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With appearances from Taylor Swift and NSYNC

26 Celebs At Their Very First VMAs Vs. Their Last One

26 Celebs At Their Very First VMAs

WATCH: Nicki Minaj reminds MTV VMAs why she is the Queen of Rap with her fire performances

WATCH: Nicki Minaj reminds MTV VMAs why

Rogers: The Musical Premium Viewing Experience Sells Out In Less Than An Hour!

MCU

Disney To Release ‘Rogers: The Musical’ Cast Album

Marvel fans were delighted this summer when Rogers: the Musical debuted at Disney California Adventure.

The show was inspired by an episode of the Disney+ series Hawkeye, where Clint Barton attends the Broadway musical based on the life of Captain America.

Photo: Disney

A Disney California Adventure Fan-Favorite

In June 2023, Disney brought Rogers: The Musical into the real world in the form of a one-act play at the Hyperion Theater.

Featuring both new music, as well as fan-favorite songs such as “Star-Spangled Man” and “Save the City”, Rogers: The Musical was a huge hit with fans.

Rogers: The Musical

Following the premiere of the show, composer, conductor, and arranger Christopher Lennertz had this to say about the show’s music.

“[It] was really important to all of us … to give everyone — both musical theater fans and superhero fans — something they would love about the music. And the fact that we get to span 70 years and do everything from ‘40s-style big band jazz to a singer/songwriter style pop tune and obviously the Nick Fury patter song meets ‘Uptown Funk’ — it’s the idea of giving everyone something that they can grab onto and really feel like it’s part of their story too.”

Photo: Disney

Now, Marvel fans will have the ability to listen to their favorite numbers from Rogers: The Musical from the comfort of their own home.

Track List

Disney is releasing the Rogers: The Musical cast album on digital retailers and streaming on September 15! The album will feature 12 tracks including:

Credit: Disney

“U.S. Opening Night,” Bella Hicks, Krystle Rose’ Simmons, Alex Karukas, Matthew P. Selby, Rogers: The Musical – Cast“I Want You,” Josey Montana McCoy
“Star-Spangled Man,” Bella Hicks, Krystle Rose’ Simmons, Rogers: The Musical – Cast
“Just One Dance (Preprise 1),” Luke Monday, Rachel Wirtz
“Star-Spangled Man (Reprise)/Just One Dance (Preprise 2),” Luke Monday, Rachel Wirtz
“What You Missed,” Jay Donnell, Bella Hicks, Krystle Rose’ Simmons, Luke Monday
“Save the City,” Bella Hicks, Andrew Hubert, Luke Monday, Alex Karukas, Rogers: The Musical – Cast
“Save the City (Playoff),” Luke Monday, Rogers: The Musical – Cast
“End of the Line,” Luke Monday, Josey Montana McCoy
“Just One Dance,” Rachel Wirtz, Luke Monday
“Rogers: The Musical Finale/Save the City (Reprise),” Luke Monday, Rachel Wirtz, Josey Montana McCoy, Jay Donnell, Andrew Huber, Bella Hicks, Krystle Rose’ Simmons, Alex Karukas
“Rogers: The Musical (Playoff),” Christopher Lennertz, Alex Karukas.

Photo: Disney

At this time, there are no plans to release the soundtrack of physical media, but at least fans will be able to relive the Marvel musical spectacular!

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Marvel fans were

DCU

Succession Box Set Releases the Complete HBO Series

Succession quickly became one of the most acclaimed and breathlessly debated series of the decade that, by the time of its fourth season finale this year, you simply couldn’t escape the show. Recaps, reviews, interviews, and breakdowns flooded the internet and television as the Roy family ended their journey on HBO. The sound and fury has subsided by now though, which makes it a perfect time for devoted fans and complete newcomers to start the series all the way from the beginning. Or, you could start it again in two years. That’s the beauty of home media, and Succession is now being released on it.

The release announcement for a new box set of the complete Succession series:

“For the first time ever, all episodes from HBO’s award-winning original series are brought together in one set with the release of Succession: The Complete Series. Get ready to binge on all 39 episodes from the series’ four critically acclaimed seasons, along with all the previously released special features. The brilliant high-stakes drama following the Roy Family and their quest for power will be available to own on DVD on 11 September, 2023.”

Both Succession: The Fourth and Final Season and Succession: The Complete Series are available now to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play and more, and the physical media for each was released on Sept. 11, 2023. The complete series box set contains all 39 episodes, along with tons of curated bonus features. If you somehow haven’t heard, the synopsis for Succession reads as follows:

“Power, politics, money…it’s all in the family in this provocative, satirical series about a highly dysfunctional dynasty. When the aging patriarch of one of the world’s largest media conglomerates considers retirement, his family members position themselves for a takeover. But tensions rise as corporate battles threaten to turn into a family civil war in this sharp, scathing, binge-worthy series.”

Succession stars the legendary Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, Matthew Macfadyen, Nicholas Braun, J. Smith-Cameron, Peter Friedman, David Rasche, and Fisher Stevens.

The series was created by Jesse Armstrong; executive produced by Jesse Armstrong, Adam McKay, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Jane Tranter, Mark Mylod, Tony Roche, Scott Ferguson, Jon Brown, Lucy Prebble, Will Tracy, and Will Ferrell. Jesse Armstrong serves as showrunner.

The first three seasons of Succession have garnered 48 Emmy® nominations and 13 wins, including Outstanding Drama Series, for the second and third seasons. Season three, which premiered October 2021, earned the SAG Award for drama ensemble, and swept at WGA, DGA, and PGA.

Succession and the Olympian Gods

If you’re already a fan of Succession, check out our analysis of the series which reimagines it as a retelling of ancient mythology.

You can purchase the complete series of Succession on Amazon here or wherever you get your home media, and can stream the series on Max.

Read our full review of the Microsoft Surface Pro 9

Succession quickly became one of the most

Comics

The best 2-in-1 laptops for 2023

The perfect hybrid machine that’s just as good a tablet as it is a traditional laptop still doesn’t exist. But throughout last year, companies like Microsoft, Apple and Google continued to improve their operating systems for machines that do double duty. Windows 11 has features that make it friendlier for multi-screen devices, while Android has been better optimized for larger displays. Plus, with the rise of ARM-based chips for laptops, especially Apple’s impressive M series, prospects for a powerful 2-in-1 with a vast touch-friendly app ecosystem is at an all-time high.

Even the best 2-in-1 laptops still have their limits, of course. Since they’re smaller than proper laptops, they tend to have less-powerful processors. Keyboards are often less sturdy, with condensed layouts and shallower travel. Plus, they’re almost always tablets first, leaving you to buy a keyboard case separately. (And those ain’t cheap!) So, you can’t always assume the advertised price is what you’ll actually spend on the 2-in-1 you want.

Sometimes, getting a third-party keyboard might be just as good, and they’re often cheaper than first-party offerings. If you’re looking to save some money, Logitech’s Slim Folio is an affordable option, and if you don’t need your keyboard to attach to your tablet, Logitech’s K780 Multi-Device wireless keyboard is also a good pick.

While we’ve typically made sure to include a budget 2-in-1 laptop in previous years, this time there isn’t a great choice to include in our top picks. We would usually highlight a device like the Surface Go, but the latest model is still too expensive. Other alternatives, like cheaper Android tablets, are underpowered and don’t offer a great multitasking interface. If you want something around $500 that’s thin, lightweight and long-lasting, you’re better off this year looking at a conventional PC (like those on our best budget laptops list).

Chris Velazco / Engadget

When you’re shopping for a 2-in-1, there are some basic criteria to keep in mind. First, look at the spec sheet to see how heavy the tablet is (alone, and with the keyboard). Most modern hybrids weigh less than 2 pounds, with the 1.94-pound Surface Pro 9 being one of the heaviest around. The iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 series are both slightly lighter. If the overall weight of the tablet and its keyboard come close to 3 pounds, you’ll be better off just getting an ultraportable laptop.

See Also:

You’ll also want to opt for an 11-inch or 12-inch screen instead of a smaller 10-inch model. The bigger displays will make multitasking easier, plus their companion keyboards will be much better spaced. Also, try to get 6GB of RAM if you can for better performance.

Finally, while some convertible laptops offer built-in LTE or 5G connectivity, not everyone will want to pay the premium for it. An integrated cellular radio makes checking emails or replying to messages on the go far more convenient. But it also often costs more, and that’s not counting what you’ll pay for data. And, as for 5G — you can hold off on it unless you live within range of a mmWave beacon. Coverage is still spotty and existing nationwide networks use the slower sub-6 technology that’s barely faster than LTE.

Best overall: Surface Pro 9 (Intel)

Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

There’s no beating the Surface series when it comes to 2-in-1s – they’re powerful, sleek tablets running an OS that’s designed for productivity.

$1,000 at Microsoft

There’s no beating the great performance of the Surface series when it comes to 2-in-1s. They’re powerful, sleek tablets running an OS that’s actually designed for productivity. The Surface Pro 9 is Microsoft’s latest and great tablet, and it builds upon the already excellent Pro 8. It features speedy 12th-gen Intel CPUs and all of the major upgrades from last year, including a 120Hz display and a more modern design. It’s the best implementation of Microsoft’s tablet PC vision yet.

Don’t confuse this with the similarly named Surface Pro 9 with 5G, though, which has a slower ARM processor and inferior software compatibility. Built-in cellular is nice and all, but the Intel Pro 9 is a far better PC.

Like most of the other convertible laptops on this list, the Pro 9 doesn’t come with a keyboard cover — you’ll have to pay extra for that. That’s a shame, considering it starts at $1,000. Microsoft offers a variety of Type Covers for its Surface Pros ranging from $100 to $180, depending on whether you want a slot for a stylus. But at least they’re comfortable and well-spaced. You can also get the Surface Slim Pen 2 ($130) for sketching out your diagrams or artwork, which features haptic feedback for a more responsive experience.

Best for Apple users: 12.9-inch iPad Pro

Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

This iPad Pro has a stunning 12.9-inch screen with a speedy 120Hz refresh rate, as well as mini-LED backlighting, and the M2 chipset for stellar performance.

$1,024 at Amazon

If you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, the best option for you is obviously an iPad. The 12-inch Pro is our pick. Like older models, this iPad Pro has a stunning 12.9-inch screen with a speedy 120Hz refresh rate, as well as mini-LED backlighting. This year, it includes Apple’s incredibly fast M2 chip for excellent performance and more battery life than ever before.

Apple’s Magic Keyboard provides a satisfying typing experience, and its touchpad means you won’t have to reach for the screen to launch apps. But it’ll also cost you an extra $300, making it the most expensive case on this list by a lot. The iPad also lacks a headphone jack and its webcam is awkwardly positioned along the left bezel when you prop it up horizontally, so be aware that it’s still far from a perfect laptop replacement. Still, with its sleek design and respectable battery life, the iPad Pro 12.9 makes it a good 2-in-1 choice for Apple users.

Read our full review of the Apple iPad Pro

Best for Android users: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9

Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 series of tablets is its best yet, and the ecosystem of smart software and accessories that accompany it make it a great choice for Android users looking for a new 2-in-1.

$800 at Amazon

Samsung has consistently made the best Android tablets for years now, and the company also offers an ecosystem of accessories that make its Galaxy Tab series the best choice if you want an Android 2-in-1 device. This year’s Galaxy Tab S9 series comes in three sizes, but we think the S9+ or S9 Ultra are the best for productivity. The S9+ has a 12.4-inch display, while the Ultra steps it up to a 14.6-inch screen – both of which are among the best we’ve seen on mobile devices like this. Otherwise, the two devices are identical, with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processors and 12GB of RAM, both upgrades over last year’s model. And as in years past, Samsung includes its S Pen stylus for drawing and note-taking.

Android’s default multitasking experience is not as good as what you’ll find on Windows or on an iPad, but Samsung’s Dex software converts the tablet experience into something very similar to Windows. Every app is completely resizable, and you can have up to five different apps running simultaneously, with others just a click away in the taskbar.

We only reviewed the S9 Ultra, but that tablet had solid battery life when running multiple apps in Dex mode, up to about seven hours. Given that the S9+ and S9 Ultra have identical specs, we’re comfortable recommending both, though. Just pick your preferred screen size and one of the keyboard covers Samsung sells and you’ve got a solid productive device that’s thin, light and powerful.

Read our Full Review of Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra

Honorable mention: Lenovo Yoga 9i

Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget

Adaptability is the biggest strength of a 2-in-1, with devices like the Yoga 9i capable of transforming into a number of different modes at a moment’s notice.

$1,400 at Lenovo

Adaptability is the biggest strength of a 2-in-1, with devices like the Yoga 9i capable of transforming into a number of different modes at a moment’s notice. Even though it’s got a relatively portable 14-inch OLED display, Lenovo still found room on the Yoga 9i for three USB-C ports, a fingerprint scanner and a clever rotating soundbar to ensure audio sounds good in any position. Lenovo also includes a free stylus in the box but, unlike previous models, there isn’t a dedicated storage slot for it on the machine anymore. It’s also worth noting that, while its general design hasn’t changed much for 2023, Lenovo has improved the Yoga 9i’s performance with updated 13th-gen Intel processors.

Read our full review of the Lenovo Yoga 9i

The perfect hybrid machine that’s just as

WGA & AMPTP To Meet Again Next Week – Deadline

Festivals

Netflix CFO Says Streamer “Committed” To Getting Back To Work – Deadline

Netflix said ongoing Hollywood strikes are bad for business and the company is focused on getting back to work.

“I think really kind of cutting through it, the main thing…is there’s a lot of folks out of work and the business isn’t moving forward,” chief financial officer Spencer Neumann said at a BoFA media conferene today. “And so it’s terrible for all those folks out that are not working and it’s not good for the business. So that’s what we’re most focused on.”

“I mean, at the end of the day, to move the business forward and to have great storytelling and fresh stories for our members, it really is about the partnership with those writers, with those producers, with those directors, with those actors,” he added.

“And so, we need to get back to work. That’s what we are focused on…We are very committed to get back as quickly as possible, in the meantime we are managing through.”

The WGA stuck on May 2, SAG-AFRA on July 14. Neither side is talking with the AMPTP, the alliance of major studios that includes Netflix.

More to come….

Netflix said ongoing Hollywood strikes are bad

Film

Chris Pine’s Directorial Debut Can’t Buy a Good Review to Save Its Life

Any actor that decides to dabble in directing is largely driven by ego, but based on the first reviews for Poolman, we can safely assume that Chris Pine will not be following Ben Affleck’s path towards critical, commercial, and awards season glory.

The only one of Hollywood’s favorite Chrises yet to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been holding onto his passion project for a while, and as harsh as it sounds, it really doesn’t seem to have been worth it all. Following its recent premiere, the knives were immediately sharpened, pulled out, and then plunged repeatedly into Poolman‘s lifeless corpse, rendering it dead on arrival.

Image via AGC Studios

“Conspiracies are everywhere in “Poolman,” although the greatest mystery might be how anyone involved was attracted to this tidal wave of dire kookiness.”

Read @nschager‘s review of Chris Pine’s “Poolman” here: https://t.co/V3TrHq0V0Q

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) September 12, 2023

Being compared to Chinatown – a certifiable classic of cinema that remains as incredible now as it was nearly 50 years ago – has aged like warm milk being propelled directly into the sun in an instant, with the tale of Pine’s title character (also known by Darren Barrenman) stumbling upon a water heist looking as if it’s in danger of being ranked among the year’s worst.

Annette Bening, Danny DeVito, Ariana DeBose, Jennifer Jason Leigh, DeWanda Wise, and Clancy Brown are just some of the other names to make up the star-studded ensemble, only for it to end in disaster for all involved. Fair play to Pine from continuing to branch out and test himself on a creative level when it would be all too easy for him to coast by on his ridiculously handsome face and natural charisma, but this seems to be one experiment that couldn’t possibly have gone any worse than it has.

Any actor that decides to dabble in

OPPENHEIMER, written and directed by Christopher Nolan

‘Oppenheimer’s’ Hoyte van Hoytema to Receive Variety’s Creative Impact Award

“Oppenheimer” cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema will be honored with Variety’s Creative Impact in Cinematography award at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival.

In addition to this summer’s Christopher Nolan blockbuster, the Dutch cinematographer has worked as Nolan’s DP on “Tenet,” “Interstellar” and Dunkirk” along with Jordan Peele for “Nope” and Spike Jonze for “Her.”

“SCAD is proud to partner with Variety on this year’s Creative Impact Award, which will be presented to cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema,” said SCAD Savannah Film Festival executive director Christina Routhier. “Hoyte’s use of IMAX cameras to capture the groundbreaking imagery in this year’s ‘Oppenheimer’ was a cinematic marvel. He is a true master of his craft, and we are thrilled to have him as an honored guest to share his creative insight with our students, alumni, and festival guests.”

Said Variety’s senior artisan’s editor Jazz Tangcay, “I am beyond thrilled to honor the remarkable talent of Hoyte Van Hoytema and his contributions to the craft of cinematography.” She added,”Van Hoytema is an icon and admired. His work is admired by audiences and film lovers the world over. The Creative Impact award celebrates the finest, and Van Hoytema who has worked with Christopher Nolan, Jordan Peele and so many others continues to leave audiences in awe. His work on ‘Oppenheimer’ is a testament to his insane talent and how he continues to break new ground, paving the way for future generations of cinematographers. I can’t wait to celebrate and honor his work.”

The cinematographer took on the ambitious task of capturing an atomic bomb explosion for “Oppenheimer” without the use of VFX all while shooting in IMAX and large format 65mm film stock. Van Hoytema and his team also worked with Kodak to engineer a unique black-and-white IMAX stock specifically for the film.

Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pic

“I do remember when Chris and I were sitting in the cinema and watching the results of our first black-and-white test and it was just freaking amazing. We had never seen anything like it,” the cinematographer previously told Variety about his work on “Oppenheimer”

“The Trinity Test was something that came together and was cobbled from the miniatures of that science experiment,” he added about the team’s creation of atomic bomb footage. “Under the guidance of Chris and my guidance, that we pushed slowly in certain directions in order to serve specific functions in these sequences.”

Van Hoytema will receive his award on Oct. 22 alongside Variety’s 10 Artisans to Watch panel moderated by Tangcay. SCAD Savannah Film Festival will run from Oct. 21 through Oct. 28.

Presented by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), the SCAD Savannah Film Festival is filled with cinematic creativity from award-winning professionals and emerging student filmmakers. Each year, more than 63,000 people attend the eight-day festival. The SCAD Savannah Film Festival has become a distinguished stop on the road to the Academy Awards, hosting exclusive screenings, competition films, feature films, documentaries, shorts, animated films, panel discussions, and workshops at SCAD’s historic theaters and industry-leading studio spaces. The full festival line-up will be announced on Oct. 6. For additional information and tickets, visit filmfest.scad.edu.

“Oppenheimer” cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema will be

What to Watch

Chris Evans’ Captain America Gets Uncharacteristically Angry In Avengers Endgame Unreleased Scene

Summary

Captain America’s unreleased scene in Avengers: Endgame reveals his rage towards Thanos and his actions, showcasing a rare moment of anger for the character.
Although this scene didn’t make it into the film, Captain America’s rage is still evident in Avengers: Endgame, particularly during the final battle against Thanos.
The movie emphasizes Captain America’s determination and will to defeat Thanos, with him finally unleashing his rage by relentlessly attacking the villain with both his shield and Thor’s hammer.

An Avengers: Endgame unreleased scene would have featured an angry Captain America. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become very different since Avengers: Endgame‘s ending, with the movie finishing Captain America’s MCU arc beautifully, closing the Infinity Saga with Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter finally sharing a dance together. While Steve ultimately got his dream ending, Captain America had to go through many hardships in Avengers: Endgame to get there, and that took a toll on him.

Marvel’s Look Out For The Little Guy! book — which is written in-universe by Ant-Man — reveals a missing Avengers: Endgame scene that would have featured Captain America in an uncharacteristic moment. In the book, Scott Lang reveals that, during his conversation with Captain America and Black Widow upon entering the Avengers’ compound after leaving the Quantum Realm, Steve’s rage was palpable. Scott writes that Captain America’s “rage uncharacteristically [gets] the better of him” after Ant-Man called the citizens who were blipped “missing people.” Steve then makes Scott understand the weight of what Thanos did, saying, “That maniac took out half of all life. Not just on Earth. In the universe.”

How Avengers: Endgame Displayed Captain America’s Rage Instead

While Captain America’s outburst with Ant-Man did not make it into their conversation in Avengers: Endgame, the movie still showed that Steve Rogers’ rage over what Thanos did was very much present. At the start of the film, Evans’ Steve Rogers leads a support group to help those who stayed behind after the Blip. Captain America’s sorrow can be felt, with the hero’s facial expressions hinting at how much hurt and anger he had over Thanos’ actions.

Then, Captain America was part of the Avengers that attacked an injured Thanos. The hero did not flinch when Thor cut Thanos’ hand to get the Infinity Gauntlet, nor when the God of Thunder decapitated Thanos. In other times, Captain America would likely have shown some kind of strong reaction to such a display of cold blood from the hero, but Steve had no love lost for Thanos, and Avengers: Endgame saw Captain America simply let a pained breath out after realizing there was no way to reverse the Blip.

Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle was the moment where Captain America was finally allowed to let out his rage against Thanos. Steve Rogers hit the villain rapidly and relentlessly with both his shield and Thor’s hammer — Mjolnir. Later, right before several heroes that had been snapped away in Avengers: Infinity War joined the fight, a hurt Steve Rogers was shown tightening his shield to his arm and gritting his teeth as he moved on to face Thanos’ entire army alone. Captain America was standing through the sheer power of his rage and will, showing that the hero was ready to do whatever it took to take down Thanos in Avengers: Endgame.

Source: Marvel’s Look Out For The Little Guy! book

Key Release Dates

Summary Captain America's unreleased scene

Awards

‘Fast & Furious’ Sung Kang & Gran Turismo’s Emelia Hartford Podcast – Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: Sung Kang and Emelia Hartford know a thing or two about driving fast cars in movies with their roles in Fast and Furious and Gran Turismo, respectively.

The pair have now teamed up to launch a new car-focused podcast with iHeartPodcasts.

Car Stories will see the duo take listeners into the wild and eccentric world of car people, the gear heads and fanatics who live and breathe car culture, and what their obsession tells us about ourselves, whether we’re car people or not.

The series launches on September 21.

The show will feature guests including Jordana Brewster, Peter Brown, sound designer for the Fast and Furious franchise, John Oates, musician and car enthusiast, Dennis McCarthy, vehicle builder and Picture Car Coordinator for the Fast and Furious franchise and race car driver Bisi Ezerioha.

Kang plays Han in Universal’s Fast and Furious franchise as well as starring in Starz’ Power and Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Hartford is an actress, race car driver and custom car builder, who starred in Sony’s Gran Turismo this summer. She has also starred in Max’s A Hollywood Christmas and Netflix’s That’s Amor.

EXCLUSIVE: Sung Kang and Emelia Hartford know

Music

Jason Mraz, Lele Pons & More – Billboard

Another year, another heated competition to claim the mirrorball trophy! On Wednesday morning (Sept. 13), Good Morning America revealed the full celebrity cast for season 32 of Dancing With the Stars.

Among the cast — which includes NFL stars and Emmy nominees — there are a few notable musicians. As previously reported, Jamie Lynn Spears will be competing on America’s favorite celebrity ballroom dance competition alongside pro Alan Bersten. In 2014, Spears, the younger sister of pop icon Britney Spears, reached the Billboard 200 (No. 193) with her debut country EP The Journey.

Other musicians include two-time Grammy winner Jason Mraz and “Celoso” singer Lele Pons. Mraz — who is paired with Daniella Karagach — boasts a pair of top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: “I’m Yours” (No. 6) and “I Won’t Give Up” (No. 8). In a little over a week (Sept. 22), he will release the deluxe version of We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. — which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — in honor of its 15th anniversary.

Pons, a social media influencer, actress and singer who will be dancing with Brandon Armstrong, has charted several hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs ranking. In 2018, “Celoso,” her second entry on any Billboard chart, debuted and peaked at No. 11 on Latin Songs. A collaboration with Puerto Rican rapper Guyanaa, whom she married earlier this year, titled “Se Te Nota” is her most recent entry on the chart, peaking at No. 33.

Check out the full season 32 DWTS cast below:

Singer Jason Mraz with pro Daniella Karagach
Singer-actress Jamie Lynn Spears with pro Alan Bersten
Singer and social media influencer Lele Pons with pro Brandon Armstrong
Brady Bunch actor Barry Williams with pro Peta Murgatroyd
Veep actor Matt Walsh with pro Koko Iwasaki
American Pie actress Alyson Hannigan with pro Sasha Farber
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star and real estate agent Mauricio Umansky with pro Emma Slater
Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix with pro Pasha Pashkov
Too Hot To Handle star and social media influencer Harry Jowsey with pro Rylee Arnold
Model and actor Tyson Beckford with pro Jenna Johnson
NFL running back Adrian Peterson with pro Britt Stewart
Multiverse of Madness actress Xochitl Gomez with pro Val Chmerkovskiy
Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino with pro Gleb Savchenko
The Bachelorette star Charity Lawson with pro Artem Chigvintsev

Dancing With the Stars season 32 will be hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and former pro and judge Julianne Hough. At the judging table are Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough. The competition kicks of Sept. 26 on ABC.

Another year, another heated competition to claim

Docs

31st Raindance Film Festival Programme Announcement

For the 31st edition of the Raindance Film Festival, the UK’s leading indie film festival, Raindance is thrilled to be returning to the heart of London’s West End, the spiritual home of cinema in the UK. Running 25 Oct– 4 Nov, host cinemas include Vue Piccadilly, Curzon Soho, Curzon Mayfair and the Garden Cinema, with The House of Raindance industry hub and the Raindance Immersive VR Showcase hosted this year at Wonderville on Haymarket – all located an arrows-shot from the iconic Eros statue in Piccadilly Circus. Further films will be screened at Genesis Cinema in east London.

Raindance celebrates this West End return with a programme of fresh, relevant, and radical premieres of must-see titles. A champion of new and vibrant voices in cinema, this year’s selection altogether prioritises the work of first, second, and third-time filmmakers across the entire feature programme, re-enforcing the Raindance mandate as a place to discover and be discovered. This year, over 75% of the films are debut features, with 14% being 2nd or 3rd features.

“When Raindance first launched back in 1993 with the World Premiere of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, the festival found itself at home in London’s iconic West End, championing indie film in cinemas more accustomed to playing Hollywood blockbusters,” says Raindance founder Elliot Grove. “Year after year, Raindance proved that the West End could be a home to film of every budget and genre. In our most recent editions, Raindance embraced local neighbourhood cinemas across London. Now for this, our 31st edition, we are wholeheartedly back in London’s West End, the beating heart of cinema in the UK. And we will continue to champion new filmmakers and the edgy, under-the-radar films that we at Raindance love so much. Join us in 2023, in the shadow of Eros in the heart of London – and maybe with a little help from Eros’s mythical arrows, we’ll all fall just a bit in love with independent film.”

Opening Gala: Day of the Fight (dir: Jack Huston, Canada)

UK Premiere. Debut feature. Award-winning British actor Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire, American Hustle, House of Gucci) makes his directorial debut with Day of the Fight, a story of a once-renowned boxer who takes a redemptive journey through his past and present, on the day of his first fight since he left prison. This formidable drama stars Michael Pitt alongside a cast including Ron Perlman, Joe Pesci, and a cameo from Steve Buscemi. Director Jack Huston will take part in a post-screening Q&A, followed by a gala opening party at the Waldorf Hilton.

Closing Gala: Un Amor (dir Isabel Coixet, Spain/Catalonia)

UK Premiere. Based on Sara Mesa’s bestselling novel, award-winning actress Laia Costa (nominated for the 2017 BAFTA EE Rising Star award for Victoria) plays a young woman in Un Amor who escapes her stressful life in the city and relocates to rural Spain. When she accepts a disturbing sexual proposal, it gives rise to an all-consuming and obsessive passion. Nominated for the Golden Seashell at San

Sebastián Film Festival, it’s a striking account of existential doubt and the transformative power of carnal desire.

Special Guest Focus: Catalonia

Raindance is honoured to welcome Catalonia as the special guest this year. Closing gala Un Amor is presented as part of this special focus in partnership with Catalan Films, along with the UK Premieres of Upon Entry, Tender Metalheads and La Singla (more details below). A dedicated Shorts Programme Catalan Collection will further showcase the vision, ambition, and vibrancy of Catalan filmmakers. Special sessions during Raindance’s Industry Programme will also champion Catalonia’s film industry.

Headline Sponsor: MangoRX

The festival’s headline sponsor is MangoRX, creator of a new mango-flavoured rapid-dissolving orange tablet that hits the bloodstream quicker for faster results to combat ED (erectile dysfunction), and by doing so promotes good sexual and mental health. To champion this partnership, Raindance’s red carpets will all have a distinct orange hue. The festival will also run the MangoRX 60-second short film competition, with short filmmakers challenged to focus on mental health and ED. MangoRX additionally supports Raindance’s UK Premiere of Venice Film Festival prize-winner Mountain Onion, which follows a young boy from Kazakhstan on his mission to China to find “Gold Viagra” in the hope of saving his parents failing marriage (more details below).

In Competition: Film Strands

DEBUT: maverick features by first-time directors

Parachute (dir: Brittany Snow, USA). UK Premiere. Debut feature. The directorial debut by actress Brittany Snow (Hairspray, Pitch Perfect) won her the “Thunderbird Rising” award at SXSW. Lead actress Courtney Eaton (Yellowjackets) also picked up a prize at SXSW for her powerful performance as a young woman with an eating disorder and addiction issues.

All the Colours of the World are Between Black and White (dir: Babatunde Apalowo, Nigeria). UK Premiere. Debut feature. Winner of the “Best Feature” Teddy at Berlin, it portrays two men who develop a deep affection for each other when they first meet in Lagos – but in a society which considers homosexuality taboo, they feel the pressure of social norms.

Upon Entry (dir: Alejandro Rojas, Sebastián Vasquez, Spain/Catalonia). UK Premiere. Debut feature. Acclaimed at festivals including Málaga and Tallinn, it follows a young couple as they move from Spain to the United States, only to face an unpleasant inspection and gruelling interrogation when they enter New York airport’s immigration area.

Only the Good Survive (dir: Dutch Southern, USA). International Premiere. Debut feature. Multi-award-winning actress Sidney Flanigan (Never Rarely Sometimes Always) plays a young woman who, after a heist gone wrong results in the deaths of three of her friends, finds herself in the custody of the smalltown sheriff in this impressive genre-bending horror/thriller.

Mountain Onion (dir: Eldar Shibanov, Kazakhstan). UK Premiere. Debut feature. This Venice Film Festival prize-winner follows an 11-year-old boy who finds his mother in the arms of a truck driver, and so he travels from Kazakhstan to China to find what he believes is the only thing that can help his father save the situation and become a strong man: Gold Viagra.

Lost Soulz (dir: Katherine Propper, USA). International Premiere. Debut feature. A young rapper leaves everything behind and embarks on an odyssey of self-discovery, music, and friendship in this slow-burning Texas-bound roadtrip movie.

Storm (dir: Erika Calmeyer, Norway). UK Premiere. Debut feature. After her son drowns in an accident, a mother tries to restart her and her daughter’s life in this tough and powerful drama – only for rumours to surface that the daughter pushed her brother into the water.

The Land Within (dir: Fisnik Maxville, Kosovo/Switzerland). UK Premiere. Debut feature. The “Best First Feature” winner at Tallinn, it follows an adopted boy living in Switzerland who returns to his native Kosovo at the request of his cousin, to help identify the exhumed bodies from a mass grave in their childhood village. Lead actress Luàna Bajrami won the Raindance 2021 “Best Director” award for her directorial debut The Hill Where Lionesses Roar.

INTERNATIONAL: must-see titles selected from around the globe

All The Silence (dir: Diego del Rio, Mexico). UK Premiere. Debut feature. An actress and sign language teacher learns that she is soon to become deaf. Despite having deaf parents, deaf friends, and a deaf girlfriend, she refuses to accept a world without sound.

Blood for Dust (dir: Rod Balckurst, USA). UK Premiere. With a cast including Kit Harington, Josh Lucas and Stephen Dorff, it tells of a struggling travelling salesman who finds himself on a dangerous path after a chance encounter with a former colleague.

Clashing Differences (dir: Merle Grimme, Germany). UK Premiere. Debut feature. Winner of the “Young German Cinema” award at Munich Film Festival, the all-female cast tell the story of a white feminist organisation who, in a clumsy attempt at diversity, invite a group of queer and BIPOC women to participate in their conference.

Heavis Tendres/Tender Metalheads (dir: Joan Tomas, Spain/Catalonia). UK Premiere. Debut feature. An animated tale of two teenage boys in 1990s Barcelona who take refuge in their friendship and heavy music, escaping the grey world in which they live.

Palimpsest (dir: Hanna Västinsalo, Finland). UK Premiere. Debut feature. From the Venice Film Fest Biennale Cinema College, this Benjamin Button-esque sci-fi drama follows two elderly roommates who are selected for a medical trial that makes them younger, giving them a second chance at life while retaining the memories of their past life.

Pett Kata Shaw (dir: Nuhash Humayun, Bangladesh). UK Premiere. Debut feature. Having directed the multi-Oscar® qualifying horror short Moshari, this self-taught filmmaker brings more ancient South Asian folklores to life in this supernatural anthology film – perfect viewing for Halloween.

Sweet Sixteen (dir: Alexa-Jeanne Dubé, Canada). UK Premiere. Debut feature. Adapted from the late Suzie Bastien’s 2018 play, eight 16-year-old girls unveil themselves through eight bittersweet monologues.

White Plastic Sky (dir: Tibor Bánóczki, Sarolta Szabó, Hungary). UK Premiere. Sarolta’s debut feature/Tibor’s 2nd feature. This bold and visually striking animated film follows a young couple living in a barren, post-apocalyptic Budapest in the year 2123, struggling for food and life as they survive along with the rest of humanity beneath a huge white dome.

DOCUMENTARIES: powerful and relevant narratives.

Satan Wants You (dir: Steven J. Adams, Sean Horlor, USA). UK Premiere. 2nd feature. The provocative story of how the “Satanic Panic” of the 1980s was ignited by Michelle Remembers, a bestselling memoir co-written by a psychiatrist and his patient, which made lurid claims about Satanic ritual abuse.

Dusty and Stones (dir: Jesse Rudoy, USA). UK Premiere. Debut feature. This remarkable debut intimately chronicles the ride of Gazi “Dusty” Simelane and Linda “Stones” Msibi, two struggling country music singers from Swaziland who journey to Texas hoping for their big break.

Sex with Sue (dir: Lisa Rideout, Canada). UK Premiere. Debut feature. Winner of “Best Documentary” at the Canadian Screen Awards 2023, it chronicles the life of nurse-turned-sex-educator Sue Johanson, whose popular radio and TV programmes offered sex education from a pleasure-driven, feminist perspective.

La Singla (dir: Paloma Zapata, Spain/Catalonia). UK Premiere. 3rd feature. Romani flamenco dancer Antoñita Singla lost her hearing just days after her birth, so learned to dance by watching her mother clapping. In the 1960s she was considered “the best flamenco dancer in the world” – but ironically, she was more famous internationally than in Spain. This is her fascinating life story.

We Are Guardians (dir: Chelsea Green, Rob Grobman, Edivan Guajajara, Brazil/USA). UK Premiere. Debut feature. Produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way Productions, this is a poignant portrayal of a group of native people who endeavour to save what is left of the Brazilian Amazon.

Another Body (dir: Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn, USA). UK Premiere. Debut feature. Winner of the “Special Jury Award” at SXSW, it documents a college student’s search for justice after she discovers deepfake pornography of herself circulating online.

Aurora’s Sunrise (dir: Inna Sahakyan, Armenia). London Premiere. 3rd feature. Combining archive footage with animation to tell the true story of a teenage refugee turned Hollywood star: 14-year-old Aurora lost everything during the Armenian Genocide, but after fleeing to New York her story became a media sensation, leading to a starring role as herself in the 1919 film Auction of Souls.

Omar and Cedric (dir: Nicolas Jack Davies, USA). World Premiere. 2nd feature. Having worked with the likes of Coldplay, Elbow, PJ Harvey and Mumford & Sons, this Grammy-nominated director charts the intimate, artistic and personal relationship between Omar Rodriguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of American progressive rock band The Mars Volta.

The Books He Didn’t Burn (dir: Claus Bredenbrock & Jascha Hannover, Germany). World Premiere. Debut feature. Narrated by Academy Award® winner Jeremy Irons, this documentary takes an eye-opening look at history by examining the remains of Adolf Hitler’s private library.

UK: the best new films conceived and created right here

Long Distance Swimmer – Sara Mardini (dir: Charley Feldman, UK). UK Premiere. Debut feature. When former pro swimmers Sara Mardini and her sister Yusra arrived in Germany from war-torn Syria, they were Europe’s most celebrated refugees. Now Sara is facing a 20-year prison sentence for volunteering with a Greek NGO, helping other refugees. Screening in association with Migration Matters Festival.

Sisters Interrupted (dir: Caroline Sharp, UK). UK Premiere. Debut feature. Highlighting the medical injustices that people face, this documentary follows two sisters as they both battle forms of epilepsy and together fight for access to a treatment that could save both their lives.

Red Herring (dir: Kit Vincent, UK). London Premiere. Debut feature. Tackling themes of mental health, love and society, a filmmaker enlists his family on an intimate and darkly humorous journey to help them come to terms with his terminal illness.

Embers (dir: Christian Cooke, UK). World Premiere. Debut feature. The first feature by British actor Christian Cooke, he also stars alongside a cast including Ruth Bradley (Humans, Ted Lasso) in this story of a sexual surrogate who is employed to help a high-security psychiatric patient overcome his intimacy issues so he can make parole.

Silent Roar (dir: Johnny Barrington, UK). London Premiere. Debut feature. Chosen to open this year’s Edinburgh Film Festival, this charming coming-of-age drama follows a young surfer on the Isle of Lewis as he deals with unresolved grief following his father’s death.

The Portrait (dir: Simon Ross, UK). European Premiere. Debut feature. After her husband is devastated by a tragic accident, a devoted wife becomes obsessed with a mysterious portrait that resembles how he once was. This eerie thriller stars Natalia Cordova-Buckley (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Ryan Kwanten (True Blood) and Oscar nominee Virginia Madsen (Sideways).

Catching Dust (dir: Stuart Gatt, UK). UK Premiere. Debut feature. Erin Moriaty (The Boys) and Jai Courtney (Suicide Squad, Terminal List) play a repressed wife and her criminal husband hiding out in the Texas desert, when a couple from New York suddenly arrives with dangerous consequences for them all.

Warhol (dir: Adam Ethan Crow, UK). UK Premiere. Debut feature. The lives of a controversial America shock jock, a desperate deaf girl, a homeless ex-soldier, and a scared young gang member intertwine in this tale of choice, consequence, and redemption.

OFF-COMPETITION: Critics Picks & Special Pre-Release Screening

Restore Point (dir: Robert Hloz, Czech Republic/Slovakia). UK Premiere. Debut feature. Raindance asked top critics to select and champion a film, and this special “Critics Pick” is selected by Variety’s Guy Lodge. Set in 2038, a female detective investigates the case of a murdered couple when a restoration team is able to bring one of them back to life.

Typist Artist Pirate King (dir: Carol Morley, UK). Special pre-release London Premiere. Kelly Macdonald (No Country For Old Men, Operation Mincemeat) and Monica Dolan (Appropriate Adult) play two women whose friendship grows as they hit the road in an electric car looking for endings and reconciliation. Co-starring Gina McKee (Our Friends In The North, My Policeman).

Feature Awards and Jury

The Raindance Film Festival awards system honours features in eight categories: Discovery Award, Best UK Feature, Best International Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Performance.

This year’s jury: Celyn Jones (actor/director: Set Fire to the Stars, Manhunt, The Almond and the Seahorse), Duncan Jones (director: Moon, Source Code, Warcraft), Michael Socha (actor: The Gallows Pole, This Is England), Michael Winterbottom (director: 24 Hour Party People, In This World, Shoshana), Rory Kinnear (actor: Men, No Time To Die), Samuel Bottomley (actor: How To Have Sex, Somewhere Boy, Ladhood), Sope Dirisu (actor: Gangs of London, Mr. Malcolm’s List), Tara Fitzgerald (actor: The King, Brassed Off, Game of Thrones), Vinette Robinson (actor: Boiling Point, The Lazarus Project)

Film & TV Critic Ashanti Omkar, Director of Acquisitions at Hanway Genevieve Segall, MUBI’s Natalie Ralph, Director of MetFilm School Jonny Persey, UK Muslim Film’s Sajid Varda, Senior Global Publicity Manager at Universal Millen Lemma, Director of Public Programmes and Audiences at BFI

Jason Wood, director of shorts at Raindance Charlotte Hamblin, Bertha Doc House’s Jenny Horwell, director Finn Bruce (Swede Caroline, Spirit of Raindance 2022 winner), producer Rob Watson, producer Nadira Murray, director/editor Claire Ferguson, founder and CEO of Together Films Sarah Mosses.

Raindance Immersive Programme (27 – 29 Oct: Immersive Showcase at Wonderville, 4 Nov – 3 Dec: online festival in VRChat)

For the eighth year in a row, Raindance is celebrating all independent XR creators, game designers, virtual world builders and performers with the festival’s vanguard Raindance Immersive programme. For the first time this year, the programme also acknowledges the fledging filmmaking community that’s developing within social VR platform VRChat – Raindance is set to be the first major film festival to screen a programme of short films and of music videos made entirely within VRChat.

This year’s selection is a mix of World Premieres and special first-look previews spanning immersive storytelling, games, virtual world building, cabaret, comedy, and filmmaking. Raindance Immersive is curated by Mária Rakušanová with short films and music videos made in VRChat curated by Joe Hunting (whose Sundance and CPH:DOX nominated documentary We Met in Virtual Reality was filmed entirely in the world of VR). This year Raindance Immersive will have a physical showcase in London 27 – 29 Oct, and the virtual festival will run 4 Nov – 3 Dec inside VRChat. The nominated immersive experiences, games, virtual worlds, live performances, short films and music videos compete for eight awards. www.raindanceimmersive.com

Highlights Include:

IMMERSIVE NARRATIVES

40 Days Without the Sun (creator: João Carlos Furia). Beautifully animated, this sad story follows a family’s journey of grief when a mother suffers a miscarriage.

Where Is Nobody (creator: Chih-Yen Hsu). A family-friendly experience featuring siblings playing hide-and-seek, concealing themselves all around the apartment.

Isle (creator: Austin Wolfe). This solitary narrative-focused VR game is inspired by Scottish mythology, telling the tale of a lonely lighthouse keeper.

Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery VR (creator: Akupara Games). Guide brushstrokes and solve a variety of puzzles to help an aspiring artist complete her masterpiece in this serene tale.

IMMERSIVE GAMES

The 7th Guest VR (creator: Vertigo Games). This iconic 90s mystery video game has been brought back to life with cutting-edge VR technology, enabling players to relive the original story from a whole new perspective as they explore a foreboding mansion, solve challenging puzzles, and uncover dark secrets.

Tin Hearts (creator: Rogue Sun/Wired Productions). This Lemmings-style narrative puzzle adventure centres on a toy maker and toy soldiers, set in an alternative-timeline Victorian universe full of nostalgic warmth and charm.

Max Mustard (creator: Toast VR). From the creators of Richie’s Plank Experience comes this new platform game, in which you join a famous inventor on an adventure to reunite adorable mudpups with their parents.

Broken Spectre (creator: Games by Stitch). A narrative cosmic horror game from one of the creators of The Blair Witch Project – the VR haunted park adventure of your nightmares.

Retropolis 2: Never Say Goodbye (creator: Peanut Button). A noir-video puzzle game once again focusing on robo-detective Philip Long. Engage a battle of the minds with a slick new villain, and use your wit, your hovering inventory, and a pair of extend-o-arms to uncover the truth.

IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL WORLDS

This World will be Deleted in 24 Hours (creator: Crazium). An experimental world to see how long VRChat users can keep a world alive. With each passing hour the world changes. Especially for Raindance Immersive, we invite users to spend a full 24 hours in VR as the reset button can only be pressed at the 24h point.

Astral Bounds: Cerulean Tide (creator: Vectriel). A new bell-crystal has awakened. Find it to unlock and explore new depths and realms in this puzzle-solving VR set in a fantastical world.

IMMERSIVE LIVE PERFORMANCES

Failed to Render Presents: The World of Laughter (creator: Failed To Render). Failed to Render, the longest-running professional comedy club in VR, present their new comedy show.

IMMERSIVE MUSIC EXPERIENCES

God Is a DJ (creator: x). Presented in VRChat, this show is an homage to Maxi Jazz of British electronic group Faithless, who passed away in Dec 2022.

IMMERSIVE ART EXPERIENCES

Dragon Magic (creator: Juliana Loh). This world represents Part 2 of ‘Awaken the Giants’, and is centred around the meaning of culture, individuality, and diversity.

Thickness of Calligraphy (creator: VMoVA). An online virtual exhibition showcasing 3D calligraphy as a new artform.

SHORT FILMS AND MUSIC VIDEOS MADE IN VRCHAT

Ulterior Motives (creator: Ariel Emerald). A young woman searches for connection across one night in the VRChat club scene. This short was filmed over 6 months in real VRChat music venues during live events, featuring a soundtrack of songs created entirely by VRChat users.

Alba (creator: AMOKA). The new music video by vocal duo AMOKA, active mainly in VR, whose debut album 2021’s “Toy Box” and EP “Poppin’ Dance” released in 2022 charted in the Top 10 in Japan.

Academy Award® Qualifying Shorts Programme

Raindance is an Oscar-qualifying festival. The recipient of Best Short Of The Festival is eligible for consideration in the Short Film category of the Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run (provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules). Awards are also given for Best UK Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Animation Short.

Highlights include The Golden West (dir: Tom Berkeley, Ross White, Ireland/UK). The story of two warring Irish sisters who flee the Great Famine to seek their fortune in the gold rush in 1849, is the latest short from the directors of 2023 Oscar® winning An Irish Goodbye. 2023 Oscar-nominated Ivalu (dir: Anders Walter, Pipaluk K. Jørgensen, Denmark/Greenland) is the powerful story of a missing indigenous girl set against the vast, windswept landscapes of Greenland. The inner turmoil of a grieving son collides with the failing political tenure of the Conservative Party in Killing Boris Johnson (dir: Musa Alderson-Clarke, UK). Documentary short Aqueronte (dir: Manuel Muñoz Rivas, Spain) is an atmospheric snapshot of passengers crossing a river on a small ferry. It’s What Each Person Needs (dir: Sophy Romvari, Canada) portrays a young woman providing companionship for juxtaposing demographics. Set against the mining landscape of the Belgian city of Genk, Terril (dir: Jorn Plucieniczak, Belgium) depicts the masculine dynamics within a working-class family. With Nigerian queer history erased from the national narrative, queer Nigerians in the UK gather to tell their stories in The Archive: Queer Nigerians (dir: Simisolaoluwa Akande, UK). In animation short Humo (dir: Rita Basulto, Mexico/USA) a boy travels by train towards a dark destination. Marianne Faithful narrates natural history fantasy film Wild Summon (dir: Karni Arieli, Saul Freed, UK), following the dramatic lifecycle of the wild salmon in human form. Altogether, there are nine short film programmes: Nova Express, Relative States, Transient Ventures, UK Shorts, Gone Astray, Documented People, Animated Display, Catalan Collection, We Are Parable.

Raindance Industry Session @ The House of Raindance (Wonderville, Haymarket 25 Oct – 4 Nov)

This year’s Raindance Industry Sessions will be a collection of independent filmmaking workshops, panels and masterclasses hosted at the House of Raindance (Wonderville Haymarket). Over 25 industry sessions will cover topics as wide-ranging as Virtual Reality Storytelling, How to Make A Low Budget Film, Digital Cinematography Masterclass and The Future of AI in Filmmaking, just to name a few.

This year, we have the aim of providing our industry audience with important tools, tips and knowledge on independent filmmaking and the independent film industry, presented to them directly by top-level industry professionals and Raindance-selected independent filmmakers.

Raindance Industry Selects screenings include presentations of Maya (dir: Paul C. Hemmes, USA), a horror about a shape shifting soul collector; Our Kid (dir: Sean Cronin, UK) a drama starring award-winning actress Leanne Best and BAFTA-nominated Ricky Tomlinson; and House Shorts sponsored by Too Far Media.

Festival Passes are now on sale. Ticket sales begin on 20th September 2023.

Raindance promotes and supports independent filmmaking and filmmakers.

From new and emerging to industry pros, Raindance connects, trains, supports, and promotes visual storytellers through every step of their career.

The Raindance Film Festival runs each Autumn in London’s Leicester Square.

Raindance has been delivering film training since 1992. A wide range of Open Classes to a 2 year HND Level 5 BTEC in Moving Images to a Postgraduate Film Degree are delivered to students on five continents, both in person and online.

For the 31st edition of the

Trending

Antonio Banderas in Christmas Musical ‘Journey to Bethlehem’: Trailer

Sony Pictures’ faith-focused label Affirm Films and Monarch Media have set a release date and launched a trailer for Christmas musical film “Journey to Bethlehem.”

The film marks the feature directorial debut of Adam Anders, who was a music producer on “Glee.” A retelling of the the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus, the film is a live-action Christmas musical weaving classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith and new pop songs.

The cast includes Fiona Palomo (“Outer Banks”), Milo Manheim (“Prom Pact”), Antonio Banderas (“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”), Stephanie Gil (“Fatima”), Rizwan Manji (“Schitt’s Creek”), Geno Segers (“Perfect Harmony”), Omid Djalili (“Gladiator”), Joel Smallbone and Lecrae.

Anders penned the script along with Peter Barsocchini (“High School Musical”) and wrote the music with Nikki Anders (“Glee”) and Peer Astrom (“Rock of Ages”). The film is produced by Anders, Alan Powell and Steve Barnett through Monarch Media, and executive produced by Barsocchini and Monarch’s Vicky Patel with Ryan Busse, Stephen Meinen, Brandt Andersen also serving as producers.

“I have had a dream to create a Christmas musical for years and to see it come to life with a stunning cast has exceeded every expectation,” Anders said in a statement. “We could not be more excited for this film to be a classic for years to come.”

Manheim added: “I hope this music goes down in history because I’m going to be listening to it for a long time. It’s one of the best musicals I’ve ever been a part of.”

“This is Affirm Films’ first musical in 17 years and over 65 films, and the opportunity to work with one of the most successful music producers and songwriters for our first outing has resulted in a film that far exceeds our expectations,” said Rich Peluso, executive VP and head of Affirm Films. “We’re looking forward to sharing this accessible and amazing musical journey with audiences around the world.”

The film releases theatrically on Nov. 10. Watch the trailer below.

Sony Pictures’ faith-focused label Affirm Films and

KRAPOPOLIS: Tyrannis returns from a quest with a girlfriend, but it was all a setup from Deliria to make him think he’s a hero. Hippocampus, Stupendous, and Shlub fight and then befriend the species of wolves in the "Wife Swamp" episode of KRAPOPOLIS airing Sunday, Oct 1 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Guest voice Yvette Nicole Brown. KRAPOPOLIS © 2023 by FOX Media Inc

Tech

Fox Execs on Fall Schedule, Expectations for Dan Harmon’s ‘Krapopolis’

As a strike-impacted fall season launches later this month, Fox boasts one of the only full nights of scripted programming in primetime — thanks to its Sunday night “Animation Domination” lineup.

Besides the returns of “The Simpsons,” “Bob’s Burgers” and “Family Guy,” that sked includes the long-awaited debut of Dan Harmon’s new entry “Krapopolis.” The animated series, set in ancient Greece, was first commissioned at Fox way back in June 2020, when Harmon signed a broadcast network-only exclusive direct animation deal. It was formally ordered to series in February 2021, and was originally intended to debut in 2022 — before being pushed to May 2023, and now, September 24. It was renewed for a second season in October 2022 and for a third season in March 2023.

After that lengthy runway, Fox Entertainment scripted programming president Michael Thorn told Variety that the network has its fingers crossed.

“The thing that we’re really mindful of for all of our series is that the world has completely changed,” Thorn said. “The overnight success, it just it just doesn’t happen anymore. It’s a game of patience. And what we really want to see is the audience react positively to this show. We want to see momentum around the linear and the delayed viewing and have word of mouth spread. Animation has never been a genre that opens big.

“I’d be lying if I said we didn’t hope for a remarkable opening, but at the same time we’re realists, and we believe in the show and we believe in the long game which is why we have already ordered the third cycle,” he added.

Elsewhere on Fox’s fall schedule, unscripted programming is everywhere, just like it is on almost every network this fall, given the lack of scripted production. Allison Wallach, Fox Entertainment’s president of unscripted, compares this lean launch to Fox’s efforts during the early months of the COVID-19 shutdowns in 2020.

“I started a month before the pandemic over at [Fox Alternative Entertainment],” she said. “So I feel as though we have been in this mode of you’ve got to get scrappy, keep your head down, and find any possible way to stay in production since then.”

Despite unscripted being so essential to the network’s fall lineup, Wallach said she and her team did not feel any added pressure. Fox’s fall reality fare includes two series from Gordon Ramsay: “Hell’s Kitchen” and the return of “Kitchen Nightmares,” which has been off the air since 2014.

Fox is also bullish on the second season of “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” this time featuring contestants including Dez Bryant, Tyler Cameron, Savannah Chrisley, Blac Chyna, Brian Austin Green, Robert Horry, Bode Miller, Jack Osbourne, Tara Reid, Kelly Rizzo, Tom Sandoval and JoJo Siwa. The network also has the new David Spade-fronted “Snake Oil” and the return of “The Masked Singer,” “Lego Masters” and “Name That Tune.”

“The shows that are coming up in the fall, they were shows that were either in production, getting picked up, and that we were enthusiastic about anyway,” she said. “So it didn’t really change the course of how we were making decisions, or I don’t think anyone really felt this pressure that all of a sudden we have to have all these shows on the air because we were going to have most of them ready anyway. We probably would have had more time to market them but thankfully there was really only two new shows coming. The rest is the returning stuff.”

As a strike-impacted fall season launches later

Video

‘Shining Vale’ Trailer Teases Darker Season 2 – Deadline

Shining Vale returns with Season 2 via Starz on Friday, October 13 and the first official trailer (above) teases more darkness lies ahead for the Phelps family. New episodes will be available to stream weekly on Fridays at midnight on the Starz app, all Starz streaming and on-demand platforms and will air weekly on the Starz linear platform

Season 2 picks up after the chaotic Season 1 finale and will pick up when Pat (Courteney Cox) lands herself in a psychiatric hospital for trying to murder her family with an ax. While there, she went through extensive Electroshock Therapy, and when she returns home she meets a mysterious woman who introduces her to a host of ancient remedies used to “cure” women of depression, including the apocryphal Smile Masks. It will also explore what’s in store for the Phelps family as they continue to be haunted by ghosts while Pat struggles to live with mental illness in a broken family, battling demons both internally…and externally.

Shining Vale Season 2 also stars Greg Kinnear, Mira Sorvino, Gus Birney, Merrin Dungey and Dylan Gage; and features Judith Light, Allison Tolman and Sherilyn Fenn.

The series is executive produced by Jeff Astrof from Other Shoe Productions; Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford from Merman; Aaron Kaplan and Melanie Frankel from Kapital Entertainment. Cox also serves as a producer. The series is co-created by Astrof and Horgan and is produced by Warner Bros. Television and Lionsgate Television in association with Other Shoe Productions, Merman and Kapital Entertainment.

Watch the trailer in full above.

Shining Vale returns with Season 2 via

Entertaintment

The Belarus Free Theater Is Also a Support Network for Exiles

When the two founders of the renowned Belarus Free Theater claimed political asylum in Britain in 2011, they found themselves homeless, with few possessions and facing a bureaucratic labyrinth before they could work.

It was only with help from British theater makers that the pair found places to stay and were able to restart their company from exile, using Skype to conduct rehearsals with actors in Minsk, Belarus’s capital.

Twelve years later, the company’s founders, Natalia Kaliada and Nicolai Khalezin, are using that experience to help other artists fleeing political repression.

Belarus — an East European country of about nine million people that borders both Russia and Ukraine — has been ruled since 1994 by President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, a dictator and ally to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. The Belarus Free Theater’s political productions have often criticized Lukashenko’s authoritarian leadership and its troupe was long at risk of arrest. But as repression increased, the company decided it was no longer feasible for its other members to remain in Minsk. In 2021, they also fled to avoid long jail terms. Since then, Kaliada said, she and Khalezin had been helping the actors to find housing, therapy and visas.

The company was also running acting classes for other Belarusian and Ukrainian refugees in Warsaw, Kaliada said, that had led to full-scale shows, and was providing help to some Ukrainians singers, too, who could no longer perform full time in their homeland because of the war.

“The only thing we wanted was for people to not go through our experiences,” Kaliada said.

In Warsaw this summer, Kaliada and Khalezin started rehearsals for their latest project, “King Stakh’s Wild Hunt,” a piece of experimental theater including opera singers and video projections that will premiere at the Barbican Center, in London, on Thursday, running through Sep. 16.

In interviews with eight actors, musicians and production staff at those rehearsals, four said they were struggling to adjust to life in Warsaw. The composer Olga Podgaiskaya said it was only with a therapist’s help that she’d come to accept that she wouldn’t be returning to Minsk anytime soon. In Belarus, she said, she had been a fixture on the classical music scene: “Here, I’m a nobody. I need to prove from scratch who I am.”

Raman Shytsko, an actor, said he still felt like a guest in Poland — and sometimes an unwelcome one. Once in the city of Wroclaw, he said, he was sworn at in the street for speaking Russian. “A lot of people here hate Belarusians now,” he added, because of the regime’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Many of the exiled artists said that simply working on “King Stakh’s Wild Hunt,” had given them a much-needed sense of purpose.

In the rehearsals, which took place at Warsaw’s main opera house, the cast helped each other learn lines and dance moves, and larked about between scenes. Yuliya Shauchuk, an actor, said that the studio was the one place where she always felt joyful.

This show’s plot, which is drawn from a popular Belarusian novel and involves a group of ghostly huntsmen who terrorize a rural community, also felt analogous to what was happening now in Belarus, Shauchuk said, where every day the police track down and arrest people who have protested the president’s rule.

Several Ukrainian opera singers involved in the production said the rehearsals were benefiting them, too. Mykola Hubchuk had driven overnight from Kolomyya, Ukraine, to take part. “This project is very important for me,” he said. “I need emotion and singing in my life.”

Sveta Sugako, the Belarus Free Theater’s production manager, said that the company had renewed its sense of purpose in exile. Its members used to mainly “shout about Belarus,” she said. Now, the company was trying to raise awareness about the war in Ukraine, too, and about the political situation in Russia. It had become, she said, “about the whole region.”

The troupe’s journey to exile began in 2020 with an election. That year, Belarus looked set for change, after Lukashenko’s landslide victory was widely dismissed as fraudulent. Members of the company took part in the subsequent mass street protests, hoping Lukashenko would be forced to step aside.

Instead, he violently cracked down on opposition and in October 2021, Kaliada and Khalezin pulled the remaining members out. They first headed to Ukraine, with some members wading through swamps to cross the border, before some continued to Poland, and others to Britain.

Ever since, Kaliada said, the situation in Belarus had gotten worse. Last year, Putin used the country as a staging ground for his invasion of Ukraine, then said he would move Russian nuclear weapons across the border into Belarus.

Helping the troupe members who reached London had proved easier than those in Warsaw, Kaliada said, because of the company’s established connections in London’s theater world. Cate Blanchett provided accommodation for some members in London, Kaliada said.

In Poland, the company had few relationships with similarly generous individuals, Kaliada said, but it had secured cheap rates for some actors at a hotel on the outskirts of Warsaw. The Polish government also helped, letting the troupe rehearse for free at the state-run opera house.

The company has been trying to deepen its ties in Warsaw. Whenever it stages a show in the city, including recent productions featuring refugee teenagers, it invites local dignitaries, and adds Polish subtitles.

With the company approaching the end of its second year in exile, Kaliada said its members would soon have to do more to support themselves. Around 100 people were working on “King Stakh’s Wild Hunt,” she said, and the Belarus Free Thater didn’t have the resources to support them all.

Many of the actors in Warsaw said they were already making efforts to find their own work. One said he’d taken on dubbing. Another said they were teaching and another was working as a coder.

Shauchuk said she knew she needed “to build a life” in Warsaw and was looking to improve her Polish. But, she said, she would not give up hope of returning home. “Even if I build up a family outside Belarus,” she said, “I want the right to go back.”

When the two founders of the renowned

Akshay Kumar Was ‘Very Sad’ When Kartik Aaryan Replaced Him in Hera Pheri 3, Let Go Of His Fees: Report

Curated By: Dishya Sharma

Last Updated: September 13, 2023, 20:24 IST

Akshay Kumar was going to be replaced by Kartik Aaryan, as per reports.

Last year, it was claimed that Kartik Aaryan was replacing Akshay Kumar in Hera Pheri 3. However, this year, it was confirmed that he will return as Raju.

Akshay Kumar has reportedly decided to forgo his fee for Hera Pheri 3 and signed a profit-sharing deal instead, claimed a new report. Akshay allegedly decided to go with the alternative deal after learning about finances of the producers. It is said that he is confident that the film is a potential blockbuster, hence he decided to sacrifice his fee in exchange of a profit-sharing margin. It is also claimed that he is going with the similar approach with Welcome 3.

A source told Bollywood Hungama that Akshay had also decided to resolve his differences with the makers after he learnt that Kartik Aaryan was replacing him. The source claimed that Akshay was ‘very sad’ after learning about the replacement and allegedly decided to mend things after seeing fans reactions to the possible replacement as well.

“Akshay Kumar was himself very sad when he heard that Kartik Aaryan was replacing him in Hera Pheri 3. He read all the reactions of fans and media people and then decided to sort out all the differences with Firoz Nadiadwala, and thereby return to the franchise. He has done it for all his fans, who wanted to see him as Raju and Rajeev,” the insider claimed.

“Akshay knew that Firoz Nadiadwala isn’t in best of financial condition, however, was very well aware that the basic idea of Welcome 3 and Hera Pheri 3 have potential to emerge as a humongous blockbuster. To start with, he first decided to completely sacrifice his fees, and entered into a profit-sharing model with Firoz Nadiadwala on entire revenue. Firoz wanted to retain the IP, and hence he has complete control over the IP, however, he will be sharing revenue with Akshay in a pre-decided ratio,” the source told the publication. News18 couldn’t verify the claims at the time of reporting.

Previously, Akshay Kumar said that he backed out of Hera Pheri 3 due to creative differences. “The film was offered to me and I was told about it. But the screenplay, script and everything, I was not satisfied, not happy with it. I have to do what people want to see and that is why I backed out, I took a step behind. For me, it’s a part of me, my life, my journey, in a huge way. Mujhe bhi bahut dukh ho raha hai. Main khud bhi bahut dukhi hun iss baat se ki main kar nahi paa raha hun (I am also very upset. I am very upset with teh fact that I won’t be doing it) because I’m not happy with how things have shaped up. That’s why I backed out,” he said at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit last year.

Hera Pheri 3 was announced earlier this year. It was confirmed that Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty are reuniting for the same. A photo of the trio in their Hera Pheri avatar was also shared online.

Dishya Sharma

Dishya Sharma, Chief Sub Editor, is part of the entertainment team at News18. She eats, sleeps, and drinks entertainment. While Indian films have fuel…Read More

Curated By: Dishya SharmaLast Updated: September

‘Dancing With the Stars’: Mira Sorvino, Jason Mraz join

Ariana Madix, Charity Lawson and Jamie Lynn Spears can officially size up their “Dancing With the Stars” competition and there are plenty of reality stars and sports stars among them.

The full Season 32 cast of ABC’s competition series was unveiled Wednesday on “Good Morning America,” and it includes 14 celebs vying for this year’s coveted Mirror Ball trophy.

“Buffy” and “How I Met Your Mother” star Alyson Hannnigan, “Brady Bunch” alum Barry Williams, “Veep” star Matt Walsh, NFL great Adrian Peterson, singer Jason Mraz, Oscar winner Mira Sorvino and supermodel Tyson Beckford are among this season’s big names. Marvel star Xochitl Gomez, “Too Hot to Handle” reality star Harry Jowsey, singer and YouTuber Lele Pons and Bravo real estate mogul Mauricio Umansky round out the cast.

ABC had previously confirmed that Madix of “Vanderpump Rules,” Lawson of its hit “Bachelorette” franchise and Spears of “Zoey 101” fame would compete this season. (Spears’ announcement Tuesday did not go off without a hitch, however, with some fans deeming Britney Spear’s younger sister a “poor choice.”)

Season 32 of “Dancing With the Stars” will move to Tuesday nights and premieres Sept. 26 on ABC and Disney+. “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star and Season 19 champ Alfonso Ribeiro will return as co-host alongside “DWTS” alum Julianne Hough, who makes her co-hosting debut on the show this fall replacing Tyra Banks, who left the show after a three-year stint. Hough’s brother Derek Hough will also return to the judge’s table alongside longtime judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli.

The 18-time Emmy-winning series resumes this season without its veteran head judge Len Goodman, who died in April at age 78 after being diagnosed with bone cancer. Goodman, who had been with the series since 2005 and judged its British predecessor “Strictly Come Dancing,” had retired from the series in November.

Ariana Madix, Charity Lawson and Jamie

Perrin sitting with Hopper the wolf in The Wheel of Time

DCU

What Are THE WHEEL OF TIME’s Wolfbrothers?

The Wheel of Time TV series, based on the book series of the same name by Robert Jordan, set up a mystery for Perrin Aybara in season one. His eyes occasionally turned golden, and he didn’t know what was happening. Perrin’s abilities have continued to evolve in season two of the show, ever since he met Elyas. Elyas recently told Perrin what he is: a wolfbrother. Here’s what you need to know about wolfbrothers in The Wheel of Time with some context, but no spoilers, from the books.

**What Are Wolfbrothers in The Wheel of Time?**

Prime Video

Also known as wolfsisters or wolfkin, wolfbrothers are people who have a close relationship with wolves. The known wolfkin in The Wheel of Time books are all men, but women could be wolfkin, too. There is no known way to detect whether someone has the potential to become a wolfbrother. It’s not necessarily a genetic trait. If someone is a wolfbrother, their condition could lay dormant for years. It usually takes close proximity to wolves and the wolves’ acceptance to bring the traits to the forefront. The person may not know what is happening.

In the first season of The Wheel of Time TV series, a pack of wolves approached Perrin in the woods. One wolf licked his leg. Later in the season, wolves help Perrin and Egwene escape imprisonment by the Whitecloaks. Perrin didn’t know what was going on until he met Elyas in season two.

Wolfbrother Abilities

Hopper projecting an image for Perrin showing the wolf jumping in the air, chasing embers — Prime Video

Being a wolfbrother comes with special abilities, which we’ve seen in season two. Perrin’s eyes turn golden and he can see imprints of things that have happened. He witnesses what occurred in the abandoned village and watches the past when the Shienaran Darkfriend chased down a small child. Elyas uses those abilities as a “sniffer” for hire (this is different from the sniffer in The Wheel of Time books).

Wolfbrothers gain heightened vision and sense of smell, too. In the show, their tastes eventually trend towards raw meat. As we saw with Perrin learning Hopper’s name through a projected image, wolfbrothers can communicate with wolves and each other through a psychic kind of connection focused on images instead of words.

They have other interesting abilities in the books, but let’s wait and see what unfolds in the series to avoid spoilers.

Does Being a Wolfbrother Involve Channeling the One Power?

Being a wolfbrother and using the associated abilities does not involve the One Power or channeling. In fact, it’s believed the condition is older than the One Power, going back before the Age of Legends. Aes Sedai are not entirely convinced that the wolfbrother condition is separate from the One Power. We wouldn’t want to put Perrin or Elyas near a member of the Red Ajah, for example.

Who Are Known Wolfbrothers?

Elyas Machera looking at Perrin with golden eyes in The Wheel of Time — Prime Video

In The Wheel of Time TV series, the known wolfbrothers are Perrin Aybara and Elyas Machera.

The Wheel of Time TV series,

Comics

The next Nintendo Direct has been confirmed for Thursday

The next Nintendo Direct live stream will take place on Thursday, September 14, Nintendo has confirmed.

The event will take place at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm GMT / 4pm CEST and feature “roughly 40 minutes of information mostly focused on Nintendo Switch games releasing this winter”, Nintendo said.

The last Nintendo Direct took place in June and featured Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Super Mario RPG, Pikmin 4 and Detective Pikachu Returns, among other games.

During its latest quarterly financial results briefing this month, Nintendo said Switch’s global lifetime sales stood at 129.53 million by the mid-point of 2023.

Driven by the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo shipped 3.91 million Switch units during the three-month period ended in June, which was up 13.9% year-over-year.

Nintendo forecasts it will sell 15 Switch million consoles during the current fiscal year ending on March 31, 2024, which would represent a 16.5% year-over-year decline.

According to VGC sources, the company has dispatched Switch 2 development kits to key partners, with a launch planned for the second half of 2024. Officially, Nintendo is yet to comment on plans for its next console.

The platform holder also showed off tech demos for its Nintendo Switch successor behind closed doors at Gamescom, it’s understood.

The next Nintendo Direct live stream will

Festivals

‘Wrestlers’ Review: Netflix Docuseries Is a Body Slam Dunk

Everyone loves an underdog, but it’s possible nobody loves one more than Greg Whiteley. With Netflix hits “Cheer” and “Last Chance U,” the documentarian trained his eye on undergraduate athletes whose programs lack the resources or respect of a Big Ten institution. Each show made a compelling case for its subjects’ skill, tenacity and right to a bigger spotlight; “Cheer,” in particular, made stars of its protagonists, a charismatic squad of Texas students who performed death-defying stunts with a smile.

The second season of “Cheer” was forced to reckon with the fallout of its own success, taking some focus away from its namesake sport to address squad member Jerry Harris’ being sentenced to prison for soliciting sex from minors, as well as coach Monica Aldama’s stint on “Dancing With the Stars” and the uncomfortable transition from challenger to heavy favorite. Thankfully, Whiteley’s latest effort offers a fresh start. “Wrestlers” trades the college campus for the Louisville, Kentucky headquarters of Ohio Valley Wrestling, a small and scrappy remnant of what was once a national network of regional wrestling circuits. But while its namesake performers are technically professionals, “Wrestlers” retains the DNA of what made Whiteley’s prior portraits of amateurs so compelling.

OVW, as it’s known, is a far cry from World Wrestling Entertainment, the powerhouse Vince McMahon gradually built into a quasi-monopoly. Even All Elite Wrestling, the WWE’s main competitor, is backed by billionaire scion Tony Khan. But what OVW lacks in scale or financial might, it partly makes up for in prestige. Before they graduated to bigger platforms, John Cena and Dave Bautista got their start at OVW, honing their ability to work a crowd and sell a story as well as their athleticism. Much of that acumen traces back to Al Snow, a former wrestler and OVW’s longtime proprietor. “Wrestlers” positions Snow as a kind of anti-McMahon, a mentor figure sincerely, if gruffly, invested in his talent’s well-being in and out of the ring.

Snow can motivate protegés and craft a master narrative with the best of them, earning OVW a dedicated local fanbase. He is not, however, a gifted businessman, leading Snow to sell a majority stake in the organization to sports radio host Matt Jones and Jones’ business partner Craig Greenberg in 2021. This sets up a natural contrast between the creatively minded Snow and his more pragmatic backers. But while “Wrestlers” is happy to use this potentially adversarial relationship as a hook, the seven-episode season complicates that dynamic, turning Snow and Jones into equally nuanced anchors of a rich ensemble.

Like “Drive to Survive,” the Netflix show almost single-handedly responsible for popularizing Formula 1 racing in the United States, “Wrestlers” seems geared toward an audience unfamiliar with the conventions of scripted combat. Snow bills his vocation as “physical storytelling,” and Whiteley employs talking heads to explain the art’s history and context, including basic terms like “heel,” “babyface” and “heat.” (Disclosure: one of the interview subjects, wrestling commentator David Shoemaker, is a former colleague of mine.) But as “Wrestlers” immerses the audience ever deeper into its characters’ world, these expert witnesses fade away. Before long, they’re no longer needed to sell the audience on the action.

Snow presides over a ragtag troupe of personalities who seem destined for the “Cheer” treatment. (Book a Cameo while you can; their prices are about to go through the roof.) Our introduction to OVW comes via HollyHood Haley J, a heel whose troubled family history spills into in-ring storyline. As a single parent, Haley’s mother Maria sold drugs to make ends meet before breaking into professional wrestling; now a producer and on-air presence at OVW, Maria dramatizes her relationship with Haley for the crowd as a means of making amends. All of wrestling is a head-spinning blend of reality and fiction, on the players’ part, and savvy know-how with a willing suspension of belief, on the viewers’. Haley and Maria epitomize that unstable mix; it’s unclear, to them or us, how much they’re inventing and how much they’re just venting.

Volatile, gung-ho and compulsively likable, Haley is a natural lead. But she’s flanked by figures like Mahabali Shera, an Indian wrestler trying to make it in America, and Ca$h Flo, a paternal type who acts as an informal team captain. Some characters are more developed than others; we don’t learn much more about the so-called Mr. Pectacular besides his habitual use of a hoverboard. Yet the nuance afforded to someone like Jones, a former lawyer from Harlan County with an earnest passion for the OVW product, shows the gaps in “Wrestlers” are more for lack of time than empathy.

Wrestling is a different kind of enterprise from football or even cheerleading. It’s nominally competitive, but the competition is carefully coordinated behind the scenes, which is not a knock on its authenticity so much as another layer on which the OVW squad can exercise their creativity and flair for showmanship. In “Wrestlers,” it’s less individual contenders who are underdogs — though many are, with checkered pasts and chronic injuries and side gigs to pay the bills — than OVW itself, a lone David squeaking by in a system of Goliaths. It’s why we take Al at his word when he says what’s best for his employees is what’s best for OVW, even when they leave the roster for other promotions, and why we worry just a bit about what a mass audience may mean for the group. But that’s a question for later. Snow, Jones and Greenberg spend the season fretting over how to boost attendance and revenue to make OVW a sustainable enterprise. I doubt that’ll be a problem after this week.

All seven episodes of “Wrestlers” are now available to stream on Netflix.

Everyone loves an underdog, but it’s possible

Film

Puts a Twist on Minority Exceptionalism – IndieWire

Every minority in the good old U.S. of A has heard or internalized that damaging myth: There can only be one. One model minority, one diverse member of the team (or cast) — and in Hulu’s “The Other Black Girl,” one editorial star at Wagner Books, as long as she falls in line. The 10-episode thriller (available all at once) is a faithful and gripping adaptation that will leave viewers exhilarated, entertained, and wanting more — especially from star Sinclair Daniel.

Based on the New York Times bestseller by Zakiya Dalila Harris, “The Other Black Girl” centers on Nella (Daniel), a rising editorial assistant whose world gets rocked in good and bad ways (and some in between) with the arrival of — you guessed it — a second Black girl in her workplace. Jordan Reddout and Gus Hickey serve as co-showrunners and executive producers along with Harris, Rashida Jones, Adam Fishbach, Tara Duncan, and Temple Hill’s Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey (the series is produced by Hulu’s Onyx Collective).

Two women sip champagne in an office conference room; still from "The Other Black Girl"

Episode 1 opens at Wagner in 1988, with the company’s only Black editor ever, Kendra Rae Phillips (Cassi Maddox). The flashback ends with her on the subway, lights flickering as she screams in terror and the masses appear to corner her. That couldn’t be further from Nella’s present-day reality, where she’s living out her dream career at Wagner even as the only Black woman at the company — until Hazel, an effortlessly cool, well-dressed, and charismatic new hire (Ashleigh Murray). The two hit it off immediately, sharing tips about fellow employees and their bosses, sneaking off to society parties, and taking selfies with Kendra’s portrait on a wall of white editors past.

But something is not right with Hazel, who seems perfect but quickly intertwines her success too tightly with Nella’s. Or with the mysterious figure sneaking into Wagner and running into Nella on the street. Or with Kendra, who hasn’t been seen or heard from since bringing in a bestseller back in 1988. Or with Diana, the friend who wrote that bestseller. Or with Nella herself as she starts having visions, feeling someone following her to deliver a sinister message.

“The Other Black Girl” hinges upon Daniel’s performance, and she absolutely nails it. Nella needs to be nerdy, ambitious, guarded, optimistic, pragmatic, paranoid — often in some concurrent combination, which Daniel commands throughout. She plays perfectly off Murray’s calculated calm, never crossing into inauthentic agitation, anger, or animosity. Brittany Adebumola takes on those emotions as the episodes progress, imbuing what could’ve been a nondescript best friend character with believable humor, warmth, and protective instincts (and some of the best one liners in the series). Without spoiling some fun reveals, the series also boasts fantastic performances from Eric McCormack and Garcelle Beauvais, especially in later episodes.

Two women sip champagne in an office conference room; still from — “The Other Black Girl”Wilford Harwood/Hulu

Mariama Diallo, Todd Biermann, Aurora Guerrero, Nefertite Nguvu, and Naima Ramos-Chapman direct the series seamlessly, making the edge of horror feel as real as it does to Nella without diminishing the realism of her day-to-day. EmmolLei Sankofa’s eerie score delivers bursts of tension that feel right out of “White Lotus,” punctuated by a lively soundtrack (supervised by Tiffany Anders). Pamela Hall’s work as head of the hair department is a master class unto itself, telling Nella and Hazel’s (and Kendra and Diana’s) story as much through their hair as their costuming and performances.

And thanks to Onyx and the production team, and years of tireless work from Black artists in Hollywood and across industries, “The Other Black Girl”s title gets to be ironic, presenting an abundance of talent in front of and behind the screen. The series and Harris’s book boldly question the way minorities must contort themselves to fit an ideal, and the lengths to which someone would go to achieve that.

Grade: B+

All episodes of “The Other Black Girl” are now streaming on Hulu.

Every minority in the good old U.S.

The Morning Show’s Mimi Leder on season 3

Apple TV+’s star-studded drama The Morning Show is officially back with season three today, picking up two years after its last batch of episodes ended. UBA’s famous, beloved news anchors, Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) and Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon), have apparently moved up in the world—quite literally in Bradley’s case, considering she goes to space for 13 minutes in the premiere. (Yes, you read that right.)

Jon Hamm now has a name for his penis

The season three opener features Bradley in a rocket along with her boss/friend/potential romantic partner Cory Ellison (Billy Crudup) and Paul Marks (Jon Hamm), a tech entrepreneur who is about to upend everyone’s lives. TMS added Hamm and Nicole Beharie to its lineup this time around—so say what you will about the show, at least we can all agree this drama is nabbing the right talent. Meanwhile, the two-part premiere also features Alex, who was meant to go in the rocket, fighting the network’s management (what’s new?); Bradley pursuing a relevant story about abortion rights in Texas; and UBA getting hacked big time, all while the pandemic and the Ukraine war loom in the background.

To help unpack it all, The A.V. Club spoke to executive producer and director Mimi Leder about season three’s stories, adding comedy into the mix, and why she and the folks who make the show were dead set on casting Hamm in such a pivotal role.

The A.V. Club: How did you decide where to launch the new episodes after season two closed with UBA excessively covering the start of the pandemic?

Mimi Leder: Yeah, season three was made as we were coming out of [isolation during] the pandemic. There was a lingering sense of uncertainty about whether we will ever get back to before times. We decided it was important to step forward by two years to find characters somewhat floating and trying to find their footing, trying to find their home and where they belong now. We’ve moved past the Mitch Kessler [Steve Carell] story. We’ve pivoted away from his sexual misconduct, but his ghost is still in the building.

This season, we’re very much focused on women’s autonomy, how it’s undermined, and the ways [in which] power is being challenged right now. Abortion rights and women’s agency is what we were looking to cover. It’s a big part of it. Reproductive rights, minority rule, the threat to journalists, the state of the truth … those are the things happening right now. We’re a topical show, so we felt these stories could be interwoven with what our characters have lived through. What’s really interesting about the abortion-rights story Bradley works on: Our executive producer Charlotte Stoudt created it before Roe v. Wade was overturned. It was like life mirroring art and vice versa. That was pretty fascinating. The state of the truth is a big theme for us this year. And look at the world around us, you know? It’s mind-boggling.

Jon Hamm in The Morning Show season 3

Photo: Apple TV+

AVC: The Morning Show covers a lot of timely and serious issues. As a director, how do you know when to get the soapiness and entertainment out of your cast to balance all that?

ML: That’s a good question. TMS is always about something without being preachy, and that’s important to us. It’s why we’ve attracted the writers who want to join us and it’s why we were able to get Charlotte Stoudt. But high drama only works through great comedy and when we are entertained. So we wanted to make TMS very entertaining. Even within the dialogue of a scene that’s really, really dramatic, all of a sudden you’re laughing or smirking. It comes from the writing, acting, and directing. We wanted it to be in the DNA of the show. It was hard to walk that tightrope while making season one, especially the pilot. But we’ve got great comedic actors who can do anything. It was exciting to step into the director’s chair and figure it out over time.

AVC: In the season three premiere, there are hints of some big secret Cory shares with Bradley. What can you tease about it and how it will affect their friendship and work dynamic?

ML: With Bradley, when season three begins, we find her seemingly thriving. She has the evening news at UBA, she’s got a fabulous new apartment, and she’s living her dream as a journalist. But we also see that she’s lonely. She’s coming out of the pandemic and she’s not with Laura (Juliana Marguiles). She’s also not with Cory. So what’s going on? What it has to do with is this huge secret she’s carrying. We’ll look at Bradley’s past, why she’s a relentless truth-teller, and how it relates to her family and her father’s crimes. And it’s a very intense story that Reese is incredibly brilliant in. You think the secret between Bradley and Cory is one thing, but it’s going to turn out to be something else entirely.

The Morning Show — Season 3 Official Trailer | Apple TV+

AVC: The two big additions to season three are Jon Hamm and Nicole Beharie. Did you always know you wanted to cast them when their respective characters were being written?

ML: Yes, we wanted Jon when this character was conceived. It was always Jon Hamm, Jon Hamm, Jon Hamm! [Laughs] We wrote this tall and handsome character and in walks Jon Hamm. He plays Paul Marks, this innovative genius who is going to save the day at UBA. Then, of course, it’s about to become more complicated than that. He becomes an accelerant who pushes everyone toward finding the truth—our big theme once again. Everyone thinks money is the answer, but they’re about to find out it isn’t. He plays an integral role in the power triangle between himself, Cory, and Alex Levy.

With Nicole, it happened more organically. We had to find her because Chris Hunter was a difficult character to cast. She’s an Olympic gold medalist who moved into media, a la Michael Strahan. She’s talented and bubbly and the anchor of UBA’s morning show. But she comes in and finds out it’s a bit different than the clarity of the track, where there’s a beginning and an end. In the media world, the politics and turf wars at UBA become hard for her to figure out. There’s a power struggle and racism because systemic racism is prevalent in every workplace. So what does winning look like for her now? In navigating this maze, we see that she’ll find a new side of herself.

Apple TV+’s star-studded drama The Morning Show

What to Watch

Killers of the Flower Moon Trailer Takes Us Deeper Into Martin Scorsese’s Western Crime Drama

Summary

The latest trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon provides a glimpse of the central performances and teases Martin Scorsese’s crime drama.
The film, based on a true story, explores the Osage Nation’s wealth from oil and the exploitation and murders that followed.
Killers of the Flower Moon has received critical acclaim, with Scorsese’s vision and Lily Gladstone’s performance being particularly praised.

The latest trailer for Martin Scorsese’s upcoming Western, Killers of the Flower Moon, further teases the seminal director’s crime drama as well as offering a more extensive look at the central performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone. Coming courtesy of Apple Original Films and Paramount Pictures, Killers of the Flower Moon has been called “Scorsese’s most innovative and best movie in decades.” Check out the newly released trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon below.

“At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight,” the official synopsis for Killers of the Flower Moon reads. “The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder.”

Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), Killers of the Flower Moon has been described as “an epic western crime saga, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal.”

Directed and produced by Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese, who co-wrote the screenplay with Eric Roth, and based on the 2017 book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann, Killers of the Flower Moon features an all-star cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, Brendan Fraser, John Lithgow, and Jillian Dion.

Killers of the Flower Moon Has Been Met With Critical Acclaim

Killers of the Flower Moon premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival back in May to widespread critical acclaim, and currently stands at 97% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter praised Scorsese’s vision saying, “The three-and-a-half-hour running time is fully justified in an escalating tragedy that never loosens its grip — a sordid illustration of historical erasure with echoes in today’s bitterly divisive political gamesmanship.”

The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw meanwhile scored Killers of the Flower Moon a perfect 5/5 saying, “This is an utterly absorbing film, a story that Scorsese sees as a secret history of American power, a hidden violence epidemic polluting the water table of humanity.”

While Collider’s Therese Lacson applauded the performances from DiCaprio and De Niro, but ultimately called it Lily Gladstone’s film.

“But it’s Gladstone’s performance as Mollie that really takes the cake. An unflinching woman who is strong-willed and enigmatic, Gladstone makes the most of her character, conveying all the agony and strength that is required of a woman who is almost constantly mourning.”

Killers of the Flower Moon is now scheduled to be released in theaters in the United States on October 20, 2023, by Apple Original Films and Paramount Pictures. Following several changes, the Western will now also land in IMAX theaters as well as having a wide theatrical release, before being released on Apple TV+ at a later date.

Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream $4.69 Buy Now

Summary The latest trailer for

Awards

Stranger Things Ice Cream, Scoops Ahoy, Coming to Walmart

When “Stranger Things” fans last saw Scoops Ahoy, it was being destroyed in the battle of the Starcourt Mall in Season 3. But now the Hawkins ice cream shop is back — this time, in Walmart.

Starting on Sept. 13, stores in the U.S. and Australia will be carrying pints with seven different flavors of “Stranger Things” Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream inspired by the fan-favorite ice cream joint. The announcement comes as fans are still eagerly awaiting any news about the fifth and final season of the Duffer Brother’s Emmy-winning Netflix series, which EP Shawn Levy recently said will be a feat of “major cinematic storytelling.”

The full list of Scoops Ahoy flavors that will be available includes U.S.S. Butterscotch, Triple Decker Extravaganza, Chocolate Pudding, Cinnamon Bun Bytes and three flavors from the Upside Down: Mint Flare, the Void, and Pineapple Upside Down. The flavors will soon come to other parts of the world, including the U.K., Italy, Brazil, Mexico and Japan.

While fans await “Stranger Things” Season 5, they can hold themselves over by seeing the show’s first live stage play in London’s West End, titled “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” later this year. The show is billed as a prequel to the Netflix show that includes a young Jim Hopper (played by David Harbour in the TV series), Joyce Maldonado (Winona Ryder), Bob Newby (Sean Astin) and Henry Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower), who eventually turns into Vecna.

Vecna and the Demogorgon are also coming to Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights, for fans who want a fright. In Los Angeles, there’s also the official “Stranger Things” store where fans can buy their favorite merch.

When “Stranger Things” fans last saw Scoops

Music

Megan Thee Stallion and Justin Timberlake Share Video Together After Backstage VMAs Meeting Goes Viral

Fans are speculating about what happened between Megan Thee Stallion and Justin Timberlake backstage at Tuesday’s MTV Video Music Awards after cameras captured what appeared to be the rapper angrily yelling at the singer.

On Wednesday, Megan posted a video to social media with Justin to shut down any rumors the two had a feud. “I just talk with my hands??‍♀️ lol @justintimberlake love ya ?,” said Megan.

Sources tell ET that the meeting was actually a sweet moment between the two.

Sources tell ET that Justin told Megan, “It’s so nice to meet you,” while Megan replied, “No no this don’t count, this don’t count, we gotta meet proper.”

Another source close to the situation tells ET: “Meg loves Justin. She was saying ‘No, no, no, we’ve never met before.’ It was their first time meeting and she was excited.”

Justin appeared at the VMAs on Tuesday while reuniting with his *NSYNC bandmates JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Chris Kirkpatrick and Joey Fatone to present the Best Pop Video.

The group took the stage to thunderous applause, from Taylor Swift especially, who was freaking out in the crowd. And the singer was even more overwhelmed when they announced her as the winner for her “Anti-Hero” video.

Justin then ran into Meg backstage after his presentation.

The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards is coming to you live from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Follow along at ETonline.com for full coverage from this year’s VMAs, including the complete list of the nominees and the night’s big winners.

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Fans are speculating about what happened between

Docs

24th Annual Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) Announces Festival Line-Up Featured, News Film Threat

The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) will celebrate its 24th edition from October 12-19, 2023, with 91 films from 19 countries. The films include 14 World Premieres, 14 U.S. Premieres, 6 North American Premieres, 15 West Coast Premieres, and 5 Southern California Premieres. The Opening and Closing Night films will be revealed later.

“Eclectic and awe-inspiring, this year’s programmed lineup unites exciting upcoming awards contenders with that spectacle of global filmmaking, which our audience treasures,” said Gregg Schwenk, CEO and Executive Director of NBFF. “We are honored to be sharing this selection of extraordinary talent and supreme storytelling with our loyal Orange County audience, and we are looking forward to announcing more events in the weeks approaching the Festival.”

NBFF Centerpiece film – May December

Centerpiece and Spotlight Films

NBFF has selected three Netflix titles as Centerpiece films, including May December, directed by Todd Haynes and starring Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, and Charles Melton; NYAD directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, and Jimmy Chin, and starring Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, and Rhys Ifans; and Rustin directed by George C. Wolfe and starring Colman Domingo. Apple Original Films/TV’s Fingernails, directed by Christos Nikou and starring Jeremy Allen White, Riz Ahmed, Annie Murphy, Jessie Buckley, and Luke Wilson, is another Centerpiece screening. Fifteen international films are selected as part of their Spotlight section from countries including Canada, China, Germany, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and Sweden. These Centerpiece and Spotlight films include:

Double Blind (Ireland), Director Ian Hunt-Duffy
The First Day of My Life (Italy), Director Paolo Genovese
Fingernails (United States), Director Christos Nikou
Freelance (United States), Director Pierre Morel
Frontiers (Canada), Director Guy Édoin
Gentleman (South Korea), Director Kyoung-Won Kim
Honey Sweet (Republic of Korea, South Korea), Director Lee Han
In the Name of the Father (Ireland), Director Jim Sheridan
Live (Vietnam)
May December (United States), Director Todd Haynes
Monster (Japan), Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
NYAD (United States), Directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
Only the River Flows (China), Director Wei Shujun
Radical (Mexico), Director Zalla Christopher
Rustin (United States), Director George C. Wolfe
Second Act (Sweden), Director Mårten Klingberg
Verdigris (Ireland), Director Patricia Kelly
A Whole Life (Germany), Director Hans Steinbichler
Without Her (Iran/Italy), Director Arian Vazirdaftari
Woken (Ireland), Director Alan Friel

Special Events

On Saturday, October 14, the Festival will host a conversation and book signing with the award-winning actor, two-time New York Times Best Selling author, Founder of the non-profit Lidé Haiti, and climate activist Rainn Wilson for his new book “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.” Rainn Wilson, co-founder of the media company SoulPancake, explores the problem-solving benefits that spirituality provides to create solutions and ultimately find happiness in an increasingly challenging world. In this book, Rainn Wilson speaks to the possibility and hope for a spiritual revolution, a “Soul Boom,” to find a healing transformation on both a personal and global level. Though a serious and essential pursuit, he brings great humor and his own unique perspective to the conversation.

Director and writer Jim Sheridan will attend a special retrospective screening of In the Name of the Father on Sunday, October 15th. The 1993 biographical crime drama is based on the true story of the Guildford Four, four people falsely convicted of the 1974 Guildford pub bombings that killed four off-duty British soldiers and a civilian. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Emma Thompson, and Pete Postlethwaie.

This year, the Festival will be holding a culinary reception on Tuesday, October 17, to celebrate the premiere of Susan Feniger. Forked, a documentary film chronicling Susan’s personal journey of opening her first solo restaurant. The event features signature bites from James Beard award-winner Susan Feniger, and a brief Q&A alongside her partner, filmmaker, and Emmy Award winner Liz Lachman. It leads to the screening of the film.

Additionally, on Wednesday, October 18, the Festival will feature Bobby Berk, interior design expert and Emmy-nominated TV host of Neftlix’s Queer Eye, at a 30-minute Q&A for his new book, “Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good for the Mind.” In the book, Berk shows you how to set up your space so that it takes care of you. Learn how to follow your happiness to find your style, optimize the function of every room, organize your space, and so much more.

Film Highlights

Highlights for this year include the World Premiere of Brave the Dark, directed by Damian Harris with Jared Harris and Nicholas Hamilton, the U.S. premiere of Mr. Blake At Your Service! directed by Gilles Legardinier and starring John Malkovich. Other films screening include Clawfoot directed by Michael Day with Francesca Eastwood, Milo Gibson & Olivia Culpo; the World Premiere of The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout directed by William Nunez with Sophie Okonedo, Patrick Wayne, and Barrie Chase; the West Coast Premiere of Hard Miles directed by R. J. Daniel Hanna with Matthew Modine, Sean Astin, and Cynthia Kaye McWilliams; the West Coast Premiere of The Hidden Power of Purpose directed by Elliot V. Kotek with Debbie Allen; Hot Potato: The Story of the Wiggles directed by Sally Aitken; the World Premiere of The Man in the White Van directed by Warren Skeels with Madison Wolfe, Brec Bassinger, Ali Larter and Sean Astin; The Mattachine Family directed by Andy Vallentine with Nico Tortorella, Juan Pablo Di Pace, and Emily Hampshire; Radical directed by Zalla Christopher with Eugenio Derbez; and the West Coast Premiere of William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill, directed by Alexandre O. Philippe. Matthew Mishory’s powerful documentary, Fioretta, about the man behind the film, Woman in Gold, is also making its West Coast premiere.

The full list of films screening at NBFF include (in alphabetical order):

Advent (Ireland), Director Richard Waters (World Premiere)
Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun (Canada), Director Banchi Hanuse (Southern California Premiere)
American Star (United Kingdom), Director Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego
Asog (Canada), Director Sean Devlin
Australia’s Open (Australia), Director Ili Barv (U.S. Premiere)
Beyond Tomorrow (United States), Director Brett Ryan Bonowicz
Billie Blue (Canada), Director Mariloup Wolfe (U.S. Premiere)
Brave the Dark (United States), Director Damian Harris (World Premiere)
Brief Tender Light (United States), Director Arthur Musah (California Premiere)
Brown vs. Brown (New Zealand), Director Simon Mark Brown (U.S. Premiere)
Clawfoot (United States), Director Michael Day
The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout (United Kingdom), Director William Nunez (World Premiere)
Copyright Infringement (United States), Director David Sabshon
The Corners of the Earth – Kamchatka (Australia), Director Spencer Thomas Frost
Crawdaddy (Canada), Directors Kassandra Voss and Daniel Rocque (U.S. Premiere)
The Disappearance of Shere Hite (United States), Director Nicole Newnham (West Coast Premiere)
Double Blind (Ireland), Director Ian Hunt-Duffy (U.S. Premiere)
Egghead & Twinkie (United States), Director Sarah Holland (California Premiere)
Exposure (United States), Director Peter Cannon (World Premiere)
Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain’s Journey (United States), Directors Richard Hull and Justin Roberts (World Premiere)
Final Vow (United States), Director Ruben Islas (World Premiere)
Fingernails (United States), Director Christos Nikou
Fioretta (United States), Director Matthew Mishory (West Coast Premiere)
The First Day of My Life (Italy), Director Paolo Genovese (U.S. Premiere)
Food & Design (Taiwan), Director Mu-Ming Tsai (World Premiere)
Freelance (United States), Director Pierre Morel
Frontiers (Canada), Director Guy Édoin (U.S. Premiere)
Gabriele Münter, Pioneer Of Modern Art (France), Director Florence Mauro (North American Premiere)
The Genius of the Place: The Life And Work of Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s Premier Architect (Sri Lanka), Director Afdhel Aziz
Gentleman (South Korea), Director Kyoung-won Kim (U.S. Premiere)
Geoff Mcfetridge: Drawing A Life (United States), Director Dan Covert
The Graceless Age: The Ballad of John Murry (Ireland), Director Sarah Share
Green City Life (France), Director Manon Turina & François Marques (U.S. Premiere)
Hard Miles (United States), Director R. J. Daniel Hanna (West Coast Premiere)
The Hidden Power of Purpose (United States), Director Elliot V. Kotek (West Coast Premiere)
High Class (United States), Director Benjamin Nolot (World Premiere)
Honey Sweet (Republic of Korea, South Korea), Director Lee Han (U.S. Premiere)
Hot Potato: The Story of the Wiggles (Australia), Director Sally Aitken
I Dream in Photos (Ireland), Directors Gary Lennon & Ollie Aslin (North American Premiere)
I’ll Be Right There (United States), Director Brendan Walsh
Immediate Family (United States), Director Denny Tedesco
In the Name of the Father (Ireland), Director Jim Sheridan
Indelible Memories (Japan), Director Shin Sonoda (West Coast Premiere)
Jailhouse to Milhouse (United States), Director Buddy Farmer
Jesszilla (United States), Director Emily Sheskin (Southern California Premiere)
John Behan: Odyssey (Ireland), Director Donald Taylor Black
A Kind of Kidnapping (United Kingdom), Director D.G. Clark (West Coast Premiere)
Let the Party Begin (Israel), Director Aki Avni
Live (Vietnam) (U.S. Premiere)
The Man in the White Van (United States), Director Warren Skeels (World Premiere)
The Man With the Silver Case (United States), Director Colin Best
The Mattachine Family (United States), Director Andy Vallentine
May December (United States), Director Todd Haynes
The Michoacan File (Mexico), Director Bernardo Arsuaga
Monster (Japan), Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
The Movie Man (Canada), Director Matt Finlin
Mr. Blake at Your Service! (France), Director Gilles Legardinier (U.S. Premiere)
NYAD (United States), Directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
On the Line (United Kingdom), Director Oliver Pearn (West Coast Premiere)
One Way Ticket The Story of Greg Lutzka (United States), Director Nick Amrhein (World Premiere)
Only the River Flows (China), Director Wei Shujun (West Coast Premiere)
Parachute (United States), Director Brittany Snow
Radical (Mexico), Director Zalla Christopher
Remembering Gene Wilder (United States), Director Ron Frank
A Revolution on Canvas (US), Directors Sara Nodjoumi and Till Schauder
Rustin (United States), Director George C. Wolfe
Seasick (New Zealand), Director Simon Mark-Brown
Second Act (Sweden), Director Mårten Klingberg
Silent Thunder (United States), Director Isaac Medeiros (World Premiere)
Stolen (Ireland), Director Margo Harkin (North American Premiere)
Sugar and Stars (France), Director Sébastien Tulard (U.S. Premiere)
Sunlight (Ireland), Director Claire Dix (U.S. Premiere)
Susan Feniger. Forked (United States), Director Liz Lachman (West Coast Premiere)
Tarrac! (Ireland), Director Declan Recks (Southern California Premiere)
This is Brighton (United States), Director Beth Aala (World Premiere)
Tokyo Cowboy (United States), Director Marc Marriott (West Coast Premiere)
Topper (United States), Director Kevin McNamara (World Premiere)
Trilogy: New Wave (United States), Director Andrew Mackenzie
Unbroken (United States), Director Beth Lane
Understanding Autism (United States), Director Scott Steindorff (World Premiere)
Verdigris (Ireland), Director Patricia Kelly (North American Premiere)
Vincent Must Die (France), Director Stephan Castang
Waiting for Dali (Spain), Director David Pujol (North American Premiere)
A Whole Life (Austria/Germany), Director Hans Steinbichler (North American Premiere)
William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill (United States), Director Alexandre O. Philippe (West Coast Premiere)
Williams & Mansell: Red 5 (United Kingdom), Director James Wiseman (West Coast Premiere)
With Peter Bradley (United States), Director Alex Rappoport (West Coast Premiere)
Without Her (Iran/Italy), Director Arian Vazirdaftari
Would You Hide Me? (United States), Director Beth Lane (West Coast Premiere)

Attracting over 50,000 attendees to Orange County, CA, the Newport Beach Film Festival is the largest international cinema event in coastal Southern California, connecting its audience with the very best in independent and international films. In addition to the programmed selection of films, the Festival also presents nightly parties and events featuring more than 60 culinary partners with their finest tastings.

For more information on the complete line-up and to purchase tickets, please visit https://newportbeachfilmfest.com. Additional films and honorees will be announced prior to the event.

About Newport Beach Film Festival

Recognized as one of the largest luxury lifestyle film festivals in the United States, the Newport Beach Film Festival brings an internationally curated collection of films and vibrant cultural gatherings to the beautiful Southern California coast. Committed to championing the work of original storytellers from around the globe, the Festival celebrates contemporary screen culture, cinematic excellence, engaging the community in compelling conversations with filmmakers and artists. The Newport Beach Film Festival is sponsored in part by UCI Health, Los Angeles Times, The Macallan, Fashion Island, and the City of Newport Beach. For Festival passes, tickets and safety information, visit www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com.

The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) will

Ben Needham went missing more than 30 years ago on the Greek island of Kos

Global

Boy found in German river is NOT missing Ben Needham, DNA tests reveal

The two-year-old’s family have been informed of the development, police said

By Elena Salvoni

Published: 07:20 EDT, 13 September 2023 | Updated: 09:36 EDT, 13 September 2023

The little boy found in a German river is not missing British toddler Ben Needham, DNA tests have revealed.

More than 30 years after he went missing on the Greek island of Kos, British police last week confirmed they were looking into whether an unidentified child found in the River Danube might be Ben.

Hopes were raised in the search for answers when Interpol announced that the remains, found in May 2022, likely belonged to a child from outside the country.

But Ben’s family has now been told that the child’s DNA does not match his, which had been sent for comparison.

The development is bound to be devastating for Ben’s mother Kerry, who has been searching for her son since he vanished while playing at his grandparents’ farmhouse in July 1991.

Ben Needham went missing more than 30 years ago on the Greek island of Kos

In a statement, police said: ‘South Yorkshire Police, supported by Interpol, has received confirmation that a DNA sample of the body found in the River Danube in Germany does not match that of Ben Needham.

‘Ben’s family has been informed and are being supported. Our thoughts remain with the young boy who is yet to be identified and, of course, the Needham family who continue in their search for answers.’

The boy police recovered from the Danube is believed to have been aged five or six.

He was found wrapped in foil and weighed down with a flagstone slab. It is not known how long the body was in the water.

In the Interpol Black Notice, the organisation said it was ‘seeking the public’s help in identifying a deceased boy and to determine the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.’

Interpol also published a graphic reconstruction of the boy’s head.

Ben’s heartbroken mother Kerry has been searching for her son, who was just 21 months old, ever since he vanished while playing at his grandparents’ farmhouse in July 1991

The blue-eyed boy staring out of the photo is described as between five and six years old.

The description went on: ‘The boy is thought to be aged between five and six. He was approximately 110 cm (43.3 in) tall and 15 kg (2.36 st), with brown hair and blood type 0.’

The discovery of the unidentified body came more than three decades after Ms Needham’s son vanished in Greece on July 24, 1991.

When a picture showing how Ben would look aged 31 was released on July 23, 2021 Ms Needham revealed that she did not believe the police theory that he was killed by a digger.

Interpol released a reconstruction of the boy found in the River Danube near Grossmehring in Bavaria on May 19, 2022

The image was created by National Crime Agency listed forensic artist Tim Widden.

Ms Needham said ‘we must keep searching’ ahead of the 30th anniversary of his disappearance on July 24, 1991.

Police believe Ben died on the day he went missing as a result of an accident involving ‘heavy machinery’ as he played outside his grandparent’s house, but his mother believes her son could still be alive.

She told the Daily Mirror in 2021: ‘I still have that hope that South Yorkshire Police are wrong.

‘And while there is no evidence to show me, I have to believe he is still alive. There’s not a single thread of evidence to say otherwise.’

Trending

France Unveils Short List For Best International Film Candidate – Deadline

France has unveiled the five titles in the running to be its entry for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

The full short list is:

The Animal Kingdom by Thomas Cailley (int’l sales, Studiocanal)

Sons of Ramses (Goutte d’Or) by Clement Cogitore (int’l sales, mk2 films)

The Taste Of Things (previously The Pot-Au-Feu) by Tràn Anh Hùng (int’l sales, Gaumont, U.S. distrib, Sapan Studios and IFC Films)

On The Wondering Paths by Denis Imbert (int’l sales, Newen Connect – (ex-TF1 Studio))

The short list was decided by a selection committee of film professionals on Wednesday in a process overseen by the country’s National Cinema Centre (CNC).

This year’s committee features former Lionsgate film co-chief Patrick Wachsberger; international sales veterans Sabine Chemaly and Tanja Meissner; producer Charles Gillibert; directors Mounia Meddour and Olivier Assayas and composer Alexandre Desplat.

CNC head Dominique Boutonnat and newly-appointed Unifrance President Gilles Pélisson sat in on the discussions as observers.

The committee will reconvene on September 21 to make their final choice after auditioning the producers and sales agents of the preselected films.

In cases where the films have a U.S. distributor attached, they will also join the discussion by video link.

Triet’s thriller Anatomy Of A Fall won Cannes coveted Palme d’Or in May but the director found herself mired in controversy over her politicized victory speech.

The film has since enjoyed a successful theatrical release in France for Le Pacte, grossing around $4.2m to date,

The Deadline review described the film as “ferociously intelligent” and tipped lead actress Sandra Hüller for Best Actress (she lost out to Merve Dizdar in About Dry Grass).

Sumptuous period drama The Taste Of Things (The Pot-Au-Feu) revolves around a culinary love affair between a cook and her gourmet employee, played by Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel respectively.

Vietnam-born French director Tran Anh Hung broke out internationally with debut film The Scent of Green Papaya. The drama was Vietnam’s entry to the then Foreign Language category of the 1994 Oscars and was nominated.

The film world premiered in Competition at Cannes, winning Anh Hung Best Director.

The Animal Kingdom, which is Cailley’s second feature after Love At First Fight, opened Cannes Un Certain Regard this year.

The fantasy drama is set in a world in which a wave of genetic mutations is transforming some humans into animals. The cast features Romain Duris, Paul Kircher, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Tom Mercier.

On The Wondering Paths stars The Artist Best Actor Oscar winner Jean Dujardin as a writer and adventurer who embarks on solitary trek around France’s Mercantour National Park as he recovers physically and mentally from a debilitating accident.

The film released theatrically in France in March, drawing more than one million spectators for a gross of just over $7m.

Cogitore’s drama Sons of Ramses world premiered at Cannes Critics’ Week in 2022. Set against the backdrop of Paris’s multicultural Goutte d’Or neighborhood, it stars Karim Leklou as a young man who believes he had clairvoyant powers.

France last won the international film category with Régis Wargnier’s Indochine in 1993.

Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables was the last French film to make it through to the final nomination stage in 2020, while Alice Diop’s Saint Omer made it onto the long list of 95th awards.

The submission deadline for the Best International Feature Film category October 2.

France has unveiled the five titles in

Tech

Vivek Ramaswamy Says Racism “Not a Top 50 Problem” For Any Group – The Hollywood Reporter

Donald Trump’s legal woes, combined with the passionate devotion of his loyalists, have made him one of the biggest wildcards in the history of presidential politics. But this Republican primary cycle has also been shaken up by one of Trump’s self-proclaimed biggest fans, Vivek Ramaswamy. The right-wing entrepreneur who has said he’s prepared to spend more than $100 million of his own money on his bid and has made ending affirmative action and limiting U.S. military support for Ukraine centerpieces of his campaign has emerged as enough of a contender that he was on the receiving end of the majority of attacks in the first GOP presidential debate (the one Trump skipped).

If elected, Ramaswamy, a graduate of Harvard and Yale, would become the youngest president in history and the first Indian American to hold the office. Known for attempting to show off his rap skills on the campaign trail (until being asked to stop by rapper Eminem’s label) he talked to The Hollywood Reporter about race and Hollywood, the movie he and his wife Dr. Apoorva Tewari disagree on, and his now-paused plans to finance a remake of American History X, the 1998 film starring Edward Norton and Edward Furlong as brothers in a family torn apart by racial violence.

What’s your favorite movie of all time?

I like Gladiator and The Dark Knight, and I like Interstellar, also by Christopher Nolan.

What’s a movie your wife loves that you hate?

That Reese Witherspoon movie, Legally Blonde. She thinks it’s very funny.

And you don’t?

No. It’s not that good.

GOP strategist Karl Rove once credited The Cosby Show with paving the way for America’s first Black president. Do you believe that diverse representations on screen are impactful?

One of the shows that I like that sort of fits in that vein is The Jeffersons, which I watched as a kid. The Jeffersons and South Park are two of my favorite shows. Those that take an honest look at culturally sensitive subjects are important to spawn honest conversations and to do it without constraint.

Do you think that you have been personally impacted by diverse depictions on screen?

You mean being represented by a [particular] minority group? Not really. Part of what we need is to create enough honesty in storytelling that allows people of diverse backgrounds in every sense. Diverse is not just your genetics. There are a lot of kinds of diversity, like being able to see common threads and stories relating to values in the people who are depicted on screen. And I think that sometimes we can fall into the trap of thinking that just because someone looks like you that that’s going to build a connection with the audience — and maybe in some superficial level that can be true, at times. But I think it is far deeper if you are able to go beyond just the surface and have a work of art, a film, movie or show that really touches the commonality of values that the audience shares. I think that’s not done enough right now.

Gran Torino [the Clint Eastwood film about a white working class Korean War vet’s friendship with a Hmong American teen] was really good in that respect because I think people connected with the main characters in that movie … It’s a connection that every American felt with those two characters. I think we’re overdue for a modern American History X. I’m not saying it’s a remake of the old movie, but told in our moment, the story that the makers of American History X told … the story of the bond between two brothers, is something that’s timeless and familiar, regardless of whether they are Black or white or whatever … Actually before I was running for President I was thinking about taking on something like that.

About producing a new version of American History X?

I don’t have the skillset to be actively involved as a director or producer but to be involved as an executive producer or investor, I was quite interested in that.

Donald Trump recently discussed you as a possible VP pick but referred to some of your rhetoric as controversial. Meanwhile his own rhetoric — including around COVID — has been credited with increasing hate crimes against the Asian community. Do you think that you and Trump have a responsibility to ensure the rhetoric you are using doesn’t inspire people to engage in racially motivated violence?

I’m not going to speak for anyone but myself. Yes, is the answer to that question, of course, as a leader. But I think part of what’s resulting in a regrettable wave of racism in all directions, and racial tension in all directions, is the absence of honesty. I think if you tell people they can’t scream, can’t speak even … that they have to bottle up their emotions and there are certain things they can’t say, that manifests itself in all kinds of ugly ways and unpredictable ways down the road. To the contrary, I think we need to have some open, honest, raw conversations related to identity.

How does your recent remark that Massachusetts Democratic Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is a “modern grand wizard of the modern KKK” at a campaign appearance in Iowa figure into that?

I compared her message to it, which is an important difference [the reference is to a 2019 statement by Pressley that Democrats don’t “need any more brown faces that don’t want to be a brown voice”].

Do you think using the rhetoric you used, comparing someone non-violent who may have said things that are controversial, to an organization whose worldview led to thousands of rapes and murders, was over the line and makes it hard for people to hear your message that we should be having a civil and honest conversation?

I don’t think it was over the line and I hope that it doesn’t make it harder for people to hear my message, though it’s my job to make sure that it doesn’t. My issue with her comment was not that it was controversial. My issue with her comment was is that it was downright racist and ugly and exhibits some of the same kinds of ugliness that the Klan’s worldview held. And one thing I will say that is responsive to the heart of your question: If the Klan were a modern force in American life, I absolutely wouldn’t have made that analogy. Because then we’d have a bigger problem in this country right now. But my point was to use the memory of how toxic that was … I mean the Ku Klux Klan is irrelevant in the United States today but there was a time when that wasn’t true.

But I want people to remember, as bad as that was, it was normalized at its time. It was part of the culture. Now today, the likes of Ayanna Pressley are the ones who are equally influential on the culture and in corporate America and diversity and our intellectual culture. So we need to wake up and say, just like it was wrong to passively accept a culture that was dominated by a different form of racism a century ago, we have to wake up to where that racism presents itself in the modern era which is to say that if you have a certain skin color you need to shut up, sit down and do what you’re told.

Given that we are conducting this interview after a recent a shooting targeting Black Americans in Jacksonville, should you be using different language to get your point across?

No. I hear your point and I respect it. But I reject your premise. Because our shared goal is that we do not want more racially divisive violence or behavior in this country. And yet I am worried that unless we’re able to honestly have an open, real, raw dialogue and debate about what I think is actually driving some of that racial grievance in this country — which is a new version of causing people to see each other on the basis of their genetic attributes — we are in store for far worse to come. Maybe as uncomfortable as my comment made some people this week it will spawn some of the conversations we are not having.

Senator Tim Scott has talked openly and passionately about the many times he has been racially profiled by police throughout his life, even by the Capitol Police. Do you think he is telling the truth about those experiences?

Sure. I don’t doubt that he is.

If that’s the case, how do we go about fixing problems like racial profiling within certain institutions like law enforcement, if the position of some conservatives like yourself is that the problems are not systemic or institutional?

Racism is individual animus. When we talk about systemic racism it almost dilutes what the real thing actually looks like. I don’t think that racism today is a top 50 problem in the United States, but that’s different than saying it doesn’t exist. But I don’t think it’s a top 50 problem…

For all people, including Black people?

For all people. What I worry about is that in the name of racism, it provides an excuse from solving the problems that hold back many Americans, including Black Americans.

So how would you address the problem of racial profiling within the Capitol Police, without addressing systemic or institutional racism?

I think the reality is the last burning embers of racism are burning themselves out in this country. We should let that play itself out. But by adopting more race-conscious policies, we are accidentally and inadvertently – and some people with the best of intentions, I acknowledge that – are throwing kerosene on those final burning embers. And it pains me as I watch that happen in this country. It’s a muscle that will slowly atrophy itself to irrelevance if we let it. We’re almost at the Promised Land and yet I think right when you get close to the Promised Land when you start obsessing over racism more when it’s actually at its low point, we risk inflaming the problem. It’s like an immune system that becomes overactive right when the virus has been cleared, you end up killing the host itself and I think that’s genuinely what could happen in this country.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Keli Goff is a longtime political reporter, Emmy-nominated producer of the documentary Reversing Roe and a writer on Mayor of Kingstown, And Just Like That and Black Lightning.

Donald Trump’s legal woes, combined with the

Video

‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ New Trailer Drops As Release Date Nears – Deadline

Apple Original Films on Wednesday unveiled a new trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon, the upcoming Martin Scorsese movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone that is bearing down on its global theatrical release October 20.

The film, adapted from David Grann’s bestseller by Scorsese and Eric Roth and based on a true story, is set in Oklahoma in the 1920s, when oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder.

Scorsese has turned the story into a 3-hour, 26-minute Western crime saga, and one of the year’s most anticipated movies, arriving at the heart of awards season. It had its world premiere earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival. Jesse Plemons, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, Jillian Dion, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, William Belleau, Louis Cancelmi, Tatanka Means, Michael Abbot Jr., Pat Healy, Scott Shepard, Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson round out the main cast.

Apple is teaming with Paramount for the global launch, after opting last month that it was best to bypass its original platform-release plan and go all-in on a worldwide release. It will eventually land on Apple TV+.

Martin Scorsese, Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas and Daniel Lupi are producers on the pic from Apple Studios, Imperative Entertainment, Sikelia Productions and Appian Way. DiCaprio, Rick Yorn, Adam Sommer, Marianne Bower, Lisa Frechette, John Atwood, Shea Kammer and Niels Juul are executive producers.

Check out the new trailer above.

Apple Original Films on Wednesday unveiled a

Entertaintment

‘Sex Education’ Season 3 | Decider

By Angela Tricarico

Now is the perfect time to get reacquainted with Moordale Secondary’s finest, since the fourth and final season of Netflix’s Sex Education premieres next week. Season 3 of the charming and raunchy teen comedy aired almost exactly two years ago — that’s a very long time, considering how much television you’ve likely consumed since then! — so revisiting the eight-episode season before the final eight episodes drop will help you get back into the world of the show, while also catching you up on the things that are important going into Season 4. Sex Education follows Otis (Asa Butterfield), the son of a sex therapist (Jean, played by Gillian Anderson), who decides to set up a sex clinic at school to help students at his school. Alongside his partner-in-crime Maeve (Emma Mackey) and best friend Eric (Ncuti Gatwa), Otis navigates the issues of running a sex clinic while also navigating his own sexual woes as a teenage boy. Season 3 picks up where the second season left off; Jemima Kirke (Girls) joins the cast as the school’s new headmistress, Adam and Eric enter a new stage of their relationship, and Jean enters an unexpected new stage of life. Full of deeply relatable, heartfelt moments, the third season of Sex Education is incredibly funny and worth coming back to before Season 4.

Photo: Netflix

By Angela Tricarico Now is the perfect time to

‘Days of Wine and Roses’ Musical to Open on Broadway Next Spring

“Days of Wine and Roses,” a musical adaptation of a midcentury story about a loving marriage destroyed by alcoholism, will come to Broadway early next year starring the acclaimed stage performers Kelli O’Hara and Brian d’Arcy James.

The production had a 10-week run earlier this year at the Atlantic Theater Company, an Off Broadway nonprofit. Writing in The New York Times, the critic Laura Collins-Hughes called it a “jazzy, aching musical,” and praised its “glorious sound.”

O’Hara is a seven-time Tony Award nominee who won the award in 2015 for her performance in a revival of “The King and I.” James is a four-time nominee, most recently for last season’s revival of “Into the Woods.”

The Broadway production, directed by Michael Greif (“Dear Evan Hansen”), is scheduled to begin previews Jan. 6 and to open Jan. 28 at Studio 54 for a 16-week run. The lead producers are Kevin McCollum, Mark Cortale, Lorenzo Thione and Joey Monda.

“Days of Wine and Roses” began its life as a teleplay in 1958; it was then adapted into a film in 1962. The musical features a score by Adam Guettel and a book by Craig Lucas; they previously collaborated on the 2005 musical “The Light in the Piazza,” and both of them have spoken about their own struggles with substance abuse.

Guettel said he’s not sure when he first encountered the film, but that it immediately resonated. “I was really streaming tears at that point,” he said. “I had a sense of how alcohol and drugs had affected my life, and even though I had escaped the clutches of all that, the vivid recognition of it really spurred me on, not to create some sort of cautionary tale, but to depict how being addicted affects your life and the people around you.”

The musical, like many, has had a long and bumpy road to Broadway. Guettel said he first discussed the idea with O’Hara two decades ago, when the two were working on “The Light in the Piazza,” and that he had developed the score for her.

“It seemed like the right role for her, even then, in terms of the tenderness and the strength,” he said.

James joined the project in the earliest days as well; he and O’Hara are friends who performed together in “Sweet Smell of Success.”

There have been others who have come and gone — at one point, John Logan was the writer; at one point, Scott Rudin was the producer; at one point, Lincoln Center Theater was going to stage the show.

“The fact that it is coming through the steeplechase intact is incredible,” Guettel said.

“Days of Wine and Roses,” a musical

iSpot Buys 605 in Bid for TV-Measurement Market Edge

In a growing market for technology that measures TV audiences, sometimes it helps to extend your yardstick

iSpot.tv, one of a number of ad-tech upstarts vying to challenge Nielsen in the tabulation of media viewership, is acquiring 605, a company that specializes in assigning “attribution,” or tracing how exposure to a specific commercial affects an actual sale. The company being acquired, 605, was launched in part by Kristin Dolan, currently the CEO of AMC Networks. Dolan Family Ventures, an entity that makes strategic investments on behalf of Dolan and her husband, James Dolan, who is also the lead of the family that controls AMC and sibling company MSG Networks, will retain a minority stake in iSpot as part of the deal.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition is the latest financial deal built around measurement of media audiences, an increasingly critical assignment as the people who once watched linear TV spread out around dozens of new viewing possibilities. Nielsen was purchased in 2022 by a private-equity consortium for $16 billion.

Executives at iSpot hope the deal will bolster that company’s efforts to measure audiences no matter what venue they may choose. The move of consumers to broadband video and mobile devices has placed new pressure on media companies who need to provide transparent accounting of their viewership in order to eke out the most money from advertisers and sponsors. And Goldman Sachs in 2022 took a stake in iSpot valued at $325 million stake in iSpot. Other companies, including Comscore and VideoAmp are also in the fray, striking deals with traditional media companies to offer new kinds of audience tabulation.

With the acquisition, iSpot will add set-top box data from 16.6 million homes to its smart TV data footprint, bringing iSpot’s total available TV device footprint to 82.7 million. The combined data sets, which include smart TV data from Vizio and LG, will help in efforts to delivering accurate measurement and in the creation of new metrics for video consumption.

“605 has developed an impressive technology architecture, a great approach to using big data and a suite of powerful solutions that nicely complement our own,” says Sean Muller, founder and CEO of iSpot, in a prepared statement. “We are excited to integrate their world-class team of engineers and data scientists in our mission to modernize measurement effectiveness and new currencies.” Among 605’s capabilities is measuring effectiveness of things such as credit card use, location, search and surveys. 605 also offers analytics.

All 85 employees of 605 will join the merged company, bringing total employee count to 464. In the immediate term, 605 will continue to operate as an iSpot company. The companies will work together to integrate all products under a single offering.

In a growing market for technology that

DCU

Condiment King Would Be Great For The Batman 2

Summary

Including Condiment King as a minor antagonist in The Batman 2 would highlight the true scariness of main villains Riddler and Joker.
The brainwashed version of Condiment King could be depicted as terrifying, showcasing the Joker’s ability to manipulate and control people.
Condiment King could be reimagined as a serious, deadly character, proving that adapting this outlandish villain is not out of reach for The Batman 2.

The absurd Batman villain Condiment King was jokingly named as a potential villain in The Batman 2, but this comedic criminal could actually work for Matt Reeves’s dark and serious DC film series. Condiment King has long been one of the most intentionally goofy DC villains, and as such, often joked about when the discussion of prospective villains in upcoming live-action DC movies and shows comes around. However, the specifics of the bizarre character’s life and origin story suggest the expanding world of The Batman would be able to adapt him for its world, despite how tonally jarring this would otherwise seem.

Condiment King debuted in Batman: The Animated Series’ “Make ‘Em Laugh” episode, in which he was an unwilling pawn of The Joker. The popular Gotham City comedian Buddy Standler was brainwashed by The Joker (using technology stolen from The Mad Hatter) to become a “silly” criminal, armed with ketchup and mustard guns and hot sauce packets. While Condiment King was never a true supervillain in the animated series, he proved popular enough to receive a counterpart in DC’s mainstream post-Crisis and post-Flashpoint continuities: the relatively harmless Mitchell Mayo. Due to this set up, The Batman 2 story could add Condiment Man to the movie far easier than it might otherwise seem.

Condiment King Would Make Riddler & Joker Scarier In The Batman 2

While Robert Pattinson and Matt Reeves were obviously joking when they considered Condiment King as a potential The Batman 2 villain, including a new version of him could work. While more serious and threatening Batman villains, such as Riddler and Joker, would be the main antagonists of the film, Condiment King could easily be a minor antagonist, whose easily-foiled antics prove how frightening Joker and Riddler truly are. This does not, however, mean that a more serious and terrifying take on a goofy character like Condiment King is impossible.

Why Matt Reeves Batman Can Still Use Silly Villains (Even If It’s A Serious Series)

The Batman 2 could adapt elements of Batman: The Animated Series and have Condiment King be a silly, non-threatening, criminal without sacrificing too much seriousness. If Condiment King is portrayed as a brainwashed innocent civilian, he could easily be depicted as terrifying on a conceptual level. Condiment King himself presents little threat to Gotham’s citizenry, let alone Batman, but the fact that The Joker could brainwash people into serving him is frightening in and of itself.

Condiment King could simply be reimagined as a serious Gotham criminal as well. The unofficial Batman book, An Unauthorized Detailed Account of Gotham: 1919-1939, presented a realistic and genuinely threatening iteration of Mitchell Mayo, who murdered citizens at random with poisoned bottles of Condiment King products, co-opting the moniker for himself and blackmailing the company. Whether Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson use the brainwashed version of Condiment King or a deadly reimagining of him, adapting the outlandish criminal is not an impossible task for The Batman 2.

Key Release Dates

Summary Including Condiment King as

Comics

PS5 Update Out Now, Adds Mutable Beeps And Voice Commands

Sony has begun rolling out its new PS5 update, which does a whole lot more than just add system stability. The update introduces new accessibility features such as being able to use a second DualSense controller for assistance, new audio options, and support for larger-capacity 8TB M.2 SSDs.

First trialed in a recent beta, users can expect an expansion of PS Remote Play, as Sony says that the game streaming app can now be used on devices running Android TV OS 12, the 4K model of Chromecast with Google TV, and the BRAVIA XR A95L television set. Voice commands have been improved, allowing for US and UK users to activate help pages by saying “Hey PlayStation, help”. Another voice command will let PS5 users explore new functions on the console and the PlayStation Plus library.

Multiplayer functionality also gets a big upgrade, as several customization options have been added. You can now join your friends more easily in an activity, as certain games will have a “Joinable icon” displayed next to online pals who are playing a game that can be joined. Another handy feature being introduced in this update is a dedicated search bar for game libraries, saving you time as you won’t need to scroll through a long list of titles to find the game that you’re looking for.

Most importantly, you can now mute the PS5 beep sound effect. You’ll have the option to adjust the volume, or if you’re tired of the console angrily beeping at you when you turn it on, you can switch it off entirely. You can see the full update list below:

Newly announced PS5 features

PS Remote Play support on additional Android devices

PS Remote Play allows you to stream games from your PS5 or PS4 console to another device – including smartphones and tablets (iOS and Android), PCs and Mac – over the internet or through your home network. This provides you with more options to enjoy your favorite games even when you’re away from the living room.*
Starting today, the PS Remote Play app will be available on devices running Android TV OS 12.
Here are the verified devices so far:
Chromecast with Google TV (4K model)
BRAVIA XR A95L model
To use Remote Play on these devices, search for the PS Remote Play app on your Android device to download and install the app.

New Voice Command options (US and UK limited release)

Voice Command has been improved.
Say “Hey PlayStation, help” to activate Help content. You can now navigate between help content pages using Voice Command.
Say “Hey PlayStation, what’s new?” and you can now check for new PS5 features and see the current PlayStation Plus monthly games lineup.
Note: Voice Command (Preview) is currently available in English for PS5 players with accounts registered to the U.S. and U.K.

New accessibility features

Use a Second Controller for Assistance. You can now assign a second controller to one account as an assist controller, and use two controllers to operate your PS5 console as if you were using a single controller.
This feature introduces a new way for you to enjoy games collaboratively with others or help a friend or child navigate a particularly challenging section of a game.
To use an assist controller, go to [Settings] > [Accessibility] > [Controllers] > [Use Second Controller for Assistance], and then turn on [Use Assist Controller].
You can use an assist controller when your main controller is a DualSense or DualSense Edge wireless controller, or a PS5-supported third-party controller.

System UI Haptic Feedback

You now have the option to turn on haptic feedback effects while navigating your PS5 with your DualSense controller, DualSense Edge controller, or PS VR2 Sense controller.
When enabled, system sound effects for certain events will also be reflected physically through haptics, such as moving focus, reaching the end limit of a scrollable section, checking a box, or when you receive a notification or start up a game.
This optional feature enhances immersion and is particularly useful for players with some level of sight or hearing disability, who appreciate the additional feedback on their inputs.
To turn on this feature, go to [Settings] > [Accessibility] > [Controllers], and then turn on [Haptic Feedback During Console Navigation].

Support for compatible Dolby Atmos-enabled audio devices

3D Audio powered by Tempest 3D AudioTech can now be enjoyed by those who own compatible Dolby Atmos-enabled HDMI devices such as soundbars, TVs or home theater systems.
Tempest 3D AudioTech specifically renders to the Dolby Atmos audio device in use – including overhead channels – allowing for even greater levels of immersion in the audioscapes of PS5 games.
To turn on Dolby Atmos, go to [Settings] > [Sound] > [Audio Output] > [Audio Format (Priority)], and then select [Dolby Atmos].

Social feature enhancements

Party UI update

You can now invite a player into a closed party without automatically adding the player into the group or creating a new group.
Additionally, players can now send open or closed party invitations to groups instead of only individual players.

Share Screen Preview

When someone’s sharing their screen in a party that you can join, you’ll now see a preview image of their Share Screen, even before you enter the party.

Join friends’ game sessions easily

You can now easily see which of your friends are in an activity you can join under the [Friends] tab.
The Joinable icon will be displayed next to friends who are playing a game you can join.
You can join a friend’s game directly by pressing the options button and selecting [Join Game], or by selecting the ”Join” button on their profile card.

Game Hub tournaments tile

In the game hub, you can now see how many tournaments you’ve entered and the highest place you’ve achieved, as well as the start time for the next tournament.
You can select the tile to see the full tournament list.

React to messages with emojis

You can now add reactions to messages with emojis, which makes communicating with friends quicker and easier.

Ease-of-use features

Search for games in your library

You can now search for games within your game library.

Game Help improvements

In addition to in-progress activities, you can now see available, previously available, upcoming, and completed activities.
When a card is selected, its details are now displayed on the right side of the card, making it easier to find objectives and their corresponding hints.

Discover new features

Browse useful tips for getting the most out of your PS5 and learn about new features in the new Discover Tips section.
Go to [Settings] > [Guide & Tips, Health & Safety, and Other Information] > [Guide and Tips], and then select [Discover Tips] to view all the tips.

Mute PS5 beep sound

You can now mute or adjust the volume of the PS5’s beep sound when turning it on or off, or putting it in rest mode.

Go to [Settings] > [System] > [Beep Sound].
To adjust the beep sound volume, select [Volume].
To mute the beep sound, turn on [Mute Beep Sound].

Support for larger-capacity M.2 SSDs

You can now use an M.2 SSD with a maximum capacity of 8TB (up from the previous 4TB limit) to expand storage space on your PS5 console.

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.

Festivals

The LUMIX G9II Is Panasonic’s Best Micro Four Thirds Camera Yet

The iPhone 15

Before we dive into the only version that matters, let’s gloss over the other models on offer. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are solid smartphones with subtle upgrades to hardware over the previous generation.

Powered by the A16 Bionic from the previous generation Pro models, the new iPhones pack a 48MP main camera with an optical-quality 2x telephoto feature. From our understanding, this functions kind of like a digital zoom, but due to its high resolution, it can output a solid image that creatives and non-creatives can’t really scoff at.

The iPhone 15’s main camera.

Apple

With a claimed all-day battery life and improved post-processing, users shouldn’t be disappointed in the quality of the product. It’s one of the best phones on the market, not because it has new tech built-in (other companies usually beat Apple to the punch) but because Apple can use its walled garden to refine all the features in one ecosystem.

If you have the budget and want a new one, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are great choices for content creators on a budget. It’s not reinventing the wheel at all, but it’s making the experience just a little better.

iPhone 15 Features and Specs

The iPhone 15 features at a glance.

Apple

The Professional Tool

But what we really want to look at is the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Sure, the smaller iPhone 15 Pro is a solid choice, but it lacks the one addition—a 120mm telephoto focal length.

Initial rumors suggested that Apple would finally include a periscope camera, a hardware feature that allows for an optical zoom mechanism, but that isn’t the case.

Apple created a folded glass structure below the lens, which they call a tetraprism. This reflects the light four times, creating the space within the thin body to allow for a 120mm focal length.

$\u200bThe tetraprism inside the iPhone 15 Pro Max$

The tetraprism inside the iPhone 15 Pro Max

Apple

So, where is our zoom?

This is where things get interesting. By using the high-resolution images its cameras can produce, the iPhone 15 Pro Max (and 15 Pro) can achieve seven different focal lengths.

This includes a 13mm, a 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 48mm, and the 120mm. Topping it off, creatives will find a Macro feature that brings the total to seven focal lengths. It’s a whole let of primes, right in your pocket.

iPhone 15 Pro focal lengths

All the different focal lengths for the iPhone 15 Pro

Apple

Supporting these features is a new 3D sensor‑shift optical image stabilization and autofocus module that moves in all three directions, which not only improves image stability but also low-light image capture.

iPhone 15 Pro main camera

Apple

But that’s not all. Because Apple has finally added USB-C, creatives will be able to utilize USB 3 to transfer ProRes video to an external drive ProRAW photos to Capture One at 10Gbps. While the previous release of ProRes on iPhone seemed like a gimmick, it’s now a usable production-ready toolset. On a smartphone.

Add in Frame.io via FilMic Pro, and you have a competent tool to tackle more than just Instagram Reels and TikToks.

iPhone 15 Pro Max shooting to an external

Shoot ProRes 4K60 to an external SSD or in 30fps internally.

Apple

The A17 Pro

Powering these new updates is a brand-new chip with an upgraded GPU that even supports ray tracing, which is a weird thing to consider since most PC games still struggle to implement the feature.

While it won’t be useful for filmmakers, it’s great for when you want to game during downtime. Add in MetalFX Upscaling and the Neural Engine, and you can a mobile gaming platform.

What is useful for filmmakers though, is how the upgraded chip, its dedicated ProRes engine, AV1 decoder support true production workflow.

The A17 Pro Chip powering the iPhone 15 Pro

Apple

Any video recorded with your iPhone 15 Pro Max will now have ACES color support and Log capture. Add in external storage, and filmmakers can record ProRes video in up to 4K at 60 fps in Log.

Forget the new Action Button that replaces the silence switch. Forget the new design and satellite safety features. The new iPhone has finally become a filmmaking tool we can rely on.

But funnily enough, that’s not the weirdest filmmaking thing to debut.

An iPhone 3D Camera

When the Apple Vision Pro was announced, it was met with awe and skepticism. While the final product has yet to get a release date, Apple’s Spatial Video feature was an interesting addition to its line of products. However, the only way to record Spatial Video, which is Apple’s term for 3D, was to use the cameras on the Vision Pro.

Well, not anymore. The iPhone 15 Pro can use two of its cameras instead. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the iPhone is now a 3D camera, right?

iPhone 15 Pro Max Spatial Video Camera

An iPhone that can shoot 3D video. But how can we use it beyond the Vision Pro?

Apple

We have yet to hear how this feature will be implemented into the Visio Pro, but I am more than certain that tech-savvy filmmakers will be able to utilize this feature to tap into the 3D world once again.

How? I’m not sure, but I’ve seen folks use the LiDar tools on the iPhone to create some amazing photogrammetry. I’ve also seen creative use the accelerometers to create camera tracking tools. Now, filmmakers will have the Spatial Camera to work with, and I can’t wait to see what people come up with.

Is This Filmmaking Tool For You?

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will retail at the same price as the previous generation. From $999 for 128GB for the Pro and $1199 for 256GB for the Max. It’s a costly tool when you can get dedicated cinema cameras for the same price on the used market, but it’s an attractive tool for creatives who already carry an iPhone with them.

$\u200bThe iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max features$

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max features at glance.

Apple

If you only plan on getting this iPhone to shoot your next film, maybe it’s not the right purchase, but if you’re in the market for an upgrade, and you’re a creative, it’s a no-brainer.

You’re getting loads of features that we’ve always wanted, and some we never knew we needed. For me, I’ll be finally upgrading my 14 Pro Max and I can’t wait to see how this tool supports my creative journey. And I can even use it to call my mom.

The iPhone 15 Before

Film

A Coming Of Age Story

You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah is a love letter to Jewish tradition and the coming-of-age story. Stacy Friedman is coming up on her thirteenth birthday, and she is more than ready to step into her role as a woman. Or is she?

Adam Sandler’s film beautifully portrays the juxtaposition between adulthood and the difficulties of being a teenager. While Jewish tradition may make Stacy an adult, her actions and maturity make her a child. Worrying about being cool in school and her crush on Andy, Stacy is easily carried away when her jealousy toward her best friend Lydia causes Stacy to make various bad decisions.

Rather than act as a mature adult, the film embraces the goofy elements of being a teenager and the conflicts that arise when growing up.

You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah remembers that teenagers are not always the most easily likable people, constantly not knowing exactly what they are doing even if they believe they do.

Growing up is difficult, and this Netflix film does not require a Jewish audience in order to find the story of growing up relatable.

The movie, at its core, is about growing up and the trials and tribulations that come with that. It is about choosing friendship and learning more about oneself.

You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah perfectly captures the awkwardness of teenagers and coming-of-age while making jokes about pop culture and dialogue without going over the top or trying too hard.

The relationships between the Friedman family delightfully portray the love/hate relationship between Stacy and her older sister, Ronnie, as well as the dynamic they have with their parents.

The charm that appears in Adam Sandler’s best comedies is present here, even though Adam Sandler is in a far more background role. The movie relies on chemistry between the characters and a relatable and funny story rather than a film filled the slapstick humor.

The teenage girls feel like real people, with their own awkwardness and quirks, rather than turning them into an unrealistic concept of what people think teenage girls would be.

Overall, You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah is a joyful coming-of-age story with heart and laughs that can allow anyone to remember what it felt like to be going through self-discovery and growing up.

Published on 08/28/2023 at 12:00 PM EDT
Last updated on 08/28/2023 at 12:00 PM EDT

You Are So Not Invited To

2023 MTV VMAs: The Complete Winners List

It was time once again on Tuesday to honor the very best in music video greatness with a celeb-packed awards show and some sweet Moon Person trophies!

All the biggest names in music came together at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, for the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.

Taylor Swift wound up having something of a massive night, with a slew of major wins, taking home of nine trophies in the night’s biggest categories — including Artist of the Year, Video of the Year, Song of the Year and Director of the Year.

So who else took home some of the night’s top honors? Check out the full list of the big winners below, marked in bold.

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
*Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records — WINNER!!

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Doja Cat – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
KAROL G – Interscope Records
Nicki Minaj – Republic Records
Shakira – Sony Music US Latin
*Taylor Swift – Republic Records — WINNER!!

SONG OF THE YEAR
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit” – L-M Records / RCA Records
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records Records
*Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records — WINNER!!

BEST NEW ARTIST
GloRilla – CMG / Interscope Records
*Ice Spice – 10K Projects / Capitol Records — WINNER!!
Kaliii – Atlantic Records
Peso Pluma – Double P Records
PinkPantheress – 300 Entertainment
Reneé Rapp – Interscope Records

PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
August 2022: Saucy Santana – “Booty” – Arena Records / RCA Records
September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – “Until I Found You” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
October 2022: JVKE – “golden hour” – AWAL
November 2022: Flo Milli – “Conceited” – ’94 Sounds / RCA Records
December 2022: Reneé Rapp – “Colorado” – Interscope Records
January 2023: Sam Ryder – “All The Way Over” – Elektra Entertainment
February 2023: Armani White – “GOATED” – Def Jam
March 2023: FLETCHER – “Becky’s So Hot” – Capitol Records
*April 2023: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records — WINNER!!
May 2023: Ice Spice – “Princess Diana” – Heavy On It / 10K Projects / Capitol Records
June 2023: FLO – “Losing You” – Uptown/Republic Records
July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – “That Part” – Island Records

BEST COLLABORATION
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)” – Warner Records
Post Malone, Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
*KAROL G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino — WINNER!!
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records

BEST POP
Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records
Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
P!NK – “TRUSTFALL” – RCA Records
*Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records — WINNER!

BEST HIP-HOP
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – “STAYING ALIVE” – We The Best / Epic Records
GloRilla & Cardi B – “Tomorrow 2” – CMG / Interscope Records
Lil Uzi Vert – “Just Wanna Rock” – Atlantic Records / Generation Now
Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX – “Kant Nobody” – Young Money Records
Metro Boomin ft Future – “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)” – Boominati / Republic Records
* Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records — WINNER!!

BEST R&B
Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – “Stay” – RCA Records
Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – “How Does It Feel” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
*SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records — WINNER!!
Toosii – “Favorite Song” – South Coast Music Group / Capitol Records
Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj – “Love In The Way” – Empire Distribution

BEST ALTERNATIVE
blink-182 – “EDGING” – Columbia Records
boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records
Fall Out Boy – “Hold Me Like A Grudge” – Fueled By Ramen
*Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records — WINNER!!
Paramore – “This Is Why” – Atlantic Records
Thirty Seconds To Mars – “Stuck” – Concord Records / Concord

BEST ROCK
Foo Fighters – “The Teacher” – RCA Records
Linkin Park – “Lost (Original Version)” – Warner Records
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Tippa My Tongue” – Warner Records
*Måneskin – “THE LONELIEST” – Arista Records — WINNER!
Metallica – “Lux Æterna” – Blackened Recordings
Muse – “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween” – Warner Records

BEST LATIN
*Anitta – “Funk Rave” – Republic Records — WINNER!
Bad Bunny – “WHERE SHE GOES” – Rimas Entertainment
Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – “Ella Baila Sola” – DEL Records, Inc. / Prajin Parlay, Inc. Grupo Frontera Bad Bunny – “un x100to” – Rimas Entertainment
KAROL G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino
ROSALÍA – “DESPECHÁ” – Columbia Records
Shakira – “Acróstico” – Sony Music US Latin

BEST K-POP
aespa – “Girls” – SM ENTERTAINMENT Co., Ltd.
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
FIFTY FIFTY – “Cupid” – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
SEVENTEEN – “Super” – HYBE / Geffen Records
*Stray Kids – “S-Class” – JYP / Republic — WINNER!!
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records

BEST AFROBEATS
Ayra Starr – “Rush” – Mavin Global Holdings
Burna Boy – “It’s Plenty” – Atlantic Records / Spaceship Entertainment Ltd
Davido ft. Musa Keys – “UNAVAILABLE” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
Fireboy DML & Asake – “Bandana” – Empire Distribution
Libianca – “People” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
*Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records — WINNER!!
Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– “2 Sugar” – Starboy / RCA Records

VIDEO FOR GOOD
Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral) – NETFLIX
Bad Bunny – “El Apagón – Aquí Vive Gente” – Rimas Entertainment
Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records
*Dove Cameron – “Breakfast” – Columbia Records — WINNER!!
Imagine Dragons – “Crushed” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records
Maluma – “La Reina” – Sony Music US Latin

BEST DIRECTION
Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Directed by Tanu Muiño
Drake – “Falling Back” – OVO/Republic Records – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz)
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Directed by Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Directed by Colin Tilley
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Directed by Floria Sigismondi
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Directed by Christian Breslauer
*Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift — WINNER!!

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Adele – “I Drink Wine” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Natasha Baier
Janelle Monae – “Lipstick Lover” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Allison Anderson
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records 0 Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Marcell Rev
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Cinematography by Russ Fraser
*Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Rina Yang — WINNER!!

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Fall Out Boy – “Love From The Other Side” – Fueled By Ramen – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner
Harry Styles – “Music For A Sushi Restaurant” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios
Melanie Martinez – “VOID” – Atlantic Records – Visual Effects by Carbon
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER
*Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament — WINNER!!

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
*BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX) — WINNER!!
Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records – Choreography by Charm LaDonna
Jonas Brothers – “Waffle House” – Republic Records – Choreography by Jerry Reece
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Panic! At The Disco – “Middle Of A Breakup” – Fueled By Ramen – Choreography by Monika Felice Smith
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Choreography by (LA)HORDE – Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, Arthur Harel

BEST ART DIRECTION
boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Jen Dunlap
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Art Direction by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
*Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Art Direction by Spencer Graves — WINNER!!
Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Brandon Mendez
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Art Direction by Niko Philipides
SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Art Direction by Kate Bunch

BEST EDITING
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Editing by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
Kendrick Lamar – “Rich Spirit” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Edited by Grason Caldwell
Miley Cyrus – “River” – Columbia Records – Edited by Brandan Walter
*Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel — WINNER!!
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Edited by Luis Caraza Peimbert
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Edited by Chancler Haynes

The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards aired live from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Follow along at ETonline.com for full coverage from this year’s VMAs.

RELATED CONTENT:

It was time once again on Tuesday

What to Watch

Is ‘Ordinary Men: The “Forgotten Holocaust”‘ on Netflix? Where to Watch the Documentary

Netflix subscription is required to watch on Netflix

Great news! “Ordinary Men: The “Forgotten Holocaust”” is available to watch on Netflix USA!

Date Added: 13th September 2023

Want to keep forever? Try looking for ‘Ordinary Men: The “Forgotten Holocaust”‘ on Amazon (paid link)

Description:

This documentary examines how and why thousands of ordinary Germans carried out mass atrocities as members of Nazi police squads during the Holocaust.

Certificate: TV-MA
For Mature Audiences.

Year: 2023

Duration: 58m

Audio: English [Original]

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese

Cast and Crew

Director: Manfred Oldenburg

Cast: Brian Cox

Average Rating Not yet rated

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DISCUSS ON…:
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Available on Netflix USA!

Netflix subscription is required to watch on Netflix

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Awards

‘Stranger Things 5’ Is ‘Cinematic,’ According to Director Shawn Levy – IndieWire

Shawn Levy is promising that “Stranger Things” Season 5 goes beyond being just a television event.

The director and executive producer told Total Film magazine that the final season of the Netflix series has “major, major, cinematic storytelling” elements that rivals the “biggest movies” in theaters today.

“There’s no way to be contiguous with Season 4, and not, frankly, expand scale and depth,” Levy said. “It’s major, major, cinematic storytelling that happens to be called a TV series. ‘Stranger Things 5’ is as big as any of the biggest movies that we see.”

Season 4 saw episodes extending into feature length, with the season finale clocking in at 2 hours and 30 minutes, and several installments hovering around an hour and a half.

“Stranger Things” creators the Duffer Brothers revealed earlier this year that the Season 5 pitch to Netflix made executives “cry” over the course of two hours.

The Fall of the House of Usher. Carla Gugino as Verna

“We did get our executives to cry, which I thought was a good sign,” Matt Duffer said during a Netflix SAG FYC event. “The only other time I’ve seen them cry is like, budget meetings.”

Ross Duffer spoke of wrapping up the storylines across the ensemble cast, saying, “We have so many characters now, most who are still living. It’s important to wrap up those arcs as a lot of these characters have been growing since Season 1. So it’s a balancing act between giving them time to complete their character arcs and also tying up these loose ends and doing our final reveals.”

He added, “Five, the way we see it, is kind of a culmination of all the seasons, so it’s sort of got a little bit from each. I think that what we’re trying to do is go back to the beginning a little bit, in sort of the tone of one.”

Actor David Harbour confirmed that the Duffer Bros’ final “Stranger Things” installment is “very, very moving.”

“They’re terrific, as per usual,” Harbour said of the upcoming episodes. “They continue to outdo themselves, these currently on-strike writers called the Duffer Brothers. It’s a hell of an undertaking, too. I mean, the set pieces and the things in the scripts that we saw are bigger than anything we’ve done in the past.”

Shawn Levy is promising that “Stranger Things”

Music

The best and worst moments from the 2023 MTV VMAs

Another MTV Video Music Awards has come to a close. MTV has fulfilled its obligation to the music industry for another year and awarded all the current and up-and-coming pop stars of the day their statues. It was a long and unsurprising night, filled with some great performances and some forgettable ones. The show…

Jack Huston’s ‘Day of the Fight’ to Open Raindance Film Festival

The 31st edition of London’s Raindance Film Festival will open with the U.K. premiere of British actor Jack Huston’s directorial debut “Day of the Fight.”

The film comes to Raindance fresh off its Venice debut, where Huston was honored by Variety as a breakthrough director.

The story of a once-renowned boxer who takes a redemptive journey through his past and present on the day of his first fight since he left prison stars Michael Pitt alongside a cast including Ron Perlman, Joe Pesci, and a cameo from Steve Buscemi.

The U.K. premiere of Isabel Coixet’s “Un Amor” will close the festival after it bows at San Sebastian. Based on Sara Mesa’s bestselling novel, Laia Costa plays a young woman who escapes her stressful life in the city and relocates to rural Spain. When she accepts a disturbing sexual proposal, it gives rise to an all-consuming and obsessive passion. The film is presented as part of the festival’s focus on Catalonia this year and screenings also include U.K. premieres of “Upon Entry,” “Tender Metalheads” and “La Singla” plus a shorts program.

Known for championing independent cinema and new voices, this year’s selection focuses on the work of first, second and third-time filmmakers. Over 75% of the films are debut features, with 14% being second or third features.

Running Oct. 25-Nov. 4, host cinemas include Vue Piccadilly, Curzon Soho, Curzon Mayfair and the Garden Cinema, with The House of Raindance industry hub and the Raindance Immersive VR Showcase hosted this year at Wonderville. Further films will be screened at Genesis Cinema in east London.

“When Raindance first launched back in 1993 with the world premiere of ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,’ the festival found itself at home in London’s iconic West End, championing indie film in cinemas more accustomed to playing Hollywood blockbusters,” said Raindance founder Elliot Grove. “Year after year, Raindance proved that the West End could be a home to film of every budget and genre. In our most recent editions, Raindance embraced local neighbourhood cinemas across London. Now for this, our 31st edition, we are wholeheartedly back in London’s West End, the beating heart of cinema in the U.K. And we will continue to champion new filmmakers and the edgy, under-the-radar films that we at Raindance love so much.”

The awards honor features in eight categories: Discovery Award, Best U.K. Feature, Best International Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Performance.

This year’s jury includes actor-director Celyn Jones, filmmakers Duncan Jones, Finn Bruce and Michael Winterbottom, actors Michael Socha, Rory Kinnear, Samuel Bottomley, Sope Dirisu and Vinette Robinson, critic Ashanti Omkar, director of acquisitions at Hanway Genevieve Segall, Mubi’s Natalie Ralph, director of MetFilm School Jonny Persey, U.K. Muslim Film’s Sajid Varda, senior global publicity manager at Universal Millen Lemma, director of public programs and audiences at BFI Jason Wood, director of shorts at Raindance Charlotte Hamblin, Bertha Doc House’s Jenny Horwell, producers Rob Watson and Nadira Murray, director-editor Claire Ferguson and founder and CEO of Together Films Sarah Mosses.

In Competition: Film Strands

Discovery: Features by First-time Directors

“Parachute” (Dir: Brittany Snow, U.S.)
“All The Colours Of The World Are Between Black And White” (Dir: Babatunde Apalowo, Nigeria)
“Upon Entry” (Dir: Alejandro Rojas, Sebastián Vasquez, Spain/Catalonia)
“Only The Good Survive” (Dir: Dutch Southern, U.S.)
“Mountain Onion” (Dir: Eldar Shibanov, Kazakhstan)
“Lost Soulz” (Dir: Katherine Propper, U.S.)
“Storm” (Dir: Erika Calmeyer, Norway)
“The Land Within” (Dir: Fisnik Maxville, Kosovo/Switzerland)

International

“All The Silence” (Dir: Diego Del Rio, Mexico)
“Blood For Dust” (Dir: Rod Balckurst, U.S.)
“Clashing Differences” (Dir: Merle Grimme, Germany)
“Heavis Tendres”/”Tender Metalheads” (Dir: Joan Tomas, Spain/Catalonia)
“Palimpsest” (Dir: Hanna Västinsalo, Finland)
“Pett Kata Shaw” (Dir: Nuhash Humayun, Bangladesh)
“Sweet Sixteen” (Dir: Alexa-Jeanne Dubé, Canada)
“White Plastic Sky” (Dir: Tibor Bánóczki, Sarolta Szabó, Hungary)

Documentaries

“Satan Wants You” (Dir: Steven J. Adams, Sean Horlor, U.S.)
“Dusty & Stones” (Dir: Jesse Rudoy, U.S.)
“Sex With Sue” (Dir: Lisa Rideout, Canada)
“La Singla” (Dir: Paloma Zapata, Spain/Catalonia)
“We Are Guardians” (Dir: Chelsea Green, Rob Grobman, Edivan Guajajara, Brazil/U.S.)
“Another Body” (Dir: Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn, U.S.)
“Aurora’s Sunrise” (Dir: Inna Sahakyan, Armenia)
“Omar and Cedric” (Dir: Nicolas Jack Davies, U.S.)
“The Books He Didn’t Burn” (Dir: Claus Bredenbrock & Jascha Hannover, Germany)

U.K.

“Long Distance Swimmer” (Dir: Charley Feldman)
“Sisters Interrupted” (Dir: Caroline Sharp)
“Red Herring” (Dir: Kit Vincent)
“Embers” (Dir: Christian Cooke)
“Silent Roar” (Dir: Johnny Barrington)
“The Portrait” (Dir: Simon Ross)
“Catching Dust” (Dir: Stuart Gatt)
“Warhol” (Dir: Adam Ethan Crow)

Performance

Laia Costa – “Un Amor”
Michael Pitt – “Day of the Fight”
Scoot McNairy – “Blood for Dust”

Cinematography

David Wyte – “All The Colours Of The World Are Between Black And White”
Ruben Woodin Dechamps – “Silent Roar”
Tahsin Rahman – “Pett Kata Shaw”

Screenplay

Alejandro Rojas, Juan Sebastian Vasquez – “Upon Entry”
Eldar Shibanov, Yuliya Levitskaya – “Mountain Onion”
Johan Fasting, Erika Calmeyer – “Storm”

Director

Fisnik Maxville – “The Land Within”
Isabel Coixet – “Un Amor”
Jack Huston – “Day of the Fight”

Off-competition: Critics Picks and Pre-Release Screening

“Restore Point” (Dir: Robert Hloz, Czech Republic/Slovakia). This critics pick is selected By Variety’s Guy Lodge.
“Typist Artist Pirate King” (Dir: Carol Morley, U.K.)

The festival’s headline sponsor is MangoRX.

The 31st edition of London’s Raindance Film

Global

‘Freedom Convoy’ trial Day 7: Press conferences to be examined – National

By Laura Osman

The Canadian Press

Posted September 13, 2023 7:49 am

The court is expected to watch several lengthy press conferences hosted by the “Freedom Convoy” as the criminal trial for two of the protest’s organizers enters its seventh day.

Chris Barber and Tamara Lich were two people who initially organized a convoy of big-rig trucks to come to Ottawa in the winter of 2022 to protest COVID-19 public health measures and call for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down.

They both face mischief and several counselling charges, including mischief, intimidation and obstructing police, over their role in organizing the protest that blockaded city streets for three weeks.

Click to play video: 'Highly-anticipated criminal trial of ‘Freedom Convoy’ organizers underway'

2:23
Highly-anticipated criminal trial of ‘Freedom Convoy’ organizers underway

The court has already watched hours of video posted to Barber’s TikTok account and the “Freedom Convoy 2022” Facebook page.

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The defence is arguing the admissibility of the Facebook posts, which have not yet been entered into evidence in the judge-alone trial.

In some of the videos watched so far, both Lich and Baber appear to have encouraged supporters to come to Ottawa and stay there, even as police ordered protesters to leave.

&copy 2023 The Canadian Press

By Laura Osman The Canadian Press Posted September 13,

Trending

Who Is Paul Richard Soliz? 5 Things On Britney Spears’ Rumored BF – Hollywood Life

Image Credit: NINA PROMMER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Britney Spears, 41, may have a new boyfriend. The singer has recently been romantically linked to Paul Richard Soliz, after the two were spotted together in late Aug., shortly after she and her husband Sam Asghari, announced their split. Before that, he was apparently hired to do housekeeping/maintenance around her house around a year ago, until he was “terminated” after about two months, according to Us Weekly.

“He fixed things around the house. Things like doorknobs and unclog toilets,” the source said. Since the dating speculation, Paul, himself has spoken out, and called Britney a “phenomenal woman,” when he spoke to Us Weekly. “She’s a very, very good, positive … She’s a good person,” he said.

As people continue to speculate if Britney and Paul are seriously dating or not, find out more about the possible new man in the pop star’s life below.

Paul is Licensed Contractor

Although some legal issues have been sparking judgment about him from the public, Paul told Us Weekly that he’s a not a “bad” guy and does contracting work. “I’m not a bad dude. I understand that things have been said about me in the past, and I have a criminal record — I get it,” he told the outlet. “I’m a working man. I own my own business. I do a licensed contractor technique tile.”

He Has a Criminal History

Paul was recently at a court house for an appearance after he reportedly violated a probation. He has a criminal history that includes charges for multiple misdemeanors, such as disturbing the peace, child endangerment and driving without a license in addition to felonies for possession of a controlled substance for sale and possession of a firearm, according to records obtained by Us.

In an ongoing case, he was arrested in December 2020 for possession of a firearm by a felon and unlawful possession of ammunition, Us further reported. He reportedly pleaded no contest and was sentenced to two years probation and served 90 days in jail, getting out in May 2023. Despite his past and current criminal issues, Paul said he’s not “really worried about” his ongoing criminal case and thought it would be dismissed. He also confirmed he’s currently enrolled in court-ordered anger management classes.

Paul Praised Britney’s Ex Sam

Britney Spears, Sam Asghari — Britney and her now ex-husband Sam. (NINA PROMMER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Britney’s possible new romantic partner called Sam, who filed for divorce from the “Toxic” crooner on Aug. 16, “a great guy,” and said Britney’s “doing great,” after the split.

He’s a Father

Although it’s reported he is a parent, it’s not clear how many kids he has or how old they are.

Paul Gave Britney a Ride Home From the Airport

Britney went on a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in early Sept. 2023, and was photographed being brought home from a Los Angeles, CA airport by Paul. He was sitting in what appeared to be a black vehicle, in photos taken during the moment.

Image Credit: NINA PROMMER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Britney Spears, 41, may

Tech

Elon Musk, Sam Altman and Mark Zuckerberg Are Meeting in Washington for AI Forum

Ever since ChatGPT exploded in popularity last year, Silicon Valley’s titans have been embroiled in a race to be at the forefront of artificial intelligence.

Yet in Washington, lawmakers have struggled to keep up with the technology, which they are only beginning to understand.

On Wednesday, both sides are set to collide in one of the tech industry’s most proactive shows of force in the nation’s capital. Elon Musk of Tesla, X and SpaceX, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Sam Altman of OpenAI, Sundar Pichai of Google, Satya Nadella of Microsoft and Jensen Huang of Nvidia are among a dozen or so tech leaders convening in Washington for the bipartisan A.I. Insight Forum, organized by Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, along with labor union leaders and civil society groups.

The closed-door meeting is the first in a series of crash-course lessons on A.I. for lawmakers. More than that, it is an opportunity for tech leaders who represent companies with a collective value of more than $6.5 trillion to influence A.I.’s direction as questions swirl about its transformative and risky effects. And it is a chance to be seen as relevant and leading on the technology.

“This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for Congress,” Mr. Schumer said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, ahead of the meeting. “We need A.I. experts, ethicists, labor leaders, civil rights groups, the world of academia, defense and beyond helping us with the work ahead.”

The gathering punctuates a year of rapid developments in A.I., during which lawmakers and regulators have grappled with how the technology might alter jobs, spread disinformation and potentially develop its own kind of intelligence. While Europe is in the throes of drafting laws to regulate A.I., the United States has lagged. But the frenzy over the technology has prompted the White House, Congress and regulatory agencies to respond with A.I. safeguards and other measures.

The White House is expected to release an executive order on A.I. this year and has held multiple meetings with tech executives in recent months. This week, it announced that a total of 15 companies had agreed to voluntary safety and security standards for their A.I. tools, including third-party security testing.

Last week, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, and Senator Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri, announced a framework for A.I. legislation that calls for an independent office to oversee A.I., as well as licensing requirements and safety standards for the technology.

Tech executives have positioned themselves to shape A.I. regulations, but they disagree about what the rules should look like. Mr. Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, which makes the ChatGPT chatbot, has met with more than 100 lawmakers over the past year. In May, he said in a Senate hearing that he supported the creation of an A.I. regulatory agency, licensing requirements and safety standards.

Yet IBM and Google have disagreed with having a separate agency for A.I. In April, Mr. Musk, who has called for a moratorium on the development of some A.I. systems, also met with Mr. Schumer and other lawmakers to discuss A.I.

The tech executives may compete for airtime during Wednesday’s meeting. Mr. Schumer invited 22 guests and all 100 senators to attend the forum, which will take place in the Kennedy Caucus Room, where hearings on the sinking of the Titanic, the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Watergate scandal unfolded.

There will be two sessions lasting six hours, with most of the tech chiefs gathering for the morning session to deliver opening statements and to join a discussion moderated by Mr. Schumer. Mr. Schumer has acknowledged the tech-knowledge deficit within Congress and has said he will lean on Silicon Valley leaders, academics and public interest groups to teach members about the technology.

In an interview this week, Mr. Hawley said that he was concerned that tech companies had too much sway over regulatory discussions and criticized Mr. Schumer’s decision to hold the A.I. meeting behind closed doors.

“This is the biggest gathering of monopolists since the Gilded Age and I’m disappointed it isn’t happening in public and not in a real hearing,” he said.

Senator Mike Rounds, Republican of South Dakota, who will help moderate the forum, said the executives were critical to Congress’s education.

“What we don’t want to do is regulate from a point of not having good information in the first place,” he said at a Washington Post event on Tuesday.

Labor union leaders and civil society groups have complained about the tech industry’s rush to roll out new products that may threaten jobs or steal intellectual property, and that have upended education.

“Workers are tired of being guinea pigs in an A.I. live experiment,” said Liz Shuler, the president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. union, who will be at the meeting. “The labor movement knows A.I. can empower workers and increase prosperity, but only if workers are centered in its creation and the rules that govern it.”

Ever since ChatGPT exploded in popularity last

Video

‘Dream Scenario’ Creator Kristoffer Borgli And Star Nicholas Cage – TIFF – Deadline

DREAM SCENARIO

Section: Platform

Director-screenwriter: Kristoffer Borgli

Logline: Nicolas Cage plays Paul Matthews, an inconspicuous academic who is thrust into the limelight after he starts inexplicably appearing in people’s dreams in this satirical swipe at celebrity and groupthink from writer-director Kristoffer Borgli and co-producer Ari Aster. The film also stars Julianne Nicholson (Mare of Easttown) and Michael Cera (Barbie).

Distributor: A24

Premiere Date: September 9, 2023

Panelists: Kristoffer Borgli and Nicolas Cage

Key Quotes: “I felt like in the name of Thespis I had the life experience to play Paul Matthews. What happened to me as Nic Cage with the internet, nothing could have prepared me, there was no reference point to experience this minification that occurred with one person’s compiling of a montage of sequences, cherry-picking different episodes of meltdowns that I had in various movies — calling it ‘Nicolas Cage loses his sh*t’ and then it went viral around the world overnight. I think I might have been the first actor who experienced anything like that. It was confusing, it was irritating, it was stimulating, it was confounding. I didn’t what to do with it.” – Nicholas Cage

“I remember thinking about how my father would navigate viral and how he’d fumble it and not be able to understand the dynamics, and there was so much comedy coming from imagining my father trying to navigate this very modern way of getting famous.” – Kristoffer Borgli

“We never went for laughs for laughs’ sake — it was all situation-relevant, it was all organic to the scene. If there is laughter, it was designed very carefully to not be playing for laughs. It is a satire that emerges on its own.” – Nicholas Cage

Watch it on Amazon Prime Video.

DREAM SCENARIO Section: Platform Director-screenwriter: Kristoffer Borgli Logline: Nicolas Cage

Entertaintment

Children’s Movies to Stream: ‘The Super Mario Bros.Movie’ and More

‘The Monkey King’

Watch it on Netflix.

This Netflix original is based on “Journey to the West,” a famous 16th-century Chinese novel written during the Ming dynasty. The story follows a magical monkey named Sun Wukong — voiced here by Jimmy O. Yang and referred to only as Monkey King — who is born from a rock and cast out by the other monkeys in the forest. Growing up, he longs to be one of the all-powerful Immortals. He goes on a quest to hell and back to defeat 100 demons, the requirement to fulfill his dream.

The tale has been adapted for TV and games, and there’s an anime version, but this latest telling adds a character named Lin (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport), a scrappy village girl who becomes the monkey’s traveling companion. They encounter Buddha (BD Wong) and demons like the frenetic, fearsome Dragon King (Bowen Yang, from “Saturday Night Live”), who occasionally breaks into song. The main character goes from a lovable, pitiful little simian to a self-centered trickster who steals a glowing magical staff (which looks and sounds a lot like a “Star Wars” light saber). He’s not exactly endearing (my son loved him, though), but the propulsive energy of his quest will entertain smaller kids who aren’t scared of characters who have gleaming red eyes and sharp teeth. Ron J. Friedman, Steve Bencich and Rita Hsiao wrote the script, and Anthony Stacchi (“The Boxtrolls,” “Open Season”) directed.

‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’

Watch it on Peacock.

My son calls this movie “The Brothers Mario,” which sounds like another type of film entirely. This splashy big screen version of the beloved 1980s Nintendo franchise might not wow longtime fans of the game, but youngsters who will one day think the 1980s are ancient times should be wildly entertained.

There was a 1993 live-action movie starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi, two Brooklyn brothers who work as plumbers and have to save the city from monsters. This time, the brothers inhabit a colorful animated world where Luigi (Charlie Day) becomes the prisoner of the evil Bowser (Jack Black), a dastardly villain who wants to wage war on Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and her kingdom, and then marry her. With Luigi held captive, Mario (Chris Pratt) teams up with the princess, Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) to free Luigi and keep the princess safe.

Yes, it’s a lot, but children who have no clue the games exist will still be able to follow the plot. When I asked my son why he loved the movie so much, his reply was simply, “I like the fighting.” So there you have it. Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic directed.

‘Lego Disney Princess: The Castle Quest’

Watch it on Disney+.

If a smorgasbord of Disney princesses is what your kid needs, this 49-minute girl-power adventure — starring Ariel (voiced by Jodi Benson), Moana (Auli’i Cravalho), Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) and Snow White (Katie Von Till) — should do the trick. An ominous storm brews, and the princesses are sent to a mysterious castle, where the dastardly Gaston (Richard White) holds King Triton (Jim Cummings) captive. Gaston plans to take over the kingdom of each princess, unless the five of them can complete a series of challenges, like getting Aladdin’s flying carpet and finding the Sundrop Flower in the Dark Forest. With their little claw-like Lego hands, the princesses follow Ariel’s cry of, “Let’s go slay all day, ladies!” — and set off on adventures across oceans and into the Dark Forest.

There are plenty of fun references to the princess movies that came before (Gaston sings, “Look at this stuff, isn’t it neat!”) and a feisty Snow White reminds everyone, “I kept a house of seven bachelors orderly and on task!” The director Michael D. Black made several Lego shorts before taking this project on, and the screenplay by Jenny Lee and Rachel Vine leans into themes like the power of female friendship and the fact that girls — even those made of Legos — can slay.

‘Rumble’

Imagine a planet where pro wrestlers are gigantic monsters instead of mere humans, and you have “Rumble,” a movie about an uncoordinated, out-of-shape underdog named Steve (voiced by Will Arnett) who takes on the sports world. The story is inspired by Rob Harrell’s graphic novel “Monster on the Hill,” which depicts a realm where each town is represented by a mighty monster, save for one town, where the not-so-menacing Steve lives.

In this computer-animated film, a girl named Winnie (Geraldine Viswanathan) decides to coach Steve and turn him into a fearsome competitor who can restore glory to their town. Her dad used to coach monsters, so Winnie is trying to honor him by following in his footsteps. Hamish Grieve, who worked in the animation department on films like “Monsters vs. Aliens,” directs. There are fun training montages, shout-outs to movies like “Dirty Dancing,” and — most important for kids — humongous beasts wrestling each other. Steve and Winnie’s friendship also gives you two heroes to cheer.

It starts with three teenage girls speeding through the streets of their quiet little town aboard a giant motorized hedgehog, and it only gets nuttier from there. Based on the book “The Sleepover,” by Jen Malone, this family-friendly riff on the “Hangover” franchise is about a sleepover birthday party that devolves into chaos when the girls wake up and realize their bestie Anna Maria (Valentina Herrera) is missing — and they don’t remember a thing. Of course booze, drugs and gambling are not to blame for the blackout. Instead, the girls had surprised Anna Maria with a magician called Mesmer (Tituss Burgess) who had hypnotized them all. And when they wake up, Megan (Darby Camp from “Big Little Lies”) discovers she has a shaved eyebrow and is wearing a hoodie that belongs to the hottest guy in school, Jake (Ramon Jose Rodriguez). The action kicks up when the girls embark on a quest to find Anna Maria (you’ll have to watch the movie to find out how they wind up on that hedgehog).

There are plenty of comic moments courtesy of Camp’s Megan and her sleepover pals, Veronica (Alex Cooper Cohen) and Paige (Emmy Liu-Wang), and the writer Eydie Faye (“Fuller House”) and the director Veronica Rodriguez succeed in capturing the sweetness and absurdity of growing up.

‘The Monkey King’Watch it on Netflix.This Netflix