Film
Johnny Depp’s Lawyers: “Social Media Played No Role” in Swaying Jury
Ben Chew and Camille Vasquez, two of the lawyers who represented Johnny Depp in his recent highly-publicized trial, say “social media played no role whatsoever” in the jury’s decision to find Amber Heard guilty of defamation against her ex-husband. The attorneys appeared on both Good Morning America and The Today Show Wednesday morning to discuss the trial, which ended last week with both Depp and Heard receiving compensatory damages — though Depp’s sum was over $8 million more than Heard’s. “Social media played no role whatsoever [in the jury’s verdict],” Chew told GMA’s George Stephanopoulos. “This was a decision made by the jury on the evidence presented by both sides, and as Camille said [earlier in the interview], it was overwhelmingly in Mr. Depp’s favor.” Depp and Heard’s ...
Jurassic World Dominion Has Us Rooting for the Dinosaurs, and That’s Probably a Bad Thing — Review
The Pitch: In a twist no one could have possibly seen coming, it turns out that releasing a wide variety of extinct species into a global ecosystem might have some negative repercussions on said global ecosystem. That’s where Jurassic World Dominion begins, four years following the events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which is almost enough time for most of the world to get used to the spread of dinosaurs across the planet. But funnily enough, the most dangerous creatures in this brave new world aren’t dinosaurs — they’re bugs. Specifically, the prehistoric-sized locusts that have begun tearing through the world’s crops, which if left unchecked could have extinction-level repercussions for literally every living creature. Fortunately, Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) is doing her best t...
Masters of the Universe: Revolution: Netflix and Mattel Television Confirm New Series From Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith will continue to tell stories about the Masters of the Universe. On Wednesday, Netflix, Mattel Television, and Powerhouse Animation confirmed Masters of the Universe: Revolution, a brand new continuation of the Eternia story, building off last year’s Masters of the Universe: Revelation. Here’s the official description of the show, courtesy of Netflix: “Masters of the Universe: Revolution is an all-new story that brings the focus to He-Man vs. Skeletor like you’ve never seen them before. It’s technology versus magic as He-Man and the heroic warriors face the forces of Skeletor and a deadly threat to the Planet in Masters of the Universe: Revolution — the next epic chapter in the battle for Eternia.” While an “all-star voice cast” has yet to be announced, Netflix has na...
Masters of the Universe: Revolution: Netflix and Mattel Television Confirm New Series From Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith will continue to tell stories about the Masters of the Universe. On Wednesday, Netflix, Mattel Television, and Powerhouse Animation confirmed Masters of the Universe: Revolution, a brand new continuation of the Eternia story, building off last year’s Masters of the Universe: Revelation. Here’s the official description of the show, courtesy of Netflix: “Masters of the Universe: Revolution is an all-new story that brings the focus to He-Man vs. Skeletor like you’ve never seen them before. It’s technology versus magic as He-Man and the heroic warriors face the forces of Skeletor and a deadly threat to the Planet in Masters of the Universe: Revolution — the next epic chapter in the battle for Eternia.” While an “all-star voice cast” has yet to be announced, Netflix has na...
The Janes Is a Timely, Tight-Knit Oral History of Underground Abortions: Review
The Pitch: On May 3, 2022, a draft opinion from the Supreme Court leaked to Politico detailed the Court’s majority decision to reverse Roe v. Wade. The Roe v. Wade decision, which was declared in 1973, guaranteed the constitutional right for a pregnant woman or person to receive an abortion if they choose. In the years that followed, the ruling had allowed more Americans to have greater access to birth control and other forms of pregnancy-prevention measures without the risk of them losing their lives in the process. Given how integral Roe v. Wade has been to people across the country, the fact that it could be struck down is terrifying, to say the least. This landscape makes the release of The Janes, HBO’s latest documentary directed by Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes, so much more critical. B...
Tim Burton on Batman: “You Put Nipples on the Costume? Go Fuck Yourself”
Tim Burton directed Batman (1990) and Batman Returns (1992) before exiting the franchise over disagreements with Warner Bros. about tone. In a new interview with Empire, he said that his reaction upon seeing the next installment, Batman Forever (1995), was, “You put nipples on the costume? Go fuck yourself.” The conversation came as part of a broader reckoning with the twists and turns of the Batman films, which in recent years have trended darker. It’s something Burton had always wanted, he said. “It is funny to see this now, because all these memories come back of, ‘It’s too dark,’ So, it makes me laugh a little bit.” As he explained, “[Back then] they went the other way. That’s the funny thing about it. But then I was like, ‘Wait a minute. Ok...
Matthew McConaughey Gives Emotional Plea for “Gun Responsibility” from White House Briefing Room
Matthew McConaughey appeared at the White House Press Briefing Room on Tuesday, where he delivered an impassioned plea for Congressional leaders to pass new bipartisan gun legislation in response to the recent wave of mass shootings in the US, including in the actor’s own hometown of Uvalde, Texas. McConaughey began his remarks by sharing personal anecdotes about the nineteen students and two teachers killed at Robb Elementary School on May 24th. He and his wife, Camila Aves, traveled to Uvalde the day after the shooting and met with the families of the victims. In one particularly striking moment, Camila held a pair of green Converse shoes belonging to one of the victims, Maite Rodriguez. The nine-year-old girl had drawn a heart on the shoes because it “represented her love of nature,” Mc...
Todd Phillips Confirms Joker 2, Reveals Sequel Subtitle
Start practicing your high kicks, because Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker may live to dance on another set of stairs. Director Todd Phillips has shared a photo of the script for a new Joker film, as well as a shot of Phoenix reading the draft, all-but-confirming Joker 2 is on the way. Dubbed Joker: Folie à Deux, the script gives writing credits to Phillips and Scott Silver, who collaborated on the original 2019 film. The French title translates to “shared madness,” which could suggest the direction for the sequel (Harley Quinn, anyone?). In any case, the sequel will likely be a blockbuster: After Joker became the most profitable comic book movie of all time, Warner Bros. reportedly offered Phoenix $50 million to reprise his Academy Award-winning role in two more films. Pho...
Julia Garner Offered Role of Madonna in Upcoming Biopic
Ozark actress Julia Garner has been offered the role of Madonna in the upcoming biopic about the legendary pop singer, Variety reports. Garner was one of many prominent names to have auditioned for the coveted role. Other contenders included Florence Pugh, Euphoria actresses Alexa Demie, and singer Sky Ferreira. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the “grueling” audition process included intense dance sessions with Madonna’s own choreographer, as well as singing and reading sessions with Madonna herself. Advertisement Related Video Madonna is expected to direct the film, working off of a script she co-wrote with Diablo Cody and Erin Cressida Wilson. “I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer — a human being, trying to make he...
Alan Cumming’s Missing Chimpanzee Co-Star Tonka Has Been Found and Rescued
Finally, some good news: Tonka — the chimpanzee who appeared alongside Alan Cumming in the 1997 biopic Buddy — has been rescued after going missing for over a year. PETA announced this week that the 38-year-old primate was found, after the organization won a years-long battle with his former owner Tonia Haddix. The Hollywood icon is now able to roam, play, and eat copious amounts of fruit in his new home at the Save the Chimps sanctuary in Florida. “I feel so emotional about this great news,” Cumming wrote in a statement. “When I met Tonka while filming the movie Buddy, I made a true friend, and I was honored that he thought of me as a fellow chimp. I’m dancing a jig that PETA has rescued Tonka from the woman who locked him away alone in a basement and lied about it. The thought of To...
Court Stenographer for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Trial Saw “Jurors Dozing Off”
While the trial for Johnny Depp’s $50 million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard seemed to completely consume the American pop culture conversation during its six-week proceedings, the case was not compelling enough to hold the attention of the actual jurors deliberating it. In an interview with Law & Crime Network, which livestreamed the entire trial, the court-appointed stenographer Judy Bellinger revealed what the multi-camera set-up evidently did not capture: “There were a few jurors dozing off… It was tough,” she said. “There was a lot of video deposition and they’d just sit there and all of a sudden I’d see their heads drop.” Bellinger began by her sharing her perspective on the jury selection process before acknowledging potential, arguably more deserving, a...
