Film
Kanye West Documentary jeen-yuhs Coming to Netflix
Netflix has announced a new Kanye West documentary called jeen-yuhs, which will chronicle the controversial artist’s 20-year-rise to superstardom. Directed by Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, the three-part documentary promises intimate behind-the-scenes footage of Kanye from his early career as a go-to producer, to finally striking out on his own as a MC, to his rise to fame as one of the biggest names in music and pop culture. The documentary will also reportedly focus on the death of Kanye’s mother, Donda West, as well as his failed presidential campaign in 2020. The first look at jeen-yuhs was revealed during Netflix’s global fan event TUDUM on Saturday. In a clip dating back to 2004, West and Mos Def rap their song, “Two Words,” a cappella. Watch it below. Advertisement Related Video je...
NYFF Review: Joel Coen Goes Solo in Style with The Tragedy of Macbeth
This review is part of our coverage of the 2021 New York Film Festival. The Pitch: The Coen Brothers plus Shakespeare — whaddaya need, a roadmap? Actually, you might; or at least a program note to explain why The Tragedy of Macbeth has only one Coen on hand. It’s not a retro affectation that Joel Coen is taking sole director credit, as he used to on the joint Coen projects (until 2004’s The Ladykillers, Joel took “director” and Ethan handled “producer,” even though they were always really doing both). Ethan is taking a break from making movies, while Joel has mounted a black-and-white version of Shakespeare’s famous (and fleetest?) tragedy, with Denzel Washington as Lord Macbeth, who becomes convinced he must take bloody action to fulfill his destiny and become king of Scotland, and France...
Avicii’s Estate Announces New Documentary Coming in 2023
Avicii is being memorialized with a new documentary. The estate of the late Swedish producer born Tim Bergling has announced a forthcoming film that will delve into the “music and the artist who defined an era and changed the world of music forever.” Few details have been unveiled as of yet, but you can expect a release sometime in 2023. According to a statement, the new Avicii documentary “is an up-close, intimate, and epic story about his unparalleled successes and his struggles to cope with the pressure.” It’s set to include never-before-seen footage, as well as interviews with Bergling’s family, colleagues, friends, and even Bergling himself. The documentary will be helmed by producer Björn Tjärnberg and filmmaker Henrik Burman, the latter of whom also directed the 2020 doc Yung Lean: ...
Marvel Sues to Avoid Copyright Termination on The Avengers
The fate of the Avengers is in the hands of the law. In a court filing even more serious than the Sokovia Accords, Disney‘s Marvel unit is suing to prevent the MCU’s most famous superhero team from falling into copyright termination. The stakes couldn’t be higher for the company behind the blockbuster superhero franchise: if they lose the copyright on the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and co., the studio would be forced to share the Avengers’ identities with the heirs of their creators (i.e. the estates of Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Gene Colan, and others). According to reporting by The Hollywood Reporter, the copyright for Spider-Man was the most recent to risk lapsing. Ditko’s estate filed a “notice of termination” on the character last month. Advertisement Related Video Essentia...
Michael K. Williams’ Cause of Death Confirmed as Accidental Overdose
Michael K. Williams died of an accidental overdose after ingesting a mix of fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, a coroner has determined. The Wire actor’s official cause of death was determined by the New York City Chief Medical Examiner on Friday and first reported by TMZ. Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment on September 6th. Police had said drug paraphernalia was found at the scene and launched an investigation into the cause of his death. Just 54 at the time of his passing, the Emmy Award-nominated actor tragically developed an addiction to drugs while immersing himself into the role of stickup man Omar Little in HBO’s The Wire. Earlier this year, Williams spoke about starting therapy for the first time to unpack the issues behind his addictions...
Insane Clown Posse Fight Back Against the FBI in Trailer for The United States of Insanity: Watch
Strike Back Studios has released the trailer for The United States of Insanity, a documentary about notorious rap duo Insane Clown Posse and their fight against the FBI. Watch it below. Directed by Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez, the film chronicles Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope’s efforts to advocate for their loyal fans, known as Juggalos, after they were classified as a “loosely organized hybrid gang” by the FBI a decade ago. The American Civil Liberties Union even backed their battle, which included a federal lawsuit and a 2017 march on Washington, DC. In late December 2017, the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals dealt a major blow while ruling that the Juggalos failed to show that the FBI’s designation had resulted in legal consequences. Several months later, the FBI finally declassified the...
Super Mario Bros. Animated Film to Star Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Charlie Day
The Super Mario Bros. animated film will hit theaters on December 21st, 2022, starring an all-star voice cast of Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Charlie Day. The news was announced Thursday (September 23rd) during the Nintendo Direct streaming event. Pratt and Day will play Mario and Luigi, respectively, in the new adaptation of the legendary Nintendo franchise. Taylor-Joy will play Princess Peach. The all-star voice cast is rounded out by Jack Black (Bowser), Keegan-Michael Key (Toad), Seth Rogen (Donkey Kong), Fred Armisen (Cranky Kong), Kevin Michael Richardson (Kamek), and Sebastian Maniscalco (Spike). Advertisement Related Video Chris Meledandri’s Illumination is co-producing the film with Nintendo mastermind and Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto. The film will be directed by Aaro...
Disney+ Unveils First Trailer for Muppets Haunted Mansion Halloween Special: Watch
Leave it to Disney+ to cover all your family-friendly Halloween entertainment needs. Today, the streaming platform has revealed the first trailer for Muppets Haunted Mansion, a forthcoming Halloween special that finds all your favorite Muppets at the mercy of a house with some very strange secrets. The special is set to premiere on October 8th. Amazingly, Muppets Haunted Mansion is the first Halloween Muppets special in the franchise’s storied history. They’ve rounded up a handful of high-profile humans to join them, including Will Arnett, Yvette Nicole Brown, Darren Criss, and Taraji P. Henson. It’s also set to include appearances from Chrissy Metz, Alfonso Ribeiro, Edward Asner, Jeannie Mai, Danny Trejo, Sasheer Zamata, Craig Robinson, Skai Jackson, Pat Sajak, Geoff Keighley, Justin...
Netflix Buys Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and the Rest of Roald Dahl’s Catalog
Netflix has got itself a golden ticket — in fact, it’s bought the whole entire chocolate factory outright. Today, the streaming giant shared the news that it’s purchased The Roald Dahl Story Company. The acquisition gives Netflix the rights to the entirety of the late children’s book author’s catalog of work, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, The BFG, The Witches, and more. In a statement, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and Roald Dahl Story Company managing Luke Kelly hinted at plans to create a “unique universe across animated and live-action films and TV, publishing, games, immersive experiences, live theater, consumer products and more.” Quoting Dahl’s beloved 1961 classic, they continued, “There is a moment in James and the Giant Peach when t...
Johnny Depp Says Cancel Culture Is “So Far Out of Hand” That “No One Is Safe”
Johnny Depp is worth hundreds of millions of dollars and has been credibly accused of spousal abuse, but if you think about it, isn’t he the real victim? That’s the gist of his latest press conference, in which he moaned that cancel culture is “so far out of hand now” that “no one is safe.” As Deadline reports, the embattled actor made these utterances ahead of the San Sebastian Film Festival, where he’ll be receiving the honorary Donostia Award. With the press attending, Depp also commented on his recent legal loss against The Sun, which had labelled him a “wife-beater.” Depp sued for libel, but a UK judge ruled that “the great majority” of his ex-wife Amber Heard’s assault accusations could be “proved to the civil standard,” — in other words, “wife-beater” is more or less accurate. Speak...
Daniel Craig: “There Should Simply Be Better Parts for Women” Than James Bond
As the release of Daniel Craig’s final turn as James Bond nears, talk has renewed over the future of the character. In a new interview with Radio Times, Craig was asked whether a woman should get a chance to star in the titular role. “The answer to that is very simple,” Craig responded. “There should simply be better parts for women and actors of colour. Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, but for a woman?” Craig’s comments are in line with what James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli said when asked a similar question in an interview last year. “He can be of any color, but he is male,” Broccoli asserted. “I believe we should be creating new characters for women — strong female characters. ‘’m not particularly interested in taking a male ...
R.I.P. Anthony Johnson, Friday’s Ezal Dead at 56
Anthony Johnson, the actor and comedian who notably played Ezal in the first Friday film, has died at the age of 56. A representative of Johnson confirmed his passing to The Hollywood Reporter. No additional details, including a cause of death, have been shared. The Compton native also appeared in films such as House Party, Lethal Weapon 3, Menace II Society, and The Players Club. His television credits included cameos in Martin, Moesha, and The Jamie Foxx Show. Advertisement Related Video But he’ll undoubtedly best be remembered for his role in the stoner comedy Friday. His character Ezal tried to scheme his way into a quick buck, and in doing so stole several scenes in the film. Johnson’s death comes less than a year after the passing of Friday co-star, Tommy Lister Jr., who played Deebo...
