Entertainment

For many years, turning on cable television during the holidays to watch a “Peanuts” special was as predictable as Lucy taking the football away from Charlie Brown. Nowadays, you’ll need an app and a subscription to a streaming service for that. It’s been several years since the rights to show the beloved “Peanuts” specials were bought by Apple, which means these shows produced by Mendelson/Melendez Productions and owned by Peanuts Worldwide are now hidden behind a paywall, making it difficult for those not closely following the streaming industry to locate them.

In the heart of the novel “The Seed of the Sacred Fig“, the investigating judge Iman (Missagh Zareh), whose name signifies faith, is experiencing a crisis. The weapon he oversees in his work has mysteriously vanished, with his family denying any knowledge of its whereabouts. He’s been inundated by protesters advocating for Woman, Life, Freedom, and the numerous death sentences he’s been compelled to sanction are weighing heavily on him. Furthermore, his daughters, whom he believed he had nurtured piously, are confounding him with their empathy towards the women shedding their government-mandated veils and participating in public protests. The walls he’s meticulously constructed between his personal and professional lives are crumbling, to the point that when he stops at a traffic light on his way home, he believes he sees his eldest daughter driving beside him, with her hair uncovered, makeup applied, and visible tattoos. She meets his gaze, an unrepentant embodiment of his fears. This novel, a political thriller, a chilling horror tale, and a tribute to defiance, finds its courage and spirit in the bravery of Iranian girls and women.

As a devoted fan of the story behind “Queer”, both the novel itself and the intriguing circumstances surrounding its creation, I must admit I felt a pang of apprehension upon hearing about Luca Guadagnino’s $53 million adaptation of this unfinished autobiographical work. It wasn’t solely the atypical casting of Daniel Craig as William Burroughs’ character, William Lee, or the striking portrayal of Drew Starkey as the enigmatic, younger love interest, Eugene Allerton, who graced the screen in exquisite knitwear designed by none other than Jonathan Anderson, a friend of Guadagnino and the film’s costume designer. No, it was much more than that: the idea of Guadagnino, with his vibrant colors and breathtaking aesthetic, directing a Burroughs adaptation, seemed incongruous to me – a stark contrast to my mental image of how this book should be visually represented on screen.

Despite Wendy Williams’ absence from public view, her personal life continues to be a matter of public discussion. In September 2023, her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, submitted a complaint in New York, alleging that Williams lacked the capacity to consent to a Lifetime documentary series about her current life. The Los Angeles Times reported this claim. Diagnosed with early-onset dementia and aphasia in 2023, Williams made her health condition public in February 2024, and has been under guardianship since 2022. The Lifetime series titled “Where Is Wendy Williams?” listed Williams as an executive producer. According to the complaint, Williams was too vulnerable to agree to be filmed, let alone subjected to humiliation and exploitation. The complaint seeks financial compensation from the defendants, including A&E Networks (Lifetime’s parent company), and requests that the documentary series be halted.

Presenting a streaming service subscription could be a thoughtful way to ensure both you and your dear ones keep up-to-date with the ever-expanding selection of content, particularly when seeking a convenient, practical, or emergency Christmas gift. However, determining the specifics of gifting a subscription might leave you perplexed. How does one even give a subscription? Which ones offer gift cards? Are there package deals? Which platform streams Yellowstone? Take it easy. We initially published this guide on December 4, 2020 and have consistently updated streaming gift options since then. Let’s explore each service to comprehend how to purchase them for your loved ones if you need a last-minute present.

2024 finds comedy enthusiasts with an abundance of stand-up performances at their convenience, thanks to numerous platforms like Netflix, HBO, Amazon, and YouTube. Every month sees dozens of fresh releases, making the competition more intense than ever before. This situation could be seen as a sign of market saturation or simply as a testament to the endless hunger of audiences for comedy. Interestingly, Hulu, having previously launched Hulu’s Laughing Now (now rebranded as Hularious) on November 22 with Jim Gaffigan’s special “The Skinny,” is wagering on the latter interpretation. Until now, Hulu had chosen to stay out of the stand-up race entirely. However, it’s now pouring resources into comedians such as Gaffigan, Bill Burr, Roy Wood Jr., Atsuko Okatsuka, and Ilana Glazer, with plans to release a new original stand-up special every month for the next year, in an effort to establish its position in this bustling market.

Here’s the latest update from our Movie Fantasy League newsletter! Although the drafting period for this season has ended, don’t worry if you missed it – simply sign up to receive our newsletter. It offers a weekly round-up of the box office earnings, awards nominations, and industry buzz about the most talked-about films.

As a movie enthusiast, I must admit that Austin Butler’s portrayal of Elvis Presley in the movie wasn’t always an exact replica of the legend. Yet, this fact didn’t diminish the joy and excitement his eight-month long immersion into the Elvis persona brought during the awards season. It’s even amusing to see that he seems to still be channeling Elvis off-screen.

“A flashback episode is always appealing, isn’t it? In ‘Last Drink,’ only 12 minutes are devoted to the flashback of events leading up to Tia’s death and its aftermath, which I believe could have been expanded upon for a more immersive experience. However, the brief glimpse into the past does provide valuable context, revealing the parallel paths of Louis and the man whose wife he unintentionally killed.

In simpler terms, “Bad Sisters” is likely to present a villain that we can’t help but dislike. Unlike JP, played by Claes Bang, who seemed intent on making everyone around him miserable at any cost, Fiona Shaw’s character, Angelica, is less obviously despicable. However, her unwillingness to acknowledge wrongdoing makes my skin crawl. She justifies her actions under the belief that anything done in love cannot be bad. But what Angelica defines as “love” is questionable. Her behavior includes manipulating someone’s future for personal gain and responding to news of a rape with a smile. Despite her claims of loneliness or excessive kindness, Angelica is a calculating, self-centered individual who uses others’ guilt to fill the void in her own life. As Bibi puts it, she’s a “hateful, homophobic wagon.