Etiqueta: Featured

It’s probably safe to say that many in the entertainment business would disagree with Daisy Ridley’s assessment of her mark on the «Star Wars» films. In fact, the actor has since gone on to perform in over 20 projects since «The Force Awakens,» with many of them being related to the pivotal science fiction trilogy.

As for her performance in «Star Wars: The Force Awakens,» many critics commended her work specifically as one of the film’s high points. «It all comes together nicely as the actors breathe vulnerability, fallibility, and personality into their roles, with Daisy Ridley being quite the commanding presence,» wrote Udita Jhunjhunwala on Scroll.In.

Alan French of Sunshine State Cineplex was similarly positive, commending both Ridley and her co-star John Boyega for their performances in «Star Wars: The Force Awakens.» «Yes, The Force Awakens cribs from previous incarnations of the franchise, but the true power lies in the heart of the characters,» he wrote. «Both Ridley and Boyega pop off the screen.»

While not everyone has been so kind to the performer, as she has faced harassment online and in person, many would agree that Ridley did a fine job carrying the massive «Star Wars» franchise on her back for three movies, and that’s certainly no small feat.

At the end of the 1976 Japanese classic «In the Realm of the Senses,» Sada Abe (Eiko Matsuda) erotically asphyxiates Kichizō Ishida (Tatsuya Fuji) to death, and then castrates him in order to carry his penis inside her wherever she goes. If that sounds disturbing, wait until you see how director Nagisa Ōshima shot it.

There are many components to the scene’s singular, unshakable, medium-shattering power. True to his penchant for tasteful ornamentation, Ōshima surrounds the moment of the castration itself with immaculately rendered, albeit morbid, mutual pleasure — shots upon shots of Sada and Ishida inching towards a relaxed bliss, the bliss of lovers who have truly fallen into the abyss of each other. Even as she strangles him, there’s a sense of every image and every movement being just right, irresistible in their cumulative gorgeousness.

And then she simply takes the knife and does it, in close-up, her hands calm but her face possessed, like it’s not unwatchably revolting. The process is slow, and Ōshima depicts it as such, never flinching, not even from his own established rule of beauty. It’s another masterfully composed shot, as clear and simple as it is to describe: She cuts off his penis. Were it not the work of an artist so savvy and intelligent, you’d think the film sees nothing out of the ordinary about what Sada is doing. But of course, it’s all very deliberate — the most indelible possible version of a scene that would be indelible regardless.

In the late 1990s, Robert Downey Jr. was a cautionary tale of how far a star could fall. And in 1999, after missing yet another court-ordered drug test, Downey had the book thrown at him, receiving a sentence of three years in prison. He was released after just 15 months, but the actor has often looked back at that year as the worst time in his life.

«Arguably the most dangerous place I’ve ever been in my life,» said Downey on Dax Shepard’s podcast the Armchair Expert (via People). «You could just feel the evil in the air … It was kind of like just being in a really bad neighborhood, and there was no opportunity there; there was only threats.» He likened the experience to being on an alien planet with no way back to Earth. Yet, it wasn’t the end of his legal troubles, because just months after his release in 2000, he was arrested once more, this time on Thanksgiving weekend, for possession of drugs and being under the influence of narcotics, and was nabbed again by police in a Los Angeles alley. 

In 2015, having been clean and sober for over a decade, California Governor Jerry Brown gave Downey an unconditional pardon for his past offenses. Though his record wasn’t expunged entirely, the pardon means he once again has the right to vote, something felons lost in California until Proposition 17 was approved in 2020.

According to «The Banshees of Inisherin» director Martin McDonagh, Barry Keoghan was undeterred by his diagnosis. In the same piece for GQ, McDonagh recalled visiting Keoghan shortly before filming began. «I’m not sure if he was on a lot of meds, but he seemed to shrug it off,» the director said. «We were only about four days out from shooting, and his arm was puffed up. But he was like, ‘Yeah, no, I’m going to be fine—I’ll see you on Tuesday.’ I went to the hospital thinking, S***—is he going to die? Let alone, is he going to make the movie. But I came out of there energized and looking forward to it.»

If Keoghan was experiencing any discomfort on the set of «The Banshees of Inisherin,» it’s hard to tell. The film takes place on a remote Irish island in 1923. Keoghan plays Dominic, a troubled young man who has an unreciprocated crush on fellow island-dweller Siobhán (Kerry Condon).

Keoghan isn’t the first actor to struggle with the disease. In 2022, «The Chronicles of Narnia» star Georgie Henley opened up about her diagnosis at age 18, which required hospitalization and extensive surgeries. «It has taken me a long time to heal both physically and mentally but I hoped that one day there would be the right time to talk about what happened,» she wrote on Instagram. «Today is a start.»

Keoghan, meanwhile, seemed relatively nonchalant about the whole thing. He does remember McDonagh offering some remarkably accurate prognostications at the hospital: «Just remember this when you’ve been nominated for an Oscar.»

Shortly after «The Blair Witch Project» took the cinematic landscape by storm, it spawned its first direct sequel, 2000’s «Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2.» Unlike its predecessor, this feature was torn apart by critics and general moviegoers alike. Over a decade and a half later came 2016’s maligned «Blair Witch,» which serves as a cross between a sequel and a soft reboot. But what if the franchise focused on the idea of Josh Leonard and Mike Williams being a serial killer duo and the ones behind Heather Donahue’s death?

«The sequel would be the sadistic tale about Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams, documenting themselves (as they documented) how they did all of this to Heather – the planning-stage tape…and their other victims,» wrote u/CartelKingpin. This pitch prompted other fans to praise and build on this idea. For instance, u/McFry_ voiced their support for the sequel concept, while u/RantSpider would’ve liked to see «The Blair Witch Project» get the trilogy treatment in this regard, with the truth of Josh and Mike’s crimes being exposed over multiple films.

In May 2023, reports surfaced that a new «Blair Witch» film was allegedly in development. If the franchise returns, it will be fascinating to see which type of frightful route it takes. While it likely won’t explore the Josh and Mike as murderers theory, one can hope it comes close to recreating the terrifying magic of the original.

Oprah Winfrey also noted in her Entertainment Tonight interview that Warner Bros. — the studio that released «The Color Purple» and who obviously handled the film’s budget — is fully responsible for any salary issues. She says that actors’ agents and teams are responsible for how much pay they ultimately take in. «That’s the way the studio system works, and we, as producers — everybody gets their salary negotiated by your team.»

She added that whenever she heard there were problems on the set, she stepped in and took care of them herself. Winfrey also stated that she felt Taraji P. Henson would step up and agree with her claims, stating, «I believe that she [Henson] would even vouch for that.» She also advocated for Henson’s choice to be honest about her situation. «I am all for everybody being the greatest and meeting the rising of their own life.»

As of press time, Taraji P. Henson has not released a statement affirming or denying Winfrey’s claims. Time will tell if further conflict flares to life — or if one even existed in the first place.

During the discussion, Jeffrey Wright went on to say that when the film’s studio and distributors — Universal Studios, Good Machine Productions, and USA Films, respectively — were unsure of how to market a film with such difficult subject matter, they sort of just gave up on giving it any publicity whatsoever. Not only that, but Wright recalled that he was asked to dub over the vital word from his pivotal line for what he said the studio called the «airplane version of the dialogue» (a clean one). Wright refused.

«I said, ‘Nah. That’s not happening,’» Wright revealed.  And they found some other actor to come in and do that one word, apparently, so that the airplane folk would be comfy in the darkness of their own ignorance around the language of race.» The identity of that other actor isn’t revealed in the roundtable, but it’s absolutely notable that Wright stuck to his principles and chose not to dub over the line himself, especially since he was not an established star. One thing feels certain, though: Wright has such a distinctive voice that unless the actor who stepped in is an incredible impressionist, the «airplane version» probably sounds just a little bit off.

In the 2015 reference book «Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know,» readers learn about the presence of Wampas within Echo Base. During the Empire’s invasion of the Rebel settlement, and after Luke Skywalker dismembered the Wampa that attacked him, several Imperial snowtroopers approach a door marked with an obvious warning sign. Ignoring it, they open the door anyway and are met with angry Wampas, which promptly make them regret doing so. This moment wasn’t made up for the book, rather it was meant to appear in «The Empire Strikes Back.»

Ultimately, the scene didn’t make the final cut, but it was filmed and can be watched all these years later, having technically been canonized by the retelling in «Absolutely Everything You Need to Know.» In the shot scene, C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) tears the warning sticker off just before the Imperials arrive, which leads to their downfall. «The Empire Strikes Back» almost included multiple other scenes involving Wampas terrorizing Echo Base, attacking Rebel personnel in a likely attempt to reclaim their home (via Thomas Jordan on YouTube). Whether these and other «Star Wars» deleted scenes are canon remains debated, though they are hinted at in «Absolutely Everything You Need to Know» and the «Star Wars: Forces of Destiny» episode titled «Beasts of Echo Base.»

In the main Skywalker saga, Wampas are little more than a footnote in the story. However, looking to the peripherals reveals that there’s more to the creature that attacked Luke Skywalker, as well as its entire species, than most realize.

In 2013, director Michael Bay took a break from «Transformers» movies to make «Pain & Gain,» a crime caper comedy starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne «The Rock» Johnson, Anthony Mackie, and Tony Shalhoub. Wahlberg plays Adrian Doorbal, a bodybuilder who recruits two friends from his local gym (Johnson and Mackie) for a scheme to kidnap and extort a wealthy businessman (Shalhoub).

Based on the so-called «Sun Gym Gang» and the real-life attempted murder of Marc Schiller, the film was adapted from a series of articles in the Miami New Times. But it also put a comedic twist on events, often downplaying the viciousness of their crimes and turning the affair into something of a joke. While the film attempts to portray the criminal trio as a group of bumbling, misguided malcontents, the reality was far more grisly.

For the film, Bay may have wanted to make the characters more sympathetic and acting out of pure desperation. The true story, however, is that the Sun Gym Gang was calculating and cruel. And the film outright invents some of their goofier moments, like their use of Halloween costumes when kidnapping their target. Their later murder of another man, portrayed as an accident in the film, was anything but a mistake. Even the wealthy Shalhoub character (Victor Kershaw in the film) wasn’t so innocent and was nabbed by the FBI not long after the incident for a $14 million insurance scam, ultimately serving nearly four years behind bars.

Mark Ruffalo is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Bruce Banner but before him, there was Edward Norton, and, before him, there was Eric Bana. The Australian actor starred as the theoretical physicist with wicked anger issues in Universal Picture’s 2003 film «Hulk.» Critics disliked it, audiences despised it, and now Bana’s rocking a life-long distaste for superhero projects. During a 2023 interview with Yahoo, he denied any interest in returning to Marvel. «I think my body of work since then speaks to the answer to that question,» he said when asked about a possible reprisal. 

While Bana never expressed explicit disinterest in DC, he openly admitted that the superhero genre isn’t his style. In 2021, he told Entertainment Weekly as much, saying, «It just wasn’t the type of film that I saw myself doing. I approached [‘Hulk’] as a one-off … It’s why I [haven’t] re-dabbled in that area. They’re not the kind of movie that I race out and see myself so that conversation is something I have with myself if I want to be a part of it.» That same year, during an in-depth interview with Vulture, he again expressed how daunting massive superhero franchises could be due to the immense commitment they demand.

If Bana selects his projects based on whether or not he’d watch them himself, then his personal preferences veer toward action flicks, dramas, and thrillers. And sure, the superhero genre touches base with those categories — arguably, Robert Pattinson’s «The Batman» is all three — but spandex and splashy special effects tend to steal the spotlight. Plus, film contracts involving superhero roles tend to be multi-movie deals. Sorry BossLogic, this one will probably have to stay a fan casting.

«The Batman 2» is in the early stages of development, and details about the film are being kept under wraps. That said, many fans expect the Joker to be the Dark Knight’s main opponent in the sequel, and Barry Keoghan has only added more fire to the speculation.

In an interview with Etalk, Keoghan teased another outing as Gotham’s villainous clown, but he didn’t spill all of the beans. «I can’t really say anything about that, my man, but it would be exciting, wouldn’t it?» the actor said. «To see the Joker come to life again. My smile says it all.»

Keoghan’s tease is exciting, but some fans are worried about «The Batman 2» following an update from James Gunn. The DC Studios head revealed that he hasn’t read a script yet, meaning it’s possible that the film, scheduled for a 2025 release, could be delayed. Director Matt Reeves told IGN in 2022 that he was unsure if Joker would be in the sequel, noting that the version we see in the first film is a younger iteration of the character. Hush is also rumored to be the big bad in «The Batman 2,» so any potential involvement from the Clown Prince of Crime might be peripheral — until he’s ready to take over Gotham down the line, that is.  

At the end of Season 3, protagonist Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and the newly christened Din Grogu — who very well may still be Baby Yoda to plenty of fans — are at peace. Based on a confluence of factors including the fact the Season 3 finale could serve as a natural conclusion to his story, some fans began to theorize Pascal’s Djarin might be out as the show’s titular Mandalorian. However, Bo-Katan Kryze actor Katee Sackhoff killed the Pascal replacement rumor for «The Mandalorian» Season 4, describing the series as Din Djarin’s story first and foremost.

While this might mean that Pascal will be back for the upcoming season, his name is not included in the «Mandalorian & Grogu» announcement. Pascal did, however, celebrate the news on his Instagram Story. Beyond this suggestion that he’s still a part of the franchise, Djarin is the sole Mandalorian who shares a close bond with Grogu. The idea that the title of this film might refer to anyone other than Djarin, then, would be at least a little strange. Nevertheless, given that fans have already speculated about Pascal’s departure, the fact his name isn’t yet attached to the movie suggests that his involvement isn’t yet guaranteed, even if he is strongly implied to have a part in Season 4.

Among the truckload of questions being thrown at James Gunn regarding the mammoth franchise he’s dared to take on, one fan enquired if it was a challenge building this universe and keeping the creative freedom for writers and directors intact. The former «Guardians of the Galaxy» director has already revealed that the tone of his DC Universe reboot will shift, but it sounds like a task he’s been happy to collaborate in. Responding to the question on Threads, Gunn said, «No, it’s been a blast, and artists have had a good time being in on the ground floor of this, helping us to build a universe that still retains the voices of the individual filmmakers.»

So far, James Mangold and Andy Muschietti are the only confirmed directors in the DCU. Following his effort with «The Flash,» Muschietti will take on another iteration of Batman, along with the Caped Crusader’s son and current Robin, Damien Wayne, in «The Brave and the Bold.» For Mangold, landing «Swamp Thing» is certainly an impressive feat, since he’s also involved with another massive franchise in «Star Wars,» writing and directing a film that will explore the first-ever Jedi. Here’s hoping that both DC’s famous flora and early Force users get the same great treatment.