Once Human is it hitting all the sweet spots to earn the customary 15 minutes of Steam fame. It’s a free-to-play survival crafting MMO about fighting through a world infested by a strange alien lifeform called Stardust, and its first week out has already been full of ups and downs.
PLOT: The extraordinary true story of Trudy Ederle, the accomplished swimmer who was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the staggering achievement – a 21-mile trek from France to England.
REVIEW: After the surprise box office success of The Boys in the Boat, Disney shifted Young Woman and the Sea from a streaming debut to a theatrical release. However, the film barely registered during its limited window in May. The inspirational period sports drama is coming to Disney+, where it will likely garner a much larger audience. Despite a familiar formula that borders on cliche, Young Woman and the Sea is still a rousing underdog tale from the same studio that brought us Remember the Titans and Miracle. With a solid ensemble cast led by the always charming Daisy Ridley, Young Woman and the Sea delivers a feel-good tale that hits all of the right notes as it tugs at the heartstrings and beats the drum that every sports flick must land.
Set at the start of the 20th century, Young Woman and the Sea opens with young Trudy Ederle as she miraculously survives the measles. Her mother, Gertrude (Jeanette Hain), and father, Henry (Kim Bodnia), are ecstatic, as is Trudy’s sister Meg (Tilda Cobham-Hervey). When the girls show interest in learning to swim, Henry is reluctant to let women learn the skill, but Gertrude is adamant. Their coach, Charlotte (Sian Clifford), does not believe that Trudy has what it takes and elects to train Meg, but Trudy’s hard-nosed focus wins out, and she soon racks up records and trophies as the strongest female swimmer in America. A trip to the Olympics does not go as planned, and Trudy begins to see a life of arranged marriage made by her father, a butcher, as the dead end of her career. But, Trudy is invigorated by the idea of swimming the English Channel, a feat at that point only completed by Bill Burgess (Stephen Graham). Trudy and Charlotte find a way to convince James Sullivan (Glenn Fleshler) to finance the feat, to which he begrudgingly agrees.
The first half of Young Woman and the Sea follows Trudy from early childhood through a montage of her accomplishments before eventually beginning her quest for the English Channel at the halfway mark. Clocking in at just over two hours, Young Woman and the Sea never feels like a long movie, with the first half almost rushing by. The second half is equally paced as Trudy meets multiple swimmers vying for the dangerous honor of the shortlist of those successfully crossing the Channel. This includes her new coach, Jabez Wolffe (Christopher Eccleston), who has failed the feat over twenty times. Trudy makes her first and second attempts to cross the Channel dramatically when, in reality, the two tries were separated by an entire year. There is clearly a dramatic element added to how this unfolds in the film, which is one of many liberal decisions made to make a rousing feature film. While this does not detract from the true results of Trudy Ederle’s amazing feat, it does less to distinguish the movie from other sports dramas and instead pulls it closer to the cliche side of the formula for this kind of story.
Young Woman and the Sea is, first and foremost, Trudy Ederle’s story, which means that Daisy Ridley’s performance is vital to making this tale work. Ridley has done solid work since her three-film Star Wars stint, and Trudy may be her most natural and charismatic performance to date. Ridley spends more time in the water than she does delivering dialogue, but she nails the focus and determination that Trudy Ederle put into achieving her goals. It also helps that Ridley is surrounded by a great cast, notably the Ederle clan led by Kim Bodnia and Jeanette Hain. Hain starts the film as the gruff matriarch, but her firmness soon becomes endearing as the film progresses. Kim Bodnia transforms from a reluctant and conservative father who does not believe in his daughter’s passion to her most fervent supporter. Both Sian Clifford as Charlotte and Tilda Cobham-Hervey as Meg Ederle are fantastic in key roles that develop Trudy’s passion. Stephen Graham and Christopher Eccleston have more limited roles here, but both can play into the cliches of the types of coaches seen in sports films without becoming cliches themselves.
Written by Disney regular Jeff Nathanson (The Lion King, Mufasa, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) and directed by Joachim Rønning, Young Woman and the Sea nails the visuals and styling of 1920s New York without relying on obvious special effects. Everything is tangible, especially the swimming sequences. Joachim Rønning, who co-directed Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and the ocean-set Kon-Tiki alongside Espen Sandberg, has developed into quite the visual storyteller. Rønning is also a Disney regular now, having directed Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and the upcoming Tron: Ares, along with the untitled sixth Pirates of the Caribbean. However, he shows more restraint with this film than I anticipated. The final attempt by Trudy Ederle to cross the English Channel is a rousing sequence that follows the expected formula underdog tales often take. Still, Joachim Rønning delivers the heart-racing excitement the story needs at just the right moments, even if you know exactly what will happen next.
Young Woman and the Sea does not offer any unique plot twists or deviations from the sports drama formula to distinguish this film from the numerous other entries in the genre. But that does not mean this is not a rousing and inspirational film. Well-made with a stirring score from composer Amelia Warner, Young Woman and the Sea relies on a likable Daisy Ridley and a solid cast of supporting performers rallying around a true story that few people likely know despite how globally relevant it was almost one hundred years ago. This is a solid movie that fits right into Disney’s own brand of storytelling for a sanitized look at how female athletes and women in general used to be treated compared to their male counterparts. Whether you are a swimmer or just a fan of a good movie experience, Young Woman and the Sea is a solid outing that deserves an audience when it hits Disney+.
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After two seasons on Syfy, the horror comedy TV series Reginald the Vampire has come to an end, as Deadline was able to confirm that the show has been cancelled. In the Reginald report, Deadline also mentions that the fate of the Chucky TV series, which airs on both Syfy and USA Network, is still undecided. Or, as they put it, “The fate of both Reginald the Vampire and Chucky, which is shared by Syfy and USA, had been pending, and Chucky is still TBD.” In the meantime, the Syfy series Resident Alien is moving over to USA Network for its fourth season.
Starring Jacob Batalon (who played Peter Parker’s best friend Ned in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far from Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, with appearances in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame along the way), Reginald the Vampire centered on an unlikely hero, Reginald Baskin (Batalon) who tumbles headlong into a world populated by beautiful, fit and vain vampires as an unlikely hero who will have to navigate every kind of obstacle — the girl he loves but can’t be with, a bully manager at work and the vampire chieftain who wants him dead. Fortunately, Reginald discovers he has a few unrecognized powers of his own. Season 2 had the following synopsis: Reginald Andres finally got his life together – when he was turned into a vampire. While he doesn’t fit into the stereotypical expectations of what a vampire looks like – he’s not chiseled or classically handsome – Reginald has found his place amongst an unlikely cohort that includes the cool vampire who sired him, the former vampire chieftain turned unexpected ally (or is she?), and his co-worker/former girlfriend. A show with a lot of heart and just enough blood, “Reginald the Vampire” proves the undead life is just as complicated as life itself.
Batalon was joined in the cast by Em Haine (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Mandela Van Peebles (Mayor of Kingstown), and Savannah Basley (SurrealEstate).
Reginald the Vampire season 2 came our way from Great Pacific Media Inc., Modern Story Company, December Films, and Cineflix Studios. Harley Peyton, fresh off the Chucky series, wrote, executive produced, and served as showrunner on Reginald the Vampire. Jeremiah Chechik executive produced alongside Todd Berger, Lindsay Macadam, Brett Burlock, and Peter Emerson. Reginald the Vampire was based on author Johnny B. Truant’s Fat Vampire series of novels.
Are you disappointed to hear that Reginald the Vampire has been cancelled? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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Cinematographer Ellen Kuras makes her stunning debut with Lee, a powerful depiction of war journalism and one woman’s fight to fulfill her duty as someone hoping to make a difference while telling the stories of heroes and villains in a world overrun with hatred and desperation. Roadside Attractions and Vertical unveiled today’s Lee trailer, previewing Kruas’s powerful film starring Kate Winslet as Lee Miller, a woman whose groundbreaking work in the field gave a voice to the voiceless.
Here’s the official synopsis for Lee:
Lee, the directorial feature from award-winning Cinematographer Ellen Kuras, portrays a pivotal decade in the life of American war correspondent and photographer Lee Miller (Kate Winslet). Miller’s singular talent and unbridled tenacity resulted in some of the 20th century’s most indelible images of war, including an iconic photo of Miller herself, posing defiantly in Hitler’s private bathtub.
Miller had a profound understanding and empathy for women and the voiceless victims of war. Her images display both the fragility and ferocity of the human experience. Above all, the film shows how Miller lived her life at full-throttle in pursuit of truth, for which she paid a huge personal price, forcing her to confront a traumatic and deeply buried secret from her childhood.
Ellen Kuras directs Lee from a script by Liz Hannah, Marion Hume, and John Collee. Kate Solomon, Kate Winslet, Troy Lum, Andrew Mason, Marie Savare, and Lauren Hantz produce. Kate Winslet, Josh O’Connor, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Samberg, Alexander Skarsgård, and Marion Cotillard lead the cast.
Kuras’s Lee trailer follows Lee Miller, a model turned journalist documenting the events of World War II, as a photographer for Vogue. As she documents the toll of war, Lee exposes the burning fire behind the eyes of soldiers with something worth fighting for while dodging bullets, bombs, and battlefields to record the truth. Kuras, who provides cinematography for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, pulls out all the stops to turn heads towards her directorial debut, with early word celebrating the film as a “must-see” for cinephiles.
Lee premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and will debut in U.S. theaters on September 27, 2024. What do you think of Kuras’s Lee trailer? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Following its stellar adaptation of Fallout earlier this year, Amazon’s eyes are now set on translating the popular video game series Like a Dragon (formerly known as Yakuza) this fall. Ahead of the release of Amazon’s adaptation, which straddles the line with the title Like a Dragon: Yakuza, lead actor Ryoma…
Following its stellar adaptation of Fallout earlier this year, Amazon’s eyes are now set on translating the popular video game series Like a Dragon (formerly known as Yakuza) this fall. Ahead of the release of Amazon’s adaptation, which straddles the line with the title Like a Dragon: Yakuza, lead actor Ryoma…
I’ll never forget the first time I saw Sausage Party. I loved every crude minute of that animated comedy. Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Michael Cera, and crew took food to a whole new level. And now, you may have caught some of the eight episode event, Sausage Party: Foodtopia. Frankly, I dig the series more than the film! I love the additional cast that includes Edward Norton and the amazing Sam Richardson. Much like the movie, the series is crude, rude, and yet it’s suprisingly sweet.
Seth Rogen is the best. I love talking to this fine gentleman. And I feel the same about the incredible Kristen Wiig and Sam Richardson. All three are incredibly kind, and so damn funny. I was really happy to sit down with the three in-person. But where to begin? Well, I thought it would be fun to get right to it to the conversation.
In one of the early scenes from the series, all the food has a little bit of fun. It was so very vivid that it brought the controversial classic Caligula to my mind. Thankfully, Seth, Kristen, and Sam seemed to enjoy the comparison. Much like the series and movie, our conversation gets a bit crude, with a lot of sweet. It was incredibly fun chatting “food f*cking” and what is better, a bagel or a donut. A very enjoyable conversation was had.
I dug the hell out of this series. If you had fun with the film, you’ll love it. Sausage Party: Foodtopia is already available for viewing and worth chilling with.
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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to director Tim Burton’s 1988 classic Beetlejuice (watch it HERE), is set to reach theatres on September 6th – and when it reaches the big screen, we’ll have the chance to see Winona Ryder reprise the role of Lydia Deetz, the first time in her career that she has been able to revisit a character in a sequel. During an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Ryder revealed that her one condition when she agreed to star in the Netflix series Stranger Things back in 2015 was that, if the Beetlejuice sequel ever moved into production, the show’s creators the Duffer Brothers would have to let her clear her schedule and make the movie.
Ryder said (with thanks to Movieweb for the transcription), “At the time, Tim and I were talking about the Beetlejuice sequel. There have been moments over the last 15 years that we thought it was gonna happen but, again, that’s a thing that it had to be perfect with everybody in order for it to happen. But I remember, in my first meeting with the Duffer brothers, I said, ‘As long as, if Beetlejuice 2 happens, you let me go do that,’ and they agreed. Luckily, it worked out. That was my one condition.“
This makes sense, because if you look back at 2015 news reports, Ryder’s Stranger Things casting was announced in June, and in August she was confirming her involvement with the Beetlejuice sequel.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was in development hell for decades before it finally got made. In 1990, Jonathan Gems was hired to write a sequel that was going to be titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. Burton considered having Daniel Waters rewrite that script, Pamela Norris did rewrite it, and Warner Bros. offered Kevin Smith the chance to do another rewrite. He turned it down. Seth Grahame-Smith was hired to write and produce a new version of a sequel in 2011. Mike Vukadinovich was brought on to rewrite his script in 2017.
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, co-creators and co-showrunners of Wednesday, have written the screenplay for Beetlejuice 2 that was actually filmed. Brad Pitt’s Plan B is producing the sequel, which filmed in London before moving to Vermont and Massachusetts.
Here’s the official synopsis: Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.
Ryder is joined in the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice cast by Catherine O’Hara, back as Lydia’s stepmother Delia; Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s daughter Astrid, Justin Theroux as a fellow named Rory, Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s wife and Willem Dafoe as a law enforcement officer in the afterlife. Arthur Conti is also in there, in an unspecified role. And, of course, Michael Keaton is back as Beetlejuice.
Are you looking forward to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice? What do you think of Winona Ryder making this sequel her top priority when she signed on for Stranger Things? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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The first Marvel / Disney+ series WandaVision is getting a spin-off / follow-up called Agatha All Along (with Marvel teasing out the title reveal by giving us fake ones earlier: Agatha: House of Harkness, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, Agatha: The Lying Witch with Great Wardrobe), and the show is set to premiere on Disney+ with its first two episodes on September 18th. A teaser trailer for Agatha All Along recently made its way online, and it featured some moments of horror that were a bit more intense than expected. Now cast member Sasheer Zamata has said that she thinks Marvel fans will be surprised at the amount of horror in the show.
In Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…
Kathryn Hahn reprises the role of Agatha and is joined in the cast by Joe Locke, Patti LuPone, Ali Ahn, Debra Jo Rupp, Aubrey Plaza, and, as mentioned, Sasheer Zamata.
Speaking to ComicBook.com, Zamata said, “I think the fans will be surprised at how much horror is in the show. It really is quite scary and dramatic and violent and all the things. And also funny! But I think the range of what the show is going to do will be a shock for people.“
The first episode of Agatha All Along was directed by Jac Schaeffer, who previously directed the sci-fi rom-com TiMER, created WandaVision, and worked on the scripts for Black Widow and Captain Marvel. As shared by the folks at ComicBookMovie.com a while back, the first episode of Agatha All Along has the following synopsis, which was apparently found in a U.S. Copyright Office listing: In the first episode, we see Agatha finally break out of a spell she has been trapped in. She can’t wait to go back to her old murderous ways only to find that she is powerless. The only way forward for her is to embark on a perilous quest to get her powers back with the help of an unlikely friend or two.
Are you looking forward to Agatha All Along, and are you glad to hear there’s a surprisingly strong horror element to the show? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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The second episode of Netflix’s Supacell, “Tazer,” explores the stress and anxiety some of the superheroes experience as they discover their powers and test their limits. While some superhero narratives follow characters who experience their powers in secret, Supacell shows what happens when the discovery takes place…