Josef Fares, the director behind The Game Awards 2021 Game of the Year winner It Takes Two, was cooking in 2013 when he made his directorial debut with Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. I appreciated the game when I first played it 11 years ago, but age, wisdom, and life experience made it hit all the harder in 2024.
Josef Fares, the director behind The Game Awards 2021 Game of the Year winner It Takes Two, was cooking in 2013 when he made his directorial debut with Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. I appreciated the game when I first played it 11 years ago, but age, wisdom, and life experience made it hit all the harder in 2024.
The filming of James Gunn’s new DC universe is underway, and there is already a buzz online as Gunn posts a close-up shot of his new Superman’s emblem. An AI-made picture was even making the rounds, which was debunked by James Gunn himself, that depicts a paparazzi shot of David Corenswet on the set of Superman in full costume, trunks and all. Long before the cameras started rolling, or even before the actors were cast, Gunn had introduced his plans for the newly revamped DC Universe, and in the Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters phase, it would include a film with Superman’s cousin from Krypton, Kara Zor-El, in Supergirl: World of Tomorrow.
Earlier this year, the casting was announced for Gunn’s Superman, known previously as Superman: Legacy, and an announcement was made for House of the Dragon‘s Milly Alcock getting the role of Kara in the upcoming Supergirl film. ScreenRant sat down with Melissa Benoist, who previously occupied the role in the CW Arrowverse, as she promotes her new project, The Girls on the Bus. Benoist was asked about her excitement about the casting, and she replied,
I think any and all takes on the character are valuable because of what she stands for. Supergirl as an entity is iconic for a reason and has been since the ’50s. I personally think that every iteration of her is valuable for young women to see, and hopefully [with] every take on her, someone will see themselves in it.”
When Gunn confirmed he had cast Alcock in the role, he posted on Instagram, “Milly is a fantastically talented young actor, and I’m incredibly excited about her being a part of the DCU. Yes, I first became aware of her in House of the Dragon but I was blown away by her varied auditions and screen tests for #Supergirl. She embodies Kara as envisioned by @tomking_tk, @bilquis and Ana Nogueira.“ The synopsis for Tom King’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which will serve as the basis for Gunn’s film, deals with Kara enduring a wicked hangover. As she cusses her way toward sobriety, Kara becomes mixed up in a mission that pushes her powers and heart to the limit.
Gunn would explain that Alcock was his very first choice to play the Kryptonian when he said, “Milly was the FIRST person I brought up to Peter (Safran) for this role, well over a year ago, when I had only read the comics. I was watching House of the Dragon & thought she might have the edge, grace & authenticity we needed for the DCU’s Supergirl. And now here we are. Life is wild sometimes.”
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Are you one of many affected by superhero fatigue? Have you seen one too many computer-generated fights or explosions? Then you should call Paul Dano, because the Riddler has a thing or two to say about it, particularly how studios became all about “quantity over quality” as superhero movies grew more popular.
In a new interview with The Independent, Paul Dano said one of the problems with the constant barrage of superhero movies is that it became more about box office and streaming presence than compelling work. “It’s a larger thing, too…As soon as the word ‘content’ came into what we do – meaning making movies or TV – it meant quantity over quality, which I think was a big misstep. And I certainly don’t need that as a viewer or as an artist.”
But Paul Dano does seem a bit optimistic about the challenge to produce worthwhile works in Hollywood, adding, “It’s an interesting moment where everybody has to go like, ‘OK – what now?’ Hopefully from that, somebody either breathes new life into [comic book movies], or something else blossoms which is not superheroes. I’m sure there will still be some good ones yet to come, but I think it’s kind of a welcome moment.”
What that moment will bring is tough to say, but 2024 will be yet another year that sees plenty of superhero movies, ranging from flops like Madame Web to hotly anticipated entries like Deadpool & Wolverine to potential Oscar contender Joker: Folie à Deux.
Of course, Paul Dano had his own superhero outing in 2022, playing the main villain in The Batman. So was The Batman part of this “quantity over quality” argument? Not according to Dano, who said the material is far too good to be lumped into that category. “There are enough comic book movies where you just know what you’re gonna get. Reading the script for The Batman, you knew it was a real film. Every sentence…that’s just [writer/director] Matt Reeves.”
The idea of superhero fatigue isn’t exactly new, but good luck trying to find a consensus on it, as even directors with Marvel ties can’t agree whether it “absolutely exists” or if something else is at play in the realm of comic book movies.
Which recent movie would you cite as proof that superhero fatigue isn’t real? Drop your pick below!
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While many of us felt a significant amount of sadness when Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, his wife, Emma Heming Willis, is reminding people that despite everything, the star is very much alive. As reported by Deadline, Willis’s wife is especially “triggered” by recent clickbait headlines that suggest the actor no longer has any joy in his life, which she said isn’t true.
“I need society and whosoever is writing these stupid headlines to stop scaring people. Stop scaring people to think that once they get a diagnosis of some kind of neurocognitive disease that, ‘That’s it. It’s over. Let’s pack it up. Nothing else to see here, we’re done.’ No. It is the complete opposite of that, okay?”
Indeed, dementia, especially when diagnosed in a younger person, is something the media has never really done a good job explaining, leading to a significant amount of stigma for the sufferers and their families. Recently, a terrific movie called Memory starring Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard tried to de-stigmatize the condition. That film depicted a romance between a relatively young sufferer (played by Sarsgaard) and his caregiver (Chastain). Sadly, no one saw it despite Sarsgaard delivering an awards-calibre performance.
Indeed, Emma Willis is hoping the condition is treated with a bit more empathy going forward, writing, on Instagram “These headlines that paint this constant doom and gloom picture of dementia are harmful to them as they try to build their support unit around them. Or could sway a person who is wanting to help, the other way. I just ask you to consider reframing this negative narrative around dementia. That would be so kind and generous to the next care partner and their loved one.”
On behalf of all of us here at JoBlo, we continue to wish Bruce and his family well, and hopefully, the actor has many years of happiness ahead of him.
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Don’t stop believin’ because you could own a piece of television history – and a staple of North Jersey dining. The booth that Tony Sopranos, wife Carmella and son AJ shared in the series finale of The Sopranos, “Made In America”, is up for auction from its owner, the Holsten’s ice cream shop in Bloomfield, NJ. Jukebox and onion rings are not included.
In a social media post this week, Holsten’s wrote, “The time has come. All good things sometimes need an upgrade. The famous [Sopranos] booth is getting a much needed face-lift. We are auctioning off the well endeared booth on eBay starting today. Place your bid on this once in a lifetime chance to personally own “the booth”. Check out our listing here. Obviously, we aren’t going to change the nostalgia of our beloved shoppe…. we aren’t crazy! Just polishing up the place!” As of publication, the booth is at $82,000 with more than 230 bids.
The Sopranos series finale generated immediate controversy when it aired in June 2007, capping off a six-season, 86-episode run of one of the most groundbreaking shows in television history. After many initially thought their cable cut out when the screen (and Steve Perry’s pipes) did the same, it was up to fans to decide: What happened? Was Tony whacked in Holsten’s while waiting for Meadow to park? Or was it an example of his living in constant paranoia that any moment, however seemingly insignificant, could be his last? Many have chimed in – including creator David Chase, who has outlined Tony’s original fate – but it’s ultimately up to each viewer. Personally, I think more evidence leans towards that meal being Tony’s last – why else flash back in the previous episode to the midseason premiere’s moment when Bobby said, “You probably don’t even hear it when it happens”?
Holsten’s has kept their Sopranos ties close since the finale, even holding a reserved spot at the booth upon the 2013 death of James Gandolfini.
As per the eBay listing: “We are currently renovating our booths at Holsten’s. This is your once in a lifetime chance to own the ORIGINAL booth that the Soprano Family sat in for the final scene of the famous show! The booth includes both seats, table, and divider wall with the plaque “Reserved for the Sopranos Family”. Please note that the jukebox is NOT included with the sale. The booth can be disassembled for easy transport. All parts are used (not new) and sold as is.”
What is your final stance on Tony Soprano’s fate? Did he have his last onion ring that night in Holsten’s or did he continue in a life of crime?
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Some directors can be genuine pains to work for. Maybe they’re volatile, maybe their vision isn’t clear, maybe they ask for too much from their actors. For Bradley Cooper, it was the ridiculous demands of his Maestro director that drove him crazy. Wait a minute…
At a recent event (via People), Bradley Cooper joked that the biggest onset challenge making Maestro was “the f*cking director.” The self-deprecation also served as a highlight of some of the movie’s technical aspects. “He had these crazy demands like shooting in black and white, 35-millimeter stock and a 1:3:3 aspect ratio, and half the movie had black and white, and shooting it live and wanting to be on location.” And this is all without mentioning his 1 a.m. call times! He added, “And we were losing our minds. But we all band[ed] together and we tried to give him what he wanted.”
For Cooper, what he wanted for Maestro was all on display for audiences and critics, earning enough praise and industry acclaim for it to nab seven Oscar nominations, including three for Cooper for producing, acting and writing (perhaps his directorial habits were too intense for voters?). Carey Mulligan, who plays Leonard Bernstein’s wife Felicia, was also nominated, as was the sound and makeup/hairstyling, which itself garnered controversy for some viewing it as an example of “Jewface.” Right now, the highest odds of Maestro taking home gold are in that category, if not just for it having the most press to it.
Bradley Cooper no doubt put a lot of blood, sweat and tears – especially sweat! – into Maestro, so it is nice to see that he has a sense of humor about some of his methods and needs for the movie. This is especially so since Maestro won’t be nabbing him a single Oscar, something he seems to have been after for quite some time now. You might be surprised to know that this trio of nominations brings Cooper’s total to 12: five for acting, five for producing and two for writing. Will he ever be nominated for Best Director?
Where do you think Maestro ranks in Bradley Cooper’s filmography? Do you expect Maestro to win any Oscars this year?
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Sydney Sweeney has been on a seemingly constant tear since starring on HBO’s Euphoria, the project that truly launched her career after promising turns on the small screen’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Sharp Objects. But what’s fame without the occasional flop, rumor and label? Last night, Sydney Sweeney got the chance to address them all when she hosted SNL for the first time.
Taking the stage of Studio 8H, Sydney Sweeney opened her SNL monologue joking about her first major flop, Marvel’s Madame Web, which had an $80 million budget and only swung in $15.3 on opening weekend. “I am so happy to be here. My name is Sydney Sweeney. You might have seen me in Anyone But You or Euphoria…You definitely did not see me in Madame Web.”
Coming off of a dud of that magnitude (heck, our readers have already named it one of the worst superhero movies ever), Sydney Sweeney showed a lot of confidence on SNL, especially in her brief monologue. She, too, used her time to address rumors that she had an affair with Glen Powell while making Anyone But You. “That’s obviously not true. Me and my fiancé produced the movie together and he was there the entire shoot. And I just want to let everyone know, he’s the man of my dreams and we’re still together and stronger than ever. He even came here tonight to support me. Could we cut to him?” Cut not to Jonathan Davino but Glen Powell…Come on, guys, they’re just professionals eager to work together!
Sydney Sweeney’s SNL opener also found her mocking the bimbo persona that has been slapped with and her abundance of onscreen nudity, calling it a Plan B for making it in the industry. She also promoted her upcoming role as a nun in Immaculate, calling it “perfect casting.”
Skits throughout the night found Sydney Sweeney playing a dumb cheerleader crushing on Air Bud, serving as a Hooters waitress swimming in tips and, yes, working in one more joke about the Glen Powell rumors, neatly tying together a strong enough SNL to kick off March.
How do you think Sydney Sweeney did hosting SNL? What was your favorite skit? Let us know below!
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The final numbers are coming in, and Dune: Part Two is defying earlier predictions that it would open in the $75 million-ish range with a strong $81 million opening weekend. This is just slightly above what we predicted a few days ago. Why is it coming in so much higher than the trades predicted yesterday? The universally positive word of mouth (an A CinemaScore rating) propelled it to a stronger-than-expected Saturday night in sales. This, or course, is great news, with the sequel doubling the first film’s opening weekend take, although it should be remembered that film opened in the middle of the pandemic and was available day and date on HBO Max.
This is a strong opening for Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic, with it the highest opening film since Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour back in October. It opened just short of Oppenheimer’s $82 million gross, but the audience polling and the Saturday boost at the box office has many thinking Dune: Part Two will leg-out to a massive final gross. The only real competition it has coming up is Kung Fu Panda 4, which plays to a bit of a different audience. The next big movie for Dune: Part Two’s demo is likely Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which comes out on March 22nd.
As expected, the rest of the movies playing this weekend performed modestly. Bob Marley: One Love, which dominated the box office since Valentine’s Day, dropped to 2nd place, earning $7.4 million for a total of $82 million. A $100 million domestic finish is still possible for this crowd-pleasing musical biopic. It was trailed by the faith-based Ordinary Angels, starring Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson, which dropped a steeper-than-expected 38% to $3.85 million. It’s earned $12.5 million so far, but seems destined to be a modest performer when all is said and done.
In a bit of a surprise, Sony’s much hated Madame Web beat the latest round of episodes from The Chosen (barely) earning $3.2 million compared to the Christian show’s $3.1 million. Madame Web’s domestic total is just over $40 million now and is destined to be one of the lowest-grossing superhero movies in quite some time.
Meanwhile, Illumination’s Migration made another $2.5 million, now boasting a $123 million domestic total. While a modest performer for an animated comedy, it had good legs at the box office, considering there’s been a lack of family films in release. The anime Demon Slayer: To The Hashira Training fell a massive 82% to just over $2 million for the weekend. This isn’t a surprise as these limited run anime movies are always front-loaded.
While he’s been kicking ass on Arrakis all weekend, a kinder, softer Timothee Chalamet also had a good showing at the box office this weekend, with Wonka coming in at number 8. With a $1.7 million gross, this film has proven to be a smash, clearing $216 million at the domestic box office. There’s no surprise that the studio, Warner Bros, wants a sequel immediately. In number 9 was Argylle, Matthew Vaughn’s flop spy flick, which earned $1.4 million for a domestic total just slightly under $44 million. Finally, Jason Statham’s kick-ass The Beekeeper started to wind down its theatrical run with a $1.14 weekend in 10th place, clearing $65 million domestically, a terrific result for an R-rated action flick.
How do you think Dune: Part Two will fare against Kung Fu Panda 4 next weekend? Let us know in the comments.
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Oscar Weekend is coming up, and everyone is wondering if Oppenheimer will sustain its Awards push. Or will Lily Gladstone will take the Best Actress statue from clear front-runner Emma Stone after her surprising SAG win? But there’s one thing that comes across my mind every Oscar weekend: which horror movie deserved to make the cut yet didn’t? I’ve chronicled in the past how much the Academy tends to look the other way regarding great horror performances. But what about the films themselves? After the Best Picture nomination pool was expanded to ten films, we’ve seen movies that otherwise wouldn’t, get a place amongst the year’s best. They wanted to recognize those films making a cultural impact.
And while that position has mostly been reserved for comic book movies and summer blockbusters, I think it’s well past time that we give horror its due. Because what genre is more impactful than horror? They’re the films we think of when we go to bed at night. So I’ve looked through the last few decades and compiled what I think are some of the most deserving horror films, to be skipped over by the Oscars. And sure, some may have had some performances nominated, but we’re looking at the grand prize: Best Picture. We’ll look at which films were more than deserving of the honor but were looked over for one reason or another. I tried to include a video that goes over why the film is so great, produced by our wonderful team at JoBlo Horror Originals. Let’s get started.
John Carpenter’s 1978 classic has the distinction of being quite possibly the greatest slasher of all time. And I know that slashers aren’t known as the bastion of quality. But Halloween is the exception to the rule, crafting a brilliant film that has persevered for 46 years. The innovation involved with the panaglide as well as its famous “one-take” opening brings this to a technical level that we rarely see in slashers. Jamie Lee’s Laurie Strode became the prototype for final girls in horror. Without Halloween, the landscape of horror would be completely different.
Sometimes a film comes along and it changes film as we know it, and Wes Craven’s 1996 classic did just that. The entire horror genre was upended upon release, with meta dialogue being the new hip thing. Now, in 2024, there’s hardly a horror film that releases that doesn’t feature the same insightful dialogue. But it’s more than just the witty conversation that makes it stand out, as the script dissects horror tropes in such a way that even the wisest of horror fans will notice new things on each subsequent viewing. And it features one of the greatest opening and ending scenes in any film, ever. I will fight anyone on that.
It’s insane to me that Christian Bale wasn’t nominated for his turn as Patrick Bateman, but the film itself is just as deserving. Putting the viewer in the mind of an absolute psychopath, American Psycho examines the life of serial killer Patrick Bateman. From his meticulous routines to his seemingly in-the-moment decisions to murder homeless folks, seeing Patrick get away with murder while being so sloppy, speaks to so much more than just a man wanting to kill people. This film breaks down how high society can get away with whatever they want, and it’s the common man (or woman) who must pay the price.
This may be a controversial opinion but I’d argue that The Brood is Cronenberg’s greatest work. It’s a dissection of both marriage and divorce, while also delving into the difficult subject of mental health. And it’s anchored by a phenomenal performance from Oliver Reed. This is a psychological thriller that really takes you on a journey and will have you dissecting long after it ends.
It’s hard to do something original in horror in the modern era, yet David Robert Mitchell managed to do just that. It utilizes an STD monster, who will slowly walk toward its victim until it can finally murder them in a brutal and violent way. The only way to get rid of the monster is to sleep with someone else and set the monster on them. It’s a great concept, especially when combined with the fact that no one except the victim can see the monster. This brings a sense of paranoia that finds its way into every corner of the film. Add in some technically perfect camerawork and tremendous performances, including a star-making turn from Maika Monroe, it’s hard to care. Here’s hoping the sequel is able to bring the same level of quality.
I’ve already gotten into the absolute sham that the 2019 Oscars were for not including Toni Collette’s mindblowing performance in Hereditary. But that also applies to the film itself. An absolutely harrowing story of loss and destiny, this takes you on a brutally dark journey. The effect that this is able to have on people is truly remarkable, with reactions unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Most will remember where they were when they first saw that telephone pole incident; I know I do.
Thankfully this film did receive nominations and even won Best Visual Effects, but it deserved so much more. Ridley Scott’s haunted house story set on a spaceship, follows many tropes we’d see in slashers with characters being offed till we’re left with just our final girl: Ellen Ripley. Sigourney Weaver is able to take over a role that would be stereotypically male and give us one of the greatest sci-fi characters ever created. Then there’s the xenomorph itself, whose life cycle is one of the most well-crafted in all of sci-fi/horror.
John Carpenter’s notorious flop nearly destroyed the director’s will to create, yet he managed to bring us one of the greatest horror films of all time. The creature effects are often cited as the best practical effects in any film. Yet even those weren’t nominated, instead having to settle for a Saturn Award Nomination. But it’s how Carpenter handles the paranoia and uncertainty about who and who hasn’t been assimilated by this alien creature. Its true brilliance lies in how it doesn’t spell out the answers and instead lends the entirety of the film’s runtime to be studied for clues.
There are many baffling things when it comes to Rosemary’s Baby‘s relationship to the Oscars. It was such a monumental film and even earned Roman Polanski a nomination for Best Screenplay. Ruth Gordon even managed to win the Supporting Actress statue yet Mia Farrow’s incredible performance wasn’t even worthy of a nom. But this was the 60’s and horror was still taboo (not that it isn’t, still). So the film itself was unfairly looked past, despite its grounded view of something as fantastical as a cult bringing the devil’s child into the world.
Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece is widely heralded as one of the greatest horror films of all time (just don’t ask Stephen King). And it’s easy to see why with its journey down the rabbit hole of insanity, as Jack Torrance loses it more and more, and his family pays the price. To further highlight the gross negligence of the Razzies, both Kubrick and Shelley Duvall were nominated for those awards, further proving how little they actually mean. The performances of both Duvall and Jack Nicholson are so iconic that they’ve been recreated in other forms for decades. Plus, there’s a reason there are documentaries devoted to all of the minor details in The Shining. Every element can, should be, and has been dissected and studied because Kubrick was able to capture something hypnotic.
What Horror Movies do YOU think should have been nominated for Best Picture? Is there any film that was released THIS YEAR that you feel was worthy of a nomination? Let us know in the comments!
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