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The lineup for the 77th Cannes Film Festival has officially been unveiled. As of right now, 19 films will be competing for the prestigious top prize, the Palme d’Or. The festival will be running from May 14 through the closing ceremony on May 25 in the small town on the French Riviera. This year’s jury will be led by Greta Gerwig, fresh off of her success writing and directing “Barbie,” which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. The remaining members of the jury have yet to be announced.

Having an idea of a filmmaker’s history at the festival can sometimes help give us an insight as to who could be in the best position to take home the Palme. For example, two of this year’s entries come from filmmakers who have previously claimed the Palme. Another five are from directors who have won prizes in official...

Jia Zhangke, one of China’s most acclaimed directors, is at the Berlin Film Festival for the world premiere of his first new documentary in a decade, “Swimming Out Till the Sea Turns Blue,” which is screening in the Berlinale Special section.

Featuring personal recollections of three of China’s most acclaimed writers, the film is the third part of a trilogy about the arts in China, following the 2005’s “Dong,” about Chinese painter Liu Xiaodong, and 2006’s “Useless,” about fashion designer Ma Ke.

Jia’s last documentary was 2011’s “I Wish I Knew,” which screened in Un Certain Regard at Cannes. His feature films, meanwhile, have always expressed an interest in a documentary-like realist style.

“I feel I’ve always been trying to knock down the barrier between documentary and fiction,” he told Variety.

“The most important thing about documentaries is that they help people understand and remember what we’ve lived through.

Of all the monumental parts that tend to constitute the films of Jia Zhangke–the shifting socio-economic landscapes; the departing mountains; Zhao Tao–none has been as prevalent or essential as time. He is a director with one eye on the then and one eye on the now (and occasionally one on the future).

Time is once again key to his latest work, a documentary titled Swimming Out Till the Sea Turns Blue, in which Jia uses both the writings of Ma Feng and a series of interviews with celebrated authors from his native Chanxi to cast an eye over China’s shift from rural to urban living; the implications of that change if not the more state-censorship-sensitive aspects. The mood, as ever, is one of reminiscence.

The interviews feel largely unedited, almost rambling at times, showing the manner in which writers speak about the past and not how they write about it.

During the height of China’s Cultural Revolution, circa 1972, a man named Zhu Qiansheng was given an assignment. He was informed that a famous, European film director, Michelangelo Antonioni, would be making a film about his home country. Having supposedly been invited by the first Premier of the People’s Republic of China, himself, Zhu was instructed to make sure the filmmaker had whatever he needed. After only two days of shooting, Zhu started growing increasingly concerned by the content Antonioni seemed attracted to.

Continue reading ‘I Wish I Knew:’ Jia Zhangke’s Doc Is A Bold Look At Shanghai’s History By One Of Cinema’s Great Masters [Review] at The Playlist.

The latest Jia Zhangke film to arrive in the United States is technically not a new film, but rather a director’s cut of his 2010 documentary, I Wish I Knew. While the previous cut made it to festivals, it rarely screened elsewhere. One of cinema’s modern masters, his surge in popularity coming from his latest three masterpieces–A Touch of Sin, Mountains May Depart, and Ash is Purest White–has thankfully meant that an underseen work is getting proper U.S. distribution and hopefully a sustainable way to experience it for years to come.

I Wish I Knew is immediately reminiscent of 24 City, his 2008 documentary-narrative hybrid which examined the impact that changing economic factors had on working-class Chinese people. An essential watch for anyone interested in politics, art or people themselves, 24 City had a very specific focus: how the changes towards factories and the economy affect the workers...

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSPainter Emil Kosa Jr.'s 1933 logo for 20th Century Fox. (Hollywood Reporter.)The Walt Disney Company has announced that it will be dropping the "Fox" brand from 20th Century Fox, rebranding the studio as 20th Century Studios. The exciting lineup for this year's Berlinale continues to be announced, and you can see the increasing list of titles—which includes films by Matías Piñeiro, Josephine Decker, Heinz Emigholz, and Kevin Jerome Everson—here.Recommended VIEWINGOur trailer for Diao Yinan's neon-soaked noir The Wild Goose Lake, coming exclusively to Mubi in the United Kingdom on February 28. The Sandler-Safdies collaboration continues with Goldman v Silverman, filmed during the production of Uncut Gems. The short stars Benny Safdie and a masked Adam Sandler as two silently dueling street performers in New York's Times Square. An adorable but compelling...

World premiering at Berlinale shortly is a new film from Jia Zhangke titled Swimming out till the Sea Turns Blue, following his masterful Ash Is Purest White, but first, one of his earlier nonfiction gems will finally be getting a U.S. release, beginning at NYC’s Metrograph this Friday and expanding to other cities in the weeks to come, courtesy of Kino Lorber.

I Wish I Knew, which premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, features Hou Hsiao-hsien, Tao Zhao, and more recalling their experiences in a changing Shanghai over the course of nearly a century. This first-ever theatrical release in the U.S. will be presented in its 118-minute director’s cut and is one of the most essential watches in this early decade.

See the trailer below via Indiewire, along with the poster.

Shanghai’s past and present flow together in Jia Zhangke’s poetic and poignant portrait of this fast-changing port city.

It has been an incredible year for singer/songwriter Sharon Van Etten, particularly when it comes to Peak TV. In addition to scoring the film “Strange Weather,” she performed “Tarifa” on “Twin Peaks: The Return,” delivered her cover of Skeeter Davis‘ “The End of the World” for “The Man In The High Castle,” and made her acting debut in Netflix’s surprise hit “The Oa.” Now Van Etten is going back to where it all began with the deluxe reissue of her debut album, (it was) because i was in love.

Continue reading Sean Durkin Directed Video For Sharon Van Etten’s “I Wish I Knew” & “Keep” [Exclusive] at The Playlist.

Ashleigh Wade, the New York woman who fatally stabbed her friend before cutting the victim’s baby out of her womb, will spend 40 years to life in prison on second degree murder and kidnapping convictions.

The 24-year-old woman, who was found guilty last month, wept in court on Wednesday before she was sentenced.

“I’m so, so sorry,” she said through her tears. “No words can say how sorry I am. I’m sorry for hurting so many people. I wish I knew why.”

During the trial, Assistant District Attorney Meredith Holtzman told the jury that Wade faked a pregnancy...

Cara Delevingne is currently on tour promoting her new young adult novel, Mirror, Mirror, and the actress and model is relishing the chance to explore her literary side while also addressing an issue that affects many teens: depression.

In an exclusive interview with People, the 25-year-old actress discussed her book out Tuesday — a suspenseful story of three teenage friends who cope with the mysterious disappearance of their bandmate — and how her own pain as a teen helped guide the narrative.

“Promoting this book has been something I’ve been dreaming of my whole life,” she says. “Honestly, I just did...

Tis the season once again to scare ourselves, and luckily there are plenty of short videos just for doing that. This one manages to scare us with one of the things that many people never have to deal with anymore, a Rotary Phone! Ooooooh.

Big Bad Films does a decent job with this short. It's filmed well, has good actors and manages to be scary in the right ways. If there was to be any critique, I would say that it is a little confusing. The stakes are there, and the delivery is good, but I wish I knew more about what was going on.

Usually, I'd say the more ambiguous the story the better, but this manages to give us just enough to not give us enough. It gives us characters and a scary device with some background. We know there is a party that someone should go to,...

Quick takes from the 25th Raindance Film Festival, with public screenings in London through October 1st, 2017.

Black Hollow Cage

Thirteen-year-old Alice (Lowena McDonell) lives alone with her father (Julian Nicholson) in a striking modernist house in the middle of the woods. She is getting used to her new bionic arm and believes that their dog is actually her dead mother, though Dad insists this is not the case. (What Dad actually believes about the voice synthesizer the dog wears around her neck, which appears to be speaking the dog’s thoughts [the voice of Lucy Tillett], is not something Alice ever asks him. Maybe in this apparently future world, people’s pets talk to them as a matter of course.) And then two very young strangers, siblings Erika (Haydée Lysander) and Paul (Marc Puiggener) — she is badly beaten up, and he is mute — appear out of nowhere and disrupt Alice’s existence. Oh, and there...

Lake Bell has finally revealed her 3-month-old son’s name – and what it was definitely not inspired by.

The actress’ second child with husband Scott Campbell is named Ozzi, short for Ozgood, she told Jimmy Kimmel during a Wednesday appearance on his talk show.

When Kimmel asked the Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later star if Ozzi was named after British rocker Ozzy Osbourne, Bell said, “No – but we can go with that.”

Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the People Babies newsletter.

Related Video:...

Lake Bell is taking her new normal one step at a time.

The Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp star made her first red carpet appearance Tuesday evening since giving birth to a son in May — her second child with husband Scott Campbell — at Women in Film Los Angeles Celebrates the 2017 Crystal + Lucy Awards Presented by Max Mara, held in Beverly Hills, California.

Speaking to People, the 38-year-old actress said it was a little difficult to attend the event because daughter Nova, 2½, was “bummed” to see her mom leave considering she’s “been home quite a bit.” But luckily,...

It’s a boy for Lake Bell!

The Secret Lives of Pets star has given birth to her second child, a son, her rep confirms to People exclusively.

No further details — including baby’s name and birth date — are available.

Bell and husband Scott Campbell are already parents to 2-year-old daughter Nova.

Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the People Babies newsletter.

Related Video: Lake Bell: The One Thing I Wish I Knew Before I Gave Birth Is …

The Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp actress,...

I’m not entirely sure what I can ask of Ridley Scott at this point. He’s made four or five honest-to-goodness classics and inspired an entire generation of science-fiction films. He doesn’t owe me anything and I’ll watch just about anything he puts out because I have that kind of faith in him as a filmmaker. He’s made a scary film with Alien: Covenant, but not one that I find particularly interesting. Scott seems obsessed with giving me lore I don’t want instead of a higher concentration of scenes with scary aliens.

It’s impressive that they made the grossest Alien movie yet. The one with the most visceral body horror. They topped the terribleness of the chestburster in this one by making the alien birth process less discrete and more, for lack of a better word, fluid-y. I don’t think it’s particularly...

Let’s be honest. When Nintendo announced the release of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, it was met with a less than stellar response. After all, technially this “new” Nintendo Switch game is anything but new… Instead the Switch iteration is a port of the existing Wii U game, with a few new bells and whistles and a boat-load of Dlc included from the get go. Surely nothing to rave about right?

Wrong.

This new Nintendo Switch iteration is The definitive version of Mario Kart 8; and best of all the game is really suited to the Switch, especially single player handheld, plus it just looks damn good on the Switch’s screen. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also includes all 16 Dlc tracks and all 36 characters from the Wii U version… And there are new characters joining the roster too: Inkling Boy and Inkling Girl from Splatoon, King Boo, Dry Bones, and Bowser Jr.

All...

Isla Fisher is releasing her first children's book 'Marge In Charge'.

The 41-year-old actress - who has daughters Olive, nine, and Elula, six, and two-year-old son Montgomery with her husband Sacha Baron Cohen - has announced her new venture, which will see her release three books in a series that will be published in America later this year.

The inside cover of the first tome reads: "'Don't worry about being perfect or you'll miss out on the fun!'

Explaining the synopsis to People, she said: "Jemima, who is the narrator and the eldest child, feels she has to be a 'good girl,' so thanks to Marge she learns to let her 'freak flag' fly and enjoy being a kid."

Working on her literacy skills made the 'Keeping Up with the Joneses' star realise just how little youngsters are reading and how "vocabularies are shrinking".

She said:...

Actress Isla Fisher charmed audiences in Wedding Crashers, and now, she’s channeled her quirky humor into children’s books.

People has the exclusive cover reveal for her book Marge In Charge, which is the first of a three-installment series and will be published in the U.S. this fall.

” ‘Don’t worry about being perfect or you’ll miss out on the fun!’ That’s the message in the Marge books,” Fisher tells People when describing the middle-school book series, which follows the adventures of two siblings and their unorthodox babysitter Marge.

“Jemima, who is the narrator and the eldest child,...

One model has a very special message for her younger self.

Dana Patterson took to Instagram last week, posting a childhood photo of herself along with a message for the little girl: “Defy unrealistic expectations.”

The curvy model paired the old photo with a recent modeling shot of herself. She began the heartfelt letter, “Dear younger me, the things I wish I could have said.”

“Just because you are not blonde, blue eyed, and thin as a rail doesn’t mean you are Anything less,” she wrote “You’ll be grateful for your eyebrows someday, you’re welcome.”

Patterson’s...

While it doesn't sound like we should expect to see Wilson Fisk make his presence felt in The Defenders later this year, it's pretty obvious that we can expect him to make his presence felt in a big way when Daredevil's third season eventually airs. Chances are that the show will finally adapt "Born Again" in some form, and in a new interview, Vincent D'Onofrio teased the villain's eventual return to the McU. "He will, eventually. Honestly, I wish I knew ‘cause I could plan my year better," the actor revealed, admitting that he's yet to hear anything definite about the next season of Daredevil. "I know he will come back, I just don’t know when. I can’t wait to find out." Chances are the show will return in 2018, but with new seasons of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage also on the way, it's currently hard to say for sure!

While Marvel has often struggled with crafting compelling villains on the big screen, the same cannot be said for their antagonists on television. Almost all of their Netflix shows have done extremely well in that regard, especially Daredevil. Bringing Wilson Fisk aka the Kingpin to life in a very effective fashion, actor Vincent D’Onofrio gave a fantastic performance in season 1 of the show and also returned – in a much smaller capacity – for the second outing.

With talk of Daredevil‘s third season now starting to heat up, fans have been getting curious as to the status of the villain and if we’ll be lucky enough to see him butt heads with Matt Murdock once again. The answer to that seems to be yes, Fisk will be back – we’re just not sure when he’ll return.

Speaking to Collider to promote his new show Emerald City, here’s what the actor shared:

“Honestly,...

Lake Bell and husband Scott Campbell are expecting their second child!

The 37-year-old Secret Lives of Pets star debuted her growing baby bump Thursday, as she arrived at the Ag + Vanity Fair Opening of Saved in Los Angeles.

The actress looked radiant, wearing a sleek fitted black sleeveless turtleneck dress with sheer panels. Bell complimented the look by keeping her long brown locks loose and her makeup minimal — with pink highlights on her cheeks and a light gloss on her lips.

The couple posed together at the event — Bell holding her hand under her baby belly and Campbell, a New York-based tattoo artist,...

The Thunderbirds are back.

Season Two of the revived Amazon’s Thunderbirds Are Go continues the adventures of the family of heroes, International Rescue. The series highlights the five brave Tracy brothers and their covert operative Kayo and how they pilot their remarkable, cutting-edge Thunderbird vehicles to perform near-impossible rescue mission, from the depths of the oceans to the highest reaches of space.

Produced by ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures with Weta Workshop, the series is made with a mixture of CGI animation and live-action model sets—paying tribute to the old fans of the shows and attracting a new generation to the Thunderbirds.

Lrm had a phone interview earlier this month with voice actor David Graham, who is reprising his role as Agent Parker from the original series. We had an extensive talk over the show—both the original and the new show. It was also fun to reminisce...

Dwayne Johnson is one of the toughest, most muscular, and most successful guys in Hollywood, but historically he's also never been scared of showing off his more vulnerable side, especially when it comes to his fans. When 19-year-old Austin Bitikofer recently tweeted a message about how he's been inspired to fight his depression because of The Rock, his idol was more than happy to respond with encouraging words. "Battled that beast more than once," he tweeted back. "Us men to [sic] prideful to ask for help. Speak up, ask for help & you're never alone. See at the top one day." The Moana star (and People's Sexiest Man Alive) has always been very vocal about his longtime struggle with depression, discussing it in detail last year while appearing on Oprah's Master Class series. "I found that, with depression, one of the most important things you could realize is that you're not alone,...

Maybe one of the saddest thing that can befall a filmmaker is when they spend months or longer making a movie and then for whatever reason, it ends up sitting on the shelf for years.

That’s what happened with director Mike Flanagan’s Before I Wake (previously called Somnia), which was made with Relativity before they got sidelined with bankruptcy and their entire release schedule got delayed. In the meantime, Flanagan (who directed 2014’s Oculus) went on to make two other movies: Hush, which has been playing on Netflix for months, and Ouija: Origin of Evil, a prequel to the 2014 Universal and Blumhouse horror hit.

Starring Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane and Jacob Tremblay, Before I Wake most recently played the Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal this past July and was scheduled to be released September 9, when it was delayed in favor of the appropriately titled The Disappointments Room (which...

Daniel Craig spent the Spectre press tour acting actively disinterested in the legendary character he was portraying, but according to a BBC report his ’tude hasn’t dissuaded the Bond producers from wanting him to return for another go as James Bond. Callum McDougall—who has executive produced all of Craig’s Bond movies—told a BBC radio show that Craig is apparently still Bond honchos Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson’s “first choice.” Asked point blank who is going to be assume the role of the suave spy next, McDougall said, “I wish I knew. We’d love Daniel. We would love Daniel to return as Bond.” He added that if Craig wants it, the job is “absolutely” his.

Whether or not he does is really the question: Last year Craig told Time Out London, “If I did another Bond movie, it would only be for the money...

There is still no word yet on whether or not Daniel Craig will return as 007 in James Bond 25. But there have been no shortage of other actors vigorously vying for the position. Today, Eon Productions has made it very clear that there top choice for James Bond in this next adventure is Daniel Craig. And it's just a matter of playing the waiting game to find out if he agrees to come back.

An Eon Productions senior production executive spoke out on the matter to UK's BBC Radio 4 Today program, via Deadline. And they made it very clear who their number one top choice is. Callum McDougall has worked on the previous four Bond movies. And about Daniel Craig's possible return, he said this.

"[He's] absolutely the first choice."

Callum McDougall was speaking for famed series producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson in making this statement. They run the 007 production banner Eon Productions.

What was once a love-hate relationship between Daniel Craig and the role of James Bond seemingly became a hate-hate relationship last year, when Craig spoke rather bluntly about how "over it" he was, following the release of Spectre. And yet, it seems, the folks in charge of the Bond franchise would still love for Craig to have a change of heart.

According to Callum MacDougal, who served as an executive producer on the last four Bond flicks- i.e. all of the Craig ones- and has worked on nine total 007 flicks, producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson think of Craig as their absolute first choice for the next film.

This all came up during a BBC interview, when MacDougal was asked if there was a chance Craig might return. "I wish I knew,” he answered. “We love Daniel. We would love Daniel to return as Bond. Without any question...

Eon Productions wants Daniel Craig to return for the next 007 installment, according to a senior production exec on the franchise. Speaking on the UK's BBC Radio 4 Today program, executive producer Callum McDougall, who has worked on the last four Bond titles, said Craig was "absolutely the first choice" for series producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. When asked if Craig would be returning to the role, McDougall said: "I wish I knew. We love Daniel. We would…...

Molly Bernard and Dan Amboyer play Lauren and Thad/Chad, respectively on Younger. Lauren is not only Kelsey's best friend, but Maggie's lover. As Thad, Dan was Kelsey's fiance, now deceased, and we're waiting to find out what kind of character he'll play in twin, Chad.

After discussing the Atx Festival (Molly notes it celebrates the pure unadulterated love of TV) and discovering what Dan and I had in common (he went to Carnegie Mellon University...I live in Pittsburgh), we barreled into a full on Younger discussion like the pros we are. Enjoy!

You guys have a super hot show and Dan didn't die! The supporting characters on the show are so much fun and have so many wonderful qualities. How much fun do you guys have?

Molly: Oh my gosh. So much fun. The hiatus that we took between Season 2 and Season 3 was really rich for me. I...

By the time Ezra Edelman’s “O.J.: Made In America” aired on Espn in June, receiving near-universal acclaim from critics, Espn Films—which produced the documentary as part of the network’s popular “30 for 30” series—was already angling for attention from an Academy that, on the face of it, has nothing to do with TV. With one-week qualifying engagements at New York’s Cinema Village and Los Angeles’ Laemmle Monica Film Center, the exhaustive five-part portrait of O.J. Simpson’s life and times entered the campaign for Oscar.

It’s not alone. Of the eight other films Indiewire identifies as frontrunners in the race for Best Documentary Feature besides “O.J.: Made in America,” several have prominent connections to TV networks or streaming services: “Command and Control” (PBS); “Gleason” (Amazon); “Into the Inferno” (Netflix); “The Music of Strangers” (HBO); “Weiner” (Showtime); and “Zero Days” (Showtime). More than ever before, the resources...

By the time Ezra Edelman’s “O.J.: Made In America” aired on Espn in June, receiving near-universal acclaim from critics, Espn Films—which produced the documentary as part of the network’s popular “30 for 30” series—was already angling for attention from an Academy that, on the face of it, has nothing to do with TV. With one-week qualifying engagements at New York’s Cinema Village and Los Angeles’ Laemmle Monica Film Center, the exhaustive five-part portrait of O.J. Simpson’s life and times entered the campaign for Oscar.

It’s not alone. Of the eight other films Indiewire identifies as frontrunners in the race for Best Documentary Feature besides “O.J.: Made in America,” several have prominent connections to TV networks or streaming services: “Command and Control” (PBS); “Gleason” (Amazon); “Into the Inferno” (Netflix); “The Music of Strangers” (HBO); “Weiner” (Hulu); and “Zero Days” (Showtime). More than ever before, the resources...

That was fast!

Mike finally got out of prison on Suits Season 6 Episode 9, but we don't quite know what his next move will be.

Below, TV Fanatics Christine Hinton, Stacy Glanzman, Jasmine Blu and Allison Nichols discuss Kevin's release, Leonard's good news and Harvey's decision.

What did you think of Mike getting out of prison?

Christine: I am glad the prison storyline is over and we can move on, although I was hoping to see Mike have more time with the prison counselor. I think watching Mike try to figure out why he does what he does could have been fascinating.

Stacy: I was worried there for a second the deal was going to get pulled again and they were going to drag this deal/no deal thing out even longer. I'm glad they didn't and he's out for real this time. I'm looking forward to see where they go from here.

It's a moment filled with conflicting emotions - saying goodbye to your first baby, as you prepare for the newest one to arrive. Photographer Laura Paulescu captured that minute in time in a photo that's resonating with fellow moms. "Every mother has that moment when they have another child, whether it's a kiss goodbye in the middle of the night, or standing in your driveway and saying your tearful goodbyes when you're headed off to an induction or c-section," Paulescu explains. "Or when you're in a hospital, having them leave before the real labor, which is what happened with Nikki and her family.

It's a moment filled with conflicting emotions - saying goodbye to your first baby, as you prepare for the newest one to arrive. Photographer Laura Paulescu captured that minute in time in a photo that's resonating with fellow moms. "Every mother has that moment when they have another child, whether it's a kiss goodbye in the middle of the night, or standing in your driveway and saying your tearful goodbyes when you're headed off to an induction or c-section," Paulescu explains. "Or when you're in a hospital, having them leave before the real labor, which is what happened with Nikki and her family.

Yesterday it was the teaser one sheet for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. Today it's a pair of teaser trailers (international included) for Milla Jovovich's latest adventure into Raccoon City to battle the Umbrella Corporation in what is being billed as the last Resident Evil movie we should ever have to endure.  I wish I knew what the hell was going on... Read More...

Chicago – Norman Lear is one of the greatest TV creators of the 20th Century, and beyond. The producer was a titan of 1970s television, with shows like “All in the Family,” “Good Times,” “Maude” and “Sanford and Son.” He is the topic of a new film documentary, “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You.”

Lear is the embodiment of television history, having worked in the medium since its advent in the 1950s. He began with partner Ed Simmons, writing for shows like the “Ford Star Revue” and “The Colgate Comedy Hour” (with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis). Throughout the 1950s and ‘60s, he produced television that was common at the time – star oriented and non-controversial – while also writing and producing movie satire like “Divorce, American Style” and “Cold Turkey,” with partner Bud Yorkin. In the late 1960s, he began to work on a pilot called “Justice for All,” featuring a bigoted character named “Archie Justice.

See Full Gallery Here

As the video game subgenre known for resetting people’s progress when their characters die, roguelikes place an emphasis on additional factors, such as a rigorous challenge and randomly generated environments. Of those features, Necropolis ‒ a new action RPG from Harebrained Schemes ‒ enforces all three to some success. Upon entering the game’s titular dungeon, the developers abandon intruders to their fates; you must traverse the Necropolis while fending off skeletal denizens and seeking a lost amulet. But six hours per playthrough, permadeath still in effect, begs the question: Will the enemies or the monotony take your head first?

The repetition originates from various streamlined features. Imagine Dark Souls with only two stats (stamina and health), no weapon and armor upgrades, and less than a handful of typical RPG locations. This accessible approach to Necropolis boosts and harms its appeal. Because endurance remains fixed, for example,...

Media Summit: Rebecca O’Brien, producer of Cannes winner I, Daniel Blake, also criticized nepotism in the film industry.

Rebecca O’Brien, a long-time producer of Ken Loach films including this year’s Palme d’Or winner I, Daniel Blake, has suggested the lucrative UK tax credit could be amended to encourage more diversity in the industry.

“You could make the tax credit dependent on certain diversity boxes being ticked,” said O’Brien on a Creative Skillset panel at the Media Summit, run by Screen publisher Mbi.

“It would be very controversial but would certainly make a big difference.”

Films of all budget levels can claim a payable cash rebate of up to 25% of UK qualifying film production expenditure and has benefitted blockbusters such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Avengers: Age Of Ultron.

Tim Searle, creative director at UK independent producer Tiger Aspect who successfully lobbied government for UK tax breaks around animation, backed a more...

Having Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen as siblings is a huge blessing according to Elizabeth Olsen, who says she is never at a loss for stylish apparel.

In her interview with PeopleStyle, the “Avengers: Age of Ultron” babe admits that her famous sisters constantly send her clothing from their various high fashion labels.

Olsen gushes, “I just got a shipment. It’s really great; I feel very lucky. They’re amazing and so comfortable and really cool.” And unfortunately Elizabeth didn’t get the same fashion gene as the twins- “I wish I knew more about silhouettes! I don’t. I like black and white and navy.”...

Hey there, creeps! I’ve been following the history of the new flick The Curse Of Sleeping Beauty from fright maestro Pearry Teo (Strange Blood) for quite some time now, so when I caught wind the flick was set to be released, I had to check it out post-haste… and I did! So here’s my review, followed by a recent jaw sesh I had with ol’ P.T. himself!

The Curse Of Sleeping Beauty

• Release Date: Available in Theaters on May 13th, on VOD and iTunes on May 17th

• Written By: Josh Nadler, Pearry Teo (Based on the comic by Everette Hartsoe)

• Directed By: Pearry Teo

• Starring: Ethan Peck, India Eisley, Natalie Hall

When Thomas (Peck), a victim of sleep paralysis and bizarre nightmares featuring Briar Rose (Eisley) a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty, randomly inherits a bizarre mansion from an uncle he has never met, things go from crazy...

Amy Schumer nearly robbed the world of a lot of laughs when she was involved in a gnarly surfing accident. The Trainwreck star opened up about the incident during her bottomless interview for Vanity Fair's May cover story, telling the magazine that a high school surfing session nearly took her life. "I have a pretty bad scar on my leg from surfing," she explained. "Forty-one stitches, three layers. I skegged myself. My whole fin went into my leg, and I had to yank it out. I was by myself." The accident happened during the winter, so Schumer said there was...

In honor of World Down Syndrome Day, Bristol Palin shared a cute photo of her brother Trig. "World Down Syndrome Day!! I don't know how our family got so lucky to have this handsome boy," Palin, 25, wrote on Instagram. "Light of our lives without a doubt." However, one fan soured the comment section by criticizing the 7-year-old, who can be seen wearing Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" beanie in the photo. World Down Syndrome Day!! I don't know how our family got so lucky to have this handsome boy light of our lives without a doubt #theluckyfew #TrigPaxson...

Before Gullermo del Toro tackles Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, he will direct a Cold War-set movie for Fox Searchlight. The film doesn't have a title yet, but it is described as an "otherworldly love story" that "is set against the backdrop of Cold War-era America circa 1963."

According to Variety, Octavia Spencer is in negotiations to star in the film, which starts shooting this summer. Apparently out of all the projects that del Toro has been looking to direct, this one was his top priority. It's great to see that it's moving forward.

I wish I knew more information about the movie, but I'm sure it's a supernatural film due to the fact that it deals with "otherworldly" subject matter.

Spencer's most recent role is in The Divergent Series: Allegiant. She also plays God in a movie called The Shack, which will be released later this year, and...

Samantha Bee only has four episodes of her weekly late-night program — Full Frontal With Samantha Bee — under her belt, but the Canadian comedienne has already carved out a spot as the "fierce, fiery" feminist voice of late night. Those who followed her work on The Daily Show, where she spent 12 years as a correspondent, will be unsurprised to see her tackling issues like sexist dress codes and anti-abortion Republicans. And those unfamiliar with the host's ideology will get the gist from the theme song, Peaches' "Boys Wanna Be Her" — the...

Depicting mental illness in film is hard for two reasons. One is the fact that actors are playacting. This may not be the case across the board—performances could be inferred from personal experience—but I’d say a majority comes from a place of research and mimicry. The second reason deals with audiences having preconceived notions about mental illness that are generally misguided. It’s difficult to show someone an honest portrayal when they don’t believe it’s honest. Perhaps filmmakers shouldn’t care about this subsection of viewers because they’re walking that line for the afflicted so they can see they aren’t alone. Expand that circle to include individuals willing to learn and replace false truths and you find those who Paul Dalio hopes appreciate Touched With Fire.

Many would rather go to the movies for an escapist adventure than experience a slice of harsh,...

There’s no mythological weight behind this flick’s anti-Santa. This is more like a standard slasher horror, its baddie on a rampage of arbitrary carnage. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

You know that kind of horror movie that is so crammed with awful people that you can’t wait to see them all die in gruesome ways? Krampus doesn’t even offer that sort of pleasure. Oh, there are some deeply terrible people here, but the slaughter is so indiscriminate, sweeping the nasty and the nice up in its maw, that there’s little sense that anyone is getting what they deserve. Though based on authentic folklore, there’s no real mythological weight behind this flick’s idea of the anti-Santa Krampus: a demonic elf rather than a jolly one, he punishes...

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Damon Lindelof looks back on Star Trek Into Darkness, and the mystery surrounding Benedict Cumberbatch...

This story contains spoilers for Star Trek Into Darkness.

Last week, director Jj Abrams admitted that he felt 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness was a film that contained "too many nods to The Wrath Of Khan". Now, one of the writers of the film, Damon Lindelof, has also admitted that they made a mistake on the movie.

Lindelof, chatting to Variety, has accepted that the decision to hide the true identity of Benedict Cumberbatch's villain in the film was not the right one. As you more than likely know, Cumberbatch - whilst nominally playing John Harrison - was actually playing Khan in the film. A surprise that didn't feel like much of a surprise by the time the movie itself arrived.

Whilst discussing his current project, the acclaimed TV series The Leftovers,...

Last week, director Zack Snyder caused a bit of controversy by calling Marvel's latest theatrical hit Ant-Man, which has earned $395 million worldwide, a "flavor-of-the-week," as opposed to the iconic characters he's working with in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. After those comments were made, some may have wondered if anyone from the Marvel side would shoot back and defend the studio. While doing press for The Martian at the Toronto International Film Festival, Sebastian Stan shed some new light on the highly-anticipated Captain America: Civil War, but first, he addressed Zack Snyder's comments.

"Yeah, I'm sitting here and I'm listening to you and I'm thinking, 'Do I want to fire some shots at DC right now, at Zack Snyder?' I read some of those comments where he said something about Batman and Superman, I can't remember where I read that, somewhere... Something about, 'It's not going to be your flavor-of-the-week Ant-Man.