Month: July 2024

10 Jul

Zoë Kravitz on why she had to change the title of P*ssy Island to Blink Twice

By . FilmTV No Comments
The Zoe Kravitz thriller Blink Twice (formerly known as Pussy Island) reaches theatres soon, and a poster has just been unveiled

Blink twice and you might have missed the title change that Zoë Kravitz had to make to appease…well, just about everybody that read it. So hopefully we don’t offend anyone here, but the original title for Blink Twice was Pussy Island, which you might be able to see why didn’t sit well along the way.

Even though the title of Pussy Island had been the original title, Zoë Kravitz told Entertainment Weekly that it was a major sticking point as the project developed. “It was made very clear to me that ‘p*ssy is a word that we, our society, are not ready to embrace yet. There were a lot of roadblocks along the way, whether it be the MPAA not wanting to put it on a poster, or a billboard, or a kiosk; movie theaters not wanting to put it on a ticket.” Of course, showing off evidence of entry to Pussy Island would have been a major bragging point for many…

Zoë Kravitz even found that those she expected support from were the ones who were objecting to the title the most. “Interestingly enough, after researching it, women were offended by the word, and women seeing the title were saying, ‘I don’t want to see that movie,’ which is part of the reason I wanted to try and use the word, which is trying to reclaim the word, and not make it something that we’re so uncomfortable using. But we’re not there yet. And I think that’s something I have the responsibility as a filmmaker to listen to. I care about people seeing the film, and I care about how it makes people feel.”

The MPA (formerly MPAA) really has no problem pushing filmmakers to bow to their demands, whether it be a title swap, poster alteration or series of edits to the movie. And while nothing can be truly enforced, it’s sometimes just easier to play nice so your work can get as wide of a release as possible. Sometimes the fights aren’t worth it – especially if, like Zoë Kravitz, you’re trying to get your directorial debut seen by the masses.

Blink Twice, which stars Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie, hits theaters on August 23rd.

What are your thoughts on the title change of Pussy Island to Blink Twice? Was it a necessary move or an overreaction? Give us your take on the matter in the comments section below.

The post Zoë Kravitz on why she had to change the title of P*ssy Island to Blink Twice appeared first on JoBlo.

10 Jul

First reactions to Twisters praise Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones’s charisma and large-scale special effects

By . FilmTV No Comments
Twisters, Glen Powell

Audiences appear to be blown away by Twisters as social media buzzes with the first reactions to the high-velocity action film. The standalone sequel to the 1996 film Twister makes landfall in theaters on July 19, one week before Marvel‘s Deadpool & Wolverine puts a hit out on the summer box office. Thankfully, many reactions to Twisters are glowingly positive, with audience members praising Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar Jones’s on-screen chemistry, brilliant direction by Lee Isaac Chung (Minari, I Have Seen My Last Born), and thrilling special effects.

People across Twitter say Twisters feels like a “good old fashioned Summer blockbuster,” with adrenaline-fueled action, a predictable yet effective story, and compelling protagonists who make the wild ride well worth the price of admission. Several of those who have seen the film predict it will “blow the theatrical roof off,” giving cinephiles another reason to enjoy their local theaters’ air conditioning and salty concessions.

You can read various reactions to Twisters below:

The official synopsis for Twisters reads:

Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Golden Globe nominee Anthony Ramos, In the Heights), to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew; the more dangerous, the better.

As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed. Kate, Tyler, and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.

Twisters features an exciting new cast, including Nope’s Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane (American Honey), Daryl McCormack (Peaky Blinders), Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Nik Dodani (Atypical) and Golden Globe winner Maura Tierney (Beautiful Boy). From Amblin Entertainment, Twisters is directed by Lee Isaac Chung and is produced by Oscar nominee Frank Marshall (Jurassic and Indiana Jones franchises) and by Patrick Crowley (Jurassic and Bourne franchises). The screenplay is by Mark L. Smith, writer of the Best Picture nominee The Revenant. Universal Pictures will distribute Twisters domestically and internationally through Warner Bros. Pictures.

Are you ready to get blown away by Twisters? Are you surprised by the first reactions to the film? Will Deadpool & Wolverine eat Twisters‘ lunch when it hops a portal into cinemas on July 26? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

The post First reactions to Twisters praise Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones’s charisma and large-scale special effects appeared first on JoBlo.

10 Jul

V/H/S/Beyond to feature segments from Justin Long, Kate Siegel & Mike Flanagan, and more

By . FilmTV No Comments
V/H/S, new movie, sci-fi horror

The found footage horror anthology series V/H/S was launched in 2012, with the sequels V/H/S/2 and V/H/S: Viral following in 2013 and 2014. There was a spin-off called SiREN in 2016, then the franchise went dormant for a few years… before being revived by the Shudder streaming service, which has had great success delivering a new V/H/S movie every year. There was V/H/S/94 in 2021, V/H/S/99 in 2022, and V/H/S/85 in 2023 (with another spin-off, called Kids vs. Aliens, also dropping in 2023). There will be no lack of V/H/S this year, as Variety has just broken the news that Shudder will be releasing V/H/S/Beyond on October 4th – and they also revealed that the new movie will feature segments from the likes of Justin Long and the duo of Kate Siegel and Mike Flanagan!

A Shudder Original Film made in association with Studio71, V/H/S/Beyond will feature six new bloodcurdling tapes, placing horror at the forefront of a sci-fi-inspired hellscape.

The segments making up this entry in the franchise are:

“Stork”: Directed by Jordan Downey (ThanksKilling, ThanksKilling 3, The Head Hunter), screenplay by Downey and Kevin Stewart

“Fur Babies”: Written and directed by Christian Long and Justin Long, who had acting roles in Jeepers Creepers, Tusk, and Barbarian

“Live and Let Dive”: Directed by Justin Martinez, story by Martinez and Ben Turner, screenplay by Turner. Martinez contributed a segment to the anthology Southbound and directed a segment of the first V/H/S as part of the collective Radio Silence.

“Dream Girl”: Directed by Virat Pal (Recapture), written by Pal and Evan Dickson

“Stowaway”: Directed by actress Kate Siegel, making her directorial debut, working from a script written by her frequent collaborator (and husband) Mike Flanagan (Hush, The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, etc.)

There will also be a special presentation by Jay Cheel (Cursed Films, How to Build a Time Machine.)

V/H/S/Beyond is being produced by Josh Goldbloom, James Harris, and Michael Schreiber, with Adam Boorstin serving as executive producer.

Are you a fan of the V/H/S franchise, and are you looking forward to V/H/S/Beyond? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

V/H/S/Beyond

The post V/H/S/Beyond to feature segments from Justin Long, Kate Siegel & Mike Flanagan, and more appeared first on JoBlo.

10 Jul

Mayor of Kingstown Interview: Emma Laird on playing the wounded and divided Iris

By . FilmTV No Comments

While Taylor Sheridan regularly earns raves and blockbuster ratings for his shows in the Yellowstone universe, probably the most underrated program he’s a part of is Paramount Plus’s Mayor of Kingstown. The show, now airing its third season, revolves around Jeremy Renner’s Mike McLusky, a former prison shot-caller turned mediator between the criminal element of his town and law enforcement. Over the course of the show, he becomes involved with Emma Laird’s Iris, a seductive escort working for the Russian Mafia, who is initially sent to seduce Mike. Still, she winds up being much more layered than anticipated. Mike discovers she’s been trafficked since she was young and sets about trying to free her from life, only to find that her loyalties are complicated, to say the least.

Fresh off of speaking to star Jeremy Renner, who opened up about the challenge of returning to such a physically demanding role after his near-fatal accident, I had the opportunity to speak to Emma Laird, who’s evolved into a lead in her own right. This season has been a rough one for Iris, with her town between her devotion (and unrequited love) towards Mike and her complex relationship with the mob.

In this refreshingly honest interview, Laird opened up about the challenges of shooting three gruelling seasons of such a brutal show and how her relationship with Renner has evolved over the years, both on and off-screen. She goes on about her admiration for his recovery and devotion to his craft while admitting that the show’s writing often challenges her as an actress unexpectedly. She also praises the work of another Taylor Sheridan regular, Isabel May, who she says was actually up to play Iris, but was so impressive that the showrunner built 1883 around her, paving the way for Laird to take on this incredible role. It’s a great interview, and Laird is a really cool person to talk to. If you haven’t yet taken a dive into Mayor of Kingstown, give it a shot. It’s a terrific show. 

The post Mayor of Kingstown Interview: Emma Laird on playing the wounded and divided Iris appeared first on JoBlo.

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