Movie and TV show reviews

To mark the 20th anniversary of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith”, Lucasfilm has announced that the movie will be shown in cinemas for a week, starting from April onwards. The announcement also mentions that the film will be presented in various formats, with 4DX being introduced for the first time. This feature promises an immersive experience, allowing viewers to truly feel the impact of Palpatine’s lightning fingers blasts (and perhaps even catch a whiff of them too).

Back in August, I, as Michael Crichton’s devoted fan and admirer, found myself taking legal action against Warner Bros. The reason? I felt they were unjustly mimicking one of Crichton’s masterpieces – the iconic series “ER” – in their new show, without due credit to him or his estate. Furthermore, it was claimed that they breached a contract by excluding his widow from the deal, which is simply unfair and against the creative spirit of the industry we all love.

In other words, she said, “I see it when it comes out just like everyone else does.”

As a movie enthusiast, I could almost imagine him grinning over the phone as he talks about his forthcoming Netflix special, “Lucky.” The fitting title, “Lucky,” spans an hour where this former wild child, now family man, reflects on his blessings.

Barney” is being collaboratively developed and manufactured by A24 and Daniel Kaluuya’s 59% Productions, in conjunction with the intellectual property (IP) owner of Barney, Mattel Films. Kevin McKeon and Andrew Scannell are responsible for supervising the project on behalf of Mattel Films, while Robbie Brenner will produce for Mattel Films along with A24. Daniel Kaluuya and Rowan Riley will serve as producers for 59% Productions in this venture.

In a moving portrayal by Sonequa Martin-Green, the character Merit is depicted as a veteran who spent eight years in Afghanistan as a mechanic for the U.S. Army. During her service, she formed a close bond with Zoe, played by Natalie Morales, whose life ends tragically. Throughout the film, we learn more about this loss. In her encounters with Zoe’s spirit, Merit experiences visions of her deceased friend. Their interactions are frequent, and during these conversations, Zoe’s wit can be both darkly amusing and painfully cutting.

I, as part of Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation (JSBC), have been sharing our journey from purchasing foreign TV formats to creating our own content for international markets. For more than a decade, JSBC has been steadfastly involved in the format business. We’ve not only acquired but also distributed formats worldwide. Some of the popular shows we introduced to China include ‘Got Talent’ from Fremantle and ‘Still Standing,’ which enjoyed significant success here.

In 2012, animation studio ON, founded by producers Aton Soumache (“Little Nicholas”) and Dimitri Rassam (“The Count of Monte Cristo”), was established. Five years later, it was acquired by Mediawan. Since then, ON has grown to become a significant animation studio in Montreal, drawing in skilled animators from around the globe. This growth was fueled by a steady stream of projects based on well-known intellectual properties, including “Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie,” one of the most-watched French animated films globally; and “The Little Prince,” which screened at Cannes Film Festival, won a Cesar Award, and was recognized by the British Academy Children’s Awards.

The announcement is made following the reveal of the victors in a worldwide short film contest that was introduced last year as a means to unearth fresh filmmaking talent globally. Their aim is to collaborate with these winners to produce not only short films but also extended content.

As a dedicated fan, I’m excited to share that I’ve learned the company plans to broaden its cinematic horizons with fresh investments. This move is expected to introduce anywhere from four to eight exciting new projects into their development pipeline! Additionally, they’re setting up a production fund to finance the initial three films they’re working on – a real-time disaster thriller titled “Black Tuesday”, a chilling horror movie named “Breed”, and a dystopian thriller called “The Oasis”. Can’t wait to see these stories unfold!