The joyous strains of “Pure Imagination” lead into an equally joyous celebration of life – and chocolate – in Warner Bros Pictures’ Wonka. Movie fans could have had a one-two Timothée Chalamet punch if Dune 2 hadn’t been pulled from the theatrical release calendar. But for now, Chalamaniacs will have to settle for seeing the ever-charming actor light up the screen in the prequel to 1971’s Willa Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.
Chalamet is no Gene Wilder, but then again, no one can fill Wilder’s shoes. Not even Johnny Depp came close in 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Still, comparisons aside, Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name) proved to be an excellent choice to play the overly optimistic chocolatier with huge dreams and an even bigger heart.
The film opens with Willy Wonka ready to make his mark on the world with his delectable chocolate creations. With tattered clothes, one lone suitcase, and seven silver sovereigns to his name, Willy comes ashore after seven years at sea. He’s bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, his dreams of opening his own chocolate shop on the verge of becoming a reality.
Of course, if stepping on shore with high hopes and a dream in his heart were enough to launch a successful business, Wonka would be 15 minutes long. It’s not.
Instead, the budding chocolatier almost immediately hands over all his money. Penniless, he’s tricked into signing away 10 years of his life to Mrs. Scrubitt (Oscar winner Olivia Colman) and Bleacher (Tom Davis) who run the town’s laundry. Forced into scrub-scrubbing the days away, the inventive visionary pulls in the other unfortunate debtors in a plan to escape servitude and build his chocolate business.
Unfortunately, the wide-eyed dreamer has no idea that chocolate is a cutthroat business. And because Willy’s chocolate, based on his mother’s secret recipe, is scrumpdiddlyumptious, Willy immediately draws the wrath of the wicked chocolate cartel – Fickelgruber (Mathew Baynton), Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), and Prodnose (Matt Lucas).
The nefarious trio know their products are no match for Wonka’s wonderful treats (there’s even one that lifts the consumer into the sky), so they conspire with the corrupt Chief of Police (Keegan-Michael Key) to put an end to Wonka’s career before it even begins.
Timothée Chalamet captures the spirit of Gene Wilder’s Wonka, nailing a mix of bubbly, bonkers exuberance and simple childish joy. Chalamet’s engaging performance invites the audience to give themselves over to this fantastical world filled with colorful characters and bizarre chocolatey treats.
Singing skills aren’t listed near the top on Chalamet’s resume (or Gene Wilder’s, for that matter), but enthusiasm goes a long way toward making the musical numbers enjoyable. What Chalamet lacks in range, he more than makes up for by wholeheartedly embracing the innocence and bigheartedness of Willy Wonka’s spirit. Wonka’s songs aren’t as memorable as 1971’s “Oompa-Loompa-Doompa-De-Do” or “Pure Imagination,” but they’re entertaining enough and move the film along without disrupting the story’s flow.
Wonka’s loaded with incredible supporting performances, including Olivia Colman, Tom Davis, and Willy’s partners in crime – Calah Lane as Noodles the orphan, Rich Fulcher as comedian Larry Chucklesworth, Rakhee Thakrar as telephone operator Lottie Bell, Natasha Rothwell as plumber Piper Benz, and Jim Carter as the group’s leader, accountant Abacus Crunch. Mathew Baynton, Paterson Joseph, and Matt Lucas are a hoot as the three villainous chocolatiers. Rowan Atkinson adds to the fun, popping up as a priest who oversees hundreds of monks obsessed with chocolate.
And then there’s Hugh Grant, nailing the role of Lofty, the first Oompa Loompa to become involved in Willy’s wacky world. Chalamet and Grant’s scenes are the weirdest and, arguably, the most fun of the film. Grant even delivers a new version of the “Oompa Loompa” song, so make sure you stick around through the credits.
Wonka’s a delightful, whimsical, feel-good film with stunning visuals and terrific performances. It’s fine family fun and the perfect escape from the stress of the real world for a couple of hours.
GRADE: B+
MPA Rating: PG for some violence, mild language, and thematic elements
Running Time: 1 hour 56 minutes
Release Date: December 15, 2023
Directed By: Paul King
Written By: Simon Farnaby and Paul King
Jody Jaress as Mary Parker, Donald Sutherland as Judge Parker, David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves, and Lauren E Banks as Jennie Reeves in ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ episode 7 (Photo Credit: Lauren Smith / Paramount+)
Deputy Marshal Bass Reeves (David Oyelowo) is taken into custody and jailed as Paramount+’s Lawmen: Bass Reeves episode seven, the season’s penultimate episode, opens. He declined to say goodbye to his family before being led away, and now he sits in jail with visions of Ranger Esau Pierce’s (Barry Pepper) despicable actions flowing through his head.
A crowded courtroom listens as Judge Parker (Donald Sutherland) claims Bass’s case is no different from any others. He was tried for murder, and the verdict is…? The opening credits play before Parker reveals the answer.
After the credits, the first scene is a flashback to the events prior to Bass’s incarceration. Judge Parker and his wife enjoy a friendly dinner at the Reeves’ farm. Jennie (Lauren E. Banks) and the Parkers engage in lighthearted small talk while Bass remains solemn and quiet at the head of the table. Only Judge Parker’s suggestion that Bass needs time off draws Bass into the conversation.
The following day, Bass heads into work and learns Judge Parker is giving him easier assignments for a while. Bass’s posse man, Billy (Forrest Goodluck), introduces him to a cook named Willy Leach (Ivan Mbakop) whom he just recruited, and Bass only nods his head as a welcome.
The three men ride in silence as Bass’s thoughts continue to be filled with memories of Esau. He recalls Esau telling him, ‘You are a wolf, Bass. We know our own.”
Back at home, Jennie welcomes Esme (Joaquina Kalukango) into her home after she shows up on her doorstep late one night. Esme left Edwin after the disastrous dinner with Jennie and Bass. Edwin’s vision is pure, but his heart is conflicted, and Esme finally realized that she needs to leave him.
Jennie admits she’s come to accept Bass being gone, and she’s grown stronger because of it. However, his children don’t know him. Their peaceful chat is broken up by a visit from the little white girl whom Sally told to mind her manners. The child asks if Bass is home. When she’s told he’s not, she asks if Sally’s there.
After determining who’s home, the child leaves.
Jennie asks Sally (Demi Singleton) what the visit was about and learns about the incidents at the carnival.
David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves, Ivan Mbakop as Willy, and Forrest Goodluck as Billy Crow in ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ episode 7 (Photo Credit: Lauren Smith / Paramount+)
Out on the road, Bass and Billy arrive at a house looking for Moody O’Neil (Tina Lifford). The woman on the porch confirms she’s Moody and acknowledges that she knew they’d be coming to take her in. She hands Bass a candleholder and admits it’s what she used to kill a man.
Night falls, and Jennie, the kids, and Esme enjoy dinner while Esme recalls stories of Bass’s time on the Reeves’ estate. Suddenly, the children spot an effigy on fire not far from their front door. Jennie immediately sends all the children upstairs, away from danger.
Morning arrives, and as the three men pack up camp, Willy confesses that he turned Moody loose and she ran away. She’s been gone for hours. Willy insults Bass, angry he was willing to hang an elderly Black woman in a white man’s noose. He views Bass as a traitor profiting from the killing of Black men and women by the law.
The cook tosses Moody’s shoes at Bass, calls him an “up-jumped slave catcher,” and tells him to go collect the blood bounty on Moody.
Memories of his encounters with Esau cloud his judgment, and he shoots the cook. As he lies dying, Billy insists they get their stories straight. Judge Parker won’t be merciful.
Bass returns home and Jennie doesn’t even say hello. She just looks at him and returns to her sewing.
Bass can’t get out of his own head, and he drinks as he runs through all his conversations with Esau. Bass heads out to the barn and the episode’s opening scene plays again, but this time we’re aware of what he did that led to him being locked up.
Donald Sutherland as Judge Parker in ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ episode 7 (Photo Credit: Lauren Smith / Paramount+)
Bass sits in Judge Parker’s office as Parker tells a story from his childhood. Parker came from a poor family, and one day he thought he had found gold, enough to save his family. He was devastated to learn it was worthless fool’s gold. From that incident, he learned to keep his expectations in check.
“Are you gold or pyrite?” asks Judge Parker.
Bass recalls his own father was sold off before he was born. He was allowed to visit every Christmas, and his mom always made herself look pretty for those visits. But now, Bass doesn’t even remember his father’s face. The name he carries comes from William Reeves, the man who taught him to ride and shoot. However, William gave him to his son, George, and George wasn’t as good a man as his father. He was cruel.
Knowing who’s gold and who’s pyrite is a simple thing for Judge Parker but not for Bass Reeves. Bass knows justice is costly, and he’s ready to pay what he owes and be sent to Hell for it. But, he believes Judge Parker will eventually sit next to him there.
The time arrives for Bass Reeves’ verdict to be read. Judge Parker says he listened to the evidence and has concluded Bass is not guilty. Jennie heaves a sigh of relief, but otherwise, the courtroom remains silent.
While her mom’s at the courthouse, Sally places a handwritten paper with the lyrics to Jacob Banks’ “Unholy War” on the piano.
Bass continues to recall his conversations with Esau in his head, including the one in which Esau said he had no desire to kill Curtis. Bass finally tells Jennie about Curtis and swears he’s going after the man who killed him. He doesn’t tell Jennie who the man is or that he’s currently a Ranger.
Episode seven ends with Bass, Billy, and Sherrill Lynn (Dennis Quaid) riding off into the sunset.
Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens and Christopher Plummer as Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘The Man Who Invented Christmas’ (Photo by Kerry Brown / Bleecker Street)
Once again, the holidays – or is it holidaze? – are upon us, bringing with it a flurry of Christmas movies.
You have your endless parade of cartoons, specials, Christmas-themed episodes of your favorite TV shows, bad holiday comedies (1996’s Jingle All the Way and 2007’s Fred Claus come to mind), and Christmas-set horror movies (1984’s Gremlins). Then there’s the cheesy yet feel-good Lifetime and Hallmark films. And how can we forget the 24-hour marathon of 1983’s A Christmas Story (celebrating its 40th anniversary this year), beginning on Christmas Eve and ending on Christmas Day?
If those don’t do it for you, maybe these lists of Christmas movies will.
Classic Christmas Movies
You can’t go wrong with these classics, which can lighten the hearts of even the most ardent cynics.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947): If Christopher Reeve is the definitive Superman, Edmund Gwenn is the definitive Santa Claus. In fact, he won an Oscar for this role. Santa/Kris Kringle becomes the in-store Santa at Macy’s in New York City and creates quite the stir. Attorney Fred Gailey (John Payne) must prove Santa is the genuine article. Along the way, Santa befriends a smart yet cynical little girl named Susan (Natalie Wood), whom he must convince he is who he says he is.
This movie also stars Maureen O’Hara, William Frawley, Porter Hall, and Thelma Ritter in what is an enduring, charming tale that had no business being remade throughout the decades (particularly 1994’s remake).
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946): Hard to believe, Wonderful Life received mixed reviews and wasn’t successful at the box office upon release, even though it was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Today, it is a Christmas classic and considered one of the greatest films of all time.
Director Frank Capra chronicles the tale of everyman George Bailey (James Stewart), who is about to commit suicide on Christmas Eve, thanks to the shady machinations of business rival Henry Potter (Lionel Barrymore), who swears out a warrant for his arrest. George had grandiose dreams, but he sacrificed them for the greater good, ensuring the people of Bedford Falls would have a roof over their heads.
As he’s about to take his own life, his guardian angel Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers) – who will finally earn his wings if he saves George – shows him what life be like without him had he never been born, transporting him to a dark alternate world where Bedford Fall is now Pottersville, which is populated by sin businesses and crime. The people he once knew are callous and hardened, including his own mother (Beulah Bondi). George begs Clarence to let him live again, not caring what happens to him.
As he returns home, full of good cheer, the people whose lives George touched reach out to him in his hour of need. Reunited with his wife Mary (Donna Reed) and his kids, he learns Clarence finally got his wings. Stewart’s acting is phenomenal; there’s a reason why he’s one of Hollywood’s beloved icons. Throughout the decades, Wonderful Life has been remade – and unnecessarily at that.
The Bishop’s Wife (1947): Based on Robert Nathan’s 1928 novella of the same name, The Bishop’s Wife stars Hollywood legend Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven. Bishop Henry Brougham (Niven) is unable to raise the necessary funds to build a new cathedral. Praying to God for guidance, his prayer is answered in the form of a suave, debonair guardian angel named Dudley (Grant), who reveals his true identity only to Broughman. The bishop’s so obsessed with fundraising that he neglects his family.
In the meantime, Dudley finds himself falling for Julia (Young), Broughman’s wife, as he inspires the bishop’s congregation to perform good dudes. At the climax of the movie, Dudley does the honorable thing and doesn’t interfere with the Broughmans’ marriage. He tells Broughman that it’s very rare for an angel to envy a mortal. His work completed, Dudley moves on to his next mission, all memory of him erased.
Fun fact: The Broughmans’ daughter Debby was portrayed by Karolyn Grimes, who played Zuzu in Wonderful Life.
Fun fact: This movie was remade in 1996 as The Preacher’s Wife with Denzel Washington as Dudley, Courtney B. Vance, and Whitney Houston.
White Christmas (1954): Hollywood legends Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney star in this classic musical, featuring the songs of Irving Berlin and Crosby’s definitive version of the titular song, “White Christmas” (introduced in 1942’s Holiday Inn).
Singers Bob Wallace (Crosby) and Phil Davis (Kaye) join sister act Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) to perform a Christmas show in rural Vermont. They run into Gen. Waverly (Dean Jagger), Bob and Phil’s commanding officer in World War II, whose country inn is failing. The four plan a yuletide miracle: A fun-filled musical extravaganza that’s sure to put Waverly and his business back in the black. Future Oscar winner George Chakiris of West Side Story fame plays one of the men dancing with Clooney.
Filmed in Technicolor, White Christmas is notable for being the first movie to be released in VistaVision, a widescreen process developed by Paramount that uses twice the surface area of standard 35mm film.
Modern Miracles
You also can’t go wrong with these modern-day classics, which are worth watching.
The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017): This biopic chronicles how Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) wrote his 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol, which gave the world Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim. He has only six weeks to complete it in time for Christmas, which wasn’t widely celebrated at that point. He’s seen interacting with his characters as he pens his masterpiece, including Scrooge (Christopher Plummer). Despite the odds against him, A Christmas Carol is an overnight success and has profoundly impacted Christmas.
Speaking of Dickens…
A Christmas Carol (1984): Yes, many have portrayed Scrooge on the big and small screens – Alastair Sim, Reginald Owen, Albert Finney, Michael Caine, Patrick Stewart, Jim Carrey, et al – but few bring the gravitas to the role that George C. Scott does in this adaptation. Indeed, he gives a tour de force performance.
There’s a strong chemistry between him and Edward Woodward’s Ghost of Christmas Present as they exchange barbs with spot-on delivery. After Scrooge is redeemed, in the scene he apologizes to his nephew Fred (Roger Rees), he maintains his dignity and doesn’t grovel as seen in other adaptations. He also can’t help having fun with a tardy Bob Crachit (David Warner). This version closely follows the novel (with minor changes) and is considered the definitive version.
While we’re still on the subject of Dickens…
Scrooged (1988): One of the better remakes of A Christmas Carol, Richard Donner’s Scrooged is considered an alternative to traditional Christmas movies. TV mogul Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a heartless, cheap, tyrannical exec who forces his staff to work through Christmas as his network puts on a live version of A Christmas Carol (very meta). Like Scrooge, he’s visited by three ghosts who take him on a journey of his past and give him a chance at redemption.
The movie co-stars Robert Mitchum, Alfre Woodard, Karen Allen, John Forsythe, David Johansen, Carol Kane, with cameos by Buddy Hackett, Mary Lou Retton, Jamie Farr, and Lee Majors. Majors’ cameo is one of the funniest scenes as he and Santa Claus team up to save the North Pole from terrorists in Cross’ movie, The Night the Reindeer Died. It would’ve been great had that movie actually been made!
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989): Based on screenwriter John Hughes short story “Christmas ’59” that was published in National Lampoon magazine of all places, the third installment – and the funniest – in the Vacation franchise tells the story of Clark Griswold’s (Chevy Chase) efforts to have a good old-fashioned family Christmas take a hilarious turn for the worse.
There’s the unwelcome arrival of redneck Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) and his clan. There are Clark’s attempts at lighting his house’s exterior Christmas lights, which cause a citywide blackout. Clark is devastated to learn his miserly boss Frank Shirley (Brian Doyle-Murray) has canceled Christmas bonuses, which Clark hoped to use to pay for a swimming pool. As a result, Cousin Eddie kidnaps Frank and the Griswold home is invaded by the SWAT team.
In the end, despite it all, everything works out for the best as Clark learns the true meaning of Christmas.
Home Alone (1990): Hughes delivers another holiday hit with Home Alone, the second highest-grossing movie of 1990 behind Ghost. The McCallister family is preparing to leave for Paris where they will spend the holiday. Extended family stays with them in their suburban Chicago home, forcing son Kevin (Macaulay Culkin in his star-making role) to sleep in the attic. A power outage occurs, and everyone oversleeps. Barely making their plane in time, they inadvertently leave Kevin behind, and his mother, Catherine O’Hara, doesn’t realize this until they’re halfway to Paris.
At first, Kevin is having a blast having the whole house to himself. He then tests his mettle against the Wet Bandits, a duo of criminals played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, who break into his house. He outsmarts them by rigging the house with booby traps. Once they’re arrested, Kevin is reunited with his relieved mom. Home Alone should’ve stopped there, but since it made beaucoup bucks, naturally it spawned a franchise. Don’t bother. Stick with the first film.
Christmas Action Movies
These movies have been debated if they’re truly Christmas movies per se. Christmas is only the backdrop and not the central theme.
Die Hard (1988): This classic action film is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year! Time flies. Die Hard wasn’t expected to do well, yet it cleaned up at the box office and made a movie star out of Bruce Willis. The term Die Hard has since become shorthand for plots featuring overwhelming odds in a restricted environment, such as 1994’s Speed being referred to as “Die Hard on a bus.”
Detective John McClane (Willis) goes to Nakatomi Plaza to meet his estranged wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia), in an effort to fix their rocky marriage. As they argue, terrorists led by the suave, debonair yet deadly, ruthless Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) take everyone hostage and it’s up to John to save the day – and his wife. Barefoot, John uses guerilla warfare tactics to take out the terrorists one by one, getting badly wounded along the way.
While it’s disputed that Die Hard is a Christmas movie, it cannot be disputed that it changed the way action movies are made.
Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990): “You’re the wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time!” And thank God he is, that McClane. The often-overlooked second installment in the Die Hard franchise also occurs on Christmas Eve, a year after the original (amazing how quickly McClane recovered from his wounds). While waiting for his wife Holly’s plane to land at Washington Dulles International Airport, McClane discovers terrorists have hijacked Dulles’ air traffic control system in order to spring a drug czar being flown in from overseas. As a result, all planes must remain airborne with several running low on fuel – including Holly’s.
The premise is wildly unrealistic (Uncle Sam would NOT fly a drug czar who’s based on Manuel Noriega to a commercial airport on Christmas Eve) yet spectacularly entertaining!
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996): Writer Shane Black likes to set his movies during Christmas – 1987’s Lethal Weapon, 2005’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and 2013’s Iron Man 3 – and this underrated action flick is no exception. Geena Davis plays teacher Samantha Caine, who’s found washed ashore on a beach, pregnant with her daughter Caitlin (Yvonne Zima) and totally amnesiac. After suffering a concussion during a car accident, Samantha discovers fighting skills she’s never demonstrated before, particularly when an assassin comes to her home. Recruiting P.I. Mitch Henessey (Samuel L. Jackson), Samantha learns she’s really a CIA assassin who’s been MIA for eight years. They also discover a false flag operation within the CIA.
Easily one Black’s best scripts.
Enemy of the State (1998): Set during Christmas, this smartly-written, fast-paced techno-thriller directed by Tony Scott and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer eerily predicts the Patriot Act. A group of National Security Agency operatives led by Tom Reynolds (Jon Voight) go rogue and kill a congressman (Jason Robards) who refuses to support new counterterrorism legislation that violates the privacy of citizens. They stage his murder to appear to be a heart attack.
However, it’s caught on tape, which is unknowingly placed in the possession of attorney Robert Clayton Dean (Will Smith). Consequently, Reynolds destroys Dean’s reputation and makes him Public Enemy No. 1. His only hope to clear his name is an enigmatic man named Brill (Gene Hackman).
Easily one of Smith’s best films – if not his best, Independence Day, Ali, and Men in Black be damned.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): The Oscar-nominated animated film from the fertile imagination of auteur Tim Burton was originally a poem he wrote in 1982. Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon), the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, accidentally wanders into Christmas Town. Jack decides that he and his fellow Halloween Town denizens will take it over. He kidnaps Santa Claus (Ed Ivory) and delivers horrific gifts to children worldwide. In the end, he learns the true meaning of Christmas and works with Santa to fix his mistake.
The film’s updated stop-motion animation and Burton’s distinct visual style, combined with frequent collaborator Danny Elfman’s musical score, make it a very unique visual treat.
Batman Returns (1992): Another Burton entry deserving a second chance. Ignore the scenes with that disgusting Penguin (Danny DeVito), which ruin an otherwise worthy sequel to 1989’s Batman, also directed by Burton. It’s the smoldering chemistry of Batman (Michael Keaton in his last appearance as Batman until this summer’s The Flash) and Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) that heats up this Christmas “tail.” Although enemies as Batman and Catwoman, they are lovers as Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. Once they learn who they truly are, things get complicated (quite the understatement).
Burton’s distinctive vision of Gotham City set against a Christmas backdrop make it quite the visual spectacle.
NBC’s trippy sci-fi thriller La Brea just unveiled the first batch of season three photos ahead of its January 9, 2024 premiere. The network also released a short teaser trailer and confirmed the upcoming third season will be the series’ final season.
The final season kicks off with an episode titled “Sierra.” Per NBC: After the clearing’s destroyed in a dinosaur attack, the Survivors must find a new home to live. Gavin discovers a clue about where Eve has gone, but tracking the lead down results in more tragic consequences.
Season three will air on Tuesdays at 9pm ET/PT. Returning cast includes Eoin Macken as Gavin Harris, Zyra Gorecki as Izzy Harris, Chiké Okonkwo as Ty Coleman, Rohan Mirchandaney as Scott Israni, Lily Santiago as Veronica Castillo, Josh Mckenzie as Lucas, and Jon Seda as Dr. Samuel Velez. Nicholas Gonzalez plays Levi Delgado, Jack Martin is Josh Harris, Veronica St. Clair is Riley Velez, Tonantzin Carmelo is Paara, and Natalie Zea is Eve Harris.
David Appelbaum created the series and serves as executive producer and showrunner. Additional executive producers include Chris Hollier, Peter Traugott, Rachel Kaplan, Avi Nir, and Alon Shtruzman.
The series “follows an epic family adventure after a massive sinkhole opens in Los Angeles, pulling people and buildings into a mysterious and dangerous primeval land where they have no choice but to band together to survive.”
Nicholas Gonzalez as Levi, Jon Seda as Dr. Sam, and Eoin Macken as Gavin in ‘La Brea’ season 3 (Photo by: Mark Taylor/NBC)Asmara Feik as Petra, Nicholas Gonzalez as Levi, Chiké Okonkwo as Ty, Eoin Macken as Gavin, and Rohan Mirchandaney as Scott in season 3 episode 1 (Photo by: Mark Taylor/NBC)Zyra Gorecki as Izzy and Chiké Okonkwo as Ty in season 3 episode 1 (Photo by: Mark Taylor/NBC)Veronica St. Clair as Riley in season 3 episode 1 (Photo by: NBC)Lily Santiago as Veronica and Josh McKenzie as Lucas in season 3 episode 1 (Photo by: Mark Taylor/NBC)Jack Martin as Josh in season 3 episode 1 (Photo by: Mark Taylor/NBC)
‘Disney 100: A Century of Dreams’ (Photo Credit: ABC)
ABC’s celebrating all things Disney with a 20/20 special Disney 100: A Century of Dreams. The two-hour special will air on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT and will feature new stories from those with intimate knowledge of Disney’s legacy, along with rare footage from the iconic brand’s 100 years.
Disney CEO Bob Iger, Mary Poppins stars Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, and Walt Disney’s grandsons Chris Miller and Walter Miller are involved in the special in new interviews. The special explores Disney’s music history with songwriter Richard Sherman, Sir Elton John, composer Alan Menken, and singer/songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda talking about music’s role in Disney’s storytelling.
Disney 100: A Century of Dreams also includes interviews with actors who’ve voiced characters in Disney’s animated productions, including Idina Menzel (Elsa, Frozen and Frozen 2), Jodi Benson (Ariel, The Little Mermaid), Paige O’Hara (Belle, Beauty and the Beast), and Ariana DeBose (Asha, Wish).
ABC offered this description of the special edition of 20/20:
“The documentary takes viewers on a magical journey that started in 1923, featuring a century of stories and experiences that will touch the hearts of audiences everywhere. From the creation of the Disney Brothers Studio to modern beloved brands such as Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox, the core DNA of Disney remains the same: storytelling, creativity, innovation and optimism. The special is a celebration of the countless Disney creators, telling the story behind the story that will astonish even the biggest Disney superfans, and viewers will be treated to an inside look at an all-new Disney attraction.”
The documentary chronicles all facets of the storied company — from animation to parks to television to music — spotlighting those who have played essential roles in Disney’s history. Starting with the creation of the iconic character Mickey Mouse and unspooling the story of how Walt Disney’s quest to make the very first feature-length animated film, Snow White, nearly bankrupted the young studio, viewers will learn how unbridled determination and imagination became the cornerstones of the Walt Disney Company.”
Focus Features has landed on a new release date for The Bikeriders from writer/director Jeff Nichols. Following its 2023 festival run, the crime drama was gearing up for an awards season run with a December 1st theatrical release. The release was postponed during the strikes, and Focus Features’ The Bikeriders will now open on June 21, 2024.
The film currently sits at 85% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it “an affectionate take on a much-romanticized subculture” (Hannah Strong, IGN Movies) and “a vivid, fleshed-out insider’s eye view of a subculture populated by authentically hard-edged lost souls” (Wendy Ide, Screen International).
Oscar nominee Austin Butler (Elvis), Emmy Award winner Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), Oscar nominee Tom Hardy (The Revenant), and Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) lead the cast. The ensemble also includes Michael Shannon (Bullet Train), Mike Faist (West Side Story), and Boyd Holbrook (Logan).
Inspired by Danny Lyon’s book of photography, The Bikeriders is produced by Tri-State’s Sarah Green and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones. Fred Berger serves as an executive producer.
The Bikeriders is a furious drama following the rise of a fictional 1960s Midwestern motorcycle club through the lives of its members. Inspired by Danny Lyon’s iconic book of photography, The Bikeriders immerses you in the look, feel, and sounds of the bare-knuckled, grease-covered subculture of ’60s motorcycle riders.
Kathy (Comer), a strong-willed member of the Vandals who’s married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny (Butler), recounts the Vandals’ evolution over the course of a decade, beginning as a local club of outsiders united by good times, rumbling bikes, and respect for their strong, steady leader Johnny (Hardy). Over the years, Kathy tries her best to navigate her husband’s untamed nature and his allegiance to Johnny, with whom she feels she must compete for Benny’s attention.
As life in the Vandals gets more dangerous, and the club threatens to become a more sinister gang, Kathy, Benny, and Johnny are forced to make choices about their loyalty to the club and to each other.
Peacock’s action comedy Twisted Metal has been renewed for season two, with series star and executive producer Anthony Mackie announcing the pickup during The Games Awards on December 7, 2023. Season one of the video game-inspired series debuted on July 27th and is one of the streaming service’s top three original shows in viewership.
“I have to give a Sweet Tooth-sized thank you to our incredible fans – I read every comment and was so blown away by everyone’s love, support, and rabid enthusiasm for a paper bag. We are beyond thankful we get to continue the story of John Doe, Quiet, and Sweet Tooth as they face off against familiar faces and new grim foes in the long-awaited Twisted Metal tournament. The mixtape is made, and I’m thrilled to get back on the road with our stellar cast and crew,” said writer, executive producer, and showrunner Michael Jonathan Smith.
In addition to Anthony Mackie (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), season one starred Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Joe Seanoa (AEW), Will Arnett (Lego Masters), and Thomas Haden Church (Spider-Man: No Way Home). Guest stars included Neve Campbell, Richard Cabral, Mike Mitchell, Tahj Vaughans, Lou Beatty Jr., Chloe Fineman, and Jason Mantzoukas.
Anthony Mackie as John Doe and Joe Seanoa as Sweet Tooth in ‘Twisted Metal’ (Photo by: Skip Bolen/Peacock)
“Twisted Metal is a half-hour live-action TV series based on the classic PlayStation game series, a high-octane action comedy, based on an original take by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick (Deadpool, Zombieland) and written by Michael Jonathan Smith (Cobra Kai). The first season is about a motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland,” reads Peacock’s synopsis. “With the help of a badass axe-wielding car thief, he’ll face savage marauders driving vehicles of destruction and other dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck.”
Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Will Arnett, Marc Forman, Jason Spire, Peter Principato, Asad Qizilbash Carter Swan, and Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst executive produce. Kitao Sakurai directed multiple episodes. Twisted Metal is produced by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, and Universal Television.
Season one consisted of 10 30-minute episodes. Peacock’s season two announcement didn’t confirm the number of episodes or a targeted premiere date.
Noomi Rapace stars in ‘Constellation’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul) star in Apple TV+’s upcoming thriller Constellation, created by Peter Harness (Wallander). The streaming service just released the first two photos from what’s described as a conspiracy-based psychological thriller, set to premiere on February 21, 2024.
Three episodes of the eight-episode season debut on February 21st, with new episodes arriving on Wednesdays.
In addition to Noomi Rapace and Jonathan Banks, Constellation stars James D’Arcy (Agent Carter), Julian Looman (Emily in Paris), William Catlett (A Thousand and One), Barbara Sukowa (Voyager), Rosie Coleman, and Davina Coleman. Harness wrote the thriller and two-time Emmy Award winner Michelle MacLaren (Breaking Bad), Oliver Hirschbiegel (Downfall), and Joseph Cedar (Footnote) directed.
“Constellation stars Rapace as Jo – an astronaut who returns to Earth after a disaster in space — only to discover that key pieces of her life seem to be missing,” reads Apple TV+’s synopsis. “The action-packed space adventure is an exploration of the dark edges of human psychology and one woman’s desperate quest to expose the truth about the hidden history of space travel and recover all that she has lost.”
Peter Harness, David Tanner (Small Axe), Tracey Scoffield (Small Axe), Caroline Benjo (No Man’s Land), Simon Arnal (No Man’s Land), Carole Scotta (No Man’s Land), Justin Thomson (Liaison), and Rebecca Hobbs (Shining Girls) executive produce along with director MacLaren.
Ren Watabe, Kiersey Clemons and Anna Sawai in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ episode 5 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Cate, Kentaro, and May are under Monarch’s control as Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episode five begins. Despite their circumstances, none of the captured friends are willing to in any way assist the top-secret agency.
Duvall (Elisa Lasowski) determines that schoolteacher Cate (Anna Sawai) and artist Kentaro (Ren Watabe) really don’t know anything. But May (Kiersey Clemons) is a different story. She knows how to disappear, but even the Monarch authorities can’t figure out what she’s hiding from.
Tim (Joe Tippett) suggests they recruit Cate and Kentaro since they have the organization in their blood. It doesn’t hurt that they also want to find out exactly what happened to their dad. Duvall thinks they should set Cate, Kentaro, and May free but continue to monitor their activities.
Deputy Director Natalia Verdugo (Mirelly Taylor) will take over the task of getting info from Lee Shaw.
Tim hands over their passports, new phones, plane tickets, and even money at the Nome, Alaska airport while also apologizing for Monarch’s intrusion in their lives. Tim gets angry when they blow off his apology, warning them they’re lucky to be alive after sticking their noses into Monarch’s business. He also reveals he used his influence to get them released, but he won’t help if they’re brought in again.
Kentaro’s shocked May’s planning to fly back to Japan while they’re not even sure Hiroshi’s dead. Cate believes they need to search his San Francisco office for more clues. May’s laptop was frozen by the Frost Vark Titan, but she admits she has a backup copy of Hiroshi’s files. She’s willing to turn them over to Cate and Kentaro but remains leery of continuing to help them find their dad.
Cate’s certain they can’t do it without May’s help.
Kurt Russell in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ episode 5 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Meanwhile, old video of a much younger Lee, Bill (Anders Holm), and Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) is shown to Lee in his cell. (The scene features a cool shot of Wyatt and Kurt Russell seeming to merge into one person.) Verdugo unlocks Lee’s handcuffs and says the powers-that-be at Monarch are standing on the shoulders of giants – with Lee being one of Monarch’s giants. Lee corrects her, saying that it feels more like they’re sitting on his shoulders while doing absolutely nothing about the Titans.
Both Verdugo and Lee agree that Hiroshi didn’t want this life for his kids. Lee claims he’ll confirm that when he meets up with his old friend. However, Verdugo insists Lee’s never getting out of Monarch’s custody so any meeting will be in the afterlife.
Tim and Duvall talk about Lee’s age, acknowledging he doesn’t look close to 91. Tim’s heard rumors about a failed mission that might have done something to alter his age. Duvall wonders how Lee found a new Titan just days after breaking out of a retirement home.
Apparently, May gave in as she’s with Cate and Kentaro at the Oakland, CA airport. Cate’s not exactly overjoyed when her mom’s work friend, James, shows up in a van to pick them up. He’s a little too enthusiastic about being their driver and won’t take no for an answer.
They drive through the Alameda Point FEMA Housing mobile home park, and James explains its residents don’t want to leave even though FEMA offered them housing outside of San Francisco. He confirms tourists used to pay to see the destroyed city until the military walled it off. Kentaro confesses his mom tried to sign up for a tour, so that she could find his dad.
May and Kentaro offer to go for a walk so Cate can break the news Hiroshi had another family. Unfortunately, they don’t escape quickly enough and Cate introduces her mom, Caroline, to Kentaro Randa and May. Caroline’s stunned to meet her husband’s son whom she knew nothing about but welcomes them into her home anyway.
Caroline and James’ jobs are to collect personal items from the ruins, and she’s got boxes scattered throughout her trailer. Things get really awkward, and Cate sends Kentaro and May into her room while she speaks to her mom.
Cate says it’s okay to take a minute to have a hysterical breakdown. It’s justified, given that she just found out her husband had a secret family. Caroline confesses she pushed Cate to go to Tokyo to get her out of her room. Cate was deeply depressed after the death of her students during Godzilla’s attack and had been keeping to herself in her bedroom.
Caroline needed to do something to show Cate there was a reason to live.
The walls are thin and May and Kentaro have heard this entire discussion.
Caroline’s upset to learn Cate wants to visit her dad’s office in the restricted area to look for more clues. She warns her daughter that the military’s shooting looters, but Cate won’t back down.
Caroline decides there’s no way to dissuade her daughter and so the best option is to help her. She and James drive the FEMA van to the Reconstruction Area Entrance at South Pier and make it through by bribing the guard not to check the back of the van.
Once inside the destroyed city, Kentaro looks around and asks, “How can anyone believe this is fake?”
Cate thinks it’s easier for some people to believe it’s a lie rather than that Titans are a real and present danger.
Caroline and James need to leave, but first, James gives the threesome flashlights and warns them that if they’re caught, the military will assume they’re looters. They’ll meet back up at 8am, ahead of the gate’s scheduled 8:15am closing.
Back at Monarch, Verdugo asks Lee why, after all these decades, he broke out of the retirement center. She also demands to know what’s in Randa’s files. Lee says there’s nothing there that Verdugo and Monarch don’t already know.
Lee looks into the surveillance camera and says, “Monarch is wrong and has been for a long, long time.”
Ren Watabe, Anna Sawai and Kiersey Clemons in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ episode 5 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Cate leads May and Kentaro through the ruins of San Francisco, pointing out where she used to hang out. A flashback shows her outside the now-destroyed Grounds Hero coffee shop, sharing a hug with her girlfriend, Dani. They kiss, and Cate looks incredibly happy as they walk hand and hand down the street.
Cate’s girlfriend asks her to move in and Cate replies, “Haven’t you learned your lesson?” Cate’s given a key to her girlfriend’s place as they head to work at Girard Middle School. It’s one day before G-Day.
Cate’s class is half-empty because parents fear the giant monsters and have kept their children home. Even with videos circulating, Cate isn’t panicking. A school administrator pops into her classroom and says they’re monitoring the situation. Cate’s instructed to make sure her students charge their phones in case of an emergency.
One of the students asks if the monsters are coming to this area next. That seems to jar Cate.
On G-Day, Cate hustles as she assists the students to get onto a bus while Dani explains that she’s staying in the gym with any remaining kids waiting to get picked up by their parents. Cate opts to chaperone the bus that just loaded.
Back to current events and Cate, Kentaro, and May are almost discovered by the military. Kentaro diverts the soldiers’ attention by attracting cats to a bag of food.
A few minutes later, Kentaro breaks the tension by singing a song their dad used to sing. Unfortunately, singing in a restricted area isn’t a wise idea, and they’re once again spotted by soldiers. This time, they escape into the subway as Cate barely controls her panic while experiencing flashbacks of Godzilla.
Lucky for them, they aren’t the only people hiding out in the subway. The military goes after the others who’ve snuck into the area, allowing Cate, Kentaro, and May to make a run for it. Cate’s barely keeping it together now, but Kentaro and May promise to help her out. They won’t move forward without her.
Cate’s confused in all the rubble and doesn’t know which way to go. Kentaro tries to assure her it’s okay, and she replies, “You don’t know that. You can’t know that. We’re going to die down here!”
She has a flashback of her dad telling her she’ll be all right and takes it out on Kentaro.
Anna Sawai in ‘Monarch” Legacy of Monsters’ episode 5 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Kentaro heads off on his own to find a way out while May stays behind to comfort Cate. Cate has yet another flashback, this time to being in bed with another woman the day before G-Day – the same morning her girlfriend asked her to move in.
The flashback explains why Cate asked Dani if she had learned her lesson.
Before the bus doors close, Dani tells Cate she didn’t learn her lesson. “We were good. You just don’t want ‘good,’” says Dani. The bus doors close without Cate replying.
She comes out of the flashback and confesses to May that she hates her dad for leaving. She doesn’t understand why anyone would do anything for her since she always lets people down.
As Cate and May are having a bonding moment, Kentaro finds a way out by following the cats. They eventually arrive at their dad’s towering office building, and of course, Hiroshi’s office is on one of the upper floors. There’s some damage inside the office, but the family photos on the desk are still upright.
Kentaro rips the map off the wall, assuming the safe will be underneath since that’s where it was located in Hiroshi’s Japan office. Unfortunately, there’s nothing there.
Cate takes a good look at the map with fresh eyes and a basic understanding of Monarch. She traces loops on the map and asks May for the files. The map doesn’t make much sense until Kentaro figures out they must put one image on top of another. When they do it, the loops go over San Francisco, Alaska, and Africa.
“This must be the path he took,” says Cate.
They fold up the map and hustle as the sun’s rising; they can’t be late for their 8am rendezvous with Cate’s mom. They make it out just in time, and when they return to Cate’s home, Cate apologizes to her mom for what Hiroshi put her through for 30 years.
Caroline admits James is interested in her but willing to wait until she’s ready. She also admits she could have discovered Cate’s father was cheating, but she didn’t want to know the truth. Caroline didn’t mind having a part-time husband.
Cate drops the bombshell that Hiroshi worked for a secret organization having to do with Godzilla and didn’t die in Alaska. She promises her mom she’s going to find him.
May sneaks away and calls Duvall, telling her she wants to go home. Duvall promises to be in touch.
Magnum heads to college for an investigation of a professor on NBC’s Magnum PI season five episode 18. “Extracurricular Activities” was directed by Perdita Weeks and will air on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT.
Jay Hernandez leads the cast as Thomas Magnum, Perdita Weeks is Juliet Higgins, Zachary Knighton stars as Orville ‘Rick’ Wright, Stephen Hill is Theodore ‘TC’ Calvin, Amy Hill is Kumu, and Tim Kang plays Det. Gordon Katsumoto.
“Extracurricular Activities” Plot: Magnum and Higgins are hired by a dean at the University of Oahu to quietly investigate a professor who has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a female grad student. TC and Katsumoto take Cade and Dennis on a father-son camping trip.
Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum in ‘Magnum PI’ season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)
The Season 5 Plot, Courtesy of NBC:
Magnum P.I. is a modern take on the classic series centering on Thomas Magnum, a decorated former Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. A charming rogue, an American hero and a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan, Magnum lives in a guest cottage on Robin’s Nest, the luxurious estate where he works as a security consultant to supplement his P.I. business.
The “majordomo” of the property is Juliet Higgins, a beautiful and commanding disavowed MI:6 agent whose second job is to keep Magnum in line, with the help of her two Dobermans. When Magnum needs backup on a job, he turns to his trusted buddies and fellow POW survivors Theodore ‘TC’ Calvin, a former Marine chopper pilot who runs Island Hoppers, a helicopter tour business, and Orville “Rick” Wright, a former Marine door-gunner-turned-impresario of Oahu’s coolest nightclub and the most connected man on the island.
With keys to a vintage Ferrari in one hand, aviator sunglasses in the other, and an Old Düsseldorf longneck chilling in the fridge, Thomas Magnum is back on the case!
Director Perdita Weeks, Martin Martinez as Cade, and Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin on the set of season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Amy Hill as Teuila “Kumu” Tuileta and Tim Kang as Detective Gordon Katsumoto, Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Amy Hill as Teuila “Kumu” Tuileta and Zachary Knighton as Orville “Rick” Wright in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Zachary Knighton as Orville “Rick” Wright, Lance Lim as Dennis, Martin Martinez as Cade, and Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Zachary Knighton as Orville “Rick” Wright and Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Martin Martinez as Cade, Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin, and Tim Kang as Detective Gordon Katsumoto in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Tim Kang as Detective Gordon Katsumoto, Lance Lim as Dennis, Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin, and Martin Martinez as Cade in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Martin Martinez as Cade and Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)
