Brainwashed Trailer Nina Menkes Deconstructs The Male Gaze

Menkes’ “Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power” centers on the cultural normalization of the exploitative male gaze found in cinema. Using clips from more than 175 films ranging from “Sleeping Beauty” to “Eyes Wide Shut” and “Spring Breakers,” Menkes deconstructs how the visual language of cinema is connected to “employment discrimination against women and an environment of pervasive sexual harassment, abuse, and assault.” The film premieres October 21 via Kino Lorber at the new DCTV Firehouse Cinema in New York City and the Laemmle in Los Angeles, with a national rollout to follow....

December 26, 2022 · 2 min · 415 words · Mary Riddell

City Hall Review Frederick Wiseman S Doc Should Be Seen By Everyone

Subtext: Take that, Trump! Just as Wiseman’s 2018 portrait “Ex Libris — The New York Public Library” served as a de facto repudiation of leaders who reject intellectual discernment, “City Hall” assails the corruption of American democracy by hovering within the sophisticated efforts on the other end of the equation. It’s an understatement to say that Wiseman — who edits his own material — doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Exhilarating and exasperating in equal measures, “City Hall” coheres into a rich tapestry of Boston in argument with itself....

December 26, 2022 · 6 min · 1174 words · Terry Williams

City On A Hill Canceled At Showtime After 3 Seasons

“‘City on a Hill’ concluded its successful run on Showtime with its Season 3 finale,” a statement from the cable channel reads. “We have had nothing but the best experience working with Kevin Bacon, Aldis Hodge, and the entire cast and crew, led by showrunner Tom Fontana and fellow executive producers including Jennifer Todd and Jorge Zamacona. We offer our sincerest thanks to everyone.” The news comes a month after the show’s eight-episode third season wrapped in September....

December 26, 2022 · 2 min · 311 words · Glen King

Cruella Review Spotty Prequel Refashions Disney Villain With Style

Gillespie was hired to direct the feature — long in the works, and with no less than five credited screenwriters — after the success of his cheeky black comedy “I, Tonya.” It’s easy to see why: In both films, Gillespie is tasked with providing information about larger-than-life, misunderstood women, information that he gussies up with canny casting, self-aware plot twists, and a whole lot of cool stuff to look at and listen to....

December 26, 2022 · 6 min · 1085 words · Danny Armstrong

Dmz Review Ava Duvernay S Hbo Max Series Inverts Expectations

New York City, she’s told, is dangerous. The 300,000 non-citizens still inhabiting the island have no government, no police, no laws. They were either stranded (on Evacuation Day, when the city was walled in) or chose to live in anarchy. No aid was given to the poor hoping to leave, and those in jails were left there. “You don’t know what you’re in for,” Alma is warned as she enters the city, hoping to find her only child....

December 26, 2022 · 5 min · 975 words · Bessie Hayes

F9 Trailer Vin Diesel John Cena Square Off In Fast And Furious 9

The latest chapter again stars Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, the character that made him one of the highest paid actors in the world. “F9” pits him against franchise newcomer John Cena, who plays Dom’s estranged — and apparently evil — brother. “Fast and Furious” has always stayed relevant by adding new movie stars into the mix, beginning with the additions of Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham in chapters five and six, “Fast 5” and “Fast & Furious 6....

December 26, 2022 · 2 min · 287 words · Lila Evans

Fully Realized Humans Trailer Joshua Leonard Jess Weixler Star

Weixler’s pregnancy, of course, plays a major role in the duo’s latest feature, which follows the pair (who also wrote the film together, Leonard directed) as a pair of well-meaning parents-to-be who suddenly realize they might not be totally ready to welcome a bouncing bundle of joy into their lives, at least not as they currently stand. Intent on shaking off any of their own neuroses (including, of course, the ones driven into them by their own parents; hello, foreshadowing), the pair decide to spend the next month before their baby girl’s birth turning into “fully realized humans....

December 26, 2022 · 2 min · 333 words · Virginia Dorris

Get Duked Review Ninian Doff S Debut Is A Zany Charmer

“Get Duked!” gets off to an immediately overcaffeinated start, and pretty much maintains that level of energy, as Dean (Rian Gordon), Duncan (Lewis Gribben), and DJ Beatroot (Viraj Juenja) are thrust into participating in the Duke Edinburgh Award. It’s an elaborate, generations-old, morale-building exercise program meant to test their mettle in the outdoors. The trio are eager to run riot in the woods and smoke pot, but their plans are interrupted when they’re saddled with straight-and-narrow, homeschooled introvert Ian (Samuel Bottomley)....

December 26, 2022 · 2 min · 425 words · Amy Borders

Ghostbusters Afterlife Tops House Of Gucci Vod After Price Drop

A normal post-PVOD $14 price cut seems to have prompted a renewed surge of interest for Sony’s comedy update, which had previously hit #1 at a higher cost. That led it to topping the initial (and delayed — the film didn’t hit VOD until more than two months after it opened in theaters) release of Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci” (United Artists/$19.99). The latter may have timed its availability to coincide with Oscar nominations on Tuesday, when it is expected to score some key nods....

December 26, 2022 · 4 min · 807 words · David Loftis

Glow Creators Set Nicole Kidman Alison Brie For New Series At Apple

The show is the first project to come from Flahive and Mensch’s recently signed overall deal with Apple’s growing streaming service. Flahive and Mensch will serve as showrunners and executive producers. Additional executive producers include Kidman and Per Saari via Blossom Films and Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky, and Allie Goss via Made Up Stories. For “GLOW” fans, “Roar” will likely be a highly anticipated original. Netflix canceled “GLOW,” which was slated to return for a fourth and final season, in October 2020, in part due to coronavirus-related production difficulties....

December 26, 2022 · 2 min · 277 words · Angel Gray

Gomorrah Season 4 Trailer Release Date Set On Hbo Max Exclusive

The Season 4 synopsis reads: The new season clearly turns the spotlight on Genny (Salvatore Esposito), the lone Savastano dynasty survivor: a character who has shed countless skins in the process of morphing from Don Pietro’s spoiled brat into family boss, husband, and father. In fact, the new season sees him on his best behavior precisely for the sake of Azzurra (Ivana Lotito) and little Pietro: with his own family to protect and an activity to reboot, he feels the need for a major life change, committing to legit business while sneaking out, as best he can, from the world his father had him grow up in....

December 26, 2022 · 3 min · 447 words · Robert Gutierrez

Halo Review Series On Paramount Is Game Of Thrones Mandalorian

Given all that hype, it should come as little surprise the first two hours (of the nine-hour first season) elicit immediate comparisons to two of TV’s most successful recent programs: “Halo” enlists the stark violence of “Game of Thrones,” while hinting at similar political scheming amid an ongoing war, while its A-plot follows “The Mandalorian” model: a masked, stoic, emotionally stunted warrior questions his creed when asked to sell out an innocent child....

December 26, 2022 · 5 min · 1028 words · Carletta Eller

House Of The Dragon Episode 9 S Major Moments Weren T In The Book

“The Green Council,” written by Sara Hess and directed by Claire Kilner, picks up right after the death of Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), with his wife and council planning how to pass the crown to son Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) instead of his named heir Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy). All of this roughly follows George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” which tells the history of House Targaryen, but at least two major scenes are unique to the show....

December 26, 2022 · 4 min · 841 words · Michael Albert

It S Always Sunny Season 15 Has Something To Say And Always Will

After a quick glance at the title, two things are immediately clear about the “It’s Always Sunny” Season 15 finale: Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Charlie (Charlie Day), and Frank (Danny DeVito) are going to carry a dead body up a mountain. But just as certain as the promise laid out in writing is its inevitable consequence: They’re going to drop that body. Probably more than once....

December 26, 2022 · 8 min · 1639 words · Kathy Brock

Jerry Marge Go Large Review Bryan Cranston Finds Lottery Loophole

That’s where the two projects diverge, and viewers of David Frankel’s latest get to watch a generic piece of fluff that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy without the burden of having to laugh or think. The film seems destined to live on as in-flight entertainment on nursing home-sponsored trips to Vegas, but a good cast and some well-placed sentimentality elevate it into something almost watchable. Jerry Selbee (Cranston) thought he was the embodiment of the American Dream....

December 26, 2022 · 6 min · 1159 words · Joan Waters

Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Unveils Cast And 2024 Release Date

20th Century confirmed upcoming requel “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” set years after the events of “War for the Planet of the Apes” previous prequel trilogy helmed by Matt Reeves. “Kingdom” will be directed by Wes Ball (“Maze Runner”) from a script by Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Patrick Aison. Joe Hartwick Jr., Jaffa, Silver and Jason Reed are the film’s producers with Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping serving as executive producers....

December 26, 2022 · 2 min · 387 words · Laura Brown

Living The Prime Of Mr Bill Nighy

Nighy’s world shifted when the late great casting director Mary Selway snuck him into a reading for Richard Curtis’ Christmas comedy “Love, Actually.” He got a couple of laughs. And landed the role of aging pop star Billy Mack, who records the unexpected breakout “Christmas is All Around.” The 54-year-old’s life changed overnight. “I think it was a Trojan horse thing,” he said. “She thought, ‘Well, I’ll get him in the room....

December 26, 2022 · 10 min · 1921 words · Shirley Rowell

Magic Mike Channing Tatum Finds Training For Role Unhealthy

While doing press for his latest film “Dog,” the story of two Army Rangers — one of whom is the dog of the title — traveling to a fallen soldier’s funeral, Tatum went on the “Kelly Clarkson Show” to discuss getting into shape for the Steven Soderbergh film. Tatum explained to Clarkson that one of the reasons he didn’t necessarily want to embark on a third feature was because he’d need to have the right physique for it....

December 26, 2022 · 2 min · 380 words · Virginia Przedwiecki

Marvel 616 Female Directors Show A Different Side Of Fandom Disney

“Marvel’s 616” is a docuseries aimed at lifting the veil on the Marvel universe to showcase the real people at its center. Each of the three women directors who participated on the series felt they were picked because of a connection to the material. “My way into the series was very specific to [my] episode,” Alison Brie told IndieWire. Her episode focuses on a high school theater program that performs Marvel-based plays....

December 26, 2022 · 5 min · 964 words · Ada Hamilton

Moon Knight Oscar Isaac Calls Disney Show Psychological Horror

Isaac has not been shy about the show’s experimental style, and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said the “brutal” show pushes the boundaries of what is allowed on Disney+. Now, the cast and crew have given fans their best look yet at the way the show will handle Moon Knight’s mental illness. In a new feature in USA Today, Isaac and the show’s producers were adamant that Moon Knight’s dissociative identity disorder is far from a gimmick....

December 26, 2022 · 2 min · 311 words · Florence Miller