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The Farmagia video game will soon make its grand entrance into animation after being released on multiple gaming consoles in November. The multimedia anime franchise features character designs by Hiro Mashima, the creator of Fairy Tail and Edens Zero.

Marvelous shared the first look at the anime adaptation of Farmagia on its official YouTube channel. According to Comic Natalie, the anime TV series will premiere on Jan. 10, 2025, and share the same Japanese voice cast as its video game release. Bridge, the animation studio that worked on Fairy Tail Seasons 2-3 and Shaman King: Flowers and Yu-Gi-Oh! Go Rush!!, is producing the Farmagia series.

Related Fairy Tail's Brandish Mu is an Overpowered Shonen Character Done Right

Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest brings back Brandish Mu, focusing on friendship over power.

Marvelous Reveals First Trailer for Farmagia's Anime Series

In addition to sharing the same character designer, the Farmagia anime series...

Ventana Sur’s Animation! WIPs by Annecy, curated by the prestigious French festival, has unveiled the five features set to participate in its 2024 edition, coming later this month.

Titles selected for this year’s Montevideo-set get-together come from across Latin America and feature co-producers from Europe and North America. Countries with producers involved in this year’s lineup include Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Spain, Canada, France and the U.S.

According to the selection’s organizers, “This year’s selection brings together proposals that stand out for their narrative and technical diversity, confirming the moment of growth that the region’s animation industry is experiencing.”

Below, we take a closer look at the diverse and promising slate of feature titles that will be presented at this year’s Animation! WIPs by Annecy.

“Heart of Darkness” Rogério Nunes

‘Heart of Darkness’

Based on the classic 19th-century novel but set in modern-day Brazil,...

Dan Da Dan has received great praise from fans and critics alike, and now, even Hideo Kojima has thrown stunning remarks its way. Dan Da Dan has received an incredible amount of hype over the past few months to become one of the most hotly-anticipated anime of the year, and with how much Kojima engages with pop culture, it was bound to end up on his radar.

Its one thing for Hideo Kojima to watch Dan Da Dan, but the praise hes offered it is another story, entirely. Following the series premiere, Hideo Kojima spoke at length about Dan Da Dan on X, and there, Hideo Kojima praised Dan Da Dan for its unique animation style and stellar character designs and voice acting. With how the story is executed, it makes perfect sense that Hideo Kojima would like Dan Da Dan as much as he did, and for anyone who...

Japanese video game designer Hideo Kojima took to his official X account on Oct 5, 2024, to share his thoughts on the currently airing Dandadan anime, praising its themes of the occult and UFOs while expressing enthusiasm for the production’s unique style.

In his post, Kojima mentioned that while he hasn’t read the original manga, Dandadan‘s themes of UFOs and the supernatural immediately struck a chord with him.

“I got a bit tired of reading so browsed my subscription. Saw the anime ‘Dandadan’ was up, so I decided to watch the first episode. I haven’t read the original manga, but being from the generation that loves the occult and UFOs, it really hit home...

Animation from Spain is attending the Ottawa International Animation Festival’s Tac (The Animation Conference) for the first time this year and has brought with it three of Spain’s hottest up-and-coming animation producers for a roundtable to discuss the current state of Iberian animation and pitch their pipelines to the international and North American markets.

A Spanish government-backed presence at North America’s most important animation festival and the leading indie-dedicated animation event on the global calendar indicates a desire to become a bigger player in Canada and the U.S. while bolstering the country’s global reputation.

International ambitions are being fueled by increased activity in Spain. According to Icex Spain Trade and Investment, the Spanish government body that spearheads this year’s Ottawa involvement, in 2023, Spanish companies produced six animated features, 25 short films and 68 seasons of animated TV series.

Commercial and critically, Spanish animation is also reaching new heights.

Hajime Isayama began his Attack on Titan journey in September 2009 and ended in April 2021. The fans loved the narrative, and the plot twists made it even more intriguing. After the manga was adapted into an anime, its popularity increased. After running for ten years, it concluded and left the fans grief-stricken.

Even though Isayama gained worldwide fame, he still regretted a particular thing about his creation. The ending was thought to be too rushed, but more than the ending, he regretted building the Attack on Titan world. He felt that he could have done better if he had taken more time to do it.

Attack On Titan Was Not Perfect From Hajime Isayama’s Perspective Attack on Titan (Credit: Mappa)

Attack on Titan became one of the greatest anime ever and broke several records during its decade-long journey. If the ending issue is ignored, it was the perfect masterpiece created by Hajime Isayama.

Quick Links When Does Episode #24 of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Release? What Happened in Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2, Episode #23? Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Episode #24 Begins a New Phase for Rudy Rudy faces new romantic entanglements and must navigate complex relationships in season 2, episode 24 of Mushoku Tensei. Season 2, episode #24 marks the beginning of a new phase for Rudy as he returns home with baggage and a chance at greater happiness. Fans are eager to see how Rudy's adventures unfold as he transitions back to university in the upcoming episodes of Mushoku Tensei.

Rudeus Greyrat's healing takes on a different challenge with the upcoming release of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation season 2, episode #24. His trials thus far this season have included reuniting with Sylphiette, getting married, and even having a child on the way before being called away on a rescue mission to recover his mother. Amid traumatic events that follow his latest adventure,...

Exclusive: Tom Francis, the Olivier Award-winning actor who will reprise his West End portrayal of Joe Gillis in Jamie Lloyd’s West End production of Sunset Boulevard when the revival moves to Broadway this fall, has signed with Linden Entertainment.

Francis stars opposite Nicole Scherzinger, who plays Norma Desmond in the revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Don Black-Christopher Hampton musical adaptation of Billy Wilder’s 1950 film classic.

In addition to Scherzinger and Francis, West End cast members making the move to Broadway’s St. James Theatre include Grace Hodgett-Young (playing Betty Schaefer) and David Thaxton (Max Von Mayerling). Previews begin Sept. 28, with an opening night of Oct. 20.

Francis, who won the Best Leading Actor/Musical Olivier for his Sunset performance, can be seen on screen when he returns to Netflix’s You, currently filming its fifth and final season. His prior stage roles include &Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre); What’s New Pussycat...

Of all the existing franchises in the entertainment industry, two of the biggest rivals are the Marvel Universe and the DC Universe. Both are two of the greatest superhero franchises of all time, with even shared writers for their comic books.

But what if these two universes were to collide onscreen due to a multiversal situation? Well, that is something very well possible and could happen.

MCU and the once-dceu.

Since both are superhero sagas, they could definitely clash onscreen in a multiversal war and just may have already done that had it not been for one superhero who had been preventing it all along.

This hero is ‘Access’ from the Marvel universe, and he is actually responsible for preventing these 2 superhero universes from clashing — even more crucial than Benedict Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange!

Access is Responsible for Preventing Marvel’s Clash With DC

While both are superhero-verses that have...

“A New Dawn,” the feature debut of Yoshitoshi Shinomiya, an animator on Makoto Shinkai’s blockbuster “Your Name,” is one draw in a five-title Annecy Animation Showcase which involves producers of real impact on the global independent animation scene.

The showcase will unveil a second brand-new animation project, “Mu-Ki-Ra,” co-produced by “Unicorn Wars” backer Abano Producións. The Showcase also features two key French prestige animation titles: “Conference of the Birds,” now backed by Le Pacte, and “In Waves,” from Silex Films, Anonymous Content, and leading sales agency Charades. Rounding up the selection is the anticipated Mexican feature “The Language of Birds.”

The Annecy Festival has long been the most important date on the international animation calendar, unfolding on the picturesque shores of Lake Annecy in France each summer.

In 2016, Cannes’ Marché du Film started providing a spring sneak peek at a small collection of work-in-progress titles that would...

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon East-West Award

Huang Jianxin

International Contribution to Chinese Cinema Award

Norman Wang

Fei Mu Awards

Fei Mu Awards: Best Film

“Only the River Flows” Dir. Wei Shujun.

Fei Mu Awards: Best Director

Geng Zihan for “A Song Sung Blue”

Film Review: A Song Sung Blue (2023) by Zihan Geng

Fei Mu Awards: Best Actress

Lyu Xingchen for “Carefree Days” (dir. Xu Lingling)

Fei Mu Awards: Best Actor

Zhang Yu for “Records Without Words” (dir. Li Lizhong)

Fei Mu Awards: Jury Award

“Dance Still” Dirs. Qin Muqiu, Zhan Hanqi

Fei Mu Awards: Special Mention (joint winners)

“The Night Rain South Township” Dir. Li Binbin.

“Undoing Time” Dir. Li Pu

Fei Mu Awards: Best Short Film

“Questions to Heaven” Dirs. Wenqi, Zheng Ziyi.

Roberto Rossellini Awards

Roberto Rossellini Awards: Best Film

“Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell” Dir. Pham Thien An

Roberto Rossellini Awards: Best Director

Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir for “City of Wind...

Two titles which debuted at Cannes this year were named as the major prize-winners at the seventh edition of the Pingyao International Film Festival in China.

Wei Shujun’s black comedy-thriller “Only the River Flows” won the festival’s Fei Mu prize for best Chinese film. “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell,” by Vietnamese feature film debutant Pham Thien An, won the Roberto Rossellini prize for best international film. The picture is a Vietnam, Singapore, France, Spain co-production and won Cannes’ Camera d’Or for best first film.

Other prizes went to Hong Kong-based Norman Wang, a veteran consultant, marketeer and festival scout, and to Huang Jianxin, a leading mainland Chinese director-screenwriter and producer whose directing career has ranged from satire to propaganda. He also produced Sun Zhou’s Gong Li- and Tony Leung-starring “Zhou Yu’s Train.”

The festival, originally conceived by Jia Zhangke and Marco Mueller, is held in the Unesco-heritage,...

Taichi Kimura lives between two worlds. The Japanese filmmaker based in London made himself a name in the music industry by producing videos for Chemical Brothers, David Guetta, Chase & Status, and many more. Now, the 36-year-old director makes his debut on the big screen with his first feature „Afterglows“.

Director Taichi Kimura visited the Japannual Film Festival in Vienna for the international premiere of his debut film “Afterglows”. In our interview, the ambitious filmmaker reveals his vision for the Japanese film industry and gives personal insights into his career.

Let’s start with the basics. Who are you? What’s your background and what made you become a filmmaker?

I was born in Japan and I was raised in the middle of Tokyo. So, I was actually a city boy. I think the film that really got me was probably “Jurassic Park” (1993). I was like only five years old or something like that.

The elite and prestitious graduate acting program of New York’s The Julliard School will go tuition-free beginning this fall, a massive shift in the economics of arts schooling and student opportunities.

The school announced the move today, explaining that the four-year masters program, which currently costs each student about $53,300 per year, will eliminate the tuition after having raised $15 million including key gifts from Broadway theater producers Stephanie P. McClelland and John Gore.

The fourth year of the four-year program has always been tuition free in order for the school to compete with the many three-year arts schools, but the switch to entirely tuition-free is a major change in the world of elite arts education.

In a statement, the school said this morning, “Today we announced that the Drama Division’s Mfa in Acting will join Julliard’s growing list of tuition-free programs. Beginning in fall of 2024, all four years...

Treat Williams, the actor best known for playing Dr. Andy Brown on the Greg Berlanti-produced Everwood, has died, Deadline has confirmed. He was 71.

Williams played the kindhearted lead on Everwood for four years, a role that seemed to fit the actor perfectly. The show was never a ratings blockbuster, but it helped launch the careers of Chris Pratt, Emily VanCamp and Gregory Smith. Williams’ was well-seasoned by the time the show came around.

More recently, the actor was seen on the Hallmark Channel’s called Chesapeake Shores.

Williams made his film debut in the 1975 thriller film Deadly Hero. The following year he played a supporting role in The Ritz. His breakthrough came in 1979, when he starred as George Berger in the Miloš Forman’s Hair, which was based on the 1967 Broadway musical. Williams was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role in the film. Other films include...

“Children of Mu-Town follows the course charted by youths of an aging residential housing complex who are struggling for their lives: burdened by financial issues, peer pressure, and uncertain futures, ensnared in the clutches of organized crime, they are searching for a way to survive. When a municipal renovation project seems to offer a future of stability for their dilapidated town, the mysterious and far-reaching consequences that their actions set into motion may leave Juichi and his friends with no option but annihilation.” (Glacier Bay Books)

Through Glacier Bay Books Site

Or Read Digitally Through Azuki

Masumura Jushichi's “Children of Mu-Town” is a unique look into Japanese indie manga, made possible through Glacier Bay Books which specializes in shining light on lesser-known titles and creators.

The manga lingers in a peculiar limbo state, meeting at a place where the youth of Japan clash with the older generation through socio-economic factors.

Something interesting about Japanese kanji is how versatile they are. Just one of them can carry various meanings and can therefore be applied in multiple scenarios. They can become even more versatile when combined with other kanji.

This aspect of kanji was made apparent in a recent episode of Demon Slayer. A flashback involving Muichiro Tokito's twin brther Yuichiro revealed the dual meaning behind the mu ( 無) in his name. This definition makes perfect sense to Japanese fans. As for foreign audiences, their understanding of the wordplay at work is a mixed bag. To clear things up for English speakers, here's what Muichiro's name means and how the concept of Mu is used.

Related: When Demon Slayer Takes Place and Why the Time Period Matters to the Story

What Does Muichiro's Name Mean?

Mu is used to represent "nothingness," just as Yuichiro said. More specifically, it denotes the lack of...

This Demon Slayer review contains spoilers.

Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 8

“You can’t trust the word of a man who died trying to save someone else.”

At its core, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a story about the power of family, which is able to surpass any Breathing Technique or Blood Demon Art. The anime typically presents this unity through Tanjiro and Nezuko. However, Demon Slayer decides that it’s finally time for Muichiro Tokito to break free of his aquatic prison and do something this season. This rise to action on the coattails of ambivalence corresponds to the episode’s title, which interrogates the etymology of Muichiro’s name.

Yuichiro weaponizes the idea that “Mu” comes from “Munou,” which translates to incompetence. Muichiro feels as if his very existence has set him up to not only be inferior to his brother, but fall short in every one of life’s endeavors.

Michael Butler, the Tony-winning producer who brought Hair to Broadway in 1968 and later produced the film adaptation and many other productions of the show, died Monday in Santa Barbara. He was 95.

His attorney confirmed the news on behalf of Butler’s family but give not provide details.

Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery Related Story 'The Music Man' Extends Broadway Run By Two Weeks Related Story Jimmy Fallon Confirms "I'm In!" To Reprise 'Almost Famous' Film Role For Broadway Musical In Drop-By Performances – Update

As a producer, social figure and international bon vivant, Michael Butler was an international celebrity in the 1960s and ’70s. As his 1968 production of Hair became an international hit, with 12 productions around the world, his friendships grew among exotic global figures such as the Shah of Iran and the Mahajarah of Jaipur. As a host at his lavish polo grounds in the UK,...

Mark Knopfler’s score for “The Princess Bride,” to quote the film, was only mostly dead.

On Saturday, the L.A. Philharmonic will perform it live to picture at the Hollywood Bowl — and they really do mean live. The original 1987 score was recorded almost entirely using a Synclavier sampling machine, with the exception of some nylon guitar solos by Knopfler. Under veteran conductor David Newman, the music will — like Cary Elwes’ Westley — finally come back from the dead.

Rob Reiner’s swashbuckling, romantic, meta-comedic film has a legion of fans — including the many celebrities who reenacted it at home during the pandemic — but depending on who you ask, Knopfler’s artificial-sounding score is either its beautiful beating heart… or a dated ear-sore. Composer Bear McCreary (“Godzilla: King of the Monsters”) recently said: “It remains on my list of good scores that don’t age well.”

But for Reiner, the way...

Exclusive: The world’s most famous domino toppling artist has bowled over discovery+.

The streaming service on Friday announced the acquisition of Lily Topples the World, the SXSW Grand Jury Prize-winning documentary about Lily Hevesh, a 20-year-old domino dropping sensation whose videos have attracted more than 1 billion views on YouTube.

The film, directed by Jeremy Workman, will premiere on discovery+ this summer, part of a robust slate of nonfiction programming announced by the platform ahead of the May TV Upfronts next week.

Lily Topples the World was filmed over three years and includes appearances by Jimmy Fallon, Katy Perry, Will Smith, and YouTuber Casey Neistat. Discovery+ describes it as “a unique portrait of an artist, a story of how passion and artistry can make dreams come true, and an unlikely American tale of a quiet Chinese adoptee who transforms into a global artistic force.”

Actress Kelly Marie Tran serves as an executive producer on the documentary.

“Lily is an absolute force. She is an incredible artist who believes in the magic of her own dreams, and her story is one every person will be able to see themselves in,” Tran commented. “She’s the role model I wish I had growing up, and I can’t wait for the world to hear her story.”

Lisa Holme, group SVP, head of content & commercial strategy for Discovery Inc., observed, “Lily is one of the most talented young artists in the world and we are so excited to share this heart-warming documentary alongside a compelling slate of new original docs. The combination of Lily’s visually stunning projects, complemented by her inspiring personal story makes this a can’t miss doc.”

Lily Topples the World joins a lineup of new documentary films that discovery+ promises “will take audiences on a diverse and enlightening journey this year.” Launching June 17 on the service is My Name Is Bulger, about former Massachusetts political figure William Bulger, younger brother of James “Whitey” Bulger, the notorious Boston crime boss. Brendan J. Byrne directed the film that is said to strip “away the hysteria of daily print headlines” about the Bulgers to reveal “a unique American family.”

The Smartest Kids in the World, directed by Tracy Droz Tragos and launching on discovery+ August 16, chronicles “the journey of four American teenagers who study abroad in countries that dramatically outperform the United States in education.”

Launching August 23 is Generation Growth from director Mu Sun, a documentary about Bronx teacher and “urban farmer” Stephen Ritz, who “developed an incredibly successful indoor gardening curriculum that allows children to grow vegetables in the classroom, helping them eat better, be more engaged with school and give them pathways for jobs.”

Set to launch October 18 is the documentary Crutch, directed by Sachi Cunningham and Vayabobo, about the “gravity-defying life” of Bill Shannon, an artist and dancer who performs on crutches.

The previously announced documentaries Introducing, Selma Blair and Rebel Hearts are also set to premiere on discovery+ in 2021.

In addition to claiming the top prize at SXSW, Lily Topples the World won the audience award at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Jeremy Workman produced, directed and edited the film. Robert J. Lyons produced; executive producers include the aforementioned Kelly Marie Tran, as well as Allen Altman, Cathie Altman, Marnie Black, Scott Black, and Jane Lee.

“This film documents the most pivotal moments of my life, professionally and personally,” domino toppler Hevesh said in a video released ahead of SXSW. “This documentary means so much to me and I cannot wait for you to see it when it gets publicly released.”...

MollywoodThe film, which was to be directed by the late Sachy, is based on a novel of the same name, written by Gr Indugopan.Digital NativeWhen the Prithviraj starrer Vilayath Buddha was announced, it was revealed that Sachy would direct it. However, after the untimely demise of the talented filmmaker, the movie’s direction was taken over by Sachy’s associate Jayan Nambiar. The film is based on the book of the same title, written by Gr Indugopan. Recently, Indugopan made it clear that the film will proceed keeping in view what Sachy had envisioned. In an interview given to the Times of India, Indugopan said that the only change will be the director and the rest of the cast and crew as well as the story will remain the same. He has written the script in association with Rajesh Pinnadan. Indugopan said that Sachy’s soul is attached to...

Iffk Director Mohit Priyadarshi’s film, featured at the Iffk, is based on the real life incident of an Adivasi boy who was picked up by the police wrongly.CrisThere’s a certain peace in the air that’s almost too good to last when Kosa, the Hindi film directed by Mohit Priyadarshi, begins. The calmness of a house in a village by the forest, the casualness of a sleepy morning for the young girl of the house, the older boy leaving, exchanging glances with the neighbour girl, goats in the yard, quiet pathways between the houses. Even if you have read nothing about the critically acclaimed Kosa, you know there’s trouble coming. And when it does, you can’t go back to the comfortable thought that it’s cinema, it’s unreal. Kosa is a fictionalised version of a real life story where an Adivasi boy is taken...

Arguably the most important choreographer living today, Twyla Tharp continues to push herself to new creative heights even in the midst of the pandemic. The unstoppable force of modern movement will get a feature film treatment in “Twyla Moves,” which PBS is releasing in March as part of its American Masters series.

The documentary will feature interviews alongside select footage of Tharp’s more than 160 choreographed works, “including 129 dances, 12 television specials, six major Hollywood movies, four full-length ballets, four Broadway shows and two figure skating routines.” A pioneer of both modern dance and ballet, Tharp is famously prolific, hard-working, and constantly evolving. “Twyla Moves” promises a rarified glimpse into the living legend’s nimble mind and rigorous creative process.

“Talking about one’s personal history is — as everyone who’s ever interviewed me knows — not my forte, and not my chosen mode of expression,” Tharp said during a virtual panel...

How did events of 2020—any of them—change your film, either in the way you approached it, produced it, post-produced it, or are now thinking about it? In October 2019 Chen Zhou came over to Gijón to act but also help me shoot El Planeta. Back then I promised I wouldn’t cut my hair until I visited Shanghai again, because I was supposed to spend a month in China during March 2020. Of course, all those plans got cancelled. Now my hair is much longer than I expected and I truly miss my friend and collaborator Chen Zhou. But I also […]

The post "I Promised I Wouldn't Cut My Hair": Director Amalia Ulman | El Planeta first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

How did events of 2020—any of them—change your film, either in the way you approached it, produced it, post-produced it, or are now thinking about it? In October 2019 Chen Zhou came over to Gijón to act but also help me shoot El Planeta. Back then I promised I wouldn’t cut my hair until I visited Shanghai again, because I was supposed to spend a month in China during March 2020. Of course, all those plans got cancelled. Now my hair is much longer than I expected and I truly miss my friend and collaborator Chen Zhou. But I also […]

The post "I Promised I Wouldn't Cut My Hair": Director Amalia Ulman | El Planeta first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

During his brief appearance in the primetime special honoring his inauguration, President Joe Biden nonetheless insisted that he and Vice President Kamala Harris “wanted to make sure our inauguration wasn’t about us, but about you, the American people.” It was a nice sentiment, even if it wasn’t especially possible to achieve; by default, the first day of any presidential term revolves around the new president. So even though the special took pains to paint a broader portrait of America writ large, “Celebrating America” — a slick production teeming with stars, aggressively sincere stories and somber moments of remembrance — inevitably reflected the incoming administration that inspired it.

“Celebrating America” traded the usual inauguration night balls for socially distanced performances from around the country, spotlights of “everyday heroes,” and solemn acknowledgments of the extraordinarily tough few years the country has muscled through to get to this moment. Biden and Harris both spoke just once; otherwise,...

We’ve got questions, and you’ve (maybe) got answers! With another week of TV gone by, we’re lobbing queries left and right about shows including American Gods, This Is Us, Search Party and WandaVision!

1 | Pretend It’s a City watchers, did you find director/interviewer Martin Scorsese’s interminable guffawing at Fran Lebowitz’s schtick charming, or intrusive?

More from TVLineWandaVision's Elizabeth Olsen on Why We Shouldn't Fear Wanda's [Spoiler]Performer of the Week: Paul BettanyWandaVision's Vintage Commercials Add 'Another Level' of Mystery to Series, Says Marvel's Kevin Feige

2 | Could Blue Bloods have put Baez in an undercover...

FilmApart from this, 12 films have been selected in the ‘Malayalam Cinema Today’ category and seven in the ‘Indian Cinema Now’ category.Tnm StaffLijo Jose Pellissery’s Churuli and Jayaraj’s Hasyam have been selected for competition at the 25th edition of the prestigious Iffk (International Film Festival of Kerala) in Thiruvananthapuram. The two Malayalam films have been selected for competition in the International category and will be screened at the Iffk, which will be held from February 12 to February 19 next year. Filmmaker Mohit Priyadarshi’s Hindi film Kosa and Akshay Indiker’s Marathi film Chronicle of Space or Sthalpuran have also been selected in this category. Further, 12 Malayalam films have been selected to compete in a category named ‘Malayalam Cinema Today’. These are: Gramavrikshathile Kuyil (Cuckoo on the Village Tree) by Kp Kumaran, C U Soon by Mahesh Narayan, Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam (The First Secret to Happiness) by Don Palathara,...

Writer/director Catherine Hardwicke talks about her favorite intense movies with Josh.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Citizen Kane (1941)

Thirteen (2003)

Lords of Dogtown (2005)

Heat and Sunlight (1987)

Angelo My Love (1983)

Kids (1995)

Out Of The Blue (1980)

The Wanderers (1979)

Mean Streets (1973)

A Woman Under The Influence (1974)

Husbands (1970)

City of God (2002)

Boys Don’t Cry (1999)

The Next Karate Kid (1994)

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Hair (1979)

The Hangover (2009)

Porky’s (1981)

Hamburger: The Motion Picture (1986)

Twilight (2008)

The Nativity Story (2006)

Pariah (2011)

Mudbound (2017)

Sex And The City: The Movie (2008)

The Florida Project (2017)

Tangerine (2015)

The Ocean of Helena Lee (2015)

Other Notable Items

Rob Nilsson

Sundance Film Festival

Robert Duvall

Larry Clark

Peanuts comic strip (1950-2000)

Charles M. Schulz

Chloe Sevigny

Rosario Dawson

Heath Ledger

Linda Manz

Dennis Hopper

Philip Kaufman

Ken Wahl

The Wanderers novel by Richard Price (1974)

Robert De Niro

John Cassavetes

Gena Rowlands

Fernando Meirelles

Kátia Lund

Kimberly Pierce

Hillary Swank

Scarlett Johansson

Treat Williams

John Savage

The Eli...

The oddest of awards seasons has another date set. The Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild said today that its eighth annual Muahs Awards ceremony will be a virtual affair on Saturday, April 3. Nominations will be read on Thursday, February 18.

See the full timeline below.

Julie Socash, President of IATSE Local 706, said her guild’s digital trophy show “will be streamed to a worldwide and more inclusive audience.”

Back in January, Bombshell, Fosse/Verdon and Saturday Night Live were among the big winners at the seventh Muahs Awards.

The coronavirus-altered 2020-21 awards season runs much later than normal, with many ceremonies taking place in April — culminating with the 93rd annual Academy Awards on Sunday, April 25, the latest Oscars date ever. Last year’s Academy Awards were handed out earlier than usual, on February 8.

Oscar Shakes Up Best Picture Eligibility Standards; Strict New Diversity Requirements Take Full Effect In 2024

Here is...

In today’s TV news roundup, coronavirus drama “The Second Wave” adds Phillipa Soo, Will Swenson and Leslie Uggams to its cast, and “Adventure Time: Distant Lands” unveiled the first four minutes of its upcoming special “Obsidian.”

Casting

CBS Studios and Spectrum Original’s coronavirus drama “The Second Wave” announced new casting updates with Will Swenson as a series regular and Phillipa Soo and Leslie Uggams as recurring guest stars. Swenson, best known for his work in musical theatre productions such as “Les Miserables” and “Hair,” will portray Brian Ritter, a thrill-seeking top photojournalist who is not looking forward to the upcoming citywide lockdown. Soo, known for playing the role of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton in the critically-acclaimed “Hamilton,” will portray Cyndi Estereo, a White House liaison to the CDC who will stop at nothing to conceal the truth. Tony Award-winning actor and singer Uggams, best known for her portrayal of...

Cash prizes for best film in the Roberto Rossellini and Fei Mu awards are split between the director and the winners’ Chinese distributor.

Russian director Philipp Yuryev’s The Whaler Boy was awarded best film in the Roberto Rossellini Awards at this year’s Pingyao International Film Festival, while Chinese filmmaker Li Dongmei’s Mama took best film in the Fei Mu Awards.

The Roberto Rossellini Awards are presented to films in the festival’s Crouching Tigers section (international directorial debuts or second features), while the Fei Mu Awards are for debut and second Chinese-language features in both the Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons sections.

Darren Lynn Bousman joins Josh and Joe to discuss his favorite over-the-top musicals of the 70s.

Show Notes:

Movies Referenced In This Episode

Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)

Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

Sorcerer (1977)

Star Wars (1977)

Death of Me (2020)

Jesus Christ: Superstar (1973)

Pennies From Heaven (1981)

A History Of Violence (2005)

Requiem For A Dream (2000)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

The Movie Orgy (1968)

Gremlins (1984)

The Room (2003)

Rocky (1976)

Hair (1979)

The Apple (1980)

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)

Tommy (1975)

Quadrophenia (1979)

Altered States (1980)

The Devils (1971)

Trapped Ashes (2006)

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Devil’s Carnival (2012)

Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

Rent (2005)

Wild In The Streets (1968)

A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Jazz Singer (1980)

Forbidden Zone (1982)

Eddie and the Cruisers (1983)

The First Nudie Musical (1976)

Chatterbox (1977)

Goldilocks and the Three Bares (1963)

Cabaret (1972)

Saw II (2005)

Other Notable Items

Final Draft

Paris Hilton

Elvira

Angelyne

The William Friedkin podcast episode

Leonardo DiCaprio

Jesus Christ Superstar...

I know Sion Sono has already made a movie about hair extensions that kill but Justin Simien's Bad Hair is such the perfect mix of horror and social commentary that it could well overshadow Sono's crazy cult-classic.

Elle Lorraine ("Insecure") stars as Anna, a young, ambitious woman trying to make it in the cut-throat world of late-80s music television. An executive assistant with big dreams, when her boss tells her that she needs to do something about her hair in order to elevate her career, Anna visits the local hairdresser (Laverne Cox) for some extensions. And then, just as her career starts to take off, Anna becomes convinced that her new hair might just be haunted.

The film also stars Vanessa Williams, Lena Waithe, Jay Pharoa, Kelly Rowland, Blair Underwood, James Van...

Just in time for Halloween month, Hulu has released the first official trailer for its alluring horror satire “Bad Hair,” the second feature film from “Dear White People” creator Justin Simien. Simien’s debut feature was released in 2014, which led to the eponymous hit Netflix series, set to release its fourth and final season later this year. Though the popular show will be bowing out, clearly Simien isn’t slowing down anytime soon. After a successful premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, “Bad Hair” will be released on Hulu later this month. From the looks of this trailer, it’s sure to be a hit.

Per Hulu’s official synopsis: “In this horror satire set in 1989, Bad Hair follows an ambitious young woman (Elle Lorraine) who gets a weave in order to succeed in the image-obsessed world of music television. However, her flourishing career comes at a great...

With October just around the corner, the major streaming services are boosting their horror output, whether that means “Netflix and Chills” or Blumhouse teaming up with Amazon Prime for some exclusive titles. Now, Hulu have just announced how they’ll be contributing to the Halloween fun, with additions to their library including a strong mix of original and licensed content. What, then, can we expect to see next month from the streamer’s “Huluween” lineup?

Film highlights include Bad Hair, a Justin Simien written-and-directed horror comedy that Hulu picked up at Sundance this year. Set in the 1980s, the plot sees a young woman’s career prospects improve when she gets a new weave, only for it to turn out to be evil. Other originals to look out for include a Books of Blood anthology movie, which adapts several of Clive Barker’s short stories.

In addition to that, Hulu...

DC’s streaming comics, movie and TV show streaming service is evolving in January. The app currently known as DC Universe will be changing to DC Universe Infinite, a comic book-focused streaming service.

The plan is for the updated streaming service to have 24,000 comics available at launch, a roughly 10% increase on the current library. Comics and original graphic novels will be available through Dcu Infinite within six months of publication, much faster than the current one year lag time. And DC’s successful digital-first series like Injustice: Year Zero and Batman: Gotham Knights will be available sooner. There’s also a plan for exclusive content created just for Dcu Infinite.

“Our fans love the platform’s robust library of comic books and, with the transformation, we will not disappoint,” said DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee. “I’m excited to share that not only will DC Universe Infinite...

Nickelodeon has cancelled the premiere of a new animated series after a flood of social media users noticed it bore undeniable similarities to Matthew A. Cherry’s Oscar-winning short Hair Love, our sister site Deadline reports.

Made by Maddie, a show about an 8-year-old Black girl with a passion for fashion, was set to premiere on Sunday, Sept. 13, but has now been removed from the schedule. Similarities noted between Made By Maddie and Hair Love — which was based on Cherry’s 2019 children’s book of the same name — include Maddie’s pink headband, her mother’s natural hair and her father’s shoulder-length locs.

Following a premiere at this year’s Sundance, Justin Simien’s long-awaited follow-up to Dear White People is arriving this October on Hulu. Bad Hair is a horror satire that centers on a young woman named Anna who gets a weave in order to find success in the world of television. She soon realizes that her weave might have taken on a life of its own. The film boasts a huge cast which includes Vanessa Williams, Lena Waithe, Blair Underwood, Laverne Cox, Jay Pharaoh, Robin Thede, James Van Der Beek, Usher, Kelly Rowland, in addition to Elle Lorraine (Insecure) as Anna.

“In Bad Hair I wanted to use the language of psychological thrillers and classics in the horror genre to interrogate how systems of white supremacy are often disguised as opportunities for Black people,” the director said. “I also wanted to showcase Black women in a genre that typically excludes...

The John Gore Organization, a major Tony Award-winning production company and owner of Broadway.com and The Broadway Channel, has permanently laid off what sources say is more than 100 previously furloughed employees.

Lauren Reid, Chief Operating Officer of John Gore Organization, confirmed layoffs but did not provide numbers or details about which departments were hit. “It is with a heavy heart that we have laid off a number of previously furloughed employees,” Reid said in a statement. “We very much look forward to the day when theaters re-open and audiences and staffers can return.”

The layoffs come five months into the Broadway Covid-19 shutdown that has taken a massive toll on both the industry and the theater-related economy of New York City. According to the Broadway League, the shutdown has had a direct impact on nearly 97,000 jobs supported by Broadway, and the industry typically contributes about $575 million in tax revenue.

When Pj Harvey started releasing records in the early Nineties, her raw lyrical depictions of sex and violence made people uncomfortable; it wasn’t often you heard a young, female artist (or a male one for that matter) sing something like “I’ll make it better/I’ll rub ’til it bleeds.” But Harvey wasn’t trying to play alt-rock Alice Cooper. She came about her strong stomach honestly, working as a teenage farm hand in England’s West Country. “I used to ‘ring’ all the lambs’ tails and testicles,...

Josh Braun, producer of some of the best documentaries in the world, joins Josh and Joe to discuss the movies that have influenced him throughout his life.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Man On Wire (2008)

The Cove (2009)

Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010)

Encounters At The End of the World (2007)

Winnebago Man (2009)

Spellbound (2002)

Supersize Me (2004)

Tell Me Who I Am (2019)

Apollo 11 (2019)

The Edge of Democracy (2019)

Finding Vivian Maier (2013)

Searching For Sugarman (2012)

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)

A History Of Violence (2005)

Frat House (1998)

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘N’ Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)

The Exorcist (1973)

Go West (1940)

A Night In Casablanca (1946)

Hello Down There (1974)

What’s Up Doc? (1972)

El Topo (1970)

Pink Flamingos (1972)

Female Trouble (1974)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969)

Gimme Shelter (1970)

Monterey Pop (1968)

Grey Gardens (1975)

Grey Gardens (2009)

Titicut Follies (1967)

To Have And Have Not (1944)

All About Eve...

HBO Max has ordered a 2D-animated TV series based on the characters introduced in 2019’s Hair Love, the Academy Award-winning short film.

Written and directed by Oscar winner Matthew A. Cherry, Hair Love centered around the relationship between an African-American father, his daughter Zuri, “and the most daunting task a father could ever come across – doing his daughter’s hair for the first time.”

More from TVLineClass Action Park Docu About Perilous NJ Water Park Lands at HBO MaxSearch Party Stars React to That Bonkers Trial Verdict, Look Ahead to 'Unsettling' and 'F-ked Up' Season 4Search Party Season 3 Finale Recap:...

Yes, there’s John Waters, Gus Van Sant, Pedro Almodovar, Lee Daniels, Gregg Araki, Kimberly Peirce, Lisa Cholodenko and Dee Rees. But there’s at least one other director who deserves to be included in that group of barrier-breaking LGBTQ filmmakers: Kenny Ortega.

Ortega, one of this year’s honorees on Variety’s Power of Pride list, made movies that queer kids could relate to, even if they didn’t know they were queer when they were watching them.

In 1992’s “Newsies,” Ortega discovered Christian Bale as a young actor, casting him as the star of Disney’s live-action musical about singing Manhattan newspaper delivery boys during the newsboys’ strike of 1899. The movie was so far ahead of its time that — despite soft box office receipts — it inspired a hit Broadway musical two decades later. Ortega next engineered the 1993 cult family comedy “Hocus Pocus,” with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker...

Bring back the Age of Aquarius! Olive Films returns with the company’s best Signature Edition ever. The show is an excellent choice for a special edition, as seen by the simply terrific interviews in its battery of added value featurettes. Top creative contributors have been tapped for some great memories. Rather than filming a simple adaptation, Milos Forman reinterprets the hit show, allowing Twyla Tharp’s choreographic genius to soak into most every scene — the result is a marvelous melding of theatrical and cinematic effects.

Hair

Blu-ray

Olive Signature

1979 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 121 min. / Street Date June 30, 2020 / 39.95

Starring: John Savage, Treat Williams, Beverly D’Angelo, Annie Golden, Dorsey Wright, Don Dacus, Cheryl Barnes, Richard Bright, Nicholas Ray.

Cinematography: Miroslav Ondricek

Film Editors: Lynzee Kingman, Stanley Warnow, Alan Heim

Music: Galt McDermott

Written by Michael Weller from the musical book by Gerome Ragni and James Rado

Produced by Michael Butler, Lester Persky...

Black filmmakers, creators and actors have, for years, worked to portray the gamut of black fatherhood on screen and dispel societal prejudices of the no good, or absentee black father. Here’s a list of just some of the best representations of black fatherhood and father figures on the big screen.

Furious Styles (“Boyz n the Hood”) Laurence Fishburne held nothing back, and dropped some serious knowledge as Furious Styles, the father of Cuba Gooding Jr.’s Tre in “Boyz n the Hood.” Whether it was preaching about gentrification and the plight of the crack epidemic or talking Tre down from making seeking revenge with a gun, Furious did whatever necessary to ensure his son became a man growing up in the Crenshaw ghetto of Los Angeles.

Mr. Jones (“Friday”) The late, great John Witherspoon was known mostly for his exaggerated hilarity — plenty of which unfolds in “Friday” — but as Mr.

One week after teasing a photo of mixtapes, Pj Harvey announced reissues of her entire catalog, beginning with her 1992 debut, Dry, out July 24th via Beggars Archive/Too Pure Records.

Reissued for the first time in 20 years, Dry will be accompanied by a collection of demos from the record, available as a stand-alone LP for the first time. You can hear a demo of the single “Sheela-Na-Gig” above. It’s a stripped-down version of the track, as Harvey strums a guitar and sings, “Look at these, my child-bearing hips/Look at these,...

Walter Murphy’s “A Fifth of Beethoven,” the disco-fied 1976 reinvention of the composer’s most famous symphony, seems like an unusual choice for the theme of “Mrs. America,” FX’s Cate Blanchett-starring series on the history of the 1970s women’s movement as seen from the perspective of its fervent opponent, arch-conservative Phyllis Schlafly. The song dates from late in the show’s chronology, its glitzy groove seems at odds with many of the characters, and most of all, it’s an instrumental.

But for the show’s music supervisor, Mary Ramos — who has worked on dozens of films and television shows, most prominently on several Quentin Tarantino films, including last year’s Oscar-winning “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” as well as Hulu’s “Little Fires Everywhere” — it’s a perfect choice.

“It represents both sides of the story,” she says. “Phyllis and her conservative friends listen to...

John Patrick Mahon, a director, writer and actor known for his roles in “L.A. Confidential” and “Zodiac,” died of natural causes in his home in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 3. He was 82.

Mahon played the police chief in 1997’s “L.A. Confidential” starring Kevin Spacey and Russell Crowe, and had a small part as the river captain in “Zodiac” with Robert Downey Jr. and Jake Gyllenhaal. His other notable big screen performances include “The Exorcist” and “Armageddon.”

Mohan also appeared on Broadway alongside Al Pacino in “Richard III.” In 1971, he was nominated for best actor of the year by the New York Drama Critics for his role as Father Hanley in “Nobody Hears a Broken Drum.”

In addition, the actor also made several television appearances in shows including “The X-Files,” “Frasier” and “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.” He was the sole voice for companies like Stanley Tools, Ping Golf and Pennzoil for many years.