News

When it comes to anime, few things are sweeter than romance. My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv999 has one of the best takes on a slow-burn romance between a high school boy and a college girl. With only 13 episodes, the absence of unnecessary drama and filler characters has contributed to the anime’s reputation as one of the top rom-coms.

My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv999 | Credit: Madhouse

Not to mention, the season finale of My Love Story has left fans unsatisfied and craving more. Although there’s no official confirmation of Season 2, fans remain hopeful for a prequel, even with the manga’s extended hiatus. Unlike many iconic shoujo anime, My Love Story strikes a perfect balance of romance and comedy. Amid all the commendation, My Love Story nearly damaged its most beloved character due to a lack of clear direction.

How a Misguided Direction Almost Ruined...

It’s no secret that The Rookie has some pretty badass characters, but who is the most badass out of the bunch?

To many, it may be up for debate.

But we have our own thought process on how we’d rank these The Rookie fan favorites when it comes to badassery.

(Disney/Raymond Liu (ABC))

Whether it’s mental fortitude, fearlessness, a knack for taking bad guys down or out, or attitude, there can only be one right answer, as far as we’re concerned, regarding the most badass of the bunch.

But that doesn’t make getting to that top answer any easier.

Let’s get into it, and make sure you tell us below if you agree!

13. Quigley Smitty (Disney/Raymond Liu (ABC))

Smitty is notoriously an underachiever on the series, and he’s known for his comic relief.

He’s the least active of the bunch...

Ken Page, a beloved star of the stage and screen, has passed away.

Theater kids and Disney adults are mourning the news in equal measure, as Ken has been a celebrated name in both communities for generations.

The news of his passing was confirmed by one of Ken’s closest friends and producer on Facebook.

While the news of his death is upsetting, the cause of his death is the question fans want answers to.

Danny Elfman, Ken Page and Paul Reubens attend the premiere of the Walt Disney Pictures’ film “The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D” on October 16, 2006 at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images) Ken Page’s Cause Of Death: The Nightmare Before Christmas Star Passes Away

You may not know Ken’s face, but there’s no way you don’t know his voice.

If you’re a theater lover, you...

Chicago’s Beach Bunny are back with a new song, “Clueless,” about the one thing in this life that’ll never resolve — the passing of time.

“Clueless” is a charming indie pop-rock meditation on aging and memory, which singer/guitarist Lili Trifilio wrote back in February while “reflecting on the passing new year.” The track arrives with a music video, directed by Bertie Gilbert, in which a surprise birthday party for Trifilio turns into an existential conundrum and surreal time wrap, complete with fading photographs and a cake with numbered birthday candles that keep changing.

Exclusive: 3Point0 Labs has signed Harlem-based actor, director and producer Emil Pinnock and his Unleashing Giants production banner.

The agreement includes Marquel Martin’s LA management firm advising Unleashing Giants on its work to help children at underserved schools with hands-on film production and festival programs. Unleashing Giants’ nonprofit arm, Genius In The Hood, has just secured a round of funding and will officially launch the first quarter of 2025.

Pinnock has worked in the film industry for two decades, acting in productions such as Reading Rainbow, Sixth Man, Beloved, Gridiron Gang starring Dwayne Johnson and NBC’s E-Ring. His original series Up North was acquired by Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios after debuting at SeriesFest and winning best actor, director, drama and audience awards. He’s currently working on projects for Tradition Pictures with Kenan Thompson and is working up an original story for Fubu founder and Shark Tank investor Daymond John.

In the late 1990s, Oprah Winfrey took an unusual turn and starred in a horror film. Audiences were much more interested in a new movie about Chucky the Doll that was in theaters at the time. This event led Oprah to eat 30 pounds of mac and cheese. Here’s a look at what Oprah thought about this binge years later.

Oprah Winfrey hadn’t heard of Chucky the Doll until he overshadowed her movie

Oprah has appeared in several historical films, like The Color Purple, Selma, and The Butler. One of the least remembered is Beloved, based on the classic novel of the same name by Toni Morrison. The combination of a massive star and a classic book could have been Oscar gold, but that wasn’t the case. According to a 2011 USA Today article, Oprah told Piers Morgan that Beloved‘s failure led her into “a massive, depressive macaroni and cheese-eating tailspin.

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has unveiled the full Industry Conference line-up running September 6-10 including the Perspectives panel series in partnership with Screen International.

The festival has also announced the 10 Industry Selects acquisition titles screening for accredited industry, a roste that features Rich Flu, Spanish director Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia’s follow-up to 2019 TIFF selection The Platform; South Korean first-time director Kim Soo-jin’s Noise, and Teemu Nikki’s previous Nordic Film Market participant 100 Litres Of Gold from Finland.

The moderated Perspectives sessions will look at a range of topics including the future of film journalism, sustainable cinema, Indigenous co-productions,...

Walt Disney Studios announced several new projects in the works over the weekend at D23 2024 in addition to giving updates on titles it has in the works.

Films that are still in the early stages of development include Toy Story 5, Frozen 3 and Incredibles 3. Other projects further along that received major updates include Tron: Ares, Elio, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Andor Season 2, Ironheart, Daredevil: Born Again and many more.

Still, the cast of Agatha All Along performed a new musical number for the series, which comes out on Disney+ in October. Other highly anticipated films received official titles, and plenty of casting news was released.

Related: ‘Frozen 3’ Concept Art Shown, 2027 Release Eyed; Filmmaker Jennifer Lee Teases That There’s Another Sequel – D23

Find more announcements from D23 2024 — broken down by category of IP, animation vs. live-action and more — below:

Marvel Projects

Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams appeared in...

The full competition jury for the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival has been revealed.

On Friday, festival organizers announced that Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To, Hungarian filmmaker Ildikó Enyedi, Japanese actress Ai Hashimoto and French actress Chiara Mastroianni will be members of the 2024 main competition jury alongside previously announced jury president Tony Leung.

To, like Leung a legend of Hong Kong cinema, is famed the world over for his action and crime films. The veteran and prolific filmmaker’s credits include Breaking News, Exiled, Mad Detective, Drug War and the Election films (Election, Election 2 (a.k.a. Triad Election). To, a regular feature of the international film festival circuit, has had six films screen at the Cannes Film Festival, two in competition, as well as had four films selected to compete at the Venice Film Festival.

Enyedi is best known for writing and directing the Hungarian drama On Body and Soul,...

Stephanie Leifer, a former programming executive who worked a combined 28 years at ABC Signature and ABC before leaving the company in 2022, died Thursday of cancer. She was 56.

Leifer’s last position was as head of current programming at ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios. Before that, she had held the current programming title at ABC Studios since 2010.

Prior to joining the studio in 2006, Leifer worked for 12 years at ABC, rising through the ranks from an assistant in the Movie of the Week department to an executive in current programming, drama development and comedy development.

Before that, she was SVP Comedy Development for the ABC network, which she joined in 1994.

“Stephanie was a beloved member of the Disney Entertainment Television family for nearly three decades, and our hearts are broken by the devastating news of her passing,” a spokesman for Disney Entertainment TV said. “She was a highly admired executive,...

Talk about an identity crisis!

In a wonderfully funny and completely original comedy, French star Chiara Mastroianni in a bit of an existential crisis mode decides one day to morph into her very famous father, the late great Marcello Mastroianni. In a search for her own identity she discovers more about herself, her father, even her equally famous mother Catherine Deneuve who surprisingly consented to play herself and discover truths about her relationship with her ex-finacé (he died in 1996) that had never been made public.

Playing tonight in the official competition of the Cannes Film Festival, where the entire family has appeared many times as fictional characters, this time it hits close to home, but always with a light touch as Chiara drops her own persona and hits the town as if it were Marcello Mastroianni back in Fellini’s 8 1/2. Black suit, hat, moustache, large glasses — she’s all in.

Actress Thandiwe Newton is the latest addition to the cast of the second season of the Netflix series ‘Wednesday’. Exact character details are being kept under wraps. She is the latest new cast member to be revealed, as it was previously reported that Steve Buscemi will also appear in Season 2, reports variety.com.

Newton has held a number of TV roles in her career, perhaps most notably starring in series ‘Westworld’. She received three Emmy nominations for best supporting actress in a drama for that show, winning the award in 2018.

Her other TV credits include ‘The Slap’, ‘Big Mouth’, ‘Human Resources’, and ‘Rogue’. Among films, Newton is known for starring in features such as ‘Crash’, ‘Beloved’, ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’, and ‘W’.

Not much is known about the second season of the show, however, it will have Jenna Ortega returning as the titular Addams Family daughter going through her teenage years.

Season 2 of the hit Netflix Addams Family series Wednesday is expected to start filming in Ireland (season 1 was shot in Romania) by the end of this month, and some new cast members are joining in on the fun this time around. Last week, we learned that Steve Buscemi (Fargo) has been cast as the new principal of Nevermore Academy, and now Variety reports that Thandiwe Newton has signed on to play an unspecified role.

Newton’s previous credits include Westworld, All the Old Knives, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Rogue, The Slap, Vanishing on 7th Street, 2012, ER, W., Norbit, The Pursuit of Happyness, Crash, The Chronicles of Riddick, Mission: Impossible II, Beloved, Jefferson in Paris, Interview with the Vampire, and Flirting, among many others.

The first season of Wednesday consisted of eight episodes. The show comes to us from Millar Gough Ink, Tim Burton Productions, Toluca Pictures, and MGM Television,...

Thandiwe Newton is the latest new cast member to join “Wednesday” Season 2 at Netflix.

Variety has learned exclusively from sources that Newton will star in the second season of the megahit series. Exact character details are being kept under wraps. She is the latest new cast member to be revealed, as Variety previously reported that Steve Buscemi will also appear in Season 2.

Reps for Netflix declined to comment.

Newton has held a number of TV roles in her career, perhaps most notably starring in the HBO series “Westworld.” She received three Emmy nominations for best supporting actress in a drama for that show, winning the award in 2018. Her other TV credits include “The Slap,” “Big Mouth,” “Human Resources,” and “Rogue.” In film, Newton is known for starring in features such as “Crash,” “Beloved,” “The Pursuit of Happyness,” and “W.”

She is repped by WME and Independent Talent Group.

Few details...

Here’s How Oprah Winfrey Became A Billionaire. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

People who are television fans are very familiar with the alleged Queen of All Media, Oprah Winfrey. The media mogul is an inspiration for millions of people. She is widely known for The Oprah Winfrey Show. From working at a grocery store to becoming an illustrated media personality, Oprah has built an empire, and today, we have brought you a detailed story of her vast fortune.

Oprah’s early life

She was born Orpah Gail Winfrey in 1954, but people often mispronounced it and called her Oprah. It eventually stuck, and she became Oprah from Orpah. She was born in the Mississippi to Vernita Lee and Vernon Winfrey, but her parents were never married. Lee was a housemaid, and Oprah spent her first six years in poverty while she was with her maternal grandmother. They were so poor that the...

Exclusive: Sofia Carson (Purple Hearts), Kyle Allen (A Haunting in Venice), Sebastian De Souza (Fair Play), and Connie Britton (The White Lotus) have signed on to star in The Life List, a new Netflix rom-com from writer-director Adam Brooks.

Based on the 2013 novel by Lori Nelson Spielman, The Life List‘s logline is as follows: When Alex Rose’s (Carson) mother sends her on a quest to complete her childhood bucket list, it takes her on a journey that will make you both laugh and cry as she uncovers family secrets, finds romance, and discovers herself along the way.

Liza Chasin is producing for 3dot Productions. The film falls under Chasin’s first-look deal with the streamer, announced in 2019, which also covers her upcoming Morocco-set love story Lonely Planet starring Laura Dern, Liam Hemsworth, and Diana Silvers. Exec producers of The Life List include Hutch Parker,...

Montreal-based filmmaker Meryam Joobeur made an international splash with her Oscar-nominated “Brotherhood,” winning considerable acclaim for a 2018 short about a rural Tunisian family wracked with heartache once the eldest son returns home after fighting for Isis. Premiering in competition in Berlin, Joobeur’s feature debut “Who Do I Belong To” builds on the same premise and keeps the same cast, but the filmmaker does not see her latest film as an extension or reimagining.

Instead, “Who Do I Belong To” reframes the narrative around a more female perspective, focusing on the family matriarch Aisha (Salha Nasraoui) who is torn between relief, grief and guilt when only one of her two escaped sons comes home. What’s more, he returns with a pregnant Syrian bride, unspeaking and unsettled beneath a full-body niqab. The feature also works in new tones, playing with magical realism and full-blown horror to better explore the story’s darkest corners.

It’s a fairly packed month on Hulu this February thanks to the addition of some interesting TV shows from FX and ABC. While the streamer’s own original content is somewhat limited – Life + Beth is returning for season 2 – you can also catch the new series of Feud this month. The new installment in Ryan Murphy’s juicy anthology show is based on the bestseller Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era by Laurence Leamer, and tells the story of Truman Capote’s betrayal and fall-out with New York’s most glamorous socialites. The cast is absolutely stacked, with Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Chloë Sevigny and Calista Flockhart all swearing delicious revenge on Tom Hollander’s Capote.

Also via Hulu in February comes the third season of Abbott Elementary, along with new episodes of The Connors, The Good Doctor, Will Trent,...

Exclusive: Producers Peter Saraf and Eddie Rubin, who are in Park City to premiere the Sundance buzz titles Out of My Mind and Winner, have joined forces to create Optimistic Pictures, to develop and produce film and TV properties with an independent sensibility.

Saraf is the co-founder of Big Beach, the producer/financier responsible for one of the greatest successes to break at Sundance, the 2006 film Little Miss Sunshine. After a massive bidding battle that was won by Fox Searchlight ($10.5 million and 10% gross), the film got four Oscar noms including Best Picture, won two Oscars and grossed $101 million, on an $8 million production budget.

After their first teaming on The Farewell, Saraf and Rubin are reuniting with that indie hit’s star Awkwafina. She’ll produce and star in an adaptation of G, the Ling Ma short story which is included in her National Book Critics Circle Award winning collection, Bliss Montage.

Los Angeles, Nov 19 (Ians) Grammy-winning singer Pink said she will hand out banned books in the state’s schools when she plays in her Florida gig.

“Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child. That’s why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,” Pink said.

Florida has become the centre of the book-banning debate and Pink’s plan has been formed with the national free speech group Pen America.

They have chosen four titles to give away to fans – Toni Morrison’s ‘Beloved’, Todd Parr’s ‘The Family Book’, Stacia Deutsch’s ‘Girls who Code’, and the poem recited by Amanda Gorman at Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in January 2021 titled ‘The Hill We Climb’, reports aceshowbiz.com.

Pen America’s database of censored tomes lodged 3,362 book bans in US public schools in the 2022 to 2023 school year.

Los Angeles, Nov 19 (Ians) Grammy-winning singer Pink said she will hand out banned books in the state’s schools when she plays in her Florida gig.

“Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child. That’s why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,” Pink said.

Florida has become the centre of the book-banning debate and Pink’s plan has been formed with the national free speech group Pen America.

They have chosen four titles to give away to fans – Toni Morrison’s ‘Beloved’, Todd Parr’s ‘The Family Book’, Stacia Deutsch’s ‘Girls who Code’, and the poem recited by Amanda Gorman at Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in January 2021 titled ‘The Hill We Climb’, reports aceshowbiz.com.

Pen America’s database of censored tomes lodged 3,362 book bans in US public schools in the 2022 to 2023 school year.

Pink has announced an initiative to give away 2,000 banned books during the Florida leg of her tour, saying that she is “unwilling” to support the state ban on books.

Pink is partnering with Pen America, a national free speech organization, along with Florida bookseller Books & Books in a campaign to deliver banned books to her audiences in Florida.

“Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child, and that’s why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,” the singer said in a statement.

“It’s especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color,” she continued. “We have made so many strides toward equality in this country and no one should want to see this progress reversed. This is why I am supporting Pen...

P!Nk will give away 2,000 copies of banned books at her upcoming concerts in Florida.

The pop singer has teamed up with Pen America to distribute copies of four books currently prohibited from schools and libraries in Florida: Todd Parr’s The Family Book, Amanda Gorman’s The Hill We Climb, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, and Stacia Deutsch’s Girls Who Code.

“Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child, and that’s why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,” P!Nk said in a statement. “It’s especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color. We have made so many strides toward equality in this country and no one should want to see this progress reversed.”

According to Pen America, Florida...

Pink announced Monday she plans to hand out 2,000 banned books during her four concert dates in Florida. “Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child, and that’s why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,” she said in a press release.

The three-time Grammy-winning singer announced her collaboration with the national free speech organization Pen America during an Instagram Live with Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in the U.S. Pink will also work...

Books are being pulled from the library shelves of an Iowa school district following new legislation from Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, which purports to protect children from obscene material, The Gazette reports.

The new legislation, Senate File 496, prohibits “instruction related to gender identity and sexual orientation in school districts, charter schools and innovation zone schools in kindergarten through grade six.” It requires that every book available to students be “age appropriate” and free of any “descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act.”

The district used Artificial Intelligence to make...

Luck is an elusive and intangible force that has been a subject of fascination and intrigue for humanity across cultures and time. Asian cinema, with its rich storytelling and cultural nuances, has explored the theme of luck in various intriguing and thought-provoking ways. From heartwarming tales to thrilling adventures, here are seven Asian movies that delve into the enigmatic concept of luck.

1. Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

Stephen Chow’s “Kung Fu Hustle” is a comedic martial arts masterpiece that weaves humor and action with elements of luck. Set in 1940s China, the film follows Sing, a small-time hustler who dreams of becoming a notorious gangster. However, his plans take an unexpected turn when he inadvertently stumbles upon a conflict between two legendary Kung Fu masters. Through a series of fortunate (or unfortunate) events, Sing discovers hidden powers within himself, transforming his luck and destiny.

2. God of Gamblers (1989)

This Hong Kong action-comedy,...

This review contains spoilers

Rip to a real one. Talos, one of the best characters Marvel has introduced to the MCU since they began wrapping up the Infinity Saga, is dead. Ben Mendelsohn will certainly not be short of work and never really is; he’s a terrific actor who always gives 100% to any role, and though his time as the gentle Skrull Talos was pretty fleeting, it always seemed to pack a punch. If you’re already missing Mendelsohn’s Australian lilt and disheveled demeanor (I know I am) he’s the lead of a new TV series coming out soon on Apple TV+ called The New Look, where he plays fashion designer Christian Dior opposite Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel. I will be watching!

But for now, we shall draw our attention back to episode four of Secret Invasion, “Beloved”, named after a section of the poem “Late Fragment” by Raymond Carver.

Famed literary editor Robert Gottlieb, former Simon & Schuster editor-in-chief and editor of Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Beloved,” has died at the age of 92.

The writer died of natural causes at a New York hospital on Wednesday, and his death was announced by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. The New Yorker, where Gottlieb also previously served as editor-in-chief, shared the news of his death via Twitter, posting an article that details his life and impact.

Gottlieb was born April 29, 1931, and was raised in the Manhattan borough of New York City. He graduated from Columbia University in 1952 before attending Cambridge University in the U.K for two years.

Also Read:

Cormac McCarthy, Legendary Author of ‘No Country for Old Men’ and ‘The Road,’ Dies at 89

Three years later, Gottlieb joined publishing company Simon and Schuster working as an editorial assistant for Jack Goodman, then-editor-in-chief. While there he edited Joseph Heller’s “Catch 22,...

Oprah Winfrey was already one of the world’s richest media moguls, but she hoped to translate some of her success over to Hollywood.

But when a film she was passionate about ended up sinking at the box-office, she found herself more hurt than ever.

Oprah Winfrey always wanted to be an actor Oprah Winfrey | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Winfrey’s passion has always been broadcast journalism. Her dedication to the field and her work ethic eventually led her to host Am Chicago, where she proved her value as a journalist. The talkshow went from declining ratings to being more watched than it’d ever been after Winfrey was brought on board. But apart from Am Chicago being the beginning of Winfrey’s rise, it also gave the mogul her first onscreen role.

Am Chicago offered Winfrey the opportunity to star in The Color Purple. This was a special moment for the talk show host,...

Origins is a recurring series that gives artists a space to break down everything that went into their latest release. Today, former CoSign McKinley Dixon takes us through the title track of his forthcoming album.

Chicago-based rapper McKinley Dixon reveals the majesty of his new album with its name alone: Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? goes the title, with exclamation points that seem to say, “It’s that good, can you believe it?” and a concluding question mark that feels like a knowing wink and nudge. But it’s also a direct reference to Toni Morrison’s significant trilogy, and the album’s title track, which features Ms. Jaylin Brown, doubles down on the enveloping love that the title suggests.

Indeed, the former Consequence CoSign uses “Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?” as a brand new thesis statement — one he calls “a familial affair in all senses.” Though it’s the title track and carries...

Chloë Grace Moretz, Julia Roberts, Connie Britton, Sterling K. Brown, Julianna Margulies, Selma Blair, Shonda Rhimes, Andy Cohen, and many other public figures are coming together to support the #LetAmericaRead campaign amid the book bans in some states in America.

The initiative comes from CAA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), in partnership with the non-partisan group Campaign for Our Shared Future.

“History is clear: good ideas are strengthened through contest, as governments are through debate. Since time immemorial, book banning has been the refuge of leaders who fear that their arguments and writs cannot withstand scrutiny. Its violence is born of weakness. And we are not a weak people – fighting book bans is an act of patriotism and a show of strength,” stated Emmy Award-winning actress, Julianna Margulies.

Between July 2021 and June 2022, 2,571 unique books that fairly address issues of race, gender, and culture in age-appropriate ways...

Visit Films has picked up worldwide sales rights for Iranian director Negin Ahmadi’s documentary “Dream’s Gate,” which depicts an all-female Kurdish militia, ahead of its Berlin Film Festival world premiere.

To make “Dream’s Gate,” which will launch from Berlin’s Generation section for young audiences, Ahmadi traveled to the war zone of Northern Syria where she gained access to the lives of the women in the Ypj, an all-female Kurdish militia within the armed wing of the Syrian-based Democratic Union Party (Pyd).

“Dream’s Gate” is directed by Ahmadi and produced by Iran’s Elaheh Nobakht, whose credits include “The Apple Day,” “Beloved,” and “Silent House.” The doc is a co-production between Iran, France, and Norway, through production companies Eli Image, Ava Studios Paris, Spætt Film As, and Babel Doc.

This observational doc captures the struggles, hopes, and joys of these bold female fighters “for whom the...

Iran-France-Norway co-production follows all-female Kurdish militia Ypj.

Visit Films has boarded worldwide sales rights to Iranian filmmaker Negin Ahmadi’s documentary Dreams’ Gate ahead of its world premiere in Berlin Generation 14plus.

Ahmadi travels to the war zone of northern Syria to follow the lives of the women in the Ypj, an all-female Kurdish militia for whom fighting Isis is a way to escape the restraints of a patriarchal society.

Dreams’ Gate (Darvazeye Royaha) weaves together candid moments between the female soldiers with the brutality of combat and offers a visual diary that examines the role of women in battle...

Iran-France-Norway co-production follows all-female Kurdish militia Ypj.

Visit Films has boarded worldwide sales rights to Iranian filmmaker Negin Ahmadi’s documentary Dreams’ Gate ahead of its world premiere in Berlin Generation 14plus.

Ahmadi travels to the war zone of northern Syria to follow the lives of the women in the Ypj, an all-female Kurdish militia for whom fighting Isis is a way to escape the restraints of a patriarchal society.

Dreams’ Gate (Darvazeye Royaha) weaves together candid moments between the female soldiers with the brutality of combat and offers a visual diary that examines the role of women in battle...

Randy Gonzalez, the father in the viral TikTok duo Enkyboys, has died. He was 35 years old. According to TMZ, Gonzalez died Wednesday morning following a battle with colon cancer.

Gonzalez, who documented his battle with the disease on social media, first shared his diagnosis last April, telling fans he was first diagnosed about six months prior and given two to three years to live.

At the time, Gonzalez said chemotherapy could extend his life up to five more years. The popular TikTok personality created a GoFundMe to help pay for his treatments, after he claimed he was denied care at the University of Texas cancer center, stating that they did not accept his insurance.

In addition to their beloved father-son videos, Gonzalez and his 6-year-old son, Brice, used their account to spread awareness about colon cancer. Gonzalez’s most recent health update came in December, where he informed fans that his treatments were going well.

Click here to read the full article.

The details of the case are grim. On a chilly November day in 2013, Fabienne Kanou surrendered her 15-month-old daughter, Adélaïde, to the sea. She chose the shores of Berck-sur-Mer because of its linguistic proximity to impurity: “Berck” sounded like “Beurk,” the French word for “yuck.”

Later, when asked by police for her motive, Kanou replied cryptically, “It was simpler that way.” During her trial in 2016, she attributed her actions to malevolent forces. Nothing in her story made sense, she said. “Even a stupid person would not do what I did.”

Kanou’s case enraptured France for its peculiarity and harshness. The woman was a graduate student with a genius level Iq. White media outlets chronicling the trial liked to note her eloquence; they could not, it seems, reconcile Kanou’s race and rhetorical prowess, her calm presentation and horrifying action. Alice Diop’s...

From Tokyo to Stockholm to Seattle, Bishrel Mashbat’s sophomore feature, “Beloved,” has quietly crawled across the local festival circuit. In each city, it seems the reception has been muted; from each festival, “Beloved” had not reaped any noticeable mentions. Now, “Beloved” has landed on our desks as a part of the Amp Submit Your Film Initiative. Overall, the film’s ambitions are great, but only feels half-hearted in execution.

“Beloved” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative

“Beloved” introduces us to the humble life of Anar (Iveel Mashbat), a Mongolian bartender who moved to the US for his white wife, Kassy (Jana Miley). The couple’s career stagnation strains their relationship. Kassy, desperate to have a shot at acting stardom, sleeps with a casting director. Anar, bored with his bartending job, chases after – and impregnates – an old-time friend. Within the walls of Anar and Kassy’s home,...

Lizzo’s new self-love anthem 2 Be Loved follows the superstar ditching herself at the alter on a quest to discover if she really is ready to be loved. “How am I supposed to love somebody else? When I don’t like myself,” croons Lizzo, as she sashays down a desert road in her wedding dress and a pair of chic white laced-up combat boots.

While it’s unclear what brand of boots Lizzo is sporting, you can easily recreate her style with these Dr. Marten lace-up boots, made from fine-grain...

In the 1950s and early 1960s, American family sitcoms were all the rage. Shows like "Leave it to Beaver," "Father Knows Best," "Life with Blondie," and "The Andy Griffith Show" were wholesome looks at the idyllic, assimilated, white ways of American living, and dominated small screens across the country. Knowing that the cable stations couldn't survive off one type of family sitcom, writers started getting a little more creative. "Bewitched" took the typical formula of a married couple and incorporated the magic of witchcraft, as did the popular "I Dream of Jeannie." When it came time to revamp the family sitcom, creatives started tackling different worlds than that...

The post Why The Munsters Are So Beloved appeared first on /Film.

It was a superlatively glib photo-op: A set restaurant table, a stack of pristine books, and Gov. Gavin Newsom doing his best impression of Rodin’s The Thinker. “Reading some banned books to figure out what these states are so afraid of,” the caption read.

The California Democrat posted that photo to Twitter late last month. In his hands, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, opened to an early page. On a table before him: Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, George Orwell’s 1984, and Art Spiegelman’s Maus — a Pulitzer...

This year’s South by Southwest Film Festival, taking place March 11-20 in-person with select films available online, has unveiled its lineup. With 99 features, highlights include the world premieres of Richard Linklater’s Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood (pictured above), Ti West’s X, Gillian Jacobs’ More Than Robots, Michael Tully’s Lover, Beloved, Jeff Baena’s Spin Me Round, the meta Nicolas Cage movie The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, The Lost City of D, and more.

“The last two years have been complicated, and full of uncharted new waters for all of us. While there’s been innovation in building community in isolation and figuring out how to pivot, we’ve intensely missed being able to gather together,” said Janet Pierson, VP, Director of Film. “For our 29th edition of SXSW Film Festival, we are thrilled to share a bounty of creative work to experience together,...

Le Lycéen

Announced really late in 2021, Christophe Honoré went into production on his fourteenth with the formidable pair of Vincent Lacoste and Juliette Binoche adding youngling Paul Kircher to the mix. Shooting on Le Lycéen is taking place in Paris until the month of February. Les Films Pelléas’ Philippe Martin and David Thion are once again producing. Honoré’s last film Guermantes (the director goes meta playing a director) premiered at last year’s Deauville, but for the most part he shuffles between the Croisette and the Lido. His Cannes preemed items include landing in Un Certain Regard with his 2002 debut Seventeen Times Cecile Cassard, heading over to the Directors’ Fortnight with Dans Paris, and then in contention for the Palme d’Or in 2007 with Love Songs, he closed the 2011 edition with Beloved and won a prize for On a Magical Night (Chambre 212).…...

Pal Joey, the notoriously tricky Rodgers and Hart musical with a score as lovely as its lead characters are thorny, is heading back to Broadway next year in a newly revised version to be co-directed by Tony Goldwyn and Savion Glover.

Casting hasn’t been announced, but the revised Pal Joey will arrive during the 2022-2023 Broadway season with choreography by Glover, a new book by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Richard Lagravenese and additional music selected from the great Rodgers and Hart canon. In addition to the musical’s original numbers like “Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered” and “I Could Write a Book,” the new Pal Joey will include such beloved Rodgers and Hart standards as “Where or When”, “The Lady is a Tramp”, “It Never Entered My Mind”, “My Heart Stood Still”, “Falling in Love With Love” and “There’s A Small Hotel,” among others.

Lagravenese and the creative team will reimagine the...

We received word from readers that the Apple Podcast/iTunes service has suddenly gone glitchy with The Film Experience so we wanted to let you know that you can also listen on Stitcher or on Spotify if you haven't yet given the conversation a go. One more round of applause please for writer/director/showrunner Leslye Headland, actor Mitch Silpa, DJ Rob Campion (Cooler Than Ecto), writer Jenelle Riley (Variety), and animator/illustrator Dashiell Silva. 

Read the Full Post Here

Conversation Index (74 minutes)

00:01 - Introduction of the Smackdown Panel and the 1998 Nominees

04:00 - Primary Colors. What works (Kathy Bates) and what doesn't, and how it plays in today's much different political climate.

15:41 - A detour to the 2020 Oscar race and "Da Butt"

17:00 - Hilary and Jackie's odd structure, sadness porn, and tortured artists

28:30 - A detour to The English Patient (1996) and the Weinstein/Miramax industrial...

We're revisiting the 1998 film year in the lead up to the next Supporting Actress Smackdown. As always Nick Taylor will suggest a few alternates to Oscar's ballot.

Another week, another lone Costume Design nominee that deserved far better attention than it got. Yes, Jonathan Demme’s Beloved is visibly uneven in several passages, to include the entire last hour. Yes, there’s a whole lot of discourse around Oprah as producer/actress/cultural icon at the time that I completely missed. Broadly speaking, it’s so disappointing that Toni Morrison’s works have had so few adaptations for screen, even as the author herself was a constant source of insightful interviews and the focus of several documentaries. But even on its own terms, Beloved is a genuinely risky, textured piece of filmmaking, honoring Morrison’s astounding novel without softening its most difficult themes. It’s also filled to the brim...

Beloved Emmy-winning sitcom Friends said goodbye in 2006, but just because the finale aired 15 years ago doesn’t mean the fandom died down and the adoration has worn off. The sitcom phenomenon that dominated ‘90s through early 2000s Must-See TV only benefited from a continued life and a new generation of fans via reruns and streaming, and the thirst for more reached a fever pitch during the advent of the reboot and revival era TV is currently enjoying.

Back in 2019, Friends fans’ wishes for a reunion were granted when HBO Max announced that a reunion special was indeed in the works....

Beloved Emmy-winning sitcom Friends said goodbye in 2006, but just because the finale aired 15 years ago doesn’t mean the fandom died down and the adoration has worn off. The sitcom phenomenon that dominated ‘90s through early 2000s Must-See TV only benefited from a continued life and a new generation of fans via reruns and streaming, and the thirst for more reached a fever pitch during the advent of the reboot and revival era TV is currently enjoying.

Back in 2019, Friends fans’ wishes for a reunion were granted when HBO Max announced that a reunion special was indeed in the works....

There’s never a bad time for a new superhero show, mind you. But with Amazon’s brilliantly bloody The Boys having been off air for five or so months now, the streaming world is particularly due for a new supe. With its list of new releases for March 2021, Amazon is going to be rectifying that.

The animated adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s comic series Invincible is set to arrive on Amazon Prime this March 26. Kirkman’s comic series is a colorful, thrilling, and violent take on superhero myths and the series that it inspired will feature a truly impressive cast. Take that all into account and this will be an important addition to the streaming superhero canon.

Also arriving in March is another big ticket item for Amazon. The long-awaited Coming to America sequel, Coming 2 America, will premiere on March 5. Eddie Murphy returns as Prince Akeem Joffer who...

Hopefully March will bring respite from crippling snow storms and frigid temperatures for much of the globe. And if it doesn’t? Well, Hulu’s got some new streaming options at least!

Hulu’s list of new releases for March 2021 are relatively slight on Hulu originals. Thankfully, one beloved original of note is coming back this month. Solar Opposites will premiere all episodes of its second season on March 26. This sci-fi animated comedy from Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland is a breath of fresh alien air.

On the movie side of things, Hulu is premiering Boss Level on March 5. This actioner will star the delightful Frank Grillo and the decidedly less delightful Mel Gibson. Speaking of delightful though, the documentary Kid 90 will arrive on March 12. This comes from Punky Brewster star Soleil Moon Frye and features hours of footage she shot in the ’90s that will depict what...

What do you get the woman who has it all for her birthday? Easy: Love and adoration. Iconic talk show host Oprah Winfrey turns 67 Friday, January 29 and, naturally, we can't help but applaud her and everything she does. In addition to changing people's lives with her charitable endeavors, the mogul has had a brilliant acting career, with roles including A Wrinkle in Time, Selma, Beloved, The Color Purple and more. Plus, we have to shout out all the series she has produced—Greenleaf and Queen Sugar just to name a few—and her incredible taste when it comes to showering us with her favorite things. Basically, she is a superhuman and...