Netflix and Shondaland just released the first official photo from The Residence, a murder mystery created by Paul William Davies (Scandal) and inspired by Kate Andersen Brower’s novel. The eight-episode season premieres on March 20, 2025.
“The Residence is a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs, and backstairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the world’s most famous mansion. Uzo Aduba stars as Cordelia Cupp, a consulting detective for the Metropolitan Police Department,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “Known for her wry humor, relentless pursuit of truth, and sharp eye for human behavior, Cupp is the most sought-after detective in the world—and an avid birder to boot.
Joining her is Randall Park as Special Agent Edwin Park of the FBI, who is tasked with partnering with Cupp during a high-stakes State Dinner. While Park harbors skepticism about Cupp’s unconventional methods, their dynamic promises to be as intriguing as the mystery they seek to unravel.”
Season one’s cast includes Giancarlo Esposito, Edwina Findley, Molly Griggs, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, and Al Mitchell. Dan Perrault, Bronson Pinchot, Julieth Restrepo, Mel Rodriguez, Susan Kelechi Watson, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Mary Wiseman also star.
Eliza Coupe, Jane Curtin, Paul Fitzgerald, Barrett Foa, Al Franken, Spencer Garrett, Taran Killam, Julian McMahon, Kylie Minogue, Matt Oberg, and Brett Tucker guest star.
“The Residence is honestly a lot of things. It’s funny, it’s suspenseful, it’s clever, it’s totally farcical in places, it’s genuinely romantic in others,” stated writer, showrunner, and executive producer Davies. “As a murder mystery, what I think really makes it fresh and unique is Cordelia Cupp. She’s just special.”
CBS’s Fire Country season three episode seven found Bode becoming a full-fledged firefighter and Jared Padalecki wrapping up his three-episode arc. Episode eight, “Promise Me,” introduces guest star Phil Morris as Elroy Edwards, Eve’s estranged father. Directed by Eagle Egilsson from a script by Joe Hortua, the fall finale will air on Friday, December 13, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT.
Max Thieriot stars as Bode, Billy Burke plays Vince, Kevin Alejandro is Manny, and Diane Farr is Sharon. Stephanie Arcila plays Gabriela, Jordan Calloway is Jake, Jules Latimer is Eve, and Rafael de la Fuente is Diego.
“Promise Me” Plot: When a series of dangerous underground zombie fires emerge, the team must protect the town, forcing Eve to have a less-than-warm reunion with her estranged father, Elroy Edwards (Morris), a stalwart cowboy whose family ranch has become a pillar of the Edgewater community.
Fire Country stars Max Thieriot as Bode Leone, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region. It’s a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son until his troubles began.
Years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he’s back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire.
CBS’s S.W.A.T. season eight episode eight is the last new episode before the show takes a winter break. When it returns on January 31, 2025, the one-hour drama moves to a Fridays at 10pm ET/PT timeslot, airing after new episodes of NCIS: Sydney and Fire Country.
Episode eight, directed by Billy Gierhart from a script by Allen L. Sowell, will air on Friday, December 13, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT.
Season eight stars Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay, David Lim as Victor Tan, Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Robert Hicks, and Anna Enger Ritch as Zoe Powell. Annie Ilonzeh is Devin Gamble and Niko Pepaj plays Miguel “Miko” Alfaro.
“Left of Boom” Plot: Hondo and the SWAT team race to stop a nuclear attack on Los Angeles when radioactive material is stolen from a local lab. Also, Powell delves into Alfaro’s past when he displays a talent for boxing as the department prepares for the annual LAFD “smoker” boxing tournament.
S.W.A.T. stars Shemar Moore as a former Marine and locally born and raised SWAT sergeant tasked to run a specialized tactical unit that is the last stop in law enforcement in Los Angeles. Torn between loyalty to where he was raised and allegiance to his brothers in blue, Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson strives to bridge the divide between his two worlds.
Committed to the job, Hondo is equally devoted to his marriage and fatherhood. The other members of Hondo’s elite S.W.A.T. unit include David “Deacon” Kay, an experienced S.W.A.T. officer and dedicated family man who always puts the team first; Victor Tan, who started in the LAPD Hollywood Division and uses his confidential informants in the community to help the team; Zoe Powell, a tough and loyal team member trying to reconnect with the son she gave up for adoption as a teen; and Miguel “Miko” Alfaro, a headstrong officer who overcame a troubled childhood, and is now a trusted 20-Squad addition following a rocky transfer to Los Angeles S.W.A.T.
Responsible for the management of all Metro Division S.W.A.T. units is Commander Robert Hicks, a senior LAPD official with the Special Operations Bureau. With Hondo leading the charge, these dedicated men and women bravely put themselves at risk to protect their community and save lives.
Evil star and Carrie Preston’s husband, Michael Emerson, makes his debut as Judge Milton Crawford on CBS’s Elsbeth season two episode seven. Directed by Lionel Coleman from a script by Eric Randall, episode seven – “One Angry Woman” – will air on Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 10pm ET/PT.
Carrie Preston stars as Elsbeth Tascioni, Wendell Pierce stars as Captain C.W. Wagner, and Carra Patterson is back as Officer Kaya Blanke. Robert King, Michelle King, Liz Glotzer, and Jonathan Tolins serve as executive producers.
“One Angry Woman” Plot: Elsbeth finally makes it as a true New Yorker when she is summoned to jury duty and lands on a murder trial where she faces off with the unusually difficult Judge Milton Crawford (Emerson), who will prove a formidable adversary.
Emmy Award winner Carrie Preston is back as Elsbeth Tascioni, the astute but unconventional consent decree attorney working with the NYPD to catch New York’s most well-heeled murderers utilizing her unique point of view. Season two of the critically acclaimed series brings new cases and challenges when mistakes of the past come back to haunt Elsbeth, her boss Captain Wagner (Pierce), and detective in training Officer Kaya Blanke (Patterson).
Spence Moore II, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, and Ashleigh LaThrop in ‘Brilliant Minds’ episode 11 (Photo by: Rafy/NBC)
NBC’s Brilliant Minds episode 10 ended with Dr. Carol Pierce (Tamberla Perry) discovering Alison unconscious in her apartment. Episode 11, “The Other Woman,” opens with Alison rushed to the hospital, still unconscious and vomiting. Dr. Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto) glances knowingly at Carol, realizing the gravity of the situation.
Privately, Carol can’t believe Alison might be her one patient to die by suicide. She was only treating her to get more details on Morris’ infidelity and confesses she both envied and hated her. Oliver insists Carol isn’t at fault; Alison is a sick woman. Carol knows this is a huge ethical lapse, but Oliver thinks they should concentrate on keeping Alison alive for now.
Dana (Aury Krebs) and Van (Alex MacNicoll) can’t believe how many doctors in this hospital need neuro to weigh in on their patients. Jacob wants to make a competition out of how many patients they can see and discharge, and Van takes him up on it. (It’s more about who is the better man for Ericka, but that’s left unsaid.)
Meanwhile, Oliver sees Ezra, an old patient of his with Tourette’s who read about deep brain surgery that could help with his ticks. Oliver’s shocked when Ezra asks for a referral to a neurosurgeon. Ezra says he doesn’t want to just get by when there’s an option to fix it.
Oliver, Dana, and Ericka (Ashleigh LaThrop) check in on Alison, and she’s doing fairly well. She’s even ready to be extubated. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to contact any family members to be with her.
Oliver gives Carol an update on Alison’s condition and suggests that she stay away from her former patient. Carol knows Alison feels hopeless and alone, but Oliver insists she shouldn’t continue to check on her. Oliver assures Carol he’ll stay at the hospital while she goes home to get some sleep.
A short while later, Alison’s extubated and feeling pretty obnoxious about having a tube down her throat. Ericka tells her she’s lucky, and Alison insists she needs to talk to Carol. When Oliver says Carol’s unavailable, Alison refuses to speak with a different psychiatrist. Alison tries to get out of bed, and Ericka’s forced to explain that she’s on a psychiatric hold after attempting suicide. Oliver confirms they’ll transfer her to a psych bed as soon as she’s medically cleared.
Oliver sends the interns away and asks Alison if she needs to talk about anything. Alison says Carol can tell him anything he needs to know about her. She labels herself the villain – the other woman – which means she’ll eventually get what’s coming.
Oliver tells the interns about Ezra, and Dana’s super excited about the possibility. On the other hand, Oliver believes it will affect Ezra’s personality. He asks Dana and Ericka to keep an eye on Alison, and Van and Jacob for a status report on their patients. When Jacob pushes to have two of his discharged, Oliver questions why the rush. Neither Van nor Jacob reveals what’s going on.
Carol arrives home to find Morris and Maya having fun together in the kitchen. She has a flashback to a phone call with Oliver when Maya was a baby. She hadn’t been sleeping and asked if Morris called him.
Carol speaks to Morris alone and tells him about Alison’s suicide attempt. She confesses that Alison’s been her patient for two months, even after she found out Morris was sleeping with her. Carol explains that she thought if she could heal Alison, she could heal their marriage. She also wanted to figure out why Morris wanted Alison instead of her. Morris admits that it felt like wanting Carol wasn’t an option.
Jacob checks in on Mike, a patient who’s anxious to be discharged. He notices Mike’s voice has changed and after glancing at Van in the hallway, Jacob assures Mike he’ll get him checked out soon. But first, he has to check one final lab.
Alexander Pennecke as Ezra Smith, Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf, and Teddy Sears as Dr. Josh Nichols in ‘Brilliant Minds’ episode 11 (Photo by: Rafy/NBC)
Oliver and Ezra meet with Dr. Josh Nichols (Teddy Sears) to review the brain surgery to block Ezra’s ticks. It’s a relatively minor surgery that should cut his vocal and motor ticks in half. Oliver argues that the risks of brain surgery aren’t worth it. He insists there’s nothing wrong with ticks, and Josh agrees but suggests that wanting a change is also okay.
As Carol walks into her room, Alison rudely insists she’s ready to go home. Carol doesn’t think she is quite yet. Carol asks what Alison wants to talk to her about, and Alison claims the sex was wild with Morris. Carol believes Alison’s lashing out because she’s all alone and can’t get what she wants. Alison reminds Carol she could ruin her career.
As Alison attempts to cut her food with a plastic knife, Carol flashes back again to Maya as a baby. She accused Morris of calling Oliver and telling him she had post-partum depression. Carol was not sleeping, and every little noise made her think there was something wrong with Maya.
Ezra asks Oliver if he really believes surgery is the wrong decision. They order coffee from a food truck, and Oliver gets a firsthand look at how people treat Ezra when he displays his ticks. Ezra confirms that people treat him badly or want to help, and he just wants not to be a “thing” in public.
Jacob taunts Van in front of Ericka with the impending release of a patient. Van admits to Ericka that he really likes her and that all Jacob cares about is winning.
Josh and Oliver chat over coffee, with Oliver suggesting the world is the problem, not Ezra. Josh gets it, but the world’s not perfect. Oliver reveals he wouldn’t have surgery to eliminate his face blindness because it would change how he sees the world. Josh says it’s easy to say that now when the surgery doesn’t exist.
Oliver’s called away from coffee when Alison experiences a medical emergency. Carol’s at Alison’s bedside and fills Oliver in on what’s happening. He orders Ativan for serotonin syndrome from the overdose, and it works.
Jacob signs Mike’s discharge papers but Mike stumbles as he stands. His voice isn’t raspy anymore, and Jacob asks Mike to hang around while he grabs some ice.
Maya and Carol meet for lunch, and Maya asks if her dad cheated. Carol confirms he did, but it’s never just one person in a relationship’s fault. She and Morris will try to fix things together, which isn’t the answer Maya wanted to hear. She believes it’s not up to her mom always to be the one to fix things.
Another flashback shows Carol very reluctantly letting Morris hold baby Maya. He told her she needed help (and sleep) and swore he would never hurt them.
Oliver’s shocked Ezra’s going ahead with the surgery, and Josh wonders if the root of Oliver’s problem is that he doesn’t want him to be the one who helps Ezra. Oliver denies that and insists he values Josh’s work as an equal. Oliver does, however, admit that neurologists and neurosurgeons always see things differently; it’s just part of the job. Josh wonders where that leaves their relationship.
Jacob brings in Ericka and Oliver as he tells Mike that he has myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that stops communication between the nerves and muscles. If left untreated, it’s dangerous. Jacob saved Mike’s life by discovering the condition. However, this means Mike can’t be diagnosed.
Oliver admits he knows about the game because he played it as an intern. He congratulates Jacob for putting his patients first over winning the discharge contest.
A short while later, Jacob tells Van that Dana won the game. He insists he could have won but chose what was right for the patient. Van confesses he knows what Jacob’s doing and knows he likes Ericka. However, Ericka chose him. Before walking away, he thanks Jacob for the ice cream.
Oliver speaks with Ezra after the surgery, and Ezra is shocked at how quiet his body is now. Oliver believes Ezra will have room to discover something new about himself. He thanks Ezra for reminding him there’s nothing wrong with wanting to change.
Alex MacNicoll as Dr. Van Markus and Ashleigh LaThrop as Dr. Ericka Kinney in ‘Brilliant Minds’ episode 11 (Photo by: Rafy/NBC)
Jacob does a little flirting with Ericka and reveals he’s done with the discharge game. He calls Van a worthy opponent and claims he’s impressed Van has time for all his patients, given that he’s a dad. He deliberately dropped that bombshell, and Ericka is shocked. She asks what sort of game Jacob is playing and says she wants no part of it. Jacob can’t even answer straight when she asks if he wants to be with her. She walks away, muttering, “I’m surrounded by boys.”
Ericka immediately confronts Van about having a kid, upset that Jacob knew and she didn’t. She suggests they return to being just friends, and Van describes what they’re doing as having fun. Ericka insists this isn’t “fun” for her anymore.
Carol brings Alison her dinner, complete with metal utensils. Alison apologizes for everything and claims she didn’t want to hurt Carol; she wanted to be her. Alison used to think of Carol as the other woman but realized that she’s the other woman. Carol doesn’t agree with that description.
Carol finally reveals Alison’s diagnosis. She believes Alison has borderline personality disorder. Alison probably didn’t realize she had it, and she can feel better with focused work.
“So, I am medium crazy not psychotic. I can work with that,” says Alison.
Oliver brings Carol her favorite coffee and wonders if he’s a d*ck. He’s not sure if people can really change, and Carol hopes it’s true. She knows for sure that she doesn’t want to be angry anymore.
Carol goes home and tells Morris she wants a divorce. She loves him, but he broke his promise never to hurt them. Carol can not forgive him for that.
Oliver talks to Josh about his dad being bipolar with severe manic and depressive episodes. Josh says he’s so sorry, and Oliver admits that if he could cure his dad, he would have done it in a heartbeat. Oliver also admits that Josh is right about treating patients. Different treatment methods exist, and Oliver’s methods aren’t always the only correct choice. Oliver assures Josh that he believes they are equals. He wouldn’t even bother to argue with him if he didn’t think that.
Josh laughs and reaches out for Oliver’s hand.
Episode 11 ends with Ericka stepping into an elevator with two other apartment building residents. The lights flicker, and suddenly, there’s rumbling and shaking. The hospital staff watch the news as reports roll in about a building collapse. Oliver tells everyone to make room for patients while Josh heads to prep the ER.
Van asks if anyone’s seen Ericka. Dana checks her phone and replies, “That’s Ericka’s building.”
The winter finale of CBS’s Matlock, season one episode eight, finds YouThree working on a case for a nanny in trouble. Directed by Yangzom Brauen from a script by Sheridan Watson, episode eight – “No, No Monsters” – will air on Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT.
The one-hour drama stars Kathy Bates as Madeline Matlock, Skye P. Marshall as Olympia, Jason Ritter as Julian, David Del Rio as Billy, and Leah Lewis as Sarah. Bates, Jennie Snyder Urman, Kat Coiro, Joanna Klein, and Eric Christian Olsen executive produce.
“No, No Monsters” Plot: YouThree help Olympia defend a defamed nanny at her children’s school. Also, Matty is on a stressful hunt for an important document on the Wellbrexa case.
Matlock stars Emmy and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian who achieved success in her younger years and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases. Matty is assigned to Olympia (Marshall), a senior attorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice, Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Ritter), the son of the head of the firm, is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills.
As Matty endeavors to establish herself in her new high-stakes world, she works alongside the firm’s younger associates – the charismatic Billy (Del Rio) and the uber-ambitious Sarah (Lewis).
During his career, writer/director RaMell Ross has worked primarily in documentaries, and he’s done it all there, with features (Hale County This Morning, This Evening), short films (Easter Snap), and television episodes (“Independent Lens”). Now, he’s trying his hand at narrative with the feature Nickel Boys.
Nickel Boys is about a young black man in Jim Crow Florida named Elwood (Ethan Herisse from The American Society of Magical Negroes) who is falsely accused of being an accomplice in a car theft and is sent to a reform school called The Nickel Academy. There, he makes friends with another boy named Turner (The Way Back’s Brandon Wilson), and the pair is forced to survive the corruption and abuse of the school.
RaMell Ross, along with co-writer Joslyn Barnes (Harvest, Báttu), adapted the screenplay for Nickel Boys from the 2019 novel of the same name by Colson Whitehead. The book (and, by extension, the film) was based on the infamous real-life Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Florida. Without spoiling anything about the movie, Dozier was a very bad place, and Nickel Boys doesn’t hold back on its portrayal.
There are really two components to Nickel Boys. There’s the story, and then there’s the presentation.
The story is one of those fascinatingly frustrating tales of injustice and racism. From early on in the film, even before Elwood gets arrested, the viewer can tell that there will be racial undertones, but when he gets to Nickel, everything is amplified. One especially telling scene occurs when a young Hispanic boy is playing football with the white boys and is asked to leave. The authorities admit that they don’t know where to put him in the segregationist school, but they do know that they don’t want him hanging out with the whites.
The racism is just the catalyst, though. The school itself is set up on a reward/punishment system, and you don’t need to have a degree in Race Studies to see which side gets the worst end of it. The African American boys are subjected to harder work, harsher sentences, and more gruelingly brutal punishments. And with every additional injustice and inequity, the audience just gets more and more angry.
So, yeah. Nickel Boys is a disturbing movie.
Then, there’s the presentation. Nickel Boys is shown from the points of view of both Elwood and Turner – literally. The camera sees what they see, and sometimes, the only way to tell whose head the camera is inside of is by whether or not the other is in the shot. As a documentary filmmaker, and as a cinematographer himself, Ross understands that this is a powerful way to tell his story. The audience is immersed in the school and all the violence within it – at least until the boy whose eyes that portion of the plot is told through blacks out from pain or illness. It’s not always 100% effective, but when it is, it’s eye-opening. The audience experiences the atrocities along with the boys.
There’s a realism to Nickel Boys that goes beyond the immersive point-of-view. RaMell Ross’ documentary experience has prepared him perfectly to make a movie like this. It feels like hard-hitting reporting wrapped in a dramatic package. The movie stands as both a scathing indictment of the reform school system and a harsh reminder of the racism that was present in the South during the mid-twentieth century. And RaMell Ross pulls no punches in showing his audience the realities of both corrupt practices.
Nickel Boys is not a documentary. But it may as well be. It has the same impact as one. Some viewers may be turned off by the changing points of view of the narrative. Others may be offended by the language or the violence, even if most of it is implied rather than shown. And still others just won’t want to hear what it has to say. Nickel Boys is powerful filmmaking. If RaMell Ross keeps going with narrative films, he’s got a bright future ahead of him.
GRADE: B
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violent content, some strong language, racial slurs, smoking, racism, and thematic material
The San Diego Film Critics Society selected Sing Sing as Best Picture of 2024, with the film also receiving Best Actor (Colman Domingo) and Best Adapted Screenplay awards. Wicked tied as the most-awarded film, earning Best Supporting Actress, Best Production Design, and Best Costume awards.
Dune: Part Two led the list of San Diego Film Critics Society nominees with 12 nominations and won two: Best Director and Best Sound Design. Anora and September 5 also took home two awards from the Southern California-based critics.
2024 San Diego Film Critics Winners
Best Picture
Winner – SING SING
Runner Up – ANORA
Runner Up – CONCLAVE
Best Director
Winner – Denis Villeneuve, DUNE: PART TWO
Runner Up – Greg Kwedar, SING SING
Best Actor
Winner – Colman Domingo, SING SING
Runner Up – Adrien Brody, THE BRUTALIST
Runner Up – Daniel Craig, QUEER
Best Actress
Winner – Marianne Jean-Baptiste, HARD TRUTHS
Runner Up – Amy Adams, NIGHTBITCH
Best Supporting Actor
Winner – Kieran Culkin, A REAL PAIN
Runner Up – Denzel Washington, GLADIATOR II
Best Supporting Actress
Winner – Ariana Grande, WICKED
Runner Up – Joan Chen, DÌDI
Best Comedic Performance
Winner – June Squibb, THELMA
Runner Up – Michael Keaton, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Best Youth Performance (For a performer under the age of 18)
Winner – Izaac Wang, DÌDI
Runner Up – Alix West Lefler, SPEAK NO EVIL
Best Original Screenplay
Winner – Sean Baker, ANORA
Runner Up – Justin Kuritzkes, CHALLENGERS
Best Adapted Screenplay
Winner – Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, SING SING
Runner Up – Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts, DUNE: PART TWO
Best First Feature (Director)
Winner – Zoë Kravitz, BLINK TWICE
Runner Up – Sean Wang, DÌDI
Best Documentary
Winner – SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY
Runner Up – DAUGHTERS
Best Animated Film
Winner – FLOW
Runner Up – THE WILD ROBOT
Best Foreign Language Film
Winner – ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT
3 Runners Up
Best Editing
Winner – Hansjörg Weißbrich, SEPTEMBER 5
Runner Up – Marco Costa, CHALLENGERS
Best Cinematography
Winner – Jarin Blaschke, NOSFERATU
Runner Up – Stéphane Fontaine, CONCLAVE
Best Production Design
Winner – Nathan Crowley, WICKED
Runner Up – Craig Lathrop, Beatrice Brentnerova, NOSFERATU
Runner Up – Patrice Vermette, DUNE: PART TWO
Best Visual Effects
Winner – THE SUBSTANCE
Runner Up – DUNE: PART TWO
Runner Up – KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
Best Costume Design
Winner – Paul Tazewell, WICKED
Runner Up – Jacqueline Getty, Rainy Jacobs, THE LAST SHOWGIRL
Best Sound Design
Winner – DUNE: PART TWO
Runner Up – CIVIL WAR
Best Use of Music
Winner – A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
Runner Up – CHALLENGERS
Best Stunt Choreography
Winner – THE FALL GUY
Runner Up – MONKEY MAN
Best Ensemble
Winner – SEPTEMBER 5
Runner Up – CONCLAVE
Breakthrough Performance
Winner – Mikey Madison, ANORA
Runner Up – Nell Tiger Free, THE FIRST OMEN
Special Award for Body of Work- 3 or More Film Credits in 2024
Nicholas Hoult, JUROR #2, NOSFERATU, THE ORDER, THE GARFIELD MOVIE
A cat, a dog, a lemur, a bird, and a capybara gather on a boat. No, it’s not the start of a silly joke, but just part of the plot of the animated fantasy adventure Flow.
The film begins with a cat out and about, looking for food, and coming across a pack of dogs barking and chasing a rabbit. Cat evades the pack and goes back to his home, where it’s clear that he once lived with a human artist. However, some cataclysmic events seem to have wiped out mankind.
The next day, Cat is out again searching for food when one dog from yesterday’s pack tries to make friends with him, which is not to Cat’s liking. Cat then sees the pack of dogs running at top speed and looking scared. He runs as well, only to be overtaken by a giant flood that devastates his home and most of the land.
Cat swims to higher ground, continuously seeking safe refuge from the rising water. In the near distance, Cat spies a small sailboat and meows hoping someone onboard will rescue him. The boat, because of the current, floats toward him and he jumps for it just as the water overtakes the ledge where he’s trapped.
Aboard the boat is a mellow capybara who seems to recognize that the boat will keep them safe from the flood. While floating along, they pick up a lemur, determined to collect as many objects as it can. The cute and lovable dog, who tried to make friends with Cat, and a large injured-yet-proud bird, who learns to steer the boat with its working rudder, also seek shelter on the abandoned boat.
Together, these mismatched animals form an unlikely friendship. They bond together to survive as they travel with the current through the ever-rising water, past fallen trees, and by towers and tall buildings.
Flow is a stunningly animated, dialogue-free, compelling adventure focusing on animals from different backgrounds and packs coming together to survive and become a family. It’s masterfully crafted and one of the best animated films to come along in decades.
The perfect pacing by director Gints Zilbalodis and the musical score and sound work by Rihards Zalupe help create and control the tension and flawlessly convey what the animals, especially the cat, are feeling and thinking. The filmmakers used real sound recordings of animals in the film, helping to bring the animals alive on screen.
Their experience with the flood changes each animal. Contrary to instinct, the dog leaves his pack to team up with his new friend. The injured bird takes on a leadership role within the group of animals it would normally view as food or foe. The lemur must eventually decide which is more important: his collection of objects or his new friends. But it’s the cat, the moral center of the film and the audience’s entry into this world, who’s affected most. Cat learns to overcome his fear of water and learns to trust, help, and share with his new friends. All of which are important life lessons wonderfully played out through the actions and sounds of the animals.
With stunning animation, no dialogue, and a simple but gripping story, Flow is not just the best animated film of the year but one of the best films of 2024. It’s a must-see!
GRADE: A+
MPAA Rating: PG for peril and thematic elements
Release Date: November 22, 2024 (limited)
Running Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
Distributor: Sideshow / Janus Films
Emilia Pérez leads the 82nd Annual Golden Globes film nominations with 10, and The Bear picked up five nominations, topping the television side. Winners for the 2025 Golden Globes will be announced on Sunday, January 5th at 5pm ET/8pm ET on CBS.
Emilia Pérez‘s record-breaking 10 nominations was followed by The Brutalist with seven, Conclave with six, and Anora and The Substance with five. Challengers, A Real Pain, Wicked, and The Wild Robot each picked up four.
Despite coming off a season that divided fans, The Bear pulled off five nominations including Best Comedy, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. Only Murders in the Building and Shōgun earned four nominations, followed by Baby Reindeer, Disclaimer, Hacks, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Nobody Wants This, and Ripley with three. Slow Horses, The Diplomat, The Penguin, and True Detective: Night Country also earned three nominations each.
This year’s nominees roster includes 26 performers scoring their first Golden Globes nominations. The 2025 list also finds Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande competing in the Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for Any Motion Picture. The last time two musical artists went against each other was in 2015 when Lady Gaga and Queen Latifah were nominated in the Best Performance in a Miniseries or Television Film category.
BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
THE BRUTALIST (A24)
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (Searchlight Pictures)
CONCLAVE (Focus Features)
DUNE: PART TWO (Warner Bros. Pictures)
NICKEL BOYS (Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios)
SEPTEMBER 5 (Paramount Pictures)
BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
ANORA (NEON)
CHALLENGERS (Amazon MGM Studios)
EMILIA PÉREZ (Netflix)
A REAL PAIN (Searchlight Pictures)
THE SUBSTANCE (MUBI)
WICKED (Universal Pictures)
BEST MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED FLOW (Sideshow / Janus Films)
INSIDE OUT 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
MEMOIR OF A SNAIL (IFC Films)
MOANA 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL (Netflix)
THE WILD ROBOT (Universal Pictures)
CINEMATIC AND BOX OFFICE ACHIEVEMENT
ALIEN: ROMULUS (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (Warner Bros. Pictures)
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
GLADIATOR II (Paramount Pictures)
INSIDE OUT 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
TWISTERS (Universal Pictures)
WICKED (Universal Pictures)
THE WILD ROBOT (Universal Pictures)
BEST MOTION PICTURE – NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT (Sideshow / Janus Films) – USA / FRANCE / INDIA
EMILIA PÉREZ (Netflix) – FRANCE
THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE (MUBI) – POLAND / SWEDEN / DENMARK
I’M STILL HERE (Sony Pictures Classics) – BRAZIL
THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG (NEON) – USA / GERMANY
VERMIGLIO (Sideshow / Janus Films) – ITALY
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
PAMELA ANDERSON (THE LAST SHOWGIRL)
ANGELINA JOLIE (MARIA)
NICOLE KIDMAN (BABYGIRL)
TILDA SWINTON (THE ROOM NEXT DOOR)
FERNANDA TORRES (I’M STILL HERE)
KATE WINSLET (LEE)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
ADRIEN BRODY (THE BRUTALIST)
TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET (A COMPLETE UNKNOWN)
DANIEL CRAIG (QUEER)
COLMAN DOMINGO (SING SING)
RALPH FIENNES (CONCLAVE)
SEBASTIAN STAN (THE APPRENTICE)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
AMY ADAMS (NIGHTBITCH)
CYNTHIA ERIVO (WICKED)
KARLA SOFÍA GASCÓN (EMILIA PÉREZ)
MIKEY MADISON (ANORA)
DEMI MOORE (THE SUBSTANCE)
ZENDAYA (CHALLENGERS)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
JESSE EISENBERG (A REAL PAIN)
HUGH GRANT (HERETIC)
GABRIEL LABELLE (SATURDAY NIGHT)
JESSE PLEMONS (KINDS OF KINDNESS)
GLEN POWELL (HIT MAN)
SEBASTIAN STAN (A DIFFERENT MAN)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
SELENA GOMEZ (EMILIA PÉREZ)
ARIANA GRANDE (WICKED)
FELICITY JONES (THE BRUTALIST)
MARGARET QUALLEY (THE SUBSTANCE)
ISABELLA ROSSELLINI (CONCLAVE)
ZOE SALDAÑA (EMILIA PÉREZ)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
YURA BORISOV (ANORA)
KIERAN CULKIN (A REAL PAIN)
EDWARD NORTON (A COMPLETE UNKNOWN)
GUY PEARCE (THE BRUTALIST)
JEREMY STRONG (THE APPRENTICE)
DENZEL WASHINGTON (GLADIATOR II)
BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
JACQUES AUDIARD (EMILIA PÉREZ)
SEAN BAKER (ANORA)
EDWARD BERGER (CONCLAVE)
BRADY CORBET (THE BRUTALIST)
CORALIE FARGEAT (THE SUBSTANCE)
PAYAL KAPADIA (ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT)
BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
JACQUES AUDIARD (EMILIA PÉREZ)
SEAN BAKER (ANORA)
BRADY CORBET, MONA FASTVOLD (THE BRUTALIST)
JESSE EISENBERG (A REAL PAIN)
CORALIE FARGEAT (THE SUBSTANCE)
PETER STRAUGHAN (CONCLAVE)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
VOLKER BERTELMANN (CONCLAVE)
DANIEL BLUMBERG (THE BRUTALIST)
KRIS BOWERS (THE WILD ROBOT)
CLÉMENT DUCOL, CAMILLE (EMILIA PÉREZ)
TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS (CHALLENGERS)
HANS ZIMMER (DUNE: PART TWO)
BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“BEAUTIFUL THAT WAY” –– THE LAST SHOWGIRL
Music & Lyrics by: Andrew Wyatt, Miley Cyrus, Lykke Zachrisson
“COMPRESS / REPRESS” –– CHALLENGERS
Music & Lyrics by: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Luca Guadagnino
“EL MAL” –– EMILIA PÉREZ
Music & Lyrics by: Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard
“FORBIDDEN ROAD” –– BETTER MAN
Music & Lyrics by: Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek
“KISS THE SKY” –– THE WILD ROBOT
Music & Lyrics by: Delacey, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael
Pollack, Ali Tamposi
“MI CAMINO” –– EMILIA PÉREZ
Music & Lyrics by: Clément Ducol, Camille
Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, Abby Elliott as Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto, and Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu in ‘The Bear’ (Photo CR: Chuck Hodes/FX)
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
THE DAY OF THE JACKAL (PEACOCK)
THE DIPLOMAT (NETFLIX)
MR. & MRS. SMITH (PRIME VIDEO)
SHŌGUN (FX/HULU)
SLOW HORSES (APPLE TV+)
SQUID GAME (NETFLIX)
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY (ABC)
THE BEAR (FX/HULU)
THE GENTLEMEN (NETFLIX)
HACKS (HBO | MAX)
NOBODY WANTS THIS (NETFLIX)
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING (HULU)
BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
BABY REINDEER (NETFLIX)
DISCLAIMER (APPLE TV+)
MONSTERS: THE LYLE AND ERIK MENENDEZ STORY (NETFLIX)
THE PENGUIN (HBO | MAX)
RIPLEY (NETFLIX)
TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY (HBO | MAX)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
KATHY BATES (MATLOCK)
EMMA D’ARCY (HOUSE OF THE DRAGON)
MAYA ERSKINE (MR. & MRS. SMITH)
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY (BLACK DOVES)
KERI RUSSELL (THE DIPLOMAT)
ANNA SAWAI (SHŌGUN)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
DONALD GLOVER (MR. & MRS. SMITH)
JAKE GYLLENHAAL (PRESUMED INNOCENT)
GARY OLDMAN (SLOW HORSES)
EDDIE REDMAYNE (THE DAY OF THE JACKAL)
HIROYUKI SANADA (SHŌGUN)
BILLY BOB THORNTON (LANDMAN)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
KRISTEN BELL (NOBODY WANTS THIS)
QUINTA BRUNSON (ABBOTT ELEMENTARY)
AYO EDEBIRI (THE BEAR)
SELENA GOMEZ (ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING)
KATHRYN HAHN (AGATHA ALL ALONG)
JEAN SMART (HACKS)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
ADAM BRODY (NOBODY WANTS THIS)
TED DANSON (A MAN ON THE INSIDE)
STEVE MARTIN (ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING)
JASON SEGEL (SHRINKING)
MARTIN SHORT (ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING)
JEREMY ALLEN WHITE (THE BEAR)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
CATE BLANCHETT (DISCLAIMER)
JODIE FOSTER (TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY)
CRISTIN MILIOTI (THE PENGUIN)
SOFÍA VERGARA (GRISELDA)
NAOMI WATTS (FEUD: CAPOTE VS. THE SWANS)
KATE WINSLET (THE REGIME)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
COLIN FARRELL (THE PENGUIN)
RICHARD GADD (BABY REINDEER)
KEVIN KLINE (DISCLAIMER)
COOPER KOCH (MONSTERS: THE LYLE AND ERIK MENENDEZ STORY)
EWAN MCGREGOR (A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW)
ANDREW SCOTT (RIPLEY)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION
LIZA COLÓN-ZAYAS (THE BEAR)
HANNAH EINBINDER (HACKS)
DAKOTA FANNING (RIPLEY)
JESSICA GUNNING (BABY REINDEER)
ALLISON JANNEY (THE DIPLOMAT)
KALI REIS (TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION
TADANOBU ASANO (SHŌGUN)
JAVIER BARDEM (MONSTERS: THE LYLE AND ERIK MENENDEZ STORY)
HARRISON FORD (SHRINKING)
JACK LOWDEN (SLOW HORSES)
DIEGO LUNA (LA MÁQUINA)
EBON MOSS-BACHRACH (THE BEAR)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN STAND-UP COMEDY ON TELEVISION
JAMIE FOXX (JAMIE FOXX: WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS)
NIKKI GLASER (NIKKI GLASER: SOMEDAY YOU’LL DIE)
SETH MEYERS (SETH MEYERS: DAD MAN WALKING)
ADAM SANDLER (ADAM SANDLER: LOVE YOU)
ALI WONG (ALI WONG: SINGLE LADY)
RAMY YOUSSEF (RAMY YOUSSEF: MORE FEELINGS)
