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Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti has unveiled the second cohort of its annual Peak Writers Fellowship.

The cohort includes Benjamin Pola, Pingi Moli, Ciara Lacy, Lauren Toʻomalatai and Conrad Lihilihi.

Backed by Netflix, the fellowship identifies and supports five up-and-coming writers who create stories from a Pasifika (people of Pacific Islander descent) perspective as they launch their careers in television. Founded by Peak Co-Founder, director, screenwriter, and showrunner Dana Ledoux Miller and co-managed by program director and screenwriter Bryson Chun, the initiative remains the only Hollywood writing program created by a Pasifika storyteller.

The fellowship is structured to guide emerging writers toward securing their first staff writing roles. Each participant will be matched with an experienced industry mentor to help elevate their original scripts into polished, professional samples. Fellows take part in a series of panels and conversations with leading voices in film and television, providing them with the tools and...

If there’s one thing Hollywood loves, it’s big, over-the-top family drama. The kind that’s teeming with melodramatic fights, tearful reunions, and dramatic music lingering in the background. It goes without saying that People Like Usisn’t that kind of movie. The narrative is much softer and unfolds with a natural, lived-in feel, which only makes the emotional stakes higher. Despite sporting a cast stacked with talent — Chris Pine, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Elizabeth Banks — People Like Us somehow flew under the radar. But it delivers a heartfelt story with well-acted drama that never crosses over into melodrama territory. At its core, the film hones in on the type of secrets that can change lives.

It’s been announced that Roberto Orci, the writer/producer behind Star Trek and Transformers, is dead at the age of 51 after a battle with kidney disease.

“He was a visionary storyteller with a boundless heart and a beautiful soul,” Orci’s brother, J.R. Orci said. “But beyond his creative talents, he was a compassionate friend who would put his life on hold to help a stranger and find room in his home for the most overlooked pup at the shelter.“

Together with his writing partner Alex Kurtzman, Orci was involved in some of the biggest sci-fi/adventure movies and TV shows of the first two decades of the 2000s. After getting his start as a writer on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, Orci made his big-screen writing debut on Michael Bay’s The Island, which he co-wrote with Kurtzman. The pair went on to write The Legend of Zorro,...

Welcome to our weekly rundown of the best new music — featuring big singles, key tracks from our favorite albums, and more. This week Charli Xcx enlists Ariana Grande to unpack pop stardom, Halsey cuts deep with a Kate-Bush inspired single, and Jelly Roll struggles with getting clean. Plus, new music from Jennie, The Linda Lindas, and Tyla.

Charli Xcx feat. Ariana Grande, “Sympathy is a Knife” (YouTube)

Halsey, “I Never Loved You” (YouTube)

Jelly Roll, “Winning Streak” (YouTube)

Jennie, “Mantra” (YouTube)

The Linda Lindas, “Once Upon A Time” (YouTube)

Tyla,...

On Monday September 23 2024, NBC broadcasts The Kelly Clarkson Show!

Season 6 Episode 1 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” titled “30 Rock Roof Party,” promises an exciting lineup for fans. Set to air on NBC, this episode will feature a lively atmosphere as Kelly Clarkson takes the stage. The excitement begins with a special Kellyoke segment where Clarkson will perform a dance medley. This medley will include popular songs like “Dance With Me,” “Favorite Kind of High,” “People Like Us,” and “Stronger.” Viewers can expect an energetic performance that showcases Clarkson’s vocal talent and dance moves.

In addition to the music, the episode will welcome some notable guests. Halle Berry, an acclaimed actress, will be joining Clarkson for a conversation. Berry’s presence is sure to bring interesting stories and insights. The show will also feature Anthony B. Jenkins and Percy Daggs IV, who will add their unique perspectives to the mix.

On Monday’s Kelly Clarkson Show, Kelly hosts a “30 Rock Roof Party” and delivers a high-energy dance medley during her Kellyoke segment, performing “Dance With Me,” “Favorite Kind of High,” “People Like Us,” and “Stronger.” Kelly also welcomes Halle Berry, Anthony B. Jenkins, and Percy Daggs IV, the stars of the upcoming thriller, “Never Let […]

The Kelly Clarkson Show: Halle Berry, Kelsey Grammer...

The Kelly Clarkson Show returns for Season 6 this Monday, September 23, and the daytime talk show has just announced the lineup for the first week of Kellyokes in addition to a star-studded listing of guests that includes The Penguin star Colin Farrell and Halle Berry. Plus, the show promises “an epic audience surprise.” Kelly Clarkson will perform a new Kellyoke each day, and the premiere will feature an exciting dance medley. The American Idol alum will also sing duets with guest stars in the first week. The premiere week Kellyokes include Chappell Roan’s “Coffee,” a duet with Keith Urban, and more. Questlove and Kelsey Grammer will also be interviewed. See the full lineup for Season 6 week one below. Monday, September 23 Star-Studded “30 Rock Roof Party” Kellyoke: Kelly Clarkson Dance Medley featuring “Dance with Me,” “Favorite Kind of High,” “People Like Us,” and “Stronger” Guests: Halle Berry; Anthony B. Jenkins & Percy Daggs IV...

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between.

Today we talk about the best Chris – Chris Pine of course! Our B-Sides include Small Town Saturday Night, People Like Us, The Finest Hours, Outlaw King, All The Old Knives, and Poolman. It’s a packed episode! And it’s just Conor and I, ripping it up like the old days.

A lot of the conversation revolves around how charming Pine is. There’s also discussion of that underwhelming ending of The Finest Hours, what about Small Town Saturday Night resonates with young filmmakers, the brave opening of Outlaw King, the old-fashioned crackle of All The Old Knives (and that incredible restaurant location), and the lackluster direction of People Like Us.

Questions are asked such as: Is...

Over the 96 years of Academy Awards history, over 900 men and women have been honored with acting nominations. On July 4, 2024, the oldest surviving acting winner (or nominee) has turned 100 years old. Our research shows that Eva Marie Saint joins a very short list of centenarians who received Oscar acting nominations, with four winning the award.

A star of stage, radio, TV and film, Saint won the Best Supporting Actress statue in 1955 for her debut movie performance in “On the Waterfront;” she is also the earliest surviving acting winner, and one of the last stars of the Golden Era. She later starred alongside Cary Grant in one of Alfred Hitchcock‘s most acclaimed films, “North by Northwest” (1959), and became known to a younger generation as Clark Kent’s adoptive mother in “Superman Returns” (2006). Although she’s never received another Oscar nomination, she’s earned five Emmy nominations, winning Best Miniseries Supporting Actress...

The oldest surviving Oscar winner is turning 100 this year! Classy, smart and with a warmth that belies her cool blonde beauty, Eva Marie Saint made a name for herself on stage, radio, television and film, earning numerous accolades over a nearly eight-decade career, and appearing alongside some of Hollywood’s most acclaimed stars.

Saint was born on July 4, 1924, in New Jersey, and raised in New York, before becoming an NBC page. After steady work on radio and TV, Saint won an Outer Critics Circle Award for her role in the 1953 play “The Trip to Bountiful.”

The following year, Saint made her movie debut opposite Marlon Brando in Elia Kazan‘s “On the Waterfront,” which garnered her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and launched an impressive film career. Over the next two decades, she co-starred alongside Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant, Paul Newman, Warren Beatty, Angela Lansbury and...

Characters from Twenty Twelve and W1A will reportedly return in a spin-off centred around FIFA. Here are the details.

Sarah Parish, who played Anna Rampton in the original comedy series W1A, has revealed on That Gaby Roslin Podcast that a spin-off show based on the FIFA international football association. was in the works. She also revealed that W1A co-star Hugh Bonneville would be reprising his role.

Though Parish said the show was being written according to the British Comedy Guide, she said she would not be in it, but that she suspected Hynes would return. There has been no official confirmation from the BBC, but it would fit with the previous series precedent of writing a comedy about a real forthcoming event, in this case the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

W1A was written by John Morton, who made his name with the radio and subsequent television adaptation of People Like Us,...

Chris Pine’s Net Worth ( Photo Credit – IMDb )

The Princess Diaries movies will never go out of fashion. The romantic comedy is like a soothing balm for everyone’s heart. Directed by Garry Marshall, the film stars Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Larry Miller, Hector Elizondo, and others. Actor Chris Pine debuted with the sequel ‘The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement,’ released in 2004.

In The Princess Diaries 2, Chris Pine played Lord Nicholas Devereaux, Anne Hathaway’s Mia Thermopolis’ love interest. With his charm and performance, Chris won over not only Mia but also the moviegoers. Chris is now one of the most stellar actors in Hollywood. But did you know, before the movie, Chris was struggling financially?

The Princess Diaries 2 Salary Changed Chris Pine’s Life

In a new interview, Chris Pine revealed how he became a part of the Anne Hathaway-led movie. Pine revealed that he got a...

Universal Studios intended to build a cinematic universe with reboots of their classic Monster properties: the Dark Universe. A series of connected creature features, starting with a new version of The Mummy (watch it Here), a big budget adventure film led by Tom Cruise. It sounds like a success story in the making, but something went wrong on the way to the screen. The Mummy was a financial failure, poorly received by critics and movie-goers alike. The Dark Universe was dead on arrival. So let’s look back at this bungled attempt at creating a cinematic universe and find out What the F*ck Happened to The Mummy.

The Mummy franchise started in 1932 with a film that starred the legendary Boris Karloff. He played Imhotep, an Ancient Egyptian high priest who was buried alive for attempting to resurrect the love of his life. Returned to life thousands of years later,...

Action for AIDS, Gayhealth.sg and director Leon Cheo are happy to announce that the Emmy®-nominated short form series is back for a third season on Dec 7, 2023 with the six episodes released weekly on www.youtube.com/gayhealth. The finale episode goes live on Jan 11, 2024. The series' third season explores how community can support but also be destructive.

Synopsis

“People Like Us: Season 3” continues exploring the lives of Joel, Ridzwan, Rai and Isaac, as they seek love, happiness and acceptance as gay Singaporeans. Post-‘honeymoon' phase, Rai and Haniff face challenges as a serodiscordant couple. Joel and Ridzwan find their own ways to deal with their grief. Meanwhile, Isaac falls deeper into his substance addiction. Will it be happily ever after?

Show Background

Co-developed with Action for AIDS Singapore, season two of “People Like Us” was nominated for Best Short Form Series at the 2020 International Emmy® Awards. The first...

In the realm of cinematic oddities, there are some films that defy easy categorization. True Stories is one of those. It is a genre-bending masterpiece that ignores the line that separates the surreal and the mundane. Hot off the heels of the success of the Talking Heads' concert film Stop Making Sense directed by the great Jonathan Demme, studios gave David Byrne free rein to do whatever he wanted to do with his movie. Byrne's total creative control is felt in every scene, as we get to see what small-town life is like from his eyes. This results in an eccentric and surreal romp through rural America.

Released in 1986, True Stories revolves around the small town of Virgil, Texas and its inhabitants. Set during the lead-up to the "Celebration of Specialness" which marks the 150th anniversary of Texas' independence, the film is split into multiple vignettes exploring the lives of...

While Tom Cruise has certainly possessed the tangible qualities that are required for superstardom, the enduring nature of Cruise’s stardom is also attributable to Cruise’s keen Hollywood instincts and his absolute insistence on applying quality control to every aspect of his career.

Cruise has worked with virtually every great filmmaker from the past forty years, from Martin Scorsese to Oliver Stone to Stanley Kubrick to Steven Spielberg, and while Cruise has certainly had disappointments, Cruise’s film failures almost always reflect a star who is trying to do too much, never too little.

In this context, 2017’s The Mummy represents an appalling anomaly in Cruise’s career. Incoherent, sloppy, and technically incompetent, The Mummy represents a complete abdication of the principles that have guided Cruise’s career since his star-making appearance in Risky Business.

Moreover, the ultimate effect of The Mummy is that of morbid fascination, both in...

Chris Pine is a talented American actor who has made a name for himself in Hollywood, thanks to his versatile acting skills and charm. Born on August 26, 1980, in Los Angeles, California, Pine comes from a family of actors, with his parents, Robert Pine and Gwynne Gilford, and his grandmother, Anne Gwynne, all having had successful careers in the industry. Despite having acting in his blood, Pine has managed to carve out his own path, earning critical acclaim and popular support for his roles in movies such as Star Trek, Wonder Woman, and Hell or High Water.

Early Life and Career Chris Pine. Depostiphotos

Chris Pine grew up in a family deeply rooted in the entertainment industry. He attended Oakwood School in the San Fernando Valley before moving on to the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied English and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Pine later attended the American...

Exclusive: Emily Hall (Lumina) and David Kelsey (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story) are set to star in Wrong Numbers, an indie drama marking the feature directorial debut of Duane Edwards, which will head into production in Chicago in early May.

The film’s events are set in motion by a disastrous blind date on the part of Emma (Hall) at an upscale Chicago restaurant. The beautiful twenty-something subsequently strikes up an essential conversation with Jack (Kelsey), a happily married, middle-aged and very successful businessman who is seated at another table, having just finished up a business dinner. Emma and Jack thereafter stumble into an intense one-night stand that turns into something more complicated and destructive than either of them could have expected.

Edwards will direct from a script by Frederick Mensch (HBO Films’ Nightingale), also co-producing along with producers Phil Lee, Darryl Manuel and David Kelsey and Heather Sederquist’s Big Wheel Entertainment.

Thanks to a season 4 storyline, Fear the Walking Dead has already teased the perfect series finale. Not long after the conclusion of The Walking Dead, the show’s first spinoff series is approaching the end of its own run. AMC has confirmed that Fear the Walking Dead season 8 will be its last.

For now, how Fear the Walking Dead will end is open to speculation. What is known, though, is that it will likely be a wrap-up of the conflict with Padre, which was set in motion by the events of the season 7 finale. Based on what was revealed in the synopsis, the fight between Morgan’s group and Padre will be the final challenge for the main characters to overcome in the AMC series. Whether that’ll culminate in tragedy or a happy ending remains to be seen. In terms of what it can do with its finale, there...

Bill Nighy is a British actor. He is best known for his roles in Love Actually (2003), the Pirates of the Caribbean series (2006-2007) and the Underworld series (2003-2009).

Bill Nighy Biography: Early Life, Age, Family, Education

Bill Nighy (William Nighy) was born on December 12, 1949 (Bill Nighy: age 73) in Caterham, Surrey, England to Catherine and Alfred Nighy. He has two older siblings, a brother Martin and a sister Anna.

Nighy went to the John Fisher School and was a member of the school theatre group. He later went to the Guildford School of Acting.

In an exclusive interview with uInterview, the actor described how he got into acting.

“Well I never got a bug for acting and I never made a decision that this was what I wanted to do with my life, it just sort of happened and I did it rather than have to do anything else,” he began.

Series to feature A-list British and American cameos.

On the eve of Mipcom, Bron Studios and the UK’s Headline Pictures have secured English-language remake rights to hit French TV comedy Call My Agent! and set Bafta-winning John Morton to write, direct and serve as executive producer.

Morton, who created the BBC mockumentaries Twenty Twelve, W1A and People Like Us, will relocate the story to a London talent agency. Production is scheduled to start in and around London in June 2020 and the series will feature A-list British and American cameos.

Bron Studios, riding high following the record-setting global launch of Joker,...

Series to feature A-list British and American cameos.

On the eve of Mipcom, Bron Studios and the UK’s Headline Pictures have secured English-language remake rights to hit French TV comedy Call My Agent! and set Bafta-winning John Morton to write, direct and serve as executive producer.

Morton, who created the BBC mockumentaries Twenty Twelve, W1A and People Like Us, will relocate the story to a London talent agency. Production is scheduled to start in and around London in June 2020 and the series will feature A-list British and American cameos.

Bron Studios, riding high following the record-setting global launch of Joker,...

The return of Fear the Walking Dead for its fifth season on Sunday may have been the third-best cable drama premiere of the season, but compared with last year, it bit.

With 3 million total viewers in Live+3 results from Nielsen, The Walking Dead spinoff was down a hard 47% from the delayed audience numbers of the Season 4 opener, which had the much hyped The Walking Dead Season 8 finale and the disappearance of Rick Grimes as its lead-in.

Drilling down more and with a mild tease of its own about the fate of Andrew Lincoln’s character, the June 2 FearTWD “Here To Help” debut snared 1.2 million viewers in the 18-49 demographic and 1.5 million among adults 25-54.

In the law of diminishing returns in today’s ratings environment, AMC sees a small win in all this when comparing the FearTWD premiere to the overall average of the second half of Season 4. In that context,...

Jane finds herself in a romantic comedy and the gang meets a certain Street on this week's Doom Patrol.

This Doom Patrol review contains spoilers.

Doom Patrol Episode 8

It is a great time in genre television when I can talk about a teleporting, sentient, gender-queer street populated by outcasts that features a karaoke drag queen cabaret, but here we are with “Danny Patrol,” one of the sweetest, most heartfelt episodes of Doom Patrol – which also happens to have a musical number by a tuxedoed Matt Bomer.

“Danny Patrol” does not bring us any closer to rescuing The Chief from Mr. Nobody, even though the eighth episode does introduce the beloved Danny the Street character from the comics. However, while I am getting a little nervous about the inevitable season cliffhanger ending, I find my expectation for forward momentum to be slowly worn down because Doom Patrol consistently delivers enjoyable, surreal stories.

True Stories

Blu ray

Criterion

1986 / 1.85:1 / 89 Min. / Street Date – November 27, 2018

Starring David Byrne, John Goodman, Swoosie Kurtz, Pops Staples

Cinematography by Ed Lachman

Directed by David Byrne

A concert film filmed over four nights at the Pantages Theater in 1983, Jonathan Demme’s Stop Making Sense has the redemptive quality of a classic noir – as Talking Heads’ music churns from slow simmer to barn-burning tent-show revival, band leader David Byrne contends with his own Hollywood style character arc – at movie’s end the “tense and nervous” loner has reclaimed his soul in more ways than one.

The success of Demme’s film lead to Byrne’s next incarnation, as a movie director and oddball tour guide investigating a small southwestern town in 1986’s True Stories. Animated by unpredictable mood swings, quirky tempos and cosmopolitan naiveté, it’s the cinematic equivalent of a Talking Heads song.

After an introductory film within a...

Most of Singapore’s current crop of globally-known filmmakers cut their teeth on short films. And the format continues to be a popular one in the city-state. The Singapore International Film Festival’s Singapore Panorama shorts strand showcased some of the best and most diverse new local work at the National Museum of Singapore on Nov. 29 and 30.

“A Dance For Ren Hang” was made by Lei Yuan Bin in conjunction with Brussels-based Singaporean dancer Sara Tan. The short sees dancers re-enact images by the late Chinese erotic photographer Ren Hang, who died in 2017 at the age of 30. Lei is one of the founders of Singaporean filmmakers’ collective 13 Little Pictures, and has also directed two features and a documentary.

Leon Cheo has directed several shorts and the television series “People Like Us.” His new short “Sin-sfo” was in competition at the Austin Film Festival and follows a couple on a drive...

Morgan Jones (Lennie James) crossed over from The Walking Dead to Fear the Walking Dead in the latter's Season 4 premiere, and the midseason premiere set a plan in motion to undo all of that and send him back.

In the midseason premiere, "People Like Us," Morgan decided he wanted to head back to

...

Read More >

Other Links From TVGuide.com Fear the Walking DeadThe Walking DeadLennie JamesAndrew Lincoln...

Do you know what's worse than walkers? Walkers that fall out of the freaking sky!

On Fear the Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 9, Morgan and John have recovered from their injuries while the rest of the group try to readjust to their post-Vulture lives. However, that peace is short-lived when Mother Nature decides to visit them.

Firstly, I need to express once again my disappointment with how quickly the Vulture arc was wrapped up so quickly. When Mel and his mysterious walker-capturing group first appeared on Fear the Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 2, I was incredibly intrigued.

This series had been without a legitimate human threat throughout its first three seasons, and once we finally got one, it was tied up within a handful of episodes.

Proctor John had potential as well towards the tail end of Fear the Walking Dead Season 3, but that was another arc that was abandoned too quickly...

[This story contains spoilers for the season 4B premiere of AMC's Fear the Walking Dead, "People Like Us."]

The late Madison Clark (Kim Dickens) wanted her loved ones to live in a hopeful world — but after a half-season dedicated to violent vengeance, the people left in Madison's wake have a few more storms to weather before they can realize her dream.

In "People Like Us," the midseason premiere episode of AMC's Fear the Walking Dead, viewers found themselves returning to an apocalyptic landscape where the disparate series regulars were as divided as ever. Despite ...

A major storm is brewing and we are gearing up to batten down all the hatches and park ourselves in front of our televisions, as AMC’s “Fear The Walking Dead” returns tonight, August 12th at 9:00pm Et/Pt, for its’ mid-season premiere for season 4! On the all-new episode, “People Like Us,” Morgan tries to help Alicia and the fractured group of survivors as a storm brews.

The first half of season four began with one figure huddled around a campfire, and ended with nine. Characters who started their journeys in isolation collided with each other in unexpected ways and found themselves in one of the last places they ever expected to be…together. In the back half of the season they will explore who they are now – as individuals and as part of the greater group – and how they will forge ahead. They will find themselves pitted against new adversaries – human,...

MusicSinger Selena Gomez said that she follows several Indian music artistes and that Ar Rahman’s music caught her fancy the most.Tnm StaffPhotos: FacebookSinger Selena Gomez has been in the news lately, not only for her chart-topping singles, but also for lending her voice to Mavis, Count Dracula’s daughter, in the newly released Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation. More recently, the ‘Back to You’ hit maker created headlines for expressing her desire to sing for music maestro Ar Rahman. In an interview to Mid-Day, the 25-year-old singer said that she had been following several Indian music artistes and believed that they are “wonderful”. She added that it was Ar Rahman’s music which caught her fancy the most. She expressed her desire to collaborate with the Oscar winning composer and that it had been on her wish list. “I like Ar Rahman's work. He is a global figure today.

“Star Trek: Discovery” executive producer Alex Kurtzman will take the helm for the sci-fi drama’s season-two premiere.

Kurtzman is set to direct the debut episode of the new season, which is slated to begin production in April in Toronto. No air date has yet been scheduled for the premiere.

Season two will pick up where the season-one finale left off. After bringing the Federation-Klingon war to a non-violent conclusion, the crew of the USS Discovery sets off from Earth to Vulcan, but — spoiler alert — stops along the way to answer a distress call from the USS Enterprise. The finale’s closing shot sets up a likely meeting between the Discovery’s Cmdr. Michael Burnham and Capt. Christopher Pike, who commanded the Enterprise prior to the tenure of James T. Kirk.

Speaking to Variety in February, after the finale aired, Kurtzman said that season two would address fan questions about the...

Tuesday night on NBC, 18-year-old Alexa Cappelli sang The Kiki Dee Band’s “I’ve Got the Music in Me” during the blind auditions of “The Voice” Season 14. The Upland, California native is still a student and one of the younger performers on this cycle of the reality TV show. Two coaches — Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine — turned their chairs around for Alexa, and she ultimately chose to be on Team Kelly. Can Alexa make it all the way to the Season 14 live shows? Watch “The Voice” blind audition performance video above.

See ‘The Voice’ season 14 episode 4: Vote for your favorite blind audition [Poll]

“You’ve gotta be tired from all those runs,” declared Kelly after Alexa’s powerhouse performance. Kelly didn’t have to do much to woo Alexa onto her team, since Alexa previously auditioned with “People Like Us” to get into her art school. Alexa and Kelly...

Den of Geek Staff Oct 11, 2018

Here's everything you need to know about Star Trek: Discovery Season 2, from cast news to story details.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 is a go! CBS All-Access has renewed the Star Trek TV series for a second season, and the show is currently in production. This is great news for anyone who considers themselves a Star Trek fan. As long as there is a Star Trek series on television, there's hope.

Some changes are in store for the new season, though. The show has fired showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg and replaced them with Akiva Goldsman. We have more details on that right here. Here's everything else you need to know about Disco's second season...

Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 Release Date

Huzzah! Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 has an official release date, and that release date is... January 17th. It's unclear at this point at what...

It’s a familiar refrain from filmmakers plagued by bad reviews: “I made this movie for audiences, not for critics,” a tired old chestnut often trotted out when both audiences and critics reject a film. The latest director to lean on this excuse is “The Mummy” helmer Alex Kurtzman, who seems to believe that critics and audiences are so very different that one can claim that something was made with just one group in mind.

Unfortunately for Kurtzman, however, it seems that critics and audiences alike aren’t interested in his Dark Universe-launching actioner.

Earlier this month, Kurtzman explained his philosophy towards audiences to Business Insider. When asked about the dismal critical response to the film (currently sitting at 16% on Rotten Tomatoes), the filmmaker said, “Obviously, that’s disappointing to hear…The only gauge that I really use to judge it is having just traveled around the world and...

Gravitas Ventures has released the first trailer to the comedy “Brave New Jersey,” a film about a small New Jersey town on the night of Orson Welles’ 1938 “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast that sent millions of listeners into a panic, believing the U.S. was being invaded by Martians.

Read More: Film Festival Roundup: AFI Fest Adds ‘Jackie’ and ‘Miss Sloane,’ Chicago International Announces Winners and More

The story follows the town’s mayor clerk (Tony Hale,“Veep”), an unhappy housewife (Heather Burns, “Manchester by the Sea”), a timid schoolteacher (Anna Camp, “Pitch Perfect”), a fearful sheriff (Mel Rodriguez, “The Last Man on Earth”), and an erratic reverend (Dan Bakkedahl, “Life in Pieces”) as they cope with the thought of this being their last night on earth and wonder how they’re going to spend it. With the help of the town’s reclusive war veteran (Raymond J. Barry,...

The first trailer has landed for Brave New Jersey, the cheekily-titled comedy that finds Arrested Development and Veep star Tony Hale as Clark Hill, one of many who experienced the now-legendary day where Orson Welles’ broadcast War of the Worlds over radio waves in 1938 and started a hysteria of massive proportions. Helmed by first time director Jody Lambert (who penned People Like Us), Brave New Jersey seems to be about the lies we believe, and the fun you might end up having along the way.

We said in our review, “Part of the pleasure is the film’s superb production design by Chloe Arbiture and art direction by Jonathan Bell, who have crafted an authentic and clean pre-World War II look that is a simple yet gorgeous. Depicting the last night of these characters’ lives, or so they think, Brave New Jersey is an elegant work of Americana with a...

It was the original Fake News story.

In a small New Jersey town on the night of Orson Welles’s legendary 1938 “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast, the hoax that terrified millions into believing Martians were invading America, citizens face what they think is their last night on Earth.

Here’s a look at the upcoming film Brave New Jersey where the aliens never show up.

The over-worked town’s mayor Clark (Tony Hale, “Veep”) will take a chance on love. The neglected housewife, Lorraine (Heather Burns, “Manchester By The Sea”) will break free from her big-cheese husband (Sam Jaeger, “Parenthood”). The demure schoolteacher Peg (Anna Camp, “Pitch Perfect”) will become a warrior. The aimless reverend (Dan Bakkedahl, “Life in Pieces”) will rediscover his faith. The scared Sheriff (Mel Rodriguez, “The Last Man on Earth”) will find his courage. And the reclusive war veteran (Raymond J. Barry, “Training Day”) will...

Universal launched its new Dark Universe franchise with The Mummy reboot, which boasted the star-power of Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe in a world where they will bring several iconic monsters and creatures back to life, in present day. The studio didn't quite get the results it was looking for at the domestic box office, with a lackluster debut of $31.3 million, debuting in a distant second place to Wonder Woman ($58.5 million) in its second weekend. The movie was also a dud with critics, with a paltry 16% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many wondering how a movie with so much talent behind and in front of the camera, could fail so badly. A new report claims that a majority of the blame should be placed on Tom Cruise's shoulders, due to the immense amount of creative control he had on the project.

Variety reports that Tom Cruise had almost complete...

It’s been in theatres for just one week, but the post-mortem on The Mummy has already begun. Having arrived with almost entirely negative reviews, the big budget franchise opener from Universal has greatly underperformed at the box office – prompting many to ask where the finger of blame should be pointed. Somewhat unusually, comments are now being made by people involved with the film, laying the responsibility at the door of both the studio, and the star – Tom Cruise.

According to Variety, Cruise took control of every aspect of the production – even going so far as to bring in writers to perform a script overhaul that expanded his leading role, and bringing his regular editor, Andrew Mondshein, into the post-production process while he oversaw the cutting of the final movie. While Universal has praised the “commitment and dedication” of Tom Cruise, it is, perhaps, the comments of Supervising Art Director...

Here’s some exciting news! Academy Award (Oscar) two-time winner and five-time nominee, Grammy two-time winner, BAFTA, and Golden Globe winner, the legendary Ar Rahman, returns to the Sse Arena Wembley on Saturday 8th July 2017 after seven years with the “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” concert.“Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” will chronicle Ar Rahman’s musical journey from past to present to future celebrating 25 years of creating his incredible music.

Discussing the forthcoming UK show, Ar Rahman says, “From Roja to Rockstar, Kaatru Veliyidai and more, it has been an incredible musical journey over these last 25 years. I’ve been immensely blessed to have the love and support of my fans, music lovers, friends and well-wishers. It continues to inspire and motivate me. Come, join me on the 8th of July at Wembley, London! Accompanying me is an amazingly talented and energetic team of singers and musicians.”

Popularly known as the man who has redefined contemporary Indian music,...

Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post.)

This week’s question: With “The Mummy” opening to mostly negative reviews this weekend, Universal’s attempt to kickstart its “Dark Universe” franchise is stuck in a rut. What would you do (or recommend the studio do) to make good movies out of Universal’s classic monsters?

Violet Lucca (@unbuttonmyeyes), Film Comment

The obvious response is “don’t try,” but since we’re a few years away from getting back to using original intellectual property in film, I’ll give them a few options.

One: ditch the self-seriousness of the modern action blockbuster and revive the genre mashup of the “Abbott and Costello Meet…” series. Get Channing Tatum...

Shared universes are all the rage these days. Marvel started the trend almost a decade ago and each major studio now seems eager to establish their own. While Marvel has perfected the formula in which you focus on a specific character’s story first and then slowly introduce them into a larger universe, this is an element that other studios have chosen to ignore. Warner Bros. couldn’t wait to get their Justice League film together so after Man of Steel, they rushed into Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice which was a huge critical misfire. Suicide Squad was another hot mess, and while Wonder Woman is undeniably great, one must wonder (pun somewhat intended) if it was so well received because it focused on a single character and her arc. Now we have established her and she will most likely be one of the highlights of this year’s Justice League,...

The Mummy seemed like a cash grab from the moment it was announced. Universal has been trying to launch a universe of their own, featuring classic movie monsters associated with the studio, including Frankenstein, the Wolfman, and the Invisible Man, for years. The Mummy is essentially the studio going "all in" to jump start what is now called Dark Universe. Casting a star as large as Tom Cruise initially read as an attempt to make up for shortcomings in other areas. When you don't have much else, attach the biggest movie star in the world, and your film will sell (maybe)! Additionally, though the first movie came out in 1999, the Brendan Fraser lead Mummy franchise is still fresh enough in the public's mind that starting a new universe with The Mummy seemed like a strange choice. So, is The Mummy just another ill-advised attempt to launch a universe, cashing in...

In August 1983, Ronald Reagan was president, “Every Breath You Take” by The Police was in the middle of an eight-week run as the #1 single, Ivanka Trump wasn’t quite two years old, and few people were aware of the Church of Scientology. And “Risky Business,” the first movie to star Tom Cruise, became a surprise hit.

34 years later, Cruise is at a different kind of crossroads at the box office. He’s been charged with rebooting Universal’s Mummy franchise, which will launch the studio’s “Dark Universe” story world. And while “The Mummy” has already opened strongly in its first date (South Korea), projections here are considerably less kind. Reviews have ranged from disappointing to incendiary, and “Wonder Woman” is expected to soundly beat the film in its opening weekend.

Read More: Review: ‘The Mummy’ Is The Worst Tom Cruise Movie Ever

While “The Mummy” won’t be a career highlight,...

Welcome to the “Preview Reel” column, where we look at the week’s upcoming wide-release movies. Last weekend we saw history as Wonder Woman set the record for the biggest opening for a featured helmed by a female director. This week features two of the summer’s more intriguing releases with Tom Cruise’s The Mummy, and the horror flick It Comes at Night. Let’s see if either release will be able to take down the mighty Amazonian princess.

The Mummy

What we are excited about: There’s two things we are very excited about, the first being Tom Cruise. Most of his action blockbusters have been stellar as of late (except, of course, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back). Mission: Impossible—Ghost Nation, Edge of Tomorrow, and even Oblivion have been easily above average. While his box office results are all over the map, Cruise is consistently making entertaining (and often,...

What made Tom Cruise a movie star? It wasn’t his toothy smile or his all-American dimples. It wasn’t that he was cocky enough to be loved, but also vulnerable enough to be lovable, although that certainly helped. It wasn’t even the fact that the way he runs on screen tells us more about the fundamental nature of cinema than anyone has conveyed with a stride since Eadweard Muybridge trained his camera on a galloping horse. No, Tom Cruise became a movie star because he possessed something that galvanized all of those individual qualities into something special — a need for quality control.

Just consider those credits: “Risky Business.” “Top Gun.” “Born on the Fourth of July.” Cruise was a human seal of freshness decades before today’s Hollywood A-listers needed Rotten Tomatoes to validate their work. If “Cocktail” was the worst movie an actor made in the first decade of their career,...

Just hours after a fan theory surfaced suggesting that upcoming sci-fi thriller Life is actually a Venom origin story, Sony Pictures has set a release date for their Spider-Man spin-off. The movie will hit theaters October 5, 2018, the same date that Aquaman just vacated hours ago. The studio also pushing The Girl in the Spider's Web from October 5, 2018 to October 19, 2018. Sony also announced that Alex Kurtzman will direct the Venom standalone movie.

The news comes from Erc Box Office's Twitter, which arrives just a few weeks after we reported that this Venom movie was getting back on track, with Dante Harper (Edge of Tomorrow, Alien: Covenant) writing the script. That report revealed the project will have no connection to Spider-Man: Homecoming, with the studio hoping to launch their own Spider-Verse franchise after this movie comes out. Alex Kurtzman's involvement is not terribly surprising, since he was originally set to direct...

So much of so many film festivals — Sundance especially — feel enormously focused on metropolitan life, New York City in particular. In Where Is Kyra?, director Andrew Dosunmu finds fertile ground in this well-worn location. Starring an against-type and utterly fascinating Michelle Pfeiffer as the titular Kyra, the film narrows in on the tragedy of getting old in America.

Written by Darci Picoult and lensed by the great (and recently Oscar-nominated) Bradford Young, this film lives in the shadows, both visually and conversationally. Kyra is an unemployed, middle-aged woman looking after her elderly mother (Suzanne Shepherd). After her mother’s death, she finds herself alone in a big, noisy city with no money and a sufficient lack of job prospects. When her credit card is declined trying to buy a drink at a local bar, a handsome neighbor named Doug (Kiefer Sutherland) enters the picture.

In handling her mother’s affairs,...

With no superhero or space adventure franchise to call their own, Universal Pictures is looking back in their history to carve out the now-mandatory Hollywood production of a cinematic universe. After Dracula Untold was a practice run for their new Universal Monsters franchise, next summer’s The Mummy is being presented as the introduction, with reboots of Frankenstein’s monster, The Wolf Man, Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Invisible Man, and Bride of Frankenstein to eventually follow.

While Tom Cruise leads the film, it marks the introduction of Russell Crowe as Dr. Henry Jekyll and maybe a few more surprises as Javier Bardem has already been cast as Frankenstein’s monster and Johnny Depp as The Invisible Man. Despite being involved with Star Trek, Transformers, Watchmen, and more major tentpole features, it will mark the first blockbuster Alex Kurtzman has directed, following People Like Us.

With a script by Jon Spaihts (Doctor Strange,...