The 61st New York Film Festival will feature 32 films in its Main Slate, with the chosen slate of films representing 18 countries. The lineup includes Cannes winners Anatomy of a Fall, The Zone Interest, Fallen Leaves, About Dry Grasses, and Perfect Days.
The 2023 festival runs September 29th through October 15th.
“The unsettled state of the industry is an unavoidable talking point these days, but my hope is that our festival, as it has done through its 61-year history, will serve as a reminder that the art of cinema is in robust health,” stated Dennis Lim, Artistic Director of the New York Film Festival. “The filmmakers in this year’s Main Slate are grappling with eternal questions—about how movies relate to the world, about what it means to make art from life, about the most interesting ways to approach the contemporary moment and the historical past—and the answers they have proposed are thrilling in their variety, ingenuity, and urgency. We can’t wait for our audience, so vital to the festival experience, to discover these 32 new films.”
The 61st New York Film Festival will open with Todd Haynes’ May December. Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla is the centerpiece film, and Michael Mann’s Ferrari will close out the festival. The 2023 festival marks Michael Mann’s NYFF Main Slate debut. Additional Main Slate newcomers include Jonathan Glazer, Andrew Haigh, Raven Jackson (an NYFF57 FLC Artists Academy alum), Rodrigo Moreno, Paul B. Preciado, Wang Bing, and Zhang Lu.
Screenings will take place in the five New York City boroughs. Locations include Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (Staten Island), BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) (Brooklyn), the Bronx Museum of the Arts (Bronx), Maysles Documentary Center in Harlem (Manhattan), and the Museum of the Moving Image (Queens).
Julianne Moore as Gracie Atherton-Yoo and Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry in ‘May December’ (Photo Cr. Francois Duhamel / courtesy of Netflix)
61st New York Film Festival Main Slate
Opening Night – May December
Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when an actress arrives to do research for a film about their past.
Centerpiece – Priscilla
When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a gentle best friend. Through Priscilla’s eyes, Sofia Coppola tells the unseen side of a great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla’s long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland, in this deeply felt and ravishingly detailed portrait of love, fantasy, and fame.
Closing Night – Ferrari
It’s the summer of 1957. Ex-racecar driver, Enzo Ferrari, is in crisis. All the dramatic forces of his life – as volatile as the red race cars he builds – are in collision. Bankruptcy stalks the company he and his wife, Laura, built from nothing ten years earlier. Their tempestuous marriage struggles with the mourning for one son and the acknowledgement of another.
The passionate instigator of men inspires his Spring Team of drivers, some like surrogate sons. He blunts a hostile press with strafing wit and boldly strategizes to roll the dice on one race – 1,000 miles across Italy, the infamous Mille Miglia. As the red cars slam through towns and mountain passes towards unpredictable outcomes, the future of these vivid characters’ lives are being written.
About Dry Grasses
Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan
All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt
Dir. Raven Jackson
All of Us Strangers
Dir. Andrew Haigh
Anatomy of a Fall
Dir. Justine Triet
The Beast
Dir. Bertrand Bonello
La Chimera
Dir. Alice Rohrwacher
Close Your Eyes
Dir. Víctor Erice
The Delinquents
Dir. Rodrigo Moreno
Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World
Dir. Radu Jude
BTS’s V ‘Layover’ details (Photo Credit: Big Hit Music)
Get ready, music lovers, BTS member Taehuyng – better known by his stage name V – is the latest member of the septuplet group to release plans of an upcoming album. It was unveiled on Monday, August 7 (9:00pm ET) that V will be releasing his debut solo album, Layover, on September 8, 2023.
The news was announced on Weverse, along with details of the tracklist and the adorable digital cover of his album, which is a picture of his beloved dog, Yeontan. The physical copies look like a package one would receive in the mail.
V collaborated with the president of the record label ADOR and executive producer Hee Jin Min on his first solo album. As per V’s request, Min oversaw the entire production process for this album, including music, choreography, design, and promotion.
On August 1, V shared his excitement, saying, “I’m nervous, but happy. It’s an album that contains my taste. There will be a lot to see. I prepared the album thinking ARMYs will be happy when they hear it, I hope you look forward to it. You will be able to see a new side of solo singer V, which is different from BTS V.”
Each track from Layover was announced along with a description. The album contains a total of six tracks: “Rainy Days,” “Blue,” “Love Me Again,” “Slow Dancing,” “For Us,” and a bonus track. Big Hit Music recommends fans listen to the album in order from tracks one through five.
Layover Track Details
“Rainy Days” captures V’s voice beautifully, melding with the sound of rain and everyday white noises.
“Blue” is an homage to old school R&B with a modern twist, adding a special flair to the song.
“Love Me Again” is a captivating R&B track that highlights V’s low pitch voice.
“Slow Dancing” is the focus track of the album. The 1970s romantic soul-style track exudes a laid-back and free-spirited feeling.
“For Us” is a pop R&B track that leaves a lasting impression of the entire album. It serves as an epilogue, stirring up deep emotions with V’s vocals and unique lyrics.
“Slow Dancing (Piano Ver.)” is a piano arrangement of the focus track “Slow Dancing,” which offers a different allure from the original as a bonus track.
The tracks, with the exception of the bonus track, will each have an official music video. “V will showcase amazing new performances and make various appearances alongside the album’s release,” stated Big Hit Music. Following that tease, the official announcement did not include actual details of these performances or planned appearances.
The dialogue’s not all that compelling, given Groot’s very limited vocabulary, but the visuals are fun in Marvel Studios’ first trailer for I Am Groot season two. The one-minute trailer teases the new adventures the weird little creature will be up to in the second season of the kid-friendly shorts.
Disney+ also released a couple of photos and a poster from the upcoming five shorts that make up the new season.
Vin Diesel, the voice of Groot in all the films involving the Guardians of the Galaxy, is back as the voice of the fan-favorite character. Kirsten Lepore returns as writer, director, and executive producer. Craig Rittenbaum and Alex Scharf produce, and Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, and Victoria Alonso are involved as executive producers.
Disney+ released this very basic description of season two: “The troublemaking twig returns to mischief in the second season of I Am Groot. This time, Baby Groot finds himself exploring the universe and beyond aboard the Guardians’ spaceships, coming face-to-face—or nose-to-nose—with new and colorful creatures and environments.”
I Am Groot premieres on Disney+ on September 6, 2023.
The pursuit of a psychotic killer continues on AMC’s Dark Winds season two episode three. “Antigonish” is set to premiere on Thursday, August 10, 2023 on AMC+ and Sunday, August 13 at 9pm ET/PT on AMC.
The season two cast is led by Zahn McClarnon (Fargo) as Lt. Joe Leaphorn, Kiowa Gordon (Roswell, New Mexico) as Jim Chee, and Jessica Matten (Burden of Truth) as Sgt. Bernadette Manuelito. Deanna Allison (Edge of America) stars as Emma Leaphorn and Elva Guerra (Reservation Dogs) is Sally Growing Thunder.
Guest stars include Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Picard) as Rosemary Vines, Nicholas Logan (Dopesick) as Colton Wolf, A Martinez (Longmire) as Valencia County Sheriff Gordo Sena, and Joseph Runningfox (The Politician) as Henry Leaphorn, Lt. Joe Leaphorn’s father.
“Antigonish” Plot: After facing off with a dangerous man, Chee strikes out on his own. Meanwhile, Leaphorn and Manuelito partner with the sheriff’s department, leading Leaphorn to identify a vital clue.
Zahn McClarnon as Joe Leaphorn and Jessica Matten as Sgt. Bernadette Manuelito in ‘Dark Winds’ season 2 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Michael Moriatis/AMC)
The Season 2 Plot, Courtesy of AMC:
This season, Lt. Joe Leaphorn (McClarnon), reunites with Jim Chee (Gordon), his former deputy turned private eye, when their separate cases bring them together in pursuit of the same suspect. They find themselves in the high desert of Navajo Country chasing a killer who’s turned his sights on them to protect a secret that rips open old wounds and challenges Leaphorn’s moral and professional code.
With the help of Sgt. Manuelito (Matten) and Valencia County Sheriff Gordo Sena, Leaphorn and Chee must thwart their would-be assassin and restore balance not only to their own lives, but to the reservation that depends on them.
Jet James Grant as Benny Charley in season 2 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Michael Moriatis/AMC)Jessica Matten as Sgt. Bernadette Manuelito in season 2 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Michael Moriatis/AMC)Zahn McClarnon as Joe Leaphorn in season 2 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Michael Moriatis/AMC)Jessica Matten as Sgt. Bernadette Manuelito in season 2 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Michael Moriatis/AMC)
Stephen Amell and Kelli Berglund in ‘Heels’ season 2 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Before diving into a recap of Starz’s Heels season two episode two, let’s take a brief look at what went down in the season two premiere.
Season two episode one spent most of the hour with a flashback to the events immediately following Tom Spade’s suicide. Heels fans learned more about Jack and Ace’s relationship, and that Ace (Alexander Ludwig) finally convinced Jack (Stephen Amell) to allow him to enter the ring for the first time. Ace made his wrestling debut during a special one-night-only tribute to his father’s memory.
It turned out that Ace is a natural in the ring.
Episode one also briefly caught up with the celebration in the aftermath of the season one final’s championship match at the South Georgia State Fair that found Bunny transforming from valet to belt holder. Jack’s relationship with Staci is on the rocks, and she’s taking a break from Jack by staying at a friend’s house with their son, Thomas.
Most importantly, in the current timeline, it’s revealed that Ace has packed up and left town. And Jack confessed his feelings about his dad in a phone call to Staci, admitting he hasn’t missed him one single day single he committed suicide.
In one of the most heart-wrenching scenes of the season premiere, Jack finally gave in and opened the only letter his father wrote before ending his life. It simply says, “Jack, Take care of Ace. Dad.”
And now, onto the episode two recap:
Willie (Mary McCormack) is being hounded for money to cover DWL’s past-due bills, which confuses her hubby and daughter since they thought she was quitting the wrestling league. Meanwhile, Jack’s sacked out on the couch when Staci (Alison Luff) calls with a reminder about a meeting. (Jack sucks at using the calendar app.)
Jack shifts into panic mode because he forgot the meeting for his other job – the one that pays the bills. Before Jack hangs up, Staci reminds him that their son’s in trouble at school, and they both need to show up at the disciplinary meeting.
Wild Bill (Chris Bauer) is having a much better morning than pretty much everyone else after a night of sex with Constance, the fair commissioner. Willie gives Bill a hard expletive-filled time about his latest conquest and orders him to get Constance to hand over the money she owes the DWL.
Constance hands over more than just the check. (wink wink)
Trey Tucker and Kelli Berglund in ‘Heels’ season 2 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Crystal (Kelli Berglund) arrives at work to applause from Bobby (Trey Tucker). She’s still pumped up over winning the belt and confesses she didn’t sleep. She thanks Bobby for being in her corner.
Jack and Willie discuss DWL’s debt, and Jack reminds her they only did the state fair to build up buzz; it wasn’t for the money. Willie catches Jack up on Charlie Gully’s latest campaign to smear the DWL, with his minions now mocking Crystal’s win online. Jack’s fine with that. Any buzz is good buzz.
“Mystery plus confusion equals ticket sales,” according to Jack. Willie doesn’t have her head stuck in the clouds and knows they need a plan, or else she has no idea what to promote. Is Crystal champ? Was the win legitimate? Inquiring minds want to know, and it would help if Jack gave her just a tiny hint at what comes next.
Their discussion reveals that Jack still has no idea Ace is gone – as in not physically in Duffy. Jack keeps leaving him messages apologizing and promising to build DWL’s future together.
Chris Bauer in ‘Heels’ season 2 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)
While Jack might not know the next steps, Wild Bill has big plans. Whatever the wrestling equivalent is to having your head in the game and eye on the ball, he’s nailing it. Bill thinks there’s a lot of upside to the DWL. However, they need announcers, big screens, and a podcast – at the very least.
No one in the DWL knows whether Crystal actually won the belt, but there needs to be a clarification, or they might lose fans. Jack arrives to lead a wrap-up and thanks everyone individually for their hard work, but it’s Crystal who receives the most praise, along with the absent Ace.
Jack admits he screwed things up with his brother after they swore a vow of loyalty. He takes all the blame for what went down with Ace and apologizes for putting their hard work at risk. He needs to work on a new script and officially welcomes Crystal to the roster as a DWL wrestler. Oh, and by the way, her win is going to be invalidated.
Crystal’s jaw drops, and she hurries after Jack and calls bullsh*t on this development. Jack reminds her that she swore she’d do whatever it takes to help the DWL.
Willie’s been lurking out of sight, and she’s the next to call Crystal out. Crystal needs to pull her head out of her butt and work her way up like everyone else. Also, if she doesn’t have any solutions, she needs to hold her tongue and get in line. Plus, if she doesn’t build up her stamina, she’ll never make it in the ring.
That night, Jack finally shows up at his mom’s house and learns Ace packed up food and a sleeping bag. Oh, and he packed his Xbox which means he’s not just camping.
Crystal learns what 30 minutes in the ring feels like with the help of Bobby, Diego (Robby Ramos), and Dad (Scott Hunter). 10 minutes feels like an eternity, and Crystal realizes that Willie was right about a lot of things.
It’s time for Jack and Staci’s meeting at the school, and Jack fills her in on Ace’s disappearance. The meeting with Principal Maura Barry and district school psychologist Jennifer Stone begins, and Jack claims his son was bullied. The way to handle bullies is to punch them. However, he also realizes that Thomas using his fists at school is not allowed even after Thomas was told to “f**k himself.”
Jack can’t stop digging himself a hole and suggests that his son got bullied and taught the bully a life lesson about threats and fighting words. Maura explains that there aren’t any fighting words in school because violence can lead to school shootings. There will not be any punching, kicking, or pulling hair ever – under any circumstances.
Fortunately, and despite Jack’s unnecessary input, Thomas is let off his suspension.
After the meeting, Staci suggests that Jack needs to listen more. (You think?!) He’s too confrontational, and she thought they were going to approach raising Thomas as a team. Staci refuses to come home because Jack’s changed how he expresses himself, and it’s not healthy for their relationship.
Jack swears he’s just a man who’s trying to provide and build a home for his family. He realizes he’s failing. His wife and son have left him home alone, and he doesn’t know where Ace is.
“I’m just a dude who’s trying, and all I’m doing instead is f**king everything up. I’m a disaster,” says Jack, speaking the truth.
Jack wants to find the guy he was before and claims he’s going to figure it out.
Chris Bauer, Joel Murray, and Stephen Amell in ‘Heels’ season 2 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Jack leaves his umpteenth message begging Ace to tell him what to do to get him back home. Resigned to his absence, Jack tells the gang he’s got a new plan. Crystal will be on the card and if she drowns, they won’t have wasted any time. He’ll write a promo and shoot it that evening.
After Jack leaves, Diego can’t believe the state of the DWL. Rooster’s defected, Ace is gone, Apocalypse is AWOL, and Bobby’s leg is broken.
Bill informs Jack he’s there to help and explains that telling him he doesn’t know what he’s doing isn’t meant as an insult. They’ve worked themselves into a corner with the title match’s finish. Bill’s certain Jack can write a script, but he has ideas he wants to share – if Jack’s willing to listen.
“Let’s put our heads together and get this sh*t going,” says Bill, offering a notebook with 7,000ish ideas.
The promo shoot gets underway, and Jack and Bill’s plan is revealed. Crystal was erroneously awarded the title because she wasn’t a legal competitor. The ref (Bobby) is suspended, and Wild Bill is apologized to for their mishandling of his poopy pants situation. Bill’s offered a rematch for the title against Jack.
They put on a great show, with Wild Bill even screaming that he was poisoned by Bunny Bombshell. Crystal grabs the mic and declares she’s not Bunny Bombshell or Tits McGee. She will be called Crystal Tyler – nothing else.
The match is set for Saturday between Jack and Bill, with Ace invited to come home and make a challenge for the belt if he wants to. If he doesn’t, someone else will take his spot.
Saturday arrives, and the arena’s packed. It’s standing-room-only, and Willie’s sure they’ll actually make money tonight. Jack leaves one final message for Ace before the match begins.
The crowd boos Jack and since Ace isn’t there, any man on the DWL can fill his spot. Crystal yells, “How about a woman?” from the rafters and demands a chance to win back her belt.
Crystal gets the crowd worked up, calling out the men who are trying to dismiss her. She enters the ring and declares, “My name is Crystal Tyler and I am the baddest b*tch the DWL has ever seen!”
Wild Bill and Jack toss out some insults before Jack agrees to let her fight. Crystal comes out kicking, knocking Bill out of the ring. Jack and Crystal get into it, and it looks as legitimately vicious as wrestling gets.
Eddie Earl (Joel Murray) provides entertaining color commentary as the match continues, reminding the crowd it’s a ladder match. You need the ladder to win the match and claim the belt.
Crystal takes possession of the ladder, but Jack grabs her and holds her high above his head. Crystal reacts by wrapping herself around his neck until Jack taps out, pretending to fall unconscious. Just as Crystal grabs the belt, Bill knocks the ladder out from under her. She manages to hold on to the rope strung above the ring and makes her way to the stands with the belt!
She holds it high and the crowd roars, chanting, “Crystal,” as Jack stomps off, upset.
Backstage, Bill and Jack congratulate each other on doing the right thing. Bill knows they’ll both be fine. After all, he once lost to Vanilla Ice and a Ninja Turtle.
The guys and Willie cheer backstage, and Crystal gives Willie a hug for all her help and advice.
Crystal and Jack shake hands, and then she pulls him in for a hug. Everyone’s celebrating and toasting to Crystal’s victory, but it’s obvious Jack’s mind is on his missing brother.
Alexander Ludwig in ‘Heels’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Travels with Ace
Ace is on the road, the crown in a box on the seat next to him. He’s learning the hard way that stores make you buy something to use their restrooms, and he’s taking bad advice from talk radio. He’s going to pursue “the astonishing now,” but first, he needs Siri’s help defining transcendent.
Apparently, he’s going to transcend his normal life by heading off to Dover Springs.
Ace’s adventures include ordering only toast because he’s short on cash, stealing money – again, because he didn’t think ahead – and discovering that raincoats are good to wear in the rain. Who knew? Well, everyone but Ace.
Ace also learns that bears hang out in the woods and that Dover Springs is a hotbed of bear activity. He’s wearing soccer shoes that aren’t meant for hiking and doesn’t have bear spray. Or a tent. The salesman speaks for all of us when he holds his head and says, “Oh my god.”
To summarize, Ace is completely unprepared and in way over his head with this camping quest in search of transcendence.
After a lot of help from the salesman, Ace makes it to Dover Springs and strides past the sign that warns to bring plenty of water and beware of bears. He happily nods to fellow hikers as he sticks to the trail until he reaches an overlook. He camps nearby overnight (with a tent and adequate supplies, again, thanks to the salesman) and watches the DWL promo inviting him back to fight.
Ace emerges from his tent in the dead of night and listens to his phone messages. Because he’s Ace and not in the least bit aware of his surroundings, he slips off the edge of the cliff, his phone falling beyond his reach.
He tumbles, and it sounds like he’s injured himself by the crunching noises as he falls. Luckily, he doesn’t fall all the way to the ground.
The episode ends with Ace landing on a ledge and screaming for help.
The Aussie version of Alone is coming to The History Channel on August 10, 2023. Alone Australia, which aired on SBS earlier this year, features 10 survivalists attempting to outlast their fellow competitors while alone in the Tasmanian wilderness.
The 12-episode first season will premiere on History on August 10th at 10:30pm ET/PT before moving to its regular 9:30pm timeslot on August 17th.
The 10 season one survivalists include Michael Wallace, a veterinarian who sold his practice to concentrate on his 500-acre farm; Duane Byrnes, a Wildlife and Environmental Officer and proud First Nations man; Gina Chick, a rewilding facilitator, bushcraft teacher, meditation leader, barefoot nomad, singer, dancer, and primitive huntress; Peter Athanassiou, a sought-after hunting guide; and Jimmy Lassaline, a volunteer firefighter and the youngest competitor.
Chris Bakon, a retired war veteran of Iraq living with PTSD; Kate Grarock, wildlife biologist and expedition leader with a PhD; Beck Henog, a secondary school Science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) teacher; Rob Kelly, a Planning and Environmental officer who guest lectures at universities on Indigenous knowledge; and Mike Atkinson, a pilot who completed three major self-funded and self-filmed expeditions.
Group shot of ‘Alone Australia’ season 1 survivalists (Photo Copyright: Narelle Portanier)
History offers this description of Alone Australia:
The HISTORY Channel’s hit nonfiction survival series Alone is going Aussie! Alone Australia, the highly-rated international version which originally aired on SBS, follows ten skilled outdoor survivalists on a mission to endure brutal conditions and be the last one standing. After being dropped off in the vast and isolated Tasmanian wilderness, each participant must self-document living completely alone with limited supplies and no human contact.
Additional challenges include building their own shelter, adapting to extreme weather, finding food sources, and grappling with unfamiliar terrain and dangerous wildlife. The final participant standing wins $250,000.
Halle Bailey just released her debut single “Angel,” a song she describes as near and dear to her heart. “With everything I’ve gone through the past 3-4 years, suddenly finding myself in this bubble of all these eyes and new opinions, it was easy for me to feel doubt in myself and who I was. This song for me was my climb out of those feelings, a mantra and promise to myself that the work I’m doing here on earth matters and that I matter,” explained Bailey.
Bailey added: “I wanted to be able to embrace and be proud of myself and who I am naturally through and through. I hope other brown and black girls and everyone in general feel embraced, respected, and inspired hearing the words of this song.”
Grammy winner Theron “NeffU” Feemster (Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Ne-Yo) produced the song, and Wendy Morgan (Alicia Keys, Janelle Monae, Lous And The Yakuza) directed the track’s gorgeous music video.
The multi-talented artist has earned five Grammy nominations and recently starred in the live-action remake of Disney’s classic animated tale The Little Mermaid. Bailey will next be seen in The Color Purple playing Young Nettie Harris. The cast also includes Fantasia Barrino, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, and Colman Domingo.
The seventh and final season of Showtime’s Billions kicks off with an episode that welcomes back a familiar face and finds Mike Prince pursuing his political ambitions. Season seven episode one, “Tower of London,” airs on Paramount+ with Showtime on Friday, August 11, 2023. Season seven episodes debut on Showtime on Sundays at 8pm ET/PT.
Damian Lewis reprises his role as Bobby Axelrod for the final season. Season seven also stars Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades, Corey Stoll as Mike Prince, Maggie Siff as Wendy Rhoades, David Costabile as Mike “Wags” Wagner, Asia Kate Dillon as Taylor Mason, and Dola Rashad as Kate Sacker.
Jeffrey DeMunn plays Chuck Rhoades Sr., Sakina Jaffrey is Daevisha “Dave” Mahar, Kelly AuCoin is “Dollar” Bill Stern, Daniel Breaker is Roger “Scooter” Dunbar, and Toney Goins plays Philip Charyn.
Brian Koppelman and David Levien created the series and serve as executive producers and showrunners. (Andrew Ross Sorkin was a co-creator.) Showrunner Beth Schacter also executive produces along with April Taylor and Mike Harrop.
“Tower of London: Plot: Prince’s political ambitions come with a surprising twist, and his intentions are met with skepticism. Wendy, Wags and Taylor turn to an old friend for guidance. Chuck aligns with an unlikely ally in hopes of leveraging his freedom.
Corey Stoll as Michael “Mike” Prince and Daniel Breaker as Roger “Scooter” Dunbar in ‘Billions’ season 1 (Photo Credit: Patrick Harbron/SHOWTIME)
The Season 7 Plot, Courtesy of Showtime:
In season seven, alliances are turned on their heads. Old wounds are weaponized. Loyalties are tested. Betrayal takes on epic proportions. Enemies become wary friends. And Bobby Axelrod returns, as the stakes grow from Wall Street to the world.
Asia Kate Dillon as Taylor Mason and Toney Goins as Philip Charyn in the “Tower of London” episode (Photo Credit: Patrick Harbron/SHOWTIME)Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades and Ben Shenkman as Ira Schirmer in season 7 episode 1 (Photo Credit: Patrick Harbron/SHOWTIME)Kelly AuCoin as “Dollar” Bill Stern in the “Tower of London” episode ( Photo Credit: Patrick Harbron/SHOWTIME)Asia Kate Dillon as Taylor Mason and Toney Goins as Philip Charyn in season 7 episode 1 (Photo Credit: Patrick Harbron/SHOWTIME)Maggie Siff as Wendy Rhoades in the “Tower of London” episode (Photo Credit: Christopher T. Saunders/SHOWTIME)Ben Shenkman as Ira Schirmer, Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades and Sakina Jaffrey as Daevisha ‘Dave’ Mahar in season 7 episode 1 (Photo Credit: Patrick Harbron/SHOWTIME)David Costabile as Mike ‘Wags’ Wagner and Daniel Breaker as Roger “Scooter” Dunbar in the “Tower of London” episode (Photo Credit: Patrick Harbron/SHOWTIME)
Are you skilled at piecing together clues? Hulu’s set up a special limited-time promotion for season three of Only Murders in the Building specifically for fans who love delving into mysteries.
The streaming service will be hosting two OMITB-themed escape rooms – one in Vegas, one in Los Angeles – as well as an online version. Season three kicks off on August 8, 2023, and the mystery to be solved weaves in the storyline from the new season.
The Details:
– Los Angeles’ escape room is located at The Escape Game in Century City Mall from August 11 – 13.
– The Escape Game in The Forum Shops in Vegas runs August 18 -20.
– The online version will be open August 14 – 18. Spots are limited, and fans must RSVP at onlymurdersescapegame.com for the online version.
Hulu offered this description of the OMITB Escape Room experience:
“Fans will relive some of their favorite moments from the series, interact with familiar props, find Easter eggs for season three, and of course, solve mysteries. Featuring twists and turns at every corner, a hidden bookcase door, secret passageways, and more surprises along the way.
Within the game, guests will find themselves on the 10th floor of the Arconia, just outside of Oliver’s apartment, where they will be tasked to find a key prop that has suddenly gone missing from Oliver’s new show. As the show quickly approaches, it’s imperative that the prop is found to avoid a disastrous Broadway debut.
Fans will dive deeper into the story as they try to figure out who stole the prop while being taken through Oliver’s apartment and secret passageways in the walls of the Arconia.”
The Season 3 Plot:
Season three finds Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez) investigating a murder behind the scenes of a Broadway show. Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd) is a Hollywood action star whose Broadway debut is cut short by his untimely death. Aided by co-star Loretta Durkin (Meryl Streep), our trio embarks on their toughest case yet, all while director Oliver desperately attempts to put his show back together. Curtains up!
Alan Tenta in ‘Alone’ season 10 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
The incredibly harsh environment has taken its toll, with just four survivalists out of the original 10 still competing on History’s Alone season 10 episode nine. The action picks up on day 41, and on day 43, season 10 loses another survivalist to loneliness.
Alan Tenta, Age 52, Columbia Valley, BC, Canada
Day 41 – Alan’s just been chilling in his shelter, making plans, and finally opens his door to a winter wonderland. He’s happy about how his teepee’s holding up and heads off to the lake. The fish he’s caught are all frozen, so they’re safely stored right now.
Back at his shelter, Alan notes he has six out of his original nine arrows left. He gets to work making some wooden blunts, creating “thumpers” that he plans on using on smaller game including grouse.
The days are getting shorter and the nights are longer, and Alan knows the hardest days, mentally and physically, are still to come.
Day 42 – The lake’s calm, so Alan calls an audible and fishes instead of grouse hunting as he had planned. His gillnet is empty, and he hasn’t caught a fish in it yet. Alan casts and hopes for a lake trout, even though it’s late in the season. He believes he’s halfway through the competition at this point, and he has food through day 55. If he reaches that milestone, he’ll fast until day 60.
He gets a bite but misses pulling it in. Another bite and a miss, followed by yet another bite without reeling in a fish. Alan believes he’s missed his opportunity for the day.
He heads out with his bow and looks for tracks. Although it burns calories, it makes him feel like a kid walking around in the snow. He’s on an emotional rollercoaster right now, thinking about his kids.
A short while later, he feels tired and lightheaded as he makes it back to his teepee.
Day 43 – It’s Alan’s birthday, and he’s turning 52 years old. It’s not a fishing day since the weather’s cold and windy, which bums him out. He’ll eat some of the fish from his bear hang, make some tea, and enjoy his birthday.
Alan makes a three-layer fish filet birthday cake, treating himself to an extra half of fish to stave off the dizziness he’s feeling when he bends over. He hopes the extra fish will give him a boost of energy.
Alan misses his family and thinks his fellow survivalists are feeling the same way. He’s determined to push through it and think positive thoughts.
His current strategy is to spend half the day in his shelter and half the day outside. His goal is to conserve calories.
Alan heads down to check his gillnet and is shocked when it looks like he’s caught something. He takes a closer look and discovers he’s caught a fish on his birthday. It’s a six-ish pound cisco (a freshwater whitefish) that he believes is his largest thus far. He thanks the fish for its life before ending it.
This catch is a real shot of happiness on his birthday.
Melanie Sawyer in The History Channel’s ‘Alone’ season 10
Melanie Sawyer, Age 54, Essex County, NY
Day 41 – Melanie’s happy that her insulation is keeping her shelter warm enough that she doesn’t see her breath. However, overnight she felt a draft and discovered mice have chewed a hole in her sleeping bag. They’re probably using the lining in their burrows, and Melanie needs to figure out a way to sew it closed before they do any further damage.
She takes off to collect firewood to store in her shelter to keep it dry from the elements. She laughs and says, “You can never have enough wood.”
She’s impressed with the pile of wood she’s currently made and stops collecting to make a needle out of her underwire bra so she can fix the hole. It works perfectly, and the hole’s patched up.
Day 42 – Melanie does a countdown from 10 and then checks her deadfall. She’s caught a mouse that she’ll skin and cook before heading off to collect more rock tripe.
Melanie has always boxed up her traumas and placed them in the back of her head. This experience allows her to set her traumas free. She believes she has four things a lot of people don’t: love, a home, a choice, and freedom. Melanie considers herself very fortunate to have those four things.
She decides not to head out to collect rock tripe and instead remains close to her shelter.
Day 43 – She’s got a list of projects but will go with the flow and slow down. Melanie’s learning to take it easy and hour-by-hour.
First up is fishing to add to her diet of plants and mushrooms. The lake’s surface is smooth as she casts, but she’s unsuccessful at reeling in any fish. She’s only caught one over the past 43 days.
Melanie says this was never about the money; she’s always viewed this as a learning experience. “I’m wondering how much more learning can I do?” she asks.
Melanie’s incredibly lonely, and although this experience is amazing, she doesn’t want to spend another day away from her partner. She taps out, confessing she wasn’t prepared for how deeply being alone would affect her.
Melanie wants to spend her days making memories with her loved ones. She’s aware that every minute is precious.
Mikey in ‘Alone’ season 10 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
Mikey Hilton, Age 32, Rome, Georgia
Day 41 – Mikey continues to work on a present for his son’s upcoming birthday in 10 days. His son probably doesn’t understand why he’s gone, but Mikey’s determined to do this to ensure his son’s taken care of.
Mikey reveals he’s made a cup-and-ball toy for his kid. Creating it has left wood shavings in his shelter, and he needs to take care of them quickly before they catch fire.
Day 43 – Hunting’s a bust, so he’s forced to just hang out in his shelter. He’s bored and his thoughts are eating away at him, and Mikey realizes he needs to turn his attention to something else. Mikey focuses on turning a nail into a knife, just as Biko did on season eight.
He heats up the nail and hammers it to straighten it out while explaining that he learned these skills from his stepfather. His stepdad was a real dad to four kids that weren’t his, and Mikey owes him a big thank you.
The nail has transformed into a bush knife, complete with a new handle and sheath.
Wyatt in The History Channel’s ‘Alone’ season 10
James “Wyatt” Black, Age 51, Ontario, Canada
Day 41 – Wyatt’s going to spend the day cutting wood and stoking the fire. To help make it easier, he builds a wood processing holder to cut his wood on. He’s figured out he needs 20-30 pieces of wood each day.
The wound on his arm where he impaled it with wood is still sore, but he hasn’t looked at it today. Alone informs us that splinters can cause inflammation, infection, and toxic reactions. Wyatt acknowledges that it’s not healing, and that’s worrying him.
That night, back in his shelter, Wyatt cleans up his arm and takes a look. When he squeezes the wound, he notices it’s hard. He removes another piece of wood ¾” long from his arm. Apparently, he missed it when he pulled out the first piece two weeks ago. Wyatt’s arm immediately feels better but bleeds a lot.
The splinter is about half the size of the first piece he removed.
Day 42 – It’ll be too cold on his hands to fish, so Wyatt takes a chance and slices up a mushroom that he’s never eaten before. Squirrels and mice have been eating it, so he’s willing to roll the dice and eat it too. Alone points out that animals can eat poisonous fungi that humans can’t. People shouldn’t eat any mushrooms they can’t identify.
Wyatt knows mushrooms can kill quickly, but he’s got so many of these that he’s going to go ahead and place a tiny piece under his gums. He should know within half an hour if it’s okay.
Wyatt heads off to check his snares and look for grouse. He’s not out long before he sees grouse and squirrel tracks. He takes a shot at a grouse in a tree and hits it with his first arrow. Another grouse catches his attention, and he kills it, too. (That’s about 1,000 calories.) Plus, the mushroom hasn’t caused any side effects, so he believes they’re fine to eat.
Wyatt returns to camp to clean his birds. He plans on feasting that night and is happy his arm’s feeling better now that he removed that chunk of wood.
