The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part is ringing in the holidays with a special short film, “Emmet’s Holiday Party.” The two and a half minute short shows that not even living in Apocalypseburg can get the always optimistic Emmet down. Lucy, however, is still all broody and prepared for the worst case scenario to unfold in any given situation.
Emmet wants to spread a little joy among the Apocalypseburg residents by throwing a gigantic holiday party, complete with a huge Christmas tree that can be seen from space. Of course, the massive tree and its lights draw the attention of unwanted visitors from outer space. Fortunately, they’re only paying the little town a visit to add a star to the top of the tree.
The holiday short ends with a chorus of “Everything is Awesome” breaking out as happy skaters circle an ice rink. The only citizen not in a joyous mood turns out to be Batman who’s depressed his sweater only has eight abs.
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part features the voices of Chris Pratt as Emmet (as well as Rex Dangervest), Elizabeth Banks as Lucy (aka Wyldstyle), Will Arnett as LEGO Batman, Charlie Day as Benny, Alison Brie as Unikitty, and Nick Offerman as Metal Beard. New voice cast members include Tiffany Haddish as Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi, Stephanie Beatriz as Sweet Mayhem, Arturo Castro as Ice Cream Cone, and Maya Rudolph.
Mike Mitchell directed from a screenplay by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Dan Lin, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Roy Lee, and Jinko Gotoh produced, with Jill Wilfert, Keith Malone, Matthew Ashton, Chris McKay, Zareh Nalbandian, Ryan Halprin, Will Allegra, and Chris Leahy executive producing.
Warner Bros Pictures will release the animated sequel in theaters on February 8, 2019 in 2D and 3D.
The Plot:
The much-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed, global box office phenomenon that started it all, The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part, reunites the heroes of Bricksburg in an all new action-packed adventure to save their beloved city. It’s been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are now facing a huge new threat: LEGO DUPLO® invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than it can be rebuilt.
The battle to defeat the invaders and restore harmony to the LEGO universe will take Emmet (Pratt), Lucy (Banks), Batman (Arnett) and their friends to faraway, unexplored worlds, including a strange galaxy where everything is a musical. It will test their courage, creativity and Master Building skills, and reveal just how special they really are.
Fox’s Gotham is set to return for its fifth and final season on January 3, 2019 at 8pm ET/PT. The new season will continue to focus on Bruce Wayne’s transformation into Batman, while also introducing new villains including Bane (Shane West). Fan favorite villains The Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), The Riddler (Cory Michael Smith), and The Joker (Cameron Monaghan) will also play integral roles in the show’s fifth season which will finish up with a 10 year leap forward in time for the series’ finale.
Robin Lord Taylor was among the cast members in attendance at the 2018 New York Comic Con supporting Gotham‘s final season. During our roundtable interview, Robin Lord Taylor discussed The Penguin’s evolution and what he hopes fans take away from the character by the end of the season.
How does it feel going into Gotham‘s final season?
Robin Lord Taylor: “I couldn’t be more proud of the stories that we’ve told. My fellow actors and also my crew have made me a better actor and a better person. I owe them so much. It’s crazy. (Getting emotional) I’ve been on the verge all day… People are like, ‘Who are you going to miss the most?’ It’s like I can’t answer it. Everyone’s changed me. It’s crazy. It’s emotional.”
In past interviews you’ve said fans will get to watch The Penguin evolve further into the comics’ version.
Robin Lord Taylor: (Laughing) “I wasn’t going to spoil it, but our showrunner did. Yeah, you will see our version of the traditional Penguin from the comic books in the last episode. All of the components will be there. It will be fully realized. I’m so excited because it almost makes…it legitimizes him in a certain way. It’s like now I really do feel like I am the third Penguin. Like, I followed Burgess Meredith and Danny DeVito. Like, what the f*ck is my life? Unbelievable! It’s amazing.”
Was there anything you really wanted to make sure got in before the end of the show’s run?
Robin Lord Taylor: “There was, and it will make it in – the monocle. I wanted to make sure that when we tell that story, that it’s not just some affectation. It’ s not just some weird stylistic choice.
You know, in one of the stories it’s an actual injury that he receives. [John Stephens] walked me through the beginning of the season. He walked me through vaguely where we’re going. He was like, ‘Do you have anything that you really need?’ I was like, ‘Can we please when we do the monocle make it the injury?’ because it ties into this character from the beginning having been beaten and now he has the limp and he’s somewhat handicapped. It’s about how Gotham City itself is destroying this person, is cutting him down, is turning him into a monster. And that’s such an important component of it, I feel, the fact that he’s now blinded in one eye.
There’s something about him now where one side of his body is damaged and the other side is not. It’s like this duality that’s always been there with him, this sympathetic yet monstrous person, you know? And I just thought that was so important. It will come into play in these next couple of episodes.”
For you personally, are there any villains coming up that you’d like to see Penguin sharing scenes with?
Robin Lord Taylor: “I’ve been in lots of scenes with, I think, all of the villains. I’m actually going to flip it a little and say I want more scenes with the good guys. I’ve had passing scenes with Lucius Fox and I’ve had a passing scene with Alfred. I just really want to have more stuff with those guys because when you put two of these characters together, you learn new things about them and then about their relationship to these people. I just think that would be so cool to play more on the good guy side of things.”
What will the relationship be like between The Penguin and The Riddler in the new season? Will they have an alliance or will they collide?
Robin Lord Taylor: “Here’s the thing…yes and no. Because again these two characters are so brilliant, and they don’t want to answer to anybody else. It’s hard for them to share and to collaborate and cooperate, but yet at the same time they have to. To get anything done in Gotham City you have to have allies, you have to work with other people especially now that Gotham in season five is fractional. People control certain aspects and so you need to do deals with all of these other people.
With The Riddler in particular I sort of say to myself, ‘My best friend is also my enemy.’ That’s sort of how I feel about their connection. It’s like face-to-face we’re fine but turn your back around and then in goes the knife. They will always have that contention, but I like that. That’s a friction and that’s good stuff, and that’s exciting. You don’t know where they’re going to go. So, yeah, that’s what’s in store for them.”
What’s one of your favorite Penguin stories from any other interpretation?
Robin Lord Taylor: “I love Batman Returns, that movie and that story of The Penguin. It’s such a departure from the comic books but I think it is just such a poetic, beautiful translation of the character that Tim Burton did. And also, just Danny DeVito’s performance has been reviewed ever since the movie came out. That’s really been my favorite.
And, also, what I really appreciate now especially having worked on Gotham and looking back, specifically at Tim Burton’s work, I like the bravery that he had to play with canon, to play with these traditional characters and not be afraid to put his own interpretation or his own design in order to take it a different way. We’ve done that with the show and we’ve gotten a lot of blowback from certain fans about some of the storylines that we’ve put in. A lot of people have complained that it wasn’t in the comics; it wasn’t canon. I really now having experienced it on my own, I really appreciate the bravery that Tim Burton had to really tell a new story.
If these stories aren’t reinterpreted, if they aren’t changed, if we stick to one specific idea of who these characters are, there’s no way Batman would be 80 years old and we’d still be talking about him. These stories need to change and they need to adapt. Being able to take these characters and make them your own and adapt them to the time in which you’re doing it…this is The Penguin for right now. In some years there would be another one. Every generation gets the Batman that they deserve.”
What do you want fans to take away from this last season about Oswald/The Penguin?
Robin Lord Taylor: “I want them to recognize how Gotham City has created this monster and created all of these monsters. It’s about the city and how it corrupts. I want people to see this person who as a child, if things had gone right, if he hadn’t been poor from an immigrant family, if he hadn’t been bullied mercilessly, if he had been supported and treated with love, I believe he would be a good person. I really do believe he could have used his amazing intellect for good things.
But, that’s not the story we’re telling. So by the very end when the show is all said and done, I want people to look back specifically at The Penguin and see how this person started with a shred of humanity and then through circumstances in this city with these people he ends up a monster. He ends up one of the most ruthless, horrifying people you’ve ever seen. I want people to see how Gotham City has corrupted what could have been good.”
Starz has set a March 10, 2019 premiere date for the original comedy series, Now Apocalypse. Prior to its official premiere date, the surreal coming-of-age comedy set in Los Angeles will screen at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.
Starz also debuted a new psychedelic poster for the series which comes from indie filmmaker Gregg Araki. Araki’s film credits include Kaboom, Smiley Face, and Mysterious Skin. He also directed episodes of Riverdale, 13 Reasons Why, Heathers, and Red Oaks.
Araki, Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic), and Emmy Award winner Gregory Jacobs (Behind the Candelabra) executive produced the 10 episode first season which airs immediately after American Gods season two. Araki also directed the first season and co-wrote each episode with author and Vogue sex columnist Karley Sciortino.
The cast is led by Avan Jogia (Ghost Wars, The Year of Spectacular Men) and includes Kelli Berglund (Lab Rats), Beau Mirchoff (The Fosters), and Roxane Mesquida (Gossip Girl).
The Now Apocalypse Plot:
Now Apocalypse follows Ulysses (Jogia) and his friends Carly (Berglund), Ford (Mirchoff), and Severine (Mesquida), who are on various quests pursing love, sex and fame. The series explores identity, sexuality and artistry, while navigating the strange and oftentimes bewildering city of Los Angeles. Between sexual and romantic dating app adventures, Ulysses grows increasingly troubled as foreboding premonitory dreams make him wonder – is some kind of dark and monstrous conspiracy going on, or is he just smoking too much weed?
Jogia’s character, Ulysses, is described as a “recent transplant to Los Angeles, who is struggling to find his place in the world. Something of a thrill seeker, Ulysses admits that he’s always had an attraction to and fear of the unknown and is plagued by recurring nightmares, which he believes are a portent for a vast, sinister conspiracy.”
Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures just released a new full trailer for Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The sci-fi creature feature, which was previously referred to as Godzilla 2, was directed by Michael Dougherty from a script he co-wrote with Zach Shields.
2014’s Godzilla was directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) and starred Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Elizabeth Olsen. The sequel features Vera Farmiga, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Kyle Chandler, and Millie Bobby Brown. Bradley Whitford, Thomas Middleditch, Charles Dance, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Aisha Hinds, and Zhang Ziyi also star in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Brian Rogers, Thomas Tull, and Jon Jashni produced. Zach Shields, Barry H. Waldman, Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Yoshimitsu Banno, and Kenji Okuhira served as executive producers.
The behind the scenes team includes Godzilla director of photography Lawrence Sher, production designer Scott Chambliss, editor Roger Barton, costume designer Louise Migenbach, and VFX supervisor Guillaume Rocheron.
Warner Bros Pictures is planning a May 31, 2019 theatrical release in 2D, 3D, and IMAX. The action adventure film’s earned a PG-13 rating from the MPAA for sequences of monster action violence and destruction, and for some language.
2014’s Godzilla rang up $93 million domestically over its first weekend in theaters. The much-anticipated rebirth of Godzilla films finished its theatrical run with a gross of $529 million. Warner Bros is currently working on the next film in the Godzilla franchise, Godzilla vs. Kong, which has a target release date of May 22, 2020.
The Plot:
“The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species—thought to be mere myths—rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.”
“Oh Barry, what have you done this time?” asks Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) after waking up in Barry’s bed and discovering Iris (Candice Patton) believes him to be Barry Allen in The CW’s The Flash episode of the three-part “Elseworlds” crossover event.
In the opening scene of “Elseworlds, Part 1,” Dr. John Deegan (Jeremy Davies) delivers a lecture to fellow psychiatrists on giving patients the ability to be “super” beings (metahumans). One attendee calls him Dr. Frankenstein and walks out, followed shortly by the remaining attendees.
A disappointed Dr. Deegan is met in the parking lot by a mysterious figure, Monitor, from Earth-90 holding a box. Monitor warned Earth-90’s The Flash they brought this on themselves, and on Earth-1 Monitor tells Deegan he needs him to help reshape this world and to think big. Deegan opens the box and says he can see it all.
Jump to Central City and Barry finds himself sparring with Diggle (David Ramsey) who believes him to be Oliver Queen. They receive an alert and Diggle tells Oliver he could really use some back up. Barry’s hesitant but suits up as the Green Arrow and heads off with Diggle. Barry doesn’t shoot an arrow but instead uses his fists and fighting skills to break up a firefight between the Bratva and the Bertinellis.
While Barry’s dealing with life as the Green Arrow, everyone at S.T.A.R. Labs believes Oliver to be Barry Allen. Oliver’s called into action and suits up as The Flash when an alarm sounds at Ivo’s warehouse. Oliver clumsily races past the warehouse and has to circle back. The speed’s difficult to adjust to, but Oliver’s real trouble comes when he attempts to throw lightning. He overdoes it and accidentally activates Ivo’s android, A.M.A.Z.O.
Oliver speeds off, grabs Barry and Diggle, and returns to the Arrow’s lair. Barry can’t get over how cool their “Freaky Friday” thing is until Oliver lets slip he woke up with Iris. Barry instantly adjusts his way of thinking and says they need to figure out how to fix this right now.
Barry and Oliver’s next stop is at S.T.A.R. Labs where, understandably, Team Flash doesn’t believe they’ve swapped bodies. Iris seems completely convinced Oliver is Barry, pointing out Barry isn’t her type. The rest of the team aren’t sure what to believe and lean toward a shared psychosis. They wind up locking the pair in the pipeline for safekeeping.
Handcuffed and stuck in a relatively small cell, Oliver tells Barry he’s been locked up in some awful prisons but at least they all have toilets. Barry rolls his eyes and uses his foot to step on a switch and a toilet pops out of one of the walls. “Sure you can’t hold it?” asks Barry before figuring out Oliver was asking because he plans to jam up the plumbing to disable the power dampener.
Oliver talks Barry through dislocating his thumb in order to reach into the toilet, and Barry talks Oliver through how to phase them out of the cell. Barry and Oliver need the extrapolator to visit Earth-38 where they plan on asking Kara to help them. Iris figured out their plan and has the device. Barry talks to his wife as only he would and she realizes that in her heart she believes him. She gives Barry the device so they can leave, also warning him to never change into Oliver since the Green Arrow’s actions are driven by anger. (Arrow fans took exception with that description, slamming The Flash writers on Twitter for their characterization of Oliver Queen.)
Cisco (Carlos Valdes) is in S.T.A.R. Labs and notices the strange occurrences in the atmosphere. (The sky is red). He then has a puzzling vision of Monitor and Dr. Deegan.
Over on Earth-38, Kara (Melissa Benoist) is spending some time on the Kent farm with Clark (Tyler Hoechlin) while Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) visits. The Kent farm is the same one from Smallville and the show even plays the Smallville theme as it spotlights Earth-38. Barry and Oliver show up asking Kara for help and fortunately she knows Barry is Barry and Oliver is Oliver. She doesn’t know why their identities have been swapped but agrees to help figure it out.
Back on Earth-1, Killer Frost (Danielle Panabaker) and Elongated Man (Hartley Sawyer) are battling a new foe, A.M.A.Z.O. – the robot Oliver accidentally unleashed at Ivo. It copies their powers and then flies off.
Once more to the Kent farm we go and Oliver and Barry decide to train to in order to get comfortable with their swapped powers and abilities. Barry gets payback by shooting Oliver with two surprise arrows. Oliver gets angry thinking Barry isn’t taking this training seriously. He attempts to get Barry angry by insulting his team and Iris, but it doesn’t work.
Later, Oliver tells Barry it made him mad that Barry wasn’t taking it seriously and that when he shoots his arrows and fights, he channels all his dark memories and that’s what works for him. Barry explains that when he runs, he focuses on how much he loves his friends and family; it’s his happiness that enables him to run faster. He reminds Oliver he was smiling and having a good time when he was learning how to phase. Kara reveals she was waiting for them them to realize they need to learn from each other in order to use their new skills.
At S.T.A.R. Labs Cisco nicknames the robot A.M.A.Z.O. and Sherloque and Iris let the team know Barry and Oliver went to Earth-38. Knowing they need them back to take down A.M.A.Z.O. and realizing Barry and Oliver’s story about swapping might be the truth, Cisco vibes to Earth-38 to retrieve them.
Cisco informs Barry and Oliver that Team Flash believes them and they’re needed back on Earth-1 to stop A.M.A.Z.O. Barry and Oliver turn to Kara and ask if she could come along to help. She agrees and looks at Clark. Lois says if he doesn’t go along she will. Cisco isn’t sure what’s going on and asks Clark, “Who are you? Clark replies that he’s a friend as he pulls apart his shirt and reveals the classic Superman emblem.
Gathered at S.T.A.R. Labs, Team Flash comes up with an idea to beat A.M.A.Z.O. Sherloque reminds everyone the robot/android is a computer and they should just find a way to turn it off. Cisco and Caitlin quickly come up with a virus to shut down the robot.
Barry, Oliver, Kara, and Clark head out to fight A.M.A.Z.O. and after an amazing but short battle it appears as though Superman has delivered the final blow to the robot. Unfortunately, A.M.A.Z.O. rises from the huge crater created by Superman’s power punch and copies all their powers.
It’s Barry’s turn to come up with a plan and he suggests Oliver use his speed to lure A.M.A.Z.O. into a trap. Oliver complies, and the team uses Killer Frost’s ice breath, Supergirl’s heat vision, and The Flash’s speed to attack A.M.A.Z.O. but he stays one step ahead. Oliver lures A.M.A.Z.O. back into the area where Superman and Supergirl are waiting to grab him. Barry gets into position to shoot an arrow into A.M.A.Z.O. with the virus Cisco breached to him attached.
Supergirl knocks A.M.A.Z.O. off his feet as he chases Oliver. Superman, Supergirl, and Oliver grab A.M.A.Z.O. and hold him still. “You have failed this city,” says Barry in classic Green Arrow mode as he shoots the arrow into A.M.A.Z.O.’s eye socket. The robot reacts to the virus and explodes.
With the immediate threat to Central City over, Superman returns to Metropolis.
Barry notices Iris is upset and she confesses she heard how different he became while focusing on being the Green Arrow during the fight. She didn’t like how cold and ruthless he was about putting down A.M.A.Z.O. and makes him promise to stay her Barry and to not become like Oliver. (Another slam on the character who launched The CW’s superhero franchise.) Barry promises.
Cisco tells Kara, Barry, and Oliver about his vision of the mysterious figure and says he believes it’s important and tied to them switching. Cisco vibes the vision with Barry and Oliver and the three of them see Monitor with Dr. Deegan. The figure looks at them and warns they’re too late, that they can’t stop what’s already in motion and they might as well give up.
Cisco ends the vibe and has a bloody nose. Kara asks if he’s okay and he says, “Nope, not even close,” as he walks off and Oliver speeds draws what they saw. Kara doesn’t recognize the two men in the drawing, but Oliver believes that doesn’t matter because he knows where to find them. He points to a building with the name “Wayne” on it and Barry asks, “So, what’s our next move?” “We’re going to Gotham City,” replies Oliver. The final shot is a reveal of Batwoman played by Ruby Rose.
The Flash Season 5 Episode 9 – “Elseworlds, Part 1”
Action-packed and extremely funny, season five episode nine titled “Elseworlds, Part 1” kicks off the three-part crossover featuring Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl characters. “Elseworlds, Part 1” is perhaps the best start of any of the crossovers The CW has created thus far. The identity/power-swapping of Barry and Oliver as their world and its reality have been messed with provides plenty of humor, and both Grant Gustin and Stephen Amell are up to the challenge. Amell in particular gets a break from his usually very serious character to play a much lighter version of Oliver. The entire scene with Iris fawning over a freaked-out Amell as Barry as she makes a delicious breakfast is hilarious.
The stand-out performances of this episode were delivered by Grant and Amell who have fantastic chemistry together and make each scene they play as Barry and Oliver sizzle with extra energy. The humorous scenes, including the one of Barry and Oliver arguing while trapped in the pipeline, are just as strong as the serious scenes. The pairing of these two is what makes the crossovers so entertaining and enjoyable.
With Barry, Oliver, and Kara heading over to Gotham City, it shouldn’t be long before they meet a new ally…Batwoman.
Finn Wittrock as Jeffrey Trail and Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan in ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ episode 5 (Photo by Ray Mickshaw / FX)
The 24th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards nominations have been announced and The Favourite proved to be the favorite of many Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA)* members. The period piece earned 14 nominations including Best Picture, Best Acting Ensemble, and Best Actress (Olivia Colman), as well as two nominations in the Best Supporting Actress (Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz) category. Colman also picked up a Best Actress in a Comedy nomination for her performance as Queen Anne in the Fox Searchlight release directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.
Marvel’s Black Panther followed close behind with 12 nominations in categories including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Michael B. Jordan), Best Acting Ensemble, and Best Action Film. First Man, which had been left off most awards body lists prior to the Critics’ Choice Awards announcement, picked up 10 nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor (Ryan Gosling), Best Supporting Actress (Claire Foy), and Best Director (Damien Chazelle).
Vice, A Star is Born, and Mary Poppins Returns were also popular among BFCA members. The three films each earned nine nominations. Bradley Cooper snagged his first Best Director nomination for A Star is Born and Cooper will also be competing in the Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay categories.
Other films earning multiple awards included Roma which picked up eight nominations and Green Book which was recognized in seven categories.
“The films of 2018 have been some of the most culturally impactful in recent history,” stated BFCA President Joey Berlin. “They’ve portrayed stories from every walk of life, from all different perspectives, and have touched audiences and inspired conversations that we will continue to have for years to come. We are so excited to have the opportunity to celebrate all of them, and the people who made them, on January 13 on The CW!”
On the television side, the final season of The Americans tied with The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, and Escape at Dannemora with five nominations each from the Broadcast Television Journalists Association*. The Americans‘ nominations came in the Best Actor (Matthew Rhys), Best Actress (Keri Russell), Best Supporting Actor (Noah Emmerich), Best Supporting Actress (Holly Taylor), and Best Drama categories.
Darren Criss, Finn Wittrock, Penelope Cruz, and Judith Light were all recognized in the Limited Series or Movie Made for Television acting categories for The Assassination of Gianni Versace. The series also picked up a Best Limited Series or Movie Made for Television nomination.
Escape at Dannemora will be competing in the Best Limited Series, Best Actor (Paul Dano), Best Actor (Benicio Del Toro), Best Supporting Actress (Patricia Arquette), and Best Supporting Actor (Eric Lange) categories.
Overall, HBO and Netflix led the pack of nominees with 20. FX earned 16, Amazon picked up 12, and NBC shows are up for 11 awards.
“The extraordinary wealth of talent and growing number of platforms makes narrowing down each television category an unenviable task,” said BTJA President Ed Martin. “Despite that, we are thrilled with this year’s nominees and look forward to recognizing their outstanding achievements.”
Winners will be announced during the 24th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards to be held on Sunday, January 13, 2019. The awards show will air live on The CW Network beginning at 7pm ET (tape-delayed on the West Coast).
24TH ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS FILM NOMINATIONS
BEST PICTURE
Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
The Favourite
First Man
Green Book
If Beale Street Could Talk
Mary Poppins Returns
Roma
A Star Is Born
Vice
BEST ACTOR
Christian Bale – Vice
Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born
Willem Dafoe – At Eternity’s Gate
Ryan Gosling – First Man
Ethan Hawke – First Reformed
Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody
Viggo Mortensen – Green Book
BEST ACTRESS
Yalitza Aparicio – Roma
Emily Blunt – Mary Poppins Returns
Glenn Close – The Wife
Toni Collette – Hereditary
Olivia Colman – The Favourite
Lady Gaga – A Star Is Born
Melissa McCarthy – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mahershala Ali – Green Book
Timothée Chalamet – Beautiful Boy
Adam Driver – BlacKkKlansman
Sam Elliott – A Star Is Born
Richard E. Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Michael B. Jordan – Black Panther
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams – Vice
Claire Foy – First Man
Nicole Kidman – Boy Erased
Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk
Emma Stone – The Favourite
Rachel Weisz – The Favourite
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Elsie Fisher – Eighth Grade
Thomasin McKenzie – Leave No Trace
Ed Oxenbould – Wildlife
Millicent Simmonds – A Quiet Place
Amandla Stenberg – The Hate U Give
Sunny Suljic – Mid90s
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Black Panther
Crazy Rich Asians
The Favourite
Vice
Widows
BEST DIRECTOR
Damien Chazelle – First Man
Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born
Alfonso Cuarón – Roma
Peter Farrelly – Green Book
Yorgos Lanthimos – The Favourite
Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman
Adam McKay – Vice
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Bo Burnham – Eighth Grade
Alfonso Cuarón – Roma
Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara – The Favourite
Adam McKay – Vice
Paul Schrader – First Reformed
Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly – Green Book
Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, John Krasinski – A Quiet Place
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole – Black Panther
Nicole Holofcener, Jeff Whitty – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Barry Jenkins – If Beale Street Could Talk
Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters – A Star Is Born
Josh Singer – First Man
Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Alfonso Cuarón – Roma
James Laxton – If Beale Street Could Talk
Matthew Libatique – A Star Is Born
Rachel Morrison – Black Panther
Robbie Ryan – The Favourite
Linus Sandgren – First Man
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Hannah Beachler, Jay Hart – Black Panther
Eugenio Caballero, Barbara Enriquez – Roma
Nelson Coates, Andrew Baseman – Crazy Rich Asians
Fiona Crombie, Alice Felton – The Favourite
Nathan Crowley, Kathy Lucas – First Man
John Myhre, Gordon Sim – Mary Poppins Returns
BEST EDITING
Jay Cassidy – A Star Is Born
Hank Corwin – Vice
Tom Cross – First Man
Alfonso Cuarón, Adam Gough – Roma
Yorgos Mavropsaridis – The Favourite
Joe Walker – Widows
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Alexandra Byrne – Mary Queen of Scots
Ruth Carter – Black Panther
Julian Day – Bohemian Rhapsody
Sandy Powell – The Favourite
Sandy Powell – Mary Poppins Returns
BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP
Black Panther
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Favourite
Mary Queen of Scots
Suspiria
Vice
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avengers: Infinity War
Black Panther
First Man
Mary Poppins Returns
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Ready Player One
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
The Grinch
Incredibles 2
Isle of Dogs
Mirai
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
BEST ACTION MOVIE
Avengers: Infinity War
Black Panther
Deadpool 2
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Ready Player One
Widows
BEST COMEDY
Crazy Rich Asians
Deadpool 2
The Death of Stalin
The Favourite
Game Night
Sorry to Bother You
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Christian Bale – Vice
Jason Bateman – Game Night
Viggo Mortensen – Green Book
John C. Reilly – Stan & Ollie
Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool 2
Lakeith Stanfield – Sorry to Bother You
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Emily Blunt – Mary Poppins Returns
Olivia Colman – The Favourite
Elsie Fisher – Eighth Grade
Rachel McAdams – Game Night
Charlize Theron – Tully
Constance Wu – Crazy Rich Asians
BEST SCI-FI OR HORROR MOVIE
Annihilation
Halloween
Hereditary
A Quiet Place
Suspiria
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Burning
Capernaum
Cold War
Roma
Shoplifters
BEST SONG
All the Stars – Black Panther
Girl in the Movies – Dumplin’
I’ll Fight – RBG
The Place Where Lost Things Go – Mary Poppins Returns
Shallow – A Star Is Born
Trip a Little Light Fantastic – Mary Poppins Returns
BEST SCORE
Kris Bowers – Green Book
Nicholas Britell – If Beale Street Could Talk
Alexandre Desplat – Isle of Dogs
Ludwig Göransson – Black Panther
Justin Hurwitz – First Man
Marc Shaiman – Mary Poppins Returns
24TH ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS TELEVISION NOMINEES
BEST DRAMA SERIES
The Americans (FX)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
Homecoming (Amazon)
Killing Eve (BBC America)
My Brilliant Friend (HBO)
Pose (FX)
Succession (HBO)
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Freddie Highmore – The Good Doctor (ABC)
Diego Luna – Narcos: Mexico (Netflix)
Richard Madden – Bodyguard (Netflix)
Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul (AMC)
Billy Porter – Pose (FX)
Matthew Rhys – The Americans (FX)
Milo Ventimiglia – This Is Us (NBC)
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jodie Comer – Killing Eve (BBC America)
Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Deuce (HBO)
Elisabeth Moss – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Sandra Oh – Killing Eve (BBC America)
Elizabeth Olsen – Sorry For Your Loss (Facebook Watch)
Julia Roberts – Homecoming (Amazon)
Keri Russell – The Americans (FX)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Richard Cabral – Mayans M.C. (FX)
Asia Kate Dillon – Billions (Showtime)
Noah Emmerich – The Americans (FX)
Justin Hartley – This Is Us (NBC)
Matthew Macfadyen – Succession (HBO)
Richard Schiff – The Good Doctor (ABC)
Shea Whigham – Homecoming (Amazon)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Dina Shihabi – Jack Ryan (Amazon)
Julia Garner – Ozark (Netflix)
Thandie Newton – Westworld (HBO)
Rhea Seehorn – Better Call Saul (AMC)
Yvonne Strahovski – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Holly Taylor – The Americans (FX)
BEST COMEDY SERIES
Atlanta (FX)
Barry (HBO)
The Good Place (NBC)
The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
The Middle (ABC)
One Day at a Time (Netflix)
Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Hank Azaria – Brockmire (IFC)
Ted Danson – The Good Place (NBC)
Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
Donald Glover – Atlanta (FX)
Bill Hader – Barry (HBO)
Jim Parsons – The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Andy Samberg – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Rachel Bloom – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)
Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
Allison Janney – Mom (CBS)
Justina Machado – One Day at a Time (Netflix)
Debra Messing – Will & Grace (NBC)
Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
William Jackson Harper – The Good Place (NBC)
Sean Hayes – Will & Grace (NBC)
Brian Tyree Henry – Atlanta (FX)
Nico Santos – Superstore (NBC)
Tony Shalhoub – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
Henry Winkler – Barry (HBO)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
Betty Gilpin – GLOW (Netflix)
Laurie Metcalf – The Conners (ABC)
Rita Moreno – One Day at a Time (Netflix)
Zoe Perry – Young Sheldon (CBS)
Annie Potts – Young Sheldon (CBS)
Miriam Shor – Younger (TV Land)
BEST LIMITED SERIES
A Very English Scandal (Amazon)
American Vandal (Netflix)
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)
Sharp Objects (HBO)
BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Icebox (HBO)
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC)
King Lear (Amazon)
My Dinner with Hervé (HBO)
Notes from the Field (HBO)
The Tale (HBO)
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Antonio Banderas – Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)
Darren Criss – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Paul Dano – Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
Benicio Del Toro – Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
Hugh Grant – A Very English Scandal (Amazon)
John Legend – Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC)
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Amy Adams – Sharp Objects (HBO)
Patricia Arquette – Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
Connie Britton – Dirty John (Bravo)
Carrie Coon – The Sinner (USA Network)
Laura Dern – The Tale (HBO)
Anna Deavere Smith – Notes From the Field (HBO)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Brandon Victor Dixon – Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC)
Eric Lange – Escape at Dannemora (Showtime)
Alex Rich – Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)
Peter Sarsgaard – The Looming Tower (Hulu)
Finn Wittrock – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Ben Whishaw – A Very English Scandal (Amazon)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Ellen Burstyn – The Tale (HBO)
Patricia Clarkson – Sharp Objects (HBO)
Penelope Cruz – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Julia Garner – Dirty John (Bravo)
Judith Light – The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Elizabeth Perkins – Sharp Objects (HBO)
BEST ANIMATED SERIES
Adventure Time (Cartoon Network)
Archer (FXX)
Bob’s Burgers (Fox)
BoJack Horseman (Netflix)
The Simpsons (Fox)
South Park (Comedy Central)
(*I’m a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and Broadcast Television Journalists Association)
A slow December weekend found Disney’s Ralph Breaks the Internet retaining its hold on first place for the third consecutive weekend. The animated sequel added another $16 million to its domestic box office take, bringing its total to $141 million domestically for a total of $258 million worldwide.
Universal and Illumination’s The Grinch followed in second in a hard-fought battle for the top of the box office chart. The family-friendly films dominated in one of the slowest weekends of the year, but this should be the last weekend the animated movies enjoy the number one and number two spots in theaters. Universal’s heavily promoted action adventure film Mortal Engines will begin playing in more than 3,000 theaters on Friday, December 14th. Clint Eastwood’s The Mule and Sony’s animated superhero film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, also enter theaters next weekend.
Ralph Breaks the Internet leaves Litwak’s video arcade behind, venturing into the uncharted, expansive and thrilling world of the internet—which may or may not survive Ralph’s wrecking. Video game bad guy Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) must risk it all by traveling to the world wide web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope’s video game, Sugar Rush.
In way over their heads, Ralph and Vanellope rely on the citizens of the internet—the Netizens—to help navigate their way, including Yesss (voice of Taraji P. Henson), who is the head algorithm and the heart and soul of the trend-making site “BuzzzTube,” and Shank (voice of Gal Gadot), a tough-as-nails driver from a gritty online auto-racing game called Slaughter Race.
Netflix launched the first trailer for the 2019 action thriller Triple Frontier during Sunday Night Football on December 9, 2018. The two-minute trailer effectively laid out the basics of the plot which finds ex-Special Forces operatives struggling to make ends meet in civilian life. Their solution to financial woes involves turning to crime for a massive payday.
Oscar nominee J.C. Chandor, director of 2014’s A Most Violent Year, 2013’s All Is Lost, and 2011’s Margin Call, assembled a first-rate cast to play the former Special Forces team. Two-time Oscar winner Ben Affleck (Argo, Good Will Hunting), Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy, The Lost City of Z), Oscar Isaac (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, A Most Violent Year), Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones, Narcos), and Garrett Hedlund (Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, Mudbound) star in Triple Frontier. Adria Arjona (Pacific Rim: Uprising, Emerald City) co-stars in the Netflix project.
Director J.C. Chandor co-wrote the screenplay with Oscar winner Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker). Neal Dodson, Alex Gartner, Andy Horwitz, and Charles Roven produced the film. Boal, Kathryn Bigelow, Anna Gerb, Andrés Calderón, and Thomas Hayslip served as executive producers. The behind the scenes team includes director of photography Roman Vasyanov, editor Ron Patane, production designer Greg Berry, and costume designer Marlene Stewart.
Netflix has set a March 2019 premiere date on the streaming service and in select theaters.
The Plot:
A group of former Special Forces operatives reunite to plan a heist in a sparsely populated multi-border zone of South America. For the first time in their prestigious careers these unsung heroes undertake this dangerous mission for self instead of country. But when events take an unexpected turn and threaten to spiral out of control, their skills, their loyalties and their morals are pushed to a breaking point in an epic battle for survival.
Sam Heughan in ‘Outlander’ season 4 episode 6 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Blood of My Blood – a phrase the Outlander fandom holds dear. It’s also the title of Starz’s Outlander season four episode six. Given how last week’s episode (“Savages”) ended, one might think it has to do with Brianna (Sophie Skelton). Well, let’s just see…
I must admit I laughed at the episode’s opening title card which shows Jamie extracting a snake from the privy (aka outhouse). The snake, being a highly rude and unwelcome sight when Claire first woke and went to the privy one morning, was very funny in the book. Not that the snake scared Claire, but due to several events that came after. I’m sad to say we don’t see them in this episode. We don’t see Ian (John Bell) in this episode either, though he was present during all these events in the book. Ian and Jamie managed to knock the snake down into the hole beneath the outhouse in the book. But, on with the show…
We open with a surprise visitor arriving at Fraser’s Ridge. Lord John Grey (David Berry) rides up as Jamie (Sam Heughan) is sawing wood since there are always things to build right now on the ridge. Jamie and John head inside after John reveals he brought Jamie’s son, William (Oliver Finnegan), with him on his journey north to Virginia. John left William by the stream so he could speak to Jamie alone first.
At the stream, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) fetches water with Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix) who’s helping by supplying her with buckets. They chat as they head back to the cabin and stop short when they encounter a distraught young William, Lord of Elsmere, with leeches all over his shins. Naturally, the lad wants them removed instantly and demands as much in his little Lord’s way.
Lord John tells Jamie he doesn’t think William remembers him. William was barely six years old when Jamie left the Hellwater estate. Jamie, of course, is emotional about the entire situation but agrees it might be for the best if the lad doesn’t remember him.
Jamie asks after Lord John’s wife which forces John to share the hard news that she died on the crossing from England to the Jamaican Governorship to meet up with him. Just as John and Jamie discuss his lost wife and how kind she was, Claire, Murtagh, and young William enter the cabin.
Claire’s very surprised to see Lord John there with Jamie. Being always the doctor first, Claire treated her patient without knowing anything about him; she was unaware it was Jamie’s son she was tending.
The room’s filled with a cloud of awkwardness, as you might expect. Murtagh meets his old prison master as well, not an occurrence in the book and obviously not one Murtagh welcomed or expected. To break the tension in the room, Claire takes the young Lord Elsmere out to treat the leech wounds.
John asks Murtagh to not mention that the time at the prison was the time the three men knew one another. As is typical with adults, it would appear much is to be kept from young William.
At dinner, the meal includes small talk about John and William’s travels. Lord John and William passed through Wilmington and stayed with Governor Tryon (Tim Downie) on their trip. The mention of the Governor building a larger house for himself sets Murtagh off. As was typical of the time period, many dinner conversations turned to taxes and corruption. (I see dinner conversation has not changed much in 200 years.)
Lord John had no idea Murtagh is leading the Regulators in that little part of North Carolina. Murtagh does the reasonable thing and leaves the cabin before more’s said than should be mentioned in front of young William.
William asks to be excused, code for restroom break, and is not overjoyed to hear he has to go outside to the privy. In the book, Ian took William out to see the snake in the privy and William fell into the hole… yuck! In the show, Jamie takes him outside to show him where it is. Jamie shouts something Gaelic to the stirring horses that triggers a memory in William. He asks Jamie if his name was MacKenzie. Jamie admits it is one of his given names. It appears the lad does remember Jamie after all.
Meanwhile, Claire and John are alone for the first time in the cabin. Claire, in her typical bold and forthright fashion, accuses Lord John of spying on Jamie for Governor Tryon. A practiced Lord holds his patience, and John changes the subject by offering to leave if their presence is too burdensome. Claire muses she only wished she had time to make appropriate accommodations for both Lordships. The elder and younger Lords take the cabin and our dear Frasers take the lean-to outside.
Outside, Jamie and Claire discuss William and how Jamie’s glad the lad remembered him. Jamie shares with Claire William’s first encounter with a horse at Hellwater. Jamie’s emotions are a mix of pleasure at seeing his son again and pain from the lad not knowing he’s his father. Jamie and Claire embrace, and the connection turns to other wishful alone time that’s long overdue. Jamie still must go inside to play chess with Lord John, so the couple’s still denied ample opportunity.
As Jamie heads inside, he finds Murtagh still angered by the fact Jamie kept up with their captor after all those years. Jamie grudgingly tells his godfather the lad is his son. Jamie asks Murtagh to keep yet another secret of Jamie’s to allow his son to stay safe and remain the Lord of Elsmere.
Jamie and John play chess and drink, and they run out of the good stuff. Jamie pulls down a bottle from the shelf and after one drink, Lord John startings coughing. The drink had a wee bite yet, given the lack of age of the brew, meant to eventually be whiskey.
Jamie glances at a sleeping William, and John asks Jamie if he’s content with his life. Jamie admits that basically yes, he is content in his own way, and is glad his son’s well cared for and safe. (How painful it must be to have two children and not be able to raise either one!)
The next morning as the Lordships are preparing to leave, Claire takes a good look at John. She notices John has a high fever and mentions that a measles epidemic has broken out. Lord John can’t leave; he requires care if he’s to survive the illness.
Jamie had the measles as a child and Claire had vaccinations, but young William could still get the dangerous disease. Jamie declares he’ll take the lad on a tour of his land to keep him away from the contagion. As you might expect, young William is not overjoyed by that news. He recently lost the only mother he’s ever known, and now he might lose the only father he’s known. The lad tries to give Jamie trouble before leaving, but that doesn’t last long. Jamie has his way of getting what he wants, by force if necessary. I could only laugh when the young Lord calls Jamie a lout.
As Jamie and young William travel along the border of Fraser’s Ridge, Jamie emphasizes the need to remain on their side of the border markings. William asks if the Indians are agreeable people. Jamie confirms they can be friendly but also turn fierce if provoked. (Can’t we all?) Jamie takes William to the overlook view of the ridge and it’s an amazing sight. Jamie’s happy William’s pleased by the view.
At the cabin, Claire treats Lord John for the measles. John and Claire briefly speak about his deceased wife. Claire reveals she’s not going to judge him or his relationship with his wife. Claire’s painfully aware of John’s feelings for Jamie and obviously resents them. John remarks that Claire has to be upset by the fact he’s raising Jamie’s son instead of her. Claire, in turn, points out that she and Jamie had a daughter, Brianna, who’s far away in Boston. She had to raise their child without Jamie due to the battle of Culloden.
Being the bold and always candid Claire, she asks John about his reasons for coming to the ridge with William. John says it was to let Jamie see William, and Claire contends he used the lad as an excuse to see Jamie. John marvels at Claire and how open and painfully forthright she is in her manner.
Young William is busy fly fishing when he wonders why they’re not taking the bait. Jamie explains it’s the wrong time of year for flies and the fish know it. He should be fishing with a worm instead, but William finds the thought of touching a worm highly distasteful.
Jamie tells William how the Indians fish and shows him how Highlanders did it. The gentle way they allowed their fingers to be the bait in the water. Bare hands and a tickle as Jamie calls it. William’s very surprised when Jamie pulls out a large bass just by using his hands.
The next order of business: deer hunting. Jamie instructs William on the right time to shoot a stag. He explains it’s best to kill, not just wound, the beast. As the deer comes closer, William’s able to put it down successfully. Jamie’s not going to let William leave off the duty of dressing the deer, insisting he cuts open the underbelly himself for the first time. It’s a fatherly instruction on how to do it properly.
That night as they eat, William turns mournful over the loss of his mother and possible loss of his father. Jamie helps the young Lord keep his dignity about the tears by making up an excuse that it’s a complaint of the stomach. He mentions Claire gave him medicine for that, and William reveals Claire gave him her word that his father would survive the measles. Jamie tells him to depend upon it then.
William demands to go back and see his father immediately. The boy blames Jamie out of fear that his father will die, but then no more is said as William lays down on his pallet and Jamie covers him up.
Jamie sits by the fire watching over the young Lord all night.
At the cabin, Lord John declares his head will surely split wide open. Claire is able to provide some relief through acupuncture. John’s at the height of the illness and could possibly die. People on their death beds tend to admit things that often they would keep to themselves, and John admits the shallow depth of feeling he had for his wife and how hard it was watching Claire and Jamie together.
Claire reminds John that he had to have known he could never have Jamie. John counters with the information that Jamie offered himself to John as payment to be William’s father. Naturally, that’s not welcome news to Claire. Claire’s only answer is that John should stop talking and rest.
Jacob Pratt and Ajuawak Kapashesit n ‘Outlander’ season four episode six (Photo Credit: Starz)
Jamie wakes up to find William missing from his pallet. he follows the muddy footprints to a stream just past the boundary of his land, meaning William is in Cherokee territory.
William takes a fish from an Indian trap and as Jamie’s starting to scold him, some members of the tribe come up behind him. Jamie hands over the fish that William had on a stick, but they demand the boy pay with blood for taking the fish from Cherokee land. Jamie explains the lad is his blood, which means taking his blood is the same as taking the boy’s.
As they push the boy away and attempt to extract the intended blood from Jamie, William jumps in and says it was his fault and Jamie’s not his father. William declares he’ll take responsibility for the theft. The Cherokee respect the boy’s courage and only cut him on the side of the hand to draw blood. As the Natives leave, William turns and collapses in Jamie’s arms. The courage of his son probably saved Jamie’s life.
John apparently turned a corner toward recovery since he’s sitting up in bed. He offers an apology to Claire, and it’s time to reconcile their feelings about the situation. John informs Claire she was wrong, he had accepted the fact she and Jamie were married. John admits the satisfaction and love between Jamie and Claire are what’s painful for him. He knew his wife never felt that way about him, nor did he about her.
John asks Claire if she knows what it’s like to be with someone and know you’re not the ‘right’ person for them. Claire admits she does and eludes to Frank during her 20 years away from Jamie. Claire then asks the painful question of John, whether he still has feelings for Jamie. John admits he does still have those feelings. Claire graciously points out that he does have something of Jamie: his son to raise.
Jamie and William head back to the cabin, and William’s riding on the same horse as Jamie. William asks about the day that Jamie left Hellwater and didn’t turn back to look at him as he rode away. Jamie admits he wanted to look back but didn’t want to give the lad hope he would ever see him again. Jamie left that day with the expectation of not having the chance to see his son grow up.
Jamie arrives at the door first to check if all is well with John. William runs in once the all-clear is given and wraps Lord John in a big hug.
Claire tells John he deserves the same satisfaction in a relationship as what she and Jamie share. John smiles and attends to his horse to prepare to depart. Jamie helps William on his horse and is given John’s chess set before John and William take their leave. As they’re riding away, William turns back to look at Jamie. It’s a small but determined gesture to give hope they would see each other again someday.
That night leaves Jamie and Claire alone together on the ridge for the first time in a long while. Jamie’s helping Claire bathe…of course we know where this will go. Jamie grabs Claire’s hand that’s devoid of her silver wedding band. Jamie retrieves a wee object that’s a carved Scottish Thistle ring. The ring was originally what Jamie gave Claire in the book; he never did make the one from part of the Lallybroch key. Claire notices the inscription that translates into “give me a thousand kisses.” Jamie scoops her up out of the tub and takes her to the bed, determined to account for each and every kiss.
Screen Gems and The H Collective just unveiled the first trailer for BrightBurn starring Elizabeth Banks (the Pitch Perfect and The Hunger Games film franchises). The nearly three minute first trailer has an unmistakable evil Superman vibe, complete with a house and field that look similar to where Clark Kent landed on Earth. However, it doesn’t take long to figure out this stranger from outer space is no heroic Man of Steel. It’s readily apparent this alien from some unknown planet isn’t here to save humanity.
In addition to Elizabeth Banks, the cast includes David Denman (13 Hours, The Office), Jackson A. Dunn (Shameless, Legendary Dudas), Matt Jones (Mom, F is For Family), and Meredith Hagner (Search Party, Royal Pains). Guardians of the Galaxy‘s director James Gunn produced the film, and Mark Gunn and Brian Gunn (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island) co-wrote the screenplay and executive produced with Dan Clifton, Simon Hatt, and Nic Crawley. (James Gunn and Elizabeth Banks previously worked together on Slither).
David Yarovesky (The Hive) directed and Michael Dallatorre served as the director of photography. The behind the scenes team also included editor Andrew S. Eisen, production designer Patrick M. Sullivan Jr, special makeup effects designer Justin Raleigh, and visual effects supervisor Dietrich Hasse.
Screen Gems is targeting a May 24, 2019 theatrical release.
The Plot:
“What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister? With Brightburn, the visionary filmmaker of Guardians of the Galaxy and Slither presents a startling, subversive take on a radical new genre: superhero horror.”
