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In Kathryn Bigelow’s “Strange Days,” the cusp of the millennium promises beauty and chaos. There’s a sliver of hope urging the populace of L.A. to dream about better days, but the dark cloud of rampant digital addiction and social injustice looms as the clock strikes 12. For those standing at this cusp, the 2000s were heralded as a time of change, and it was, in some ways. But it was also a decade that heightened anxieties like never before, especially in America, with the aftereffects of 9/11 and an alarming financial crisis permeating the lives of many. Even on a macrocosmic level, the 2000s were a rather mean-spirited decade, spotlighting problematic attitudes that were exacerbated due to an internet culture that (still) rewards bad-faith cynicism.

Jacy Mairs’ “Trash Baby” explores a hyper-specific aspect of said 2000s culture, examined through the lens of a coming-of-age tale that relishes in the...

Isabelle Fuhrman and Julia Stiles’ characters may have been at each other’s throats in Orphan: First Kill, but off camera, the two actors developed a bond that’s now resulted in Stiles’ feature directorial debut, Wish You Were Here. Stiles adapted Renée Carlino’s book of the same name during the making of the 2022 Orphan prequel, and in hindsight, Fuhrman can now see the ways in which Stiles was already beginning to envision her as the main character, Charlotte. The romantic drama chronicles the twentysomething woman’s storybook date with Mena Massoud’s Adam, only it ends with him ghosting her for a reason she never could’ve expected.

Fuhrman’s breakout performance at age ten in the cult hit Orphan (2009) made such a striking impression that it’s been difficult for her to shake one of the horror genre’s most indelible villains in Esther. Thus, she is...

Kris Kristofferson has died at the age of 88. Born in 1936 in Brownsville, Texas, Kristofferson is known for his work in both music and acting, with a career that spanned over four decades. Among his notable roles include parts in Blade and the 1976 version of A Star is Born.

As per Variety, Kristofferson has passed away. He passed away on Saturday at his home in Maui, Hawaii. The specific cause of death was not revealed, but it is said that he passed away peacefully, surrounded by family. Left behind in said family includes his wife, Lisa, who he married in 1983, his eight children, and his seven grandchildren. The family released a kind statement noting that "It is with heavy heart" that they shared the news of Kristofferson's passing. The family said that they were "so blessed for [their] time with him." The family's statement is below:

It is with a heavy heart...

A bad plot twist can ruin a great movie, but sometimes, a good one can also save a terrible film. The ending plays a crucial part in the audience's reception. Not only does it have the ability to reconceptualize events, but also be able to provide a brand-new perspective. Aside from the main plot and characters, the final plot twist is just as important in determining a movie's success.

Sometimes, a plot twist is mind-blowing enough that it has the magical ability to redeem an entire movie. From Orphan to Saw 3D, plot twists have single-handedly launched some of the most rewatchable films in history. Sometimes, this means that viewers may have to sit through an entire otherwise mediocre movie for the experience. Even then, these massive plot twists make it worthwhile.

Esther's Identity Reveal Saves Orphan

Orphan would have turned out way worse without the massive plot twist...

ITV’s controversial husband-wife political interview has attracted more than 8,000 complaints to Ofcom, putting it second on the 2024 list.

Social media took off when Good Morning Britain host Ed Balls gave his wife Yvette Cooper, the Labour Home Secretary, a grilling on ITV earlier this week. Given that Gb News has fallen foul of Ofcom’s rules over the thorny issue of politicians interviewing politicians from the same party, the incident generated headlines. ITV has already said it stands by the decision and believes the interview was “fair and impartial.”

An Ofcom spokesperson said: “We are assessing the complaints against our broadcasting rules but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate.”

Balls, who used to be a Labour MP and Chancellor but lost his seat in 2015 and has since appeared on Strictly Come Dancing, was interviewing Cooper about the UK riots and the governing Labour Party’s response.

Some of DC’s best live-action small-screen adaptations were produced on the now-defunct streaming service DC Universe, where some of the renowned showrunners of network showbiz collaborated with the prolific creative minds of comic-book literature to create faithful adaptations of some of the most beloved DC comic series. As some of the fans might surely remember, Doom Patrol turned out to be arguably the best adaptation, and along with a myriad of zany, outlandish characters, the series first introduced the trio lead of Dead Boy Detectives outside the funny pages. The introduction was supposed to be a precursor to the spin-off series of the same name, and the actors portraying their roles in the Doom Patrol cameo were finalized to reprise their roles in the new series back then. This was exciting news for fans, as seeing how well Doom Patrol was adapted on a small screen, the possibility of...

There’s a fine line for what the Recording Academy considers eligible for Best Contemporary Christian Album at the Grammys. In the case of drag queen Christian singer Flamy Grant, that line was drawn over several curse words.

Grant, whose offstage name is Matthew Blake and uses they/them pronouns when not performing as Grant, gained prominence over the summer after far-right preacher Sean Feucht bashed them and called their collaboration with fellow Christian artist Derek Webb a sign of “the end days.” Fans supported Blake in light of Feucht...

Over eight plot-packed hours, Netflix’s time-spanning police drama Bodies never quite falls on its face — high praise for a genre whose convolutions reliably start off entertaining and end up infuriating.

I can’t say Bodies always makes total sense, but it achieves a healthy balance between amusingly ridiculous and just-plain-ridiculous, with its audaciously high-concept narrative consistently elevated by a top-notch cast and strong production values across several time periods. Like Sky Max’s The Lazarus Project, which TNT dropped into domestic obscurity earlier this year, it’s a decently considered dose of mid-intensity time-travel thrills, a satisfying gift for science-fiction fans.

The series begins in the present day with Shahara Hasan (Amaka Okafor), a London detective sergeant, engaging in a foot pursuit in the middle of a far-right rally and stumbling upon a body on Longharvest Lane.

In 1941, a detective (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd’s Whiteman) in bomb-rattled London gets a...

Update, 2:20 p.m.: Jim Jordan’s effort to become speaker of the House will be put off for another day.

The next vote is now scheduled for 11 a.m. on Wednesday. It’s an indication that Jordan and his allies are still struggling to win over holdouts.

“We’re going to keep going. We’ve had great conversations, especially with our colleagues,” Jordan told CNN’s Manu Raju. He said “we have to get a speaker and it can’t be some deal with the Democrats. The American people don’t want that. They elected Republicans in a majority — a small majority, I get it.”

Previously: The House may be in for a bit of deja vu, as Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Oh) fell short of winning the speakership on the first ballot.

Jordan received 200 votes, while the House Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, drew 212. Some 217 votes were needed to become speaker,...

With her own celebrated past in the genre, Orphan's Esther actor Isabelle Fuhrman is sharing her thoughts on James Wan's divisive horror movie Malignant. The 2021 title centered on a woman who begins to have visions of someone committing brutal murders, eventually learning that this seemingly psychic connection stems from her childhood years she can't remember. Though scoring a "Certified Fresh" rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, Malignant has continued to polarize critics and audiences alike after nearly two years, and now a genre vet is joining the discourse.

During an exclusive interview with Screen Rant to discuss the action-comedy Sheroes, Isabelle Fuhrman recalls having a horror movie night with her castmates as part of their bonding during filming. The Orphan actor recalled specifically watching James Wan's Malignant with her co-stars and the wild experience that came from the divisive horror movie, especially in regard to its twist. See...

When McFarlane Toys resurrected their Movie Maniacs line earlier this year, it included very few maniacs. There was the Wicked Witch of the West, who is undoubtedly one of the most iconic villains in cinema history, but the rest of the lineup included Harry Potter, Bugs Bunny and Ted Lasso. Come on, they could have at least gone with Snape, Wile E. Coyote and Nate! Now, wave two of Movie Maniacs has been announced…and there isn’t a single maniac to be found.

The next line of Movie Maniacs from McFarlane Toys features Gandalf the Grey (from The Lord of the Rings), Sloth (from The Goonies) and Alan (from The Hangover). So we’ve got a wise wizard, a deformed man with a heart of gold and the guy from The Goonies…None of these characters meets the qualifications of “maniac”, but it does make us want a Mama Fratelli figure.

Red Tower announced earlier this month the launch of their new entertainment company and release of their first short feature, the haunting creature feature Esther.

Founded by filmmakers Brian Levin (Union Bridge) and D. M. Cunningham, Red Tower is a genre production company and digital network focusing on short form high quality/low cost content. Red Tower’s goal will be to leverage a deep network of the best filmmakers in the world and bring them online and to genre lovers everywhere.

“Having started in 2005 with one of the first online shows and later been involved in legacy television and film, I feel that the moment has truly arrived where old and new Hollywood have merged”, said Brian Levin, CEO of Red Tower. “The opportunity to bring the best artists in the world into a direct relationship with audiences at a global reach is a century in the making.”

Red...

In today’s TV news roundup, HBO set the release date for its new baking competition series “Baketopia,” hosted by YouTuber Rosanna Pansino, and Syfy announced the premiere date for the fifth and final season of “Van Helsing.”

Dates

BET Plus announced that the second season of Will Packer-executive produced comedy series “Bigger” will premiere April 22. Tanisha Long, Angell Conwell, Rasheda Crockett, Chase Anthony and Tristen Winger will return as series regulars while Angela Ko, Bechir Sylvain, Alyssa Brooke and Warren Burke will return as recurring guest stars. The new season also features notable guest stars including Tori Spelling, Jasmine Guy, Christopher “Play” Martin, Eva Marcille, Devale Ellis, Toccara, Karlie Redd, Debbie Morgan, Curtis Washington, Charmin Lee, Alexa Rachelle Jennings and more. Created by showrunner Felischa Marye, “Bigger” follows a close-knit group of 30-somethings as they balance love, friendships and career ambitions. Season 2 will kick off three months after the...

The 2020 Daytime Emmy nominations were announced on Thursday, May 21, live on CBS’a “The Talk.” So who made the cut at the 47th annual kudos? Scroll down for the list of nominees.

These nominations were originally scheduled to be announced on April 27, and the trophies were set to be handed out during two Creative Arts ceremonies on June 12 and June 13 and then the main ceremony on June 14, but those plans had to be revised after the coronavirus pandemic caused public events to be cancelled or postponed across the globe. (The Olympics and the Tony Awards were also among the high-profile events affected).

SEEWhen are the Daytime Emmys? New dates for 2020 nominations and ceremony finally announced

But the Daytime Emmys regrouped and winners will be presented during a virtual ceremony to be held on Friday night, June 26, on CBS, which will be the first time since 2011 that the awards are shown on a broadcast TV network.

The Hold Steady adopt an Exile on Main St. swagger with their brass-heavy new song “The Last Time That She Talked to Me.”

Throughout the track, frontman Craig Finn gazes back on a past relationship, picking apart scenes in reliably dense detail. “If all of my existence is ever on exhibit, tell the curator to emphasize the tape machine,” he speak-sings over chiming 12-string guitars and honking saxophones. “Cause that’s what she was sitting on when we finally started kissing on the last time that she talked to me.

On Berlin Station tonight, our exclusive clip reveals a clandestine meeting with Daniel Miller (Richard Armitage) called by an irate Esther Krug (Mina Tander) inside a dimly lit grocery store warehouse. She wants answers on her missing operative and Daniel’s plans on how, exactly, he will keep tabs on Otto Ganz (Thomas Kretschmann) and his crew, who are planning a secret terrorist act to coincide with Katerina Gerhardt’s (Natalia Wörner) election. This move by Ganz is designed to cause confusion and garner sympathy to Gerhardt’s fascist protectionist rhetoric with the electorate. It comes on the heels of Robert Kirsch (Leland Orser)...read more...

The Revenant won best film while Leonardo Dicaprio, Brie Larson, Mark Rylance and Kate Winslet won the top acting prizes.WinnersBest Film

The Revenant Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Arnon Milchan, Mary Parent, Keith Redmon

The Big Short Bridge Of Spies Carol SpotlightLeading Actor

Leonardo Dicaprio The Revenant

Bryan Cranston, TrumboEddie Redmayne, The Danish GirlMatt Damon, The MartianMichael Fassbender, Steve JobsLeading Actress

Brie Larson Room

Alicia Vikander, The Danish GirlCate Blanchett, CarolMaggie Smith, The Lady In The VanSaoirse Ronan, BrooklynSupporting Actor

Mark Rylance Bridge Of Spies

Benicio Del Toro, SicarioChristian Bale, The Big ShortIdris Elba, Beasts Of No NationMark Ruffalo, SpotlightSupporting Actress

Kate Winslet Steve Jobs

Alicia Vikander, Ex MachinaJennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful EightJulie Walters, BrooklynRooney Mara, CarolDirector

The Revenant Alejandro G. Iñárritu

The Big Short, Adam MckayBridge Of Spies, Steven SpielbergCarol, Todd HaynesThe Martian, Ridley ScottProduction Design

Mad Max: Fury Road Colin Gibson, Lisa Thompson

Bridge Of SpiesCarolThe MartianStar Wars: The Force AwakensFilm Not In...

Screen is at the Ee British Academy Film Awards in London where Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett and Steven Spielberg are among those waiting to find out who will take home the golden masks.

The ceremony has started and we are updating the list below with winners as they come in. Refresh the page for the latest updates..

WinnersLeading Actor

Leonardo Dicaprio The Revenant

Bryan Cranston, TrumboEddie Redmayne, The Danish GirlMatt Damon, The MartianMichael Fassbender, Steve JobsLeading Actress

Brie Larson Room

Alicia Vikander, The Danish GirlCate Blanchett, CarolMaggie Smith, The Lady In The VanSaoirse Ronan, BrooklynDirector

The Revenant Alejandro G. Iñárritu

The Big Short, Adam MckayBridge Of Spies, Steven SpielbergCarol, Todd HaynesThe Martian, Ridley ScottProduction Design

Mad Max: Fury Road Colin Gibson, Lisa Thompson

Bridge Of SpiesCarolThe MartianStar Wars: The Force AwakensFilm Not In The English Language

Wild Tales Damián Szifron

The Assassin, Hou Hsiao-HsienForce Majeure, Ruben ÖstlundTheeb, Naji Abu Nowar, Rupert LloydTimbuktu...

It’s been a surprisingly interesting month of moving and shaking in terms of doc development. Just a month after making his first public funding pitch at Toronto’s Hot Docs Forum, legendary doc filmmaker Frederick Wiseman took to Kickstarter to help cover the remaining expenses for his 40th feature film In Jackson Heights (see the film’s first trailer below). Unrelentingly rigorous in his determination to capture the American institutional landscape on film, his latest continues down this thematic rabbit hole, taking on the immensely diverse New York City neighborhood of Jackson Heights as his latest subject. According to the Kickstarter page, Wiseman is currently editing the 120 hours of rushes he shot with hopes of having the film ready for a fall festival premiere (my guess would be Tiff, where both National Gallery and At Berkeley made their North American debut), though he’s currently quite a ways away from his $75,000 goal.

The clear difficulty of identifying the definitive movie musicals is separating the musical itself from the film version. The Phantom of the Opera is, without a doubt, a top ten definitive stage musical. Movie musical? Not so much. Drawing a clear line between the two is what makes this list a little trickier. For this segment of the list, we have musicals that have no stage version, two Best Picture winners, a Palme d’Or winner, and a few musicals that may stretch the term a bit.

courtesy of writeonnewjersey.com

20. Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Directed by Richard Thorpe

Signature Song: “Jailhouse Rock” (http://youtu.be/HZJTgYzf9FE)

It brought “The King” to the big screen for the first time in a film about a man in prison who learns to express himself through music, rather than violence (he’s in prison for manslaughter). Vince (Elvis Presley) accidentally kills a drunk in...