The 30 second trailer for Disney+’s Meet the Chimps shares a sneak peek at the chimps housed at the Chimp Haven wildlife sanctuary. The series is set to debut on October 16, 2020, with all six episodes available then on Disney+ for your bingewatching pleasure.
Disney+ also released the series’ poster in support of its upcoming premiere.
Five-time Emmy Award-winner Jane Lynch (Glee, Hollywood Game Night, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) narrates the six-episode season.
The Plot, Courtesy of Disney+:
Meet the Chimps takes viewers into the secret life of one of the largest and most unique wildlife sanctuaries in the world – Chimp Haven—a 200-acre refuge tucked deep in the forested heart of Louisiana, which is home to more than 300 chimpanzees.
The series tracks the ups and downs of an extraordinary group of chimps that are given a second chance at life by a staff whose dedication, compassion, and commitment knows no bounds. Through a seamless blend of natural history and observational-documentary filmmaking, Meet the Chimps puts the chimps – the heart and soul of the series – at front and center.
A real-life drama with a full emotional range, the series gives unparalleled access to everything happening at Chimp Haven, including food squabbles, alliances, romances, ‘bromances’, tears, tantrums, high jinxes and heartbreaks.
Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker have been tapped to host The 54th Annual CMA Awards. Both McEntire and Rucker are CMA Awards winners, and McEntire has handled the hosting duties on four previous occasions. The 2020 awards will mark Rucker’s first year as host.
The 54th Annual CMA Awards will air on ABC on Wednesday, November 11th beginning at 8pm ET/PT. Music City Center in downtown Nashville plays host to the 2020 awards.
“I’m thrilled to be back hosting the CMA Awards and even more thrilled that I get to share the stage with Darius Rucker,” said McEntire. “We’re looking forward to a night of celebrating great Country Music and hope you’ll tune in and watch!”
“I look forward to the CMA Awards every year because of the incredible performances and the opportunity to celebrate the year in Country Music,” added Rucker. “To be invited to host this year’s awards alongside Reba — are you kidding me?! — it is an absolute honor. Even though this year will look a little different than normal, I know that we’re all eager for a night of musical celebration, and this year’s show definitely won’t disappoint!”
Reba McEntire has earned six CMA Awards over her career as well as 16 ACM Awards, three Grammys, and 15 American Music Awards. Overall, she’s been nominated for 51 CMA Awards.
“We are beyond thrilled to welcome Reba and Darius as this year’s CMA Awards hosts,” stated Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “Their playful chemistry and genuine warmth are exactly what we know our viewers want to see this year. We look forward to bringing fans a night of celebration, live performances and a television experience unlike any other. We cannot wait to share more details about our show in the coming weeks.”
Darius Rucker earned the New Artist of the Year CMA Award in 2008 for the release of his first Country album. Rucker’s also collected three Grammys and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Miranda Lambert tops the list of this year’s nominees with seven, breaking the record for the most-nominated female artist in CMA Awards history. Luke Combs follows close behind Lambert with six nominations, Marren Morris picked up five, and Dan + Shay, producer Jay Joyce, and Carly Pearce each earned four.
Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) stars as a background character in a video game who is suddenly inspired to break free of his character’s restrictions in the new trailer for Free Guy. 20th Century Studios also unveiled photos and a new poster from the action-comedy directed by Shawn Levy (Stranger Things, Night at the Museum).
Joining Ryan Reynolds in the cast are Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), Joe Keery (Stranger Things), Lil Rel Howery (Rel), Utkarsh Ambudkar (Brockmire), and Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit). Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn wrote the screenplay and Reynolds, Levy, Sarah Schechter, Greg Berlanti, and Adam Kolbrenner produced.
Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, George Dewey, Dan Levine, and Michael Riley McGrath executive produced.
20th Century Studios is targeting a U.S. theatrical release on December 11, 2020.
The Plot:
Ryan Reynolds stars as a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, and decides to become the hero of his own story—one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way, before it is too late.
Timothy Olyphant as U.S. Marshal Dick “Deafy” Wickware in ‘Fargo’ season 4 episode 3 (Photo By Elizabeth Morris/FX)
Zelmare Roulette (Karen Aldridge) and Swanee Capps’ (Kelsey Asbille) jailbreak has just been discovered as FX’s Fargo season four episode three begins. We kick off just days prior to the events at the end of episode two, with the police examining the tunnel the twosome used to exit the women’s prison. Dogs are employed to follow Zelmare and Swanee’s scents. The trail leads the cops to the restroom the duo briefly stopped in to clean themselves up.
And now we learn a little backstory on Dick “Deafy” Wickware (Timothy Olyphant) who put in the briefest of appearances in episode two. Dick delivers a speedy, basic history of his faith – he’s a priest of the Mormon church – to Captain Martin Hanhuck (Guy Van Swearingen). Captain Hanhuck reminds him there’s a kill order for all Mormons in Missouri and not only is Dick aware of the order, but he also admits he doesn’t care.
Captain Hanhuck runs out of patience with this weird stranger who’s made himself at home in front of his desk and demands to know why Dick’s in his office. Dick explains he’s also a U.S. Marshal and he’s chasing down two escapees. He believes Zelmare and Swanee have made it to Kansas City and he’s looking for a little local law enforcement assistance.
Captain Hanhuck assigns Detective Odis Weff (Jack Huston) to work with Dick. Odis stumbles as he reminds his boss he’s working the hospital homicide case. Oh, plot twist revealed…Captain Hanhuck is onto Odis and knows he checked in with the Faddas. He’s removing Odis from that case and assigning him to the fugitive hunt.
Dick “Deafy” Wickware isn’t deaf; he earned his nickname because he’s male…I mean, because he hears what he wants to hear. Dick assigns Odis the task of retrieving the address of Zelmare’s sister.
Night falls and Odis and Dick wait in the car outside the Smutnys’ residence/funeral home. Dick dissects Odis’ “nervous condition,” and Odis isn’t happy to be under the microscope. Odis wants to wrap this case up so he can get back to the murder case he should be handling. (By the way, Dick is apparently an equal opportunity racist.)
Odis and Dick watch as Oraetta (Jessie Buckley) scurries across the street and drops her freshly backed, syrup of ipecac-filled pie on the funeral home’s doorstep. They see Thurman (Andrew Bird) retrieve the pie and Dick gives the order to move in.
Episode two ended with Dick and his police back-up busting down Dibrell and Thurman’s front door. We’ve now caught up to that moment.
Thurman’s “secured” as they search the rest of the funeral home and its attached residence. Dibrell (Anji White) and Ethelrida (E’myri Crutchfield) are in the kitchen as Thurman’s escorted in by Dick and his men. Dick quickly points out there are five place settings at the table. Dick reminds Dibrell harboring a fugitive is a felony, but neither Dibrell nor Ethelrida give up Zelmare’s location.
Odis and some of the cops head down to the basement and the funeral home area, while others search the upstairs living areas.
Odis’ men pull open the drawers where dead bodies are normally stored and fail to locate the fugitives. They pause as they hear something from one of the unchecked drawers and pull it open to discover a bloated dead body is making sounds from its gut, causing multiple officers to toss their cookies.
They return to Dick and declare the basement is clear. We quickly learn it’s not and that the fugitives were in fact hiding in a drawer.
Dick interrogates Dibrell, Thurman, and Ethelrida while Zelmare and Swanee creep up the stairs and peek around the kitchen door. They’re listening in as Dibrell lies and says she told her sister to stay in jail and serve out her time. When Dick asks again if she’s seen Zelmare, Dibrell replies, “Seen her? Officer, if I ever see my sister again, I’m going to wring her neck.”
All the while Ethelrida’s attempting to silently communicate with Swanee and Zelmare not to do anything rash. (They have a gun and are obviously ready to use it.)
Dick wishes them a nice night and apologizes for the disturbance.
The pie sits on the table, untouched.
Loy Cannon’s right-hand man Doctor Senator (Glynn Turman) meets with Fadda consigliere Ebal Violante (Francesco Acquaroli) at Spud’s All Time restaurant. They discuss Loy’s decision to move on the slaughterhouse and Ebal reminds Doctor they should all respect the deal Donatello struck with Loy. Doctor lays out a bit of his personal history and then replies, “Excuse me if I say our word is exactly as good as yours.”
As he’s leaving, Doctor delivers a final statement. The slaughterhouses belong to Loy, deal or no deal. The Faddas can chalk it up to the cost of the transition. Ebal promises to pass that on to Josto.
Speaking of the Faddas, young Satchel Cannon (Rodney L. Jones III) watches as Rabbi Milligan (Ben Whishaw) fixes the radiator in Josto’s office. Satchel wonders why Rabbi is called “Rabbi,” and he doesn’t really explain but says as with poker you play the hand you’re dealt. He describes being traded as a boy (twice) but was never allowed to go back to his real family. They’re all dead.
Gaetano Fadda (Salvatore Esposito) interrupts their conversation and recalls as a boy he lived in the trees after his house was knocked down. When he calls Rabbi “Irish,” Rabbi quickly replies, “American.” Gaetano reveals he knows Rabbi shot his own father for the Faddas. As he’s speaking, he takes a seat behind Josto’s desk and kicks up his feet.
Josto (Jason Schwartzman) arrives as Gaetano’s holding court and demands his annoying brother get out of his chair. Gaetano claims the chair’s too big for his older brother.
The subject changes to events the previous night at the slaughterhouse and when Gaetano says he took care of things, Josto reminds him that’s not his job. Gaetano can only laugh when Josto calls himself the boss. He has no respect for his older brother.
Satchel sneezes and Josto finally realizes he and Rabbi are in his office where they shouldn’t be because of all the “secret stuff” he has there. (Josto’s description – not mine.)
Josto tosses everyone out of his office and Gaetano smirks as he exits.
Elsewhere, the now unemployed Nurse Oraetta Mayflower has an interview with Dr. Harvard (Stephen Spencer). She doesn’t reveal why she’s no longer working at St. Barts and instead claims she’s just looking for a place she can be more useful.
Oraetta assures Dr. Harvard her old boss, Allen Sneet, will give her a good recommendation. Dr. Harvard decides to take her on and asks if she can start the following week. “I’ll be here with bells on,” says an enthusiastic Oraetta.
Meeting over, Dr. Harvard lights up and looks out his office window. Josto’s parked in his car outside and as he spots Dr. Harvard, he makes a gun out of his fingers and points it at the window as if taking aim.
Oraetta notices Josto as she’s leaving the hospital and informs Josto she’s onto him. She mistakenly insists he’s spying on her and Josto claims he’s not. She believes he’s tracked her down to her new place of work, but Josto looks completely confused and can’t even place her face. Oraetta thinks he’s just joking and continues talking while seated in the front seat of his car, laying out a line for them to snort together.
She then sings “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” as she pleasures him right there in the car in the hospital parking lot. She finishes up, leans over to kiss his cheek, and leaves.
Josto still can’t remember her name and as she’s walking away Oraetta continues to assume he’s joking and is in fact stalking her because he’s infatuated.
Zelmare and Swanee hang out across the street from Loy’s vending machine company building. They’re being as inconspicuous as possible while counting the men who enter and exit the building. There are so many that Swanee notes she’ll have to reload.
Glynn Turman as Doctor Senator and Chris Rock as Loy Cannon in ‘Fargo’ season 4 episode 3 (Photo by Elizabeth Morris/FX)
Loy (Chris Rock) watches over a betting operation housed in the warehouse. Calls come in placing bets on boxing matches and Loy’s observing it all when Leon Bittle (Jeremie Harris) joins him to explain he wants to learn more about the operation and is ready, willing, and able to progress in the Cannon outfit.
Loy decides the best way to use the overly ambitious Leon is to make him his son Lemuel’s driver. Lemuel doesn’t want to be part of the crew and instead wants to drop out of college and be a musician. Leon’s orders are to keep him in check, keep him in college, and make sure he sticks with the family business.
Ebal meets up with Gaetano and some of the Fadda muscle, reporting Loy’s people claim the slaughterhouses are theirs. Josto’s gone out for a while and Gaetano takes this opportunity to ask when they can start killing people. He’s reminded Josto issued a no-kill order.
Gaetano isn’t easily deterred. He asks Constant Calamita (Gaetano Bruno) if he wants to shoot somebody at the top in order to make Loy suffer. Gaetano suggests Constant, who’s only listening and not responding, take Rabbi Milligan with him to do the job. (He thinks it’s a test of Rabbi Milligan’s loyalty.)
Before Rabbi steps out, he warns Satchel that if he doesn’t return it’s because he’s dead or in jail.
Constant and Rabbi drive in silence until they reach a college. Rabbi’s still not sure what’s going on, but then finally realizes their target is Loy’s oldest son, Lemuel, who we know at this point is accompanied by Leon on Loy’s orders. Rabbi thinks they must be just intending to scare Lemuel – not kill him. Killing him would spark a war and young Zero Fadda would be the first target.
Constant’s driving and falls in line behind Leon and Lemuel (Matthew Elam) as they pull away from the college. Rabbi hates this plan and demands to know on whose authority they’re acting. Constant ignores the question and instead instructs Rabbi to get his gun out and roll down the window.
Constant finally admits it was Gaetano who gave the order. He doesn’t confirm whether Josto knows what they’re about to do. Rabbi’s really concerned for young Zero, reminding Constant they’ll carve him up and send him home in pieces.
Constant isn’t fazed. He orders Rabbi to get ready as he pulls alongside Leon and Lemuel who are paused at a stoplight. Rabbi’s passenger window is the closest to Leon’s and Rabbi takes aim.
Neither Leon nor Lemuel initially notice Rabbi’s gun pointing at them. When they do notice, Rabbi doesn’t fire. Instead, Constant grabs his own gun and leans past Rabbi to take a shot. Rabbi grabs Constant’s arm, causing the bullets to break the driver’s side rear window. Leon puts the pedal to the metal and races away.
After they’ve driven away, Rabbi and Constant fight over the gun. Rabbi gets the upper hand and although Constant warns him he’s a dead man, Rabbi doesn’t back down. He threatens to tell Josto that Gaetano gave an order and Constant willingly followed it.
Rabbi exits the car and tells Constant he’s walking home.
Enraged, Constant hits the steering wheel and then drives away.
That evening over at the Smutny place, Swanee’s at the dining room table while Ethelrida’s seated across from her doing her homework. Dibrell’s doing the dishes as Swanee asks about Dibrell’s family curse. Swanee believes Zelmare’s story that Dibrell and her family are being followed by the Devil, and that they’ve actually seen him.
Dibrell claims that’s a tall tale. Swanee describes her own family history and claims her dad had two shadows – one of his own and one of the Devil’s. Zelmare interrupts with the announcement she’s borrowing clothes and other things. One of those things is Thurman’s gun.
Swanee’s been munching away on Oraetta’s syrup of ipecac pie, although no one else is.
Thurman arrives to drive the hearse carrying Zelmare and Swanee. Swanee makes a point of taking a butcher knife and a huge final bite of the pie before they leave.
Zelmare and Swanee are tucked away in a coffin in the back of the hearse when the syrup of ipecac begins to kick in. Her farts are loud and apparently, judging by Zelmare’s reaction, very stinky.
They’re dropped off outside Loy’s vending machine building and although Swanee’s still suffering, they get the jump on the guard at the door.
Omie Sparkman (Corey Hendrix) and half a dozen men are counting stacks of cash in the backroom as they hear a gunshot. Swanee and Zelmare enter the room, guns a-blazing. Omie puts up his hands as the fugitives demand everyone get down on the ground. Swanee’s condition is worsening and she’s added vomit to her list of symptoms.
Omie stealthy places his hand on the gun stashed under the desk. Swanee insists she has to leave but Zelmare refuses until they get the cash. Zelmare tosses a bag at Omie and he fires his shotgun, missing his target. Zelmare fires back and sends Omie crashing to the floor.
Swanee’s condition is continuing to deteriorate. Zelmare snags Omie’s gun and instead of shooting him, she blows him a kiss.
A short while later, Loy lays into Lemuel after Lemuel labels himself a proxy in this fight. Loy reminds him his last name is Cannon and therefore he’s a target. Lemuel reports Calamita was driving and Rabbi was in the passenger seat.
Lemuel declares, once again, he wants nothing to do with the family business and insists he’s a music man.
After Lemuel storms off, the discussion turns to the robbery at the vending machine company. Three people are dead and $20,000 is missing. Loy’s informed it was accomplished by two women, one of whom was sick.
Doctor Senator believes this was a coordinated, planned attack. Loy issues a command to lock everything down.
Loy’s confused about what it all means and asks if he should hurt Zero. Doctor knows that would bring it all to a boil and wonders if the order was given by Josto or Gaetano Fadda. There might be in-fighting and this could be a case of the tail wagging the dog. If Loy retaliates, it’ll be a fight to the death.
Wisely, they decide they need to be sure who gave the order before they take their next step.
Get ready for a new release-packed Friday, music lovers, if you can tune out the news for a few minutes. Take your mind off the world with new tunes from some heavy-hitting Grammy Award-winning artists including Bon Jovi, Mariah Carey, and Dolly Parton.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Bon Jovi dropped their 15th studio album, 2020, an album that was originally set for release back on May 15. 2020 is titled after this challenging and pivotal election year and features 10 tracks including “Do What You Can” and “American Reckoning.”
Grammy Award-winning superstar vocalist Mariah Carey also released an album today. Carey’s The Rarities is a 15-track complication album with unreleased material along with some favorite B-side tracks such as “Everything Fades away” and “Mesmerized.” The album also comes with a 1993 live recording from the Tokyo Dome that covers all her greatest hits. Carey recently announced she’s starring in Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special, a holiday special that will air on Apple+.
Dolly Parton’s ‘A Holly Dolly Christmas’ (Photo Credit: Stacie Huckeba / Courtesy of Butterfly Records, LLC)
Additional October 2, 2020 releases include:
Country music icon Dolly Parton rings in the holidays with the release of her new Christmas album, A Holly Dolly Christmas. The 12-track holiday celebration includes collaborations with Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Randy Parton.
Queen + Adam Lambert dropped their much-anticipated Live Around the World with 20 recordings from live performances across the globe.
21 Savage and Metro Boomin’s Savage Mode II arrives as a follow up to Savage Mode which debuted four years ago.
R&B singer Bryson Tiller entertains his fans with Anniversary which includes the track “Outta Time” featuring Drake.
Jawsh 685 unveiled a remix of the smash hit “Savage Love (Laxed — Siren Beat)” with help from BTS and Jason Derulo. The single has already reached number one on U.S. iTunes.
Grammy and Tony Award-winning vocalist and songwriter Leslie Odom Jr. debuted “Cold” featuring Sia. The track is off the singer’s third full-length album, Mr., which was released in November 2019. NPR calls “Cold” a “hopeful balled with a beautiful melody.”
Grammy nominated multi-platinum singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes released “Wonder,” the first single and title track off his highly anticipated fourth studio album. Wonder is scheduled for release on December 4, 2020. The song was written by Shawn Mendes, Scott Harris, Thomas Hull, and Nate Mercereau and produced by Mendes, Kid Harpoon, & Mercereau.
Jordan Kristine Seamón and Jack Dylan Grazer in ‘We Are Who We Are’ (Photograph by Yannis Drakoulidis/HBO)
HBO’s released details on episodes five through eight of their riveting new drama, We Are Who We Are. The compelling teen drama premiered on September 14, 2020 and will finish up its eight-episode first season run on November 2nd. New episodes air on Mondays at 10pm ET/PT.
We Are Who We Are currently sits at 86% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it startingly truthful, elegant storytelling, and a glorious feast for the senses.
Oscar nominee Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name) serves as writer, director, executive producer, and showrunner. The Apartment’s Lorenzo Mieli, Wildside’s Mario Gianani, Elena Recchia, Nick Hall, Sean Conway, and Francesco Melzi d’Eril also executive produce. Guadagnino’s co-writers are Paolo Giordano and Francesca Manieri.
The season one cast includes Chloë Sevigny, Jack Dylan Grazer, Alice Braga, Jordan Kristine Seamón, Spence Moore II, Scott Mescudi, and Faith Alabi. Francesca Scorsese, Ben Taylor, Corey Knight, Tom Mercier, and Sebastiano Pigazzi also star.
We Are Who We Are Episodes 5 Through 8:
Season 1, Episode 5 “Right Here Right Now V”
Debut Date: MONDAY, OCTOBER 12 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
As the power struggle between Sarah (Chloë Sevigny) and Richard (Scott Mescudi) escalates, the relationship between their wives continues to grow, and Sarah fuels the fire by spending time with Caitlin (Jordan Kristine Seamón) on the base’s virtual shooting range. Later, Caitlin asks Fraser (Jack Dylan Grazer) for help making a bold statement; Danny (Spence Moore II) questions Jenny (Faith Alabi) about his biological father as he dives deeper into Islam; and Fraser forms his own connection with Jonathan (Tom Mercier).
Written by Luca Guadagnino, Paolo Giordano, and Francesca Manieri; Directed by Luca Guadagnino.
Season 1, Episode 6 “Right Here Right Now VI”
Debut Date: MONDAY, OCTOBER 19 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Sarah (Chloë Sevigny) is thrilled to learn about her son’s burgeoning friendship with Jonathan (Tom Mercier) and, grateful for a strong male influence in Fraser’s (Jack Dylan Grazer) life, encourages them to spend more time together – even if Maggie (Alice Braga) doesn’t understand. Richard (Scott Mescudi) uses a father-daughter hunting trip to get inside Caitlin’s (Jordan Kristine Seamón) head. Later, Sarah receives a phone call that will forever alter life on base.
Written by Luca Guadagnino, Paolo Giordano, and Francesca Manieri; Directed by Luca Guadagnino.
Season 1, Episode 7 “Right Here Right Now VII”
Debut Date: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
The friend group fractures even further over their hatred for Colonel Wilson (Chloë Sevigny), whom they blame for a tragedy that’s rocked the base. As Caitlin (Jordan Kristine Seamón) momentarily pauses her self-discovery journey and Danny (Spence Moore II) fully commits to his, Richard’s (Scott Mescudi) insubordination reaches a breaking point, forcing Wilson to make a difficult decision.
Written by Luca Guadagnino, Paolo Giordano, and Francesca Manieri; Directed by Luca Guadagnino.
Season 1, Episode 8 “Right Here Right Now VIII And Last” (Season Finale)
Debut Date: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
In honor of her last day in Italy, Caitlin (Jordan Kristine Seamón) and Fraser (Jack Dylan Grazer) sneak off to catch a concert in Bologna. Along the way, Fraser finally feels comfortable admitting a shocking secret about Mark and finds a new friend in Luca before he and Caitlin spend their final moments together in the most beautiful place on earth.
Written by Luca Guadagnino, Paolo Giordano, and Francesca Manieri; Directed by Luca Guadagnino.
The Plot:
A story about two American kids who live on a U.S. military base in Italy, the series explores friendship, first-love, identity, and immerses the audience in all the messy exhilaration and anguish of being a teenager – a story which could happen anywhere in the world, but in this case, happens in this little slice of America in Italy.
The Karate Kid follow-up, Cobra Kai, has a season three premiere date and an early order for a fourth season. Netflix recently picked up Cobra Kai from YouTube and added seasons one and two to its roster for subscribers to stream. Season three will arrive on January 8, 2021.
Netflix announced the season four order but did not confirm when fans of the popular series can expect it to arrive.
Cobra Kai features The Karate Kid‘s original stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka as grown-up versions of their characters, Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence. The cast also includes Courtney Henggeler (‘Amanda LaRusso’), Xolo Maridueña (‘Miguel Diaz’), Tanner Buchanan (‘Robby Keene’), Mary Mouser (‘Samantha LaRusso’), Jacob Bertrand (‘Hawk’), Gianni Decenzo (‘Demetri’), Vanessa Rubio (‘Carmen’), and Peyton List (‘Tory’). Martin Kove reprises his role from The Karate Kid as John Kreese.
Counterbalance Entertainment’s Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg write and executive produce. Overbrook Entertainment’s Will Smith, James Lassiter, and Caleeb Pinkett are also involved as executive producers along with Sony Pictures Television’s Susan Ekins. Series stars Macchio and Zabka are co-executive producers.
William Zabka and Ralph Macchio in ‘Cobra Kai’ (Photo by Guy D’Alema)
The Plot:
Cobra Kai takes place over 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament with the continuation of the inescapable conflict between Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (Zabka). Season Three finds everyone reeling in the aftermath of the violent high school brawl between their dojos, which has left Miguel in a precarious condition. While Daniel searches for answers in his past and Johnny seeks redemption, Kreese further manipulates his vulnerable students with his own vision of dominance. The soul of the Valley is at stake, and the fate of every student and sensei hangs in the balance.
I don’t know what it is about those lumbering, flesh-eating horrors that I find so endearing, but I love zombies. They’ve proven highly adaptable, serving as metaphors for everything from racism to warning about AIDS. They’re blank slates onto which filmmakers can paint anything from horror to comedy. They’re a rich genre that can be broken down into subdivisions of voodoo, demonic zombies, infected people, reanimated corpses, and more.
These are the best “Old School” zombies, and by that I mean zombies who follow George A. Romero’s classic rules for zombie movies.
1) George Romero’s Dead Opus (1968-2009)
Any zombie list must begin with George A. Romero, the King of the Zombies. Romero didn’t invent zombies, but he gave us the rules. Shooting them in the head or destroying the brain is the only way to stop them; if one bites you, you die and come back as a zombie; they’re mindless, slow-moving, and with minimal motor skills; and they crave human flesh.
Zombies may work on limited brain cells but not Romero. He’s repeatedly delivered fun, cleverly conceived splatter fests with a message beginning with his seminal Night of the Living Dead (1968), and continuing with Dawn of the Dead (the best in the series), Day of the Dead (giving us the world’s most lovable zombie, Bub), Land of the Dead (biggest budgeted), Diary of the Dead, and Survival of the Dead. Dawn also gave us the best, most elegant explanation for why we have zombies: “When there’s no more room in hell the dead will walk the earth.”
2) The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
Writer/director Dan O’Bannon (who also wrote) openly acknowledges his debt to Romero by having the characters in the opening scene discuss how Night of the Living Dead was all true. Then the bumbling warehouse workers release a toxic gas that reanimates the dead inhabitants of the local cemetery.
The chief innovation here (aside from faster-moving zombies that could also talk) was that the zombies only wanted to feast on human brains. One zombie explains that it hurts to be dead and that eating brains “makes the pain go away.” But the best line in the film is from a zombie who, after eating some paramedics, answers the radio in the truck by saying, “Send more paramedics.” It’s like ordering takeout!
3) Shaun of the Dead (2004)
This rom-zom-com (romantic zombie comedy) stands as one of the most inspired and clever zombie films of all time. It pays homage to Romero with lumbering reanimated corpses that crave human flesh, but then it creates a style uniquely its own. The gore is first-rate, the comedy smart, and the characters are ones we genuinely care for. You need a scorecard to keep track of all the movie references.
Created by Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, the film serves up what may be the best description of a zombie: “Look at the face, it’s vacant with the hint of sadness, like a drunk who lost a bet.” Zombies are like a faded memory of what it’s like to be human; they used to be us and sometimes we sense they are trying to be like us again. The film also suggests that many people were zombified before the zombie invasion even began. This is reanimated perfection!
4) Zombie (1979)
No zombie list can be complete without at least one Italian zombie film. Lucio Fulci made a zombie trilogy and although The Beyond is the best film of the three, Zombie offers the best zombies. Plus, it possesses that rare creature: the underwater zombie.
The caked-on layers of rotting flesh were made possible by make-up artist Giannetto De Rossi, and there was plenty of gore, including a memorable eye-gouging scene. Trailers for the film in America promised that the theater management would provide any patron airline-style “barf bags.” Buon appetito!
A scene from ‘Fido’
5) Fido (2006) Fido, like Shaun of the Dead, hooks audiences with clever comedy and appealing characters. This Canadian zombie comedy basically delivers a zombie version of Lassie, but in this case, little Timmy has a male zombie as his faithful pet. Fido sticks with a lot of the conventions of the genre — the zombies are slow, dumb, and hungry for human flesh. But the film relocates the zombies in a kind of retro-future that looks amazingly like a picture-perfect portrait of Eisenhower-era suburbia.
Director and co-writer Andrew Currie creates a black comedy done in the style of a fifties sitcom but with a high Technicolor gloss — to better capture the blood, of course!
6) Sugar Hill (1974)
Any film that opens with the song “Supernatural Voodoo Woman” has to be great. These are classic zombies in the lethargy, blank-eyed stare department but the cause of their reanimation and zombification stems from a voodoo ritual and one women’s quest to use her for revenge. One distinguishing feature is shiny silver orbs for eyes.
This is a classic Blaxploitation film, and the zombies are former slaves who died on their way to the U.S. and were buried in mass graves. The voodoo master brings them back from the dead and tells Sugar, “Put them to evil use, that’s all they know or want.”
7) The Plague of the Zombies (1966)
This is an entry from England’s famed horror studio, Hammer Films. There’s a voodoo element here as an aristocrat who spent time in Haiti brings some local corpses back from the grave in order to make them slave away in his mines.
The film marks a bit of a turning point for zombies by using the voodoo origin that had been popular but would start to fade with Romero (although not completely disappear) and they are starting to look more physically decayed as they would become with Romero and beyond.
8) Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974)
I have to confess that the main reason for including this film is for Arthur Kennedy’s line as the frustrated inspector: “I wish the dead could come back to life, you bastard, so then I could kill you again.” It’s also fun to see zombies roaming the British countryside in full daylight.
These zombies display a little more mental capacities and dexterity than the Romero zombies, but they are most definitely reanimated dead corpses (reanimated by radiation rays).
9) Night of the Creeps (1986)
This has a rather original cause for the zombies: alien parasites enter the human body and they turn their human hosts into zombie-killing machines. The film pays homage to horror favorites by giving characters such names as Chris ROMERO, Sgt. RAIMI, and Detective LANDIS, and calling the campus CORMAN University.
Best line: “I got good news and bad news, girls. The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is they’re dead.” A 23-year-old Greg Nicotero has an uncredited cameo. A year later he would get his first feature film make-up credit for the demonic zombies of The Evil Dead II.
10) I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
I also wanted to include this early, eerie, and atmospheric voodoo entry from Jacques Tourneur and Val Lewton. Classic voodoo films of the ’30s and ’40s like I Walked with a Zombie, The Walking Dead, and White Zombie left an indelible mark on the zombie genre, laying a creepy foundation for what was to come with Romero in the ’60s. This one was gloriously shot in black and white and had one of the most striking zombies ever in the tall black actor Darby Jones.
Bonus round: Nazi Zombies
I couldn’t leave the realm of old-school zombies without mention of the popular sub-genre of Nazi zombies. The most memorable ones were the underwater ones from Shock Waves (1977). The Nazi zombie went amphibious again in Zombie Lake (1981) where they cruised the water like Spielberg’s Jaws and feasted upon a nubile young French girl who for some reason kept swimming naked in the lake. They came roaring back to reanimated cinematic life in Norway’s Dead Snow (2006). They pushed the classic zombie categorization by being fast-moving, but they were great fun. There’s also a fabulous scene in which a victim of a zombie attack wakes up and we see (from her point of view) her intestines being ripped out.
Stana Katic as ‘Vera Atkins’ in Lydia Dean Pilcher’s ‘A Call to Spy’ (Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release)
Spies, sabotage, and the contributions of women to the war effort are the focus of the historical World War II drama, A Call to Spy. Sarah Megan Thomas wrote, produced, and stars in the thriller as Virginia Hall, a young American woman with a wooden leg living in London in 1941. When she’s rejected for the position of a diplomat, Hall’s recruited by Vera Atkins (Stana Katic), secretary to Colonel Maurice Buckmaster (Linus Roache), to be part of a new department in the war effort against the Nazis.
Winston Churchill put Colonel Buckmaster and Atkins in charge of creating a spy agency called the S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive). The purpose was to train men and women in the art of self-defense, collecting intelligence, and sabotage. Once trained, they’re then dropped behind enemy lines in France to gather information about the Nazis and to sabotage them using explosives.
Extremely ambitious and determined, Hall becomes one of their best agents and is one of the first to be dropped into occupied France to begin collecting intelligence and to team up with the French Resistance against the Nazis. It’s not long before she’s joined by another operative – female wireless operator Noor Inayat Khan (Radhika Apte) – to assist in the fight. Hall is so successful working with the Resistance that she becomes one of the most hunted spies. Nazis considered her “the most dangerous of all Allied spies.”
Inspired by real events, A Call to Spy focuses on and explores the efforts of female spies during the early days of World War II. It’s extremely well-crafted, with excellent production and costume design bringing back to life the dark days of Britain and occupied France.
Sarah Megan Thomas delivers a solid, although at times heavy-handed, performance as Virginia Hall, the first female spy in WWII. Thomas portrays Hall as a woman who’s fiercely patriotic and determined to do her part to fight the Nazis and defeat fascism.
Stana Katic delivers the best performance in the film as Vera Atkins, the woman in charge of recruiting the female agents and then becoming their “den mother” – double-checking their outfits and papers for missions, acting as liaison with their families, and staying long hours in the decoding room waiting for word from them. Katic portrays Atkins as a strong and highly capable woman who’s not only confident about Hall and Khan’s abilities but also protective. Katic’s also terrific at portraying Atkins’ concerns over her own private struggle to become a British citizen (she’s Romanian by birth) while dealing with a guarded and distrustful government. She steals every scene she’s in.
Linus Roache is well cast as Colonel Buckmaster, the leader of the S.O.E. Roache shows Buckmaster as a strong leader who initially seems put-upon to recruit women to be spies but quickly embraces the idea by seeing just how strong and dedicated both Hall and Khan are.
Roache and Katic have strong chemistry in their shared scenes as two professionals who are loyal and devoted to each other professionally. One of the best scenes in the film involves Katic as Atkins confessing her concerns about being seen as expendable and even a liability by their higher-ups because of her Romanian heritage. Roache as Buckmaster assures her she’s essential to him and the S.O.E. It’s a scene that could have felt forced in less capable hands, but Roache and Katic play it with just the right amount of emotion and drama.
The production design and costumes are perhaps the strongest elements of the film, perfectly capturing the look and feel of Europe in the darkest years of WWII. The automobiles, outfits, uniforms, weapons, buildings, and jails all look authentic and marvelous.
The film does have a real problem in that it lacks any real sense of tension and suspense. By choosing to focus on both Hall and Khan, especially after they split up and work in two different areas of France, the movie feels divided and suffers from the split focus. There’s no real sense of dread or fear as the Gestapo hunts Hall and Khan in the second half of the film. Also, Thomas never displays any kind of concern or apprehension as Hall goes through checkpoint after checkpoint while being hunted.
Still, with strong performances by Katic and Roache, excellent costumes and production design, and an intriguing story, A Call to Spy is a film worth watching – especially for history buffs.
GRADE: B
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some strong violence, disturbing images, smoking, and language
Anne Hathaway’s a witch who turns kids into mice in the trailer for Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Witches. Warner Bros. will be releasing the family-friendly comedy based on Roald Dahl’s classic story on HBO Max in time for Halloween.
In addition to Oscar winner Anne Hathaway, the cast of the witchy tale includes Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci, Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth, four-time Emmy winner Chris Rock, Codie-Lei Eastick, and Jahzir Kadeen Brun.
Oscar winner Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) adapted Dahl’s story with Kenya Barris and Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro. Zemeckis also directed the adaptation and served as producer along with del Toro, Jack Rapke, Alfonso Cuarón, and Luke Kelly. Jacqueline Levine, Marianne Jenkins, Michael Siegel, Gideon Simeloff, and Cate Adams served as executive producers.
“The Witches is a wonderful reimagining of Roald Dahl’s classic tale that combines world-class filmmaking with fantastic performances. It’s fun for the whole family and ideal for this time of year,” stated Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.
“This film, with its stellar cast, is outstanding,” added Casey Bloys, Chief Content Officer for HBO and HBO Max. “We are thrilled to be able to use our platform to deliver timely, relevant, and engaging new content during this time when the theatrical experience is not available to everyone.”
Oscar nominee Don Burgess is the director of photography, Gary Freeman is the production designer, Oscar nominee Joanna Johnston is the costume designer, and Jeremiah O’Driscoll and Ryan Chan are editors. Oscar nominee Alan Silvestri composed the score.
The Witches premieres in the U.S. on HBO Max on October 22, 2020. It will be released internationally in theaters beginning October 28th. The film’s received a PG rating from the MPAA for scary images/moments, language and thematic elements.
The Plot:
Reimagining Dahl’s beloved story for a modern audience, Robert Zemeckis’s visually innovative film tells the darkly humorous and heartwarming tale of a young orphaned boy who, in late 1967, goes to live with his loving Grandma in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. As the boy and his grandmother encounter some deceptively glamorous but thoroughly diabolical witches, she wisely whisks our young hero away to an opulent seaside resort. Regrettably, they arrive at precisely the same time that the world’s Grand High Witch has gathered her fellow cronies from around the globe—undercover—to carry out her nefarious plans.
