Month: May 2024

A24, books, Mack

Digital media is convenient, storage efficient, and easy to access. However, there’s nothing quite like the real thing. As a collector of physical media (much to the distress of my shelving units), I love slipping a new Blu-ray, vinyl, video game, graphic novel, or book onto the shelf. That satisfying sound when you hear the media slide into place. It’s a chef’s kiss. Thankfully, A24 knows the value of physical media, so they’re partnering with the publishing house Mack to bring its screenplay collections to stores worldwide.

The union between A24 and Mack is the first of its kind. The partnership will see A24’s existing line of film, TV, and creator-driven books sold in bookstores globally from September, distributed via Mack’s network in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Before A24 joined forces with Mack to tempt the wallets of cinephiles and bibliophiles alike, you could only get these books through the studio’s online store. Starting in September, you can walk into a physical store and hold the book, leafing through it before you buy it.

A24 knows the value of seeing hard work up close and in great detail. There’s no better way to learn about scriptwriting than to see how your favorite filmmakers structure their work. The first three books in A24’s collection were hardcover versions of the scripts for MoonlightThe VVitch, and Ex Machina. After positive responses from fans, A24 began printing hardbacks for Ari Aster’s Hereditary, Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse, and more original works, like the Horror Cavier cookbook, 99 Movie Crosswords, and more.

“Never before has a leading entertainment company and an art book publisher come together in an exclusive partnership of this nature,” said Mack founder Michael Mack. “It speaks to the shared vision of independent production houses that prioritise artistic innovation and creative expression.”

Which of A24’s hardback books do you want to add to your collection? I like Ari Aster’s Midsommar, Pi: The Guerilla Diaries by Darren Aronofsky, Everything Everywhere All At Once Song Reader, and the Minari screenplay book. Let us know which books you’d choose in the comments section below.

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ben affleck brady roast

Roasts can be brutal and humiliating. But we’re not talking about the spotlight celeb, we mean when somebody bombs hard. We’ve all seen it happen and there’s always one – and this time around, Ben Affleck was the bomb (and not in the Phantoms kind of way), delivering a viral rant during The Greatest Roast of All Time that spent less time sacking Tom Brady and more going in delirious circles.

So what happened with Ben Affleck? Comedian Nikki Glaser – who was also included in the roast of Tom Brady – shared her insights with KFC Radio (via Deadline), saying, “I haven’t watched it again because I don’t like to watch people bomb. I know what happened: he didn’t prepare. He’s someone who’s famous enough he probably thinks it’s beneath him to do this. ‘I’m just gonna do a favor, it’s not gonna be that big of a deal.’” She added, “Either they couldn’t get him on the phone enough to work out something, or he didn’t practice enough. He just picked a bad premise and then he had to stick to it the whole time. It didn’t work right away, so it’s not gonna work later.”

The core problem, though, may be that Ben Affleck really isn’t all that funny of a guy (without proper writing, at least) and his most famous link to Brady is a recent Super Bowl spot. For those who haven’t seen his interpretation of what a roast should be, at one point he veered off into taking genuine digs at some internet commentator dubbed “Tall Boy Henry”, slamming him for even thinking about bashing Tom Brady, who Affleck spent the bulk of his time fawning over – you know, the exact opposite of a roast. It was like that scene in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back where Holden blasts faceless trolls on web forums – except that scene had a few laughs.

Dane Cook – who was in attendance for the Tom Brady roast – also commented on Ben Affleck’s attempt. “He decided to deliver a monologue that…didn’t work. And he tied into it for, what, four or five minutes. And about 45 seconds in, it was clear that it just wasn’t the right choice.” Cook would praise him as a fellow Boston native but concluded, “That was just not his night…and so he came in last place.”

The roast of Tom Brady had some high points but also had enough lows that the former quarterback ended up completely regretting the night.

The post Ben Affleck’s roast of Tom Brady gets roasted itself appeared first on JoBlo.

Tobias Santelmann Harry Hole

The name Harry Hole may sound like a joke to a lot of English speakers, but Norwegian author Jo Nesbø has managed to build a bestselling series of crime novels around the character – whose last name is meant to be pronounced as “HOO-leh.” There have been thirteen books in the Harry Hole series to date, with the seventh one having previously been brought to the screen as the 2017 film The Snowman… which, despite having Tomas Alfredson at the helm, Martin Scorsese on board as a producer, and a strong cast that included Michael Fassbender as Hole, did not turn out well. (You can read our 3/10 review HERE.) Now Nesbø is seeking redemption for his character by teaming with Working Title and the Netflix streaming service for a series called Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole, which is set to star Tobias Santelmann (The Last Kingdom) as Hole. Deadline has unveiled an image of Santelmann in character, and that image can be seen above.

Santelmann is joined in the cast by Joel Kinnaman (The Suicide Squad) as Tom Waaler and Pia Tjelta (Made in Oslo) as Rakel Fauke. 

Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole is coming our way from Exit and So Long, Marianne creator Oystein Karlsen. Nesbø is writing the scripts, and the first season of the show is based on his novel The Devil’s Star, the fifth entry in the Hole book series. The Netflix series adaptation is described as being a whodunnit serial killer mystery led by the famed anti-hero. Underneath the surface, it is a nuanced character drama about two police officers – and supposed colleagues – operating on opposite sides of the law. Throughout the first season, Harry goes head-to-head with his long time adversary and corrupt detective Tom Waaler.

The Devil’s Star has the following description: It seems the city of Oslo has a serial killer on its hands, and Detective Harry Hole is assigned to the case. Only he is not happy with his colleague Tom Waaler, whom he suspects of arms smuggling and murder. 

Santelmann had this to say about being cast in the lead role: “I am incredibly grateful for the trust I have been shown in getting to play Harry Hole. I am very much aware of the huge global fan base and the millions of readers who love the character.

Nesbø added: “I’m guessing that all readers of the book series have their own vision of what Harry Hole would look like, and they should be allowed to keep that. We will create a Harry that is based not only on the books but someone based on the actor Tobias Santelmann and everyone involved in this project – both in front of and behind the camera.

Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole is set up at Universal International Studios. Working Title is producing the series alongside Tor Arne Øvrebø. Nesbø and Karlsen serve as executive producers with Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Katy Rozelle, Rene Ezra, and Niclas Salomonsson.

Are you a fan of the Harry Hole series? What do you think of Tobias Santelmann being cast as the character for the Netflix adaptation? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post Tobias Santelmann is Detective Harry Hole in Netflix’s Jo Nesbo series appeared first on JoBlo.

You wouldn’t know it looking at Marvel’s video game output over the past decade or so, but the X-Men have a long and storied history in the medium. There are certainly some duds like The Uncanny X-Men on the NES from 1989, but by and large, the mutant team has been the star of some pretty important moments in Marvel’s…

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You wouldn’t know it looking at Marvel’s video game output over the past decade or so, but the X-Men have a long and storied history in the medium. There are certainly some duds like The Uncanny X-Men on the NES from 1989, but by and large, the mutant team has been the star of some pretty important moments in Marvel’s…

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Monkey Man, Dev Patel

Get your home theaters ready for a brutal display of power because Dev Patel’s Monkey Man is getting a Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray release! The physical version of Patel’s directorial debut hails from Universal Pictures UK, and it comes packed with extras to take you behind the action of one of this year’s best films. The Collector’s Edition enters the ring on June 8.

Monkey Man is an action thriller about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to victimize the poor and powerless systemically.

Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash.

After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.

With thrilling fight and chase scenes, Dev Patel directed Monkey Man from his original story and screenplay with Paul Angunawela and John Collee (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World).

You’ll find the specs and Special Features for the Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray of Monkey Man below:

Special Features and Technical Specs:

  • HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
  • DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
  • Alternate Opening
  • Alternate Ending
  • Deleted/Extended Scenes
  • A Labour of Love
  • MONKEY MAN of Action
  • Fateful Encounters
  • Roots Exposed
  • Optional English SDH, Dutch, German, Italian, and French subtitles for the main feature

Sharlto Copley (District 9The A-Team), Sobhita Dhulipala (Made in HeavenThe Night Manager), Pitobash (Million Dollar ArmGo Goa Gone), Vipin Sharma (Hotel MumbaiLike Stars on Earth), Ashwini Kalsekar (Ek Tha Hero), Adithi Kalkunte (Hotel Mumbai), Sikandar Kher (Aarya24) and Makarand Deshpande (RRR) also star.

Monkey Man is produced by Dev Patel, Jomon Thomas, Oscar winner Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Ian Cooper, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Christine Haebler, and Anjay Nagpal. Jonathan Fuhrman, Natalya Pavchinskya, Aaron L. Gilbert, Andria Spring, Alison-Jane Roney, and Steven Thibault executive produce.

Welp, I’m arranging a pre-order today! Monkey Man is one of my favorite films of the year. Patel’s story is surprisingly layered, and the action is hard-hitting and visceral. That’s a movie worth owning physically, in my book.

Will you pick up the Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray of Monkey Man on June 8?

The post Dev Patel’s action-packed revenge movie Monkey Man is getting a Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray release appeared first on JoBlo.

Charmed Doherty

There has been much debate and discussion over why Shannen Doherty left Charmed just three seasons in. Most fingers – including Doherty’s – point to co-star Alyssa Milano, although she has hardly fessed up to any wrongdoing (although she hasn’t exactly denied it, either…). Whatever the true case may be, when Prue Halliwell was killed off in “All Hell Breaks Loose”, that was it for Shannen Doherty’s Charmed run. And that includes the series finale, “Forever Charmed”, which is one of the finest of its time despite her absence.

Speaking on her own Let’s Be Clear podcast (via The Hollywood Reporter), Shannen Doherty says she wishes she could have given Charmed fans a different sendoff by being part of “Forever Charmed” but knows it wouldn’t have benefited her. “I regret it one sense, I regret it for the fans. But I don’t regret it for me, because I was so incredibly wrecked from getting fired that, I think, even years — years — years later, had I walked on that set, it just would’ve stirred everything back up for me. And it would’ve crushed me all over again.”

The drama surrounding Shannen Doherty’s exit from Charmed is one of the most storied of the past quarter century of television. Doherty has actively blamed Milano – who played sister Phoebe for the show’s entire eight-season run – for her departure, saying their on-set feud was the primary reason she was written off. Milano has said both that she has taken accountability and that most stories are “revisionist history”, so it’s a bit confusing exactly where she truly stands…Regardless, Doherty insists that everything she says should be held as truth, previously saying, “There is no revisionist history happening in the truth that I know we told. There is no brush flinging or shoe flinging. There is no lateness to set, there is no mediator for months on end. I recall the facts as if I was still living in them.”

Milano has further said that she would like to get together with her Charmed co-stars – chiefly Doherty, Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan – for a reunion…although we don’t see that ever happening considering there’s even more bad blood between the sisters

What do you make of the Charmed drama? Could the showrunners have made a Prue appearance work?

The post Shannen Doherty regrets fans didn’t see Prue in Charmed finale appeared first on JoBlo.

I’m on a path to find reprieve from the suffering around me. But as I turn the next corner of clouding darkness, a bright red light paralyzes me as the forceful and commanding voice of my father tells me that not only am I doomed to fail in my struggles, but that I am actively causing the very harm I am seeking to…

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