Entertainment

Discussing the show “Severance” might be an experience that’s equally exciting and perplexing. When will Mark fully regain his memories? What happened to Gemma/Ms. Casey? Why are there goats involved? The answers to these questions, intriguingly or perhaps still infuriatingly, lead to even more complex, philosophical quandaries: Are our personal identities tied to our memories? Are corporations just advanced cults? Is the suffering of others justified? Can a soul be divided in half?

While it’s logical that a series centered around employees at a secretive biotech firm who forget their work-related experiences daily would spark such profound, existential debates, what intrigues me about “Severance” is a relatively minor, practical inquiry: What salary do the employees receive?

Surprisingly, there’s a glimmer of optimism here. While many films imitating “Die Hard” fall short, there’s a longstanding trend of movies from the 90s, to be precise, that took the “Die Hard” concept and excelled. Movies like “Speed”, “Under Siege”, “Cliffhanger”, “The Rock”, and several others follow this pattern. (For an enjoyable exploration of this genre, listen to the podcast “Die Hard on a Blank” by Liam Billingham and Phil Gawthorne.) The film “Cleaner” is directed by Martin Campbell, a renowned action director who has delivered movies such as “Goldeneye”, “Casino Royale”, and “The Mask of Zorro”. Despite not receiving studio blockbusters anymore, he still delivers high-quality action films. (His last film, the gritty war thriller “Dirty Angels”, was released by Lionsgate in December 2021. I was among the few who enjoyed his 2022 Liam Neeson film “Memory”, but I wasn’t as fond of his 2021 film “The Protégé” starring Maggie Q and Michael Keaton.) Campbell’s direction ensures that when chaos ensues, we are in capable hands.

Although Alex realizes that Kidder’s arrest and death under mysterious circumstances won’t be the end for George in the eyes of his father, Dreyer seems certain that he will stop probing the matter. In a state of urgency, Alex storms into Dreyer’s office filled with conspirators and pleads with them to admit their wrongdoings, which appears unreasonable. She confronts Dreyer, saying, “You said one minute of a system shock, but a few months with the right people in power and the country will be back on track by Christmas.” This is our first insight into the objective of Zero Day – an astonishing endeavor to bring together both political parties. Indeed, what?

On February 18th, Lively made changes to her lawsuit, mentioning that two other actresses (one possibly being Slate), who were initially unnamed, would be ready to vouch for her in court. Previously, Slate had publicly endorsed Lively during the winter season, stating on Today that “Blake is a trailblazer, a reliable friend, and a source of emotional comfort for me and many others who know and appreciate her.” Here’s to hoping Slate was truthful about her connection with Lively, as they now find themselves in the same situation.

Given the recent THR article (accompanied by peculiar artwork), it appears that Lively’s dispute with Baldoni revolves around his unique Bahá’i faith, which could lead to more intrigue in the future.

In a different tone, “The Monkey” isn’t your typical coming-of-age story like “Stand by Me”, but rather it uses this premise as a ruse, according to Perkins. The tragic event where a key turn causes their mother (Tatiana Maslany) a fatal brain hemorrhage forces Hal and Bill to throw the monkey down a well. The movie fast-forwards from 1999 to the present, with an adult Hal (Theo James), who has grown estranged from his brother and son, Petey (Colin O’Brien). Seeking peace, Hal finds himself once again in turmoil when the monkey resurfaces, causing a string of unfortunate incidents that claim the life of Aunt Ida (Sarah Levy) through various accidents that seem excessive. (Fishhooks, fire, impalement: She endures them all.) Upon Hal’s return to the Maine town he grew up in, he becomes determined to uncover and eradicate the evil from his past, making “The Monkey” increasingly similar to “It: Chapter Two”. Perkins, the writer and director of the film, is keenly aware of the connections that audiences familiar with King adaptations will draw, but he’s not merely paying tribute. The more you scrutinize “The Monkey”, the more its intentional twists on the tropes synonymous with Stephen King movies become evident.

Schafer mentioned that she had to obtain a fresh passport as the previous one was stolen in Barcelona the previous year. She stated that since she altered her gender marker during her teenage years, she marked herself as female on the application. However, the recently issued passport identifies her as male, which she suspects is due to the lack of an update on her birth certificate. “I don’t care that they placed an M on my passport; it doesn’t fundamentally alter who I am or my trans identity,” Schafer said. “Nonetheless, it does make life a bit more challenging.” She added that she will need to use this new passport for international travel next week, which may necessitate frequent disclosure of her trans status to border control agents, something she’d prefer not to do.

What’s particularly distressing about the situation with the Baldwins is that it’s not merely about Alec and Hilaria, their seven children, and eight pets sharing a five-bedroom apartment in Manhattan. Nor is it solely about Hilaria’s previous scandal involving cultural appropriation and misrepresentation. Additionally, it encompasses the ongoing manslaughter case against Alec following an incident where he unintentionally discharged a prop gun on the set of the film “Rust,” resulting in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Weekly Analysis: “Seven Severance Questions” delves into the complexities of one of TV’s most mind-bending series by spotlighting the oddest, most perplexing, and most crucial unexplored aspects following each episode. Expect a blend of theories, some of which might appear a bit off the wall.

“Seven Severance Questions” is a weekly breakdown aimed at unraveling the intricacies of one of television’s most puzzling shows by focusing on its strangest, most confounding, and most vital unsolved mysteries after each episode. Be prepared for a mix of theories, some of which may seem a bit eccentric.

Stephen King’s works have been adapted in numerous ways, with some adaptations being done by King himself. This vast array of adaptations makes it challenging to find a common theme among all the films based on his work. While many of these adaptations fall into the horror genre (and it’s true that many of the early ones were horror), this is largely due to the 1980s being the era when King was primarily recognized as a horror author. As King’s body of work and reputation have grown, his stories have been transformed into dramas, comedies, musicals, and even a Bollywood film.

Kicking off our rundown of the last fortnight’s highlights, I’d like to give a shout-out to John Oliver, who graced The Late Show With Stephen Colbert an impressive 20 times! During their latest encounter, both seemed to be in high spirits as they tackled one of the most distressing events in recent American history. When Stephen mentioned that people tune into Last Week Tonight to unwind, John’s response was priceless: “That’s like self-inflicting wounds to relax!” This interaction inspired me to dedicate a section to some of the more unusual statements made on late-night shows during these past two weeks.