Over the past 200 weeks, as the latest ranker is released today, Nielsen reports that NCIS amassed approximately 136.5 billion minutes of viewership, which equates to an astounding 259,643 years’ worth of time spent watching these intriguing military investigators pursue villains.
Although Greta Gerwig appears to be developing a film adaptation of Narnia, the rich history and folklore within this world are extensive, making it impossible for just two movies to encompass the entire series. It seems reasonable that one movie would focus on “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” which is the first book in the series and the most famous. However, C.S. Lewis didn’t follow a chronological release order with his books. He published “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” in 1950, followed by three chronologically sequential installments from 1951 to 1953. He then released two standalone prequels: “The Horse and His Boy” in 1954 and “The Magician’s Nephew” in 1955. The series concluded with “The Last Battle” in 1956. The movie adaptations produced by Disney and Fox in the 2000s only managed to create three movies, never reaching an adaptation of the fourth-published book, “The Silver Chair,” despite a 2014 fan contest to name the film’s antagonist. These films ignored the prequels altogether, just like the 1988–1990 BBC series. In November 2023, Scott Stuber, who was then the head of Netflix’s film division, told Variety that while “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” is the “premier” book, Gerwig is exploring ways to “tackle the entire narrative arc of the whole series.
As a cinema enthusiast, I’m eagerly anticipating the science fiction film adaptation of “Mickey7,” starring Robert Pattinson as Mickey Barnes. In this intriguing narrative, my character agrees to clone himself, leading to a cycle of life and death as he tackles perilous jobs. Director Bong skillfully employs cloning as a tool to delve into the complexities of living and dying, particularly under capitalism.
Clones in movies have always been fascinating, serving multiple thematic purposes over the years. They often invite viewers to ponder their pasts, and in many instances, allow actors to confront their own histories almost literally on screen. Clones provoke questions about our purpose in life or challenge us to consider if we’re truly real. They stir thoughts on mortality and immortality, and they’re a hotbed of ethical dilemmas. In essence, they offer a rich canvas for filmmakers to paint profound themes on.
This filmmaker, Anderson, is known for his intense, raw action sequences, often infusing ordinary stories with an electrifying sense of danger and brutality. Unlike many other modern blockbusters, his films are not shy about violence, as seen in the Resident Evil series filled with grotesque zombies, lasers reducing characters to pulp, or the sci-fi thriller Event Horizon (1997) that provides chilling glimpses into a nightmarish realm. His 2014 disaster film, Pompeii, may appear as a period piece from afar, but it stands out with its brutal depiction of destruction, both characters and locations being annihilated with a sadistic glee. Some critics find fault in his work, given the low Tomatometer ratings, but I find his movies to be more emotionally impactful than the sanitized violence prevalent in many contemporary blockbusters. To some, this opinion may seem blasphemous, but he reminds me of Samuel Fuller with his direct approach and straightforward presentation of events.
In this part of the story, the wheel keeps turning, marking the conclusion. After a firefight in a warehouse that reduces Beck and Quinn’s unremarkable henchmen pool even more – Reacher chooses not to kill the last one, Harley (played by Brendan Fletcher), because he informs Duffy, “it would seem odd” if Reacher is the lone survivor of another gun battle. This segment attempts to elevate tension by taking out two characters we barely know or care for: Eliot, the inept DEA agent who couldn’t read maps and refused cigarettes, and Annette, the slightly flirtatious French maid who baked pies and changed sheets. Eliot’s brutal death by boot-stomping has been heavily hinted at, making it feel like it was foretold multiple times. The unfortunate fellow was simply too naive for this harsh world, but Duffy is fully accountable for his demise. She even deceives Eliot’s father about the circumstances of his death!
In the fresh Hulu series called “Deli Boys“, there’s a subtle wink to this topic that highlights the show’s greatest success. The zany comedy from Abdullah Saeed revolves around Raj Dhar (Saagar Shaikh) and Mir Dhar (Asif Ali), two privileged Pakistani American brothers who are unexpectedly tasked with managing a criminal family business following their father’s (baba’s) sudden demise. In episode three, the siblings, along with their late father’s associates, Lucky Auntie (Poorna Jagannathan) and Ahmed Uncle (Brian George), search for a fresh avenue to distribute the cocaine they conceal in pungent jars of achaar (South Asian pickles). They arrange a meeting with an Indian restaurant chain to dupe them into stocking their merchandise. “Try it,” Mir suggests, unscrewing the lid. “If your child doesn’t experience bullying by white schoolchildren when they pull this out of their lunchbox, it’s not Kaka-brand achaar!” In the universe of “Deli Boys“, this comment is neither a reference to racial discrimination nor a criticism of its portrayal; instead, it serves as a trope to play with. As much as any show featuring brown Muslim characters can, the show avoids discussing identity politics unless they contribute to humor. The way these characters identify themselves ethnically is irrelevant to the dangerous, high-stakes criminal world they find themselves in.
All movies are listed by U.S. release date, with the most recent movies up top.
No matter what happens next week, SXSW’s lineup is filled with exciting movie titles that pique our interest. There are some big commercial releases like “Another Simple Favor”, the sequel to “The Accountant”, and “Death of a Unicorn” from A24, which are among this year’s highly anticipated films. Additionally, we have new works from Jay Duplass, Amy Landecker, Chad Hartigan, Babak Anvari of “Under the Shadow”, and Andrew Patterson, who made waves with “The Vast of Night”. Here’s what we can’t wait to see!
It’s no secret that many have compared Brody’s speech style to Trump’s. We’re definitely not the first or even the fifth to do so. In fact, late-night talk show hosts have often commented on various topics, and this time it was Trump’s address to Congress, the longest ever given in American history. Here are some of the wittiest remarks about that speech. But rest assured, we’ll keep it concise.
George Lowe was associated with Adult Swim even before it debuted. Following his broadcasting education, he embarked on a career doing voiceovers for local ads in Atlanta. This led him to provide voiceovers for TBS, which eventually introduced him to the creators of Space Ghost Coast to Coast. The series ran for a decade, and Lowe’s Space Ghost character continued appearing in various contexts. Most recently, he reprised his role as Space Ghost on Jellystone! on Cartoon Network.