It’s been 19 years since Wallace and Gromit’s first full-length animated film, Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, hit screens, and finally, we’re treated to their follow-up, Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Hugely creative and hilarious, Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Foul is an animated crime caper, filled with witty dialogue and charming characters. With stunning visuals and quirky charm, the film’s incredibly detailed stop-motion animation brings Wallace and Gromit’s world to life.
The movie begins with the always positive inventor Wallace (voiced by Ben Whitehead) creating a “smart” gnome (voiced by Reece Shearsmith) named Norbot to help his old pal and best dog Gromit with his gardening. To say that Gromit is not excited about this little change would be a gross understatement. He watches in shock as the gnome speeds around, cutting the grass with a mower, and also mowing down Gromit’s beloved roses.
Meanwhile, the incarcerated penguin thief Feathers McGraw is hatching a revenge plan on our heroes. It seems Feathers was captured attempting to steal the irreplaceable Blue Diamond, thanks to the help of Wallace and Gromit. In a hilarious scene that pays tribute to the original Mission: Impossible film, Feathers gains access to a computer and hacks into the gnome while it’s charging. The vengeful penguin changes the robot’s settings to “EVIL”!
Norbot creates other gnomes like him to aid Feathers in his sinister plot to acquire the Blue Diamond and frame poor cheese-loving Wallace for the crime. Of course, it will fall on Gromit, who is already aware Norbot is up to no good, to discover Feathers’ evil plan, stop him, and clear his best pal’s name.
Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is an all-out slapstick good time with stunning animation and two lovable goofball characters who it’s impossible NOT to root for. The script is sharp, clever, and hilarious, loaded with lessons about relying too much on technology, underestimating your enemy, and the bond of friendship. The voice talents do a wonderful job bringing the characters to life, but it’s the characters with no dialogue-Gromit and Feathers-who run away with the film. They’re just two silent foes trying to outwit each other.
Backed by a pitch-perfect score (especially the “Wallace and Gromit” main theme), Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is full of gags and fun for the entire family. The long-awaited second Wallace and Gromit film is a welcome return of these two lovable characters for another adventure that’s one of the best animated films of the year.
GRADE: B+
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: December 18, 2024 limited theatrical, January 3, 2025 on Netflix
Running Time: 79 minutes
Directed By: Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham
Who knew unicorns aren’t all sweet and loving, but truly terrifying creatures if provoked? A24’s Death of a Unicorn trailer shows what happens when the mythical creature seeks revenge against a family who accidentally turned one of their kind into roadkill.
Paul Rudd (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) and Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) play the father and daughter who mow down the majestic animal. Richard E. Grant stars as a billionaire pharmaceutical CEO who wants to exploit the unicorn’s healing powers. (It’s horn can cure cancer!) Will Poulter plays Grant’s son and Téa Leoni stars as his wife.
A24’s targeting a spring 2025 release of the horror comedy from writer-director Alex Scharfman.
Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky in ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ (Credit: Eric Ogden/Paramount+)
Mike McLusky (Jeremy Renner) will continue to try and keep the peace in a town ripped apart by gangs in Mayor of Kingstown season four. Paramount+ officially renewed the drama for a fourth season, but didn’t confirm when production will get underway or a target premiere date for the new season.
Season three, filmed after Renner’s horrific accident, claimed the number one spot as Paramount+’s top series during its run, pulling in 8.8 million households.
In addition to Renner as Mike McLusky, season three starred Hugh Dillon as Ian, Taylor Handley as Kyle McLusky, Emma Laird as Iris, and Tobi Bamtefa as Deverin ‘Bunny’ Washington. Derek Webster played Stevie, Hamish Allan-Headley starred as Robert, Nishi Munshi played Tracy, and Michael Beach played Captain Kareem Moore. Some obviously won’t return as their characters met untimely deaths in the third season.
“In season three, a series of explosions rocked Kingstown and its citizens, as a new face of the Russian mob set up shop in the city, and a drug war raged inside and outside prison walls,” reads Paramount+’s synopsis. “The pressure was on Mike McLusky (Renner) to end the war but things got complicated when a familiar face from his incarcerated past threatened to undermine the Mayor’s attempts to keep the peace among all factions.”
Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone) and Hugh Dillon co-created the series and serve as executive producers. Additional executive producers include Jeremy Renner, Antoine Fuqua, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Michael Friedman, Christoph Schrewe, Wendy Riss Gatsiounis, Evan Perazzo, and Keith Cox. Dave Erickson guides the series as showrunner, writer, and executive producer.
MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios, and Bosque Ranch Productions produce the critically acclaimed drama.
Alexandra Daddario as Rowan Fielding in ‘Mayfair Witches’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Skip Bolen/AMC)
AMC Networks is kicking off 2025 with a January lineup that includes season two of Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches and Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale. Planet Earth: Asia, presented by Sir David Attenborough, premieres in late January on BBC America, and horror fans will be treated to Nick Frost’s Get Away debuting on Shudder on January 10th.
Shudder’s January lineup also includes the body horror Grafted and Dark Match, an action horror with Sara Canning and Steven Ogg.
AMC & AMC+:
Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches Season 2 – Premieres Sunday, January 5 at 9pm ET/PT
Based on Anne Rice’s Lives of the Mayfair Witches, season two of Mayfair Witches continues the journey of Rowan Mayfair (Alexandra Daddario) after she has unwittingly given birth to the demon Lasher (Jack Huston). She is determined to understand what he has become – human or monster? – and to use him to fulfill her purpose as a healer, but when tragedy strikes, she must put aside her own desires and fight to protect her family.
Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale – Season Premiere Sunday, January 5 on AMC at 10pm ET
Written and created by Debbie Horsfield and adapted from the bestselling novel by V.V. James, Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale takes place in a contemporary world where witchcraft is real. Travel to the idyllic English town of Sanctuary, where for hundreds of years witches have lived peacefully as valued members of society…until now. Sarah Fenn (Elaine Cassidy) is Sanctuary’s resident witch, on whom the town relies to solve their problems when conventional remedies have failed.
When local teen rugby star, Dan Whithall, dies tragically in an apparent accident, his death exposes a terrifying undercurrent of suspicion and fear towards Sarah and her teenage daughter, Harper (Hazel Doupe). The boy’s mother Abigail (Amy de Bhrun), once Sarah’s closest friend, is wracked with grief, and launches a modern-day witch-hunt to avenge her son’s death no matter what the cost.
Skincare – Premieres Friday, January 3
Legendary facialist-to-the-stars Hope Goldman (Elizabeth Banks) is preparing to enter the next phase of her career by launching her own retail line of skincare products. However, she begins to sense that someone is trying to sabotage her business and destroy her life after she becomes entangled in a series of menacing situations. Consumed with paranoia, Hope goes on an investigation across Hollywood to find out who is responsible and save her business- by any means necessary.
Memoir of a Snail – Premieres Friday, January 17
From Academy Award-winning director Adam Elliot, this Golden Globe-nominated animated film follows Grace Pudel, a book-loving, snail-collecting misfit that falls into a series of misfortunes after being separated from her twin brother Gilbert. Despite her hardships, inspiration and hope arise when Grace begins a friendship with an eccentric elderly woman named Pinky.
Featured Collection: Wicked: Stories of Magic and Mystery – Available All Month Long
This collection casts spells and conjures magic with witch-themed series and films including A Discovery of Witches, Domino Day: Lone Witch and Shudder Original Films Hellbender, Mandrake, and Moloch, among others.
Featured Collection: Sundance Film Festival – Available All Month Long
Celebrate the Sundance Film Festival with a collection of award-winning films and festival favorites including Ghostlight, Boyhood, In A Violent Nature, The Babadook, God’s Country, Sleeping with Other People, and Watcher, among others.
On the edge of the city a yawning proboscis monkey takes a break on some water pipes in ‘Planet Earth: Asia’ (Photo Credit: BBC America)
BBC AMERICA:
Planet Earth: Asia – Premieres January 25 at 8pm ET/PT on BBC America and AMC+
Presented by renowned naturalist and three-time Emmy Award-winner Sir David Attenborough, the cinematic series explores each corner of this remarkable part of our planet and journeys through Asia’s most stunning landscapes, uncovering stories of extraordinary unseen animal behavior.
Across 7 episodes plus a ‘Making Of’ special filmed over the course of nearly four years, this is the first time that Asia – home to the highest mountain range, the deepest ocean, the tallest jungles, and the biggest cave – has been the focus of a BBC landmark wildlife series. The series will also explore the conservation challenges facing the continent and shine a light on the potential solutions being championed by the region’s conservation heroes. From the vast Gobi Desert to the jungles of Borneo, and from the polar wilderness of Siberia to the coral seas of the Indian Ocean, this series will showcase the breathtaking diversity of Asia’s wildest places, with an all-new original score by Hans Zimmer’s Bleeding Fingers Music Group.
The Graham Norton Show Season 32 – New Episodes Premiere Fridays on BBC America, AMC+ and Acorn TV
The BAFTA-award-winning talk show is back with a new season featuring the biggest celebrities and the brightest conversation on television.
ACORN TV:
Darby & Joan Season 2 – New Episodes Every Monday Until Season Finale on January 27
A year after their lives collided on an outback road, retired Australian detective Jack Darby (Emmy-nominee Bryan Brown) and English widowed nurse Joan Kirkhope (Emmy-winner Greta Scacchi) have forged a deep friendship amid shared investigative adventures. But Jack’s story has only just begun – he’s determined to clear his name of the unexplained cloud hanging over his career. Despite the potential danger – or perhaps because of it – Joan insists on helping Jack with his quest.
As they travel through Queensland’s picturesque landscapes solving mysteries along the way, Jack and Joan’s relationship will be tested. An escapist adventure where a new mystery awaits around every bend in the road, Darby and Joan ask: can you find yourself in the middle of nowhere?
The Gone – Two-Episode Premiere on January 20
Theo Richter (Richard Flood) is an Irish detective who teams with Kiwi cop Diana Huia (Acushla-Tara Kupe) to find a young Irish couple after they vanished from an infamous rural North Island New Zealand town. Amid the search and race against time, the pair must content with a community’s growing concern that the disappearances may be linked to a series of historical murders.
The Catch – Binge Premiere Monday, January 27
Gripping, psychological thriller from the bestselling book by T.M. Logan and adapted for the screen by Michael Crompton. Ed Collier (Jason Watkins) is a proud husband, father, and local fisherman determined to do whatever it takes to keep his family together. When rich, handsome younger man, Ryan (Aneurin Barnard) enters daughter, Abbie’s (Poppy Gilbert) life and threatens to take her away from him, Ed finds his life spiraling out of control and determines to discover the truth about Ryan before it’s too late. But when a dark secret from Ed’s past returns to haunt him, he risks losing everything he’s worked so hard to achieve.
SHUDDER:
Get Away – Premieres Friday, January 10
The Smith family’s much-needed vacation to the remote Swedish island of Svalta takes a dark turn when they arrive during preparations for a mysterious local festival that celebrates a dark history. Unsettled by the unfriendly locals and strange rituals, they try to make the best of their trip, stubbornly enjoying the island’s isolation and natural beauty. However, as the festival looms closer, the family realizes something far more sinister is unfolding—especially when they discover that a serial killer is on the loose. Written by and starring Nick Frost.
Grafted – Premieres Friday, January 24
Chinese scholarship student Wei travels to New Zealand to study medical research at a prestigious university. Shy, introverted, and hiding a genetic facial birthmark, Wei is shunned by her social butterfly cousin Angela and her glamorous friends. Determined to change her fate, Wei immerses herself in her late father’s research, working on a revolutionary skin grafting procedure that could cure her deformity. As her experiments take a dark turn, she becomes more dangerous and unhinged, willing to eliminate anyone who threatens her secret.
Dark Match – Premieres Friday, January 31
Starring WWE superstar Chris Jericho and debuting on the heels of the 2024 Royal Rumble, the film centers on a small-time wrestling company as it accepts a well-paying but too good to be true gig in a backwoods town only to learn, too late, that the community is run by a mysterious cult leader… and their event is now a pay-per-view fight to the death. Also starring Sara Canning, Steven Ogg, and Michael Ecklund.
Horror’s Greatest Season 2 – New Episodes Premiere Every Tuesday Until the Season Finale on January 28
A deep dive into everything we love about horror — from fresh looks at classics to unearthing scores of hidden gems, this series has something for every fright film enthusiast. A gallery of ghoulish pros, including actors, directors, writers, composers, and special effects artists, draw on their unique knowledge to answer the big questions: What are the must-see films in horror’s many sub-genres? What’s the appeal of horror tropes, and how do today’s filmmakers subvert our expectations? What shape does horror take in countries outside of the United States? The answers encompass the breadth of the nightmares we watch for our entertainment.
HIDIVE:
Beheneko: The Elf-Girl’s Cat is Secretly an S-Ranked Monster! – Premieres on Saturday, December 28
January offers the purr-fect show for fans of elves, ecchi and cats alike with the simulcast premiere of the new comedy series Beheneko: The Elf-Girl’s Cat is Secretly an S-Ranked Monster! on HIDIVE. Nobody asked to be a cat! After dying in a fight against the forces of evil, a knight is shocked to discover that instead of being reborn as a hero of humanity, he starts his new life as a behemoth-one of the most powerful monsters in the world! The only problem is that a baby behemoth looks an awful lot like…an adorable house cat?!
Things grow even more confusing when a beautiful elf adventurer rescues him from the brink of death rather than finishing him off. This house cat/knight’s baffling journey is just getting started…
I’m Living with an Otaku NEET Kunoichi!? – Simulcast Premiere at the Start of January
Demons + Salaryman + Shinobi + Otaku + NEET equals I’m Living with an Otaku NEET Kunoichi!?, the perfect rom-com and new simulcast series premiering on HIDIVE this January. In order to protect an ordinary businessman, Tsukasa Atsumi, from demons, a genius kunoichi, Shizuri Ideura, signs a master-servant contract with him on the condition that she stays with him. Despite her cool appearance of defeating demons, Shizuri is an otaku NEET who spends all her time playing video games. While Shizuri is spoiled by Tsukasa and leads a lazy cohabitation life, the quirky Kunoichi gather together.
Flower and Asura – Simulcast Premiere at the Start of January
The new year brings a heart-warming celebration of friendship to fans with the simulcast premiere of the slice of life drama series Flowers and Asura this January on HIDIVE. On the picturesque island of Tonakijima with a population of only 600, Hana’s favorite pastime is reading literature to the island’s children. Her narration skills are second to none, and Mizuki, the president of the school’s broadcasting club immediately recognizes Hana’s ability to engage with others and draw them into her recitations.
Invited by Mizuki to join the club, Hana embarks on a journey to discover her true love of reading — and maybe even change the course of her life along the way.
From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated! – Simulcast Premiere at the Start of January
Fans will be transported to another world but this time into a video game when the new simulcast series and perhaps funniest isekai adventure of the year From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated! premieres in January on HIDIVE. After being struck by a car, 52-year-old civil servant Kenzaburou Tondabayashi finds himself reborn as the villainess of his daughter’s favorite video game! Now trapped in the role of the haughty and arrogant Grace Auvergne, Kenzaburou commits himself to playing out Grace’s role in the game’s story…only his kind nature and elegant Japanese manners accidentally turn the unlikeable Grace into the most admired girl.
ALLBLK & WE TV:
Conspirators – Premieres on Thursday, January 2
From the creator of ALLBLK’s hit series Double Cross, Conspirators follows a group of friends seven years after high school working for a local politician, Hudson, running for mayor. After running into an old friend, “The Gang” must uncover the truth about his shooting and disappearance, uncovering the truth about Hudson in the process.
These secrets may lead to Hudson dropping out of the race, and more than likely to his arrest; however, with only partial information on the flash drive, the group doesn’t know what to believe. They have to find out the truth and decide whether to help Hudson or take him down with all of his government counterparts in the biggest hack they’ve ever pulled.
Toya & Reginae Season 2 – Premieres Friday, January 24 on We TV and ALLBLK
The stakes are higher and the drama deeper for Toya Johnson Rushing and daughter, Reginae Carter, this season as the duo continue to juggle life, love, family, and their ever-growing careers in the spotlight… from different coasts. Toya’s excitement over her brother Walter’s return from prison quickly fades as tension bubbles up within the family and her personal life.
Meanwhile, Reginae hustles to land a major acting role, all while keeping a mysterious new relationship under wraps. From family milestones to personal challenges and triumphs, this season promises to be the realest, rawest, most unfiltered season yet!
Love During Lockup Season 5 – New Episodes Every Friday Until the Season Finale on January 31
The prequel to Love After Lockup, Love During Lockup reveals the fascinating moments that happen when people in the free world look for love and begin relationships with inmates, capturing their journey as they count down the days, weeks, months, or even years until the anticipated release. The captivating docuseries introduces viewers to six people outside of prison and follows them through the early stages of their romance with an inmate (or multiple inmates).
Each person has a unique process for finding love behind bars. Some are only interested in drug offenders who they know are nonviolent. Some have fallen for a prisoner who they believe was wrongly convicted, while some are just looking for their prison bae. Regardless of their type, each has a specific reason for looking for love with someone behind bars.
Natalie Dormer in ‘White Lies’ (Photo Credit: Sundance Now)
SUNDANCE NOW:
White Lies – New Episodes Continue Every Thursday Until The Season Finale on January 16
Set in the wealthy neighborhood of Bishopscourt in Cape Town, South Africa, investigative journalist Edie Hansen (Natalie Dormer) gets caught up in the ugly underbelly that lies beneath the picturesque beauty of the city, dragging her back to her turbulent past. Following her estranged brother’s murder in his luxury home, Edie’s world plunges deeper into chaos when her brother’s teenage children become prime suspects for the crime.
As Edie investigates, she finds herself at loggerheads with veteran detective Forty Bell (Brendon Daniels), and grapples with the crumbling local police force, a corrupt political system, and the secretive world of extreme Cape wealth.
The Newsreader – New Episodes Continue Every Thursday Until The Season Finale on January 23
In the maelstrom of commercial television newsroom in 1986, Dale Jennings (Sam Reid) is a diligent young reporter, desperate to become a newsreader. Helen Norville (Anna Torv) is a notoriously ‘difficult’ star newsreader determined to build credibility. Paired together over three months, Dale and Helen will cover an extraordinary chain of news events — from the shock of the Challenger explosion, to the hype of Halley’s Comet, to the complexities of the AIDS crisis. From messy beginnings, a deep bond is formed that will upend their lives and transform the very fabric of the nightly news bulletin.
Katy Perry and twenty one pilots to perform on the iHeartradio Jingle Ball 2024 (Disney/Ben Hider)
The lineup for this year’s IHeartRadio Jingle Ball includes Katy Perry, twenty one pilots, Meghan Trainor, Shaboozey, and Gracie Abrams. Tate McRae, Teddy Swims, T-Pain, Benson Boone, Madison Beer, Kane Brown, Paris Hilton, The Kid LAROI, and NCT Dream will also help send off 2024 on a high note.
Ryan Seacrest and Elvis Duran are hosting the two-hour special airing on December 18, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT on ABC. The performances are taking place at Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome.
The special will also feature appearances by Hailey Bieber, Drew Barrymore, Nikki Glaser, Martha Stewart, Kyle Mooney, the cast of Queer Eye, Madison Bailey, Sarah Michelle Geller, and Owen Thiele. Grammy nominee Sam Wrench directs, with OBB’s Michael D. Ratner, Scott Ratner, Kfir Goldberg, Simone Spira and Glenn Stickley executive producing.
The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball special is produced by iHeartMedia’s John Sykes, Tom Poleman, and Bart Peters along with OBB Pictures, a division of OBB Media.
15 documentary feature films and 15 international films made the cut and are shortlisted for the upcoming 97th Academy Awards set for Sunday, March 2, 2025 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. Nominees for the 2025 Oscars will be announced on Friday, January 17th.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a total of 10 shortlists including Documentary Short Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Sound, and Visual Effects.
2025 Oscars Shortlists
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. One hundred sixty-nine films were eligible in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
“The Bibi Files”
“Black Box Diaries”
“Dahomey”
“Daughters”
“Eno”
“Frida”
“Hollywoodgate”
“No Other Land”
“Porcelain War”
“Queendom”
“The Remarkable Life of Ibelin”
“Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat”
“Sugarcane”
“Union”
“Will & Harper”
DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary Short Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. One hundred four films qualified in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
“Chasing Roo”
“Death by Numbers”
“Eternal Father”
“I Am Ready, Warden”
“Incident”
“Instruments of a Beating Heart”
“Keeper”
“Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World”
“Once upon a Time in Ukraine”
“The Only Girl in the Orchestra”
“Planetwalker”
“The Quilters”
“Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr”
“A Swim Lesson”
“Until He’s Back”
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Fifteen films will advance to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. Films from 85 countries and regions were eligible in the category. Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category. In the nominations round, Academy members from all branches are invited to opt in to participate and must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.
Brazil, “I’m Still Here”
Canada, “Universal Language”
Czech Republic, “Waves”
Denmark, “The Girl with the Needle”
France, “Emilia Pérez”
Germany, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
Iceland, “Touch”
Ireland, “Kneecap”
Italy, “Vermiglio”
Latvia, “Flow”
Norway, “Armand”
Palestine, “From Ground Zero”
Senegal, “Dahomey”
Thailand, “How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies”
United Kingdom, “Santosh”
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Ten films will advance in the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 97th Academy Awards. All members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
“The Apprentice”
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”
“A Different Man”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Maria”
“Nosferatu”
“The Substance”
“Waltzing with Brando”
“Wicked”
Cynthia Erivo and Arianna Grande star in ‘Wicked’ (Photo Courtesy of Universal Pictures)
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Twenty scores will advance in the Original Score category for the 97th Academy Awards. One hundred forty-five scores were eligible in the category. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
“Alien: Romulus”
“Babygirl”
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”
“Blink Twice”
“Blitz”
“The Brutalist”
“Challengers”
“Conclave”
“Emilia Pérez”
“The Fire Inside”
“Gladiator II”
“Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1”
“Inside Out 2” “Nosferatu”
“The Room Next Door”
“Sing Sing”
“The Six Triple Eight”
“Wicked”
“The Wild Robot”
“Young Woman and the Sea”
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Fifteen songs will advance in the Original Song category for the 97th Academy Awards. Eighty-nine songs were eligible in the category. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
“Forbidden Road” from “Better Man”
“Winter Coat” from “Blitz”
“Compress/Repress” from “Challengers”
“Never Too Late” from “Elton John: Never Too Late”
“El Mal” from “Emilia Pérez”
“Mi Camino” from “Emilia Pérez”
“Sick In The Head” from “Kneecap”
“Beyond” from “Moana 2”
“Tell Me It’s You” from “Mufasa: The Lion King”
“Piece By Piece” from “Piece by Piece”
“Like A Bird” from “Sing Sing”
“The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight”
“Out Of Oklahoma” from “Twisters”
“Kiss The Sky” from “The Wild Robot”
“Harper And Will Go West” from “Will & Harper”
ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Fifteen films will advance in the Animated Short Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. Eighty-eight films qualified in the category. Academy members from the Animation Branch and Short Films Branch were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category. In the nominations round, Academy members from the Animation Branch and Short Films Branch are invited to opt in to participate and must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.
“Au Revoir Mon Monde”
“A Bear Named Wojtek”
“Beautiful Men”
“Bottle George”
“A Crab in the Pool”
“In the Shadow of the Cypress”
“Magic Candies”
“Maybe Elephants”
“Me”
“Origami”
“Percebes”
“The 21”
“Wander to Wonder”
“The Wild-Tempered Clavier”
“Yuck!”
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
Fifteen films will advance in the Live Action Short Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. One hundred eighty films qualified in the category. Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category. In the nominations round, Academy members from all branches are invited to opt in to participate and must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.
“Anuja”
“Clodagh”
“The Compatriot”
“Crust”
“Dovecote”
“Edge of Space”
“The Ice Cream Man”
“I’m Not a Robot”
“The Last Ranger”
“A Lien”
“The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent”
“The Masterpiece”
“An Orange from Jaffa”
“Paris 70”
“Room Taken”
SOUND
Ten films will advance in the Sound category for the 97th Academy Awards. All eligible members of the Sound Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. Academy members will be invited to view excerpts from each of the shortlisted films beginning Thursday, January 9, 2025, in the San Francisco Bay area, followed by London, Los Angeles and New York on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
“Alien: Romulus”
“Blitz”
“A Complete Unknown”
“Deadpool & Wolverine”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Emilia Pérez” “Gladiator II”
“Joker: Folie à Deux”
“Wicked”
“The Wild Robot”
VISUAL EFFECTS
Ten films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 97th Academy Awards. The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the shortlist. All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
“Alien: Romulus”
“Better Man” “Civil War”
“Deadpool & Wolverine”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Gladiator II”
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
“Mufasa: The Lion King”
“Twisters”
“Wicked”
Michael Fassbender pads out his spy thriller resume with Black Bag, opening in theaters March 14, 2025. The trailer, packed with action, shows Fassbender and Cate Blanchett’s as a married spy couple who’ve learned to keep their work lives separate, yet still cling to hope in their relationship.
The film also stars Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, and Pierce Brosnan. Steven Soderbergh directs from a screenplay by David Koepp. The writer-director team also have Presence with Lucy Liu opening in 2025.
“From director Steven Soderbergh, Black Bag is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife Kathryn,” reads Focus Features’ synopsis. “When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country.”
All The Boys I’ve Loved Before‘s Noah Centineo reprises his role as Peter Kavinsky in season two of Netflix’s XO, Kitty. The official trailer includes snippets with Peter, and also finds Kitty declaring she’s ready to launch Kitty 2.0.
Anna Cathcart returns to lead the cast as Kitty Song Covey. Season two also stars Minyeong Choi as Dae, Gia Kim as Yuri, Sang Heon Lee as Min Ho, Anthony Keyvan as Q, and Regan Aliyah as Juliana. Peter Thurnwald plays Alex, Philippe Lee is Mr. Moon, Audrey Huynh is Stella, Jocelyn Shelfo is Madison, Michael K. Lee is Professor Lee, Sasha Bhasin plays Praveena, and Joshua Lee is Jin.
Commenting on his return to the franchise, Noah Centineo said, “Working with Anna again was amazing. She’s so wonderfully talented and her work ethic shows in every scene. Stepping back into the To All The Boys universe was a true joy and I hope our incredible audience enjoys seeing Peter again as much as I did.“
Jessica O’Toole guides the series as writer, executive producer, and showrunner. Additional executive producers include series creator Jenny Han and Matt Kaplan of ACE Entertainment.
“It was amazing to watch Anna and Noah together on set; they have so much love and respect for each other and you can feel it in their scenes together,” said O’Toole. “This season of XO, Kitty is all about where Kitty is going but also where she came from. And the opportunity to include Peter Kavinsky in that journey was so exciting. I can’t wait for the fans to see Peter interact with some of their favorite XO, Kitty characters and to see all of the other juicy surprises we have in store… including some big moments fans have been waiting for and others they will never see coming.”
“Teen matchmaker Kitty Song Covey is back in Seoul for a new semester at KISS. She’s single for the first time in a long time, and ready for a fresh start: no more meddling, no more drama. Maybe just some casual dating. Emphasis on casual. But she has more to worry about than her love life, as a letter from her mother’s past sets her on a wild journey, and new faces at KISS bring change. As secrets unravel and bonds are tested, Kitty will learn that life, family, and love are more complicated than she ever imagined.
25 films join the National Film Registry in 2024 (Photo courtesy of Library of Congress)
The 25 new additions to the Library of Congress National Film Registry include Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original), Dirty Dancing, Beverly Hills Cop, The Social Network, and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The 2024 honorees represent nearly every genre and were selected for their “cultural, historic, or aesthetic importance to preserve the nation’s film heritage.”
“Films reflect our nation’s history and culture and must be preserved in our national library for generations to come. We’re honored by the responsibility to add 25 diverse new films to the National Film Registry each year as we work to preserve our cultural heritage,” stated Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “This is a collective effort in the film community to preserve our cinematic heritage, and we are grateful to our partners, including the National Film Preservation Board.”
The 2024 selection includes the first-ever Star Trek film to earn a spot in the registry. More than 6,700 nominations were received and considered this year, with the 25 added bringing the National Film Registry’s grand total to 900.
“The National Film Registry now includes 900 titles, and what’s remarkable to me is that every year when the board talks about films and their significance, we find new titles to consider. The wealth of American film history is sometimes rather overwhelming, and people often wonder: how do you recommend this film or that film?” said TCM host and film historian Jacqueline Stewart. “It’s through a lot of research, conversation, and discussion, and it’s through a commitment to showing the true diversity of filmmaking. I’m thrilled that we recognize student films and independent films, animation, documentary, and experimental works, as well as feature-length narrative drama, comedy, horror and science fiction on the registry this year.”
Stewart will host a special about this year’s selections on December 18, 2024 at 8pm ET on TCM.
Films Selected for the 2024 National Film Registry
(chronological order)
• Annabelle Serpentine Dance (1895)
• KoKo’s Earth Control (1928)
• Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
• Pride of the Yankees (1942)
• Invaders from Mars (1953)
• The Miracle Worker (1962)
• The Chelsea Girls (1966)
• Ganja and Hess (1973)
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
• Uptown Saturday Night (1974)
• Zora Lathan Student Films (1975-76)
• Up in Smoke (1978)
• Will (1981)
• Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982)
• Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
• Dirty Dancing (1987)
• Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989)
• Powwow Highway (1989)
• My Own Private Idaho (1991)
• American Me (1992)
• Mi Familia (1995)
• Compensation (1999)
• Spy Kids (2001)
• No Country for Old Men (2007)
• The Social Network (2010)
Spencer knows his family’s ranch is under attack and vows to return home to help fight for it in the 1923 season two teaser trailer. Meanwhile, Jacob and Cara lead the fight against the ruthless and greedy mining tycoon Donald Whitfield back in Montana.
Oscar nominee Harrison Ford and Oscar winner Helen Mirren lead the cast as Jacob and Cara Dutton. Darren Mann (Animal Kingdom) plays Jack Dutton, Brandon Sklenar (It Ends With Us) is Spencer Dutton, Julia Schlaepfer (The Politician) is Alexandra, and Michelle Randolph (A Snow White Christmas) is Elizabeth Strafford. Brian Geraghty (Big Sky) stars as Zane Davis, Aminah Nieves (Blueberry) is Teonna Rainwater, Jerome Flynn (Game of Thrones) is Banner Creighton, Timothy Dalton (Doom Patrol) is Donald Whitfield, and Sebastian Roché (Sleep No More) is Father Renaud. Jennifer Carpenter joins the cast as Mamie Fossett.
“In the second season of 1923, a cruel winter brings new challenges and unfinished business to Jacob (Ford) and Cara (Mirren) back at Dutton ranch. With harsh conditions and adversaries threatening to end the Dutton legacy, Spencer (Sklenar) embarks on an arduous journey home, racing against time to save his family in Montana,” reads Paramount+’s synopsis. “Meanwhile, Alexandra (Schlaepfer) sets off on her own harrowing trans-Atlantic journey to find Spencer and reclaim their love.”
Season one premiered in December 2022. Season two will debut on February 23, 2025, with new episodes streaming on Sundays.
The Yellowstone prequel is executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, David C. Glasser, John Linson, Art Linson, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob Yari, Ben Richardson, Michael Friedman, and Keith Cox. The Western drama’s produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios, and Bosque Ranch Productions.
Helen Mirren as Cara Dutton and Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton in ‘1923’ season 2 (Photo credit: Trae Patton/Paramount+)
