Top of the Lake
Trigger Warning: assault, sexual assault, date rape Continue Reading →
In practice, most video game movies don’t have to worry about sequels. The likes of Assassin’s Creed and Warcraft failed to make anywhere near enough money to justify follow-ups. But there are still theatrical video game movie sequels here and there, now including Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Continue Reading →
It takes a special sort of show to go from a terrorist bombing to a fart joke. Continue Reading →
In the 1990s and 2000s, TNT had the market cornered. Every day, or at least it felt that way, the television channel would play a certain kind of action movie. They relied heavily on Tony Scott’s filmography in the early years, and on the Bourne franchise in the later years. Tarik Saleh’s The Contractor would have been a staple on the channel, likely playing favorably to middle-aged fathers on Sunday afternoons. Continue Reading →
Much of the pre-release publicity about Moon Knight focused on the heightened brutality of the new MCU on Disney+ series. In doing so, all involved failed to mention how much stranger it would be than the average MCU streamer. Continue Reading →
Robin Williams already proved he could do serious, but in this trio of very different movies released the same year he also did creepy. To watch footage of Robin Williams’ stand-up career is to be both amused, and a little startled. He’s a non-stop joke machine, the words pouring out of his mouth, jumping from subject to subject and impersonation to impersonation. He seems to be a man possessed, jittery, sweating, eyes wide and manic. The obvious explanation was that, up until friend John Belushi’s death in 1982, Williams was famously addicted to cocaine. More than that, though, and what would be the thread that ran through virtually his entire career, was an aggressive, occasionally off-putting need to entertain, at all times. When Williams did comedy, whether on stage or in films, his dial was almost always stuck on 11. Sometimes this frenetic energy worked to excellent effect, such as in Aladdin. But too often it resulted in a run of exhausting yet mediocre movies like Father’s Day, where Williams and co-star Billy Crystal seemed to be engaged in a competition over who could serve up the biggest pile of ham. Even in the relatively charming Mrs. Doubtfire, he’s so relentlessly “on” that you can absolutely understand why Sally Field would divorce him. Williams eventually became synonymous with the image of a desperate for approval theater kid, as presently exhibited by James Corden, only (in Corden’s case) without the talent. Continue Reading →
I first came to Bright Star through gifs and screenshots, posts on #aesthetic Twitter and Tumblr accounts devoted to sharing loving looks at beautiful people on film. I was already a fan of Ben Whishaw when I became aware of Bright Star, having fallen wholly in love with the entrancing actor in Cloud Atlas and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. With his swoopy hair, his sad eyes, and his impossibly-beautiful waif-like frame, Whishaw can convey longing like few others on screen, positively vibrating in both films with unfulfilled artistic promise and an aching desire to be known, to be loved, to be seen. Continue Reading →
During her appearance on Inside the Actors Studio, actress Kate Winslet reenacted a day on the set of Jane Campion’s Holy Smoke! in which Harvey Keitel was a dog. As part of an improvisational exercise to “deepen the intimacy” between the actors, Winslet’s objective was to help the dog to die. Despite her very English hesitations, after many minutes of whimpering and yowling soundtracked by Enya, the canine Keitel finally “dies.” Winslet gracefully excused herself, found a secluded place, and burst into laughter. Continue Reading →
Sandra Oh has always had range, and her demonstration of it for viewers has always been spectacular. However, the feat she’s pulled this month will be tough to trounce. Oh has folks turning red one Friday and blanch white the next. And she pulls off the jaw-dropping swing in an on-screen mold as traditionally restrictive as “mother to a teenage daughter.” That said, whereas Mrs. Lee in Turning Red strives to adapt whenever possible, Amanda (Oh) in Umma refuses to. Continue Reading →
The news that Apple TV+ would shell out top dollar for a limited series based on Min Jin Lee’s family epic, the 2017 novel Pachinko, was generally well-received by fans of the book. With book to small screen adaptations like Station Eleven and My Brilliant Friend growing both increasingly common, and popular, it seemed like a natural fit for the sprawling story of a Korean family displaced by the Japanese occupation of their homeland during the 20th century. Continue Reading →
Bridgerton is back this week, and yes, there will be bodices ripped, smelling salts fetched, and pearls definitely clutched. But before getting into all of that, let’s do a little housekeeping. While you’re not going to find a bigger romance fan than this reviewer, that doesn't mean this review will overlook Netflix using actors of color to bolster what are mainly white characters and storylines. Continue Reading →
What happens when you feel a connection with a person, but life and lifestyle seem determined to keep you apart? Continue Reading →
Halo is a big deal. It's the game series that made the Xbox, the game series that drew the blueprint and set the standard for first-person shooters in the 21st century. Its most recent installment, Halo Infinite, drew rave reviews and was a major financial hit. In addition to the stories told in the games themselves, Halo also boasts an extensive transmedia presence—novels, audio dramas, and animated anthologies, amongst other mediums—that's beloved by the lore-digging side of fandom. That passion, and the infamously spotty history of video-game-to-other-medium adaptations, means that Paramount Plus' Halo: The Series faces an uphill battle. Continue Reading →
Campion followed The Piano with a Henry James adaptation dedicated to the magnificently fraught question of desire or duty. Artwork: Felipe Sobreiro In the wake of the critical success of The Piano, Jane Campion’s 1996 adaptation of Henry James’s The Portrait of a Lady barely made a splash at the box office, grossing only a fraction of The Piano’s $140 million US earnings. It too seemed to puzzle critics. Some called it “claustrophobic” and “stifling,” and to be fair–they’re not wrong. The world that James creates in his masterful 600-page novel is at once lush and chilling, thrillingly intimate and so frustratingly tragic that as a whole it’s nearly impossible to quantify. James’s Portrait is not necessarily Campion’s, and vice versa. But few authors have had such a clear-eyed view of the inner lives of women, so it’s fitting that Campion–a director who has always portrayed women as they are, without pretense or romanticization–should be the one to adapt James’s greatest work. Continue Reading →
“The voice you hear is not my speaking voice,” Ada (Holly Hunter) explains in The Piano’s opening voiceover. It is her “mind’s voice” explaining that she has been mute since she was six and no one, not even she knows why. There is no medical explanation, so those around her think her silence grows from sheer will, that she is determined and refuses to bend. She can only communicate through sign language, which has to be translated by her daughter Flora (Anna Paquin), or through notes written on a small notepad she keeps around her neck. Yet, she doesn’t think of herself as silent; she has her piano. The music she has studied her entire life has become her form of communication, her way of making noise and announcing herself to the world around her. But, as soon as she lands in New Zealand and enters her new life as the bride of a farmer, she is separated from her piano–it is simply too large to carry from the beach to her new home with her husband. She arrives in her new world voiceless, deprived of her primary means of expression. Continue Reading →
Andrea Riseborough and Marc Maron shine in a study of a one-time lottery winner years after her life has gone bust. (This review is part of our coverage of the 2022 South by Southwest Festival) To Leslie tells a story of painful loss and possible redemption as familiar as the ones recounted in the country songs born out of its West Texas setting. In the case of Michael Morris’s feature debut, familiarity does not breed contempt. What To Leslie lacks in originality, it more than makes up for in terms of its craft and very impressive central performances from Andrea Riseborough and Marc Maron. Continue Reading →
Without any awareness of the Hitchcockian tag—impossible, what with it being The Point in the marketing, but let’s try—Windfall is the best advert yet for Ojai, California. Right from the get-go, director and co-writer Charlie McDowell serenely guides viewers around a gorgeous hacienda with an Eden of Pixie tangerines and the Topatopa within eyeshot. In short, this is a fetching property, easily bearing a price tag in the millions. It’s an item someone in the style of our unofficial tour guide (Jason Segel), a daring blend of off-duty Sheriff Hopper and the designer-disheveled-ism of modern tech bros, would possess. Or maybe host the Roys if they are to reattempt family therapy. Continue Reading →
As the discourse rages over how tame the mainstream movie scene can be—with its sexless heroes and bloodless violence—it can be tempting to elevate any film that hearkens back to "the good old days" of sex and slashers just for the sake of its own supposed transgressiveness. But luckily, Ti West's X largely earns that title, a playful and idiosyncratic ode to both ends of the '70s sleaze cinema spectrum (hardcore porn and Wes Craven-esque slashers) alike. Not only that, it's blissfully literate towards its influences, with a nod to larger points about the aesthetics and politics of desire, the fetishization of youth, and so much more. Continue Reading →
(This review is part of our coverage of the 2022 South by Southwest Festival) Continue Reading →
(This review is part of our coverage of the 2022 South by Southwest Festival) Continue Reading →
(This review is part of our coverage of the 2022 South by Southwest Festival) Continue Reading →
One of the major concerns people have before cutting the cord is potentially losing access to live sports. But the great thing about live TV streaming services is that you never lose that access. Minus the contracts and complications of cable, these streaming services connect you to a host of live channels, including ESPN. So ... How to Watch ESPN With A Free Trial
To date, Paramount Network has only two original shows on air right now: Yellowstone and Bar Rescue. The network seems to have its hands full with on-demand streaming service Paramount+, which is constantly stacked with a fresh supply of new shows. But Yellowstone and Bar Rescue are so sturdy and expansive that the network doesn’t ... How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
Previously “Women’s Entertainment,” We TV has since rebranded to accurately reflect its name and be a more inclusive lifestyle channel. It’s home to addictive reality gems like Bold and Bougie, Bridezillas, Marriage Boot Camp, and The Untold Stories of Hip Hop. And when it’s not airing original titles, it has on syndicated shows like 9-1-1, ... How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
For many sports fans, TNT is a non-negotiable. It broadcasts NBA, MLB, NHL, college basketball, and All Elite Wrestling matches. And, as a bonus, it also has reruns of shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and NCIS, as well as films like The Avengers, Dune, and Justice League. But while TNT used to be a cable staple, ... How to Watch TNT Sports With A Free Trial
It’s no coincidence that many of today’s biggest comedians found their footing on Comedy Central: the channel is a bastion of emerging comic talents. It served as a playground for people like Nathan Fielder (Fielder For You), Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson (Broad City), Tim Robinson (Detroiters), and Dave Chappelle (Chappelle’s Show) before they shot ... How to Watch Comedy Central With a Free Trial
You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad show airing on FX. The channel has made a name for itself as a bastion of high-brow TV, along with HBO and AMC. It’s produced shows like Atlanta, Fargo, The Americans, Archer, and more recently, Shogun. But because it’s owned by Disney, it still airs several blockbusters in ... How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
If you’re a fan of true crime and insider docu-shows like The First 48 and Court Cam, then you’re probably already familiar with A&E. The cable channel is home to other reality TV gems like Hoarders, Duck Dynasty, and Storage Wars (they’ve moved on to spin-offs like Road Wars, Customer Wars, and Prison Wars now). ... How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
From classics like Unplugged, Cribs, Jersey Shore, and Catfish to newer favorites like RuPaul’s Drag Race (and Untucked!) and Love & Hip Hop, MTV is still the place to be, if not for the latest in music and pop culture, then at least for solidly entertaining reality TV. Unlike before, you don’t actually need cable ... How to Watch MTV With a Free Trial
Comedy fans know Adult Swim is where it’s at. Home to shows like Rick and Morty, Robot Chicken, and The Eric Andre Show, the Cartoon Network programming block has become so big and successful that it’s practically overrun its home channel. It helps that it also shares rights to popular adult animation like Bob’s Burgers, ... How to Watch Adult Swim With a Free Trial
There are few things in the world more thrilling to women than a juicy true crime series. NBC seems to know that pretty well, hence the rebranding of The Oxygen Channel from light lifestyle fare to hardcore true crime. Here, you’ll find investigative shows like Cold Justice and Dateline, specials like Homicide for the Holidays, ... How to Watch Oxygen With a Free Trial
Sometimes, you can’t ask for anything more than funny and smart shows, which FXX has in spades. As the cable network home of The Simpsons, it airs new episodes of the show weekly, even dedicating an entire Sunday afternoon block to it. This is accompanied by shows like Futurama, King of the Hill, Family Guy, ... How to Watch FXX With a Free Trial
Much like HBO and AMC, FX always has at least one show on that has everyone talking. Right now, that’s Shogun and Fargo (please go see those now if you haven’t yet). But in the past, it’s also seen the rise of now-cult classics like American Horror Story, Atlanta, Sons of Anarchy, and It’s Always ... How to Get an FX Subscription Without Cable
As the (smaller) sister channel of ABC and The Disney Channel, Freeform is home to some pretty entertaining but still wholesome TV shows like Grown-ish (a spin-off of Black-ish), Chrissy & Dave Dine Out, and Young & Hungry. Some on-brand reruns also include shows like Boy Meets World, Switched at Birth, and The Secret Life ... How to Watch Freeform With a Free Trial
Nickelodeon has made a name for itself as a children’s channel, but late at night when the kids go to bed, it airs films and TV shows that even mom and dad can enjoy. The programming block, called Nick at Nite, begins at 8 in the evening (10 on Saturdays) and runs through 7 in ... How to Watch Nick at Nite With a Free Trial
When it comes to breaking news, few channels can match up to CNN. It has local, national, and international coverage down pat, not to mention it’s on 24/7 and hosted by some of the country’s most trusted journalists, including Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour. In the past, CNN only came with expensive cable packages, but ... How to Get a CNN Subscription Without Cable
Ina Garten, Bobby Flay, Guy Fieri, Tiffany Derry…really, who’s doing it like The Food Network? The channel has been platforming some of the most recognizable chefs and their respective shows since 1993, and even in the streaming age, it shows no signs of stopping. I mean, you can watch YouTube and TikTok chefs all you ... How to Get Food Network Live Without Cable
Cartoon Network’s giant library of animated television series has been a great, diverse companion to generations of kids growing up. Originals like Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, and Johnny Bravo brought tons of color to basic character tropes; while new age classics like Steven Universe and We Bare Bears explored softer moods to go with the ... How to Watch Cartoon Network with a Free Trial
Whether you just want to tune in to the most anticipated sporting event of the year (Puppy Bowl, of course) or you want a constant stream of shows like Lone Star Law, The Vet Life, and Coyote Peterson to keep your animal-loving heart company, then you probably know how vital it is to have Animal ... How to Watch Animal Planet With a Free Trial
Unlike most channels out there, The CW doesn’t cater to a specific niche; it’s a network that has a little something for everybody. It carries superhero shows like Superman & Lois, dramas like All American, magic shows like Penn & Teller, and comedies like Whose Line Is It Anyway? Because it has local affiliates scattered ... How to Get The CW Live Without Cable
If you’re looking for a good mix of serious true crime shows, hard-hitting documentaries, police procedurals, and vintage classics, then Sundance TV will be a fun addition to your channel lineup, if it’s not there already. It’s random enough to cater to different tastes, but its shows are, for the most part, addictive watches. Currently, ... How to Watch SundanceTV With a Free Trial
If you’ve put on the Travel Channel in the last decade or so, you’ll know it’s not actually the Travel Channel anymore, not really. Sure, it still occasionally airs gems like No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain and Hotel Impossible, but most of its time slots are now dedicated to supernatural and true crime shows. That ... How to Watch Travel With a Free Trial
Everyone knows that A&E is the go-to channel for all the wars. You know, Customer Wars, Storage Wars, Road Wars, Neighbor Wars, Parking Wars…But the cable channel is also home to other programs that take a closer look at our mundane but fascinating lives. Sometimes, they take a more criminal bent with shows like The ... How to Get an A&E Subscription Without Cable
Aimed at the next generation of Disney kids, Disney Junior offers countless fun and educational children’s programming. Whether it’s modern favorites like Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, or Bluey; or staple Mickey Mouse shows such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; the Disney Junior line-up is perfect for young children’s active imaginations, as well as teaching them ... How to Watch Disney Junior with a Free Trial
Whether it’s a game show, a survival contest, or a race, nothing beats the the thrill of a competition. And what better way to tune into that thrill than by heading over to the Game Show Network, which is all rivalry 24/7. Unlike the olden days, you don’t need a cable connection to do this. ... How to Watch Game Show Network With a Free Trial