Sabrina Wu as Deadeye, Ashley Park as Audrey, Sherry Cola as Lolo, and Stephanie Hsu as Kat in ‘Joy Ride’ (Photo Credit: Ed Araquel)
Someone didn’t get the memo. A 10-year-old-ish boy sat down with his mom in my row at the press/word-of-mouth screening, and it took maybe five minutes before the woman sitting next to the mom filled her in on Joy Ride. I watched as she hit up Rotten Tomatoes for more info, watched the trailer, and then did right by her son – nearly sprinting out of the theater with 15 minutes to spare before the screening started.
Once Joy Ride began, the raunchy, wild and crazy, completely unfiltered hard R-rated comedy confirmed the mom’s decision was spot on. For the rest of us adults in the theater, what followed the opening minutes also confirmed Joy Ride is the best R-rated female-led comedy – and one of the best R-rated comedies overall – since 2011’s Bridesmaids.
Joy Ride follows longtime best friends Audrey (Ashley Park) and Lolo (Sherry Cola) as they embark on a trip to Beijing. Audrey can’t reiterate enough how important this trip is. It’s make-or-break for her career as an attorney at a law firm where she’s the only Asian female – a fact constantly referenced by her white male boss who doesn’t quite understand the concept of political correctness. It doesn’t matter that Audrey was adopted as a child and knows hardly anything about her Asian heritage. Her boss seems to believe it’s her defining quality, and that’s why she’s been chosen to represent the firm in China.
Because Audrey knows Lolo so well – a flashback shows the duo as kids, with Lolo defending her new friend by tossing out a “f**k you” at a racist bully – she’s super leery about having her tag along. Lolo, a struggling artist whose work most often involves penises and vaginas, swears to be on her best behavior. Almost immediately, she breaks the promise by inviting her socially awkward cousin, Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), along for the trip.
Deadeye’s nothing like the totally unfiltered Lolo, and Audrey’s instantly on edge with the addition of an unknown factor into the most important business trip of her life. The final piece of the road trip comedy puzzle comes with the arrival of Audrey’s college roommate, Kat (Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu), who’s become a major Chinese television star.
Obviously, Kat is fluent in Chinese and a much more capable translator than Lolo. Which, of course, becomes a source of tension between the women and leads to Lolo constantly trying to one-up usurper Kat.
Audrey’s attempts at managing the motley crew quickly go south. What was intended to be a professional business trip devolves into an outrageous spectacle of sex, drugs, more sex, more drugs, and a K-pop cover of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP.”
No topic is off-limits and the jokes, while crass, hit their marks 10 out of 10 times. And don’t even get me started about THAT [spoiler-redacted]. Holy crap, I did not see that coming and odds are, neither will you.
Just when you think first-time feature film screenwriters Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao and director Adele Lim (who shares a story by credit) can’t possibly top themselves, they serve up an off-the-rails meeting between Audrey and the Chinese executives that she’s supposed to win over. (Vomit is involved.) Or they toss in a train ride that turns into a drug-fueled frenzy of one-liners. An encounter with a men’s basketball team (featuring Baron Davis as himself) leads to a night filled with threesomes, weird sex positions, and regrets. But for every dick joke or expletive-filled insult, Joy Ride delivers surprisingly heartfelt moments of friendship, loyalty, sisterhood, and self-discovery.
The raunchier (and I mean that in a good way) the film gets, the more it needs to nail those more earnest, character-driven emotional sequences that provide a little breathier between laughs. Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao’s script hits all the right notes without slowing the pace or ruining the vibe. They strike just the right balance, and the shifts between comedy and drama feel natural and not manipulative.
Representation matters, and it’s fantastic to see an R-rated comedy featuring Asian leads. Directed by Crazy Rich Asians screenwriter Adele Lim, Joy Ride does a fantastic job of showcasing four incredibly talented actors, with each character given moments to shine. Ashley Park, Stephanie Hsu, Sherry Cola, and Sabrina Wu are a foursome to be reckoned with. Hopefully, they won’t be passed over by critics groups and awards bodies who hand out ensemble awards. They’ve definitely made my shortlist.
If Lionsgate’s looking for a franchise to replace John Wick, they’d be smart to sign up the Joy Ride team for another road trip.
GRADE: A
MPAA Rating: R for strong and crude sexual content, language throughout, drug content, and brief graphic nudity
Running Time: 1 hour 34 minutes
Release Date: July 7, 2023
Also Starring: Ronny Chieng (Crazy Rich Asians), Lori Tan Chinn (Awkwafina is Nora From Queens), David Denman (Greenland), Annie Mumolo (Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar), Desmond Chiam (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Alexander Hodge (Insecure), and Chris Pang (Crazy Rich Asians)
Produced By: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Josh Fagen, Cherry Chevapravatdumrong, Teresa Hsiao, and Adele Lim
Caitriona Balfe in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)
The opening scene of Starz’s Outlander season seven episode three shows a delivery man dropping off a chest with the name Jeremiah Alexander Ian Fraser MacKenzie emblazoned on the lid. We’re left hanging for just a moment as “The Skye Boat Song” plays, and then it’s revealed that the chest has been kept in a bank vault for 200 years.
It’s presented to Roger (Richard Rankin) and Brianna (Sophie Skelton) who, by the way, look terrific in ‘80s attire and new hairstyles. After revealing that Mandy’s doing great, Fiona Graham Buchan (Iona Claire) – who’s happy to have them back – gives them time alone to open the chest. Inside are a musket ball and scores of letters written to Brianna from Jamie and Claire.
The first letter she opens is dated April 1776, and Jamie assures her they’re alive. Jamie and Claire escaped the big house before it exploded. Everyone came together to try and put out the flames, but it was a losing battle. In the end, all Jamie and Claire could do was stand back and watch the fire consume their house and all their belongings.
Jamie (Sam Heughan) notes their obituary was wrong and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) says, “Bloody newspapers. Never get anything right.”
Roger gives Bree a quick kiss and then points out that she’s responsible for burning the house down since she made the matches. Sure, Wendigo lit the match – but she made the matches that ignited the ether. Bree’s not sure why he’s so happy about this, and Roger tells her to check out the date. She caused a different fire from the one in the obituary, and it’s a fire her parents survived.
The house was already destroyed by the date in the paper’s obituary.
Bree joins Roger in celebrating the fire. They changed history and saved Claire and Jamie!
After the embers have cooled, Claire, Jamie, and Ian (John Bell) go through the ruins and salvage anything they can. Jamie’s trunk full of kilts is intact, as is a journal with scientific notes.
Ian finds the small portrait of William Ransom and returns it to Jamie, initially describing William as Lord John’s son. When Jamie says he just saw him in a soldier’s uniform, Ian acknowledges that he figured out William is actually Jamie’s son. Ian saw how Jamie looked at William when he visited the Ridge years ago, and that, plus William’s stubborn personality, led him to the realization that Jamie’s the boy’s father.
Jamie says William can’t know the truth, and Ian swears never to speak about it to anyone.
Paul Gorman and Caitlin O’Ryan in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Lizzie (Caitlin O’Ryan) and Josiah (Paul Gorman) bring Claire food and clothing as she’s washing items in the barn and offer to help in any way that they can. Josiah suggests he and Keziah can bring everything that’s been retrieved from the fire up to Bree and Roger’s old cabin.
Adso’s still missing, but they’re hopeful he’ll turn up soon.
Jamie confronts Arch Bug (Hugh Ross) about the gold he had hidden, and Arch confirms it was meant for Charles Stuart. Mr. Bug swears he’s not a thief and explains that he, Jocasta’s husband, Hector Cameron, and Dougal MacKenzie each took a third of the gold that washed up on shore from France. Arch was a taxman to Malcolm Grant and his share went to him.
Jamie realizes the lost Jacobite gold is here in America. Arch confirms it came too late to help the cause, and Hector fled with Jocasta and their share. (That’s how they could afford to build River Run.) Grant used his share for the good of the clan. Arch has no idea what Dougal did.
Arch figured out that Hector Cameron was buried with the gold he had left, and every time he visited River Run, he would take some of Hector’s gold. “I took back what the coward stole from Scotland!” growls Arch.
Jamie and Arch argue over oaths and loyalty, and Arch warns him that the rest of the gold is hidden somewhere Jamie will never find. Jamie hands him back the gold and orders Arch and his wife, Murdina, to leave immediately. Jamie frees him from his oath and warns him never to return.
Murdina (Sarah Collier) assures her husband that after decades of scrubbing the Frasers’ floors – and keeping their secrets – they’ve earned their freedom.
Ian was listening to Jamie and Arch’s argument, and later he and Jamie wait in the dark as Arch digs up the gold. (He buried it under the big house.) When Arch strikes something solid, Jamie makes his presence known and demands that Arch stop what he’s doing. In response, Arch shoots at Jamie, but the shot only grazes him. Ian quickly responds, shooting Arch with an arrow.
However, it turns out it’s not Arch; it’s Murdina Bug who lies dead in the ashes. Ian feels incredibly guilty for killing Mrs. Bug. He truly believed it was Mr. Bug digging up the gold.
John Bell and Caitriona Balfe in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)
The following day Ian is wracked with guilt and remorse. Mrs. Bug was always kind to him, and she kept their secrets. Claire reminds him he was protecting Jamie. Ian wishes there was something he could do to make it right. Claire holds his hand and tells him he just needs to keep breathing for now.
Claire must follow her own advice as she prepares Mrs. Bug’s body for burial. Arch has disappeared.
The community joins Jamie and Claire as they take Mrs. Bug’s coffin to the graveyard. Lizzie calls Mrs. Bug the cemetery’s guardian, and Jamie explains the last person to be buried there holds that title.
Mr. Bug appears out of nowhere and joins the procession, requesting that Claire sing as they bury his wife. Claire obliges and sings “Ave Maria” as Mrs. Bug is laid to rest.
Mr. Bug kneels by her coffin and gently covers his wife’s body one final time as he cries. Jamie recites the sonnet “Death Be Not Proud” by poet John Donne.
Mr. Bug remains by the grave after the service, and Ian shoulders the blame for her death. He offers Mr. Bug his own life in exchange for Murdina’s, but Arch turns him down. Instead, Arch asks Ian to kill his dog. Ian immediately refuses, and Arch warns that when Ian has something worth taking, he’ll see him again. That’s a promise.
Arch leaves and Claire’s voice-over informs us that in the days that follow, they begin looking toward the future. Jamie points out the perfect location for a new house and confesses he’s thought about it for a year – just to be prepared.
Claire asks if he wants to be returned to Scotland to be buried. Jamie replies, “If you have to dispose of my carcass, leave it out for the crows.”
Jamie reveals he’ll never ask where to bury her because he refuses to think of her dead.
Before they can start building, Jamie would like to return to Lallybroch. He made a promise to his sister, Jenny, to bring Ian home, and he intends to keep that promise. Now with the war at hand, they need to leave once their affairs are in order.
Jamie also confesses that now’s the perfect time to return home because he promised himself he would never face William in war.
Jamie prays before he crawls into bed next to his pretending-to-be-asleep wife. He ends his prayer asking God to let him be enough.
Morning arrives, and Jamie and Claire snuggle in bed as he reveals he had another dream of her in her time. This time he saw Bree, Roger, and the kids walking up to a house and knocking on the door. A small brown-haired woman greeted them with laughter. Mandy was a little older and well.
Claire asks if they called the woman by name, and Jamie realizes Roger called her Fiona. The family’s doing well, and Jamie struggles to describe seeing Jem answering a phone, something Jamie’s completely unfamiliar with but does a decent job explaining. Claire quickly realizes what he’s saying as Jamie adds that Jem said, “I want to speak to grandda.”
Claire wishes she could call them, but the knowledge that they’re back safely will have to do for now.
Later, Jamie melts down some of the gold into the size of musket balls and then covers them in black ash. (So that’s why there was a musket ball in the chest with the letters!) As they’re working, Jamie asks if Ian knows what he’s going to say to his mother when he gets back to Lallybroch. Ian’s not sure and a bit worried because Bree told him of a book that said once you’ve left home, you can’t go back again.
Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)
After finishing melting some of the gold, Jamie guides Claire to a secret cave he and Jemmy found. Inside is the skeleton of a Spaniard, and Jamie and Jemmy made a pledge to keep the cave’s location a secret between granddad and grandson. (Jem wasn’t scared of the skeleton.)
There’s a smaller cave behind the skeleton, and Claire declares it’s the perfect place to hide treasure.
Claire pens a letter to Bree, explaining they’re heading to Lallybroch to take Ian home. Claire has been busy teaching Lizzie how to treat illnesses, and Lizzie and the twins have promised to watch over Fraser’s Ridge while she’s gone.
Jamie adds to the letter, suggesting that she pray for their safety as they return to Scotland – even though the outcome will have been long since decided when she reads this letter. He also drops cryptic hints about the location of a treasure.
Roger and Bree read this letter and figure out that Jamie located the missing Jacobite gold. Jamie indicated that Jem knows the location of the treasure. “If you should at some time have need of this property, tell him the Spaniard guards it,” wrote Jamie.
Jem’s never mentioned a Spaniard, and Roger and Bree debate whether they should ask him. They decide against it…for now.
Roger Rankin and Sophie Skelton in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Bree and Roger also decide to put off reading all the letters and instead will ration them to keep Jamie and Claire alive for as long as possible.
They plan on returning to Boston, but first, Bree wants to take Roger to Lallybroch for one final visit.
Lallybroch is still standing, but it’s in a state of disrepair and boarded up. It’s obvious no one lives there, but just seeing it makes Bree believe that Claire and Jamie could come riding up at any moment. Bree misses her parents, and Roger admits he does, too.
As they’re about to leave, a car pulls up and a realtor gets out. She thinks they’re there to tour the property, which is for sale! Shocked by the news, Roger and Bree exchange smiles. (The agent is from Dick Cameron and Co. realtors.)
Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Jamie and Claire say their emotional goodbyes to Lizzie and the twins, and Lizzie can’t control herself and cries. There have been too many goodbyes, and Jamie promises they will return. They don’t know when, but they’ll be back.
Claire, Jamie, and Ian have set off on their journey when Claire spots a familiar furry face. She picks up the adorable missing Adso and holds him close. He’s in great shape, and she gives him a kiss before sending him off, telling him to go home.
She’s crying when she returns to her horse, and Jamie comforts her. Claire sees a property marker and has a flashback to the day Jamie hammered it into the ground and declared it to be the entry to Fraser’s Ridge. Again, Claire’s wracked with emotion and makes Jamie promise they will return someday. Jamie swears they will.
They kiss and Claire says, “Jamie, you will always be enough.”
Apple TV+’s Hijack, which premiered on June 28, 2023 with the release of the first two episodes, is a seven-episode, edge-of-your-seat thriller told in real-time. As the title suggests, the series involves the hijacking of an airplane. Five-time Emmy nominee Idris Elba (Luther) stars as Sam Nelson, one of the trapped passengers and a man who just happens to possess a specific set of skills that makes him the perfect negotiator.
The action in Hijack takes place onboard the fictional Kingdom Airlines 29 (KA29), originating out of Dubai and bound for London. The series utilized a real Airbus A330 plane (retired from service) to bring that claustrophobic feeling of being trapped in a situation completely out of your control to life.
For series star Idris Elba, shooting in such a confined environment might have been difficult, but it paid off onscreen.
“This is a real plane, just in a studio, and the confinement of that just really applied to the drama. Even for the crew, you know, figuring out how we’re going to do this top shot without being able to take the roof off was about trying to figure out how to do that,” explained Elba during a press conference hosted by Apple TV+ and featuring cast members Archie Panjabi and Max Beesley, director/executive producer Jim Field Smith, and writer/executive producer George Kay.
Idris Elba continued: “It all sort of led into the claustrophobia of it, so the crew, the actors, everyone was sort of tight. It was almost like watching a documentary being made while being in the documentary.”
Director Smith believes that using an actual plane allowed the production to feel more in the moment, with scenes playing out as they would if this were an actual hijacking.
“When you’re dealing with a hijacking, it’s about people reacting and trying to figure out live how to get through the next second, how to get through the next minutes. And so, we were able to bring some of that into the actual making of it. We used a lot of unbroken shots. We moved often with Idris’ character, Sam; we’re moving with him through the plane,” explained Smith. “So, we did a lot of that for real. And there was a lot of like literally people having to hand the camera to each other and stuff like that.”
“But, again, that was, as Idris says, all about wanting to feel engaged in the drama of it and not feel like it was artifice or that we were sort of sitting back and watching it from afar. I wanted it to feel like you’re in that hijack,” said Smith.
Hijack’s timing worked out perfectly for Idris Elba. George Kay had the idea for the series at the same time that Elba and Apple TV+ were looking for a project to do together.
“This came as just an idea from George and then became the story beats and then the scripts. But I knew really much very early in the journey when I sat with George and talked about what we were trying to achieve and what the story and the perspective of this story was,” offered Elba.
“For me as a producer and a talent, I was sort of interested in doing something that was going to really hit the mark in television. I love television, love making television, I have done [it] for years. I play in the film space as well, and I think the sort of merger between film and what is film and what is television has gotten smaller, that sort of line. And working with George was just like it was a joy. I was a fan of his work and wanted to make that happen.”
The plane wasn’t taken apart for shooting, which made choreographing the action sequences a challenge.
“We designed all the action sequences with what we’ve got. Sam does a lot of sneaking around the plane, you know. Me sneaking on a plane is like, ‘Bro, what are you doing? We can see you, you know?’” said Elba, laughing. “So, it meant that I had to even get lower, or we had to figure out another way. And that was actually really, again, adds to the sort of drama and reality of this thing.
The fight sequences were certainly hard to shoot. They were choreographed within the space. If we hurt ourselves, we just took a breather and carried on. Because not to say that we didn’t care, but it’s just we didn’t try and change the choreography not to hurt ourselves because, in this instance, the fight sequences were based on what would we do rather than this is a fight sequence, you know?
And one of the memorable ones for me is the one with Neil (Maskell’s) character, and this gun and this tiny kitchen space. I’m a big man, so I could just…but it just wasn’t easy to maneuver around and fight this guy, especially if my character is not a fighter. He’s fighting out of desperation and he’s frightened of getting shot. Not only is he frightened of getting shot, but he doesn’t want the plane to go down because of a bullet.”
Elba continued: “So, there’s all this stuff that was part of the design of the action, and I think really puts the audience in that [place]. We’ve all been on a plane. We’ve all sat in a chair and looked over and seen that person from this perspective. We’ve all looked down the aisle and looked behind us, and that’s what Jim and the team really designed well and implemented into the action sequences.”
Strangely, considering the subject matter and what he endured on the shoot, Idris Elba’s view of flying has changed since starring in Hijack. Instead, he just feels more informed about flying and planes.
“I’ll sit on a plane and I’ll be like, ‘Oh, the A380. Oh, different trim, interesting.’ How do I know this sh*t?” said Elba, laughing. “I love flying. I love traveling, and I’ve always said hello to staff on planes, off planes, just by way of people wanting to say and wave and whatnot, so yeah, it just felt interesting to be on a plane again after making this show.”
Idris Elba’s character, Sam, is a key player in the events on the plane. But Idris Elba would react completely differently than his character in a similar situation.
“Well, look, you know, I would shut up and mind my own business. No, but I wouldn’t be Sam, for sure. I just wouldn’t have thought out that clearly,” admitted Elba. “But if I had an opportunity to speak to a hijacker and I got eye contact and I thought for a second that person would listen to me, I would go for that and be like, ‘Dude, this is very stupid.’ Or, ‘Dude, can you get me a drink, please? Just quickly get me drink.’ I don’t think I would be the hero guy that’s trying to outsmart the hijackers. I doubt that very much. But I certainly would want to help the staff and say, ‘Look, if you need a volunteer to help you do something, I’m in 100%.’”
The 45-minute press conference covered a lot of ground, but one question in particular jumped out. Idris Elba was asked if, in terms of being an actor and being offered a variety of roles, it is a blessing or a curse to be a good-looking man.
His response?
“Wow. Look, I’m sure it’s all subjective. I’m not sure I’m good-looking to everyone,” laughed Elba. “You know, my size and shape and all my life sort, ‘Oh, you’re a big lad,’ and I’ve taken on roles that sort of feed into that a little bit. And in this particular time, I was really interested in playing against that. Even though Sam is what he is, he isn’t always the sort of hero in that sense, you know? It’s more cerebral. He’s quite vulnerable in the sense that he’s got lots going on internally with his family. And I really was interested in that. So, it played against type, if you like.
And, yeah, you know, some camera angles are not sexy, man, especially on a plane, let me tell you. When Jim’s got the camera right up my nozzle, I’m like, ‘Are you sure that’s the angle, bro? Can I just shift to the light?’ He’s like, ‘No, no, no, this is perfect!’”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
New episodes of Hijack stream on Wednesdays on Apple TV+ through August 2, 2023.
Apple TV+ has set a Wednesday, August 23, 2023 premiere date for the launch of season two of the critically acclaimed sci-fi series Invasion. The season two date announcement included the first batch of photos from the upcoming 10-episode season.
Created by Oscar nominee Simon Kinberg (The Martian) and David Weil (Citadel), Invasion debuted on October 22, 2021 and wrapped up its 10-episode first season in December 2021. The season two renewal was confirmed just days before the season one finale.
“I couldn’t be more excited about the return of Invasion on Apple TV+,” stated Kinberg. “It’s a bigger, more intense season that drops our viewers into a wide-scale, global battle from the start. At its core, the show is about the power of the human spirit and the emotional connections that hold us together especially when facing incredible obstacles.”
Returning season one stars include Golshifteh Farahani, Shioli Kutsuna, Shamier Anderson, India Brown, Billy Barratt, Azhy Robertson, Paddy Holland, and Tara Moayedi. Newcomers to the series’ post-apocalyptic world include Enver Gjokaj, Nedra Marie Taylor, and Naian González Norvind.
Co-creators Kinberg and Weil executive produce along with Audrey Chon, David Witz, Alik Sakharov, Andrew Baldwin, and Katie O’Connell Marsh.
Shioli Kutsuna in ‘Invasion’ season 2 (Photo credit: Apple TV+)
The Plot, Courtesy of Apple TV+:
Season One – Earth is visited by an alien species that threatens humanity’s existence. Events unfold in real-time through the eyes of five ordinary people across the globe as they struggle to make sense of the chaos unraveling around them.
Season Two – The action-packed second season of Invasion picks up just months later with the aliens escalating their attacks in an all-out war against the humans.
Shamier Anderson in season 2 (Photo credit: Apple TV+)Golshifteh Farahani in season 2 (Photo credit: Apple TV+)Cache Vanderpuye, India Brown and Louis Toghill in season 2 (Photo credit: Apple TV+)A scene from season 2 (Photo credit: Apple TV+)Azhy Robertson, Tara Moayedi and Golshifteh Farahani in season 2 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)Cache Vanderpuye in season 2 (Photo credit: Apple TV+)
The teaser for Netflix’s documentary Sly finds the film’s subject, Sylvester Stallone, admitting he has regrets. “Filmmaking, it comes at a great price,” says the three-time Oscar-nominated actor and filmmaker. “There’s no time for anything else.”
Netflix has been delving into the world of action stars with the three-part docuseries Arnold, a deep-dive into the life and career of Arnold Schwarzenegger that premiered on June 7, 2023, and now Sly, directed by Thom Zimny (Springsteen on Broadway, The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town).
Sly is expected to arrive on the streaming service in November 2023.
Netflix offered this description of the Sylvester Stallone documentary:
For nearly 50 years, Sylvester Stallone has entertained millions with iconic characters and blockbuster franchises, from Rocky to Rambo to The Expendables. This retrospective documentary offers an intimate look at the Oscar-nominated actor-writer-director-producer, paralleling his inspirational underdog story with the indelible characters he has brought to life.
Ruby Gillman (Lana Condor) and Grandmamah (Jane Fonda) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Ruby Gillman Teenage Kraken’
For decades, movies have been telling stories of various sea creatures residing in the oceans, ranging from man-eating sharks to friendly whales, beautiful mermaids, and even a fish searching for his lost son. However, the latest animated coming-of-age comedy by DreamWorks, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, tells the story of perhaps the most misunderstood sea creature of them all – the Kraken.
The film opens in the little town of Oceanside, where 15-year-old Ruby Gillman (voiced by Lana Condor) does her best to fit in at school by posing as a human, even though she’s a sea creature. She has a group of friends and is working up the courage to ask her crush, skater-boy Connor (voiced by Jaboukie Young-White), to the prom. The problem is that her mom, Agatha (voiced by Toni Collette), won’t let her attend because the dance will be held on a boat, and the ocean is off-limits to Ruby. Getting wet will turn Ruby from human-size to a giant purple kraken!
Ruby stumbles upon this discovery inadvertently when she dives into the ocean to rescue a drowning Connor after he fell in. Overwhelmed with shock and fear, Ruby tries to hide in the local library but ends up accidentally demolishing it as she grows to a giant size. Fortunately, Agatha spots Ruby hiding among some tall trees and sneaks her home.
Agatha explains to Ruby that she left that life behind when she moved the family to Oceanside, and it’s better if they just try to fit in.
Krakens shrink back to human size if they stay dry and calm, and once Ruby’s back to normal, she visits her uncle. He reveals she’s the descendant of the kraken warrior queen and is destined to inherit the underwater throne from her grandmother (voiced by Jane Fonda).
Feeling like an even bigger outcast at school and upset with her mother for keeping all this from her, Ruby decides to head into the ocean to find her grandmother and learn what it is to be a kraken.
Energetic and colorful, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is a predictable, coming-of-age story with a talented voice cast and a troubled script. The plot struggles with multiple ideas that are sure to confuse its targeted audience – children.
Lana Condor does a great job of bringing the quirky, sweet, and intelligent Ruby to life, capturing her frustration with her mom and her awkwardness and lack of confidence when around Connor. Her performance is the highlight of the film. Toni Collette delivers a spot-on performance as Agatha, the over-protective, loving, but controlling mom who’s trying to keep her family and daughter from a life she didn’t want but is actually denying Ruby knowledge of her family’s history and past.
The underwater scenes are some of the film’s best, but still nowhere near as beautiful or as impressive as in films such as The Little Mermaid or Finding Nemo. It’s nothing audiences haven’t seen done much better before.
Another weakness of the film is its struggling tone. The erratic pace of the first 30 minutes should mildly entertain the young kids in the theater, but once Ruby goes on her underwater sea quest, the sluggish pacing is sure to bore them silly. Unfortunately, there’s not much for adults here either, as the film’s aimed solely at young children.
Sadly, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is a forgettable animated underwater adventure that sinks rather than swims.
GRADE: C-
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements, some action, and rude humor
‘Reinventing Elvis: The ’68 Comeback’ Poster (Photo Credit: Paramount+)
Reinventing Elvis: The ’68 Comeback delves into the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s legendary 1968 television special from the special’s Emmy Award-winning director Steve Binder’s point of view. The 1968 special resurrected Presley’s career, and the documentary examines what went on behind the scenes while bringing the show to life for a massive television audience.
“The world is filled with stories about Elvis and his historic 1968 Comeback Special, but no one has ever told this story the way only I can tell it — because I was there for every moment of it,” stated Binder. “I’m so proud of this film because it presents Elvis as he really was and looks at a specific moment in time — when Elvis took control of his life, his career, and his legacy. There’s never been a television moment quite like this one.”
Directed by John Scheinfeld (The U.S. vs. John Lennon, What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat and Tears), Reinventing Elvis will get a limited theatrical release before its premiere on Paramount+ on August 15, 2023.
“The 1960s was a decade marked by profound change,” said Scheinfeld. “No one was immune, including the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, who had been driven from his throne by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and a host of younger, more vital artists. Against this provocative backdrop, Elvis and Steve Binder came together to create something extraordinary. It’s an amazing story, one that I’m honored to have been chosen to tell.”
The documentary’s produced by Spencer Proffer’s Meteor 17, with Steve Binder and Bruce Gilmer executive producing.
“Steve Binder is one of the most innovative creators in entertainment,” said Proffer. “To make electrifying paradigm shifts in television, Steve broke molds with his incredible vision. I’m proud to continue my decades-long association with Steve by creating this cinematic documentary, which does more than illuminate an hour of television — it also reveals an incredible buddy story between a pop-culture icon at a pivotal moment and a director who took risks and made history in the process.”
Paramount+ released this description of the documentary:
Reinventing Elvis: The ’68 Comeback reveals what really happened behind the scenes of this mesmerizing hour of television. When it aired on the night of Dec. 3, 1968, the special became the most-watched television event of the year, and nearly half of the entire TV-watching audience tuned in to see Elvis Presley, clad in an iconic black leather suit, deliver some of the greatest performances of his life, reinvigorating his career and changing the pop-culture landscape forever.
Told from the unique perspective of Emmy Award-winning television director Steve Binder, Reinventing Elvis: The ’68 Comeback features interviews with Elvis experts and recollections from those who attended the special in-person, as well as all-new versions of iconic Elvis hits interpreted by contemporary musicians, including superstar Darius Rucker, Latin Grammy winner Maffio and America’s Got Talent finalist Drake Milligan, who previously starred in CMT’s hit series Sun Records, also streaming on Paramount+.
Cade Cole in The HISTORY Channel’s ‘Alone’ season 10
Eight out of the initial group of 10 survivalists remain in the competition as History’s Alone season 10 episode four begins. This season’s survivalists struggle against inhospitable conditions in the remote islands throughout Reindeer Lake in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, with a lack of food taking out two competitors (Lee and Ann) in episode three.
Episode four, “Lake of Thieves,” features Cade, Wyatt, Taz, Jodi, Luke, and Melanie. By the end of episode four, two more season 10 survivalists have tapped out.
Cade Cole, Age 27, Crowheart, Wyoming
Day 17 – Cade begins the day out hunting, still determined not to give up after losing all his arrows. He finds a handful of berries and then spots some fresh bear scat. The bear must be close by.
Cade gets to work on a new arrow that he plans on heat treating. He found some beer cans and used them to create sharp broadhead arrows. Cade’s hoping they’re sharp enough to take down a bear. A bear kill would be his ticket to a win.
Cade’s 10 Survival Items:
Knife
Multitool
Shovel
Fishing Line and Hooks
Sleeping Bag
Bow and Arrows
Ferro Rod
Snare Wire
Cooking Pot
Bar of Soap
James “Wyatt” Black in The History Channel’s ‘Alone’ season 10
James “Wyatt” Black, Age 51, Ontario, Canada
Day 17 – Wyatt’s shelter is complete and so he heads to the water to reset his gill net. He spots a couple of otters in the lake and asks them to catch him a fish. Wyatt hasn’t seen any fresh signs of moose or bear, but he’s been doing great catching fish.
He knows fishing is key and casts with his homemade rod and lure (nicknamed “hellfire” and made of spruce wood and wrapped in yellow snare wire). Nothing’s biting at this spot, so he moves to a different spot and reels in a lake trout. Wyatt places this fish in a livewell to keep it alive and confined until he needs it. Not much later, he snags another trout, and it joins the other fish in the livewell.
He doesn’t have enough time to smoke his fish tonight, so he hopes they’ll be okay overnight. Wyatt thinks the livewell might attract otters, but he believes he’ll hear them if they try and take his fish.
Day 18 – The fish are gone. Wyatt swears he won’t make that mistake again. He just lost four days worth of food and can’t make that error again.
Day 19 – Wyatt’s sitting by the lake when the fish thief runs around nearby, seemingly unafraid of a human. Local regulations make trapping martens illegal, so the animal has no reason to fear Wyatt.
Wyatt begins fishing and notes that he won’t allow the marten to steal his catch again. He reels in a three-pound lake trout using his homemade rod and lure, and he believes it’s a sign that he needs to be in this competition.
The fish is delicious after a couple of days without protein. “I’m like a kid at Christmas,” says Wyatt, describing the meal.
Wyatt’s 10 Survival Items:
Cooking Pot
Axe
Saw
Ferro Rod
Sleeping Bag
Snare Wire
Paracord
Fishing Line and Hooks
Bow and Arrows
Multitool
Luke Olsen in The HISTORY Channel’s ‘Alone’ season 10
Luke Olsen, Age 39, Maui, Hawaii
Day 18 – Luke’s pleased with the way his bear den shelter’s coming along and heads off to fish. He raps while he fishes, and it doesn’t take long before he reels in a trout. Luke thinks this is his 16th fish, and as soon as he casts, he gets another trout.
Back at his beach house, he’s got almost too much food to cook. He’s got a lot of smoked fish hanging by the beach house.
Later, he works on carving a fireplace into the side of a berm in his earthen shelter. As he builds it, Luke informs us that he’s been married for 18 years and has a 10-year-old son who is currently in an outdoor school that’s survival-influenced.
Luke’s happy about his new fireplace. It’s working exactly as he hoped it would.
At 10pm, he’s got a blazing fire going and thinks his shelter might win Alone Cribs. Unfortunately, his stomach’s rumbling, and he’s hoping it’s just food poisoning. He’s eaten two-day-old fish, but this feels different from food poisoning.
Day 20 – Mid-day, Luke’s still burping and has a bubble gut. He’s felt gassy for a few days and has had diarrhea. Luke even made a mess in his sleeping bag. (TMI, Luke, TMI.)
Luke’s been drinking water straight out of the lake, and that could be why he’s feeling sick.
A few hours later, Luke tries to relax and nap by his beach house. He believes he’s got giardia – he’s had it before – and knows it will probably only get worse. This could be the beginning of the end for his time on Alone, but he’s torn about tapping out because he thinks he has more to accomplish.
Luke’s on the verge of making the call when he spots a bear. He decides to put off the call and go after the bear. He takes a shot, believing that if he gets a bear and gets over his illness, he could win this. He misses and then spots another bear, taking a shot from a better area. That shot also misses, which is a good thing as Luke realizes this is a female bear and her cub. That’s against the rules. Also, as Luke explains, it just feels wrong.
“What a beautiful sign. That cub showed me what was really going on,” says Luke. “Time to go home to my mama bear and my cub.”
He’s incredibly thankful he didn’t make contact with an arrow.
Luke is the third person to tap out of season 10. The decision feels right, and seeing the bears overwhelmed him with the feeling of parenthood.
Luke’s 10 Survival Items:
Block of Salt
Sleeping Bag
Cooking Pot
Gill Net
Snare Wire
Bow and Arrows
Multitool
Saw
Fishing Line and Hooks
Shovel
Taz in The History Channel’s ‘Alone’ season 10
Tarcisio “Taz” Ramos Dos Santos, Age 35, Becket, Massachusetts and Sergipe, Brazil
Day 19 – Taz eats a little and then checks his gill nets as Alone informs us he’s caught five grouse, four fish, and one squirrel thus far. He adds to the count with a lake trout full of eggs caught in his net.
Taz has enough food for the next 10 days, and he takes the latest fish back to his teepee-style smokehouse/kitchen. (It’s 300 feet from his shelter.) One of his biggest challenges now is keeping his food away from hungry predators.
He hangs a couple of fillets and plans on eating the head and heart tonight.
Day 21 – Taz sets up a new snare and then checks his other snares for squirrels. He’s set up quite a few, and one catches a squirrel. Taz heads to the lake to clean it, recalling his childhood was full of hunting and fishing.
When he returns to his camp, he discovers an animal stole half of his trout. He’s not sure what animal did it but knows he needs to continue his battle to protect his food. He follows a trail of feathers the animal took from his grouse and finds a footprint. It’s probably a pine marten, and survivalists aren’t allowed to harm them.
Taz realizes he needs to figure out a better way to keep his food safe. He scrapes bark off a tree so animals can’t climb it, and then he makes a wooden box with a lid that he’ll place up in a tree. That will keep his food away from martens, jays, and bears.
Taz uses a makeshift ladder to put the box out of reach.
Day 22 – The winds were strong overnight and Taz checks his gill net. It’s no longer where it’s supposed to be and he searches for it, hopeful that he can locate it because it has weight to it.
He uses a branch to try and find it and then snag it. It was part of his main survival strategy, and he needs it for fish. It was better to use the net than actively fish and use energy.
Taz can’t locate the net and the water’s too cold to keep looking. He heads back to his shelter to check his food stash. His wooden box hasn’t been touched and still contains three trout and half a pike.
Taz’s 10 Survival Items:
Sleeping Bag
Ferro Rod
Cooking Pot
Axe
Multitool
Fishing Line and Hooks
Paracord
Snare Wire
Bow and Arrows
Tarp
Jodi Rose in The HISTORY Channel’s ‘Alone’ season 10
Jodi Rose, Age 45, Worland, WY
Day 20 – Her house is a mess (her description), and she has a nice stack of firewood along with moss ready for chinking. The shelter’s not done yet, but today she plans on getting the roof on her cabin.
20 days in and Jodi’s only eaten berries and reindeer moss. She’s determined to finish her shelter before she worries about food, burning 600+ calories an hour while working on her cabin.
She cheers when she places the final log on her roof. Next up, putting moss on top of the wood. To do so, she has to climb on top of her cabin to spread it out, and as she does she reveals her father just had a heartache and the timing isn’t great for her to be on Alone. Her kids and husband will take care of him while she’s gone, and she recalls that her dad told her not to let what he does stop her from living. It’s because of him that she’s on Alone.
Jodi draws a lot of strength from her dad, and she pauses to look at the beauty around her.
Day 21 – Snow’s on the ground and Jodi’s happy her roof is on and has kept the snow out of her cabin. She believes she could last the whole winter if she had to and names her shelter “Lost Cabin.” This environment’s magical, and Jodi thinks she has everything she needs.
Jodi’s experience thus far has proven to her that she’s strong and resilient.
Putting on the door will be the final step of finishing up her cabin. After she finishes the cabin, Jodi knows she’ll have to come up with other projects to keep her mind busy. She’s worried about her parents and feeling guilty, but believes she needs to stay and win the $500,000.
Day 22 – Her cabin’s cozy, but she needs protein. She eats a little cooked spruce bark which tastes like celery and has about 500 calories per pound. Jodi’s not eating much and has lost 27 pounds.
She had a dream that her mom was outside her cabin calling out her name and asking for help. When she woke up, the dream stayed with her.
Jodi has five children and wants them to be proud of her. She’s realized this cabin is also a prison, and the pull to go home is incredibly strong. Family is the most important thing.
Jodi makes the call to tap out. She knows her family needs her, but this has been a life-changing experience. This experience is just part of the journey – not the end.
Jodi’s 10 Survival Items:
Bow and Arrows
Fishing Line and Hooks
Cooking Pot
Paracord
Multitool
Snare Wire
Saw
Axe
Sleeping Bag
Ferro Rod Melanie Sawyer in The History Channel’s ‘Alone’ season 10
Melanie Sawyer, Age 54, Essex County, NY
Day 21 – Melanie’s decided to build a large woodshed separate but near her permanent shelter. She’ll use it to keep her firewood off the ground during rain and snow.
She describes herself as a proponent of carpe diem-ing, which is just like her mom. Her mom took off on adventures when she hit 50, including a 15-year stint in Bali. She returned to England after becoming ill and ultimately died gracefully. Melanie would talk with her mom while she was in hospice, and her mom taught her to let go of her fears.
After finishing her building for the day, she heads off to fish using a lure made from her wool sweater and snare wire. She’s only had berries and inner tree bark since being dropped off, and unfortunately, a fish steals her lure right after she casts.
She’s spent 10 years fishing, and it’s driving her nuts that she can’t pull a fish out of this lake. She makes a new lure using a Band-Aid wrapper and pink from her underwear. Melanie tries again as a raven flies by, and she thanks it for watching over her. And, apparently, the raven has brought her luck as she catches her first fish – a pike.
Her main skill is to adapt and survive, and she’s a very positive person. She believes people tap out because their heads get to them.
Melanie’s 10 Survival Items:
Bow and Arrows
Snare Wire
Fishing Line and Hooks
Saw
Multitool
Sleeping bag
Cooking Pot
Ferro Rod
Food Rations
Food Rations
Devery Jacobs, Lane Factor, Paulina Alexis, and D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai in ‘Reservation Dogs’ (Photo CR: Shane Brown/FX)
Series co-creator Sterlin Harjo took to Instagram to break the news that FX’s critically acclaimed, groundbreaking Reservation Dogs is coming to an end. Harjo, followed by the network, confirmed the upcoming third season will be the award-winning series’ last.
“Here it is: the coming third season of Reservation Dogs will be the final season,” wrote Harjo. “That’s a difficult line to write and a more difficult decision to make. However, it’s the correct decision creatively for the show. I always knew what the end of this story would be, I just didn’t know when it would arrive. As we continued to break stories and write scripts this season, it became clear to the producers, Taika [Waititi, co-creator] and me that the season three finale is the perfect series finale. When we came up with the idea for Reservation Dogs, I didn’t think the show would ever get made, but thankfully it did.”
FX released this statement on the end of Reservation Dogs:
“People throw around the words historic and groundbreaking far too often and without merit: Reservation Dogs is worthy of those superlatives. Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi created one of the most important TV shows ever made. They gave the world a wholly unique, original, and honest portrayal of Native people — one that has never before been seen in television or film.
It’s difficult to say goodbye to these indelible characters and to an award-winning series that The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Variety and Vulture named The Best Show of 2022. That said, we support Sterlin and Taika’s decision to end the series in a way that will cement its legacy.
We, along with our partners at Hulu, are forever grateful to the producers, writers, directors, cast, crew, and the Native land and communities in eastern Oklahoma who collaborated to make this masterpiece. While we’re sad to see the show come to an end, we’re excited for Sterlin, Taika and Garrett Basch to continue to tell stories for FX. And Rez Dogs fans, we hope you share our excitement and anticipation for the coming season.”
Reservation Dogs stars D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Bear Smallhill, Devery Jacobs as Elora Danan, Paulina Alexis as Willie Jack, and Lane Factor as Cheese. The cast also includes Elva Guerra, Sarah Podemski, Zahn McClarnon, and Dallas Goldtooth.
Season three is set to premiere on August 2, 2023 on Hulu.
Lil Rel Howery joins ‘Good Burger 2’ (Photo Courtesy of Paramount+)
Lil Rel Howery (Get Out) and Jillian Bell (Brittany Runs a Marathon) have joined the cast of the Good Burger sequel, Good Burger 2. Directed by Phil Traill (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), the long-awaited sequel has also signed up Kamaia Fairburn (Blockbuster), Alex R. Hibbert (Moonlight), Fabrizio Guido (Perry Mason), Elizabeth Hinkler, Emily Hinkler (The Good Doctor), and Anabel Graetz (Free Guy).
The newcomers join returning Good Burger stars Kenan Thompson as Dexter Reed and Kel Mitchell as Ed. Also reprising their roles are Josh Server, as Fizz, Lori Beth Denberg as Connie Muldoon, and Carmen Electra as Roxanne.
Good Burger, based on characters created for the comedy series All That, opened in theaters on July 25, 1997. The Paramount Pictures production had a $7 million opening weekend and went on to ring up $23 million before exiting theaters.
Good Burger 2 will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ sometime later this year.
Stars Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell serve as producers, with screenwriters Kevin Kopelow and Heath Seifert executive producing. John Ryan Jr. from Artists for Artists is also executive producing, and James III is on board as a writer.
Paramount+ and Nickelodeon Studios released the following plot description and character details:
The movie follows Dexter Reed (Thompson) and original cashier Ed (Mitchell) as they reunite in the present day at fast-food restaurant Good Burger with a hilarious new group of employees.
Lil Rel Howery plays Cecil McNevin, a lawyer for the corporation MegaCorp.
Jillian Bell is Katt Boswell, the CEO of MegaCorp.
Kamaia Fairburn is Mia, a cool and confident teen who works at Good Burger to help her mother when she can.
Alex R. Hibbert plays Ed2, a mini-me version of his dad, Ed, and Good Burger’s newest trainee.
Fabrizio Guido is Mr. Jensen, a 16-year-old employee who tries but often fails to keep his employees in line.
Elizabeth Hinkler and Emily Hinkler are Cindy and Mindy, 16-year-old identical twins who are the cooks at the restaurant.
Anabel Graetz is Ruth, the most senior employee at Good Burger among a bunch of teenagers.
