Given the jazz-inflected complexities and somber, introspective tone of Joni Mitchell’s most vibrant work, the skill and magnetism of the artists who took the stage on the first of two nights celebrating her 75th birthday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at L.A.’s the Music Center felt all the more impressive. Over the course of a breathless two-and-a-half hours, a carousel of musicians — some of her decades-old familiars like Graham Nash and James Taylor, others fresher talents like Brandi Carlile and Norah Jones — took turns paying tribute to...
- 11/7/2018
- by Steven J. Horowitz
- Rollingstone.com
Natalie Prass dances among the visages of dead presidents in the video for “The Fire,” a song off her new album, The Future and the Past. As holds an axe in front of George Washington and sits on Andrew Jackson’s shoulder, she sings a pop song about sidestepping safety in a relationship and going right into her lover’s fire. The video becomes more and more psychedelic as it goes on, with kaleidoscopic vignettes and what looks like the northern lights appearing behind our forefathers – and it ends with an even more surrealistic scene.
- 9/12/2018
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
“For nine years, the entire goal of Ninja Warrior has been to stay dry,” host Matt Iseman points out. But in the Season 10 finale, Ninjas will be asked to swim for their buzzer-beating lives in the NBC series’ first underwater obstacle. And TVLine has an exclusive sneak peek.
In Stage 2 of this year’s Las Vegas finale (airing Monday at 8/7c), Ninjas have four-and-a-half minutes to tackle Epic Catch & Release (a super-sized version of a Dallas obstacle), Crisscross Salmon Ladder, Déjà Vu (new), Swing Surfer and then Wingnut Alley, before being offered goggles and invited to break through the Water Walls,...
In Stage 2 of this year’s Las Vegas finale (airing Monday at 8/7c), Ninjas have four-and-a-half minutes to tackle Epic Catch & Release (a super-sized version of a Dallas obstacle), Crisscross Salmon Ladder, Déjà Vu (new), Swing Surfer and then Wingnut Alley, before being offered goggles and invited to break through the Water Walls,...
- 9/8/2018
- TVLine.com
Songs For Screens is a Variety column sponsored by music experiential agency Mac Presents, based in NYC. It is written by Andrew Hampp, founder of music marketing consultancy 1803 LLC and former correspondent for Billboard. Each week, the column will highlight noteworthy use of music in advertising and marketing campaigns, as well as new and catalog songs that we deem ripe for synch use.
Snickers’ long-running “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” campaign has played host to a number of iconic celebrities over the better part of the last decade, from Betty White and The Brady Bunch to music legends Aretha Franklin and Liza Minnelli.
But for its first venture into hip-hop territory, the Mars candy brand has tapped rising Shady/Interscope Records recording artist Boogie and, as his unlikely hunger-plagued alter ego, Elton John for a spot that puts a surprising spin on rap battle culture. The global campaign,...
Snickers’ long-running “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” campaign has played host to a number of iconic celebrities over the better part of the last decade, from Betty White and The Brady Bunch to music legends Aretha Franklin and Liza Minnelli.
But for its first venture into hip-hop territory, the Mars candy brand has tapped rising Shady/Interscope Records recording artist Boogie and, as his unlikely hunger-plagued alter ego, Elton John for a spot that puts a surprising spin on rap battle culture. The global campaign,...
- 8/30/2018
- by Andrew Hampp
- Variety Film + TV
Deja is here to stay. Lyric Ross, who was introduced in Season 2 of This Is Us as a recurring, has been promoted to series regular for Season 3 of the praised NBC family drama.
Ross plays Deja, the Pearsons’ newest addition from the foster care system. She made her debut in the third episode of the second season, titled Déjà Vu. Ross appeared in half of Season 2’s 18 episodes. That included a standalone episode focused on Deja’s backstory, and the Season 2 finale whose series of cliffhangers included Deja smashing foster dad Randall’s car.
Ross is the second new series regular on This Is Us for Season 3, joining Melanie Liburd, who was introduced in the Season 2 finale as Beth Pearson’s cousin Zoe. Coincidentally, Zoe and Deja shared a sweet scene of bonding in the closer.
As series creator Dan Fogelman told Deadline last month, This Is Us will be...
Ross plays Deja, the Pearsons’ newest addition from the foster care system. She made her debut in the third episode of the second season, titled Déjà Vu. Ross appeared in half of Season 2’s 18 episodes. That included a standalone episode focused on Deja’s backstory, and the Season 2 finale whose series of cliffhangers included Deja smashing foster dad Randall’s car.
Ross is the second new series regular on This Is Us for Season 3, joining Melanie Liburd, who was introduced in the Season 2 finale as Beth Pearson’s cousin Zoe. Coincidentally, Zoe and Deja shared a sweet scene of bonding in the closer.
As series creator Dan Fogelman told Deadline last month, This Is Us will be...
- 8/27/2018
- by Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Amazon Prime Video has confirmed that several of its original series will be debuting new episodes on the streaming service in August, including the first season of “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.” John Krasinski, who is red-hot following the success of his winter hit “A Quiet Place,” takes on the role of the CIA spy that has been played on the big screen by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck and Chris Pine.
Likewise, there will be plenty of movies making their first appearances on Amazon Prime Video including the action comedy “Gringo,” which stars David Oyelowo as a businessman who unwittingly becomes involved with a Mexican drug cartel.
Unlike Netflix, Amazon does not disclose the shows and movies leaving the service in any given month. We’ve done some digging and unearthed a few titles that will be exiting Amazon Prime Video in the first week of August. News...
Likewise, there will be plenty of movies making their first appearances on Amazon Prime Video including the action comedy “Gringo,” which stars David Oyelowo as a businessman who unwittingly becomes involved with a Mexican drug cartel.
Unlike Netflix, Amazon does not disclose the shows and movies leaving the service in any given month. We’ve done some digging and unearthed a few titles that will be exiting Amazon Prime Video in the first week of August. News...
- 7/31/2018
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Your wait for Jack Ryan is almost over.
“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” premieres on Amazon Aug. 31, starring John Krasinski as a CIA analyst who’s thrust into a dangerous field assignment. Another new Prime Original series, “All or Nothing: Manchester City” will premiere next month, though the specific date is yet to be announced. It follows Pep Guardiola, the legendary coach and the team’s 2017/2018 season.
Other titles coming to Amazon in August include 2004’s “A Cinderella Story” and 2008’s “Hurt Locker” on Aug. 1. “Mother!,” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, will be available on Aug. 26.
Also Read: Emmys and #MeToo: 'Transparent' Shut Out of Nominations
See the complete list below.
August 1
Series
#MeToo: Now What?, Season 1
Movies
A Cinderella Story (2004)
American Gigolo (1980)
American Ninja (1985)
American Ninja III: Blood Hunt (1989)
Be Cool (2005)
Black Mask (1996)
Black Rain (1989)
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)
Boomerang (1992)
Cold War (2012)
Csny/Déjà Vu...
“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” premieres on Amazon Aug. 31, starring John Krasinski as a CIA analyst who’s thrust into a dangerous field assignment. Another new Prime Original series, “All or Nothing: Manchester City” will premiere next month, though the specific date is yet to be announced. It follows Pep Guardiola, the legendary coach and the team’s 2017/2018 season.
Other titles coming to Amazon in August include 2004’s “A Cinderella Story” and 2008’s “Hurt Locker” on Aug. 1. “Mother!,” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, will be available on Aug. 26.
Also Read: Emmys and #MeToo: 'Transparent' Shut Out of Nominations
See the complete list below.
August 1
Series
#MeToo: Now What?, Season 1
Movies
A Cinderella Story (2004)
American Gigolo (1980)
American Ninja (1985)
American Ninja III: Blood Hunt (1989)
Be Cool (2005)
Black Mask (1996)
Black Rain (1989)
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)
Boomerang (1992)
Cold War (2012)
Csny/Déjà Vu...
- 7/16/2018
- by Ashley Boucher
- The Wrap
Not to be confused with Steven Soderbergh’s award-winning film or the acclaimed miniseries upon which it was based, “Traffik” is a thriller about human trafficking that mistakes an overwrought story for an important one.
Writer-director Deon Taylor (“Meet the Blacks”) touches upon some interesting and even occasionally relevant ideas in his film about an investigative reporter and the biker gang that will stop at nothing to protect its secrets, but even the fierce dedication of Paula Patton and Omar Epps doesn’t make those ideas coalesce into more than window dressing for the tawdry thriller they’re hung upon.
Patton plays Brea, an investigative reporter who learns on her birthday that the story she’s been working on for months was scooped by a fellow reporter at the behest of her editor, and subsequently she may soon lose her job. “Nothing takes months,” argues Mr. Waynewright (William Fichtner).
Also Read: Amy Schumer's 'I Feel Pretty' Braces for Ugly Box Office Debut
John (Epps), her mechanic boyfriend, attempts to divert her attention by planning a weekend getaway at a palatial chateau in the mountains for the two of them, where he plans to propose. En route they stop at a gas station where Brea encounters a mysterious young woman named Cara (Dawn Olivieri, “Bright”) in the bathroom, while John has a violent encounter with some bikers that’s thankfully interrupted by the arrival of the local sheriff (Missi Pyle).
Shaken by their experiences but thrilled at the prospect of some alone time, Brea and John arrive at the house, and John plots the right moment to pop the question. But not long after christening the infinity pool, they’re joined by The Worst Friends In The World, Malia (Roselyn Sanchez, “Devious Maids”) and Darren (Laz Alonso), who crash their romantic getaway, and thanks to their own relationship problems, instigate a rift between the two lovers.
Before peace can be restored, however, Brea discovers a satellite phone in her bag containing dozens of photos of young women. Recognizing the images as evidence of human trafficking, Brea insists they call the authorities; but when Cara turns up at the front door of their house, backed by some of the bikers and asking for the phone, the vacationers are forced to work together to escape the clutches of their invaders before becoming the next victims in what they soon discover is a multifaceted network of criminal activities.
Also Read: Paula Patton Dumps Primary Wave After Ex-ceo David Guillod Accused of Rape (Exclusive)
It’s kind of hard to know where to begin with what’s wrong in “Traffik,” a movie where every scene takes about twice as long as it feels like it should, and the characters far too often make an escalating series of implausible and/or stupid decisions. Brea certainly wins audience (or at least reporters’) sympathies early by clashing with her editor over journalistic integrity at the possible cost of her job, but how then can she be so naïve, not to mention inert, when a very clearly drug-addled woman looks plaintively at her during a fleeting moment of privacy between them that gets interrupted by a menacing biker? “I didn’t want to butt in” is her later rationale, but the scene goes on far too long for it not to be abundantly clear what this poor woman needs, much less for her not to even ask, “Are you Ok?”
Meanwhile, even if John feels like a perfectly understated partner for her, why in the hell are they friends — like, “go out together for Brea’s birthday dinner” friends — with Malia and especially Darren? In less than two minutes, he denigrates John’s job, almost spoils his surprise proposal, and defends openly ogling the waitress to John in front of his own wife.
And that’s before he shows up at their vacation house a day early, accuses Brea of wanting to report the phone to the authorities “to get a scoop,” and then inexplicably dredges up some old romantic business that occurred before she ever met John. Alonso is a charismatic actor, but there’s rakish and there’s just being an asshole, and as the unfortunate catalyst for a lot of superfluous drama, Darren is unmoored from anything remotely believable, or likable.
Also Read: Robin Thicke 'Kicked, Pushed and Hit' Paula Patton, Court Papers Claim
Patton serves double duty as a producer on the film and it’s clear she believed in this story, or at least what telling it could do for her credibility as an actor. But evidenced both by her successes (“Déjà Vu,” “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”) and failures (“Baggage Claim”), she needs a strong director who will shape her deep feelings into something compelling and coherent, and Taylor seems either preoccupied by the importance of his story, or so wowed by the volume of what she is doing on screen that he never bothers to do more than sort of watch, astonished.
It isn’t that Patton doesn’t deliver something interesting, it’s that it’s assembled so clumsily that all of her shivering and hesitation dominates the moments of decisiveness and strength that should have made an impression.
Any good reporter knows not to come up with a thesis and then look for evidence to support it, but rather to follow a story and see where it leads you. Like Brea’s, Taylor’s heart is in the right place, but they both need to learn how to focus, and both could probably also use a better editor. But then again, who can blame Taylor for luxuriating in the dynamic, nightmarish images he captures with the help of the great cinematographer Dante Spinotti? The two of them work effectively together to create a sense of ominousness and vulnerability that lifts the film more than it deserves.
That said, those imaginative flourishes don’t always match with the performances, or the musical choices — including a gobsmacking use of Nina Simone’s “Strange Fruit” during a scene of human trafficking — but Taylor definitely has an eye for intriguing juxtapositions. It’s just a shame that too many of them in “Traffik” are bad ones.
Read original story ‘Traffik’ Film Review: Paula Patton Overdoes It in Overwrought Thriller At TheWrap...
Writer-director Deon Taylor (“Meet the Blacks”) touches upon some interesting and even occasionally relevant ideas in his film about an investigative reporter and the biker gang that will stop at nothing to protect its secrets, but even the fierce dedication of Paula Patton and Omar Epps doesn’t make those ideas coalesce into more than window dressing for the tawdry thriller they’re hung upon.
Patton plays Brea, an investigative reporter who learns on her birthday that the story she’s been working on for months was scooped by a fellow reporter at the behest of her editor, and subsequently she may soon lose her job. “Nothing takes months,” argues Mr. Waynewright (William Fichtner).
Also Read: Amy Schumer's 'I Feel Pretty' Braces for Ugly Box Office Debut
John (Epps), her mechanic boyfriend, attempts to divert her attention by planning a weekend getaway at a palatial chateau in the mountains for the two of them, where he plans to propose. En route they stop at a gas station where Brea encounters a mysterious young woman named Cara (Dawn Olivieri, “Bright”) in the bathroom, while John has a violent encounter with some bikers that’s thankfully interrupted by the arrival of the local sheriff (Missi Pyle).
Shaken by their experiences but thrilled at the prospect of some alone time, Brea and John arrive at the house, and John plots the right moment to pop the question. But not long after christening the infinity pool, they’re joined by The Worst Friends In The World, Malia (Roselyn Sanchez, “Devious Maids”) and Darren (Laz Alonso), who crash their romantic getaway, and thanks to their own relationship problems, instigate a rift between the two lovers.
Before peace can be restored, however, Brea discovers a satellite phone in her bag containing dozens of photos of young women. Recognizing the images as evidence of human trafficking, Brea insists they call the authorities; but when Cara turns up at the front door of their house, backed by some of the bikers and asking for the phone, the vacationers are forced to work together to escape the clutches of their invaders before becoming the next victims in what they soon discover is a multifaceted network of criminal activities.
Also Read: Paula Patton Dumps Primary Wave After Ex-ceo David Guillod Accused of Rape (Exclusive)
It’s kind of hard to know where to begin with what’s wrong in “Traffik,” a movie where every scene takes about twice as long as it feels like it should, and the characters far too often make an escalating series of implausible and/or stupid decisions. Brea certainly wins audience (or at least reporters’) sympathies early by clashing with her editor over journalistic integrity at the possible cost of her job, but how then can she be so naïve, not to mention inert, when a very clearly drug-addled woman looks plaintively at her during a fleeting moment of privacy between them that gets interrupted by a menacing biker? “I didn’t want to butt in” is her later rationale, but the scene goes on far too long for it not to be abundantly clear what this poor woman needs, much less for her not to even ask, “Are you Ok?”
Meanwhile, even if John feels like a perfectly understated partner for her, why in the hell are they friends — like, “go out together for Brea’s birthday dinner” friends — with Malia and especially Darren? In less than two minutes, he denigrates John’s job, almost spoils his surprise proposal, and defends openly ogling the waitress to John in front of his own wife.
And that’s before he shows up at their vacation house a day early, accuses Brea of wanting to report the phone to the authorities “to get a scoop,” and then inexplicably dredges up some old romantic business that occurred before she ever met John. Alonso is a charismatic actor, but there’s rakish and there’s just being an asshole, and as the unfortunate catalyst for a lot of superfluous drama, Darren is unmoored from anything remotely believable, or likable.
Also Read: Robin Thicke 'Kicked, Pushed and Hit' Paula Patton, Court Papers Claim
Patton serves double duty as a producer on the film and it’s clear she believed in this story, or at least what telling it could do for her credibility as an actor. But evidenced both by her successes (“Déjà Vu,” “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”) and failures (“Baggage Claim”), she needs a strong director who will shape her deep feelings into something compelling and coherent, and Taylor seems either preoccupied by the importance of his story, or so wowed by the volume of what she is doing on screen that he never bothers to do more than sort of watch, astonished.
It isn’t that Patton doesn’t deliver something interesting, it’s that it’s assembled so clumsily that all of her shivering and hesitation dominates the moments of decisiveness and strength that should have made an impression.
Any good reporter knows not to come up with a thesis and then look for evidence to support it, but rather to follow a story and see where it leads you. Like Brea’s, Taylor’s heart is in the right place, but they both need to learn how to focus, and both could probably also use a better editor. But then again, who can blame Taylor for luxuriating in the dynamic, nightmarish images he captures with the help of the great cinematographer Dante Spinotti? The two of them work effectively together to create a sense of ominousness and vulnerability that lifts the film more than it deserves.
That said, those imaginative flourishes don’t always match with the performances, or the musical choices — including a gobsmacking use of Nina Simone’s “Strange Fruit” during a scene of human trafficking — but Taylor definitely has an eye for intriguing juxtapositions. It’s just a shame that too many of them in “Traffik” are bad ones.
Read original story ‘Traffik’ Film Review: Paula Patton Overdoes It in Overwrought Thriller At TheWrap...
- 4/20/2018
- by Todd Gilchrist
- The Wrap
Not everyone is cool enough to have gone to Coachella this weekend, but those of us who weren’t there didn’t miss out on anything too spectacular—except, of course, for what sounds like a huge headlining performance from Beyoncé. As reported by Spin, she got an assist from Jay-Z early on for “Déjà Vu” and Solange…
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- 4/15/2018
- by Sam Barsanti on News, shared by Sam Barsanti to The A.V. Club
- avclub.com
Beyoncé got the band back together on Saturday night.
On the group’s 20th anniversary, Destiny’s Child reunited for a special performance during Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s headlining set at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif.
The R&B trio, featuring Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, last performed together during the 2015 Stellar Awards and, before that, the 2013 Super Bowl halftime show.
Their Coachella set included three numbers: “Lose My Breath,” “Say My Name” and “Soldier.”
Beyoncé’s epic desert performance, which featured over 100 dancers and a drumline, also saw a cameo from husband Jay-z (“Déjà Vu”) and sister Solange Knowles (“Get Me Bodied”).
Beyoncé took Coachella to school quite literally throughout her showcased, which paid tribute to HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).
“Thank you Coachella for allowing me to be the first black woman to headline,’ Beyoncé said of the 19th annual event before adding, “Ain...
On the group’s 20th anniversary, Destiny’s Child reunited for a special performance during Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s headlining set at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif.
The R&B trio, featuring Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, last performed together during the 2015 Stellar Awards and, before that, the 2013 Super Bowl halftime show.
Their Coachella set included three numbers: “Lose My Breath,” “Say My Name” and “Soldier.”
Beyoncé’s epic desert performance, which featured over 100 dancers and a drumline, also saw a cameo from husband Jay-z (“Déjà Vu”) and sister Solange Knowles (“Get Me Bodied”).
Beyoncé took Coachella to school quite literally throughout her showcased, which paid tribute to HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).
“Thank you Coachella for allowing me to be the first black woman to headline,’ Beyoncé said of the 19th annual event before adding, “Ain...
- 4/15/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
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