mardi 30 juin 2020

Stargirl Season 1 Episode 7 Recap: Shiv Part One

Stargirl Season 1 Episode 7 Recap: Shiv Part One

Stargirl Season 1 Episode 7 Recap: Shiv Part One

In the seventh episode of DC Universe’s Stargirl, as Pat teaches Courtney, Yolanda, Beth, and Rick the importance of teamwork, the ISA converge to figure out who is trying to take them down.

Taking Care of Business

The episode begins with our JSA getting ready for the day — Courtney saying good morning to the Cosmic Staff, Rick carving an hourglass symbol onto the tree his parents crashed into, Yolanda working out with the punching bag, and Beth singing and dancing with her goggles/Chuck while she brushes her teeth. After Mike gets home from his paper route, Courtney and Pat have to use Pat supposedly teaching Courtney how to drive to cover-up the fact that they’re actually talking about Pat training his stepdaughter and the newly appointed JSA team.

At the hospital, Henry and a very insincere Cindy visit Henry’s father, who is still in a coma. While Henry talks about wanting to will his father awake, Cindy offers to help him plan Homecoming, but Henry doesn’t care about the dance. At school, the JSA crew are enjoying their newfound friendship until Cindy literally runs into them and Courtney questions why the mean girl is, well, so mean. Beth shares that Cindy’s mom died a few years ago and her dad got remarried, but Rick says that’s no excuse, Cindy is just awful.

At American Dream, Jordan asks Barbara to accompany him to close a sale on a sewing machine factory in Oakville that is available for interested buyers, saying they would only be gone for a day. Back at school, Cindy gets into a fight with her friend, is rude to the mysterious Justin the janitor (who owns an enchanted sword), and continues being awful to everyone around her.

Unlikely Partners

During lab, Courtney finds herself stuck with Cindy as a partner. In another part of the school, Henry suddenly starts to hear the thoughts of the other students in his classroom during a test. Henry takes advantage of his growing abilities and uses his telepathy to cheat on the test. Back in their own class, Courtney is surprised Cindy is able to mess with dangerous chemicals without reading the instructions. Cindy said that she grew up mixing chemicals thanks to her dad being a chemist and how they did science experiments for fun. As the two sort of bond, Cindy offers to hang out on Saturday night and Courtney is open to the idea.

When Cindy gets home, she treats her stepmother terribly, including knocking a plate of food from her hands. Cindy’s stepmother is clearly scared of the teen, who says her mom is “disobeying” her. After typing in a security code, Cindy makes her way into the tunnels below their house, leading her to the Injustice Society’s headquarters.

At Pit Stop, Pat’s shop, the group meets up to begin learning about how to use their powers as a team. Pat has set up an obstacle course to help the kids learn more about their enemies and how to fight them. Meanwhile, Cindy listens in on a meeting between the ISA, who are discussing who the JSA are and if they should recruit their own children to the cause. Cindy overhears the codename Stargirl before being dragged away from her eavesdropping.

Training Day

Pat goes over the ISA with Courtney and the others, introducing them to Icicle, Sportsmaster and his partner Tigress, the Gambler, the Fiddler, and Solomon Grundy before his schooling is interrupted by Courtney, who wants Pat to speed up the training process. Pat argues that if they’re not properly trained they’re going to get hurt. Courtney decides to show off her fighting skills by taking down all of the fake ISA “dummies” Pat set up for training, but the others get mad at her for showing off and not allowing them to practice since this is new to them. Pat says they’ll pick it back up tomorrow.

Elsewhere, Cindy confronts her father, Dr. Ito, saying she wants to be part of the ISA and kills one of his drones to prove her readiness. He tells her that she’s learned nothing from her mother’s death, and Cindy says that she was young and that was a mistake. Cindy spots a staff on the wall, which is ripped out of her hands by Ito when she ignores his demands not to touch it. Cindy then tells her dad she is bored with Henry, who she is apparently only dating to keep an eye on for Ito. Dr. Ito says that if Brainwave never wakes up, they’ll need Henry’s telepathic abilities for Ito’s machine, so Cindy can’t dump him yet because she needs to keep watch. Cindy doesn’t think Henry has his father’s powers.

Cindy demands to know who Stargirl is and about the Justice Society, wanting a seat at the table. Dr. Ito says she’s not ready, and to stop taking this out on her stepmother as she took a long time to prepare (in the same way he made his drones). Cindy leaves after her father calls her his greatest experiment.

Homecoming

At their home, Jordan and his son Cameron talk about Homecoming. Cameron has someone he wants to ask out but needs advice. Jordan talks about meeting Cameron’s mom and how they ended up together. Jordan tells his son he was put on this earth to find love and to not let anything stop him from trying.

While Barbara goes out of town for the night, Pat takes Courtney and Mike to the Homecoming game. When Pat briefly leaves to grab them some food as the football game commences, Mike vents some buried frustrations towards Courtney, calling Pat his father, not hers. Mike mentions how Courtney and Pat hang out all the time, and asks, “Do you see me with Barbara 24/7 because I don’t have a mother? No, you don’t. ‘Cause I deal with it.” Mike then says that he and Pat have been through a lot, more than Courtney knows, before stomping away.

Cameron sits down next to Courtney and asks her out to the Homecoming dance. Courtney really wants to go to the dance and decides she’ll talk to Cindy about hanging out another time. When Courtney tries to ask Cindy about hanging out on another day since Cameron asked her to the dance, Cindy gets pissed and tells her to forget it, forever.

Shiv

At the concessions, Lawrence approaches Pat about his diet as Courtney decides to follow Principal Bowin into the school, determined to prove that she’s the new Fiddler. When Pat returns, he finds only Mike and wonders where Courtney is. Back inside, Courtney grabs her Cosmic Staff and gears up. Using the staff, she opens the secret passageway Bowin used and follows the long path through the underground tunnels, tracking Bowin.

Elsewhere in the tunnels, Cindy searches for her dad, upset he is never there when she needs him. She then notices that Stargirl has infiltrated the ISA base and steals one of Dr. Ito’s outfits, taking a step closer to becoming the villain Shiv. Without covering up her face, Cindy goes after Stargirl and the two fight it out in the school. At one point during the fight, Courtney discovers that Cindy has the ability to heal rather quickly.

After Cindy overwhelms Stargirl and is about to finish Courtney off, Justin the janitor steps in with his sword, stopping her and knocking her down. As Courtney passes out, she hears Justin say, “Until death, it is all life.” The Cosmic Staff finds Pat and leads him back to Courtney, who finds her in the gym right after Cindy has fled the scene. Justin watches from afar, recognizing Pat as Stripesy.

What did you think of the new episode of Stargirl? Let us know in the comment section below!

The post Stargirl Season 1 Episode 7 Recap: Shiv Part One appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

June 30 Blu-ray, Digital and DVD Releases

June 30 Blu-ray, Digital and DVD Releases

June 30 Blu-ray, Digital and DVD Releases

Welcome to ComingSoon.net’s June 30 Blu-ray, Digital HD and DVD column! We’ve highlighted this week’s releases in detailed write-ups of different titles below! Click each highlighted title to purchase through Amazon!

New Movies on Blu-ray/DVD

Force of Nature

In this thunderous action-thriller, Mel Gibson, Emile Hirsch, and Kate Bosworth join forces to battle a deadly gang of thieves as a brutal hurricane engulfs the city.

Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears

Glamorous lady detective Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis) returns in a cinematic sequel to the wildly popular TV series. In 1929 Jerusalem, Phryne’s rescue of a young Bedouin girl leads her on a globe-trotting adventure to uncover priceless treasures, wartime secrets, and an ancient tomb bearing a terrible curse, with the help of handsome detective Jack Robinson (Nathan Page).

Street Survivors: The True Story Of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash

In 1977 a plane carrying Lynyrd Skynyrd to a concert runs out of gas mid-air, crashing into a swamp, leaving one of the survivors to seek help from a nearby farm. Decades later, the question still begs – what really happened?

The Etruscan Smile

A rugged old Scotsman reluctantly leaves his isolated island for San Francisco to seek medical treatment. Moving in with his estranged son, his life will be unexpectedly transformed by a baby grandson and a beautiful woman.

Four Kids and It

In this star-studded family adventure, based on the best selling children’s book, four kids discover a magical creature that grants their wishes-but they face danger when each wish ends right at sunset.

Reissues

Paracelsus

A physician, alchemist, and spiritual guru, Paracelsus (1493-1541) was one of the most enigmatic figures in the history of science. And, like its subject, this 1943 film is shrouded in mystery, even though it was directed by one of the supreme stylists of the German cinema: G.W. Pabst.

Braveheart (4K Steelbook)

William Wallace, a commoner, unites the 13th Century Scots in their battle to overthrow English rule.

Solid Metal Nightmares: The Films of Shinya Tsukamoto

One of the most distinctive and celebrated names in modern Japanese cinema, there s no other filmmaker quite like Shinya Tsukamoto. Since his early days as a teenager making Super 8 shorts, he has remained steadfastly independent, garnering widespread acclaim while honing his own unique and instantly recognizable aesthetic on the margins of the industry. Frequently exploring themes of urban alienation, physical transformation and psychosexual obsession, his films cross genre boundaries, defying straightforward classification. This exclusive collection gathers together eight feature-length films and two shorts from Tsukamoto s diverse filmography, including his most recent offering his samurai drama Killing, making its home video premiere.

Laurel & Hardy: The Definitive Restorations

New 2K and 4K digital restorations from original 35mm nitrate, Laurel and Hardy’s classic comedies are here in the best quality since their first release! Two features and 17 shorts, including the legendary pie-fight silent film The Battle of the Century, making its video debut and nearly complete for the first time in over 90 years!

The Mad Fox

Amidst a mythically-depicted medieval Japan, a court astrologer foretells a great disturbance that threatens to split the realm in two. His bitter and treacherous wife conspires to have the astrologer killed, as well as their adopted daughter, Sakaki. The astrologer s master apprentice, Yasuna, who was in love with Sakaki, is driven mad with grief and escapes to the countryside. There, he encounters Sakaki’s long-lost twin, Kuzunoha, and the pair meet a pack of ancient fox spirits in the woods, whose presence may be the key to restoring Yasuna’s sanity, and in turn bringing peace to the fracturing nation.

America as Seen by a Frenchman

At the end of the 1950s, celebrated French documentarian François Reichenbach (F for Fake, Portrait: Orson Welles), whose lens captured the likes of Brigitte Bardot and Johnny Hallyday, spent eighteen months traveling the United States, documenting its diverse regions, their inhabitants and their pastimes.

Dream Demon

As her marriage to war hero Oliver draws near, Diana moves into her new London home where she starts to experience strange and terrifying nightmares.

New On Digital HD

Irresistible (Premium VOD)

From writer/director Jon Stewart comes the comedy of a Democrat political consultant (Steve Carell) who helps a retired Marine colonel (Chris Cooper) run for mayor in a small Wisconsin town.

Viena and the Fantomes

A young roadie who’s on a journey of self-discovery and shocking survival travels across America with a punk band during the 1980s.

TV on Blu-ray and DVD

Evil: Season One (DVD) (exclusive deleted scene)

Evil is a psychological mystery that examines the origins of evil along the dividing line between science and religion.

Manchild: The Schea Cotton Story (exclusive clip)

Manchild is a documentary film that chronicles the circuitous life of legendary Los Angeles hoops megastar Schea Cotton. The documentary is expressed through Schea’s intimate accounts and those that knew him best on and off the court.

Traditional Wild America: Duck Hunting On The Santee Delta (DVD)

Traditional Wild America’s first film takes duck hunters and outdoor adventure enthusiasts to the blind to be among revered sportsmen.

The post June 30 Blu-ray, Digital and DVD Releases appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

HBO’s Room 104 Season 4 Trailer & Episode Details Released

HBO's Room 104 Season 4 Trailer & Episode Details Released

HBO’s Room 104 Season 4 Trailer & Episode Details Released

HBO has released the Room 104 Season 4 trailer as well as new episode details ahead of the fourth and final season premiere on Friday, July 24. You can check out the trailer in the player below!

RELATED: Doom Patrol Season 2 Episode 2 and Episode 3 Recap

Created by Mark and Jay Duplass (Animals., Togetherness), the late-night, half-hour anthology series returns with 12 new episodes, each telling a unique and unexpected tale of the characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain motel. While the setting stays the same, every episode of the series features a different story, with the tone, plot, characters, and even the time period, changing with each installment.

Exploring a variety of genres, from dark comedy to sci-fi, to the series’ first-ever animated episode and original songs, this season will continue to surprise viewers week to week. The premiere episode will be the first time in the series that Mark Duplass stars, writes, directs, and performs original music.

Stories and characters featured in season four include: an estranged performer giving a one-night-only performance; a woman battling her dark past with addiction; a dollhouse; transporting back in time; and more. Providing one last glimpse into the lives of the guests in Room 104, the final season of the genre-bending, and risk-taking anthology proves to be another showcase of writing, performing, and directing.

Room 104 Season 4 Episode Details:

Season 4, Episode 1: “The Murderer”

Debut Date: FRIDAY, JULY 24 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)

Twentysomething Logan (Logan Miller) gathers four friends for an intimate performance by the enigmatic, long-lost musician Graham Husker (Mark Duplass), per Graham’s very specific instructions.

Written by Mark Duplass; directed by Mark Duplass.

Season 4, Episode 2: “Star Time”

Debut Date: FRIDAY, JULY 31 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)

An unlikely source spurs Sam (Jillian Bell) to confront her history of addiction.

Written by Mark Duplass; directed by Karan Soni.

Season 4, Episode 3: “Avalanche”

Debut Date: FRIDAY, AUG. 7 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)

With the help of therapeutic dolls, retired pro wrestler Raw Dog Avalanche (Dave Bautista) taps into his memory of an epic bout gone wrong – along with other traumatic, repressed experiences.

Written by Mark Duplass; directed by Ross Partridge.

Season 4, Episode 4: “Bangs”

Debut Date: FRIDAY, AUG. 14 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)

At her divorce party, Eva (Melissa Fumero) overhauls her potentially life-changing decision to get bangs.

Written by Jenée LaMarque & Lauren Parks; directed by Jenée LaMarque.

Season 4, Episode 5: “Oh, Harry!”

Debut Date: FRIDAY, AUG. 21 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)

A ‘90s family is unwittingly stuck living in Room 104 until dad Harry (Kevin Nealon) tries to alter the script on their current reality.

Written by Mel Eslyn; directed by Mel Eslyn.

Season 4, Episode 6: “The Hikers”

Debut Date: FRIDAY, AUG. 28 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)

Megan (Shannon Purser) and Casey (Kendra Carelli), two college grads embarking on a three-month hike, confront irrevocable truths about their friendship.

Written by Lauren Budd; directed by Lauren Budd.

The season four cast includes (in order of appearance): Mark Duplass, Hari Nef, Logan Miller, Jillian Bell, Jon Bass, Dave Bautista, Melissa Fumero, Vivian Bang, Finn Roberts, Adam Shapiro, Breeda Wool, Kevin Nealon, Erinn Hayes, Ron Funches, Sadie Stanley, Shannon Purser, Kendra Carelli, Benjamin Papac, Alison Jaye, Tim Granaderos, Oliva Crocicchia, Harvey Guillen, Gary Cole, Linda Lavin, Jennifer Kim, Kevin McKidd, Desean Terry, Suzanne Nichols, Leonardo Nam, Lily Gladstone, Jordyn Lucas, Natasha Perez, Jake Green, Ntare Mwine, Rebecca Hazlewood, and Susan Park.

RELATED: David Makes Man: HBO Max Acquires Peabody Award-Winning Drama

The season four directors include Mark Duplass, Karan Soni, Ross Partridge, Jenée LaMarque, Mel Eslyn, Lauren Budd, Natalie Morales, Patrick Brice, Julian Wass, and Sydney Fleischmann. The writers are Mark Duplass, Jenée LaMarque, Lauren Parks, Mel Eslyn, Lauren Budd, Bryan Poyser, and Julian Wass.

Room 104 will be available on HBO and to stream on HBO Max.

The post HBO’s Room 104 Season 4 Trailer & Episode Details Released appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Doom Patrol Season 2 Episode 2 and Episode 3 Recap

Doom Patrol Season 2 Episode 2 and Episode 3 Recap

Doom Patrol Season 2 Episode 2 and Episode 3 Recap

In the previous episode of DC Universe’s Doom Patrol, Larry’s son Gary had died, and the rest of the gang were back to size. In Doom Patrol Season 2 Episode 2, Larry went to Gary’s funeral, while the others visited Dr. Tyme, and in Doom Patrol Season 2 Episode 3, Red Jack, who Niles encountered as a boy, took Larry.

Dr. Tyme

Since Niles had given his amulet to Willoughby in exchange for restoring everyone back to size, he needed something else to extend his life. He sent Cliff, Jane, and Rita back to 1980 where Dr. Tyme existed in disco roller rink. He possessed a time-manipulating material called continuinium, which turned out to be his brain. All hell broke loose as the historical figures with Dr. Tyme attacked and went after the brain. He expelled them from his time capsule roller rink.

Red Jack

Doom Patrol Season 2 Episode 2 and Episode 3 Recap

Larry attended Gary’s funeral, presided over by his other son, Paul. He revealed who he was to Paul, who invited Larry over to the reception at Gary’s house. Larry couldn’t go in, but the negative spirit brought him to Gary’s barn full of memories.

When he left, a swarm of butterflies overtook him. Red Jack, a.k.a. Jack the Ripper, had kidnapped Larry and strung him up. When he was a boy, Niles had encountered Red Jack, who was using Larry to lure Niles back. In the end, Niles stabbed Red Jack, and Rita and Larry freed all the butterflies, Red Jack’s victims.

Vulnerability

Doom Patrol Season 2 Episode 2 and Episode 3 Recap

Vic had taken off and ended up in a trauma support group. They required him to turn off his camera, and he did so reluctantly as it made him vulnerable. Ronnie, a veteran and leader of the support group, got mugged afterwards, and though she was able to take care of herself, Vic wanted to alert the police. She implored him not to, as she recognized that the mugger was a kid in a terrible situation. Vic called off the police.

Ronnie canceled support group without telling Vic. They slept together, and it was the first time for him since becoming Cyborg. He was unsure of how he would look to her. Ronnie revealed burn scars on her body. Afterwards, she left him with a grisly photo from her past.

Wrecked

Cliff went to Florida with Jane to see his daughter, Clara. He inelegantly explained to her that he was her father. She was having a baby shower that day and refused to let him in. Clara called the cops on him as he wrecked the van.

Jane fell asleep and ended up in the Underground. The intervention was now underway. In the past, we saw when Miranda, a previous primary who had gone in the well, took over Kay. Her mother had attempted to exorcise Kay. At the end of it, Jane found herself locked up in the Underground.

What did you think of these episodes of Doom Patrol? Let us know in the comment section below!

The post Doom Patrol Season 2 Episode 2 and Episode 3 Recap appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Amulet Trailer: Have Faith in Fear

Amulet Trailer: Have Faith in Fear

Amulet Trailer: Have faith in fear

Magnet Releasing has unveiled the first official trailer for the upcoming horror film Amulet from debuting writer/director Romola Garai centered on a former soldier who goes to help take care of a sinister old woman. The trailer can be viewed in the player below!

RELATED: New Nick Simon Project Untitled Horror Movie Unveiled

Written and directed by Garai, the story centers on former soldier Tomaz who, following an accident that leaves him homeless in London, is brought to the rotting home of Magda, a lonely woman in desperate need of help as she looks after her dying mother. Though at first resistant, Magda eventually welcomes him into their lives and allows him to help her care for them. But as he worms his way into their routine and begins to fall for Magda, Tomaz starts to notice strange, unexplainable, and ugly phenomena. Something seems very wrong with the mysterious old woman who never leaves the top floor, and Magda may in fact be enslaved to do her otherworldly bidding.

The cast for the film is made up of Carla Juri (Blade Runner 2049), Alec Secareanu (God’s Own Country), Imelda Staunton (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) and Angeliki Papoulia (The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea).

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Having garnered strong reviews at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, the film is set to hit select theaters and VOD on July 24.

The post Amulet Trailer: Have Faith in Fear appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

CS Interview: Phillipa Soo Talks Hamilton & Playing Leading Lady Eliza

CS Interview: Phillipa Soo Talks Hamilton & Playing Leading Lady Eliza

CS Interview: Phillipa Soo Talks Hamilton & Playing Leading Lady Eliza

The stages of Broadway remain quiet in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis that has seen the shutters come down on all shows since March 12, and it will stay that way through the end of the year according to The Broadway League. Even before the shut-down, though, seeing Hamilton was out of reach for many of its fans.

Early in 2020, before the quarantine that would define all that came after, the announcement that Disney had bought the film rights to distribute a live performance of Hamilton was huge news. Filmed in 2016 with the Original Broadway Cast, Hamilton fans no longer had to wonder when they’d get a chance to take in the show, albeit on the big screen: Disney confirmed an October 2020 release. Then the coronavirus hit and Disney adjusted its plans, announcing they would premiere Hamilton by bringing it into the homes of its Disney+ subscribers just in time for the July 4th weekend.

ComingSoon.net had the opportunity to speak Phillipa Soo, one of Hamilton’s leading ladies, who graduated from Julliard in 2012 and in that same year was cast as the lead in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. Future Hamilton director Thomas Kail, and writer/star Lin-Manuel Miranda, took in a performance and asked Soo to take part in an early reading of their show.

Soo would go on to shepherd the role of Eliza, wife of the titular Alexander, all the way to Broadway. CS spoke to Soo, just a few weeks after she’d celebrated her birthday in quarantine by adopting a new puppy, about her time with Hamilton, and her thoughts on how it resonates in our current social and political climate.

RELATED: Disney Debuts Special New Look at Hamilton!

ComingSoon.net: You were a part of Hamilton from the very beginning, from the first readings and all the way up through Broadway. What do you remember most about those early days?

Phillipa Soo: I remember constantly being surprised by like, the hair standing up on my arms, you know, all those moments. Because I started, and I only heard the second half of the show, because it was a reading of act two. So I didn’t have any idea what was happening in act one until the next reading that I did. And that was like, my mind was blown. I was just like, “what? ‘Helpless,’ ‘Satisfied,’” like, “this is incredible!” You know, and it just kept on adding from there. But I think the thread is that every single moment working on that show and hearing a new piece of music, or seeing a new person come in, it sort of clicked? Like it kept clicking, and the air would change in the room, and we would all sort of look at each other and be like: “whoa, okay. I can’t believe this.”

CS: Wow. That sounds incredibly intense. I have to wonder, what’s it like revisiting the show for you now? This film coming out while America is in the middle of another revolution, what some are calling the largest civil rights protest in history?

Soo: Yeah, I mean, I am so glad that we can have this film come out and have it be a part of the conversation into Black Lives Matter, and really examining what it means to be an American. And like the show, to see that it’s imperfect, that revolution is messy. And that shouldn’t deter us from going out into the streets, using our voice, using our ballot to create a country that we want to see.

CS: Eliza is such an emotional character in many ways that feels like she’s the audience’s surrogate emotionally. What’s your experience like inhabiting someone who goes through such profound emotional changes eight nights a week?

Soo: Well, it was not easy.

CS: I can’t imagine!

Soo: I mean, it’s not an easy task. Well, I’ll say this, it was easy in so many ways because the writing and the material is so profound, and I deeply connected to it on so many levels. So in terms of that old actor story of “being in the moment” and: “will the tears be there, will the emotion be there?” So often I didn’t really have to worry about that, because just looking at my cast, and listening to the words, and looking out into the audience and seeing all of the faces of the people who were coming to see it, I would just get emotional thinking about it.

CS: Sure.

Soo: So that fed me. That certainly fed me. But I think as a young actor, you don’t know how to prepare for something like that.

CS: Or how to re-emerge from the role?

Soo: More so to know how to maintain health and balance during things like that, because it’s so rare that an actor is asked to do the same thing, multiple nights in a row for like, two years. So I think I learned a lot about myself, as an actor and just sort of like, the mechanics of it and how to like, take care of myself.

CS: In many ways, Eliza’s journey reminds me of what a lot of Americans are going through right now. Do you see any common threads between her struggles and kind of what’s happening right now in the nation?

Soo: Certainly. I mean, here you have a mother who loses her child to a bullet. I think that certainly resonates with me. And I think that at the end of the day, what’s most important to remember is that these historical figures that we look at, when we see their stories, it’s important to remember that they were people, too? That their hardships are not just tales of a story long, long ago, that they were us, you know?

So I find that in moments now when I’m sort of looking at the world, I just try and remember that people have had hardships for centuries and centuries and centuries. And I feel quite lucky to be where I am. And I have to ask myself: what can I do based off of the hard work and fighting for change and fighting to have their stories told and their legacies maintained? Like what can I do to honor the people who have come before me by using my body, by using my voice? You know, how can I lift them up and honor them?

RELATED: Disney Unveils New Clip from Opening Number of Hamilton

CS: It seems like Eliza’s legacy, I was reading a bit about her to refresh my memory, was the safety net she helped create for hundreds of orphan children, as well as documenting the work and legacy of her husband. And I wondered, did portraying her get you thinking about your own legacy and about how you’d want to be remembered?

Soo: Oh absolutely. I mean, I think as I was 25 and 26 at the time and thinking like, “what am I supposed to do?” This woman lived a full life, and helped so many people, and dedicated her life to uplifting voices that might not have been heard. So I don’t know, I just think like: “well, geez. Like, how can I try and even remotely do that?” But her story is so comforting because yes, we’re living in a moment where we “cannot throw away our shot.” Like we just, we can’t wait. We gotta go now. We gotta say the things we want to say. We gotta write the things we want to write. We need to connect with the people that we want to connect with.

And at the same time, there is time and we need to use it wisely. Even if that means like, waiting. Even if that means listening and patience; that there is a way to be constructive with your time. And I think that’s just for the individual person to know, like: “do I need to focus more on my output right now, or do I need to focus more on my input?” And that’s a question that we can continue to ask ourselves and continue to strive to move forward.

(Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage via Getty Images)

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Belzebuth Review

Rating: 

6.5/10

Cast:

Tobin Bell as Vasilio Canetti

Joaquín Cosio as Emmanuel Ritter

Tate Ellington as Ivan Franco

Giovanna Zacarías as Leonor

Aurora Gill as Marina Ritter

Aida López as Elena

Yunuen Pardo as Beatríz

José Sefami as Demetrio

Co-written and Directed by Emilio Portes; Co-written by Luis Carlos Fuentes

Click here to rent or purchase Belzebuth!

Belzebuth Review:

The concept of possession has been one of the longest-lasting and most exhilarating of the horror genre when executed correctly and though motivations have mostly been left as a mystery in the past, there are a handful of films that see explanations given, some smart, others lackluster, and while Emilio Portes’ Belzebuth offers a fairly interesting justification for its events and scares, some of the dialogue and plotting can’t quite live up to its efforts.

Special Agent Emmanuel Ritter is enjoying the arrival of his newborn baby with his wife, but before she can be discharged from the hospital, a monumental tragedy strikes that leads to him losing both and heading towards a personal downward spiral. He is put on the case of a series of shocking massacres in his area, in which he comes across a paranormal forensic investigation team led by a Vatican priest and learns of a dark being responsible for the murders and must search for an excommunicated priest who may have knowledge on how to bring the madness to an end.

The opening minutes of the film may be a bit tonally imbalanced and over-the-top, with Tobin Bell’s narration feeling very mismatched with the happier moments of Ritter’s wife giving birth and the two preparing for a happy future, but its transition into its tragedy is smooth and incredibly effective, resulting in quite the jaw-dropping start for the events to come. As events unfold and more massacres occur, the character development of Ritter feels interesting and compelling, with the crime scenes themselves all proving visceral and shocking, though what it’s setting up feels very reminiscent of the Denzel Washington-starrer Fallen. Though there are some plot elements that many will not see coming as the film progresses, the clear connection of “an evil entity is driving these deaths” kind of makes it clear where some character arcs are heading and takes away from some of the originality on display.

The mood of the film finds a nice balance of working to keep its story grounded in reality while also delivering a number of solid scares, even if a number of the scares themselves prove predictable or expose some of the weaker dialogue and acting from its cast. One notable scene comes near the middle of the film as Ritter and Tate Ellington’s Ivan Franco investigate a seemingly abandoned church and are confronted by a form of the titular demon inhabiting a porcelain figure of Jesus on the cross. It’s a well-shot scene, keeping the more haunting elements in the dark and creating a highly-tense scene, but the dialogue from Franco in the scene does kind of suck the tension away as it becomes cyclical and pad the scene rather than just allow Ritter to “peacefully” interact with the demonic presence.

That scene aside, however, the majority of the scenes find a great way to deliver chills and scares that, even if seen before, still prove to be a thrill ride for genre fans. From unique takes on classic exorcism scenes to great practical effects work, the horror in the film is mostly enough of a joy ride to put aside some of its more lackluster writing and uninteresting performances. It’s not that the actors don’t appear to be trying, with Cosio delivering one of the better performances in the film, but even decent performances can’t quite seem to elevate some of the material.

Belzebuth may have quite a bit of dull dialogue and predictable plotting, but thanks to some skillful scares and a few points of originality, this is a chilling enough affair to strike fear in the hearts of the easier-to-frighten at the least, if not genre fans.

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Gamemaster Trailer Plus Exclusive Clip From Board Game Documentary!

Gamemaster Trailer Plus Exclusive Clip From Board Game Documentary!

Gamemaster Trailer Plus Exclusive Clip From Board Game Documentary!

ComingSoon.net has an exclusive clip from the upcoming board game documentary Gamemaster, as well as the official trailer from Gravitas Ventures! You can check out both videos now in the players below!

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Gamemaster is a deep dive into the world of the thriving board game industry, the recent billion-dollar tabletop renaissance, and the creators behind wildly popular games. Watch first-time game designers as they try to achieve their dream of creating a board game.

This insightful documentary also includes interviews with established creators of popular board games including Exploding Kittens, Settlers of Catan, Pandemic, Hanabi, and many more.

Gamemaster is directed by Charles Mruz and produced by Mia Chang, Scott Kim, George Loucas, Jimmy Nguyen, Alan Poa, Matthew Shreder, and Stefanie Woodburn.

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Gamemaster will be available on VOD and Digital HD on July 7, 2020.

The post Gamemaster Trailer Plus Exclusive Clip From Board Game Documentary! appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

New Nick Simon Project Untitled Horror Movie Unveiled

New Nick Simon Project Untitled Horror Movie Unveiled

New Nick Simon project Untitled Horror Movie unveiled

Spectrum Studios has revealed that Nick Simon’s upcoming project, Untitled Horror Movie, has completed its principal photography with the entire writing, pre-production and filming process taking place remotely during global quarantine.

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Co-written and directed by Simon (The Girl in the Photographs), the film is set on computer screens and filmed in found footage style and will explore the behind-the-scenes lives of moderately famous actors who will do anything to save their careers and keep sharing their craft with the world. With their hit TV show on the brink of cancellation, six actors decide to film their own horror movie. In their search for a plot, they unintentionally summon a spirit with an affinity for violence, who starts picking them off one vapid actor at a time.

“I’ve always believed that film should be a collaborative art form, and I don’t think there’s a truer example than with this picture,” Simon said in a statement. “The actors did everything from lighting themselves — guided by our incredible DP, Kevin Duggin — to recording their own sound and doing their own hair and makeup. As crazy as that could have been, it was easily one of the most enjoyable experiences in my professional life. It was one of those once in a lifetime moments when everything aligns at the exact right time.”

The script for the project was co-written by Simon and Luka Baines (Under the Silver Lake), who also stars in the project alongside Claire Holt (The Vampire Diaries), Darren Barnet (Agents of SHIELD), Emmy Raver-Lampman (The Umbrella Academy), Katherine McNamara (Arrow), Timothy Granaderos (13 Reasons Why), Kal Penn (Designated Survivor), Kevin Daniels (Sirens) and Sohm Kapila (911). The film marks a reunion between the Harold & Kumar vet and Simon after The Girl in the Photographs.

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“There’s a joke in the film that says: ‘The only people who say there’s creative freedom from making their own stuff are the ones who can’t get a studio to finance their movie,’” Baines said in a statement. “I want to publicly contradict myself and say I’ve never had more fun or felt this amount of space to take risks and make mistakes, although I do wholeheartedly miss having a full crew. I think I speak for the rest of the actors when I say we’ve never had more respect for each and every department.”

Untitled Horror Movie is produced by Bronwyn Cornelius (Clemency) and Marina Stabile (Beatriz at Dinner), with Randy Singuefield’s Spectrum Studios financing the picture and currently selling it to distributors for potential acquisition with post-production expected to wrap by September.

(Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)

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