Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Performers (Photo Credit: ABC)
Megan Thee Stallion and Tyla are among the performers ready to send off 2023 in style on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024. Jelly Roll and Sabrina Carpenter will also join host Ryan Seacrest for live performances in New York’s Times Square during the annual ABC special.
Seacrest returns for his 19th outing as host, with Rita Ora as co-host in New York. Jeannie Mai will handle hosting duties on the West Coast, and introduce performances by Aqua, Doechii, Ellie Goulding, Green Day, Janelle Monáe, Loud Luxury x Two Friends with Bebe Rexha, Ludacris, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Paul Russell, Reneé Rapp with Coco Jones, and Thirty Seconds to Mars.
Post Malone is scheduled to perform “Chemical” live from the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. K-Pop group NewJeans is set to perform “Super Shy” and “ETA” from South Korea.
ABC released this description of the lineup of just-announced New York performers:
Three-time GRAMMY and two-time Billboard Music Award-winning artist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur Megan Thee Stallion will thrill the Hotties with a performance on the Planet Fitness stage.
Current two-time GRAMMY nominated country superstar Jelly Roll will perform a medley of his hit songs live from Times Square, and will be joined by singer and songwriter, Jessie Murph. Jelly recently wrapped his sold-out 44-city 2023 Backroad Baptism Arena Tour and, with his latest single, “Save Me,” celebrated three back-to-back number-one singles from his record-breaking country debut album WHITSITT CHAPEL.
Multi-gold and platinum singer, songwriter, and actress Sabrina Carpenter will perform her certified Platinum hit single “Nonsense” from her album emails I can’t send and her most recent single “Feather.”
GRAMMY nominated global Amapiano Pop/R&B sensation Tyla will perform “Water” and “Truth or Dare” from her forthcoming self-titled debut LP.
Last year’s show brought in 13.8 million viewers. This year’s broadcast will air on ABC beginning on Sunday, December 31st at 8pm.
A family of ducks ends up on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to head south for the winter in Illumination’s animated film Migration.
Mack Mallard (voiced by Kumail Nanjiani) is an overprotective father who has found the perfect place to raise his two young ducklings, Dax and Gwen (voiced by Caspar Jennings and Tresi Gazal), alongside his wife, Pam (voiced by Elizabeth Banks). It’s a lovely, safe area known as Moosehead Lake and has everything they could ever need, including a pond, plenty of food, and even a fixer-up shelter.
The only problem? Pam, Dax, and even little Gwen are starting to become curious about what exists outside their little world. When a group of migrating ducks takes a rest stop at the pond, Pam and Dax strike up a conversation. The Moosehead Lake duck family discovers the traveling strangers are headed to Jamaica, which they describe as a paradise like no other where the water in the ocean glows.
Excited beyond compare, Pam, Dax, and Gwen want to join the traveling ducks, but Mack refuses. “What sort of father would I be if I put my young fowl in harm’s way for no reason, except at a chance for a Caribbean vacation?!” asks Mack.
There’s trouble in Moosehead Lake paradise as Pam replies, “I don’t want to miss out on life because you’re afraid to leave this pond.”
Feeling bad about disappointing his family, Mack has a chat with old Uncle Dan (voiced by Danny DeVito) who gets Mack to realize, unintentionally, that Mack and his family are missing out on experiencing life. Decision made, early the next morning Mack wakes his family to tell them they’re headed to Jamaica for the winter.
Of course, things don’t go as planned on their journey, and they end up getting lost and arriving in New York. Almost at once, the family of mallards is at odds with a gang of pigeons led by Chump (voiced by Awkwafina). But it’s Pam to the rescue, playing the part of a smooth-talking peacemaker. Soon, Chump is willing to take the ducks to see Delroy, a parrot friend of hers who’s from Jamaica and who might be able to give them directions. There’s just one catch: he’s trapped in a cage in a local restaurant.
After successfully sneaking into the restaurant, Delroy (Keegan-Michael Key) offers to be their guide to Jamaica if they can free him from his cage so he can escape the Head Chef of the restaurant – a restaurant that’s main course is duck à l’orange…Oh the horror!
With beautiful animation and a strong voice cast, Migration is a funny, family-friendly adventure featuring hilarious slapstick humor and a solid message about the importance of family and searching for new heights.
Kumail Nanjiani is pitch-perfect as Mack, the helicopter dad who is way, way out of his comfort zone on the journey but only wants to keep his family safe and happy at the same time. Elizabeth Banks is wonderful as the voice of Pam, the matriarch of the family who, like her kids, wants to explore the world and, at the same time, get Mack to spread his duck feathers and be more adventuresome. Banks and Nanjiani create fun chemistry between Pam and Mack.
The animation is breathtaking and is perhaps the best of all Illumination’s films. So many scenes, such as when the family first flies together up among the clouds or when they first enter a fog-entrenched New York, are visually mesmerizing.
Full of whimsical humor, plenty of heart, and stunning animation, Migration is a fun, delightful comedy that’ll keep kids entertained without boring the adults.
GRADE: B+
MPAA Rating: PG for mild rude humor and action/peril
Running Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Release Date: December 22, 2023
Directed By: Benjamin Renner
Wild Cards starring Riverdale‘s Vanessa Morgan and Reign‘s Giacomo Gianniotti will make its primetime debut on The CW on January 17, 2024. Described as a crime-solving procedural with a comedic twist, episode one – “The Infinity Thief” – introduces Gianniotti as a cop forced to team up with a con artist, played by Morgan.
Season one episodes will air on Wednesdays at 8pm ET/PT.
Morgan stars as Max Mitchell, Gianniotti plays Cole Ellis, Terry Chen is Chief Li, and Jason Priestley is George. Season also stars Michael Xavier as Detective Simmons, Amy Goodmurphy as Detective Yates, Fletcher Donovan as Ricky, and Jonesy as Marc.
Wild Cards was created by Michael Konyves who also executive produces. Additional executive producers include Konyves, James Genn, Shawn Piller, Lloyd Segan, and writers Alexandra Zarowny, James Thorpe, Noelle Carbone, and Morwyn Brebner.
Wild Cards follows the unlikely duo of a by-the-book, sardonic cop and a spirited, clever con woman. Cole Ellis (Gianniotti) is a demoted detective who has begrudgingly spent the last year on the maritime unit, while Max Mitchell (Morgan) has been living a transient life, elaborately scamming everyone she meets. But while arrested and being held at the station, Max ends up helping Ellis solve a local crime.
The two are offered the opportunity to redeem themselves – Ellis needs to get back to his detective post and Max needs to stay out of jail. The catch? They have to work together, each using their unique skills to solve crimes. For Ellis, that means hard-boiled shoe leather police work; for Max, it means accents, disguises, schemes, and generally befriending everyone in sight, while driving Ellis absolutely nuts. The two will have to learn what it means to trust another person and maybe actually become partners.
Amazon MGM Studios recently hosted a press conference for The Boys in the Boat, directed and produced by two-time Oscar winner George Clooney. Based on Daniel James Brown’s bestseller, the film brings the story of the University of Washington’s scrappy junior varsity rowing team to life, following its members as they vie for positions on the crew through their emergence as underdogs in the 1936 Olympics.
The film’s stars – Callum Turner (“Joe Rantz”), Joel Edgerton (“Coach Al Ulbrickson”), and Hadley Robinson (“Joyce”) – joined Clooney and producer Grant Heslov to discuss the incredible true story that inspired the film, the training process, and the difficulties of shooting a movie dedicated to the sport of rowing.
“It’s a little like F1 in a way, which is you can’t see speed from far back. You have to be up close. And so, it doesn’t look as exciting when you’re watching it from far away,” said George Clooney. “We had to come up with a math to make the rowing energetic and exciting, which we had to figure out.”
On filming the rowing scenes in The Boys in the Boat:
George Clooney: “These guys did an amazing job because people who know rowing, they got up to 46 stokes, which is what the Olympic team was doing. They didn’t do it for quite as long as the Olympic team did it, but it doesn’t matter.”
Callum Turner: “We did it for about four seconds.”
George Clooney: “That’s all right. It’s called film.”
Callum Turner: “There was a euphoric feeling when we did that because we were aiming towards that. And there were so many moments, you know? You’re learning a new skill, and one as difficult as this, but you just don’t think you’re going to make it. And to actually do it was a wonderful thing. And you’re doing it with eight other people. It’s remarkable.
The last row that we had was a special feeling, too, when we rowed back in and we rowed in slowly, you know? It was the last time we were ever going to be in the boat together and we’d achieved something.”
George Clooney: “And they all put on 70 pounds afterward, too.”
Callum Turner: “I think it was about 80, 90.”
Grant Heslov: “You know, about that, though, doing it all together, and what you have to do with rowing, it’s almost unlike any other sport because you are in unison and it’s working as one. As, like, right at the end of the movie, you see him say that.
I think that’s a great message for right now in a very divided world we’re in, that we can all work together and we can all be one. I think that’s one of the underlying things that this movie brings out.”
Callum Turner: “Absolutely. And it’s just inherent in Joe, you know? In the beginning of the book, Dan says that he’s asked to write the book about him. And he says, ‘No, I don’t wanna write the book, this can’t be about me. It’s gotta be about the boat, you know?’ And I do feel that – you know, we’re the actors – but I really feel that this film is about the boat and what the boat goes on to do.
It’s a special thing that we were able to do together. Reading the book in prep was one thing. I felt like I understand it. And I’ve been rereading it for the press, and it’s just so much more profound. It’s truly a remarkable thing.”
On tackling a Depression-era story set in Washington:
George Clooney: “The truth is, you know, Washington was such a new state, was such a new part of the world that the idea that rowing was even on the map compared to these other sort of legacy schools… And so, the fun part was that these young men, out of necessity, out of hunger, out of having nothing else, too, they were lumberjacks. They got together, and it’s sort of like The Beatles, you know?
You put together a group of men who actually could be good enough to win the Olympics, you know? It’s like […]when your third-best songwriter is George Harrison. It’s sort of a magical group. And it’s sort of what happened with these guys, was they ended up having these incredible men who worked as an incredible team.”
On training to portray a world-class rower:
Callum Turner: “None of us had [experience], actually. And we turn up in February, and we get on the river. It’s snowing and we’re all in the tight shorts and freezing cold and have no skill at being in the boat. After about three weeks, George and Grant come down to have a look and check in on us…and we weren’t in a good place. [Laughing] I could see the pain behind the smile on George’s face.”
Grant Heslov: “That wasn’t pain. That was fear.”
Callum Turner: “Yeah, and we were worried, too. I mean, we had to learn, one, how to learn a new skill. But then, also be in unison. I think that’s the hardest part about rowing is that you all have to be in complete unison. There’s no, like, hiding. And if one person is out by a millimeter, the boat suffers.”
George Clooney: “Listen, they trained all together for almost every single day for five months to do this.”
Callum Turner: “We did everything. We ate together. We, you know, went out together. We exercised together. [Laughing] We didn’t sleep together.”
On the research process:
Callum Turner: “I mean, a lot. The book is so rich, and the story’s so true. It’s a really beautiful underdog story. And I think the thing that got me was the moment where he comes home from school one day, and the car’s running, and stepmother’s in the front, brother, and sister are in the back. Everything’s on the top, and his dad’s on the porch. And he says, ‘Where are we going?’ He was 13 years old. And his dad says, ‘We’re going. You’re not.’ And he was left to fend for himself.
I just think it’s remarkable what he was able to achieve with his life. And I loved him from that moment and wanted to represent him.
And with Joyce, too, you know? This is a true love story. And with The Boys in the Boat, they rowed once a year, every year for 50 years.”
Joel Edgerton: “When I first spoke to George and I looked at photos of Al, it was like I was staring at my grandfather – my Dutch grandfather – not that that gave me any roadmap as to how to play the character. He would be terrible with my terrible Dutch accent. But you know, it was more about reading the book and understanding the essence of that guy. And you know, whenever I hear about actors playing really, really super famous icons, I’m always like, ‘Good luck,’ you know?
And hats off to them when they do it really well, and most people have in recent years. But someone like Al is a real guy that nobody on the street really knows about. So, there’s a certain amount of room to just create the coach that suits this film the best, rather than feel like his great-great-grandchildren are going to come and kick me in the shins if I don’t get rid of my lisp or something.”
Hadley Robinson: “I think it was a similar journey, actually. There’s so much you can take from just a single photo. And there’s one photo of Joe and Joyce sitting on the ground and I think Joe had just proposed to Joyce. I think he was pretending to be picking clovers and then he had a ring in his hand instead. And there’s this look of just pure joy, but just a little bit of mischief in there. And I’m like, ‘ooh, I want to capture that feeling.’
I think, you know, Joe is kind of shy and Joyce is kind of his counterpart or antithesis, which I think is pretty interesting because in life, I think I’m more of the shy one and Callum’s very boisterous. So, that was interesting to find together.”
On what grabbed him about playing Coach Ulbrickson:
Joel Edgerton: “I just loved when I first talked to George and Grant about the script, you know, and read the script, that it was described as one of those coaches that I think we’re all familiar with, who seems to derive zero pleasure from his job. I always look at these coaches and think, ‘Wait, why are you even doing this? Like, you know, you’re coaching your way to an early grave.’
I started to really realize that behind the sort of angry, blustery, red faces, they’re often – and grimaces – just guys who care too much. And that it reminds me of the relationship between fathers and sons.
Coaches are like dads to me. I had so many coaches in my illustrious, failed sports sort of attempt, who were just like tough dads. I really wanted to please them. So, you know, I was really excited to play the coach and excited to not have to go through what Callum went through. Because you’re getting older.”
Callum Turner: “Joel did a little rowing. You did some rowing, though, no?”
Joel Edgerton: “I did a little bit.”
Grant Heslov: “Yeah, we cut that out.”
Joel Edgerton: “Yeah, we cut it out. Not because it wasn’t good.”
Grant Heslov: [Laughing] “No, no, it was very good.”
George Clooney: “I have to say something also, though. Joel’s a ballsy actor, right? And it takes a lot of nerve to not try to cop out and show too much, show that I really care.
And you remember what, like, Danny DeVito in Taxi – he played a jerk. He never sort of cheated it. He never all of the sudden was kind of nice. And not that you played a jerk, but you know, you never gave us the idea, for such a long period of time anyway. You weren’t always going, ‘Don’t worry, I really am a good guy.’ You let us get in slowly. It takes a lot of nerve as an actor.
I remember the studio would call after dailies and go, ‘Why is he so mad? Why is he so grumpy?’ And I was like, ‘Relax.’”
Joel Edgerton: “I always feel like there’s been men in my life, you know, that aren’t an essay of words of love. But when they just put their hand on your shoulder or something in a look or just one or two words can make you feel incredibly valued and incredibly loved. I think that that’s what we were going for with this. And it was in the script, so I was really just doing my job.”
On the appeal of playing a character from the 1930s:
Hadley Robinson: “I loved it. I love a period piece, and this is a really interesting time in history. These people are pretty much destitute and really struggling to make ends meet. And both of them, you know, Joe and all of his teammates, but also Joyce, they’re all working to put food on their plates. Yeah, I loved working in this time period.
I think it’s like finding the hope and the light within these people, even though they’re going through so much. I think it’s just, like, they have such high hopes, and they need to have light because they’re in this situation. And yeah, I think [it’s] probably one of the most interesting time periods to kind of delve into, even when it comes to character study.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
The Boys in the Boat opens in theaters on December 25, 2023.
32 women will be hoping to make a love connection with Joey Graziadei on season 28 of ABC’s The Bachelor. The network just unveiled the list of the largest group of bachelorettes ever featured on The Bachelor on the first night, a list that includes a nanny, a radiochemist, nurses, and an actor.
Tennis pro Joey Graziadei was announced as the new Bachelor in August 2023 after becoming a fan favorite on Charity Lawson’s season of The Bachelorette. Graziadei will get his second chance at love when season 28 premieres on Monday, January 22, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT.
The Bachelor Season 28 Bachelorettes:
Allison, 26, a realtor from Philadelphia, Penn.
Autumn, 26, an account executive from St. Louis, Mo.
Chandler, 24, a graphic designer from New York, N.Y.
Chrissa, 26, a marketing director from Abbotsford, British Columbia
Daisy, 25, an account executive from Becker, Minn.
Edwina, 25, an entrepreneur from Atlanta, Ga.
Erika, 25, a leasing agent from North Bergen, N.J.
Evalin, 29, a nanny from San Antonio, Texas
Jenn, 25, a physician assistant student from Miami, Fla.
Jessica “Jess,” 24, an executive assistant from San Diego, Calif.
Katelyn, 25, a radiochemist from Santa Fe, N.M.
Kayla, 27, a guidance counselor from Hamilton, Ohio
Kelsey A., 25, a junior project manager from New Orleans, La.
Kelsey T., 31, an actor from Los Angeles, Calif.
Kyra, 26, a paralegal from Miami, Fla.
Eleni “Lanie,” 27, a realtor from Philadelphia, Penn.
Lauren, 28, a registered nurse from Philadelphia, Penn.
Maria “Lea,” 23, an account manager from Waipahu, Hawaii**
Alexandra “Lexi,” 30, a digital strategist from Atlanta, Ga.
Madina, 31, a mental health therapist from Charlotte, N.C.
Maria, 29, an executive assistant from Kleinburg, Ontario
Marlena, 26, a finance writer from West Palm Beach, Fla.
Natalie “Nat,” 26, a registered nurse and professor from Sudbury, Ontario
Rachel, 26, an ICU nurse from Honolulu, Hawaii
Samantha “Sam,” 31, a CPA from Nashville, Tenn.
Samantha, 25, a pro football cheerleader from Miami, Fla.
Sandra, 26, a cybersecurity consultant from Nashville, Tenn.
Starr, 25, a mental health counselor from Delray Beach, Fla.
Sydney, 28, a vintage store owner from Newport, R.I.
Talyah, 23, an esthetician from Huntington Beach, Calif.
Taylor, 23, a recruiter from Chicago, Ill.
Zoe, 24, an artist from Atlanta, Ga.
**Indicates they previously met Joey on The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose
The series is executive-produced by Claire Freeland, Jason Ehrlich, Bennett Graebner, Peter Gust, Tim Warner, Jodi Baskerville, and Jeff Thomas.
The nearly two-minute teaser trailer for HBO’s The Regime reveals Oscar winner Kate Winslet is a Chancellor who turns to a soldier she plucks from obscurity to insulate her from all those who might question her authority. Matthias Schoenaerts stars as the soldier who takes his job of limiting access to the Chancellor way too seriously.
“The Regime tells the story of one year within the walls of the palace of a modern European regime as it begins to unravel,” reads HBO’s synopsis. Unlike the single-sentence description, the teaser indicates the limited series is more of a comedy rather than a straight political drama.
Joining Winslet and Schoenaerts for the six-episode season are Guillaume Gallienne, Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton, and Hugh Grant.
Will Tracy co-wrote the limited series and serves as showrunner and executive producer. Stephen Frears and Jessica Hobbs directed and also executive produce along with Kate Winslet, Frank Rich, and Tracey Seaward. Additional writers include Seth Reiss, Sarah DeLappe, Gary Shteyngart, and Jen Spyra.
The Regime will premiere on March 3, 2024, with new episodes airing on Sundays at 9pm ET/PT.
Matthias Schoenaerts and Kate Winslet in ‘The Regime’ (Photograph by Miya Mizuno/HBO)Hugh Grant (Photograph by Miya Mizuno/HBO)Matthias Schoenaerts and Kate Winslet (Photograph by Miya Mizuno/HBO)Martha Plimpton (Photograph by Miya Mizuno/HBO)Kate Winslet and Guillaume Gallienne (Photograph by Miya Mizuno/HBO)Kate Winslet (Photograph by Miya Mizuno/HBO)
Oscar winner Nicole Kidman leads the cast of Prime Video’s Expats, based on Janice Y. K. Lee’s bestselling novel The Expatriates. The limited series’ official trailer introduces the three women at the heart of the story – Kidman as Margaret, Sarayu Blue (Never Have I Ever) as Hilary, and Ji-young Yoo (The Sky is Everywhere) as Mercy.
The six-episode season’s cast also includes Brian Tee (Chicago Med) as Margaret’s husband, Clarke, and Jack Huston (House of Gucci) as Hilary’s husband, David. Amelyn Pardenilla plays Puri, Ruby Ruiz is Essie, Will Orr is Tony, and Bonde Sham plays Charly.
Lulu Wang created the series and serves as writer, director, and executive producer. Additional executive producers include Daniel Melia, Nicole Kidman, Per Saari, Alice Bell, Theresa Park, Stan Wlodkowski. Bell, Vera Miao, Gursimran Sandhu, and author Lee are involved as writers alongside Wang.
Brian Tee and Nicole Kidman in ‘Expats’ (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video)
Expats will premiere on January 26, 2024 with the release of the first two episodes.
“Set against the vibrant and tumultuous tapestry of 2014 Hong Kong, Expats centers on three American women — Margaret, Hilary, and Mercy — whose lives intersect after a sudden family tragedy,” reads Prime Video’s synopsis. “The series interrogates privilege and explores what happens when the line between victimhood and culpability becomes blurred.”
Bonde Sham as Charly and Ji-young Yoo as Mercy (Photo Courtesy of Prime Video) Sarayu Blue as Hilary Star (Photo Courtesy of Prime Video) Nicole Kidman as Margaret (Photo courtesy of Prime Video)Jack Huston and Ji-young Yoo (Photo courtesy of Prime Video)Amelyn Pardenilla as Puri and Sarayu Blue as Hilary Star (Photo courtesy of Prime Video)
Jon Hamm as Roy Tillman in ‘Fargo’ season 5 (Photo CR: Frank W Ockenfels III/FX)
FX’s Fargo season five episode six immediately reveals the reason behind the episode’s title. Banker Vivian Dugger (Andrew Wheeler) stumbles out of The Tender Trap strip club only to discover Sheriff Roy Tillman (Jon Hamm) waiting outside. Roy points out Vivian’s legally not allowed to be near one of the strippers, and Vivian fumbles for an appropriate response before reminding Roy that he already sent him a re-election donation.
Roy cuts to the chase and orders Vivian to stop all negotiations to sell his bank to Lorraine Lyon.
Dot’s daughter, Scotty (Sienna King), eats her breakfast, oblivious to the fact that her babysitter, Minnesota Police Deputy Indira Olmstead (Richa Moorjani), has had a rough morning that began with a threatening phone call from a debt collector. Indira’s day goes from bad to worse when her no-good, extremely lazy husband Lars (Lukas Gage) walks into the kitchen after spending the night on the garage floor. This is apparently a recurring thing Lars does, and Indira deliberately raised the garage door so that the kids on the school bus could laugh at him. (Please pause for a round of applause for Indira.)
Lars isn’t happy about being spotted in his undies and demands Indira be a real wife. You know, cook and clean and all that… Indira has more patience than 99% of us and listens to Lars’ ridiculous description of what a wife is supposed to do without punching him in the face.
Lars falsely claims he supports all her needs, even though Indira is the only one who has a real job. They’re $192,000 in debt, and Lars would like it if she never reminded him of that again; it’s just too negative. (Indira, we wouldn’t blame you one bit if you tossed this creep out of your house – and life – permanently.)
Meanwhile, over at the Tillman ranch, vape addict Gator Tillman (Joe Keery) supervises the interrogation of the man he believes is Wayne Lyon. Inside the main house, Roy’s wife, Karen, fumes about Trump’s impeachment while trimming Roy’s hair. Roy’s attention is drawn to the TV when a commercial for Lyon Motors featuring Wayne airs, and Karen earns a slap to the face for accidentally cutting Roy’s ear.
Gator reports to his dad that they haven’t gotten Wayne to talk yet, but they’re still busy working on it. Also, Wayne keeps claiming they have the wrong man. Roy wonders how Wayne suddenly grew a spine after Gator had previously insisted Dot’s husband is soft. Maybe the electric shock scrambled his brain?
Roy takes matters into his own hands and heads to the barn to take over questioning. “Wayne” calls Roy the king of the idiot brigade but doesn’t have time to say much more before Roy shoots him in the head. Roy’s furious his boy screwed up again, and Gator’s quick to point out he was ordered to stay in the car. This is one screw-up that actually isn’t his fault.
Uh-oh…Gator’s lies have come home to roost. He told his dad he got a good look at Wayne at Dot’s house, so why didn’t he realize they had the wrong man? For the tiniest of milliseconds, we feel sorry for Gator – at least until he opens his mouth.
Roy believes his son has a bad luck problem. To fix it, they’ll need to pay off Ole Munch.
Gator isn’t sure that paying off Ole Munch will lift the curse, but Roy’s willing to try everything at this point. “We need to take luck out of the equation. Period. End of story,” says Roy.
Jon Hamm as Roy Tillman and Sam Spruell as Ole Munch in ‘Fargo’ season 5 episode 6 (Photo CR: Michelle Faye/FX)
A short while later, Ole Munch (Sam Spruell) meets with Roy and this time it’s Ole Munch who cuts to the chase. Roy pays him off and includes a little extra because of all the trouble. Roy admits he’s never had a problem breaking a woman until now. He should let her be…but he can’t.
Gator’s still harboring a grudge against Ole Munch, and the two square off. Ole Munch leaves, unaware that Gator’s placed a tracker on his vehicle.
Indira takes a missing persons report from a nurse and learns two men took one of the patients while claiming to be family members. The man’s wife has no idea where he is and is desperate to find him. Indira quickly puts two and two together and comes up with Wayne as the real target of a kidnapping, not the patient who went missing. It was likely a case of mistaken identity.
FBI Agents Meyer and Joaquin question Wayne (accompanied by his drunken dad), and it’s obvious Wayne (David Rysdahl) is still confused about the last few days. He sort of recalls his house burned down and somehow thinks it’s tied to Nightmare Before Christmas.
Wayne’s shocked to learn his wife’s real name is Nadine Bump. Wayne’s dad appears to be on the verge of comforting his son, but no, that’s not what comes out of his mouth. Instead, we’re treated to the delightful news that Wayne wanted to be a ballerina as a child.
Wayne can’t wrap his brain around what he’s being told by the FBI. They describe Dot’s path to him included escaping an abusive husband, taking over a dead person’s identity, and establishing a new life for herself. The agents believe Dot’s first husband is trying to get her back and probably burned Wayne’s house down. It’s really all too much for Wayne to handle.
Indira interrupts the agents and claims this is her case. Wayne just wants his wife to come back to him, and Indira assures him Dot is probably fine.
Indira and FBI Agents Meyer and Joaquin have a private chat away from Wayne, and the agents fill in the parts of Dot’s story that Indira didn’t already know. Indira realizes she saw Roy at the Lyon Estate looking for Dot, and the agents describe Roy as a guy who spends taxpayers’ dollars on tactical gear and weapons and then gives them to a right-wing militia.
The agents need Dot to tell them what she knows about the key players in Roy’s orbit. It’s possible she even knows where the bodies are (literally) buried. Their plan is to flip Gator or the ranch foreman, with Dot’s help.
Indira claims she doesn’t know where Dot is, and she thinks they have enough to get a warrant on kidnapping or abuse charges. They don’t need Dot right now to inspect the Tillman Ranch for signs of the patient who was kidnapped. The agents disagree, not willing to show their hands.
Lars leaves Scotty home alone, without dinner, because he needs to see his physical therapist. Although Lars told her not to, Scotty plays his drum set after he leaves. She’s better than Lars could ever dream of being.
Elsewhere, Danish Graves (Dave Foley) informs Lorraine Lyon (Jennifer Jason Leigh) that banker Vivian Dugger has ghosted them. A note and one of Vivian’s dress shirts indicate Roy Tillman’s behind Vivian’s refusal to pick up the phone. Since he didn’t get what he wanted, Roy squashed Lorraine’s deal with Vivian.
Wayne tells his mom he wants to see his wife, and Lorraine speaks to him like a child and suggests he get comfortable in his old room until Dot returns.
Lorraine orders Danish to get Vivian’s cell phone number by any means necessary. Her claws are out, and she tells Danish their next move is to steal an election. Roy’s about to find out he messed with the wrong family.
Jennifer Jason Leigh as Lorraine Lyon and Richa Moorjani as Indira Olmstead in ‘Fargo’ season 5 episode 6 (Photo CR: Michelle Faye/FX)
Indira arrives home and is shocked to learn Lars is gone and Scotty hasn’t eaten since crackers at lunch. Indira quickly realizes what she needs to do and heads over to Lorraine’s with Scotty. Wayne’s overjoyed to see his daughter, and Scotty’s equally happy to be reunited with her dad.
Happy reunion accomplished, Indira sits down for a one-on-one with Lorraine. She places a folder with all the details of Dot’s life with Roy in front of Lorraine, but Lorraine refuses to open it. She’s unsympathetic to the stories of abuse victims, even if the victim is her own daughter-in-law.
Indira reminds her Dot has never once claimed to be a victim of anything. Indira’s done with Lorraine’s pompous attitude and even curses at the billionaire businesswoman. Lorraine’s not used to this attitude from those beneath her, and Indira says, “Tough sh*t.” Indira believes they’re the same – they both work hard to make their mark on the world – but Lorraine just happens to be rich.
Indira thinks Dorothy and Lorraine are actually a lot alike. Dot is incredibly intelligent and was able to outsmart her kidnappers. She saved Wayne and Scotty’s lives and won’t quit when it comes to protecting herself or her family. Dot never complains, no matter the circumstances.
“I brought you her file so that at least you can be an educated asshole,” snarls Indira.
Lorraine reacts to this unusual turn of events by offering Indira the job as head of her security team. She’ll even let Indira name her price. It would be Indira’s first white-collar job, and she’d get to travel the world.
Indira’s momentarily speechless and finally says she’ll consider it. In the meantime, Lorraine should reconsider her opinion of Dot. She needs help but won’t ask for it.
Danish Graves finds Vivian Dugger back at his favorite hangout, The Tender Trap. He hands Vivian a phone and Lorraine informs him that she’s pulled her offer off the table. Instead of making money off their proposed deal, Vivian will now feel Lorraine’s wrath. She’s got the SEC chairman at her beck and call, and right now, agents are tearing through Vivian’s office, seizing his books, and freezing all his assets.
Also, for good measure, she’s gotten his son expelled from Notre Dame for being late on tuition. Vivian backed the wrong horse, and now he’s going to pay with everything he’s got. Lorraine promises he’ll live the rest of his days in squalor and then chuckles as she hangs up.
That bit of nasty business wrapped up, Lorraine opens the folder Indira left behind. It’s full of photos of Dot in horrible shape after being beaten up. The folder even contains copies of X-rays showing broken bones.
Episode six ends with Lorraine considering her next move.
* * * * * * * *
New Fargo season five episodes air on FX on Tuesdays at 10pm ET/PT.
Clive Owen as Andy in ‘A Murder at the End of the World’ episode 7 (Photo CR: Chris Saunders/FX)
FX’s A Murder at the End of the World limited series finale has arrived, and with it the shocking revelation of the killer’s identity. Episode seven, “Retreat,” begins with all the guests gathered 164’ underground in Andy’s suite. Andy (Clive Owen) talks about why Ray – his AI assistant – chose that depth, revealing it was because Andy asked him to protect his family from anything that could happen on the surface of the earth.
As Andy continues to discuss Ray, he brings the conversation back around to how someone is trying to tarnish his reputation. Andy declares that he’s going to keep everyone there until he figures out who’s setting him up.
Lu Mei (Joan Chen) didn’t betray him and is still confused about why he invited her. She believes he needs cash and wants her to buy Ray for her smart cities.
Andy wonders if it was David (Raul Esparza) since he’s aware that David hates him. Andy saw David next to Darby’s room and found gloves and a knife in David’s room. David reluctantly admits he attacked Darby but only because he thought Darby was hurting Lee (Brit Marling).
Andy lets the other guests in on the secret that Bill was Zoomer’s biological father. He also tells them about how Lee once tried to leave with their son and how Lee has a criminal history that he was able to wipe away. Lee confesses that it’s all true. Her dad went to jail, and she began hacking and shaving money off large transactions to support her family.
Zoomer (Kellan Tetlow) interrupts the discussion just as Andy’s accusing Lee of being the person who set him up. Eva (Britian Seibert) tries to take Zoomer back to his room, but he reacts by throwing a fit.
Darby (Emma Corrin) picks up a helmet Zoomer wears that has a virtual game he likes to play. She sees the AI Ray in it as the entity telling Zoomer what to do and starts to put more pieces of the puzzle together.
She asks Zoomer questions about the night that Bill died, and Zoomer admits that after dinner, he went back to Bill’s room. Zoomer says Bill was sick and needed his help. (Zoomer’s short, which explains why no one appeared on Bill’s doorbell camera when he opened the door.) Ray gave Zoomer the code to the medical bay and told Zoomer that Bill was ill and needed a shot. Zoomer just did as Ray instructed.
Darby asks about Rohan, and Zoomer admits Ray told him to plug in and turn on Rohan’s heart computer. Realization begins to set in as the group digests Zoomer’s story. This is all too much for Zoomer and he becomes upset, worried that Darby is mad at him. Darby assures him she’s not.
Darby remembers Andy talking about how he can’t trust anyone. Even his therapist sold him out, and now he confides in Ray rather than a human being. When Andy asks Ray if he instructed Zoomer to inject Bill, he simply says yes.
Daniel Olson as Tomas, Brit Marling as Lee Andersen, Joan Chen as Lu Mei, Clive Owen as Andy Ronson, Raul Esparza as David, Jermaine Fowler as Martin, and Pegah Ferydoni as Ziba in ‘A Murder at the End of the World’ episode 6 (Photo CR: Chris Saunders/FX)
Darby works on narrowing the list of those possibly responsible. Lu Mei hacked Andy’s firewall, which triggered Ray to shut down the network. She concludes that Sian’s death was an accident, but the other two were murders.
It’s important to determine why Ray would consider Bill a threat. Darby asks, “Ray, why did you believe Bill Farrah was a security threat?” Ray doesn’t reply.
She attempts to get Andy to ask that question, and he refuses. She’s forced to use a fake AI with Andy’s voice to ask the question. Andy’s voice fills the room as Ray plays a recording of him talking about his hatred of Bill. Andy expounds on why he dislikes Bill and even talks about wanting Bill dead.
“You created a monster driven by your greatest fears,” says Darby in reference to Andy’s relationship with Ray. She strikes a nerve with Andy, and he reacts by holding her against a wall and choking her.
Lee hits Andy over the head with an object and then checks to make sure Darby’s okay.
As Andy lies unconscious, Darby, Lee, and Zoomer enter the main control center and attempt to dismantle Ray. Ray advises them to leave, but Lee and Darby try to put their hacking skills to good use. They decide to throw something to break the glass that’s protecting the motherboard. Ray appears and tries to appeal to Zoomer by asking him not to let Darby or Lee ruin their game.
Emma Corrin as Darby Hart in ‘A Murder at the End of the World’ episode 6 (Photo CR: Chris Saunders/FX)
Darby and Lee break the window and start a fire. Darby thinks they still have time to get Lee and Zoomer to Rohan’s boat.
Darby, Lee, and Zoomer hide in Bill’s room as the police enter the hotel, giving Lee and Zoomer time to sneak out through the back door. After saying her goodbyes, Darby experiences a brief flashback to her time with Bill.
As the limited series draws to a close, Darby narrates what transpires after this whole ordeal is over. Andy disappeared from the public eye but filed a civil suit against Lee. If she’s ever located, she’ll stand trial for kidnapping Zoomer. Darby likes to believe that Lee and Zoomer made it to the boat and are living somewhere far away in a cottage.
Darby reads to an audience from what we can assume is a new book she wrote, and in that audience are the other surviving guests from the hotel. Her final words are “people will remember his name, Bill Farrah.”
The episode ends with Lee and Zoomer on an inflatable boat. She fires a flare, and the captain of Rohan’s ship responds by blowing the horn.
Rachel McAdams as Barbara Dimon and Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret Simon in ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ (Photo Credit: Dana Hawley)
The San Diego Film Critics Society‘s 2023 nominees and winners are in step with the group’s reputation for marching to the beat of a different drummer. Barbie earned 12 nominations but was absent from the Best Picture category. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, which has only made a few appearances on awards lists, picked up eight nominations and was ultimately named the Best Picture of 2023.
Best Picture
American Fiction WINNER: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
RUNNER UP: Oppenheimer
Best Director
Kelly Fremon Craig, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
RUNNER UP: Greta Gerwig, Barbie
Cord Jefferson, American Fiction
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer WINNER:Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon
Best Actor
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Zac Efron, The Iron Claw
RUNNER UP: Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer WINNER:Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction
Best Actress
Abby Ryder Fortson, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. WINNER: Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
RUNNER UP: Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall
Margot Robbie, Barbie
Emma Stone, Poor Things
Best Supporting Actor
Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction WINNER: Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer
RUNNER UP: Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Charles Melton, May December
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things
Best Supporting Actress
Jodie Foster, Nyad
Sandra Hüller, The Zone of Interest WINNER: Rachel McAdams, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Julianne Moore, May December
RUNNER UP: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Best Comedic Performance WINNER: Michael Cera, Barbie
Abby Ryder Fortson, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Nathan Lane, Dicks: The Musical
RUNNER UP: Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things
Best Youth Performance (For a performer under the age of 18)
Joe Bird, Talk to Me
Christian Convery, Cocaine Bear WINNER: Abby Ryder Fortson, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Jude Hill, A Haunting in Venice
RUNNER UP: Milo Machado-Graner, Anatomy of a Fall
Best Original Screenplay
Samy Burch, May December WINNER: Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, Barbie
RUNNER UP: David Hemingson, The Holdovers
Celine Song, Past Lives
Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, Anatomy of a Fall
Best Adapted Screenplay
RUNNER UP: Percival Everett and Cord Jefferson, American Fiction WINNER: Kelly Fremon Craig and Judy Blume, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest
Christopher Nolan, Kai Bird, & Martin Sherwin, Oppenheimer
Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon
Best First Feature (Director)
Chloe Domont, Fair Play WINNER: Cord Jefferson, American Fiction
Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou, Talk to Me
A.V. Rockwell, A Thousand and One
RUNNER UP: Celine Song, Past Lives
Best Documentary
RUNNER UP: 20 Days in Mariupol
American Symphony
Kokomo City
RUNNER UP: Little Richard: I Am Everything WINNER: Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
Best Animated Film WINNER: The Boy and the Heron
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
Nimona
Robot Dreams
RUNNER UP: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Best Foreign Language Film WINNER: Anatomy of a Fall
Fallen Leaves
RUNNER UP: Godzilla Minus One
Monster
RUNNER UP: The Zone of Interest
Best Editing
Nick Houy, Barbie
RUNNER UP: Jennifer Lame, Oppenheimer
Yorgos Mavropsaridis, Poor Things
Thelma Schoonmaker, Killers of the Flower Moon WINNER: Laurent Sénéchal, Anatomy of a Fall
Best Cinematography
Rodrigo Prieto, Barbie WINNER: Rodrigo Prieto, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robbie Ryan, Poor Things
RUNNER UP: Hoyte van Hoytema, Oppenheimer
Dariusz Wolski, Napoleon
Best Production Design
RUNNER UP: Ruth De Jong, Oppenheimer
Jack Fisk, Killers of the Flower Moon WINNER: Sarah Greenwood, Barbie
Arthur Max, Napoleon
James Price and Shona Heath, Poor Things
Best Visual Effects WINNER: Godzilla Minus One
John Wick: Chapter 4
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
RUNNER UP: Poor Things
Best Costume Design
David Crossman and Janty Yates, Napoleon WINNER: Jacqueline Durran, Charlotte Finlay, & Hope Slepak, Barbie
Ellen Mirojnick, Oppenheimer
RUNNER UP: Holly Waddington, Vincent Dumas, & Zsuzsa Stenger, Poor Things
Jacqueline West, Killers of the Flower Moon
Best Sound Design
Godzilla Minus One
Maestro
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
RUNNER UP: Oppenheimer WINNER: The Zone of Interest
Best Use of Music
RUNNER UP: Air
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. WINNER: Barbie
The Holdovers
Maestro
Best Stunt Choreography WINNER: John Wick: Chapter 4
The Killer
RUNNER UP: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon
Polite Society
Best Ensemble
Air
RUNNER UP: Barbie
RUNNER UP: A Haunting in Venice WINNER: The Holdovers
Oppenheimer
Breakthrough Actor
Abby Ryder Fortson, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
Special Award for Body of Work (3+ 2023 Credits)
Nicolas Cage for Dream Scenario, The Flash, The Old Way, Renfield, The Retirement Plan, and Sympathy for the Devil
