Products featured are independently selected by our editorial team and we may earn a commission from purchases made from our links. Season 2 of “The Mandalorian” is finally upon us, proving that we can have some nice things in 2020 after all. Debuting Oct. 30 on Disney+, the second season of the live-action “Star Wars” series once again sees Pedro Pascal’s titular character attempting to reunite his tiny charge, Baby Yoda (proper name: “The Child”), with his species....
It’s not surprising that Taika Waititi embraced StageCraft for “Love and Thunder,” given how much the director took to the system when helming the first season finale of “The Mandalorian” and the pilot of HBO Max’s “Our Flag Means Death.” In fact, that’s why ILM built a large-scale custom volume at Fox Studios Australia, where “Love and Thunder” was shot by “Mandalorian” cinematographer Barry Idoine. And judging from the results, “Love and Thunder” not only benefited from StageCraft but also allowed the technique to flourish, thanks to a funky look that encompassed both colorful and monochromatic space environments....
Following the jaw-dropping Season 2 “Bridgerton” finale, we can’t help but wonder which sibling will feel the sting (See what we did there?) of love come Season 3. [Editor’s Note: A spoiler alert, of sorts. The below recaps the book “An Offer From A Gentleman,” which will reportedly be the inspiration for Season 3.] 1. Where Did Season 2 Leave Off? LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX The eight-episode second season concluded with Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) reveling in bliss with Kate (Simone Ashley)....
At the upper reaches of industry projections, “Where the Crawdads Sing” (Sony) won’t provide memorable box office. Opening numbers range from $8 million to $18 million for the $25 million production, making it one of the lower opening weekends for a wide studio release this summer. That’s also why it’s interesting: What’s it doing here? It’s the furthest thing from a franchise film. It’s also aimed at adults, skewed toward women....
The oversight raises major questions about the way the Academy Awards tend to prioritize conventional narratives over non-fiction, and whether that distinction has any merit in the first place. “What the fuck is a picture in a Best Picture race? I don’t know even know what that means,” said veteran documentary executive Sheila Nevins, a no-nonsense advocate for the form who produced over 1,000 documentaries at HBO prior to joining MTV Studios....
Many people combing through awards buzz might assume the above description belongs to Oscar heavyweight “Nomadland,” and it does, but there’s another movie in the conversation that hits those same beats with equal success. “The Mole Agent,” Chilean director Maite Alberdi’s tender, unpredictable tale of a man who infiltrates a nursing home at the behest of a private detective, deserves just as much attention from Academy members this season — and might even crack multiple categories, if voters do the right thing....
“Fire of Love” isn’t like anything else. This quirky collage of creative documentary, love story, and science non-fiction avoids many documentary conventions as it tracks two ruddy-cheeked French volcanologists, Katia and Maurice Krafft, who are in love not only with each other, but with their work chasing erupting volcanoes around the globe. “We just made it in the way that we thought it should be made,” writer-producer Shane Boris told IndieWire....
April 1: Will Smith has resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his onstage altercation with Chris Rock at Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony. The move comes after Smith won his first Oscar for his performance in “King Richard.” The actor released a statement late Friday that read: “I have directly responded to the Academy’s disciplinary hearing notice, and I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct....
“It’s a huge movie,” Dafoe said. “It’s a muscular movie. My involvement isn’t nearly as expansive as ‘The Lighthouse.’ I’m in a supporting role, but it was thrilling. The level of research and detail is there, but on a much bigger scale. During the pandemic, they continued to work and to research things to build, and somehow they did. We gave them the time to prepare for this huge jump in budget and size of production....
The 2022 Beijing Games, much like last year’s Tokyo festivities, have been instructive microscopes through which to examine how that ultra reliance on a single brand is a double-edged sword. For two straight iterations, American rights holder NBC has navigated the choppy waters between Too Big to Fail and Too Big to Care. Yet, even with the massive amount of effort put into making these Games available to a potential viewing public, its linear and streaming efforts are still using a formula for a “normal” Olympics, one that may not be completely outdated but may not work for much longer....
That awards drought will end on Sunday night, as the actors take to the virtual stage in a short and sweet ceremony that promises to be my favorite of the season, considering it’s all pre-taped with an hour-long run time. But despite the (slight) departure in form, don’t expect a ton of changes when it comes to the winners. It’s easy to tell ourselves that “Bridgerton” could upset “The Crown” or, who knows, “The Great” could upset “Schitt’s Creek,” its most likely that we’ll see more of the same with the bulk of the wins going to, in no particular order: “The Crown,” “Schitt’s Creek,” “Ted Lasso,” and “The Queen’s Gambit....
Variety reported that Dolan is working on “The Night Logan Woke Up,” a psychological thriller miniseries that is adapted from Michel Marc Bouchard’s eponymous theater production. Dolan will write and direct the five-part series and is teaming with film production company StudioCanal, the Canal Plus premium TV network, and Quebecor Content for the project. The miniseries will star original cast members from Bouchard’s play, including Dolan, Julie Le Breton, Magalie Lépine-Blondeau, Éric Bruneau and Patrick Hivon, and Julianne Côté....
The news was announced on a Cartoon Network panel that featured executive producer Pete Michail, as well as voice cast members Greg Cipes and Tara Strong. The popular children’s show is gearing up to release its eighth season, and Snyder is on board to help the teenage superheroes celebrate a significant milestone. Snyder will be appearing in the 365th episode of the series, which is understandably titled “365!” The characters on the show try to celebrate the landmark episode by visiting the Warner Bros....
“I believe that some zombie love happened, some sweet zombie lovemaking. I don’t know if it was sweet. It was probably pretty aggressive,” Snyder said. “My theory is that the zombies in our movie are working toward not needing a human host to procreate their species, if you will. That’s the ultimate evolution. They’re like a better us. I think that’s the fun genre part of it. They’re no longer destroying their environment....
The Polish film, based on author Blanka Lipińska’s sensual novel, busted Netflix records after debuting in 2020. Its follow-up, “365 Days: This Day,” picks up after the cliffhanger ending of the first film, directed by Barbara Bialowas and Tomasz Mandes. Michele Morrone returns as Massimo, a member of a Sicilian mafia family who kidnaps stranger Laura (Anna-Maria Sieklucka) after obsessing over her for years. Massimo challenges Laura to fall in love with him over the course of a year; otherwise, he will set her free....
Mockumentary, where the camera tries to approximate “finding” joke moments in real time through camera movements, zooms, in-camera adjusts, and interaction with the actors, is one of the more obvious models of visual comedy. But according to Einhorn, it’s really a means to embed the viewer with the characters and draw us in closer to them, even if the camera is emphasizing a weird tic like Greg’s (Tyler James Williams) pizza order or a ridiculous moment like Janine (Quinta Brunson) attempting the ultimate “desking” obstacle course....
A first look at the Disney+ series in the works for 2023 showed Dawson as the live-action version of the Togruta ex-Jedi, reprising her cameo in “The Mandalorian” for her own standalone series. Other shows given sneak peeks were “The Mandalorian” Season 3, “Loki” Season 2, and the upcoming new series “Secret Invasion” starring Samuel L. Jackson. Dave Filoni executive produces “Ahsoka” alongside showrunner Jon Favreau, with the show set for a 2023 premiere....
The Guardian essay includes a statement from Amy Ziering and Kirby Dick defending “Allen v. Farrow” from Freeman’s criticism. Per the publication: “The Guardian sent a detailed list of ‘Allen v Farrow’s’ omissions to Ziering and Dick. Instead of responding to them individually, they sent this response, which they requested be printed in full.” Related Julio Torres Sets New HBO Comedy Series After ‘Los Espookys’ Cancellation Who Should Return to ‘The White Lotus’?...
Linklater even likens it to a cinematic scrapbook: It’s both a nostalgic snapshot of the ordinary suburban childhood he experienced and the extraordinary scientific achievement he witnessed. In fact, he describes it as “A Portrait of a Free Range Childhood,” in which his alter ego, fourth grader Stan, fantasizes about making his own secret trip to the moon. “Getting to do this was wonderful in a ‘You Are There’ realism,” Linklater said, referring to the Walter Cronkite-hosted educational TV series about American history....
The uprising occurred September 9, 1971 on the grounds of the inhuman prison practices used by prison officials. 1,200 inmates took over the prison, taking 42 people hostage. The conflict lasted for five days, resulting in 29 inmates and 10 hostages dead. It led to murder, created villains and heroes, and uncovered the inequities that existed between races then, and still, five decades later, today. By rendering the world-shaking event, Nelson and Curry’s comprehensive documentary “Attica” gives voice to the silent wronged, and illuminates a disaster that still speaks to America’s present-day racial struggles....
