Who doesn’t love a fun action movie? With John Wick and The Fast Saga changing the game for what audiences have come to expect from big-budget action movies, other movies are often relegated to second-class efforts. Luc Besson, the creator of The Transporter and Taken franchises, has cemented his own brand of action movie that has been around for decades. Partnering with co-writer and director George Huang, Besson has produced the new movie Weekend in Taipei, which mines the classic style of nineties-era action movies for a fun, brisk movie experience (check out our review HERE).
Weekend in Taipei follows DEA agent John Lawlor (Luke Evans) as he returns to Taiwan after fifteen years away. The last time he was there, he had a romance with criminal transporter Joey (Gwei Lun-mei). Lawlor is in town to pick up evidence to take down drug kingpin Kwang (Sung Kang). Unbeknownst to John, Joey is not only married to Kwang, but he also has a son whom he knows nothing about. Reuniting with his former love and son, Lawlor must try to escape from Taipei with the evidence to take Kwang down.
I got the chance to speak with the cast and crew of Weekend in Taipei. Wyatt Yang, who plays young Raymond, talked about being scared of Sung Kang’s method acting and what it was like filming his first movie. Star Luke Evans talked about playing a hero with Kang as the villain, the inverse of their Fast Saga relationship, and whether he hopes this movie turns into a franchise. Sung Kang talked about why playing villains is more fun while director George Huang gives a shout out to JoBlo.com while explaining the method behind his first action movie. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.
Weekend in Taipei premieres in theaters on November 8th.
The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman writer/director Robert Eggers‘ remake of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent classic Nosferatu (watch it HERE) is set to reach theatres on Wednesday, December 25th – and while there has been a lot of talk about the transformation Bill Skarsgard (It) underwent to play the title character (Skarsgard himself has said that playing Nosferatu / Count Orlok was like “conjuring pure evil. It took a while for me to shake off the demon that had been conjured inside of me. … I do not think people are gonna recognize me in it.“), it has been confirmed that we won’t be seeing a good shot of the dead Transylvanian nobleman until the movie reaches the big screen.
An unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the original Nosferatu has the following synopsis: In this highly influential silent horror film, the mysterious Count Orlok (Max Schreck) summons Thomas Hutter (Gustav von Wangenheim) to his remote Transylvanian castle in the mountains. The eerie Orlok seeks to buy a house near Hutter and his wife, Ellen (Greta Schroeder). After Orlok reveals his vampire nature, Hutter struggles to escape the castle, knowing that Ellen is in grave danger. Meanwhile Orlok’s servant, Knock (Alexander Granach), prepares for his master to arrive at his new home. Werner Herzog directed his own remake of the film in 1979.
Eggers’ take on Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman in 19th century Germany and the ancient Transylvanian vampire who stalks her, bringing untold horror with him.
Eggers told Vanity Fair, “This Orlok is more of a folk vampire than any other film version. That means he’s a dead person. And he’s not like, ‘I look great and I’m dead.’ Folk vampires in some ways are more visually similar to zombies. The reason why he looks the way he looks and he dresses the way he’s dressed is because for the first time in a Dracula or Nosferatu story, this guy looks like a dead Transylvanian nobleman . Every single thing he’s wearing down to the heels on his shoes is what he would’ve worn. That’s never been done.” Entertainment Weekly then learned, “Only when audiences arrive in theaters on premiere day this Christmas will the general public see the results of the full hair, make-up, and prosthetics.“
Skarsgard agrees with the decision to keep his character hidden in the marketing. “I think the best way to discover Orlok is through the movie for the first time. The movie functions on that, as well. He lives in the shadows for a long time, and it teases the reveal of the character as the movie progresses.“
Skarsgard is joined in the cast by Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man: No Way Home) as crazy vampire hunter Von Franz, Lily-Rose Depp (The Idol) as Ellen Hutter and Nicholas Hoult (Renfield) as her husband Thomas – a role Skarsgard was going to play at one point. Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Bullet Train) is in there as Thomas’s friend Friedrich Harding, with Emma Corrin (The Crown) as Friedrich’s wife Anna, Ralph Ineson (The Witch) as Von Franz’s cohort Dr. Wilhelm Sievers, and Simon McBurney (The Conjuring 2) in an unspecified role. The first reactions to the film recently made their way online, and they were very positive.
Are you looking forward to Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu remake, and are you glad to hear that Bill Skarsgard’s character is going to be concealed until the movie reaches the big screen? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Two-time Academy Award winner Renée Zellweger returns to the role that established a romantic-comedy heroine for the ages, a woman whose inimitable approach to life and love redefined an entire film genre.
But in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Bridget is alone once again, widowed four years ago, when Mark (Oscar winner Colin Firth) was killed on a humanitarian mission in the Sudan. She’s now a single mother to 9-year-old Billy and 4-year-old Mabel, and is stuck in a state of emotional limbo, raising her children with help from her loyal friends and even her former lover, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant).
Pressured by her Urban Family —Shazzer, Jude and Tom, her work colleague Miranda, her mother, and her gynecologist Dr. Rawlings (Oscar winner Emma Thompson) — to forge a new path toward life and love, Bridget goes back to work and even tries out the dating apps, where she’s soon pursued by a dreamy and enthusiastic younger man (White Lotus’sLeo Woodall). Now juggling work, home and romance, Bridget grapples with the judgment of the perfect mums at school, worries about Billy as he struggles with the absence of his father, and engages in a series of awkward interactions with her son’s rational-to-a-fault science teacher (Oscar® nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor). The returning cast includes Oscar® winner Jim Broadbent and BAFTA winner Gemma Jones as Bridget’s parents and, as a new character, Isla Fisher (Now You See Me, The Great Gatsby, Dog Man) as Rebecca, Bridget’s neighbor.
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Michael Morris (To Leslie, Better Call Saul), from a screenplay by BAFTA nominee Helen Fielding, based on her novel, with contributions from Emmy winner Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady, Eric) and Oscar nominee Dan Mazer (I Give it A Year,Bridget Jones’s Baby).
The film is produced for Working Title by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, whose films, including The Danish Girl, Darkest Hour, Fargo, Les Misérables and The Theory of Everything, among others, have earned 14 Academy Awards® and six Best Picture nominations. The film is also produced by Jo Wallett (Wicked Little Letters, Catherine Called Birdy). The film is executive produced by Helen Fielding, Renée Zellweger, Amelia Granger and Sarah-Jane Wright. Working Title has produced all the Bridget Jones films.
Universal Pictures and StudioCanal and Miramax present a Working Title production, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. The film will be released in theaters internationally by Universal Pictures and will stream exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. The three previous Bridget Jones films—Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004) and Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016)—have earned more than $800 million worldwide.
BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY — (l-r) Director Michael Morris, Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones — (Photo by: Jay Maidment/Universal Pictures)BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY — (l-r) Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones, Leo Woodall as Roxster — (Photo By: Jay Maidment/Universal Pictures)BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY — (l-r) Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mr. Walliker, Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones — (Photo By: Jay Maidment/Universal Pictures)
Director Neil Marshall made one of the all-time coolest werewolf movies with his 2002 film Dog Soldiers (watch it HERE), so it’s shocking that we’ve never gotten a sequel, especially considering we’re living in a world where An American Werewolf in Paris exists, and there have been eight Howling movies. A few years ago, Marshall said there was “more of a chance” of the sequel happening than ever before… but in a recent interview, he said he feared that Dog Soldiers 2 is dead in the water. Now, he has taken to social media to confirm that there’s little to no hope of Dog Soldiers 2 ever happening – so he’s going to make a different werewolf movie, The Werewolves of London, instead.
There have been rumors and premature announcements about a sequel to Dog Soldiers ever since the film made its debut in 2002. Oddly, for several years the plans for a sequel never seemed to involve Marshall, despite the fact that he had ideas for a trilogy. A screenplay for a sequel was written (not by Marshall), the project passed through the hands of directors Andy Armstrong, M.J. Bassett, and Rob Green, but the film – referred to as Dog Soldiers: Fresh Meat – never made it into production. Later, there was an attempt to make a web series called Dog Soldiers: Legacy. It didn’t pan out any better than Fresh Meat did. In 2020, the sequel talks finally circled back to Marshall… but then he had trouble getting a follow-up off the ground as well.
Marshall wrote on Instagram, “Since so many fans keep asking, I figured I couldn’t keep the disappointing news to myself any longer. Your unwavering loyalty deserves better. For the past 6 years myself and original UK producer of Dog Soldiers, Christopher Figg, have been working tirelessly to negotiate for the rights to make a sequel with the US Producer/rights holder David E. Allen and his company Dash. 6 years!! That’s as long as it took to write and make the first movie. Unfortunately these negotiations came to a sudden and unexpected halt when, earlier this year, we were due to finalize and sign the agreements and….they disappeared. Vanished. Cut off all communication. Refuse to answer emails or calls. Why, you ask. I don’t know why. That’s the point. We simply don’t know what happened or why, but the end result is that we don’t have the rights to make a sequel without this deal in place, thus rendering it effectively dead. I’m sorry. We tried. We really did. And in Chris Figg’s case spent a lot of money on legal fees doing so. We wanted this for you. For all the countless fans who’ve asked for it. But in the end, perhaps it’s just not meant to be. The original film was lightning in a bottle, and perhaps lightning doesn’t, and in some cases shouldn’t, strike twice. So there it is…“
Nineteen hours later, he revealed that he hopes to make a separate project called The Werewolves of London. “Since I dropped such a clanger last night, I thought I’d give fans a little moonlight at the end of the tunnel today… While I do not have the rights to make a Dog Soldiers sequel, there’s nothing to stop me making another werewolf movie…. Which is exactly what I intend to do. It’s early days and I’m not giving away any plot details just yet, the plan is to bring as many of the original team back for this as possible, and then all we need is the money to make it!“
Are you sad to hear that Dog Soldiers 2 is dead, but glad to hear that Marshall intends to make The Werewolves of London instead? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown not only explores Bob Dylan’s life, but also the notable people who surrounded him. Names like Joan Baez, Johnny Cash and Pete Seeger are included in the story and Mangold has a cast of actors worth promoting. ScreenRant now reveals on their social media the new character posters for the characters from A Complete Unknown, which includes a new incarnation of Johhny Cash after Mangold already covered his story in Walk the Line with Joaquin Phoenix in the role.
A Complete Unknown, which stars Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning and Monica Barbaro. The film also co-stars Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz and Scoot McNairy, with the studio also giving it a December 25th wide release. Given how well Chalamet’s Wonka did during the holiday season last year, the studio is likely hoping that lightning will strike twice. The date also gives is peak visibility during award season.
Here’s the official synopsis: “Set in the influential New York music scene of the early 60s, A Complete Unknown follows 19-year-old Minnesota musician Bob Dylan’s (Timothée Chalamet) meteoric rise as a folk singer to concert halls and the top of the charts – his songs and mystique becoming a worldwide sensation – culminating in his groundbreaking electric rock and roll performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.”
James Mangold directs from a screenplay written by him and Jay Cocks, who is known for working with Martin Scorsese on projects such as Gangs of New York and Silence. Producers on the film include Range’s Fred Berger, The Picture Company’s Alex Heineman, Veritas Entertainment Group’s Peter Jaysen, Bob Bookman, Alan Gasmer, Bob Dylan’s longtime representative Jeff Rosen, Chalamet, and Mangold via his Turnpike Films. Michael Bederman, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, and Andrew Rona are on board as executive producers.
Mangold recently talked about the setting of the film, saying, “It’s such an amazing time in American culture, and the story of Bob’s — a young, 19-year-old Bob Dylan coming to New York with two dollars in his pocket and becoming a worldwide sensation within three years…First being embraced into a family of folk music in New York and of course kind of outrunning him at a certain point as his star rises so beyond belief.”
Last year, it was announced that the 1987 cult classic horror comedy Street Trash (buy it HERE) would be getting a remake from Ryan Kruger, the director of the 2020 body horror film Fried Barry! Kruger’s take on the concept, which moves the story from Brooklyn to South Africa, is now ready to make its way out into the world, as Cineverse holds the North American distribution rights and they’re planning to release the film through the Screambox streaming service on November 19th. With the release date swiftly approaching, Kruger sat down for an interview with our friends at Bloody Disgusting – and during this conversation, he revealed that he considers the new Street Trash to be a sequel to the original movie, not a remake of it.
The original Street Trash was directed by J. Michael Muro from a screenplay by Roy Frumkes. Fourteen years ago, Frumkes said he was working on the script for Street Trash 2… but that sequel never made it into production. Thankfully, Muro and Frumkes are both involved with the remake. They served as executive producers alongside Bad Dragon and Vinegar Syndrome.
The Street Trash remake follows a group of homeless misfits as they fight for survival when they discover a plot to exterminate every homeless person in the city. Variety assured that this new take on the concept “stays true to the original plot — which chronicles the disgusting decay of New York wanderers after ingesting bottles of toxic alcohol — but expounds the gore to create a metaphor for something much larger.”
When the project was first announced, Kruger provided the following statement: “Our reimagining of Street Trash takes place in Cape Town, South Africa where the growing divide between rich and poor has changed the world as we know it. I was a huge fan of the original Street Trash when I was a kid, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce a whole new generation to the melted gonzo goodness that made the original such a classic. While our reimagining features new, exciting plot elements that give the film many bizarre twists and turns, the core of the film lies with our diverse and unique cast of characters. As a director, I am very character centric and I can’t wait to see our strange and hilarious ensemble on screen together as they navigate the hostile streets of Cape Town. Our version of Street Trash will be raw, hilarious, packed with vibrant characters and multi-colored explosions of gooey greatness.“
Fans of the Shudder series The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs might point out the fact that Fried Barry and the original Street Trash have both been screened on that show – and it’s no coincidence, as the Street Trash remake is being produced by The Last Drive-In producers Justin Martell and Matt Manjourides of Not the Funeral Home. Cineverse’s Chris McGurk, Brandon Hill, Brad Miska, and Yolanda Macias also serve as executive producers. Production in South Africa was handled by Protagonist Studios and Stage Five Films.
Kruger told Bloody Disgusting, “It’s in the same world as the 1987 original film. We actually mention stuff from the original film. So for me, it’s always been more of a sequel. For the original fans, it’s actually a sequel. For a new audience it can be a standalone film.” While he was making the movie, he endeavored to make it as ’80s as possible, using old school prosthetics (and multi-colored goo) for the gore sequences and shooting on 35mm film.
Are you looking forward to the new Street Trash, and are you glad to hear that the director considers it to be a sequel rather than a remake? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
So it’s spooky time, and instead of doing something productive like making a Flukeman costume, we’ve taken a dive back into The X-Files—specifically the ‘Monsters of the Week’ episodes. Sure, everyone talks about the alien conspiracy, and don’t get me wrong, I love digging into the mythology arc as much as anyone. But what about the ones that still keep us up at night? Whether it’s from the hellish nightmares or those 3 a.m. ‘what is my existence?’ thoughts, these episodes have a way of sticking with you. You’ve been waiting for more so let’s go reignite those childhood fears…or joys.
Bad Blood- Season 5, ep 12: I’ve got a thing for unreliable narrators, especially when both Mulder and Scully are on storytelling duty. Bad Blood is classic Vince Gilligan, mixing absurdity with just enough Halloween flavor to make the list. And it kicks off with one of the best openings in the series: Mulder stakes what he’s sure is a vampire, only for Scully to poke around, reveal the fake fangs, and leave Mulder mid-“Oh shi…”—an unforgettable start to a totally bonkers episode. Originally, Gilligan had planned for an Unsolved Mysteries crossover featuring Robert Stack and two no-name Mulder and Scully stand-ins, but when that idea got shelved, he turned to The Dick Van Dyke Show’s “The Night the Roof Fell” for inspiration, delivering the classic “two sides of the story”—X-Files style.
Every scene is packed with comedy: Mulder kicking a trashcan, Scully craving pizza mid-autopsy, Mulder fumbling with slides and making priceless expressions, and that memorable back-and-forth on the magic fingers motel bed. And we can’t skip Mulder’s insistence he did not sing the Shaft theme (even though we know better). Mulder’s convinced he’s chasing a real vampire, while Scully’s version has her watching Mulder trip over his own biases at every turn. Then we have Luke Wilson’s Sheriff Hartwell full of true Texas twang, who’s either impossibly smooth or a bucktoothed bumpkin, depending on whose story you believe.
In Mulder’s account, he’s all charm and quiet reserve, while Scully comes across as the hardcore, no-nonsense one—like she’s the one packing all the machismo. But at its core, Bad Blood isn’t about vampires; it’s about Mulder and Scully’s partnership and how they each view each other—and their bizarre world—in very different, yet very telling, ways.
Field Trip- Season 6, ep 21: There’s a heightened anxiety in Field Trip that messes with your sense of reality. When the Lone Gunmen start acting sketchy and Scully’s suddenly filling Mulder’s shoes in the conspiracy theory department, you know something’s gone seriously sideways. I was transfixed the entire time, even though I felt like my brain needed a break from the mental gymnastics.
We’ve got everything: tripping in a field, yellow digestive goo, hallucinogenic mushrooms—Mother Nature at her best. The whole episode feels like one long fever dream, complete with Mulder and Scully questioning their own sanity. And just when you think they’ve escaped the madness, holding hands as they drive away, you remember: humongous fungus among us. Yep, that’s a true story. Look up an old Popular Science article titled “Humungous Fungus Among Us”—it’s about a mushroom that covers about a third of Oregon.
What really makes this episode stand out is Scully pulling a Mulder move with some next-level abductive reasoning. Usually, it’s Mulder making the wild connections, but this time, Scully pieces together the facts—giant mushrooms, hallucinogenic fungi, and plants with a taste for human snacks—leading her to a nightmare conclusion: they’re trapped underground, tripping hard, and slowly being digested. Written by John Shiban and Vince Gilligan from a story by Frank Spotnitz, it’s got everything—tension, unpredictability, and a creeping sense of ‘what is real anymore?’
For some fans, this episode is the last truly great X-Files installment, marking the end of an era. This is also a reminder that I really don’t think mushrooms would be a good trip for me.
Clyde Buckman’s Final Repose- Season 3, ep 4: This should have been on our first list. This is one of those episodes that messes with you in all the right ways, blending the bleakness of fate with the grim comedy only Darin Morgan could pull off. When Clyde, a life insurance salesman who can predict how people will die, reluctantly lets Mulder and Scully into his world, it’s like stepping into an even darker corner of The X-Files. Peter Boyle’s portrayal nails the quiet exhaustion of a man resigned to his fate—someone who’s using his “gift” not to help but to scrape by, selling life insurance, of all things. He’s not here to outwit death; he’s just trying to keep himself sane. And in one of the most memorable moments with Mulder, he deadpans, “You know, there are worse ways to go, but I can’t think of a more undignified one than autoerotic asphyxiation.” We’ve seen Mulder’s closet.
The episode throws us everything from Mulder’s misplaced excitement about Clyde’s abilities to Scully’s struggle to rationalize the whole ordeal. It’s unsettling to watch Mulder so eager for supernatural proof while Clyde’s “gift” is an anchor, pulling him deeper into cynicism and despair. And then, of course, there’s Yappi, the “celebrity psychic” who brings the whole theme of truth and spectacle into focus. Yappi’s antics are absurd, but next to Clyde, he highlights just how little people want to face reality. I’ve never been more frustrated watching these so-called detectives fall for it, no matter how desperate they are for answers. I was right there with Mulder.
Watching Clyde drift along with this so-called gift, it’s easy to see why his story ends the way it does. He’s burdened by seeing the end of everyone’s story—over and over—until it becomes too much. Boyle’s performance captures the inevitability, a quiet peace in Clyde’s final choice, as if to say that not all answers are wrapped in meaning; some are just… sad truths, plain and simple. The episode’s mix of tragedy and dark comedy leaves you wondering about fate, free will, and, for just a moment, if you’d even want to know how you’re going to go.
Humbug- Season 2, ep 20: What happens in Florida stays in Florida, especially in the very real town of Gibsonton—a place where freak shows go to retire. If you grew up watching MTV in the ‘90s, you might remember the Jim Rose Circus, the eccentric sideshow that opened for bands like NIN and Lollapalooza. Rose even made his way to Ozzfest ‘99, though I didn’t make it until 2001. When Darin Morgan joined The X-Files writing team, his brother Glen told him to write an episode about sideshow performers, and that’s where Humbug was born. Morgan watched a tape of the Jim Rose Circus and cast Rose and The Enigma. Rose himself makes an appearance, and honestly, the guy looks and sounds a lot like John Darnielle—who, coincidentally, has become one of my personal inspirations as a Horror writer and lyricist for The Mountain Goats. It gets better though. They brought in Michael J. Anderson from Twin Peaks and Vincent Schiavelli, one of the best character actors of all time. Rose is pretty badass in this as well which makes me wonder why we didn’t cast him in anything else.
As Mulder and Scully navigate the strange world of sideshow performers, you get all the creepy bits you’d expect: The Enigma devouring a live fish (yes, that really happened), the funhouse scene that still haunts me, and Scully’s memorable tour of the Museum of Oddities. Not to mention the fact that “Humbug” literally means trick, which feels fitting for an episode where nothing is quite what it seems. And then there’s Gillian Anderson, who actually ate a real cricket on set.
The blend of humor and horror here is peak Darin Morgan. Mulder and Scully are the real outsiders in this episode, wandering through a world as foreign to them as it is to us. With lines like “Imagine going your whole life looking like that,” Morgan takes what could have been a simple freak show episode and turns it into something far more introspective, all while keeping us on edge with eerie moments like that funhouse scene. In the end, Humbug isn’t just about sideshow performers—it’s about how we define normalcy and the lines society draws between the “freaks” and the rest of us.
The Host- Season 2, ep 2: This episode doesn’t crack my top ten, but let’s be real—the nightmare factor is still burned in our brains. If you were a kid watching The Host, midnight bathroom trips turned into full on panic attacks, and porta-potties? Nope.
Even though it’s not my favorite episode, this thing had a hold on every 10-12-year-old who dared to watch. Squeeze and Home might be at the top of my scared the shit out of me list, but ask any fan what messed with them, and Flukeman’s name pops up without fail. This monster was just terrifying. It took six hours initially to get Darin Morgan in the Flukeman suit, and at one point he had to wear it for 20 hours straight. Because of this Morgan would have to just relieve himself in the costume—like an astronaut. It’s a rite of passage for all X-Files writers.
Now, let’s add to the horror: you’ve got the construction worker puking up a flatworm in the shower—a scene that leaves you with a phantom lump in your own throat. And Mulder? He’s back on his existential rant, talking about quitting, which, knowing Skinner’s true allegiance, is a little maddening in retrospect. Quitting the X-Files or closing down the X-Files becomes routine as well. Skinner’s the “friend in the FBI,” but he’s not that friend…yet. And let’s not forget Mulder’s suspect briefing—let’s tell Skinner about the giant blood sucking worm. Not to mention the Flukeman itself is basically a Chernobyl soup experiment gone wrong.
And also, what’s with the whole “institutionalize Flukeman” plan? As Mulder put it, “It’s not a man; it’s a monster.” This episode tried to handle the impossible, from arrest warrants to institutions, as if a radioactive sewer mutant has a social security number.
So here we are, we’ve reached the end. There’s something special about Monsters of the Week episodes. They let us take a break from the sprawling conspiracies and just bask in the thrill (or horror) of the unknown, reminding us why we fell for this show in the first place. So who knows? Maybe we’ll revisit a few more of these cases in the new year. Until then, just remember—trust no one.
A couple previous episodes of Horror TV Shows We Miss can be seen below. If you’d like to see more, and check out the other shows we have to offer, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!
Denzel Washington is jumping into more franchises these days. He would complete his trilogy of Equalizer films, which would feature the first sequels of his career and he will be starring in the upcoming Gladiator II, which is being hyped up as a grand-scale action epic. In his review of the film, our Chris Bumbray said, “Washington, playing a rare villain, seems like he’s having the time of his life as the constantly scheming former slave. Yet, Washington never makes him a cartoon character, with him kind of the other side of the coin compared to Richard Harris’s Marcus Areulius in the first film, with the two sharing a vision for a new Rome, even if the latter’s is more apocalyptic.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Washington casually dropped that he is also planning to join the MCU for Black Panther 3. While doing press for Gladiator II, Washington told the Today Show in Australia that “at this point in my career, I’m only interested in working with the best, I don’t know how many more films I will make, probably not that many. I want to do things that I haven’t done.” He, then, continued to mention the projects he has on his waiting list, including returning to the theatre for Othello,
I played Othello at 22, I’m now going to play it at 70. After that, I’m playing Hannibal. After that, I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that, Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next Black Panther.”
Marvel has not yet confirmed when they will move forward with the third film in the Black Panther series, and according to Denzel, that movie comes after three other projects. MCU head Kevin Feige hadn’t revealed anything about that film, but recently teased that Blade is still being worked on at Marvel Studios as he explained, “We love the character, we love Mahershala’s version of him. And rest assured: whenever we change direction with a project, or are still trying to figure out how it fits into our schedule, we let the public know. You’re up to date on what’s going on. But I can tell you that the character will be coming to the MCU.”
Plot: Moon is a curious young owl who unexpectedly finds himself stuck in a Christmas tree destined for Rockefeller Plaza. In his attempts to escape the bustling city, Moon befriends a lost little girl named Luna. Together, they embark on a heartwarming adventure, discovering the magic of the holiday season and forming an unlikely bond as they journey back home to their parents.
Review: Alfonso Cuaron is as adventurous a director as a producer. While his name has been big this year thanks to the masterpiece that is the Apple TV+ series Disclaimer, Cuaron has lent his backing to the third short film in a trilogy for Disney+. Following 2022’s Le Pupille and last year’s The Shepherd, Cuaron enlists director David Lowery to wrap the Christmas-themed collection of shorts with An Almost Christmas Story. Boasting a distinct look and the vocal talents of John C. Reilly, Natasha Lyonne, and Jim Gaffigan, An Almost Christmas Story is a beautiful fable that clocks in at less than thirty minutes but is packed with enough heart to fill a full-length feature.
Based on a story by Alfonso Cuaron and Jack Thorne, An Almost Christmas Story follows a young owl named Moon, a troublemaking little bird. Voiced by Cary Christopher, Moon is an impressionable youngster who causes mischief despite his best intentions, much to the chagrin of his father, Papa Owl (Jim Gaffigan). When Moon causes damage to their home in the forest, Papa goes off to find a new nest, leaving Moon to look after his little sister. But, when Moon gets stuck in a tree headed to New York City, he must figure out how to get home. While in the city, Moon meets a dog named Dave (Alex Ross Perry), a pigeon named Pat (Natasha Lyonne), and some others voiced by Phil Rosenthal, Mamoudou Athie, and Gianna Joseph.
Moon also meets a young girl named Luna (Estrella Madrigal) with whom he forges a bond. The two explore some of New York and try to help each other find their way home. Along the way, they encounter a folk singer, voiced by John C. Reilly, who imparts a message for the holidays that connects directly with Moon and Luna. Over a very short time, the owl and child realize something about what Christmas means with a message that is less tied to the titular holiday than it is to the entirety of the Yuletide season. Some beautiful moments showcasing an animated New York landscape and a couple of intriguing sequences give this short a boost of action.
John C. Reilly performs the songs in the short as his folk singer character works as both a part of the story and a narrator. The songs written for An Almost Christmas Story are called “It’s Christmas Today” and “The Spirit of Christmas” and both are traditional sounding while also feeling new. Reilly has always been passionate about music, and his voice adds a nice touch to the already sweet short film. Reilly’s songs are accented by a nice score by Daniel Hart. It helps that all voice actors here deliver subdued performances without one going too broad. Jim Gaffigan is subtle as the concerned father owl, while Natasha Lyonne and Phil Rosenthal have their trademark New York accents on full display without venturing into being too cliche.
What stands out in this twenty-one-minute short is the unique animation style that looks like wood carvings come to life. The close-ups of the various animals appear almost to be homemade decorations that come to life, with the background characters looking like two-dimensional cutouts used to fill in the scenery. Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Enola Holmes) and director David Lowery wrote the script. Lowery has made some films for Disney, including 2016’s Pete’s Dragon and 2023’s Peter Pan & Wendy. The filmmaker has also created unique films ranging from Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and A Ghost Story to the acclaimed The Green Knight. Lowery has an eye for ethereal and haunting visuals, which in An Almost Christmas Story gives the film an other-worldly feel that is also very familiar and comforting.
An Almost Christmas Story is a beautiful little film that feels like a hand-carved ornament you would put on your tree this December. It is intricate and delicate but rich with emotion and feeling. Many feature-length films struggle to imbue the audience with the warmth I felt watching An Almost Christmas Story. As a companion to Le Pupille and The Shepherd, An Almost Christmas Story is my favorite of the three and a shoo-in for consideration during the award season. It’s worth checking out even if you are not in the holiday spirit.
An Almost Christmas Story premieres on November 15th on Disney+.
Plot: Moon is a curious young owl who unexpectedly finds himself stuck in a Christmas tree destined for Rockefeller Plaza. In his attempts to escape the bustling city, Moon befriends a lost little girl named Luna. Together, they embark on a heartwarming adventure, discovering the magic of the holiday season and forming an unlikely bond as they journey back home to their parents.
Review: Alfonso Cuaron is as adventurous a director as a producer. While his name has been big this year thanks to the masterpiece that is the Apple TV+ series Disclaimer, Cuaron has lent his backing to the third short film in a trilogy for Disney+. Following 2022’s Le Pupille and last year’s The Shepherd, Cuaron enlists director David Lowery to wrap the Christmas-themed collection of shorts with An Almost Christmas Story. Boasting a distinct look and the vocal talents of John C. Reilly, Natasha Lyonne, and Jim Gaffigan, An Almost Christmas Story is a beautiful fable that clocks in at less than thirty minutes but is packed with enough heart to fill a full-length feature.
Based on a story by Alfonso Cuaron and Jack Thorne, An Almost Christmas Story follows a young owl named Moon, a troublemaking little bird. Voiced by Cary Christopher, Moon is an impressionable youngster who causes mischief despite his best intentions, much to the chagrin of his father, Papa Owl (Jim Gaffigan). When Moon causes damage to their home in the forest, Papa goes off to find a new nest, leaving Moon to look after his little sister. But, when Moon gets stuck in a tree headed to New York City, he must figure out how to get home. While in the city, Moon meets a dog named Dave (Alex Ross Perry), a pigeon named Pat (Natasha Lyonne), and some others voiced by Phil Rosenthal, Mamoudou Athie, and Gianna Joseph.
Moon also meets a young girl named Luna (Estrella Madrigal) with whom he forges a bond. The two explore some of New York and try to help each other find their way home. Along the way, they encounter a folk singer, voiced by John C. Reilly, who imparts a message for the holidays that connects directly with Moon and Luna. Over a very short time, the owl and child realize something about what Christmas means with a message that is less tied to the titular holiday than it is to the entirety of the Yuletide season. Some beautiful moments showcasing an animated New York landscape and a couple of intriguing sequences give this short a boost of action.
John C. Reilly performs the songs in the short as his folk singer character works as both a part of the story and a narrator. The songs written for An Almost Christmas Story are called “It’s Christmas Today” and “The Spirit of Christmas” and both are traditional sounding while also feeling new. Reilly has always been passionate about music, and his voice adds a nice touch to the already sweet short film. Reilly’s songs are accented by a nice score by Daniel Hart. It helps that all voice actors here deliver subdued performances without one going too broad. Jim Gaffigan is subtle as the concerned father owl, while Natasha Lyonne and Phil Rosenthal have their trademark New York accents on full display without venturing into being too cliche.
What stands out in this twenty-one-minute short is the unique animation style that looks like wood carvings come to life. The close-ups of the various animals appear almost to be homemade decorations that come to life, with the background characters looking like two-dimensional cutouts used to fill in the scenery. Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Enola Holmes) and director David Lowery wrote the script. Lowery has made some films for Disney, including 2016’s Pete’s Dragon and 2023’s Peter Pan & Wendy. The filmmaker has also created unique films ranging from Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and A Ghost Story to the acclaimed The Green Knight. Lowery has an eye for ethereal and haunting visuals, which in An Almost Christmas Story gives the film an other-worldly feel that is also very familiar and comforting.
An Almost Christmas Story is a beautiful little film that feels like a hand-carved ornament you would put on your tree this December. It is intricate and delicate but rich with emotion and feeling. Many feature-length films struggle to imbue the audience with the warmth I felt watching An Almost Christmas Story. As a companion to Le Pupille and The Shepherd, An Almost Christmas Story is my favorite of the three and a shoo-in for consideration during the award season. It’s worth checking out even if you are not in the holiday spirit.
An Almost Christmas Story premieres on November 15th on Disney+.
