Though Max is “The One to Watch” for HBO content, the HBO Max-replacement app’s TV library is actually comprised of more Discovery+ shows, according to new data.
Research from streaming-app aggregator Reelgood, shared with IndieWire, states Max’s compilation of 1,208 different series is comprised 55 percent by Discovery+ shows. Forty-two percent of Max series migrated from HBO Max; the remaining 3 percent are new Max exclusives.
Max is a combination of HBO Max and most of the content on Discovery+. (Discovery+ is still available as a standalone app; the ad-free version costs $6.99 per month to Max’s $15.99 per month.)
Episode counts follow a similar pattern. As of May 23, the old HBO Max had 22,191 individual episodes of TV, according to Reelgood. As of May 25, Max has 51,575 episodes. Discovery+ has 59,048 TV episodes. Of course, not all episodes of television are created equally. It’s a bit simpler to compile stacks of “Chopped” or “House Hunters” episodes than it is to churn out prestige (read: expensive) HBO dramas.
With more TV comes fewer movies. According to Reelgood’s tally, Max has 113 fewer films (2,264) than HBO Max had (2,377). Discovery+ was never a destination for feature films, hosting only 237 as of May 23. Ninety-six percent of Max’s film library was previously on HBO Max; the remaining 4 percent are either new Max originals or shared between Max and Discovery+.
IndieWire ran Reelgood’s findings by a spokesperson for Max to check for accuracy. We did not immediately receive a response.
In August 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery began trimming underperforming titles from its service ahead of the Max merger. Some, like “Westworld,” now live on a FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channel, while others are pure casualties of the cost cutting. Those have included everything from HBO Max original movies like “An American Pickle” and “Charm City Kings” to reality shows like “Legendary” and “Finding Magic Mike.”
HBO Max traditionally has been one of the better homes for cinephiles, boasting a wealth of TCM classics and Studio Ghibli films. And by comparison, Max still has more movies than Disney+ (1,343) and Hulu (1,192) and isn’t far off from Paramount+ (2,456). According to Reelgood, as of May 4, Netflix, had 3,902 movies.
Ahead of the Max launch, Warner Bros. Discovery reported having 97.1 million global direct-to-consumer subscribers. That number was a combo of linear HBO, HBO Max, and Discovery+ subs.
In Luke Tanner and Haley Leary’s horror short, Lethalogica, the writers-directors play a happy couple, Guy and Marjorie, cleaning up the table after dinner. The typical evening comes to an immediate halt when Majorie declares that her breath still smells like “Adam’s dick.” In Memento-like fashion, our couple’s evening moves backward in time to uncover the secret behind “Adam’s dick.” Moving beyond this point will be a spoiler. But, trust me, it’s worth the ride till the end.
“…moves backward in time to uncover the secret behind ‘Adam’s dick.’”
Running just over five minutes, the filmis hilarious and horrifying. It’s beautifully paced and escalates the tension wonderfully. With each flashback comes a bit of comedy for the laugh and some gore as a stomach-churning pairing.
If you’ve ever been to a film festival’s shorts program, you’ll know comedy and horror titles are very similar in structure. They consist of set-ups followed by punchlines, with the ending being either comedic or horrific. Lethalogicais a nice blending of the two. Well done, Tanner and Leary. When I recover, I’ll watch it again.
A Kremlin state television presenter has called for Salisbury Cathedral’s spire to ‘fall on James Cleverly’s head’ after the Foreign Secretary voiced his support for Ukrainian attacks within Russia.
Mr Cleverly said yesterday that Ukraine had the right to ‘project force’ beyond its own borders for self-defence following reports of a suspected Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow.
The Kremlin subsequently threatened that British officials were now ‘legitimate military targets’ for Moscow following the Foreign Secretary‘s statement.
Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev warned any British public officials who were deemed to be ‘facilitating’ Ukraine in its defence against Russia would be a target.
Olga Skabeyeva said she wanted to impale James Cleverly with the spire – a reference to the alibi used by two Russian assassins in the 2018 Novichok poisonings
‘In return, we believe that in order to render Cleverly harmless, we need to, for example, make the well-known Salisbury spire fall directly on his head,’ Olga Skabeyeva said
James Cleverly holds a SA80 rifle yesterday while meeting military officers on HMS Albion in Estonia
In her extraordinary spiralling rant against Cleverly, translated by the BBC’s Francis Scarr, Skabeyeva said that Nato had ‘voiced its approval’ of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s strikes on Moscow, adding: ‘British Foreign Secretary Cleverly said that Ukraine has a legitimate right to defend itself and can use force beyond its borders.
‘According to Cleverly, legitimate military targets beyond Ukraine’s borders are part of Kyiv’s self-defence and the West must now recognise this.
‘Rendering Russia harmless is apparently entirely legitimate.
‘In return, we believe that in order to render Cleverly harmless, we need to, for example, make the well-known Salisbury spire fall directly on his head.’
Scowling at the camera, she concluded: ‘Completely legitimate. Do you agree?’
Medvedev, a close ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin, and his deputy on the country’s security council, also hit out following Mr Cleverly’s statement, which was made during a visit to Estonia.
‘Today, the UK acts as Ukraine’s ally, providing it with military aid in the form of equipment and specialists, i.e., de facto is leading an undeclared war against Russia,’ Medvedev tweeted.
‘That being the case, any of its public officials (either military, or civil, who facilitate the war) can be considered as a legitimate military target.’
Alexander Petrov (left) and Ruslan Boshirov (right) claimed they just happened to be ordinary tourists who wanted to see Salisbury Cathedral’s magnificent ‘123-metre spire’ on the day double agent Sergei Skripal was poisoned in 2018 in the city
Footage purportedly showing a suspected Ukrainian drone explode yesterday near Usovo village in Russia, close to Vladimir Putin’s official residence
A rambling Medvedev continued: ‘The UK’s Foreign Secretary Cleverly has stated that Ukraine “has the legitimate right to… project force beyond its borders to undermine Russia’s ability to project force into Ukraine itself”.
Medvedev – seen by some as angling for a return as Russian president if Putin is forced out by war failings or ill-health – said: ‘The goofy officials of the UK, our eternal enemy, should remember that within the framework of the universally accepted international law which regulates modern warfare, including the Hague and Geneva Conventions with their additional protocols, their state can also be qualified as being at war.’
Cleverly, speaking on a visit to Nato member and Russia’s neighbour Estonia, where British troops are based, said Kyiv had ‘the legitimate right to defend itself’ when asked about yesterday’s drone attack on Moscow.
He said: ‘I don’t have details, and I am not going to speculate about the nature of the drone attacks in Moscow. So what I’m about to say are more general points, rather than on that specific incident.
‘Ukraine does have the legitimate right to defend itself. It has the legitimate right to do so within its own borders, of course, but it does also have the right to project force beyond its borders to undermine Russia’s ability to project force into Ukraine itself.
‘So legitimate military targets beyond its own border are part of Ukraine’s self-defence. And we should recognise that.
‘That is not to say that I have any particular assessment over the attacks in Moscow, but more broadly military targets beyond its own border are internationally recognised as being legitimate as part of a nation’s self-defence.’
Several buildings in the wealthy suburbs of Moscow were damaged by suspected Ukrainian kamikaze drones yesterday, just hours after Putin unleashed another volley of strikes on Kyiv.
A specialist inspects the damaged facade of a multi-storey apartment building after a reported drone attack in Moscow yesterday
The Russian defence ministry said eight drones sent to Moscow by Ukraine were shot down or diverted with electronic jammers, though Baza, a Telegram channel with links to the security services, said there were more than 25.
After the drone attack, Putin accused Ukraine of trying to ‘frighten’ Russians with their ‘increasingly reckless behaviour’.
Ignoring the fact that Russia has unleashed a series of deadly air strikes on Ukrainian cities that have killed thousands since the start of the war 15 months ago, Putin claimed Kyiv had chosen the ‘path of trying to frighten the citizens of Russia’.
He said the drone attack was in revenge for earlier Russian strikes on ‘command centres’. In reality the Kremlin air strikes have hit residential buildings in Kyiv, causing residents to run for their lives to bomb shelters.
In the US, the White House said it was gathering information on the reports of drone strikes in Moscow.
‘We do not support attacks inside Russia. That’s it. Period,’ White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing.
Britney Spears and Kevin Federline have certainly had their ups and downs since splitting in November 2006. The former couple, who tied the knot in 2004 and share sons Sean Preston and Jayden, have gone from feuding exes to supportive coparents.
“Kevin commends Britney for recognizing that she needs to take a step back and that she is taking the reasonable steps to deal with her situation in a responsible way,” Federline’s attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, told The Blast.
The pair’s journey to amicability hasn’t been an easy one, however. Just months prior, the twosome were locked in a bitter feud after Federline requested an increase in child support payments.
The duo, who once avoided each other at their son Sean Preston’s baseball game, according to an eyewitness, have also feuded over custody in the past.
By 2015, however, they seemed to have temporarily gotten over their differences: The reality star recalled his happier times with Spears to Access Hollywood in March 2015. “It was a good time in my life,” he said, adding that their coparenting was going “great.”
“The best thing would be for their mom to be healthy and happy,” his lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan said in June 2021. “And if either of those things aren’t true, it doesn’t provide for the best setting for custody to be exercised. [Kevin] certainly respects Britney and only hopes the best for her because when the best for her is achieved, it’s the best for their kids. The kids love their mother and he wants there to be a healthy and strong relationship.”
The attorney added at the time: “Britney has not been served well by the conservatorship and it’s not consistent with what she wants. I think that she should be able to challenge that. And if it’s what’s best for her, Kevin supports it. … “If she’s strong and healthy and wants to be in control of her own life, and can do that in a reasonable, responsible fashion, then more power to her.”
European leaders complained for years that the United States was not doing enough to fight climate change. Now that the Biden administration has devoted hundreds of billions of dollars to that cause, many Europeans are complaining that the United States is going about it the wrong way.
That new critique is born of a deep fear in Germany, France, Britain and other European countries that Washington’s approach will hurt the allies it ought to be working with, luring away much of the new investments in electric car and battery factories not already destined for China, South Korea and other Asian countries.
That concern is the main reason some European leaders, including Germany’s second-highest-ranking official, Robert Habeck, have beaten a path to Vasteras, a city about 60 miles from Stockholm that is best known for a Viking burial mound and a Gothic cathedral.
Officials have been traveling there to court one of Europe’s few homegrown battery companies, Northvolt. Led by a former Tesla executive, Northvolt is a small player in the global battery industry, but European leaders are offering it hundreds of millions of euros to build factories in Europe. Mr. Habeck visited in February to lobby the company to push ahead on its plan to build a factory near Hamburg, Germany. The company had considered postponing to invest in the United States instead.
“It’s definitely attractive to be in America right now,” Emma Nehrenheim, Northvolt’s chief environmental officer, said in an interview last month in Vasteras. Northvolt declined to comment in detail on the discussions about the Hamburg plant, which the company committed to in May.
The tussle over Northvolt’s plans is an example of the intense and, some European officials say, counterproductive competition between the United States and Europe as they try to acquire the building blocks of electric vehicle manufacturing to avoid becoming dependent on China, which dominates the battery supply chain.
Auto experts said that the tax credits and other incentives offered by President Biden’s main climate policy, the Inflation Reduction Act, had siphoned some investment from Europe and put pressure on European countries to offer their own incentives.
The United States has provoked a “massive subsidy race,” Cecilia Malmstrom, a former European trade commissioner, said during a panel discussion last month at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. She called on leaders to “jointly invest in the green transition and not compete against each other.”
Biden officials have argued that U.S. and European policies are complementary. They have noted that the government and private money going into electric cars and batteries would lower prices for car buyers and put more emission-free vehicles on the road.
U.S. officials add that construction of battery factories and plants to process lithium and other materials is booming on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Efforts by governments to promote electric vehicles “will spur a degree of technological innovation and cost cutting that will be beneficial not only to Europe and the United States, but to the global economy and to our global effort to meet the challenge that climate change presents,” Wally Adeyemo, the deputy Treasury secretary, said in a recent interview.
The Biden administration has also been talking with European officials about allowing cars made from European battery materials and components to qualify for U.S. tax credits. And the administration has interpreted the I.R.A., which Mr. Biden signed in August, to leave room for producers in Europe and elsewhere to benefit.
“You’re seeing less of a concern from Europe that those companies may be lured away from Europe to America,” said Abigail Wulf, who directs the Center for Critical Minerals Strategy at SAFE, a nonprofit organization.
Still, the law has forced European leaders to put new industrial policies in place.
In March, the European Commission, the administrative arm of the European Union, proposed the Critical Raw Materials Act, legislation to ensure supplies of lithium, nickel and other battery materials. One piece of the legislation calls for the E.U. to process at least 40 percent of the raw materials that the car industry needs within its own borders. The 27-nation alliance has also let countries provide more financial support to suppliers and manufacturers.
The money that the United States and Europe are pouring into electric vehicles will encourage sales, said Julia Poliscanova, a senior director at Transport & Environment, an advocacy group in Brussels. The legislation, which will need the approval of the European Parliament and the leaders of E.U. countries, would also bring some coherence to the fragmented policies of national governments, she said.
But Ms. Poliscanova added that European and U.S. policies risk canceling each other out. “Because everyone is scaling up at the same time, it’s a zero-sum game,” she said.
Business executives have complained that applying for financial aid in Europe is bureaucratic and slow. The Inflation Reduction Act, with its emphasis on tax credits, is simpler and faster, said Tom Einar Jensen, chief executive of the battery maker Freyr, which is building a factory in Mo i Rana, in northern Norway, and has plans to construct more plants in Finland and near Atlanta.
The I.R.A. has prompted “a dramatic increase in uptick in interest for batteries produced in the U.S.,” Mr. Jensen said in an interview.
The future of European auto manufacturing is at stake, particularly for German companies. Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen have already lost market share in China to local automakers like BYD. Chinese automakers, including BYD and SAIC, are also making inroads in Europe. Selling cars under the British brand MG, SAIC has amassed 5 percent of the European electric vehicle market, putting it ahead of Toyota and Ford in that fast-growing segment.
European carmakers are frantically trying to build the supply chains they need to churn out electric vehicles.
In France, President Emmanuel Macron wants to convert a northern region where factory jobs have been in decline into a hub of battery production.
On Tuesday, Automotive Cells Company, a joint venture between Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz and TotalEnergies, inaugurated a factory in Billy-Berclau Douvrin, France, that aims to produce 300,000 electric batteries annually by the end of 2024. A.C.C. also plans to invest a total of 7.3 billion euros, or $7.8 billion, in Europe, including opening factories in Germany and in Italy, a deal sealed with 1.3 billion euros in public aid.
In Salzgitter, Germany, some 25 miles from Volkswagen’s headquarters, steel beams tower above concrete foundations as excavators and dump trucks hum nearby. In a matter of months, the outlines of a battery factory have risen out of a field.
Volkswagen hopes to have battery-making machines installed before the end of the summer. By 2025, the automaker aims to produce battery cells for up to 500,000 electric vehicles a year — a timeline that the company said was possible only because the factory was being built on land it owned.
Volkswagen is also building a factory in Ontario, but the company made the decision to do so only after the Canadian government matched U.S. incentives.
In Guben, a small city on Germany’s border with Poland, Rock Tech Lithium, a Canadian company, is building a plant to process lithium ore. Mercedes has an agreement with Rock Tech to supply lithium to its battery producers.
These projects won’t reach full production for several years. Recently, the Guben site was an open field. The only construction activity was a truck that dumped loads of crushed rock, making an ear-piercing screech.
Europe has some advantages, including a strong demand for electric cars: About 14 percent of new cars sold in the E.U. in the first three months of this year were battery powered, according to Schmidt Automotive Research, twice as many as in the United States.
But if Europe doesn’t move quickly to aid the battery industry, “you will really lose momentum on the ground versus the North American market,” said Dirk Harbecke, chief executive of Rock Tech.
Chinese battery companies have largely avoided the United States for fear of a political backlash. But Chinese battery firms have announced investments in Europe worth $17.5 billion since 2018, according to the Mercator Institute for China Studies and the Rhodium Group.
Political tension between Western governments and China has put German carmakers in a delicate position. They do not want to be overly dependent on Chinese supplies, but they cannot afford to displease the Chinese government.
BMW, Volkswagen and Volvo plan to buy cells from a factory in Arnstadt, Germany, run by CATL, a Chinese company that is currently the world’s largest maker of electric vehicle batteries.
To balance their reliance on Chinese suppliers, European executives and leaders are keen to work with Northvolt, whose chief executive, Peter Carlsson, oversaw Tesla’s supply chain for more than four years.
Northvolt wants to control all the steps of making batteries, including refining lithium and recycling old cells. That should help Europe achieve supply chain independence and ensure that batteries are produced in the most environmentally responsible way possible, said Ms. Nehrenheim, who is also a member of the Northvolt management board. “We’re de-risking Europe,” she said.
The company develops manufacturing techniques at its complex in Vasteras. Northvolt’s first full-scale factory, at a site in Sweden 125 miles south of the Arctic Circle chosen for its abundant hydropower, is the size of the Pentagon. Northvolt also plans to build a U.S. factory, but has not yet announced a site.
Still, the company is ramping up production and is not among the world’s top 10 battery suppliers, according to SNE Research, a consulting firm. And construction on its Hamburg plant is on hold until E.U. officials approve German subsidies.
Ana Swanson and Liz Alderman contributed reporting.
Ari Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor, said the COVID-19 pandemic nearly killed his massive holding company, which owns the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and the William Morris Endeavor talent agency.
Speaking to the podcast “Freakonomics Radio” in an interview that aired Wednesday night but was recorded earlier this year, Emanuel divulged the financial hardships his company faced amid the uncertainty of the pandemic, along with his thoughts on the future of the technology referred to as artificial intelligence.
“Did you think COVID might kill Endeavor?” host Stephen Dubner asked Emanuel.
“It was bad,” Emanuel replied. “I’d never had to fire that many people.”
Emanuel said were it not for Endeavor’s leadership team, which includes former ESPN executive Mark Shapiro, the company might not have made it. Emanuel also credited the continuation of UFC fights during the pandemic as a savior. UFC was one of the first major sports to resume during the pandemic, implementing the “Fight Island” COVID bubble events that inspired other pro leagues to continue amid travel and social distancing restrictions.
“Keeping the UFC on, you know, we did about — I might be wrong here — but I think about 70 percent of our revenue in the COVID year,” Emanuel said. “We had our ESPN deal. We then started making deals for writers. So we stored all the cash. We didn’t let anything out. We let people go, which was horrible, or furloughed them.”
“Did you think for a time, though, that you might—?” Dubner asked.
“Oh yeah,” Emanuel replied. “There was three months there I was like — I — you know, I mean, it was bad. And we were just counting cash. Like, how do we make sure the cash can last?”
Later in the interview, which took place before the Writers Guild of America strike began, Emanuel gave his thoughts on the future of artificial intelligence.
“My son Leo is at Michigan, and he’s in computer science,” Emanuel began. “He and I were having this conversation. And I’m telling him, “programming is going to go away.” And he says, ‘Dad, here’s my opinion about it. Computer versus computer in chess, draw. Computer versus computer and human, computer-human win.’ And if you talk to George Gilder, he would say technology has only added to employment. Elon would say something else. It is going to be a very important development tool. Do I think you can create like Jim Brooks can? No. Could it help Jim Brooks? Yeah.”
The full interview, which touches on Emanuel’s acquisition of the UFC, his thoughts on LIV Golf and more, can be found here.
Bizarrap found the perfect collaborator for his newest BZRP Music Session. On Wednesday, the Argentinian producer released BZRP “Music Sessions Vol. 55” featuring none other than rising Música Mexican star Peso Pluma.
In the lyrics, Peso Pluma sings to an ex who left him behind, promising he’s moving on with other women as he moves up in his career, even if he’s rarely getting any sleep. “Just thick chains and the girls are from Instagram,” Peso Pluma sings in Spanish. “A giant diamond is on my glock/Patek Phillipe on my wrist clock/ I know how much it costs.”
The song effortlessly overlays Peso’s signature corrido style — “Que vivan los corridos,” he declares in an interlude — with Biza’s electronic-leaning production as EDM elements are infused into the track’s outro. It’s a surprising mix that stands out as one of the best sessions yet.
“I was very very very happy making this song,” Bizarrap said in a press release. “I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.”
The Argentine producer teased the collaboration with a cute claymation of himself as a mouse in a tracksuit who lives in a makeshift mini studio hidden next to an electrical outlet. The visual sees his character create a tiny guitar from a walnut shell and coming out of his hiding spot to look for a piece of pasta (the mouse’s version of a trumpet) to complete the track. After being chased by a human and swatted away by a broom, he’s saved by a fellow rodent (played by Peso Pluma), who offers him the piece of pasta.
“Fierro a la verga, viejillo,” says Peso Pluma. (We really don’t know how to translate this, but it’s celebratory.)
In response, Biza’s mouse offers: “¿Y qué? Hacemos un temita?” (“So what? Let’s make a song?”)
Last week, a photo of Peso Pluma and Bizarrap in the studio leaked on Twitter creating a flurry of rumors that the Mexican star and Argentine producer would be working together on the latest BZRP Music Session.
Trending
Peso Pluma’s studio visit follows the success of Shakira’s “Vol. 53” session with Bizarrap, which landed the two artists on the Tonight Show earlier this year, and has topped charts since its January release. Bizarrap followed Shakira’s visit with “Arcángel.”
As for Peso Pluma, he’s riding high on the success of collaborations like “Ella Baila Sola” with Eslabón Armada and “La Bebé” with Yng Lvcas. (“Ella Baila Sola” was at No. 2 on Billboard‘s Global 200 this week, while “La Bebé” was No. 2 on the Global, excluding the U.S., chart.) Last week, Peso Pluma released a solo single titled “Bye,” his first solo release in over a year.
Let’s get this upfront: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” was the best comic-book film of the last decade.
With an animation blizzard blown straight in from the pages of comics, “Into the Spider-Verse” took a supercollider to all the conventions of the superhero movie. Solemnity was out. Gone, too, was the idea of a chosen one. Spider-Man could be anyone, including a graffiti-tagging kid from Brooklyn, including a pig named Spider-Ham. The possibilities of the comic book movie were suddenly limitless. With Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower” thumping, the vibes were, as they say, immaculate.
So a lot to live up to. Yet five years later, the Spider-verse is still expanding in thrilling ways. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is the rare sequel that dazzles as much as the original did. It’s something to behold. Colors drip, invert and splatter in a shimmering pop-art swirl.
One Spider-Man wants to change his own destiny. ? Miles Morales returns for the next Spider-Man movie, exclusively in theaters June 2. Watch the new trailer for Across the #SpiderVerse now.
If “Into the Spider-Verse” reveled in the head-spinning collision of universes, “Across the Spider-Verse” turns the multiverse blender up a notch, or 10. Worlds bump into each other like shoppers in a crowded bodega. Spider-Men and Spider-Women tumble forth like unloaded clown cars. In this frenetic, freewheeling thing that dares you keep up with its web-slinging pace, the sheer muchness of what’s in the frame can be almost overwhelming.
But despite all that’s going on, “Across the Spider-Verse” is remarkably grounded as a coming-of-age tale. The masterful flair of writers-producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who penned the script with David Callaham, lies in how they detonate convention and then assemble the leftover, splintered shards to build something deceptively sweet and simple.
The directing team has been entirely swapped out. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson take the reins in this second chapter, which finds Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) now a 15-year-old with a better handle on his crime-fighting powers. He’s less adept, though, at communicating with his parents, Jefferson (Brian Tyree Henry) and Rio (Luna Lauren Vélez), who still don’t know their son’s secret identity and are growing increasingly concerned about his strange behavior.
Similar issues bedevil Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), who by revealing to her police captain father (Shea Whigham) that she’s Spider-Woman has caused a huge rift in their relationship. (He blames her for Peter Parker’s death.)
When Miles and Gwen, stuck in worlds apart, meet again and swing in tandem through New York, they’re less a romantically linked Spidey pair than they are a couple of teenagers whose parents just don’t understand. When they sit together, on the underside of a ledge on the Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower, gazing at an upside down Manhattan, hazy and blue in the distance, the lingering image perfectly encapsulates an electrifyingly downside-up movie franchise.
In its chaotic and jumbled way, “Across the Spider-Verse” keeps playing with these notions. Miles and Gwen, rightly, feel exceptional — that their problems are unique to being enormously gifted kids. But the movie again and again reinforced that, yes, they’re supremely talented, but, no, they’re far from alone. “I’m Spider-Woman,“ Gwen says when a pregnant superhero (Issa Rae) peels in on a motorbike. “Me, too,” she replies.
This being a “Spider-Verse” movie, though, there more than just a few Spider-Men lurking about. There are actually gobs of them, each from some parallel world. (Among those here are a Mumbai-like New York, a Lego land and a nightmarish alternate reality.) The portals start opening thanks to The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a supervillain-in-training who looks like a splotchy blank page with ink drops on him.
But Spot’s powers grow, bringing the attention of the Spider-Society, a gaggle of Spider-People who guard over order in the multiverse. Some of them are pretty cool — most notably Daniel Kaluuya’s Spider-Punk, a British rocker who looks like he dropped out of The Clash. Others, like the leader Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), are more serious and haunted.
When worlds start colliding, prescribed storylines get upset. Seemingly anything goes in these multiverse realms, but, Miguel informs us, there is Canon that needs to be obeyed. Certain foundational narrative beats must occur, in some form, for every Spider-Man, including the sacrifice of a loved one.
When Miles tests these tenets, he brings about a cataclysmic battle across the Spider-Verse, and a movie series hellbent on deconstruction faces-off against formula. For Lord and Miller, the post-modern makers of “The Lego Movie” and “The Mitchells vs. The Machines,” it’s a battle they’ve been girding for their whole lives.
The danger in all these crisscrossing dimensions is that no reality seems to mean all that much. By exponentially multiplying worlds and Spider-Men, “Across the Spider-Verse” risks making itself dizzy. Yet it surprisingly, even movingly, stays true to the teenage emotions at its core and the parent-kid relationships driving all these multiverse convulsions.
It’s the first Marvel movie that I felt in the theater a palpable disappointment that it was over. (“Across the Spider-Verse” is a sequel in two parts, and ends here in full-on cliffhanger fashion.) That “Across the Spider-Verse” earned that response is surely partly due to its giddy design just as it is to its conviction that we all contain multitudes. As Rachel Dratch’s principal says in the film: “Every person is a universe.”
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse,” a Sony Pictures Animation release, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for sequences of animated action violence, some language and thematic elements. Running time: 117 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.
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The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has made changes to its rating system for Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” after the new release became the latest target for “review bombing” — a practice in which a production is flooded with negative reviews by users who wield multiple accounts or employ bots to create new ones.
Since its release, “The Little Mermaid” has garnered 41,000 user ratings on IMDb. While the film has earned a positive 7.0 (weighted) average score, more than 39% of the ratings are 1 star, the lowest possible option.
IMDb has placed a notice on the film’s ratings page, writing that the site’s “rating mechanism has detected unusual voting activity on this title. To preserve the reliability of our rating system, an alternate weighting calculation has been applied.” This message has been employed before by IMDb in the cast of other atypical user score patterns.
While IMDb’s FAQ section doesn’t elaborate extensively on how the company calculates a weighted score, it states that “not all votes have the same impact (or ‘weight’) on the final rating. When unusual voting activity is detected, an alternate weighting calculation may be applied in order to preserve the reliability of our system.”
Representatives for IMDb were not immediately available for comment.
“The Little Mermaid” has been the target of racist criticism for several years now, dating back to when Halle Bailey, a Black actor, was first announced to be cast as Ariel.
Bailey told Variety last year that her family banded together to support her when a #NotMyAriel hashtag gained traction online after footage of the film was unveiled. Bailey shared that her grandparents recounted their memories of confronting discrimination in their lifetimes.
Companies have attempted to combat “review bombing” several times before. Last year, IMDb owner Amazon introduced a 72-hour vetting period for user reviews of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” which faced racist backlash for casting people of color as Middle-earth residents.
However, Secret Invasion will heavily feature two characters that served as co-stars in her first solo movie with Nick Fury and Talos set to tackle the oncoming Skrull invasion that will take hold on Earth.
Speaking with Total Film, Marvel Studios VP of Production & Development Jonathan Schwartz shared new details on the impact that 2019’s Captain Marvel will have on the MCU’s next Disney+ show, Secret Invasion.
One important plot development from Captain Marvel‘s final moments came when Carol Danvers agreed to help Talos and his Skrull family find a new home after being on the run across the galaxy for generations, with Nick Fury there beside her:
“I’ll help you find a home. Finish what Mar-Vell started.”
Marvel Studios
However, Nick Fury is going to come into this series with some self-doubt after not fulfilling that promise.
Schwartz explained that this leads the Skrulls to be “unhappy with the status quo” as they point much of their frustration and anger towards Fury himself over this situation:
“Fury and Carol promise the Skrulls they’ll find a new home planet for them to live as themselves. And decades later, that hasn’t happened. The Skrulls are unhappy with the status quo, and starting to get very dissatisfied. A lot of that anger is directed at Nick.”
Marvel Studios
Schwartz also dove into the idea of Secret Invasion being “a more grounded espionage thriller” for Nick Fury, something that the studio had wanted to do for a long time and only got to explore with him in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier:
“It had always been talked about, but never really happened. We really liked the idea of a more grounded espionage thriller. That felt like the right home for Nick. That’s the way things crystallise sometimes in the MCU. You talk about something for a long time, and then the right idea or the right medium or the right genre just catalyses it, and makes it real.”
Additionally, director Ali Selim explained how Fury is “going through something very internal” in this new series, teasing a new side of the character that’s “a little broken and a little older:”
“Nick Fury is going through something very internal in this show. On our first call together, Sam said to me, ‘I don’t know this Nick Fury.’ He’s lived the badass Nick Fury. And suddenly, he’s a Nick Fury who’s a little broken and a little older, and wondering what’s his place in all of this and does he have the juice?’
How Will Captain Marvel Impact Secret Invasion?
While these quotes don’t indicate in any way that Captain Marvel will be seen in Secret Invasion, it’s clear that her experiences with Nick Fury and Talos will be revisited throughout the story.
However, depending on when in the MCU timelineSecret Invasion lands, it could be as long as 30 years since the events of Captain Marvel – quite a long time for the Skrulls to go without a safe place to live.
On top of the invading sect of Skrulls on Earth led by Kingsley Ben-Adir’s Gravik, Talos and Nick Fury may have their own issues to work out depending on how much they’ve spoken outside of the Far From Home post-credits scene.
Thanksgiving is more than just a cozy, crowded house full of people eating turkey. Frankly, the idea is so much greater than that. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for everything in one’s life. Unlike Halloween or Christmas, there aren’t many movies centered around Thanksgiving. Notably, that means there are even fewer Thanksgiving-themed films for kids. Netflix is the subscription service most families are likely to have, and that means the widest option of material for kids to watch while dinner is being prepared.
Updated May 31, 2023: If you’re a fan of all things family and turkey, you should know this article has been updated recently by Amanda Minchin.
At its core, what this list seeks to do is to help young people build up their holiday memories. No matter how much YouTube or quick content children watch, the majority of what will shape the memories of youth is still movies. The films on this list are being fun and whimsical but are also filled with themes of family, thankfulness, and kindness. The following movies, while not outright “Thanksgiving Films,” are all tied in a greater, thematic sense.
This list goes in many different directions, but if one thinks about it, so does the holiday. What starts as a way to give thanks and show appreciation for the people around us ultimately gives way to rank consumerism in the form of increased shopping hours, endless commercials, and the American shopping experience known only as Black Friday. Think of this list as a companion that will help you and your family stay clear of all that. Instead, consider this your cue to fire up the hors d’oeuvres, put that turkey in the oven, enjoy the wonderful people around, and of course, watch some Netflix.
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12 Chicken Run
Dreamworks Pictures
This film would work even more perfectly if it was called “Turkey Trot.” That said, it more than works to underscore the themes and ideas on Thanksgiving as is. Chicken Runopens with Rocky, the rooster, and Ginger, the hen. Over being on the farm, together they lead a mission to break free and live life on their own terms. They set out together to cherish their freedom and happiness in life in this stop-motion animated classic.
Chicken Run fans will be excited as the long-awaited sequel, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, is set to premiere on Netflix in December 2023. While it won’t arrive in time for Thanksgiving, Chicken Run will make a good Thanksgiving watch to build up excitement for the sequel.
11 Duck Duck Goose
GFM Films
With a title that’s reminiscent of the classic child’s game, this film just has to be fun. Featuring the voice talents of Jim Gaffigan, Zendaya, Lance Lim, Greg Proops, Natasha Leggero, Stephen Fry, CraigFerguson, and Carl Reiner, Duck Duck Goose follows a carefree bachelor (goose) who helps two lost ducklings journey south. While the setting is technically in China, the overall themes of togetherness and the bird-related nature give off Thanksgiving vibes.
10 Open Season
Sony Pictures Entertainment
It may be Open Season for some, but not if this merry band of animals has anything to say about it. Featuring an all-star cast that includes Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Debra Messing, and Billy Connolly, this movie follows pampered domesticated bear Boog, who is left behind mere days before hunting season. Now, he must band together alongside a one-antlered deer and other woodland creatures to defeat the invading human hunters.
Both timely and unique, Sony Pictures Animation’s first theatrical movie has a mix of humor that is sure to please audiences, both young and old. It also makes for an interesting watch to see how far Sony Pictures Animation has come since the release of this film in 2006. Before Hotel Transylvania or Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Open Season put Sony Animation on the map, and that is something everyone can be thankful for.
9 Good Sam
Netflix
Good Sam is a Netflix original whose morals are written right on its sleeve. This story follows a skeptical journalist turned optimist as she chases the story of a Good Samaritan who graces random doorsteps with life-saving funds. The holidays are about being thankful and lending a helping hand, and Good Sam explores that theme in a wholesome age-appropriate story.
8 Spirit Riding Free: Spirit of Christmas
Netflix
While the original film, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, may no longer be on Netflix come this holiday season, the slew of Netflix series they inspired should be. The original is a Dreamworks special, arguably a modern retelling of films like Black Beauty, but set in the American West. There was a decent representation of Native Americans in this film, something that is keenly lacking in the rest of this list.
Spirit Riding Free: Spirit of Christmas is a more modern take on the original series. Set years later, in the 1890s, this short features the offspring of the original hero alongside a gutsy group of horse-riding pre-teens. In this holiday special, the girls have to make it home in time for the holidays after a series of natural disasters temporarily stunt their plans. And, as an added bonus, once the kids finish, there are still whole seasons of Spirit: Riding Free to catch up on.
7 Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
Columbia Pictures
Okay, how Thanksgiving is a tale about rabbits? Surprisingly, very. In the first film, the titular character had his plans for Mr. McGregor’s vegetable garden upended after Mr. McGregor passed away, after which he had to come to terms with a brand new gardener. In Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, Peter and his family have to get even more creative in getting the food they covet after the new owner meets and marries a woman who changes everything. Bored with the garden life, Peter sets out for the big city, where, of course, hijinks ensue.
While at first glance this might look like more of an Easter film, this movie is about learning to love someone and respect their property, and also realizing that love can soften even the hardest of hearts. It’s a heartwarming message of found family that makes it a shoo-in for the season. Many thanks to Netflix for giving the kids of the streaming world a vehicle where they can see that people and animals can indeed grow and change.
6 The Willoughbys
Netflix
Fans of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (which is also on Netflix) will be pleased to find this animated alternative for their little ones. Based on the book of the same name by Lois Lowry, The Willoughbys turns the tables on the traditional story by having the children send away the parents for a change. Better yet, this movie features voiceover work by Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews, Martin Short, Jane Krakowski, and Ricky Gervais (who also serves as the narrator). This film’s message of found family is delightfully touching. With any luck, the kids will want to turn to the book version next,
5 Matilda
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Matilda is a childhood classic, and with good reason. The original movie, based on the book by Roald Dahl, featured Mara Wilson as the titular character. Rhea Perlman and Danny DeVito star as her abusive and dysfunctional family parents think the original Dursleys from Harry Potter. Matilda finds solace in books, and that is soon nurtured by her caring teacher, Miss Honey (who, spoiler alert, winds up taking her in as her own by the end). As her reading lists grow, so do her innate powers.
Sometimes it’s the family found, and not the family made, that makes all the difference, and this film is the perfect example of that. If you’re left wanting more, tune into Netflix’s theatrical release of Matilda: The Musicalfor some show-stopping songs that will have the whole family singing.
4 Gnome Alone
Netflix
How about that title? Thankfully the story of Gnome Alone is pretty darn amazing too. The film opens with Chloe, who just wants to have an amazing high school life. Soon, she discovers that the garden gnomes around her house need her help on an amazing mission.
Working together despite their differences is pretty much the epitome of Thanksgiving. So much of the holiday is predicated on the idea that different personalities have to tolerate one another on this special day, and this movie is a great example of that. So, if dinner table rules include no talk of politics or religion, this is one the whole family can enjoy and with the core of the movie.
3 Benji
Netflix
Benji is a Netflix reboot of the popular film franchise. Considering that Benji is the quintessential family film and Thanksgiving is all about family, it’s pretty easy to see why this canine-led film would land on this list. This lovable dog arrives in the life of a family when a boy and his sister get into danger. Benji is wholesome, sweet, and the perfect laid-back watch for pre-meal or after a nice dinner.
2 Trolls Holiday
NBC
Trolls Holiday is a 26-minute gem that could very well be the Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer of its generation. Thanksgiving is all about, well, giving… it’s literally in the name. The idea that it is better to give than receive is very much on display throughout this short (and, though more associated with Christmas, it still applies here). The plot is simple, quick, and easy to digest. In this story, Queen Poppy discovers that some friends of hers don’t have a holiday, so she elicits some help to create one for them.
There is a warm appeal to a story that’s all about inclusion during the holidays. Even better, those looking for a more short-form version can check out the “Funsgiving” segment from Season 8, episode 3 of Trolls: The Beat Goes On! animated series instead. It will all tie nicely in with the upcoming release of Trolls Band Together, which hits theaters on November 17, 2023, a week before Thanksgiving. It could be a Trolls-themed Thanksgiving.
1 The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Netflix
The Mitchells vs. the Machinesfollows a last-second family road trip gone awry after what else but the global takeover of an AI bot. The movie is another entry for Sony Pictures Animation and was actually originally intended for theatrical release. Sony Pictures sold the movie to Netflix during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the film later went on to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Picture.
Being available on Netflix means the movie is now available to a wide range of families and is easily accessible. While arguably a summer road trip movie, this film’s arc of wholesome family bonding through adversity is simply too hard to ignore. Its themes of family bonding and anti-commercialism are a perfect reminder just in time for the impending holiday season.
Jack Ryan‘s final season is almost upon us, Prime Video has released the trailer for the conspiracy-driven fourth-and-final season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. From the looks of it, it’s going to be an epic and insane ride, and considering everything Jack Ryan has been through already, that’s saying something.
In his final season Jack who is now serving as the CIA Acting Deputy Director is tasked with unearthing internal corruption, and in doing so, he uncovers a series of suspicious black ops that could expose the vulnerability of the country.
This leads him to an Organization known as Convegence, the fusing of a drug cartel with a terrorist organization. As we see Jack say in the trailer “They can move anything: human, weapons suicide bombers. Unlimited resources paired with undying hatred.”
As Jack and the team investigate how deep the corruption runs, he discovers a far-worse reality — the convergence of a drug cartel with a terrorist organization — ultimately revealing a conspiracy much closer to home, and testing Ryan’s belief in the system he has always fought to protect.
John Krasinski is back as Jack Ryan for the last time, and as always, we can expect a brilliant performance from him as he always gives every single episode of Jack Ryan his all.
The trailer also gives us our first look at Michael Peña starring as Domingo Chavez, according to Jack he’s “the deadliest operator the CIA has ever employed”, and luckily a member of Jack’s side. Another one of season four’s new characters includes Louis Ozawa as Chao Fah.
The trailer then proceeds to get intense as we get a look at all the action, including some amounts of torture, exciting and thrilling moments and of course mass amounts of murder that are in store.
Watch the first trailer for Jack Ryan season 4 here:
The returning cast for season four includes Wendell Pierce as James Greer, Michael Kelly as Mike November, Betty Gabriel as CIA Acting Director Elizabeth Wright, and Abbie Cornish as Cathy Mueller.
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is co-produced by Amazon Studios, Paramount Television Studios, and Skydance Television, and executive produced by Allyson Seeger, Andrew Form, John Krasinski, Brad Fuller, Michael Bay, and John Kelly. Additionally, Tom Clancy and Skydance Television’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Matt Thunell executive produce the fourth season, along with Vaun Wilmott, Mace Neufeld, and Carlton Cuse.
Two episodes will drop each week following the premiere on June 30th, through to July 14.
In anticipation for the highly anticipated sequel to 2018’s “Into The Spider-Verse” Sony Pictures Home Entertainment recently released a teaser for all their Spider-Men, promoting “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and featuring all 3 of the live action spideys Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland as well as Shameik Moore’s Miles Morales.
— Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (@SonyPicsHomeEnt) May 30, 2023
This short teaser highlights all nine Spider-Man films, Toby Maguire and Tom Holland’s trilogy and both Amazing Spider-Man movies, and of course the first “Into the Spider-Verse” movie.
Courtesy of Sony
The total collection of the 9 Spidey films are available for purchase at SpideyMovies.com.
Courtesy of Sony
The poster featuring all 4 Spider-Men uses the signature animation style of Into The Spider-Verse, a bold choice considering all the hype and speculation surrounding a crossover.
Sony has been celebrating and capitalizing on Spider-Man like never before recently, with box sets, brand deals and fan celebrations.
Sony recently revealed the Spider-Man 8-Movie Collection via Microsoft. This bundle includes Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, and Spider-Man 3. Alongside Andrew Garfield’s The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Also included are Tom Holland’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Fans have been speculating for months whether or not we will actually see a spidey or two in Across the Spider-Verse. Be it a Miles Morales live action cross over, or Tobey Maguire in Across the Spider-Verse as some fans are speculating.
However one thing we do know for sure is that there will be a crossover with Venom in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”. Peggy Lu’s Mrs. Chen from “Venom” and “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” will make a live-action cameo in “Across the Spider-Verse”.
Its possible this quadruple salute to Spider-Man’s cinematic journey could simply be just that, a poster, to build hype build hype for the upcoming Across the Spider-Verse movie, however, as always, there is talk of something else going on behind the scenes, so what’s the secret agenda behind this spidey extravaganza this time?
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse premieres in theaters on Friday, June 2.
If you thought that nothing could shock you in this series, then you definitely need to watch episode nine of this season! This is one of those episodes where you will constantly ask the question — could this really happen?! Viewers should be prepared for the fact that none of our main characters will be able to hide from their past. After all, this heavy burden has always been with them and constantly weighed on them. And it’s time to pay for everything they did then and now. But what will the price be and what will the sacrifices be? The viewer will be able to find out all this in the final episode of the season. So get ready for the most unexpected twists and a shocking end to the season! It will be very tough!
THE WILDERNESS CHOSE WHO FED US!
After Javi dies Natalie can’t hold back the tears and the shock she feels. Did she sacrifice Javi to save herself? Natalie sees Travis on the threshold of the cabin and does not say a word to him. Travis sees the rest of the girls from the team carrying someone’s body. He tries to drive away the terrible thought that this could be his brother’s body. But, unfortunately, it turns out to be the bitter truth. Javi is dead! Travis can’t believe his eyes and screams loudly in horror. Natalie says the wilderness has made its choice. But Travis doesn’t want to hear anything.
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
While the rest of the team are trying to figure out what happened, Misty visits Lottie. She seems to have got much better and her face no longer looks a bloody mess. Lottie asks Misty why Travis was screaming and what’s going on. She tells Lottie that they decided as a team that they needed to replenish their strength somehow. After all, they have been starving for several months and Lottie also needs food to get her strength back. But Lottie doesn’t understand what Misty is talking about.
She tells Lottie that they decided to choose a card — the Queen of Hearts — and that whoever drew this card would be sacrificed. Misty tells her that the wilderness chose Natalie but when they hunted her she managed to escape. And during the hunt Javi happened to fall through the ice and die. Now they have food and they are saved! Lottie tells Misty that she never wanted this. This is not what she was aiming for, not for such bloody sacrifices. But Misty tells her that it was because of her that all this happened and there is no way back. Lottie can’t believe what she’s hearing.
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
Misty returns from seeing Lottie and says that she is glad that the wilderness has made its choice and now Javi will be their salvation (that’s a twist!). Misty calls out to Shauna and hints that it’s time to prepare the meal (sounds terrifying!). Shauna takes the knife and goes outside. Next to Javi’s body is Travis who does not let him out of his hands and still cannot believe he is dead. He sees the way Shauna and the rest of the team look and begs them not to do it. But it is obvious that the decision has already been made. Travis puts down his brother’s body and leaves so as not to see all this.
Van is preparing the place where they will put Javi’s body. Natalie and Taissa are also helping her with this. They all do it in a complete daze and still don’t believe what is happening. Shauna can’t make an incision on Javi’s neck (she needs to bleed him and let it pour out on the ground). She decides to close her eyes and do everything by touch. Shauna asks everyone else to leave so that she can skin Javi’s body and prepare it for consumption (it’s hard to imagine how she feels at this moment!).
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
While Shauna is busy butchering the body Coach Ben returns from the woods. He sees the whole bloody picture and notices someone’s clothes nearby. Ben realizes that it is someone from the team and tries to run away in horror (as far as possible on crutches). But he runs into Natalie who asks where he’s been. Ben says that he found the place where Javi was hiding all this time and was able to survive. He tells Natalie that they need to hide there because she’s not as terrible as the rest of the team. But Natalie says she’s worse because she let Javi die in her place. She tells Ben that he is a good person and does not belong to this terrible place.
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
Travis still can’t come to terms with his brother’s death and tells Van that they should be ashamed of what they did. But Van says she’s not ashamed of it and no one should be. She says that Travis should accept this and understand that Javi is saving him and the others from imminent starvation. Van says that Travis must survive for the sake of his brother who sacrificed himself. While Travis is trying to figure out what to do in this situation and what to do next, Coach Ben is trying to build a fire in a secret place (the place where Javi was hiding, and now he is). But Ben is not getting anywhere… Should he return to the cabin after what happened?
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
While everyone else from the team is in the process of accepting all the events that have happened, Shauna returns to the cabin with preparations for their future dinner. The viewer can see different pieces of human meat on the tray and in the middle is Javi’s heart. Shauna takes his heart and asks Travis to come to her. Travis takes his brother’s heart in his hands and bites off a couple of pieces from it (the audience’s jaw will drop after such a scene!). After that he throws the heart into the frying pan to cook it.
So Travis gives the go-ahead for the others to eat his brother (but it’s not as easy as it seems!). After that everyone else from the team throws the remaining pieces of meat. Misty brings a portion of food for Lottie and says that the team needs her. But Lottie still doesn’t want to believe what they did to Javi. She tells Misty that she thought the wilderness wanted the best for them but now she’s not sure about it. Misty says she needs strength and forces Lottie to eat. Does Lottie no longer believe in the higher powers of this place? And what will happen next with the Yellowjackets?
WE SHOUD GIVE IT A HUNT!
While our main characters are going through the most terrible events in their lives, our adult heroines are trying to decide what to do next. Lottie is determined to perform a wilderness sacrifice ritual and drink poisoned water. She is about to have a drink but Shauna stops her. She tells Lottie that if they really want to decide who will be the next victim then everything needs to be done right. Shauna offers to do everything in the same way as they did it before in the woods — choose a person with the help of the Queen of Hearts.
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
Lottie thanks her for these words but the others just don’t believe what they hear. Shauna asks them to make sure that no one from the community knows about this. After all, this is their personal business and only they should be present at this ritual. Lottie says she can arrange it and that the woods will be theirs alone tonight. Does Shauna really want to do this? Lottie says that they need to prepare everything and leaves. Shauna tells the others that she only said that because she didn’t know what else to do. She says that Lottie is not herself and she needs the help of a psychiatrist.
They decide to call the mental hospital and call the crisis team to pick up Lottie. Lottie is a danger to herself and to others and needs urgent help. They go to prepare for the ritual — Shauna sharpens knives, Natalie marks the Queen of Hearts card, Van and Taissa make masks for their ritual. It seems that they are really ready to commit a murderous ritual. But is it so? While everyone is busy, Misty sneaks into Lottie’s office to make a phone call. But she hears someone coming into her office. She gets a call from Walter who is looking for her. He calls out to Misty and it turns out that Walter is the uninvited guest who got into Lottie’s office. Misty doesn’t understand what he’s doing here. Walter says he came here to help. So Walter wasn’t so bad?
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
Van tells Taissa that it’s wrong that they think Lottie is sick. After all, in fact, she is not sick and they all feel the presence of the unknown forces that Lottie talks about all the time. Van says that if Lottie is sick then so is Taissa. But Van is not sure that this will be the right choice for them and convinces Taissa to call the crisis team back. She tells Taissa that they will bring Lottie to the medical center themselves because they don’t want her to be stuffed with pills and imprisoned there for several years. Taissa agrees with Van.
While Taissa and Van are making an important decision about Lottie, Natalie comes to Lisa and asks her to leave this community. She says that something terrible is going to happen tonight and she wants Lisa to be away from this place. But Lisa doesn’t understand what it’s about. Natalie thanks Lisa for teaching her forgiveness. What is Natalie up to? While our heroines are preparing for a secret ritual the audience sees Jeff and Callie go to Shauna to warn her that the police have taken up Adam’s case and she is the main suspect.
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
Jeff comes up with a plan for their escape (fake passports, new names) but realizes that it will be quite difficult for them to escape from the police. Callie asks him what exactly he suggests they should do in this situation. Would he just let Shauna go to jail? But Jeff says he just doesn’t know what to do in such a case. He tells his daughter that he saw Shauna almost shoot some guy on the road. Callie doesn’t believe what she’s hearing. She asks if her mom has a gun. Jeff says it wasn’t her weapon, she took it from a carjacker. But Jeff took the gun from Shauna and hid it in a safe place (but is it true?).
But it seems Callie guesses that the weapon is hidden in the glove box and tries to open it. Jeff asks not to do this and asks her to forget about it. They drive up to the community gate and see people in purple clothes. Jeff and Callie are just terrified of these people and decide to find another way to get inside this camp. Jeff turns the steering wheel sharply and drives on but it looks like someone has been watching their car all this time. This is Kevyn and Matt who decided to follow them in the hope that Jeff will lead them to the place where Shauna is.
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
Kevyn sneaks into the community kitchen and bumps into one of the community members. And this member of the community is Walter. Walter is surprised and asks how Kevyn got here. He calms Walter down and says that he is from the police and he is looking for Shauna. Walter says she’s here and there’s a whole coven of her friends besides her. He offers Kevyn hot chocolate and of course he can’t refuse such a nice treat. What is Walter up to? While Walter is talking to Kevyn, Jeff and Callie sneak into the camp unnoticed. They are looking for Shauna and almost stumble upon Kevyn but they hide from him in time.
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
Jeff asks Callie to find Shauna and he will solve the problem with the cops. But how? Jeff walks into the kitchen and asks Kevyn what he’s doing here. Kevyn says they followed him but only because he didn’t want to say where Shauna is. Walter is present during their conversation but Jeff asks to leave them alone. Jeff asks Kevyn to arrest him immediately since he was the one who killed Adam Martin. He tells Kevyn that he found out about Shauna’s affair, got jealous of her, decided to deal with him and ended up killing Adam.
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
Jeff says he couldn’t tell Shauna about it. Jeff continues his heartwarming monologue but then Kevyn suddenly falls to the floor. What happened? Walter says that it was the phenobarbital that was in the hot chocolate that acted. Jeff doesn’t understand what’s going on. Walter says he’s Misty’s friend and he’s here to help. He asks Jeff to help carry Kevyn’s body into the car. Callie tries to find Shauna but runs into detective Saracusa. She asks what he’s doing here. The detective tell her he’s here to find her mother. Callie asks him not to approach her and hides the gun from behind (apparently, she found it after all!).
Detective Saracusa hears the sound of a gun and asks Callie to keep her hands in sight of him. But then he suddenly gets a call from Kevyn. Kevyn’s voice is barely audible and Saracusa is concerned about this call. He decides to go in search of his partner but tells Callie that their conversation is not over yet. Of course, Kevyn could not call Saracusa in any way but Walter and Jeff did it. Walter just turned on the audio recording of Kevyn’s voice and Saracusa fell for it. Jeff doesn’t believe it’s going to work, but Walter says Saracusa started panicking and that’s why he called his partner for the second time. Walter and Jeff leave Kevyn’s body in the trunk and throw the phone in there. What will happen next?
BURNED IT DOWN!
It seems that our main characters are ready for the final ritual and now they are all gathered around a big bonfire and waiting for Lottie. She is glad that they have all gathered here together to do what they have always done — decide who will be the next victim. But not everyone is ready for such a harsh ritual because they are no longer the teenagers they were in the woods. Shauna still doesn’t believe in what they’re doing. Van says she will be the first to choose the card.
COURTESY OF SHOWTIME
Taissa does not dare to make a choice and Lottie reminds her what happens to those who refuse to choose it. Taissa smiles slyly and chooses her card. They take turns choosing a card from the deck and showing each other. But the wilderness can’t make its choice in any way then Lottie says that they need to repeat everything from the beginning. So who will get the Queen of Hearts? Detective Saracusa continues to call Kevyn and hears his phone ringing in the trunk. He tries to open the car but it’s locked.
He starts panicking. The car opens unexpectedly and Saracusa rushes to help Kevyn. But Walter approaches him from behind, grabs a gun from Saracusa and shoots Kevyn several times. The detective is just in shock and does not understand what happened. Walter tells him that Saracusa has two options in this case: either he tells the police that he has exposed his partner Kevyn and realized that he killed Adam Martin and private detective Jessica Roberts, or Walter will make sure that all the evidence points to detective Saracusa and then it is clear why he killed Kevyn.
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Walter says that he has already called the police but only detective Saracusa himself can decide what to tell them. It looks like Shauna is out of danger now. But what will detective Saracusa do? While the detective decides what to do our heroines continue to choose cards from the deck and now it’s Shauna’s turn again. She pulls out the cards and it’s the Queen of Hearts. It looks like the choice is made. They put on masks and pick up knives. Shauna still doesn’t believe they’re doing this seriously. Lottie says it all depends on Shauna: either she obeys the decision or decides to run.
Shauna says they’ve all gone crazy and is trying to leave. But it doesn’t look like they were joking when they said they would hunt. They run after Shauna with knives. The hunt has begun! Lottie is almost upon Shauna and is ready to strike. But then Callie shoots her and asks her to move away from her mother. It seems that everything was happening in a kind of stupor. Lottie wakes up and takes off her mask. She asks Shauna if it’s really her daughter. Shauna asks Callie to put down the gun but she is afraid that Lottie will kill her mom.
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The others take off their masks and try to recover. Lottie asks them to be quiet and says that she feels the presence of these forces with them now. Shauna is horrified and asks Misty when the crisis team will arrive to help Lottie. But Taissa says they won’t come and it was Van’s idea. Van says it’s wrong to send Lottie to a mental hospital because she’s like this only because of them. Lottie continues to insist that she hears the wilderness and says that the others should hear it too.
While Lottie in the present is trying to hear the voice of the wilderness, Lottie in the past is finally returning to her team and everyone is very happy to see her. But it seems that something has changed in Lottie? They all sit down by the fireplace and Van begins to tell a story. But this is not just a story but a story about the wilderness and this house. But her mysterious story is interrupted by Lottie. She says she never wanted to be in charge. Lottie says that the wilderness chose her only because she was the only one who could listen to its voice.
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But now she can’t hear it anymore because the wilderness doesn’t need Lottie anymore. She says that they have all learned how to hear and feel it and now this force wants them to choose a leader who will help them survive in these woods. Lottie says that this leader is not her. But she knows who the leader is. The wilderness chose who fed them and also chose who led them. It seems that Lottie is about to say that it’s Shauna or Misty. But no! Lottie says it’s Natalie (unexpectedly!). While the team decides who will be their leader, in front of the cabin the audience is shown Coach Ben who does not dare to go inside. It’s not like he came back for that. He looks at the matches that are lying next to the cabin. Is he planning something terrible?
In the woods our adult heroines are trying to bandage Lottie’s wound but she continues to talk about the presence of some unknown forces. She doesn’t understand how the others can doubt it. After all, it was the force that forced them to do those terrible things: Shauna to kill Adam, Misty to keep a private detective locked up, Van has all this in his eyes and Taissa found Van only thanks to these forces.
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And all of them were gathered together in this place only by these forces. Lottie doesn’t understand how they can deny it. And finally Natalie, in whom IT has always been and accompanied her whole life. Moreover, she is a favorite of these forces (which she hints at!). Natalie just can’t hear it anymore and in a fit of anger forgets that she has a knife in her hands. Did she want to kill Lottie? All this madness is stopped by Lisa, who asks Natalie to stop and not move, she has a shotgun in her hands.
Unexpectedly, the viewer is transported back to the events when 25 years ago Lottie called Natalie the leader who will help them survive in these woods. Because even though Natalie was chosen as a victim, the wilderness did not want it and saved Natalie. And all this was not done in vain but because Natalie was supposed to become their leader. Lottie bows to Natalie and suddenly everyone else follows her example (and even Travis performs this little ritual). It seems that Natalie is happy and can’t believe what is happening. But is it so?
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The audience is shown our adult heroines again, where Natalie asks Lisa to put down the shotgun and talk calmly. But Lisa is scared and thinks they did something to Lottie (judging by her injury). Lisa asks everyone to explain immediately what Lottie just said, did they kill people and all this time Natalie was lying to Lisa about herself. Natalie asks her to calm down but Lisa says she needs to drop the knife. Natalie throws the knife. Misty is horrified and makes an impulsive decision. She takes out a syringe with prepared phenobarbital and runs towards Lisa.
At this time, Natalie’s whole life flashes before her eyes — she sees herself in the woods when she was a teenager, how she told the Coach Ben about Javi’s death and how she was chosen as the leader of this group. Natalie pushes Lisa away and Misty injects Natalie with a lethal dose. Lisa runs away in horror. Misty can’t believe it. She’s trying to do something. But it seems that it’s too late… Natalie falls to the ground. She sees a vision of herself sitting with Javi and teen Natalie next to her. Natalie says she shouldn’t be here but teen Natalie says this is exactly where they’ve always been. They have been in this place for years.
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Natalie doesn’t believe it and starts to panic but teen Lottie calms her down and says that she should just accept it and let it in. And Natalie is no longer resisting it. The adult heroines don’t understand what to do but Misty says there’s nothing left to do. No one can hold back their tears, Natalie is dying. Misty is horrified and doesn’t believe Natalie is dead. But it seems that Natalie has finally freed herself from the heavy burden of her past life and saved one innocent soul — Lisa. But at what cost?
An ambulance and the police arrive at the scene, they conclude that Natalie died from a drug overdose. Also viewers are shown that Lottie is being helped to get to the ambulance by medical team. And detective Saracusa seems to have chosen how to act in this situation — he chooses the option where he is the hero and it was he who exposed his partner Kevyn. Misty is in a state of shock and hears a pleased Walter calling out to her. He says he has solved the problem with Adam Martin’s case and she and her friends are now safe.
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Misty says she killed her best friend. She starts crying and Walter calms her down. It looks like Misty is now in Walter’s care. Jeff tells Shauna that she is safe now and everything will be fine. So will it be? Shauna can’t hold back her tears and tells Jeff that Natalie is dead. And by the way is everything okay with Callie after what she went through and saw? Taissa and Van tell Lottie that she needs to be under the supervision of specialists for a while but they will visit her. She repeats that the wilderness made its choice and now it is pleased with them. Van looks at Lottie in horror. But Lottie says she will see it too. So has Lottie gone a little crazy or is she going to come to her senses?
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Viewers are taken back 25 years and shown how Shauna writes in her diaries that she did not expect Natalie to be chosen as the leader. This leader should not be Natalie but her. And then Shauna smells burning and realizes that their cabin is on fire (looks like Coach Ben did it!). She lifts everyone up and says they need to escape from this cabin immediately. They’re trying to get out but the door won’t budge.
Then Taissa and Van break in with an axe. They all manage to run out, taking with them only the most important things for them. The Yellowjackets are watching the fire engulf their cabin. It seems that this is the end! After all, now they have nowhere to live and now they can freeze to death in the woods. What will they do next to survive? And how will the story develop further? The viewer will find out all this in the next season. In the meantime, we can only speculate what will happen next.
This series has always amazed with its plot twists but in the eighth episode we will finally see what we have been waiting for for so long! We will not just get answers to most of the exciting questions but we will finally find out what our main characters have been hiding for so long. There is only one episode left until the end of the season and it seems that this is impossible. The audience really wants this journey (albeit creepy and bloody!) to go on and on.
But this season should get its logical conclusion. And the audience will definitely get what they want. In this episode we will see the most unexpected twists in the plot (as if there weren’t enough of them already!) and we will get answers to many questions. But don’t think that everything will be easy. Don’t tell anyone but from now on everything will only get worse. So let’s find out what happened in this episode.
THE WILDERNESS WANTS THIS FROM US…
After Lottie sacrificed herself and helped Shauna free herself from all the anger that she was holding inside her, everyone is trying to get over these events and trying to cope with ever-increasing hunger. Lottie is in very bad condition, so Misty is doing her best to somehow help ease her pain. But Lottie looks very bad and since there is nothing to eat, she may simply not survive. After the fight Shauna seems to come to her senses and also tries to help Lottie. Some of the team try to attack Shauna but Van tells them that Lottie did it intentionally so that Shauna could move on (considering what she went through after losing the baby!).
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Akilah talks to her new friend (a little mouse she found in the pantry) and makes plans for the future when they are rescued. Taissa approaches her and asks her to show what she is hiding. Akilah says that it is hers and no one can touch her little friend. But then Taissa tells Akilah the bitter truth that her friend has been dead for a long time! She looks at the mouse and realizes that Taissa is right. She just can’t believe her eyes. How is this so? Was it really all a hallucination? But Akilah is not the only one who sees something that does not really exist.
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Taissa realizes that something is wrong with her and that she is seeing her second self again and cannot overcome it. Van asks if she is all right and Taissa lies that everything is fine. Mari hears the sound of water hitting the roof again (but what is it?). Taissa says she can hear the sound too and points to the wall in front of the fireplace. Mari turns and sees blood dripping from the wall. She is horrified and screams. Her teammates are trying to bring her to her senses but Mari can’t get a grip. Van says it’s just hunger that is blurring her eyes. So was it another hallucination or reality?
Coach Ben talks to Natalie and she tells him that everyone around has changed so much and it’s all because of Lottie. It seems that she has some kind of supernatural influence on them and even Javi turned to this dark side. Ben asks why Natalie thinks Javi is also on the side of Lottie’s cult and she says she saw him worshipping some tree near the creek. Ben remembers about the drawing that he accidentally saw at Javi’s and decides to find this tree. He sneaks into the room (while Javi is sleeping) and finds this drawing. According to his map, which he drew with Natalie and Travis, he roughly calculates where this place is and decides to act (just in time!).
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But before the road he decides to adjust his crutches a little so as not to fall in the snow. Misty sees Ben with a sharp knife and she is a little worried about it. She reminds him of a recent event (how he tried to jump down from a cliff) and asks him if she should worry about it. But Ben says that he just wants to clear his head and for this he needs to move around the woods on crutches because for him it is very difficult. He just wants to make them more convenient for himself. Misty is glad that everything is fine with the Coach Ben and calms down. But she doesn’t know what he’s really up to.
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Lottie is still in bad condition, so Misty spends the night with her and looks after her. Lottie has a terrible dream, she can’t breathe. She wakes up and is delirious and says that if she dies, that they shouldn’t waste her body (oh my God!). Misty tells her she’s not going to die and doesn’t even want to hear about it. Coach Ben goes into the woods and finds the tree that Javi painted.
Ben realizes that there is something inside this tree and he turns out to be right. He sees a small shelter inside the tree, where you can build a fire and hide from the harsh winter. He understands that this is how Javi was able to survive for several months in the woods. So what is this mysterious place and how did it end up here? While Ben is trying to come to terms with the discovery of this mysterious place, the Yellowjackets are gradually going crazy with hunger.
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Misty informs everyone that Lottie told her that if she died, they should eat her. But anyway they don’t want to believe it and decide that they need to do something to survive. They decide on the most terrible thing — they will have to choose a victim from their team and kill him or her. All this needs to be done because the wilderness wants it and they have to make this sacrifice. Perhaps, after that they will stop starving. Then they decide to choose a victim card, this is the queen of hearts. So whoever pulls out this card will become the victim they will sacrifice on the altar of the wilderness?
WE NEED THIS SACRIFICE TO SURVIVE!
While events are taking place in the woods that will determine the fate of our heroines for many years to come, in the present they are trying to cope with the consequences of their past. After Jeff’s call, Shauna decides to go home immediately but her friends won’t let her. Lottie and Van don’t understand what’s going on and insist that Shauna, Natalie and Misty tell them everything. Lottie tells them that they need to hide from the eyes of the rest of the community and finally reveal the whole truth to each other. Taissa doesn’t understand how Jeff knows everything about Adam. Shauna tries to defend herself from the attacks of her teammates and says that she is not the only one who had secrets that she is afraid to reveal.
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She was scared and out of her mind. So she told Jeff everything and she wanted him to be on her side. Taissa says they all want things they don’t have (is she talking about Van?). Shauna doesn’t believe what she hears. She asks Taissa how she found Van, if all this time they did not keep in touch with each other. Taissa says that nowadays it is very easy to find the address of any person (especially with her connections!). But then Misty enters the conversation and says that all this time she had Van’s address and she could just ask her and not spend money on private detectives (it seems everything has gone very far!).
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Everyone is in a daze and wants Taissa to explain everything. Misty says that it was Taissa who hired Jessica Roberts. This private detective was snooping around finding out about the history of Yellowjackets and asking awkward questions. Taissa tries to justify herself and says that she only did it for their own safety (she wanted to find out if someone would blab if they were offered the right price for this information!). They just don’t believe what they’re hearing. Shauna asks Taissa what she would do if this private detective started playing hardball and revealed the truth.
Misty says they shouldn’t worry about it, because she took care of everything as always. Everyone is in shock! Yes, Misty had to kill her to keep her from saying anything because she kept her locked up and tied up for a long time. Misty says she only cared about the shared secret and didn’t know it wasn’t her blackmailing them. Only later did she find out that Shauna’s new lover Adam Martin was actually blackmailing them. Shauna doesn’t understand how they can blame her for all the sins if it was Misty who kept someone locked up and besides the FBI was asking questions about Natalie. Misty informs them that the FBI wasn’t really there but it was her and her new friend Walter.
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It was he who lured Randy onto his boat and they were trying to figure out who kidnapped Natalie because Randy lived in the same hotel as her (it looks like the whole puzzle is coming together as it should!). And then Misty noticed that Randy was very scared, even though he shouldn’t have been. It seems that Randy was hiding something and was afraid that he would be discovered. Taissa agrees that Shauna began to suspect Adam only after she found the glitter in her closet next to her safe (where her diaries were!). But logically speaking, the only one who really had access was her husband Jeff. Oops, it seems someone has made a very big mistake! Shauna admits that it was her husband (he sent Natalie and Taissa the cards with a mysterious sign!).
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While our main characters are trying to figure everything out, Shauna’s family, represented by Jeff and Callie, is facing new troubles. After the news announcement about Adam’s remains, the police head to Shauna’s house. Kevyn and his partner Matt Saracusa tell Jeff that they have a search warrant and since Shauna was in a relationship with Adam, she has become a suspect in this case. The police search the house. Jeff is concerned and asks if they need a lawyer. Kevyn doesn’t understand why they keep talking about a lawyer if they have nothing to hide. While Kevyn is trying to reach Jeff, Matt searches Callie’s room. He tells her that it was very clever of her to pretend that he took advantage of her.
Callie says she’ll put him in jail because he seduced her. She puts on a whole show but the detective does not believe her and says that she is the same as her mother broken and not herself. Kevyn asks where Shauna is now. Jeff says she decided to relax with her girlfriends at some fancy spa. But it seems to Kevyn that Jeff is not telling them truth. Then they decide to show photos of what’s left of Adam’s body. Jeff is terrified. The police say that the body parts were separated so neatly and everything was done so clinically that it could not have been done by some novice. Jeff hints that Shauna is simply not capable of such a thing but detective Saracusa says that she was able to survive in the wilderness and she has certain survival skills.
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Jeff asks how then they can be sure that these are Adam’s remains. Kevyn says Adam was a bone marrow donor for his friend who had cancer. That’s how they managed to identify him. Jeff begins to feel dizzy. He asks the police to leave but Kevyn says he can help Jeff and his daughter Callie get out of this case. Jeff says he won’t say a word without a lawyer and asks them to leave. It looks like they’re in deep trouble now. At night Jeff goes to the kitchen and sees Shauna.
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She hugs Jeff and then he feels a stab. He screams and realizes that it was a dream! He can’t sleep and finds his daughter in the living room. She is not herself and asks her father if she is like her mother. Jeff says that Shauna went through very serious events 25 years ago, which greatly affected her. As well as that, he tells Callie that Shauna was pregnant with his child when the plane crashed. Callie is just in shock. Jeff says she could have had a brother. Callie sympathizes with her parents and cries. Did Jeff get through to his daughter?
In addition to Jeff and his daughter, the audience is also shown Walter. He is doing a puzzle and enjoying the solitude of his luxurious mansion. And then he notices a message that Adam Martin’s body has been found. He finds the mail of the local police and writes them a letter saying that he has very important information that they will be interested in? So who is this Walter and what does he need from the Yellowjackets?
WHO WILL SURVIVE?
After the Yellowjackets choose the type of card in the woods that will be intended for their victim (the queen of hearts, as you remember), they stand in a circle and shuffle all the cards. Each of the team members must choose their own card. They pull out their cards one by one and each of them hopes for the best. When it comes to Natalie’s turn, her luck runs out. She gets the queen of hearts, everyone sees it. Shauna takes a knife from the altar and asks Natalie to turn away. Now they have to make a sacrifice and kill Natalie. But it’s not as easy as it seems. Natalie asks to stop and says that they should look into each other’s eyes. Shauna is still hesitant to do it.
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While she lingers Travis attacks her and tells Natalie to run away. She runs into the woods and hides behind a tree. The remaining team members threaten Travis and he walks away from the door. But before that Travis catches the eye of his brother Javi (it looks like he knows how to help Natalie). The Yellowjackets run out into the woods screaming and howling like a pack of wolves. They are determined to kill Natalie because the wilderness wants it. Javi finds Natalie and talks for the first time in a long time. He asks her to go with him and confide in him.
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He seems to want to take Natalie to the tree inside which he himself has been hiding for several months. But everything is not going according to plan. They are running on a frozen river but the ice is very thin. Soon the others catch up with them and then the ice begins to crack under their feet. Javi falls through the ice and drowns. He screams and calls for help. But all of them ask Natalie not to do it. If Natalie doesn’t die today, then it will be someone else — Javi! Javi drowns and dies. But Misty manages to grab his dead body, which they pull out of the icy river and see that he froze to death. Van says the wilderness has chosen a victim. But what will they do with Javi’s body? The answer suggests itself…
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Our adult heroines are trying to figure out what to do next after Shauna admits that it was her husband who blackmailed them not Adam. Shauna says she couldn’t tell them the truth about Jeff because she was afraid they would just kill him. Taissa and the others say it’s crazy. But is it so? Van says she’s not surprised why Shauna hid the truth from them because they’ve already killed two people. Natalie thanks Shauna for being so open with them and says it’s time for them to talk about everything that happened in the woods and how it’s affecting them now. But Lottie says that therapy won’t help here and something very strong has brought them all to this place.
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This is not a sense of guilt and not some kind of psychological need but something more powerful and something that guides them all. Lottie says she tried to resist it and argue with it but it’s too powerful. And now they need to give it what it wants. Shauna says that nothing that was in the woods was real (this so-called power!). Lottie asks Shauna if she has never felt this feeling inside that made them do what they did. Taissa agrees that they are all spoiled but they still managed to overcome it. Lottie tells them that the more they deny this power, the more everything in their lives collapses. And the only way to get out of this is to completely surrender to this force.
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No one understands what Lottie is talking about. Lottie offers to give it what it wants — one of them. This choice will be made for them by phenobarbital, which is added to one of these cups with a drink. It’s quick and painless. Shauna says that Lottie has come very far and that their lives are not so terrible. Lottie tells them that they are a danger to others: Natalie almost killed herself, Shauna may now lose both her husband and daughter, Taissa almost killed her wife, Misty actually killed someone, Van does not seem herself and her life does not bring her happiness and Lottie herself is also a danger to others.
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Misty is against such a solution to their problems because Lottie may know where the poison is. She says that the cups can be mixed and if it makes her feel better, she will drink this drink last. Lottie is sure that this is the only reason they survived in the woods and will be able to survive now. They have to give it what it wants. Will they be able to do it and who will be the next victim of the wilderness now? Viewers will be able to find out all this in the next episode. Get ready! It is just the beginning!
In an interview with Variety, Kotick said the Call of Duty maker was ready to swoop in and make a bid for Time Warner if AT&T had been unable to complete its $85.4 billion acquisition of the media and entertainment company.
But despite significant opposition from the US government due to antitrust concerns, the deal eventually went through in 2018, scuppering Activision’s plans.
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“We’d take their IP and turn it into games. They’d take our IP and turn it into film and television, and we’d have an extraordinary company,” Kotick said.
“We raised all the capital and were ready to go in the event that AT&T couldn’t get the deal done.”
Microsoft is currently in the process of attempting to acquire Activision Blizzard in a $69 billion deal, which would be the industry’s largest ever by far.
However, in April the UK’s Competition and Market Authority said it was preventing the deal due to concerns about its impact on the cloud gaming market. Microsoft is appealing against the decision and its case will be heard in court in July.
The Xbox maker is also facing a legal challenge in the US, where the Federal Trade Commission has sued Microsoft in a bid to block the acquisition over competition concerns.
Several times in recent years, Sony has used the Cannes Film Festival to promote a key upcoming title, despite the movies not officially being involved in the event — see Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation in 2018, 2017’s The Emoji Movie and 2016’s The Angry BirdsMovie.
This year, the marketing team pulled out the stops for Neill Blomkamp’s Gran Turismo: The Movie, staking out prime real estate with a billboard on the Carlton Pier and then — rather than ahead of the fest as they did with the previous films — hosting a photo call with talent as the Croisette calmed down toward the end.
From left, in front of sign: ‘Gran Turismo’s Neill Blomkamp, Maximilian Mundt, Geri Halliwell, Orlando Bloom, Archie Madekwe and Asad Qizilbash
Getty Images
Although David Harbour did not make the photo call that featured Blomkamp, Orlando Bloom, Geri Halliwell Horner, Archie Madekwe and producer Asad Qizilbash, he was with the team for a stroll up the red carpet on closing night.
From there, they traveled to nearby Monaco to catch some Grand Prix action and rev the marketing machine even higher. Harbour, Bloom and Madekwe visited the Red Bull garages, the F1 paddock and posed for a photo call at the famous Fairmont hairpin.
Archie Madekwe and David Harbour at pit lane of F1 Grand Prix of Monaco
Sony Pictures
These sorts of promotional activities have served Sony well in the past to build awareness. Hotel Transylvania 3 bested its predecessor by 11% globally, and The Angry Birds Movie was a pop culture play that took flight to more than $352M worldwide.
Based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough (Madekwe), Gran Turismo is designed as more than an adaptation of the PlayStation game and billed as a wish-fulfillment tale about a teenage player whose gaming skills won a series of Nissan competition to become an actual professional race car driver. Jason Hall, Blomkamp and Zach Baylin wrote the screenplay, and the producers are Doug Belgrad, Qizilbash, Carter Swan and Dana Brunetti.
Gran Turismo starts rolling into theaters overseas on August 9 and crosses the starting line on August 11 domestically.
Front Row Classics is taking a look at the Best Picture winner of 1934, Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night. Brandon is joined by Lauren Van De Vendel to pay tribute to the original romantic comedy. Lauren is the creator of her own Instagram account, Polka Dots and Moonbeams, which pays tribute to classic Hollywood. Brandon and Lauren discuss the many romantic comedy tropes invented by this film. They also pay tribute to the timeless Oscar winning performances of Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert.
You can find Lauren on Instagram at @_polka_dots_and_moonbeams_
Man name is Brandon and I love Classic film. In this day and age its easy to forget where our favorite films came from. I started this show on the Front Row Network to once again give these greatest films of all time the spotlight that has passed them by. Join me in exploring these Classics!
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EXCLUSIVE: John Rouse, who has been with The Walt Disney Company for the past 33 years, most recently as EVP of Affiliate Relations for the ABC Television Network, is stepping down at the end of July. Rouse announced his upcoming retirement Wednesday in a note to ABC affiliates and station group heads. The position, which reports to Justin Connolly, President, Disney Platform Distribution, will be refilled.
Twenty-seven of Rouse’s 33 years with Disney have been spent at ABC. As EVP of Affiliate Relations for the network and its territories, including Station Relations Affiliate Operations, Rouse has been responsible for setting ABC’s network distribution strategy, negotiating broadcast affiliation agreements and achieving distribution revenue goals amid an evolution of the broadcast business. He also has been behind efforts to maximize the exposure and local viewership of ABC Entertainment, ABC News, “ESPN on ABC” and ABC’s digital distribution initiatives through 200+ television stations.
During Rouse’s tenure, the company and its ABC affiliates have worked to establish agreements for new series launches, programming fee contributions, news video sharing, inventory and promotion exchanges, as well as distribution on expanded platforms.
Rouse initially joined Disney in 1989 as a Director of Sales at Buena Vista Television. Prior to segueing into the Affiliate Relations team at ABC in 1996, Rouse was Vice President, Central Division at Buena Vista Television based in Chicago, responsible for overseeing all of the company’s syndication sales activity in the Midwest territory of the United States, including the sales and launch of both first-run and off-network series, as well as movies and specials.
“I’ve been fortunate to work with the best in the business at The Walt Disney Company, ABC Entertainment, ABC News and ESPN, as well as a collaborative and supportive group of business executives who are just as creative and driven by the pursuit of excellence,” Rouse wrote in his note to affiliates. “Although I’m looking forward to this next chapter and being able to spend more time with friends and family, I’ll undoubtedly miss you all a great deal and will be rooting for your continued success.”
Rouse began his career with KNBC-TV in Burbank, California, in the station’s advertising sales division. He subsequently joined MGM/United Artists’ syndication division as an account executive and was promoted to manager, Eastern Division.
Which TV shows are doing the best? The worst? Cancelled or renewed? Wondering how your favorite series are doing in the ratings? Here are the final season average ratings of the 2022-23 network TV shows — through the end of week 36 (Sunday, May 28, 2023).
ABC shows (so far):20/20, Abbott Elementary, Alaska Daily, America’s Funniest Home Videos, American Idol, The Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise, Big Sky, Celebrity Jeopardy!, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, The Chase, The Company You Keep, The Conners, The Game Show Show, The Goldbergs, The Good Doctor, The Great Christmas Light Fight, Grey’s Anatomy, Home Economics, Jeopardy! Masters, Judge Steve Harvey, A Million Little Things, Not Dead Yet, The Parent Test, The Prank Panel, The Rookie, The Rookie: Feds,Shark Tank, Station 19, and Will Trent.
CBS shows this season (so far):48 Hours 60 Minutes, The Amazing Race, Bob ♥ Abishola, Blue Bloods, CSI: Vegas, East New York, The Equalizer, FBI, FBI: International, FBI: Most Wanted, Fire Country, Ghosts, Lingo, Magnum PI, NCIS, NCIS: Hawai’i, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Neighborhood, The Real Love Boat, So Help Me Todd, Survivor, SWAT, Tough As Nails, and Young Sheldon.
CW shows this season (so far):100 Days to Indy, All American, All American: Homecoming, Coroner, Criss Angel’s Magic with the Stars, DC’s Stargirl, Family Law, Farmer Wants a Wife, The Flash, Gotham Knights, The Great American Joke Off, Kung Fu, Masters of Illusion, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Professionals, Riverdale, Superman & Lois, Totally Weird and Funny, Walker, Walker: Independence, Whose Line Is It Anyway?,The Winchesters, and World’s Funniest Animals.
FOX shows this season (so far):9-1-1, 9-1-1: Lone Star, Accused, Alert: Missing Persons Unit, Animal Control, Beat Shazam, Bob’s Burgers, Call Me Kat, The Cleaning Lady, Don’t Forget the Lyrics!, Family Guy, Fantasy Island, Housebroken, Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, The Great North, Hell’s Kitchen, LEGO Masters, The Masked Singer, MasterChef, Monarch, Name That Tune, Next Level Chef, The Resident,The Simpsons, Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, True Lies, and Welcome to Flatch.
NBC shows this season (so far):America’s Got Talent: All-Stars, American Auto, The Blacklist, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Dateline NBC, Grand Crew, La Brea, Law & Order, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Lopez vs. Lopez, New Amsterdam, Night Court, That’s My Jam, The Voice, The Wall, Weakest Link, The Wheel, and Young Rock.
Note:If you’re not seeing the updated charts, please try reloading the page. You can also view them here.
The averages are based on the final national numbers (live plus same-day viewing). Keep in mind that the demo numbers are typically what’s most important to advertisers. Therefore, that’s how the networks measure success. Advertisers typically pay more for ad time on a show that has a higher demo rating. Because older viewers don’t count? No, it’s because younger viewers watch less traditional TV and are harder to reach. It’s also important to remember that ratings are designed to estimate how many people watch a show’s commercials — not the show itself. That’s what advertisers pay for.
The debates about the finale of “Succession” go on and on, and yet few have the perspective to say the obvious: From the start, this was a bad show, and a misconceived one. In a world of peak TV and oceans of post-”Sopranos” high-end work from around the world, this was an endeavor made by people not quite clear on the concept. There were no adults in the room. “Succession” was very much like what you would get if the Roy children themselves tried to do a grown-up HBO series.
Indeed, only they would think that they were worthy subjects of a TV show, just as, in “Succession’s” fictional world, they’re the only people who think they’re qualified to run an international media company. The problem is that “Succession’s” real world creators didn’t get it either.
There were three crucial things wrong with “Succession,” and they all came together to make the ending both preposterous and offensive.
Problem No. 1: The sibling trio have no credibility
The first problem is the characters of the three siblings at the heart of the show. Kendall, Roman and Siobban had quite a way with words – they spouted whip-smart dialogue filled with cultural and social allusions and corporate jargon. As with Showtime’s “Billions” and its flip deep-cut references, I’m sure there were poor souls in the writers room whose job it was to frontload the kids’ chatter with as much of it as possible. The characters were mot machines and had a way with the clever little twist as well, like when, in the last episode, Kendall says, “Carpe the diem.” (Arma virumquo cano, Kenny-boy!)
But… where did they get this from? None of them seem to read or to have read. They don’t do research, hold meetings, evince curiosity or seek out information. They aren’t Type A folks with finely toned intellects dispensing barbs at their inferiors as they get things done. They’re literally three idiot kids of a successful businessman, nothing more. That’s probably why Kendall didn’t know what carpe diem means. (And why Shiv doesn’t understand what Lady Macbeth did.)
As also with “Billions,” this is a show based around billionaire porn. We’re supposed to ooh at the polished interiors, the private planes, Kendall’s four-figure hoodies. “Succession’s” nice twist to this is to set its characters now and again in somber black SUVs rumbling down gray financial streets. Things aren’t as glamorous as one might think for billionaires, the color palette whispered. But in “Billions,” which is a pulpy show and knows it, we see the seething Axe, and see in him the determination that put him there, and see what he does day to day to maintain it. In “Succession.” we see… spoiled, and soiled, brats who literally never do anything.
No competent business operation would take a second look at this trio. Kendall is a bush-league sociopath with visions of grandeur. He talked a word salad, but has no perceptible command of business. He’s an addict, has the unfortunate mien of an addict even when he’s clean, is in and out of rehab, and as often as not turns his public pronouncements into a complete s–t show. With the attention span of a hamster, he displays none of the qualities of a successful business leader, and has a thoroughgoingly unpleasant personality.
Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and Jeremy Strong in “Succession.” (HBO)
As for Roman, he’s [waves hand].
Siobhan is, of course, the only interesting character of the three. We’re told she’d left the family to join liberal politics and as I recall she was billed as something like a chief of staff to a presidential candidate. I’m going to go out on a limb and say she seems a little… low-energy for a position like that. It’s another one of those times when you get the feeling that the creators of the show are the Roy children themselves. (“I want to be a, a, chief of staff to a presidential candidate!” ) She too thinks she can run a massive corporate entity. Constantly put out and overlooked, she finally makes her moves by scheming behind the scenes against her brothers… and comes up with bupkis.
Problem No. 2: It’s narrative Groundhog Day
The second problem is the emptiness of the narrative at the show’s core. In the first season, we see a business titan have a stroke and then watch the broadening chaos caused by his inability to designate a successor. Turns out his kids are idiots! So far so good. Four seasons later, he’s dead and his company is sold off to the highest bidder, because… his kids are idiots. This isn’t a tragedy. There aren’t fatal flaws or consequences. It certainly seemed like Logan Roy’s actions were unreliable in the first two seasons, but his three kids working together or apart were simply not a match even for a guy who’d had a stroke. They were dumb in season one, episode one, and flailed about like beached flounders once they lost their daddy’s support.
The lack of an actual story arc made life very hard for “Succession’s” writer’s room. I lost count of the weddings that were, inevitably, disrupted by family and corporate crises of one sort or another, or the various Kendall Rube Goldberg plans that would have ultimately made him CEO (They’re just not that into you, Ken!), or, sigh, the innumerable times dumb, halting Greg just happens to be in a place where he hears something, and then tells someone else, and then either confesses or is caught out. (And yet for some reason in seemingly every episode someone says, “Hey, let’s bring Greg along!”) The writers had to keep ginning up events, and increasingly outlandish twists and turns, but they all remain episodic, because none of them, in the end, could upend the reality of the show, which is that it’s about three feckless idiots.
And maybe I missed it, but the financial dynamics aren’t all that interesting either. Companies like Fox, I mean, Waystar, are worth what they are because the shareholders don’t have that much say given the mechanics of the family’s ownership. That structure allows Murdoch/Roy to do amazing things, and also do a lot of other things that are in the family’s interests but not the shareholders’. That’s why it would be valuable in a sale – removing the Roys would unlock value. Who would want to buy the company but keep the kids, or, given the opportunity, what savvy shareholder or board member would want to proceed with a new generation of Roys in charge?
This aimlessness came to the fore in the final season when, amid much other stuff, the kids manage to take charge and negotiate a deal to sell the company off at an unexpected premium – and then change their minds! It’s like that scene in “The Godfather” when Michael decides at the last minute not to kill all the other mob bosses while his child is being baptized.
Problem No. 3: Character confusion
The third trouble with “Succession” is the raft of inconsistencies and implausibilities in all the characters. Gangly Greg is completely miscast. I could envision him in the guise of an oddly ingratiating and disarmingly ambitious guy whom the family just gets used to. Instead, he lacks the sophistication of all the other characters, abuses what trust is placed in him and makes virtually all the various errands he was tasked to do a mess. Why do these people want to have a towering dips–t wandering around their living rooms, bumping his head on various literal and metaphorical lamps?
Similarly, I could imagine a different Connor who, detached from his siblings, turns into a substantive political thinker with an actual base and a longshot but nontrivial claim at a presidential run. (I’m going to go out on a narrative limb and suggest that his girlfriend not be a sex worker.) (And that he not blow $100 million on staging her play.)
Matthew McFadyen, Sarah Snook in Succession “With Open Eyes” (HBO)
All of this came together to make the last episode a nightmare of incoherence. You wouldn’t hire Tom Wambsgans to organize a paper route, much less a contentious and scandal-filled international news organization. But then Mattson, the Swedish billionaire, closing one of the biggest business deals in history and with a world of corporate titans at his beck and call… hires Tom to run it!
Meanwhile, Shiv finds out that Mattson has taken her for a ride, and she gets mad… for about 10 minutes. She then turns around and screws her brother Kendall instead. That plot device was prompted by cousin Greg, who, having violated the confidence of both Tom and Mattson… is kept on at the new company.
The final and biggest insult of the finale involved Shiv. The show’s conception of her was sexist at its heart. She had detached herself from the family, but then essentially came crawling back home for a shot at the big chair. This supposed chief of staff to a presidential candidate became insincere and grasping, and for some reason attaches herself to a guy who couldn’t even wear a suit and whom you’d be embarrassed to introduce to your boss, the presidential candidate, because he never says anything interesting. She ends up completely used and manipulated by Mattson, and outmaneuvered and humiliated in an entirely different way by her estranged husband.
So she… f–ks over her siblings and, instead of taking her billions from the Gojo sale and having her baby and new life in peace, goes back to play second fiddle to the spavined Tom. None of this has anything remotely to do with the character we’ve watched over four seasons, and came about solely because the writers were desperate for some resonating twist at the end.
How I would have written the show
I’m not a big Hollywood showrunner, but let me propose two alternative story arcs.
One: Siobhan is actually the smart one. She is a liberal, and was detached from the family. But she shares Logan’s soul, she comes back into the fold, and, feeling her way, with increasing ruthlessness maneuvers until she staves off outside offers, and grabs for the top spot and board control. In the climax, she shivs both her brothers, and reinstalls her husband back as head of the right-wing news network – and tells him not to change a thing.
Two: Siobhan is her dithering self, but Tom isn’t a buffoon. He has a way of parrying confrontation and seems a bit milquetoasty, but mostly keeps his own counsel, and we see why Logan Roy hired him as he adeptly sidesteps the cruise ship scandal and does his best to corral the loonies at the news network, once in a while ably defenestrating someone, the way Ailes or Murdoch did, some time ago, to Glenn Beck and, more recently, Tucker Carlson. When, in the last episode, Mattson gives him the once-over and asks him to tell him something he doesn’t know, he says something like:
“No one sees this yet, but ATN is like Wile E. Coyote. [Mattson gives him a blank look] He chases a roadrunner: He’s off the cliff, his legs are churning, but there’s nothing beneath him. It’s a cartoon. OK, never mind. Our median viewer age is 63 and going up. The Baby Boomers are dying off, and there’s not enough Gen X’ers to replace them. Our advertisers are all denture creams and annuities. The money is in the carriage fees, and it is a lot of money. But: Cable subscriptions are going down 2, 3 percent a year, and that might double any time. Logan cared about all of this right-wing bullshit. You don’t, and I don’t. And we don’t want the stink of it to hurt the studio or the cruise ships. We don’t want to be holding this racist baby when the music stops. So. We polish this turd up for a year, make it look as good as possible and sell it to a Theil or Musk. They will overpay and, high on their own bullshit, will think they can turn it around.”
That could have been the thing that gets Tom the job, and symbolize the debauching of Roy’s personal construct after his death. It would have made the actual ending somewhat more probable. It would still be sexist, but it would also give Siobhan a reason to go back to Tom. After all, a lot of decaying dynasties bring in new blood. Instead of this, in the moment, at his big chance talking to Mattson, Tom dispenses his usual burbling nonsense. He’ll raise revenues, he says, and cut costs!
By its end, the show became so full of itself it began to pack episodes with those gloomy chauffeured SUV rides through the city. They became overdone and overbearing. You began to think, “You know what? NYC is actually not gray like that.” And to read all the keening about Kendall in the days since the finale, it gets overlooked a lot that he too is left with many billions of dollars to, you know, do something with. Only in the upside-down world of “Succession” could his ending be treated with such solemnity. The media class in America became infatuated by “Succession,” of course. The New Yorker website, to cite just one example, has posted five stories on the show in the past week. You and I both know a lot of people who watched it, but that’s because we live in a bubble. The finale drew a series high for the show — a big 2.9 million viewers. (Compare that to a the finale of a show that had much wider appeal, such as “Game of Thrones,” which attracted 19.3 million viewers).
Some shows are about things that happen and why. “Succession” was about what didn’t happen. The show didn’t valorize its characters, of course, but it also didn’t do the hard work of trying to at least make a case for their existence. Every day, in business, certainly, but in every other endeavor in American life as well, decisions are made, the winners proceed, and the losers fall by the wayside. As a case study in this process, “Succession” couldn’t have picked less worthy examples, and ultimately paid the price with a hapless ending that tried to gin up drama in a foregone conclusion.
p.s.: And the last scene is this: An Uber pulls up at a house on a cozy suburban street. Greg gets out, dragging a rolling suitcase. He goes to the front door, and his mom opens it. He walks past her without a word, and she closes the door after him.
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Bill Wyman is the former arts editor of Salon and National Public Radio.
Juan Carlos Formell, an acclaimed singer-songwriter who settled in New York after defecting from Cuba and eventually took over as bassist for his famous father, Juan Formell, in Los Van Van, one of the most influential bands of post-Revolutionary Cuba, died on Friday during a performance in New York City. He was 59.
His death, from a heart attack he suffered onstage at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx, was confirmed by his romantic and musical partner, Danae Blanco. Mr. Formell had hypertension and arteriosclerosis, she said.
Since fleeing Cuba for New York City in 1993, Mr. Formell had charted his own musical course, releasing five solo albums and earning a Grammy nomination in 2000 for best traditional tropical Latin performance for his debut album, “Songs from a Little Blue House.”
When his father died in 2014, Mr. Formell agreed to carry on his legacy as the bassist for Los Van Van, the Afro-Cuban dance band co-founded by his father. The band’s current lineup also includes his brother Samuel on drums and his sister Vanessa on vocals.
The band was just a few numbers into an energetic set at the Lehman Center when Mr. Formell wandered away from his upright bass, doubled over as if to catch his breath, then lumbered toward the rear of the stage. As the band played on, Abdel Rasalps Sotolongo, the Van Van singer known as Lele, and Javier León Peña, a sound engineer, were helping him offstage when he collapsed near the curtain.
The band took a break for more than half an hour, then made a brief announcement that Mr. Formell was having a health problem, and returned to finish the set, playing for nearly an hour, a friend, the musician Ned Sublette, who was present, said in a phone interview.
Mr. Formell was a fourth-generation member of one of Cuba’s most famous musical families. His great-grandfather Juan Francisco was a popular bandleader. His grandfather Francisco Formell was a conductor of the Havana Philharmonic and the arranger for the Lecuona Cuban Boys, a popular big band starting in the 1930s.
His father,Juan Formell, along with fellow giants of Cuban music, César Pedroso, known as Pupy, and José Luis Quintana, known as Changuito, founded Los Van Van in 1969, fusing traditional Afro-Cuban genres like son cubano with elements of rock, soul and disco.
Mr. Formell’s debut album, “Songs from a Little Blue House,” was nominated for a Grammy in 2000 for best traditional tropical Latin performance.
Despite his family name, Mr. Formell’s path to musical success was not easy.
Juan Carlos Formell was born in Havana on Feb. 18, 1964, the eldest of three children of Juan Formell and the cabaret singer Natalia Alfonso.
When he was three weeks old, his parents sent him to live on the outskirts of Havana with his paternal grandparents. His grandfather, the conductor, had been ostracized by the Castro government for being part of the old guard. Mr. Formell told The Los Angeles Times in 2000 that he had been teased by other children for having holes in his shoes.
Nonetheless he set his course toward music, studying at the Alejandro García Caturla and Amadeo Roldán conservatories in Havana, and later at Cuba’s National Art School.
By his teens, he was already composing and studying bass with Andres Escalona of the Havana Symphony Orchestra. He went on to play bass with the jazz pianist Emiliano Salvador.
He was also a talented guitarist and hoped to carve out a career as a singer-songwriter, influenced by Afrocubanismo, the Cuban artistic movement focused on Black identity, as well as the negrista movement in poetry, particularly the work of Nicolás Guillén. Even so, he felt unable to express himself freely under the restrictions of the government-controlled Cuban music industry, his former wife, Dita Sullivan, said in an email.
“While still in my 20s, at a time when most musicians are full of hope,” he said in a 2001 radio interview, “I was resigned to a future of marginalization.”
In 1993, while on tour with the dance band Conjunto Rumbavana in Mexico, he defected, crossing the Rio Grande near Laredo, Texas, and eventually settling in New York City. The transition was not easy.
“When you leave Cuba, you don’t exist,” Mr. Formell said in a 2005 interview with The Chicago Sun-Times. “You come here, you’re invisible. You come here and no one cares. If you want to defect, you’d better have a support system.”
He built a career performing solo and with various ensembles at New York jazz clubs before releasing his Grammy-nominated debut. He followed with “Las Calles del Paraíso” (“The Streets of Paradise”) in 2002 and “Cemeteries & Desire,” a 2005 rumination on the Latin musical flavorings of New Orleans, along with “Son Radical” (2006) and “Johnny’s Dream Club” (2008), which a Village Voice review said wove “an unforgettable spell.”
Mr. Formell’s music, rooted in filin, a romantic, jazz-inflected genre of Cuban popular music, as well as son cubano, a traditional style mixing Spanish and African influences, celebrated the natural beauty of his homeland as well as its complicated history.
“Although my songs don’t specifically talk about politics,” he said in a 1996 interview, “they reflect the reality of Cuba from my perspective and not from the perspective of the system.”
In addition to Samuel and Vanessa, his survivors include his other sisters, Elisa Formell Alfonso and Paloma Formell Delgado, and another brother, Lorenzo Formell González. He and Ms. Sullivan separated in 2012 and divorced in 2021.
In a Facebook post announcing his death, Los Van Van said it would continue its tour of the United States, “paying tribute to Juan Carlos in every performance, every musical note, in every Vanvanero choice as Juanca would have wanted.”
Black Notebooks: Ronit (Cahiers Noirs) is an intimate documentary, from filmmaker Shlomi Elkabetz, that serves as a love letter to family and filmmaking. The movie follows the experience of the director’s sister, acclaimed actor Ronit, as she navigates life during the filming and release of her final role in a feature film. Years of footage, including behind-the-scenes footage from the film set as well as private footage of the subject at home, are assembled.
I felt like a fly on the wall as the personal story unfolded. The viewer is given a look behind the curtain as the film opens with footage of Elkabetz mustering the courage and strength to bring the acting performance that she desires. It is clear early on that she is struggling with inner turmoil, which is fights on set. The friends and family surrounding her express concern for the lady’s well-being. Other actors in the production sense there are problems that Elkabetz is dealing with while filming, whether that manifests in her forgetting lines or seeming mentally unengaged from a scene. It is revealed through family dialogue that she is indeed suffering from an illness that is holding her back from living as fully as she would like.
“…finishing a feature film while being quite ill.“
Black Notebooks: Ronit is a very raw and intimate window into the inner battle the subject faces while filming and living with a life-altering illness. It seems nearly all the private footage was shot by the filmmaker himself. As such, the footage of the actor at home and traveling between filming locations and festivals is very intimate, as only a family member could capture it. Elkabetz is seen as a fighter, full of courage, as she carries on finishing a feature film while being quite ill.
As a standalone documentary film, I’m not sure this is as engaging as Shlomi Elkabetz expects. The footage has been thoughtfully and tastefully compiled with a beautiful soundtrack. However, as a viewer, there were a lot of dots that were never connected. Most audience members, like myself, will be lost trying to piece together what is happening for the first chunk of this narrative. I think because the filmmaker is so close with the source material, his sister, he neglects to provide enough context to those watching to fully appreciate the story he is presenting. The documentary is too introspective throughout, providing little, if any, explanation as we bounce between behind-the-scenes video from the set and the personal footage from home.
Making a film as personal as Black Notebooks: Ronit is incredibly difficult. It is often a more therapeutic process for a filmmaker to produce a project like this than anything else. I heavily suspect this is the case for Elkabetz and this documentary. Some of the very best films are the ones in which the filmmaker is willing to put their deepest thoughts, fears, and dreams up on the screen without holding back. The director succeeds in telling the story of his sister in an unfiltered, brutally honest, and respectful way. But the audience isn’t always there alongside them.
With wildfires raging in the Maritimes, Alberta and B.C.’s northeast, ongoing dry conditions on the province’s South Coast are now raising concerns.
Crews with the BC Wildfire Service are already battling the 160-hectare, out-of-control Newcastle Creek wildfire near Sayward on Vancouver Island.
There have already been 45 fires so far in the Coastal Fire centre — dozens more than the six recorded at this point in the admittedly damp 2022 season — but still about 60 per cent above the 10-year average, according to the wildfire service.
Wildfire burning out of control near Sayward
“We still have to wait and see what rain comes in June,” fire information officer Julia Caranci said in an interview.
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“May and June rains are generally a fairly good indicator of what kind of fire season we are going to have.”
In comparison with that cool and damp May last year that essentially delayed the start of summer, this year has been virtually drought-like.
According to Environment Canada, the province’s South Coast has received just 15 to 20 millimetres of precipitation throughout the month.
Environment Canada meteorologist Matt Loney said 2023 has been the driest May in the last decade for some parts of the province.
“That’s only about 20-30 per cent of the normal we would expect for the month, so we are running quite a bit of a precipitation deficit on top of an already dry spring,” he said.
“We’ve already got dry subsoils, dry soils, and on top of that we are expecting warmer than normal temperatures for next week.”
While traditional weather patterns on the South Coast have often earned June the nickname of “Juneuary,” Loney cautioned this year could buck the trend.
Early modelling with a “medium” confidence level suggests the low-pressure systems that often sit over the South Coast during the month could instead stay over the Pacific Ocean, with a high-pressure ridge from central Canada poking over the Rockies, and bringing dry summer weather with it, he said.
The more solid forecast for the next week, he said, suggests “pleasantly warm” weather.
“If we look in our crystal ball for June, the next few days don’t really bring any relief,” Loney said.
As of Wednesday, the province’s fire danger rating listed all of the South Coast at a risk rating of either “moderate” or “high.”
WhatsApp has been no stranger to phone-breaking bugs and security breaches over the years, with the latest one yet again causing the app to crash your phone.
There’s a link going around the Android version of WhatsApp (wa.me/settings) that, if clicked on, will cause your phone to crash as soon as you open a group or individual chat containing it. The actual trigger is as simple as opening a chat with the link, though thankfully the app restarts normally after that, unless you happen to open that message thread again.
The offending link sends you to the app’s settings page, which makes it even more malicious for those used to the shortcut. Twitter user BruteBee first discovered the bug, while Android Authority confirmed that version 2.23.10.77 of the app is currently the one impacted, though it’s still unknown whether other versions have experienced this bugged link as of now.
It’s similar to previous bugs in which an otherwise innocuous link or image hides a malicious feature that wreaks havoc on your phone and results in it crashing. Back in 2018, there were at least two of these, one being the infamous black dot in the center of a WhatsApp message that crashed phones and the other a random Telugu language character in messages that crashed iOS phones. And in 2020 there was another set of text bombs or ‘crash codes’ that resulted in a crash loop.
The cause for this issue is most likely how WhatsApp resolves the URL for the shortened link. And while there’s no official fix for the bug just yet, Android Police reports of a workaround for the bugged link until WhatsApp officially does push a patch down. It seems that WhatsApp Web is immune to the link’s effects, so if you find yourself a victim of constant phone crashes, log into your account through your browser and delete the message with the link.
Technically this means that you can also send the link safely through WhatsApp Web, though it’s probably not wise to do so until the bug is completely fixed. Hopefully, that patch will be coming in soon.
We’ve reached out to Meta for comment on this issue and will update this story once we’ve received an official statement concerning the matter.
Paul Walter Hauser has already won both a Critics Choice Award and Golden Globe for his chilling turn as serial killer Larry Hall in Apple TV+’s limited series, Black Bird. There is a lot of Emmy buzz on this one as well, and that shouldn’t be surprising for Hauser who has a knack for playing characters on the fringe of society and bringing them to vivid life.
Think of the title role he had in Clint Eastwood’s Richard Jewell, who was the accused Atlanta Olympics bomber, or the sketchy Shawn Eckhardt involved in the schemes of Tonya Harding in the Oscar winning I, Tonya, or his comical turn as one of Cruella De Ville’s henchmen, Horace in the live action Cruella. He also made vivid impressions working with Spike Lee in both BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods. And on top of all this and his performance in Black Bird this season , he also made a huge impression in his recurring role as Stingray in the hit Netflix series, Cobra Kai.
Hauser is a man of many talents, and much in demand as he joins me for this week’s episode of my Deadline video series, The Actor’s Side where we discuss all of this, and notably those two current tv roles that are getting lots of talk including how he inhabited the notorious Hall, his vocal work and hair and costumes , and playing the incarcerated killer with such conviction even as he had to go to such dark places in doing so. To watch our conversation and to get the ‘actor’s side’ of things from Paul Walter Hauser just click on the link above.
Join me every Wednesday during Emmy season for another edition of The Actor’s Side.
The Afro Nation Festival made a lively Stateside debut in Miami over Memorial Day weekend, taking place a the 40,000 capacity LoanDepot Park (formerly Marlins Park). With Burna Boy headlining day one and Wizkid taking the stage on day two, Afro Nation Miami had an unmistakable African essence, fusing afrobeats, amapiano, and reggae.
The festival featured two distinct stages: the Audiomack Amapiano stage, featuring eclectic South African sounds, and the MainStage, with afrobeats and reggae. Mavado, Shenseea and an array of other acts covered the dancehall and reggae genres, while afrobeat aficionados were spoilt for choices with Asake, Black Sherif, Rema, Fireboy DML and the charismatic Uncle Waffles (who is female), among others. The festival grounds buzzed with energy as African vendors sold mouthwatering delights and people danced with abandon.
Day one kicked off with a vibrant performance from newcomer Cuhdeejah on the Audiomack Amapiano stage. Backed by a troupe of dancers, the Sierra Leonean-American singer unleashed her latest collaboration with none other than Snoop Dogg, “Bad Mama Jama.” Acknowledging that many in the crowd were discovering her music for the first time, Cuhdeejah told Variety after her performance, “It made me feel profoundly blessed — to have the power to captivate and move people with my words is an extraordinary gift.”
Later in the day, 21-year-old Ghanaian highlife singer Black Sherif lit up the main stage with songs like his debut single, “First Sermon,” the sequel, “Second Sermon,” and an array of fan favorites like “Kwaku the Traveller.” After the set, Black Sherif marveled, “Moments like this feel unreal, because a few short years ago only my household knew I could sing, and now I’m overseas and people are singing my lyrics back to me. I feel very proud to be choosing to be a part of the generation that’s changing the trajectory of the culture.”
As day one continued, Asake performed a set packed with jazzy versions of his songs and multiple singalongs. He also teased his new album “Work of Art” (out June 16), and features Olamide on the track “Amapiano.” Back at the Audiomack Amapiano stage, South African DJ Uncle Waffles brought out a massive crowd with her Boiler Room-esque set, which saw her leaving the DJ booth several times to perform intricate choreography with her legion of dancers.
Wizkid (Photo: Kenneth Dapaah)
Burna Boy brought day one to an explosive close, delivering a high-octane set filled with bangers and hits like “Ye,” “On the Low,” and “Last Last.” The set, which was a condensed version of his “Love, Damini” tour, included a display of camaraderie as he welcomed Black Sherif back to the MainStage for a performance of their remix of “Second Sermon.” The synergy between the two artists was palpable, evoking an “older brother/younger brother” moment.
Day two kept the energy level high with strong sets from Shenseea, Rema, Fireboy DML, and Major League DJz. Rema, who is currently achieving global success with his single, “Calm Down” (featuring Selena Gomez, currently No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100) closed out his set with the track, with fans loudly singing along with every line.
Finally, Wizkid closed out the festival with a rousing set and an eye-popping stage production. Emerging from a digital LED structure resembling a towering brownstone apartment, Wizkid peeled off hit after hit like “Ojuelegba,” “Essence,” and “Mood,” mesmerizing the crowd, and brought out his friend and fellow Afro Nation performer, Bnxn.
Later this year, Afro Nation will move to its next destination, Detroit, on August 19-20, before embarking on a triumphant return to Ghana in December.
When Disney announced that it would be removing content from streaming services Disney+ and Hulu, fans worried that they would soon no longer have access to their favorite shows.
While these shows had their devoted fan bases, they were largely Disney+ original shows that failed to gain momentum.
The First Marvel Series Removed
In a surprising move, however, Disney has also removed a Marvel property from the streaming series.
Photo: Hulu
Fans will be sorry to hear that Marvel’s Runaways has officially been dropped from Disney+.
While a Marvel property, the show was actually a production of Hulu originally, before moving to Disney+ when that service launched in November 2019. Two more seasons of the young adult drama were added to the platform in January 2020. Runaways was then canceled after its third season.
Photo: Hulu
Originally conceived as a motion picture, Runaways was eventually developed by the now-defunct Marvel Television. The show centered on six former friends who learn that their parents are members of an ancient society. The teens eventually learn that they have superpowers, which they use to fight.
While not technically part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Runaways received praise from critics for its tone, characters, and storytelling.
Photo: Vox
The First Domino To Fall?
The removal of Runaways will surely bring into question the future of fellow Marvel Television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Inhumans, and Cloak & Dagger.
Photo: Wired
For now at least, Runaways is the only Marvel-related property to be dropped by Disney’s streaming service. What that means for the future, remains to be seen.
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There’s a whole lot of advice on how to be a great Dungeon Master out there, but not a lot on how to be a great Dungeons & Dragons player. Having an awesome DM helps, but players have so much power to make the game come to life and be amazing. No DM can do it without players (otherwise it’d be called writing a novel). So how can you be the best Dungeons & Dragons player possible? Consider these tips.
Before the Game
Be a good person.
Wil Wheaton’s Law: “Don’t be a dick.” You’re all friends here, and you should treat them that way. Don’t forget that the DM is your friend, too. They aren’t out to get you, even if it might seem like it sometimes. Is the roleplaying getting too heated and it looks like people are getting angry in Real Life? Take a step back and assess: are we still having fun?
Make friends with your gaming buddies.
Gamers in school don’t have to worry about this one as much; odds are your gaming group is already made up of close friends. But if you’re not, try and put in the effort to get to know your party members.
A good DM is more precious than gold. If you don’t know why, ask your DM how much they do to prep for the campaign, schedule game nights, get snacks… the list goes on. How can you give back? Look for little things you can do for the DM, things like showing up right on time, bringing snacks of your own (or offering to pay them back for food), and even taking over little tasks during the game, like tracking initiative. If you’re an artistic person, you might even want to make drawings, short stories, or songs about your campaign. Everyone (everyone!) loves fan art.
One cool, low-intensity artistic thing you can do is to create custom initiative tents for your party members! The players always get to see them, and they serve a functional purpose.
Learn the rules.
You don’t have to know the rules backwards and forwards—but if you only have time to learn the rules that pertain to your own character, that makes a world of difference. As long as you don’t become a rules lawyer or start being a jerk about it, your encyclopedic knowledge will be helpful.
Build characters that play well with others.
So, your character has a great personality. Awesome, that’s step one! But take a second look at your new alter-ego. Is your character a brooding lone wolf who sits smoking in the shadows of the tavern? They might have a tough time fitting into the team. Is your character a cowardly peasant who wants to hide from every fight? It might be funny for a bit, but the joke’s gonna get old fast.
During the Game
Find the fun.
We keep coming back to this “fun” thing. It’s because D&D and other RPGs are roleplayinggames. While you don’t have to be riding the joy train to Funtown the entire time (a little bit of frustration can actually increase enjoyment in the long run), don’t torture yourself over this game with elves and wizards. If you’re not having fun, ask yourself why. Can you start having fun without ruining someone else’s fun? Yes? Do it. No? Be patient, but also be willing to talk it out IRL if the not-fun goes on for too long.
Don’t build dice towers.
Please.
Prime Video
Help speed up the game.
A game that drags is boring. It’s not called Dungeons & Drag-ons, people! (…I’ll show myself out.) We talked earlier about how sometimes frustration can be a good thing sometimes, but this isn’t one of those times. The next tips elaborate on this idea, giving examples of how you might speed up play at the table.
Stay invested.
Or, “pay attention when it’s not your turn.” Telling people to pay attention sounds condescending, but we all get distracted sometimes. And getting distracted is okay, but try to make sure your focus always comes back to what your friends are doing. They’re trying to be awesome, badass fantasy heroes, they want people to notice how cool they are! Also, having to ask “what just happened?” all the time slows the game to a crawl.
Know how you want to act.
Or, “don’t make people wait around for you to figure out what to do in a fight scene!” If you’re playing a Wizard or another class with complex powers, figuring out how your spells work on the fly is a huge task that requires a lot of time spent digging through the Player’s Handbook. An easy way to avoid putting a moratorium on gameplay is to figure out what you want to do while other people are taking their turn! You’ll feel more confident when you take your turn because you’re prepared and the game keeps moving. It’s a win-win!
What’s the takeaway of all this? Long story short, take it easy, be proactively kind and helpful, and make sure that your fun isn’t infringing on anyone else’s. Or in other words, live and let live. Unless there are monsters involved. Those guys gotta die.
Diablo 4 has finally arrived, tasking you with defeating Lilith and the forces of Hell. At launch, Diablo 4 has five classes to pick from, with each class having its own unique pros and cons. While seasoned Diablo veterans will likely already know which class they are rolling with first, new players might be unsure which one will give them the best experience.
Here are the pros and cons for each class and which ones will be the easiest to master. The classes are ranked from most newcomer-friendly to least,all according to an experience set to World Tier 1 difficulty, the game’s beginner-friendly mode.
Pros and cons of each class in Diablo 4
Necromancer
The Necromancer is powerhouse and very easy for new players to grasp.
The Necromancer is a fan-favorite class in Diablo and there is a reason for it. The Necromancer is both the most powerful damage-focused class and fairly simple. This class focuses on creating minions from dead enemies and can even use dead enemies’ bones to attack foes. They can also have the ability to make corpses explode, making them more powerful as more enemies die around them.
The biggest benefits of the Necromancer class are the Minions and the Book of the Dead, which allow you to pick from a variety of different minions, unlocking more as you level up. Having an extra set of hands on the battlefield is a big boon to newcomers, making it feel like you have extra help, even if you are playing alone.
As for the downsides of the Necromancer, the main issue new players will find with this class–and the other damage-focused classes–is how squishy you can be, especially if you are playing alone. You will need to learn to keep your distance and focus on enemies getting too close to you, otherwise you might find yourself dying frequently, especially on higher World Tiers.
Sorcerer
The Sorcerer is a little less powerful than the Necromancer, but has much simpler abilities.
The Sorcerer comes in just under the Necromancer in terms of approachability, only missing slightly due to it not being as much of a powerhouse as the Necromancer. While the Sorcerer deals a bit less damage, the skills are far easier to understand; the system of regenerating mana for more powerful attacks is fairly simple. Sorcerer’s can harness the power of the elements to deal a ton of damage to enemies in large areas, with skills that focus on ice, fire, lightning, and more.
The Sorcerer does have some abilities that provide them with extra defense in the middle of combat, but they have limited mobility compared to the other classes and the health pool isn’t as deep. Luckily, the majority of attacks are ranged and you can deal damage to many enemies at the same time, so you won’t find yourself getting overwhelmed by large groups too often. The Enhancement system for Sorcerer is also fairly simple, providing powerful passive bonuses depending on which skills you currently have equipped.
Druid
The Druid gives a great balance of both offense and defense.
The Druid functions as a hybrid class, with high-damage magic abilities and wild beast forms that can tank more damage than some of the other classes. During the beta for Diablo 4, there were complaints that the Druid wasn’t as offensively capable as the other classes, but a build focused on area-of-effect attacks and defensive buffs can create a capable damage dealer that won’t go down as quickly as some of the squishier classes.
The Druid’s main fault is how cooldown-heavy the class can be, with you needing to bide time and take some damage between large attacks. Even with the ability to switch to different animal forms, which let you shred enemies at close range, you might spend a decent amount of time waiting for cooldowns to end. However, being able to have both defensive abilities and powerful attacks makes Druid a nice, middling class for newbies.
Rogue
The Rogue is a powerhouse, but it’s also a very complicated class.
The Rogue is easily the least newcomer-friendly class in Diablo 4 from a mechanical sense, due to this class’s focus on dealing large amounts of damage to single targets and using buffs and debuffs to your advantage. The Rogue uses a mixture of melee attacks and ranged attacks, many of which inflict debuffs like vulnerable. After making an enemy vulnerable, they take additional damage. To maximize this class you will need to focus on activating debuffs on enemies before using your bigger damage abilities.
The Rogue also has to take advantage of the Imbuement system, which lets you imbue some abilities with either poison, ice, or shadow. Imbuement only affects the next two abilities used, so you have to know which combos you are going to use ahead of time before activating it. The Rogue’s special system is the Specializations, which provides special bonuses and buffs, assuming you do whatever the requirements are of each Specialization. You will need to build your skills around each different kind, making it one of the more complicated characters to build.
The Rogue’s biggest flaw is that it’s the class that struggles with large groups the most. There are plenty of abilities that deal damage in a large area, but your primary attacks are all single target focused. You will need to dash and roll around the battlefield to keep from getting surrounded. Rogue’s have very high damage potential, but it takes more game knowledge than new players might have for their first character.
Barbarian
The Barbarian in Diablo 4 is a tank, but its low damage output makes it difficult to play.
The Barbarian is the main tank-focused class, using a vast arsenal of melee weapons to slice and bash enemies at close range. Barbarians have the special ability to rotate through different weapon types using the Weapon Arsenal mechanic, with different Barbarian skills available to use depending on the weapons currently equipped. While rotating through different weapon types might sound a bit difficult, it’s fairly easy to grasp, especially since you will slowly unlock new abilities as you level up.
The most newcomer-friendly part about the Barbarian is that it’s the tank class, making it much easier to survive massive amounts of damage. The trade-off is that you don’t deal as much damage as the other classes, but if you’re new to Diablo and playing alone, you will be grateful for the larger health pool. You can pick skills, like Bleed abilities, to get more damage out of the Barbarian. The reason the Barbarian falls at the bottom of the list is that it can be very difficult to take down bosses and some of the tougher enemies alone, due to the lower damage output and the need to get in close to deal damage. This shouldn’t put anyone off from trying it, but you might find yourself unhappy with how long it takes to kill enemies.
Check out GameSpot’s Diablo 4 Guides Hub for more information about the five classes and other important aspects of Sanctuary.
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“Avatar: The Way of Water” and “E.T.” were just some of the films recognized at the 16th Krakow Film Music Festival in Krakow, Poland. The festival concluded on Monday, wrapping up the celebration of this year’s celestial lineup.
“Faced by the challenges posed by the pandemic, as well as the war that broke out at our doorstep, many of us have taken refuge in cinematic works – either trying to glimpse into the future or relive the amazing films from our childhood,” said Carolina Pietyra, director of the Krakow Festival office, in a statement. “The headline of this year’s edition of the Krakow Film Music Festival – Out of Space – stands for everything that takes us to other spaces and responds to our longing to explore realms unknown.”
The festival’s Space Gala featured otherworldly film scores including Jóhann Jóhannsson’s “Arrival,” Cliff Martinez’s “Solaris,” Steven Price’s “Gravity” and Benjamin Wallfisch’s “Hidden Figures.”
The gala ended with the world premiere of Simon Franglen’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” suite. Franglen also presented his experimental work “Sunrise I Sunset,” a project commissioned by the Shanghai Tower.
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Suite Performance
Robert Sluszniak
Steven Spielberg’s 1982 classic “E.T.” was also screened at the festival with live music. “We wanted to remind older members of the audience what it made them feel and share these emotions with children and youth. We believe that ‘E.T.’ is not a closed chapter in the history of cinema,” said Robert Piaskowski, the artistic director of KFMF.
Closing out the festival was composer Patrick Doyle’s 70th birthday concert. His work includes scores for “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” “Donnie Brasco,” and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.”
“Patrick Doyle is one of the most prolific and diverse artists of our time – a composer who can masterfully wrangle melodies and paint detailed pictures of intimate worlds to highlight the psychological dilemmas of film characters. The brilliant performance left us longing for the next year’s festival,” said Piaskowski.
The festival was set to end on Tuesday with a concert from renowned composer Hans Zimmer, but was canceled due to illness.
Perhaps the most controversial film of Wes Craven’s impressive 43-year career, Last House on the Left was prime material for a modern-day remake when the cinematic trend was at its peak. Released in 2009 The Last House on the Left brought in a respectable $45 million on a $15 million budget. Praised as one of the better remakes of the era, Last House was watched over closely by Craven, his son Jonathan and original producer Sean S. Cunningham. However, despite its success, the film has been lacking somewhat in the home media department, with rather ho-hum releases and sparse features… But that’s all about to change.
On Friday May 26th Arrow Video revealed their stunning August release slate and the Last House remake is the title that’s got all the fans talking. The set will include the film in 4K UHD as well as standard blu-ray, and features the “Unrated” cut of the remake upgraded to Blu-ray quality for the first time.
Acting as a wonderful companion piece to Arrows impeccable release of the 1972 original, the set features newly commissioned artwork and a booklet detailing the remake’s journey to the big screen. Much like Arrow’s treatment of the original, the set is also loaded with brand-new extra features that are any physical media collector’s paradise.
The two-disc set includes: • Exclusive new filmed introduction by director Dennis Iliadis • Brand new audio commentary by David Flint and Adrian Smith • A River of Blood, a new 31-minute interview with Sara Paxton • The Notorious Krug, a new 27-minute interview with actor Garret Dillahunt • Suspending Disbelief, a new 18-minute interview with screenwriter Carl Ellsworth • Reviving the Legend, a new 33-minute interview with producer Jonathan Craven • Look Inside Featurette, from the films original 2009 release • Deleted scenes • Theatrical trailer • Image gallery The Last House on the Left upgrade set is available now for pre-order and will hit the shelves in August!
Disney reached its 7,000 layoffs goal, handing out notices to the remaining employees impacted in its third round of job cuts last Friday ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, Variety has confirmed.
The Mouse House’s target was to conclude these companywide layoffs, which focused most heavily on the media divisions and left the parks largely untouched, ahead of the summer.
The company still has plans to eliminate more roles internationally over a period of time, according to a source close to the situation, but Disney has now concluded the benchmark it set in February, soon after Iger’s return as CEO upon the ousting of Bob Chapek.
Iger announced a sweeping a cost-cutting strategy, with the first round of staff reductions begun March 27. The second wave, which brought Disney’s total to 4,000 cuts, hit the week of April 24, and the third and final concluded May 26.
The 7,000 layoffs — which represent 3.2% of Disney’s total headcount of about 220,000 worldwide as of Oct. 1, 2022 — are part of Disney’s efforts to achieve about $5.5 billion in cost savings. Of that, $2.5 billion represents “non-content costs” (including labor costs) and $1 billion of those targeted cost-reductions were already underway in February, Iger said. Disney is aiming for an annualized reduction of $3 billion in non-sports content costs, expected to be realized over the next several years.
The cuts come amid the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike and Disney’s move to pull content from its streaming platforms, and following Disney’s reorg into three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, headed by co-chairs Dana Walden and Alan Bergman; ESPN, led by Jimmy Pitaro; Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, led by Josh D’Amaro.
Actor Danny Masterson has been convicted on two criminal counts in his sexual assault retrial.
On Wednesday, Masterson was found guilty of two counts of forcible rape, per our sister site Variety. The jury was deadlocked on a third rape charge and did not reach a verdict.
Masterson, known for his work on That ’70s Show and The Ranch, was charged with three counts of rape by force or fear in June 2020, regarding separate incidents of sexual assault against three women that allegedly occurred at Masterson’s home between 2001 and 2003. Masterson pleaded not guilty to all three charges in 2021; in the wake of his conviction, the actor now faces a sentence of 30 years to life in prison.
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This was the second time Masterson was tried for sexual assault: A previous attempt to prosecute him ended in a mistrial last November, following more than a month of testimony and several days of jury deliberations. On Nov. 30, the jurors informed L.A. Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo that they were “deeply divided” and could not reach a verdict.
In 2017, Netflix fired Masterson from The Ranch after he was accused of raping four women in the early 2000s. During the show’s Part 5 finale, his character, Rooster Bennett, was threatened at gunpoint and forced to leave town; Rooster was later killed off in a freak motorcycle accident in Part 6.
“I am obviously very disappointed in Netflix’s decision to write my character off of The Ranch,” Masterson said in a statement at the time. “From Day 1, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit… In this country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused. I understand and look forward to clearing my name once and for all.”
Danny Masterson was found guilty on Wednesday of raping two women at his Los Angeles home in the early 2000s. But in a split verdict, the jury couldn’t reach a decision on another sexual assault charge.
The jurors, seven women and five men, convicted the That ’70s Show on forcible rape charges involving two women. They were split on a charge relating to ex-girlfriend Chrissie Carnell-Bixler, who has publicly identified herself as one of Masterson’s accusers, with most favoring guilty, eight to four.
Masterson, who was taken into custody, faces 30 years to life in prison.
The decision caps off a retrial in one of the most high-profile criminal cases of the #MeToo movement. The investigation into Masterson was initiated in 2017, when three women came forward with allegations around the same time Harvey Weinstein was publicly accused of sexually assaulting multiple women. In November, a mistrial was declared after the jury said they were deadlocked. Acquittal was favored on each of the charges: 10 to two, eight to four and seven to five.
The trial centered on accusations from three women who testified of violent rapes between 2001 and 2003. They detailed a pattern of Masterson inviting them to his Hollywood Hills home and giving them a drink that quickly made them feel overly intoxicated before the actor raped them. A fourth accuser, known as a “prior bad acts” witness whose allegations didn’t lead to charges, also testified that Masterson raped her in 2001 during a party when he was in the area filming Dracula 2000.
In one instance, Masterson allegedly dragged an accuser into a jacuzzi before she passed out. She said that she woke up on a bed to him penetrating her.
In a statement, Carnell-Bixler said she’s “encouraged that Danny Masterson will face some criminal punishment” but is “devastated that he has dodged criminal accountability for his heinous conduct against me.”
Jane Doe #2 similarly stressed in a statement that she’s “disappointed that he was not convicted on all counts.”
The Church of Scientology played a crucial role in the trial. Allegations against the church were allowed to be considered to explain why the accusers, all of whom are former Scientologists, didn’t contact law enforcement immediately after the alleged assaults. They testified that they feared being labeled a “suppressive person” within the church, which would lead to their expulsion and isolation from other members, and were told that the accusations would be internally handled.
The defense didn’t call any witnesses. Defense attorneys Phillip Cohen and Shawn Holley stressed discrepancies between police reports and testimony. They urged jurors to disregard evidence relating to Scientology. Masterson has maintained that he had consensual sex with his accusers.
He’s been excluded from the That ’70s Show sequel and was fired from Netflix comedy The Ranch in 2017 once the allegations surfaced.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo, who oversaw the trial, indicated she may further investigate the leaking of discovery material to the Church of Scientology. In May, a lawyer for the church emailed the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office challenging prosecutors’ portrayal of the group. The defense has denied that the leak came from them.
The accusers are also pursuing a civil case against the church, which has been paused until Masterson’s criminal proceedings are finished. They claim that they have been harassed by members after reporting their alleged rapes to law enforcement. Last year, the Supreme Court turned down a bid by the church to handle the case in arbitration.
Samantha Jones stans, your time has come. The best character (sorry it’s TRUE) from Sex and the City will appear on season two of And Just Like That…, and not just in text form.
Kim Cattrall is coming back.
Variety reported on May 31 that the fan favorite character will make her return in the season two finale—but only for one scene. And, per the report, “Cattrall’s appearance as Samantha will not be a continuation of the character for now.” (Sad.) Cattrall filmed her scene—a phone call with Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw—in New York on March 22. (For more on season two, click here.)
If you couldn’t help but wonder how this managed to happen, well, same. Because…let’s review all the reasons this wasn’t supposed to be possible.
During the original run of the series (1998-2004), there was reportedly tension between Cattrall and Parker. Parker and the other two main cast-members, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis, were apparently pretty close, and Cattrall was left out (reports differ on exactly how this played out). It probably didn’t help that while Carrie was the star, Samantha was the fan favorite. (Chris Noth has said that SJP was great on set…though Noth has since been accused of sexual misconduct, so, not the best endorsement).
Anyway, the group managed to pull it together for two movies (the first of which notably had Samantha in Los Angeles for much of the action, necessitating less on-set time with Parker and Cattrall together), with Cattrall reportedly holding up plans for a third because…well, depending on whom you ask, either she wanted more money or she just didn’t want to do it.
Then Cattrall’s brother passed away, Parker reached out, and Cattrall shut her down, perhaps the most public “evidence” of their feud. (A full drama recap can be found here)
For her part, Parker never seemed all that interested in bringing Kim Cattrall back, but left the door open…for Samantha. “There’s a very distinct line between Samantha and Kim. Samantha’s not gone. Samantha’s present, and I think was handled with such respect and elegance. She wasn’t villainized. She was a human being who had feelings about a relationship, so I think we found a way to address it, which was necessary and important for people that loved her,” she said.
On the show, her absence is explained by a move to Europe, though she’s still able to occasionally interact with Carrie via text message and, once, by sending flowers. Best of both worlds?
For several years now, Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program has supported a wide variety of projects: shorts, features, both narrative and nonfiction. Not to mention the occasional new media project, special event or advocacy initiative. Each month’s Fiscal Spotlight column announces three new projects taking part in the program.
But maybe you’re curious how some of those prior subjects have turned out. Well hey, you’re in luck! Once again it’s time for another FiSpo Update highlighting the recent achievements of previous Fiscal Spotlight subjects.
Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program opens the door to nonprofit funding for independent filmmakers and media artists. The projects and makers participating in the program express a uniqueness of vision, celebrate diversity and advance the craft of filmmaking through the creation of these special works. To see the full range of projects that are part of our program, visit our Sponsored Projects page.
For more information about any of our Film Independent programs (including Fiscal Sponsorship) and how to apply to them, please check out our upcoming Spotlight Your Story session with our Artist Development team on June 20.
MONICA
Project type: Narrative Feature
Project status: Theatrical Release (IFC Films)
Filmmakers: Andrea Pallaoro, Gina Resnick, Eleonora Granata, Christina Dow, Christina Sibul
Synopsis: Monica is the intimate portrait of a woman who returns home to the Midwest for the first time in 20 years to take care of her dying mother. Not certain her mother recognizes her and living in her childhood home, Monica must heal the wounds of the past and forge her own path of forgiveness and acceptance. Exploring the universal themes of aging and beauty, rejection and alienation, we are led into Monica’s world and state of mind: the pain, fear, needs and desires of a woman whose journey ultimately illuminates the human condition.
Update from the filmmakers: “We are so proud of this small, beautiful and hopefully impactful film. Monica is being released by IFC and opened in New York and Los Angeles the weekend of May 12. It opened nationwide a week later. It is one of the first films released theatrically in the US to center a transgender woman as its lead. Trace Lysette’s performance is stunning and has been critically acclaimed. Equally remarkable is indie icon Patricia Clarkson. Both have been tirelessly doing screenings, Q&A’s and press as we get the word out. It was truly a full-circle moment to screen the film at Film Independent Presents. One of the producers of Monica is a Film Independent Fellow and all of our producers are Film Independent Members. It was lovely and gratifying to see Daniel Cardone [Manager, Nonfiction Programs and Fiscal Sponsorship] onstage as our moderator for the post-screening Q&A. He had championed our film early on by including us in the Fiscal Sponsorship program, which allowed us different and meaningful ways to fundraise for emergencies outside of our budget–as well as the million-and-one additional expenses that pop up as you push the Sisyphean boulder up the hill to theatrical release. We hope you all show up to see our small and hopefully mighty film in theaters!”
HOLD YOU SO TIGHT
Project type: Narrative Short
Project status: Post-Production
Filmmakers: Eric Rudnick, Davey Robertson, Cameron Fife
Synopsis: We’re all feeling it. Despair. Loneliness. Hopelessness. Hold You So Tight channels all of our anxiety through a woman named Stephanie. As she tries to keep it together in a tele-therapy session over her phone, Stephanie reaches a decision point. Emerging from her car in the parking lot of a motel she heads to the appointment she’s made in Room 11. There, two men operate their traveling pop-up business Hold You So Tight, offering personalized hugs delivered by a homemade robot. Inside, Stephanie encounters the robot—and life may never be the same.
Update from the filmmakers: “Hold You So Tight wrapped filming in late April 2023. With 100+ years of experience on our crew, the teamwork was palpable—we shot thirteen pages in two days! In the weeks leading up to the shoot, stories about AI and ChatGPT started appearing daily, and continue to grab headlines. In relation to the themes of the film our timing was extremely fortunate. This brought a sharper focus to our script and an immediacy to our cast and crew, with everyone aware that we were capturing a story that was unfolding in real time. We are grateful to our generous donors, and are currently reaching out to robotics organizations and companies to share our vision of the film. Our leads Charisma Carpenter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel) and Kristina Wong (Sweatshop Overlord) gave portrayals that embodied not only our consumption of technology and our desire for healing, but also our addiction to the screens that deliver nearly everything to us. With its blend of tones including suspense, drama and comedy, we’re entering post-production with something to say about our strange new world. We’re looking forward to audiences experiencing what happens in this science fiction folktale, when low self-esteem meets high tech in Hold You So Tight.”
NECESSITY: A DOCUMENTARY IN TWO PARTS
Project Type: Two-part documentary series
Project Status: Release (Freestyle Digital Media)
Filmmakers: Jan Haaken, Samantha Praus
Synopsis: Necessity: A Documentary in Two Parts folds around activists and their use of the “necessity defense” in jury trials in different regions of the US after being charged with trespassing. Movement lawyers must show that the threat of the climate emergency justified these acts of civil disobedience and that there were no legal alternatives. From the Mississippi Headwaters, wild rice fields and Great Lakes in Part One to the rivers and mountains of the Columbia River Gorge in Part Two, awe-inspiring terrains are sites of coordinated resistance to corporate expansion of oil through pipelines, rail and terminals in getting their lethal products to market. As inspiring and hopeful as they are informative, the twp films show how creative alliances form around shared commitments to save the planet.
Update from the filmmakers: “Most of the production of Necessity II occurred during the pandemic, which brought practical challenges in carrying out interviews—challenges we were only able to address because of our deep community support. The team’s participatory method combined with the consultation process among Northwest tribes meant that tribal members serving as associate producers and advisors were key in pushing things along while also addressing other issues that arose. For example, filming the “She Who Watches” pictograph on tribal lands. Benefit events brought students, teachers and Indigenous and non-Indigenous activists together in discussions of legal tactics and lessons in climate activism. We were delighted to receive a number of awards at festivals, most recently the Documentary Feature Silver Award at the 2022 Social Justice Film Festival in Seattle. We’re so happy that Freestyle Digital Media picked up the series for distribution and released the films on major platforms in May 2023! For more information visit: our website.”
Learn more about Fiscal Sponsorship, including its benefits and eligibility requirements, by visiting our website. Check out our Sponsored Projects page to see the projects are currently being supported.
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The Biden administration on Wednesday announced $300 million in military aid for Ukraine, the latest package of weapons and other military equipment that the United States has been sending to Kyiv since the beginning of Russia’s invasion.
The package includes additional ammunition for drones and long-range artillery. It also includes additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems as well as munitions for other air defense systems, including Stingers, Avengers and Aim-7 systems, the Pentagon said in a statement, as Kyiv gears up for its long-anticipated offensive to try to push Russian forces back and defend against aerial attacks from Moscow.
The aid also includes other artillery support, anti-armor weaponry and tens of millions of rounds of small-arms ammunition, defense officials said.
Moscow came under a drone attack on Tuesday, a move which the Kremlin has blamed on Kyiv. A senior Ukrainian official said Kyiv was not “directly involved” in the assault, though it was “happy” to watch.
So far American officials say that no U.S.-made drones or munition have been used in attacks on Moscow. But the fact that the United States plans to send additional ammunition for Ukrainian drones shows how serious the Biden administration is about arming Ukraine in advance of the counteroffensive, a Pentagon official said on Wednesday. The air defense munitions in the shipment also suggest that the United States is seeking to give Ukraine an advantage amid continuing strikes from Moscow.
The Pentagon did not specify which unmanned systems were being bolstered with the drone munitions in the aid package. The United States has given Ukraine both surveillance and attack drones in the past year, but officials have been reluctant to publicly describe exactly which systems have been sent.
The package brings the amount of security assistance to Ukraine from the United States since Russia invaded in February last year to $37.6 billion, the Pentagon said.
“This authorization is the Biden administration’s 39th drawdown of equipment from D.O.D. inventories for Ukraine since August 2021,” the Pentagon statement said, referring to the Defense Department’s supplies. “It includes key capabilities to support Ukraine’s air defenders as they bravely protect Ukraine’s soldiers, civilians, and critical infrastructure amid Russia’s continuing airstrikes killing civilians across Ukraine.”
John F. Kirby, a White House spokesman, said Wednesday that the administration would keep up the weapons shipments through the rest of the fiscal year, which ends in the fall. “
As for when the administration would need to go to Congress for more money for Ukraine, Mr. Kirby said that “we’ve got some time to figure that out.”
This story about “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” first appeared in The Race Begins issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
The trial of Alex Murdaugh, the South Carolina former lawyer now convicted of murdering his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul, captivated true-crime audiences in real-time as it played out in early 2023, with no less than four documentary series popping up in the last few months, all looking to unravel how a prominent Southern family could fall from grace in such a brutal fashion. Among them is Netflix’s “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal,” a three-part documentary series that opted to orient its story not with the 2021 double-murder, but rather with a mysterious boat accident that took place two years earlier.
“Looking at the story as a whole, the more you started getting into it, the crazier it got,” executive producer and showrunner Michael Gasparro said. “Every time, the boat was the moment that shined a light on all these other crimes. So without the boat, would we have known about Alex?”
The accident in question saw a heavily intoxicated Paul Murdaugh, then 19, crash his family’s boat into a bridge, causing injuries to several of his friends on board and killing fellow passenger Mallory Beach. In the direct aftermath of the accident, the actions of Alex and the greater Murdaugh family began to raise questions in the small town of Hampton, South Carolina, about the undue influence the family appeared to have on the legal proceedings.
The docuseries is full of accounts from individuals who report shady behavior they witnessed firsthand, including Beach’s family. But perhaps no voice is as vital to the greater narrative of “Murdaugh Murders” than that of Morgan Doughty, Paul’s ex-girlfriend, who had spent extensive time with the Murdaughs and could speak about their behavior with candor.
Alex Murdaugh, Morgan Doughty, Paul Murdaugh and Maggie Murdaugh
“Morgan’s an amazing character and was the glue for our series,” Gasparro said. “It’s a funny story: You’re reaching out to these people in a very vulnerable time, and I reached out a couple of ways and ended up going through a lawyer. But initially, I sent an Instagram DM to (Morgan) and the first thing she said to me was ‘Fuck off.’ That was the intro to Morgan. She’s a tough cookie, but a really soft-center kind of person.”
After the boat accident, scrutiny of the Murdaugh family increased, bringing to light several suspicious deaths and rampant drug use by Alex, in addition to accusations that he had embezzled $8 million from the 100-year-old family law firm that was an institution in the low country of South Carolina. “The history of these four generations of solicitors had shocking elements because of their level of power and control,” said executive producer Julia Willoughby Nason, who also directed three of the six episodes. (Jenner Furst directed the rest.) “They had a civil law firm and they were criminal prosecutors, so they held the crime and civil law across many counties for all those years.”
With “Murdaugh Murders” debuting on Netflix on February 22, 2023, just over a week before Alex was found guilty, the creators were in a unique situation. “Julie and I watched, I think, probably the entire trial,” Gasparro said. “It’s surreal that you’re living with these characters while making this and then you’re actually seeing all these people that you’ve just told the story about. We were texting back and forth and watching it. I don’t think we knew how big the trial was going to be, but then you have O.J. tweeting about it. And it’s like, this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime things. It was wild.”
Another major feature film has seen its production brought to a halt, at least temporarily, amid picketing related to the ongoing WGA strike. TheWrap has confirmed that “Unstoppable,” starring Jennifer Lopez and Jharrel Jerome, paused early Wednesday amid picketing at their location near University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
It is not known whether the Artists Equity production will resume shooting Thursday. This is just the latest mid-production feature to have its schedule halted due to picketers, as Aziz Ansari’s “Good Fortune” was one of the first such films to be brought to a standstill two weeks ago.
The true-story drama “Unstoppable” features Jerome — Emmy winner for Ava DeVurnay’s acclaimed Netflix miniseries “When They See Us” — as Anthony Robles. Robles was a three-time All-American wrestler born with one leg who nonetheless won a national championship at Arizona State. Robles retired from the sport in the early 2010s and has served as a commentator for NCAA wrestling since 2012. Lopez, most recently seen in Netflix’s actioner “The Mother,” will play his mother.
The feature, directed by William Goldenberg, is Artists Equity’s second film following the Ben Affleck-directed “Air.” That sports business underdog story, chronicling how Nike became a titan in the shoe industry by betting on then-rookie Michael Jordan, played theatrically earlier this year and grossed $90 million worldwide. Amazon acquired the film for $130 million. There is no official word as to whether “Unstoppable” will end up at Amazon or elsewhere.
“Air,” starring Affleck, Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Jason Bateman and Chris Tucker, was edited by Goldberg while “Unstoppable” will mark his directorial debut. The longtime editor has a resume spanning from “Alive” in 1993 to “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” opening globally next weekend. He has previously cut several Michael Mann films — including “Heat” and “The Insider” — as well as four out of five previous Affleck directorial efforts (Dylan Tichenor cut “The Town”).
There is some irony in the WGA strikers targeting a film produced by Affleck and Damon’s company, which sells itself as a firm proponent of below-the-line profit participation. However, in any war, there are comparatively innocent bystanders as well as conflicts among parties with relatively shared interests.
Welcome to Popcast (Deluxe), a new weekly video show hosted by Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli that breaks down essential pop culture. This week’s episode includes segments on:
Differences Between Disney Movie Vs. Original Stories
It’s no secret that a lot of Disney’s most famous movies are based on fairy tales they didn’t originally write.
Our Disney heroes often ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after — but what exactly has been missed from the picture-perfect tale we see on screen?
So, here are several things that happened in the original fairytales, stories, and more that didn’t make it into the Disney movies:
1.
First, the story The Little Mermaid is based on, titledDen Lille Havfrueby Hans Christian Andersen, one of the biggest changes is that when the little mermaid is given her legs by the sea witch, it feels like knives are impaling her feet every time she walks. Oh, and if she doesn’t win over the prince, she’ll turn into sea foam and die.
2.
In the original story of Mulan, her parents are totally in on the plan for Mulan to replace her father in the war.
3.
The story Frozen is based on has a lot of similarities, but there’s a character called Kai who isn’t really replicated in Disney’s version
4.
Disney’s Hercules had Hera as a loving mother, but the OG myth saw Hera on a mission to kill him.
5.
The Evil Queen tried to eat Snow White in the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs story.
6.
In Disney’s version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Queen only tries to kill Snow once after the huntsman fails, but in the Brothers Grimm version, she attempts it three times.
7.
Also in the original Snow White, the prince didn’t awaken Snow White with true love’s kiss, he just bought her corpse and carried it with him everywhere he went.
8.
In the original Cinderella story, one of Cinderella’s step-sisters cuts off her toes to try and fit into the slipper for the prince.
9.
In the original Sleeping Beauty, the princess is dead, and the king impregnates her corpse.
10.
Also in the original Sleeping Beauty fairytale, the princess’s newborns accidentally resurrect their mother when some fairies teach them how to breastfeed wrong, and then there’s even a storyline where they try to cook and eat the children.
11.
There’s a lot more death in the original Hunchback of Notre Dame, but one of the big ones is the original book follows a character named Pierre Gringoire, not Quasimodo.
12.
In the original Rapunzel story, after Rapunzel doesn’t come to see the prince following her stepmother finding out about them, he leaps from the tower and is blinded by thorns.
13.
The original story of Aladdin has two genies, and Aladdin is motivated by greed, instead of his love for Jasmine.
14.
In the original story of The Beauty and the Beast, Belle, who is actually named Beauty, arrives at the Beast’s castle and he basically treats her like royalty.
15.
Also, in Disney’s version of Beauty and the Beast, Belle’s father’s potentially tragic fate forces Belle back home, but the original sees Beauty get bored of living the high life and she asks to visit her family as she’s so homesick.
16.
Unlike Disney’s Pocahontas, Pocahontas likely never had a romance with John Smith, and the marriage she did have was not a case of star-crossed lovers bridging two cultures.
Which other Disney films have significant differences from their origin stories? Let me know in the comments!
This Ken is not taking any crap from haters who disapprove of his casting in “Barbie.”
In a new interview, Ryan Gosling fired back at alleged zoomers (members of Gen Z) who deemed him “too old” to play Barbie’s beach-loving beau on social media. The 42-year-old actor stars in the highly anticipated Greta Gerwig film alongside Margot Robbie, 32.
“It is funny … this kind of clutching-your-pearls idea of, like, #notmyken,” Gosling told GQ in a cover story published Wednesday. “Like you ever thought about Ken before this?
“If people don’t want to play with my Ken, there are many other Kens to play with,” he added.
Though the buzzy posters for “Barbie” describe Gosling’s role as “just Ken,” the dazzling movie trailers and the actor’s passion for his character suggest there is more to Ken than meets the eye.
“Suddenly, it’s like, ‘No, we’ve cared about Ken this whole time,’” Gosling continued.
“No, you didn’t. You never did. You never cared. Barbie never f— with Ken. That’s the point. If you ever really cared about Ken, you would know that nobody cared about Ken. So your hypocrisy is exposed. This is why his story must be told.”
As more details about and hype for “Barbie” have emerged, a handful of people online have expressed the unpopular opinion that Gosling has aged out of the Ken demographic. A recent New York Post headline identified Gosling’s detractors as “Gen Z ‘Barbie’ fans”; however, their ages are not immediately clear from their social media profiles.
“ryan gosling is too ugly and too old to be playing ken, they should’ve casted henry cavill or chris evans bye,” one person tweeted. (For the record, Cavill is 40 and Evans is 41.)
“I like Ryan Gosling but idk why he looks a little too old and dry,” another person tweeted. “Not sure if it’s because of the hair or tan but he needed some moisturizer.”
For what it’s worth, the product description for Mattel’s Ken 60th Anniversary Doll — celebrating Ken’s 1961 debut — does not specify how old Barbie’s original boyfriend was intended to be. And the majority of “Barbie” enthusiasts seem to be in favor of Gosling portraying Ken — defending the two-time Oscar nominee’s signature good looks and acting chops.
“I care about this dude now,” Gosling told GQ. “I’m like his representative. ‘Ken couldn’t show up to receive this award, so I’m here to accept it for him.’”
Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Barbie” opens in theaters July 21.
Look out for the little guy! Ant-Man is back with the whole family, in their biggest adventure yet! Join Scott, Hope, Hank, Janet, and Cassie as they take audiences deeper than ever before into the Quantum Realm – and face off against the all-powerful Kang the Conqueror.
Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is now available on Blu-ray, and if you’re adding the newly released movie to your collection find a printable cover above! Marvel Comic artists Eduard Petrovich, Valerio Schiti, and Marte Garcia’s all-new artwork is available to add to download and print now.
In Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Super Heroes Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and The Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible. Directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Kevin Feige, p.g.a. and Stephen Broussard, p.g.a., Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania also stars Jonathan Majors as Kang, David Dastmalchian as Veb, Katy O’Brian as Jentorra, William Jackson Harper as Quaz and Bill Murray as Lord Krylar.
Bonus Features*
Gag Reel
Take a look at some of the fun outtakes on set with the cast and crew of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Audio Commentary
Watch the film with audio commentary by director Peyton Reed and writer Jeff Loveness.
Featurettes
All in the Family – Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly and Michelle Pfeiffer discuss the complex layers and secrets – yet incredibly strong bond of this heroic family.
Formidable Foes – Discover how Jonathan Majors, Bill Murray and Corey Stoll bring gravitas to the villains of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Learn more about how Kang brings a Thanos-level threat to this adventure and the larger MCU.
Deleted Scenes
Drink The Ooze – Upon entering the Quantum Realm, Scott Lang nervously drinks the ooze.
I Have Holes – Veb expresses great excitement when he discovers he finally has holes.
Grant Gustin fans are reacting to The Flash movie director’s recent comments about how no one can play Barry Allen besides Ezra Miller. The fastest man alive is about to return to the big screen this summer with The Flash, a DC Universe film that was put into development all the way back in 2014. With Miller back as The Flash, the film will explore the larger multiverse and be a loose adaptation of DC’s Flashpoint saga.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAYSCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
However, a recent statement by The Flash movie director has caused some friction online with fans of Gustin’s Flash. Andy Muschietti stated that if a sequel to The Flash were to happen, no one could replace Miller as The Flash. This caused strong reactions from Gustin fans, as they shared the following about the filmmaker’s statement:
While it’s highly unlikely that Muschietti meant any ill will against Gustin, it is understandable why his comments have received backlash. This is coming right after The Flash series finale aired on The CW, which wrapped up the Arrowverse, a franchise that has been going on longer than the DCEU. Gustin, out of any Arrowverse star, has starred the longest in the franchise, including having a TV show that ran for nine seasons.
To a generation, Gustin has become synonymous with The Flash, as his show and performance will forever stay with the character’s media legacy. Muschietti’s comments are also, understandably so, upsetting given that Gustin and Miller’s Flashes have even interacted on-screen, thanks to Arrowverse’s Crisis on Infinite Earths. But the fact that the filmmaker’s comments came out barely a week after The Flash series finale, the timing couldn’t have been worse.
It also probably didn’t help that he made this statement after revealing that they couldn’t even work in a cameo with Gustin’s version of the character in The Flash movie when he is the one actor who makes the most sense to show up. Hopefully, Muschietti will clarify his comments and acknowledge the fact that Gustin just spent a decade portraying The Flash. Regardless if The Flash director comes out with any follow-up comments, Gustin’s legacy will always live on, with the entire series available to relive on Netflix and home release.
With Honkai: Star Rail being one of Hoyoverse’s largest successes so far, it should come as no one’s surprise that with a drop comes a flood of leaks. Within a matter of days, the community would reveal the lineup of characters for the next few banners and a few more days later would drop around 30 characters that were eluded to being playable later.
Because these leaks are still unreliable and with Hoyoverse in the know, they are surely bound to change so, for once, I’ll refrain from talking about all of the characters that came spilling out from the woodworks of Honkai: Star Rail. But, we did get a bit more information about a completely new character as well as confirmation for another that I’ve been looking forward to ever since spotting them amongst the many that were released a month ago.
Huo Huo of Honkai: Star Rail
“My biggest concern is why is she holding a box cutter–“
This adorable little vision is Huo Huo, a young girl who strongly resembles Sucrose from Genshin Impact. Because she hasn’t been revealed in the story as of yet, there isn’t a lot that we know about her aside from what we can garner from her art. Probably belonging to the Luofu, Huo Huo is surrounded by little paper spirits that are often used in exorcising or summoning. So we can assume that perhaps she has some sort of spiritual affiliation.
When it comes to what we can look forward to in terms of build, Huo Huo is going to be a Five-Star Wind Pathfinder of Abundance. So this shy little sprite is going to be a healer! Which may be an interesting and funny animation if she’s going to be healing us with the power of spirits or ghosts.
Argenti of Honkai: Star Rail
“They pretty.”
This character actually came out of nowhere and I don’t think anyone is certain as to which gender they are. What we do know is that they are a knightly presence and somehow… that doesn’t answer any questions as to where they belong! Belabog does have their guardians, but they don’t quite wear armor in quite the way that Argenti is wearing their armor. It’s not depicted to have any ice or crystals attached to them. They could be part of the Xianzhou, but once again, their aesthetics don’t quite match what we’ve seen from characters that hail from the ship so far.
Argenti just may be a character who is lined up to appear randomly or in a new world that we will be exploring. As for their build, Argenti will have the Physical Element and be a Pathfinder of Erudition. It’ll be exciting to see what type of fighting style they bring to the lineup since Erudition characters excel at follow-up attacks and additional attacks, so perhaps they’ll do a type of parry or counter when it comes to being attacked.
These characters haven’t even been hinted at in the game, so I would take any speculation on my part with a grain of salt. Leaks are wishy-washy because they are subject to change, but it does cause excitement when they are revealed since it gives you a sense of what to look forward to in Honkai: Star Rail. To keep up to date with other revelations and news, check out the Honkai: Star Rail tag just below this article and, as always, Happy Trailblazing!
The two-disc set includes:
