This article first appeared as part of Jenelle Riley’s Acting Up newsletter – to subscribe for early content and weekly updates on all things acting, visit the Acting Up signup page. One of my favorite genres also happens to be one of the least appreciated — horror. I’m sure philosophers and therapists can offer endless…
Disney Will Not Fight DeSantis Takeover of Special District in Orlando
Disney will not fight a bill that gives Gov. Ron DeSantis broad powers over its Orlando theme parks, after the bill passed both houses of the Florida Legislature this week. The bill establishes a new district to assume the powers held by the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which Disney has controlled since it was created…
How The Academy Awards, and Their Iconic Oscar, Came To Be
Oscar is 95 this year, meaning he’s been around longer than most of us. And many people assume the look of the award, his nickname and the structure of the annual voting … just kinda happened. However, Bruce Davis details the thought and innovations behind these things in his authoritative new book, “The Academy and…
Studio Ramsay Creative Chief on ‘Next Level Chef’s’ Post-Super Bowl Surprises and the ‘Exciting Experiment’ of Tubi’s Gordon-Less ‘Kitchen Commando’
For Studio Ramsay Global’s latest U.S. series, the Fox co-owned producer is trying something different: A show that doesn’t star Gordon Ramsay. Hosted by White House chef and U.S. Army master sergeant chef Andre Rush, “Kitchen Commando” will launch its first episode on Fox’s ad-supported streamer Tubi on Sunday, the same day that Season 2…
Box Office: ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ Tearing Off $8 Million Opening in Quiet Super Bowl Weekend
Audiences are ponying up for “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” which is projected to lead a quiet Super Bowl weekend at the domestic box office. The third “Magic Mike” entry earned roughly $4.1 million in opening day and Thursday preview screenings, with industry sources projecting a debut around $8 million. Warner Bros. itself isn’t reporting numbers….
Documentary Nominees ‘Navalny,’ ‘All the Beauty and the Bloodshed’ and More Send Powerful Messages About the State of the World
After narrowing down 144 eligible documentary features to a remarkably strong shortlist of 15 docs, the Academy’s nonfiction branch whittled down that batch to five nominees: “All That Breathes,” “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” “Fire of Love,” “A House Made of Splinters,” and “Navalny.” It’s a quintuplet of powerful films from five formidable helmers….
‘Headed for the Big Time’: How Burt Bacharach Built His Career in Music and Film
From “Walk on By” to “The Look of Love” to “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” to “The Blob,” Burt Bacharach composed indelible pop songs that became staples of the soundtrack of their eras. The prolific tunesmith, who died Feb. 8 at age 94, grew to prominence early in his career by penning film scores…
Sharmila Tagore, Manoj Bajpayee in Disney+ Hotstar Film ‘Gulmohar’: Watch First Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)
Disney+ Hotstar film “Gulmohar” marks the comeback film of veteran Indian actor Sharmila Tagore and the feature debut of Rahul V. Chittella. Tagore, who debuted with Satyajit Ray’s “The World of Apu” (1959) was last seen in “Break Ke Baad” (2010). Chittella has directed a few shorts and previously worked with “Monsoon Wedding” filmmaker Mira…
‘Consecration’ Review: Jena Malone in a Convent Thriller With Scattershot Demons
You might go in expecting an “elevated” IFC Midnight version of “The Exorcist,” but “Consecration” is closer to “Black Narcissus” directed by Roger Corman.
Making the Bloater: ‘The Last of Us’ Prosthetics Designer Used a Slimy, 80-Pound Suit and Massive Stuntman to Create the Deadly Monster
SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains spoilers from Episode 5 of “The Last of Us,” now streaming on HBO Max. If you thought the clickers from “The Last of Us” were scary, think again. The massive, lumbering bloater is one of the most fearsome enemies in the original “The Last of Us” video game. Nearly impenetrable fungi…