News

Fans of the 2010 Australian movie Animal Kingdom are probably excited and curious to see how that terse crime drama will translate into a TV show – starting June 14 the series will launch on TNT, transposed from Down Under to a Southern California beach town. Here’s a piece of good news: the pivotal role of implacable matriarch Janine “Smurf” Cody, which earned Jackie Weaver a Golden Globe nomination, has been taken over by another Golden Globe nominee, the talented Ellen Barkin.

Lorenzo Soria has been re-elected President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for the 2016-2017 year. This will be Soria’s fourth term in office, following his tenure in 2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2015-2016.

Paramount’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows skated into US screens this week with a modest $32 million domestic debut. The film stars Megan Fox who returns as April O’Neill, a news reporter and the Turtles’ confidant, along with Will Arnett as her editor Vern Fenwick.

“It doesn’t matter where you come from – if you barely speak the language, or genders – it all comes down to the work done at one's desk and what you have to offer”, asserts Carolina Lopez Dau about working in the male- dominated field of animation. One of the growing number of women in the industry, the Pixar employee grew up watching cartoons and playing video games with her brothers and their friends in her native Spain.

Muhammad Ali, a giant of boxing and a 20th century icon, has died of pulmonary complications from Parkinson’s disease in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 74. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, Ali is considered the most important professional boxer in the heavyweight category, having been named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated.

Beth Howland, four-time Golden Globe nominee for her role in the sitcom Alice has died, age 74.  Boston-born Howland passed away December 31, 2015 in Santa Monica, CA.

Sometimes even the well oiled Disney machine stumbles. This appears to be the case with its reported $170-million sequel Alice: Through the Looking Glass, grossing “just” $100.

Those who’ve seen the latest episodes of Fear the Walking Dead were surely shocked by the appearance of Celia, the 50-something year old woman who takes Travis (Cliff Curtis), Madison (Kim Dickens), and the entire group of survivors into the luxurious ranch owned by Thomas Abigail (Dougray Scott) in Mexico.   Celia can act as either an adorable mother, a witty business woman, or even a ruthless killer; and although it seems that her role in the series concluded along with the mid-season finale, it is not one that will be easily forgotten.

The dominant trend was embroidered, embossed and beaded gowns in neutrals and black that stunned. Models appeared in hoards – they stood out in a crowd for being barely clothed and not smiling.

A wunderkind? Self-aggrandizing filmmaker? Ambitious careerist?  All of these labels have been applied, with varying degrees of accuracy or truth, to the Quebecois director-writer-actor Xavier Dolan.  Only 27, the Montreal-based director has been nothing if not prolific, already claiming six features to his credit.