The department becomes involved in an intense competition in season one episode five of ABC’s new dramatic series, The Rookie. Season one episode five is titled “The Roundup” and will air on Tuesday, November 20, 2018 at 10pm ET/PT. Nelson McCormick directed the episode from a script by Elizabeth Davis Beall.
Episode five guest stars include Mitchell Edwards as Antonio, Ty Haile as Jeffrey, and Currie Graham as Ben McRee.
The season one cast includes Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, and Richard T. Jones as Sergeant Wade Grey. Titus Makin plays Jackson West, Mercedes Mason is Captain Zoe Andersen, Melissa O’Neil is Lucy Chen, Afton Williamson plays Talia Bishop, and Eric Winter is Tim Bradford.
“The Roundup” Plot – Nolan, the rookies and their training officers get involved in a competition that pits them against each other, while Officer Lucy Chen notices Officer Tim Bradford is obsessed with winning at all costs, on an all-new episode of The Rookie.
The Season One Plot:
Starting over isn’t easy, especially for small-town guy John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being a Los Angeles police officer. As the force’s oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis. If he can’t keep up with the young cops and the criminals, he’ll be risking lives including his own. But if he can use his life experience, determination and sense of humor to give him an edge, he may just become a success in this new chapter of his life.
Afton Williamson and Nathan Fillion in ‘The Rookie’ season 1 episode 5 (ABC/Rick Rowell)Afton Williamson in season 1 episode 5 (ABC/Rick Rowell)Nathan Fillion stars in ‘The Rookie’ (ABC/Rick Rowell)Mitchell Edwards and Nathan Fillion in “The Roundup” episode of ‘The Rookie’ (ABC/Rick Rowell)
Angel Theory as Kelly, Lauren Ridloff as Connie, Dan Folger as Luke, Eleanor Matsuura as Yumiko, and Avi Nash as Siddiq in ‘The Walking Dead’ season 9 episode 7 (Photo by Gene Page / AMC)
AMC’s The Walking Dead season nine episode six introduced us to talking walkers. In season nine episode seven directed by TWD alum Michael Cudlitz, we pick up with Rosita (Christian Serratos) freaking out while in the woods hiding from walkers. She’s normally a fierce fighter, but she’s tired and not in great shape.
Elsewhere, Daryl (Norman Reedus) walks Carol (Melissa McBride) and Henry (Matt Lintz) back to his camp. Daryl’s set up traps everywhere and they have to walk carefully as they approach his base camp. Oh, and apparently he’s not completely on his own. Daryl now has a dog to keep him company.
Magna ((Nadia Hilker) and her group are on the road with Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Siddiq (Avi Nash). They’re traveling to Hilltop even though Siddiq believes Michonne should have just let them stay in Alexandria. He gets Michonne to almost admit she likes these strangers.
A check on Hilltop shows the community’s a well-run machine. Tara (Alanna Masterson) has taken over some of the leadership duties from the absent Maggie and things are running smooth as silk. Jesus (Tom Payne) is supposed to be running the community, but he’s a little pouty. Maggie sends letters so he knows she’s happy, but he obviously misses her company.
Tara ticks off the list of issues requiring Jesus’ attention, most of which are fairly trivial. She also informs him he’s been re-elected leader which doesn’t surprise him since no one ran against him. Even though he’s in charge, he refuses to use Maggie’s office.
Daryl and Carol go for a walk, with Daryl checking on his traps. He admits he likes being on his own, but Carol reminds him he wasn’t supposed to be on his own for this long. She wants him to come with them to Hilltop to watch over Henry for her because she needs to get back to The Kingdom. Daryl turns her down, telling her Henry’s going to have to learn to stand on his own.
Magna’s group comes upon their old camp which has been torn apart by a herd of walkers. They kill a few stragglers who were caught when the trailer flipped over, and then Magna becomes emotional as she looks through their deceased friend’s belongings.
Michonne refuses to let the group keep the weapons that are still lying around camp. She tells DJ (Matt Mangum) to collect them, warning the strangers she’s not about to let them walk into Hilltop armed. Michonne then reveals she isn’t going to finish the ride to Hilltop and gives them an ultimatum: keep their weapons and go out on their own, or hand over the weapons and get a ride to Hilltop. After a brief discussion, they decide to give up their weapons.
Jesus is alone riding his horse when Aaron (Ross Marquand) leaps on him out of nowhere. A fight breaks out, but it’s actually a training exercise and there are no hard feelings when a blow lands pretty hard. Their time together is secret as neither Michonne at Alexandria or Tara at Hilltop would allow either man to be so far outside their walls without guards. They seem to cherish these secret meetings to talk things through, and both men know the groups need to come back together.
As they’re talking, they spot a flare. Rosita shot it off and when they find her, she’s incredibly weak. Eugene’s hiding in a barn, but Rosita’s not sure which one. Because it’s late in the day, they decide to take her back to Hilltop and hope Eugene can stay alive by himself overnight.
Back at Daryl’s camp, he cooks up a snake he just killed while Carol compliments his skills. Henry figures out Carol’s ulterior motive and claims he doesn’t need a chaperone.
Melissa McBride, Norman Reedus, and Matt Lintz in ‘The Walking Dead’ season 9 episode 7 (Photo by Gene Page / AMC)
As they wait for the meal to cook, Carol gives Daryl a haircut. Daryl confesses he knows Carol believes he’s still looking for Rick. He confirms he is because they never found the body. Carol wants him to let it go. (Daryl remains miserable and heartbroken while Rick’s alive and well. Damn you, Rick Grimes!)
As they eat, Daryl realizes his dog’s not around to chow down on his dinner.
Michonne watches out as the group spends the night in a shelter. She hears a noise and finds Luke (Dan Fogler) doing something secretive with his back turned. She demands he turn around and drop what he’s holding, but he refuses to drop it. She slashes the thing in half when he turns around before realizing it’s a violin – a Stradivarius, to be exact. (Dan’s a music teacher and he’s obsessed with collecting instruments during their travels.)
Once more to Daryl’s camp we go and Henry has followed Daryl through the woods. Daryl’s searching for his dog and finally hears him barking like crazy. They spot him in a circle of crawling walkers and he’s tangled in a rope. Daryl makes his way to him but loses his knife as walkers pull at his legs. He orders Henry to stay back, finally retrieving his knife and making his way around the circle taking out the walkers. One walker breaks off his own foot and stumbles toward Daryl. Henry’s disobeyed Daryl’s orders and impales the walker, with Daryl finishing it off.
Neither notice Carol’s lurking behind the trees, arrow at the ready. She quietly returns to camp without letting them know she had their backs.
Over at Hilltop, Tara admits to Jesus it’s weird seeing Rosita and Aaron. She asks what he was doing out with Aaron, and he admits he’s been training with him – and keeping the lines of communication open. He’s working on getting Alexandria on board with the fair, and Tara warns him Hilltoppers are noticing how much he’s been gone.
Tara reminds Jesus his people – and Maggie – are counting on him and he needs to stick around. She’ll look for Eugene in the morning while he keeps Hilltop together.
Over at Daryl’s, he explains to Henry his dog normally checks the traps and makes sure they don’t have a walker problem. This is the first time he’s gotten stuck and Daryl thanks Henry for his help. Daryl then reveals all the traps he’s set are for walkers, not animals. Killing an animal in a trap would be a painful way for the creature to die, and Daryl won’t do that.
Henry tells Daryl that Carol counts him as her best friend and she really misses him. When Daryl says Carol knows where to find him if she needs him, a very mature Henry informs him Carol shouldn’t have to hunt him down.
Michonne tries to apologize for cutting the Stradivarius in half, but Luke is having none of it. It’s a priceless instrument he’s been carefully transporting on their travels and now it’s trash. Siddiq can’t believe Luke’s been traveling with a collection of instruments, and Luke is exasperated. “It’s art!” says Luke.
Luke explains that some historians believe ancient humans survived the Neanderthals not by defeating them, but by joining with them around a campfire to share stories. A 40,000 flute was found in a cave and maybe music and paintings helped them create communities. Music and art separate humans from animals, says Luke, and he truly believes sharing with each other is how they’ll survive. Art makes them stronger.
Michonne is speechless.
The next morning Michonne prepares to leave them, acknowledging she’s not sure how Maggie will react if she sees her. Siddiq finally reveals Maggie’s gone and Jesus is running Hilltop. Michonne demands to know where Maggie is, but she doesn’t get an answer as DJ races into the shelter to tell them walkers are outside. (We still haven’t learned what went down between Hilltop and Alexandria to rip the communities and their leaders apart.)
Michonne and Magna’s group head outside, but they aren’t armed. They ask for their weapons and finally, after the odds turn against them, Michonne tells DJ to hand them over.
The walkers approach the horses and trailer, and the gang does their best to keep them safe as they make their way over. One of the walkers is their old friend and Magna’s nearly killed by him because she won’t fight. Michonne takes him out, surprisingly gently.
DJ warns they need to leave, and they regroup and head to the horses.
Daryl’s camp is also waking up. Carol’s all smiles when Daryl states he’ll be ready to leave with them in 10 minutes.
Michonne once again asks about Maggie and Siddiq says she’s with Georgie far away trying to establish a new community. Siddiq wants Michonne to finish the ride to Hilltop, but she disagrees. Suddenly two riders from Hilltop appear with the message they have Rosita. Michonne wants them to take the message back that she’s on the way.
Before they can get back on the road, Connie (Lauren Ridloff) thinks she sees something in the nearby woods. They pause, but Connie finally indicates it was nothing. (There’s definitely something in the woods.)
Daryl, Carol, and Henry arrive at Hilltop, and Tara greets Daryl with a hug. Jesus is happy they’re there and that Henry’s interested in learning to be a blacksmith. Aaron’s also on hand and Daryl wonders why he’s there. Aaron explains about Rosita and that Eugene’s missing. Daryl volunteers to go with them because they can use another tracker. Jesus promises Tara that after this adventure away from Hilltop, he’ll do his duty as the group’s leader. Daryl’s dog who is apparently named “Dog” also accompanies the group.
Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe in ‘Outlander’ season 4 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)
The third episode of Starz’s Outlander season four is called “The False Bride.” There will be a couple of reasons for that moniker, and we get to see our beloved next generation in this episode: Roger and Bree! A kilted singing Roger at that… Je Suis Prest!
We start in 1970 Inverness. Those who know the book can tell right away we jumped a great distance from the book’s succession of events. The moving van outside the Reverend’s residence gives it away immediately, with Roger (Richard Rankin) giving the home to Fiona (Iona Claire). As we enter the room, he’s playing a little ditty on his guitar. He stops as Fiona and her husband enter. The trio do a bit of small talk. Roger explains he’s going to America for a Scottish festival; he’s been invited to play and sing.
Fiona knows the larger reason is Brianna (Sophie Skelton), and Roger runs down the number of times they’ve seen each other in the past year. In the book, those times were helpful as we got the initial hesitation and preceding growing connection between the pair. The book also explained how Brianna went from a History major like Frank to doing Engineering. In the show, Fiona tells Roger to tell Brianna that he loves her. Roger just smirks and they say their goodbyes.
At River Run the morning after the hanging of poor Rufus, Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) prepare to head out on their own. Aunt Jocasta (Maria Doyle Kennedy) tells Jamie she wishes she could change his mind about leaving. Jamie explains he must be master to his own soul alone.
She laments the decision further, but immediately provides provisions for them to make their way west to some of the smaller Scottish settlements. She also gives him a silver set that belonged to his mother. One last wish escapes her before Jamie departs to prepare for their journey. Jocasta longs to see Jamie’s face, just once. Jamie looks down at her with tears in his eyes as he kisses her hand.
Jamie won that battle but faced another one immediately in informing Ian (John Bell) he’s going to go back to Scotland. Ian lists, quite succinctly, the dangers he has already faced when Jamie tries to tell him America’s too dangerous for him to stay. Ian manages to convince Jamie he’s no longer a boy and will inform his parents of his choice to stay in America with them.
Claire enters the parlor to bid Jocasta farewell, and neither of these ladies are ones to keep their opinions to themselves. Jocasta voices her feelings that Claire’s the reason Jamie wouldn’t take up the mantel of Lord of River Run. Equally bold in her delivery, Claire says Jocasta doesn’t know her nephew nor her and thus would have no idea what Jamie would prefer or not prefer to do. The room couldn’t have been thicker with discontent on both sides. Not bordering on hate, but just extreme disappointment and frustration in their own ways.
Outside, we meet Clarence the loud and stubborn jackass (aka mule). He’ll fit right in with the Frasers…lol. As the party gets ready to depart, the mountain man John Quincy Myers (Kyle Rees) arrives to serve as escort through the wilds of North Carolina. I still wonder if they’ll have Claire perform the hernia surgery on him later. In the book, she did it at the initial gathering for her and Jamie to be introduced to the land and gentry owners of North Carolina. But, alas, we were not entertained with the onlookers’ surprise as Claire performed the surgery on the dining room table. As the group was leaving River Run became the first time Jamie and Claire met Mr. Myers in the show.
Jump to 1970 and Roger’s meeting Brianna at the airport as he lands in America. Their plan is to head to North Carolina from Boston to the Scottish festival. In the book, the festival was held in the high country of New England. Historically there were two key areas the Scots settled after the disaster of the Rising: New England colonies and North Carolina Blue Ridge mountain areas. Both boasted similarities to Scotland, though the southern heat was a new experience.
Love to see 1960-1970s autos as Roger and Bree are traveling by car. They participate in an entertaining game of ‘The Minister’s Cat.’ Brianna leans over and kisses Roger, causing him to just about run off the road. Not the best time to distract the man!
Myers and the Frasers head down their own road through the forest. Myers regales the troop with information about the area and, more importantly, the Indians. The scene pulls back to show the excellent colors of the leaves in the trees, the waters of the river as it passes over rocks, and an eagle flying to land atop a tree. (Love, love, love the shots of the eagles they sprinkle into the show.)
That night around the campfire, Myers explains that he needs to take a diversion and has invited Ian to go with him to the trading post. Jamie and Claire are to head on to Woolum’s Creek as intended. Jamie allows Ian to go with Myers, and Jamie with Claire head their separate way the next morning.
As Jamie and Claire travel down the road, they talk of Brianna. Jamie’s surprised that women have more choices of what they want to do with their life in the future. Claire explains the options are much broader for women, so Jamie asks what Brianna has chosen. Claire reveals that when she left Brianna hadn’t really chosen her future yet. Claire admits Brianna did pursue History, given Frank’s passion for it.
As they continue down the path, they hear a rumbling above – a telltale warning of the coming storm. They’re forced to stop to address a horseshoe on Jamie’s grey mount and change topics to what they want for themselves. Claire’s concerned Jamie’s choosing the path he made because it was what she suggested but hopes it was what he also wanted. I hear a hint of Jocasta in her words, especially since Jocasta said as much to Claire before she left.
Jamie assures her it was also his choice; the path they’re taking is because they are of like mind. Before Claire can respond to his reassuring words, an extremely loud thunder crack startles them all, human and beast alike. Jamie had hoped they would make it to the town, but instead he needs to make shelter where they are. Another thunder crack’s too much for Clarence, so he lets out a loud bray and bolts for the forest. Jamie’s still working on his horse’s shoe, so Claire jumps on her ride and takes off after the mule, much to Jamie’s dislike.
Richard Rankin and Sophie Skelton in ‘Outlander’ season 4 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Back to Brianna and Roger, the Scottish festival’s all you might think it should be. There are dancers, contests, lots of food and drink, and of course tartan and kilts. The event makes Brianna think of Claire and wonder if she found Jamie and was happy. The show pulls the festival and further interactions between Roger and Bree from various places in the book to put them into these condensed scenes. It would probably be too much of a rabbit hole to explain the various timeline diversions. The show hit the key high points for the plot, so I guess that’s all that matters.
As the pair are looking at the booths set up with people selling distinctly Scottish wares, they come to a booth with an artist drawing a portrait. Brianna wants them to sit for one together, so Roger agrees to do it. After the portrait, they head to another tent filled with folks doing a Scottish Gaily Dance. Brianna has no idea how to do the dance but turns out to be a very quick study.
As Jamie finishes fixing the shoe on his horse, Clarence returns Jamie on his own. Now to locate Claire as the weather’s falling.
Claire’s still out looking for the stubborn beast. As she’s riding, a bolt of lightning strikes a tree right near her position, causing her horse to throw her off and tear away in fear. Claire’s knocked unconscious on the ground on the carpet of leaves that make up the forest floor.
Back at the festival, Roger performs for the crowd the Scottish folktale of a False Bride. (Excellent performance by Richard Rankin.) Later that night, they head to lodging for the night. As they’re about to say good-night, Brianna pulls out a couple of gifts she got for Roger. She found a book about American Scottish settlers and a bottle of mountain moonshine. Slainte Mhath!
Brianna coaxes Roger into coming to her cabin for a nightcap. As you might expect, events turn to physical pursuits.
Roger stopped the proceedings to give Brianna a gift – a golden bracelet engraved with a French children’s rhyme. Delivering the gift is also the moment he decides to go into how much he loves her and wants her to be his wife. Brianna hasn’t experienced the best of examples of a happy marriage in her life, given that Frank and Claire had a frosty relationship at best.
She stops Roger mid-ramble about future kids and their life together to tell him it’s going too fast for her. Naturally, that’s not taken well. The fight about Brianna wanting to have sex but not wanting to marry Roger takes a rather nasty turn. Roger’s had that kind of relationship before and will not have Brianna in that way. He wants to marry her, not just share her bed.
The storm’s in full blow when Claire comes to. In the book, the separation occurred after leaving a family that she helped to deliver a child. As I mentioned, they pulled key events out of various parts and mixed them up a bit to ensure key points could be made.
Claire notices a little crop of bushes that make a slight covering. She takes off her shoes to get the water of them and sets them to the side. Creepily, she hears a wolf or dog howl in the darkness.
Jamie roams the woods trying to find her.
As she’s in the nature-made shelter, she feels a hard surface and digs up a skull, oddly enough. Inspecting the skull reveals a straight vertical cut in its crown. Yep, whoever it was died by an ax or tomahawk chop to the top of the head. Beneath the skull’s a gemstone that Claire finds. In the book, Claire got impressions from the skull but that only opened the door to more questions. What happened next was in both the book and show. In the dark she spots an Indian walking toward her and then he turns and walks away without saying a word. She takes it as the ghost of the skull she’s holding. Super eerie and creepy scene. {full body shiver} Of course, the similar wound to the top of his head sort of gave the game away. The Indian disappears in front of Claire’s eyes.
Once more with Roger and Brianna, and it’s the second night of the gathering. The night marks the calling of the clans and burning of the makeshift stag built from twigs. Roger comes out with the procession of the clans represented at the gathering. As he’s seated, Brianna takes a seat beside him. (Awkward is not the word for it.) Brianna shares that she’s not sure about marriage being something she wants to do. Roger says he loves her ALL or not at all. Just then Roger’s clan is called so he has to walk toward the fire. He lights his torch and announces the MacKenzies are here. Tulach Ard!!!
Roger looks for Brianna after the stag’s lit, but she’s gone.
Claire wakes the next morning and searches for her shoes. She picks up her companion, the skull she found, and sees her boot prints in the muddy ground. Walking in her stocking feet she follows the prints.
At the end of her trail, Jamie’s gathering water by the stream. Jamie says he’s glad she came back to the stream, but Claire tells him she’s never been there before. Jamie points out her boots are sitting near the tree and her horse is nearby. Claire explains she wasn’t the one who walked in them to the stream. Claire tells Jamie of the Indian she thought was a ghost. She believes the ghost used her boots to lead her to the stream. They kill me how they just slough off the ghost part. I would want to get out of that area as fast as possible if a ghost was wandering around.
After Claire cleans the skull, she notices some of the teeth have fillings. She points them out to Jamie and explains the person had to have been someone like her because those tooth fillings won’t be invented for another century.
Eventually, Jamie and Claire gather their belongings and head out. Amazing scenery continues to greet them and us. They come upon a patch of strawberries. Strawberries were part of the Fraser family history as they came over from France. Jamie decides this is the spot. We have arrived at Fraser’s Ridge! Welcome home!
Katherine Waterston and Eddie Redmayne in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ (Photo by Jaap Buitendijk)
Warner Bros Pictures’ latest entry in the world of all things Hogwarts failed to live up to its predecessor’s performance at the box office. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald fell over $13 million from the first weekend figures for 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The second film of the planned series from writer J.K. Rowling posted a $62 million domestic opening weekend, slightly short of the studio’s pre-release estimates.
Critics weren’t kind to Fantastic Beasts, with just 40% of the critics on Rotten Tomatoes viewing it in a positive light. The first Fantastic Beasts fared better among critics and currently stands at 74% fresh on RT. Paying audiences registered a B+ score on average at CinemaScore, while the first film collected an A average rating.
The weekend’s other new releases – Instant Family and Widows – didn’t exactly light the box office on fire. Widows‘ disappointing opening weekend comes as a bit of a surprise given the film has generated early awards buzz.
At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.
In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.
Photos and plot details have arrived for CBS’s SEAL Team season two episode eight airing Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 9pm ET/PT. Jann Turner directed episode eight from a script by Holly Harold and Teresa Huang.
Season two episode eight’s guest cast includes Yul Vazquez as Andres Doza, Antonio Jaramillo as El Lazo, Sandy Hernandez as Maria Doza, and Alessandro Garcia as Javier. Mirelly Taylor is Rita, Oralia Cortes plays Sofia Nunez, Melinna Bobadilla is Gabriella, Felix Solis is Col. Martinez, Bobby Daniel Rodriguez is Lt. Juan Lopez, and Carolina Gomez guest stars as Carla Reyes.
The SEAL Team cast is led by David Boreanaz as Jason Hayes. Max Thieriot is Clay Spenser, Neil Brown Jr is Ray Perry, and AJ Buckley is Sonny Quinn. Toni Trucks plays Lisa Davis, Jessica Paré is Mandy Ellis, and Judd Lormand is Lieutenant Commander Eric Blackburn. Tyler Grey plays Trent in a recurring guest star role.
The “Parallax” Plot – Jason and Mandy go undercover as a couple on vacation at an upscale night club in Mexico City in order to track on of Andres Doza’s cartel members.
The SEAL Team Plot:
SEAL Team is a military drama that follows the professional and personal lives of the most elite unit of Navy SEALs as they train, plan and execute the most dangerous, high-stakes missions our country can ask of them. Jason Hayes is the respected, intense leader of the Tier One team whose home life has suffered as a result of his extensive warrior’s existence. His team includes his trusted confidant, Ray Perry, the longest-tenured operator with whom Jason shares an ingrained shorthand; Sonny Quinn, an exceptional, loyal soldier with a checkered past who still combats self-destructive tendencies; and Clay Spenser, a young, multilingual, second-generation SEAL with insatiable drive and dedication.
Vital to the team’s success are troop commander Lt. Cdr. Eric Blackburn, who serves as a leader and confidant both on and off the battlefield; CIA analyst Mandy Ellis, who has sacrificed everything in her drive to root out evil and take down terrorists; and Lisa Davis, a no-nonsense, take-charge logistics officer and unofficial den mother responsible for outfitting the team with the necessary gear for each mission. Deployed on clandestine missions worldwide at a moment’s notice, and knowing the toll it takes on them and their families, this tight-knit SEAL team displays unwavering patriotism and fearless dedication even in the face of overwhelming odds.
We the Animals topped the list of the 2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominees, picking up five nominations including Best First Feature, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing. Eighth Grade, You Were Never Really Here, and First Reformed followed close behind with four nominations each.
The coming of age tale Eighth Grade earned nominations in the Best Feature, Female Lead, Supporting Male, and Best First Screenplay categories. First Reformed starring Ethan Hawke was recognized with nominations in the Best Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Male Lead categories. And You Were Never Really Here with Joaquin Phoenix scored Best Feature, Best Director, Best Editing, and Male Lead nominations.
“This year’s nominees reflect the bold originality that is the heart of independent film,” stated Film Independent President Josh Welsh. “At a time when huge tent-pole franchises threaten to dominate our film culture, this year’s films and filmmakers offer something completely different – something vital, uncompromising, and needed. The nominees also show that, when it comes to diversity and inclusion, independent film is leading the way for the rest of the industry.”
The 2019 Spirit Awards recognizing the best in 2018 independent films will be held on Saturday, February 23, 2019 on the beach in Santa Monica.
2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominations:
BEST FEATURE Eighth Grade
First Reformed
If Beale Street Could Talk
Leave No Trace
You Were Never Really Here
BEST FIRST FEATURE Hereditary – Director: Ari Aster Sorry to Bother You – Director: Boots Riley The Tale – Director/Producer: Jennifer Fox We the Animals – Director: Jeremiah Zagar Wildlife – Director/Producer: Paul Dano
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. A Bread Factory
En el Séptimo Día
Never Goin’ Back
Sócrates
Thunder Road
BEST DIRECTOR
Debra Granik – Leave No Trace
Barry Jenkins – If Beale Street Could Talk
Tamara Jenkins – Private Life
Lynne Ramsay – You Were Never Really Here
Paul Schrader – First Reformed
BEST SCREENPLAY Colette – Richard Glatzer, Rebecca Lenkiewicz & Wash Westmoreland Can You Ever Forgive Me? – Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty Private Life – Tamara Jenkins Sorry to Bother You – Boots Riley First Reformed – Paul Schrader
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY Eighth Grade – Bo Burnham Nancy – Christina Choe Thoroughbreds – Cory Finley The Tale – Jennifer Fox Blame – Quinn Shephard (Writer/Story By), Laurie Shephard (Story By)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Madeline’s Madeline – Ashley Connor Wildlife – Diego Garcia Mandy – Benjamin Loeb Suspiria – Sayombhu Mukdeeprom We the Animals – Zak Mulligan
BEST EDITING You Were Never Really Here – Joe Bini We the Animals – Keiko Deguchi, Brian A. Kates, Jeremiah Zagar American Animals – Luke Dunkley, Nick Fenton, Chris Gill, Julian Hart The Tale – Anne Fabini, Alex Hall, Gary Levy Mid90s – Nick Houy
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Glenn Close – The Wife
Toni Collette – Hereditary
Elsie Fisher – Eighth Grade
Regina Hall – Support the Girls
Helena Howard – Madeline’s Madeline
Carey Mulligan – Wildlife
BEST MALE LEAD
John Cho – Searching
Daveed Diggs – Blindspotting
Ethan Hawke – First Reformed
Christian Malheiros – Sócrates
Joaquin Phoenix – You Were Never Really Here
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Kayli Carter – Private Life
Tyne Daly – A Bread Factory
Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk
Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie – Leave No Trace
J. Smith-Cameron – Nancy
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Raúl Castillo – We the Animals
Adam Driver – BLACKkKLANSMAN
Richard E. Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Josh Hamilton – Eighth Grade
John David Washington – Monsters and Men
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast
Suspiria
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Casting Directors: Avy Kaufman, Stella Savino
Ensemble Cast: Malgosia Bela, Ingrid Caven, Lutz Ebersdorf, Elena Fokina, Mia Goth, Jessica Harper, Dakota Johnson, Gala Moody, Chloë Grace Moretz, Renée Soutendijk, Tilda Swinton, Sylvie Testud, Angela Winkler
BEST DOCUMENTARY Hale County This Morning, This Evening
Minding the Gap
Of Fathers and Sons
On Her Shoulders
Shirkers
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM Burning
The Favourite
Happy as Lazzaro
Roma
Shoplifters
BONNIE AWARD – Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo joined American Airlines in 1973 at age 24, becoming the first female pilot to fly for a major U.S. airline. In her honor, the second Bonnie Award will recognize a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by American Airlines.
– Debra Granik
– Tamara Jenkins
– Karyn Kusama
PRODUCERS AWARD – The 22nd annual Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
– Jonathan Duffy and Kelly Williams
– Gabrielle Nadig
– Shrihari Sathe
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 25th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
– Alex Moratto – Director of Sócrates
– Ioana Uricaru – Director of Lemonade
– Jeremiah Zagar – Director of We the Animals
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 24th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
– Alexandria Bombach – Director of On Her Shoulders
– Bing Liu – Director of Minding the Gap
– RaMell Ross – Director of Hale County This Morning, This Evening
The amount of content produced in the nonfiction, unscripted, and reality television genres has increased to the point that the Critics’ Choice Awards will now recognize achievements in those genre categories by splitting off them off into their own awards show. The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) will be teaming up with NPACT on the first Critics’ Choice Real TV Awards debuting in 2019.
According to the official announcement, select members of the BTJA will determine the nominees in categories that will be revealed in January 2019. The nominations will be announced in May, with the full BTJA membership voting on the winners. The winners of the newly created awards will be honored on Sunday, June 2, 2019 at the inaugural gala taking place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.
“The time has come for the best nonfiction, unscripted and reality television programming to have its own, large-scale awards show, which recognizes the fact that superlative creative work is being done in this area,” stated BFCA President and Critics’ Choice Real TV Awards executive producer Joey Berlin. “The industry has matured over the last two decades, and nonfiction and reality have never been more relevant. They deserve their own night of celebration.”
“The community of creative entrepreneurs that inspired NPACT drives our industry to expand its influence. As the producers of this compelling content across myriad genres, we are honored to work with BTJA to launch this robust awards program,” added NPACT General Manager John Ford.
NPACT is the “the trade organization serving the producers of nonfiction entertainment content.” The Critics’ Choice Real TV Awards replace NPACT’s existing Impact Awards.
The Broadcast Film Critics Association and Broadcast Television Journalists host the annual Critics’ Choice Awards as well as the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards. This year’s Critics’ Choice Awards nominees will be announced on December 10, 2018. Winners in both the television and film categories will be revealed during the 24th annual Critics’ Choice Awards airing live on The CW Network on Sunday, January 13, 2019.
History’s Vikings will finally return after an agonizingly lengthy wait for the second half of season five on Wednesday, November 28, 2018. Part two of season five will see Ivar the Boneless (Alex Høgh Andersen) continuing his tyrannical reign. It will also find Clive Standen‘s Rollo, now a respected Duke, re-entering the Vikings story.
In support of the upcoming Vikings season five part two’s premiere, we spoke with Clive Standen to find out what’s in store for Rollo as he returns to Kattegat. In our one-on-one interview, Standen described Rollo’s journey and how the character’s evolved and matured into the Duke of Normandy.
After slipping into the character for five seasons, has your approach to getting into Rollo changed much?
Clive Standen: “Probably. There’s been moments because there’s been big transitions where you had to reinvent the character somewhat, and because of the time jumps you had to piece together what went on in between. It’s easy to change the character as the story unfolds and how you let the emotions hit you as an actor. But sometimes when there’s a five-year age gap or an eight-year age gap, then you have to ask, ‘What has this guy been doing in this time?’
With Michael (Hirst) and me we always come back with Rollo as he transitions. For instance, I think a major transition was when at the end of season two he’s trampled by horses. If you remember the last time you see him, his legs are all broken and he’s trying to defend Kattegat from all the soldiers invading. And you don’t really know what happens to him in the meantime because then we go and have a time jump and he’s completely fixed. He’s walking again, at least. That’s hard to kind of approach the character differently and go, ‘What’s happened in between, psychologically?’
But this time, to get back on point, this time coming back it wasn’t so hard. I thought it might be. There was a lot going on with Clive that was parallel with Rollo. You know, I’d been away from the set for quite a long time, for a season. And Rollo had been away from Kattegat being the Duke of Normandy. So, my very first scene was this big scene full of pomp and grace with all my men – a lot of supporting artists as Francia soldiers – and I walk into the Great Hall and I meet Ivar (Alex Høgh Andersen and King Harald (Peter Franzen) and Hvitserk (Marco Ilso).
It was strange because when Rollo was in Kattegat, that was very much my stomping ground. It would be Ragnar, it’d be Rollo, it’d be Lagertha, it’d be Aslaug, it’d be Bjorn. So, to go into this Great Hall as Rollo and be greeted by actors that I didn’t have so many scenes with and there was a part of them that were like, ‘Clive Standen’s back. He’s number two on the call sheet. He’s done five seasons of the show,’ and they’d only really previously done one season before. So, there was a part of them kind of almost going, ‘You take the space. You’re the adult in the situation.’ And there’s a part of me going, out of respect, ‘You guys, it’s your show now. I’ve come back here and I’ve been away. Let’s see how you guys work. Let’s see the energy you’re giving to the set.’
And it was very much actors trying to suss each other out, trying to kind of get a grasp of how the day’s going to unfold – just as Rollo is. Rollo is walking into that room and it’s all a game of cards. He’s holding his close to his chest and he’s going, ‘Who are you? What’s been going on? What are the politics of the situation? Who’s going to try and stab me in the back?’ All that kind of stuff. He’s very much kind of mirroring what I’m feeling.
The next day I’m doing scenes with Katheryn (Winnick) and Alexander (Ludwig) – Lagertha and Bjorn – and I’m suddenly kind of back with the old tribe, so to speak. I think it was a very different energy and we had to kind of almost go back and go, ‘Okay, hang on. What is the status here? What’s changed?’ We were almost like carrying on where we left off.”
How in-depth did you go in terms of filling in the blanks of what’s happened during the periods when we don’t witness Rollo’s journey? How much did you discuss those periods with Michael Hirst?
Clive Standen: “Most of it’s there in history as well. There’s a lot written about it. I think it’s probably because we have fun with it when he said, ‘The show’s not about Francia. We can’t keep going in Francia. It’s called Vikings; we have to stay in Scandinavia.’
That was all the information I needed anyway because there’s so much written about Rollo in Normandy, the things he did as the Duke of Normandy and how he accomplished getting the people on his side as opposed to the King of France. He became far more popular than the King of France himself and built Rouen and Normandy into such a powerful state. All of that’s in history books so I know what he’s been doing, and I know how he’s grown as a man and as a leader, a responsible leader of people. I mean, he really has embraced their culture and their religion and his wife. So, that’s all there. It’s just not going to play out on screen.
It’s the real peccadilloes that an actor wants, that kind of meat and gravy that you can go and just give yourself such a big backstory. Status is the most important thing. That status is completely different now. Before it was a Rollo grasping at straws, banging on doors hoping someone would listen to him. Now this is a man who has people come to him. He doesn’t need to use force. But there is also that the age has caught up with him.
I’m not sure if I’m going to sound really silly saying this because it might actually be in the episode because I haven’t seen the episode in its entirety. I’ve only seen the episode when I had to do my additional dialogue in the ADR studio. But I was under the impression that because we have to cut so many scenes to get it down to 47 minutes, there was a scene we filmed with Rollo talking to King Harald, Ivar, and Hvitserk and Rollo is telling a story about an old Berserker who couldn’t fight in battle anymore. That was all he was good at in life and all he wanted to be known for. In his old age, he gathered all the pots and pans and weapons and anything metal that could find in his house, or his domain, and then climbed to the top of a cliff and threw them all off so they’d clatter and smash and bang against the rocks below just to remind him of the sounds of battle one last time.
I don’t think it makes it into the episode – maybe it’ll be on the DVD extras – but it was such a lovely speech to get into the mind of Rollo because he’s obviously really speaking about himself. And this is why he’s come back. He’s a man that’s older now and he’s a ruler. It’s one of those things of is the grass greener on the other side? He’s spent his whole life trying to accomplish some things, trying to be known, be famous, and to be rewarded by the gods and to be respected by his peers. And he’s now, conceivably, he’s got the people, he’s got the wealth, he’s got the land, he’s got the acknowledgement and the riches and all the things that come with that, but is he really happy? Was he happier before?
When someone pines or wants for something their whole life, if they actually get it is it all it’s cracked up to be? Because he’s now dealing with the mortality of where will he go in the afterlife, and there’s some certain things which we all know. Most people gather it when they’re younger; some people it takes them a lifetime. But the things that are really important in life are family and love and all those big things that never go away, your stable things. They’re the things that life’s made up of. And he puts some of those things to the side or other people have forced him away so now’s his chance to go and open up those wounds and hopefully get some respite by someone putting some salt in them. And the somebody I’m talking about is Lagertha and Bjorn – the two reasons he has to come back.”
He’s endured so much and accomplished incredible feats. At this point who is his closest confidante? Who is he turning to for support?
Clive Standen: “I think that’s the question, isn’t it? Who is he turning to? It’s always the god. When you’ve been a Viking all your life and you’ve worshipped those gods, they’re always the people you turn to. And, there’s so many of them to turn to in the pagan religion. But now he’s embraced another religion and he’s got that god, but who is he turning to in his old age? When you find god, if you find god, when you’ve got two entirely different religions, who do you turn to? Have they shunned him?
He’s now trying to prove to the gods that he’s going to put right what once went wrong. He’s going back and he’s trying to hedge his bets, as did the real Rollo in history. The real Rollo, Dudo of Saint-Quentin wrote – one of the historians – said that in his later years in life he lined up a hundred Christians soldiers in front of him in the town square and had them all beheaded. And at the same, he sent a hundred pounds in weight of gold to the Christian churches. So, in one way he’s trying to appease Odin by giving him 100 sacrifices. At the same time, he’s sending all that money to the church to kind of appease the Christian god.
This is a man who’s completely at his wit’s end. ‘I just don’t know. I want to go somewhere!’ He just doesn’t want to go to hell. We didn’t want to play it that way. The historian I’m talking about wrote it that way, but he was very one-sided in history and I think that kind of history down the Christian side is very bastardized and very one-sided. Dudo of Saint-Quentin was writing about Rollo because he was commissioned by the current Duke of Normandy, so he’s obviously going to write his ancestors in a very warm light. But, we wanted to have that in there. This is a man who’s lost and he’s trying to find which gods are going to accept him in the afterlife, and I think that was a nice little homage to that part of history with Rollo that we found.
I had a little elixir…he’s got a little tonic that I’m carrying around with me. I’m shaking it up and the servant comes and I take a little swig from it. It’s just to give the audience that little hint that something is not quite right, you know? Something’s rotten in the state of Denmark I keep saying from Hamlet because we’re dealing with Scandinavia. But he’s a man who’s slowly dying…maybe sooner than we think.”
Is playing the older version of Rollo more fascinating for you as an actor than playing Rollo in his younger years?
Clive Standen: “Oh, yeah, definitely. But, it’s a journey. Once I’ve done something, I never want to do it again anyway so that’s what’s so great about a character that almost reinvents himself. Because once I’ve done that season and I’ve played that part of his life, I’m done with that. Just like in life in general, Clive Standen has no regrets because I would never do anything the same way again. I’d do it all different to see what it was like the other way.
What’s so great about a character like Rollo is that as an actor you don’t usually get to play the 60-year-old version of the character you play. Usually they would cast a 30-year-old as a 30-year-old and there would come a point where they’d recast an older actor to play the 60-year-old version. I’ve been able to track this character all the way through, and that’s what’s so exciting. I’m getting to play a role that I would never usually get to play and it’s not just the character I’m dealing with, it’s everything. It’s not just the inner tempo and the emotions I’m dealing with, it’s transforming my whole body and that’s why I got into acting. I got into acting to draw attention away from myself, not towards myself. So, the further away from Clive Standen I can get that I can really lose myself in, that’s what really gets me up in the morning and makes me excited about my job.”
Aviron Pictures just unveiled the official trailer for the thriller, The Informer. The drama’s based on the book Three Seconds by Anders Roslund and Börge Hellström, with Matt Cook, Rowan Joffe and Andrea di Stefano adapting the novel for the screen.
The cast of The Informer is led by Joel Kinnaman (Altered Carbon) and includes Rosamund Pike (A Private War), Clive Owen (The Knick), Common (The Hate U Give), and Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049). Andrea Di Stefano directed and Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Wayne Marc Godfrey, Robert Jones, Mark Lane, James Harris, and Ollie Madden produced the crime thriller.
Aviron Pictures is set to release the dramatic film in theaters on March 22, 2018.
The Informer Plot:
“Honorably discharged Special Ops soldier Pete Koslow’s (Joel Kinnaman) world is turned upside-down when he is jailed after a fight to protect his wife (Ana de Armas). He’s given a chance for early release by becoming an informant for the FBI (Academy Award nominees Rosamund Pike and Clive Owen) and using his covert skills in an operation to take down The General, the most powerful crime boss in New York. But when the FBI sting meant to finally earn Koslow his freedom results in the death of an undercover NYPD cop, Koslow finds himself caught in the crossfire between the mob and the FBI.
The General insists Koslow takes the heat and sends him back to prison to spearhead a drug operation from inside, and the FBI affirms that going back to jail to do The General’s bidding is the only way for Koslow to keep his deal with them alive. Caught in a world of impossible choices, Koslow must return to prison, where he formulates a plan to escape the clutches of three of New York City’s most powerful organizations – the mob, the NYPD and the FBI – in order to save himself and his family.”
Joel Kinnaman stars in ‘The Informer’ (Photo Credit: Liam Daniel / Aviron Pictures)
The CW’s Riverdale season three episode five found Veronica leading the charge to break Archie out of juvie. She was concerned he’d either kill someone or be killed taking part in the teen fight club, and wanted him out ASAP.
Meanwhile, Jughead has gone completely bonkers will playing Gryphons and Gargoyles. He’s become convinced everything in Riverdale parallels the game, and even the fantasy realm in the game is an anagram of Riverdale. Jughead comes up with the theory that the warden is the Gargoyle King, a theory that’s quickly shot down when the warden commits suicide and the Gargoyle King puts in an appearance and bows down to Jughead.
Up next, season three episode six titled “Manhunter” airing November 28, 2018. The episode was directed by Rachel Talalay from a script by Cristine Chambers.
The cast of season three includes KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, and Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones. Madelaine Petsch is Cheryl Blossom, Marisol Nichols is Hermione Lodge, Mӓdchen Amick is Alice Cooper, and Luke Perry is Fred Andrews. The third season also stars Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy, Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, Mark Consuelos as Hiram Lodge, Skeet Ulrich as FP Jones, Charles Melton as Reggie Mantle, and Vanessa Morgan as Toni Topaz.
The “Chapter Forty-One: Manhunter” Plot: THE COVER-UP — After confronting the parents, who were part of “The Midnight Club” twenty-five years ago, Betty (Lili Reinhart) follows some strong leads in hopes of finding out who the true Gargoyle King is. Meanwhile, Veronica’s (Camila Mendes) attempt to prove Archie’s (KJ Apa) innocence lands her in hot water. Finally, Archie turns to Kevin (Casey Cott) for help making things right.
