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This time, it takes a while for Tom Cruise and the audience to get a hang of it. By the time Ethan Hunt is hanging from the plane for his (and civilization’s) dear life, the scriptwriters (Christopher McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen) have finally decided to stop faffing around.

A large part of the throbbing procedure here is faffing—suave, sleek, sexy faffing, but faffing nonetheless. In how many ways and how many times will Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt save the world before he needs to save himself?

Cruise, still insanely handsome, has begun to look rough around the edges. His performance is also redolent of fatigue, much like the Indian superstar Salman Khan, except for the fact—and this is the clincher—Cruise still does the heart-in-the-mouth stunts himself.

The airborne peccadillo at the cliffhanging climax is incontrovertibly quixotic, much in the way that boys’ battery-operated toys are.

Rick and Morty Season Eight will premiere on May 25th, which gives us ample time to wildly speculate on the future of high-concept sci-fi rigamarole.

It’s been 16 months since the most recent episode of Rick and Morty aired, and although the wait has been a long one, at least this off-season was decidedly less eventful than the last one when the show’s most toxic fans melted down over the removal of a certain disgraced co-creator. Since we last saw Rick and Morty in the main series, we suffered through Rick and Morty: The Anime, Dan Harmon released absolutely zero promising updates on The Community Movie and both Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden enjoyed their quiet break between recording sessions with minimal hate mail.

Then, this morning, Adult Swim released the newest official trailer for Rick and Morty Season Eight, a teaser that’s filled with hints and reveals for upcoming episode plot lines.

From AI to webtoons to advertising and distribution innovations, the discussions featured Jan. 8 at the annual Variety Entertainment Summit at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas ran the gamut of hot topics driving the business of media and entertainment.

The daylong conference opened with a panel of top programming executives who weighed in on the big shifts in streaming content and the business focus of major networks and platforms.

Beatrice Springborn, president of NBCUniversal’s UCP and Universal International Studios, cited “the new normal” of commissioning and production volume following 2023’s actors and writers strikes and the wave of consolidation among media giants.

“There is an adjustment from the peak TV era where we’re not making hundreds and hundreds of shows. There’s more of a focus on what I’d say is Marquee TV,” she said. One welcome development she cited was the fact that networks and...

To set the record straight, Raj-dk’s Indian avatar of the Citadel streaming on Amazon Prime Video is vastly superior to its original American franchise. And yes, the bright young Kashvi Majumdar who plays Nadia, the character in this prequel who grows up to be Priyanka Chopra in The Citadel, is as good an actress as Priyanka.

Citadel : Honey Bunny is a lesson casual tautness.

Clambering assuredly into the Citadel franchise, Raj and Dk along with their regular script enhancer Sita Menon,deliver a bolt from the brew: the crazily speedy concoction is heady and always steady on its feet.

Many a times, I felt the narration would topple over under the burden of risky briskness. Somehow ,the plot is pinned to a position of unwavering steadiness even when the characters stand on shaky ground.Simran and Sikandar Kher play underdeveloped characters but never allow you to feel their inadequacies.

Tara Strong's Miss Minutes became an instant hit with fans when she first appeared in Loki season 1, but it was the finale's jump scare in The Citadel at the End of Time which left a lasting impression. 

Established as a villain serving He Who Remains, the Time Variance Authority's mascot became a full-blown antagonist in season 2 and went off the deep end when she confessed her love to Victor Timely. Created by Kang as his A.I. assistant, Miss Minutes eventually turned on her master but was then reset by O.B. and essentially restored to factory settings. 

We last saw her back to helping out the Tva, though there were still some questions about whether she could be trusted. With Mr. Paradox going into business for himself in Deadpool & Wolverine, there was no sign of Miss Minutes there...a shame when you think about how fun those character interactions would have been!

Immortan Joe's son, Corpus Colossus, is notably absent from Furiosa due to the actor's untimely death in 2018. George Miller chose to honor Quentin Kenihan's memory by not recasting the role in the prequel film. Furiosa pays tribute to Quentin Kenihan in the end credits, along with other performers who contributed to the franchise.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga features many familiar faces from Mad Max: Fury Road, but one original character is still absent from the movie's story for a devastating reason. Since Furiosa: A Mad Max serves as a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, it was expected to include several settings and characters from the 2015 George Miller movie. While some of these returning characters, like the titular Furiosa and Immortan Joe, play prominent roles in the prequel film, others, like Organic Mechanic and Valkyrie, only make brief appearances.

Surprisingly, Mad Max, too, has a cameo in the film,...

George Miller’s epic Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is now playing in theatres. It’s the latest entry into the definitive post-apocalyptic saga of our time and a series that minted Mel Gibson as a global superstar, transformed Charlize Theron into an action heroine, and seems poised to do the same for Anya Taylor-Joy. In my opinion, there’s never been a bad Mad Max film, as they’re all quite different in tone and technique, although we all have our favorite. So, here’s our JoBlo list of Mad Max movies ranked from worst to best!

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985):

The only PG-13 entry in the saga, this movie has scenes that seem shocking for how cheesy they are in the context of the series. The two movies that came before this pushed the boundaries of their R-ratings, so I’m not sure what kind of...

Immortan Joe's main goal was to sire a full-life male heir, leading him to have multiple wives and children in both Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Mad Max: Fury Road. Immortan Joe had at least 16 wives and 7 children in the Mad Max movies, though they allude to him having even more. Most of Immortan Joe's family met terrible ends, with many of his children killed and his wives turned into Milk Mothers.

A central part of Immortan Joe's character and goals in the Mad Max franchise was his obsession with siring a full-life male heir, which caused him to have multiple wives and children. Immortan Joe led the War Boys in Mad Max: Fury Road, and he served as the Wasteland's primary tyrant. He was also one of the few returning characters from Fury Road in Furiosa, which has given him a more lasting legacy than most Mad Max villains.

Almost nine years to the day since Mad Max: Fury Road premiered in Cannes, George Miller returns to the Croisette with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. It’s a deafening roar of a film, full of the same improbable vehicles and breathless pursuits through the director’s signature dystopian outback, though now told through a lens that can feel a bit slick at times. It tells the story of how Imperator Furiosa (immortalized by Charlize Theron in 2015 and gamely reinterpreted here by Alyla Browne and Anya Taylor-Joy) came to be, tracking her journey from childhood and the Place of Abundance––an Edenic oasis of renewable energy and worrying red apples––to hardened warrior in the wastelands of Bullet Farm, Gastown, and The Citadel of Immortan Joe. The concerns that met the trailer––suggesting Miller had traded in his predecessor’s practical effects for CGI––are, I’m sorry to say,...

Star Wars: The Clone Wars was first released in 2008 and quickly became a fan-favorite series among Star Wars enthusiasts. Executive producer George Lucas did an outstanding job providing additional context and depth to his Star Wars characters, and The Clone Wars also picked up on some fascinating planets and storylines.

With Season 7 of The Clone Wars being released in 2020, the action-packed TV Show has finally ended and left viewers with more than a bitter-sweet end to the stories of Captain Rex, Anakin Skywalker, and Ahsoka Tano. As an addition, George Lucas left fans of the series with some memorable quotes that affected characters and viewers of the series alike.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on January 21, 2024: Over fifteen years after the show's debut, Star Wars: The Clone Wars remains one of the most popular installments in the long-running sci-fi series. Filled with countless memorable characters, arcs, and iconic moments, The...

Priyanka Chopra is getting real about motherhood.

In a new interview with People, the 41-year-old Love Again actress opened up about raising her and Nick Jonas‘ daughter, Malti Marie.

Keep reading to find out what she said…

When asked if being a mom ever gets overwhelming, Priyanka was frank. “I think every day,” she told the magazine.

She elaborated, “I think when you put them to bed, it’s extremely overwhelming because every single day you worry about what you can do wrong and what mistake you might make. But you have to check yourself, and I check myself with my family.”

Despite some stressful moments, it sounds like motherhood is going really well for the actress.

“I look at [my daughter's] smile, and I’m like, ‘Okay, okay. I’m doing good so far,’ ” she said. “It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s extremely scary.”

The Citadel...

If India ever had a star, it was Dev Anand. He was the mould in which subsequent generations of stars were cast. Dev Anand was born Dharamdev on September 26, 1923, in the Shakargarh tehsil of Gurdaspur district of Punjab. His father Pishori Lal Anand was a successful advocate and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Dev, the third of four brothers, graduated with English Honours from Government College, Lahore. He moved over to Bombay to join his older brother Chetan, who was trying to get a break in films.

Both brothers got involved in the progressive Indian People’s Theatre Association (Ipta). Chetan made ‘Neecha Nagar’ in 1946 and went on to win the Grand Prix at the inaugural Cannes film festival.

Dev told me that when he heard that Babu Rao Pai of Prabhat Film Studios was casting for a new film, he literally gatecrashed into his office and got the lead...

If India ever had a star, it was Dev Anand. He was the mould in which subsequent generations of stars were cast. Dev Anand was born Dharamdev on September 26, 1923, in the Shakargarh tehsil of Gurdaspur district of Punjab. His father Pishori Lal Anand was a successful advocate and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Dev, the third of four brothers, graduated with English Honours from Government College, Lahore. He moved over to Bombay to join his older brother Chetan, who was trying to get a break in films.

Both brothers got involved in the progressive Indian People’s Theatre Association (Ipta). Chetan made ‘Neecha Nagar’ in 1946 and went on to win the Grand Prix at the inaugural Cannes film festival.

Dev told me that when he heard that Babu Rao Pai of Prabhat Film Studios was casting for a new film, he literally gatecrashed into his office and got the lead...

Where to Watch Powered by Furiosa's role in Mad Max: Fury Road had many fans wondering why she wasn't one of Immortan Joe's breeders. However, the reason for this is that Furiosa can't have children. Furiosa's popularity as a character led to a prequel film being announced, which may finally explain how she became an imperator in Immortan Joe's society. The Furiosa prequel is expected to delve into Furiosa's time in The Citadel and provide insight into her history as one of Immortan Joe's war captains.

Furiosa is one of the main characters in Mad Max: Fury Road, and her role in the film has caused many to wonder why Charlize Theron's character wasn't one of Immortan Joe's breeders. Considering Furiosa's position in the franchise's story, it would have made sense for her to be a breeder, with her being heavily involved in Immortan Joe's post-apocalyptic society. However, there...

Stanley Tucci is opening up about his 2017 oral cancer diagnosis and whom he thanks for helping him get through the tough times.

The Citadel actor recently told Willie Geist on Sunday Sitdown that “it was terrifying” when he first learned he had the disease.

Tucci said he and his late wife, Kate Spath-Tucci, “traveled all over the world trying to find a cure for her” before she died from breast cancer in 2009. “So when I got it, I was completely shocked,” he explained. “I was terrified, absolutely terrified.”

The Oscar-nominated actor previously said he was diagnosed when a tumor was found at the base of his tongue, which “was too big to operate” on, leaving “high-dose radiation and chemo” as his only option.

Although he was grateful that the cancer hadn’t spread, he said the “brutal” and “awful” treatments he had to undergo greatly impacted his diet.

“I lost 35 pounds,...

The Citadel(Amazon Prime)

Finally, a global shero from Asia to give Gal Gadot a run for her money!Priyanka Chopra Jonas does some heavy lifting in the eagerly awaited Citadel. The six-episode screen -shattering Bourne-like thriller flaunts sinewy action sequences that seem the core of the conflict.

Hence the larger suspense; which came first? The idea of an action suspense thriller blending the bustling immediacy of Robert Ludlum with the here-today-gone-tomorrow sheepish espionage from the James Bond series? Or the plot which is heavy with intrigue, some of it unnecessary.

A long lingering look at the first two episodes reveals a show that is high on thrills, but a tad too self-important.

I wish the characters were not so self-absorbed. Both Mason Kane(Madden) and Nadia(Priyanka) seem more in love with themselves than with the idea of saving the world from a rogue organization named Manticore. The two...

James Bond casting director Debbie McWilliams recently rebuffed rumors regarding future 007 stars. Introduced in 1953 by author Ian Fleming, Bond charmed the world in the franchise's first feature film Dr. No starring Sean Connery as the MI6 agent. In the following six decades, Bond featured in 25 Eon films and has been portrayed by six actors. With Daniel Craig concluding his five-film run with No Time to Die, speculation has begun regarding who will become the next 007.

Speaking with RadioTimes, McWilliams rebuffed 007 casting rumors, claiming recent speculation makes her "die laughing." Serving as the franchise's casting director since 1981's For Your Eyes Only, McWilliams admitted she avoids discussion surrounding Eon's choice for the next Bond. She also gives a disappointing update regarding 007 casting, stating that producer Barbara Broccoli is busy with other projects and has yet to have the conversation with McWilliams. Read what she said below:

I...

Prime Video has released the first trailer for "Citadel," its long-gestating spy action thriller series, executive produced by Joe and Anthony Russo and starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. All four creatives were on hand with showrunner David Weil for a virtual press conference, which doubled as a trailer launch event, live from Los Angeles today.

It's been a long road for "Citadel" to the small screen, and along the way, the series has racked up one of the biggest budgets of any TV show ever made. This is nothing new for Prime Video, which also spent almost half a billion dollars on season 1 of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power." However, "Citadel" is attempting to create a new global franchise, with this first seven-episode series, led by Madden and Chopra, kicking off a slate of international spin-offs set in places like India, Italy, and Mexico.

Robert Donat snagged an Oscar for this sentimental crowdpleaser, a Best Picture nominee in Hollywood’s ‘Golden Year’ of 1939. The genteel chemistry between Donat’s shy schoolteacher and the charming personality Greer Garson broke hearts, and made Ms. Garson one of MGM’s top names for the next decade. It’s one of the studio’s English productions, filmed in the shadow of the coming war. A glowing new digital restoration redeems 70 years of not-so-good TV prints.

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1939 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 115 min. / Street Date January 24, 2023 / Available at Amazon.com/ 21.99

Starring: Robert Donat, Greer Garson, Terry Kilburn, John Mills, Paul Henreid, Judith Furse.

Cinematography: Freddie Young

Art Director: Alfred Junge

Film Editor: Charles Frend

Original Music: Richard Addinsell

Written by R.C. Sherriff, Claudine West, Eric Maschwitz from the novel by James Hilton

Produced by Victor Saville

Directed by Sam Wood

No, it’s not about the terrible Chips Ahoy!

Appointment watching is back Sunday nights with the debut season of HBO’s “House of the Dragon,” a prequel series to “Game of Thrones.”

The two fantasy dramas don’t have any of the same characters, but they are deeply connected both behind the scenes – with “Thrones” series author George R.R. Martin serving as a co-creator and executive producer of this series, and Miguel Sapochnik, a veteran “Thrones” director, now the co-showrunner of this show (alongside Ryan Condal) — and through the ancient family Houses that make up the cast of characters.

Here are a few things to remember before watching the first episode of “House of the Dragon” (check back weekly for further updates as we learn more about the show):

Also Read:

‘House of the Dragon’ Cast and Character Guide: Who’s Who in the ‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel? House Targaryen: The Main “Dragon” Characters Are Daenerys’ Ancestors...

We're entering the last quarter of this film-light year. But we're still finding things to talk about. We hope you enjoyed all the Emmy and 1938 coverage, and (currently ongoing) Oscar predictions and NYFF coverage. Here's a look back at September at the blog...

10 You Shouldn't Miss

• Nomadland at Venice ...and at NYFF Elisa and Murtada both react

• The Wolf of Wall Street Quaaludes, man

• John Cazale in Dog Day Afternoon was this the closest he came to an Oscar nod?

• The Human Voice - Pedro and Tilda wow in short film form

• Fred & Ginger, Ranked Cláudio ranks their 10 musical pairings

• Handmaid's Tale during a pandemic Juan Carlos gets personal about why it's his favourite show ever

• 1938's Best Pictures a ranking from The Citadel to Robin Hood

• Yes No Maybe So: Dune the sci-fi epic gets another adaptation

• The Furniture: Doctor Zhivago what a way to kick off '65 coverage...

Ben Cross, best known for his portrayal of British Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in “Chariots of Fire” and Sarek in the 2009 “Star Trek” reboot, died on Aug. 18. He was 72.

Cross wrapped his last role as Cardinal Mathews in Lionsgate’s “The Devil’s Light” ten days ago. The veteran screen and stage star died Tuesday in Vienna following a short illness, his agent Ed Smith confirmed to Variety.

Cross was born Harry Bernard Cross in London in 1947. He began acting at a young age, participating in grammar school productions, but left school to work as a window cleaner, waiter and carpenter.

His career took a turn at age 22, when he was accepted into London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Cross graduated with the acting school’s prestigious Vanbrugh prize for performance of the year and made his screen debut on a 1976 World War II thriller “A Bridge Too Far.”

His...

Veteran English actor Ben Cross, whose many roles include playing Sarek in J. J. Abrams' 2009 Star Trek reboot, has sadly passed away. Reportedly, the performer died after a short illness on Tuesday in Vienna, and there are little other details about his passing. According to the German publication Kurier, he had been in town for treatment after being diagnosed with cancer. He was 72 years old.

Born Harry Bernard Cross, the veteran performer came into this world in 1947. From an early age, he began performing in grammar school plays, catching the acting bug at the start of his life. At the age of 22, he was accepted into London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts to further hone his craft. Based on his great work, Cross was awarded the academy's Vanbrugh prize for performance of the year. This led to significant stage roles, making it just a matter of time before Cross would appear in movies and television.

Ben Cross, the English actor best known for his portrayal of the British Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in the 1981 Best Picture Oscar winner Chariots of Fire and as Sarek in the 2009 reboot Star Trek, died today in Vienna after a short illness. He was 72.

The veteran stage and screen star’s family confirmed the news to Deadline.

Cross was born Harry Bernard Cross in London in 1947 to a working-class family. He began acting at a young age, participating in grammar school plays, but left school to work as a window cleaner, waiter, joiner and carpenter before being accepted into London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts at age 22. He excelled at Rada and won the acting school’s prestigious Vanbrugh Prize for performance of the year. He would go on to claim a string of key stage roles and made his big-screen debut on 1977 World War II epic A Bridge Too Far.

Exclusive: WME has signed Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K, the writer-director-producer team that is now creating the Indian version of Citadel, the Russo Brothers and Midnight Radio’s in-the-works global thriller franchise for Amazon.

On the film side, they recently wrote and produced the horror comedy Stree, which was a box office success in India. Other movie credits include writing and directing the zombie comedy Go Goa Gone, crime drama Shor in the City and 99.

The duo also co-created The Family Man, the Amazon series that tells the story of a middle-class man who secretly works as a spy for a branch of the National Investigation Agency while also dealing with a wife and two kids. It’s been renewed for Season 2.

The Citadel franchise is described as action-packed spy series with a compelling emotional center. The mothership U.S. series from Joe and Anthony Russo is being toplined...

“If I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die historic on the Fury Road!”

Mad Max Fury Road, the best movie of the 21st century so far, screens midnights this weekend (August 31st and September 1st) at The Tivoli Theater as part of their ‘Reel Late at The Tivoli’ Midnight Series.

Thirty years after writer/director George Miller led us all to believe his Mad Max franchise had run out of gas with Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, he resurrected the Road Warrior with a larger budget, a bigger crew, and more vehicles to destroy. Well worth the wait, Mad Max Fury Road, released last May, was pure dynamite, with enough wit and ingenuity to put all recent action films to shame. It richly deserved the six Oscars that it won and should have won the other four it was nominated for (especially Best Picture – Spotlight?!?!?!…..puh…leeeez!)

Not a sequel nor prequel nor reboot,...

In 2009 — when the Academy Awards went to 10 Best Picture nominees for the first time since 1943 — the preferential system of voting, which had been used from 1934 to 1945, was reintroduced. The academy did so as it believed this “best allows the collective judgment of all voting members to be most accurately represented.”

We have detailed how the preferential voting system works at the Oscars in the modern era. So, let’s take a look back at those dozen years early in the history of the academy when it first used this complicated counting to determine the Best Picture winner rather than a simple popular vote. (At the bottom of this post, be sure to vote for the film that you think will take the top Oscar this year.)

See Best Picture Gallery: Every winner of the top Academy Award

1934

This seventh ceremony marked the first time that the Oscars eligibility period was the calendar year.

By Patrick Shanley

Managing Editor

The Martian, which remained in the top three at the box office over the weekend in its sixth week at theaters, is a bonafide hit for legendary director Ridley Scott and will almost certainly earn multiple nominations from the Academy.

Scott is no stranger to nominations, having earned three best directing nods in his career, but the award itself still eludes the English director. 2000’s Gladiator may have earned a best actor Oscar for Russell Crowe and best picture, but Scott lost best director to Steven Soderbergh for Traffic. The very next year saw the same outcome for Scott as his directing nomination for Black Hawk Down lost out to Crowe-starring A Beautiful Mind‘s director, Ron Howard.

This year is shaping up to be different for Scott, however, as The Martian continues to rack up at the box office and resound with critics. A...

By Fred Blosser

Many books have been written about Hollywood Westerns. After 45 years, the late William K. Everson’s “A Pictorial History of the Western Film” (The Citadel Press, 1969) remains one of the best: a coffee-table book with substance. Everson appropriately tips his sombrero to John Ford, John Wayne, Henry Hathaway, and Howard Hawks (with measured praise for “Red River”), and his comments on films spanning the history of the genre up to the end of the 1960s, from “The Great Train Robbery” (1903) to “The Wild Bunch” (1969), are incisive and thought-provoking. As a film scholar and preservationist, Everson was particularly knowledgeable about older and often obscure movies from the silent and early sound eras. Three of the classic titles he highlights are worthy of his approval and deserve to be better known than they are.

King Vidor’s “Billy the Kid” (1930) is slow going at times, particularly if you’re...

Rex Harrison hat on TCM: ‘My Fair Lady,’ ‘Anna and the King of Siam’ Rex Harrison is Turner Classic Movies’ final "Summer Under the Stars" star today, August 31, 2013. TCM is currently showing George Cukor’s lavish My Fair Lady (1964), an Academy Award-winning musical that has (in my humble opinion) unfairly lost quite a bit of its prestige in the last several decades. Rex Harrison, invariably a major ham whether playing Saladin, the King of Siam, Julius Caesar, the ghost of a dead sea captain, or Richard Burton’s lover, is for once flawlessly cast as Professor Henry Higgins, who on stage transformed Julie Andrews from cockney duckling to diction-master swan and who in the movie version does the same for Audrey Hepburn. Harrison, by the way, was the year’s Best Actor Oscar winner. (See also: "Audrey Hepburn vs. Julie Andrews: Biggest Oscar Snubs.") Following My Fair Lady, Rex Harrison...

Labor Day weekend is here for 2013 and if you don't have any plans, there are plenty of great shows to check out over the weekend. You can catch up on "Continuum" Season 2 on Syfy, or watch the first three episodes of "The White Queen" on Starz. Sunday, Sept. 1 there's a killer Alfred Hitchcock movie marathon running all day on TCM.

Also, it's college football kick-off weekend, so settle in Saturday for the guys' returning to the gridiron.

Set your DVRs and check your local listings for times and channel numbers. All times Eastern below.

Friday, Aug. 30

A&E: "Shipping Wars" and "Storage Wars" marathon, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The CW: New "America's Next Top Model" episode, 9 p.m.

Discovery: "Alaskan Steel Men" premiere, 10 p.m.

Espn: Cfb, Texas Tech at Southern Methodist, 8 p.m.

Espn 2: 2013 U.S. Open Tennis, men's second and women's third round, 1 p.m. to 7 p.