Lethbridge, Alta., residents woke up to a blast of cold from old man winter on Tuesday morning.
For some drivers, the first significant snowfall of the season proved to be a challenge.
With slick roads and decreased visibility, motorists are being reminded to slow down.
Owner of Drivers Edge, Mona Delaney, says there are several tips drivers should consider when navigating the streets.
“We need to remember to clear our cars off completely, the roof, the hood, everything,” said Delaney.
“Then I think it’s important to adjust your driving… Following distances need to be way further back, you need to have way bigger following distances and that’s the number of causes of casualty collisions, is following too closely.”
1st snowfall of season in Edmonton area leads to delays and collisions
City of Lethbridge transportation operations manager Juliane Ruck shared that sentiment, especially when it comes to snow-clearing vehicles.
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“It’s very important to stay back at least five car lengths away from our plows,” explained Ruck. “There are lots of blind spots when you operate this big equipment.”
On Monday night, snow and ice control crews were out plowing and sanding priority one routes including Whoop Up, Mayor Magrath and University drives.
In total, 19 operators are split between morning and evening shifts, working around the clock to clear the roads.
“We are always looking for ways to improve and being better in what we are doing. Our operators are all very experienced and they are dedicated to keeping this community on the move,” said Ruck.
Calgary roads still slippery as snow warning comes to an end
The city is implementing Phase 2 of its snow and ice control efforts, which includes more residential plowing but less snow removal.
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Snow routes will once again be activated during heavy snow events, those come with temporary parking restrictions with enforcement.
In the meantime, drivers are reminded to be patient and drive with the required amount of caution in the snowy, cold months ahead.
Skydance Television has added Shelley Zimmerman and David Wolkis to its executive team in an effort to strengthen its creative development and physical production teams.
Zimmerman will serve as executive vice president and head of development, while Wolkis will serve as senior vice president of physical production.
In her new role, Zimmerman will be responsible for sourcing material, developing and packaging projects, maintaining oversight of overall deals, and shepherding series through all phases of production. Meanwhile, Wolkis will help oversee physical production on Skydance Television’s slate of series, including production finance and post-production.
Zimmerman will report to Skydance Television president Matt Thunell, while Wolkis will report to Physical Production executive VPg Drew Brown.
Most recently, Zimmerman served as president of television for Kerry Ehrin’s (“The Morning Show” and “Bates Motel”) Bad Attitude Entertainment, where she ran development and production.
Prior to Bad Attitude, she served as executive vice president of the live-action studio for Awesomeness and Nickelodeon, where she produced the Daytime Emmy Award-winning series “Trinkets” for Netflix and Hulu’s Emmy Award-nominated series “Pen15,” among others. Before Awesomeness, she worked at Warner Horizon as senior vice president of scripted programming, overseeing series including “Pretty Little Liars” on Freeform and TNT’s “Dallas.” Before that, she developed “Smallville,” “One Tree Hill,” and “What I Like Abot You” as president of television development at Tollin/Robbins Productions.
Meanwhile, Wolkis most recently served oversaw production of Annapurna Pictures’ television and features as executive vice president and head of physical production. He previously spent over 20 years at WarnerMedia, overseeing production for all scripted and unscripted originals for TNT, TBS and truTV including late- night, game shows and series of all genres.
Skydance Television’s credits include “Grace and Frankie,” Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Fubar,” “Foundation,” “The Big Door Prize” “Condor,” “Cross,” “Reacher” and “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.”
Kristen Chenoweth and Indina Menzel know there are rumors of their contentious relationship backstage of “Wicked,” and they addressed them once and for all in an interview looking back 20 years out at the storied Broadway musical.
Speaking jointly in a retrospective interview with Vulture published Tuesday, the two stage stars said that they were well aware at the time of their competing 2004 Tony Award campaigns for lead actress in a musical that the press and fans were pitting them against each other.
“Some people enjoyed the rumors, too,” Chenoweth said. “If I could go back in time, I’d be like, ‘I know what y’all are doing. Stop.’
“At one awards presentation, I said to Idina, ‘Can we go out and I’ll have on my neck brace and you have your head wrap and maybe a crutch?’” she continued. “I wanted it to look like we were beating up on each other.”
“Just take the piss out of it all,” Menzel chimed in. “Because then it’s so outlandish.”
Initially responding to Vulture’s prompt that “there were persistent rumors that you were at each other’s necks backstage” after being nominated in the same category, Chenoweth said, “I’d like to speak on this,” and revealed that she had been going through personal turmoil in the heat of the musical’s Broadway success.
“My mom was dealing with cancer. I was emotional and I was thinking about some other things,” she said.
In regards to the Tonys competitiveness, she added that “it’s Elphaba’s story” and she felt “there was no way that I would win.”
“I needed to deal with that part of me,” she said. “I was very emotional. I tried to push it out, I mean, if only people knew.”
“Unfortunately people like to do that to women,” Menzel added. “They can’t be supportive of one another. You have to put all this conflict in there.”
Menzel remembered the power of the two of them coming together as Elphaba and Glinda each night to sing “For Good” — a song featuring reflective lyrics like “I’ve heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn. And we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them, and we help them in return.”
Chenoweth said singing that song was “healing.”
“Whatever was going on in our own lives, it was nice to always be able to come to that at the end of a show,” Menzel said. “We would always look at each other and say, ‘I got you. You got me. We’re making this thing together. We love each other.’ People were saying stuff out there, and we were good at trying to bring it back to the two of us, because that’s all that matters.”
This one is for the “lonely Starbucks lovers” conspiracists. On Tuesday, days before Taylor Swift is set to release her 1989 (Taylor’s Version), the singer shared a photo of what seems to be handwritten lyrics from one of the “From the Vault” tracks on her upcoming record.
“Let’s fast forward to 300 takeout coffees later/I see your profile and your smile on unsuspecting waiters,” a post in Swift’s story reads, in what appears to be lyrics.
On the Instagram Story, she linked to the preorder link for the new album, which is set to feature five completely new songs. Among the tracks are “Slut!,” “Say Don’t Go,” “Now That We Don’t Talk,” “Suburban Legends,” and “Is It Over Now?”
Although she didn’t reveal whether the words she posted are music lyrics, many Swifties seem to believe so. (Swift similarly teased lyrics from 1989 before dropping the LP back in 2014.)
Swift revealed that she’d be releasing the recording of the 2014 album — which features Number One hits such as “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” and “Bad Blood” — during her final stop of the first leg of the Eras Tour at SoFi Stadium.
“You might have noticed there were some new outfits on the show… There’s something I’ve been doing for a really, really ridiculously, embarrassingly long time. I think instead of telling you about it, just show sort of show you,” she said. As she turned towards the screen behind her, the cover of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) appeared, revealing a smiling Swift against a blue sky with birds, echoing the original 1989 cover while making the new version entirely her own.
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The singer has previously shared the “Taylor’s Version” of 1989 tracks “This Love” and “Wildest Dreams” — the former arrived May 2022 after being featured in The Summer I Turned Pretty, while the latter dropped after the song went viral on TikTok in September 2021.
Swift has been re-recording albums from her catalog that came out on Big Machine Records since 2019, when its former owner Scott Borchetta sold the label to music exec Scooter Braun, who previously managed artists including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and J Balvin. Swift told CBS News that year that she had a contentious relationship with Braun and that her intention was to re-record her music so she had control of the masters, since the originals now belonged to Braun. So far, she’s issued “Taylor’s Version” editions of Fearless, Red, and Speak Now — all of which debuted at Number One on Billboard’s albums chart. Red’s “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” won Swift a Grammy for Best Music Video and was a Number One hit despite its length.
Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha’s haldi BTS is doing the rounds on the internet.
Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha had a ball at their haldi ceremony and the video is proof. Watch it here!
Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha’s dreamy royal wedding in Udaipur left all the attendees in awe. The actress recently shared a stunning wedding video with her fans on social media. Now, a month after the lavish celebration, a new video featuring the haldi and choora ceremony has surfaced online.
The recently released video capturing the beautiful haldi and choora rituals of Raghav and Parineeti offers a peek into the events inside the venue. The video begins with a glimpse of the picturesque pre-wedding setup. Parineeti, dressed in a yellow anarkali outfit and a colourful striped dupatta, is seen smiling as various family members assist her in tying the kaleera. Her brother says, “It’s a tough job”.
The setting shifts to Parineeti and Raghav seated together for the haldi ceremony. Parineeti looked stunning in a vibrant rani pink lehenga, while Raghav opted for an elegant off-white bandhgala. Close friends and relatives were seen applying turmeric on Parineeti’s cheeks, as he laughed. During a brief moment, the couple exchanged smiles while looking at each other. In another scene, guests playfully sprayed water on Raghav. Parineeti also participated in the choora and kaleera rituals with her family and friends, shaking a leg together. The highlight of the video was when she planted a kiss on Raghav’s cheeks.
Before their two-day lavish celebration in Udaipur, Parineeti and Raghav hosted some of their pre-wedding events in Delhi. Activities included a friendly cricket match between the Chopras and Chadhas, as well as a fun three-legged race. The couple’s intimate destination wedding was held on September 24 at The Leela Palace in Udaipur, attended exclusively by close friends and family. Their engagement took place on May 13 at Raghav’s residence in New Delhi.
Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, music and fashion, she…Read More
Nerves are fraying. Relationships are being strained to the breaking point. Words are being wielded like weapons.
In the weeks since Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7 attack on Israel, amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and growing fears of further escalation of the conflict, reverberations and recriminations have spread around the globe to college campuses, corporate boardrooms and the streets of many major cities. And Hollywood, where reality often takes a back seat to fantasy, is no exception.
For the entertainment industry, which has already been roiled this year by a bitter, historic double strike of writers and actors, the outbreak of violence has created a new set of fault lines. On social media, in public statements and within organizations, the ongoing Middle East conflict — like earlier reckonings sparked by the #MeToo movement and the murder of George Floyd — has unleashed wrenching emotions and scrambled long-standing alliances.
Just weeks after resolving its nearly five-month strike, the Writers Guild of America has seen its solidarity fracture in recent days, with hundreds of writers protesting the union’s silence over the conflict and some threatening to resign from the group.
On Tuesday, the guild’s leadership sent an email to its 11,500 members, apologizing for the “tremendous pain” it had caused by not issuing a public statement on the conflict, explaining, “It can be an imprecise science for a labor union to pick and choose where it weighs in on both domestic and world affairs.”
Maha Dakhil attends the 2023 “Kering Women in Motion Award” during the 76th annual Cannes film festival on May 21 in France.
(Mike Coppola / Getty Images)
In another recent flashpoint, Creative Artists Agency on Sunday confirmed that Maha Dakhil, a prominent agent with clients including Tom Cruise, Reese Witherspoon and Madonna, was stepping aside from her leadership roles at the company after she reposted inflammatory comments on Instagram calling Israel’s response to Hamas “genocide.” While many applauded the move, others saw it as a chilling example of free speech being stifled.
“Clearly in Hollywood everybody’s trying to figure out how to deal with this,” says Stephen Galloway, dean of Chapman University’s film school. “It’s an unbelievably hard issue because many people want to support Israel and yet also are horrified by the deaths of innocent Palestinians. Everything now is so fraught.”
Support for Israel has historically been strong in Hollywood; the founding of the country in 1948 was greeted with a jubilant celebration at the Hollywood Bowl, as was its victory in 1967’s Six-Day War. In the wake of the devastating Hamas raids, with more than 1,400 Israeli citizens killed and more than 200 others taken hostage, including young children and elderly women, many in the industry were quick to condemn the violence.
On Oct. 12, more than 700 celebrities and industry leaders, including Gal Gadot, Bryan Lourd, Jamie Lee Curtis and Ryan Murphy, signed an open letter calling Hamas’ actions “evil” and “barbaric.” The Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild issued similar statements.
Meredith Stiehm, president of the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW), arrives for a bipartisan AI insight forum at the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 13.
(Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images)
The writers guild, however, put out no such message, with WGA West President Meredith Stiehm explaining in an email to members that its board found “consensus out of reach” on how to respond to such a contentious issue.
Outraged by the union’s silence, on Oct. 15 more than 300 writers including luminaries like Eric Roth, Matthew Weiner, Jenji Kohan and Amy Sherman-Palladino, signed an open letter, pointing out that the union had weighed in publicly on other causes, such as the #MeToo movement and Black Lives Matter.
“The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people is complex and full of nuance, but the crimes committed on October 7th were simple and cruel,” the letter reads, in part. “If we cannot stand up to call it what it is — a monstrous act of barbarity — then we have lost the plot.”
Marc Guggenheim, a showrunner who signed the letter, said he decided to withhold his dues from the WGA in protest. “As a 23-year member, I’ve never been so disappointed in the guild,” Guggenheim said. “Honestly, that’s shameful. If you can’t reach a consensus on condemning terrorism then what could you possibly reach consensus on?”
Screenwriter Dan Gordon, who served in the Israeli military during 1973’s Yom Kippur War and has written such films as “Wyatt Earp” and “The Hurricane,” said Tuesday that he will resign his membership in WGA West and give up his voting rights in the union.
“The failure of the Guild’s leadership to issue even the mildest condemnation of the worst massacre of a religious minority in the Middle East since ISIS carried out similar atrocities against the Yezidis is appalling,” Gordon wrote in a letter to WGA West staff. “It is corrosive to me as a writer and repugnant to every fiber of my being as a person of conscience … I no longer wish to be a fellow traveler with those who hide behind the fetid veil of a morally bankrupt wokeism and stand silent in the face of unadulterated evil.”
Speaking to The Times, Gordon said the guild has been at the forefront of difficult moral issues, including against McCarthyism in the 1950s.
“It’s what writers do,” he said. “It’s part of our raison d’être to take moral stands in the world for things that that demand those stands, and at the very least, not to be silent.”
In its Tuesday email, guild leaders tried to tamp down the furor, writing, “When we made the difficult choice not to make a statement, it was not because we are paralyzed by factionalism or masking hateful views. We are American labor leaders, aware of our limitations and humbled by the magnitude of this conflict. However, we understand this has caused tremendous pain and for that we are truly sorry.”
Not all writers thought it necessary for the WGA to weigh in. Alex O’Keefe, who has written for the FX series “The Bear,” argued that the WGA, which recently signed a new contract with the major film and TV studios, should focus on helping its members get back to work.
“The WGA doesn’t have a standing army and the concern of our union should be helping rebuild our careers and protecting our free speech,” O’Keefe said. “When one writer gets silenced, we are all quieter. Our voices are all dim.”
Even as many have come to Israel’s defense, others in the entertainment industry have used their voices to highlight the plight of innocent Palestinian civilians trapped under fire, reviving debates that divided Hollywood in 2014 over Israel’s incursion into Gaza, which sparked seven weeks of deadly fighting in the region.
On Oct. 17, the group Artists for Palestine UK issued an open letter with more than 2,000 signers, including actors Tilda Swinton, Steve Coogan and Charles Dance, calling for “an end to the unprecedented cruelty being inflicted on Gaza” and calling Israel’s actions “war crimes,” while making no mention of Hamas.
Another open letter released in recent days, signed by dozens of celebrities including Cate Blanchett, Joaquin Phoenix, Jon Stewart, Ramy Youssef and America Ferrera, urged President Biden to call for an immediate ceasefire. “Half of Gaza’s two million residents are children, and more than two thirds are refugees and their descendants being forced to flee their homes,” the letter said. “Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them.”
Dave Chappelle addresses guests during a screening for “Dave Chappelle Live in Real Life” at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter on Feb. 7 in Sydney, Australia.
(Don Arnold / Getty Images for Pilot Boy)
Controversial comedian Dave Chappelle drew fire when he weighed in on the conflict last week during a stand-up show in Boston, reportedly spurring some audience members to walk out after he criticized the Israeli government for cutting off water and other resources to the Gaza Strip.
“As a comedian and satirist, he has to navigate the complexities of competing truths, presenting perspectives that can be both thought-provoking and challenging,” a Chappelle spokeswoman told The Times on Monday.
The war has been a particularly thorny issue within talent agencies, as clients and their representatives grapple with opposing views.
After her inflammatory repost from an account called Free Palestine stirred anger and accusations of antisemitism, CAA’s Dakhil, whose client list also includes Israeli-born Natalie Portman, deleted it and offered an apology for using “hurtful language.”
“I’m so grateful to Jewish friends and colleagues who pointed out the implications and further educated me,” Dakhil said in a statement to Variety.
CAA’s swift move to remove Dakhil from her role as co-head of the motion picture department for the time being and as a member of the agency’s internal board quickly drew its own backlash.
“It’s incredibly dangerous that we are not responding with more outrage to companies that are basically trying to control the political views, the values of Americans, in this way,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now, a think tank focused on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.
Among some writers of color, Dakhil’s exit from her leadership positions is a blow, as she was known for championing underrepresented voices in Hollywood. If such a downfall could happen to a top agent like her, they worry what kinds of protections could be offered to them, particularly given recent turnover in diversity and inclusion leadership at studios.
“She’s made an example of,” said one writer of color who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.
Members of the WGA, SAG-AFTRA and DGA have circulated another petition expressing concern about the “recent pressure campaigns by certain high-profile members of our guilds to issue statements in support of Israel amidst its ongoing siege of Gaza.” That petition was signed only with people’s initials, which one writer said was because of concerns about potential backlash.
Ultimately, Galloway says, for all of the passion and fury currently roiling the industry, the conflict between Israel and Hamas is simply beyond the ability of even Hollywood’s most powerful players to effect meaningful change.
“The entire world is like a tinderbox and one little lit match can set everything on fire,” Galloway said. “People who negotiate deals for a writer’s contract or an actor’s contract are not the people who should be leading the way in solving these problems.”
Supernatural ghost stories have been a staple subgenre of horror cinema for decades. One could argue it all started with the massive success of the shocking and acclaimed 1973 film The Exorcist. Since then, a litany of movies in the same vein have been produced, and except for a few, such as Poltergeist in 1982 and Paranormal Activity in 2007, not many have been up to snuff. However, The Conjuring, released in 2013, offered a fresh new take on the classic haunted house story. Spearhead by horror legend James Wan, The Conjuring was a surprise hit at the box office and helped kick off a new age of paranormal haunted horror.
Drawing parallels from concepts of demonic possessions, exorcisms, supernatural events, and haunted places or houses, The Conjuring turned real-life haunted events (as investigated by the Warrens) into a fascinating and enthralling cinematic universe. Nobody could have guessed that The Conjuring would kick-start the MCU of horror franchises, but since then, it has become a successful cinematic universe.
Update October 24, 2023: This article has been updated with more facts about The Conjuring franchise, as well as updates following the digital release of The Nun 2.
With nine films released so far, The Conjuring franchise has attracted audiences with its unique take on multiple terrifying characters co-existing in the same universe, as well as its excellent throwback aesthetics and great jump scares. What started as an adaptation of discoveries by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren has now expanded into multiple spin-offs, prequels, and two direct sequels. The Conjuring franchise is now the highest-grossing horror movie franchise of all time at $2.13 billion worldwide.
The franchise’s films have mostly received critical success, while some have been received with mixed to negative responses. All the movies have left their mark on fans, keeping the franchise’s success intact while keeping the audience instigated and encouraged for more of James Wan’s horror creations. The fourth entry in the main Conjuring franchise will be titled The Conjuring: Last Rites. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga will reprise their roles as Ed and Lorraine Warren, respectively. No release date has been set. In addition, a new Conjuring series has been announced for Max. Here are all nine installments of The Conjuring Universe ranked:
Annabelle Wallis, Alfre Woodard, Michelle Romano, Eric Ladin, Tony Amendola, Ward Horton
Rating
R
Genres
Horror
Coming in last is the 2014 installment, Annabelle. The first spin-off of the franchise and a prequel to The Conjuring, or, say, a prequel to the introductory sequence of The Conjuring, didn’t turn out to be the scary tale its predecessor promised. The story of how the weird Raggedy Ann doll ended up with the nurses from the first film (who eventually hand over the doll to the Warrens) and what intentions it holds couldn’t match the hype the first film of the franchise has generated. Annabelle wasn’t really an origin story, and thus, its mid-setting in the universe couldn’t just fit well at that time when the franchise had hardly kicked up.
The film, though frightening to some extent, failed to capture the true demonic essence of the said doll. Though Annabelle wasn’t able to keep the critics at the edge of their seats, the success of the first film played to its benefit. The movie was highly profitable as it made somewhere close to $260 million at the box office against a budget of approximately $7 million. The commercial success of the film led Warner Bros. to eventually approve a sequel and green-light new projects centered around the Warrens and the demonic creatures discussed in the first film.
Linda Cardellini, Patricia Velasquez, Raymond Cruz, Sean Patrick Thomas, John Marshall Jones, Madeleine McGraw
Rating
R
Genres
Horror
Next is the 2019 film The Curse of La Llorona. Diving away from more explicit connections to the universe, this next chapter in the Conjuring universe was made as a standalone film with only a minor connection to The Conjuring or Annabelle in the form of Tony Amendola’s Father Perez who appeared in the 2014 prequel, Annabelle. The film, directed by Michael Chaves, set in 1973 Los Angeles, explored the Latin American folklore of The Weeping Woman. The film lacked the unpredictability of the other Conjuring movies.
Just like Annabelle, the film didn’t deliver a proper origin story to the folklore of La Llorona, and the occasional jump scares didn’t fulfill what it takes to be a horror film of the same stature as The Conjuring. Linda Cardellini gave an optimistic and hopeful performance, but the way the script was constructed didn’t get to a satisfying conclusion to the story, even though the background story had too much potential. While The Curse of La Llorona made back its budget, it is the lowest-grossing entry in the franchise. It even grossed less than The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, which was released during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Demián Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons, Ingrid Bisu, charlotte hope
Rating
R
Genres
Horror, Mystery, Thriller
In what might be the most controversial ranking on the list is The Nun. The film is notably the worst-reviewed entry in the franchise on Rotten Tomatoes among critics and audiences alike. The movie was released in 2018 and is a prequel to The Conjuring 2. It’s an origin story for the demonic entity Valak while also shaping the starting point of The Conjuring universe. The film, set in 1952, follows a young novitiate Irene, who joins Father Burke in an investigation concerning a suicide committed by a nun in a Romanian monastery.
Starring Taissa Farmiga (who happens to be Vera Farmiga’s sister, the actress who plays Lorraine Warren), the film delved into Valak’s history and background. Though the film was negatively received, the progression of the story was intriguing, while the dark tone and shady setting served the film’s scary aspect well. Yes, it’s true that the film lacked the scares and probably wasn’t horrifying, but The Nun carries its themes to its conclusion. And since The Conjuring 2 was a great introduction to the said demonic entity, getting to know its backdrop better shall make one curious.
Having The Nun among the likable entries of The Conjuring Universe could meet with conflicting opinions, but it’s not entirely derivative, and it also gives a nice callback to the franchise’s first film, thus culminating in a complete, remarkable narrative. Although the movie was a critical failure, it’s still the highest-grossing film of the franchise worldwide, grossing $365 million on a budget of $22 million.
Bonnie Aarons, Taissa Farmiga, Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell, Jonas Bloquet
Genres
Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Valak the Demon has proven to be one of the most popular antagonists in the franchise. While the first film was critically panned by audiences and critics, a second entry was greenlit by Peter Safran in 2019. James Wan would only be involved as producer, just like the first entry, with Michael Chaves taking over directing duties. The story, written by Akela Cooper and Ian Goldberg, sees the demonic presence return four years after being defeated in Saint Cartha’s monastery.
In The Nun II, Sister Irene, one of the survivors of the last confrontation with Valak, begins to have visions of a man asking to be saved. Irene goes to the region of Tarascon to investigate a series of deaths at multiple monasteries with Sister Debra. Valak begins to haunt Irene as she looks for a relic of a woman named Saint Lucy, who has the power to vanish Valak to hell again. As with the previous entry, the film was made on a tight budget of $38 million but earned a respectable $262.8 million at the box office, so we’ll likely get a third entry.
Mckenna Grace, Madison Iseman, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Katie Sarife, Paul Dean
Rating
R
Genres
Horror
Next up is 2019’s Annabelle Comes Home, which takes place between The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2. The film brought back the Warrens to the series to face an old threat returning to their home. The movie is set about two years after The Conjuring is focused on the demonic doll mistakenly unleashed in Warren’s home, putting their daughter Judy and her babysitters in danger. Surprisingly, Annabelle Comes Home turned out to be a satisfying inclusion to the franchise, with debut director Gary Dauberman doing a great job in scratching out a remarkable story from the minute details of the franchise in his co-written screenplay with franchise creator James Wan.
The movie didn’t try to recreate what its predecessors did and took its own road while using a well-known subplot. While the story wasn’t as scary or well-portrayed as James Wan’s Conjuring films, it also wasn’t an installment that one would likely forget about. There could be some reservations about the way ghosts and demons were included in the script (especially the Black Shuck’, which wasn’t noteworthy), but overall, it proved to be a nice story to add to the longer franchise. Despite mixed critical reception, the film did well at the box office and performed better than the other toy-themed horror film that summer, Child’s Play.
The Warrens investigate a murder that may be linked to a demonic possession.
Release Date
June 4, 2021
Director
Michael Chaves
Cast
Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Sterling Jerins, Charlene Amoia, Mitchell Hoog, Julian Hilliard
Rating
R
Genres
Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Halfway through the list is the third entry in The Conjuring series, 2021’s The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. It’s a tough call to rank the third Conjuring film. Though the movie was less effective than its predecessor, it gave a tough fight to The Nun and Annabelle: Creation. So it’s better to put it in between the two. The film builds upon a great premise and delivers a chilling suspense-thriller. It puts both Ed and Lorraine in direct danger as they uncover a dark secret. The main story is based on the highly publicized murder trial, while depicting the events that occurred in its backdrop.
Sadly, the movie lacks scares is weaker than the previous two films, and is also more ethically complicated, as Ed and Lorrain Warren profited off of lies and murder for this story. The franchise takes a shift in the time period, horror style, with this entry that didn’t sit well with some audiences. James Wan hands over directing duties to Michael Chaves, and it shows. However, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga offer solid performances with great reflections of their progression as characters in the franchise. Though the film’s terror declines after the first sequence, the movie thrives with its performances, chaotic, nihilistic narrative, and constantly increasing spiteful tension.
Ultimately, it’s great to see that the third film has grown over the haunted-house concept and has delved into a more mysterious tale from Ed and Lorraine’s investigative files. The audience will love the cast performances and the building of suspense. Chaves brilliantly focused on the trial’s backdrop instead of a simple retelling of the publicized courtroom proceedings, which gives the entire story a great perspective to appreciate.
Stephanie Sigman, Anthony LaPaglia, Miranda Otto, Alicia Vela-Bailey, Talitha Bateman, Lulu Wilson
Rating
R
Genres
Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Coming in towards the top is a crucial film in the franchise from 2017, Annabelle: Creation. This installment corrected the mistake the franchise made with Annabelle, finally giving the viewers the origin story of the demonic porcelain doll everyone wanted. Set after The Nun in the year 1955, the film delved into what got Annabelle to become a medium for a demon to enter the mortal world in the first place.
The suspense and thrill director David F. Sandberg achieved through the gritty colors, shadow-strewn lighting, and efficient editing to induce horror, making the film a worthy origin tale and finally getting the franchise a long-awaited critical success. The shot composition allows for an immersive experience for the viewers, psychologically connecting them to the camera movements, making every scare closer to the viewer.
Led by some incredible performances from child actors, Annabelle Creations managed to surprise everyone who had written off this subset of the franchise after the first film. The jump scares were perfectly set in the film, and the story itself was quite interesting and provided a much richer background to the Annabelle doll. The film was well-received critically and eventually paved the way for director Sandberg to enter mainstream cinema direction, as he landed the DCEU’s Shazam!while making this film.
Stream on MAX
2 The Conjuring 2 (2016)
The Conjuring 2
Release Date
June 10, 2016
Director
James Wan
Cast
Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Madison Wolfe, Frances O’Connor
Rating
R
Genres
Horror, Mystery, Thriller
The Conjuring 2, released in 2016, comes in near the top of the list. The third installment of the franchise saw James Wan return to the director’s chair. The film also saw the lead actors Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as the Warrens, leading another paranormal investigation, this time in England. The film definitely did receive all the praise and was a perfect sequel (which also got the franchise’s critical reputation after Annabelle was poorly received). However, there were just little areas where it felt less frightening and creative than the first movie.
The film had a promising plot, and once again, James Wan had managed to add terrifying sequences powered by impressive sound mixing; however, it wasn’t as much of a lightning bolt as its predecessor. What carried the movie to a successful ending and subsequent positive reception was Vera Farmiga’s impeccable performance. The film dug deeper into Lorraine’s emotional instability caused due to her clairvoyant experiences. That’s why, even though the film’s narrative and story lacked the same thrill and suspense as The Conjuring, the acting performances made up for its slow build-up.
Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston, Shanley Caswell, Hayley McFarland
Rating
R
Genres
Horror, Thriller
Taking the top spot, The Conjuring is the foundation film of James Wan’s successful horror franchise and remains the best film in its titular cinematic universe. The Conjuring at the time proved to be the perfect horror story audiences were looking for. It gave goosebumps and nightmares to viewers and proved to be a long-awaited success. While being a self-contained story, the movie leaves plenty of room for potential franchise growth. Knowing that the lead characters were based on real people, Wan didn’t hesitate to dive into their psychology and the backdrop of their paranormal work.
There were details indicating the calculative and legal process behind Warren’s “demonology,” where they use scientific equipment to determine the presence of the supernatural while keeping the Church in the loop. Wan also left breadcrumbs of the couple’s past work in these details, such as the forbidden room at Warren’s place, filled with demonic artifacts. There was an entire supernatural atmosphere that Wan created so that all those stories made sense to the viewers.
Wan also demonstrated a knack for well-written jump scares, timed perfectly with the correct sound effects, something which was directly adapted into further installments and recreated in other horror films as well. This is what made The Conjuring the most terrifying film of the franchise, validating its number one spot on this list or any other list ranking the films of the franchise.
Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo has confirmed that it will be reprinting its Metal Gear line of t-shirts.
The company released a variety of Metal Gear shirts in 2009 and 2012, but Uniqlo’s typical policy is to only sell its licensed shirts for a set period then retire them.
However, today – to mark the release of Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1, Uniqlo has confirmed that it will be bringing back its Metal Gear line.
A total of six shirt designs will be sold, with the current plan being to start selling them in late January.
The shirts will be released as part of the UT Archive range, in which Uniqlo reprints some of its most popular collaborative lines.
Uniqlo has yet to confirm whether these shirts will be sold outside of Japan. However, the retailer frequently sells its collaboration shirts in its global stores, including those in the UK, US, Canada and Europe.
As a Japanese retailer with an emphasis on popular culture designs, Uniqlo has frequently collaborated with video game companies for limited run shirt lines.
Previous Uniqlo collaborations have included Pokémon, Super Mario, Monster Hunter, Final Fantasy, Namco, Splatoon and Street Fighter.
The vast majority of these designs have made their way to western stores shortly after their release in Japan.
The game contains re-releases of the first three Metal Gear Solid games, as well as the original MSX2 versions of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2, and the NES games Metal Gear and Snake’s Revenge.
It also includes further additional content, including digital graphic novels, screenplay books and master books with story and character information, strategy guides for each game and a digital soundtrack.
Within a week of the 146-day Writers Guild of America strike ending, all seven writers in the Paramount Writers Mentoring Program for 2022-2023 have landed jobs.
“Now that writers’ rooms have resumed, our ParamountWriters Mentoring Program has demonstrated remarkable success, with all seven 2022-2023 season participants securing staff positions in a matter of days. This achievement highlights the invaluable support, guidance and exposure the Mentoring Program provides to emerging writers,” said Marva Smalls, executive vice president and global head of inclusion at Paramount, in a statement. “We’re incredibly excited for their future prospects and remain ever committed to diversity and inclusion in the television industry.”
Camille D’Elia has been staffed on “CSI: Vegas,” India Gurley on “Fire Country,” Daniela Labi on “S.W.A.T,” Kahlil Maskati on “So Help Me Todd” and Lizzie Perrin on “Matlock.” Edith Rodriguez is working on an unannounced series, and Teresa Tuan is writing for “Watson Independent,” which is currently in development.
The eight-month program, helmed by the Paramount Office of Global Inclusion, offers selected writers mentorships, career development and support. The writers are paired with an executive from the Paramount studio brands — including Paramount Television Studios, CBS Studios and CBS Television Network — whom they meet with regularly to discuss and receive feedback on their work, in addition to career advice
“The Paramount Writers Mentoring Program has proven to be a force for change in our company and the industry at large,” said Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i, executive vice president of diversity and inclusion, West Coast, Paramount. “Our robust alumni network and supportive Paramount executives continue the legacy of fostering emerging writers by offering exposure, access and opportunity as they establish their careers. We trust that these seven talented creatives will follow in the footsteps of our previous classes, who have staffed numerous shows.”
The writers were chosen from a pool of over 1,000 applicants from various creative backgrounds, with some previously serving as production assistants on shows like “The Cleaning Lady” and “S.W.A.T.” Alumni of the mentoring program have worked on shows such as “Snowfall,” “The Walking Dead” and “Bridgerton.”
There was a palpable buzz in the air at the Fenty Beauty Experience in New York City last week. Like anything Rihanna puts her name to, the event was executed to perfection; activations included foundation shade-matching, makeup bag customizations, and a holiday gifting station, where influencers and editors snapped photos between bites of soft pretzels and chocolate chip cookies.
But the experience’s biggest draw was access to Fenty Beauty’s renowned experts, including Priscilla Ono, Fenty Beauty Global Makeup Artist and Rihanna’s go-to pro. Ono led a makeup master class focusing on the new Eaze Drop Blur + Smooth Tint Stick, demonstrating to both her in-person and virtual audience on TikTok how to get a glowing look using Fenty products. Of course, she revealed makeup secrets along the way, including one in particular about how to best use a makeup sponge. (Spoiler: I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time.)
Priscilla Ono at a Fenty Beauty event.Mark Ganzon/Getty Images
“I completely submerge them with water and then I wring them out completely so there’s not even a drop left inside, and then I wrap them in a paper towel, so they’re just damp,” explains Ono. “You don’t want them too wet because that can separate your makeup, and you don’t want them too dry because that can take some of your makeup off.”
She says the sponge “has to be that perfect dampness. There’s a science to it.”
Eaze Drop Stick Blur + Smooth Tint Stick Foundation
Precision Makeup Sponge 100
But that wasn’t the only trick Ono shared. When it comes to makeup application itself, the pro is a fan of “bouncing” the blender onto the skin, rather than dragging it across. “I think instead of doing that smear back and forth, you want to bounce it on the face because you want it to stay on there,” she says. “I think when you drag it on the skin, you take some of the product off and that’s when you start to get blotchiness.”
PS: We would be remiss if we didn’t remind you to clean your makeup sponges regularly (which you are, right?) as they can harbor bacteria that can a.) cause breakouts and b.) mess with the finish of your makeup—and we simply can’t have that.
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Puppy power is loud and strong, as Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie debuted at $46 million globally. And this month, fans of the heroic pack can watch the film at home starting Oct. 31.
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie will be available to buy on digital to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video next Tuesday. It’s expected to land on Paramount+ after the Paramount Studio’s 45-day theatrical window, putting the approximate streaming release date in mid-November.
Featuring the voices of Taraji P. Henson, Kristen Bell, Kim Kardashian, Serena Williams, Chris Rock, James Jarsden, Lil Rel Howery, Brice Gonzalez, Mckenna Grace and Christian Convery, the Paramount film follows the four-pawed heroes as they absorb superpowers from a magical meteor that crashes in Adventure City. Of course, it’s not all fortune for the furballs: when their arch-rival, Mayor Humdinger, joined forces with a mad scientist to steal their powers, the heroic pack of pups must stop the supervillains and save their town. (Buy tickets to see the movie in theaters on Fandango here.)
A third Paw Patrol movie is now in the works and set to arrive in theaters in 2026. Like the first two films, Paw Patrol 3 will be directed by Cal Brunker. The franchise follows a pack of six search-and-rescue dogs — Chase, Skye, Rubble, Zuma, Rocky and Marshall — and their team leader, Ryder, a tech-savvy 10-year-old boy.
The animated canine franchise’s first film, Paw Patrol: The Movie, is available to stream on Paramount+ alongside the first seven seasons of the Paw Patrol animated TV series. All 10 seasons of the show are streaming on Noggin.
Below, keep reading for everything you need to know about where and how to watch the Paw Patrol movies and shows online, plus some of the best gifts for Paw Patrol fans.
Where to Watch Paw Patrol 1 and TV Show Episodes Online
As mentioned above, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie will be available to buy on digital on Prime Video for $24.99. It’s expected to be released to stream on Paramount+ in mid-November after Paramount Studios’ 45-day theatrical window.
The first Paw Patrol film as well as the first seven seasons of the show are also streaming on Paramount+, which is $5.99 per month for the ad-supported Essential plan or $11.99 for the ad-free bundle with Showtime. Annual subscribers pay $60-$120 per year, or a savings of 16 percent. New subscribers can watch the first Paw Patrol film for free during the one-week trial period.
All 10 seasons of the Paw Patrol series are available on Paramount Global-owned Noggin, which normally costs $7.99 per month, but new subscribers get 50 percent off an annual subscription and a free 30-day trial by signing up via this link. New Noggin subscribers can watch Paw Patrol episodes for free during that first month.
The Best Paw Patrol Toys and More Gifts for Show Fans
Whether it be the soup and eggs in a Ghibli movie or an elaborate bento box-lunch from a slice-of-life series, few things look more appetizing than a good meal in food-related anime. Given this, it’s no surprise that there is an abundance of quality food-related anime series. Many anime take inspiration from food to inform their characters, for example, Tokyo Mew Mew based its core characters on food items such as strawberries, lettuce, and pudding.
Like a lot of things in anime, cooking is often portrayed as a battle between rivals, competing to create the best dish that will literally knock the diner’s socks off. However, some anime take it slow and focus on the relationships between the chefs and their customers, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the show.
15 Ramen Fighter Miki
Release Year
2006
Number of Episodes
12
Where to Stream It
Tubi
Ramen Fighter Miki is about a young girl named Miki who works for a ramen restaurant and frequently finds herself involved in over-the-top incidents involving her job. As the title suggests, Miki’s antics frequently involve her getting into fights, ultimately adding a bit of action to this gag comedy series. This combination of action, comedy, and of course food gives Ramen Fighter Miki a unique edge in terms of its contemporaries. While it is a relatively simple series, that simplicity is often comforting in the same way that a homemade dish is, making Ramen Fighter Miki one of the best food anime.
14 Campfire Cooking in Another World
Release Year
2023
Number of Episodes
12
Where to Stream It
Crunchyroll
The “my useless skill is secretly overpowered” subgenre of isekai has never been more popular, which is why it’s a surprise that a series like Campfire Cooking in Another World can still find room to make the concept fresh. Campfire Cooking sees a group of Japanese people given magical powers as they’re transported a fantasy world so they can aid a kingdom under siege from demons. The main character, Mukohda, is given the strange power of Online Supermarket which allows him to conjure food from the real world. In addition to the incredible depiction of food, the series is also just a good fantasy story that uses its premise well. As Studio Ghibli proved, food and fantasy go well, which is why Campfire Cooking in Another World ranks among the best food anime.
13 Wakakozake
Release Year
2015
Number of Episodes
12
Where to Stream It
Crunchyroll
Gag series are usually aimed at a younger generation of anime fans, which is why Wakakozake so surprising. The series follows a young salary worker named Wakako who likes to unwind after a tough day at work with food and booze at various locations. Helping sell the jokes related to food and alcohol is Wakako’s unique character design which always enhances the comedy of any situation she’s in. Unlike most food-related anime, Wakakozake isn’t necessarily about the cooking or production of food, but instead about the healing power of eating it, making the series quite a unique food anime.
12 Food Wars: Shokugeki No Soma
Release Year
2015
Number of Episodes
86
Where to Stream It
Crunchyroll, Hulu, HIDIVE
A show that has become synonymous with both food and shonen anime, Food Wars follows Yukihira as he reluctantly enrolls in Totsuki Culinary Institute to become a chef capable of running his father’s diner. Yukihira struggles to fit in amongst the high-class chefs at the institute, who find his past at a diner to be beneath them. However, through food battles (known as shokugekis), Yukihira rises through the ranks to become a top chef. Food Wars has some incredible and intense episodes, as well as endearing characters that make the audience root for them right from the start. Yukihira’s rivalries are fun to watch because we see the rivals’ struggles as well, enabling us to understand them despite wishing for their downfall.
11 Bartender
Release Year
2006
Number of Episodes
11
Where to Stream It
Roku, Freevee, Tubi
Sasakura is a bartending prodigy who can make the best cocktails ever seen. He opens his own bar, Eden Hall, which is super exclusive and requires an invitation to be let in. Characters appear at the bar and are treated to a drink, unloading their problems onto Sasakura and trying to find the best way to deal with their issues. Sasakura helps people throughout the show via his drinks, for example saving a young woman from a con-man by guessing the name of the con man’s drink. However, rather than alcohol, the show focuses more on honesty and creating a good atmosphere to have a conversation, helping people to slow down and consider their options before doing something rash.
10 Yakitate! Japan
Release Year
2004
Number of Episodes
69
Where to Stream It
Funimation
This innovative anime follows Kazuma Azuma as he attempts to create a national bread dish for Japan, since many other countries have one, intending to call his dish “Ja-Pan” (pan being the Japanese word for “bread”). Kazuma’s Solar Hands allow him to ferment bread faster, aiding his technical skills to let him create some brilliant bread throughout the series. The intensity of this anime helps to sell the strange premise, as we are literally watching characters argue over croissants. This anime might be perfect for fans of The Great British Bake Off, due to its lively characters and the weirdly high stakes involved in a single loaf of bread.
9 True Cooking Master Boy
Release Year
2019
Number of Episodes
24
Where to Stream It
Crunchyroll
Set in 19th Century China, and a fictitious era called “The Cooking Wars,” Mao attempts to become a Super Chef to take over his late mother’s restaurant. Mao travels around China learning different techniques and ways of cooking, expanding his skills, and meeting various lively rivals along the way. The series was initially released in 1997 and continued for 52 episodes. New Cooking Master Boy was released in 2019, continuing the story from Mao’s completion of the Guangzhou Special Chef Trials. Mao is the youngest Super Chef in history, and his cooking skills are of an entirely new level.
8 Delicious Party Pretty Cure
Release Year
2022
Number of Episodes
45
Where to Stream It
Crunchyroll
Part of the immensely popular Pretty Cure franchise, Delicious Party Pretty Cure is the rare fusion of magical girl and food anime. The series follows the titular magical girls known as Pretty Cures who team up with four fairies to stop a group of thieves who are attempting to hoard the secrets of cooking all for themselves. Perfect for younger fans of anime with an interest in all things sugary and sweet, Delicious Party Pretty Cure takes all the bright colors and themes of friendship innate to magical girl anime, and mashes it together with some incredibly delicious-looking meals.
7 Isekai Izakaya
Release Year
2018
Number of Episodes
24
Where to Stream It
Crunchyroll
Nobuyuki and Shinobu open Izakaya Nobu on their own terms having turned away from their mysterious past. However, after praying to the shrine in the restaurant, their door suddenly opens up to a parallel fantasy world full of medieval soldiers and giant monsters. Each episode ends with a live-action cooking lesson from Nobu Plus, showing the audience how each dish featured in the episode is made.
The cast of fantastic characters is certainly enough to distract the audience from the obvious product placement and advertisement that the show is trying to sell. The waitress Shinobu often steals the show, becoming one of the best female Isekai protagonists in Nobuyuki’s absence, and sometimes saves the day simply by being kind to people.
6 Ristorante Paradiso
Release Year
2009
Number of Episodes
11
Where to Stream It
Currently unavailable on streaming
Ristorante Paradiso follows Nicoletta, a young woman who travels to Rome to confront her mother for abandoning her. Finding that her mother has started a new restaurant, Nicoletta agrees to stay in Rome and live in an apartment nearby the restaurant. The show has tons of drama packed into its short runtime, with relationship problems and endearing characters keeping the audience entertained throughout.
Although the show may be slow-paced, its cast of characters and delicious food scenes make up for it, propelling the show along with a delightfully sophisticated atmosphere, making it very different from the usual battle-style food anime seen in series like Food Wars.
5 Restaurant To Another World
Release Year
2017
Number of Episodes
24
Where to Stream It
Crunchyroll, Funimation
Western Restaurant Nekoya opens its doors to a parallel world once a week, on a Saturday. Its patrons range from lion-men to demons to dragons, but everyone agrees that Nekoya has the best food in the world. The story mainly follows the demon girl Aletta who, after being rejected from human society, finds a safe place and employment at the Isekai restaurant. This isn’t the funniest Isekai anime, but it has some heartwarming and hilarious moments. Restaurant to Another World is also one of the most laid-back and adorable animes, with sweet characters that all have weird and wonderful backstories that inform their actions.
4 Yumeiro Patissiere
Release Year
2009
Number of Episodes
63 + OVA
Where to Stream It
HIDIVE
Amateur chef Ichigo transfers to the prestigious St. Marie Academy to become a patissiere. Despite her clumsiness and inability to get along with her upper-class classmates, Ichigo proves to be a baking prodigy and stuns everyone regularly with her incredible bakes. Ichigo works hard at improving her skills, practicing throughout the night to get certain recipes right. While she has an innate gift, her friends and the Sweet Spirits that watch over the campus help her enormously, giving her tips and supporting her as she surpasses many people who initially looked down on her.
3 Laid-Back Camp
Release Year
2018
Number of Episodes
25 + 5 OVAs
Where to Stream It
Crunchyroll
A female-led anime that passes the Bechdel Test with ease, Laid Back Camp follows a group of girls in the Outdoor Activities Circle who love to go camping together. The anime is wholesome and adorable, often featuring the girls cooking together, as delicious food is one way to make camping fun. The recipes that the camping girls make are easy and use few ingredients, as it would be difficult to transport lots of different ingredients and utensils to a campsite. One of the tastiest-looking dishes in the show is a medley of steamed vegetables cooked in tin foil over a campfire, which converts a group of disinterested teens into camping enthusiasts.
2 Silver Spoon
Year Released
2013
Episodes
22
Where to Stream it
Funimation
While plenty of anime are about cooking food, and a few are even about eating food, there are relatively few series about the process of making the raw ingredients. Silver Spoon breaks that trend with a hilarious and often heartwarming story about a city boy named Yuugo Hachiken who enrolls in an agriculture school after failing out of his high school entrance exams. What makes Silver Spoon so remarkable is how true to life it is. Silver Spoon and Fullmetal Alchemist creator Hiromu Arakawa grew up on a dairy farm (which is probably why her author avatar is a bespectacled cow), and that real-life history shines through quite well in Silver Spoon, making it one of the best food anime ever made.
1 Sweetness And Lightning
Release Year
2016
Number of Episodes
12
Where to Stream It
Currently unavailable on streaming
Sweetness And Lightning follows a teacher, Inuzuka, whose wife has recently died, and he must step into the role of primary caregiver for his daughter, Tsumugi. However, Inuzuka has a hard time providing adequate meals for his daughter, who prefers home cooking over fast food, and he realizes that he must learn how to cook properly.This anime is an absolutely adorable time, with the heart of the story belonging to the relationship between Inuzuka and Tsumugi. Inuzuka would do anything for his daughter, and watching their bond grow makes this one of the sweetest anime in a very long time.
Any of these stellar anime about food is sure to provide fans with a mouthwateringly good time. Whether fans want a more battle-focused take on the genre or a more laid-back slice-of-life tale, there really is something for everyone. So while food-related anime may not generally be the most popular, the series on this list proves that there is no shortage of great shows in this genre for fans to enjoy.
Jean-Claude Van DammePhoto: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Amazon Prime Video
The Fast & Furiousmovies are all about family, but Vin Diesel is very serious about controlling who is and is not a part of that family. Rita Moreno? Brie Larson? Scott Eastwood? Pull up a chair, grab a Corona. Welcome to the familia. But Dwayne Johnson? You can stand and drink something else until you have atoned for your sins. And now we have another name to add to the list of people who are doomed to be left out in the cold, unable to join the familia at the pre-credits barbecue at the end of the movie: Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Reggie Watts on his new memoir, James Corden, and Jim Carrey
That’s what Van Damme said in a recent interview with The Telegraph, at least, noting that “they” wanted him in a Fast & Furious movie but that Vin Diesel apparently said, “No, I don’t want him.” That, sadly, is the extent of the anecdote, meaning we don’t have any idea what movie this would’ve been for or what kind of character Van Damme could’ve played, but it probably would’ve been one of the more recent entries, where Diesel really started to control everything that happened (or at least that’s the impression that every single behind-the-scenes story gives off).
Could he have been Dom’s brother? He would make the same amount of sense as John Cena. How about the villainous Cipher? Van Damme could pull off Charlize Theron’s weird bowl cut in whichever movie that was. He wouldn’t make a ton of sense replacing Kurt Russell as Mr. Nobody, since he has more of a “Belgian martial artist” vibe than an “American government agent” vibe, but these movies aren’t big on simple logic.
He really could’ve played any character at any point in this series, and he probably should have played at least one by now. Have we ever met Brian’s parents? Jean-Claude Van Damme could come in as Mr. O’Connor, a retired police officer or something who taught Paul Walker’s character everything he knows about saving the world, and Dom and Mia have to track him down to help do whatever in the next movie.
Netflix, the streaming giant, offers a treasure trove of captivating movies and series. In this curated list, we’ve handpicked the 7 best titles that promise to take you on thrilling adventures, tug at your heartstrings, and keep you glued to the screen. These recommendations will have you hitting “Play” and immersing yourself in top-tier entertainment.
Extraction
In search of an endless adrenaline journey jam-packed featuring a few of the most extraordinary action scenes we have witnessed in a while. You should watch the Netflix Original movie series Extraction.
Chris Hemsworth, a Marvel star, plays black ops mercenary Tyler Rake, who has a convoluted past. Rake is hired in every film to save one or more people from hopeless situations. After obtaining the package, he tries to guide them to safety while several criminals, drug dealers, and other individuals try to murder Rake and the people he has freed.
The Peaky Blinders
Yes, the first chapter of Peaky Blinders has that sports betting feature. To wager on horse races, people visit Shelby’s. Gambling and race manipulation are significant themes in the inaugural season. Peaky Blinders isn’t typically lighthearted, and there are more criminal organizations, mobs, fights, shootings, and schemes than you can count in this series.
The Shelby family already owns several casinos, but they want to grow. Subsequently, their exiled father shows up, promising to create a gambling facility and stealing cash from the oldest Shelby kid. Everything swiftly crumbles, but Tommy, the one in charge, has ideas as always. Many references and analogies to casinos were made throughout the movie. If you love gambling, you will find something intriguing and learn one or more skills.
As you delve into the riveting world of Peaky Blinders, with its themes of gambling, horse races, and intricate schemes, you may find your interest piqued by the casino references and the Shelby family’s gambling endeavors. If you are inclined to explore casinos, try your luck online. This way, your entertainment options become endless.
The Irishman
The lengthy, menacing Scorsese film gained notice for its extensive use of effects to make its elderly stars appear younger. It’s an inventive but occasionally annoying choice. However, it’s hard to resist the allure of witnessing Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and Robert De Niro in the same film for what is probably the final time, and this multi-generational, largely satisfying crime drama is a fitting ode to their combined abilities.
The Irishman features Frank Sheeran (De Niro) as he describes his lengthy history with the notorious labor leader Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino) and the Bufalino mafia family. Although it’s a slow movie and nothing near as good as Goodfellas, it’s unquestionably one of the best Netflix productions the streaming site has ever funded.
Cunk On Earth
A satire, Cunk on Earth parodies all anthropology documentaries that are arrogant and have an overly serious presenter. It gets its name from its naive presenter who travels around interviewing specialists and gauging how nice they are. Alternatively, she may enjoy confusing her interview subjects.
Cunk On Earth, the brainchild of writer Charlie Brooker and Morgan, is easily comparable to Sasha Baron Cohen’s output. Nevertheless, Ms. Cunk is a more endearing scamp. Even though Morgan possesses impressive comedic timing, Cunk refrains from subjecting its viewers to overly graphic physical humor.
Ozark
Though it took some time for Netflix’s fans to grow devoted to Ozark, it is now regarded as one of the most popular crime dramas in recent memory. After a botched money-laundering plan, financial expert Jason Bateman relocates his entire household from Chicago to Missouri. The drama and criminality don’t stop with the relocation: local and Mexican criminal groups will be featured in what frequently feels like a darker version of Breaking Bad, which is quite a statement.
Sex Education
To date, Netflix’s biggest, unexpected success is this British dramedy. Both artistically and economically, the series, which centers on a socially anxious adolescent and his sex-therapist mother (played brilliantly by Gillian Anderson), has received accolades for its extreme sex positivity and understated sense of humor.
British humor rarely makes Americans laugh as easily as Sex Education does. Still, the show’s heartwarming message, high school shenanigans reminiscent of John Hughes, and open-minded approach to the discomfort of adolescent sexuality have helped it succeed.
Everything Now
In the surprisingly funny comedy Everything Now, Sophie Wilde captivates viewers. Following a British adolescent (Wilde) as she recovers from an eating disorder and goes back to her high school, Everything Now chronicles her journey toward realizing the things she missed during her rehabilitation. A talented group of people, including Vivienne Acheampong and Lauryn Ajufo, co-star in Everything Now. Their presence adds lightness to the coming-of-age narrative, enabling director Ripley Parker to combine dark comedy with severe yet accessible subjects deftly.
Bottom Line
In the vast realm of Netflix entertainment, we’ve unlocked the door to seven extraordinary titles, each promising a unique journey of thrills, emotions, and immersive storytelling. From the adrenaline-pumping Extraction to the gritty underworld of Peaky Blinders, and the grand ensemble of The Irishman, these shows and movies have left an indelible mark. Cunk On Earth adds a satirical twist to the mix, while Ozark brings a dark narrative that rivals even Breaking Bad. The unexpected gem, Sex Education, redefines comedy, while Everything Now takes us on an unforgettable coming-of-age adventure. Your Netflix queue just got a whole lot more exciting.
Despite a weekslong bombing effort by the Israeli military, which has left thousands dead, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, Ms. Lifshitz described a seemingly well-organized operation, with operatives given special responsibilities, including doctors, guards and medics.
The militants brought her to a large underground hall where they had gathered 25 people, before five from Nir Oz were separated and placed in a room on their own, Ms. Lifschitz said. “We were closely guarded by their guards and a medic. At a certain point a doctor also arrived and made sure that we received our pills and medication,” she said.
Ms. Lifshitz said her captors paid special attention to health of the hostages, providing medication, shampoo and feminine hygiene products. The hostages were fed the same meager provisions their guards ate: a single daily meal of pita bread, two kinds of cheese and cucumber.
“They were very attentive to the sanitary aspect,” she said, “so we don’t get sick on them, God forbid. There was a doctor nearby who would come every two or three days to check in on us. And the medic took the responsibility to bring us medication. If they did not have the exact same medication, they brought us the equivalent.”
In a video documenting Ms. Lifshitz’s handover to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which was filmed and released by the armed wing of Hamas, Ms. Lifschitz appears to grasp one Hamas member’s hands and repeat the Hebrew word “shalom,” meaning goodbye and also peace.
Her grandson, Daniel Lifshitz, said in a televised interview that his grandmother would remain in the hospital for now, adding that she would “need a lot of time to recover from this, even though she looks strong.”
Israel has historically made the return of captives a national priority. In 2011, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners — including Hamas’s current leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar — in exchange for a single Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.
But the country has never faced a crisis in which so many citizens were being held hostage at one time. Hamas has said it is willing to consider releasing “foreign nationalities under temporary custody, as and when security circumstances permit.”
Before Tuesday’s release of Ms. Lifshitz and Ms. Cooper, the group had allowed the release of only two other captives, the dual American-Israeli citizens Judith Raanan and her daughter, Natalie. The Raanans, released on Oct. 20, have not spoken publicly about their ordeal.
Rosie O’Donnell will host the Friendly House “Stronger Together” Annual Awards Luncheon on Oct. 28, which will honor John Paul DeJoria, Yoshiki and Eloise Gene-Black.
DeJoria, a philanthropist, will receive the Person of the Year award, while international musician Yoshiki will be given the Humanitarian Award. Gene-Black will receive the Excellence in Service Award. There will also be a special memoriam tribute to Friendly House alumna Carrie White, a celebrity hairstylist and author.
More than 600 guests will gather at the Beverly Hilton to support Friendly House, the first residential substance abuse recovery program created by women for women. Pierce Brosnan will present at the 33rd annual gala, and “The Masked Singer” winner Bishop Briggs will perform. In addition to lunch, there will also be a live and silent auction at the event, which is chaired by Rika Broccoli and co-chaired by Brandy Ledford.
Friendly House has been on the frontlines of assisting women through their recovery journey for 72 years with its 12-step based program. The program is structured to assist women in “reclaiming their dignity and acquiring the necessary skills, support and resources to maintain a purposeful life,” says the organization’s mission statement. Among the host of services, Friendly House’s therapists and counselors offer a variety of treatments, such as motivational enhancement therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and varied somatic therapies.
Friendly House continues to pursue the empowerment and recovery of women of all racial and ethnic backgrounds and gender experiences, with an emphasis on those from historically excluded communities. One of the organization’s goals is to address racial inequities and mental health disparities in BIPOC and LGBTQ+ populations by offering value based, culturally competent substance abuse treatment regardless of resources, Friendly House says.
A24 spent $35 million to bring “Hereditary” and “Midsommar” director Ari Aster‘s third feature, “Beau Is Afraid,” to life on the big screen. The film flopped at the box office with a global gross just over $10 million and became one of the most divisive releases of the year. In a new interview with Vanity Fair, Aster spoke bluntly about the film’s disappointing reception. While he always knew he was making a polarizing movie, he is still saddened by the public’s refusal to engage with it.
“The film ends on a theater just very gradually emptying out over the credits, with a very indifferent audience. I wasn’t quite ready for just how prophetic that ending was going to be,” Aster said.
“One thing that excites me about ‘Beau’ is that there are certain things that I buried in that film that still haven’t been talked about, and I was kind of disappointed by the way people were maybe engaging with the film on first release because it was very verdict based like, ‘Well, it doesn’t all work.’ It’s like, ‘Well, wait, what doesn’t work?’” he continued. “The film is an experiment in so many ways. Even what he finds up in that attic is a very specific provocation. I’m deliberately blowing up the whole film. People talked about it as a letdown when clearly — yeah, that’s the joke! Interpret this, right?”
“Beau Is Afraid” stars Joaquin Phoenix as an anxiety-raddled loner who sets out on a bizarre odyssey home to see his mother (Patti Lupone). Aster said many clues were put into the background of the film that “tell a whole other story that nobody has brought to me yet,” which somewhat reinforces the film’s inability to register with an audience.
“That’s frustrating because you take the time to put them there and you wonder who’s going to catch them,” Aster told Vanity Fair. “When you make a film like this, it feels in some ways like you’re just pulling yourself inside out. With this film especially as it came out, I felt very protective of it. I’ve said this before, but it’s absolutely my favorite of my own films and I think the furthest I’ve been able to go.”
“I always knew the film was going to be polarizing and it’s designed to be divisive,” Aster continued, commending A24 for letting him make the film he wanted to make at the runtime he needed.
Aster added, “I fantasize about there having been a time during which a film like this might’ve come out and divided audiences, and it would’ve made people excited to go to the theater in order to determine how they felt themselves, as opposed to just people hearing, ‘Oh, the response is all over the board, so I’m not going to bother.’ I knew this film was going to have people hating it or hopefully loving it, and I was hoping that the draw of a debate would be greater, as opposed to the response being something that would ultimately push people away from giving it a shot. So, the film will always be polarizing, but I just hope that people keep finding it.”
Despite the financial disappointment, A24 is sticking with Aster for his next movie, reportedly a Western once again starring Joaquin Phoenix.
“Authenticity” may seem like a broad term, but, for two NBCUniversal Media executives, it’s a specific focus of their work. At the Variety Studio presented by Canva at Advertising Week in New York, Carla Kelly, senior vice president of client partnerships as well as advertising and partnerships, and Chris Rodriguez, senior director of ad sales and creative partnerships development, sat down to discuss how the meaning of “authenticity” applies to their work with clients and in advertising, from diverse representation to individualized programming.
For Kelly, an NBCUniversal Media streaming platform like Peacock presents the opportunity for the company to capitalize on streaming’s popularity. The amount of offerings on the platform also contributes to understanding and respecting audiences’ needs in the entertainment industry.
“For us, when we think about who’s going to streaming, we actually see that younger consumers are choosing streaming,” said Kelly. “We particularly find from a diverse and inclusive standpoint that they’re seeing content that really speaks to them, that represents them.”
Both agreed that “authenticity” is an important aspect of their content. It’s something the company consistently strives for in its partnerships with clients.
“Having diverse people and diverse perspectives makes that just so much easier to deliver on,” Rodriguez expressed. “I have a perspective that somebody who grew up in a different place who’s coming up with these ideas may not necessarily have, so I think coming together in that way ultimately just leads to really great results.”
As for advertising, “authenticity” is a main principle of audience engagement as well. Kelly and Rodriguez stressed that when it comes to data, the team is analyzing audiences’ patterns of consuming content from a more personalized perspective instead of in aggregate.
“Sometimes you feel like you’re talking about books and then all of a sudden you get these ads for books in your feed,” Kelly said. “That’s not what we’re doing. We’re saying, ‘Oh, we know you’ve been interfacing with Peacock, you’ve been watching this kind of programming, you’ve been responding to this, and therefore we’re going to hopefully give you something that might be relevant.”
TIFFCOM, the film market attached to the Tokyo International Film Festival, is set to be more international and more diverse in its first full comeback year after the COVID hiatus. It should also be more pleasant and convenient, having re-located to a more modern venue that is close to the film festival.
“Bringing the in-person market back after four years, my priority was to make sure that TIFFCOM could happen during the festival, not some other time,” said Shiina Yasushi, who has headed the market for ten years. “That meant juggling dates, venue choices and budget.” Tokyo’s limited selection of appropriate venues came with other complications such as being in areas with expensive hotels or difficult transport options.
The new venue at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center in Hamamatsucho, on paper seems ideal. It is a newer building than the old market building in Ikkebukuro, is closer to the new festival venues in the Hibiya-Ginza area and is government- owned. “The Tokyo Metropolitan Government said they wanted to help.”
Surprisingly, perhaps, while foreign visitor registrations have bounced back to pre-COVID levels, the number of Japanese exhibitors is lower. Shiina says that may reflect a slower exhibitor-subsidy cycle within the Ministry of Trade and Industry (METI). Counterbalancing that, the weak Japanese currency has made the country cheaper for many inbound visitors. “Where once the mix was 60-40 in favor of Japanese, this year looks a lot closer to 50-50,” said Shiina.
Those that do come can get a taste of the new Story Market, which launched this year, and specifically focuses on book-to-screen adaptation. The exhibitors are likely to be narrowly focused around Japan’s big four comic book publishers (Kadokawa, Kodansha, Shueisha and Shogakukan), with smaller publishing houses adopting a wait and see approach. But Shiina says that the event still offers key advantages. “Unlike participation at overseas markets, where only sales staff are present, we see that by holding the story market in Tokyo we can also involve editors, publishers and authors. Secondly, this helps differentiate TIFFCOM from other markets. The key words of this event are ‘Japan,’ ‘Manga’ and ‘comic’s’.”
The project market – the fourth to be held under the Tokyo Gap Financing Market banner, but the first to be held as an in-person event – claims a similar logic. “We have tried to make the TGFM reflect Asian taste while also ensuring that we have relevant international investors,” said Shiina. The largest contingents on the buying or finance side hail from France, Italy and China. In total the TGFM hosts 15 development projects, with four locally-sourced from Japan.
These include the latest efforts from Yukihiko Tsutsumi, who directed “20th Century Boys” and “Trick”; Shiraishi Kazuya, director of “The Blood of Wolves” and “Sea of Revival”; Daigo Matsui, known for smashing the genre with his diverse array of contributions; and Junya Okabe with the live-action version of “Getter Robo.”
Shiina’s hypothesis of why companies and projects choose to operate from TIFFCOM reflect multiple Japanese and Asian film industry trends.
“Chinese films are dominant in their home market, but not overseas. Chinese companies may be feeling that dependence on one market is not healthy [and so looking for overseas opportunities],” said Shiina.
Japanese companies face a different set of circumstances. Film production budgets in Japan are already small, but now ancillary markets are shrinking, causing players to look overseas for finance.
“We [in Japan] don’t always have the experience or know-how for that, but markets are a good place to make connections. And among the better-established players, like those Japanese in the TGFM, they may not need overseas finance, but may be looking to find good quality partners who can help them better reach out into international territories.
The growing Japanese interest in international co-productions may also be a generational theme. “[‘Drive My Car’ director] Hamaguchi Ryusuke is leading by example,” said Shiina.
Facing mounting pressure from more than 300 Hollywood screenwriters questioning why it had not publicly condemned the Hamas attack on Israel this month, the Writers Guild of America West sent a letter to its members on Tuesday that sought to explain its silence while also calling the attack “an abomination.”
The letter, signed by the guild’s leadership and viewed by The New York Times, said the reason the union had not issued a statement after the attack on Oct. 7 was not “because we are paralyzed by factionalism or masking hateful views” but rather because “we are American labor leaders, aware of our limitations and humbled by the magnitude of this conflict.”
The guild’s letter acknowledged that it had publicly commented on other situations “which could be characterized as beyond our scope,” but that it had not made any statement following, for instance, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“It can be an imprecise science for a labor union to pick and choose where it weighs in on both domestic and world affairs,” said the letter, which was signed by the president, Meredith Stiehm; the vice president, Michele Mulroney; and Betsy Thomas, the secretary-treasurer.
Still, they added, “We understand this has caused tremendous pain and for that we are truly sorry.”
(The west and east branches of the W.G.A. are affiliated unions with separate leadership that together represent more than 11,000 writers.)
On Oct. 15, a group of screenwriters sent an open letter to the guild asking why it had not publicly denounced the attack on Israel, noting the union had made public statements in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and the #MeToo reckoning. They also noted that other major Hollywood unions had issued statements condemning the attack.
The letter has now been signed by more than 300 writers, including Jerry Seinfeld, Eric Roth (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) and Amy Sherman-Palladino (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”). Some Jewish screenwriters had begun to question whether they should remain part of an organization that they felt did not support them.
Ms. Stiehm’s initial reply to the open letter was an email to inquiring members saying that the lack of response was because “the board’s viewpoints are varied, and we found consensus out of reach.”
The letter on Tuesday, which said the guild’s leadership was “horrified by the atrocities committed by Hamas,” was an attempt to stem the outrage.
“I really appreciate this statement,” said the screenwriter Howard Gordon (“24” and “Homeland”), who added in an interview that the silence from the guild had prompted responses from both Jewish and non-Jewish members ranging from rage to fear to the desire to resign from the organization.
“I hope this letter goes a long way to sort of calming some of it down,” said Mr. Gordon, who signed the open letter to the guild. “Hopefully something constructive comes out of this, which is an acknowledgment of how we combat and confront and talk about antisemitism.”
For Dan Gordon, however, the apology came too late. Mr. Gordon, 76, sent a letter Tuesday morning resigning his membership in the organization, calling its silence “appalling.”
“It is corrosive to me as a writer and repugnant to every fiber of my being as a person of conscience,” wrote Mr. Gordon, who has no relation to Howard Gordon and is best known for “The Hurricane” and “Wyatt Earp.” “I am resigning my membership not because I wish to work on nonunion projects, nor cross any picket line, but because I no longer wish to be a fellow traveler with those who hide behind the fetid veil of a morally bankrupt wokeism and stand silent in the face of unadulterated evil.”
Mr. Gordon’s latest film, “Irena’s Vow” — about a young Polish-Catholic woman during World War II who hid 12 Jews in the basement of a German officer’s house without his knowledge for almost a year — debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
He will change his guild membership status to “financial core,” according to his letter. Under that designation, he will still receive the contract benefits earned by the guild but he will no longer be able to vote or attend any guild meetings. The designation is irreversible and viewed by the guild as an act of disloyalty. The W.G.A. maintains an online list of members who have chosen this status, with a reminder that “Fi-Core is forever.”
Mr. Gordon called Tuesday’s letter from the guild “pusillanimous” and faulted it for not calling for a release of the hostages.
“I don’t retract anything I said,” he added in an interview. “If one cannot condemn, clearly, and without reservation, what Hamas perpetrated, one’s moral compass is absent, not broken.”
Petr Jancarek’s chronicle of the last years of Vaclav Havel’s life, “Havel Speaking, Can You Hear Me?,” screening in its world premiere at the Ji.hlava Intl. Documentary Film Festival, is as naturalistic and down to earth as its subject.
The director, who filmed the former Czech president for nearly a decade in various capacities, says Havel was unlike any national leader he ever knew. “I could see this modest person who is incredibly hardworking,” Jancarek recalls, “a true director of everything, standing by his beliefs, despite discomfort or loss of personal freedom.”
In the years before Havel’s death in 2011, Jancarek filmed hundreds of hours behind the scenes as the one-time dissident playwright, who found himself leading then Czechoslovakia in the wake of the 1989 Velvet Revolution, endeavored to complete his life dream, directing a feature film.
Havel was adapting his own play, “Leaving,” a biting satire of politics and the forces of crass commercialism inspired by both “King Lear” and Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard,” for the screen just a year before losing his battle with advancing illness in 2011.
Ever the creative and intellectual, Havel was no born president, Jancarek says. “He was not a typical politician but the artist who answered the need of a historical era. And only at the end of his life, he fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a film director.”
Jancarek’s film, chosen to open the 27th Ji.hlava fest, is filled with disarming moments from Havel’s daily life, from his struggles to get the attention of his film cast and crew to his efforts to keep his villa, Hradecek, tidy and vacuumed.
The director had essentially unlimited access and his subject gave him unconditional freedom to shoot whatever he saw fit to include. (One of Havel’s few concerns, Jancarek says, was that people might think he was only vacuuming to appear to be in touch with the common man – in truth, he was after a clean floor.)
“It surprised me that he is really like that,” says Jancarek of the ex-president’s sincerity, “that he is not pretending, that he actually wants his likeness to be recorded as it represents a kind of self-control that he himself needed.”
Jancarek recalls first meeting Havel “just a few days after the Velvet Revolution,” when someone realized the soon-to-be national leader should have some kind of security team. Jancarek, then a film student, was recruited for the job, he says, at least for a few days.
“Havel Speaking”
Courtesy of Petr Jancarek
“Fortunately, this role was taken over from artists by students of the physical education faculty who were good at judo and karate. It was definitely better for the future president’s security.”
The work Jancarek would do for Havel decades later was in some ways just as serious a responsibility.
“In 2009, he asked me – literally – to film the rest of his life,” Jancarek says.
“It remained unspoken between the two of us that I will process the material only after he will have left for eternity. I am grateful for the trust he put in me with this invitation. When he died, I knew that the difficult journey would start. But I did not realize that it would be so long and so complicated.”
Some time around 2013, Jancarek recalls, a “representative of one of the major European television broadcasters” saw clips from his raw material during one of the Ji.hlava fest workshops. “They were extremely interested in them, came to Prague, we spent a few days going through the footage, and came to an agreement.”
But the deal morphed into the broadcaster wanting to bring in their own editor, who was then to become co-writer, and finally co-director. Jancarek politely demurred and spent the next decade assembling the footage himself.
Having bypassed the sales deal, Jancarek and his team organized a crowdfunding plan to get “Havel Speaking” finished.
“It was incredibly successful,” he says, “for sure because of the great and well-known hero and because we were trustworthy.”
One directorial decision Jancarek made early on proved to hold up quite well throughout the years of editing, he says: “that President Havel is the only and exclusive speaker in the film. I will not try to interpret or explain or even comment on him in any way.”
In some ways, the long arc of making “Havel Speaking” has allowed it to reach an audience that’s more receptive to the portrait than it has ever been, says Jancarek.
“For many young people, Havel´s legacy represents confirmation of the values that are worth fighting for. It reminds them that freedom is not to be taken for granted and that everyone should feel responsible for what he or she is doing. They realize this and maybe our film will make a few more young people think it is worth trying to be like Havel.”
Why should Star Wars be the only epic space fantasy film with a penchant for desert planets that gets all the cool LEGO sets? Not to be outdone by that other space fantasy franchise, Dunereceives a new LEGO set next year, showcasing the Atreides Royal Ornithopter. The Ornithopter features in one of the most iconic scenes from Denis Villeneuve’s first chapter of his Dune saga. This premium-quality replica, aimed at the adult collector market, features fold-out, flappable wings, deployable landing gear, and an opening cockpit.
LEGO
The set also includes 8 iconic characters from Dune in LEGO Minifigure form. Included are Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), and Chani (Zendaya). Also Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), Liet Kynes (Sharon Duncan-Brewster), and Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa). The coolest of all the Dune LEGO Minifigures, however, is the Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) Minifigure in his extremely long robe. The Baron even has a clear plastic stand to make it appear as if he’s floating. You can check out several images from the new Dune LEGO set in our gallery below.
Click To View Gallery
LEGO
This new 1,369-piece model, with wings folded out, measures over 9 in. (23 cm) high, 22 in. (57 cm) long and 31 in. (79 cm) wide. This LEGO replica has the option for both flight and landing mode displays. Thanks to the use of the LEGO Builder app, owners of the Atreides Royal Ornithopter will be able to access detailed instructions on how to assemble the Dune ship. The set will also include a print version of the manual. There’s no LEGO version of an Arrakis sandworm yet, but who knows what the future holds.
The Dune Atreides Royal Ornithopter LEGO set is already available for pre-order, and it will set you back $164.99. It’s scheduled to start shipping on February 4, 2024, mere weeks before Dune: Part Twohits theaters on March 15.
Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.
Struggling to keep your Xbox controllers charged between gaming sessions? Then adding a charging dock to your game room is a smart investment–and now that the 8BitDo Dual Charging Dock is on sale for just $25, you can snag one of the best chargers at its lowest price ever.
The 8BitDo Dual Charging Station can charge two controllers simultaneously and supports both Xbox Series X and Xbox One gamepads. It also features magnetic contacts for a secure fit, LED charging indicators, and adjustable ambient lighting.
Along with the dock, your purchase comes with two 1,100 mAh rechargeable battery packs and four battery covers compatible with all official Xbox Wireless Controllers–though it’s incompatible with Elite controllers. The dock itself is minimal in design, with a clear base, adjustable illumination, and a matte black center console that houses the charging components.
This deal is available at Woot, which offers free shipping for Amazon Prime customers. The sale ends on October 31 (or when inventory runs out). If for some reason you’d rather buy directly from Amazon, you can choose between two models: one with the matte black center console for $36 (with a 20%-off coupon), or one with a white center console for $38.47.
Alternatively, you can grab this popular dual-charging dock for $18.74 at Amazon. It’s not as stylish or high-end as 8BitDo’s dock, but it does have all of the same basic features. Make sure to click the 20%-off coupon box and the extra 5%-off coupon below the price on the listing to get the full discount. If you don’t need a dual-charging dock, you can find the PowerA Solo Charging Stand for $20 at Amazon. And if you want a dock that matches your colorful Xbox controller, you should check out Razer’s Quick Charging Stands.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors.
GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.
When one thinks of action film scores, themes to Indian Jones, Mission: Impossible, and Batman probably come to mind. In the horror genre, Halloween, Psycho, and Jaws are also probably the most recognizable. Each of these genres has unique sounding characteristics that are used to either create fear/uneasiness or to raise adrenaline levels.
Musically, what happens when a film falls in both the action and horror genres? Composer Alexander Arntzen can speak on this topic, as his latest film, Herd, falls into this cross-genre category.
Alexander says, “The key is to dial in what kind of horror you are working with and then, what kind of action you are trying to bring to that so that it doesn’t just become an “action movie”. It’s keeping and combining the visceral, raw horror elements, and marrying them with percussion instruments that are a little less clean around the edges to match the horror vibe.”
Alexander sat down with No Film School to go into more detail about scoring the soundtrack of the horror film, Herd.
Editor’s Note: This film has been edited for length and clarity.
No Film School: How did you first hear about Herd?
Alexander Arntzen: I first “heard” about Herd in July of 2021 on IMDb Pro. At that time, it was still called It Came From Within. I stayed in touch with the team back and forth via email until the summer of 2022 when they finally were ready for scoring. I did a demo and got the gig!
NFS: Can you talk about working with director Steven Pierce? Did he have a very clear understanding of how he wanted the score to sound?
Arntzen: Steven was great to work with! He very much had a clear idea of what he wanted to accomplish with the score. So much of our time was spent dialing in the tension and being very careful with how to support, but not overwhelm the scenes that were dialogue-heavy. The actors did such a great job with their performances that we didn’t want to step on their toes. Then, when the action scenes happened, we really tried to amp up the adrenaline of those scenes in the exact opposite fashion for maximum effect!
NFS: Has there been a new piece of equipment or instrument that you have discovered recently that you used in Herd? If not, what programs/equipment do you frequently use?
Arntzen: I can’t say I used any new overall sample libraries or synths, but I did discover new wicked and peculiar-sounding patches in Omnisphere that really took the score to the next level. I also got to work with Gretchen Bloom, a wonderfully talented cello player to record key scenes in the film as well. Overall, I have used Logic Pro as my main DAW since I started scoring films.
‘Herd’ official posterCredit: Dark Sky Films
NFS: What does your scoring process look like?
Arntzen: My scoring process begins with spotting the film with the director and producing team. From there, I’d start scoring the most important cues first to build the most important themes and sounds that I wanted to use throughout. From there, it’s sending passes of the score to the filmmakers for feedback and just going back and forth until we’ve arrived at a score that we’re all happy and proud of.
NFS: There is so much content being produced these days, how do you keep your scores sounding new and fresh?
Arntzen: That’s always a constant battle for sure. I think it’s twofold. Firstly, I always want to create original and fresh-sounding music for the films I score. Not only because it’s the right and creatively most interesting thing to do, but selfishly, if I didn’t, I’d grow rather bored with the process of film scoring altogether. Secondly, a lot of that can also fall on who I’m collaborating with. If we are aligned to make something original, then that’s the mandate, and anything less won’t do!
NFS: You have worked in the horror genre before. How was Herd different from some of the other horror films you have worked on?
Arntzen: I think Herd was different than other horror genres that I’ve worked on for a few reasons. First would be the location of the film, which is in a rural setting. So we wanted to score to feel more grounded and earthy. Many of my other horror films had a tech or social media slant to them, whereas this was far more grounded and isolated from the modern world. This gravitated me to using far less electronic-sounding instruments and going more acoustic overall with strings and guitars.
‘Herd’Credit: Dark Sky Films
NFS: Herd is both an action and horror film. Typically, those two genres have very different sounding scores. How did you approach Herd knowing this? What was key to combining these two different styles into one cohesive sound?
Arntzen: I love combining unusual sounds and bringing genres together, so this part of working on Herd was a treat! Horror and action have some things in common in terms of amping up the adrenaline and nerves in the audience. The key is to dial in what kind of horror you are working with, in this case, zombies. Then, what kind of action you are trying to bring to that so that it doesn’t just become an “action movie.” It’s keeping and combining the visceral, raw horror elements, and marrying them with percussion instruments that are a little less clean around the edges to match the horror vibe. Plus, if you add other elements like synch pulses, dirty them up. Since at its core Herd is actually a heightened drama that happens to have zombies and warring militias as the major backdrop, lean into that. This isn’t an old-school war movie. Or simply a zombie flick. It’s chaos! So make the music messy and disjointed sometimes, which as a bonus, will make things sound even scarier!
NFS: Herd has a purposefully rustic, rural, & raw sound. How did you get this desired sound?
Arntzen: Glad you noticed! That was the desired effect. By purposely choosing samples that had a little more edge and grit in them. Rather than using super clean and over-produced sample libraries, I chose patches that had longer sustains and had more control when it came to making them sound more eerie and twisted. Also, getting Gretchen, the cellist, involved really upped the production value. One cue in particular, I had her improvise over a simple chord progression and she used open fifths and fours as part of her solo to really give it a rougher, melancholic, country feel to the overall score.
‘Herd’Credit: Dark Sky Films
NFS: As mentioned earlier, Herd is not only a horror film but also categorized in the action genre. Action films tend to have a lot going on in them, did you work closely with the sound designer on Herd?
Arntzen: The timeline for scoring Herd was very quick. So unfortunately, I didn’t have any time to work closely with the sound designer on this one. They were also based in Atlanta, [GA] so that made it more challenging too. Gratefully, the overall producing team was great and relaying everything that was needed for them to do a great job on their end once I sent them all the stems. Also, I was able to give feedback on the music mix and other levels near the end, which is always a big benefit to make sure everything is balanced well in the mix.
NFS: Herd has a large zombie element to it. Did you give the zombies a particular theme? What is key when trying to make a zombie more frightening, musically?
Arntzen: It is indeed. I can’t say the zombies were given an exact leitmotif, but there was an overall sound palette that I tried to use when they were on screen. Those were the moments where the score would be the most visceral, atonal, and raw overall. I wanted the audience not just to SEE that there were zombies but HEAR their presence as they approached our unsuspecting characters. I wanted you to feel like the bottom dropped out in your stomach when they were on screen. Hopefully, that came across!
Microsoft‘s Xbox sales declined by 7 percent, while the gaming system’s content and services grew 13 percent in revenue, the company said on Tuesday as part of its earnings report.
Total revenue for the gaming division grew 8 percent for the latest financial quarter, which follows the tech company becoming a video games powerhouse by closing a $68.7 billion deal to acquire Activision Blizzard.
The largest transaction in the history of Microsoft, led by CEO Satya Nadella, will make it the world’s third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony.
The takeover brings together Microsoft, which owns the Xbox game platform and Xbox Game Studios — owner of Starfield developer Bethesda Softworks and 343 Industries, among other game publishers — with Activision, maker of the Call of Duty, Diablo, Warcraft and Tony Hawk franchises, among others, and owner of Candy Crush and Farm Heroes Saga maker King.
During the first quarter, Microsoft’s Xbox hardware revenue declined 7 percent. At the same time, Xbox content and services revenue continued to grow on the strength of monetizing third party and first-party content — including from the launch of Starfield — and growth for Xbox Game Pass, the tech company’s subscription service that gives users access to Xbox games on consoles, PCs and mobile devices.
Overall revenue at Microsoft rose 13 percent to $56.5 billion, and net income jumped 27 percent to $22.3 billion.
“Together we will have advance our goal of bringing great games to players everywhere,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told analysts during a conference call as he touted the anticipated gains from acquiring Activision Blizzard. The goal going forward will be using new game franchises like Candy Crush, Diablo and Halo to sell more Xbox consoles and drive additional subscribers to the Xbox Games Pass service.
“With Activision Blizzard, we now have added significant depth to our content portfolio,” Nadella said. Microsoft expects to see gaming division revenue growth in the rest of fiscal 2024 to be north of 45 percent, with most of that net impact, or around 35 percent, coming from integrating Activision Blizzard.
Britney Spears is giving insight into her life in the memoir The Woman in Me and making some surprising revelations. The pop star is opening up about what really happened during her heavily criticized 2007 MTVVMAs performance and why she didn’t like her time judging on The X-Factor USA.
Spears performed “Gimme More” in Las Vegas at the VMAs and was panned by viewers at home as it seemed the star was completely out of it. A few years ago a video of her rehearsal leaked online where Spears performed her musical number flawlessly in contrast to the live performance. Now Spears is revealing she had an awkward encounter with her ex Justin Timberlake that affected her emotionally.
“It had been a while since I’d seen him. Everything was going great in his world. He was at the top of his game in every way, and he had a lot of swagger. I was having a panic attack. I hadn’t rehearsed enough. I hated the way I looked. I knew it was going to be bad,” Spears wrote in her memoir, according to the Daily Mail.
Spears was criticized for her musical performance alongside her appearance as her hair extensions were clearly visible.
“There was a problem with my costume and with my hair extensions. I hadn’t slept the night before. I was dizzy. It was less than a year since I’d had my second baby in two years but everyone was acting like my not having six-pack abs was offensive,” she wrote. “I couldn’t believe I was going to have to go out onstage feeling the way I felt. I went out there and did the best I could at that moment in time, which — yes, granted — was far from my best at other times. I could see myself on video throughout the auditorium while I performed; it was like looking at myself in a fun-house mirror.”
The “Kill the Lights” singer would go on to become a judge on the second season of The X-Factor alongside producer L.A. Reid, Demi Lovato and Simon Cowell. Spears wrote in her book that she did not enjoy the experience during the talent competition.
“I think a lot of people are really professional on TV, like Christina Aguilera and Gwen Stefani. When the camera’s on them, they thrive. And that’s great. I used to be able to do that when I was younger, but again, I feel like I age backwards when I’m afraid,” Spears said. “And so I got to where I was very, very nervous if I knew I had to be on air, and I didn’t like being nervous all day long… If you’ve got me a cute cameo on a fun TV show where I’m in and out in a day that’s one thing, but to act skeptical for eight straight hours while judging on TV? Uh, no thank you. I absolutely hated it.”
Jackie Chan is widely regarded as one of the greatest action stars of all time, and his work often speaks for itself. A South China Morning Post article once referred to him as the “Jackie of all Trades,” an accurate label, considering that he can act, write, direct, crack jokes, and perform stunts all by himself. Many individuals struggle to master just one of these particular skills, so Chan deserves all the praise he can get.
Over the years, Chan’s stunts have left action movie fans awed because of their complex and unconventional nature. Jumping on top of a car or diving while shooting is never enough for the Hong Kong-born star, so he always strives for more. In the Guinness World Records, the honor of “Most Stunts by a Living Actor” still belongs to Chan and the following are arguably the best ones he has ever executed.
10 The Window Slide – Who Am I? (1998)
Columbia Pictures
“Who am I?” That’s the question Jackie Chan’s character asks himself after waking up in a South African village with no memory. The natives believe this is his name, so they go on to refer to him by that question and so does he. His search for answers to the Willemswerf building in Rotterdarm, where he finds himself on the top after being chased by henchmen. Cornered, he decides to slide down the building’s window panes.
The Who Am I? stunt is beautiful because it never seems like an option before it happens. Anyone watching can easily bet that the protagonist is either going to fight or surrender instead of sliding down the windows, yet he does just that. The stunt is possible because the building is designed to look like a triangle, hence it has one slanted wall. He, therefore, just sits back and relax. Still, there remains the risk of one of the windows breaking under his weight, so audiences are forced to hold their breath for several seconds.
9 The Bus Chase – Police Story (1985)
Golden Harvest
The investigations conducted in Police Story are thorough enough to make it one of the most recommendable detective movies of the ’80s, but it’s the stunts that really impress. In one of the scenes, Sergeant “Kevin” Chan Ka-Kui (Chan) clings onto a double-decker bus that criminals are using as their getaway vehicle. He doesn’t do it with his bare hands but with the handle of an umbrella, hence doubling the risk.
So good is the stunt that it has been replicated in some form in different movies over the years. A recent example can be found in The Flash where Batman attaches his grappling hook to a vehicle that robbers are using and slides through the highway, with his feet on the ground, as he figures out a way to get in.
New Line Cinema
Chan’s characters always have great judgment when it comes to when to fight and when to flee. In Rumble in the Bronx, Hong Kong policeman Keung (Chan) does the latter by leaping some 28 feet from the top of one building to the balcony of the next. Prior to that, Keung shows up in the Bronx for his uncle’s wedding, only to find himself dealing with a notorious biker gang.
It’s clear that even members of the production team were impressed with the stunt, as it’s replayed three times from different angles. By the end of the third view, anyone who had doubts about its awesomeness gets convinced. It’s thus no surprise that this is the movie that made Chan a household name in America.
7 Fall from a Clock Tower – Project A (1983)
Golden Harvest
In Project A, Hong Kong marine Dragon Ma (Chan) is focused on stopping a group of modern-day pirates, but the job ends up being a lot harder than he expected. In one of the scenes, he finds himself dangling from a giant clock tower before dropping some 70 feet to the ground. Thanks to plot armor, he survives and goes on to fight some more baddies.
The stunt isn’t exactly original. It is inspired by Harold Lloyd’s clock stunt in Safety Last! The iconic silent film looks even more dangerous because Lloyd happens to be hanging above moving traffic. However, unlike Chan, he doesn’t drop all the way to the ground. For that reason, Chan deserves to be lauded for taking a bodily beating to ensure his version appeared cooler.
6 The Helicopter Leap – Supercop (1992)
Dimension Films
Supercop’s story about a Hong Kong lawman trying to bust a drug ring in China before everything gets ruined by his visiting girlfriend, is as basic as action movie plots get. Still, the movie towers above many of its kind because of its reliance on extraordinary stunts. The climatic scene, where the protagonist leaps from a helicopter’s ladder to a train’s cart, is enough to qualify it as one of the best ‘90s Hong Kong action films.
The beauty of the stunt lies in the calculation. A helicopter ladder isn’t the most stable thing, because it keeps swaying, so Chan’s character is required to have some form of mathematical accuracy if he is to avoid hitting the ground. The same kind of accuracy is required when he jumps from a building to the ladder. Interestingly, he pulls it off rather easily.
5 Legend of the Drunken Master (1994)
Golden Harvest
Wong Fei-hung is both the funniest and most skilled Jackie Chan character because he fights like a drunkard while still managing to obliterate dozens of opponents. The standout moment of Drunken Master II plays out in the climatic fight between Wong and the villain’s chief enforcer, John. At one point, Wong falls into a bed of flaming coal, forcing him to crawl through it, slightly getting burned in the process.
The sequence, once again, shows the lengths Chan is ever willing to go to ensure audiences get value for their money. During filming, the actor insisted on doing the stunt three different times, and it’s during the final take that he got slightly burned. Today, minor scars can be seen on his hands as proof of the sacrifices he made just to entertain action movie lovers.
4 The Hot Air Balloon Dive – Armour of God (1986)
Dimension Films
Jackie Chan has never been asked to explain where he drew inspiration for Armour of God, but the idea is presumably from the Indiana Jones movies. The actor plays an adventurer who goes on a mission to rescue a woman who has been kidnapped by cultists in search of armour that has supernatural powers. This is also one of those movies where actors got seriously injured. While attempting a tree jump, Chan knocked his head on the ground, resulting in serious damage to the temple.
However, the tree stunt is trumped by the protagonist’s jump onto the top of a hot air balloon during the finale. Standing on the edge of a cliff, he realizes that his only escape route lies on a balloon that’s flying many miles below. He, therefore, leaps into the air, and even he is surprised when he makes a soft landing. Director Eric Tsang was smart enough to end the movie there, aware that no other moment would to this.
3 Roller Skating in Traffic – Winners & Sinners (1983)
Golden Harvest
Winners & Sinners isn’t as popular as other Jackie Chan movies. That’s because he is only a supporting character in it. Events in it revolve around a group of recently released convicts and Chan plays an error-prone officer tasked with retrieving a briefcase that they have just stolen. As he is pursuing them, he roller-skates through traffic, causing a massive pileup.
The stunt is amazing to watch because does just about everything audiences would expect to happen in this scenario. He briefly lies on the ground and allows a vehicle to pass over him, acrobatically leap-frogs motorcycles, and weaves through speeding vehicles, which he only avoids colliding with by a whisker. He breaks no sweat while doing all this, proving that he was born for such moments.
2 The Snowboard Leap – First Strike (1996)
New Line Cinema
In First Strike, Jackie Chan plays a Hong Kong officer working with the CIA to track down a woman who is alleged to be working with a terrorist. Soon, it’s revealed that the terrorist aims to acquire nuclear weapons, so the protagonist has to stop him before it’s too late. One of the early scenes sees him snowboarding down a mountain as he flees from pursuers. A helicopter conveniently appears just as he reaches the edge, so he times his jump perfectly and holds on to its landing skid.
It’s yet another scene that highlights the actor’s daredevilry. The presence of snowboards on his feet means he is heavier than usual, but he doesn’t care. He takes the risk and it pays off. The fun doesn’t end there either. Just before the helicopter explodes, he frees himself and drops 100 feet down into a frozen lake.
1 The Pole Slide – Police Story (1985)
New Line Cinema
Police Story makes another appearance on the list because of its iconic mall fight. In it, Ka-Kai fights off numerous henchmen by himself at the top floor. In the process, a briefcase containing sensitive information falls all the way to the bottom floor. In order to retrieve it, Ka-Kui slides down a pole wrapped in hot bulbs and crashes through the glass just before he hits the floor.
Covered from various angles, the stunt wows audiences mainly because of the flair. Watching Chan’s character beat everyone before dropping majestically to get what he came for is something everyone who watches the movie is unlikely to forget. However, pulling it off wasn’t as easy as it might seem. Chan dislocated his pelvis and suffered second-degree burns, and instead of toning it down, he went on to perform more dangerous stunts in the future.
Alphabet reported a net income increase from $13.91 billion to $19.69 billion — an increase of 41.5% — or diluted earnings of $1.55 per share for its third quarter of 2023 on Tuesday, beating Wall Street expectations. Revenue grew to $76.6 billion, a 11% year-over-year increase.
Analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research were expecting the Google and YouTube parent company to report earnings of $1.45 per share and revenue of $63.13 billion.
Ad revenue at YouTube grew from $7.07 billion to $7.95 billion. Meanwhile, the Google search and “other” segment reported $44.03 billion in revenue. The earnings report also notes that Alphabet took a $2.1 billion charge for severance costs for first nine months of 2023.
On the same day the company released its third quarter earnings, Alphabet shares dropped 5% after hours.
Alphabet’s focus on AI and increase in R&D
During Alphabet’s third quarter earnings call, CEO of Alphabet and Google Sundar Pichai emphasized the company’s continued focus on artificial intelligence. Google’s AI play has already been incorporated into search. Additionally, personal assistant offering, Google’s Assistant with Bard, will be available for Android and iOS in the coming months, and the company is also developing AI solutions for developers, businesses and other organizations. From the second to third quarters, the number of active generative AI projects the company is working on grew by seven times.
This quarter also saw a 6% increase in operating expenses, bringing the total up to $22.1 million. This rise reflected an increase in research and development spending as a result of increased compensation. Operating expenses also saw an increase in general and administrative expenses due to charges related to legal matters as well as sales and marketing expenses. The expenses for the latter were somewhat flat last year.
YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket and YouTube Shorts
Pichai also praised YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket and noted that it was “receiving excellent reviews” and “positive feedback.” A full quarter of NFL Sunday Ticket revenues as well as associated content acquisition costs will appear in the company’s fourth quarter. As it stands, the third quarter of this fiscal year only reflects a few weeks of this added YouTube option.
YouTube’s non-advertising revenue, which is labelled as “other revenues,” was largely driven by subscriber growth thanks to YouTube TV and YouTube Music. Altogether, it was $8.3 billion, reflecting a 21% growth. The premium options brought in $12.6 billion, up 7%. Google Services’ operating income was $23.9 billion, up 27%.
Similarly, YouTube Shorts has also seen growth. The TikTok and Reels competitor now averages over 70 billion daily views and are watched by over 2 billion signed in users every month.
Overall, fiscal year 2023 has been stronger than 2022. During each quarter last fiscal year, Alphabet missed Wall Street predictions for both revenue and EPS. That was largely due to a drop in online spending paired with decreased ad revenue from YouTube. Save for a period early in the COVID-19 pandemic when most companies were suffering, the third quarter of 2022 marked the weakest growth period for the company since 2013.
That was followed by the mass layoffs in last fiscal year’s fourth quarter. In January of 2023, Alphabet let go of 12,000 employees, citing “different economic reality” as the reason for termination. The company later announced that during its Q4 earnings call it added 3,455 people throughout the period.
This year has been a notably better financial year for the tech giant. In both Q1 and Q2, Alphabet beat its revenue and earnings predictions, crediting its growing revenue to rises in search and YouTube ads. In fact, its second quarter revenue grew 7% from $69.7 billion to $74.6 billion.
This isn’t to say this year has been without challenges. Last Thursday CNBC reported that 40 to 45 employees in Google News lost their jobs. Those layoffs took place as technology and media companies have become more scrutinized due to the coverage of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Alphabet also has its competitors to consider. Google may have search largely cornered, and, according to Nielsen, YouTube may be the most-watched streamer, but the online advertising space is still a crowded one.
There’s also the matter of AI. As artificial intelligence reigns as one of the buzziest divisions in tech, Alphabet’s own AI play — Google AI — has to compete with big names in the space such as Amazon, Anthropic, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft and OpenAI.
Then there’s the ongoing Google lawsuit. The company is currently facing a major antitrust trial that accuses Google of making restrictive deals with smartphone makers and other tech companies to push out rivals in the search space. The case was brought by the Justice Department way back in 2020. Last Tuesday, the New York Times asked the court to open proceedings, which have so far taken place behind closed doors, to the public.
Celebrated singer-songwriter Sampha picked Steve Lacy’s hit “Bad Habit” for his customary cover during an appearance on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge.
Sampha delivered a pared-back, practically delicate rendition of the song. Instead of the original’s thumping drum beat, Sampha used only a spare, skittering percussion track which provided a steely counterweight to the tender thrum of his piano and vocals.
Along with his rendition of “Bad Habit,” Sampha also performed his own song, “Only,” off of his recent LP, Lahai. The LP, released last week on Oct. 20, marks Sampha’s second studio album, as well as his first in six years, following his celebrated 2017 debut, Process.
In the interim, Sampha continued to solidify his reputation as a go-to collaborator. Having already worked with the likes of Drake and Solange, he’s also worked with David Byrne, Robyn, Alicia Keys, Mustafa, Kendrick Lamar, and Stormzy.
Speaking about Lahai in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Sampha said he hoped listeners would be able to find a “moment of sonic empathy” in the LP, “because it’s someone expressing something that they’re going through, more than anything.”
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He added: “I guess for me as an artist, it’s just I’m someone who’s on a road of self-discovery and I’m just trying to be more confident in sharing my intuitions and my preoccupations and my thoughts and feelings. And it’s OK to experiment in both directions, whether it’s going more left or more or being in the middle.”
Sampha will kick off a North American tour in support of Lahai tomorrow, Oct. 25, in Los Angeles. That show will be part of his more intimate Satellite Business series, while the rest of the dates — starting Oct. 29 in San Francisco — will be more traditional gigs.
During a recent interview with the Associated Press to promote “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Martin Scorsese was asked to weigh in on Quentin Tarantino‘s impending retirement from feature filmmaking. Tarantino has said for many years that he plans to retire after his 10th movie because he wants to leave behind a strong and tightly-curated filmography. Tarantino is now developing his 10th feature, “The Movie Critic,” which he plans to be his last.
“I just don’t know,” Scorsese said when the topic of Tarantino’s retirement got brought up. When the AP reporter asked Scorsese if he’s just built differently than Tarantino, Scorsese answered, “I am.”
“He’s a writer,” Scorsese explained. “It’s a different thing. I come up with stories. I get attracted to stories through other people. All different means, different ways. And so I think it’s a different process…I respect writers and I wish I could. I wish I could just be in a room and create these novels, not films, novels.”
“I’m curious about everything still,” Scorsese added. “That’s one of the things. If I’m curious about something I think I’ll find a way. If I hold out and hold up, I’ll find a way to try to make something of it on film, but I have to be curious about the subject. My curiosity is still there. I couldn’t speak for Quentin Tarantino or others who are able to create this work in their world.”
If Tarantino really does retire after “The Movie Critic,” he’ll only be in his 60s at the time of leaving filmmaking behind. Scorsese, meanwhile, is 80 years old and just released “Killers of the Flower Moon” to critical acclaim.
Christopher Nolan was recently asked whether he’ll take Tarantino or Scorsese’s career path, to which the “Oppenheimer” director said: “The truth is, I understand both points of view. It’s addictive to tell stories in cinema. It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s very fun. It’s something you feel driven to do, and so it’s a little hard to imagine voluntarily stopping.”
“But I also see… Quentin’s point has always been that — and he never, very graciously, he’s never specific about the films he’s talking about or whatever — but he’s looking at some of the work done by filmmakers in later years and feeling that if it can’t live up to the heyday, it would be better if it didn’t exist,” Nolan continued. “That’s a very purist point of view. It’s the point of view of a cinephile who prizes film history.”
Nolan’s take on Tarantino’s retirement differs greatly from their friend and fellow filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson.
“I know Quentin [Tarantino] likes to say, ‘I’m making 10 movies and then I’m quitting.’ But I could never do that,” Anderson said back in 2018. “I don’t know how he could say that, or how he could take himself seriously when he says that. This is what I want to do as long as I’m able to do it. As long as I’m able to do it, I’m going to do it. I think things can become peculiar when directors don’t act their age maybe, or seeing them try to keep up with the kids or trying to be hip. That’s never a good look.”
Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” is now playing in theaters nationwide from Apple and Paramount. Watch his full interview with the AP in the video below.
Calgary police have identified a man who was originally wanted in connection with a recent hate-motivated crime.
But further investigation cast doubt on hate being the motivation behind the incident, according to police.
At around 1:15 p.m. on Oct. 20, a woman was crossing the Southwood Centre parking lot when someone began honking at her from a parked vehicle. According to a Saturday press release from police, a man then emerged from the vehicle, rushing toward the victim while aggressively gesturing and making punching motions in front of the woman’s face while verbally threatening that he would kill her because of his assumption of her religion.
The woman continued to walk to her vehicle, drove home and then reported the incident to police.
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Police are looking for a man who is suspected in a hate incident in southwest Calgary on Friday.
Calgary Police Service
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Police are looking for a man who is suspected in a hate incident in southwest Calgary on Friday.
Calgary Police Service
Tips from the public and police investigations led police to charge Kevin Morgan, 58, of Calgary, with one count of assault and one count of uttering threats. Morgan is due in court on Nov. 30.
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Police found that, despite the alleged hate-based comments, it didn’t appear that the comments were the motivation behind the actions that led to the offences. Police said investigation and consultation between district officers and the hate crime prevention team led to that conclusion.
Because the incident doesn’t meet the threshold for a hate-motivated crime, it has been classified as a hate incident.
Hate crime unit investigating incident at Calgary Jewish Centre
“A hate incident is an occurrence where a person displays their hate or bias towards a person or group identifiable by their personal characteristics (race, ethnicity, country of origin, religion, etc.), but the act does not meet the threshold of a criminal offence,” CPS said on Tuesday.
“A hate-motivated crime is a recognizable crime like assault, theft, vandalism or any other crime, where the offender’s actions are motivated by hate, bias, or prejudice towards one or more of the victim’s personal characteristics.”
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CPS said there is no place for hate in the city and recognized that hate-motivated crimes and incidents impact communities as well as the victims.
Zimmerman was most recently President of Television Bad Attitude Entertainment, The Morning Show and Bates Motel exec producer Kerry Ehrin’s company. Before that, she was EVP, of the Live-Action Studio for Awesomeness and Nickelodeon, where she produced series including Netflix’s Trinkets and Hulu’s Pen15. She was also SVP, Scripted Programming at Warner Horizon where she oversaw such series as Pretty Little Liars on Freeform and TNT’s Dallas, and President of Television Development at Tollin/Robbins Productions, where she developed Smallville, One Tree Hill and What I Like About You.
She will be responsible for sourcing material, developing and packaging projects, maintaining oversight of overall deals, and shepherding series through all phases of production. She reports to Thunell.
Wolkis, meanwhile, served as EVP Head of Physical Production at Annapurna Pictures where he oversaw production across Annapurna’s television and features. He previously worked for more than 20 years at WarnerMedia, where he oversaw production of all scripted and unscripted originals across the three cable brands –TNT, TBS and truTV including late-night, game shows and series.
Wolkis will help oversee physical production for Skydance Television’s slate of series, including production finance and post-production. Wolkis will report to Drew Brown, EVP of Physical Production.
Skydance Television also produces Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Condor, Cross, The Big Door Prize and FUBAR, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first ever scripted television series.
Oscar winner Olivia Colman is set to star as a fisherwoman and Dev Patel as her inanimate made-to-order husband in the twisted romance pic Wicker.
Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson will direct the indie from a script they adapted based on a short story, The Wicker Husband, by Ursula Wills-Jones. Topic Studios and Tango will finance and produce Wicker, with the cameras set to start rolling next year.
Colman will play a smelly and ridiculed fisherwoman in a seaside village where, fed up with small-minded neighbors, she commissions herself a husband to be made from wicker, who is played by Patel. In an otherwise conservative town, their unconventional romance sparks outrage, jealousy and chaos, the producers say in their film synopsis.
Black Bear Pictures will open international sales for Wicker in the American Film Market, while CAA Media Finance and UTA Independent Film Group will handle sales on the U.S. rights.
The producer credits for Wicker will be shared by Colman, Ed Sinclair and Tom Carver from South of The River, David Michod and Brad Zimmerman for Yoki, and Justin Lothrop and Brent Stiefel for Votiv, which originated and financed the film’s development.
Colman won an Oscar for her role in Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite. Her other film credits include Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter; Florian Zeller’s The Father and Paddy Considine’s Tyrannosaur. Her TV credits include Heartstopper, Landscapers, The Crown, Fleabag, The Night Manager and Broadchurch.
Patel is best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire. His other big-screen credits include TheBest Exotic Marigold Hotel films, The Green Knight, The Personal History of David Copperfield and Lion, for which he received an Oscar nomination.
Fischer and Eleanor Wilson directed Save Yourselves!, which they also co-wrote.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s expletive-riddled tirade at a staffer for fumbling a calendar reminder has made at least one new fan of the Democratic congresswoman from Texas – Fox News “Primetime” host Jesse Watters.
Lee’s voice can be heard berating an employee in an audio recording that was leaked this week — just as the Democratic House rep’s candidacy for mayor of Houston comes to a head. While everyone from conservative X commentators to the hosts of “The View” dragged the congresswoman’s tyrannical takedown of an underling, Watters is fully onboard.
“If I was a Houston resident, I would put a Sheila Jackson Lee sign in my yard and a bumper sticker on my truck,” Watters said Monday night. “It’s not like the Republicans are going to win in Houston anyway.”
Watters suggested that Lee’s lashing lecture represents a bygone type of bare-knuckles bossing he’d like to see become normal again.
“That’s the kind of leadership I want in a politician!” he said of the brutal berating. “That kind of leadership is dead today. Everyone is too afraid of HR! Too afraid of feelings.”
Watters said “Primetime” reached out to Lee’s staff for comment, was told they would get back to them with a statement — then never did, only further justifying her rip-roaring reprimand.
“And if you need more evidence that I’m on the right side of the issue, ‘The View’ disagrees,” Watters said, cutting to a clip in which the ABC hosts call Lee’s tempestuous tantrum “verbal abuse” and “toxic.”
“‘The View’ is a toxic work environment!” Watters yukked. “Ask any of the last seven ‘View’ hosts who cried themselves to sleep until they got fired.”
Watters also suggested that the leak came from inside the office of the notoriously noxious boss, not her “political rival” as she suggested: “Congresswoman, I hate to break it to you, but the fox is in the henhouse. Your staff leaked it. It’s imperative you clean house.”
Four years ago, Taylor Swift included the song “Cruel Summer” on her album “Lover.” It became a fan favorite, and had been in line to be released as a single in 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic changed all plans. “That is something that happened that stopped ‘Cruel Summer’ from ever being a single,” the singer said a few months ago.
But this year, Swift played the song on her record-breaking Eras Tour, and it was belatedly given the proper promotional push. After breaking into the Top 10 in July, “Cruel Summer” has finally made it to No. 1, becoming Swift’s 10th track to top Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
Over the last week, Swift went all out to promote it. She discounted the track for digital sales and released an EP containing a remix and a live version, “so we can all shriek it in the comfort of our homes and cars,” as she announced on social media.
Last week, “Cruel Summer” had nearly 19 million streams in the United States, sold 41,000 downloads — up from around 2,500 the week before — and had 78 million “airplay audience impressions,” a measurement of a song’s popularity at radio, according to the tracking service Luminate.
On this week’s album chart, Bad Bunny sailed to the top with his latest album, “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana” (“Nobody Knows What Will Happen Tomorrow”), which the Puerto Rican superstar released on Oct. 13 with just a few days’ notice. The album, his third to reach No. 1, opened with the equivalent of 184,000 sales in the United States, including 240 million streams and 7,500 download sales, according to Luminate.
Bad Bunny, who was the host and musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” over the weekend, released “Un Verano Sin Ti” last year — a surprise, like “Nadie Sabe” — and it went on to top the Billboard album chart 13 times; he was also the world’s top touring artist in 2022.
Bad Bunny’s success bumps Drake to second place after one week at No. 1 with “For All the Dogs.” Also this week, the K-pop quintet Tomorrow X Together opens at No. 3 with “The Name Chapter: Freefall,” which sold 106,000 copies as a complete package and drew about 12 million clicks on streaming services.
Zach Bryan’s self-titled LP is No. 4, and “Set It Off” by Offset, of the Atlanta rap trio Migos, opens in fifth place.
Well, recently we asked the BuzzFeed Community for the violent scenes that shocked them. Here are 23 of the best responses:
?Spoiler and violent content warning? – This post contains spoilers for the shows and movies mentioned, so skip any points you don’t want spoilt! It also includes depictions and images of violent scenes.
Natalie Dormer’s fan art as Poison Ivy sparks speculation about her potential portrayal of the iconic Batman villain in upcoming movies.
Poison Ivy is a deserving character for redemption on the big screen, as previous portrayals have not done justice to the complex and powerful villainess.
Both Batman: The Brave and The Bold and The Batman – Part II have the opportunity to explore Poison Ivy’s challenging role as one of Batman’s adversaries, showcasing her powers and her connection to other characters like Harley Quinn.
New Batman fan art imagines what Natalie Dormer could look like as Poison Ivy in the DC Universe. Batman continues to be one of the DC Comics heroes to have his mythology retold over and over again, whether it be in live-action or through animation. The next few years will be some of Batman’s biggest ones yet as The Batman – Part II is in the works while James Gunn’s DC Universe hasBatman: The Brave and The Bold coming up as part of the new interconnected franchise.
While details are being kept under wraps on both The Batman – Part II and Batman: The Brave and The Bold, the world is still speculating on what villains may be featured in those movies and who will end up playing them. One scenario that audience members are imagining is Game of Thrones’ Natalie Dormer as Poison Ivy as Steven Defendini shared new artwork of how she could look like the iconic Batman villain.
While several Game of Thrones actors have gone on to take roles in the DC Universe and Marvel Cinematic Universe, Dormer has yet to take on a major comic book role. Outside of her minor role in Captain America: The First Avenger, Dormer has continued to be brought up in numerous fan casting lists for DC and Marvel roles.
Why Poison Ivy Is A Perfect Villain For Both Upcoming Batman Movies
While several Batman villains have been portrayed in past DC movies, Poison Ivy is still one who has only had a single film appearance, played by Uma Thurman in Batman & Robin, which was a massive disservice to the character. Even the questionable approach that Gotham had with their Poison Ivy (who literally got aged up through storylines, leading to multiple recasting moves) is more digestible than what Batman & Robin did, where the powerful villainess was made into a joke. Whether it is in Batman: The Brave and The Bold or The Batman – Part II, Poison Ivy is due for a big-screen redemption where she gets to shine.
Batwoman season 3 is a solid example of how powerful and formidable she can be when the writers take her seriously, as shown through Bridget Regan’s depiction. With Batman: The Brave and The Bold being set in a reality with fantastical elements like superpowers, Gunn’s DC Universe shouldn’t have problems in fully realizing Poison Ivy’s status as one of Batman’s most challenging opponents. Even Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe could depict her in a grounded way by leaning into her status as an eco-terrorist if they were to portray her without her actual powers.
It’s also worth noting that technology has now come a long way, meaning that if they displayed Poison Ivy’s powers, it would be incredible through the VFX capability that exists today. There are also other story opportunities to explore with Poison Ivy as simply one of Batman’s big bads, whether that is the iconic romance with Harley Quinn or her role as part of the Gotham City Sirens. For now, time will tell if any of the upcoming Batman movies will give Poison Ivy a proper opportunity to fight the Dark Knight on the big screen.
Hasbulla has been a mysterious figure within the UFC for quite some time, with his small stature earning him big love from around the globe. However, his cameo in the most recent UFC game has fans wanting to head into the Octagon with him as a playable fighter.
Tweet via @HasbullaHive on X (formerly known as Twitter)
In a post shared by Hasbulla fan page @HasbullaHive, fighter Islam Makhachev makes his way to the Octagon with Hasbulla making a surprise appearance alongside him. Not only is this a great cameo, since the two can be spotted in real life together rather often, but the digital renderings of both look fantastic. Players, on the other hand, are hoping that Hasbulla makes it from ringside teammate to a fighter in the near future. In a fight between Hasbulla and Georges St. Pierre, my money’s on Hasbulla.
I thought you were saying you could fight with him. Got my hopes up ?
Reply by @MikeWoz_YT on X (formerly known as Twitter)
While it would be hilarious to watch Hasbulla get into the ring with some of the other UFC icons, there may have to be a few special rules put into play to make the grounds more competitive. Maybe the addition of his sworn rival, Abdu Rozik, as another DLC fighter could be in the near future? It’s hard to say since Hasbulla hasn’t been seen training in the ring before, but this could lead to bigger things in the future.
I mean, UFC 4 did have a Hasbulla Vanity Bundle that you could purchase to deck out your character as a caricatured version of the iconic sports personality, but we can only hope that you can bring the fighting spirit to life with the man himself soon. It’s something I didn’t know I wanted until now, and I’m hoping that EA sees the demand for this little man to make his big debut in the ring.
About the Author
Shaun Cichacki
As a fan of RPGs, Action & Retro titles, Shaun has been gaming since he was a young boy. With an overwhelming obsession involving Metal Gear Solid and Pizza Tower, you know you’re in for a wild ride when it comes to things he’s writing about.
Thesps walked the line on both coasts, with actors like Sarah Paulson, Zachary Quinto, Betty Gilpin, J. Smith-Cameron, Carrie Preston and Ke Huy Quan marching in the Big Apple while Allison Janney, Geri Ryan, Rick Gonzales (Law & Order: Organized Crime), The Continental stars Mishel Prada and Adam Shapiro, Breaking Bad’s Charles Baker and Myles Grier and Jury Duty‘s Trisha LaFache pounded the pavement outside of Warner Bros. in Burbank.
Members of the American Federation of Musicians also came out to the WB picket line Tuesday to support members of SAG-AFTRA.
“Today is back to the table, day one of negotiations,” said Ryan to Deadline. “I want to send a message to all our negotiating committee members that we’re with you, we love you, stand strong. Go get ’em.”
Disney’s Bob Iger, Warner Bros Discovery’s David Zaslav, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley, have been participating in efforts to close an agreement with the actors union for the past several weeks. It was the studio bosses who asked the Guild for the talks to restart today, we hear — an offer that was accepted in short order. That intel was confirmed in a post the Guild put up on social media not long after the second round new talks were announced.
“How do I feel about the negotiations? I’m optimistic,” added Gonzales. “I think what I love about my union is that we’ve always been ready to negotiate at the drop of a dime. And I think what we’ve been asking for has been nothing short of fair and equal to both sides.”
WHY I’M STRIKING: “This is Day 103 and we’re still here… We’re still showing the world that we’re not going anywhere until a fair deal is placed in front of us… and we deserve that…” – Law & Order: Organized Crime’s Rick Gonzales tells Deadline outside of Warner Bros. pic.twitter.com/YevInxtDTl
Added The Continental‘s Shapiro, “If the AMPTP walks away again, we’ll just be back on these picket lines like we have been for the last 103 days. Every day we are out here we get stronger, so it’s up to them to finish this thing.”
WHY WE’RE STRIKING: “Every day we’re out here, we get stronger so it’s up to them to finish this time… We didn’t come this far just to come this far…” – ‘The Continental’ stars Mishel Prada and Adam Shapiro tell Deadline at Warner Bros. today pic.twitter.com/IokvsKnFIe
WHY WE’RE STRIKING: “We’re out today in support of the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee and to show solidarity and hope… we have faith that we can come to a fair end hopefully soon…” – India de Beaufort and Trisha LaFache tell Deadline outside of Warner Bros. today pic.twitter.com/A0sYcsSAhF
Tuesday’s SAG-AFTRA picket in downtown Manhattan stretched the length of the block connecting Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. Picketers chanted loudly to beats from a three-person percussion line that included actor Jill Hennessy on tambourine and they cheered every sympathetic honk of the horn from passing vehicles.
Rebecca Damon, president of SAG-AFTRA’s New York local and Lowell Peterson, the outgoing executive director of the Writers Guild East, also marched Tuesday.
Gondelman, who belongs to both unions, reminded picketers that the overlapping writers and actors strikes have spanned more than 170 days. “The studios should be embarrassed that we’re still out here yelling at them six months in,” he shouted through a bullhorn. “They should be humiliated because they should have put a fair deal on the table already.”
Meanwhile, writer/actor Josh Gondelman addressed the picket outside Netflix/WBD in NYC. “This energy is incredible out here today. I love seeing everyone out here,” he said. “We should not have to be out here anymore. The studios should be embarrassed we are still out here yelling at them.”
“I don’t want to get my hopes up because they were dashed the other week,” actor Quincy Tyler Bernstine told Deadline. “So it’s cautious optimism. I’m so inspired by the numbers of people that have come out. I was here yesterday as well and was blown away by all of the support. So we’ll stay out here as long as we have to. I’m crossing my fingers and not holding my breath.”
John Carroll Lynch told Deadline expressed some optimism about today’s talks. “I hope that the AMPTP and, more specifically, the corporations that make up that trade organization understand that we’re not going away. This is not a circumstance where performers can back down. We need to get these protections from artificial intelligence … we need to get a raise, and we need to change the business model.”
A handful of picketers likened the impasse to an internal family disagreement. “You have to come back to the table because you’re family,” actor Sevans Martinez told Deadline.
Dann Fink, a voiceover actor, compared the two sides to feuding siblings: “Your parents make you sit down and shake hands at the end. And I kind of feel like that’s the moment that we’re in.”
Hennessy, a regular presence on the New York picket lines, told Deadline that while “it’s kind of scary to hope,” her hope is that the AMPTP is really ready to talk after a two-week walkout, similar in length and timing to one the writers confronted before a deal was finally reached.
“Nothing gets done when people don’t talk,” Hennessy said. “I don’t care whether it’s a family, a country or unions.”
“As to what will happen, I have no clue,” she added. “To be honest, hitting the line is good for my sanity. I get to hang with my community. I get to know them better. And there’s a lot of people who are hurting right now. One of the guys that plays drums with me, he works night shifts on two other jobs so he can be here every day to play a snare drum, just to keep people’s spirits up.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 24: SAG-AFTRA members on strike on October 24, 2023 in New York City. The strike, which began on July 14th, entered it’s 100th day on October 21st as the actors’ union and Hollywood studios and streamers failed to reach an agreement. (Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images)
John Nacion/Getty Images
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 23: Betty Gilpin is seen at the SAG-AFTRA picket line on October 23, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 23: Ke Huy Quan joins SAG-AFTRA members on strike on October 23, 2023 in New York City. The strike, which began on July 14th, entered it’s 100th day on October 21st as the actors’ union and Hollywood studios and streamers failed to reach an agreement. (Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images)
UPDATE: House Majority Whip Tom Emmer‘s bid for speaker of the House is already over, after he was unable to win over a group of GOP holdouts and after Donald Trump weighed in against him.
Emmer, a congressman from Minnesota, was the third Republican nominated for the post since Kevin McCarthy was ousted three weeks ago. He dropped out of the race during a 4 p.m. ET meeting of the GOP conference, per CNN.
“It looks like he’s finished,” Trump said of Emmer this afternoon.
Although Emmer had emerged the winner after five rounds of secret balloting in a closed-doors meeting of the Republican conference. But he was viewed as too moderate for some 26 holdouts in the GOP caucus, having backed legislation last year to codify same-sex marriage into federal law and having voted to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election in favor of Joe Biden.
CNN’s Jake Tapper, who is anchoring from Israel, called the latest development “utterly embarrassing.”
Tapper told viewers, “I’m covering life and death issues, serious tragedies, serious momentous occurrences here in Israel and of course in Gaza. And of course we have to interrupt this for one moment to cover the complete and utter clown car that is the House Republicans speakers race back in Washington, D.C.”
The latest wrinkle in the speaker’s race drew coverage on the three major news networks, but it did not dominate the day in the way it did in past weeks. Rather, the networks devoted more time to the Israel-Gaza crisis and to Trump’s legal troubles, a signal that the story is getting old even to a Beltway-focused media.
Emmer’s moment in the limelight lasted just a few hours before it became clear that he would have a difficult time obtaining the support of 217 Republicans to win the speakership. He garnered 117 votes on the fifth ballot, enough to be nominated, followed by Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), who received 97 votes. Johnson is expected to run again in a new effort to find a nominee who can win on the floor of the House.
PREVIOUSLY: Just as House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) was working to win over holdouts to his bid to become House speaker, former President Donald Trump weighed in against him.
Trump wrote on Truth Social, “I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great Warriors. RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them. He never respected the Power of a Trump Endorsement, or the breadth and scope of MAGA—MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! He fought me all the way, and actually spent more time defending Ilhan Omar, than he did me—He is totally out-of-touch with Republican Voters.”
Trump added, “I believe he has now learned his lesson, because he is saying that he is Pro-Trump all the way, but who can ever be sure? Has he only changed because that’s what it takes to win? The Republican Party cannot take that chance, because that’s not where the America First Voters are. Voting for a Globalist RINO like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake!”
Emmer won the Republican conference race to become their nominee for speaker earlier today, and it looked as if Trump would stay out of the race. On Monday, Trump told reporters he talked to Emmer over the weekend, and the former president declined to endorse anyone and indicated that he would stay out of the race. But now that Emmer is facing the uphill climb of convincing 26 Republican holdouts to vote for him if and when his nomination would make it to the House floor, Trump took to his social media platform to try to scuttle his chances. Trump has been in a New York courthouse today to watch his civil fraud trial, where his former attorney Michael Cohen is testifying.
Republicans are breaking for the next couple of hours before meeting again.
PREVIOUSLY: House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) today won the Republican nomination to be the next Speaker of the House, but he now faces the uphill challenge of garnering the 217 votes needed to be elected in a floor vote.
Emmer is the third GOP speaker nominee in as many weeks, as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) each were tapped by the Republican majority yet failed to get elected. The protracted battle has exposed bitter rifts and bad blood within the Republican conference, and has left the House at a standstill at a moment of international crises and the prospect of government funding running out next month.
Emmer drew 117 votes on the fifth secret ballot of the House Republican conference, which met behind closed doors today at the Capitol, according to CNN. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) generated 97 votes. Other candidates received five votes and one person voted present. Republicans then held a closed door roll call of members on how they intended to vote on the floor for speaker, and Emmer still fell short, with 26 lawmakers saying they would vote for someone else.
Emmer is regarded as more moderate than Johnson, having voted for legislation last year to codify the right to same-sex marriage and, more recently, for a bill to extend government funding into November. He also voted to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, something that has helped make him a target of backers of Donald Trump. Steve Bannon railed against Emmer on his podcast, although Trump himself declined to weigh in against him on Monday. “He called me yesterday and he told me, ‘I am your biggest fan,’” Trump told reporters.
Assuming all Democrats remain united behind their choice for speaker, Hakeem Jeffries, Emmer can only lose four Republican votes given the GOP’s narrow majority. That proved elusive for Emmer’s predecessors: Scalise dropped out of the race after it became clear that he would not be able to consolidate support, and Jordan went through three floor votes last week before Republicans dropped him as their nominee.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was ousted as speaker earlier this month when eight Republicans, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), backed a motion to vacate.
Jean-Claude Van Damme claimed in a recent interview with The Telegraph that Vin Diesel was not interested in having him star in the “Fast & Furious” franchise. The ongoing action series has employed action movie veterans such as Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham over the years, and Van Damme said the franchise was also interested in getting him on board. It was Diesel who allegedly said no.
The Telegraph notes: “Van Damme has also missed out on a role in another mega-franchises. ‘They want me in “Fast and Furious,”‘ he says. And what a bit of casting that would be. But Vin Diesel said, ‘No, I don’t want him.’”
Variety has reached out to Diesel’s representatives for comment. Van Damme did not not disclose which “Fast & Furious” project he was potentially being courted for.
Instead of joining “Fast & Furious,” Van Damme got involved in another Hollywood action franchise when he appeared as the villain in 2012’s “The Expendables 2.” The film included a climax in which he faces off against Sylvester Stallone, another veteran of the action movie genre.
“People have been driving Tesla on the screen,” Van Damme said. “Beautiful, perfect CGI. And maybe some people want to go back to the stick shift for a while. Some people. You know what I’m saying as a metaphor? I’m a stick shift.”
The Telegraph adds: “The latest installment, ‘The Expendables 4,’ has just tanked at the box office. Van Damme doesn’t know why. Perhaps because Van Damme isn’t in it, I suggest. He was killed off in the second film, but Stallone teased that Van Damme might return at some point as Jean Vilain’s twin, Claude – a nod to Van Damme’s twin roles in Double Impact. ‘Yeah! That’s what Stallone told me,’ says Van Damme, laughing. Well, there’s always Expendables 5. ‘Or 25,’ he says.
As for “Fast & Furious,” the most recent installment in the franchise, “Fast X,” opened in May and grossed $704 million at the worldwide box office. While domestic interest in the series has waned (“Fast X” only grossed $145 million in North America), the franchise remains incredibly popular overseas ($558 million global).
Universal will release the 11th “Fast & Furious” movie in theaters on April 4, 2025
“Minions” was produced by Illumination and Universal Pictures with a budget of $74m. With it’s initial release on June 17th 2015 it made approximately $1.16bn at the Box Office.
In early 1991, 20-year-old Tupac Shakur was torn between ambitions of acting and rapping, and struggling to catch a break on both fronts. He had studied theater at the Baltimore School for the Arts and toured with the west coast hip-hop collective Digital Underground, but acting opportunities were scarce and he had yet to finish the demo tape that would launch him to stardom. His luck would turn when Digital Underground’s road manager, Sleuth, received a call from Cara Lewis, the group’s booking agent at William Morris. A film director named Ernest Dickerson was looking for actors for a movie called Juice and they invited Money-B, a fellow member of the collective, to audition. Dickerson had earned acclaim for his work as Spike Lee’s director of photography on a run of films, including She’s Gotta Have It, School Daze, Do the Right Thing, Mo’ Better Blues, and Jungle Fever. Now he was writing and directing his first feature film, a portrait of inner-city life and a coming-of-age drama about four teenage boys growing up in Harlem.
While Tupac and members from Digital Underground rolled through the streets of New York in a limousine, attending New York’s New Music Seminar and doing various press junkets, Money-B read through the script. He scanned the lines that were written for Steel, the part he was slated to audition for, but as he read, one of the other characters caught his attention. Money passed Tupac the script. “Look at the character Bishop. This dude is just like you,” he told Tupac. “You should just come to the audition and read for this other part here.”
This article is adapted from Tupac Shakur: The Authorized Biography, by Staci Robinson (Crown).
Crown Publishing Group
Tupac’s friend Treach (from Naughty By Nature),whom he had just met on the road months before, had been recommended to the casting agents by Queen Latifah, who would also be cast in the film. The next day, Money, Treach, and Tupac strolled into the William Morris Agency. Only Money and Treach had an official audition. They sat patiently and waited alongside the actors gathered to read for the various parts. “In our minds, if it all worked out, I’d have been Steel, Tupac would have been Bishop,” Money-B recalled. “Treach would have been Q. We would have been real friends being friends in the movie, which would have been dope.”
Money-B went in first and got a quick thanks-but-no-thanks. Treach auditioned next, and although he didn’t snag one of the leads, he did end up cast in a smaller role. Dickerson then spotted Tupac in the waiting area and asked him if he wanted to audition. A few moments later, Tupac found himself in a room filled with casting agents and producers reading for the role of Q.
“What’s your name?” they asked him.
“Tupac.”
“Oh, that’s an interesting name. What is that?”
Tupac proudly explained that he was named after Tupac Amaru the last Sapa Inca of the Neo-Inca State, the final remaining independent part of the Inca empire.
As soon as he was finished reading for Q, Dickerson had an idea. “Can you stay longer? Can you read for this role?” Dickerson asked while handing him sides — short snippets of dialogue to study. It was dialogue for Bishop, the character that had reminded Money of Tupac. Tupac nodded, glanced at the paper, and stepped outside to study for a bit.
When he’d prepared himself, he went back in and stood in front of Dickerson and the rest of the filmmakers who held the fate of his dreams in their hands. “I read cold turkey, walked in there, picked up the sides and just read,” he remembered later. “And I got that part. That was God.”
“Tupac goes in the room,” Money remembered. “All of a sudden you hear cheering. And people standing up and whistling and everything.”
Dickerson and the others exchanged glances as Tupac left the room. They knew they’d found their Bishop. “The thing that he got that nobody else got was the pain,” Dickerson recalled.
Producer David Heyman, who would go on to produce the Harry Potter films, was there and remembered that after the audition, “[Tupac] walked out of the room and he stuck his head back in and with a little wink and a smile, because he was mischievous, he says, ‘You better give me the part because I know where y’all live,’ and then he shut the door and walked out.”
The film’s producers invited the four potential leads to dinner together to see if they had chemistry. At the table with Tupac that evening were Jermaine Hopkins, who had appeared in the classic Lean on Me and was being considered for the role of Steel; Omar Epps, a student of LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts who would be cast as Q; and Khalil Kain, who had been an extra in New Jack City and had auditioned for the role of Raheem. By the end of the dinner, the producers were sold on the four young men’s rapport. It was the perfect combination.
While Tupac waited for an official confirmation that he’d been cast in Juice, his manager, Atron Gregory, continued to circulate his demo to record labels in New York and in Los Angeles. As the list of rejections continued to grow, Atron received some hopeful news. “Jeff Fenster of Charisma Records was the only man in the industry who got Tupac [at that point],” he said. But the hope was quickly dashed. Fenster could not convince Charisma’s execs to make an offer.
Amid these rejections, Ernest Dickerson came through with a resounding yes — Tupac had officially landed the role in Juice. In a full-circle moment, Juice would shoot in his hometown of Harlem, just a short distance from the Apollo Theater, where six years earlier Tupac had gotten his first bite from the acting bug in A Raisin in the Sun. At a time when theater screens across the country were filling up with cinematic portrayals of life in the hood — especially that year, as films such as New Jack City and Boyz n the Hood opened to mammoth success, Juice seemed poised to break out.
Production began on March 14, 1991, less than two weeks after motorist Rodney King was beaten violently by four Los Angeles Police Department officers following a high-speed pursuit. The beating, captured on video and repeated endlessly across all news platforms, marked a watershed moment in race relations in America. Many Black Americans were ready to revolt against the racist oppression behind this reprehensible act. Tupac, angered as well, and sick and tired of the police continuing to misuse their power, wanted nothing more than to see these officers charged, hoping the world would finally start to see some change. But things would get worse in Los Angeles before they got better: Two days after filming started, Black teenager Latasha Harlins, a Westchester High School student, was shot by a Korean grocer over a $1.79 bottle of orange juice. Harlins had placed the bottle of juice in her backpack as she approached the register, two dollar bills in her hand, with the intention to pay. The city was a powder keg, ready to explode.
A coast away, Tupac settled in and prepared for his debut movie role. The film’s producers rented him an apartment on the ninth floor of a building at Fifty-First Street and Seventh Avenue for the duration of the shoot. The pad soon became a hangout spot for some of his castmates, as well as a place to reconvene with friends he had met on tour, like Yo-Yo.
At first, Tupac’s daily trips to the set went without a hitch. He showed up on time, for the most part, except a few early mornings when he disregarded the call sheet and kept the entire crew waiting. Cast members recalled conversations about this behavior, but Tupac shrugged it off. “Pac would get mad and walk off the set,” Jermaine Hopkins recalled. Hopkins said that Tupac would tell his castmates, “They need us more than we need them. Do you know how much money it would cost to replace one of us right now and have to do this shit all over again?”
More often, though, Tupac left the selfish behavior at home and showed up to the set congenial and accommodating. The production shot outside most days, and many of the cast and crew noticed Tupac’s natural propensity to engage with lookie-loos and homeless people. Bothered by periodic homelessness since he was young, he didn’t hesitate to check on their well-being, talking with them and doing what he could to offer them words of encouragement. Some days he even made friends with passing fans as they walked by the set.
Social as he could be, when it came to acting, Tupac was focused. He dove deep into the role of Bishop, the film’s antagonist, a character with a checkered past who harbored deep pain from a severely dysfunctional family life. His training from BSA and his short stint in Tam High’s drama department shone through as producers watched the dailies. One of them, Preston Holmes, remembered how his initial skepticism melted away: “I was more than a little surprised, to put it mildly, that Tupac was so serious about the craft of acting. I guess I assumed this guy was just a rapper that they were sticking in this movie because he sold a few records and the headache of dealing with this on a day-to-day basis would be ours to deal with, but the truth was that this guy was a consummate pro. He was superb. He blew all of us away.”
Tupac found a way to infuse his own life experiences into his thunderous performance, tapping into his deep reserves of anger. Tupac later explained his process: “When I get a part, first I just try to find out, you know, how does this character feel? Like I make the person up in my mind, what does he look like? Try to put a face to him, even though it’s my face. I give him a walk. Give him an attitude. All you really have to do is relate to the character.” In another interview, he recalled, “I am real . . . I stay real, I am never a story, never a script, never a character. Even when I’m playing a character, I am really that character. There is nothing fake. I just took everything and internalized it.”
Tupac also tried to tap into what he believed to be the sentiments of many young Black men in America at that time. “You have to understand that character. He came from a broken home,” he explained of Bishop in an interview. “No models, no role models, no real models. Nobody sat him down. All he did was eat breakfast at home and go in the street and get all of his education.” In another interview, he said that Juice was “the story of today’s young Black male and it needs to be told because police beating up brothers in the street. All that stuff still happens. And all this needs to be told.” Speaking from Bishop’s point of view, he explained, “I have no role models. That’s why I went over the edge.” At the height of Bishop’s dramatic arc, he delivers the classic sinister lines: “I am crazy, but you know what else? I don’t give a fuck! . . . I don’t give a fuck about myself.” Those lines captured the hopelessness that sometimes suffused not only Tupac’s soul but the souls of so many across the country.
Tupac’s portrayal of Bishop was so convincing that it would eventually blur the lines for some of the film’s viewers, who collapsed the aggressive qualities of the character onto the actor. But the interplay was far more complex. Tupac’s castmate Jermaine Hopkins spoke about Tupac’s role as Bishop: “Was Tupac Bishop? No. Was Bishop’s attitude inside of Tupac? Yes. Were there certain situations that could bring the Bishop out of Tupac? Yes. Bishop was a character on a piece of paper. The personality of a Tupac Shakur in lifestyle and upbringing and trials and tribulations through life brought Bishop to life as a character. Those words on the script is just words on a script without putting any feeling behind him.”
The production of Juice was not without drama. Tupac’s movie trailer — his private space to get dressed and relax between scenes — was an active hangout, with friends and castmates coming and going, weed smoke wafting through the air inside the small space. According to his family, Tupac never liked to be alone and often surrounded himself with friends and family. Sometimes he even welcomed curious movie fans and passersby onto the set. But one afternoon his friendliness cost him. A few hours after inviting a stranger onto the set, Tupac realized that all of his gold jewelry was gone.
Tupac went off the rails at this violation of one ofhis mother Afeni’s cardinal rules: Never steal from another. Ernest Dickerson tried to calm him down by assuring him that they’d reimburse him for everything that was taken, but Tupac told him he would take care of it. Days later, someone spotted the suspect lurking around the perimeter of the set. Tupac and his friends ran toward him, grabbed him, and beat him up in the middle of the street before he finally was able to escape and run away.
After the incident, Tupac felt he needed a protector, a watchful eye. He called on a friend who had quickly become an integral part of his life. Randy “Stretch” Walker was a fellow rap artist and producer. He and his brother, Majesty, were recording artists signed to Tommy Boy Records, performing under the name Live Squad. Stretch and Tupac had hit it off instantly when they met in Oakland and discovered their common love for rhyming about the realities of the streets. In Stretch, Tupac found a friend whose lyrics came from the same foundation as his own: the ills of crime-ridden urban communities and how they adversely affected the psyche of young Black children.
The two soon became inseparable. “Everywhere they went, they had to go together,” Shock recalled. “They loved each other so much, they were crazy. They would stand in the living room kickin’ each other with their arms locked. One faced one way and the other faced the other way. We’d watch for a minute and then we’d get back to playing dominoes. It would go on for twenty minutes straight.” Stretch had already been hanging out occasionally on the set of Juice. Now Tupac asked him to help ensure no one else came into his trailer for the remainder of the shoot. Stretch took the responsibility seriously. Once he and his six-foot-seven presence started to show up every morning, everyone was sure that no one else would be stealing from Tupac.
On set, Tupac spent his downtime reading the daily newspapers. One morning, he came across a story about a young mother who had thrown her newborn baby boy down a trash chute. He followed the story closely as the week went on, shaken by the details. He read that the girl was only twelve years old, and that the pregnancy was the result of her cousin raping her. Tupac was not only discouraged that the story didn’t get front-page placement, but he couldn’t understand how anyone who heard or read about it didn’t stop to acknowledge the gravity of this horrific tragedy. The incest, the baby thrown in the trash — it was all too much for him to forget. He talked about it with castmates and crew throughout the day, and eventually grabbed one of his notebooks and began scribbling lyrics. “Pac was so troubled, like, the whole morning,” his Juice co-star Omar Epps remembered. “Like, how could a woman do that? And so a few hours later he was like ‘Yo, O, come here. He starts kickin’ his rhyme.”
The song was “Brenda’s Got a Baby.” “It was in my trailer while we was filming Juice,” Tupac recalled. “In between shots I wrote it. I was crying too. That’s how I knew everybody else would cry, ’cause I was crying. It takes a lot to move me. But I was in tears because this little Black girl was all by herself and the next page I’m hearing about little debutantes and shit. That shit was just getting to me too much.” Production for Juice wrapped mid-April. On the last day on set, the cast and crew gathered in celebration, hopeful about the film’s future on the big screen. Still waiting on a record deal, Tupac would head back to California to continue to record. As he left the set, one of the film’s producers, Neal Moritz, congratulated him for his performance and teased him about spending so much of his money on gold chains and rings. Tupac quoted a few lines from his favorite Robert Frost poem: “So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.”
Moritz reassured him that he was going to be a big star in ten years. But Tupac, who had no illusions about the harrowing homicide statistics that plagued America’s young Black men, had already formed his own grim self-fulfilling prophecy.
NOW IN THEATERS! In 1887, Oscar Wilde penned a humorous short story concerning a cowardly ghost coming face with any Brits’ worst nightmare: A family of American industrialists. Thus do we have Shout! Kids factory’s production of The Canterville Ghost. For 300 years, Sir Simon de Canterville (Stephen Fry at his bombastic best) has kept people from residing in his beloved Canterville Chaise. Along come Hiram and Lucretia Otis (David Harewood and Meera Syal, respectively) and their children Virginia (Emily Carey) and twin boys Kent (Bennett Miller) and Louis (Jakey Schiff). Whereas in the past, Sir Simon was more than up to the task of scaring any would-be resident of his estate, these Americans prove intractable and immovable. In point of fact, Kent and Louis spend a fair amount of time pranking both Sir Simon and their parents’ guests.
This leads to Sir Simon feeling very down, apart from the time he spends growing a friendship with Virginia. She is a modern woman of 1900—very forthright and determined. Virginia initially arranges with Sir Simon to terrorize her family so as to convince them to return to America. When that plan fails, Virginia comes to learn of Sir Simon’s plight. He has been stuck here as a ghost, for he was a coward in life. To achieve his eternity, Simon must deal with Death directly.
At the same time, Virginia meets Henry, the current Duke of Cheshire (Freddie Highmore). There exists great animosity between the House of Cheshire and Sir Simon. What that exactly is and how to redeem Sir Simon from his personal purgatory are mysteries I shall permit the film to reveal to you when witness it, gentle reader.
“…a cowardly ghost coming face with any Brits’ worst nightmare: A family of American industrialists.”
The Canterville Ghost has had many cinematic and televisual adaptations across the decades and generations. It has even been prepared as puppet shows and stage plays. Rarely has a wry short story so fully captured the imagination of Humanity as this one has. I tell you now, this iteration of The Canterville Ghost is a hoot fit for the entire family to watch together.
It has been imbued with the perfect balance of gentle humor and rousing action. There is a fencing duel in the third act that is simply marvelous. Special mention must be made of Miranda Hart’s positively dotty Ghost Catcher. Here, we have a genteel Victorian version of a rookie ghost hunter. I found her scenes vivacious and batty—very fun stuff.
But what of the ghost, I hear you ask? Well, every production of The Canterville Ghost rises and falls on the energy and pizzazz – dare I say razzle-dazzle? Aye, I dare – razzle-dazzle of the actor tasked with portraying the hauntingly and cowardly Sir Simon de Canterville. Well, gentle reader, I’m here to tell you Stephen Fry is positively wonderful as the voice of Sir Simon. The whole film gained greatly from the energy of his presence, and truly, his scene-chewing was epic in scale.
The writers, directors, and animator teams all deserve to give themselves a pat on the back. They were instrumental in crafting this utterly warm and endearing family animation. The 3D animation possessed a likeness of claymation, only smoother and better rendered. I simply cannot wait to watch it again in a movie theater.
As should you. There are so precious few great family entertainments these days you can feel comfortable taking all your children too. Parents and children of all ages seek The Canterville Ghost at your local movie theater. You’ll be very glad you did. That’s a Professor Franz guarantee.
Last weekend, humanitarian relief supplies finally started trickling into Gaza as Israel’s aerial bombardment intensified. The combined total of 34 trucks bringing desperately needed food, water and medical supplies amounted to just 3% of Gazans’ previous meager average daily commodities imports.
Distribution remains patchy, with some hospitals reporting having received body bags and medical equipment, others not yet. The main U.N. relief organization in Gaza said on Tuesday that it would have to cease operations on Wednesday if it did not receive fuel.
The delivery of humanitarian aid during war is always fraught. Swimming against the tide of war can prove frustrating and even futile; hard-fought gains can be swept away by a single errant bomb. Ongoing hostilities can make logistics of delivery nightmarish, especially in places like Gaza’s northern “evacuation zone.”
One of the most common humanitarian quandaries, however, is a kind of moral hazard. It involves making concessions to unsavory local governments in order to get aid to the people in need.
This is not specific to Gaza, where Israel is understandably concerned that aid could support Hamas’s continuing attacks. Humanitarians often have to work with distasteful governments, “nonstate armed actors” and warlords to gain access to the people in greatest need. The terms set by such actors will naturally benefit them in some way.
Moral hazard questions gave rise to the modern humanitarian landscape. When Biafra declared its independence from the rest of Nigeria in 1967, Nigeria imposed a military blockade and starvation campaign. An estimated 1 million to 3 million people died between 1967 and 1970 as a result.
Doctors and supplies were dispatched to the conflict by the International Committee of the Red Cross. It and other groups organized an airlift into the territory, paying “landing fees” charged by Biafran authorities — fees that were then used to fund the war.
Some doctors felt frustrated by the aid organizations’ injunction against speaking out against this corruption. Some believed that their very presence might ultimately be doing more harm than good. Ultimately, they quit the Red Cross to found the more activist Doctors Without Borders in 1971.
Since then, the Hippocratic oath to “do no harm” has been incorporated into the humanitarian lexicon. But recent revelations about aid embezzlement fueling further conflict abound — from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Ethiopia to Yemen.
In Gaza, numerous instances of aid diversion have been reported over the 16 years that Hamas has run the government. Hamas agents have dismantled EU-provided water pipes for rocket fuselages, and they have stolen food and fuel from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
Hamas has also benefited from aid less directly. The relief agency, funded on a voluntary basis by other countries, including the U.S., has delivered education and healthcare services via 284 schools and 22 hospitals. It thereby lessens the discontent of the Gazan population and allows Hamas to channel scarce resources into missiles instead of medicines.
Here in the U.S., Republicans such as Sen. Rick Scott (Fla.) seem to think the answer to the risk of aid diversion in Gaza is not to give it at all. Their party has taken that view on numerous occasions. In 1987, President Reagan’s GOP passed the Anti-Terrorism Act aimed at cutting off aid to the Palestinian Liberation Organization. In 2003, Sen. Mitch McConnell opposed President Bush’s proposed $20-million aid package to the PLO, warning that Hamas might benefit. In 2006, most U.S. foreign aid to Palestinians was cut in response to Hamas’ election victory. And in 2018, President Trump signed the Anti-Terrorism Classification Act and slashed aid to the Palestinian territories citing in part textbooks adopted by Hamas (but funded by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency) that some said glorified jihad. Another instance of aid organizations having to make nice to gain access.
On the other hand, the foreign aid largely channeled through that agency has been a lifeline in a territory forced to endure brutal economic isolation. The upsides to the interventions have been enormous: more than 500,000 students enrolled in any given year, 1.9 million Palestinians provided with healthcare services, not to mention the 22,000 local UNRWA jobs that do all that and more. And now, the agency has become an important provider of humanitarian assistance during this conflict.
Despite the long-established U.N. presence in Gaza, the U.S. effectively needs Israeli permission to deliver aid there. President Biden’s proposed $10-billion aid package for Israel outstrips the humanitarian aid package he is offering to Gaza by 100 times, sweetening an otherwise bitter proposition. (And yet Israel is a developed country with a per capita GDP roughly 14 times higher than among Palestinians; the U.S.’ proposed military aid would represent only around 30% of the Israel Defense Force’s budget for 2023.)
We don’t know the terms of the deal Biden struck with the Israelis to allow some aid to flow, but we do know that the trickle has begun. We also know that the suffering of the people of Gaza far eclipses the aid headed their way. The U.S. will continue to play a role, and it can ensure future terms with Israel include more and more concessions to help civilians in the war zone.
Topher McDougal is a professor of economic development at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego.
Image Credit: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock / Shutterstock
Jada Pinkett Smith dropped bombshell after bombshell in her recently released memoir, Worthy. And now, she’s welcoming Britney Spears to her club! In an October 24 Instagram post, the 52-year-old actress shared a fun throwback video of herself with Britney and gushed over Brit’s new book in the caption. According to PEOPLE (via a 2004 Entertainment Weekly report), the video appeared to be a skit played during tour dates in 2004, when Jada’s band Wicked Wisdom opened for Britney in the U.K. for several performances.
“Welcome to the ‘Bad Ass Women Memoir Club,’” Jada captioned the video on the day of The Woman in Me‘s release. “@britneyspears welcomed me to open for her on the Onyx tour with my band Wicked Wisdom with open arms. She was so sweet and supportive. Who knew we would be back on a different stage, sharing our journeys on the page. I can’t WAIT to read your book Britney and I’m sending you love on your pub day … congrats.”
In the clip, Jada literally materializes in an alleyway rocking a glittering tank top, capturing the attention of a fedora-wearing Britney. Intrigued, the pop star approaches Jada to ask, “who are you?” Jada reaches her arm out to magically open what appears to be a portal and asks, “you wanna join me?”
Jada’s sweet congratulatory post comes on the heels of her own memoir release on October 17. The book contained bombshell after bombshell, including the fact that she’d been separated from husband Will Smith since 2016, and how the infamous Oscars slap actually helped the stagnant marriage. In a stunning confession, she also claimed that Chris Rock had asked her out amid divorce rumors.
A rebound in digital advertising led to an uptick in revenue and profit for Alphabet, Google’s parent company, but investors were underwhelmed by its cloud computing business, which badly trails those of rivals Microsoft and Amazon.
Alphabet reported $76.7 billion in quarterly sales, up 11 percent from a year earlier, and roughly in line with analysts’ estimate of $76 billion, according to data compiled by FactSet.
The internet giant said that its profit jumped 42 percent to $19.7 billion, exceeding Wall Street expectations of $18.5 billion.
“Investors were disappointed by the relatively weak performance at its Google Cloud Platform, which is at risk of falling further behind” Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, Jesse Cohen, an analyst at investing.com, wrote in a note.
Alphabet’s share price was down more than 5 percent in after-hours trading on Tuesday evening.
Google has focused on generative artificial intelligence, the technology that caused a splash when OpenAI released the A.I. chatbot ChatGPT last November. Google said in July that it would pour more resources into developing that technology while cutting other spending. In the last month, Google has shed hundreds of its recruiters and reorganized other parts of the company.
As of Sept. 30, the company had 182,381 employees, compared with about 119,000 at the end of 2019. Like other tech companies, Alphabet binged on hiring during the pandemic, and began to unwind those habits in January, when it cut 6 percent of its work force, or 12,000 employees.
Google Cloud, the company’s division that offers software and technology services to other businesses, recorded sales that increased 22 percent to $8.4 billion. Analysts, though, had estimated $8.6 billion. Google has invested in making its cloud division a destination for artificial intelligence software, and the quarter’s performance disappointed investors who had hoped A.I. could be a launching pad for the unit. The division posted a profit of $266 million in the third quarter.
Google’s quarterly performance contrasted with results also announced on Tuesday by Microsoft, which far outpaced expectations.
Revenue from Google’s search engine and related services, its largest business, rose 11 percent to $44 billion in the second quarter, narrowly topping analysts’ estimate of $43.3 billion.
Advertising sales at YouTube, Google’s video platform, climbed 12 percent to $7.95 billion, just ahead of the $7.8 billion expected by analysts.
‘Herd’Credit: Dark Sky Films
‘Herd’Credit: Dark Sky Films
Alexander Arntzen on Apple Music
– English Audio Description
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