15 years after its theatrical release, Zack Snyder's "Watchmen" occupies a curious spot in the history of comic book superhero cinema. While bleak blockbusters like "Dune: Part Two" and "Oppenheimer" might be all the rage in 2024, that wasn't the case when Snyder's film arrived in 2009. The success of "Iron Man" a year earlier signaled a shift in audiences' tastes. The brooding, auteur-led offerings of the 2000s (like "Hulk" and "The Dark Knight") would soon after give way to the studio-mandated crowd-pleasing spectacles of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Snyder's relentlessly downbeat and violent interpretation of writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons' equally grim milestone graphic novel suddenly felt wildly out of tempo with the genre, as did his subsequent vision for the now-kaput DC Extended Universe.
Patrick Wilson, who starred in the film as the tech-whiz Daniel Dreiberg/Nite Owl II, has argued that Snyder's "Watchmen" set the stage...
Patrick Wilson, who starred in the film as the tech-whiz Daniel Dreiberg/Nite Owl II, has argued that Snyder's "Watchmen" set the stage...
- 4/6/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Frank Sinatra went through phases like he went through wives. The legendary crooner and movie star could exhibit impeccable taste for what people wanted to see and hear, and then, in a few year's time, completely lose his grasp of the zeitgeist.
Sinatra was threatening to enter one of his down periods in the mid-1960s. The popular music scene was in the throes of Beatlemania, while moviegoers were tiring of the Rat Pack's antics. Who wanted to see Sinatra and the gang saunter their way through Western and gangster pastiches like "4 for Texas" and "Robin and the 7 Hoods" when they could watch Elvis Presley set the screen ablaze with Ann-Margret in "Viva Las Vegas"?
To be fair, Sinatra was still Sinatra, but after giving one of his finest performances in John Frankenheimer's "The Manchurian Candidate," he started playing it way too safe. Bud Yorkin and...
Sinatra was threatening to enter one of his down periods in the mid-1960s. The popular music scene was in the throes of Beatlemania, while moviegoers were tiring of the Rat Pack's antics. Who wanted to see Sinatra and the gang saunter their way through Western and gangster pastiches like "4 for Texas" and "Robin and the 7 Hoods" when they could watch Elvis Presley set the screen ablaze with Ann-Margret in "Viva Las Vegas"?
To be fair, Sinatra was still Sinatra, but after giving one of his finest performances in John Frankenheimer's "The Manchurian Candidate," he started playing it way too safe. Bud Yorkin and...
- 2/1/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
When Rod Serling won an Emmy for "Outstanding Achievement in Drama" for "The Twilight Zone" in 1960, he was completely taken aback by this well-deserved win. Serling had previously earned several Emmy nominations for the show, having also won two Emmys for "Patterns" and "The Comedian" under the "Best Teleplay Writing" category. However, the writer-producer had good reason to believe that he would not be winning this particular award — he was up against the likes of James Costigan, and his adaptation of "The Turn of the Screw," alongside Loring Mandel, whose "Project Immortality" also emerged as a worthy contender. Costigan's adaptation was especially deemed deserving, as its screenplay was entirely built on visceral suspense, with a brilliant Ingrid Bergman belting out a chilling, memorable performance.
Per Marc Scott Zicree's "The Twilight Zone Companion," Serling was completely unprepared for the win, to the point that he didn't even bother shaving before the broadcast.
Per Marc Scott Zicree's "The Twilight Zone Companion," Serling was completely unprepared for the win, to the point that he didn't even bother shaving before the broadcast.
- 12/3/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
The list of Oscar-winning directors for short films who have gone on to major careers in the feature-length realm is shorter than you might imagine. Andrea Arnold, Martin McDonagh and Claude Berri achieved arthouse success; David Frankel made multiplex hits like “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Marley & Me.” But perhaps only Taylor Hackford, a winner in 1979 for an affecting little mockumentary titled “Teenage Father,” became a full-scale Hollywood brand — a name associated with a certain temperature of sleek studio gloss and versatile genre smarts.
In an industry increasingly given over to auteur reverence, Hackford has instead consistently proven the essential value of the distinguished craftsman — the kind that keeps the industry running, even if the status doesn’t earn you as many glittering prizes or prestigious festival berths. Consider the Festival Lumière’s tribute to Hackford a welcome exception. The four films selected by the festival to represent the...
In an industry increasingly given over to auteur reverence, Hackford has instead consistently proven the essential value of the distinguished craftsman — the kind that keeps the industry running, even if the status doesn’t earn you as many glittering prizes or prestigious festival berths. Consider the Festival Lumière’s tribute to Hackford a welcome exception. The four films selected by the festival to represent the...
- 10/15/2023
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
What is the true cost of turning your dreams into reality? The limits of human ambition have always been a source of inspiration for stories that expose the terrifying underbelly of desires that come at a cost. After all, the tale of someone actualizing their desires at great personal cost makes for compelling horror, the kind that each one of us can resonate with, as it taps into the primal fear of loss. Jordan Peele's revamp of "The Twilight Zone" inaugurated the horror anthology series with this specific sentiment, with the episode titled "The Comedian," which follows the journey of a struggling artist who embraces the limelight at a terrible price.
This comedian, Samir Wassan (Kumail Nanjiani), starts off as a conscientious young man with non-negotiable morals, but as time passes, the sweet taste of success spurs him to commit horrible deeds to ensure his continued fame. By the...
This comedian, Samir Wassan (Kumail Nanjiani), starts off as a conscientious young man with non-negotiable morals, but as time passes, the sweet taste of success spurs him to commit horrible deeds to ensure his continued fame. By the...
- 10/14/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
As an anthology television series, with new stories and new characters every single week, "The Twilight Zone" never had someone you could call a "main character." Audiences tuned in every week to see Jessica Fletcher catch killers on "Murder, She Wrote," and for Larry David to be a massive a-hole on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," but there was no single star in "The Twilight Zone."
There was, however, one person who appeared throughout the whole series, in pretty much every episode, if only briefly. His name was Rod Serling. He was already one of the most celebrated TV writers in the world when he created "The Twilight Zone," thanks to hard-hitting dramas like "Patterns" and "The Comedian," and his name was probably not unknown to many fans of televised programs when the series premiered. Over the course of "The Twilight Zone," he would introduce new episodes, tease upcoming stories, and generally...
There was, however, one person who appeared throughout the whole series, in pretty much every episode, if only briefly. His name was Rod Serling. He was already one of the most celebrated TV writers in the world when he created "The Twilight Zone," thanks to hard-hitting dramas like "Patterns" and "The Comedian," and his name was probably not unknown to many fans of televised programs when the series premiered. Over the course of "The Twilight Zone," he would introduce new episodes, tease upcoming stories, and generally...
- 10/6/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
At 5’2, Mickey Rooney may have been small in stature, but he had a huge personality and was one of the biggest stars in the heyday of the Golden Era of Hollywood. He had one of the longest careers of any entertainer, with a body of work that spans nine decades in the industry, including vaudeville, films, television, radio and the stage.
Rooney was born Joe Yule, Jr. on September 23, 1920, in Brooklyn, New York. At 17 months old, he made his stage debut in his parent’s vaudeville act, and made his motion picture debut in 1926. In 1927, he starred in the first of several short films in the “Mickey Maguire” series, and adopted the stage name “Mickey Rooney.” He made 78 of these comedies, and also received great notices in films such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1935). Then in 1937, he made the film that would establish his star status. “A Family Affair” was...
Rooney was born Joe Yule, Jr. on September 23, 1920, in Brooklyn, New York. At 17 months old, he made his stage debut in his parent’s vaudeville act, and made his motion picture debut in 1926. In 1927, he starred in the first of several short films in the “Mickey Maguire” series, and adopted the stage name “Mickey Rooney.” He made 78 of these comedies, and also received great notices in films such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1935). Then in 1937, he made the film that would establish his star status. “A Family Affair” was...
- 9/14/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
There are a whole lot of things that Robert Redford is famous for: acting, directing, co-founding the Sundance Film Festival, being incredibly handsome, even running Hydra from within the United States government ... the list goes on and on and on. He became a silver screen icon in classic films like "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Way We Were," "The Sting," "Three Days of the Condor," "The Natural," "Sneakers," and "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." He even won an Academy Award for directing the acclaimed 1980 drama "Ordinary People."
But in spite of all that there's one thing that Robert Redford is not famous for, and that's his tireless work in the horror genre. That's because, despite an acting career that spanned 60 years, he never really made any horror films. You'd have to go way back to 1962 to find Redford's last real brush with the supernatural, but it's well worth the journey.
But in spite of all that there's one thing that Robert Redford is not famous for, and that's his tireless work in the horror genre. That's because, despite an acting career that spanned 60 years, he never really made any horror films. You'd have to go way back to 1962 to find Redford's last real brush with the supernatural, but it's well worth the journey.
- 9/4/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
August is heating up on Max, with “90 Day: The Last Resort” premiering on the streamer Aug. 15 (one day after it airs on TLC).
Five fan-favorite couples from “90 Day Fiance” have reached their breaking points. In a final attempt to salvage their relationships, each couple will participate in a couples retreat to determine whether or not they can heal old wounds. Alongside a team of professionals, they’ll actively navigate issues with trust, sex, jealousy, anger and intimacy. Explosive group therapies, intense couples sessions, past life regressions, unique on-and-off-resort activities and so much more ensue. At the end of the retreat, each couple must decide if they will stay together or move on separately.
Fans of dating and relationship shows may also be interested in “Kim vs Kayne: The Divorce” on August 7, which chronicles the split between Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. There’s also Season 18 of “Sister Wives,...
Five fan-favorite couples from “90 Day Fiance” have reached their breaking points. In a final attempt to salvage their relationships, each couple will participate in a couples retreat to determine whether or not they can heal old wounds. Alongside a team of professionals, they’ll actively navigate issues with trust, sex, jealousy, anger and intimacy. Explosive group therapies, intense couples sessions, past life regressions, unique on-and-off-resort activities and so much more ensue. At the end of the retreat, each couple must decide if they will stay together or move on separately.
Fans of dating and relationship shows may also be interested in “Kim vs Kayne: The Divorce” on August 7, which chronicles the split between Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. There’s also Season 18 of “Sister Wives,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
Summer isn’t over yet but HBO and its streaming arm Max are already moving on to fall. With its list of new releases for August 2023, Max is focusing on football! The American kind, mind you, not the actually footy kind.
August 2023 sees the release of two major football documentaries on HBO and Max. The first is the premiere of Hard Knocks on Aug. 10. The new season of long-running NFL training camp docuseries will center on the New York Jets, new employers of legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers. On Aug. 23, Max will air the aptly named Bs High. The doc tells the stranger-than-fiction story of high school football team Bishop Sycamore, which pulled off one of the more notable sports scams you’re likely to ever hear about.
Not of the football variety but in keeping with the North American sports theme will be season 2 of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty on Aug.
August 2023 sees the release of two major football documentaries on HBO and Max. The first is the premiere of Hard Knocks on Aug. 10. The new season of long-running NFL training camp docuseries will center on the New York Jets, new employers of legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers. On Aug. 23, Max will air the aptly named Bs High. The doc tells the stranger-than-fiction story of high school football team Bishop Sycamore, which pulled off one of the more notable sports scams you’re likely to ever hear about.
Not of the football variety but in keeping with the North American sports theme will be season 2 of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty on Aug.
- 8/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
DeVaughn Nixon, Quincy Isaiah, and Delante Desouza in ‘Winning Time’ season 2 (Photograph by Warrick Page/HBO)
Hard Knock‘s new season focusing on the New York Jets and the second season of the original drama Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty join Max’s August 2023 lineup, along with Tracy Morgan’s latest comedy special. August’s schedule also includes the season finales of And Just Like That… and Warrior.
Rap Sh!t season two premieres on August 10th, and the new half-hour young adult animated series Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake arrives on August 31st.
Series & Films Arriving On Max In August 2023:
August 1
A Hologram for the King (2016)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child...
Hard Knock‘s new season focusing on the New York Jets and the second season of the original drama Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty join Max’s August 2023 lineup, along with Tracy Morgan’s latest comedy special. August’s schedule also includes the season finales of And Just Like That… and Warrior.
Rap Sh!t season two premieres on August 10th, and the new half-hour young adult animated series Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake arrives on August 31st.
Series & Films Arriving On Max In August 2023:
August 1
A Hologram for the King (2016)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child...
- 7/26/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Competition titles include Cannes Critics’ Week winner ‘Tiger Stripes’.
South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) is set to open its 27th edition with Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid, starring Joaquin Phoenix, and close with the world premiere of Takashi Shimizu’s Sana.
The festival will run June 29 - July 9 with its award ceremony on July 7, followed by the screening of Sana.
Best known for The Grudge, J-horror master Shimizu’s latest film follows the disappearance of an idol group’s members and an eccentric private detective’s investigation into the matter. Shimizu received the Screen International...
South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) is set to open its 27th edition with Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid, starring Joaquin Phoenix, and close with the world premiere of Takashi Shimizu’s Sana.
The festival will run June 29 - July 9 with its award ceremony on July 7, followed by the screening of Sana.
Best known for The Grudge, J-horror master Shimizu’s latest film follows the disappearance of an idol group’s members and an eccentric private detective’s investigation into the matter. Shimizu received the Screen International...
- 6/7/2023
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
Clockwise from top left: Raging Bull (United Artists), The Adventures of Rocky And Bullwinkle (Universal Pictures), The Godfather Part II (Paramount Pictures), The War With Grandpa (Brookdale Studios)Graphic: AVClub
Every actor has worked on bad movies at some point in their career. For a long time, though, Robert De Niro...
Every actor has worked on bad movies at some point in their career. For a long time, though, Robert De Niro...
- 5/26/2023
- by Alex Welch
- avclub.com
With its list of new releases for May 2023, Hulu is relying on an acclaimed original and a whole lotta FX.
The acclaimed original in question in The Great season 3. Premiering on May 12, this historical black comedy with continue the story of Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning) and her pal Peter III (Nicholas Hoult). The other Hulu original series of note this month is The Clearing on May 24. Based on the best-selling crime novel In the Clearing this story will follow a story inspired by the real life events behind Australian cult “The Family.”
For its other TV options in May, Hulu is turning to its cable partner FX. Class of ’09, an FBI thriller starring Kate Mara and Brian Tyree Henry, premieres on May 10. That will be followed by The Secrets of Hillsong, a docuseries investigating the controversial church on May 20.
Hulu’s list of original movies this month is...
The acclaimed original in question in The Great season 3. Premiering on May 12, this historical black comedy with continue the story of Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning) and her pal Peter III (Nicholas Hoult). The other Hulu original series of note this month is The Clearing on May 24. Based on the best-selling crime novel In the Clearing this story will follow a story inspired by the real life events behind Australian cult “The Family.”
For its other TV options in May, Hulu is turning to its cable partner FX. Class of ’09, an FBI thriller starring Kate Mara and Brian Tyree Henry, premieres on May 10. That will be followed by The Secrets of Hillsong, a docuseries investigating the controversial church on May 20.
Hulu’s list of original movies this month is...
- 5/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
What’s Coming to Hulu in May 2023, Including ‘The Great’ Season 3, ‘Class of ‘09,’ 'The Kardashians'
“The Great” returns to Hulu for Season 3 on May 12. Elle Fanning portrays Catherine the Great, desperate to turn Russia into an enlightened nation, while Nicholas Hoult plays Peter III, her libertine husband. Despite marital problems, including Catherine’s attempt to murder him, Peter now claims to be in love with his wife. The show, loosely based on history, takes a snarky, sexy, and irreverent ride through 18th-century Russia. Catherine was the longest-running female ruler in the nation’s history.
Check out “The Great” Season 3 trailer:
FX’s suspense thriller “Class of ’09” streams May 10 on Hulu. A class of FBI agents at three points in time face changes in the U.S. criminal justice system, which has been altered by AI. The series takes a deep dive into the nature of justice and the choices we make.
Watch the trailer for “Class of ‘09”:
Also returning to the Disney-owned...
Check out “The Great” Season 3 trailer:
FX’s suspense thriller “Class of ’09” streams May 10 on Hulu. A class of FBI agents at three points in time face changes in the U.S. criminal justice system, which has been altered by AI. The series takes a deep dive into the nature of justice and the choices we make.
Watch the trailer for “Class of ‘09”:
Also returning to the Disney-owned...
- 4/26/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
Exclusive: Dorothy Canton has been elevated to President of Production at Atmosphere Entertainment, now sharing that role with Chairman and CEO Mark Canton and COO Mark Frazier.
Following the promotion from her post as Development Executive, Dorothy will continue develop new projects for the company, while shepherding its existing slate of 50+ projects in various stages of development for film and television.
“Dorothy has been instrumental in the success and growth of Atmosphere for the past eight years,” Mark Canton told Deadline. “I am excited for our future together as we continue to create quality content that stands the test of time.”
“Family and legacy are fundamental to our shared craft,” added Dorothy Canton. “With our individual tastes and styles, we are excited to bring original, diverse, and meaningful projects to audiences everywhere.”
As an exec producer, Dorothy has recently wrapped production on the reboot of the cult horror classic The Strangers for Lionsgate,...
Following the promotion from her post as Development Executive, Dorothy will continue develop new projects for the company, while shepherding its existing slate of 50+ projects in various stages of development for film and television.
“Dorothy has been instrumental in the success and growth of Atmosphere for the past eight years,” Mark Canton told Deadline. “I am excited for our future together as we continue to create quality content that stands the test of time.”
“Family and legacy are fundamental to our shared craft,” added Dorothy Canton. “With our individual tastes and styles, we are excited to bring original, diverse, and meaningful projects to audiences everywhere.”
As an exec producer, Dorothy has recently wrapped production on the reboot of the cult horror classic The Strangers for Lionsgate,...
- 2/1/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The enduring legacy of Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" can be traced back to how the series revolutionized broadcast television in the 1960s. Described as a "series of imaginative tales that are not bound by time or space or the established laws of nature," "The Twilight Zone" ran for five seasons over the span of five years. Season 1's episode premiere, "Where is Everybody?" appropriately set the tone for the anthology series with its surreal and Kafka-esque qualities. However, somewhere around the fourth season, the show's appeal began to wane. Why did this happen?
The mixed critical response to season 4 was mainly due to Serling's dwindling involvement, along with scriptwriter Charles Beaumont's limited contribution due to illness. In a 1959 interview with Mike Wallace, Serling said that he worked non-stop on the project seven days a week, which made him utterly exhausted in the process. While exhaustion contributed...
The mixed critical response to season 4 was mainly due to Serling's dwindling involvement, along with scriptwriter Charles Beaumont's limited contribution due to illness. In a 1959 interview with Mike Wallace, Serling said that he worked non-stop on the project seven days a week, which made him utterly exhausted in the process. While exhaustion contributed...
- 9/17/2022
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Exclusive: Mark and Dorothy Canton’s Atmosphere Entertainment has launched development on The 18th, a one-hour series inspired by the true story of Nebraska’s “Queen of the Bootleggers,” which has Odessa A’zion (Grand Army) set to star.
The series set in the early 1900s will follow Louise Vinciquerra, a young Italian immigrant wife and mother who rose out of poverty to become the Bootlegging Queen of the American heartland. Adored by her customers and hunted by the Feds, she conned and charmed her way onto the front pages for earning too much money, shooting too many husbands, seducing too many prohibition agents, and just being Too Much – all before she turned 25 years old.
Shelley Eriksen created the series with Vinciquerra’s niece Stephanie Kurtzuba (The Irishman, Bad Education) and Lawrence Smith, drew on family lore, newspaper articles...
The series set in the early 1900s will follow Louise Vinciquerra, a young Italian immigrant wife and mother who rose out of poverty to become the Bootlegging Queen of the American heartland. Adored by her customers and hunted by the Feds, she conned and charmed her way onto the front pages for earning too much money, shooting too many husbands, seducing too many prohibition agents, and just being Too Much – all before she turned 25 years old.
Shelley Eriksen created the series with Vinciquerra’s niece Stephanie Kurtzuba (The Irishman, Bad Education) and Lawrence Smith, drew on family lore, newspaper articles...
- 3/15/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
As the Hollywood blockbuster machine continues to dust itself off and release some early winter hits, Hulu is going in a bit of a different direction with its list of new releases for November 2021.
There are no big Hulu original films of note this month. Instead there’s a whole host of original series. The TV parade starts on Nov. 5 with the release of Animaniacs season 2. Also getting a second season this month is monarchal comedy The Great on Nov. 19. The most intriguing series, however, is animated Marvel comedy Marvel’s Hit Monkey. As its name so graciously implies, this is a show about a hit monkey…as in monkey assassin. Naturally the hit monkey is haunted by the ghost of Jason Sudeikis because it’s important that everything make sense.
Though Hulu doesn’t have any original movies in November, its list of library movie titles is quite vast.
There are no big Hulu original films of note this month. Instead there’s a whole host of original series. The TV parade starts on Nov. 5 with the release of Animaniacs season 2. Also getting a second season this month is monarchal comedy The Great on Nov. 19. The most intriguing series, however, is animated Marvel comedy Marvel’s Hit Monkey. As its name so graciously implies, this is a show about a hit monkey…as in monkey assassin. Naturally the hit monkey is haunted by the ghost of Jason Sudeikis because it’s important that everything make sense.
Though Hulu doesn’t have any original movies in November, its list of library movie titles is quite vast.
- 11/1/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
In a ceremony marked by laughter, tears, a lot of hugs and a celebration of a return to watching films al vivo, the 36th Guadalajara International Film Festival (Ficg) came to a close with the presentation of a long list of prizes to some of Latin America’s top filmmakers, many whose names are well-known in Mexico and across the region and many whose names will, no doubt, be well-known in the future.
In a contradiction fit for the movies, Rodrigo Guardiola and Gabriel Nuncio’s “The Comedian,” a film all about failure, took top honors as this year’s best Mexican film in competition with cinematographer Mario Secco scooping the best cinematography prize for his work on the film.
“It’s wonderful that this movie exists,” said Nuncio at the ceremony. “The truth is, I got to work with very talented people on this movie and I think that...
In a contradiction fit for the movies, Rodrigo Guardiola and Gabriel Nuncio’s “The Comedian,” a film all about failure, took top honors as this year’s best Mexican film in competition with cinematographer Mario Secco scooping the best cinematography prize for his work on the film.
“It’s wonderful that this movie exists,” said Nuncio at the ceremony. “The truth is, I got to work with very talented people on this movie and I think that...
- 10/10/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Morgan Freeman, Al Pacino, Helen Mirren and Danny DeVito will star together in the next film from director Taylor Hackford, a film noir called “Sniff.”
Hackford (“Ray”) will direct “Sniff” from a script by Tom Grey, and the film is described as a stylish reinvention of the film noir about a series of deaths at a retirement community.
Endeavor Content is launching worldwide sales of the film at the Toronto International Film Festival beginning this week, and CAA Media Finance is co-representing the film’s U.S. sales rights.
In “Sniff,” when two residents at a retirement community die under suspicious circumstances, retired detective Joe Mulwray (Freeman) is pulled back into the action by his former partner William Keys (DeVito) as they uncover a hidden underworld of sex, drugs and murder in the high-end, luxury retirement community controlled by kingpin Harvey Stride (Pacino) and his femme fatale enforcer The Spider...
Hackford (“Ray”) will direct “Sniff” from a script by Tom Grey, and the film is described as a stylish reinvention of the film noir about a series of deaths at a retirement community.
Endeavor Content is launching worldwide sales of the film at the Toronto International Film Festival beginning this week, and CAA Media Finance is co-representing the film’s U.S. sales rights.
In “Sniff,” when two residents at a retirement community die under suspicious circumstances, retired detective Joe Mulwray (Freeman) is pulled back into the action by his former partner William Keys (DeVito) as they uncover a hidden underworld of sex, drugs and murder in the high-end, luxury retirement community controlled by kingpin Harvey Stride (Pacino) and his femme fatale enforcer The Spider...
- 9/7/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
With the news that John Cena is playing Peacemaker in the upcoming James Gunn sequel, The Suicide Squad, it’s worth examining who the character is and how he got to the movie. The easy answer is he jumped backwards out of a balloon to assassinate the president, and in case you can’t tell, I’m really excited to talk about Multiversity again.
Who Is Peacemaker?
He’s The Comedian.
Seriously, Peacemaker was the character Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons based The Comedian on in Watchmen. He was one of the Charlton characters purchased by DC in the ‘80s, introduced to the DC Universe post-Crisis on Infinite Earths. He was originally created in the mid ‘60s in a backup strip with Fightin 5, and never really made that much of an impression. But even though he wouldn’t have the impact that his Watchmen analogue would, he sill managed to...
Who Is Peacemaker?
He’s The Comedian.
Seriously, Peacemaker was the character Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons based The Comedian on in Watchmen. He was one of the Charlton characters purchased by DC in the ‘80s, introduced to the DC Universe post-Crisis on Infinite Earths. He was originally created in the mid ‘60s in a backup strip with Fightin 5, and never really made that much of an impression. But even though he wouldn’t have the impact that his Watchmen analogue would, he sill managed to...
- 8/22/2020
- by Jim Dandy
- Den of Geek
This The Twilight Zone review contains spoilers.
The Twilight Zone Season 2 Episode 4
One of my favorite episodes of the original Twilight Zone is called “A Nice Place to Visit.” It’s about a dirty rotten gambler who finds himself in heaven, only to discover that he’s actually in hell. Sorry for the spoiler for a 1960 episode up front, but the best thing about most classic episodes of the Zone are also, usually connected to the last-minute twist. In episode 4 of Season 2 of the new Jordan Peele-produced Twilight Zone, the idea of success-as-punishment is repackaged fairly simply. It’s not the most exciting episode of the new season, but it also, somewhat profoundly, might be the most realistic.
For those of us who watched season 1 of the new Twilight Zone, the essential feeling of “Ovation,” will, at least superficially, feel a little bit like the episode “The Comedian.” Both...
The Twilight Zone Season 2 Episode 4
One of my favorite episodes of the original Twilight Zone is called “A Nice Place to Visit.” It’s about a dirty rotten gambler who finds himself in heaven, only to discover that he’s actually in hell. Sorry for the spoiler for a 1960 episode up front, but the best thing about most classic episodes of the Zone are also, usually connected to the last-minute twist. In episode 4 of Season 2 of the new Jordan Peele-produced Twilight Zone, the idea of success-as-punishment is repackaged fairly simply. It’s not the most exciting episode of the new season, but it also, somewhat profoundly, might be the most realistic.
For those of us who watched season 1 of the new Twilight Zone, the essential feeling of “Ovation,” will, at least superficially, feel a little bit like the episode “The Comedian.” Both...
- 6/26/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
This The Twilight Zone review contains spoilers.
The Twilight Zone Season 2 Episode 1
The things most people who have never seen The Twilight Zone know about The Twilight Zone are the endings.
One does not need to have watched any of the 156 episodes of the original Rod Serling-hosted run of the show to know what a black and white screenshot of a man holding a broken set of eye-glasses means. The same goes for the image of pig-faced nurses and doctors, and also the very concept of “To Serve Man.”
In “Meet in the Middle,” the first episode of the second season for CBS All Access’s modern reboot of The Twilight Zone, the show seems to be in search of a classic ending of its own. And to its credit, it gets pretty close. The conclusion of “Meet Me in the Middle” is satisfyingly twisty and upsetting while operating...
The Twilight Zone Season 2 Episode 1
The things most people who have never seen The Twilight Zone know about The Twilight Zone are the endings.
One does not need to have watched any of the 156 episodes of the original Rod Serling-hosted run of the show to know what a black and white screenshot of a man holding a broken set of eye-glasses means. The same goes for the image of pig-faced nurses and doctors, and also the very concept of “To Serve Man.”
In “Meet in the Middle,” the first episode of the second season for CBS All Access’s modern reboot of The Twilight Zone, the show seems to be in search of a classic ending of its own. And to its credit, it gets pretty close. The conclusion of “Meet Me in the Middle” is satisfyingly twisty and upsetting while operating...
- 6/25/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
“The Twilight Zone” is a beast to write about. On the one hand, the original series is so ingrained in shaping popular culture that to ignore it is all but impossible; if “The Simpsons” didn’t do it first, “The Twilight Zone” almost certainly did. On the other hand, the goal of a reboot is to simultaneously entice fans who didn’t watch the original as well as honor what came before. How do you bridge the two spectrums with a show so iconic as to be all but crystallized in time?
The first season of the Jordan Peele-produced remake had its bright spots, but it also suffered from coming after “Black Mirror,” which, as a “Twilight Zone” acolyte, had already said so much about relationships and technology. Many of the same problems that plagued Season 1 of “The Twilight Zone” reboot remain in Season 2, despite one episode that blows them all away.
The first season of the Jordan Peele-produced remake had its bright spots, but it also suffered from coming after “Black Mirror,” which, as a “Twilight Zone” acolyte, had already said so much about relationships and technology. Many of the same problems that plagued Season 1 of “The Twilight Zone” reboot remain in Season 2, despite one episode that blows them all away.
- 6/25/2020
- by Kristen Lopez
- Thompson on Hollywood
“The Twilight Zone” is a beast to write about. On the one hand, the original series is so ingrained in shaping popular culture that to ignore it is all but impossible; if “The Simpsons” didn’t do it first, “The Twilight Zone” almost certainly did. On the other hand, the goal of a reboot is to simultaneously entice fans who didn’t watch the original as well as honor what came before. How do you bridge the two spectrums with a show so iconic as to be all but crystallized in time?
The first season of the Jordan Peele-produced remake had its bright spots, but it also suffered from coming after “Black Mirror,” which, as a “Twilight Zone” acolyte, had already said so much about relationships and technology. Many of the same problems that plagued Season 1 of “The Twilight Zone” reboot remain in Season 2, despite one episode that blows them all away.
The first season of the Jordan Peele-produced remake had its bright spots, but it also suffered from coming after “Black Mirror,” which, as a “Twilight Zone” acolyte, had already said so much about relationships and technology. Many of the same problems that plagued Season 1 of “The Twilight Zone” reboot remain in Season 2, despite one episode that blows them all away.
- 6/25/2020
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
A group of young, scrappy and brilliant writers penned some of the most accomplished dramas presented live during the Golden Age of TV in the 1950s. Writers such as Paddy Chayefsky, J.P. Miller (“The Days of Wine and Roses”), Reginald Rose (“Twelve Angry Men”), Tad Mosel (“The Haven”), James Costigan (“Little Moon of Alban”) and Horton Foote.
But the most influential and best-known of these writers was Rod Serling, who became a superstar as not only creator and writer but host of the landmark 1959-1964 CBS sci-fi/fantasy anthology series “The Twilight Zone,” for which he won two Emmys for his writing. “The Twilight Zone” and even his less successful 1970-73 NBC anthology series “Night Gallery” has overshadowed his earlier work for which he won three Emmys for his writing.
Among his earliest work was the 1953 “Kraft Television Theatre” presentation “A Long Time Till Dawn,” which gave a 22-year-old James Dean...
But the most influential and best-known of these writers was Rod Serling, who became a superstar as not only creator and writer but host of the landmark 1959-1964 CBS sci-fi/fantasy anthology series “The Twilight Zone,” for which he won two Emmys for his writing. “The Twilight Zone” and even his less successful 1970-73 NBC anthology series “Night Gallery” has overshadowed his earlier work for which he won three Emmys for his writing.
Among his earliest work was the 1953 “Kraft Television Theatre” presentation “A Long Time Till Dawn,” which gave a 22-year-old James Dean...
- 6/4/2020
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Versatile veteran actor and multihyphenate Danny DeVito, whose memorable roles include such projects at TV’s “Taxi” and Miloš Forman’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” will receive a Lifetime Achievement award for acting at the Camerimage International Film Festival, which runs in Toruń, Poland, on Nov. 9-16.
In the awards arena, DeVito shared a best picture Oscar nom with Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher as producer on Steven Soderbergh’s “Erin Brokovich” (2001). He also won a Golden Globe as best actor in a supporting role for “Taxi” in 1978.
Camerimage is a cinematography-focused event and festgoers are sure to ask DeVito about his collaborations with such DPs as Oliver Stapleton on Taylor Hackford’s “The Comedian” (2016), Dante Spinotti on Curtis Hanson’s “L.A. Confidential” (1997), Donald Peterman on Barry Sonnenfield’s “Get Shorty” (1995), Stefan Czapsky on Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns” (1992) and Dean Cundey on Robert Zemeckis’ “Romancing the Stone...
In the awards arena, DeVito shared a best picture Oscar nom with Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher as producer on Steven Soderbergh’s “Erin Brokovich” (2001). He also won a Golden Globe as best actor in a supporting role for “Taxi” in 1978.
Camerimage is a cinematography-focused event and festgoers are sure to ask DeVito about his collaborations with such DPs as Oliver Stapleton on Taylor Hackford’s “The Comedian” (2016), Dante Spinotti on Curtis Hanson’s “L.A. Confidential” (1997), Donald Peterman on Barry Sonnenfield’s “Get Shorty” (1995), Stefan Czapsky on Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns” (1992) and Dean Cundey on Robert Zemeckis’ “Romancing the Stone...
- 10/25/2019
- by Peter Caranicas
- Variety Film + TV
(Warning: The following story contains Major spoilers from both the first episode of HBO’s “Watchmen,” and the DC Comics graphic novel.)
With the premiere of HBO’s “Watchmen, we finally know how Damon Lindelof is tackling the acclaimed graphic novel written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons: with both broad strokes and targeted precision.
Lindelof has described his version of “Watchmen” as a “remix” of the original comic, and that’s true. Featuring a new story and a new host of characters, it’s set 30 years after the events depicted in the comic, swapping 1980s Cold War anxieties for a contemporary story centered on race relations and police authority.
But the show frequently also makes it clear that the world in which it exists stems directly from the events of the comic. Below, TheWrap has rounded up every way those events are referenced in the premiere episode,...
With the premiere of HBO’s “Watchmen, we finally know how Damon Lindelof is tackling the acclaimed graphic novel written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons: with both broad strokes and targeted precision.
Lindelof has described his version of “Watchmen” as a “remix” of the original comic, and that’s true. Featuring a new story and a new host of characters, it’s set 30 years after the events depicted in the comic, swapping 1980s Cold War anxieties for a contemporary story centered on race relations and police authority.
But the show frequently also makes it clear that the world in which it exists stems directly from the events of the comic. Below, TheWrap has rounded up every way those events are referenced in the premiere episode,...
- 10/21/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “Watchmen” Episode 1, “It’s Summer, and We’re Running Out of Ice.]
Like a herd of cattle stampeding through a Tulsa ranch, the “Watchmen” premiere comes at you fast. Easily Damon Lindelof’s most tightly packed episode since “The Leftovers” Season 3 debut, “The Book of Kevin,” “It’s Summer, and We’re Running Out of Ice” builds a vivid new world on the foundation laid by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ graphic novel — and then it digs a new basement to boot. By opening with the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, Lindelof establishes a new (and true) starting point for his story, as well as a stark framing that sets the stage for the series’ central conflict: the white supremacists in the Seventh Kavalry and a police force led by a black detective, Angela Abar (Regina King).
In between, there are easter eggs galore for fans of the original comic book, more...
Like a herd of cattle stampeding through a Tulsa ranch, the “Watchmen” premiere comes at you fast. Easily Damon Lindelof’s most tightly packed episode since “The Leftovers” Season 3 debut, “The Book of Kevin,” “It’s Summer, and We’re Running Out of Ice” builds a vivid new world on the foundation laid by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ graphic novel — and then it digs a new basement to boot. By opening with the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, Lindelof establishes a new (and true) starting point for his story, as well as a stark framing that sets the stage for the series’ central conflict: the white supremacists in the Seventh Kavalry and a police force led by a black detective, Angela Abar (Regina King).
In between, there are easter eggs galore for fans of the original comic book, more...
- 10/21/2019
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
[This story contains major spoilers for the series premiere of HBO's Watchmen, "It's Summer and We're Running Out of Ice," as well as the graphic novel on which the show is based.]
"The Comedian is dead."
Those chilling words close out the first issue of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen, echoing the brutal murder that launches the game-changing comic book series into action. The echo sounds so far into the future as to be felt in the first episode of Damon Lindelof's HBO drama of the same name. No, Edward Blake himself isn'...
"The Comedian is dead."
Those chilling words close out the first issue of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen, echoing the brutal murder that launches the game-changing comic book series into action. The echo sounds so far into the future as to be felt in the first episode of Damon Lindelof's HBO drama of the same name. No, Edward Blake himself isn'...
- 10/20/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Jerry Seinfeld has won a copyright battle against a former collaborator who claimed he had conceived the idea for “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”
U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan ruled Monday that Christian Charles’ copyright suit was barred by the statute of limitations.
Charles was the director of “Comedian,” the 2002 documentary starring Seinfeld. During that shoot, Charles filmed Seinfeld and a friend on a cross-country trip. He alleged in his suit that he later pitched Seinfeld an idea for a show in which he and a friend drive around.
The idea sat around until 2011, when Seinfeld began developing “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” Charles worked on the project, but the two had a dispute over whether he would be paid to direct episodes on a work-for-hire basis, as Seinfeld wanted, or whether he would be given ownership and a piece of the backend, as Charles wanted. The relationship fell...
U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan ruled Monday that Christian Charles’ copyright suit was barred by the statute of limitations.
Charles was the director of “Comedian,” the 2002 documentary starring Seinfeld. During that shoot, Charles filmed Seinfeld and a friend on a cross-country trip. He alleged in his suit that he later pitched Seinfeld an idea for a show in which he and a friend drive around.
The idea sat around until 2011, when Seinfeld began developing “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” Charles worked on the project, but the two had a dispute over whether he would be paid to direct episodes on a work-for-hire basis, as Seinfeld wanted, or whether he would be given ownership and a piece of the backend, as Charles wanted. The relationship fell...
- 9/30/2019
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Production is currently underway on the Netflix and Plan B-produced Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde, which has Ana de Armas starring as Hollywood icon. The Andrew Dominik-helmed film has added Garret Dillahunt, Scoot McNairy, Lucy DeVito, Michael Masini, and Spencer Garrett to the cast.
In addition, Chris Lemmon, Rebecca Wisocky, Ned Bellamy, and Dan Butler have joined previously announced Bobby Cannavale, Julianne Nicholson, Lily Fisher, Evan Williams, Xavier Samuel, Caspar Phillipson, Toby Huss, Sara Paxton, and David Warshofksy.
The film, which is shooting in Los Angeles, is based on a bestselling novel, Blonde, from five-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Joyce Carol Oates.
In addition, Chris Lemmon, Rebecca Wisocky, Ned Bellamy, and Dan Butler have joined previously announced Bobby Cannavale, Julianne Nicholson, Lily Fisher, Evan Williams, Xavier Samuel, Caspar Phillipson, Toby Huss, Sara Paxton, and David Warshofksy.
The film, which is shooting in Los Angeles, is based on a bestselling novel, Blonde, from five-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Joyce Carol Oates.
- 9/19/2019
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Jeffrey Dean Morgan has landed the lead role in Screen Gems’ feature take on James Herbert’s horror novel Shrine, which Evan Spiliotopoulos is adapting and directing.
Shrine focuses on a disgraced journalist who discovers a series of seemingly divine miracles in a small New England town and uses them to resurrect his career, but the ‘miracles’ may have a much darker source.
Deadline exclusively broke the news about the project landing at Screen Gems last December with Spiliotopoulos and Ghost House’s Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert producing. Production will begin on Shrine in February. Ghost House previously worked with Morgan on 2012’s The Possession which made over $85M WW off a $14M budget. Romel Adam will oversee for Ghost House. Scott Strauss and Michael Bitar will oversee for Screen Gems.
Morgan’s TV credits include The Walking Dead, Grey’s Anatomy and Supernatural. On the big screen...
Shrine focuses on a disgraced journalist who discovers a series of seemingly divine miracles in a small New England town and uses them to resurrect his career, but the ‘miracles’ may have a much darker source.
Deadline exclusively broke the news about the project landing at Screen Gems last December with Spiliotopoulos and Ghost House’s Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert producing. Production will begin on Shrine in February. Ghost House previously worked with Morgan on 2012’s The Possession which made over $85M WW off a $14M budget. Romel Adam will oversee for Ghost House. Scott Strauss and Michael Bitar will oversee for Screen Gems.
Morgan’s TV credits include The Walking Dead, Grey’s Anatomy and Supernatural. On the big screen...
- 9/18/2019
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive The 60th anniversary of The Twilight Zone arrives next month and the late, great Rod Serling is clearly a man in demand more than four decades after his death at age 50 in 1975.
The Twilight Zone premiered on CBS in the waning months of the Eisenhower era, but more than a half-century later the brand is enjoying a resurgence, as is Serling, the creator, host, producer and social conscience behind the pioneering anthology that specialized in “imaginative tales that are not bound by time or space or the established laws of nature.”
Few shows plant a flag in the public imagination the way The Twilight Zone did. Its name, its theme music, and many of its characters (including monotone narrator Serling) became part of the American lexicon. In 2013, the WGA named it the third-best written show in television history (behind The Sopranos and Seinfeld) while TV Guide ranked it as...
The Twilight Zone premiered on CBS in the waning months of the Eisenhower era, but more than a half-century later the brand is enjoying a resurgence, as is Serling, the creator, host, producer and social conscience behind the pioneering anthology that specialized in “imaginative tales that are not bound by time or space or the established laws of nature.”
Few shows plant a flag in the public imagination the way The Twilight Zone did. Its name, its theme music, and many of its characters (including monotone narrator Serling) became part of the American lexicon. In 2013, the WGA named it the third-best written show in television history (behind The Sopranos and Seinfeld) while TV Guide ranked it as...
- 9/13/2019
- by Geoff Boucher
- Deadline Film + TV
Kumail Nanjiani earned his first ever Emmy nomination this year thanks to Jordan Peele‘s rebooted “The Twilight Zone” for CBS All Access. Though Nanjiani is a comedy wunderkind, his first shot at an Emmy comes courtesy of the Best Drama Guest Actor category. While the trippy episode titled “The Comedian” is steeped in science fiction and horror, Nanjiani appropriately portrays a struggling stand-up comic who strives for fame and success.
SEE2019 Emmy nominations complete list: All the nominees for the 71st Emmy Awards
Nanjiani is an Emmy first timer, but he has plenty of history with the awards circuit thanks to his film “The Big Sick.” Nanjani starred as himself in the movie and wrote the screenplay for the romantic comedy with his wife Emily V. Gordon. The pair earned an Original Screenplay Oscar nomination and additional bids from the Critics’ Choice and Writers Guild.
In “The Comedian,” Nanjiani plays stand-up Samir Wassan.
SEE2019 Emmy nominations complete list: All the nominees for the 71st Emmy Awards
Nanjiani is an Emmy first timer, but he has plenty of history with the awards circuit thanks to his film “The Big Sick.” Nanjani starred as himself in the movie and wrote the screenplay for the romantic comedy with his wife Emily V. Gordon. The pair earned an Original Screenplay Oscar nomination and additional bids from the Critics’ Choice and Writers Guild.
In “The Comedian,” Nanjiani plays stand-up Samir Wassan.
- 9/3/2019
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Jordan Peele was the perfect filmmaker to bring back “The Twilight Zone,” melding his dark satire with Rod Serling’s. The result makes an uneasy bridge between past and present, where fear, paranoia, and hate continue to rip away at the fabric of American society. And this is apparent in “Nightmare at 30,000 Feet,” a re-imagining of the William Shatner-starrer, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” which slips comfortably beside Peele’s “Get Out” and “Us.”
For production designer Michael Wylie and editor Scott Turner, the challenge was to channel both Serling and Peele in this story of Ptsd-suffering journalist Justin Sanderson (Adam Scott), who discovers a strange podcast aboard Flight 1015 that predicts their crash which he inadvertently helps facilitate. “We wanted to pull in some of the flavor of the original, not only because it’s incredibly familiar to everyone but because we’re trying to create a timelessness in the show,...
For production designer Michael Wylie and editor Scott Turner, the challenge was to channel both Serling and Peele in this story of Ptsd-suffering journalist Justin Sanderson (Adam Scott), who discovers a strange podcast aboard Flight 1015 that predicts their crash which he inadvertently helps facilitate. “We wanted to pull in some of the flavor of the original, not only because it’s incredibly familiar to everyone but because we’re trying to create a timelessness in the show,...
- 6/17/2019
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
That’s the signpost up ahead — your next stop, Season 2 of Jordan Peele’s reboot of “The Twilight Zone,” which was renewed by CBS All Access on Monday.
“Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg’s reimagining of ‘The Twilight Zone’ is off to an amazing start on CBS All Access, driving the most viewers on its premiere day for an original series to date,” Julie McNamara, executive vice president of original content at CBS All Access, said. “Jordan, Simon, the creative team and cast have done a phenomenal job translating the series’ legacy of socially conscious storytelling for modern-day audiences. They are master storytellers, and we look forward to bringing fans further into ‘The Twilight Zone’ with a second season.”
The streaming service’s reboot of the classic sci-fi series debuted with two episodes on April 1. The first five of Season 1 are now available for streaming and new ones drop Thursdays on CBS All Access.
“Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg’s reimagining of ‘The Twilight Zone’ is off to an amazing start on CBS All Access, driving the most viewers on its premiere day for an original series to date,” Julie McNamara, executive vice president of original content at CBS All Access, said. “Jordan, Simon, the creative team and cast have done a phenomenal job translating the series’ legacy of socially conscious storytelling for modern-day audiences. They are master storytellers, and we look forward to bringing fans further into ‘The Twilight Zone’ with a second season.”
The streaming service’s reboot of the classic sci-fi series debuted with two episodes on April 1. The first five of Season 1 are now available for streaming and new ones drop Thursdays on CBS All Access.
- 4/29/2019
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
The Twilight Zone becomes a parody of itself in “Wunderkind,” which imagines an eleven-year-old as the leader of the free world.
TV
This The Twilight Zone review contains spoilers.
Remember the sense of dread and powerlessness The Twilight Zone audience felt after watching “It’s a Good Life,” the classic episode in which six-year-old Anthony Fremont sends his enemies into a cornfield of oblivion with the power of his mind? “Wunderkind” seemed to want to pay homage to that earlier story but failed to achieve even half of that level of horror at seeing the cruelty of a spoiled child who rose to the rank of President of the United States on a wave of public outcry for anything other than politics as usual. Can viewers suspend their disbelief to overlook the Constitutional rule that requires a presidential candidate to be 35 years of age or older in the same way...
TV
This The Twilight Zone review contains spoilers.
Remember the sense of dread and powerlessness The Twilight Zone audience felt after watching “It’s a Good Life,” the classic episode in which six-year-old Anthony Fremont sends his enemies into a cornfield of oblivion with the power of his mind? “Wunderkind” seemed to want to pay homage to that earlier story but failed to achieve even half of that level of horror at seeing the cruelty of a spoiled child who rose to the rank of President of the United States on a wave of public outcry for anything other than politics as usual. Can viewers suspend their disbelief to overlook the Constitutional rule that requires a presidential candidate to be 35 years of age or older in the same way...
- 4/25/2019
- Den of Geek
"A Traveler," The Steven Yeun led hour of The Twilight Zone reboot, is the story of one man's heroic quest for a slice of pie.
This The Twilight Zone review contains spoilers.
The Twilight Zone Episode 4
When it comes to science fiction, the devil is in the details. Hell, when it comes to any piece of narrative art, the Morningstar remains in the minutiae.
That’s what makes the beginning of The Twilight Zone Episode 4, “A Traveler” so promising. The first quarter of “A Traveler” establishes its tone and world more effectively than any of the other three offerings thus far (save for maybe “The Comedian” and Kumail Nanjiani’s deliberately awful Second Amendment joke).
The first thing “A Traveler” presents to the viewer is the northern lights. Then the camera pans down and we’re in a cop car, speeding through the frozen darkness with Yuka (Marika Sila) and...
This The Twilight Zone review contains spoilers.
The Twilight Zone Episode 4
When it comes to science fiction, the devil is in the details. Hell, when it comes to any piece of narrative art, the Morningstar remains in the minutiae.
That’s what makes the beginning of The Twilight Zone Episode 4, “A Traveler” so promising. The first quarter of “A Traveler” establishes its tone and world more effectively than any of the other three offerings thus far (save for maybe “The Comedian” and Kumail Nanjiani’s deliberately awful Second Amendment joke).
The first thing “A Traveler” presents to the viewer is the northern lights. Then the camera pans down and we’re in a cop car, speeding through the frozen darkness with Yuka (Marika Sila) and...
- 4/16/2019
- Den of Geek
Michael Ahr Dave Vitagliano Apr 14, 2019
As a follow-up to last week's discussion of genre anthology series, our Sci Fi Fidelity podcast hosts critique The Twilight Zone reboot.
As fans of genre anthology series, we've been waiting for Jordan Peele's The Twilight Zone reboot for quite some time. Now that a few episodes have aired, it's time to determine if the modern version makes the grade or not, but like any anthology, the episodes are not all going to have the same wow factor. From Peele's Serling-style intro to the themes the stories explore, certain elements were more notably successful than others.
Since "The Comedian" was available on YouTube in advance of The Twilight Zone's double-episode premiere, the discussion of the premiere lies outside of the spoiler zone. Then spoilers of a sort begin at the 19-minute mark as we dive into the reimagining of a classic The Twilight Zone...
As a follow-up to last week's discussion of genre anthology series, our Sci Fi Fidelity podcast hosts critique The Twilight Zone reboot.
As fans of genre anthology series, we've been waiting for Jordan Peele's The Twilight Zone reboot for quite some time. Now that a few episodes have aired, it's time to determine if the modern version makes the grade or not, but like any anthology, the episodes are not all going to have the same wow factor. From Peele's Serling-style intro to the themes the stories explore, certain elements were more notably successful than others.
Since "The Comedian" was available on YouTube in advance of The Twilight Zone's double-episode premiere, the discussion of the premiere lies outside of the spoiler zone. Then spoilers of a sort begin at the 19-minute mark as we dive into the reimagining of a classic The Twilight Zone...
- 4/14/2019
- Den of Geek
[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from “The Twilight Zone” Season 1, Episode 3, “Replay.”]
Over and over again, black motorists in America have been victims of the racial profiling and now this act has been brought to terrifying life on “The Twilight Zone.” In the latest episode “Replay,” director Gerard McMurray takes on that real-life recurring nightmare and dramatizes it through a camcorder that literally rewinds time.
Interpreting the black experience through the lens of horror brings to mind Peele’s directorial debut “Get Out,” which McMurray acknowledge is a fair comparison.
“It’s in the same universe for sure in a lot of ways, but it’s just across the universe,” he told IndieWire. “Ours pushes the boundaries in that it’s more pointed. We replay this over and over so you can understand this stuff happens in the real world, which we see replayed and replayed over and over again. I felt we made it more personal,...
Over and over again, black motorists in America have been victims of the racial profiling and now this act has been brought to terrifying life on “The Twilight Zone.” In the latest episode “Replay,” director Gerard McMurray takes on that real-life recurring nightmare and dramatizes it through a camcorder that literally rewinds time.
Interpreting the black experience through the lens of horror brings to mind Peele’s directorial debut “Get Out,” which McMurray acknowledge is a fair comparison.
“It’s in the same universe for sure in a lot of ways, but it’s just across the universe,” he told IndieWire. “Ours pushes the boundaries in that it’s more pointed. We replay this over and over so you can understand this stuff happens in the real world, which we see replayed and replayed over and over again. I felt we made it more personal,...
- 4/11/2019
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
The Twilight Zone upstages its own themes and quirky time travel with a message that’s perhaps a bit too powerful for the story to handle.
TV
This The Twilight Zone review contains spoilers.
The Twilight Zone Episode 3
As a fan of 12 Monkeys, Timeless, and other time travel shows, I had high hopes for “Replay,” The Twilight Zone’s third episode in its CBS All Access reincarnation. Unfortunately, the story got so bogged down in its institutional racism satire that it both defanged its sci-fi gimmick, a camcorder that rewinds time, and overshadowed a much more poignant message about family and the importance of remembering one’s roots. This episode didn’t take place in an off-kilter fifth dimension of mind but rather in our unfortunate reality with a hint of caricature and a Groundhog Day premise as an afterthought.
That’s not to say there weren’t some amazing performances from the actors.
TV
This The Twilight Zone review contains spoilers.
The Twilight Zone Episode 3
As a fan of 12 Monkeys, Timeless, and other time travel shows, I had high hopes for “Replay,” The Twilight Zone’s third episode in its CBS All Access reincarnation. Unfortunately, the story got so bogged down in its institutional racism satire that it both defanged its sci-fi gimmick, a camcorder that rewinds time, and overshadowed a much more poignant message about family and the importance of remembering one’s roots. This episode didn’t take place in an off-kilter fifth dimension of mind but rather in our unfortunate reality with a hint of caricature and a Groundhog Day premise as an afterthought.
That’s not to say there weren’t some amazing performances from the actors.
- 4/11/2019
- Den of Geek
The Performer | Rachel Bloom
The Show | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
The Episode | “I’m in Love” (April 5, 2019)
The Performance | For four seasons now, Rebecca Bunch has been desperately looking for love, and in Friday’s series finale, she finally found it. But she didn’t find it with Josh, or Greg, or Nathaniel, or any man — she found it inside herself, pursuing a new dream of being a songwriter, and Bloom nailed the series’ final note with an ovation-worthy performance that, in classic Crazy Ex fashion, managed to be laugh-out-loud funny and deeply emotional all at the same time.
Rebecca had a...
The Show | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
The Episode | “I’m in Love” (April 5, 2019)
The Performance | For four seasons now, Rebecca Bunch has been desperately looking for love, and in Friday’s series finale, she finally found it. But she didn’t find it with Josh, or Greg, or Nathaniel, or any man — she found it inside herself, pursuing a new dream of being a songwriter, and Bloom nailed the series’ final note with an ovation-worthy performance that, in classic Crazy Ex fashion, managed to be laugh-out-loud funny and deeply emotional all at the same time.
Rebecca had a...
- 4/6/2019
- TVLine.com
Alec Bojalad Apr 5, 2019
Comedian, Twilight Zone star, and X-Files super fan Kumail Nanjiani is in talks to join Angelina Jolie in Marvel's The Eternals.
Since Kumail Nanjiani's recent Twilight Zone episode, "The Comedian," sadly wasn't about Watchmen's Comedian, the ascendant comedian and actor is still looking for his first big comic book role.
That might be about to change as The Wrap reports (though The Hollywood Reporter claims an exclusive, so click on whichever you so choose) that Nanjiani is in talks to join Marvel's recently announced Eternals film. There is no early word on who he might be playing.
Nanjiani was most recently seen in one of two premiere day episodes of CBS All Access's Twilight Zone reboot, "The Comedian." It was a fitting role for Nanjiani, given that he is currently one of pop culture's more prominent and successful standup comedians. Nanjiani is also known for...
Comedian, Twilight Zone star, and X-Files super fan Kumail Nanjiani is in talks to join Angelina Jolie in Marvel's The Eternals.
Since Kumail Nanjiani's recent Twilight Zone episode, "The Comedian," sadly wasn't about Watchmen's Comedian, the ascendant comedian and actor is still looking for his first big comic book role.
That might be about to change as The Wrap reports (though The Hollywood Reporter claims an exclusive, so click on whichever you so choose) that Nanjiani is in talks to join Marvel's recently announced Eternals film. There is no early word on who he might be playing.
Nanjiani was most recently seen in one of two premiere day episodes of CBS All Access's Twilight Zone reboot, "The Comedian." It was a fitting role for Nanjiani, given that he is currently one of pop culture's more prominent and successful standup comedians. Nanjiani is also known for...
- 4/5/2019
- Den of Geek
A new dimension of sight, sound, and mind has finally been revealed as Jordan Peele's The Twilight Zone debuted today on CBS All Access, but if you're not a subscriber to the streaming-service, you can still officially check out the first episode for free (dependent on your location) as CBS has uploaded it to YouTube. Titled "The Comedian," the first episode…...
- 4/1/2019
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Meet Peter Kavinsky’s Bff: The To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before sequel has cast Ross Butler (13 Reasons Why, Riverdale) as Trevor Pike, the buddy of Noah Centineo’s character.
Netflix shared the announcement, along with the above photo from Butler and Centineo, via Twitter.
Last week, it was revealed that Jordan Fisher (Rent: Live) will be taking over the role of Lara Jean’s other love interest John Ambrose McClaren.
Ready for more of today’s newsy nuggets? Well…
* CBS All Access has made the series premiere of its Twilight Zone revival available for free. You can watch “The Comedian,...
Netflix shared the announcement, along with the above photo from Butler and Centineo, via Twitter.
Last week, it was revealed that Jordan Fisher (Rent: Live) will be taking over the role of Lara Jean’s other love interest John Ambrose McClaren.
Ready for more of today’s newsy nuggets? Well…
* CBS All Access has made the series premiere of its Twilight Zone revival available for free. You can watch “The Comedian,...
- 4/1/2019
- TVLine.com
CBS All Access's The Twilight Zone reboot offers a morality tale in the mold of some of the series most memorable episodes.
This The Twilight Zone review contains spoilers.
The Twilight Zone Episode 2
After conquering the box office and becoming Hollywood’s latest original idea-driven auteur, Jordan Peele isn’t resting on his laurels, instead taking the opportunity to tear into hallowed ground and redevelop The Twilight Zone for the streaming age. The former sketch comedy chameleon is easily able to slip into the slow, measured, yet slightly sinister Rod Serling narrator role, honoring tradition yet clearly offering something new. One of the first installments in this new reboot, “The Comedian” brings a similar vibe. The episode has a quintessential Twilight Zone premise, a comedian mines his personal life for material but erases anyone that makes it into his act, while having a modern comedic sensibility, a diverse cast,...
This The Twilight Zone review contains spoilers.
The Twilight Zone Episode 2
After conquering the box office and becoming Hollywood’s latest original idea-driven auteur, Jordan Peele isn’t resting on his laurels, instead taking the opportunity to tear into hallowed ground and redevelop The Twilight Zone for the streaming age. The former sketch comedy chameleon is easily able to slip into the slow, measured, yet slightly sinister Rod Serling narrator role, honoring tradition yet clearly offering something new. One of the first installments in this new reboot, “The Comedian” brings a similar vibe. The episode has a quintessential Twilight Zone premise, a comedian mines his personal life for material but erases anyone that makes it into his act, while having a modern comedic sensibility, a diverse cast,...
- 4/1/2019
- Den of Geek
[This story contains spoilers for episodes one and two of The Twilight Zone, "The Comedian" and "Nightmare at 30,000 Feet."]
CBS All Access' long-awaited Twilight Zone reboot has finally hit the streaming service with two episodes, both of which lean heavily into the storied past of the series. The Jordan Peele-created and -hosted show has the weight of his 2018 Academy Award win, Us' recent record-breaking opening and the legacy of The Twilight Zone's past sitting on its shoulders.
But from the first two episodes, it's clear the creative team is keen to deliver on the satirical ...
CBS All Access' long-awaited Twilight Zone reboot has finally hit the streaming service with two episodes, both of which lean heavily into the storied past of the series. The Jordan Peele-created and -hosted show has the weight of his 2018 Academy Award win, Us' recent record-breaking opening and the legacy of The Twilight Zone's past sitting on its shoulders.
But from the first two episodes, it's clear the creative team is keen to deliver on the satirical ...
[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from “The Twilight Zone” Episode 1, “The Comedian,” and Episode 2, “Nightmare at 30,000 Feet.”]
CBS All Access’ reimagining of “The Twilight Zone” delivers true anthology storytelling in that each episode is a standalone plot than can be enjoyed all by itself. But for “Twilight Zone” diehards, the reboot also has fun paying homage to Rod Serling’s classic series through visual, character, or narrative references. They’re not only an entertaining way to honor the show’s roots, but each nod to the past also creates a connection to the present — as if they all exist in the same universe, or zone.
The new “Twilight Zone” also adds to the mythology with its own references within Jordan Peele’s rebooted universe, creating new connections that knit the episodes together in spirit.
“We’ll always try to integrate the world as much as possible, both with the original series and with our own series...
CBS All Access’ reimagining of “The Twilight Zone” delivers true anthology storytelling in that each episode is a standalone plot than can be enjoyed all by itself. But for “Twilight Zone” diehards, the reboot also has fun paying homage to Rod Serling’s classic series through visual, character, or narrative references. They’re not only an entertaining way to honor the show’s roots, but each nod to the past also creates a connection to the present — as if they all exist in the same universe, or zone.
The new “Twilight Zone” also adds to the mythology with its own references within Jordan Peele’s rebooted universe, creating new connections that knit the episodes together in spirit.
“We’ll always try to integrate the world as much as possible, both with the original series and with our own series...
- 4/1/2019
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
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