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Tag: Inside Out 2

  • Amy Poehler and Maya Hawke Believe ‘Inside Out 2’ Is a Billion Dollars That Actually Did Some Good for the World

    Maya Hawke joined her Inside Out 2 co-star Amy Poehler on the latter’s podcast Good Hang in a special sit-down where the duo discussed the movie’s billion-dollar impact.

    Hawke played Anxiety in the Pixar sequel, and the character became an instant fan favorite, representing a new emotion that popped up as part of Riley’s coming-of-age journey. Joy (Poehler) and the rest of Riley’s more familiar emotions, meanwhile, had to grapple with their kid’s growth and impending teenagerhood in the film.

    Inside Out 2 won so many hearts and filled movie theaters right when the industry—and seemingly the world at large—needed it the most. Hawke described the success of Inside Out 2 as a welcome surprise, “for something that makes a billion dollars and is good for the world; I don’t think there’s anything that does that.”

    Poehler added, “The word ‘billion’ and ‘good for the world’ [don’t] go together.”

    The duo attributed Inside Out 2‘s massive success to how its creative team focused on the multitudes a person can hold during adolescence, when so many things can feel so uncertain. However, anyone of any age can relate to holding space for a mix of feelings, as Hawke explained.

    “The Joy-Anxiety relationship taught me a lot about showing love to that part of myself and allowing other people to see it so they can show it love,” she said. “A way to calm [your anxiety] down is inviting it into the conversation, looking at what it thinks and is worried about, and kind of addressing each point, and then offering it a comfortable chair and saying, ‘OK, you’re invited. I’m not trying to shut you out behind a door.’ Because that just works it up even more. The biggest thing I learned from doing this and being allowed to be welcomed into the beautiful world of this movie is to give my anxiety a comfy chair. I mean, anxiety might be the defining emotion of our time.”

    Poehler agreed. “It was so fun to work on those characters together, because when the time is very scary, like these times, you want to find a way to tune in, check out, help yourself, and help other people. Like, you want to dip in and out. But when you’re just going, like, ‘toxic positivity,’ like, ‘this is great,’ it’s like, ‘Babe, things are bad. Things are real bad.’”

    Hawke supplied, “Yes, then you still need to welcome in some [joy]. You’re not helping anybody if you shut out joy completely.”

    Poehler pointed to a specific moment that resonated with her in Inside Out 2. “Riley, our character, has calmed herself down on the ice. She’s talked to her friends. She’s feeling a little bit like herself. She gets back on the ice. She starts skating. And Joy is being called back. And Anxiety does a little gesture of like ‘[right] this way.’ … It made me cry so hard. And I just thought, ‘Oh, like the tiny gesture of that is like what we must try to do during this bananas foster time we’re living in.  Because that is whatever we can do, babe—to make room for each other.”

    Watch the rest of the interview below:

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

    Sabina Graves

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  • Best of 2024: Top Self-Improvement Articles, Worksheets, and Highlights

    Celebrate 15 years at The Emotion Machine with our ‘Best of 2024’ roundup, featuring top articles and worksheets on psychology, personal growth, relationships, and philosophy — then get excited for another year of self-improvement!

    2024 marks the fifteenth year of self-improvement at The Emotion Machine, making it one of the oldest and largest independent psychology websites on the internet – with zero plans to stop or slow down anytime soon.

    If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that no matter the ups and downs we face over the year, a steady commitment to growth always pays off on a long enough timeline. Over the past 15 years, I’ve had many rewarding highs and devastating lows, but at the end of the day, I’m better off today than I was before — and that’s the truest measure of growth. It’s the benchmark I’ll continue to use as I move forward in life.

    This year, as always, we’ve explored a huge range of topics related to psychology and self-improvement: from practical tips for emotional regulation to in-depth movie reviews to social analyses about the current state of the world. A quick look at the list below shows that The Emotion Machine is far more than just your everyday self-help blog, it’s a vast resource dedicated to education and knowledge in all its forms.

    Without further ado, here are our best articles and worksheets of 2024!

    Articles

    Our best articles of the year, broken down by category.

    Psychology and Mental Health

    Emotions Are Weakness: 5 Maladaptive Beliefs That Lead to Emotional Dysfunction

    Why the belief that “emotions are weakness” leads to suppression and dysfunction — and why accepting and embracing emotions plays an important role in happiness, health, and well-being.

    Rumination vs. Savoring: The Neural Dynamics Between Positive and Negative Thinking

    The same brain regions handle both rumination (negative replay) and savoring (positive replay) — here’s how to use this part of your brain in a new and healthier way.

    6 Common Factors Behind All Successful Therapy

    What makes therapy effective? These universal factors are the foundation for success, no matter the approach.

    Good Will Hunting: A Masterclass in Therapy and Emotional Growth

    An in-depth, session-by-session breakdown of Good Will Hunting – widely regarded as one of the best depictions of therapy in film.

    Positive Psychology Tools Are Most Effective For Those Who Practice Long-Term

    New research highlights the importance of consistent practice for maximizing the benefits of psychology tools.

    How Aesthetic Chills Boost Feelings of Acceptance, Inspiration, and Meaning

    Discover the power of “aesthetic chills” (or “goosebumps”) and how this unique sensation enhances awe, inspiration, and personal growth.

    The Worldbuilding of Inside Out 2: New Emotions, Belief System, and a Sense of Self

    A closer look at how the sequel deepens its exploration of emotions, identity, and belief systems.

    2024 World Happiness Rankings: USA Falls Out of Top 20, Youngest Hit Hardest

    What this year’s happiness rankings reveal about global trends—and why young Americans are struggling most.

    Motivation and Personal Growth

    The Will to Improve: Bridging the Gap Between “Talk” and “Action”

    How to overcome inertia and turn intention into meaningful action.

    The Pebble In Your Shoe: Tiny Frustrations That Can Ruin Your Day

    Why small, unresolved annoyances can derail your entire mood. Here’s why it’s best to fix them now rather than later.

    Deathbed Motivation: The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying

    Lessons from those at life’s end, inspiring you to live without regrets.

    What If: The Power of Hypotheticals and Counterfactual Thinking

    How exploring “what if” scenarios sharpens your thinking and decision-making.

    50+ Destructive Patterns That Scream Low Confidence and Insecurity

    A comprehensive guide to identifying common patterns of self-doubt.

    The Domino Effect of Overcoming Your Fears One At A Time

    Tackling fears incrementally to build unstoppable momentum.

    50+ Motivational Latin Proverbs to Elevate Your Thinking to New Levels

    Ancient wisdom to inspire modern self-improvement.

    My Biggest Goal of 2024

    Written at the start of the year, this piece explores the ambition, mindset, and strategy behind setting my biggest goal for 2024.

    Intermittent Fasting: The Mind-Body Benefits of Conscious Calorie Restriction

    Exploring the science and mental clarity behind intentional fasting.

    Relationships and Communication

    The Art of Rejection and Saying No: One of the Most Underrated Social Skills

    Master the delicate but essential skill of turning others down with grace and confidence.

    The Compliment Sandwich: How to Give Constructive Feedback That Sticks

    Deliver feedback that resonates by balancing honesty with encouragement.

    Social Bonding Through Movies: The Emotional Magic Behind Watching Films Together

    Why sharing films with others can forge deep emotional connections.

    The Power of Sincerity – And How to Stop Hiding Behind Sarcasm and Irony

    Unlock the strength of genuine communication by breaking free from sarcasm and pretense.

    Finding Meaning in Virtual Worlds: How Online Gaming and Digital Communities Can Transform Lives

    Discover how online spaces can cultivate real-life growth, meaning, and connection, as shown in the documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin.

    Third Spaces: The Building Blocks of A Healthy Community and Social Life

    Explore the social hubs that enrich our lives and strengthen our communities, outside of home and work.

    The Many Faces of Deception: Understanding the Different Types of Lying

    Learn how to recognize and identify the diverse ways people bend the truth.

    14 Powerful Genre-Bending Films That Explore Love in Unconventional Ways

    Films that redefine love and challenge how we think about relationships.

    The Narcissistic Culture of “Image” and Excessive Self-Monitoring

    How excessive self-monitoring is eroding confidence and authenticity in our social lives.

    Philosophy and Meaning

    A Lifelong Project: Staying True to Your Mission in a Quick Fix World

    The power of commitment is a rare resource in a culture obsessed with instant gratification.

    One Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy: Finding Meaning in Eternal Struggle

    An existential perspective on life’s inherent challenges and the quest to find meaning in them.

    Paradigm Shifts: A Complete Change in Worldview

    When you need to rethink everything you believe and let go of old ways of looking at the world.

    The Immovable Mind: Schopenhauer’s Daily Routine For 27 Years

    A case study on the unique and disciplined routine of the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.

    The Beggar’s Gift: An Opportunity to Be Good

    From a Buddhist perspective, begging monks perform a powerful service by allowing everyday people to do something good and accumulate positive karma.

    Trader vs. Hero Mindset: Why A Healthy Society Needs Both

    Understand the balance between self-interest and selflessness for a thriving community.

    Information Pollution: The Tragedy of the Commons and Well-Poisoning on the Internet

    How the overload of misinformation on the internet is eroding trust, intelligence, and sanity.

    Worksheets

    At the start of 2024, I pledged to create at least one new worksheet every month. By year’s end, I exceeded that goal, creating a total of 16 new worksheets, including:

    Relationships and Social Connection

    Social Support Database

    Past Relationships

    Social Anxiety Hierarchy

    Thank You Letter

    Relationship Reigniter

    Focus: Tools to improve relationships, enhance social skills, and build stronger connections with others.

    Emotional Mastery and Self-Reflection

    Master Your Negative Emotions

    Burn Away Negative Beliefs

    Failure Analyzer

    Positive vs. Negative Self: A Dialogue

    The Five Whys Exercise

    Focus: These worksheets are designed to help users process emotions, challenge limiting beliefs, and reflect deeply on their thoughts and actions.

    Goals, Habits, and Productivity

    Daily Routine

    Monthly Review Worksheet

    Mid-Year Reset Worksheet

    Mental Rehearsal

    Healthy Life Checklist

    Future Self Worksheet

    Focus: These worksheets help users structure their daily lives, track progress, and maintain a focus on long-term goals and habits.

    An Evergrowing Resource for Self-Improvement

    We now offer a total of 29 self-improvement worksheets, cementing our long-term commitment to providing practical, actionable advice. These worksheets are exclusively available to members — join today to gain full access to these transformative tools.


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    Steven Handel

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  • The Power of Sincerity – And How to Stop Hiding Behind Sarcasm and Irony

    The Power of Sincerity – And How to Stop Hiding Behind Sarcasm and Irony

    Modern culture has become dominated by sarcasm, irony, and carefully crafted personas. Sincerity and earnestness have become rare, but still powerful forces. Discover how embracing these qualities can transform personal relationships, enrich public discourse, and inspire acts of genuine heroism.

    Sincerity is one of the most important yet under-appreciated traits in today’s world. It’s the simple ability to be open and honest about your thoughts, beliefs, and intentions, without needing to play games, try to manipulate, or retreat to humor or sarcasm when conversations get tough.

    First and foremost, sincerity requires you to be honest with yourself and what really matters to you. It means you believe in something, and you are willing to speak and act on that conviction even if it makes you unpopular or unlikable. People will often see you as being genuine and authentic if you stand up for what you believe in, especially when it comes with social costs.

    Philosopher Thomas Carlyle emphasized the importance of “sincerity” and identified it as one of the universal threads behind all types of heroes, including writers, political leaders, and religious figures. For Carlyle, heroes don’t just preach or philosophize; they embody their beliefs in every action, making them prime examples of what true conviction looks like. They morally refuse to run, hide, or cower in the face of opposition, even when their very lives are at stake.

    Sincerity stands out sharply in our current environment, especially on the internet and social media where we are exposed to countless manufactured images and personas, driven by a general pattern of cultural narcissism and “fake it ’till you make it” philosophies. People believe as long as they can appear “happy” and “successful” on social media then it will become a reality in their actual lives. Lies, distortions, and deception are the modus operandi in today’s online world, you see it almost everywhere.

    The scary truth for most people is that sincerity makes you vulnerable and open to criticism. It invites others to judge you for who you are and what you really believe in. Negative feedback comes with the territory, and it will hurt because it will feel like a direct attack on you (and maybe it is). The alternative is to not be yourself – then you’ll never be attacked for who you are. That sounds safe and comfortable, but it’s also a form of quiet surrender.

    Hiding Behind Sarcasm

    One common way people protect themselves from this vulnerability is by being sarcastic or ironic in how they present themselves and their views.

    Sarcasm and irony can become convenient cop-outs when you are confronted with opposition or pushback from others. Instead of staking your ground and defending your beliefs, you can always fall back and tell people, “I was just joking,” or “I didn’t really mean that.”

    Nowadays it’s hard to tell what anyone really believes or doesn’t believe, which adds an extra layer of chaos and confusion in what is already a toxic environment for healthy dialogue.

    Sarcasm is a common defense mechanism in teens and young adults when confronted with a difficult or uncomfortable situation that they aren’t equipped to talk about. In the movie Inside Out 2 (which I wrote a recent article on here), the character Ennui – who represents disinterest and boredom – was a fun illustration of how sarcasm is used to deflect attention away from more serious situations or conversations that a person isn’t ready to tackle head-on.

    This is not uncharacteristic of the modern discourse we see in politics and culture, which is – at its core – childish, dishonest, and insincere. We are taught to not be too serious or care too much about the truth, but to focus on cheap wins, sensationalist headlines, silly memes, gotcha moments, snappy slogans, juicy scandals, and mean-spirited insults, trolling, and harassment. We are focused not on what is true, but what makes us “look good” or “feel good.”

    In theory, the goal of a healthy debate is to share different perspectives, exchange information, test out your ideas, provide facts and evidence to support your position, and come to some common ground or understanding of differences. None of this is happening in today’s intellectual environment.

    Sarcasm is just one way we avoid and shutdown these honest and difficult conversations. It can be a roadblock to understanding in both personal relationships and broader social and political issues.

    Of course sarcasm has its place as a vehicle for humor. It can be especially effective when you are responding to someone who is insulting you, or trolling you, or is acting in bad faith and isn’t interested in a sincere conversation from the start.

    At the same time, we need to try to give people the benefit of the doubt and at least try to have good faith conversations whenever possible. Without sincerity, there is no real path forward – only more conflict and hostilities.

    Sincerity as the Mark of Heroes

    As mentioned before, the philosopher and historian Thomas Carlyle identified “sincerity” as one of the universal threads behind all types of heroes, whether they be writers, philosophers, religious leaders, or political leaders.

    In his work On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History, Carlyle champions figures like Martin Luther, the religious reformer who famously nailed his “95 Theses” to the church door, fully aware that it could bring him condemnation and peril. Luther challenged the powerful Catholic Church, especially its practice of selling indulgences, making his public protest an act of great personal risk. This unwavering belief in his cause, despite threats from powerful institutions, is a prime example of sincerity in action.

    Similarly, Carlyle held Oliver Cromwell, the military and political leader of the English Civil War, in high regard for his conviction and honesty. Cromwell was often criticized for his decisions, yet he remained steadfast in his mission to reshape England according to his moral and religious beliefs. Carlyle saw Cromwell’s sincerity as his defining characteristic, even if it made him deeply unpopular.

    Another chapter is dedicated to the prophet Muhammad. For over a decade, Muhammad faced ridicule, persecution, and exile for preaching his monotheistic beliefs in a society dominated by polytheism. Despite immense personal hardship, including the loss of family and status, Muhammad never wavered or compromised his beliefs, showing an unshakable faith in the truth of his message. As Carlyle writes:

      “A silent great soul; he was one of those who cannot but be in earnest; whom Nature herself has appointed to be sincere. While others walk in formulas and hearsays, contented enough to dwell there, this man could not screen himself in formulas; he was alone with his own soul and the reality of things. The great mystery of Existence, as I said, glared in upon him, with its terrors, with its splendors; no hearsays could hide that unspeakable fact, ‘Here am I!’; Such sincerity, as we named it, has in very truth something of divine. The word of such a man is a voice direct from Nature’s own heart. Men do and must listen to that as to nothing else;—all else is wind in comparison.”

    Regardless of how you feel about these historical figures, you can’t deny that they were sincere in their intentions and lived according to their values and convictions. These figures, according to Carlyle, demonstrate that heroes are people who not only believe in what they do but live and act upon that belief with wholehearted consistency, even in the face of tremendous personal and social costs.

    Sincerity remains a rare force for truth and change, and we need it now more than ever.


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    Steven Handel

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  • ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Inside Out 2’ and ‘The Creator’ Lead HPA Awards Feature Nominations

    ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Inside Out 2’ and ‘The Creator’ Lead HPA Awards Feature Nominations

    “Dune: Part Two,” “Inside Out 2” and “The Creator” lead the feature nominations for this year’s Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) Awards with three apiece. The awards will be presented during a Nov. 7 gala at the Television Academy in North Hollywood.

    “Dune: Part Two” was nominated in the categories for color grading, editing and sound; “The Creator,” for color grading, sound and visual effects; and “Inside Out 2” for color grading in an animation feature, sound, and VFX in an animated feature. The eligibility period runs from September to September.

    As previously announced, during the ceremony FotoKem will receive the Charles S. Swartz Award for industry contributions. Adobe, Disguise, Cuebric and Evercast will be honored for engineering excellence.

    The list of nominees follows:

    Outstanding Color Grading – Live Action Theatrical Feature

    “Blink Twice” — Damien Vandercruyssen // Harbor

    “The Creator” — David Cole // FotoKem

    “Dune: Part Two” — David Cole // FotoKem

    “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” — Eric Whipp // Alter Ego

    “Immaculate” — Andrea Chlebak // Harbor

    Outstanding Color Grading – Animated Theatrical Feature

    “Inside Out 2” — Mark Dinicola // Pixar Animation Studios

    “Ultraman: Rising” — Maxine Gervais // Picture Shop

    Outstanding Color Grading – Live Action Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature

    “Eric – Episode 1” — Toby Tomkins // Harbor

    “Loki – Glorious Purpose” — Matt Watson // Marvel Studios Finishing

    “Masters of the Air – Part Five” — Steven Bodner // Picture Shop

    “Shōgun – Anjin” — Élodie Ichter // The Mill

    “Star Trek Discovery – Red Directive” — Todd Bochner // Harbor

    “Time Bandits – Kevin Haddock” — Damian McDonnell // The Rebel Fleet

    Outstanding Color Grading – Animated Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature

    “Hit-Monkey – History Lessons” — Patrick Woodard // Point.360

    “Leo” — Keiran Lee // Feature Animation at Netflix

    “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie” — Alastor Pan Arnold // Keep Me Posted

    “Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Night of the Mechazoids” — Ara Thomassian // Keep Me Posted

    “War Is Over!” — David Cole // FotoKem

    Outstanding Color Grading – Documentary

    “American Symphony” — Seth Ricart // RCO

    “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes” — Nat Jencks // PostWorks

    “Living with Leopards” — Dan Gill // Picture Shop

    “Queens – Tiny Jungle Queens” — Blair Wallace // Evolutions Bristol

    “Trilogy: New Wave” — Alastor Pan Arnold // FotoKem

    Outstanding Color Grading – Commercial

    Air Canada – “Ticket to Dream” — Wade Odlum // Alter Ego

    Miu Miu – “2024 Wander and Arcadie Bag Collection” — Yibin Su // Gloss Studio

    Palo Alto – “Origin” — Eric Whipp // Alter Ego

    Subway – “Globally Inspired” — Wade Odlum // Alter Ego

    Taco Bell – “Taco TwosDay” — Quinn Alvarez // Apache Digital

    Outstanding Editing – Theatrical Feature

    “Dune: Part Two” — Joe Walker, ACE

    “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” — Eliot Knapman, Margaret Sixel, ACE

    “The Holdovers” — Kevin Tent, ACE

    “Inside Out 2” — Maurissa Horwitz

    “Twisters” — Terilyn A. Shropshire, ACE

    Outstanding Editing – Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature (30 Minutes and Under)

    “Bookie – The Super Bowl: God’s Gift To Bookies” — Tracey Wadmore-Smith, ACE

    “Hacks – Better Late” — Rob Paglia

    “Hacks – Bulletproof” — Jon Philpot

    “Hacks – The Deborah Vance Christmas Spectacular” — Jess Brunetto, ACE

    “Hacks – Just for Laughs” — Janet Weinberg, ACE

    Outstanding Editing – Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature (Over 30 Minutes)

    “Ahsoka – Part Four: Fallen Jedi” — Dana E. Glauberman, ACE

    “Ahsoka – Part Six: Far, Far Away” — James D. Wilcox, ACE

    “House of the Dragon – The Red Dragon and the Gold” — Katie Weiland, ACE

    “House of the Dragon – A Son for a Son” — Frances Parker, ACE

    “Tokyo Vice – Illness of the Trade” — Gary Levy

    “True Detective – Night Country: Part 5” — Mags Arnold

    Outstanding Editing – Documentary

    “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life” — Bob Joyce

    “The Commandant’s Shadow” — Claire Guillon

    “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes” — Tal Ben-David

    “Porcelain War” — Brendan Bellomo, Aniela Sidorska

    “Ren Faire – Daddy’s Dyin’, Who’s Got The Will?” — Max Allman, Nicholas Nazmi

    Outstanding Sound – Theatrical Feature 

    “Alien: Romulus” 

    Will Files, Lee Gilmore, Mark Paterson, Polly McKinnon, David Butler, Chris Terhune // Pacific Standard Sound

    “Civil War”

    Glenn Freemantle, Howard Bargroff, Adam Scrivener, Ben Barker, Gillian Dodders // Formosa Group UK

    “The Creator”

    Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn, Malte Bieler, David Bach // E² Sound

    Tom Ozanich, Dean A. Zupancic // Warner Bros. Post Production Creative Services

    “Dune: Part Two”

    Richard King, Dave Whitehead, Martin Kwok, Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill, Andrew Bock // Warner Bros. Post Production Creative Services

    “Música”

    Christopher S. Aud, Aaron Glascock, Eliza Pollack Zebert, Mitch Osias, Rob Young, Jennifer Barak // Warner Bros. Post Production Creative Services 

    Outstanding Sound – Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature

    “All The Light We Cannot See – Episode 4”

    Craig Henighan, Ryan Cole, Jill Purdy, Emma Present, David Grimaldi, Mark Paterson // Pacific Standard Sound

    “Fallout – The Head”

    Keith Rogers, Steve Bucino, Susan Cahill, Jane Boegel-Koch, Daniel Colman, Christopher Kaller // NBCUniversal

    “Interview with the Vampire – And That’s the End of It. There’s Nothing Else”

    Howard Bargroff, Harry Barnes, Jamie Caple, Mark Timms, Adam Armitage, Michael Holubec // Formosa Group

    “No One Will Save You”

    Will Files, Chris Terhune, Ailene Roberts, James Miller, Matt “Smokey” Cloud // Pacific Standard Sound

    “True Detective – Night Country: Part 6”

    Howard Bargroff, Mark Timms // Formosa Group UK

    Martín Hernández, Stephen Griffiths, Andy Shelley, Michele Woods

    Outstanding Sound – Documentary

    “Chimp Crazy – Monkey Love” — Roberto Fernandez // Harbor 

    “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes” — Tom Paul, Eric Offin, Ben Whitver, Peter Russell, Kristin Catuogno // Tom Paul Studios

    “Kiss the Future” — Samir Foco, Ron Bartlett, Bryan Parker, William Harp, Taylor Jackson // Formosa Group

    “Porcelain War” — Robert Mackenzie, Sam Hayward, Jared Dwyer, Andrew Miller, Alex Francis, Karina Rezhevska // RMS

    “To Kill a Tiger” — Lou Solakofski, Jonathan Goldsmith, Ed Douglas, Elma Bellow, Jordan Kawai, Anita Kushwaha // Formosa Group

    Outstanding Visual Effects – Live Action Feature

    “Alien: Romulus” — Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Ale’ Melendez, Sebastian Ravagnani, Nicolas Caillier, Steven Denyer // Industrial Light & Magic

    “The Creator” — James Clyne, Trevor Hazel, Keith Anthony-Brown, Danielle Legovich, David Dally // Industrial Light & Magic

    “Deadpool & Wolverine” — Vincent Papaix, Georg Kaltenbrunner, Alexander Poei, Ziad Shureih, Russell Lum // Industrial Light & Magic

    “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” — Erik Winquist, Danielle Immerman, Stephen Unterfranz, Phillip Leonhardt, Sean Noel Walker // Wētā FX

    “A Quiet Place: Day One” — Malcolm Humphreys, Jordan Harding, Charmaine Chan, Michael Lum, Steve Hardy // Industrial Light & Magic

    Outstanding Visual Effects – Animated Feature

    “Inside Out 2” — Shaun Galinak, Toan-Vinh Le, Alyssa Lee, Enrique Vila, Jae Jun Yi // Pixar Animation Studios

    “Ultraman: Rising” — Hayden Jones, Stefan Drury, Sean M. Murphy, Mathieu Vig, Kyle Winkelman // Industrial Light & Magic

    Outstanding Visual Effects – Live Action Episode or Series Season

    “House of the Dragon – The Red Dragon and the Gold”

    Sven Martin, Fausto Tejeda, Mark Spindler, Matt Perrin, James Thompson // Pixomondo

    “House of the Dragon – Season 2”

    Wayne Stables, Marcus Goodwin, Jason Snyman, Mark J. Julien // Wētā FX

    Martin Pelletier // Rodeo FX

    “Loki – Season 2”

    Steve Moncur, Christian Waite, Jeremy Sawyer, Ben Aickin, Pieter Warmington // Industrial Light & Magic

    “Percy Jackson and the Olympians – Season 1”

    Erik Henry, Matt Robken, Jeff White, Jose Burgos, Donny Rausch // Industrial Light & Magic

    “Star Trek: Discovery – Season 5”

    Aleksandra Kochoska Dekovic, Brian Tatosky, Charles Collyer, Chelsea Wynne, Shawn Ewashko // CBS Studios

    Outstanding Visual Effects – Animated Episode or Series Season

    “Ark: The Animated Series – Element 5”

    James Baldanzi, Patrick Flanagan, David Hartman, Jon Terada // Lex + Otis Studios

    Jeremy Stieglitz // Lost Continent Entertainment

    “X-Men ’97 – Season 1”

    Chris Graf, Dan McNaughton, Husain Untoro, Quentin Cordonnier, Andrew Stadler // Marvel Animation Studios 

    Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects – Episode or Series Season

    “All The Light We Cannot See – Season 1”

    Laurens Ehrmann, Harry Bardak, Elisa Perez, Julien Martins // The Yard VFX 

    “Sunny – Mmmm, Hinoki”

    David Lebensfeld, Tina Torunian, Francesca Orrach, Pablo Izaguirre, Edgar Pina // Ingenuity Studios

    “The Sympathizer – Death Wish”

    Chad Wanstreet,  Daniel J. Lombardo // HBO/A24

    Andrew Orloff // Zoic

    Lawson Deming // Barnstorm VFX

    Hallana Barbosa // Ingenuity Studios

    Outstanding Achievement in Restoration

    “The Day of the Locust” (1975) — Paramount

    “Planet of the Apes” (1968) — 20th Century Studios

    “The Searchers” (1956) — Warner Bros.

    “Snow White” (1937) — Disney

    “The Sugarland Express” (1974) — Universal Pictures

    Carolyn Giardina

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  • The Worldbuilding of Inside Out 2: New Emotions, Belief System, and a Sense of Self

    The Worldbuilding of Inside Out 2: New Emotions, Belief System, and a Sense of Self

    “Inside Out 2” introduces new emotions like Anxiety and Envy as Riley navigates the challenges of growing up and forming her sense of self. This heartfelt sequel naturally builds on the inner world of its predecessor, teaching important lessons in mental health for both children and adults.

    The original “Inside Out” (2015) was a monumental Pixar film that humorously depicted the chaotic inner world of emotions that we all have to navigate.

    In the first one, the young protagonist Riley had to learn that negative emotions like “Sadness” (a blue-colored character) aren’t something that have to be avoided at all costs, but are appropriate emotions to feel sometimes, and even a necessary function of a happy and healthy life. It was a powerful lesson in emotional intelligence that resonated with both children and adults alike.

    The sequel “Inside Out 2” (2024) continues to build off of these themes in a fun, organic, and intuitive way. Riley is now thirteen and about to enter high school. She starts to experience a new range of emotions (especially “Anxiety” and “Envy”), which start to influence her newly forming “belief system” and a “sense of self.”

    The creators of the Inside Out franchise have a team of psychologists that help them illustrate key concepts in an imaginative way, which makes this film both enjoyable and educational. This article will explore some of the new concepts in the film and how the mental world-building in the franchise continues to expand.

    New Emotions

    Inside Out 2 introduces a bunch of new emotions into Riley’s inner world. In addition to the original line-up (Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, Disgust), they also include:

    • Anxiety (orange): The focus of the film. Anxiety is always thinking ahead and wanting what is best for Riley, but also overworks and overworries her. The main narrative of the film shows Riley wanting to become the best hockey player she can possibly be; anxiety tries to help her achieve this by motivating Riley to constantly push herself forward, wake up early to train more, and work harder. However, too much anxiety distracts her from other core values in life, such as kindness and friendship, and also hurts her ability to just have fun and enjoy the game of hockey. At the climax of the film, Anxiety works itself up into such a frenzy that it freezes and has a panic attack (this scene has resonated with a lot of people who have experienced similar attacks, including myself). Riley must learn that while anxiety can be a powerful motivator it also needs to be balanced with feelings of acceptance, relaxation, and joy.
    • Envy (cyan): This emotion is always admiring others, looking up to them, and wanting what they have. When Riley first meets her hockey idols, she becomes envious of how “cool” and “successful” they are, so she strives to become just like them by mimicking them and copying their behaviors, including at one point dying her hair the same way to be more like them. Like all emotions, envy and jealousy can be insightful emotions with the right perspective: they can show us what we want or value in life. However when our lives are completely run by these feelings, we end up trying to be something we’re not.
    • Embarrassment (pink): A big goofy emotion that looks away and covers his head in a hoodie whenever something shameful or embarrassing happens to Riley. It’s interesting to note that many of the new emotions added have a social component to them. This makes sense as Riley comes of age and begins to balance her self-perception with how she is perceived by others.

      inside out 2 emotions characters
      All of the emotions in Inside Out 2 (both old and new). One cool thing about each emotion is that it is naturally paired with a specific color. Sadness is blue, Anger is red, Joy is yellow, Disgust is green, and Anxiety is orange.

    • Ennui/Boredom (purple): A humorous emotion with a stereotypically snobby French accent that constantly pretends to not be interested in anything. They will often deflect serious or uncomfortable situations with sarcasm, irony, or feigned disinterest. This character cleverly shows how many people use sarcasm as a defense mechanism when they are too afraid to be honest or sincere about their true thoughts and feelings. It reflects a common attitude among teenagers and young adults where it’s perceived as “lame” to care too much about anything.
    • Nostalgia (beige): This emotion is a side character that pops up a couple times throughout the film. Each time the other emotions humorously tell “Nostalgia” that she is arriving too soon, and that Riley has to at least wait for her first date, first kiss, or graduation before she starts reminiscing on the past. Perhaps Nostalgia will be the main character in Inside Out 10, when Riley is much older and has already lived the bulk of her life.

    The original creator Pete Docter conceived of between 5-27 emotions that could be added to the Inside Out world, so it’s likely newer emotions will continue to be introduced if the series keeps going. Check out different classifications of emotions here, the original five in the movie are based on Paul Ekman’s model (excluding “surprise”).

    Belief System and Sense of Self

    One of the most interesting new features added to the Inside Out world is the idea of a “belief system.”

    In the first movie, they introduced the concept of a “core memory” as a highly emotionally charged event that is then stored in Riley’s brain. Now these core memories can be brought to the “belief system” and turned into a belief (or recurring thought pattern). For example, when Riley fails an important exam at school, that core memory may be turned into the belief, “I’m not good enough” or “I’m not smart enough.”

    Here’s how the belief system is visually represented, it looks similar to a bunch of neurons in a brain. Each ray of light represents one specific belief:

    All of these beliefs come together to create Riley’s “sense of self.” This is depicted in the movie as a type of “electric tree,” with its roots representing each core belief.

    At first the character Joy takes complete control over Riley’s “sense of self.” It only feeds positive memories and positive beliefs into her belief system, and tries to protect her from negative memories by throwing them into the “back of the mind” where they can be ignored forever.

    When the emotion Anxiety takes over, only negative beliefs are fed into the sense of self, such as “I’m not good enough” or “I need to be better.” The “sense of self” changes color and shape to reflect these changes in how Riley sees herself.

    After Riley suffers from a panic attack during a hockey game due to being completely controlled by Anxiety, the character Joy intervenes and gets Anxiety to “let go” of the controls.

    In the outside world, Riley practices a grounding technique by making note of her five senses and taking deep breaths to bring herself back to the present moment. She then does the right thing by apologizing to her friends for being so mean and distant toward them.

    Finally Riley “calls” Joy back to her and allows herself to have fun playing the rest of the hockey game with her friends.

    By the end of the movie, Riley forms a completely new “sense of self” that accepts all of her thoughts and feelings, even when they can be conflicting or contradictory at times. Riley’s emotions come together and realize that she needs all of them.

    No single emotion gets to determine who Riley is – they all contribute in helping Riley become the best version of herself.

    Conclusion

    Overall Inside Out 2 is a worthy sequel that builds off of its predecessor in an organic and intelligent way that is bound to resonate with both children and adults. Make sure to put it on your watchlist this year!


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    Steven Handel

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  • Inside Out 2: Perhaps Even More Anti-San Francisco Than Inside Out Due to Entirely Excluding the City From the Narrative

    Inside Out 2: Perhaps Even More Anti-San Francisco Than Inside Out Due to Entirely Excluding the City From the Narrative

    While the first Inside Out was a patently anti-San Francisco movie, the sequel has proven to perhaps be even less generous—dare one even say, actually crueler—toward the city by choosing to ignore its presence altogether. Although San Franciscans might have thought the presentation of their city couldn’t possibly be worse in the second movie than it was in the first, it has to be said that the full-stop refusal to acknowledge its existence is probably even more insulting. Because, apparently, so “non” is San Francisco at this point that the Inside Out 2 creators and animators—based, by the way, right near San Francisco “suburb” Emeryville—could barely bother to provide a few background scenes of the milieu as Riley Andersen (Kensington Tallman) is on the way to a weekend hockey camp.

    And yes, for the rest of the movie after that brief scene of Riley’s parents, Mrs. Andersen (Diane Lane) and Mr. Andersen (Kyle MacLachlan), driving her to the camp with her friends, Grace (Grace Lu) and Bree (Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green), there is nary a sign of San Francisco anywhere. Unless one grasps at the straws of Riley wearing a “Bay Area Skills Camp” jersey. Although one might have anticipated more play for SF now that Riley is a teenager and is theoretically supposed to be coming into her own vis-à-vis exploring the city a little bit more independently than she used to, Inside Out 2 totally misses the opportunity to, at the very least, employ San Francisco for the task of ramping up Riley’s latest emotion to enter her puberty-fueled headspace: Anxiety.

    Of course, this being a “kids’” movie, co-screenwriters Meg LeFauve (who also co-wrote the first movie) and Dave Holstein likely didn’t want to rock the boat too much in terms of what types of “stimuli” might prompt Riley to have an anxiety flare-up. Like, say, the sight of some zombie-esque homeless people hobbling toward her at a steady clip on the sidewalk. Or overhearing her parents talk about the unaffordability of the city and how maybe they, too, should join the others who supposedly comprise what is called the “California Exodus.” Indeed, that latter threat would surely send Anxiety into overdrive, seeing as how Riley has finally gotten her bearings in her formerly new city. The last thing she would want to do now is move to Austin, Texas (where all the Californians have reportedly disappeared to).

    The total absence of any sense of place in Inside Out 2 is what marks the most noticeable change in the film’s “setup” after almost a decade has gone by. What it says probably has less to do with San Francisco and more to do with the fact that our entire existence is increasingly “lived” solely in non-places. This being the term coined by French anthropologist Marc Augé in his seminal work, Non-Places: Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity. It is in this work that Augé discusses the characteristics of the average non-place (e.g., supermarkets, airports, hotel rooms, metro stations and, in this case, hockey rinks): cold, clinical, lacking in any unique identifying characteristics. In short, it is a transitional space (sort of like adolescence itself) designed to evoke no sense of belonging whatsoever due to being devoid of any personal touches—what is known as “having character.”

    When applied to the feeling—or, rather, “non-feeling”—that San Francisco evokes in Inside Out 2, it can perhaps be interpreted “poetically” in that Riley has never truly felt as though she belongs there. And now, with her only two friends abandoning her after the summer to attend a different high school, Riley is panicking all the more about her “sense of place,” about where, exactly, she’s supposed to fit in.

    While some might say that San Francisco’s absence is “nothing personal,” or that the storyline of the sequel is intended to be less about the city and more about Riley’s fresh trials and tribulations as a teenager navigating the increasingly murky waters of friendship, it cannot be overlooked that where one lives as a teenager is a large part of what forms their emotions and identity. Needless to say, Riley would be a totally different person if she had remained in Minnesota. Excluding the more urban landscape of San Francisco from this new “snapshot” of her teenhood is, thus, an odd choice. Others still would posit that because the mind itself is the milieu in which Inside Out and Inside Out 2 take place, there’s not much need to incorporate a “real” environment. Fine, keep it “minimal” then—but don’t oust a tangible setting altogether. But, again, this likely doesn’t register with or bother that many people when taking into account that the majority is, at this juncture, well-accustomed to seeing and experiencing non-places. It just comes across as particularly shade-throwing that, now, San Francisco is a “non-place,” too. Not even worth making fun of anymore, as far as Inside Out 2 is concerned.

    In the past, there would have at least been the usual mockery about how “generic” the city has become, how “corporatized.” Not just thanks to the long-ago tech infiltration, but as a result of the collective adherence to globalization itself. Everywhere is everywhere. But, in all honesty, that’s not really true of San Francisco, which still possesses its unique, indelible aspects—not least of which is its signature topography and landmarks. And, as the usual haters would waste no time in parroting, “All the homeless people!” The seemingly lone condemnation that detractors can think of to consistently lob at the Golden City (and yes, it is golden, despite what the naysayers might quip about that gold being of the “fool’s” variety). Either that or, where conservatives are concerned, it’s “too gay.” In fact, one of its other rotating nicknames is Gay Mecca. This perhaps being yet another reason that Inside Out 2 opted to shirk San Francisco altogether during Riley’s teen years. After all, what if Riley is a lesbian? San Francisco is the perfect place to unearth such a sexual revelation. But, in terms of including SF in all its (gay) glory for a teenager, Pixar seemed to be channeling Regina George insisting, “I couldn’t have a lesbian at my party. There were gonna be girls there in their bathing suits.”

    Whatever the reason (or “non-reason”) for choosing to give San Francisco absolutely no play apart from tacking on three arbitrary exteriors (including, of course, the Golden Gate Bridge) during the credits, it seems that the opinion of the town is so low at the moment that Pixar favored largely disavowing its presence entirely. And, as Oscar Wilde said, “There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” Thus, San Francisco’s (non-)representation in Inside Out 2 is what makes the movie even harsher toward the city than Inside Out.

    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Inside Out 2: When You Grow Up, Your Heart Dies

    Inside Out 2: When You Grow Up, Your Heart Dies

    The world was a vastly different place nine years ago, when the first Inside Out was released. Though, at the time, it might have felt like a world that was dangerous and unsafe for children to grow up and develop in, the truth is, they were probably better off doing so in 2015 than they would be in 2024 (good luck to the sociopaths that have to do that now). And so, yes, 2024 feels like the “perfect” moment to introduce a “new” emotion to Inside Out 2: Anxiety! Of course, even though nearly a decade has passed since last we saw Riley Andersen (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias in the original, and presently, Kensington Tallman), she’s still only just now turning thirteen. Better known to most parents (and teachers…or anyone else subjected to the horrors of interacting with a teenager) as: the Scary Age.

    Incidentally, “Terror” doesn’t appear as a more nuanced emotion than “Fear” in the complex range of new ones that are rolled out with a brand-new console that gets installed by the “mind workers” the night before Riley “hits puberty.” A previously uncharted era during which, suddenly, the limited range of five primary emotions—Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Tony Hale), Disgust (Liza Lapira) and Anger (Lewis Black)—are hardly sufficient enough to convey all the confusing, disordered feelings Riley is having at any given moment now that she’s thirteen. Enter Anxiety (Maya Hawke), the key emotion freshly presented into the fray that best encapsulates all those crippling, inexplicable sentiments that go hand-in-hand with an increasing fixation on social status. Granted, Anxiety isn’t alone in terms of being part of a new burst of emotions that only get introduced once a person enters teenhood. Especially when that person is a girl.

    Thus, she is joined by Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) and Envy (Ayo Edebiri). For a brief instant, even a new emotion called Nostalgia (June Squibb) pops out, stylized as an old lady with glasses. But Anxiety tell her she’s much too early to be there, and she’s promptly sent away from headquarters. Unfortunately, Joy has to admit that Anxiety does seem, in contrast, to be right on time—to know much more about Riley’s new set of concerns and worries than Joy does. And yet, that doesn’t stop Joy from fretting over the fact that Anxiety is negatively impacting the meticulously crafted “Sense of Self” that Riley currently has…thanks to some clever manipulations from Joy via filing memories with unpleasant associations to the back of her mind. Which is for Riley’s “own good,” of course. In fact, all Joy wants is for Riley to think and feel that she’s that wonderful thing: a good person.

    Alas, as someone becomes a teenager, all sense of “goodness” tends to go out the window if it means interfering with how that adolescent wants to be perceived. And, no matter how much time goes by or what changes occur in technology, how a teen always wants to be perceived is: cool. Accepted. Well-liked. Best of all, popular. For while Gen Z might think such concerns went the way of the dodo after millennial teenhood, it’s still very much alive and well on an even worse scale thanks to social media and its impact on self-esteem. Riley is a victim of her own intense desire to feel embraced by an older group of girls once she learns that her best friends, Grace (Grace Lu) and Bree (Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green), are going to be attending a different high school when the summer is over.

    And so, instead of seeing the hockey camp they’re invited to attend (and as the only junior highers, to boot) as an opportunity for a last hurrah together, Riley, under Anxiety’s so-called guidance, takes it as a chance to gain the favor of a popular star player named Val Ortiz (Lilimar). And, when Val actually seems to take a liking to Riley despite how awkward and socially inept she is (in the 00s, Riley is the girl who would have been freely referred to as a “spaz”), the latter can’t help but jump at the chance to “rebrand” in order to better fit in with Val and her older crew of friends.

    Horrified at the way Riley is ignoring the carefully crafted “Sense of Self” Joy worked so hard to create, she can’t understand that Anxiety is part of a larger phenomenon that comes with growing up (particularly in a world that, increasingly, prides itself on desensitizing youths): kindness and empathy being stamped out, your heart dying. This being the very accurate and eloquent phrase Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy) from The Breakfast Club wields when she laments, “When you grow up, your heart dies.” An aphorism delivered in reply to Andrew Clark’s (Emilio Estevez) question of whether or not they would become like their parents (that is to say, assholes). Allison also insists, “It’s unavoidable. Just happens.” For Riley, she might not be becoming like her wholesome, largely checked-out parents, per se, but she is becoming more impervious to the notion of “morality.” Of whether or not what’s “good” is necessarily good for her.

    Anxiety only serves to fan those flames of sociopathy, prompting Riley to do whatever it takes to achieve “her” goals (though, all along, one has to ask: are they really “hers” or merely what she thinks should be hers due to societal and peer pressures?). In this case, getting onto the Firehawks team as a freshman so that she can have a secured group of friends in her teammates, including Val. When the other girls tell Riley that Coach Roberts (Yvette Nicole Brown) always holds a scrimmage on the last day of camp and it’s what ended up getting Val on the team as a freshman, Anxiety sends Riley into peak panic mode about doing well enough the next day so that the coach puts her on the team for next year. Of course, Val tells her that all she has to do is stop stressing and “be herself.”

    In response to that notion, Envy asks Anxiety a fair (and slightly philosophical) question: “How do we be ourself if our ‘self’ isn’t ready yet?” Anxiety, ever the “problem-solver,” reacts by putting more anxiety-ridden memories into the Sense of Self bank that will supposedly propel Riley to act in a way that secures the best possible future. Naturally, what Anxiety doesn’t understand is that Riley won’t be securing much of anything if she’s a tightly-wound ball of panic that can barely function because of all her crippling worries. Nonetheless, Anxiety can’t be bothered with considering how she’s actually hurting Riley, remarking to Envy, “I wish we knew what Coach thought about us.” It’s then that, while Riley is just trying to fucking sleep that Anxiety plants the idea in her head to sneak into the coach’s office and look at the notebook where she writes down all of her “hot takes” about the players. Thus, Riley commits yet another act that goes against what Joy would call her true Sense of Self (even if it was manipulated by Joy): breaking and entering. Oh, an obtaining information that’s supposed to be “confidential” by any means necessary.

    As Anxiety has turned Riley into someone she isn’t—someone whose core Sense of Self repeats, “I’m not good enough”—Joy and her “follower emotions” finally make it to the back of Riley’s mind, where the Sense of Self Joy had originally created was exiled by Anxiety. Initially relieved to have recovered the trophy-looking structure, Joy can’t help but take notice of the literal mountain of bad memories she’s stockpiled back here, in a place that suppresses what Riley’s true self might actually be. And when she calls upon Sadness to launch them back to headquarters through the pipe Joy built to jettison those bad memories there in the first place, Anxiety manages to destroy the pipe so that Joy and co. are stuck there. Needless to say, this smacks of the same pickle Joy was in during the first Inside Out, when she got booted into the Memory Dump—a location of the mind where any memories that get deposited there are doomed to fade out for good. Feeling hopeless and defeated, she can no longer even fake a plucky attitude to the other emotions, telling them, “I don’t know how to stop Anxiety. Maybe we can’t. Maybe this is what happens when you grow up. You feel less Joy.” In other words, “When you grow up, your heart dies.”

    This is exactly why so many memes about Riley as an adult have come about in the wake of Inside Out 2. For example, Depression as an emotion stamping out all the other ones. Or alcohol being used to briefly chase the emotion of Euphoria before it quickly disappears. And yes, it’s obviously true that there’s no place for Joy in the adult mind. Her presence becoming nothing but one of those faded memories in the Memory Dump (this is perhaps why that incident in Inside Out was nothing more than foreshadowing for Joy’s inevitable disappearance during Riley’s adulthood).

    And yet, none of the adults involved in the making of Inside Out 2—and certainly none of the adults who control the system in place—would ever stop and think that perhaps there’s something very, very wrong with how it’s simply accepted that to grow up is to experience the death of Joy. The loss of “heart” a.k.a. any sense of humanity. And all in the name of getting “ahead.” As Anxiety phrased it, “It’s not about who Riley is, it’s about who she needs to be.” But why does anyone “need” to become an asshole in this life? To adhere to the subjugating “tenets” of capitalism, duh.

    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Box Office: ‘Despicable Me 4’ Easily Wins With $44.7M as ‘Longlegs’ Stuns With Record $22.6M Launch

    Box Office: ‘Despicable Me 4’ Easily Wins With $44.7M as ‘Longlegs’ Stuns With Record $22.6M Launch

    Animation continue to the be hero of the summer office thanks to Despicable Me 4 and Inside Out 2, but Neon‘s Longlegs can rightly take a bow after scoring the biggest opening for an independent horror pic in a decade with $22.6 million in ticket sales.

    From Illumination and Universal, DM4 easily stayed atop the domestic box office chart in its second weekend with $44.7 million from 4,449 theaters as it jumped the $200 million mark to finish Sunday with a North American tally of $211.1 million. Overseas, Gru and the mischievous Minions also continued to stir up strong sales, earning $88 million from 78 markets for a foreign tally of $226.7 million and $437.8 million globally.

    In a notable milestone, the Despicable Me/Minions franchise has crossed $5 billion mark in global ticket sales, a feat no animated franchise has achieved before. (Earlier this week, Illumination announced that a Minions 3 is in the works.)

    The big surprise of the weekend is the better-than-expected performance of writer-director Osgood Perkins Longlegs, a serial killer chiller starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage. The tense FBI procedural, playing in 2,510 cinemas, is the biggest opening ever for Tom Quinn‘s Oscar-winning specialty production and distribution outfit Neon, home of Parasite.

    Among other records, it’s Cage’s biggest opening since National Treasure: Book of Secrets almost twenty years ago in 2007. It’s also the top R-rated opening of 2024 to date. And it is the only indie horror film of the past decade to open to $20 million or more (this excludes one of the Insidious movies from Focus Features/Universal).

    Going back as far as 25 years, Neon also notes that very few indie films have crossed the $20 million threshold in their debut. For purposes of context, however, many indie titles — including Neon releases — only open a few theaters, versus rolling out nationwide from the get-go as Longlegs did.

    The well-reviewed movie earned $10 million on Friday alone, including previews, and wasn’t hampered by a C+ Cinemascore, since it’s common for the horror genre to land a grade in the C range. Fun fact: More than 70 percent of ticket buyers were between ages 18 and 34.

    The record-shattering Inside Out 2 — which has a shot at becoming the top-grossing animated film of all time — finished Sunday with a global cume of $1.35 billion. It’s already become the top-grossing Pixar title of all time and the third biggest animated title, not adjusted for inflation. The film has helped propel Disney become the first major studio to cross the $2 billion mark in 2024 global ticket sales.

    In North America, Inside Out 2 came in third in its fifth weekend with $20.8 million for a domestic tally of $572.6 million. Overseas, it earned another $50.2 million from 47 markets for a foreign cume of $777.5 million. It has yet to open in Japan, where it could do sizeable business.

    Paramount’s holdover A Quiet Place: Day One continues to entice moviegoers and placed fourth despite the entry of Longlegs. The prequel scared up another $11.8 million this weekend from 3,378 theaters for a domestic total of $116.2 million through Sunday.

    Apple Original Films‘ continues its theatrical ambitions with the release of director Greg Berlanti’s Fly Me to the Moon, a romantic comedy starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum. The period space-age movie, distributed by Sony on behalf of Apple, opened to a subdued $10 million from 3,356 sites to place No. 5. The number isn’t a surprise considering the film was fueled by older adults; more than half of ticket buyers were 45 or older, including 32 percent over the age of 55.

    The movie has earned meh reviews, but audiences were kinder in bestowing the older-skewing film an A- CinemaScore. Reviews matter more to older moviegoers, upon whom Berlanti’s film is relying, but Apple and Sony believe the film will have long legs, similar to Ticket to Paradise, which opened to $16.5 million domestically on its way to topping out at $68 million, and Where the Crawdads Sing, which opened to $17.7 million and topped out at $90 million domestic.

    At the specialty box office, new offerings include A24‘s Sing Sing, which is on course to score a solid per-theater average of $34,280 or thereabouts from four theaters in Los Angeles and New York. The film, from director Greg Kwedar, chronicles an arts program at the infamous Sing Sing prison.

    July 14, 7:45 a.m. Updated with revised estimates.

    This story was originally published July 13 at 10:16 a.m.

    Pamela McClintock

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  • Dreamer Te’Lario Watkins II visits ‘Shark Tank’ as VIP guest of Daymond John

    Dreamer Te’Lario Watkins II visits ‘Shark Tank’ as VIP guest of Daymond John

    On the heels of applications launching today for the 2025 Disney Dreamers Academy, one of the academy’s recent graduates – aspiring entrepreneur Te’Lario Watkins II of Ohio – experienced a dream come true moment as a result of his participation in the Walt Disney World Resort mentoring program.
     
    Watkins, 16, recently spent an afternoon on the set of ABC’s hit show ‘Shark Tank’ as the personal guest of investor Daymond John, who was inspired to supercharge Watkins’ entrepreneur dreams after interacting with him during the 2024 Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort this spring.
     
    John, who was one of several celebrity mentors at the Disney event this year, was impressed by Watkins’ story of running his own mushroom farm, Tiger Mushroom Farms, since he was seven years old and starting his own non-profit, Garden Club Project, to address food insecurity in his community.
     
    Walt Disney World arranged to fly Watkins and his father from their home in Blacklick, Ohio to Los Angeles, California where John gave Watkins an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the show’s set, connected him with other entrepreneurs and introduced him to the show’s other “Sharks.’’ The highlight for Watkins was having the opportunity to learn business strategies from John, gain entrepreneurial insights, and acquire general life lessons. These experiences helped John become one of his generation’s most well-known, self-made millionaires—and Disney Dreamers Academy gave him yet another opportunity to share them forward.
     
    “Being able to meet Daymond John again was super exciting to me,” said Watkins. “I wouldn’t be here without going to DDA. To high school students: applying to DDA would be one of the greatest decisions you’ve ever made in your life.”
     
    Disney announced earlier today during the ESSENCE Festival of Culture in New Orleans, Louisiana, that applications are now open for the 2025 event at www.DisneyDreamersAcademy.com, where high school students looking to achieve their dreams can be nominated or apply themselves.
     
    Disney Dreamers Academy is an annual four-day transformational program at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, designed to broaden career and personal development for a select group of 100 teens from Black and underrepresented communities across America. The 100 selected students will receive an all-expense-paid trip, along with one parent or guardian, to Walt Disney World Resort to experience a combination of inspiration, education and fun at The Most Magical Place on Earth. 
     
    Students attend in-depth workshops in a variety of disciplines aligned with their dreams. These workshops introduce the Disney Dreamers to diverse career paths within business, entertainment, and sciences, including career opportunities within The Walt Disney Company.
     
    Watkins was just one of several teens from this year’s Disney mentoring program who had an experience-of-a-lifetime following their involvement in the event. Elijah Moore of Norfolk, VA., an aspiring producer and musician, was flown to Los Angeles where he received a special tour of Dolby Studios and Walt Disney Studios to name a few. And Orlando Ecung of Los Angeles, who dreams of being a business executive, attended the world premiere of the movie “Inside Out 2” as a special guest of Walt Disney Studios.  
     
    Over the years, Disney Dreamers Academy has inspired more than 1,700 students from across the country. Graduates have gone on to become doctors, engineers, performing artists, entrepreneurs, Disney Cast Members and more. Some have transitioned into mentors to the Disney Dreamers who followed them.
     
    Disney Dreamers Academy is an important part of Disney’s commitment to supporting diverse communities by encouraging the next generation to think big and use what they learn in their relentless pursuit of their dreams to help make a difference in the lives of others.
     
    For more information, visit DisneyDreamersAcademy.com, or follow on social media at Facebook.com/DisneyDreamersAcademy and Instagram.com/disneydreamersacademy/. 

    Staff Report

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  • ‘Inside Out 2’ is the first movie of 2024 to top $1 billion at global box office

    ‘Inside Out 2’ is the first movie of 2024 to top $1 billion at global box office

    NEW YORK — “Inside Out 2” has become the fastest-ever animated film to surpass $1 billion globally, shooting past the box office milestone this weekend, just 19 days after its release.

    The video above is from an earlier story and will be updated.

    “We’re absolutely thrilled to have reached this phenomenal milestone in record time, and it once again proves that global audiences will come out for a great movie,” Tony Chambers, Disney’s executive vice president of theatrical distribution, said Sunday in a news release. “The film’s remarkable success is a testament not only to the incredible creativity of the Pixar team but an example of moviegoing at its very best.”

    The resounding success of “Inside Out 2” has jolted a sluggish 2024 box office. Until the film’s release on June 16, domestic sales had been lagging more than 25% behind 2023’s performance, according to Comscore data.

    “Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen the year-to-date, year-over-year domestic box office revenue deficit shrink from 27% to 19% and that’s due in large part to the amazing and much welcome performance of ‘Inside Out 2,’ a film that has adjusted the mood of the movie industry in just a few short weeks,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

    The movie is the highest grossing film of the year, and the first to pass $1 billion since “Barbie,” which came out last July. It also joins the ranks of eight other Disney and Pixar movies grossing more than a $1 billion, including “The Incredibles 2,” “Finding Dory,” both “Frozen” movies and the final two “Toy Story” installments.

    RELATED: A behind-the-scenes look at ‘Inside Out 2’

    On The Red Carpet is taking viewers inside Pixar Animation Studios for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the new film, “Inside Out 2,” now playing in theaters everywhere.

    Daniel Loria, editorial director at Box Office Pro, which collects sales and showtime data from thousands of movie theaters across the United States, projects this year will see an overall domestic box office total between $8.1 billion and $8.4 billion, down from 2023’s total of more than $9 billion, the highest since the pandemic.

    But Loria notes it is still possible to close the gap further.

    “The impact of the strike on the box office is clear in the first five months of the year, but June has shown us the crucial role movie theaters play in a film industry firing on all cylinders,” he said. “If the movies are there, the audience will follow. I expect to see great numbers in the second half of the year, leading into 2025 and beyond. Another surprise hit or two, and we may get a lot closer to matching that $9 billion than we all expected coming into the year.”

    The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of Pixar and this ABC station.

    The-CNN-Wire & 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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  • Inside Out As Anti-San Francisco Movie

    Inside Out As Anti-San Francisco Movie

    With the imminent release of Inside Out 2, revisiting the original film is only natural. As it is to note that, long before the blatant anti-San Francisco campaign that rolled out at full force after the pandemic, Inside Out was throwing major shade at the place once called “the Paris of the West” (this as a means of alluring people to it at a time when it was still developing as an urban epicenter). Considering that Pixar’s headquarters are in Emeryville (effectively an “extension” of San Francisco), it comes as no surprise that the movie would take place there. What is perhaps something of a surprise is the number of moments in the film that seek to denigrate rather than elevate the city. But you know what they say: it’s always your own kind that ends up selling you down the river (if one will pardon the rooted-in-slavery expression).

    As “alpha emotion” Joy (Amy Poehler) spends the first few minutes of Inside Out detailing the inner workings of Riley Andersen’s (Kaitlyn Dias) mind, it doesn’t take long before her vision of the eleven-year-old’s happy, idyllic existence in Minnesota is shattered. In fact, the Andersen family’s unexpected move to San Francisco is already happening within the eight-minute mark of the movie, with the title “Inside Out” only appearing just as the Andersens approach the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s upon seeing it from the backseat of the car that, from Riley’s mind, Joy shouts, “Hey look! The Golden Gate Bridge! Isn’t that great? It’s not made out of solid gold like we thought, which is kind of a disappointment, but still…”

    The next recognizable landmark as the car continues toward their new house is the Ferry Building, with Fear (Bill Hader) remarking to Joy as they pass it, “I sure am glad you told me earthquakes are a myth, Joy. Otherwise I’d be terrified right now.” Joy replies, “Uh, yeah.” So already, there is this overt mood of disdain for the city, further fueled by a preteen’s inherent mistrust of the things they’re not familiar with. Any brief “romance” period with the town via the Golden Gate Bridge and the Ferry Building seems to quickly wear off by the third scene in the city, during which Riley and her parents are caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the famed part of Lombard Street known as “the crookedest street in the world.”

    To further emphasize that San Francisco must be a miserable place, it is only Anger (Lewis Black) who chimes in at the sound of incessantly blaring horns and belligerent screaming to say, “These are my kind of people.” Of course, Anger’s vaguely positive tune, along with Disgust’s (Mindy Kaling) and Fear’s (Sadness [Phyllis Smith] was already firmly not into this to begin with), changes instantly when the car pulls up in front of a “dilapidated” townhouse. That’s right, the family is about to move into a townhouse that would fetch millions of dollars in any San Francisco neighborhood, regardless of being in a “dingy alley” or not. And yet, Riley is acting as though it’s the worst place in the world. “Too young,” or whatever, to understand “appreciating property values.” Especially since it seems like Mr. Andersen (Kyle MacLachlan) and Mrs. Andersen (Diane Lane) actually bought the place instead of renting. No matter to Riley, who has apparently been too sheltered for most of her sanitized life to have ever seen a dead mouse. This being one of her first sights upon entering the spacious abode. 

    But spaciousness doesn’t matter if her room isn’t “conventionally structured,” instead situated in more of an “attic” position—this being a clear machination on the writers’ part designed to give Riley some “poor little scullery maid” cachet. Despite Joy’s best intentions to keep Riley in a positive mood in the face of her “undesirable” living conditions, they’re met with another decidedly “San Francisco-style” setback when Joy tries to distract Riley with the idea of going to lunch. Flashing the image of the pizza place (Yeast of Eden) she saw on the car ride over, Joy plants the seed in Riley’s mind that she’s just hungry. That’s the real reason why she’s irritable. Or worse still, sad. 

    Thus, to be presented with, apparently, a decidedly San Francisco approach to pizza—a.k.a. the appearance of broccoli on it—is the last straw for Riley, who is now officially out of any will to put on rose-colored glasses about this move. Because yes, in addition to having poor taste in housing (or rather, poor taste in understanding what good housing is), she also has a gauche Minnesotan palate that can’t accept anything “unconventional” on a pizza. Alas, considering that broccoli has held a lifelong negative association for her (thanks to Disgust), seeing it on her pizza is “too much” for her. Her mom doesn’t help Riley’s outlook on the “tragedy” either, shrugging, “What kind of pizza place only serves one kind of pizza? Must be a San Francisco thing, huh?”

    Even Joy—who usually refuses to see the negative side of anything—has to agree, demanding, “Who puts broccoli on pizza?” Anger then snarls, “Congratulations San Francisco, you’ve ruined pizza! First the Hawaiians, and now you.” Obviously, it’s a pointed comment not just on the supposedly inferior pizza San Francisco has to offer, but also on the generally “chichi” (ergo, overpriced) fare residents are subjected to in the wake of gentrification on steroids.

    And, speaking of that, Mr. Andersen’s fraught phone call about needing to find investors before they have to start laying people off smacks of being the kind of odious “tech guy” (one will refrain from saying “tech bro”) that SF has become irrevocably synonymous with. Hence, yet another unfavorable impression of the city in terms of “the man it’s making her father become”—absent, distant and impatient. Worse still, an ungrateful gentrifier.

    Riley’s anxiety levels are further sent into overdrive by the effect the move is having on her parents’ relationship, which is becoming…tense. Something she never saw between them before. But, again, her lily-livered, privileged existence seems to make her more prone to such sensitivity over very little. Including the sound of noisy cars that also cast “ominous” shadows on her wall from outside the window. Fear’s response to it is a terrified, nonsensical wondering as to whether it might be a bear. “There are no bears in San Francisco,” Disgust balks at Fear (though that’s not really true, thanks to the increased presence of black bears leaving their natural habitat). Anger chimes in, “I saw a really hairy guy. He looked like a bear.” Somehow, that feels like a “subtle” nod to the Castro…for those who get it. 

    Naturally, though, the Emeryville-based Pixar team isn’t counting on the average audience being “in the know” about San Francisco…apart from embracing the tired stereotypes about it as a place of “horrors” (a.k.a. real life), a place to avoid. And, soon enough, a place to run away from. For, without Joy and Sadness—the “alphas” of the emotional “headquarters”—Anger, Fear and Disgust try their best to fill the void where leadership is. The result, expectedly, is all-out emotional dysregulation, with Riley giving in to the whim of assuming that going back to Minnesota without telling her parents is the best way to find happiness again. Luckily, Joy and Sadness make it back to headquarters in time to correct the situation, with Joy allowing Sadness, at last, to take the reins (as she should have from the start of this move). 

    When Riley returns from her botched attempt at running away, she finally admits to her parents, “I miss Minnesota.” The funny thing, of course, is that if she had stayed in said state, she likely would have tried to move to California anyway after graduating from high school. Minnesotans are always seeking warmer weather, which, of course, exists literally anywhere else except Minnesota. And Midwesterners in general are always seeking “freakier” pastures (see: Chappell Roan). But since Minnesota represents “home” to her, and her home isn’t a place she yet associates with oppression and conservative values, San Francisco is pretty much the last place she would want to be. As such, Anger is so fed up with the “antithetical” ways of life in “The Golden City” that he finally snaps and calls it “San Fran Stink Town” as he takes the wheel on “reasoning” by planting the idea in Riley’s head that they should just take a bus back to Minnesota. Which, of course, Riley can’t go through with. 

    At the end of Inside Out, it isn’t that Riley has “warmed” to SF, per se, so much as surrendered to the reality that he who controls the purse strings (i.e., one’s parents) controls your living situation. Even so, perhaps in Inside Out 2, Riley will have come to understand the value, as a “too cool for everything” teen, of living in a more sophisticated metropolis (though the naysayers will keep mentioning homeless people as a reason it’s not) than whatever bumfuck town in Minnesota she crawled out of. Maybe Bloomington (home to the Mall of America), like Inside Out’s director and co-writer, Pete Docter.

    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Lewis Black comes home to DC’s Kennedy Center for ‘Goodbye Yeller Brick Road, The Final Tour’ – WTOP News

    Lewis Black comes home to DC’s Kennedy Center for ‘Goodbye Yeller Brick Road, The Final Tour’ – WTOP News

    “I’m not going to retire from shooting my mouth off.” This Friday, D.C. native Lewis Black comes home for his “Goodbye Yeller Brick Road, The Final Tour,” which he insists isn’t his retirement but rather his last national tour.

    WTOP’s Jason Fraley previews Lewis Black at the Kennedy Center (Part 1)

    He grew up in the D.C. area before finding fame on “The Daily Show” and Pixar’s “Inside Out.”

    Lewis Black returns to the Kennedy Center on Friday, May 3. (Courtesy Kennedy Center)

    This Friday, Lewis Black comes home to the Kennedy Center for his “Goodbye Yeller Brick Road, The Final Tour,” which he insists isn’t his retirement but rather his last national tour.

    “I’m not ‘retiring retiring’ … I’m just not going to do 120 to 150 shows a year, I’m not going to be wandering around the country the way I did before,” Black told WTOP. “I will occasionally do a show, I might do a ‘Rant Cast’ that I do live, I might open for someone. … I want to write a little, I want to write either a book or a play and just have a life. … I’ll still be on ‘The Daily Show,’ that’s rolling along. I’m not going to retire from shooting my mouth off.”

    Like “The Daily Show,” there’s no shortage of pressing political topics to rant about on stage.

    “How do you satirize what’s already satiric?” Black said. “My work is done, the newspaper is reading like [fiction]. … Banning books is beyond belief. They want to take these kids’ books out of the library — where’s the best place to hide a book from a kid? You put it in a library! Then you’ve got the people who are banning the books, a group called Moms For Liberty. How am I supposed to make that funnier? That’s like out of [Kurt] Vonnegut!”

    Born in D.C. in 1948, Black graduated from Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. After a year at the University of Maryland in College Park, he transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to study playwriting, followed by his Master of Fine Arts at the School of Drama at Yale University in 1977.

    “I worked for what essentially became the Round House Theatre, I was their playwright in residence for a year, they’re out in Bethesda now,” Black said. “I really spent time in New York, I ran a space out with some friends and we did one-act plays below a restaurant, we had a bar and a stage downstairs with essentially 100 seats and we’d do shows, we’d do two one-acts a week. It was as much fun and as fulfilling as it is being a standup.”

    After dabbling in standup at the West Bank Cafe in New York City, he shifted to comedy full time around age 40.

    “I was always kind of doing standup for fun because it interested me,” Black said. “It was a way I could write something and get it out there, because otherwise you send it to a theater and you could wait two years to get an answer. I was fascinated by it. … I got more relaxed on stage, I finally found the persona that I wanted on stage and people seemed to enjoy it and there was more of a response to my comedy than there was to my playwriting.”

    He’s best known for his “Back in Black” segments on “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central.

    “Being on ‘The Daily Show’ was like having an advertisement for yourself each week,” Black said. “I’d do the ‘Daily Show’ then get on a plane, fly across the country to a comedy club and they’d just seen me the night before on television. … It was huge. Comedy Central ended up putting me and Dave Attell as the face of Comedy Central and it really established both Dave and I, got us out there, got us names and we ended up touring together.”

    Now, another generation knows him solely as the voice of Anger in Pixar’s Oscar-winning animated gem “Inside Out” (2015). He’ll soon return for the sequel “Inside Out 2” alongside Amy Poehler on June 14.

    “The visuals are extraordinary because it’s Pixar; they just get better and better,” Black said. “The script itself, they’ve added characters that are phenomenal, the new Envy and Anxiety are exceptional as the new emotions, then you’ve got the oldies and goodies. … It’s another step forward in terms of helping kids understand what emotions are. When I was a kid I had no clue! Nobody cared about your emotions; ‘just sit on them and shut up!’”

    WTOP’s Jason Fraley previews Lewis Black at the Kennedy Center (Part 2)

    Listen to our full conversation on the podcast below:

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Jason Fraley

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  • Jurassic World 4 May Have Found Its Star

    Jurassic World 4 May Have Found Its Star

    Peek behind the curtains in a new X-Men ‘97 featurette. Get a look at what’s coming on Halo’s season finale. The Wynonna Earp revival movie has wrapped filming. Plus, meet Inside Out 2‘s new emotions, and Evil Dead Rise’s Lee Cronin is setting up his genre future. To me, my spoilers!

    Kara Swisher on All the Nonsense in the Tech Industry

    Jurassic World 4

    According to a new report from The InSneider newsletter, Universal Pictures has offered Scarlett Johansson the leading role in Jurassic World 4.

    The Prisoner

    Additionally, Variety suggests Christopher Nolan may follow Oppenheimer with a film adaptation of the 1960’s TV series, The Prisoner—a project the outlet notes the director was formerly “attached to in 2009,” but “the sci-fi project vanished from Nolan’s dance card that same year when AMC released its own The Prisoners, a six-part miniseries led by Jim Caviezel as the ill-fated agent Number Six alongside Ian McKellen and Ruth Wilson.”

    Untitled Lee Cronin Projects

    THR reports Evil Dead Rise director Lee Cronin “has joined forces with frequent collaborators John Keville and Macdara Kelleher of Wild Atlantic Pictures” to launch Doppelgängers, “a new production outfit focused on genre fare” that’s already signed “a first-look deal with New Line Cinema for its feature film projects.”

    Cuckoo

    According to Bloody-Disgusting, Tilman Singer’s horror film Cuckoo has been rated “R” for “violence, bloody images, language and brief teen drug use.” Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick, Marton Csókás, Greta Fernández and Jan Bluthardt star.

    Inside Out 2

    Disney has released character posters of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, Disgust, Anxiety, Ennui, Envy and Embarrassment as they appear in Inside Out 2.

    Wynonna Earp: Vengeance

    Filming has officially wrapped on the Wynonna Earp revival movie, according to series creator Emily Andras on Instagram.

    X-Men ‘97

    The cast and crew of X-Men ‘97—minus series creator Beau DeMayo—discuss the revival at Disney+ in a new featurette.

    Marvel Animation’s X-Men ‘97 | A New Age | Disney+

    Halo

    Master Chief returns to the Halo in the trailer for next week’s self-titled season finale.

    Halo 2×08 Promo “Halo” (HD) Season Finale

    Resident Alien

    Finally, the “humalien” baby returns as Harry falls to into a deep depression in the trailer for next week’s episode of Resident Alien.

    Resident Alien 3×06 Promo “Bye Bye Birdie” (HD) Alan Tudyk series

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

    Gordon Jackson and James Whitbrook

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  • All the Movies We Can't Wait To See in 2024 | The Mary Sue

    All the Movies We Can't Wait To See in 2024 | The Mary Sue

    2023 was a great year for movies, but we’ve spent enough time talking about 2023. We’re done with her. It’s time to think about 2024 and all the new movies we can’t wait to see.

    The new year is an opportunity to wipe the slate clean. For cinephiles, it’s a brief period of optimism; a chance to really mean it when we say we’ll keep up with new movie releases. And I do mean it, just like I mean it every year. Following the WGA and SAG strikes of 2023, the trades are predicting fewer new movie releases, which may very well be true. But there are still plenty of new movies hitting theaters this year for us to get worked up over—even if the year looks a little front-loaded at the moment.

    Mean Girls (January 12)

    Renee Rapp, Avantika Vandanapu, and Bebe Wood in
    (Paramount)

    Despite not being marketed as such, Mean Girls is indeed a musical. Based on the Broadway production, which in turn is based on the 2003 comedy (which was based on a book!), Mean Girls features Renee Rapp reprising her stage role as Regina George alongside returning star and screenwriter Tina Fey. The new ensemble also includes Angourie Rice, Avantika Vandanapu, Bebe Wood, and Ashley Park. –Britt Hayes

    The Book of Clarence (January 12)

    LaKeith Stanfield as Clarence in 'The Book of Clarence'
    (Sony Pictures Releasing)

    LaKeith Stanfield actually has two movies hitting theaters on January 12: action-thriller The Beekeeper, co-starring Jason Statham, and The Book of Clarence. We’re a little more stoked for the latter, a biblical-era dramedy and the second film from Jeymes Samuel (a.k.a. British singer-songwriter The Bullitts). Stanfield plays the titular role, a man struggling to make ends meet for his family when he decides to follow in Jesus’ footsteps—at first as a scheme, but we know how these things turn out. –BH

    The Kitchen (January 19)

    The cast of 'The Kitchen'
    (Netflix)

    We all want to know what a Barney movie directed by Daniel Kaluuya will look like, and The Kitchen might give us something of an idea. Kaluuya makes his feature directing debut alongside Kibwe Tavares with this dystopian sci-fi set in a version of London where social housing is eliminated. Starring Jedaiah Bannerman, Kano, and Hope Ikpoku, The Kitchen looks like a real conversation starter. –BH

    Miller’s Girl (January 26)

    Martin Freeman as Jonathan Miller and Jenna Ortega as Cairo Sweet in Miller's Girl
    (Lionsgate)

    Another one sure to get people talking is Miller’s Girl, an indie thriller that evokes the erotic thrillers and dramas of the ‘90s. Jenna Ortega stars as a college student who becomes intimately involved with her professor (Martin Freeman) during a creative writing assignment. After last year’s Fair Play, we’re eager to see another movie that navigates the complexities of gendered power dynamics. This one comes to us from first-time feature filmmaker Jade Bartlett, and gives Ortega a chance to explore her range. –BH

    Argylle (February 2)

    Dua Lipa and Henry Cavill in 'Argylle'
    (Universal Pictures)

    What is Argylle? No one knows. We’ve seen trailers for it. Maybe. We know it stars Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson, and Dua Lipa. And also there’s a cat? Matthew Vaughn’s latest is, according the synopsis, about a novelist (Howard) whose books about a dashing spy (Cavill) begin resembling the actual doings of a real spy organization. It sounds a little like Le Magnifique, the wacky 1973 French film starring Jean-Paul Belmondo. –BH

    Lisa Frankenstein (February 9)

    An 80s goth girl sits in a high school classroom in 'Lisa Frankenstein.'
    (Focus Features)

    It’s written by Diablo Cody. It’s the feature directorial debut of Zelda Williams (daughter of the late Robin). It stars Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse. It’s a Frankenstein riff set in the ‘80s. It’s called LISA FRANKENSTEIN for crying out loud. What more could you possibly need here? –BH

    Madame Web (February 14)

    Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, Sydney Sweeney as Julia Carpenter, and Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon in Madame Web
    (Sony Pictures)

    We’ll finally get to see what happened when he was in the Amazon with her mom when she was researching spiders, right before she died! Madame Web is Sony’s latest attempt to expand its Spider-Man universe, this time with actual Spidey-people instead of villains and antiheroes people may or may not care about. (That said, I am so down for Venom 3 and the return of The Brock Report.) Starring Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, and Isabela Merced, Madame Web is a Valentine’s Day movie, apparently, because girls? –BH

    Drive-Away Dolls (February 23)

    (L to R) Margaret Qualley as "Jamie" and Geraldine Viswanathan as "Marian" in director Ethan Coen's DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Working Title / Focus Features
    (Focus Features)

    The first solo effort from Ethan Coen (of the Coen Brothers), Drive-Away Dolls is an exciting film for a number of reasons. One, we’re getting Pedro Pascal in a Coen movie, but we’re also seeing a female-centric story from the filmmaker. Centered on Jamie (Margaret Qualley) as she goes through a break-up and her friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan), who’s helping her through it, the trailers make Drive-Away Dolls look like a return to the Coen antics we’ve come to love over the years. Getting to see Ethan Coen shine on his own (as Joel Coen has already done) is exciting! –Rachel Leishman

    Dune: Part Two (March 1)

    Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides with glowing blue eyes and wind swept hair in 'Dune Part 2.'
    (Warner Bros.)

    While I was tempted to mount a Jan. 6 on Warner Bros. to liberate Dune: Part Two from the vault (no jury would convict me), I’m glad I decided to remain a free woman so that I can see Denis Villeneuve’s epic sequel in a movie the-a-ter. Timothée Chalamet, fresh off Wonka, returns as ostensible chosen one Paul Atreides, leading the Fremen (including love interest Chani, played by Zendaya) in a revolt against the corrupt forces of the galaxy. –BH

    Love Lies Bleeding (March 8)

    Two women sit in the back of a truck at night in 'Love Lies Bleeding.'
    (A24)

    Rose Glass’ follow-up to the haunting Saint Maud is Love Lies Bleeding, a romantic thriller starring Kristen Stewart as Lou, a gym owner who gets it bad for bodybuilder Jackie (Katy M. O’Brian). Come for the lesbian crime thriller that’s giving off Bound vibes, stay for scary Ed Harris with a skullet. –BH

    Imaginary (March 8)

    Pyper Braun in 'Imaginary,' a new horror movie from Blumhouse: a girl looks disconcertingly at a teddy bear while a dark figure lurks in the background
    (Lionsgate)

    Last January, Blumhouse introduced us to M3GAN, who briefly became the Mariah Carey of horror. This year, Blumhouse seems to be hitting the same sweet spot (or trying to) with Imaginary. DeWanda Wise plays a woman who returns to her childhood home to discover that her imaginary friend is so pissed at her for moving away and growing up that it possesses the body of a teddy bear to get revenge. Sounds wild, let’s go. –BH

    The American Society of Magical Negroes (March 22)

    Justice Smith and David Alan Grier in 'The American Society of Magical Negroes'
    (Focus Features)

    Actor and comedian Kobi Libii makes his directing debut with The American Society of Magical Negroes, which imagines a world in which the tired racist trope is crucial to the functioning of society. Justice Smith stars as a young man recruited by the eponymous society, comprised of Black people with magical abilities, each assigned to help a white person navigate life. Co-starring David Alan Grier, Aisha Hinds, Rupert Friend, and Nicole Byer, The American Society of Magical Negroes looks hilarious and maybe a little sweet, too? –BH

    Mickey 17 (March 29)

    Robert Pattinson in 'Mickey17'
    (Warner Bros.)

    Three years after sweeping the Oscars with Parasite, Bong Joon-ho is finally back, and this time he’s returning to the science fiction genre. Based on a novel by Edward Ashton, Mickey 17 is set in the future, and stars Robert Pattinson as a worker clone sent on a mission to help colonize the ice world Niflheim. Not that you should need more reasons to watch after that description, but Director Bong’s latest co-stars Mark Ruffalo, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Steven Yeun. –BH

    Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (April 12)

    'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire'
    (Warner Bros.)

    Legendary’s MonsterVerse gets a little bigger with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which brings back director Adam Wingard for the ultimate showdown. Two titans enter the ring (which is our planet, btw) and duke it out for … actually, I don’t really know why they’re fighting. This seems like an intersectional situation where they need to realize that people have been pitting them against each other and that they should just team up and kill us already. –BH

    Civil War (April 26)

    Kirsten Dunst in A24's 'Civil War'
    (A24)

    Alex Garland is best known for dark, genre-bending sci-fi (Annihilation, Ex Machina) and horror (28 Days Later, Men), which makes his latest film something of a curiosity. Civil War is set in an imminent future in which the United States has dissolved into warring political factions, and follows the journalists (led by Kirsten Dunst) covering the conflict. Civil War might be Garland’s most ambitious film in more than one aspect; his work, while relatively grounded, doesn’t typically deal in current events. It also reunites the filmmaker with Devs stars Nick Offerman, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson, and co-stars Wagner Moura and Jesse Plemons. –BH

    Challengers (April 26)

    Zendaya smirking in Challengers.
    (Amazon MGM Studios)

    The minute we learned what Challengers is about, we were hooked. A movie in which Zendaya is married to Mike Faist but also sort of being in a throuple with Josh O’Connor? We’re in. Yes, there is tennis involved, but okay, whatever. The new Luca Guadagnino film was written by Justin Kuritzkes, the partner of Celine Song (who wrote and directed Past Lives, leading plenty of people to make comparisons to their relationship). There are just a lot of things going on with Challengers that make it exciting, and we’ve been hyped about it since last summer! –RL

    The Fall Guy (May 3)

    Ryan Gosling in 'The Fall Guy'
    (Universal Pictures)

    What is better than Ryan Gosling behind the wheel of a car? Ryan Gosling as a stuntman—yes, again, but this time it’s funny. The Fall Guy is giving “What if Drive was sort of light-hearted and maybe a bit like The Nice Guys?” and I’m not exactly mad about it. Starring Gosling and Emily Blunt, we can just pretend like this is another Barbenheimer right? Written by Drew Pearce (Iron Man 3, Hotel Artemis), directed by David Leitch (John Wick, Atomic Blonde), and sort of based on the TV series of the same name, The Fall Guy has me stoked to see Ryan Gosling in a car again. –RL

    Back to Black (May 10)

    Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in 'Back to Black'
    (Focus Features)

    Amy Winehouse was a once-in-a-lifetime talent, with a soulful voice and indelible songwriting to match. Her life and her career were far too brief, cut short by painful struggles with addiction and an eating disorder, which exacerbated the pressures of fame and the demands of her work. Some of this was explored in the documentary Amy, which drew the ire of the late singer’s father, Mitch Winehouse, who felt he was unfairly represented. Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, Back to Black stars Industry‘s Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse, whose estate cooperated with the production. While that means we’ll get to hear Winehouse’s music in the film, there’s a chance it might not dig as deep as some of her fans would like. All the same, Abela is fiercely talented and definitely looks the part, Taylor-Johnson is a fine director, and as a Winehouse fan, I’m eager to see how Back to Black shakes out. –BH

    Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (May 24)

    Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa in 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga'
    (Warner Bros.)

    George Miller’s long-developing Fury Road follow-up is finally upon us. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (that title couldn’t be more studio-mandated if it tried) features Anya Taylor-Joy in the title role and explores her life before Max—when a younger Furiosa was taken from the Green Place of Many Mothers by the sinister Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) to the Citadel, where she begins plotting her liberation. As far as I’m concerned, George Miller can do whatever the hell he wants. If Furiosa is half as good as Fury Road, we should count ourselves lucky. –BH

    Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (May 24)

    Proximus Caesar in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
    (20th Century Studios)

    In the tradition of the classic Planet of the Apes films, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes centers on a new main character, Noa (Owen Teague), a chimpanzee disillusioned by the apes’ corrupt leader, Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand) and his oppression of other apes. Set 300 years after the events in Rise, Dawn, and War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom is directed by Wes Ball (the Maze Runner series), and seems to be good enough to land him a gig directing the live-action Legend of Zelda movie for Nintendo. –BH

    Ballerina (June 7)

    Anjelica Huston and Keanu Reeves in 'John Wick: Chapter 3'
    (Lionsgate)

    I’m absolutely torn on Ballerina. On the one hand, John Wick is an incredible franchise and Ana de Armas is inarguably talented and fun to watch. On the other hand, Ballerina—potentially the first in a series of John Wick spinoff movies—was directed by Len Wiseman, a guy with an underwhelming track record (Underworld, Live Free or Die Hard, Total Recall remake) that does not gel with the dynamic action of the Wick movies. THAT SAID: the ballerina assassin lore teased in the third Wick movie was like catnip to me, and if this thing is good, we might have a solid substitute for the Black Widow movie we should’ve gotten. –BH

    The Watchers (June 7)

    'The Watchers' by A.M. Shine book cover
    (Head of Zeus)

    We’re getting two Shyamalan movies this year. Ishana Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night, is making her feature directing debut with The Watchers, based on the novel by A.M. Shine. Starring Dakota Fanning and Georgina Campbell, the horror film centers on an artist who gets stuck in a cabin in an Irish forest with three strangers and must contend with the mysterious creatures that stalk them each night. –BH

    Inside Out 2 (June 14)

    Anxiety meets the other emotions in Riley's head in 'Inside Out 2'
    (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

    Remember when a bunch of adults cried in a movie theater over Inside Out? Well, now we can do that again with Inside Out 2! Pixar is back with Riley and all the emotions in her head and this time, she’s got a new one: Anxiety (voiced by Maya Hawke)! As someone who very much wishes I had Inside Out when I was growing up, I can’t wait to see what the sequel has in store for Riley and how I will embarrass myself again in a theater, sobbing over a movie for children. –RL

    Twisters (July 19)

    Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton in 'Twister'
    (Warner Bros.)

    What’s better than the 1996 film Twister? A sequel with Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos. The original film starred Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt as part of a crew of scientists and storm chasers working together to launch Dorothy (a data-gathering device). What we’re getting with Twisters is a direct sequel to the film, and look, great. I don’t care what happens, it’s a sequel to Twister. We’re so in. –RL

    Deadpool 3 (July 26)

    Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in the classic yellow suit in a photo from 'Deadpool 3'
    (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

    Logan (Hugh Jackman) dealing with Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is how our love of Reynolds as Deadpool began, so we are very excited for Deadpool 3. Any time there is a new Deadpool movie, we’re gifted with whatever nonsense Ryan Reynolds is up to, and we’ve been getting a whole bunch of treats because he is truly on one with this movie. Still, it’s just fun to know that Wade and Logan are back in action, and we can’t wait to see what director Shawn Levy and Co. have in store for us, especially now that Deadpool belongs to Disney. –RL

    Trap (August 2)

    M. Night Shyamalan attends the premiere of 'A Knock at the Cabin'
    (Carlos Alvarez, Getty Images)

    M. Night Shyamalan’s latest co-stars his other daughter, Saleka Shyamalan, alongside Josh Hartnett and Hayley Mills (yes, of The Parent Trap fame). We know pretty much nothing about Trap, which isn’t likely to change until we see a trailer in the next few months. Speaking with NME, Shyamalan described it as “very unusual and very new compared to what I’ve been trying to do (recently).” The filmmaker has been on one heck of a run since returning with The Visit, and I can’t wait to see whatever the hell he’s up to with Trap. –BH

    Alien: Romulus (August 16)

    Profile shot of a Xenomorph in 'Alien'
    (20th Century Studios)

    The latest installment in the Alien franchise comes from Fede Álvarez, the filmmaker behind Evil Dead (2013) and Don’t Breathe, and stars Cailee Spaeny and Isabela Merced. Spaeny recently revealed that Alien: Romulus is set between Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) and James Cameron’s Aliens (1986). Will Álvarez’s film bridge the differences between the two, sort of like Doctor Sleep did with the Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick versions of The Shining? That’s my only hope. Well, that, and more practical xenomorphs. –BH

    Kraven the Hunter (August 30)

    Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven the Hunter
    (Sony Pictures)

    Am I the one person in this world determined to love and support Kraven the Hunter no matter what? Yes. That’s okay. Directed by J.C. Chandor (Triple Frontier), Kraven promises to bring to life one of Spider-Man’s greatest foes: Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Famously, Kraven loves animals but also is a hunter (hence the name). How that is going to work without Spider-Man will be interesting, but I am just so excited to see my boy in live action that I don’t even care! Kraven is coming! –RL

    Beetlejuice 2 (September 6)

    Michael Keaton in 'Beetlejuice'
    (Warner Bros.)

    We don’t need to relitigate the ups and downs of Tim Burton’s career, but suffice it to say, the visionary director has a little something to prove with Beetlejuice 2. But with Michael Keaton back as the ghost with the most and Winona Ryder reprising her role as Lydia Deetz (every goth girl’s platonic ideal) alongside Jenna Ortega, I’m optimistic for what this sequel could be. –BH

    Saw XI (September 27)

    Billy the Puppet in 'Saw X'
    (Lionsgate)

    It’s wild that it took seven films for the Saw franchise to figure out how to course-correct the grievous error of killing off its main antagonist in the third film. Saw X was such a damn good time that I am fully back on the Saw hype train. Saw XI was almost immediately greenlit, and I can’t wait to see what silly prequel-sidequel-inbetweenquel nonsense is in store. –BH

    Joker: Folie à Deux (October 4)

    Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn and Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, a.k.a. the Joker, in 'Joker: Folie a Deux'
    (Warner Bros.)

    If you told us that we’d be excited about Joker: Folie à Deux after so many of us didn’t like the first Joker movie, I wouldn’t believe you. And yet I truly cannot wait to see Joker: Folie à Deux. I’m going to blame the Harley Quinn-and-Joker of it all. Todd Phillips’ sequel to Joker features Lady Gaga as Harley and is said to be a musical—all elements that make me increasingly more excited about this. –RL

    Venom 3 (November 8)

    Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) protects a chicken from Venom in 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage'
    (Sony Pictures)

    I have but one request for Venom 3: Bring back The Brock Report. We need to see Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock back in VICE reporter mode, maybe with a little help from his sidekick and number one tater tot fan Venom. Venom 2 was a surprising success that managed to overcome the clownery of the first film’s post-credits teaser and deliver a superior sequel. With Venom 2 screenwriter Kelly Marcel back on board and also sitting in the director’s chair, we’re sure to get a little more of that goofy, gloopy magic. –BH

    Gladiator 2 (November 22)

    A white man in gladiator armor stands yelling with a weapon in his hand in "Gladiator"
    (Universal Pictures)

    Ridley Scott is on a roll. The 86-year-old filmmaker is following up 2023’s Napoleon with another historical epic—a sequel to his own Gladiator, released in 2000. This time, Scott’s courting the fan girls with Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Denzel Washington, and Fred Hechinger. Just make a wall calendar, why don’t you! –BH

    Wicked Part One (November 27)

    Wicked stage production poster.
    (Universal Stage Production)

    Wicked is being split into two parts, which means Part One will (probably) end with Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) singing “Defying Gravity” and leaving us gooped. So why are we excited? Because it is Wicked. For the record, Wicked does rule even if I do think it is an overrated musical. But with Jon M. Chu at the helm and a cast that includes Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, and Bowen Yang, I can’t help but look forward to this one. –RL

    Nosferatu (December 25)

    Ellen gasps, with a shadow of Count Orlock's hand across her face.
    (Focus Features)

    The big holiday treat this year is Nosferatu, a new iteration of F.W. Murnau’s silent horror classic from Robert Eggers, the filmmaker behind The Witch and The Northman. Eggers’ retelling is set in 19th-century Germany and follows a young woman tormented by the ghastly vampire who is obsessed with her (relatable). Nosferatu stars Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe (but of course), Nicholas Hoult, Emma Corrin, and Bill Skarsgard as—who else?—the vampire Count Orlok. –BH

    (featured image: TriStar Pictures / Warner Bros. / Focus Features / A24)

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    Britt Hayes

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