suggests.

Here are some of the other reactions to Adams’ tweet:


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James Gunn on Wednesday shut down comic

TV

Oprah Winfrey has been tapped to kick off Project Angel Food’s third annual telethon — Lead with Love 3 presented by City National Bank — airing live on KTLA 5 on July 23.

Hosted by Eric McCormack and TV personality Jessica Holmes, the telethon will also feature appearances by a long list of boldfaced names including Josh Groban, Sharon Stone, Whoopi Goldberg, Bryce Dallas Howard, Eugene Levy, Paula Abdul, Fran Drescher, Gloria Estefan, Beth Hall, Sean Hayes, Karamo Brown, Rachel Lindsay, Lori Loughlin, Ross Mathews, Pauley Perrette, Melissa Peterman, Danny Pino, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Nicole Sullivan, Holland Taylor and a Charlie’s Angels reunion thanks to original stars Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd.

Loni Love and Alec Mapa are booked to return as co-hosts, while the musical program includes pre-recorded performances from Sarah McLachlan, Five for Fighting and Pat Benatar with Neil Giraldo. Debbie Gibson and Taylor Dayne will perform live at KTLA Studios in Hollywood.

“Oprah delivers a powerful opening to our show, encouraging us all to rise to the challenge of our current moment through compassion and empathy that has a lasting impact on our community,” said executive producer Brad Bessey who also serves as head of communications and talent relations for Project Angel Food.

Bessey is joined on the executive producer roster by veteran live event and unscripted producer Michael Levitt (American Rescue Dog Show, Daytime Emmy Awards), Project Angel Food CEO Richard Ayoub, and KTLA’s Marcus Smith and Jacob Burch for KTLA. Michelle Robinson returns as co-exec producer.

“While this year’s show will be a jam-packed, entertaining, two hours of celebrity, music, comedy and heartwarming profiles of our clients and our work, we can’t lose sight of our goal — to raise $1 million in just one night,” said Ayoub. “Because of increasing demand and skyrocketing fuel and food costs, it costs us $1 million more to serve L.A.’s critically ill this year than it did last year. We are trusting the sponsorships and donations made by viewers during Lead with Love 3 to bridge that gap.”

Since premiering in June 2020, Lead with Love has raised $2 million for Project Angel Food’s work of feeding critically ill men, women and children in Los Angeles County. The organization prepares and delivers more than 1.2 million medically tailored meals each year.

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Oprah Winfrey has been tapped to kick

What to Watch


By Josh Sorokach

Cooper Raiff has blossomed into a virtuosic writer/director. The multi-hyphenate’s debut film Shithouse was one of my favorite movies of 2020 and his newest offering, Cha Cha Real Smooth, is an earnest exploration of post-college aimlessness. Starring Dakota Johnson, Vanessa Burghardt, Evan Assante, Leslie Mann, Brad Garrett, Raúl Castillo, and the aforementioned Raiff, the film follows Andrew (Raiff), a Bar Mitzvah party host who strikes up a friendship with a mother and her autistic daughter. An effervescent blend of sophisticated humor and sincerity, Cha Cha Real Smooth adds an undefinable zest to the shopworn coming-of-age genre.

Photo: Apple TV+

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By Josh Sorokach Cooper Raiff has blossomed into a

TV

Paramount+ today announced that its critically acclaimed original series, EVIL, was renewed for a fourth season. The first four episodes of season three of EVIL are currently available to stream. New episodes of the 10-episode third season drop weekly on Sundays, exclusively on Paramount+.

“EVIL continues to expand its fanbase of both critics and viewers alike; season three currently has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and it is a consistent top-five most-watched original series and acquisition driver for the service,” said Nicole Clemens, president, Paramount+ Original Scripted Series. “We couldn’t be more excited to be terrified by what Robert and Michelle create for season four with our outstanding cast bringing it to life.”

EVIL is a psychological mystery that examines the origins of evil along the dividing line between science and religion. Season three of EVIL began moments after the end of season two: when a newly ordained David and Kristen kiss. The two not only have to navigate this fraught new reality but contend with David’s involvement with “the entity,” an espionage unit within the Catholic church. Meanwhile, Ben finds his brain breaking from their unsolved cases and turns to his sister for help.

EVIL stars Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, Christine Lahti, Kurt Fuller, Andrea Martin, Brooklyn Shuck, Skylar Gray, Maddy Crocco, and Dalya Knapp.

Courtesy of Paramount+ and CBS

EVIL is produced by CBS Studios in association with King Size Productions. Robert King, Michelle King, Liz Glotzer, Rockne S. O’Bannon, and Nelson McCormick serve as executive producers. The series is distributed internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

“Evil” Is a Top Five Most-Watched Original Series and Acquisition Driver for Paramount+

The First Four Episodes of Season Three of “Evil” Are Currently Available to Stream on Paramount+; New Episodes Drop Weekly on Sundays.

About Paramount+

Paramount+ combines live sports, breaking news and a mountain of entertainment. The premium streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. The service is also the streaming home to unmatched sports programming, including every CBS Sports event, from golf to football to basketball and more, plus exclusive streaming rights for major sports properties, including some of the world’s biggest and most popular soccer leagues. Paramount+ also enables subscribers to stream local CBS stations live across the U.S. in addition to the ability to stream other live channels: CBS News Network for 24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis and ET Live for entertainment coverage.

About CBS Studios

CBS Studios is one of the world’s leading suppliers of entertainment programming, with more than 60 series currently in production for broadcast and cable networks, streaming services and other emerging platforms. The Studio’s expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, which includes genre-defining franchises such as “NCIS,” “CSI” and the ever-growing “Star Trek” universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, as well as an extensive library of iconic intellectual property. The Studio also develops and produces local language and international content originating outside of the U.S. with series in the U.K., Europe, the Middle East and Australia.

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Paramount+ today announced that its critically acclaimed

TV

“The Review” was retooled to be a 20-minute one-shot just “two or three weeks” before it was filmed, the series star tells IndieWire.

[Editor’s note: This story contains spoilers from Episodes 7 and 8 — the Season 1 finale — of FX’s “The Bear” on Hulu.]

Too much Italian beef can be bad for your heart, and probably so is Episode 7 of FX’s “The Bear” on Hulu. The frantic 20-minute episode was filmed in one shot (the cast did four or five takes of it, we’re told) on the FX production’s soundstage (only the show’s pilot was filmed in a real restaurant), spanning the front and back of the fictitious — and tight on space — Original Beef of Chicagoland.

The episode, titled “Review,” opens on a stellar newspaper critique of a dish that was never meant to be consumed, let alone appraised. The in-kitchen optimism soon gives way to the horrifying reality that the staff does not have the time, the manpower, or even the meat to meet the overwhelming number of orders pouring in via a mistakenly left-open preorder to-go system. Increased demand from the strong review made it a bad day to implement entirely new tech. Eventually, two chefs (they all call each other “chef;” it’s a sign of respect) quit, one gets stabbed by another, and main character Carmine Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) eats donut off the floor.

Along for the ride, mark this writer down for claustrophobia, anxiety — all the things. Series creator Christopher Storer probably wasn’t feeling any less stressed in the making of the single-take episode than we were in the viewing of it. The staff on “The Bear” (and the storyline staff of the future family-style restaurant, The Bear) didn’t plan to do Episode 7 as a one shot “until maybe two or three weeks before it was scheduled,” series lead White told IndieWire.

(Here, we should point out that, like the Goldilocks fairytale, there are technically multiple bears in “The Bear.” There’s Carmine, his brother Michael (Jon Bernthal) who died by suicide and left fine-dining chef Carmy the struggling Windy City sandwich joint, and their sister Sugar (Abby Elliott) — The Berzattos. Then there is the restaurant reopening we’ll be served if we get a Season 2, when The Original Beef of Chicagoland would be reopened as The Bear. Insert your own easy Chicago Bears joke here if you need more.)

Courtesy of FX

So Storer (“Ramy”) and executive producer Joanna Calo (“BoJack Horseman”) “pretty much” rewrote the entire “Review” script, White said. Not that that was a bad thing.

“We were able to start at the beginning, which I think helped,” White explained. “They still managed to keep all of the important story points in place for [Episode 7], but they wrote it as a blueprint to allow us to shoot it in one shot. That was very important, obviously, for it to start with the words.”

And that’s exactly how the cast started with the retooled rehearsals: with just the words.

“We read it out loud a couple of times, just kind of all sitting, making sure it all sounded correct. Trying to time it out a little bit, just for words, without anything else,” White said. “And then we put it up on its feet with our scripts in hand like you would on stage.”

While the performances of Allen, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach shine in “The Review,” perhaps the real star of Episode 7 is Gary Malouf. But don’t go searching IMDb to figure out who he is: Malouf is the show’s camera operator who had probably the most daunting task of everyone involved. A walkthrough with Malouf’s camera let Storer, Calo, and everyone else see “what was possible” and “what was not possible,” in White’s words.

Based on the final fare, apparently, quite a lot as possible. But White’s favorite part of the finished product is not so much what they did, but why they did it.

Making a long scene or even an entire TV episode or a film in one shot is “all really impressive and it’s very cool,” he said. “But I’ll say from my perspective in film and television, oftentimes, I don’t know how much a single shot actually lends itself to the story. It’s kind of like: We’ve got a lot of money, we’ve got a lot of time, we can do this, it will be really impressive. And it is impressive. But I think in our case, it really lends itself to the story and where the characters are at because the tension is building so quickly we don’t give the audience a break from it. There’s no reprieve — it’s consistent.”

After having watched “Review” twice, this writer needs a drink of Jeppson’s Malört — the iconic Chicago bäsk liquor that has a billboard atop The Original Beef of Chicagoland (the on-set signage is a “tip of the hat” for Cook County residents, White believes). Or perhaps something that tastes much, much better.

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"The Review" was retooled to be a