Chris Meloni as Nick Sax in ‘Happy!’ (Photo by Syfy)
Syfy’s ordered a second season of the original series Happy! starring Christopher Meloni. The series is based on the critically acclaimed graphic novel by Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson and features the voice of Patton Oswalt as an imaginary winged horse named Happy. The first season is set to finish up on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at 10pm ET/PT.
Happy! is executive produced by Christopher Meloni, Grant Morrison (Batman, The Invisibles), Brian Taylor (Crank, Gamer), Neal Moritz, Pavun Shetty, Patrick Macmanus, and Toby Jaffe. Morrison and Taylor co-wrote the pilot, and Macmanus serves as the season one showrunner.
In addition to Christopher Meloni and Patton Oswalt, the cast includes Ritchie Coster, Lili Mirojnick, Bryce Lorenzo, Medina Senghore, Patrick Fischler, Quentin Morales, Katie Beth Hall, Joseph D. Reitman, Gus Halper, and Laura Poe.
“Happy! struck a chord with our SYFY audience and disrupted the TV landscape with its unique storytelling and outrageous performances led by Christopher Meloni,” stated Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “If people thought this season was crazy – I can’t wait for fans to see what Grant Morrison, Brian Taylor and the entire cast and crew have in store for Sax and Happy!”
The Plot: Based on the New York Times best-selling author Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson’s graphic novel of the same name, Happy! follows Nick Sax (Christopher Meloni) – an intoxicated, corrupt ex-cop turned hit man – who is adrift in a world of casual murder, soulless sex and betrayal. After a hit gone wrong, his inebriated life is forever changed by a tiny, relentlessly positive, imaginary blue winged horse named Happy (Patton Oswalt).
In the must-see finale, Sax and Happy are locked in a climatic confrontation to rescue Hailey (Bryce Lorenzo) from Very Bad Santa’s (Joseph Reitman) lair, as Merry (Lili Mirojnick) sets out to save Amanda (Medina Senghore) from a far more powerful foe. The series also stars Ritchie Coster (Blue) and Patrick Fischler (Smoothie).
The CW’s Riverdale season two episode 11 found Archie showing off his wrestling moves in order to get close to Veronica’s dad, Hiram. Episode 11 also found Jughead learning the true story of the town’s founder, General Pickens, and then helping to lead a protest against the General who slaughtered Riverdale’s original citizens, the Uktena tribe of Native Americans. Meanwhile, Betty turned to Chic to help understand her inner darkness – and it appears he’ll be teaching her all about his webcam business.
Season two episode 12 is set to air on January 31, 2018 and is titled “The Wicked and the Divine.” The episode was directed by Rachel Talalay from a script by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.
The season two cast includes KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones, Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom, Marisol Nichols as Hermione Lodge, Mӓdchen Amick as Alice Cooper, Luke Perry as Fred Andrews, Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy, Mark Consuelos as Hiram Lodge, and Skeet Ulrich as FP Jones.
The “Chapter Twenty-Five: The Wicked and the Divine” Plot: FORGIVE ME FATHER FOR I HAVE SINNED – As preparations for her confirmation ceremony get underway, Veronica (Camila Mendes) becomes concerned that Archie (KJ Apa), who’s agreed to be Hiram’s (Mark Consuelos) “intern,” may be learning too much about her family’s secret business dealings. Jughead (Cole Sprouse) and FP (Skeet Ulrich) lead the charge after an incident at Pickens Park leads to increased tensions among the Serpents. Meanwhile, Chic (guest star Hart Denton) helps Betty (Lili Reinhart) deal with her inner darkness, while Archie finds himself in over his head after a high-stakes poker game with Hiram’s shady inner-circle goes awry.
Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane and Chloë Grace Moretz in Sundance Film Festival winner ‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’ (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | Photo by Jeong Park)
The 2018 Sundance Film Festival Awards winners were announced on Saturday, January 27th after 123 feature films had screened over 10 days. Among this year’s major winners were The Miseducation of Cameron Post, which took home the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic award, and Kailash, winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary.
“From the beginning, the purpose of the Sundance Film Festival has been to support artists and their stories and this year, our mission seemed especially relevant,” stated Sundance Institute President and Founder Robert Redford. “Supporting independent voices, and listening to the stories they tell, has never been more necessary.”
“The scope and scale of this year’s Festival — films, events, conversations — were invigorating,” added Keri Putnam, the Institute’s Executive Director. “I can’t wait to see how our incredible community will leverage these ten days of connection and inspiration to make art and change in the coming year.”
The 2018 Sundance Film Festival Awards ceremony was hosted by Jason Mantzoukas and honored films in 28 different categories. The 2018 jurors included Barbara Chai, Simon Chinn, Chaz Ebert, Ezra Edelman, Matt Holzman, Rachel Morrison, Jada Pinkett Smith, Octavia Spencer, Michael Stuhlbarg, Joe Swanberg, Hanaa Issa, Ruben Östlund, Michael J. Werner, Joslyn Barnes, Billy Luther, Paulina Suarez, and Ru Paul Charles.
2018 Sundance Film Festival Winners:
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to: Kailash / U.S.A. (Director: Derek Doneen, Producers: Davis Guggenheim, Sarah Anthony) — As a young man, Kailash Satyarthi promised himself that he would end child slavery in his lifetime. In the decades since, he has rescued more than eighty thousand children and built a global movement. This intimate and suspenseful film follows one man’s journey to do what many believed was impossible.
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to: The Miseducation of Cameron Post / U.S.A. (Director: Desiree Akhavan, Screenwriters: Desiree Akhavan, Cecilia Frugiuele, Producers: Cecilia Frugiuele, Jonathan Montepare, Michael B. Clark, Alex Turtletaub) — 1993: after being caught having sex with the prom queen, a girl is forced into a gay conversion therapy center. Based on Emily Danforth’s acclaimed and controversial coming-of-age novel. Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Sasha Lane, Forrest Goodluck, John Gallagher Jr., Jennifer Ehle.
The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to: Of Fathers and Sons / Germany, Syria, Lebanon, Qatar (Director: Talal Derki, Producers: Ansgar Frerich, Eva Kemme, Tobias N. Siebert, Hans Robert Eisenhauer) — Talal Derki returns to his homeland where he gains the trust of a radical Islamist family, sharing their daily life for over two years. His camera focuses on Osama and his younger brother Ayman, providing an extremely rare insight into what it means to grow up in an Islamic Caliphate.
The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to: Butterflies / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Tolga Karaçelik, Producers: Tolga Karaçelik, Diloy Gülün, Metin Anter) — In the Turkish village of Hasanlar, three siblings who neither know each other nor anything about their late father, wait to bury his body. As they start to find out more about their father and about each other, they also start to know more about themselves.
The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to: The Sentence / U.S.A. (Director: Rudy Valdez, Producers: Sam Bisbee, Jackie Kelman Bisbee) — Cindy Shank, mother of three, is serving a 15-year sentence in federal prison for her tangential involvement with a Michigan drug ring years earlier. This intimate portrait of mandatory minimum drug sentencing’s devastating consequences, captured by Cindy’s brother, follows her and her family over the course of ten years.
The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to: Burden / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Heckler, Producers: Robbie Brenner, Jincheng, Bill Kenwright) — After opening a KKK shop, Klansman Michael Burden falls in love with a single mom who forces him to confront his senseless hatred. After leaving the Klan and with nowhere to turn, Burden is taken in by an African-American reverend, and learns tolerance through their combined love and faith. Cast: Garrett Hedlund, Forest Whitaker, Andrea Riseborough, Tom Wilkinson, Usher Raymond.
The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented to: This Is Home / U.S.A., Jordan (Director: Alexandra Shiva, Producers: Lindsey Megrue, Alexandra Shiva) — This is an intimate portrait of four Syrian families arriving in Baltimore, Maryland and struggling to find their footing. With eight months to become self-sufficient, they must forge ahead to rebuild their lives. When the travel ban adds further complications, their strength and resilience are put to the test.
The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented to: The Guilty / Denmark (Director: Gustav Möller, Screenwriters: Gustav Möller, Emil Nygaard Albertsen, Producer: Lina Flint) — Alarm dispatcher Asger Holm answers an emergency call from a kidnapped woman; after a sudden disconnection, the search for the woman and her kidnapper begins. With the phone as his only tool, Asger enters a race against time to solve a crime that is far bigger than he first thought. Cast: Jakob Cedergren, Jessica Dinnage, Johan Olsen, Omar Shargawi.
The Audience Award: NEXT was presented to: Search / U.S.A. (Director: Aneesh Chaganty, Screenwriters: Aneesh Chaganty, Sev Ohanian, Producers: Timur Bekmambetov, Sev Ohanian, Adam Sidman, Natalie Qasabian) — After his 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a desperate father breaks into her laptop to look for clues to find her. A thriller that unfolds entirely on computer screens. Cast: John Cho, Debra Messing.
The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to:
Alexandria Bombach for her film On Her Shoulders / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandria Bombach, Producers: Hayley Pappas, Brock Williams) — Nadia Murad, a 23-year-old Yazidi, survived genocide and sexual slavery committed by ISIS. Repeating her story to the world, this ordinary girl finds herself thrust onto the international stage as the voice of her people. Away from the podium, she must navigate bureaucracy, fame and people’s good intentions.
The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to:
Sara Colangelo for her film The Kindergarten Teacher / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sara Colangelo, Producers: Talia Kleinhendler, Osnat Handelsman-Keren, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler) — When a Staten Island kindergarten teacher discovers what may be a gifted five year-old student in her class, she becomes fascinated and obsessed with the child– spiraling downward on a dangerous and desperate path in order to nurture his talent. Cast: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Parker Sevak, Rosa Salazar, Anna Barynishikov, Michael Chernus, Gael Garcia Bernal.
The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented to:
Sandi Tan for her film Shirkers / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sandi Tan, Producers: Sandi Tan, Jessica Levin, Maya Rudolph) — In 1992, teenager Sandi Tan shot Singapore’s first indie road movie with her enigmatic American mentor Georges – who then vanished with all the footage. Twenty years later, the 16mm film is recovered, sending Tan, now a novelist in Los Angeles, on a personal odyssey in search of Georges’ vanishing footprints.
The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented to:
Ísold Uggadóttir for her film And Breathe Normally / Iceland, Sweden, Belgium (Director and screenwriter: Ísold Uggadóttir, Producers: Skúli Malmquist, Diana Elbaum, Annika Hellström, Lilja Ósk Snorradóttir, Inga Lind Karlsdóttir) — At the edge of Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula, two women’s lives will intersect – for a brief moment – while trapped in circumstances unforeseen. Between a struggling Icelandic mother and an asylum seeker from Guinea-Bissau, a delicate bond will form as both strategize to get their lives back on track. Cast: Kristín Thóra Haraldsdóttir, Babetida Sadjo, Patrik Nökkvi Pétursson.
The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to:
Christina Choe for her film NANCY / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Christina Choe, Producers: Amy Lo, Michelle Cameron, Andrea Riseborough) — Blurring lines between fact and fiction, Nancy becomes increasingly convinced she was kidnapped as a child. When she meets a couple whose daughter went missing thirty years ago, reasonable doubts give way to willful belief – and the power of emotion threatens to overcome all rationality. Cast: Andrea Riseborough, J. Smith-Cameron, Steve Buscemi, Ann Dowd, John Leguizamo.
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Creative Vision was presented to: Hale County This Morning, This Evening / U.S.A. (Director: RaMell Ross, Screenwriter: Maya Krinsky, Producers: Joslyn Barnes, RaMell Ross, Su Kim) — Composed of intimate and unencumbered moments of people in a community, this film is constructed in a form that allows the viewer an emotive impression of the Historic South – trumpeting the beauty of life and consequences of the social construction of race, while simultaneously a testament to dreaming.
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Social Impact was presented to: Crime + Punishment / U.S.A. (Director: Stephen Maing) — Over four years of unprecedented access, the story of a brave group of black and Latino whistleblower cops and one unrelenting private investigator who, amidst a landmark lawsuit, risk everything to expose illegal quota practices and their impact on young minorities.
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Storytelling was presented to: Three Identical Strangers / U.S.A. (Director: Tim Wardle, Producer: Becky Read) — New York,1980: three complete strangers accidentally discover that they’re identical triplets, separated at birth. The 19-year-olds’ joyous reunion catapults them to international fame, but also unlocks an extraordinary and disturbing secret that goes beyond their own lives – and could transform our understanding of human nature forever.
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking was presented to: Minding the Gap / U.S.A. (Director: Bing Liu, Producer: Diane Quon) — Three young men bond together to escape volatile families in their Rust Belt hometown. As they face adult responsibilities, unexpected revelations threaten their decade-long friendship.
A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Outstanding First Feature was presented to: Monsters and Men / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Reinaldo Marcus Green, Producers: Elizabeth Lodge Stepp, Josh Penn, Eddie Vaisman, Julia Lebedev, Luca Borghese) — This interwoven narrative explores the aftermath of a police killing of a black man. The film is told through the eyes of the bystander who filmed the act, an African-American police officer and a high-school baseball phenom inspired to take a stand. Cast: John David Washington, Anthony Ramos, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Chanté Adams, Nicole Beharie, Rob Morgan.
A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Excellence in Filmmaking was presented to: I Think We’re Alone Now / U.S.A. (Director: Reed Morano, Screenwriter: Mike Makowsky, Producers: Fred Berger, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Fernando Loureiro, Roberto Vasconcellos, Peter Dinklage, Mike Makowsky) — The apocalypse proves a blessing in disguise for one lucky recluse – until a second survivor arrives with the threat of companionship. Cast: Peter Dinklage, Elle Fanning.
A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Achievement in Acting was presented to:
Benjamin Dickey for BLAZE / U.S.A. (Director: Ethan Hawke, Screenwriters: Ethan Hawke, Sybil Rosen, Producers: Jake Seal, John Sloss, Ryan Hawke, Ethan Hawke) — A reimagining of the life and times of Blaze Foley, the unsung songwriting legend of the Texas Outlaw Music movement; he gave up paradise for the sake of a song. Cast: Benjamin Dickey, Alia Shawkat, Josh Hamilton, Charlie Sexton.
A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award was presented to:
Stephen Loveridge and M.I.A. for MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A. / Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, U.S.A. (Director: Stephen Loveridge, Producers: Lori Cheatle, Andrew Goldman, Paul Mezey) — Drawn from a never before seen cache of personal footage spanning decades, this is an intimate portrait of the Sri Lankan artist and musician who continues to shatter conventions.
A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Editing was presented to:
Editors Maxim Pozdorovkin and Matvey Kulakov for Our New President / Russia, U.S.A. (Director: Maxim Pozdorovkin, Producers: Maxim Pozdorovkin, Joe Bender, Charlotte Cook) — The story of Donald Trump’s election told entirely through Russian propaganda. By turns horrifying and hilarious, the film is a satirical portrait of Russian media that reveals an empire of fake news and the tactics of modern-day information warfare.
A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematography was presented to:
Cinematographers Maxim Arbugaev and Peter Indergand for Genesis 2.0 / Switzerland (Directors: Christian Frei, Maxim Arbugaev, Producer: Christian Frei) — On the remote New Siberian Islands in the Arctic Ocean, hunters search for tusks of extinct mammoths. When they discover a surprisingly well-preserved mammoth carcass, its resurrection will be the first manifestation of the next great technological revolution: genetics. It may well turn our world upside down.
A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Screenwriting was presented to:
Screenwriters Julio Chavezmontes and Sebastián Hofmann for Time Share (Tiempo Compartido) / Mexico, Netherlands (Director: Sebastián Hofmann, Screenwriters: Julio Chavezmontes, Sebastián Hofmann, Producer: Julio Chavezmontes) — Two haunted family men join forces in a destructive crusade to rescue their families from a tropical paradise, after becoming convinced that an American timeshare conglomerate has a sinister plan to take their loved ones away.
A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting was presented to:
Valeria Bertuccelli for The Queen of Fear / Argentina, Denmark (Directors: Valeria Bertuccelli, Fabiana Tiscornia, Screenwriter: Valeria Bertuccelli, Producers: Benjamin Domenech, Santiago Gallelli, Matias Roveda, Juan Vera, Juan Pablo Galli, Christian Faillace) — Only one month left until the premiere of The Golden Time, the long-awaited solo show by acclaimed actress Robertina. Far from focused on the preparations for this new production, Robertina lives in a state of continuous anxiety that turns her privileged life into an absurd and tumultuous landscape. Cast: Valeria Bertuccelli, Diego Velázquez, Gabriel Eduardo “Puma” Goity, Darío Grandinetti.
A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Acting was presented to: Dead Pigs / China (Director and screenwriter: Cathy Yan, Producers: Clarissa Zhang, Jane Zheng, Zhangke Jia, Mick Aniceto, Amy Aniceto) — A bumbling pig farmer, a feisty salon owner, a sensitive busboy, an expat architect and a disenchanted rich girl converge and collide as thousands of dead pigs float down the river towards a rapidly-modernizing Shanghai, China. Based on true events. Cast: Vivian Wu, Haoyu Yang, Mason Lee, Meng Li, David Rysdahl.
The NEXT Innovator Prize was announced as a tie, and was presented to two films:
Night Comes On / U.S.A. (Director: Jordana Spiro, Screenwriters: Jordana Spiro, Angelica Nwandu, Producers: Jonathan Montepare, Alvaro R. Valente, Danielle Renfrew Behrens) — Angel LaMere is released from juvenile detention on the eve of her 18th birthday. Haunted by her past, she embarks on a journey with her 10 year-old sister that could destroy their future. Cast: Dominique Fishback, Tatum Hall, John Earl Jelks, Max Casella, James McDaniel.
We the Animals / U.S.A. (Director: Jeremiah Zagar, Screenwriters: Daniel Kitrosser, Jeremiah Zagar, Producers: Jeremy Yaches, Christina D. King, Andrew Goldman, Paul Mezey) — Us three, us brothers, us kings. Manny, Joel and Jonah tear their way through childhood and push against the volatile love of their parents. As Manny and Joel grow into versions of their father and Ma dreams of escape, Jonah, the youngest, embraces an imagined world all his own. Cast: Raul Castillo, Sheila Vand, Evan Rosado, Isaiah Kristian, Josiah Gabriel.
Kathleen Kennedy at the 2018 Art Directors Guild’s 22nd Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards.
The 22nd Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards winners were announced on January 27, 2018, with members of the Art Directors Guild recognizing the best in film, television, commercials, music videos, and animation features of 2017. Among the winners in the film categories were Oscar frontrunners The Shape of Water and Coco. Coco earned the first-ever Excellence in Production Design in Animation award while The Shape of Water collected the Best Production Design for a Period Film award.
Standouts in television included The Handmaid’s Tale, Will & Grace, Black Mirror, and Game of Thrones.
Johnathan Fernandez hosted the awards show and Darkest Hour‘s Gary Oldman, Arrested Development‘s Will Arnett, Longmire‘s Lou Diamond Phillips, Scandal‘s Kate Burton, and Battlestar Gallactica‘s Katee Sackhoff presented awards. In addition to the awards recognizing the best of 2017, the Art Directors Guild honored Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Jurassic Park, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial) with the Cinematic Imagery Award. Oscar-nominated animation filmmakers Ron Clements and John Musker (Moana, Hercules, Aladdin) were the winners of this year’s William Cameron Menzies Award.
The Art Directors Guild members also gave Lifetime Achievement Awards to Production Designer Norm Newberry, Production Designer/Set Designer James Murakami, Scenic Artist John Moffitt, and Senior Illustrator/Art Director Martin Kline. In addition, the late Production Designer Sir Ken Adam (Dr. Strangelove, James Bond) and Senior Illustrator and Bambi‘s Concept Designer Tyrus Wong were inducted into the ADG Hall of Fame.
Art Directors 2018 Award Winners:
1. PERIOD FILM THE SHAPE OF WATER
Production Designer: PAUL DENHAM AUSTERBERRY
2. FANTASY FILM BLADE RUNNER 2049
Production Designer: DENNIS GASSNER
3. CONTEMPORARY FILM LOGAN
Production Designer: FRANÇOIS AUDOUY
4. ANIMATED FILM COCO
Production Designer: HARLEY JESSUP
5. One-Hour Period or Fantasy Single-Camera Series GAME OF THRONES: “Dragonstone,” “The Queen`s Justice,” “Eastwatch”
Production Designer: DEBORAH RILEY
6. One-Hour Contemporary Single-Camera Series THE HANDMAID’S TALE: “Pilot, Offred,” “Birth Day,” “Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum”
Production Designer: JULIE BERGHOFF
7. Television Movie or LIMITED Series BLACK MIRROR: “USS Callister”
Production Designers: JOEL COLLINS, PHIL SIMS
8. Half Hour Single-Camera Series GLOW: “Pilot,” “The Wrath of Kuntar,” “The Dusty Spur”
Production Designer: TODD FJELSTED
9. MULTI-CAMERA Series WILL & GRACE: “Eleven Years Later,” “A Gay Olde Christmas”
Production Designer: GLENDA ROVELLO
10. Short Format: Web Series, Music Video or Commercial STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT II: “Rivalry / PS4”
Production Designer: JASON EDMONDS
11. Variety or Competition Series/Awards or Event Special PORTLANDIA: “Portland Secedes,” “Ants,” “Fred`s Cell Phone Company”
Production Designer: SCHUYLER TELLEEN
The third and final film of the Maze Runner trilogy, Maze Runner: The Death Cure, didn’t match the opening weekend numbers of either of the first two films. However, it did score a large enough domestic opening weekend to snag first place on the January 26-28, 2018 Top 10 box office chart.
Maze Runner: The Death Cure was delayed a year due to the devastating head injury suffered by the film’s star, Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf). O’Brien was unable to work and therefore the final Maze Runner was pushed back from its original release date of February 17, 2017 to January 26, 2018. The delay might have caused the decreased box office numbers, with Maze Runner: The Death Cure raking in $23.5 million compared to 2014’s The Maze Runner‘s $32.5 million and 2015’s Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials‘ $30.3 million.
Maze Runner: The Death Cure pushed Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle out of first place, a position it’s held for three weeks. The Jumanji sequel continues to perform impressively at the box office and has already become Sony’s third highest grossing film domestically, according to Box Office Mojo.
The Maze Runner: The Death Cure Plot: In the epic finale to the Maze Runner saga, Thomas leads his group of escaped Gladers on their final and most dangerous mission yet. To save their friends, they must break into the legendary Last City, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all. Anyone who makes it out alive will get answers to the questions the Gladers have been asking since they first arrived in the maze.
Season two of the HBO comedy series High Maintenance continues its 10 episode season with four new episodes airing in February 2018. HBO’s released details on the February episodes including air dates and cast details for the half-hour comedy created by executive producers Katja Blichfeld (30 Rock) and Ben Sinclair (Home Again, Sisters). Sinclair also stars in the series as a guy who delivers pot.
The series is produced by Willy Friedman, Gwen Bialic and Emi Irikawa.
The Season 2 Plot: A comedy of human interaction, the second season of High Maintenance delves deeper into the contemporary anxieties New Yorkers are experiencing, from political tension to soaring real estate prices, while emphasizing the importance of savoring the highs of life in this increasingly volatile world. Pulling back the curtain on The Guy’s personal life, the second season reveals a few more people and details of what happens when he’s not on the clock.
Introducing new customers and revisiting familiar ones, the second season of High Maintenance weaves together a labyrinth of humor, poignant observations and heartfelt moments in stories that explore the lives of intriguing and colorful individuals from all walks of life.
High Maintenance February 2018 Episodes:
Episode #9: “Namaste” (season 2, episode 3)
Debut: FRIDAY, FEB. 2 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)
An industrious Brooklyn realtor (Danielle Brooks) endeavors to hustle her way to a new home. After winning an affordable-housing lottery, Candace (Candace Thompson) and John (John E. Peery) face culture shock and notice a class divide when they move into their new apartment. The Guy (Ben Sinclair) considers his living situation.
Written by Hannah Bos, Paul Thureen and Shaka King; directed by Shaka King.
Episode #10: “Derech” (season 2, episode 4)
Debut: FRIDAY, FEB. 9 (11:00-11:30 p.m.)
An ex-Hasidic man (Luzer Twersky) explores the world outside his sect as he connects with a writer who may have ulterior motives. A nightclub performer’s (Darrell Thorne) night out takes an unexpected turn. The Guy (Ben Sinclair) bonds with a driver (Abdullah Saeed) when he finds himself in need of a lift.
Written by Ben Sinclair; directed by Shaka King.
Episode #11: “Scromple” (season 2, episode 5)
Debut: FRIDAY, FEB. 16 (11:00-11:30 p.m.)
The Guy (Ben Sinclair) tries to de-stress when he ends up in an uncomfortable situation. A freelance brand strategist (Kate Lyn Sheil) struggling with her latest assignment embarks on a desperate search for a weed fix.
Written by Katja Blichfeld and Rebecca Drysdale; directed by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair.
Episode #12: “Googie” (season 2, episode 6)
Debut: FRIDAY, FEB. 23 (11:00-11:30 p.m.)
Abdullah (Abdullah Saeed), a potential partner, takes over The Guy’s (Ben Sinclair) weed route while he attempts to take time off.
Written and directed by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair.
Ben Sinclair in ‘High Maintenance’ season 2 (Photo by David Giesbrecht / HBO)
Netflix just released a new trailer and poster for the upcoming horror film, The Ritual. The trailer features four buddies who make the sort of decision that only happens in horror films, deviating from their plans and ending up in a terrifying forest. If you sat through The Blair Witch Project, you realize there’s absolutely no way all four of the men heading into the woods are going to come out alive.
The creepy thriller’s directed by David Bruckner (V/H/S, Southbound). The Ritual is based on Adam Nevill’s 2011 novel and stars Rafe Spall (The Big Short, Life of Pi), Robert James-Collier (Downton Abbey, Coronation Street), Arsher Ali (Doctor Who, The Missing), and Sam Troughton (AVP: Alien vs. Predator, Robin Hood). The 94 minute horror movie was produced by Ron Ames, Jonathan Cavendish, Richard Holmes, and Andy Serkis.
The Ritual will premiere on Netflix on February 9, 2018.
The Plot: Reuniting after the tragic death of their best mate, four old friends from university set out to hike through the Scandinavian wilderness. But a wrong turn leads them into the dark and mysterious forests of Norse legend, where an ancient evil still exists and stalks them at every turn.
A Lengthier Plot Description of Adam Nevill’s Novel: In Adam Nevill’s The Ritual, four old university friends reunite for a hiking trip in the Scandinavian wilderness of the Arctic Circle. No longer young men, they have little left in common and tensions rise as they struggle to connect. Frustrated and tired they take a shortcut that turns their hike into a nightmare that could cost them their lives.
Lost, hungry and surrounded by forest untouched for millennia, they stumble across an isolated old house. Inside, they find the macabre remains of old rites and pagan sacrifices; ancient artifacts and unidentifiable bones. A place of dark ritual and home to a bestial presence that is still present in the ancient forest, and now they’re the prey.
As the four friends struggle toward salvation they discover that death doesn’t come easy among these ancient trees…
Poster for the horror film, The Ritual (Photo Credit: Netflix)
“You believe in the Lord, Joseph?” asks Rosalie (Rosamund Pike). “Yes, I do. But he’s been blind to what’s going on out here for a long time,” replies Captain Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) as he tries to comfort a grieving widow on the wild plains in the gripping Western film, Hostiles.
Set in 1892, Hostiles focuses on war-weary Army Captain Joseph J. Blocker, a man who’s spent decades fighting Indians and who has no sympathy for Native Americans. Blocker’s furious when he’s ordered to escort the dying Cheyenne warrior Chief Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi) and his family back to their tribal lands. Blocker attempts to fight the order but after his pension is threatened, he gives in and complies.
Leaving Fort Berringer in New Mexico, Blocker and his men must travel with the Chief, Blocker’s former enemy, on a perilous journey to Montana. Not long into the journey, Blocker and his group come across the young widow Rosalie Quaid still in shock over her family’s massacre at the hands of brutal Comanches. Leery of Chief Yellow Hawk and his family but trusting Blocker and his men, Rosalie joins the group.
The former enemies and the recently widowed Rosalie ultimately must join forces and fight together to overcome deadly Comanche attacks, run-ins with outlaws, and the brutal elements if they are to survive and complete their journey.
Powerful and extremely violent, Hostiles is one of the best Westerns to come along in years. The cast deliver award-worthy performances, and the R-rated film features visually stunning cinematography. Christian Bale gives perhaps the best performance of his career as Captain Blocker, a man who’s filled with hate tinged with regret. Bale displays perfectly just how much Blocker truly despises the Chief he’s escorting across the plains. He also conveys the good amount of self-loathing he has for the horrific things he did in the past while fighting the Native Americans for the U.S. government.
Rosamund Pike delivers a mesmerizing performance as the shattered yet determined widow whose family was brutally ripped from her by the Comanches. She shows wonderfully how even after losing all that’s dear to her and almost reaching the brink of sanity, Rosalie finds the will to continue on to try to make some sort of life for herself. Pike and Bale have solid chemistry on screen, and Pike’s performance is completely compelling.
Hostiles‘ cinematography is breathtaking, bringing back to life the Old West and capturing the bright blue skies and the natural beauty of the landscapes including the meandering rivers, lush forests, and seemingly impassable mountains. Not since John Ford’s film The Searchers has a Western movie looked this good and authentic.
With excellent performances, most notably by Bale and Pike, intriguing characters, strong direction by Scott Cooper, and beautiful cinematography, Hostiles is a terrific film and should be seen on the big screen to experience its full visual impact.
GRADE: A-
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, and language
Running Time: 134 minutes
Rosamund Pike and Christian Bale star in ‘Hostiles.’
Paramount Pictures has released a brief featurette with Natalie Portman and Gina Rodriguez discussing the science fiction thriller, Annihilation. The minute and a half video includes new scenes and focuses on the mutations the characters encounter.
Annihilation was directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, 28 Days Later) and is based on Jeff VanderMeer’s “Southern Reach Trilogy.” Garland also adapted VanderMeer’s work for the screen. Scott Rudin, Andrew MacDonald, Allon Reich, and Eli Bush served as producers.
In addition to Natalie Portman (Black Swan, Jackie) and Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin, Deepwater Horizon), the cast of the much-anticipated drama includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac.
Paramount Pictures is targeting a February 23, 2018 theatrical release.
The Plot: Lena, a biologist and former soldier, joins a mission to uncover what happened to her husband inside Area X – a sinister and mysterious phenomenon that is expanding across the American coastline. Once inside, the expedition discovers a world of mutated landscape and creatures, as dangerous as it is beautiful, that threatens both their lives and their sanity.
A More Detailed Description of Jeff VanderMeer’s Book: “Area X has been cut off from the rest of the continent for decades. Nature has reclaimed the last vestiges of human civilization. The first expedition returned with reports of a pristine, Edenic landscape; all the members of the second expedition committed suicide; the third expedition died in a hail of gunfire as its members turned on one another; the members of the eleventh expedition returned as shadows of their former selves, and within months of their return, all had died of aggressive cancer.
This is the twelfth expedition.
Their group is made up of four women: an anthropologist; a surveyor; a psychologist, the de facto leader; and our narrator, a biologist. Their mission is to map the terrain and collect specimens; to record all their observations, scientific and otherwise, of their surroundings and of one another; and, above all, to avoid being contaminated by Area X itself.
They arrive expecting the unexpected, and Area X delivers—they discover a massive topographic anomaly and life forms that surpass understanding—but it’s the surprises that came across the border with them, and the secrets the expedition members are keeping from one another, that change everything.” (Per FSG Originals)
Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh in ‘Annihilation’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
CBS and the Recording Academy released the list of celebrities set to take the stage during the 60th Annual Grammy Awards as presenters. The 2018 Grammys will be hosted by James Corden and will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York. CBS is airing the awards show live on Sunday, January 28th at 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT.
Among the artists, musicians, actors, and comedians confirmed as presenters are 18-time Grammy winner Tony Bennett, current Grammy nominee Dave Chappelle, three-time Grammy winner and current nominee Kelly Clarkson, NFL player Victor Cruz, Grammy winner Eve, Grammy nominee Jim Gaffigan, Katie Holmes, previous Grammy nominee Nick Jonas, singer/actress Anna Kendrick, 15-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys, 10-time Grammy winner John Legend, Shemar Moore, Trevor Noah, Grammy nominee Sarah Silverman, actress/singer Hailee Steinfeld, and previous Grammy nominee Donnie Wahlberg.
The Recording Academy and CBS previously announced Jon Batiste, Brothers Osborne, Alessia Cara, Cardi B, Childish Gambino, Eric Church, Gary Clark Jr., Miley Cyrus, Daddy Yankee, DJ Khaled, Luis Fonsi, Emmylou Harris, and Elton John are performing. Kesha, Khalid, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Little Big Town, Logic, Patti LuPone, Bruno Mars, Maren Morris, P!nk, Ben Platt, Rihanna, Zuleyka Rivera, Sam Smith, Chris Stapleton, Sting, SZA, Bryson Tiller and U2 will also perform during the live awards show honoring the best in music of 2017.
The 2018 Grammy nominees are led by 21-time Grammy Award winner Jay-Z with eight nominations including Album of the Year and Best Rap Album. Kendrick Lamar follows with seven nominations and Bruno Mars picked up six. Childish Gambino, Khalid, No I.D., and SZA each earned five nominations.
The 60th Annual Grammy Awards will be directed by Louis J. Horvitz. Ben Winston is producing, Chantel Sausedo is the talent producer, and Ken Ehrlich is executive producing. Erlich and David Wild are this year’s writers.
