The Official “Tina” Trailer Reveals HBO’s Look at an American Icon

There are few living Americans as iconic as Tina Turner. The legendary musician seemed like an unstoppable force during her early career, a dynamo capable of anything, everything. Her partnership, both romantically and musically, with Ike Turner seemed idyllic. For 16-years they’d co-created some of the most compelling music being produced, including hits like “A Fool in Love” and “Proud Mary.” Everything seemed perfect.

As the details of her personal life and the abusive,

“Cherry” Composer Henry Jackman Lets Loose on the Russo Brother’s New Film

Composer Henry Jackman began composing his first symphony at the age of six. He has since risen to become one of film’s top composers, by leveraging both his classical training and his experience as a record industry producer. His diverse credits include working with Hans Zimmer on The Dark Knight, as well as many scores of his own, including Wreck-It Ralph, Kong: Skull Island, and Captain Phillips.

Tahar Rahim on Playing With Brutal Truths in “The Mauritanian”

The Mauritanian boasts performances from Jodie Foster, a legend who has earned the right to be picky about her roles, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Shailene Woodley. All are predictably excellent—Foster as the dogged defense attorney Nancy Hollander, Cumberbatch as the military prosecutor Stuart Couch, and Woodley as Hollander’s tenacious assistant Teri Duncan. Yet director Kevin Macdonald’s film hinges on the performance of its’ titular Mauritanian, the French-Algerian actor Tahar Rahim, who plays Mohamedou Ould Slahi,

Actress Taylour Paige Gets Into the “Boogie” Spirit in Eddie Huang’s Directorial Debut

Boogie, Eddie Huang’s directorial debut, proves to be a different kind of coming-of-age story. Best known for penning the autobiography that inspired the hit TV series Fresh Off the Boat, Huang draws upon two subjects near to his heart – his Chinese heritage and his love of basketball — to weave an offbeat tale of a Chinese basketball phenom nicknamed Boogie (Taylor Takahashi) who aspires to become an NBA superstar.

It was the unique nature of the script,

“Cherry” DP Newton Thomas Sigel on the Russo Brothers First Post-Avengers Film

Joe and Anthony Russo’s latest project is a far cry from Avengers. The hopes and dreams of the titular hero of Cherry (premiering on Apple TV+ on March 12), played by Tom Holland, are earth-bound, centered around getting high, getting money, or getting clean. In the film’s first chapter (there are six in total, each introduced by a blood-red title page), Cherry is at his worst—strung out,

Showrunner Suzan-Lori Parks Goes Deep on an American Icon in “Genius: Aretha”

She won a Tony for her spectacular singing in The Color Purple, then earned an Oscar nomination in her role as the titular underground railroad heroine in Harriet. Now Cynthia Erivo‘s harnessing her vocal and dramatic gifts to deliver a sensational portrayal of Aretha Franklin in Genius: Aretha (March 21 on NatGeo). Created by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright-turned-showrunner Suzan-Lori Parks, the eight-episode biopic dramatizes Franklin’s journey from gospel singing child prodigy to her decades-long reign as pop music’s undisputed Queen of Soul.

The Flash is Front & Center in New “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” Teaser

Last week we learned what those six chapters are titled that mark the narrative arc of Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Now, Snyder has served up a teaser focused on Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen, better known to the world as the Flash.

When Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne recruits Barry Allen to join the Justice League, the youngster is initially reluctant. There’s the possibility (or more accurately, the probability) of death that he’s not so keen about.

International Women’s Day Profile: Director Tan Chui Mui

Pioneering Malaysian New Wave director Tan Chui Mui was on the final recce of her latest film, Barbarian Invasion, in a remote fishing village when the national lockdown news broke in mid-March last year following the World Health Organization’s declaration of the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Her shoot was about to start in early April, which would be after the end of the supposedly two-week lockdown. But Tan was fully aware of the severity of the situation in China.

“WandaVision” Finale Caps Marvel’s Remarkable First Disney+ Series

Well folks, if you’ve been watching Marvel’s WandaVision on Disney+ and you’re anything like us, you’ve slowly come to realize this really is a remarkable series. Showrunner Jac Schaeffer and director Matt Shakman created something wholly original, plopping Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) down into an evolving world of sitcoms that has gotten progressively darker, sadder, and more intense. The show has generated serious discussions about grief, thanks to (spoiler alert) the reveal that the entire world of Westview,

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Top of Mind at the Berlin Film Festival

There are no live audiences aside from the judges at this year’s 71st Berlinale and obviously no parties or red carpets to speak of, but in one way or another, the show goes on. The Motion Picture Association and the entertainment law firm Greenberg Traurig hewed to joint tradition and held their industry panel discussion, bringing their speakers and audience together over video conference instead of Greenberg Traurig’s premises perched above the Berlin cityscape.

“A Quiet Place Part II” Release Bumped Up to Memorial Day

Chalk this up as some good news to start your Friday. Paramount has announced that they’ll be releasing John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place Part II earlier than we’d thought. They’ve pushed up the release date to Memorial Day, making Krasinski’s hotly-anticipated sequel our official summer kickoff film. What’s not to love about this?

Krasinski took to Twitter to share the news. The new release date means that the writer/director’s follow-up will have now been delayed well over a year from its original March 20 release date.

Here Are The Six Chapter Titles For “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”

We’re almost at the long-awaited premiere date for Zack Snyder’s Justice League on HBO Max. The official Twitter page for Snyder’s upcoming film has revealed its six chapter titles, giving us at least a broad outline of how the four-hour film will be broken up narratively.

You’ll note that three of those chapters appear to be actual quotes from the film. For example, the very first chapter sounds like something Jason Momoa’s Aquaman says to Ben Affleck’s Batman when he’s asked to join the fledgling super-group.

Anthony Mackie is Ready to Soar in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”

Anthony Mackie has been donning the metal wings as Falcon since his first appearance in the Russo Brothers’ Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014. He’s now appeared in six films as Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon, but now, at long last, Mackie’s finally poised to be the title character in Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The series, directed by Emmy-award winner Kari Skogland, features Mackie’s Falcon and Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier,

Makeup Artist Angie Wells on Remaking Carey Mulligan in “Promising Young Woman”

Writer/director Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman delivers a deliciously punchy twist on the revenge narrative. Carey Mulligan stars as Cassie, short for Cassandra, which happens to be the name of the priestess in Greek mythology who was cursed to speak true prophecies that were never believed. Mulligan’s Cassie, however, is a woman who eschews speaking prophecies for becoming them. She’s on a personal mission, fueled by a tragic event in her past, to teach every would-be date rapist a lesson they’ll never forget.

“Thunder Force” Trailer Reveals Melissa McCarthy & Octavia Spencer’s Superhero Film

One of Netflix’s big releases this year is the Ben Falcone written and directed Thunder Force, starring Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer as estranged childhood best friends who band together to take on a surfeit of supervillains. The superstar duo was on hand on The Ellen Show where the trailer for their upcoming comedy appeared, giving us a glimpse of what they’ve got cooking here.

You’ll note right from the jump that the Thunder Force trailer is going to create a Pavlovian response in superhero film fans.

Makeup Artist Laini Thompson on Helping Transform Andra Day Into Billie Holiday

For Billie Holiday’s listeners, her music is eternal, but her life story may be less so. Directed by Lee Daniels, The United States vs. Billie Holiday (now streaming on Hulu) envelops itself in both aspects of the star’s biography, opening on Billie (Andra Day) on stage, glamorous, impeccable, and singing “Strange Fruit,” the most political ballad in her oeuvre. Eerie and heartbreaking, “Strange Fruit” was first published in 1937 as a poem by Russian-Jewish schoolteacher Abel Meeropol,

“Snowfall” DP Tommy Maddox-Upshaw on Transforming Memory Into Light & Optics

Season 4 of the FX drama Snowfall opens on antihero Franklin Saint (Damson Idris) imploring CIA agent Teddy (Carter Hudson) to help him keep local gang rivalries in check. Tensions are getting out of hand in mid-1980s Los Angeles, even if Franklin, erudite and unassuming, appears as on top of his own drug-related dealings as ever. Far and near, the show’s other characters are going through upheavals of their own. Teddy’s machinations in Mexico go off the rails in part due to trouble with an Israeli gangster,

“Game of Thrones” Actress Indira Varma Joins “Obi-Wan Kenobi” Disney+ Series

These are not the droids you’re looking for, but this is the kind of news you want to hear about Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series. The long-gestating live-action spinoff featuring Ewan McGregor as the younger Kenobi finally seems to be cruising in hyperdrive. Deadline broke the news that Game of Thrones alum Indira Varma has joined the show. Varma was excellent as Ellaria Sand in Thrones, 

“Lovecraft Country” Creator Misha Green on Confidence and Taking Risks in Hollywood

Name a vocation and Misha Green has probably done it. And if not in her own lifetime, then through the lives of the characters she creates.    

“My sister just reminded me the other day, she was like, ‘You actually got into UCLA for acting,’” Green said. “And I was like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s RIGHT!’”

But ultimately, it was a life behind the camera that Green preferred. She decided to study television and film at New York University and a few years later landed her first industry job as a staff writer for FX’s Sons of Anarchy.

Netflix Reveals First Look at Their New Superhero Series “Jupiter’s Legacy”

Netflix just released the first proper look at their upcoming superhero series Jupiter’s Legacy, which centers the superpowered children of famous superheroes (hence the “Legacy” in the title) and is based on Mark Millar and Frank Quitely’s graphic novels. The series looks at what the second generation of superheroes have to live up to—and overcome—as they take the reigns of responsibility from their parents. This new teaser gives us a glimpse of our main characters,