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‘Becoming Elizabeth’ Episode 3 Recap: “Either Learn Or Be Silent”

By
Rebecca Murray
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Becoming Elizabeth Episode 3 Recap
A scene from ‘Becoming Elizabeth’ episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)

Starz’s Becoming Elizabeth episode three finds Princess Elizabeth at odds with Catherine Parr and caught up in a love affair with her stepmom’s husband. Young King Edward proves he’s not ready to lead as his behavior’s more like that of a petulant child than a ruler. Meanwhile, Princess Mary appears to be the only member of the royal family with a solid grasp of the state of the world.

And now, the episode three recap:

“Either Learn Or Be Silent” opens with a man testing Catherine Parr’s urine (he drinks it!) and announces she’s with child. Catherine (Jessica Raine) believes this is a death sentence for her and the child.

Lady Jane Grey (Bella Ramsey) disagrees and thinks the baby is blessed. Jane would be happy if Catherine and Thomas were her parents, and that actually brings a smile to Catherine’s face.

And speaking of Thomas, he’s wormed his way into Elizabeth’s heart and declares she’s his and his alone. Their private chat’s interrupted by the arrival of Catherine, Jane, and assorted servants. Thomas (Tom Cullen) distracts the gathering by pointing out the clouds and then wondering why Elizabeth’s dressed in such somber attire.

Lady in Waiting Kat Ashley (Alexandra Gilbreath) reminds him that Elizabeth (Alicia von Rittberg) is in mourning for her father, but Thomas thinks the rebirth that comes with the spring means Elizabeth should shed her dark attire. He helps her out by cutting the strings on her bodice with his sword.

Elizabeth sharply draws in her breath as Thomas places his sword across her chest. He then moves behind her with Catherine egging him on. Elizabeth moves away from Thomas but now it’s Catherine’s turn to undress the princess.

Kat stops Lady Jane from joining the tussle as Catherine and Elizabeth giggle. Catherine informs her stepdaughter the dead want them free as Thomas rips Elizabeth’s dress from behind and Catherine pulls it down in front. She’s left in her undergarments while both Catherine and Thomas laugh.

Catherine appears ready to announce her pregnancy but is stopped when Thomas gives playful chase to a fleeing Elizabeth, leaving his wife behind.

Over in Framlingham Castle, Princess Mary (Romola Garai) can’t stop herself from re-reading the letter from her sister, Princess Elizabeth. She confesses to Pedro that its meaning pains her. Elizabeth has turned on her, just as her father did. Mary believes that both her father and her sister have chosen Catherine over her. And Elizabeth’s choice makes it clear there will be war.

Pedro sends a messenger to the Lord Protector Edward Seymour requesting a Catholic sit on the council.

Edward Seymour (John Heffernan) receives the note and immediately pays a visit to Bishop Gardiner locked in the Tower of London. Edward notes King Edward has strong opinions about faith and reminds Bishop Stephen Gardiner he attempted to have Catherine Parr executed for heresy.

Princess Elizabeth is brought before King Edward and the council to discuss Princess Mary. Edward Seymour’s fully aware of the letter Elizabeth sent and believes putting the Catholic Bishop on the council will help soothe things over.

Catherine is also in attendance and lays it on the line. Elizabeth wrote to Mary and told her she and King Edward are united against her. Now, as Edward Seymour points out, Mary feels the need to “protect” herself. Mary now poses a threat to the crown, and King Edward demands they tell Mary he never requested Elizabeth send her a letter.

Later at dinner, Thomas and Catherine demand answers as to why Elizabeth felt the need to write to Mary. Elizabeth says she was simply answering a question.

Catherine becomes angry, fully aware Mary could request she be executed. Elizabeth had no idea that when her father was dying, Bishop Gardiner wanted Catholicism to regrip the nation. Catherine explains the Bishop wanted her condemned so that he could be the one whispering in young King Edward’s ear.

Bishop Gardiner tortured Catherine’s friends to get any info they had that he could use against Catherine. He even burned Anne Askew at the stake after destroying her legs. After that, Elizabeth’s father, King Henry VIII, called for Catherine’s death – for the third time.

Fortunately for Catherine, it was Bishop Gardiner and not her who ended up in the Tower.

Thomas Seymour doesn’t think Bishop Gardiner poses a threat, but Catherine remains angry at Elizabeth for what she unleashed.

Bishop Gardiner visits Princess Mary and their discussion about religion gets a little heated. Princess Mary reveals she’s chosen her brother over her religion, and Gardiner warns that a fanatic and his handler actually rule England.

Gardiner reminds Mary she has the backing of all Catholics. Shocked at what he’s implying, Princess Mary can’t believe Bishop Gardiner wants her to tear apart her family and England.

Becoming Elizabeth Episode 3 Recap
Tom Cullen and Alicia von Rittberg in ‘Becoming Elizabeth’ episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)

Back at Chelsea Manor, Elizabeth comes to Thomas late at night and he calls her “the maker of fine messes.” Although he’s angry, he still wants Elizabeth and they discuss how he views her. Elizabeth’s sure he thinks of her as a child, and Thomas assures her he sees her clearly. He thinks she’s definitely not a child. (He’s married and she’s turning 15.)

Their gentle kisses turn increasingly passionate.

Moments later, Thomas joins Catherine in front of a fire. Catherine’s figured out Thomas’s brother isn’t scheming against them; he’s just trying to make them irrelevant by ignoring them. Thomas is sure that if King Edward marries Lady Jane, then their fortune will change.

Thomas winds up in bed with his wife and talk turns to Elizabeth’s 15th birthday. Catherine wants to arrange a celebration here at Chelsea Manor with Thomas in charge and King Edward as an honored guest.

Elizabeth’s birthday arrives and she looks gorgeous. Catherine notes beauty is wasted on the young. Catherine isn’t pleased that Elizabeth is wearing her mother Anne Boleyn’s necklace, and deems the gesture unwise. They compromise by hiding the ornate letter B on the necklace under Elizabeth’s dress.

The evening celebration gets underway, and King Edward’s given the honor of shooting a flaming arrow that spreads fire across the top of the river. That’s followed by a tremendous display of fireworks, much partying, and Elizabeth playing a rousing game of cards with Robert Dudley.

Becoming Elizabeth Episode 3 Recap
Jessica Raine, Oliver Zetterström, and Bella Ramsey in ‘Becoming Elizabeth’ episode 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)

King Edward (Oliver Zetterström) and Lady Jane carry on a friendly discussion over who is the louder man – King Henry VIII or Thomas Seymour. Catherine, who’s seated with them and looking after her dog who’s had a bit of a scare from the fireworks, joins the conversation. She reminds King Edward that if he wants to do something then he should do it. After all, he’s the King.

Elizabeth and Robert Dudley (Jamie Blackley) watch as Thomas and Catherine toast with Jane Grey and King Edward. Robert wonders what game Thomas is playing and reveals Thomas has asked for King Edward to see Jane, but Lord Protector Edward Seymour doesn’t allow it.

Jealousy rears its ugly head as Elizabeth watches Lady Jane and King Edward laugh over dinner. The straw that breaks the camel’s back is Edward Seymour’s toast to Elizabeth and to her brother, the King. It’s her birthday and she’s no longer the center of attention as the crowd stands and cheers King Edward.

Elizabeth grabs the attention by announcing Lady Jane has a special song she wants to sing. It doesn’t go over well as Lady Jane’s singing voice isn’t pleasant. No one claps as Lady Jane flees the room while King Edward remarks it was a “sh*t” performance.

Elizabeth confesses to Thomas Seymour that she understands he set this whole thing up to force King Edward and Lady Jane together – not because he wanted to do something special on her birthday.

Robert Dudley confronts Elizabeth over her disgusting display of pettiness, and Elizabeth unsuccessfully attempts to justify her behavior. Robert confirms he’s always on her side, but not when she uses her power to hurt innocent people.

Lady Jane receives a beating from her father for embarrassing the family. Elizabeth witnesses it and gets Henry Grey to stop, defending Jane’s participation since she’s the one who prompted it. Elizabeth takes the full blame and after Henry leaves, Elizabeth comforts Lady Jane and offers her a dress since Henry ripped hers.

Elizabeth explains she’s never had the power to affect anyone else’s life until tonight, and she’s just now fully understanding what that power means.

The party’s still going on when Thomas joins Elizabeth in her bedchamber. Thomas reveals he thinks his brother doesn’t trust him, and he hates being like him even for a moment. He claims he’s his brother’s hostage and then lunges at Elizabeth for a kiss. Elizabeth pushes him away; angry he and Catherine hide secrets from her.

Thomas warns Elizabeth not to be jealous because their secrets are bigger than the ones he shares with his wife. Elizabeth admits she loves him – more than is safe. Although he never says he loves her, he hints that she should be assured that’s the case.

Thomas unties her bedclothes and leans in for another kiss and once again Elizabeth pushes him away. However, this time it’s because Catherine has barged into the room and witnesses them together in bed. Catherine leaves but not before stating they’ll talk about this in the morning.

The following morning Chelsea Manor looks like a frat house after a hard night of partying. Catherine finally discovers Thomas asleep, spooning with a dog, and kicks him awake.

Meanwhile, Princess Mary’s upset she was not invited to London to celebrate her sister’s birthday. Pedro admits he wasn’t impressed with the bishop, and Mary pledges to show her brother she’s not a threat. If he views her as one, then all Catholics are at risk.

The council and King Edward are seated at a table in Catherine’s house, and Edward Seymour chides them for being late despite the fact it’s their home. Catherine reveals King Edward invited her to attend the meeting and she prompts her stepson to speak. King Edward declares Edward Seymour’s grown too bold and that the villainous bishop’s seat on the council must “not be seen as a concession to heresy, but as a sign of its end.”

King Edward orders the beginning of a religious reformation for his country. When Edward Seymour attempts to interrupt, King Edward reminds him he’s not the king. King Edward’s angry Edward Seymour won’t allow Lady Jane to visit him, and Edward declares the King of England isn’t about to marry Lady Jane – no matter what Thomas thinks or desires.

King Edward’s stunned. He had no idea that was what Thomas and Catherine had in mind.

The Lord Protector has had enough. He will no longer allow King Edward to play at ruling the country; King Edward’s only job is to learn how to rule in the future.

“Sit and learn, sir. That is all that is required of you,” shouts Edward Seymour.

After the meeting’s over, Catherine calls Elizabeth in for a talk and asks what Thomas has done. Elizabeth attempts to call what Catherine saw “play” and claims they did no wrong. Catherine brings up Anne Boleyn’s reputation up and wonders if Elizabeth’s cast from the same stone. Elizabeth continues to plead innocence, even with Catherine warning her to choose carefully how she acts.

“I have been quite blind to you, and I see you now. I see you clearly now, my love,” says Catherine.

Catherine understands that her lessons on how to play this great game are now complete.

Elizabeth sobs after her stepmother leaves the room.

Next, Catherine turns her attention to Thomas Seymour. She demands he chooses whether he’s an apologetic sinner or a defiant husband. He claims to be neither and Catherine realizes he’s really of two minds about whether to choose his wife or choose Elizabeth.

Catherine points out that if he chooses Elizabeth, he’ll need to tell King Edward that after marrying his stepmother, he now wants to marry his 15-year-old sister.

Catherine decides the best option is to send Elizabeth away. Thomas admits he finds Elizabeth beautiful and this hasn’t been some giant scheme to accumulate more power.

Catherine finally reveals she’s pregnant and suggests if he chooses Elizabeth, it won’t end well for him or Elizabeth. Catherine also believes she’ll wind up being beheaded alongside Thomas.

Thomas wishes they’d married long ago and that she’d never been the wife of King Henry VIII or stepmother of the new king, Princess Elizabeth, and Princess Mary.

Elizabeth’s carriage is packed and Catherine joins her outside, explaining she needs peace in her household because of her pregnancy. Catherine reminds Elizabeth to be careful with her reputation and that what matters is what people think she’s done.

Thomas stands outside Chelsea Manor and Elizabeth finally realizes he chose Catherine over her.

Elizabeth replays intimate moments with Thomas in her head as the carriage leaves Chelsea Manor.




BTS’ J-Hope Announces ‘Jack in the Box’ Solo Album

By
Alison Helms
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J-Hope Jack in the Box
J-Hope announces ‘Jack in the Box’ solo album (Photo Credit: Big Hit Music)

J-Hope of BTS is set to release his solo album Jack in the Box on July 15, 2022. J-Hope’s label, Big Hit Music, made the announcement on Weverse followed by a video posted by J-Hope on his Instagram announcing the upcoming album. The album’s first single will drop on Friday, July 1, however, there’s no official word yet on its title.

Soon after the news broke fans around the world showed their excitement on social media, with J-Hope and Jack in the Box trending worldwide on Twitter.

“Jack in The Box lends a voice to J-Hope’s aspirations to break the mold and grow further. The album represents J-Hope’s own musical personality and vision as an artist,” according to Big Hit.

The release of Jack in the Box will make J-Hope the first BTS member to embark on “BTS chapter 2.” On June 13, BTS held a dinner party to celebrate their nine-year anniversary and it was there they announced to fans the members will be releasing solo albums. BTS made it very clear this is not a breakup of the globally popular group, but instead they’re taking a break to find themselves individually. It was also made clear there will still be group activities as well.

The rap members of the group – RM, SUGA, and J-Hope – have previously released solo work they’ve called mixtapes, but this will be the first time the other members will release solo albums. BTS member and leader of the group, RM, noted these will be albums and different from mixtapes that were released in the past.

While it was announced J-Hope would be the first member to embark on the solo adventure, the group did not reveal which member will release next or what the proposed album release schedule looks like. However, BTS’ Jin did say he will probably be the last to release – but that wasn’t confirmed by their label.

J-Hope is set to make his solo stage debut at one of the world’s biggest music festivals, Lollapalooza, where he’ll be a headliner. His appearance will mark the first time a Korean artist will headline a major US music festival when he takes the stage on Sunday, July 31st. The news about his first solo stage show was announced on June 6, 2022, before the group announced their temporary break.

As reported by Variety, singer-songwriter/frontman for the band Jane’s Addiction and founder of Lollapalooza, Perry Farrell, commented on his excitement at having J-Hope perform at the festival.

“I’m happy to welcome J-Hope and Tomorrow X Together into the Lollapalooza family,” stated Farrell. “These artists have been given great gifts in communication. Their global audience speak different languages but possess an intense passion for their music. Lolla is the place where all music genres live in harmony. These are the superstars of the global phenomenon of K-Pop, and we are so excited to have them at this year’s festival.”

Tomorrow X Together are labelmates with BTS at Big Hit Music and will be performing Saturday, July 30.




Taylor Swift Debuts a Haunting Lyric Video for “Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing

By
Rebecca Murray
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Taylor Swift’s haunting original song “Carolina” just unveiled a gorgeous lyric video. The new song’s featured in the dramatic film Where the Crawdads Sing based on the bestselling novel by Delia Owens and starring Daisy Edgar-Jones.

“About a year and half ago I wrote a song about an incredible story, the story of a girl who always lived on the outside, looking in. Figuratively and literally,” explained Swift. “The juxtaposition of her loneliness and independence. Her longing and her stillness. Her curiosity and fear, all tangled up. Her persisting gentleness… and the world’s betrayal of it. I wrote this one alone in the middle of the night and then Aaron Dessner and I meticulously worked on a sound that we felt would be authentic to the moment in time when this story takes place. I made a wish that one day you would hear it.”

Where the Crawdads Sing was adapted by Lucy Alibar and directed by Olivia Newman (First Match). Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter produced, with Rhonda Fehr and Betsy Danbury executive producing.

“Taylor Swift writing a song for the film based on these characters was the greatest gift that we could have received,” said producer Reese Witherspoon. “We got a call from Taylor and her team to tell us she had written a song, ‘Carolina,’ that incorporates so many of the haunting elements of the movie. I’ve gotten to talk with her a couple of times about what inspired the song and how she wrote it. Obviously, she’s a beautiful songwriter who understands so much about folk and country music, and it’s her appreciation of those genres that made the song so perfect for this film. And who doesn’t love a gorgeous, haunting Taylor Swift song?”

In addition to Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) as “Kya Clark,” the cast includes Taylor John Smith (Sharp Objects) as “Tate Walker,” Harris Dickinson (The King’s Man) as “Chase Andrews,” Michael Hyatt (Snowfall) as “Mabel,” Sterling Macer, Jr. (Double Down) as “Jumpin’,” and David Strathairn (Nomadland) as “Tom Milton.”

Taylor Swift Carolina from Where The Crawdads Sing

Where the Crawdads Sing opens in theaters on July 15, 2022.

The Plot: “From the best-selling novel comes a captivating mystery. Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of Kya, an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the ‘Marsh Girl’ haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men from town, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world; but when one of them is found dead, she is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect.

As the case unfolds, the verdict as to what actually happened becomes increasingly unclear, threatening to reveal the many secrets that lay within the marsh.”




‘Westworld’ Season 4 Preview: Plot, Cast, Photos, and Air Dates

By
Rebecca Murray
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Emmy Award nominee Evan Rachel Wood returns for the long-delayed, much-anticipated fourth season of HBO’s award-winning, mind-bending drama Westworld. However, Wood isn’t playing Dolores since that character apparently really, truly died in season three. Instead, Wood is now starring as Christina, a character described as a struggling writer.

And, according to Deadline, Christina will be dating a character played by James Marsden who’s not Teddy this time around. Remember, Teddy bit the dust in season two.

Evan Rachel Wood describes Christina as more human than Dolores was in previous seasons. “I think most people come onto the show and are thinking, ‘Oh I wish I was a host,’ and I think the treat for me was actually getting to be vulnerable and somewhat human in season four,” said Wood during an interview with EW.

Wood’s Christina lives in a big city and has a roommate, played by Westworld newcomer and recent Oscar winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story). Additional confirmed season four cast members include Jeffrey Wright as Bernard Lowe, Angela Sarafyan as Clementine Pennyfeather, Tessa Thompson as Charlotte Hale, Ed Harris as The Man in Black, and Luke Hemsworth as Ashley Stubbs. Emmy Award winner Thandiwe Newton returns as Maeve Millay and Aaron Paul is back as Caleb Nichols.

Season one premiered on October 2, 2016, followed by season two in April 2018. Season three aired from March through May 2020, and season four premieres on June 26, 2022 with an episode titled “The Auguries.”

New episodes of the eight-episode fourth season will debut on HBO on Sundays at 9pm ET/PT.

Westworld is based on the 1973 film written by Michael Crichton and was created for TV by Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan. Joy, Nolan, Alison Schapker, Denise Thé, J.J. Abrams, Athena Wickham, Richard J. Lewis, and Ben Stephenson executive produce.

HBO describes the series as “a dark odyssey about the fate of sentient life on earth.” Season four is set seven years after the events in season three.

Check out photos from Westworld season four episode one:

Westworld Season 4 Episode 1
Ariana DeBose and Evan Rachel Wood in ‘Westworld’ season 4 episode 1 (Photograph by John Johnson/HBO)
Westworld Season 4 Episode 1
Evan Rachel Wood in season 4 episode 1 (Photograph by John Johnson/HBO)
Westworld Season 4 Episode 1
Ariana DeBose in season 4 episode 1 (Photograph by John Johnson/HBO)
Westworld Season 4 Episode 1
Ariana DeBose in season 4 episode 1 (Photograph by John Johnson/HBO)
Westworld Season 4 Episode 1
Jeffrey Wright in season 4 episode 1 (Photograph by John Johnson/HBO)
Westworld Season 4 Episode 1
Ed Harris in season 4 episode 1 (Photograph by John Johnson/HBO)
Westworld Season 4 Episode 1
Ed Harris in season 4 episode 1 (Photograph by John Johnson/HBO)




Music Video: Charlie Puth and BTS’ Jungkook Perform “Left and Right”

By
Alison Helms
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Multiplatinum singer-songwriter and producer Charlie Puth teamed up with Jungkook of the global super group BTS for his highly anticipated single “Left and Right,” released at midnight on June 24, 2022. Charlie Puth has been teasing this collaboration for a while now via TikTok where the musician has quite an impressive following.

“Left and Right” marks the first solo collaboration Jungkook has participated in. Jungkook previously teamed up with other BTS members to work on songs with the award-winning DJ Steve Aoki (“Waste It On Me”) and singer-songwriter Lauv (“Who”).

Produced by Puth himself, “Left and Right” is described by Atlantic Records as instantly captivating “with its vibrant, funk-fueled sensibilities that effortlessly fuse the two hitmakers’ signature sounds.” The single’s already hit number one on US iTunes and the video has been viewed more than 10 million times over its first 12 hours in release.

The official “Left and Right” music video was directed by Drew Kirsch. The music video has a playful vibe and follows Puth and Jungkook through a therapeutic fantasy to escape their own minds, which matches the song’s “you take up every corner of my mind” lyrics.

Charlie Puth and Jungkook teamed up in the past at the 2018 MBC Plus X Genie Music Awards in South Korea to perform Charlie’s hit song “We Don’t Talk Anymore.” According to a recent interview with Z100 New York radio station, Charlie says he and Jungkook kept in touch after that collaboration and have sent music back and forth to each other over the years.

Charlie Puth and BTS' Jungkook

“Left and Right” serves as the third single from Puth’s forthcoming third studio album, CHARLIE, due out later this year. After months of fan anticipation, he released his first single from the album, “Light Switch,” in January 2022. That single hit No. 1 on the Apple iTunes Pop Chart and has garnered more than 401 million streams globally and over 83 million views on YouTube. Charlie’s second single, “That’s Hilarious,” has amassed over 99 million streams on Spotify.

Puth hasn’t officially announced his upcoming album’s release date.

Charlie Puth had been making his promotional rounds, recently doing the iHeart Radio Music Awards where he did a special dueling piano performance with John Legend. He’s currently in the midst of radio promotions for “Left and Right” featuring Jungkook.




‘The Black Phone’ Review: Go Ahead and Answer the Call

By
Rebecca Murray
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The Black Phone Movie Review
The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) and Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) in ‘The Black Phone’ (Photo © 2022 Universal Studios)

Could The Black Phone do for black balloons what IT did for red ones? IT’s Pennywise is creepier—it’s tough to beat a demonic clown—but The Black Phone’s The Grabber serves up solid competition among horrifying antagonists in films based on Stephen King or his son Joe Hill’s twisted stories. And as for the balloons, both signal what’s about to go down is going to be terrifying.

The Black Phone’s set in 1978, years before kids could use their cell phones to instantly reach out for help. I’d say it was a more innocent time but truthfully the world was a scary place even back then; we just didn’t talk about it as much because social media didn’t exist and it wasn’t as easy to share gossip.

The story focuses on Finney (Mason Thames), a quiet 13-year-old with a hell of a pitching arm and a feisty kid sister named Gwen (Madeleine McGraw). Finney’s the target of a vicious group of school bullies but, fortunately, one of the most feared/fearsome members of his class has his back. Unfortunately, that kid—Robin (Miguel Cazarez Mora)—soon becomes the latest addition to a lengthy list of kids snagged by The Grabber (Ethan Hawke).

The Grabber has been stalking the streets unseen by authorities for years. There are so few clues as to who’s behind all the abductions that when Gwen talks about black balloons, it draws the attention of the cops. They’ve been keeping key details about the crime scenes a secret – a common investigative tool used by law enforcement—and one of the items they haven’t disclosed is that remnants of black balloons were found at some of the abduction sites.

Gwen wasn’t at the crime scenes and hasn’t read any police reports. Instead, Gwen’s knowledge of black balloons and other details of the kidnappings comes to her in her dreams. Her deceased mom also had the ability to tap into the spiritual realm, something that Gwen’s abusive, alcoholic father Terrence (Jeremy Davies) resents and tries to beat out of her.

Finney’s no longer under the protection of Robin and is worried about becoming The Grabber’s next victim when he encounters a strange character who claims to be a magician. Finney’s spidey sense kicks in too late and he’s knocked out before he can escape.

When Finney comes to, he’s in a soundproof basement with just a toilet, a mattress, and a weird black phone on the wall that The Grabber insists doesn’t work. Of course, the film wouldn’t be titled The Black Phone if said item was just a strange choice for a set decoration.

When it rings, Finney finds himself speaking to the kids who were kidnapped before him. The phone connects Finney to some of the teens who’ve experienced exactly what he’s going through now, and they not only warn him about what’s in store—torture and ultimately death—but also provide clues as to what he should do to avoid sharing their fate.

The Black Phone’s three leads—Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and Ethan Hawke—are outstanding, with Thames and McGraw perfectly capturing that teen sibling, us against the world vibe. Gwen’s a real force of nature and her personality balances the shyness of her older brother, and the way both Thames and McGraw bring these polar opposites to life makes The Black Phone feel grounded in reality despite the story’s fantastical elements.

Ethan Hawke trades in his normal decent guy sort of role to disappear into the part of a lunatic serial killer. Hawke’s The Grabber’s such a menacing, nightmare-inducing presence that it barely registers his face is hidden under grotesque masks for the entirety of the film.

The Black Phone’s a genuinely frightening film that relies less on jump scares—although there’s a decent amount of those—and more on the truly horrifying, believable threat of a sadistic killer who targets kids. Supernatural elements are smoothly incorporated into the story and the unexpected, gruesome appearances of the dead kids as they speak to Finney ups the creepiness factor which was already at a high level due to the exquisitely disturbing masks (designed by Tom Asvini) sported by The Grabber.

Writer/director Scott Derrickson (Sinister, Doctor Strange) exited Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to helm The Black Phone, based on the short story by Joe Hill. Derrickson, who describes The Black Phone as his most personal film to date, made a wise decision to pass on the disappointing Doctor Strange sequel and delve into this unexpectedly uplifting yet totally twisted tale. Saying no to Marvel couldn’t have been an easy career choice, but opting to reunite with Ethan Hawke for this crowd-pleasing horror thriller was absolutely the right call to make.

GRADE: B

MPAA Rating: R for some drug use, language, bloody images, and violence

Running Time: 1 hour 42 minutes

Written By: Scott Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill

Release Date: June 24, 2022




‘Alone’ Season 9 Episode 5 Recap: “The Land Giveth”

By
Rebecca Murray
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Alone Season 9 Benji
‘Alone’ season 9 competitor Benji (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)

The History Channel’s Alone season nine episode five – “The Land Giveth” – finds most of the survivalists being fairly successful at hunting and fishing. Episode five begins with eight people remaining after Jacques left the show on Day 15 and Igor tapped out on Day 20. Not all of the remaining contestants have finished up their permanent shelters after 21 days in the wild, and by the end of episode five we’re down one more survivalist.

Benji, Age 46, Bellevue, ID

Day 21: Benji’s gut pile drew in a bear as confirmed by his trail camera. However, he’s decided it’s not the right time to shoot a bear since it’s not yet cold enough to freeze the carcass. Although a bear will ultimately be a necessity, he’s not capable of taking care of the meat right now. Benji’s giving himself another two weeks before he even thinks about hunting a bear.

He finishes his new shelter before the day’s done and is really satisfied with how it turns out. He has room to stand and it’ll be easier to keep warm inside than in his old structure.

Day 24: Benji sharpens his tools and cleans them up. He uses his ax every day and wants to keep it in good shape. “If you’re not starting your day with some ax sharpening, you’re missing out, folks,” says Benji.

Benji gets to work on a fleshing beam, a surface used to scrape animal hides. He wants to get as much meat as possible off the beaver’s hide. He plans on rendering the fat and preserving it.

Fleshing is labor-intensive and with primitive tools it’s even more difficult. Benji’s able to scrape off a lot of meat and plans on adding seasoning and cooking it that afternoon. (The tail serves as a platter.) Once he’s cooked the scraps, he has a half pan of “amazing calories.” He spoons it into the burn bowl he built on Day 13 and puts it aside for later.

Even though he has lots of beaver meat, he can’t resist taking a shot at a grouse. He misses twice but, fortunately, he knows where his arrows landed. He takes one more shot at the grouse in a tree – it stuck around for some reason, despite arrows flying toward it – and the third time is the charm.

Benji thanks the bird and says, “May your spirit be free.”

He confesses he never thought he’d be harvesting this much food with his bow. The land has embraced him and he’s eating well.

The grouse provides protein, phosphorus, and B12, and Benji cooks it that evening along with some beaver grease. He loves the taste and describes the fat as exploding in his mouth.

Day 26: Benji wakes with a stomachache and needs to retune his body with Quigong, a Chinese healing practice. After he performs Quigong he hunts for yarrow, an herb that helps with stomach ailments. He comes across some by the banks and thinks he’s feeling ill from overeating the previous evening.

Benji believes he’s a strong contender because of his versatile skills. However, he’s worried he’ll be sidelined for a while if his stomach continues to hurt him.

Benji wakes from a short nap on the riverbank and his stomach’s still off. He’s burpy and walks around a bit, and thinks maybe he ate something that had gone bad or was contaminated.

Benji makes it to bed and has a fever, chills, and stomach cramps. He’s also nauseous but can’t vomit, and when he thinks about the meat/fat his stomach turns over. Still, he’s hopeful this will go away and he’ll feel better tomorrow.

Day 27: 2am arrives and Benji’s definitely not feeling any better. He exits his shelter and finally vomits while cussing. Benji thinks he has “beaver fever” – a nickname for giardia.

2:30am and he’s up again, in pain and exhausted.

3am and his stomach is in turmoil. He describes the situation and it’s not pretty. (I’ll spare you the details.)

6am arrives and he hasn’t slept at all. He’s not feeling any better and can barely get around. “That’s the end of the road for me,” says Benji.

It’s at the point where he’s worried he won’t survive if he doesn’t leave the Labrador wilderness. Still, he got to experience the changing of the seasons before he tapped out. He’s glad he came on the series and learned a lot from being part of Alone.

Alone Season 9 Jessie
‘Alone’ season 9 competitor Jessie (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)

Jessie, Age 49, Pagosa Springs, CO

Day 22: Jessie heads out grouse hunting after hearing one near her shelter. She misses with her first arrow and doesn’t get a chance to take another shot. Her shelter’s coming along nicely but it’s a lot of work and she admits to being really hungry (and tired of squirrel).

Jessie’s calling her place hodgepodge lodge since it’s made up of multiple shelter styles.

She’s a strong believer in listening to nature and in divine timing. She refuses to set arbitrary time expectations on herself.

Alone Season 9 Adam
‘Alone’ Season 9 competitor Adam (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)

Adam, Age 36, Fayetteville, AR

Day 22: Adam describes his latest squirrel kill as a perfect shot (it went right through the eye). He’s satisfied with his hunting and fishing now and thinks every day is a gift. He shoots yet another squirrel, this time through the back of the head. He hears a third squirrel calling out but doesn’t look for him since he’s got a pretty good dinner already and it’s only morning.

His structure’s one of the best of the season and he sits inside, leans out the window, and pretends he’s serving customers. The menu includes crispy squirrel, leftover grouse, and berries.

Day 25: Adam didn’t sleep well the previous evening and his belly feels horrible. He eats some cranberries hoping to settle it down and worried he’s contracted a parasite. Adam hopes it’s not that and instead is just a screwed-up system from the weird diet he’s on.

Adam opts to spend the day in his shelter, resting.

Adam believes he has everything he could possibly want back home. The money would help his family tremendously (his mom needs new teeth) but overall he has a happy life. He plans on building a safe, comfortable homestead with the prize money. Adam gets choked up discussing how thankful he is for his life and the people in it.

It’s 10pm when he accepts the fact he’s got a gut parasite. He believes he has giardia and it’s causing him to feel nauseous and achy. He wonders how long he can live with it and if he can treat it. Adam’s hopeful that it will get better on its own but it feels like it’s getting worse.

Day 26: Adam rested enough to have the energy to collect birch bark for tea. He thinks that will help with his intestinal issues and is successful in harvesting the inner bark off of the tree. It’s supposed to stimulate and soothe the stomach. He doesn’t know the correct dose but is hopeful it will work.

That evening he drinks his birch bark tea and waits for it to affect him. A short while later his stomach’s much better and he isn’t concerned about having to tap.

Alone Season 9 Juan
‘Alone’ season 9 competitor Juan (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)

Juan Pablo, Age 30, Pinawa, CAN

Day 22: Juan’s decided not to boil his water anymore because it’s too time-consuming and energy-wasting. Plus, it cuts down on the amount of wood he has to gather. He’s done this for 10 years and hopes he’ll remain healthy, well aware of the potential for digesting parasites.

He’s been existing on berries and doesn’t think his prospects are good for shooting a grouse or hare because he hasn’t spotted any droppings. His options: fishing…and…fishing.

Juan Pablo’s going to expend energy building a dock since that’s apparently going to be his main source of food. A seal swims nearby but it’s protected and he’s not allowed to hunt it.

Dock complete, Juan sits down to fish.

Day 24: Juan’s holding out hope the dock will make a difference. It’s definitely a better casting spot but his first fish of the day gets away. Fortunately, he pulls in a decent size brook trout and that seems to change his luck. His second fish is also medium-sized as are his third and fourth. By the end of the day, he’s reeled in six fish.

“I think I’m getting the hang of fly fishing,” says Juan.

This is more of a real-life survival situation rather than a competition to Juan, and he has no plans to tap out. Tapping out would never be an option in real life.

Juan cooks three of his fish and decides to save the other three.

Alone Season 9 Karie
‘Alone’ season 9 competitor Karie (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)

Karie Lee, Ague 57, Sandpoint, ID

Day 23: Karie wakes to tea, warm sunshine, and thoughts of finishing up her shelter. However, she needs food first and has lost 20 pounds since day one. She heads off to hunt, hears a squirrel, and takes a shot. Although she initially believes she got him, she’s unable to locate the body.

Rain arrives and Karie sings “Waniska,” a Native American Cree song, inside her unfinished shelter. The songs she sings keep her in a place of gratitude as she learns from and listens to the land.

A big trout gets away but she doesn’t give up. A short while later she pulls in a 13” brook trout that will provide her with 800 calories. She cooks it up and eats the eyeballs, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Although food is obviously important, it’s more about the spiritual peace for Karie Lee.

Alone Season 9 Tom
‘Alone’ Season 9 competitor Tom (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)

Tom, Age 34, Earlysville, VA

Day 23: Tom’s busy making traps including a wishbone deadfall. It’s a difficult trap to make and he explains how to carefully put one together.

A flashback shows Tom started work on his permanent shelter on Day 17. He describes his outdoor home as a combo of a log cabin, a mine shaft, and a giant basket. (Tom’s making it up as he goes.)

One Day 20, he has it in fairly good shape and constructs a workable chimney and stove out of rocks, clay, and mud. “A hearth is comfort no matter where you are,” says Tom, impressed with his work. He throws the tarp on as the roof to keep dry and sets about finding food.

Day 23: Tom hasn’t been having luck with his trap line but insists he has to check his snares every single day, even though they’re not close by. There’s a responsibility to do so daily and it’s inhumane not to.

His first two snares weren’t triggered but he scores big time with his spring snare that got a decent-sized snowshoe rabbit. (Rabbits average 875 calories.) Tom’s ecstatic and has to remind himself to calm down. It was only a foot off the ground and something could have taken it if he didn’t go to the trouble of checking his traps every day.

Tom’s a little worried that it could have been dead since last night but hopes the meat will be fine since it’s been cool. He’ll cook it a lot longer to make sure he doesn’t become ill. The rain starts as Tom prepares the carcass, describing the rabbit’s feet as small but full of tendons. The tendons are a good source of collagen and help keep joints healthy.

He confesses parts of Alone are way easier than he thought and parts are much more difficult than he assumed they would be. However, he’s feeling good physically and doesn’t feel alone in nature.

Tom has to be bleeped when he takes his first bite of rabbit. It’s delicious.




‘Fatal Attraction’ Series Adds Four More Cast Members

By
Rebecca Murray
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Fatal Attraction Poster
Joshua Jackson as Dan Gallagher and Lizzy Caplan as Alex Forrest in ‘Fatal Attraction’ season 1 (Photo credit: Zoey Grossman/Paramount+)

Paramount+’s Fatal Attraction series has added four more season one cast members in key roles. Alyssa Jirrels (Boo, Bitch), Toby Huss (Copland), Reno Wilson (the Transformers film franchise), and Brian Goodman (Rizzoli & Isles) have joined the cast alongside previously announced stars Lizzy Caplan, Joshua Jackson, and Amanda Peet.

Joshua Jackson (Dr. Death) and Amanda Peet (Dirty John) star as Dan and Beth Gallagher, the married couple at the heart of the story. Lizzy Caplan (Castle Rock) plays Alex Forrest, a woman who has an affair with Dan and then doesn’t accept that their relationship needs to end.

Alyssa Jirrels will play Dan and Beth’s daughter, Ellen. Toby Huss is on board to play Mike Gerard, “the DA’s chief of investigations, whose friendship and loyalty to deputy DA Dan Gallagher goes back many years.”

Reno Wilson is playing Detective Earl Booker, described as “a long-standing member of the Los Angeles Police Department with a large personality and an inability to self-edit.” Brian Goodman joins the cast as Arthur Tomlinson, a warm and kind man who’s Beth Gallagher’s best friend and business partner.

The upcoming series is a reimagining of the critically acclaimed 1987 thriller that starred Michael Douglas as Dan, Glenn Close as Alex, and Anne Archer as Beth. The R-rated drama directed by Adrian Lyne was nominated for six Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actress (Close), and Best Supporting Actress (Archer).

Alexandra Cunningham (Dirty John) guides the series as showrunner and serves as writer and executive producer. Kevin J. Hynes (Perry Mason) has a co-story credit and also executive produces along with Amblin Television’s Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey. Silver Tree is involved as a director and executive producer.

Fatal Attraction is a Paramount Television Studios and Amblin Television production.

Paramount+ released the following synopsis:

“A deep-dive reimagining of the classic psychosexual thriller and ‘80s cultural touchstone, the new series will explore fatal attraction and the timeless themes of marriage and infidelity through the lens of modern attitudes toward strong women, personality disorders and coercive control.”

 

First Look: ‘Trying’ Season 3 Trailer Starring Rafe Spall and Esther Smith

By
Rebecca Murray
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Apple TV+ just released the trailer for the upcoming third season of the popular relationship comedy series, Trying. The new season picks up with Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall) attempting to get used to sharing their home with two children after spending years trying to start their family.

Joining Smith and Spall for season three are Eden Togwell as Princess, Mickey McAnulty as Tyler, Oliver Chris as Freddy, Sian Brooke as Karen, Darren Boyd as Scott, and Robyn Cara as Jen. The critically acclaimed comedy was created by writer and executive producer Andy Wolton. Jim O’Hanlon (Catastrophe) directs and also executive produces along with Josh Cole.

The eight-episode season three premieres on July 22, 2022 with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes follow on subsequent Fridays leading up to the September 2nd season finale. All episodes of seasons one and two are available to stream on Apple TV+.

Apple TV+ released the following description of Trying season three:

“After a dramatic end to season two, the third season picks up with Nikki (BAFTA nominee Esther Smith) and Jason (SAG Award-nominee Rafe Spall) waking up as new parents to two children they are still getting to know. Now they just have to keep hold of them, which proves to be trickier than they initially thought. Thrown straight into the parental deep-end, Nikki and Jason’s relationships with each other and with their nearest and dearest are tested as they desperately try to navigate the ups and downs of parenting — while hanging onto their kids, and their sanity.”




‘Zombies 3’ Trailer: Aliens Disrupt the Werewolf and Zombie Alliance

By
Rebecca Murray
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Disney+’s third entry in the Zombies film franchise, Zombies 3, tosses aliens into the creature mix alongside returning zombies and werewolves. The new trailer shows the Seabrook High monsters trying to figure out what these new invaders are doing on their turf.

The official trailer arrived along with a poster for the upcoming new addition to the music-driven franchise. Zombies 3 is set to debut on July 15, 2022 only on Disney+ followed by an August 12th release on Disney Channel.

Paul Hoen directs from a screenplay by David Light and Joseph Raso, with Light, Hoen, Raso, and Suzanne Farwell executive producing.

Zombies 3 Poster

Zombies 3 Plot and Character Descriptions:

It’s Zed and Addison’s final year at Seabrook and things are better than ever. The town has finally accepted monsters as a part of Seabrook and has become a safe haven for monsters and humans alike. Zed is on the cusp of receiving a football scholarship and becoming the first Zombie to ever attend college (and he’s excited to join Addison who has already been admitted). Addison is excited to mark the opening of the town’s brand new “cheer pavilion” by inviting cheer teams from all over the world to compete in an “international cheer-off.”

However, the town is shocked by the arrival of a new group of intergalactic outsiders – Aliens, who show up to compete in the cheer-off. Though they begrudgingly allow the Aliens to stay for the competition – the monsters and humans of Seabrook grow suspicious when they discover that the Aliens may be looking for more than a friendly competition.

  • ZED (Milo Manheim) – A charismatic zombie and Addison’s boyfriend. He is embracing that things have changed for the better at Seabrook High and is hoping to earn a football scholarship as the first zombie to attend Mountain College.
  • ADDISON (Meg Donnelly) – A determined cheerleader and Zed’s girlfriend who believes everyone should be treated equally and with kindness. She has an inner struggle with wanting to find out who she really is and where she comes from.
  • BUCKY (Trevor Tordjman) – Seabrook High’s always over-confident student body president, who thrives on thwarting anyone who might steal his glory. He is Addison’s cousin and suspicious of those who are different.
  • ELIZA (Kylee Russell) – Zed’s tech-savvy best friend and voice of reason. She’s an activist and a rebel at heart.
  • BREE (Carla Jeffery) – A bubbly cheerleader at Seabrook High and Addison’s best friend.
  • BONZO (James Godfrey) – Zed and Eliza’s best friend and Bree’s boyfriend, he’s a renaissance zombie who loves music and art and has a heart of gold.
  • WILLA (Chandler Kinney) – Leader of the werewolves and Wyatt’s sister. She is strong, fierce and protective of her pack.
  • WYATT (Pearce Joza) – A kind-hearted werewolf who is nursing a crush on Eliza despite their physical distance.
  • WYNTER (Ariel Martin) – Wynter rounds out the werewolf pack and serves as Willa’s best friend. She’s also a powerful member of the Seabrook High football team.
  • A-SPEN (Terry Hu) – A super-intelligent, telepathic Alien who, after arriving on Earth, finds an uncommon emotion entering their bloodstream: Love.
  • A-LI (Kyra Tantao) – Also super-intelligent and telepathic, opinionated A-li has a more intense outlook on life that her fellow extraterrestrials.
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