Entertainment

The delight of “A Simple Favor,” directed by Paul Feig (who is back for the sequel) and based on a novel by Darcey Bell, lies in its unexpected strangeness, powered by undercurrents that transformed what could have been a typical “Gone Girl”-esque thriller into something less predictable. Initially, it follows the story of a solitary mommy blogger who forms an unusual bond with a stylish town outsider. However, when the latter inexplicably disappears, leaving her son and husband behind, she is entrusted to her friend’s care on screen. From the start, both Emily and Stephanie appear to be unsettled characters. Emily, with her prim sweaters and frozen smile, presents as a highly strung supermom who seemed capable of causing harm before she decided to take up detective work while assuming control over her friend’s life. (The film effectively showcases Kendrick’s manic side.) Stephanie, on the other hand, comes across more like a celebrity guest than a woman feeling suffocated in a small town after a more vibrant urban existence. Her eccentric outfits suggest costumes, and her entire life appears as if it could be abandoned at any moment – which, of course, she does. If the narrative explores a toxic suburban friendship, the movie itself delves into the unsettling encounter of two psychosexual soulmates.

It’s been announced that Netflix has already filmed a second season of the show “With Love, Meghan,” which is expected to return this fall as part of their Royal Family lineup. Markle shared this news on her Instagram post on March 7, saying, “If you’re loving Season 1, just wait until you see what we’ve … Read more

This week, the competition has turned fierce all around, with Jewels and Arrietty standing out as key contenders, though nearly everyone seems to be involved at one point or another. Interestingly, Lydia and Lana, who are yet to secure a win, seem to be driven to focus more intently on their work. Their eventual success only serves to ramp up the excitement. The episode’s unpredictable results and the palpable intensity from the other competitors breathe new life into a season that was starting to feel stale. The consequences of this week’s events will ripple forward: Butthole now has a potential route to the final four, which could see one of the main contenders leaving earlier than anticipated. If one can depart sooner than expected, who knows what next week might bring? While I still believe Lana is likely to leave next week (no hard feelings), her resilience suggests otherwise. Season 17 still has some fighting spirit left in it.

Turns out, having low expectations worked wonders for me in the cast of “Traitors.” Being a die-hard fan of “Survivor,” I seamlessly fit into the show and leveraged my charisma and strategic thinking to forge powerful connections within the castle, even managing to divert criticism towards my brother’s acting prowess. My unexpected alliances with the Traitors proved beneficial, as they kept me in the game long enough for me to recognize them. By the finale, I outsmarted, outmaneuvered, and outlasted some of the most experienced players, securing my place among the Faithful alongside Gabby Windey, Dolores Catania, and Lord Ivar Mountbatten. In a nail-biting moment, I almost fell victim to a last-minute attack by fellow player and “Big Brother” alum Britney Haynes, but my knack for earning trust saved me and propelled me all the way to the end.

Although some might argue that the season as a whole wasn’t impressive, it certainly wasn’t a flop. In fact, quite the opposite is true. The fireworks from the Traitors’ turret were as spectacular as they’ve ever been, and witnessing Danielle Reyes, Boston Rob Mariano, Carolyn Wiger, and Bob the Drag Queen sabotage their own games by going after each other was an exhilarating experience. To top it off, both Dylan and Gabby were incredibly endearing personalities who made smart moves throughout the season, making their victories all the more gratifying.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve always been captivated by the Tate-LaBianca murders, and the journey of O’Neill, an entertainment reporter who delved deep into this tragic event for his Premiere assignment, has become more than just a professional project for me. Over two decades, he transformed into a character reminiscent of Morris, relentlessly pursuing his unique perspective on the world, even if it’s not yet fully defined. He confides, “I still can’t decipher what truly transpired, but I know the account we were given isn’t accurate.”

O’Neill doubts the narrative presented during Manson’s trial and popularized in Vincent Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter, which suggested that Charles Manson aimed to ignite a race war by orchestrating the killings of Sharon Tate and the other residents of her house, followed by the LaBianca murders the next day. Instead, he believes there may have been something far more complex at play – perhaps a covert operation connected to the CIA’s infamous MKUltra program and psychiatrist Louis “Jolly” West, who was not only involved but also conducted mind-altering experiments in Haight-Ashbury around the same time that Manson was gathering his followers.

Though I can’t quite piece together all the fragments, O’Neill is convinced that Manson’s extraordinary control over others, extending to ordering them to commit murder, could not have been self-taught but must have stemmed from West in some way.

In the movie Eephus, the diverse characters make their entrances at Soldiers Field, a quaint New England park for the game. The group consists of individuals ranging from the elderly to the young, some clumsy and overweight, others agile and precise. A few take the game with utmost seriousness, while others seem barely present. Some are highly organized, while another character is so late he has to sprint from his car to the plate. However, they don’t quite stand out individually. Instead, this motley crew serves as the film’s main protagonist, perhaps sharing that role with the setting itself. As the leaves change colors, the game unfolds under skies of blue and fluffy clouds, with vibrant autumn foliage in the background. The scenery takes on a majestic quality as twilight approaches and the temperature cools.

In this novel by Edward Ashton from 2022, titled “Bong,” Mickey is repeatedly sent on perilous missions to a frozen planet called Niflheim as part of an interplanetary colonization project. Each time he dies due to testing alien atmosphere or radiation exposure during space walks, he’s reborn in a printing machine, only to face more danger. This constant cycle of death and rebirth creates a darkly amusing form of eternal drudgery for Mickey.

The story takes an unexpected turn when the 17th Mickey seems to meet his end inside an ice cave, leading to the premature creation of an 18th clone. This duplicate situation is meant to trigger the elimination of all clones, but Kenneth Marshall, the colony’s self-absorbed ruler (played by Mark Ruffalo), devises a different plan. He sends the clones as sacrificial troops in a war against the indigenous inhabitants – strange, tentacled creatures resembling pill bugs who turn out to be intelligent.

However, when the Mickeys choose diplomacy over violence and attempt to communicate with the natives, their peaceful efforts spark a human uprising that results in Marshall’s demise, the destruction of the printing machine, and the establishment of a more compassionate and collaborative future for the distant colony.

A large crowd is gathered at a multi-tiered location in Dalston for an event that combines a movie premiere with a party of a more intimate nature, centered around the screening of the film “The Visitor.” This film is the latest work from 61-year-old Canadian director Bruce LaBruce, who has spent over three decades crafting movies that straddle the boundary between cinema and erotica, or blatantly merge both into an entirely unique creation – vividly portraying sexual taboos with minimal narrative finesse.

The question posed at the end of this episode is straightforward: At what point did the Yellowjackets give up on their journey home? With summer here and food becoming abundant, they’ve honed their group survival skills and are now well-versed with the forest’s layout. It seems as though they attempted to signal for help by keeping a cabin fire going, but when that failed, they appear to have accepted their fate – living off each other indefinitely within the wilderness.