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Tag: film

  • “Cold Copy” Review: Tracee Ellis Ross’s Magnetic Personality Buoys Flaccid Film Noir

    “Cold Copy” Review: Tracee Ellis Ross’s Magnetic Personality Buoys Flaccid Film Noir

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    When you think of Tracee Ellis Ross, you think of her big hair (shoutout to Pattern Beauty) and her big smile. You might even think of her mother, Diana Ross, although Tracee’s one of the rare, iconic nepo babies who has managed to forge a spectacular career separate from her famous parent.

    However, in her latest role as powerhouse journalist Diane Heger in Tribeca Film Festival’s Cold Copy, Ross is unrecognizable — and not just due to of her black hair and bangs. Known for comedic roles like Black-ish, Girlfriends, and The High Note, Ross is an expert at leveraging her larger-than-life personality for laughs.

    In Cold Copy, she uses her undeniable presence as Heger strikes fear into the hearts of aspiring journalism students who want to follow in her footsteps as a successful media personality and host of her own show. This is where we meet Mia Scott — indelibly rendered by Bel Powley. Scott is a budding journalist, eager to impress her hero and succeed at any cost.

    Early in the film, Mia’s sitting with her roommate and best friend, discussing their hopes and dreams. Classic weekday night for college students. “What else is there?” Scott muses about the value of success. And the rest of the film shows her clawing and climbing to the top, making enemies, and losing friends on the way.

    Written and directed by Roxine Helberg, this female-helmed film noir has a predictable plot but is saved by its captivating cast. The story struggles to justify its characters’ motives with high enough stakes, making Scott’s actions seem desperate and unanchored, though well-rendered by Powley. Yet, despite the uneven script and stilted pacing, Ross and Powley make a compelling duo.

    “What do people see when they look at us?” Heger asks Scott in the film’s second act. A teacher and student? A mother and daughter, she proposes. Lovers, even? It’s all about perception, is the lesson Heger’s imparting. And, as journalists, it’s all about perspective.

    But for a film about perspective, about insight, it doesn’t hold much of its own. Some themes, like the price of success, are raised, but the message is unclear. The ending, too, raises more questions than it answers.

    Like Mia Scott, the film is desperately clawing for a storyline, for meaning, but can’t quite reach it. And, like Scott, the charismatic actors in front of the lens are more substantive than the flimsy tale they’re weaving.

    What results is a satisfying watch but so unsurprising. It’s a mixture of Tar and Miss Sloane, but without the intensity of either. Although the plot’s overly familiar, the visuals are sharp and the casting choices are fantastic. Backed by brilliant acting and an undercurrent of intriguing questions, it’s worth your time.

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    LKC

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  • ‘Maggie Moore(s)’ Review: Jon Hamm, Tina Fey, and Not Much Else

    ‘Maggie Moore(s)’ Review: Jon Hamm, Tina Fey, and Not Much Else

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    Everybody loves a juicy murder mystery. The True Crime boom proves it. So does the spectacular success of shows like Dahmer, Only Murders in the Building, and Peacock’s latest… Based on a True Story.

    SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers for Maggie Moore(s)

    In every media form, fictional or fact, creators aim to capture society’s curiosity for the twisted and morbid. Biopics like the American Crime Story series or Zac Efron’s performance as Ted Bundy in Incredibly Wicked and Vile are all the rage, capitalizing on this fervor despite some concerns about the ethics of this obsession. For many psychological thrillers, slapstick comedies and dramedies murder is the business.

    No exception to the rule, Tribeca Film Festival saw the premiere of Maggie Moore(s), a dark comedy about the murder of two women both named Maggie Moore. Despite its title, the film is really about Jon Hamm’s character, Jordan Sanders, the police chief in a small New Mexico town.

    Hamm’s character is mourning his wife’s death, but tentatively taking steps to venture back into the dating world. Naturally, he looks for advice from his jocular deputy (Santosh Govindaraju). Between failed dates and days dealing with petty crimes, Hamm’s life is much like the desert town: uneventful.

    That is until the first Maggie Moore gets murdered. And then the second. Suddenly, Hamm’s embroiled in a mess of a police chase while viewers get behind-the-scenes access to the wacky cast of characters cooking up the scam.

    The eclectic cast makes Maggie Moore(s) an enjoyable watch. That and John Slattery’s keen directorial eye. The actual murder plot takes a back seat to the distinctive, at-times-cartoonish, characters who run around wreaking havoc.

    Of course, Tina Fey is a stand out here. Fey plays Rita – a nosy neighbor of one of the Maggie Moores. A recent divorcee, she’s hankering for company — first from Moore, then from Sanders. Fey is redemption for the nosy neighbor trope, as she finds herself helping with the case and starting a relationship with Hamm.

    The scenes between Hamm and Fey — and any scene with Govindaraju — make the most compelling case for Maggie Moore(s). In an enjoyable yet unsurprising journey to catch the man who murdered the lamentable Maggie Moores, the rest is ambient noise.

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    LKC

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  • “The Line” Review: White on White Violence — Alex Wolff and Austin Abrams In a Portrait of Privilege

    “The Line” Review: White on White Violence — Alex Wolff and Austin Abrams In a Portrait of Privilege

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    In The Line — the latest film by Ethan Berger, starring Alex Wolff, Lewis Pullman, Halle Bailey, Austin Abrams, Angus Cloud, Scoot McNairy, John Malkovich, Bo Mitchell, and Denise Richards — a group of fraternity brothers experience a turbulent pledge season.

    SPOILER ALERT: THE FOLLOWING INCLUDES SPOILERS FOR THE FILM THE LINE

    What follows is just what you’d expect: a ton of homophobic and racist language, a culture of privilege, rampant misogyny, and — of course — the ubiquitous, unchecked male aggression. However, there are unexpected moments, too — Halle Bailey’s incandescent (but all too brief) performance, the surprising empathy we feel for Tom (Wolff), and the death that occurs in the third act.

    In many ways, it’s a classic movie about fraternities, hazing, and toxic masculinity so it lets its characters off easy. But, in part, that’s the point, too. The film was intensely researched by Berger and his co-writer Alex Russek, which is evident in its attention to crucial details.

    It’s a visceral portrait sharpened by expertly crafted details. From the familiar frat boy wardrobe, the 2014 soundtrack, and the rich characters, Berger creates a world that feels immediate. Real. And terrifying. The result? A profoundly unsettling movie that will stay with you long after you leave the theater.

    What’s The Line about?

    It’s about a fictional fraternity — Kappa Nu Alpha — at Sumpter College, a fictional college in the south. It follows Tom (played by Alex Wolff), a lower-income student with a single mother, who is entering his sophomore year. After a summer working a service job in his home state of Florida, Tom’s eager to return to life that being a KNA brother promises: connections, escapism, and a room tricked out with the full “Martha Stewart” treatment and the latest tech, all courtesy of his roommate and best friend, Mitch (Bo Mitchell).

    Tom’s friendship with Mitch is central to the film. Mitch’s dad is the owner of Piggly Wiggly and offers Tom an internship proclaiming that it’s important to “align yourself with the best.” While Tom holds the leadership chops important to their frat president, Tom’s deeply insecure about his lack of connections and family money.

    This becomes apparent as the new pledge class begins initiation. Soon, Mitch goes to war with a star pledge, Gettys O’Brian (Austin Abrams). Unimpressed by the pledge’s attitude, Mitch lashes out and lights the fuse that forms the film’s central conflict.

    At some point, Gettys says, “I would rather be an asshole than a loser.” This illustrates Tom’s struggle to fit in at the expense of his morals and his desires — particularly his attraction to Annabelle (Halle Bailey).

    Alex Wolff and Halle Bailey in The Linevia Tribeca Film Festival

    The Line had its World Premiere on June 9th at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, garnering critical acclaim for the searing story and shattering performances by Wolff, Mitchell, and Abrams.

    Is The Line good?

    In an interview with Salon, Director, Ethan Berger said: “Maybe the film will force [people who participate in fraternity culture] to ask themselves if it was worth it — whether this institution that they pledged allegiance to has an allegiance to them? I’m not looking to answer anything, just provoke questions.”

    The Line successfully raises a web of questions and creates characters that further complicate those questions. It’s not simply a flat indictment of every “frat boy.” We feel genuine empathy for Wolff’s character as we join him on his journey. There’s the painfully accurate portrayal of freshman bravado and insecurity. (This reminded me of Bo Burnham’s 8th Grade — another film that’s too humiliatingly true to look away from.) And there’s all the minutiae that goes into creating a world that doesn’t come off as trite.

    What makes it distinct are the details. From Tom’s sartorial signifiers — boat shoes and vests when he’s deep in the brotherhood contrasted with a faded hoodie and slides when he is disillusioned — to the constant, casual bigotry displayed by the brothers, Berger plunges us into an immersive world that (purposefully) makes our skin crawl.

    The acting is similarly immersive.

    Wolff, known for playing mild-mannered boys in drowsy indies (and, of course, The Naked Brothers Band), completely transforms for this role. A buzzcut and a “fake Forrest Gump accent” are just the start of this fantastic transformation. Wolff gives an achingly intense performance, especially in scenes with Bailey or Abrams. He plays off his castmates and deftly delivers both the high moments — giving a rousing speech to the pledges — and the low moments — holding back tears in the interrogation room.

    The Line is a memorable journey that will resonate long after the final credits roll. In the hierarchy of fraternity films, it’s easily number one with a bullet.

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    LKC

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  • ‘The Good Half’ Review: Nick Jonas and Brittany Snow Are Heartbreaking and Heartwarming

    ‘The Good Half’ Review: Nick Jonas and Brittany Snow Are Heartbreaking and Heartwarming

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    Nick Jonas is on a roll. He’s in the middle of The Jonas Brothers’ THE TOUR (think their version of Taylor’s Era tour, where they perform 5 of their albums in one night). He just appeared in Love Again as a secondary character alongside his wife, Priyanka Chopra. And now, he’s starring in The Good Half, an indie dramedy that premiered at Tribeca Film Festival on June 8th.

    Written by Brett Ryland and directed by Robert Schwartzman, the film is a tale of grief that sees its creators pouring out their personal experiences to connect with audiences on its universal themes. And hopefully, get them to crack a smile.

    The story is a familiar one: a family comes together in the wake of a tragedy and strained relationships (in this case, the one between a brother and sister) heal as they learn to accept their loss. The message is familiar too: that grief is not linear and that families leave too much unsaid.

    Nick Jonas in The Good Halfvia Tribea Film Festival

    What’s most surprising is Nick Jonas’s performance as the leading man. Playing the joke-cracking, emotionally avoidant protagonist, Renn, Jonas is magnetic — making an otherwise unmemorable (and potentially unlikable) character easy to love.

    Jonas’s character has few distinguishable features. The script gives him a good balance of comedic and contemplative moments, and Jonas plays them all perfectly. He leans into Renn’s emotional distance and what emerges is a character who is flawed, but sympathetic.

    The story takes him through the motions of preparing for his mother’s funeral and taking steps to fix the strained relationships with his father and sister while building a new relationship with Zoey (Alexandra Shipp), a girl he met on the plane.

    The themes of grief and nostalgia are countered by the budding relationship between Jonas and Shipp’s characters. Their exchanges are funny and light, but their chemistry feels more playful and platonic than romantic. With not much to anchor Zoey’s character on, the moments she appears feel like plot devices. Their conversations — including a well-done monologue by Jonas in which he finally admits his griefs, a moment that should feel intimate and powerful — feel like convenient vehicles for Renn’s growth. And while he is finding escape in Zoey, the abrupt tonal shift between their scenes and the rest of the film makes the film feel like a collage instead of a cohesive story.

    Nick Jonas and Alexandra Shipp in The Good Halfvia Tribeca Film Festival

    The sibling relationship between Renn and Leigh (Brittany Snow), however, is the most compelling part of the film. From well-rendered sibling bickering and banter to an eventual catharsis, Jonas and Snow play off each other seamlessly. As a viewer, I wish the story had spent more time here, as a more developed version of Snow’s character would have made Renn’s emotional moments with her more weighty.

    This movie will exist in the canon as another Elizabethtown or Garden State wannabe — complete with the underdeveloped romantic interest who absorbs all of the protagonist’s trauma. But it’s an easy watch and a compelling case for Nick Jonas’s return to acting.

    I hope to see him in more roles like this, where he can show off his full range (because yes, he sings in The Good Half in a sweet karaoke scene). Do people still call it a “triple threat” when someone is great at singing, dancing, and acting? Because Nick Jonas has proven that he’s got what it takes.

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  • ‘Eric LaRue’ Review: After Soaring in Succession, Skarsgard Transforms in ‘Eric LaRue’

    ‘Eric LaRue’ Review: After Soaring in Succession, Skarsgard Transforms in ‘Eric LaRue’

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    There’s a lot to be said about Eric LaRue. It’s Michael Shannon’s directorial debut. It’s a meditative adaptation of Brett Neveu’s 2002 play. And it stars Judy Greer, Alison Pill, Tracy Letts, Paul Sparks, and a just about unrecognizable Alexander Skarsgård. The latter is what the film will undoubtedly be remembered for, but let’s start from the top.

    Eric LaRue premiered on June 10th at Tribeca Film Festival. This highly anticipated drama is a fresh perspective on a timely and important topic: gun violence. The film follows two parents (Greer and Skarsgård) whose son commits a school shooting. After murdering three of his high school peers, the title character Eric LaRue is sent to prison. In the aftermath, his parents struggle to repair and adjust to life without their son and as pariahs in their cookie-cutter suburban town.

    The film poses a number of questions. Whose to “blame” when such a shocking tragedy occurs? Who takes responsibility? How does a community heal? And what is our responsibility to ourselves?

    However, while the film provokes and prods, it doesn’t build avenues toward solutions. With nebulous questions that have no right answers, a film like this leans on its characters to raise and elaborate on the issues. Although the characters are compelling and entertaining — and well rendered by the actors — they aren’t complex enough to lead us toward an honest conversation about the film’s themes.

    Within the film itself, the characters attempt to have conversations among themselves. Most of these attempts are just that, with no results. And while this is intentional, when problems are repeatedly introduced nothing moves forward — the action is inert. For the viewer, Eric LaRue feel repetitive and monotonous. A shame, considering the astonishing direction, the striking cinematography, and powerhouse performances.

    As Michael Shannon’s directorial debut, this is a triumph. The actors interact with each other seamlessly. And the establishing shots of suburbia clue the viewer into this community’s rules and the enormity of the coming transgression. It’s also a career-defining role for Judy Greer — who plays the devastated mother, Janice LaRue. Her quest for answers and healing is portrayed with a brilliant blend of melancholy, torment, and messiness.

    However, the most memorable performance is by Skarsgård. It’s always a treat to see one of your favorite actors in a role where you barely recognize them. Skarsgård achieves this with phenomenal results.

    Fresh off a scene-stealing appearance in Succession as the eccentric — and often-shoeless — tech founder, Alexander Matsson, Skarsgård chalks up yet one more title to his already stacked filmography. This film, I think, will live on largely as an example of the actor’s extensive range.

    Rather than the charming, authoritative figures he often plays, Skarsgård transforms into Ron LaRue — an awkward and aimless father. Somehow he wrangles his giant Viking frame into khakis and flannel to bumble around the house. Skarsgård balances power and heartbreak — searching for himself as much as he’s searching for answers. We view him as Janice LaRue sees him: as lacking. And Skarsgard’s complete immersion in his role truly convinces us.

    Overall, Eric LaRue is a half-realized execution of a dynamic concept. Although the pacing is slow and stilted, those moments between characters are so riveting, you can’t look away.

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    LKC

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  • 16 Films To Look Forward to at Tribeca Film Festival

    16 Films To Look Forward to at Tribeca Film Festival

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    It’s film festival season. After a stunning display of fashion and film at Cannes, we are finally deep in the pomp and circumstance that comes with film festivals.

    And as much as I love the red carpet looks, the interviews, and the star-studded events, film festivals are unique to other premieres because they really remind us to celebrate the achievements of films themselves. More than the politics of award shows or the polish of press tours, film festivals feel like the truest celebrations of the current climate in film.

    Tribeca Film Festival, held annually in New York City, is one of the most anticipated festivals in the festival circuit. Started in 2003 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff, Tribeca has strong roots in independent film — celebrating the most innovative and interesting films and artists in the cultural zeitgeist.

    This year, Tribeca Festival will be held from June 7 to June 18 in New York City, with a lineup of exciting films, events, and artist conversations. Film lovers will be running around downtown New York City to witness some of the highly anticipated films and conversations on the lineup.

    As we prep for a summer of blockbuster movies like Barbie, we’re also highly anticipating smaller projects that will be premiering at Tribeca this year. Here are 16 of the films we’re looking forward to seeing this year at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.

    The Good Half

    After years spent avoiding his problems, Renn Wheeland (Nick Jonas) is forced to face his greatest fear: the recent death of his mother, Lily (Elisabeth Shue). While traveling home to Cleveland for her funeral, he forges a new relationship with fellow passenger, Zoey (Alexandra Shipp), and later, heals an old one with his overbearing sister, Leigh (Brittany Snow). Together, with the help of his eager-to-connect father, Darren (Matt Walsh), an old high school friend, and a hoarder priest, Renn tries to confront his past, his problems, his step-father (David Arquette), his grief, and his new reality.

    Starring: Nick Jonas, David Arquette, Brittany Snow, Alexandra Shipp, Matt Walsh, and Elisabeth Shue

    Eric Larue

    In the aftermath of a shocking crime at the hands of their son, two parents seek solace in rival religious congregations in Michael Shannon’s emotional directorial debut.

    Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Judy Greer, Alison Pill, Tracy Letts, and Paul Sparks

    Smoking Tigers

    ​Set in the early-2000s SoCal, Smoking Tigers follows a Korean American girl as she navigates derision and growing tensions while balancing the duality of her low-income family and wealthy, elite high school environment. Staggered by the separation of her parents, a Korean-American girl struggles to find herself. Caught between supporting both parents in their work while longing for their old life together and burdened by the responsibility of a younger sibling, few things seem to be falling into place. Upon starting a new year of high school among wealthy elites, she also has to balance the duality of her new friends and low-income reality.

    ​Starring: Ji-Young Yoo, Jung Joon Ho, Abin Andrews, Erin Choi, Erin Yoo, Phinehas Yoon

    Cold Copy

    An ambitious journalism student falls under the thrall of an esteemed yet cutthroat news reporter whom she’s desperate to impress, even if it means manipulating her latest story… and the very idea of truth itself.

    Starring: Tracee Ellis Ross, Bel Powley, Jacob Tremblay, Nesta Cooper

    Cypher

    Cypher is a fictionalized version of the life and career of magnetic rapper, Tierra Whack. It is a semi-autobiographical characterization with a twist. The film satirizes all the conspiracies and theories about secret societies running the music industry.

    Starring: Tierra Whack

    Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed

    This timely exploration of Hollywood and LGBTQ+ identity examines the life of legendary actor Rock Hudson, from his public “ladies’ man” persona to his private life as a gay man.

    The Adults

    When Eric’s (Michael Cera) short trip back home turns into an extended stay, relationships with friends and family come to a head. The trip reunites him with his sisters, Rachel (Hannah Gross) and Maggie (Sophia Lillis), and unearths some old wounds as Maggie yearns to rekindle moments of their youth. At the same time, Eric falls back in with his old poker buddies, asserting his dominance as the best poker player in town. They gradually reveal their complicated inner lives, trauma, and relationships through theatrical performances and shared histories. The film’s strength lies in the cast’s nuanced performances and writer-director Dustin Guy Defa’s use of raw emotion and close-ups to convey the siblings’ complicated dynamic.

    Starring: Michael Cera, Hannah Gross, Sophia Lillis

    Fresh Kills

    The daughters of the Larusso family struggle to break the unspoken code of the women behind the men in the mob world of Staten Island in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Unlike any mob movie you’ve ever seen before, FRESH KILLS reveals the women behind the men — the stories never told. Violence, fear, and unspoken rules dictate who they are and who they are allowed to become.

    Starring: Emily Bader, Odessa A’zion, Jennifer Esposito, Domenick Lombardozzi, Annabella Sciorra, and Nicholas Cirillo

    The Lesson

    Liam (Daryl McCormack), an aspiring and ambitious young writer, eagerly accepts a tutoring position at the family estate of his idol, renowned author J.M. Sinclair (Academy Award nominee Richard E. Grant). But soon, Liam realizes that he is ensnared in a web of family secrets, resentment, and retribution. Sinclair, his wife Hélène (Academy Award nominee Julie Delpy), and their son Bertie (Stephen McMillan) all guard a dark past, one that threatens Liam’s future as well as their own. As the lines between master and protégé blur, class, ambition, and betrayal become a dangerous combination in this taut noir thriller.

    Starring: Richard E Grant, Julie Delpy, Daryl McCormack, Stephen McMillan, and Crispin Letts

    Maggie Moores

    When two women with the same name are murdered days apart, small-town police chief Jordan Sanders (Hamm) finds himself wading through an unlikely collection of cheating husbands, lonely hearts, nosy neighbors and contract killers in an effort to put the pieces of the case, and his life, together. The film is inspired by actual events.

    Starring: Jon Hamm, Tina Fey, Micah Stock, Nick Mohammed, Happy Anderson, and Mary Holland

    The Line

    Ethan Berger’s feature narrative debut THE LINE is an engrossing dramatic thriller that contemplates blind adherence to tradition from the viewpoint of Tom (Alex Wolff), a devoted “brother” from a fictional college fraternity. Tom is charmed by the promises of high social status and alumni connections that open doors, and pledges allegiance to an institution without fully understanding the cost of that loyalty. As the sophomore year begins, Tom’s view of his fraternity culture, and his own identity, is challenged by a new acquaintance outside his social circle (Halle Bailey) and by the dangerous fraternity hazing antics perpetrated by his best friend (Bo Mitchell) as he goes to war with a freshman pledge Gettys (Austin Abrams) who won’t conform. As the exuberant freedom of college darkens, Tom’s dedication to his fraternity threatens to overshadow his future and makes him question everything he thought he valued. Led by Wolff’s gut-wrenching performance, the coming-of-age film also stars Mitchell, Bailey, Abrams, Lewis Pullman, Angus Cloud, Scoot McNairy, Denise Richards, Cheri Oteri, and John Malkovich.

    Starring: Alex Wolff, Lewis Pullman, Halle Bailey, Austin Abrams, Angus Cloud, Scoot McNairy, John Malkovich, Bo Mitchell, Denise Richards

    Shortcomings

    ​Ben, a struggling filmmaker, lives in Berkeley, California, with his girlfriend, Miko, who works for a local Asian American film festival. When he’s not managing an arthouse movie theater as his day job, Ben spends his time obsessing over unavailable blonde women, watching Criterion Collection DVDs, and eating in diners with his best friend Alice, a queer grad student with a serial dating habit. When Miko moves to New York for an internship, Ben is left to his own devices and begins to explore what he thinks he might want.

    Starring: Justin H. Min, Sherry Cola, Ally Maki, Debby Ryan, Tavi Gevinson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jacob Batalon, Timothy Simons

    Blood for Dust

    ​Cliff, a traveling salesman drowning under the weight of providing for his family, finds himself on a dangerous path after a chance encounters with Ricky, a colleague from a dark past. Desperate to keep his fragile home life intact, Cliff agrees to partner with Ricky running cocaine across Montana, and finds himself embroiled in a struggle to get away clean, in a business where no one does.

    Starring: Scoot McNairy, Kit Harington, Josh Lucas, Stephen Dorff, Ethan Suplee, Nora Zehetner, and Amber Rose Mason

    Downtown Owl

    Welcome to Owl, North Dakota, 1984, where a widowed farmer invents his happiness, righteous teens uncover a local scandal, and an English teacher searching for more out of life upends the peaceful existence of the locals. “Downtown Owl”, based on Chuck Klosterman’s novel, is a rollicking dark comedy, about running away from home in order to find it.

    Starring: Lily Rabe, Ed Harris, Vanessa Hudgens, August Blanco Rosenstein, Jack Dylan Grazer, Arianna Jaffier, Finn Wittrock, Henry Golding

    Mountains

    Xavier, a dutiful middle-aged Haitian demolition worker, is outgrowing the Little Haiti home he shares with his wife Esperance – a seamstress and school crossing guard – and their adult son Junior, caught between two cultures as he pursues a standup comedy career.

    Mountains is a multigenerational drama that explores the relationships between immigrants and their children, Miami’s own stratification of race and nationality, the looming threat of gentrification, and the pursuit of the American dream. What results is a loving portrait of the Haitian community in Miami.

    Starring: Atibon Nazaire, Shelia Anozier, Chris Renois

    The Perfect Find

    Looking for a fresh start and career comeback, Jenna (Gabrielle Union) returns to the workforce, where she must navigate a challenging workplace, a demanding boss, and a lusty secret romance.

    Starring: Gabrielle Union, Keith Powers, Aisha Hinds, DB Woodside, Janet Hubert, Alani “La La” Anthony, Gina Torres

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  • STARZ Premieres Extraordinary Documentary About the NBA’s Transformative 2020 Season ‘Game Change Game’

    STARZ Premieres Extraordinary Documentary About the NBA’s Transformative 2020 Season ‘Game Change Game’

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    LOS ANGELES, June 7, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Created by THINK450, Game Change Game, a poignant documentary about the extraordinary 2020 NBA season, which carried on in the face of COVID and a social justice reckoning, is out today for digital release on STARZ, the streaming network dedicated to narratives by, about and for underrepresented audiences.

    The monumental film, which premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival for its theatrical release, is directed by Spike Jordan and Maxime Quoilin with the bi-coastal creative production studio Good Company and created by veteran media leader Christina Norman for THINK450, the partnership and innovation engine of The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). 

    “The creation of this film came from our core mission as an organization to amplify the players and their collective voices,” said Que Gaskins, President of THINK450. “As we saw our players come together to stand up for change, we knew we had the unique opportunity to document this powerful moment in time from the players’ perspective. Game Change Game is a remarkable film, and we are excited to share it with more viewers this month through our partnership with STARZ.”

    The film affords viewers privileged access to “The NBA Bubble,” the infamous bio-secure hub where the elite athletes carried out the 2020 basketball season during the pandemic shutdown. As it highlights their struggle with unforeseen sacrifice, loss, and their own morality amidst disturbing current events of the time, the documentary displays the players’ bonds of fierce brotherhood while they use their platform to demand change. 

    “Game Change Game really captures all of the emotions that we were experiencing as players and as Black men during that very intense and pivotal time in our society,” said CJ McCollum, NBPA President and one of the players featured in the film. “With so many different player perspectives in the film, it is truly a unique expression of our collective experience, and I am honored to be a part of it.”

    Threading together interviews with more than 40 notable stakeholders, directors Quoilin and Jordan highlight the series of events that led to the creation of the “bubble.” They blatantly expose viewers to the waves of police brutality that took place during the same era and how many NBA players decided to take a stand and speak out against injustice – despite the pervasive cultural narrative that sports and athletes are, and should remain, apolitical. The interviewees include athletes like NBPA President CJ McCollum, Chris Paul, Jaylen Brown, as well as leading activists and artists.

    Without the use of a narrator, the co-directors expertly craft a fluid storyline, by weaving, amongst the interviews, vital contextual footage from both the archives and the players themselves, including special family moments.

    “The meaning of the film shifted as we lived through one cataclysmic event after another. Shot in real-time, it became a deep race conversation, on top of the already deep COVID conversation,” said co-director Quoilin. “Ultimately, we hope that the documentary continues to spur an ongoing dialogue about racism and policing in the US and how we can each do our part to make equity a reality for everyone.”

    Good Company’s impeccable reputation for culturally-relevant work and Quoilin and Jordan’s bold visual storytelling style made them the perfect fit for a non-traditional sports documentary. Philadelphia native Jordan is known for his music videos like Nas’ “Ultra Black” and Future & Juice WRLD’s “WRLD on Drugs,” while Belgium-born Quoilin is known for his work on Beyonce’s Formation World Tour and the fiery Kanye West video, “Come to Life.”

    When tapped by THINK450, it was an easy yes for the filmmakers, who are both passionate basketball fans and frequent collaborators with uncanny creative sympatico. Together, the pair have previously collaborated on a variety of music videos, including Gunna’s “Dollaz On My Head” and Meek Mill’s “Believe.”

    “Max and I have this chemistry; we’re on the same wavelength. During the shooting, I would turn to say something, and it was like Max already knew what I was going to say. We had the same intuition about what was needed on-screen,” said Jordan.

    One of the first shoots to go remote during the pandemic, Game Change Game was filmed in two phases. At first, the co-directors utilized a robust remote filming technology inspired by Errol Morris’s Interrotron, which allowed up-close, face-to-face interviews with the players living in the bubble. Once the season ended and COVID restrictions eased to some extent, the directors filmed additional in-person interviews and incorporated a wealth of contextual footage.

    Good Company had a hand in every aspect of the film’s production. Despite unimaginable flux and emotion, they tirelessly documented the uncommon NBA season as well as spent an additional year honing the story’s look and feel in post-production. 

    “After living through that intense, paradigm-shifting time, and now, coming out the other side of it with this release feels almost cathartic. We could’ve never expected the journey the world would go through, but it was all hands on deck for this project from the get-go,” commented Producer Jonathan Lia, Good Company’s Co-Founder. “I hope this beautiful portrait of the NBA’s journey will remind viewers of the power of our collective voices and the strength and healing that can be found when we lean on each other.”

    The documentary can be found on STARZ across all platforms, including in their Juneteenth programming and throughout the month on STARZ linear channels.

    Watch the trailer for Game Change Game on STARZ.

    About the NPBA:

    The National Basketball Players Association is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA’s mission is to protect and support the rights and talents of our players, magnify the power of their collective will, and amplify their voices as leaders who will transcend sport and society globally.

    The NBPA advocates on behalf of the best interests of all NBA players, including through the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, the filing of grievances on behalf of the players, and counseling players on benefits, educational and post-NBA career opportunities. Business opportunities are generated by THINK450, the subsidiary of the NBPA charged with managing the players’ group licensing rights.

    Dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members, the NBPA Foundation provides support and assistance to persons, communities, and organizations around the world that seek to improve the lives of those in need.

    About Good Company:

    Good Company is a bi-coastal creative production studio that develops and produces content and experiences at the intersection of art, music and cinema. They are behind some of the most iconic music videos and films of our time, including Beyonce’s Lemonade. They also produce award-winning ad campaigns for brands like Meta and Nike and create breathtaking live performance visuals for artists such as Adele, Pharrell and Miley Cyrus. 

    Source: THINK450

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  • Erykah Badu to Appear in Netflix Drama The Piano Lesson

    Erykah Badu to Appear in Netflix Drama The Piano Lesson

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    Erykah Badu is set to appear in the forthcoming Netflix adaptation of the August Wilson play The Piano Lesson, performing music in a small role. The film stars Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington, reprising their roles from the play’s recent Broadway revival. 

    The story is set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1936, and follows the lives of the Charles family, which possesses a family heirloom—the titular piano—adorned with carvings made by an enslaved ancestor documenting the family’s history. The Piano Lesson is part of Wilson’s 10-play “American Century Cycle,” which includes Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which Netflix adapted in 2020 (starring Chadwick Boseman in his final role), and Fences, adapted by (and starring) Washington’s father Denzel in 2016.

    Badu recently announced she would embark on The Unfollow Me Tour next month with Yasiin Bey. Late last year she shared a collaboration with BTS’ RM for the K-pop vocalist’s solo album Indigo. 

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    Matthew Ismael Ruiz

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  • Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Score New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie

    Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Score New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie

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    Prolific film composers and Nine Inch Nails members Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross made the music for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, the new movie’s director, Jeff Rowe, confirmed on Twitter.

    After one of Reznor’s friends, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, let the news slip during a podcast appearance, Rowe tweeted, “Well now that  my teenage hero @tonyhawk has leaked that my music heroes are doing this I can add that the score is absolutely AMAZING. Exhilarating, terrifying, heartbreaking, full of sounds I didn’t know existed. I don’t have the vocabulary to describe it. I love it so much.”

    Seth Rogen, one of the film’s stars, writers, and producers, added on Instagram, “This has been a thrilling process and I can’t wait for you all to see this movie and hear this incredible score.”

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem hits U.S. theaters on Wednesday, August 2. The movie features voice acting from Rogen, Post Malone, Maya Rudolph, Ice Cube, Paul Rudd, Hannibal Buress, and more. Find a teaser trailer for the movie below.

    In recent years, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have made music for Mank, Soul, Bones and All, Empire of Light, HBO’s Watchmen, and more. The most recent Nine Inch Nails albums, Ghosts V: Together and Ghosts VI: Locusts, came out in March 2020.

    Read Pitchfork’s Sunday Review of Reznor and Ross’ The Social Network.

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    Matthew Strauss

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  • Jane Fonda: Robert Redford Doesn’t Like Kissing Because Of ‘Issue With Women’

    Jane Fonda: Robert Redford Doesn’t Like Kissing Because Of ‘Issue With Women’

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    Jane Fonda says Robert Redford wasn’t a fan of smooching on-screen.

    Though the pair starred in four movies together, the “Grace and Frankie” star revealed Redford couldn’t stand love scenes while speaking on a panel at Cannes Film Festival on Friday.

    “He did not like to kiss,” Fonda confessed, per Deadline.

    The actor and activist remembered Redford being testy while on set, but said she never pressed him as to why.

    “I never said anything,” she revealed. “And he’s always in a bad mood, and I always thought it was my fault.”

    “He’s a very good person,” Fonda added. “He just has an issue with women.” Fonda did not elaborate further.

    Robert Redford and Jane Fonda receive a Golden Lion For Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2017 Venice Film Festival.

    Pascal Le Segretain via Getty Images

    The celebrity said she learned not to take things personally by the time she and Redford worked together on 2017’s “Our Souls at Night.”

    “The last movie I made with him was six years ago,” Fonda said. “What was I, about 80 years old or something like that. And I finally knew I had grown up. When he would come on the set three hours late in a bad mood, I knew it wasn’t my fault.”

    Despite the delays, she said, “We always had a good time.”

    Fonda and Redford first worked together on 1960’s “Tall Story” before collaborating again on 1967’s “Barefoot in the Park.” The pair also starred in 1979’s “The Electric Horseman,” which would be their last film together until 2017.

    While Fonda talked up her chemistry with Redford at the 2017 Venice Film Festival, she told attendees he wasn’t as enthusiastic.

    “I live for sex scenes with him,” she said. “He doesn’t like sex scenes, [but] he’s a great kisser.”

    Redford was married to historian Lola Van Wagenen from 1958 until 1985. He wed artist Sibylle Szaggars in 2009.

    Fonda has been married three times: first to French filmmaker Roger Vadim from 1965 to 1973, then to politician Tom Hayden from 1973 to 1990 and last, to media mogul Ted Turner, whom she married in 1991 and divorced in 2001.

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  • Cineworld’s Proposed Restructuring Now Backed by Most Lenders — Update

    Cineworld’s Proposed Restructuring Now Backed by Most Lenders — Update

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    By Joe Hoppe

    Cineworld Group said Thursday that its proposed restructuring has the backing of lenders controlling almost all of its legacy credit lines and most of the outstanding debt under its debtor-in-possession facility.
    

    

    The London-based cinema company–which owns Regal Cinemas–said more lenders under its term loans due in 2025 and 2026 and revolving credit line due this year, have agreed to amended and restated versions of the restructuring support agreement and the backstop commitment agreement, first filed in early April in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
    

    Now, the proposed restructuring has support of those holding and controlling 99% of the legacy credit lines and at least 69% of the outstanding indebtedness under the debtor-in-possession facility, the company said.
    

    The proposed restructuring is expected to reduce indebtedness by around $4.53 billion, raise $800 million and provide $1.46 billion in new debt financing, the company said on April 3. The proposed restructuring doesn’t provide for any recovery for holders of Cineworld’s existing equity interests.
    

    Cineworld now expects to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July. During the restructuring, the company has continued to operate its business and cinemas as usual, it said.
    

    Cineworld entered into Chapter 11 in September, with around $1.94 billion of debt, and had been in talks with stakeholders since then to develop a reorganization plan to maximize value. The company’s shares fell in late February after it said it had received a number of proposals from potential parties to buy some or all of its business, but none involve an all-cash bid for the entire company, leaving shareholders empty handed
    

    During its bankruptcy process, AMC Entertainment held discussions regarding a potential strategic acquisition of theaters and talks about reviving a previously scrapped merger with Cineplex were also held
    

    In early April, Cineworld said it had entered a restructuring support agreement and a backstop commitment agreement with some lenders. At the same time, Cineworld said the marketing process in the U.S., the U.K. and Ireland will be terminated. Proposals for the rest of the world business–outside of the U.S., the U.K. and Ireland–continued to be considered, it said.
    

    Write to Joe Hoppe at joseph.hoppe@wsj.com
    

    

    

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    Japanese Breakfast Wants You to Play Her in New Crying in H Mart Movie
    
			
    Japanese Breakfast Wants You to Play Her in New Crying in H Mart Movie
    
			
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    Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner has announced an open casting call for the lead role of yes, Michelle Zauner herself in the big-screen adaptation of her 2021 memoir, Crying in H Mart. With a caption of “Who will play Ms Breakfast?,” she posted a call on Instagram for a Korean American between the ages of 18 and 25 for the role. See more details on Instagram.
    

    Will Sharpe, who starred in the second season of The White Lotus and directed Nick Cave in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, is slated to direct Crying in H Mart. Its casting director is Stranger Things’ Carmen Cuba; no other casting or production details have yet been revealed. The book, which expanded on a 2018 essay Zauner wrote for The New Yorker, debuted at No. 2 on The New York Times’ Hardcover Nonfiction Best Seller list upon its publication. Last year, Zauner made Time’s annual list of the 100 most influential people.
    

    

    

    

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     Allison Hussey
    

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    Benedict Cumberbatch to Play Pete Seeger in Bob Dylan Movie A Complete Unknown
    
			
    Benedict Cumberbatch to Play Pete Seeger in Bob Dylan Movie A Complete Unknown
    
			
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    Benedict Cumberbatch has been cast to portray Pete Seeger in the upcoming Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, director James Mangold told Deadline in a new interview. The movie centers around Dylan’s groundbreaking electric set at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. As a legendary folk musician and longtime influence to Dylan, in regards to both his music and activism, Seeger plays a crucial part in Dylan’s real-life story. He was an early supporter of the then-rising artist, helped his debut album land at Columbia, and invited him to perform at Newport Folk Festival.
    

    Last month, it was revealed that Timothée Chalamet will play Dylan while Monica Barbaro has been tapped to portray Joan Baez. Also joining the cast is Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, a university student and artist billed as Dylan’s love interest in the early ’60s. (Dylan famously dated artist Suze Rotolo, who appears on the cover of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, for several years during that same period, however Deadline and IMDB both spell Fanning’s character as Sylvie Russo.)
    

    A Complete Unknown will begin production in New York this summer. It was co-produced by James Mangold, who co-wrote the film alongside Jay Cocks. Bob Dylan himself is one of the film’s executive producers, and Mangold previously said that Chalamet will do his own singing for the movie. 
    

    Read “The 8 Best Bob Dylan Documentaries” on the Pitch.
    

    

    

    

    

    

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     Nina Corcoran
    

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    Russell Crowe Movie Mistakes Dragon Age Icon For Spanish Inquisition Symbol
    
			
    Russell Crowe Movie Mistakes Dragon Age Icon For Spanish Inquisition Symbol
    
			
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    Image: BioWare / Sony Pictures / Kotaku
    

    

    

    

    I haven’t seen The Pope’s Exorcist, the horror movie starring Gladiator and Beautiful Mind actor Russell Crowe out in theaters right now, but it sounds like the film is pretty middling, and that Crowe can’t elevate the poor take on supernatural demons in the Catholic church. Frankly, I hadn’t heard of it before today, and the reason I finally did is actually pretty hysterical. See, the film, which incidentally is billed as being “inspired by the actual files” of the Vatican’s chief exorcist, sees Crowe’s character learning some chilling things about a founder of the Spanish Inquisition. And according to people who have seen the film, it uses art from Dragon Age: Inquisition when referring to the real-world, Spanish one.
    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    Disney’s New Post-Apocalyptic Anime Proves The Mouse Has Good Taste
    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    The Week In Games: Return To Hyrule
    

    Monday 3:53PM
    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    The Inquisition in BioWare’s fantasy series is the faction the player commands in the 2014 RPG, and it has a symbol it uses to represent the group throughout. It shows an eye with a sword behind it, which is a reference to two in-universe constellations called Visus and Judex. You see the sigil on armor sets, flags, and other props throughout Dragon Age: Inquisition. On top of showing up in the game and on merchandise, it also shows up if you search “Inquisition symbol” on Google, and it seems like that’s what the Pope’s Exorcist team did for a scene in the film, because they use the Dragon Age iconography in a scene where it’s talking about the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition, the real-world religious institution that was responsible for centuries of violence against non-Catholics from the 1400s to the 1800s in Spain.
    

    

    I laugh through the pain because it sounds like we won’t get Dragon Age: Dreadwolf anytime soon, since publisher EA’s earnings report earlier this week said the game wouldn’t be out in 2023. It’s been almost a decade since Dragon Age: Inquisition launched in 2014, so fans have been waiting a long while to see the conclusion to the Solas storyline introduced at the end of that game’s Trespasser DLC. Though the series has had some signs of life through projects like Netflix’s anime series Dragon Age: Absolution, now the most recent thing I’ve seen of Dragon Age has been in a religious horror movie slapping its iconography into a scene without a second thought. Dorian Pavus, I miss you. Call me.
    

    

    

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     Kenneth Shepard
    

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    Keke Palmer’s ‘Big Boss’ Lets Fans In On Her Personal Struggles
    
			
    Keke Palmer’s ‘Big Boss’ Lets Fans In On Her Personal Struggles
    
			
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    Keke Palmer is in her “Big Boss” era. 
    

    

    

    The actor and new mother released her newest album on Friday, along with accompanying visuals written and directed by her. 
    

    

    

    “Big Boss” gives a look into Palmer’s experiences navigating a male-dominated music industry that pressured her to sacrifice more parts of herself than she was comfortable with. In the 10-track album, the 29-year-old explores her faith and the pressures of growing up “booked and bus.” She gives fans a peek into the personal struggles she has had to overcome in her 20-year career.
    

    

    

    Palmer, an independent artist, said she “feels amazing” that this project is her directorial debut.
    

    

    

    “It’s a huge thing for me in more ways than one, directing and writing for the first time as well as actually being able to tell my story,” she told HuffPost. In addition, she relished the fact that she “had the final say.” 
    

    

    

    She continued, “I didn’t budge on any aspect of putting this together. I really was fully sound and clear in my mind and what I wanted for this, and I followed through in a way that I never did before. I think it’s easy to just get sidetracked and just give up. And this time, I didn’t do that.”
    

    

    

    The Robbins, Illinois, native released her first album, “So Uncool,” in 2007 under Atlantic Records. Since then, she’s released several other projects, including a two-part EP in 2020 called “Virgo Tendencies.” 
    

    

    

    In “Big Boss,” produced by Tricky Stewart, Palmer shines as she marries her two worlds of acting and singing in the film that follows her journey growing up as a child star. She was signed to three different labels at separate points in the past, worked on “Big Boss” for over a year, and filmed the visuals before meeting her partner. 
    

    

    

    She said doing it on her own terms was therapeutic. Though she didn’t go into great detail, Palmer recalls being in music business situations that didn’t feel right to her when pursuing music in the past. (One situation she’s been vocal about, however, has been when she accused Trey Songz of “sexual intimidation,” in which he tricked her into being a music video against her will.) She said she would feel like she had been knocked down after certain encounters, adding that her growth, spirituality and leaning into her “big boss energy” have carried her a long way.
    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    “A lot of that stuff happened when I was like 19, 20, 21, 22. This is a collection of experiences that happened over the course of that time period of my life,” Palmer explained. She recalled feeling alone emotionally. Time and therapy helped her understand what she went through to find healing. 
    

    

    

    “I think a lot of it was like forgiving self. It’s not like I did something for me to be ashamed of, but it’s like self-betrayal. You don’t realize how it affects you until after the fact,” she said. “I think I had a lot of moments where I betrayed myself unknowingly, and the effects of this stuck with me. Coming to terms with a lot of that and being able to have compassion for myself is also what helped me to grow and move on.”
    

    

    

    Palmer highlights her fellow former child stars in the visual album, including Skai Jackson, who plays a young Palmer, Robert Ri’card, and Kyle Massey, who both play creepy music producers. Palmer’s parents also make an appearance in the visuals. Her mom, Sharon Palmer, has an especially poignant scene in which she’s having a heart-to-heart with her daughter in the car about the weight she carries professionally. She said her parents and some introspection allowed her to have better work boundaries while staying true to her own uniqueness. 
    

    

    

    Musically, Palmer didn’t have a specific sound or inspiration she was aiming for. With “Big Boss,” she did what she felt was right and comfortable, working closely with Stewart. Palmer struts her vocals on upbeat bops like “Right Now,” “Frfr” and “Waiting” and reaches deep for “Lights Out” and “Standards.”
    

    

    

    Palmer said “Big Boss” is her “setting the tone, writing the checks, going to the beat of my own drum.” After listening to the album, she hopes others are inspired to do the same. 
    

    

    

    “To get to this point, I didn’t just arrive here, and I didn’t always know what I know now. I had to go through things,” Palmer said. “When you’re going through stuff, and things aren’t going your way, know that there is something on the other side, and you’ll get through it. You can make it, and you can get the last laugh.”
    

    

    

    

    Keke Palmer gets in her “Big Boss” bag on her new visual album.
    

    

    

    Her album’s release isn’t the only thing Palmer has to look forward to. Palmer will be celebrating her first Mother’s Day two months after the birth of her son Leodis Andrellton Jackson. She called her son “the best blessing that I could have ever dreamed of.”
    

    

    

    “I love being a mom,” she said. “My son gives me so much joy and so much strength, and it just makes me feel like I can really do the impossible. I just feel like it’s just really magical to be able to have experienced this. I’ve always wanted kids. I’ve always wanted to be a mom, and now the time is here, and I just feel like, honey, I am in the role. This is me. I’m going full method, honey.”
    

    

    

    “Big Boss,” the visual album, is now streaming on Palmer’s streaming channel, KeyTV Network, on YouTube and Facebook. The album is also available on music streaming platforms. 
    

    

    

    

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    This Group Wants To Change The Game For Pacific Islanders In Entertainment
    
			
    This Group Wants To Change The Game For Pacific Islanders In Entertainment
    
			
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    LOS ANGELES — The Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti, or PEAK, kicked off its first in-person event to a full house in downtown Los Angeles last week with a panel discussion on the future of Pasifika storytelling. 
    

    

    

    PEAK is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to “redefine and expand Pasifika entertainment” and inspire Pacific Islander creatives to “thrive, evolve and drive innovative storytelling that honors the richness and diversity across Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.”
    

    

    

    “We want to be able to tell all kinds of stories, all kinds of ways, all sorts of genres,” filmmaker Kerry Warkia told a crowd of people at the May 4 event when asked what Pasifika storytelling meant to her. “We want the whole spectrum.”
    

    

    

    Warkia, who is Papua New Guinean, was joined by the organization’s Samoan co-founder and writer Dana Ledoux Miller, Tongan actor Uli Latukefu and Guamanian writer Freddie Gutierrez. The conversation was moderated by Samoan PEAK co-founder Kristian Fanene Schmidt.
    

    

    

    “We want to be able to walk into all sorts of rooms, partner with whoever we want to partner with and tell our stories. And yes, we want those stories to have integrity, and we want them to be authentic to us,” Warkia continued. “I think it’s about us not feeling like we have been locked out of storytelling, not feeling like we have ridiculous standards that are set by people who don’t even come from our communities. I think that’s what it is to me, to be able to kind of embrace the spectrum of storytelling of our humanity and to be able to dive into that in whatever way we want to tell that.”
    

    

    

    Latukefu, who portrays college-aged Dwayne Johnson on the NBC series “Young Rock,” chimed in to share his own perspective: “It feels like the imagination — our imagination as specific people — is limited at the moment. And what I would like to see is a level of excellence and a standard that people gravitate to toward us, just as they do with the Black community [and] just as they do with the Latinx community. We have a very distinct lens that deserves to be shared.”
    

    

    

    Board member Averie Joy Maikalima O Makua Huffine elaborated on PEAK’s mission, saying the group aims to be a resource for Pacific Islanders looking to break into entertainment. 
    

    

    

    “Something that we are trying to do is figure out how we can put ourselves out there as a resource for young creatives trying to get into the business, who might want to go into producing or development or be on the studio executive side, which we definitely need,” she said. “We’ve been told our whole lives to not take up space to not be noticed. [And] I think it’s time to take up that space and tell those stories.”
    

    

    

    While Pasifika storytelling remained at the forefront of the conversation for the night, HuffPost spoke with panelists before the event about the power of representation.
    

    

    

    Gutierrez, who has written for “Santiago of the Seas” and “That Girl Lay Lay” on Nickelodeon, said only recently have others acknowledged that he is part of the Pacific Islander community.
    

    

    

    “Now, because of people like Taika [Waititi], Dwayne [Johnson], Jason Momoa, and others, they’re showing the world that we have great stories to tell, that we can tell great stories, and it seems like the world is really taking to it,” Gutierrez said. “And so I’m really excited for that.”
    

    

    

    Ledoux Miller, who was a showrunner on Netflix’s “Thai Cave Rescue,” also shared her hopes for the future of Pasifika representation and storytelling. 
    

    

    

    

    “I want us to have major television shows that are written and produced and crewed by our people so that the lens is always centered around what is important to us. And I think that that kind of specificity is incredible.”
    

    – Dana Ledoux Miller, a showrunner for Netflix’s “Thai Cave Rescue”
    

    

    

    

    “I want us to have major television shows that are written and produced and crewed by our people so that the lens is always centered around what is important to us. And I think that that kind of specificity is incredible,” she said. “There are so many shows that go to places that we’re from: They film in Fiji, they film in Samoa, they film in Hawaii, and they don’t have us either at the forefront of their storytelling or even taking part in the stories. And I’m done with that. We need to take up space and be the one leading the charge. And I think we’re on the cusp of that.”
    

    

    

    The topic of representation feels particularly poignant at the start of AAPI Heritage Month, as many Pacific Islanders feel underrepresented during a time intended to honor both the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. When asked during the panel whether or not “AA” and “PI” should be separated, Gutierrez shared his personal experience with Pacific Islander erasure just a day prior.
    

    

    

    “With the strike going on, we had a big meeting last night for the WGA,” Gutierrez said. TV and film writers are currently on strike over pay and working conditions. “One Asian writer came up to the mic and said, ‘I’m an Asian writer, and this is Asian American month.’ And I yelled out, ‘What about the PIs?’ And everybody just looked at me and she just kept going. I think that that kind of sums it up in the sense that I think for us, a lot of times we include the AAs, but it doesn’t feel like they include us a lot. It feels like we’re always left out.”
    

    

    

    Just a few days before, a similar incident happened at the White House Forum on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in Washington, D.C., when co-host Jeannie Mai Jenkins failed to acknowledge the Pacific Islander community in her opening remarks. She encouraged the crowd to use the hashtag #AsianHeritageMonth rather than the White House’s official hashtags #visibletogether and #AANHPIHM (Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month).
    

    

    

    “There are a lot of amazing AAPI organizations and groups that are very much fighting the good fight,” Ledoux Miller said. “We’re all fighting for ourselves and for the people that we know and to have a little piece of the pie. I feel like the AAPI moniker almost pits us against each other. My hesitation in separating from AAPI isn’t because I don’t feel like we should have our own space. But there’s politics, there’s money and we want some of that money, and we deserve some of that money so that we can further our own programs.”
    

    

    

    So, where do we go from here? 
    

    

    

    “This is the beginning of something,” Ledoux Miller said. “Let’s find out what works for us and how we can change things for the better for our community.”
    

    

    

    

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    Mullen Automotive now a ‘go to’ meme stock, says influential trader
    
			
    Mullen Automotive now a ‘go to’ meme stock, says influential trader
    
			
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    Mullen Automotive Inc. is attracting more meme-like attention from retail investors than traditional meme stock darlings AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. and GameStop Corp., according to an influential meme-stock trader.
    

    The electric vehicle company’s stock has become the “meme go to” for retail investors, said the trader, who goes by the name Obi. The trader participates in the WallStreetBets group on Reddit under the user name Major-Access2321.
    

    

    Obi, whose Making Easy Money YouTube channel has over 28,000 subscribers, said that Mullen
    
        MULN,
    
        -7.98%
    
       is generating plenty of buzz across social media. “When it comes to meme stock world on Reddit, Twitter and now even Facebook, groups are popping up calling themselves the ‘MULN army’,” he told MarketWatch.
    

    The trader said that “less and less” people are speaking about AMC Entertainment
    
        AMC,
    
        +3.14%
    
       and GameStop
    
        GME,
    
        +2.38%    .
    
       “More and more people are speaking about MULN … they call it the meme that makes sense,” he added.
    

    Mullen shares have seen a dramatic spike in trading volume recently, with average trading volume of 1.1 billion shares Wednesday and 547.8 million shares over the past five days, according to FactSet data. The stock’s 65-day average trading volume is 279 million shares. Mullen ended Wednesday’s session down 21.1% on the company’s announcement of a reverse stock split.
    

    Related: Mullen Automotive shares plunge on reverse stock split announcement
    

    AMC’s stock ended Wednesday’s session up 4.4% on trading volume of 25.1 million shares, below its 65-day average trading volume of 35.4 million shares. GameStop’s stock closed up 1.7% Wednesday on trading volume of 3.2 million shares, below its 65-day average of 4.8 million shares.
    

    The stock was down 18% on Thursday.
    

    The over outlook for the EV market looks bright, according to Obi. “Retail feel like they have something special here with MULN,” he added.
    

    On Wednesday Mullen Automotive Inc. announced that it will conduct the 1-for-25 reverse stock split as the electric-vehicle company looks to maintain its Nasdaq listing.
    

    The stock will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the existing symbol “MULN” and will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis at market open Thursday.
    

    In March, Mullen announced that the Nasdaq had approved the company’s request for a 180-day extension to meet the $1 minimum-bid-price requirement. On Sept. 7, 2022, the Nasdaq notified the company that its stock was not compliant with rules as it had traded below $1 for more than 30 days.
    

    Related: After TOP Financial’s surge, influential meme-stock trader looks for next big opportunity
    

    Mullen’s stock soared last year after Amazon.com Inc.’s 
    
            AMZN,
    
        +0.34%
    
       delivery partner placed an order for up to 600 cargo vans, and the company has since teamed up with Rapid Response Defense Systems to supply vans for federal government business.
    

    In December, Mullen announced that it is partnering with Loop Global Inc. to build public and private EV-charging technology, infrastructure and network solutions. Earlier this year, Mullen joined forces with Qiantu Motors to launch what they called an EV supercar.
    

    

    

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    Talk Show Host Harvey Brownstone to Make US Debut by Holding Event at NYC’s Stonewall Inn on June 5
    
			
    Talk Show Host Harvey Brownstone to Make US Debut by Holding Event at NYC’s Stonewall Inn on June 5
    
			
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        NEW YORK, May 4, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    
        –
    
        Canadian author and talk show host Harvey Brownstone will be making his official debut in the US by holding an event on Monday, June 5 from 5-9 p.m. at New York City’s historic Stonewall Inn, the birthplace of LGBTQ Liberation, for an in-depth discussion about his life, careers, and his “Interviews” program.
    

    Just Who is Harvey Brownstone? 
    

    For the many residing south of Niagara’s Rainbow Bridge, the celebrity host with an audience of five million+ may not be immediately recognizable, but his legend and impact are unmistakable. The former Canadian judge — that nation’s first openly gay jurist — made history by marrying countless same-sex couples, earning a 2008 Proclamation by New York State Senator Tom Duane. Most notably, Brownstone officiated at the ceremony of Edie Windsor whose union triggered the Supreme Court litigation ushering in legal marriage for LGBTQ people across the U.S. 
    

    During his years on the bench, Brownstone also became a best-selling author with the groundbreaking “Tug of War: A Judge’s Verdict on Separation, Custody Battles and the Bitter Realities of Family Court,” leading to numerous appearances in media, but his lifelong desire to host celebrated actors and writers became a reality only following retirement from law. Since its debut in 2021, “Harvey Brownstone Interviews” has counted Louis Gossett Jr., Linda Evans, Sir Tim Rice, Robert Wagner, Louise Sorel, Ruta Lee, and even the elusive 93-year-old Mamie van Doren among his notable guests. The show is broadcast globally on Brownstone’s own YouTube channel as well as XPTV1 throughout the U.K., among other sources. Honoring the show, the Breakfast at Dominique’s fair trade, environmentally friendly coffee company will premiere its “Talk Show Blend,” suited to Brownstone’s specific taste. 
    

    Most recently, Grammy-nominated songwriter Harriet Schock (“Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady”), moved by Brownstone’s “coming out” story, composed “I Am Yours,” a soon-to-be released single by vocalist Gary Lynn Floyd. The event at the Stonewall Inn, the birthplace of LGBTQ Liberation, will anchor Brownstone’s New York City debut with in-depth discussion about his life, careers, and his “Interviews” program. Floyd will fly in to perform “I Am Yours” among other selections, and award-winning mixologist Maria Gentile will be crafting her own version of the Harvey Wallbanger, and further favorite libations.    
    

    Event: Harvey Brownstone at the Stonewall Inn
    

    Date: Monday, June 5, 5-9 p.m.
    

    Address: 53 Christopher Street, New York, NY  https://thestonewallinnnyc.com
    

    Admission: Free
    

    More Info:
    

    Harvey Brownstone Interviews website: https://www.harveybrownstoneinterviews.com
    

    “Harvey Brownstone Interviews” YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaE5NJCAmpqkFvyJRpOpokw
    

    “Harvey Brownstone Interviews” XPTV1: https://xptv1.com
    

    “Harvey Brownstone Interviews” Spotify channel: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uGlhWQ3Z63di2kem431eB
    

    “Harvey Brownstone Interviews” Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/harvey-brownstone-interviews/id1555774578
    

    “Harvey Brownstone Interviews” Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xNzE5MTMxLnJzcw==
    

    Gary Lynn Floyd: https://garylynnfloyd.com
    

    Harriet Schock: https://harrietschock.com/#choices
    

    Breakfast at Dominique’s Hollywood Blends coffees: https://hollywoodblends.com
    

                        
    

    Source: Harvey Brownstone, author & talk show host
    

    

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    HBO’s Donna Summer Documentary Gets New Trailer
    
			
    HBO’s Donna Summer Documentary Gets New Trailer
    
			
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    Disco icon Donna Summer is the focus of a new documentary coming to HBO next month. Love to Love You, Donna Summer, co-directed by filmmaker Roger Ross Williams and Summer’s daughter Brooklyn Sudano, follows the highs and lows of the “I Feel Love” superstar’s life through performance footage, photos, and never-before-seen home movies, plus interviews with Summer’s family. The documentary will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on May 20. Watch the trailer below (via People).
    

    Summer, known for hits like “Last Dance,” “She Works Hard for the Money,” and her chart-topping cover of “MacArthur Park,” died in 2012 at the age of 63 after living with cancer. Revisit the Pitchfork feature “Song from the Future: The Story of Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder’s ‘I Feel Love.’”
    

    

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     Eric Torres
    

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    Monica Barbaro to Play Joan Baez in New Bob Dylan Movie A Complete Unknown
    
			
    Monica Barbaro to Play Joan Baez in New Bob Dylan Movie A Complete Unknown
    
			
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    Top Gun: Maverick actress Monica Barbaro is in final talks to portray Joan Baez in a forthcoming Bob Dylan biopic, The Hollywood Reporter reports and Searchlight Pictures representatives confirmed to Pitchfork. The film, directed and co-written by James Mangold, will star Timothée Chalamet as Dylan.
    

    Earlier this month, Mangold said that Chalamet will do his own singing for the movie, which is set to begin production in New York this summer. Currently titled A Complete Unknown, the film will center around Dylan’s groundbreaking electric set at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.
    

    James Mangold is co-producing the Searchlight Pictures film and he is co-writing it with Jay Cocks. Bob Dylan is among the film’s executive producers, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
    

    

    

    

    

    

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     Matthew Strauss
    

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