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Bing as Apollo with Naomi Watts as Iris in David Siegel and Scott McGehee’s wondrous and sage adaptation of Sigrid Nunez’s National Book Award winning novel The Friend

In the first instalment with novelist Sigrid Nunez, we start out discussing the costume design (by Bina Daigeler) for Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore's outfits in Pedro Almodóvar’s enlightened The Room Next Door and the clothes (by Stacey Battat) for Naomi Watts in David Siegel and Scott McGehee’s wondrous and sage adaptation of her National Book Award winning novel The Friend (a highlight in the Spotlight programme of New York Film Festival).

Sigrid Nunez with Anne-Katrin Titze on Jean Cocteau’s Beauty And The Beast: “You know there's something about a man-sized cat.”

Bing, the Harlequin Great Dane who steals the show...

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2024 has been a great year so far, with brilliant animated films released this year. While the year started out slow, but after Inside Out 2 came out in theaters and broke every conceivable record, it was off to the races. We compiled a list of the best animated films we could find that came out this year. So, rest up gather your family for most of these films, and enjoy these best-animated films of 2024.

Transformers One (Paramount+ & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Paramount Pictures

Transformers One is an animated sci-fi action film directed by Josh Cooley from a screenplay co-written by Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari. Based on the Transformers action figures by Hasbro, the 2024 film follows the origin stories of Optimus Prime and Megatron who were once friends before turning into each others’ arch nemesis.

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When we say that Netflix has something for everyone it is true for fans of all genres but especially true for the horror genre fans. With an incredible creator like Mike Flanagan who made brilliant horror shows and movies, Netflix has abundant peak horror content. So, today we thought of listing what we thought were the best horror shows on Netflix.

Hellbound Credit – Netflix

Hellbound is a South Korean supernatural dark fantasy horror thriller series created by Yeon Sang-ho and Choi Gyu-seok. Based on the webtoon of the same name by Sang-ho and Gyu-seok, the Netflix series is set in a world where unearthly creatures appear and condemn people to hell prompting people to create their own religious factions. Hellbound stars Yoo Ah-in, Kim Hyun-joo, Park Jeong-min, Won Jin-ah, Yang Ik-june, and Kim Do-yoon.

Interview With the Vampire...

The last time Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx shared the screen, they were playing the villainous Miss Hannigan and tech billionaire-turned-adoptee Will Stacks in 2014's Annie remake. That movie musical also happens to be the last time Diaz shared the screen with, well, anyone, as the Charlie's Angels star went on a decade-long acting sabbatical following the movie's release (the two events are presumably unrelated.) But now Diaz and Foxx are back back back in the very shrewdly titled Back In Action, which is not as it happens a remake of *that* Looney Tunes movie (sadly), but rather a buzzy, Netflix bound spy comedy from writer-director Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses) and co-scribe Brendan O'Brien (Bad Neighbours). Check out the action-packed trailer below:

"Tonight something clicked," says Diaz' Emily to husband Matt (Foxx) at the start of this new trailer, "for the first time in a really long time I felt alive again.

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Stephen King is one of the most legendary writers in the world, and in the horror genre he is basically a god and his work has been adapted endlessly in movies and TV shows. With Netflix having such a huge content library we though of picking out the best of the best Stephen King adaptations you should check out right now.

Stand by Me Credit – Columbia Pictures

Stand by Me is a coming-of-age drama film directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay co-written by Bruce A. Evans and Raynold Gideon. Based on the 1982 novella The Body by Stephen King, the 1986 film follows four friends who decide to go hiking to find the dead body of a local teenager who was hit by a train. Stand by Me stars Will Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, and Kiefer Sutherland.

NBC’s newest sitcom, St. Denis Medical, is still about a week away from its two-episode premiere, but if you’ve been watching literally any programming on the network, you’ve already been barraged with commercials that may have put you in the mood for a comedy that revolves around sick people and the professionals who look after them. While you kill time in the waiting room, here’s a selection of the best medical sitcoms you can stream instead. Doing so in a paper gown is optional.

[subtitle]1Childrens Hospital and Medical Police (Tied) [/subtitle]

Grey’s Anatomy was one of TV’s buzziest dramas when ex-Daily Show correspondent Rob Corddry created Childrens Hospital, a broad spoof of shows in which sexy young doctors work out their interpersonal issues while barely paying attention to their patients. Corddry stars as Dr. Blake Downs, who is clearly aiming for a Patch Adams-esque...

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Teacup is a sci-fi mystery horror thriller drama series created by Ian McCulloch. Based on the 1988 book Stinger by author Robert R. McCammon, the Peacock series is set on an isolated ranch in rural Georgia and it follows the Chenoweth family and their neighbors who are trapped in an invisible barrier while they fight against a mysterious threat that wants to kill them. Teacup stars Yvonne Strahovski, Scott Speedman, Chaske Spencer, Kathy Baker, Boris McGiver, Diany Rodriguez, Caleb Dolden, Émilie Bierre, Bill Heck, and Rob Morgan. So, if you loved the thrilling mystery, sci-fi horror elements, and compelling characters in Teacup here are some similar shows you should check out next.

The Mist (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Netflix

The Mist is a sci-fi horror thriller drama series created by Christian Torpe. Based on the 1980 horror novel of...

Stephen King has brought us some of the best horror novels, and there have been some great adaptations of them. When it comes to Carrie, it’s all about the 1976 movie. Well, it could soon be all about the upcoming TV series on Prime Video.

Yes, Carrie is getting another adaptation. The Haunting of Hill House writer and director Mike Flanagan is behind the series. This gives us hope with the creation of that series based on the novel of the same name and the creation of The Midnight Club.

What to expect in this Carrie adaptation

Flanagan will serve as showrunner, writer, and executive producer, with his business partner Trevor Macy joining as an executive producer, according to TVLine. There will be eight episodes to the series, which is similar to Flanagan’s Netflix projects.

The series will be a timely retelling of the story. Carrie White has spent...

You’ve still got time to squeeze in some scary shows before Halloween: We recommend these limited series, including AMC’s “The Terror,” and the original “Salem’s Lot” from 1979, that can easily be binged in a weekend or just a day.

The series on our list are all under 10 episodes and available to stream right now, so grab your big bucket of popcorn, get cozy on the couch and spend some time with these vampires, ghosts, witches and some really haunted real estate.

“The Terror” (AMC) The Terror

Based on the real-life doomed arctic expedition of Captain Sir John Franklin (played here by Ciarán Hinds): We see the men aboard two ships, one of which is unwisely named the Hms Terror, struggle as they slowly try to carve a path through the ice. But there’s something (or things) much more sinister plaguing the journey. Jared Harris and Tobias Menzies costar.

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Family Pack is a French adventure fantasy comedy film directed by François Uzan who also co-wrote the screenplay with Céleste Balin and Hervé Marly. Based on the best-selling game The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow, the Netflix film follows a family who are transported back in time after playing a card game where they have to unmask werewolves if they want to return home. Family Pack stars Franck Dubosc, Jean Reno, Suzanne Clément, Grégory Fitoussi, Bruno Gouery, Jonathan Lambert, and Lisa Do Couto. So, if you loved the fun adventure, hilarious comedy, and compelling characters in Netflix’s Family Pack here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Sony Pictures

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is an adventure comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan from...

Bleecker Street has acquired North American rights to Telluride Film Festival world premiere The Friend starring Naomi Watts, Bill Murray, and Bing the Great Dane.

Scott McGehee and David Siegel co-wrote and co-directed the drama, which also played Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and New York Film Festival.

Watts plays writer and teacher Iris, whose comfortable, solitary New York life is thrown into disarray when her closest friend and mentor (Murray) dies suddenly and bequeaths her his beloved Great Dane. Iris eventually bonds with the beast and reconciles with the past and her creative inner life.

The ensemble cast includes Sarah Pidgeon,...

Bleecker Street has taken North American rights to the Scott McGehee and David Siegel directed and written feature, The Friend, starring Naomi Watts, Bill Murray and a Great Dane named Bing. A 2025 theatrical release is planned.

The film marks Bleecker Street’s second collaboration with Siegel & McGehee, having handled the US release of their 2021 neo-Western drama Montana Story, starring Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague.

In The Friend, writer and teacher Iris (Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor (Murray) dies suddenly and bequeaths her his beloved 150 lb. Great Dane. The regal yet intractable beast, named Apollo, immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones, his looming presence constantly reminding her of her friend’s problematic choices in both life and death. Yet as Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding with the animal,...

Naomi Watts and a very big dog are heading to cinemas.

“The Friend,” a touching drama about a writer and editor whose literary mentor commits suicide and leaves her with his Great Dane to care for, has been acquired by Bleecker Street. The indie studio has nabbed North American distribution rights for an undisclosed sum — the sale took some time, which is something of a surprise given that “The Friend” received strong reviews when it showed at fall film festivals like Telluride and Toronto. It’s another reminder that studios are being more cautious when it comes to buying projects post-covid. The indie and arthouse theatrical market is still struggling to fully rebound from pandemic disruptions.

“The Friend” was written and directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, the team behind “The Deep End” and “What Maisie Knew,” and co-stars Bill Murray, Sarah Pidgeon, Carla Gugino, Constance Wu, Noma Dumezweni and Ann Dowd.

The Friend, a grief drama from writer/directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel about a writer mourning her late pal while dealing with the Great Dane dog he left behind, and starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray, has been picked up by Bleecker Street.

Having taken the North American rights to the pic, Bleecker plans an early 2025 theatrical release for the adaptation of Sigrid Nunez’s novel. Watts plays Iris, a writer and teacher grieving over the sudden loss of her best friend, Walter (Bill Murray), only to learn he has left her Apollo, a giant dog who almost comes up to her waist.

As Iris unexpectedly bonds with the dog, she begins to come to terms with her past, her lost friend and her own creative inner life. The ensemble cast for the film about life, death and friendship includes Sarah Pidgeon, Carla Gugino, Constance Wu, Noma Dumezweni and Ann Dowd.

On Wednesday 23 October 2024, Talk broadcasts Es.TV!

Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Es.TV” promises an exciting lineup of guests and entertainment. Airing on Talk, this episode features a mix of talent from film, television, and music.

Halle Berry, known for her role in “Never Let Go,” will be joining the show. Her presence is sure to bring insights from her impressive career and perhaps share some behind-the-scenes stories. Keegan-Michael Key, famous for his work in “Transformers One,” will also be on the episode. His comedic style and charm are expected to add a lively dynamic to the conversation.

Nicholas Braun, recognized for his role in “Saturday Night,” and Carla Gugino, who stars in “Lisa Frankenstein,” will round out the guest list. Both actors are known for their engaging performances, and their discussions could cover a range of topics from their latest projects to personal experiences in the industry.

Adding to the entertainment,...

It's the most wonderful time of the year because Halloween is just 11 days away! Spooky season is the best time to enjoy horror movies and shows as we all try to get into the spirit. With a long list of streaming services and so many series out there to pick from, it might be overwhelming knowing where to start. That's where we come in!

Ready for scares this Halloween? Let's break down 13 scary shows worth checking out this October, including both old and new titles.

Lauren Ambrose and Nell Tiger Free in Servant | Apple TV+ ServantRelease years: 2019-2023Created by: Tony BasgallopStarring: Lauren Ambrose, Nell Tiger Free, Toby Kebbell, Rupert GrintStreaming on: Apple TV+

One of my favorite TV shows of the last decade is Servant, a psychological horror story that takes place in Philadelphia. Following a married couple with a newborn baby, their family falls under distress when they...

Mike Flanagan has one of the most impressive resumes of any horror filmmaker working today. Not even including beloved TV shows like The Haunting Of Hill House, The Haunting Of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass, the director/writer/editor is also the brain behind films like Doctor Sleep, Gerald's Game,...

In nearly 30 years of creating or co-creating series from Spin City to Scrubs to Bad Monkey, Bill Lawrence has been one of TV’s most reliable sitcom showrunners. He has a great eye for talent in front of and behind the camera. He has a sharp sense of humor and an innate feeling for how to create a warm atmosphere that viewers will want to spend time in week after week, season after season. And he really, really knows how to course-correct.

Some Lawrence shows, like Scrubs and Ted Lasso,...

October is here, which means it’s time to observe the sacred 31-day ancestral feast known as Spooky Season.

Obviously, our favorite way to celebrate is by revisiting beloved horror classics from years past.

But while most pop culture sites are focusing on movies that will keep you up at night, we here at TV Fanatic prefer to examine the most memorable horror limited series — specifically, the ones created by Mike Flanagan.

(Netflix screenshot)

For the uninitiated, Flanagan is basically the streaming world’s answer to Stephen King:

He’s prolific, he’s wildly popular; and while his stories offer plenty of chills from the supernatural realm, he’s typically more interested in moments of genuine poignancy than cheap jump scares.

While non-Netflix subscribers might be more familiar with Flanagan’s feature films, recent years have found the horror maestro helming sprawling, deeply personal streaming shows that often recall...

Naomi Watts had a special date to the premiere of her movie The Friend – her 17-year-old son Sasha!

The Oscar-nominated actress walked the carpet with her eldest child at the 2024 New York Film Festival event on Thursday (October 3) at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York City.

Also in attendance at the premiere were Naomi‘s co-stars Constance Wu, Carla Gugino, Noma Dumezweni, Owen Teague, Felix Solis, and Josh Pais, as well as co-directors and co-writers Scott McGehee and David Siegel.

Here is the synopsis: “Novelist and creative writing teacher Iris (Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor (Bill Murray) commits suicide and bequeaths his beloved Great Dane to her. The regal yet intractable beast, named Apollo, immediately creates problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones, his looming presence constantly...

New York film festival: an adaptation of Sigrid Nunez’s bestselling 2018 novel about a woman dealing with her friend’s suicide is tender and well-acted, if a little messy

It takes a certain type of person to have a dog in New York City, let alone a 180lb, questionably behaved one. Iris, played with a natural grace by Naomi Watts in The Friend, is not that type of person. She is a mostly solitary writer in a small – at least, to the eyes of her more accomplished peers – apartment in the West Village, whose schedule is at the whims of her teaching work and sputtering attempts at a novel. She has settled into an independent rhythm of middle-aged singledom in the city. Also, she prefers cats. Nevertheless, she finds herself caring for Apollo, her late best friend Walter’s (Bill Murray) beloved great dane, after his suicide.

The Friend, a...

There’s nothing quite like a good scare, and the best horror movies deliver thrills, chills and spills in equal measure. It can be daunting trying to figure out the right horror movie to watch on your favorite streaming service, but that’s where we come in. We’ve curated a list of some of the best and scariest horror movies on Netflix right now. Films that will rattle you to your bone, give you goosebumps and some that merely excel at giving off extreme spooky vibes. Whatever your pick, you won’t be disappointed. Especially as Spooky Season is off and running.

Here are the best horror movies on Netflix right now.

“Apostle” Netflix

An underrated original horror selection on Netflix, “Apostle” sends Dan Stevens to a remote island where he sets out to rescue his sister from a religious cult and discovers, of course, horrors beyond imagination. It...

Exclusive: Fifth Season has picked up rights to Some Part of Her, the debut fiction novel from New York Times bestselling author, showrunner, and journalist Amy Chozick. Fifth Season will finance the feature take of the novel.

Brad Weston and Collin Creighton Makeready will produce the film for Makeready, with Chozick serving as an executive producer and penning the script.

The novel follows a lonely new mother living in Manhattan who becomes obsessed with finding her college roommate-turned-high-end-escort, only to find that the truth of where she’s been is beyond what she’d ever imagined. Some Part of Her is slated to be published by Penguin Random House in 2026.

Chozick’s career as a journalist counts over a decade with the New York Times and eight years with The Wall Street Journal. She is the author of the New York Times Bestseller Chasing Hillary, a memoir about her time...

Bill Murray is quite the gentleman!

The 73-year-old comedy legend escorted Naomi Watts on the red carpet at the premiere of their new movie The Friend held during the 2024 Toronto Film Festival at the Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, Canada.

Also in attendance were fellow costars Carla Gugino and Sarah Pidgeon along with Scott McGehee and David Siegel, who co-wrote and co-directed the movie. Fellow star of the movie, a Great Dane named Bing, also walked the red carpet!

Keep reading to find out more…Here’s the movie’s synopsis from TIFF: “Iris (Watts) has had a long, complex friendship with Walter (Murray). Walter is an irresistible charmer, a brilliant author, a lover of many women, and a master at letting down loved ones. When he dies suddenly, Iris is left to deal with all he left behind — three ex-wives with unfinished business, his interrupted literary legacy, and his...

Yellowjackets is the latest mystery must-watch series that is driving fans wild with all of its exciting revelations. Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, the Showtime series is a mix of horror and drama and it follows a group of highly talented girls high-school soccer team, whose plane crashes deep into the Ontario wilderness, and it quickly becomes a question of life and death for them. Yellowjackets stars Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Ella Purnell, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Christina Ricci, and Juliette Lewis. So, if you loved the survival thriller, horror drama, and mystery aspects of Yellowjackets here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Lost Credit – ABC

Lost is a sci-fi mystery adventure and survival thriller drama series created by Jeffrey Lieber, J.J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelöf. The ABC series revolves around a group of survivors of...

The 2024 Telluride Film Festival kicked off August 30 and runs through September 2 in the Colorado mountains. Deadline is on the ground to watch all the key films.

Among the films appearing in the mountains for the first time anywhere are director Saturday Night, Jason Reitman’s tale of the 1975 first episode of SNL; the film version of August Wilson’s acclaimed stage play The Piano Lesson, a Washington family affair with producer Denzel, director Malcolm and star John David; Oscar winner Edward Berger’s papal thriller The Conclave; Scott Magehee and David Siegel’s heartwarming The Friend, starring Naomi Watts, Bill Murray and a scene-stealing Great Dane Bing; and MGM, Orion and Plan B’s Nickel Boys, an adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winning novel.

Below is a compilation of our reviews from the fest. Click on the movie’s title to read our full take.

The Friend ‘The Friend’

Directors:...

Although Naomi Watts wrangles a huge Great Dane, The Friend is far from your average doggie movie. There are no slapstick scenes of the dog running away with her, and no mawkishness even though the film is about grief. This is a fresh, unsentimental yet touching story about Iris (Watts), a writer and teacher, adjusting to life without her best friend, Walter (Bill Murray), a famous, womanizing author. His suicide was a shock. But another shoe drops when she learns that he has left her Apollo, a Great Dane who almost comes up to her waist.

The drama is based on Sigrid Nunez’s novel, which, while much loved and admired, seems unadaptable on the page: It is told in the first person and Iris frequently addresses Walter directly, dropping in comments about writing and books as well as recalling the details of their past relationship. But directors Scott McGehee...

“What happens to the dog?”

That is a line that pops up throughout the new dramedy The Friend, which asks that question in different ways and plays with our own experiences in watching movies centered on man’s best friend where whether the dog lives — or dies — is front of mind. And indeed (partly) the title star of this movie is a majestic and huge Great Dane named Apollo (Bing), but “The Friend” is also a woman named Iris (Naomi Watts), a New York City professor and writer who was the best friend to Walter (Bill Murray), a celebrated author and womanizer, married three times among other relationships, but devoted to the 5-year-old Apollo and vice versa. That is until the unthinkable happens and Walter unexpectedly dies, a suicide that sends his circle into a tailspin and Apollo into unending grief and lack of understanding of what happened to his master.

Before his death, French actor Alain Delon had said that he wished for his dog, Loubo, to be put down when he passed. Delon believed the bond between him and his rescued Belgian Malinois was so strong that the dog would miss him dearly when he died and preferred to spare his pet such pain.

How does one explain death to a dog? That question, and several others deeper than we might expect from a “dog movie,” give intellectual heft to “The Friend,” a gentle coping-with-grief drama that provides its audience with a 180-pound emotional support animal in the form of Apollo, a harlequin Great Dane who’s missing his master and headed for the proverbial glue factory unless a bighearted enough human agrees to adopt him. Naomi Watts plays that human in a by-the-numbers crowd-pleaser with a bit more on its mind than your typical canine-centric tearjerker.

It’s...

There’s no way to play this part cool: for the entire second half of David Siegel and Scott McGehee’s “The Friend,” this critic was reduced to a blubbering, sobbing, heaving mess, clutching damp paper towels and alternating between choking and laughing. While the filmmaking pair’s latest might sound squarely aimed at Naomi Watts super-fans and intense animal people, what they actually present in “The Friend” isn’t so very niche at all: instead, it’s the sort of witty, wise, and warm character study we seem to be running out of these days. And that’s just when it comes to its standout dog star, the Great Dane (emphasis on great) Bing.

The film opens both before and after the arrival of Apollo, the Great Dane at its center. Through shared voiceover narration, Iris (Naomi Watts) and her mentor Walter (Bill Murray) set the scene, recounting the time that Walter,...

The Bellport Theater On The Air, the newly launched scripted podcast studio from animation luminaries Fred Seibert and Kevin Kolde, today announced the release of their first series: paranormal thriller The Department of Midnight. Created by Amazon Top 100 and New York Times bestselling author and award-winning comic book creator Warren Ellis, whose credits include graphic novels Transmetropolitan, Fell, and creator of Netflix’s hit animated series Castlevania, and featuring an all-star vocal cast including James Callis, Alicia Witt, and Carla Gugino, the edge-of-your seat listening experience blends science fiction, folklore, and horror in this dramatic 6-part scripted mystery.

Set to make its debut on August 20th, The Department of Midnight follows Dr. John Carnack (James Callis), whose history of experimentation with dark matter led to tragedy. His redemption is working for the Department of Midnight, investigating dangerous dark matter experiments, trying to prevent further disasters. But there’s a pattern.

Just before Halloween back in 2022, it was announced that Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner – who both have experience working in the Scream franchise, as Fitzgerald was in the Scream TV series and Gallner appeared in the 2022 Scream movie – were set to star in the “cat and mouse thriller” Strange Darling. Earlier this year, we learned that Magenta Light Studios will be giving Strange Darling a wide theatrical release in the United States on August 23rd – and with that date right around the corner, a new trailer for the film has arrived online, along with a pair of posters. The trailer can be seen in the embed above, and the posters can be found at the bottom of this article.

Reviews from audience members who saw the movie at Fantastic Fest last year indicate that it will work best if viewers have as little information as possible going in. We previously...

Exclusive: Natasha Behnam has signed with Buchwald for representation.

Behnam most recently starred as Lola Rahaii in the Max series The Girls on the Bus alongside Carla Gugino, Melissa Benoist and Christina Elmore. From Amy Chozick and Julie Plec, the series follows Sadie McCarthy (Benoist), a journalist who romanticizes Tim Crouse’s Boys on the Bus book and works towards her opportunity to cover a presidential campaign for the paper of record.

Sadie hits the trail and eventually bonds with three female competitors, Grace (Gugino), Lola ( Behnam), and Kimberlyn (Elmore). Despite their differences, the women become a found family with a front-row seat to the greatest soap opera in town: The Battle for the White House.

Benham recently wrapped shooting a heavily recurring role in the fifth and final season of Netflix’s hit psychological drama You. She will play Dominique, a passionate, clever, fiercely loyal young woman who, despite her wealthy upbringing,...

The 51st Telluride Film Festival promises to be a star-studded affair, with several high-profile movies expected to debut at the top of awards season.

As is customary, the full lineup, including screening schedules, isn’t announced until the day before the festival begins. This year’s festivities take place from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2. So longtime attendees, both press and cinephile enthusiasts, now look to the classifications of movies playing at Venice, Toronto and New York Film Festivals to gather clues on what could be shown during the Colorado-set festival.

The Toronto Film Festival lineup provides reliable clues. The labels for the films as “World,” “International,” “North American,” or “Canadian” premieres offer the most significant hints on what might stop at Telluride during the Labor Day weekend festivities. The timing of TIFF (Sept. 5 to Sept. 15) leaves no other festivals to claim the premiere designations beforehand, making these guesses quite reliable, give or take any last-minute changes.

If your formula for a tragic intergenerational family drama turned kaleidoscopic ghost story ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So says horror heavyweight Mike Flanagan, who got candid when accepting the Cheval Noir career award at the opening weekend of Fantasia Fest (July 18 to August 4) in Montreal.

In a Q&a with Fangoria editor Michael Gingold, Flanagan was asked about the key to adapting the great literary works of horror authors like Stephen King, Shirley Jackson, and Edgar Allan Poe. The multi-hyphenate storyteller, who made the leap from writer/director at Intrepid Pictures to showrunner at Netflix in 2018 (but has since moved to an overall deal at Amazon), pointed out the structural similarities between his beloved indie features and his most successful prestige streaming projects.

“‘The Haunting of Hill House’ was an interesting case because that was brought to me,” Flanagan explained of his early meetings with Amlin Publishing,...

David Gordon Green y Rebel Wilson en la inauguración y clausura.

El Festival Internacional de Cine de Toronto (TIFF) ha revelado su programación para la edición de 2024.

La nueva película de David Gordon Green, “Nutcrackers”, protagonizada por Ben Stiller, inaugurará el Festival, mientras que la nueva película musical “The Deb”, dirigida y protagonizada por Rebel Wilson, será la encargada de clausurarlo.

Entre las películas que harán su debut mundial en TIFF, se encuentran el drama deportivo “Unstoppable”, dirigido por William Goldenberg y protagonizado por Jharrel Jerome y Jennifer Lopez; la película dramática “Hard Truths”, de Mike Leigh y con Marianne Jean-Baptiste; el terror psicológico de A24, “Heretic”, de Scott Beck y Bryan Woods con Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher y Chloe East; la comedia criminal “Riff Raff”, de Dito Montiel, con Jennifer Coolidge, Dustin Hoffman, Brian Cox, Gabrielle Union, Pete Davidson, Ed Harris y Bill Murray; la película de animación “The Wild Robot”, de Chris Sanders,...

Horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan is being honored at Fantasia International Film Festival this year with this year's 2024 Cheval Noir career award. That’s quite an honor considering he is not even 50 years old yet, and has only been making feature films since 2011.

Fantasia is bestowing the award to Flanagan “for imaginative and heartfelt horror visions; boundary-breaking achievements in making soulful, character-driven genre television commercially viable without compromises; and the extraordinary work he’s done in popularizing landmark authors to a new generation.”

Mike Flanagan is widely recognized as one of the best modern horror filmmakers of our town, thanks to films such as Absentia, Oculus, Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil and Doctor Sleep. He is also responsible for Netflix limited series The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, The Midnight Club and The Fall of the House of Usher. As writer, director, editor and sometimes producer,...

Top 7 Psychological Thrillers you can watch on different OTTs (Photo Credit –YouTube)

Psychological thrillers masterfully intertwine suspense and emotional depth to create an intense masterpiece. Whether you’re delving into the mind of a Mindhunter or uncovering dark secrets in Sharp Objects, psychological thrillers deliver captivating storylines to hook you in your seats.

With numerous streaming platforms including Netflix, Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Peacock, Apple TV+, and more, viewers get a wide range of psychological thrillers, with themes of horror, and unpredictable twists. If you’re a fan of this genre, here we lay out the best psychological thrillers available to stream right now.

Fair Play

Directed by Chloe Domont, Fair Play centers on financial analysts Emily Meyers (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke Edmunds (Alden Ehrenreich), who are entangled in a covert romance within the intense environment of a Manhattan hedge fund. Their relationship is significantly tested when Emily lands a promotion that Luke desperately wants.

Zack Snyder has developed an infamous reputation for being divisive among fans. While no one can deny that he is an auteur with a specific stylish approach to filmmaking, his work has not necessarily impressed the fans and the general public. His first two films Dawn of The Dead and 300 remain his most beloved works which showcased the best of Snyder as a director.

Gerard Butler as King Leonidas in Zack Snyder’s 300 | Warner Bros. Pictures

The latter was an adaptation of the comic book series of the same name by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley. The director approached Warner Bros. for the adaptation and had bold ideas on how to execute the film. While initially skeptical about the film, Snyder’s one-take sequence that he shot for the film impressed studio heads big time which led to the film getting greenlit.

Zack Snyder Blew Away Warner Bros. Heads with...

Can you ever forget the thrilling adventure & charming wit of the Spy Kids franchise, which whisked families away on a fantastical journey with the Cortez clan, a family with espionage in their DNA?

Though we all fondly recall Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino as the dashing spy parents (Gregorio and Ingrid), some of the franchise’s star-studded appearances might just catch you off guard upon rewatching. From Selena Gomez’s early cameo to Sylvester Stallone’s haunting villain, Spy Kids hid a treasure trove of talents in plain sight.

Sylvester Stallone in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over | Dimension Films

Okay, so imagine this: did you know that Oscar-winning actor George Clooney graced the Spy Kids universe with his debonair allure? Yes, he did. Well, that’s just a glimpse of what you’ll uncover as we dig into the faces you probably forgot were part of the Spy Kids’ breathtaking escapades.

Alternate reality alert! Imagine Jennifer Aniston, rom-com royalty, gracing a different silver screen masterpiece? The name’s not The Morning Show; it’s Serendipity. Yep, the 2001 rom-com movie. But fate, and maybe Rachel Green’s busy schedule, had other plans.

Jennifer Aniston in The Morning Show | Apple TV +

Did Friends block Aniston’s path to rom-com glory? Let’s explore this near-miss and the fascinating dance between TV fame and big-screen dreams.

Rachel Green in Serendipity? The Jennifer Aniston Rom-Com You Never Knew Almost Happened Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston in Friends | Apple TV +

Imagine a world where Rachel Green moonlights as a whimsical rom-com leading lady not named Rachel Per Serendipity director Peter Chelsom, this alternate reality almost became our reality.

In a recent interview for the well-loved 2001 romantic comedy, director Chelsie revealed Jennifer Aniston was considered for the role of Sara Thomas in Serendipity. Kate Beckinsale eventually portrayed this.

Aquatic horror season is in full swing, though the horror release slate is surprisingly slight on new offerings so far. Netflix’s Under Paris unleashed shark attack mayhem and carnage amidst a huge sporting event in the Seine, but there’s far more to aquatic horror than sharks.

This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to the dangers of the sea, from the fantastical, like killer mermaids, to realism-based horrors like oxygen deprivation. When the sun is scorching, these five horror movies will make you afraid to go into the water.

Here’s where you can stream them this week.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

Bait – freevee, Hoopla, Plex, Starz

In this Australian-Singaporean disaster horror film, it’s a tsunami that leaves a group of people stranded in a flooded grocery story. The devastation to the building, flooding, and volatile tensions between people would be enough...

Even executives at Max seemed sad to end “The Girls on the Bus” after its first and only season on the streaming platform.

“While Max will not be moving forward with a second season of ‘The Girls on the Bus,’ we are grateful to have partnered with immensely talented Amy Chozick, Julie Plec, Rina Mimoun, as well as the teams at Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television,” a representative for Max said in a statement last month. “We are so proud of this powerful story of found family and the celebration of journalism, in all its forms. We thank them and our unrivaled cast for all their incredible work and collaboration.”

The show’s lead and producer, Melissa Benoist, also felt that sense of satisfaction over what was accomplished with the 10-episode drama series.

SEEDeMane Davis interview: ‘The Girls on the Bus’ director

“I am so saddened that we don...

Idris Elba (Hijack) and Rebecca Ferguson (Silo) are circling roles in Academy Award winner Kathryn Bigelow’s next film for Netflix, sources have confirmed to Deadline.

Details as to the roles the pair are playing are under wraps, as are the film’s title and plot, though sources have told Deadline that it will be set at the White House as a national crisis unfolds. The project marks Bigelow’s first feature since the 2017 thriller Detroit, an awards contender produced and distributed by Annapurna Pictures, which starred John Boyega, Will Poulter, Kaitlyn Dever and more.

News of the film was first divulged by Netflix recently during its Upfront presentation in New York. Previously, Bigelow had been developing another Netflix film that never got off the ground — an adaptation of the novel Aurora from David Koepp.

Currently starring in the Apple TV+ thriller series Hijack, which has been renewed for a second season,...

When Mike Flanagan first spoke to Carla Gugino about his latest Netflix production, The Fall of the House of Usher, he didn’t yet know what it would be beyond something inspired by the work of Edgar Allan Poe. “It was going to be something around a family and elements of Succession,” recalls Gugino. Having worked with Flanagan on several horror projects (Gerald’s Game, The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor and Midnight Mass), Gugino was confident that the writer-director would find the perfect thematic material for our present moment. “It’s extremely appropriate, destroying yourself by not opening yourself up to actually seeing your effect on the world,” says the actress of the Sackler family-inspired narrative, which turns the Ushers of Poe’s 1840 short story into an elite clan who earned their riches from the opioid crisis. “His humanistic take on the genre,” Gugino says of Flanagan,...

Stars: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, Henry Eikenberry, Joe Chrest, Carla Gugino | Written by Diablo Cody | Directed by Zelda Williams

Billed as “a coming of Rage story”, this undead comedy-horror is directed by Zelda Williams (daughter of Robin) and scripted by Diablo Cody, making a return to the teen girl horror genre after her 2009 cult hit Jennifer’s Body. As befits a film involving various dismembered body parts, Lisa Frankenstein is occasionally patchy and clumsily put together, but the witty script and fun performances carry it through.

Set in 1989, the film centres on Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton), who’s still withdrawn after witnessing her mother’s butchering during a home invasion by an axe murderer. Meanwhile, her taciturn father (Joe Chrest) has moved on and remarried, meaning that Lisa now has both an evil stepmother (Carla Gugino) and a popular, kind-hearted, but not too bright sister-in-law, Taffy (Liza Soberano).

After...

Critic, podcaster, and film journalist Scott Wampler passed away on May 31 due to unknown causes, as shared by his “Kingcast” co-host Eric Vespe on Friday.

But, as sad as his passing is, we expect that Scott Wampler wouldn’t want tears. He would want you screaming. He would want you wailing in agony, convulsing in terror, blood shooting out of every orifice. He would want you laughing until you cried, thinking in ways that didn’t make your brain hurt, and engaging with one another cause he knew that it’s the only way to make sense of this silly, scary world.

He spent his professional life making genre entertainment, particularly horror, accessible to the masses and sharing his passion with not just outsized glee, but downright fervor. He loved movies and television that made you squirm and he made us love them too. He found beauty and art in...

The Girls on the Bus will not be returning for a second season. Max has cancelled the drama after 10 episodes, per Deadline. The first season wrapped up on the streaming service earlier this month.

The Girls on the Bus series, which stars Melissa Benoist, Carla Gugino, Natasha Behnam, Christina Elmore, Brandon Scott, Griffin Dunne, Mark Consuelos, and Scott Foley, is inspired by Amy Chozick’s book Chasing Hillary. The story follows four female journalists, each of them different in their reporting styles and personalities. Despite their differences, the women become a found family with a front-row seat to the greatest soap opera in town -- the battle for the White House.

Read More…...

The Girls on the Bus’ journey has come to the end of the road: Max has cancelled the Melissa Benoist-fronted comedic drama after just one season, TVLine has learned.

“While Max will not be moving forward with a second season of The Girls on the Bus, we are grateful to have partnered with immensely talented Amy Chozick, Julie Plec, Rina Mimoun, as well as the teams at Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television,” the streamer said in a statement. “We are so proud of this powerful story of found family and the celebration of journalism, in all its forms.

“The Girls on the Bus” are not going round and round. Variety has learned that Max has canceled the political drama after just one season.

“While Max will not be moving forward with a second season of ‘The Girls on the Bus,’ we are grateful to have partnered with immensely talented Amy Chozick, Julie Plec, Rina Mimoun, as well as the teams at Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television,” Max said in a statement. “We are so proud of this powerful story of found family and the celebration of journalism, in all its forms. We thank them and our unrivaled cast for all their incredible work and collaboration.”

Thus ends the show’s long road to the screen. It was originally set up at Netflix with a series order in 2019, but was dropped by that streamer reportedly after production was pushed back because of the pandemic. It then moved to...