Author: marleneardoin@yahoo.com

NEW MOVIES: July 4-10, 2024, “Despicable Me 4,” “Fly Me to The Moon,” “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot,” “The Secret Art of Human Flight”

DESPICABLE ME 4

DESPICABLE ME 4

Despicable Me 4 is a 2024 American animated comedy film produced by Illumination and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is the sequel to Despicable Me 3 (2017), the fourth main installment, and the sixth overall installment in the Despicable Me franchise. The film was directed by Chris Renaud, co-directed by Patrick Delage (in his feature directorial debut), produced by Chris Meledandri and Brett Hoffman, and written by Mike White and Ken Daurio. It stars the voices of Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Pierre Coffin, Joey King, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Sofía Vergara, Renaud, Madison Polan, Dana Gaier, Chloe Fineman, with Stephen Colbert, and Will Ferrell.

Development of a fourth Despicable Me film began in September 2017. It was officially confirmed in February 2022, with Renaud, Delage, and White attached as director, co-director, and writer, respectively. Production was underway by June 2022. Most of the main voice cast was announced in January 2024, with Hoffman and Daurio revealed as co-producer and co-writer, respectively. Heitor Pereira and Pharrell Williams returned from previous installments to compose the score and write original songs and themes, respectively.

Despicable Me 4 premiered at the Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on June 9, 2024, and was theatrically released in Australia on June 20 and in the United States on July 3. Like its predecessor, the film received mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

Undercover Anti-Villain League (AVL) agent Gru attends a class reunion at his former high school, Lycée Pas Bon, where he reunites with Maxime Le Mal, a former classmate who has a feud with Gru for stealing his talent show act. During the ceremony, Maxime reveals he has enhanced himself with cockroach body parts, and Gru has him arrested by the AVL. Helped by his girlfriend Valentina, Maxime escapes prison and reveals his new invention. This gun transforms people into cockroach hybrids, which he plans to use specifically on Gru’s infant son Gru Jr.

Voice cast

  • Steve Carell as Felonious Gru, a former supervillain turned Anti-Villain League agent; who is Margo, Edith, and Agnes’ adopted father, the biological father of Gru Jr., and Lucy’s husband, who poses as “Chet Cunningham”
  • Kristen Wiig as Lucy Wilde, an Anti-Villain League agent, Gru’s wife and adoptive mother to Margo, Edith, and Agnes, and Gru Jr.’s biological mother, who poses as “Blanche Cunningham”
  • Will Ferrell as Maxime Le Mal, a French-accented supervillain who seeks revenge on Gru and his family
  • Joey King as Poppy Prescott,[4][5] an aspiring supervillain who has admired Gru for a long time
  • Sofía Vergara as Valentina, Maxime’s femme fatale girlfriend
  • Stephen Colbert as Perry Prescott, Poppy’s father, Patsy’s husband, and Gru’s new neighbor at Mayflower[5]
  • Chloe Fineman as Patsy Prescott, Poppy’s mother, Perry’s wife, and Gru’s new neighbor at Mayflower[5]
  • Miranda Cosgrove as Margo, Gru and Lucy’s oldest adopted daughter, who poses as “Bree Cunningham”
  • Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom, the previously-retired director of the Anti-Villain League
  • Pierre Coffin as the Minions, the yellow henchmen of Gru, most of them later get jobs at the Anti-Villain League as agents
  • Dana Gaier as Edith, Gru and Lucy’s middle adopted daughter, who poses as “Blair Cunningham”
  • Madison Polan as Agnes, Gru and Lucy’s youngest adopted daughter, who poses as “Britney Cunningham”. Polan replaces Nev Scharrel from the third film
  • Chris Renaud as Übelschlecht, the principal of Lycée Pas Bon
  • Laraine Newman as Melora, a salon customer who was accidentally burned by Lucy
  • Tara Strong as Gru Jr., Gru and Lucy’s biological son
  • John DiMaggio as a Bus Driver

Additionally, Gru’s neighbor, Fred McDade, his mother Marlena Gru, his twin brother Dru Gru, and Dr. Nefario make non-speaking cameos. Several villains from the previous films (consisting of Vector and his father, Mr. Perkins, El Macho, Scarlet and Herb Overkill, Balthazar Bratt, and the Vicious 6) have non-speaking cameos at the end of the film as well.

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FLY ME TO THE MOON

FLY ME TO THE MOON

Fly Me to the Moon is an upcoming American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Greg Berlanti from a screenplay by Rose Gilroy. The film stars Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Nick Dillenburg, Anna Garcia, Jim Rash, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, Donald Elise Watkins, Ray Romano, and Woody Harrelson. Its plot follows the relationship between a marketing specialist and a NASA director during the 1960s Space Race.

Fly Me to the Moon is scheduled to be released theatrically in the United States and Canada by Columbia Pictures through Sony Pictures, Releasing on July 12, 2024, before streaming on Apple TV+ at a later date.[3][4][5]

Premise

During the 1960s Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union, a relationship developed between the NASA director in charge of the Apollo 11 launch and the marketing specialist brought in to fix NASA’s public image and stage a “back-up” fake Moon landing.[6]

Cast

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SOUND OF HOPE: THE STORY OF POSSUM TROT

SOUND OF HOPE: THE STORY OF POSSUM TROT

Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot (also simply known as Possum Trot) is an upcoming American drama film directed by Joshua Weigel and co-written by Rebekah Weigel. Actress and activist Letitia Wright serves as executive producer.

Plot

Inspired by a true story, the film follows Donna and Reverend Martin of Possum Trot, Texas, as they ignite a fire in the hearts of their rural church to embrace kids in foster care that no one else would take in. By doing the impossible—adopting 77 children—this East Texas community proved that with determined love, the battle for America’s most vulnerable can be won.

Cast

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THE SECRET ART OF HUMAN FLIGHT

THE SECRET ART OF HUMAN FLIGHT

The Secret Art of Human Flight is a 2023 American fantasy comedy-drama film written by Jesse Orenshein, directed by H.P. Mendoza, and starring Grant Rosenmeyer.

Plot

The Secret Art of Human Flight is a 2023 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by H.P. Mendoza and starring Grant Rosenmeyer. The film tells the story of a grieving widower who turns to a mysterious self-help book from the dark web, promising to unlock the power to fly12. Quirky and gentle, the movie explores themes of loss and letting go34.

Cast

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7/3/2024 #Despicable Me 4 #Fly Me To the Moon #Sound of Hope: The Story of Poissum Trot #The Secret Art of Human Flight

 

NEW MOVIES: June 27-July 3, 2024, “A Quiet Place: Day One,” “Horizon: An American Saga, Chapter 1,” “Daddio,” “How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer”

A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE

A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE

A Quiet Place: Day One is an upcoming American apocalyptic horror film written and directed by Michael Sarnoski, based on a story he conceived with John Krasinski. It is the third installment in the A Quiet Place film series, serving as a spin-off prequel to the first film. The film stars Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, and Alex Wolff, with Djimon Hounsou reprising his role from A Quiet Place Part II (2020).

A Quiet Place: Day One is scheduled to premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 26, 2024, and be released in the United States by Paramount Pictures on June 28, 2024.

Premise

Follows a woman named Sam during the early stages of an invasion in New York City by alien creatures with ultrasonic hearing.

Cast

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HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA, CHAPTER 1

HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA, CHAPTER 1

Kevin Costner’s Western epic “Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1” premieres, but it faces challenges.

Key takeaways

  • Director: Kevin Costner
  • Writer: Jon Baird, Kevin Costner
  • Stars: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington
  • Genre: Drama, Western
  • Release Date: 2024-06-28
Chronicles a multi-faceted, 15-year span of the American West’s pre-and post-Civil War expansion and settlement.

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DADDIO

DADDIO

Daddio is a 2023 American drama film produced, written and directed by Christy Hall. It stars Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn.

Premise

After landing at JFK International Airport, a young woman takes a cab back to her apartment in Manhattan. During the ride, she and the cab driver, Clark, have unexpectedly honest conversations about numerous topics, including their past and present relationships, sex and power dynamics, loss, and vulnerability.[2]

Cast

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HOW TO COME ALIVE with NORMAN MAILER

HOW TO COME ALIVE with NORMAN MAILER

“HOW TO COME ALIVE with Norman Mailer” is an upcoming documentary set to release on June 28, 20241. Directed by Jeff Zimbalist and written by Victoria Marquette and Jeff Zimbalist, the film explores the life of Norman Mailer, a significant figure in American literature1. The documentary covers Mailer’s journey from his early years in Brooklyn to becoming a leading cultural voice, detailing his six marriages, nine children, eleven bestselling books, and two Pulitzer Prizes1. It offers an intimate look at Mailer’s life, featuring access to his family and previously unseen footage1.

Nachem “Norman” Malech (“King”)[b] Mailer was born to a Jewish family in Long Branch, New Jersey, on January 31, 1923.[2][3] His father, Isaac Barnett Mailer, popularly known as “Barney,” was an accountant[3] born in South Africa, and his mother, Fanny (née Schneider), ran a housekeeping and nursing agency. Mailer’s sister, Barbara, was born in 1927.[4]

Mailer was raised in Brooklyn, first in Flatbush on Cortelyou Road[5] and later in Crown Heights at the corner of Albany and Crown Streets.[6] He graduated from Boys High School and entered Harvard College in 1939 when he was 16. As an undergraduate, he was a member of the Signet Society. At Harvard, he majored in engineering but took writing courses as electives.[7] He published his first story, “The Greatest Thing in the World,” at age 18, winning Story magazine’s college contest in 1941.[8]

Mailer graduated from Harvard in 1943 with a Bachelor of Science with honors. He married his first wife, Beatrice “Bea” Silverman, in January 1944, just before he was drafted into the U.S. Army.[9] Hoping to gain a deferment from service, Mailer argued that he was writing an “important literary work” that pertained to the war.[10] The deferral was denied, and Mailer was forced to enter the Army.[11] After training at Fort Bragg, he was stationed in the Philippines with the 112th Cavalry.[12]

During his time in the Philippines, Mailer was first assigned to regimental headquarters as a typist, then assigned as a wire lineman. In early 1945, after volunteering for a reconnaissance platoon, he completed more than two dozen patrols in contested territory and engaged in several firefights and skirmishes. After the Japanese surrender, he was sent to Japan as part of the army of occupation, was promoted to sergeant, and became a first cook.[13]

When asked about his war experiences, he said that the army was “the worst experience of my life, and also the most important.”[14] While in Japan and the Philippines, Mailer wrote to his wife Bea almost daily, and these approximately 400 letters became the foundation of The Naked and the Dead.[15] He drew on his experience as a reconnaissance rifleman for the novel’s central action: a long patrol behind enemy lines.[16][17]

 

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6/25/2024 #A Quiet Place: Day One #Horizon: An American Saga, Chapter 1 #Daddio #How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer

 

NEW MOVIES: June 20-26, 2024, “The Bikeriders,” “Thelma,” “Bread & Roses,” “Kinds of Kindness”

THE BIKERIDERS

THE BIKERIDERS

The Bikeriders is a 2023 American crime drama film written and directed by Jeff Nichols. It tells a fictional story inspired by Danny Lyon’s 1967 photo book of the same name, which depicts the lives of the Outlaws MC, a motorcycle club founded in McCook, Illinois. The film stars Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, and Norman Reedus.

The Bikeriders premiered at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2023. Originally scheduled to be released theatrically in the United States on December 1, 2023, by 20th Century Studios, the release was delayed due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Ultimately, Focus Features acquired the film from producer New Regency, scheduling it for its current release date of June 21, 2024.

Plot

Set in the 1960s, it follows the rise of the Vandals MC, a Chicago outlaw motorcycle club. Seen through the lives of its members and their families, the club evolves over a decade from a surrogate family for local outcasts into a violent organized crime syndicate, threatening the founder’s unique vision and way of life.[3]

Cast

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THELMA

THELMA

Thelma is a 2024 American comedy film written and directed by Josh Margolin, starring June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, and Malcolm McDowell.[2]

Premise

When 93-year-old Thelma Post is duped by a phone scammer, she embarks on a quest to take back what is hers.

Cast

June Squibb and Fred Hechinger at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

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BREAD & ROSES

BREAD & ROSES

“Bread & Roses” offers a powerful window into the seismic impact that the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021 had on women’s rights and livelihoods. The film follows three women in real-time as they fight to recover their autonomy. Sahra Mani captures the spirit and resilience of Afghan women through a raw depiction of their harrowing plight.

Sahra Mani Director
Sahra Mani Producer
Jennifer Lawrence Producer
Justine Ciarrocchi Producer
Malala Yousafzai Executive Producer
Farhad Kosravi Executive Producer

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KINDS OF KINDNESS

KINDS OF KINDNESS

Kinds of Kindness is a 2024 absurdist black comedy anthology film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos from a screenplay he co-wrote with Efthimis Filippou.[2][3] The film stars Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, and Hunter Schafer.

Kinds of Kindness had its world premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2024, where Plemons won the Best Actor award. Searchlight Pictures released it theatrically in the United States on June 21, 2024, and in Ireland and the United Kingdom on June 28, 2024.

Premise[edit]

Kinds of Kindness, described as a “triptych fable,” consists of three distinct but loosely connected stories: “The Death of R.M.F” follows a man struggling to take charge of his destiny after quitting his powerful job that dictates what he does in a day.; “R.M.F. is Flying” depicts a man plagued by suspicions that his spouse, who has recently returned after being reported missing, is an imposter; “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich,” revolves around a cultist, after being kicked out of the said cult for being “contaminated,” vehemently attempting to fulfill her task to find a specific person with the ability to resurrect the dead.[4][5]

Cast[edit]

  • Emma Stone as:[6]
    • Rita (“The Death of R.M.F”)
    • Liz (“R.M.F. is Flying”)
    • Emily (“R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”)
  • Jesse Plemons as:[6]
    • Robert (“The Death of R.M.F”)
    • Daniel (“R.M.F. is Flying”)
    • Andrew (“R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”)
  • Willem Dafoe as:[6]
    • Raymond (“The Death of R.M.F”)
    • George (“R.M.F. is Flying”)
    • Omi (“R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”)
  • Margaret Qualley as:[6]
    • Vivian (“The Death of R.M.F”)
    • Martha (“R.M.F. is Flying”)
    • twins Ruth and Rebecca (“R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”)
  • Hong Chau as:[6]
    • Sarah (“The Death of R.M.F”)
    • Sharon (“R.M.F. is Flying”)
    • Aka (“R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”)
  • Joe Alwyn as:[6]
    • collectibles appraiser man 1 (“The Death of R.M.F”)
    • Jerry (“R.M.F. is Flying”)
    • Joseph (“R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”)
  • Mamoudou Athie as:[6]
    • Will (“The Death of R.M.F”)
    • Neil (“R.M.F. is Flying”)
    • the morgue nurse (“R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”)
  • Hunter Schafer as Anna (“R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”)[6]
  • Yorgos Stefanakos as R.M.F.[7]
  • Merah Benoit as Emily’s daughter (“R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich”)[8]

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6/20/2024 #The Bikeriders #Thelma #Bread & Roses #Kinds of Kindness

NEW MOVIES: June 13-19, 2024, “Inside Out 2,” “Tuesday,” “Firebrand,” “The Grab”

INSIDE OUT 2

INSIDE OUT 2

Inside Out 2 is a 2024 American animated coming-of-age film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The sequel to Inside Out (2015) was directed by Kelsey Mann (in his feature directorial debut) and produced by Mark Nielsen, from a screenplay written by Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein and a story conceived by Mann and LeFauve.[3][4] The film stars Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Diane Lane, and Kyle MacLachlan, reprising their roles from the first film with Tony Hale (replacing Bill Hader as Fear), Liza Lapira (replacing Mindy Kaling as Disgust), Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, and Kensington Tallman (replacing Kaitlyn Dias as Riley) joining the cast. It tells the story of Riley’s emotions as they join new emotions that want to take over Riley’s head.

Inside Out 2 was first announced in September 2022 during the D23 Expo announcement, with Mann, Nielsen, and LeFauve attached as director, producer, and writer, respectively, while Poehler was revealed to reprise her role in the film, along with Smith, Black, Lane, and MacLachlan. Hale, Lapira, and Hawke joined the cast in November 2023, while Edebiri, Exarchopoulos, Hauser, and Tallman’s roles were confirmed in March 2024. That same month, Holstein was confirmed to have co-written the screenplay with LeFauve. The film features Pixar chief creative officer Pete Docter‘s “five to 27 emotions” idea from the first film that Mann pitched during its production to utilize “truthful” worldbuilding.

Inside Out 2 premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on June 10, 2024, and is scheduled for release in theaters in the United States on June 14, 2024.

Premise

Inside Out 2 returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.

— Pixar Animation Studios[5]

Voice cast

  • Amy Poehler plays Joy, a yellow happy emotion.[6]
  • Phyllis Smith as Sadness, a blue sad emotion.[6]
  • Lewis Black as Anger, a red angry emotion.[6]
  • Tony Hale as Fear, a purple scared emotion. Hale replaces Bill Hader from the first film.[6]
  • Liza Lapira as Disgust, a green disgusted emotion. Lapira replaces Mindy Kaling from the first film.[6]
  • Maya Hawke as Anxiety, a new orange anxious emotion.[6]
  • Ayo Edebiri plays Envy, a new cyan envious emotion.[7]
  • Adèle Exarchopoulos as Ennui, a new indigo bored emotion.[7]
  • Paul Walter Hauser as Embarrassment, a new pink embarrassed emotion.[7]
  • Kensington Tallman as Riley Andersen, a 13-year-old girl in whose mind the emotions live. Tallman replaces Kaitlyn Dias from the first film.[7]
  • Diane Lane plays Mrs. Andersen, Riley’s mother.[6]
  • Kyle MacLachlan as Mr. Andersen, Riley’s father.[6]
  • Lilimar plays Valentina “Val” Ortiz, a popular hockey player at Riley’s high school.[7]
  • Paula Pell as Mom’s Anger.[7][8]
  • Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green is Bree’s friend.[9]
  • Grace Lu as Grace, Riley’s friend.[9]
  • Yvette Nicole Brown is Coach Roberts, a hockey coach and head of the summer hockey camp.[7]
  • John Ratzenberger[7] as Fritz.
  • June Squibb as Nostalgia, a new beige nostalgic emotion.[10]
  • Ron Funches as Bloofy, a character from Riley’s favorite childhood TV show. He is similar to the hosts of interactive children’s shows such as Barney & Friends or Dora the Explorer.[11]
  • Yong Yea is Lance Slashblade, a heroic video game character Riley had a crush on when she was younger. He is similar to characters from Final Fantasy.[11]
  • John Morris is the cameo appearance of Andy Davis, who works at McDonald’s with his Entire Set of Emotions, such as Sadness, Joy, Disgust, Anger, Fear, Envy, Anxiety, Ennui, and Embarrassment, all appearing during the Closing credits.[12]

Additionally, television personality Sam Thompson cameos in the UK version of the film as Security Man Sam, a character who finds himself on a chase with emotions.[13]

In addition, Sarayu Blue, Flea, Dave Goelz, James Austin Johnson, Bobby Moynihan, Frank Oz, Paula Poundstone, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Kirk Thatcher have been cast in undisclosed roles.[14][7]

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TUESDAY

TUESDAY

Tuesday is a 2023 fantasy drama film written and directed by Daina O. Pusić in her feature directorial debut. A co-production between A24, the BFI, and BBC Film, it stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Lola Petticrew as a mother and daughter who are guided by Death itself in coping with the daughter’s impending death by terminal illness. Leah Harvey and Arinzé Kene also star.

The film premiered at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on September 1, 2023, and was released in the United States on June 7, 2024.

Premise

Zora lives with her terminally ill daughter, Tuesday. One day, Death in the form of a size-altering macaw arrives and sends Zora and Tuesday on an emotional journey about life, love, and death.[3][4]

Cast

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FIREBRAND

FIREBRAND

Firebrand is a 2023 British historical drama film directed by Karim Aïnouz and written by Henrietta Ashworth and Jessica Ashworth, based on the 2013 novel Queen’s Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle. The film focuses on Katherine Parr, Queen of England and the wife and widow of Henry VIII. It stars Alicia Vikander, Jude Law, and Eddie Marsan. The film marks Aïnouz’s first directorial effort in the English language.

Firebrand premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on 21 May 2023, where it was selected to compete for Palme d’Or.

Premise

The film occurs during the final years of Henry VIII‘s reign and centers around his sixth and final wife, Katherine Parr. Ambitious and cunning, Katherine becomes caught between Henry’s desire to purge those who challenge the teachings of his Church of England and the radical preaching of Anne Askew, whom Katherine respects.

Cast

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THE GRAB

THE GRAB

The Grab is a 2022 American documentary film directed and produced by Gabriela Cowperthwaite. It follows investigative journalists at The Center for Investigative Reporting as they uncover efforts to control vital resources on Earth.

It had its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2022, and is scheduled to be released by Magnolia Pictures and Participant on June 14, 2024.

Plot

It follows investigative journalists at The Center for Investigative Reporting as they uncover efforts to control food and water by foreign actors to the detriment of the local population.[2][3]

The film tries to outline a global warming reaction by several nation-states, where the powerful use force, economy, and illegal mercenaries to take control of food and water stocks. The narrative begins with the 2014 purchase of US-based Smithfield Foods by Chinese WH Group, which the filmmakers say gives control of 1/4 of all pigs in the US. It then follows other difficult-to-explain deals, such as the purchase of arid land in Arizona by a Saudi company. Russians hired American cowboys to work in a region too cold for farmland. Blackwater (the company) deals with securing land in Africa. All those strange deals are linked by “following the money,” as is said several times in the film. This raises connections between governments, commercial enterprises, and legal and illegal military actors such as mercenary companies. The filmmakers ultimately conclude that it is all part of plans, considering changes happening because of global warming.[3][4]

While the film is mostly archive and research image collages, it also contains some guerrilla filmmaking about the crew being denied access, for example, during their detention at a Zambian airport.[4]

Production

Gabriela Cowperthwaite spent six years working on the film after journalist Nathan Halverson reported on Smithfield Foods.[5][6][7] Cowperthwaite was initially asked if the investigative process behind Halverson’s articles would make a good film.[8] Due to the sensitive material of the subject[clarification needed], the production team did diagnostics on computers, did not talk in rooms with windows, and did not talk about the film at all.[9] They also used encrypted servers and hand-delivered all the footage. [10]

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6/11/2024 #Inside Out 2 #Tuesday #Firebrand #The Grab

NEW MOVIES: June 6-12, 2024, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” “The Watchers,” “Hitman,” “Kidnapped: the Abduction of Edgardo Mortara”

BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE

BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a 2024 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Adil & Bilall and written by Chris Bremner and Will Beall.[3] Produced by Columbia Pictures, Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Westbrook Studios and 2.0 Entertainment, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is the sequel to Bad Boys for Life (2020) and the fourth installment in the Bad Boys franchise. Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Joe Pantoliano, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Núñez, Jacob Scipio, and DJ Khaled reprise their roles from the previous film with Tasha Smith taking over the role of Theresa Burnett from Theresa Randle, who previously played the character in the last three films. New cast members include Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd, Rhea Seehorn, Melanie Liburd and Tiffany Haddish.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die premiered at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on May 22, 2024. The film is scheduled to be theatrically released in France, Germany and the United Kingdom on 5 June 2024; in Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico and South Korea on 6 June 2024; in the United States on June 7, 2024.[4]

Premise

Detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett investigate corruption within the Miami PD when their late Captain Conrad Howard is posthumously accused of being involved with the Romanian Mafia, but a setup turns them into fugitives, forcing them to work outside the law in order to solve the case.

Cast

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THE WATCHERS

THE WATCHERS

The Watchers (titled The Watched in the United Kingdom and Ireland[1]) is an upcoming American supernatural horror film written and directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan, produced by her father M. Night Shyamalan, and based on the novel of the same name by A. M. Shine. It stars Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Oliver Finnegan, and Olwen Fouéré.

Filming took place from July to September 2023. It is scheduled to be theatrically released by Warner Bros. Pictures on June 7, 2024.

Premise

28-year-old artist Mina gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. Upon finding shelter, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night.[2]

Cast

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HITMAN

HITMAN

Hit Man is a 2023 American romantic black comedy film produced and directed by Richard Linklater, who co-wrote the screenplay with Glen Powell, based on the 2001 Texas Monthly magazine article of the same name by Skip Hollandsworth. The film stars Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, and Retta, and follows an undercover New Orleans police contractor who poses as a reliable hitman as he tries to save a woman in need.

Hit Man premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 5, 2023, and was released in select theaters in the United States on May 24, 2024, before its streaming debut by Netflix on June 7. The film received praise from critics.

Plot

A part-time staffer with the New Orleans Police Department stumbles into the role of posing undercover as a reliable hitman with the goal of arresting those trying to hire him. He discovers he has a talent for theatrically matching the expectations of his suspects with often-humorous costumes, accents, and mannerisms, which makes him especially adept at his work. He meets a battered woman who wants to hire him to kill her husband, but he advises her to pursue better options for getting help. They become romantically entangled.

Cast

  • Glen Powell as Gary Johnson, college professor and tech guy turned undercover mole
  • Adria Arjona as Maddy Masters, Gary’s love-interest
  • Austin Amelio as Jasper, an undercover cop
  • Retta as Claudette, a police officer Gary works for
  • Sanjay Rao as Phil, a police officer Gary works for
  • Evan Holtzman as Ray Masters, Maddy’s ex-husband
  • Molly Bernard as Alisha, Gary’s ex-wife

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KIDNAPPED: THE ABDUCTION OF EDGARDO MORTARA

KIDNAPPED: THE ABDUCTION OF EDGARDO MORTARA

Kidnapped (Italian: Rapito) is a 2023 Italian-language historical drama film co-written and directed by Marco Bellocchio, about Edgardo Mortara, a young Jewish boy who was taken from his family by the Papal States and raised as a Catholic. It is loosely based on Daniele Scalise’s book Il caso Mortara.[3] It is a co-production between Italy, France and Germany.

The film was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered on 23 May 2023. It was theatrically released in Italy on 25 May. It received 11 nominations at the 69th David di Donatello, and won 5 awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay.[4]

Synopsis

1851. Edgardo Mortara is the sixth child of a Jewish family from the city of Bologna, part of the Papal States. Believing him sick and dying, the Christian maid Anna Morisi administers baptism in secret, for fear that when he dies he will end up in limbo. The child survives, but seven years later Anna tells Pier Feletti, head of the Bolognese office of the Holy Inquisition, about the baptism: the sacrament would have made the child irrevocably Catholic, and since the laws of the Papal States forbid a Christian to be raised by non-Christians, Feletti decides to remove the child from his family. On 24 June, Edgardo was forcibly taken and brought to Rome, where he would stay in the Casa dei Catecumeni, the boarding school for the children of converted Jews.

Cast

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NEW MOVIES: #Bad Boys: Ride or Die #The Watchers #Hitman #Kidnapped: the Abduction of Edgardo Mortara

NEW MOVIES: May 30-June 5, 2024, “Ezra,” “Summer Camp,” “The Young Wife,” “The Girl Who Wore Freedom”

EZRA

EZRA

Ezra is a 2023 American comedy drama film directed by Tony Goldwyn and written by Tony Spiridakis. It stars Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Vera Farmiga, Whoopi Goldberg, Rainn Wilson, Goldwyn, William Fitzgerald, and Robert De Niro.

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2023. It is scheduled to be released theatrically on May 31, 2024.

Premise

Max Brandel, a stand-up comedian living with his father, Stan, struggles to co-parent his autistic son Ezra with his ex-wife, Jenna. When faced with difficult decisions about their son’s future, Max and Ezra set out on a cross-country road trip.

Cast

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SUMMER CAMP

SUMMER CAMP

Summer Camp is an upcoming American comedy film written and directed by Castille Landon. It stars Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, Beverly D’Angelo, Nicole Richie, Josh Peck, Betsy Sodaro, Dennis Haysbert, and Eugene Levy.

The film is scheduled to be released theatrically by Roadside Attractions in the United States on May 31, 2024.

Premise

Nora, Ginny, and Mary have been close friends since they were children and have spent their summer vacations together without fail, attending sleepaway camp as a trio. As they have aged, their opportunities to spend time together have dwindled. Thus, when the chance for a summer camp reunion presents itself, they all accept it, albeit with different levels of enthusiasm.[1]

Cast

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THE YOUNG WIFE

THE YOUNG WIFE

The Young Wife is a 2023 American drama film written, directed, and produced by Tayarisha Poe. It stars Kiersey Clemons, Leon Bridges, Kelly Marie Tran, Michaela Watkins, Aya Cash, Sandy Honig, Brandon Micheal Hall, Lukita Maxwell, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Judith Light.

It had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 12, 2023.

Cast

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THE GIRL WHO WORE FREEDOM

THE GIRL WHO WORE FREEDOM

The Girl Who Wore Freedom is a documentary film that tells the untold stories of D-Day from the perspective of the men, women, and children who lived through German occupation and the Allied liberation of Normandy, France12. It uncovers an untold love story between two nations, highlighting the values and pride in country that emerged during that time1.

Discover the untold stories of D-Day from the men, women, and children who lived through the German occupation and Allied liberation of Normandy, France. Powerful and deeply personal, THE GIRL WHO WORE FREEDOM tells the stories of an America that lived its values, instilling pride in a country that is in danger of becoming a relic of the past.

The Girl Who Wore Freedom / Cast

    • Sharon Anderlik
      Sharon Anderlik

      Journalist

    • Andy Barnett
      Andy Barnett

      Allen Hopper

    • Patrick Fissot
      Patrick Fissot

      Self

    • Corey Johnson
      Corey Johnson

      General James Gavin

    • Christian Taylor
      Christian Taylor

      Narrator

    • Ceo E. Bauer

      Self

    • Eric Belloc

      Self

    • Daniele ‘Dany’ Patrix Boucherie

      Self

    • Flo Boucherie

      Self

    • Jean-Marie Boucherie

      Self

    • Jean-Marie Caillard

      Self

    • Sylvie Caillard

      Self

    • Valerie Gautier Cardin

      Self

    • David Chapman

      Self

    • Cameron Cook

      Self

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5/28/2024 #Ezra #Summer Camp  #The Young Wife  #The Girl Who Wore Freedom

 

NEW MOVIES: May 23-29, 2024, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” “The Garfield Movie,” “Sight,” “Solo”

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a 2024 post-apocalyptic action adventure film co-produced and directed by George Miller, who co-wrote it with Nico Lathouris. It is the fifth installment in the Mad Max franchise, serving as both a spin-off and prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). The film stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne as younger versions of the title character Imperator Furiosa, originally portrayed by Charlize Theron. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke also star.[2]

In March 2020, Miller conducted casting auditions for the title role of the film. In October, Taylor-Joy, Hemsworth and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II were cast in starring roles, but due to a scheduling conflict, Abdul-Mateen was replaced by Burke in November. Several crew members from Fury Road returned for the film, including screenwriter Lathouris, film editor Margaret Sixel, costume designer Jenny Beavan, and composer Tom Holkenborg. Principal photography took place in Australia from June to October 2022.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga had its world premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on 15 May 2024, and is scheduled to be released in theatres in Australia by Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures on 23 May 2024, and in the United States the following day.

Premise

As the world fell, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland they come across the Citadel presided over by The Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.

— Warner Bros. Pictures

Cast

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THE GARFIELD MOVIE

THE GARFIELD MOVIE

The Garfield Movie is a 2024 American animated adventure comedy film based on the comic strip Garfield created by Jim Davis. Directed by Mark Dindal from a screenplay by Paul A. Kaplan, Mark Torgove, and David Reynolds, the film stars Chris Pratt as the voice of the titular character, alongside the voices of Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham, Ving Rhames, Nicholas Hoult, Cecily Strong, Harvey Guillén, Brett Goldstein, Bowen Yang, and Snoop Dogg. In the film, Garfield is reunited with his long-lost father, a street cat named Vic, being forced into joining him on a high-stakes adventure.

Development on the first animated Garfield film for theatrical release started at Alcon Entertainment in May 2016. Dindal was announced as the film’s director in November 2018, and pre-production began the following month. By 2021, Sony Pictures had already purchased the film rights for global distribution and Pratt was cast as Garfield, with the rest of the cast joining the following year. The film was animated by DNEG Animation, while John Debney, a frequent collaborator of Dindal, composed the score.

The Garfield Movie is set to be released in the United States by Sony Pictures Releasing on May 24, 2024.

Premise

Garfield (voiced by Chris Pratt), the world-famous, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving indoor cat, is about to have a wild outdoor adventure! After an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father – scruffy street cat Vic (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson) – Garfield and his canine friend Odie are forced from their perfectly pampered life into joining Vic in a hilarious, high-stakes heist.

— The Garfield Movie official website[5]

Voice cast

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SIGHT

SIGHT

Sight is an upcoming American biographical drama film directed by Andrew Hyatt, written by Hyatt, John Duigan, and Buzz McLaughlin, and starring Terry Chen and Greg Kinnear.[1] The film is about Ming Wang, a Chinese immigrant to the United States who became a renowned eye surgeon. It is based on Wang’s 2016 autobiography From Darkness to Sight.[2]

Cast

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SOLO

SOLO

“Solo” is a film written and directed by Sophie Dupuis. It stars Théodore Pellerin and Félix Maritaud as two drag performers whose love affair takes center stage. Here’s what you need to know:

  1. Plot Summary:
  2. Director’s Perspective:
  3. Release and Reception:
  4. Trailer:

“Solo” promises a unique blend of passion, romance, and drag performances. It’s a celebration of chosen families, self-discovery, and the power of love. 🌈✨

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5/21/2024 #Furiosa: A Mad Max Sage, #The Garfield Movie, #Sight, #Solo

NEW MOVIES: May 16-22, 2024, “If,” “Back to Black,” “Babes,” “Taking Venice”

IF

IF

IF is an upcoming American live-action/animated fantasy comedy film written, produced, and directed by John Krasinski. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, Alan Kim, and Liza Colón-Zayas, along with the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., and Steve Carell. Its plot follows a young girl and her neighbor who find themselves able to see imaginary friends.

Paramount Pictures is scheduled to release IF in the United States on May 17, 2024.

Premise

A young girl named Bea, who has been going through a troubling experience in her life, unexpectedly gains the ability to see people’s imaginary friends (referred to as “IFs” for short) who have been abandoned by the kids they helped. Bea then discovers that her neighbor, Cal, has the same ability. Together, they join forces to reunite the IFs with their former kids.

Cast

Voices

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BACK TO BLACK

BACK TO BLACK

Back to Black is a 2024 biographical drama film based on the life of British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, played by Marisa Abela. Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and written by Matt Greenhalgh, the film also stars Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan, and Lesley Manville.

Following Winehouse’s death in July 2011, several filmmakers attempted to create biopic projects, but none of them progressed. In 2018, Winehouse’s estate announced they had signed a deal for a film about her life and career. By July 2022, StudioCanal moved forward with production, and filming took place in London from January to April 2023.

StudioCanal released the film theatrically in Australia on April 11, 2024, and in the United Kingdom on April 12, 2024.Focus Features will release the film in the United States on May 17, 2024. It received mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

The film opens with scenes of Amy Winehouse’s Jewish family background, her father Mitch, and her grandmother “Nan” Cynthia, with their love for music and singing. Amy’s friend Tyler hands his manager Nick a demo tape of Amy’s recording and is impressed by her talent. She then signed a contract with Island Records and released her first album, Frank.

After enjoying acclaimed success, her record label wishes to make some changes to her stage act, which Amy strongly disagrees with. Amy then reveals she needs time off to live her songs and meets Blake in a pub in Camden Town, where they fall in love. Their relationship is soon troubled by Blake’s cocaine addiction, Amy’s alcoholism, and her bulimia. After experiencing Amy’s irritable behavior, Blake reveals that he thinks they would be better as friends and wants to work on things with his ex-girlfriend, Becky, which leaves Amy heartbroken. Before going to New York City, she learns that her grandmother is dying of lung cancer. After a difficult period of these traumatizing events all happening at once, she then gathers inspiration to write her hit album Back to Black.

Blake and Amy reconciled shortly after the release of her second album. They get married in Miami, Florida, much to Mitch’s dismay. But soon after, Blake is arrested and then serves a two-year sentence in jail for perverting the course of justice. Before he is released and Amy has now become a drug addict, Blake reveals he has been having counselling and informs Amy that he wishes to divorce as he wants a fresh start.

After various blackouts, Amy decides to accept “rehab”. She later receives five Grammy Awards. The last scene shows her new home in Camden Square, where Amy is now free of drugs and trying to tackle her alcohol dependence. After saying goodbye to her father, Mitch, for the final time, the paparazzi appear outside her gate and reveal that Blake has a new girlfriend and will have a baby. The film concludes with a tearful Amy singing “Tears Dry on Their Own” to herself and finishes with her walking up the stairs to her demise.

Cast

Jeff Tunke was also cast as Mark Ronson, but his scenes were ultimately cut.

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BABES

BABES

Babes is a 2024 American comedy film directed by Pamela Adlon, written by Ilana Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz, and starring Glazer. It is Adlon’s feature directorial debut.

The film will be released in the United States on May 17, 2024.

Premise

When Eden, an aggressively single woman, gets pregnant from a one-night stand, she turns to her best friend Dawn, a married mother of two, for help.[2]

Cast

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TAKING VENICE

TAKING VENICE

“Taking Venice” is a documentary directed by Amei Wallach. It delves into the true story behind rumors that the U.S. government and a team of high-placed insiders rigged the 1964 Venice Biennale, the “Olympics of art,” so their chosen artist, Robert Rauschenberg, could win the grand prize. The film explores this captivating tale with expert interviews and extensive archival footage, shedding light on the intersection of art, politics, and ambition during the height of the Cold War.

At the height of the Cold War, the U.S. government was determined to fight communism with culture. The Venice Biennale, the world’s most influential art exhibition, became a proving ground in 1964. Alice Denney, a Washington insider and friend of the Kennedys, recommends Alan Solomon, an ambitious curator making waves with trailblazing art, to organize the U.S. entry. Together with Leo Castelli, a powerful New York art dealer, they embark on a daring plan to make Robert Rauschenberg the winner of the Grand Prize. The artist is yet to be taken seriously with his combinations of junk off the street and images from pop culture, but he has the potential to dazzle. Deftly pulling off maneuvers that could have come from a Hollywood thriller, the American team leaves the international press crying foul and Rauschenberg questioning the politics of nationalism that sent him there.

 

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5/14/2024 #”If,” #”Back to Black,” #”Babes,” #”Taking Venice”

NEW MOVIES: May 8-15, 2024, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” “Hidden Master: The Legacy of George Platt Lynes,” “The Last Stop in Yuma County,” “Mother of the Bride”

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a 2024 American science fiction action film directed by Wes Ball and written by Josh Friedman. The standalone sequel to War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) is the fourth installment in the Planet of the Apes reboot franchise and the tenth film overall. The film stars Owen Teague in the lead role alongside Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, and William H. Macy. In the movie, 300 years after the war events, a young chimpanzee named Noa embarks on a journey alongside a human woman named Mae (Allan) to determine the future for apes and humans alike.

Development on a new Planet of the Apes film began in April 2019, following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, with Ball attached as writer and director that December. Much of the script was written during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, with casting commencing in June 2022, following the script’s completion. Teague was cast in August’s lead role, with the film’s title and additional casting revealed in the following months. Principal photography began in October 2022 in Sydney and wrapped in February 2023.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes premiered in Los Angeles on May 2, 2024, and is scheduled to be released by 20th Century Studios in the United States on May 10.

Premise

300 years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes,[3] ape civilizations have emerged from the oasis to which Caesar led his fellow apes, while humans have regressed into a feral, primitive state. When the ape king Proximus Caesar, armed with weapons forged from lost human technologies, perverts Caesar’s teachings to enslave other clans, the chimpanzee hunter Noa embarks on a harrowing journey alongside a human woman named Mae to determine the future for apes and humans alike.[4][5]

Cast

Additionally, Eka Darville,[16] Ras-Samuel Weld A’abzgi,[13] Sara Wiseman,[13] and Dichen Lachman have been cast in undisclosed roles.[4]

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HIDDEN MASTER: THE LEGACY OF GEORGE PLATT LYNES

HIDDEN MASTER: THE LEGACY OF GEORGE PLATT LYNES

DIRECTED BY SAM SHAHID2023USA96 MINS

Photographer George Platt Lynes achieved renown during his lifetime for his innovative celebrity portraits and striking fashion photography. However, his best work and greatest passion was for the explicit male nudes he made of his lovers, friends, colleagues, dancers, models — and any other handsome man he could persuade to disrobe in front of his camera. This articulate, wide-ranging, fabulously gossipy documentary brings to life the charming, complex man who wielded his good looks, natural talent, and massive ambition in pursuit of artistic creation and sexual pleasure.

Directed by famed art director Sam Shahid, this documentary portrait places the photographer within the more extensive network of gay artists and cultural figures who championed each other’s work. Showcasing a dazzling amount of Lynes’ photographs (including some rarely seen to this day), Hidden Master: The Legacy of George Platt Lynes mounts a convincing case that Lynes not only deserves rediscovery but should be remembered as one of the great masters of 20th-century photographic art.

George Platt Lynes began his career photographing celebrities, and it’s those portraits, along with his extravagant fashion work, that he’s best remembered for today. However, George’s heart, his passion, and his most remarkable talent lay elsewhere in his work with the male nude. This work, sensuous and radically explicit for its time, has only recently begun being fully discovered and appreciated for the revolution that it represents—a man capturing his fantasies as a gift, a window to a future his camera saw coming before anyone else.

From visionary art director Sam Shahid, HIDDEN MASTER features a stunning collection of photography from the 1930s-50s, uncovering the life of Lynes less known: his gifted eye for the male form, his long-term friendships with Gertrude Stein and Alfred Kinsey, and his lasting influence as one of the first openly gay American artists.

Expected Guests

Sam Shahid
Director
Matthew Kraus
Producer/Cinematographer
John MacConnell
Producer/Lighting & Sound
Nando de Carvalho
Producer
Conor McBride
Editor

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THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY

THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY

The Last Stop in Yuma County is a 2023 American crime thriller film written and directed by Francis Galluppi and starring Jim Cummings, Jocelin Donahue, Richard Brake, Faizon Love, and Michael Abbott Jr. It is Galluppi’s feature directorial debut.[1]

Cast

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MOTHER OF THE BRIDE 2024

MOTHER OF THE BRIDE 2024

Mother of the Bride is an upcoming American romantic comedy film directed by Mark Waters and written by Robin Bernheim. It stars Brooke Shields, Miranda Cosgrove, and Benjamin Bratt.

The film is scheduled to be released on Netflix on May 9, 2024.

Premise

After a year abroad in London, Emma returns home and stuns her mother, Lana, with the news that she’s getting married in a month at a resort in Phuket, Thailand. Things get worse when Lana discovers that the husband-to-be is the son of the man who broke her heart years earlier.

Cast

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5/7/2024: #Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, #Hidden Master: The Legacy of George Platt Lynes, #The Last Stop in Yuma County, #Mother of the Bride”

 

NEW MOVIES: May 2-8, 2024, “The Fall Guy,” “Jeanne du Barry,” “Rocket Club: Across the Cosmos,” “The Philadelphia Eleven”

THE FALL GUY

THE FALL GUY

The Fall Guy is a 2024 American action comedy film directed by David Leitch and written by Drew Pearce, loosely based on the 1980s TV series about stunt performers. The film follows a stuntman working on his ex-girlfriend’s directorial debut action film, only to find himself involved in a conspiracy surrounding the film’s lead actor. It stars Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Teresa Palmer, Stephanie Hsu, and Winston Duke.

The Fall Guy premiered at SXSW on March 12, 2024, and was released in countries including Australia and New Zealand on April 24. It will be released in the United States and Canada by Universal Pictures on May 3. Critics generally praised the film, which set a Guinness World Record for the most cannon rolls performed in a car.

Plot

Hollywood stunt performer Colt Seavers, who primarily works as the stunt double for famous action star Tom Ryder, is severely injured during a stunt gone wrong. Blaming himself, Colt abandons his career and his girlfriend, camera operator Jody Moreno.

Eighteen months later Colt, now a valet for a small Mexican restaurant, is contacted by Tom’s film producer Gail Meyer. She says Moreno is directing her first film, a science fiction epic called Metalstorm, and wants him to join the production in Sydney, Australia.

However, when Colt arrives on set, he learns that Jody never asked for him and is still angry about their breakup. Gail reveals that Tom has disappeared after getting involved with drugs, and she wants Colt to find him before his absence causes the film’s cancellation.

Not wanting to ruin Jody’s directorial debut, Colt visits Tom’s hotel room and a nightclub, where he gets into fights. In the hotel room, Colt finds a dead body in a bathtub full of ice, but when he returns with the police, the body is gone.

Cast

Lee Majors and Heather Thomas, who starred in the original television series, have cameo appearances in the film as police officers,[9] while Jason Momoa cameos as himself.

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JEANNE DU BARRY

JEANNE DU BARRY

Jeanne du Barry is a 2023 historical drama film directed, co-written, and produced by Maïwenn. It stars her and Johnny Depp in the leading roles. It also stars Pierre Richard, Benjamin Lavernhe, Noémie Lvovsky, Pascal Greggory, Melvil Poupaud, and India Hair. The plot centers on Madame du Barry, who uses her intelligence and allure to rise in society. She becomes King Louis XV’s favorite, they fall in love, and against all propriety and etiquette, du Barry moves to Versailles, where her relationship with the king scandalizes the court.

Jeanne du Barry is a collaboration between France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. It was produced by Why Not Productions and Depp’s IN.2 Film, a European sister company to his L.A.-based Infinitum Nihil, and is distributed by Le Pacte. With a budget of $22.4 million, Jeanne du Barry was one of the most expensive French films in 2023, one of only three with a budget of over 10 million euros. The film had its world premiere as the opening film at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2023, and was released theatrically in France on the same day by Le Pacte, 15 months before its scheduled streaming release on Netflix in France.

Premise

Jeanne, a young working-class woman hungry for culture and pleasure, uses her intelligence and allure to rise step by step to the highest levels of society. She becomes King Louis XV’s favorite, who regains his appetite for life through her. They fall madly in love, and, against all propriety and etiquette, Jeanne moves to Versailles, where her relationship with the king scandalizes the court.[8]

Cast

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ROCKET CLUB: ACROSS THE COSMOS

ROCKET CLUB: ACROSS THE COSMOS

When Rocket Club’s mission to return a stranded alien to its home planet is jeopardized by their rival Calvin’s plan to freeze the Earth, our heroes must unite to unlock the secret of WUP speed to save the Earth before supper time.

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THE PHILADELPHIA ELEVEN

THE PHILADELPHIA ELEVEN

The Team

Picture
MARGO GUERNSEY
Director/Producer
Margo Guernsey is a documentary Director/Producer, impact strategist, and founder of Time Travel Productions LLC. Her films include Councilwoman (America ReFramed 2019) and No Time To Fail (America Reframed 2023). Before film, Margo worked as a union organizer, non-profit development director, and Spanish/English translator. Margo’s work has received support from Chicken & Egg Pictures, ITVS, Catapult Film Fund, GoodPitch, Perspective Fund, Ford Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. She speaks both Spanish and English and holds an MFA in Film (University of Miami), an MA in History (UMass Amherst), and a BA in History (Brown University). Margo teaches producing as an affiliated faculty member at Emerson College and is a current member of the Board of Directors of the Documentary Producers Association. 

Picture
NIKKI BRAMLEY
Co-Producer / Director of Photography
Nikki is a documentary Director of Photography. Her work ranges from independent documentaries to high-end commercial projects. Recent broadcast credits include: Recent documentary camera credits include: Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space (American Experience 2023), Runner (Festivals 2020), Frederick Douglass in Five Speeches (HBO 2022), This Is A Robbery (Netflix 2021), Trial 4 (Netflix 2020), Councilwoman (America ReFramed 2019), Breaking Big (PBS 2018), Seeing Eyes/Feeling Heart (American Masters 2018), NOVA “Addiction” (2018), NOVA “Prediction by the Numbers” (2017), Frontline (2017, 2015). Nikki graduated from the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University in 2002 with a BS in Television, Radio, and Film Production.

Director’s Statement

I am not Episcopalian. I was raised in a Congregational Church, and this story is for everyone. It is about breaking down barriers with grace and being true to oneself in the process. It is about standing up to institutions that do not allow all people to be who they are called to be.

The story of the first Episcopal women priests has been under the radar for decades. Perhaps this is because they disregarded certain institutional edicts, or their story is inconvenient. After all, they challenged the very core of patriarchal culture. These pioneers have taught me new ways to think about whose history is recorded and remembered and who does the work of remembering. ​They also provide a vision for a just and inclusive community in practice. Suppose we are serious about loving every human being as they are. In that case, we must find new ways to disrupt the hierarchies we have inherited and replace them with the same kind of radical inclusivity demonstrated by these priests.
​
My greatest hope is that viewers will watch, listen deeply, and engage with others about how you might stand up so that we can fully live who we are called to be.

The women ordained as priests in 1974 and 1975

Merrill Bittner
Alla Renée Bozarth
Alison Cheek
Marie Moorefield Fleischer
Emily Hewitt
Suzanne Hiatt
Carter Heyward
Lee McGee Street
Alison Palmer
Jeannette Piccard
Betty Powell
Betty Bone Schiess
Katrina Swanson
Diane Tickell
Nancy Wittig

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April 30, 2024#”The Fall Guy,” “Jeanne du Barry,” “Rocket Club: Across the Cosmos,” “The Philadelphia Eleven”

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