Movies

As a movie buff with a bit of a dark side, I stumbled upon Faces of Death back in ’78, and it’s… something else. It’s directed by John Alan Schwartz, and features Michael Carr playing a pathologist named Francis B. Gröss. Basically, he guides you through a really unsettling exploration of how fragile life is, using what was presented as actual footage of deaths. It’s all framed as him trying to understand death itself from a philosophical angle, which makes it even more disturbing, honestly.

The scene begins with Benedict intensely sketching the Lady in Silver, remembering her from the previous night. We then quickly switch to the lady’s perspective, seeing Sophie Baek remove her beautiful mask. Ha’s acting is captivating – her subtle, melancholic smile as she looks in the mirror immediately draws you to her character. Sophie is making her second mask for the ball, and with all the other preparations for Lady Penwood and her daughters, she’s completely exhausted. She’s so rushed she doesn’t even have time for scissors, so she uses a cleaver to cut the fabric. When the bell rings, summoning her, she jokingly pleads with her friends, Irma and Alfie, to pray she doesn’t lose her temper. They’re understandably concerned that she’s still clutching the cleaver, but I, as a viewer, am completely invested in the story!

The new season immediately feels different. We spend a significant amount of time with the Bridgerton household staff before we even see the Bridgerton family themselves. We’re introduced to the kitchens, watch the maids and footmen at work, and it seems the show might be exploring themes of class – perhaps even with a nod to shows like Upstairs Downstairs. We see Lady Bridgerton request warmer biscuits, then follow Mrs. Wilson as she gratefully receives a plate from a younger maid. When a room bell rings, John playfully announces that Princess Hyacinth is awake. While I find the portrayal of servants as constantly stressed a bit cliché, I also recognize that the people they worked for held significant power and influence, especially within the rigid English class system – something that might be lost on American viewers. Ultimately, despite the somewhat unrealistic depiction of labor, working for the Bridgerton family seems like a pretty good gig – it’s hard work, but rewarding. After all, this is a romance show, and I’m happy to go with it!

Starting February 2nd, Hulu will begin streaming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. This 2024 sci-fi film is a new story within the Planet of the Apes series from 20th Century Studios. The film takes place many years after the events of 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes.

The American West was a period defined by conflict, adventure, and people forging new lives as the nation expanded. It continues to captivate us as a significant chapter in history, and Hollywood played a big role in keeping its stories well-known. While fictional Westerns are enjoyable, real-life accounts – even those with a bit of dramatic flair – are often the most compelling.

Henry Cavill has given fans their first glimpse of his character in the upcoming reboot of “Highlander,” directed by Chad Stahelski. He shared two photos on Instagram showing him with a sword, seemingly in Hong Kong and New York City. Cavill expressed his excitement about the project, saying it’s been a long journey and he’ll share more details later. He hopes fans enjoy the first look.

During a controversial podcast conversation, Quentin Tarantino sharply criticized several actors, including Paul Dano, famously calling him “the weakest actor in SAG.” When asked about this during an interview with Variety at the Sundance Film Festival, Dano’s Little Miss Sunshine co-star, Toni Collette, quickly intervened. She defended Dano, dismissing Tarantino’s comments as absurd and suggesting he may have been mistaken.

Apple TV will be bringing Brandon Sanderson’s popular Cosmere universe to the screen. They plan to make movies based on the Mistborn books and a TV series out of The Stormlight Archive (according to The Hollywood Reporter). Sanderson will have a lot of creative control over these adaptations, working as a writer, producer, consultant, and having the final say on how they turn out.

Family gatherings always bring the same questions about when Shep will settle down and start a family. Even during a house tour with Craig and Rodrigo, Craig was already planning how Shep could get married and have kids there. It’s a bit much – Craig has known Shep for over ten years! Shep has never shown any interest in marriage or kids, and his house definitely isn’t decorated for a family – it’s all about surfing!

At the Sundance Film Festival, where he was promoting his new family film Fing! (in which he voices the villain), Taika Waititi gave an update on his upcoming Star Wars project and discussed what he expects to see from Thor in future Marvel Cinematic Universe films. He told Variety he’s excited to see how directors Joe and Anthony Russo will handle the character, having previously directed him in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.