Ariana DeBose in ‘I.S.S’ (Photo Credit: Bleecker Street)
A battle for control of the International Space Station is the focus of director Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s sci-fi thriller I.S.S. The infinity of space provides the backdrop for Cowperthwaite’s film, which restricts the action to the space station and the combatants to just six.
The six include three Americans – played by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Chris Messina (The Boogeyman), and John Gallagher Jr. (Gaslight) – and three Russians – played by Pilou Asbæk (Game of Thrones), Masha Mashkova (For All Mankind), and Costa Ronin (The Americans). Of the six, only DeBose’s character, Dr. Kira Foster, is an I.S.S. newbie. Four of the astronauts/cosmonauts are already on board the station when she arrives. And her traveling companion, Gallagher’s Christian Campbell, has previous experience living in the structure that serves as an orbiting scientific laboratory.
Kira’s no-nonsense attitude is immediately at odds with the sociable interactions of her fellow station dwellers. Her military background may play into it, or it could be she’s just feeling like the odd-man-out as the rookie on the roster. It doesn’t help that she’s having a rough time adjusting to the very limited, almost non-existent amount of private space, the language differences, and the lack of room to conduct her experiments on mice in zero gravity.
The rules regarding personal conduct on board the floating station are simple: pay attention to what you’re doing, respect the privacy of others, and keep your political opinions to yourself. It’s that last unwritten rule that leads to drama when political differences on Earth invade the confines of the space station.
Kira’s the first to notice something’s amiss back home. The first brilliant flash that lights up the sky is thought to be a volcanic eruption. However, Kira and her fellow astronauts quickly realize the light didn’t emit from a single explainable natural source. No, it’s obvious war has broken out on Earth as entire continents are engulfed in flame.
What does this mean for the three Americans and three Russians who, up until this catastrophic event, have been living in harmony? The answer arrives via secret messages from the American and Russian governments sent to their respective citizens in space. Both messages order their people to take control of the International Space Station…by any means necessary.
Tensions ratchet up as the full impact of what’s going on 250 miles away back on Earth hits the six individuals. The first shot of the I.S.S. war is fired when one side lies about the need to fix an antenna outside the ship. That lie shatters the peace on board the I.S.S. and leads to a rapid – and fatal – escalation in the battle for control of the orbiting space station.
Screenwriter Nick Shafir and director Cowperthwaite do a terrific job of setting up the dynamics within the space station but never fully flesh out any of the characters. We know little more about these people when the film comes to its riveting conclusion than we did when Kira and Christian arrived on the I.S.S. However, the situation they’re thrust into excuses the lack of character development since it isn’t necessary to get inside their heads to know exactly what’s going on or to understand why each of the six combatants deals with this extraordinary turn of events in the manner they do.
The terrific camera work by Nick Remy Matthews captures the feeling of claustrophobia and being trapped in a space where there’s no easy way to escape. Geoff Wallace’s production design is first-rate, and the score is effective in helping to build up the tension. Cowperthwaite’s direction perfectly utilizes the small space, incorporating weightlessness as yet another way to place the characters in hard-to-control, life-threatening situations.
When push comes to shove, normal items that help the crew function onboard the station – including life-sustaining oxygen – are transformed into weapons. And as suspicions grow and the level of paranoia increases, the characters confront meaty moral issues, including the extent to which loyalty to country should guide their actions.
There’s nary an alien in sight in this suspenseful sci-fi thriller. Instead, it’s humans and our inability to co-exist peacefully that makes I.S.S. not just an entertaining psychological drama but a scary – and realistic – cautionary tale.
GRADE: B
MPAA Rating: R for some violence and language
Release Date: January 19, 2024
Running Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Studio: Bleecker Street
‘Oppenheimer’ cast, producer Emma Thomas, and director Christopher Nolan accept the Best Picture Award (Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images for Critics Choice Association)
Take that, Golden Globes. Chelsea Handler did a masterful job hosting the 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards, nailing the jokes and showing she completely understood the assignment. Hosting for the second consecutive year, Handler kept the show on track and even called an audible late into the broadcast, bringing Barbie‘s Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie to the stage to accept the Best Comedy Movie award – one of a dozen not scheduled to be handed out on stage.
The acceptance speeches were heartfelt, lively, and memorable, and America Ferrera’s SeeHer acceptance speech will go down as one of the better speeches in Critics Choice Awards‘ history. Harrison Ford kept his Career Achievement Award acceptance speech short, recognizing the positive changes in the industry over his decades as an actor.
Oppenheimer topped the list of winners on the film side, earning eight, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.), Best Acting Ensemble, Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Score. Barbie followed with six, taking home trophies in the Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Hair & Makeup, and Best Comedy. Ryan Gosling’s shocked face instantly went viral when “I’m Just Ken” was announced as Best Song winner.
Additional film winners included The Holdovers with three and American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Poor Things, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with one.
The Bear and Beef tied with four wins each in the television categories, and the final season of Succession picked up three wins.
Critics Choice Awards Film Nominees and Winners:
BEST PICTURE American Fiction
Barbie
The Color Purple
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro WINNER: Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
Saltburn
BEST ACTOR
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Leonardo DiCaprio – Killers of the Flower Moon
Colman Domingo – Rustin WINNER: Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction
BEST ACTRESS
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall
Greta Lee – Past Lives
Carey Mulligan – Maestro
Margot Robbie – Barbie WINNER: Emma Stone – Poor Things
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Sterling K. Brown – American Fiction
Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon WINNER: Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Charles Melton – May December
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple
America Ferrera – Barbie
Jodie Foster – Nyad
Julianne Moore – May December WINNER: Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Abby Ryder Fortson – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Ariana Greenblatt – Barbie
Calah Lane – Wonka
Milo Machado Graner – Anatomy of a Fall WINNER:Dominic Sessa – The Holdovers
Madeleine Yuna Voyles – The Creator
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Air
Barbie
The Color Purple
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon WINNER: Oppenheimer
BEST DIRECTOR
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Greta Gerwig – Barbie
Yorgos Lanthimos – Poor Things WINNER: Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Alexander Payne – The Holdovers
Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Samy Burch – May December
Alex Convery – Air
Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer – Maestro WINNER: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach – Barbie
David Hemingson – The Holdovers
Celine Song – Past Lives
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Kelly Fremon Craig – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Andrew Haigh – All of Us Strangers WINNER: Cord Jefferson – American Fiction
Tony McNamara – Poor Things
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Eric Roth & Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Matthew Libatique – Maestro
Rodrigo Prieto – Barbie
Rodrigo Prieto – Killers of the Flower Moon
Robbie Ryan – Poor Things
Linus Sandgren – Saltburn WINNER: Hoyte van Hoytema – Oppenheimer
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Suzie Davies, Charlotte Dirickx – Saltburn
Ruth De Jong, Claire Kaufman – Oppenheimer
Jack Fisk, Adam Willis – Killers of the Flower Moon WINNER: Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer – Barbie
James Price, Shona Heath, Szusza Mihalek – Poor Things
Adam Stockhausen, Kris Moran – Asteroid City
BEST EDITING
William Goldenberg – Air
Nick Houy – Barbie WINNER: Jennifer Lame – Oppenheimer
Yorgos Mavropsaridis – Poor Things
Thelma Schoonmaker – Killers of the Flower Moon
Michelle Tesoro – Maestro
BEST COSTUME DESIGN WINNER: Jacqueline Durran – Barbie
Lindy Hemming – Wonka
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck – The Color Purple
Holly Waddington – Poor Things
Jacqueline West – Killers of the Flower Moon
Janty Yates, David Crossman – Napoleon
BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP WINNER: Barbie
The Color Purple
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Priscilla
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Creator
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One WINNER: Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
BEST COMEDY
American Fiction WINNER: Barbie
Bottoms
The Holdovers No Hard Feelings
Poor Things
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
The Boy and the Heron
Elemental
Nimona WINNER: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Wish
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM WINNER: Anatomy of a Fall
Godzilla Minus One
Perfect Days
Society of the Snow
The Taste of Things
The Zone of Interest
BEST SONG
“Dance the Night” – Barbie WINNER: “I’m Just Ken” – Barbie
“Peaches” – The Super Mario Bros. Movie
“Road to Freedom” – Rustin
“This Wish” – Wish
“What Was I Made For” – Barbie
BEST SCORE
Jerskin Fendrix – Poor Things
Michael Giacchino – Society of the Snow WINNER: Ludwig Göransson – Oppenheimer
Daniel Pemberton – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Robbie Robertson – Killers of the Flower Moon
Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt – Barbie
‘Succession’ wins Best Drama at the 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards (Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images for Critics Choice Association)
Critics Choice Awards Television Nominees and Winners
BEST DRAMA SERIES
The Crown (Netflix)
The Diplomat (Netflix)
The Last of Us (HBO | Max)
Loki (Disney+)
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+) WINNER: Succession (HBO | Max)
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (HBO | Max)
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES WINNER: Kieran Culkin – Succession (HBO | Max)
Tom Hiddleston – Loki (Disney+)
Timothy Olyphant – Justified: City Primeval (FX)
Pedro Pascal – The Last of Us (HBO | Max)
Ramón Rodríguez – Will Trent (ABC)
Jeremy Strong – Succession (HBO | Max)
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Aunjanue Ellis – Justified: City Primeval (FX)
Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us (HBO | Max)
Keri Russell – The Diplomat (Netflix) WINNER: Sarah Snook – Succession (HBO | Max)
Reese Witherspoon – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Khalid Abdalla – The Crown (Netflix) WINNER: Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Ron Cephas Jones – Truth Be Told (Apple TV+)
Matthew MacFadyen – Succession (HBO | Max)
Ke Huy Quan – Loki (Disney+)
Rufus Sewell – The Diplomat (Netflix)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Nicole Beharie – The Morning Show (Apple TV+) WINNER: Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown (Netflix)
Sophia Di Martino – Loki (Disney+)
Celia Rose Gooding – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
Karen Pittman – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Christina Ricci – Yellowjackets (Showtime)
BEST COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Barry (HBO | Max) WINNER: The Bear (FX)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Poker Face (Peacock)
Reservation Dogs (FX)
Shrinking (Apple TV+)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Bill Hader – Barry (HBO | Max)
Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Kayvan Novak – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
Drew Tarver – The Other Two (HBO | Max) WINNER: Jeremy Allen White – The Bear (FX)
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai – Reservation Dogs (FX)
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC) WINNER: Ayo Edebiri – The Bear (FX)
Bridget Everett – Somebody Somewhere (HBO | Max)
Devery Jacobs – Reservation Dogs (FX)
Natasha Lyonne – Poker Face (Peacock)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Phil Dunster – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Harrison Ford – Shrinking (Apple TV+)
Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
James Marsden – Jury Duty (Amazon Freevee) WINNER: Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear (FX)
Henry Winkler – Barry (HBO | Max)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Paulina Alexis – Reservation Dogs (FX)
Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary (ABC) WINNER: Meryl Streep – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Jessica Williams – Shrinking (Apple TV+)
BEST LIMITED SERIES WINNER: Beef (Netflix)
Daisy Jones & the Six (Prime Video)
Fargo (FX)
Fellow Travelers (Showtime)
Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)
Love & Death (HBO | Max)
A Murder at the End of the World (FX)
A Small Light (National Geographic)
BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (Showtime)
Finestkind (Paramount+)
Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie (Peacock)
No One Will Save You (Hulu) WINNER:Quiz Lady (Hulu)
Reality (HBO | Max)
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Matt Bomer – Fellow Travelers (Showtime)
Tom Holland – The Crowded Room (Apple TV+)
David Oyelowo – Lawmen: Bass Reeves (Paramount+)
Tony Shalhoub – Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie (Peacock)
Kiefer Sutherland – The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (Showtime) WINNER: Steven Yeun – Beef (Netflix)
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Kaitlyn Dever – No One Will Save You (Hulu)
Carla Gugino – The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
Brie Larson – Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)
Bel Powley – A Small Light (National Geographic)
Sydney Sweeney – Reality (HBO | Max)
Juno Temple – Fargo (FX) WINNER: Ali Wong – Beef (Netflix)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION WINNER: Jonathan Bailey – Fellow Travelers (Showtime)
Taylor Kitsch – Painkiller (Netflix)
Jesse Plemons – Love & Death (HBO | Max)
Lewis Pullman – Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)
Liev Schreiber – A Small Light (National Geographic)
Justin Theroux – White House Plumbers (HBO | Max)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION WINNER: Maria Bello – Beef (Netflix)
Billie Boullet – A Small Light (National Geographic)
Willa Fitzgerald – The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
Aja Naomi King – Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)
Mary McDonnell – The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
Camila Morrone – Daisy Jones & the Six (Prime Video)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES
Bargain (Paramount+)
The Glory (Netflix)
The Good Mothers (Hulu)
The Interpreter of Silence (Hulu) WINNER: Lupin (Netflix)
Mask Girl (Netflix)
Moving (Hulu)
BEST ANIMATED SERIES
Bluey (Disney+)
Bob’s Burgers (Fox)
Harley Quinn (HBO | Max) WINNER: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix)
Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
Young Love (HBO | Max)
BEST TALK SHOW
The Graham Norton Show (BBC America)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC) WINNER: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO | Max)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
BEST COMEDY SPECIAL
Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool (Netflix)
Alex Borstein: Corsets & Clown Suits (Prime Video)
John Early: Now More Than Ever (HBO | Max) WINNER: John Mulaney: Baby J (Netflix)
Trevor Noah: Where Was I (Netflix)
Wanda Sykes – I’m an Entertainer (Netflix)
Lisa Rinna guest stars a co-anchor of the Morning Show on CBS’s So Help Me Todd season two episode one. Directed by Nancy Hower from a script by Scott Prendergast, episode one – “Iceland Was Horrible” – will air on Thursday, February 15, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT.
Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden leads the cast as Margaret Wright and Skylar Astin stars as the titular Todd. Season two also features Madeline Wise as Allison, Tristen J. Winger as Lyle, Inga Schlingmann as Susan, and Rosa Arredondo as Francey.
“Iceland Was Horrible” Plot: Margaret and Todd tackle a case involving a murder on live local morning news and must rethink their working relationship after Todd decides to open his own PI business. Additional guest stars include Jeffrey Nordling and Thomas Cadrot.
So Help Me Todd stars Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin as razor-sharp, meticulous attorney Margaret Wright and Todd, her talented but scruffy, aimless son whom she hires as her law firm’s in-house investigator. As the black sheep of the well-heeled Wright family, Todd is a laidback, quick-thinking, excellent former private detective who fell on hard times after his flexible interpretation of the law got his license revoked.
Margaret’s penchant for excellence and strict adherence to the law is at complete odds with Todd’s scrappy methods of finding his way through sticky situations: by the seat of his wrinkled pants. When Todd inadvertently teams with his mother on a case, she’s surprised to find herself duly impressed by – and proud of – his crafty ability to sleuth out information with his charm and his wide-ranging tech savvy. At last, Margaret sees a way to put her son on a “suitable” path to living an adult, financially solvent life she approves of, and she asks him to join her firm. Todd agrees, since it means getting his license back and once again doing the job he excels at and loves.
Mother and son working together is a big first step toward mending their fragile, dysfunctional relationship, and they may even come away with a better understanding of each other at this pivotal point in their lives. But whether Todd and Margaret will be able to accept each other for who they are is another case entirely.
It’s a badge of honor for a movie to be made into a stage musical. It’s an even bigger badge of honor for that musical to be adapted back into a movie of its own. But here we are – 20 years after Mean Girls hit theaters and six years after the show hit Broadway, Mean Girls the musical is now a movie.
Mean Girls is about a teenager named Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) who, until now, has been homeschooled by her mother while Mom does research in Africa. Cady finally gets a chance to attend a regular high school, and it goes about as well as one would expect. To put it plainly, Cady is socially awkward.
She meets a pair of like-minded misfits named Janis and Damian (Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey), but she also catches the eye of “The Plastics,” a group of popular girls led by the ruthlessly shallow Regina George (Reneé Rapp). Janis and Damian see this as a chance to use Cady to get an inside look at The Plastics for their own gains, while Cady is left wondering who her real friends are.
Oh, and there’s a popular boy named Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney) involved.
And everyone sings about it.
Those who are familiar with the original Mean Girls will recognize right away that this version sticks pretty closely to that story. Which is a good thing because that story would be tough to top. This adaptation of an adaptation of Mean Girls seems to have been a passion project for writer Tina Fey (who also reprises her role as Cady’s math teacher, Ms. Norbury, from the original, which she also co-wrote), and her wickedly sly sense of humor comes through wonderfully.
Directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. seem to share that sense of humor, also injecting a good dose of the post-millennial anxiety that was so prominent in their short film series Quarter Life Poetry into the mix. So Mean Girls feels sympathetic towards its high school heroes while simultaneously poking fun at them. A great combination of heart and humor.
Mean Girls is also perfectly cast. If there was a way to improve upon the casting of the original, this movie found it. Angourie Rice is a great Cady, with an arc that takes her from naïve newcomer to full-fledged popular girl. Reneé Rapp’s Regina George is brilliant as well, the kind of character that makes the audience want to slap her, and her performance is helped immensely by the fact that Rapp is the strongest singer of the ensemble. The most improved character, however, is Jaquel Spivey’s Damien. The hysterical young actor has a presence that steals every scene he’s in.
And then, there’s the music. Not to throw shade at The Color Purple, but that movie musical didn’t exactly work. The music was good, and the story was good, but together, they clashed. With Mean Girls, the music and story mesh. The songs are all catchy modern pop, and each one feels like an extension of the character who sings it. Whether it’s Cady singing about being “Stupid With Love” or Regina singing about watching the “World Burn,” you know exactly who you’re dealing with when they break into song.
To say Mean Girls is fun is an understatement. It’s uproarious, raucous, hilarious fun. This is a Mean Girls for the new generation. Even if the old generation will love it just as much.
CBS’s FBI kicks off season six with an episode that finds the team on the hunt for a terrorist organization. Directed by Alex Chapple from a script by Rick Eid and Joe Halpin, season six episode one will air on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT.
Season six stars Missy Peregrym as Special Agent Maggie Bell, Zeeko Zaki as Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan, and Jeremy Sisto as Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine. Alana De La Garza plays Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille, John Boyd is Special Agent Stuart Scola, and Katherine Renee Kane stars as Special Agent Tiffany Wallace.
“All the Rage” Plot: When a bus explosion kills several innocent people, the team jumps into action to take down the responsible terrorist organization. Meanwhile, Scola tries to balance fatherhood with the job.
From Emmy Award winner Dick Wolf and the team behind the Law & Order brand, FBI is a fast-paced drama about the inner workings of the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This elite unit brings to bear all their talents, intellect, and technical expertise on major cases in order to keep New York and the country safe.
Born into a multigenerational law enforcement family, Special Agent Maggie Bell commits deeply to the people she works with as well as those she protects. Her partner is Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan, a West Point graduate via Bushwick who spent two years undercover for the DEA before being cherry-picked by the FBI. Overseeing them is Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille, who operates under intense pressure and has undeniable command authority.
The team also includes Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine, the nerve center of the office whose ability to easily relate to and engage with both superiors and subordinates makes him a master motivator. The smart and outspoken Special Agent Tiffany Wallace, who spent six years with the NYPD, is partner to Special Agent Stuart Scola, an Ivy League-educated Wall Streeter-turned-FBI agent. These first-class agents tenaciously investigate cases of tremendous magnitude, including terrorism, organized crime, and counterintelligence.
Season 20 of CBS’s NCIS ended on a massive cliffhanger, and according to the official season 21 episode one synopsis, Torres’ story is going to be front and center when the new season picks up. Directed by Diana Valentine from a script by Christoper J. Waild, season 21 episode one – “Algún Día” – will air on Monday, February 12, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT.
Season 21 stars Sean Murray as Special Agent Timothy McGee, Wilmer Valderrama as Special Agent Nickolas “Nick” Torres, Brian Dietzen as Dr. Jimmy Palmer, Diona Reasonover as Forensic Scientist Kasie Hines, and Katrina Law as Special Agent Jessica Knight. Rocky Carroll plays NCIS Director Leon Vance and Gary Cole is NCIS Special Agent Alden Parker.
“Algún Día” Plot: The NCIS team must help Torres when he puts his future at stake by confronting the man who tormented his family when he was a child.
NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) focuses on the sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team forced to work together in high-stress situations. Special Agent Alden Parker, a quirky former FBI agent who solves his cases with calm professionalism and sharp, sarcastic charm, leads the NCIS team, which includes NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee, an MIT graduate with a knack for computers who has now graduated to senior field agent; the charismatic, unpredictable and resilient NCIS Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres, who has spent most of his career on solo undercover assignments; and sharp, athletic and tough NCIS Special Agent Jessica Knight, a formidable REACT agent who specializes in hostage negotiations and high-risk operations.
Assisting the team is the naïve Jimmy Palmer, who graduated from assistant to fully licensed medical examiner and now runs the morgue; and forensic scientist Kasie Hines, Ducky’s former graduate assistant. Overseeing operations is NCIS Director Leon Vance, an intelligent, highly trained agent who can always be counted on to shake up the status quo. From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, these special agents investigate all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps ties.
Donald P. Bellisario created the series and serves as an executive producer along with Steven D. Binder, David J. North, Chas. Floyd Johnson, and Mark Harmon. Additional executive producers include Scott Williams, Christopher J. Waild, and Mark R. Schilz.
Director Martin Scorsese and Lily Gladstone on the set of ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (Photo Courtesy of Apple TV+)
The Producers Guild of America (PGA) has weighed in on the best of 2023, with nominees announced in feature films, animated films, TV series/specials, limited/anthology series, television or streamed films, and documentaries. The annual Producers Guild Awards are one of the best indicators of what film will take home the Best Picture Oscar, with the guild reporting 15 of their last 20 winners have won Academy Awards.
Last year’s winner Everything Everywhere All at Once not only won Best Picture, but also picked up six additional Oscars in the Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), and Best Editing categories.
Winners will be announced during the 35th Annual Producers Guild Awards set for Sunday, February 25, 2024 at The Ray Dolby Ballroom, Ovation Hollywood at Hollywood and Highland. The ceremony will also include the presentation of the David O. Selznick Achievement Award to Martin Scorsese. Charles D. King will be recognized with the Milestone Award.
Producers Guild awards Nominees:
Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall Barbie
The Holdovers Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest
Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
The Boy and the Heron
Elemental
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The Super Mario Bros. Movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Drama
The Crown
The Diplomat
The Last of Us
The Morning Show
Succession
Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy
Barry
The Bear
Jury Duty
Only Murders in the Building
Ted Lasso
David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television
All the Light We Cannot See BEEF
Daisy Jones and the Six Fargo
Lessons in Chemistry
Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures
Black Mirror: Beyond the Sea
Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie
Quiz Lady
Reality
Red, White & Royal Blue
Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television
60 Minutes
The 1619 Project
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life
Being Mary Tyler Moore
Welcome to Wrexham
Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television
Carol Burnett: 90 Years Of Laughter + Love
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage
Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Saturday Night Live
Award for Outstanding Producer of Game & Competition Television
The Amazing Race
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Squid Game: The Challenge
Top Chef
The Voice
The following nominees were previously announced:
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Picture
20 Days in Mariupol
American Symphony
Beyond Utopia
The Disappearance of Shere Hite
The Mother of All Lies
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood
Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)
The Award for Outstanding Sports Program
100 Foot Wave
Beckham
Formula 1: Drive to Survive
Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the New York Jets
Shaun White: The Last Run
The Award for Outstanding Children’s Program
Goosebumps
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
Sesame Street
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
The Velveteen Rabbit
The Award for Outstanding Short-Form Program
Carpool Karaoke: The Series
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson
The Last of Us: Inside the Episode
Only Murders in the Building: One Killer Question
Succession: Controlling the Narrative
AMC Networks’ new teaser trailer for Parish finds Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul, The Mandalorian) reciting “The Lord’s Prayer” as scenes of car crashes and buildings on fire flit by in the background. Described as a high-octane drama, the six-episode season is targeting a March 2024 premiere.
Joining Critics Choice Award winner Giancarlo Esposito are Zackary Momoh (The Nevers), Skeet Ulrich (Riverdale), Paula Malcomson (Watchmen), Bonnie Mbuli (Invictus), Ivan Mbakop (Hawkeye), Arica Himmel (Mixed-ish), and Dax Rey (The Good Fight). Emmy winner Bradley Whitford (The West Wing) appears in a recurring role, and SAG nominee Amanda Brugel (The Handmaid’s Tale) guest stars.
“In the series, Esposito stars as Gracian ‘Gray’ Parish, a family man and proud owner of a luxury car service in New Orleans,” reads AMC’s synopsis. “After his son is violently murdered and his business collapses, an encounter with an old friend from his days as a wheelman resurfaces old habits, sending Gray on a high-stakes collision course with a violent criminal syndicate.”
Parish is based on the popular U.K. series The Driver from Danny Brocklehurst and Jim Poyser. Brocklehurst and Poyser are involved as executive producers. Additional executive producers include series star Giancarlo Esposito, Josh Kesselman, Danny Sherman, Barry Jossen, Tana Jamieson, Theo Travers, Scribbler Films’ Jolyon Symonds and David Morrissey, and Red Production’s Nicola Shindler.
Eduardo Javier Canto and Ryan Maldonado guide the series, which was shot on location in New Orleans, as showrunners and executive producers.
Man of action Jason Statham (Meg 2, Expend4bles) is back and this time he’s got bees with him in the action/revenge film The Beekeeper.
Statham stars as Adam Clay, a quiet honey farmer renting space from elderly, retired teacher Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad) who also happens to be his only friend. When Parker receives an alert on her computer that it has a virus, she calls the number on her screen, which connects her to the United Data Group company. The company is really a data mining firm, and Parker becomes their next victim, losing her life savings along with $2 million she managed for a charity.
That night, Clay drops by to deliver some honey and discovers her lifeless body. She shot herself, unable to live with her mistake. This sends Clay on a mission of revenge to literally burn down the business involved with the theft and take down those running it.
Because, you see, Clay isn’t just a beekeeper…he’s a retired Beekeeper! What is that, you – and multiple characters in the film – ask? Well, it’s a trained expert assassin who the government (specifically, the CIA) uses to handle unofficial jobs.
In the film’s most entertaining scene, Clay arrives at the United Data Group building after retrieving the address from a source at the CIA. He knocks out the security guards and goes through the lobby with two canisters of gasoline. Clay orders the girl at the front desk to leave because there’s going to be a fire and heads to the main call center room.
There, he pours gasoline over the computers, phones, and monitors along with a few workers not fast enough to leave. Clay then rigs one computer so that the next call for help from one of the company’s unsuspecting marks will ignite the room. It’s an effective method to shut down United and…BOOM!…the fire engulfs the building.
However, Clay’s only just taken the first steps on his road to revenge. His next task is to hunt down the people at the top of the phishing scam and, to put it bluntly, end them. His list includes Derek Danforth (Josh Hutcherson), a young, arrogant twenty-something creep whose mother is a woman in high places. It also includes Danforth’s protector, Wallace Westwyld (Jeremy Irons), a former director of the CIA.
Overly violent and preposterous, The Beekeeper is a mindless (and tedious) revenge film that almost feels like a spoof of itself. The shoot-outs are blurred and chaotic, and the fight scenes are mediocre and unimpressive.
Jason Statham just Jason Statham’s his way through the film as the ex-government assassin who’s on a mission to take down those involved in his friend’s tragic end. Unfortunately, there’s nothing new here. Statham has played this type of role countless times before and has done it much better and with more entertaining one-liners.
Hutcherson is effective as the annoying young mastermind behind the phishing company, but even his character is basically one-dimensional. Jeremy Irons as Westwyld gives the best performance in the film as the one person who knows only too well the threat Clay is to him and Danforth, and what it’s going to take to stop him.
With ridiculous action scenes and even more ridiculous dialogue and puns, The Beekeeper‘s all buzz and no sting. It adds nothing new to the action film genre and will likely be swatted down at the box office.
GRADE: C-
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive language, drug use, some sexual references, and strong violence throughout
Release Date: January 12, 2024
Running Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Directed By: David Ayer
Studio: Amazon MGM Studios
Kiersey Clemons and Anna Sawai in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ episode 10 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episode 10, the season finale, picks up just seconds after the end of episode nine. Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) has just saved Cate (Anna Sawai) from being attacked by a Titan, and it’s obvious Cate’s more shocked about seeing her grandmother than she is about almost being eaten.
Cate’s upset that May’s not with her and doesn’t respond when Keiko asks if she came with Bill Randa or Lee Shaw. Keiko has no idea that time has passed or that she’s talking to her granddaughter.
Keiko reveals she set up a beacon and thinks that her rescue signal is what brought Cate into this world that she’s named Axis Mundi (the pole between Heaven and Earth). Cate knows nothing about the signal, and Keiko realizes Cate isn’t with Monarch and never expected to find her.
Cate has no time to respond before May (Kiersey Clemons) emerges from the forest. They hug, and May says, “Holy sh*t!” when she notices Keiko. Lee (Kurt Russell) yells from nearby, asking if it’s really Keiko. Keiko is so out of the loop that she still has no idea why they’re shocked to see her.
Lee says his name from a distance away, and Keiko realizes his voice is different. Before he shows his face, he asks how long she’s been down there. Keiko believes it’s 1959, and she’s been there for 57 days. Lee explains that after she fell, he also came down on a recon mission – but that was in 1962.
Lee tries to ease Keiko into the truth by saying that he was there for a week, but when he escaped back to Earth it was 1982. Now it’s 2015.
Kurt Russell and Mari Yamamoto in the ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ season 1 finale (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Keiko realizes it has to do with gravitational distortion. She sobs, and Lee finally steps out from behind the tree. The full impact of what happened finally dawns on her as Lee gently holds her face. Lee breaks the news that Bill died a long time ago, and it’s just too much for Keiko to handle.
She asks about Hiroshi, and Cate introduces herself as Hiroshi’s daughter.
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Kentaro (Ren Watabe) demands to know what his dad’s been up to. Hiroshi (Takehiro Hira) admits he was trying to lure out a Titan to show Monarch that a network – and a gateway – exists. He wants to prove his parents were right and maybe stop the next G-Day.
Hiroshi asks his son to help him find the secret to co-existing with the Titans. Kentaro agrees, but only if Hiroshi explains why he had two secret families. Hiroshi can’t, and Kentaro leaves without shaking his dad’s hand.
Hiroshi packs up his remaining belongings in Tokyo and informs Emiko (Qyoko Kudo) that he’s returning to San Francisco to finalize the divorce. Emiko confesses that she dreamed he’d return and no matter what he did to her, she hopes he will have a relationship with his son. However, Emiko also confirms in no uncertain terms that their marriage is over. She even returns her wedding ring.
Mirelly Taylor and Joe Tippett in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ episode 10 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Over at Monarch headquarters, Verdugo (Mirelly Taylor) tells Tim (Joe Tippett) that the gamma-ray transmissions have stabilized, and the outposts are mostly back online. Tim wonders what they’re doing about the signal Dr. Barnes discovered, and Verdugo insists it’s not a priority. Tim begs to differ. If someone survived, they may have answers to all Monarch’s questions.
Tim won’t let up and suggests Verdugo do something about getting Lee, Cate, and May back. Verdugo threatens to fire him if he doesn’t let it go.
Later, Tim meets up with Kentaro at the whiskey bar, and after comparing wounds, he gets down to business. Tim brought copies of the gamma-ray bursts printout and tells Kentaro they found a message within them. The signal is coming from inside the rifts, and Tim believes Hiroshi will understand what they mean.
Hiroshi’s watching his dad’s final tape when Tim and Kentaro arrive at this door. Hiroshi doesn’t want to work with Monarch, and Tim assures him they don’t want him around either. Tim shows him the gamma-ray bursts, and Hiroshi’s shocked there’s a signal in them and that it’s possible Cate is alive.
Hiroshi wants it to be true but knows the odds are against it. Only Lee has ever made it back alive. He doesn’t want any part of this, but Kentaro talks him into it by striking a deal. Kentaro will work with him if he helps them find Cate.
Tim insists Monarch’s not the only game in town. There’s someone else who’ll help them.
Lee, Cate, and May go with Keiko back to her camp, and Lee’s overjoyed to see the beacon from 1962 is still in good shape. Keiko has reconfigured it to send out a pulse.
As Lee examines the beacon, Cate speaks in glowing terms about Hiroshi, calling him a family man who followed in his parents’ footsteps. Lee wants Keiko to return the settings to their original configuration, and she’s certain she can do that. Lee’s optimistic he can get them home with Keiko’s help.
They struggle to move the beacon closer to Lee’s 1962 spaceship, with Lee joking (sarcastically) that they should take their time so they can return to a world full of robot butlers. While May and Cate take a break, Lee and Keiko finally have time for a private chat. Lee says Bill never came back from a secret expedition to prove that Axis Mundi exists. Lee also assures her that Bill saved Monarch and everything the three built together.
Lee provides Keiko with the CliffsNotes version of what’s gone on since she fell, briefly touching on TVs, cars, and phones. Oh, and we went to the Moon. But, overall, Lee says it’s the same old world.
Keiko would never have been able to move the beacon to the right location on her own, and even with four people, it’s quite a struggle. They finally arrive at the spot, and Lee’s pleased that his ship is still intact. He climbs inside and is amazed it still has juice, and Keiko reminds him that in Axis Mundi time, it’s only been there a few weeks.
Mari Yamamoto and Kurt Russell in the ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ season 1 finale (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
They’re busy working on hooking up the beacon to the ship when Keiko announces she’s staying behind. Bill’s gone, Hiroshi is all grown up, and whatever’s happening on Earth is no longer her world. Cate absolutely disagrees. The monsters have taken enough from her, and she needs Keiko in her life. Lee agrees, and Keiko gives in.
They all strap in and prepare for liftoff. All it will take is the beacon attracting a Titan and opening a rift. Once the creature appears and they hit 3,000 feet, Lee will shut off the beacon and the Titan’s retreat will pull them into the rift.
Suddenly, an Ion Dragon Titan appears, but it’s one that was already in the area. (They’re supposedly fiercely territorial.) The rift hasn’t opened yet, and the Ion Dragon is getting too close. Something else starts coming through the rift, but it’s at 7,000 feet. It makes it to 5,000 feet and then 4,000 when the Ion Dragon does a flyover and knocks into the beacon. One of the connections comes loose, and the Titan they need starts retreating.
Lee exits the ship to try and reconnect the beacon. The Ion Dragon lands nearby as Lee struggles to pull the beacon back into place and make the connection. The Titan is within feet of the ship when Lee plugs the beacon back in.
All eyes turn to the rift as Godzilla steps through. The winged Titan turns its attention from the ship to Godzilla. Godzilla sees the ship and lets loose a mighty roar before engaging the dragon in a fight.
The Ion Dragon spits green fluid in Godzilla’s face, which briefly affects the massive creature. Godzilla fights back with his atomic breath and sends the Ion Dragon flying into the rift. That action sets the ship in motion as intended, with the vehicle following the draft of the Ion Dragon. Lee does his best to return to the ship, and Keiko manages to grab his hand while ordering him not to let go.
However, the pull on the ship is too great, and Lee tells Keiko that it’s all right. He thanks her for everything as he slips from her grip and falls away. Keiko screams for Lee, but it’s no use. He’s gone.
Cate and May pull Keiko back into the ship and close the hatch. They strap in for the final part of the journey through the rift.
The ship pops out of the rift and skids a few yards before stopping. They emerge to discover they’re surrounded by spotlights. Armed men rush over to check on their condition and escort them a short distance to a building where Kentaro’s waiting to give Cate and May hugs. He welcomes them back and then credits Hiroshi with doing all the calculations for their return.
Cate and Hiroshi share a lengthy hug, only breaking contact when Hiroshi sees Keiko. Mother and son finally reunite after decades of being apart, and Keiko apologizes for not being there while he was growing up.
Cate then introduces Kentaro to his grandmother.
May’s shocked to see her old boss, Brenda, with Tim, and Brenda admits someone had to pay for all of this. Tim describes their relationship as complicated, and Kentaro confirms there have been big changes in the two years that Cate and May have been gone.
A siren sounds, and everyone rushes to safety inside the building. The camera pans up, and the sign on the building reads: APEX Skull Island Research Station!
Kong has the honor of being the focus of the final scene of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season one.
