Tag Archives: Netflix

Entertainment, Movies, Videos

Netflix adapts ‘Shadow & Bone’: Magic and Betrayal from Grisha trilogy

Video

Above: Photo / Netflix

Teaser trailer gives fans a peak at icy setting 

Get ready for a wave of fantasy coming to the Netflix streaming platform.  A new series based and adapted from on the Grisha trilogy “Shadow & Bone” by author Leigh Bardugo.

The stories are based on Russian folklore and follows the young orphan, Alina Starkov, played by Jessie Mei Li, who discovers something big.  She finds out that she is a Grisha, which is the rare ability to manipulate the elements. Set in the Kingdom of Ravka.  Other young actors that will be cast include: Ben Barnes as General Kirigan, Kit Young as Jesper Fahey, Amita Suman as Inej Ghafa, Freddy Carter as Kat Brekker and many others. 

Netflix describes the series: 

“Sinister forces plot against a young soldier when she reveals a magical power that might unite her world”. 

-NETFLIX

The teaser trailer dropped late last year and is set for release this spring, currently for April 23, 2021. The first part of the series (Season 1) will include 8 1-hour long episodes. 

Shadow and Bone

Click to see “Shadow and Bone” and help independent bookstores. Also available on Amazon.

Enter the Grishaverse with Book One of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.

Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold―a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.

Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite―and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.

As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation. 

Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems. 

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Entertainment, Movies, Videos

New on Netflix: ‘The Dig’ and ‘Below Zero’ Drop on Friday

Video

Promising content continues to go live each week in 2021

Netflix announced earlier this year, they will be rolling out some major content each week and will premier a brand new movie every week of 2021. With the upcoming price hike for another $1 for the standard account and $2 for the premium subscription,  it seems like the streaming platform is giving viewers a bang for their buck..

Read More: Netflix excites with 71 Movies to be released during 2021

New movie releases will have all the various genres covered! (action, sequels, dramas, musicals and more).  Below are the movie releases for January, 29, 2021.

The Dig / January 29

https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1334286373054939138/vid/1280x720/8lWqK7SWbYQrtonX.mp4?tag=13

This British, period piece, based on real life events, casts Ralph Fiennes, Carey Mulligan and Lily James. The movies tells the story: on the eve of World World II, a British widow hires a self-taught archaeologist  and embarks on the historically important excavation of Sutton Hoo in 1938. Digging up a mysterious formation on her land, leads to a staggering find.  

Below Zero / January 29

A Spanish gritty action thriller movie (Bajocero) that has English voice-over features  is set when a prisoner transfer van is attacked. The cop, Martin, who is in charge must fight those inside and outside while dealing with a silent foe: surviving the icy temperatures.

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Tech

Netflix on Android devices will have ‘studio-quality’ sound, now in new update

Above: Photo Collage / Lynxotic / Netflix

Welcome audio upgrade in store for Android Netflix viewers

If you use the Netflix app on android, you will soon have a vastly improved audio experience after an update incorporating the xHE-AAC format. The new updated app’s audio (Extended HE-AAC with MPEG-D DRC) will offer Android viewers watching films ‘studio quality’ sound.

A prime additional feature of the upgrade will be a form of automatic switching, depending on the speed of your cellular network and reception. The studio-quality audio will be triggered in the best “optimal” network situations while minimized rebuffers will kick-in as needed when you have sub-par reception or a congested network.

“With its capability to improve intelligibility in noisy environments, adapt to variable cellular connections, and scale to studio-quality, xHE-AAC will be a sonic delight to members who stream on these devices.”

–Netflix Tech Blog
  • Thanks to xHE-AAC codec in the new update (Extended HE-AAC with MPEG-D DRC) Android viewers will have ‘studio quality’ sound.
  • Utilizes the technology ‘dynamic range control’ to reduce any difference between loud and quiet parts of a movie or TV show.
  • In addition with ‘loud management’ support, it will allow viewers to watch titles at a consistent volume
  • compatible for Android mobile devices 9 and above
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Entertainment, Movies, Videos

Why Netflix’s ‘Lupin’ was a Smash and Millions are waiting for the next batch in the series

photo

Classical, new and skillful presentation make spoken english optional

Omar Sy plays Assane Diop in ‘Lupin’, a limited Netflix series that has become a somewhat unexpected hit. While there have been some successful streaming hits with original French production and english sub-titles, this time it’s not an impediment but a feature.

This observation – that a challenge to read rather than only hear the shows, is followed by many more pleasant and highly satisfying surprises, as the viewer is pulled into the larger story. (some may have dubbed english available, but subtitles provide the meaning without forsaking the nuance of the original acting performances)

The first French language series to hit #1 on the platform, the Netflix original series, produced by Gaumont and created by George Kay, in collaboration with François Uzan, was viewed by over 70 million households, in estimates, during its first month.

Read more: Netflix excites with 71 Movies to be released during 2021

The title gives away the first layer of the story – that it is based on the main character’s obsession with the Arsène Lupin novels by Maurice Leblanc, which began after Assane Diop, played by Omar Sy, received one of the novels as a gift from his father, (Fargass Assandé), for his birthday.

The depth of Assane’s lifelong obsession with Arsène Lupin, and the degree to which it gave him a purpose in life, a unique identity and more, is the base fabric and foundation of the tale.

The basic concept is that the impressionable, highly intelligent boy, transforms himself into “Lupin, gentleman thief” all with no more than intense, diligent and concentrated study of the book(s).

A harmony of elements…

But the way that it is told – with various flashbacks to Assane’s formative teen years, contrasted with the “today” narrative and then interspersed with various time-frames to emphasize moments in the long journey of his life, is where the story leaps off the screen.

The fact that his ex-wife, Claire (Ludivine Sagnier) with whom he has a son, Raoul (Etan Simon), around the age, Assane, himself, was when he was gifted the book that changed his life, and she was a big part his life ever since he was a teenager, makes for a circular story that has a ring of truth and yet the beauty of a dream.

The casting – Sy’s ability to portray the character at various ages, along with the teenage versions of both Assane and Claire makes the flashbacks extremely satisfying, like films within the film, Mamadou Haidara as Young Assane and Ludmilla Makowski as Young Claire are particularly well cast and play off each other with delicious chemistry.

The sparing use of technology, in the portrayal of the heist scenes, which gradually changes with each episode, give the modern setting a classical feeling that is entirely appropriate and a nice touch, as so many modern dramas fumble with the task of how to portray cell phone addiction and social media without either oversimplification or over use as a screen device.

From acting performances to the casting, scene realization and more, all intertwine with elegance, much like a Lupin novel

The story builds with each episode and the fifth and final installment of part one, ends on a cliffhanger, as is expected, but the various threads of the story each have the feeling of only having begun to bear fruit, leading to even more lust for a continuation.

Fortunately, Netflix has already finished production on the second batch and the release has been confirmed for later in 2021.

Any who enjoyed and absorbed the first part of the series, up until the dangling final moments, will only have to wait months, not years for the conclusion, or at least the continuation of the saga. Stay tuned.

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Books, Celebrities, D.I.Y., Documentaries, Lifestyle, Movies

De-cluttering is love: Marie Kondo: Joy Is The Only Goal

Above: Photo Collage / Lynxotic / Adobe Stock

Finding Joy in the act of Tidying Up

Marie Kondo wants to help others find joy in the act of tidying up. The opportunity to reassess and bring more awareness to our personal belongings in a more mindful way is her unique approach to cleaning. 

Best Known for her bestselling books, “ The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”, “Spark Joy”, more recently Kondo is gaining fans for her Netflix show, “Tidying up with Marie Kondo”.

On a mission to inspire others and to “spark joy”, she’s aided by her expertise in tidying along with her organizational method called KonMarie.

Thoughts of tidying often conjure up an end result of little more than a somewhat cleaner and more tidy outward appearance. Marie Kondo’s special talent is to help illuminate many indirect personal benefits that can arise as a result of confronting your sub-conscious attachments to belongings.

Read More: Olivia Rodrigo’s debut song gains unstoppable virality

Dreaded Chores or Opportunity for Joy?

Marie’s unconventional and heart-warming approach is refreshing  and helpful in comparison to how most people view cleaning (example: as a dreaded chore). 

Her methods are systematic and start by organizing items based on categories (versus by location).  There are five categories that are in a specific order: clothing, books, paper, komono (which encompasses kitchen, bathroom and garage), and lastly, sentimental/emotional items.  

As can be seen in her Netflix Show, when first coming into any clients home, Kondo first greets the home, allowing the residents to give thanks to the home for shelter and protection, and as a formal way of communicating the beginning of the tidying process.

Under her system, each category requires you to accumulate all the items together (e.g. gathering clothing from all rooms and creating a large pile) in order to pick up and touch each individual item.

The very act of collecting all belongings within each category forces one to confront the possessions and, in some cases, take a hard look at any excessive materialism.

Only items that spark joy, creating a warm and positive feeling (“holding a puppy feeling”) should be kept and items no longer wanted or needed, are to be thanked and and then let go.

By choosing to keep only items that spark joy and letting go of unnecessary items a cathartic refocus can occur, leading to understanding of what is most important and, ultimately, learning to cherish what you have, in order to achieve greater happiness in life.

Read More: ’The Minimalists: Less is Now’ and how to Simplify in the age of a Digital Ad Avalanche

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Documentaries, Entertainment, Movies, Observation

Netflix:’The Minimalists: Less is Now’ and how to Simplify in the age of a Digital Ad Avalanche

Above: Photo Collage / Lynxotic / Adobe Stock

Streaming documentaries that satisfy are rare

One noteworthy film released by Netflix so far in 2021 is “The Minimalists: Less is Now”. Made by the creative duo Joshua Fields Milburn and Ryan Nicodemus, the documentary takes a look at overconsumption and how the two blogger / podcaster / filmmakers came to their new careers as minimalist advisors for the masses. 

Click to see “Everything That Remains”. Also available on Amazon.

There’s been a bit of a wave of minimalism of late which seems to be rising in tandem with trends like Marie Kondo’s de-cluttering advice and ‘joy in the act of tidying up’. This roughly corresponds in some ways with the aligned philosophical surge of interest in Stoicism, which has seen renewed interest in recent times, perhaps due to the same forces of chaos and overconsumption that led the minimalist duo to begin their de-cluttered lifestyles.

Read more: Joy is the Only Goal

A further, only partially explored connection from the film, is the influence of digital advertising, social media and the current unfolding crisis due to the massive big tech monopolies controlling our world. The hit Netflix documentary “The Social Dilemma” itself does not do a lot more than scratch the surface of the problems and issues of social media and big tech dominance, and, clearly, would be beyond the scope the less ambitious “The Minimalists: Less is Now”.

Kudos for taking on big subjects and paring down to digestible fare

However, one of the threads of the film does deal with the perceived issues of increasingly more manipulative ad systems and more powerful, targeted, barrage of messages to buy that emanate throughout our lives from Facebook, Google and Amazon, who they point out in the film control over 70% of all digital advertising. 

The primary threads in the film are the twin biographical stories of the two authors, who were best friends since childhood, interspersed with interview footage from various experts in the ways that our culture can lead to overconsumption and unhappiness, even as we all try to chase the American dream. 

In the end, the film is an enjoyable and thought provoking introduction to the ethos “less is now” and how to benefit from having a de-cluttered life. The personal and conversational presentation using the filmmakers’ personal stories and presenting them with both on camera confessional footage as well as illustrative “flashbacks” is perhaps the largest factor that makes this a satisfying, if light-hearted, journey into self-betterment through less.  

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Entertainment, Movies

Check out what’s coming to HBO max Now

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Above: Photo Collage / HBO Max

The streaming wars are looking to be forever, which at least is producing a bountiful harvest

After the serious brouhaha surrounding the massively groundbreaking new deal for HBOmax to get all Warner Brothers releases to stream on the same day those new films get to theaters, we are now seeing an avalanche of content building up for release in the first half of 2021. Netflix has new titles releasing weekly and Apple TV+ are hot on their heels.

See more: All Apple TV+ or Netflix excites with 71 Movies

Quality is king of content, however, and it does look like HBOmax will be able to hold it’s own. You can get a first glimpse below and see if the titles are tempting enough:

Locked Down / January 14, 2021

Just as they decide to separate, Linda (Anne Hathaway) and Paxton (Chiwetel Ejiofor) find life has other plans when they are stuck at home in a mandatory lockdown. Co-habitation is proving to be a challenge, but fueled by poetry and copious amounts of wine, it will bring them closer together in the most surprising way.

The Event / January 14, 2021

A four-episode culinary series premiering January 14 on HBO Max, takes viewers into the kitchen of Wolfgang Puck’s elite catering company as his team tackles some of the industry’s biggest, most exclusive events. Known as the crème de la crème of the industry, Wolfgang Puck Catering is responsible for some of the nation’s most legendary corporate, cultural, and entertainment events. Placing viewers both behind-the-scenes and inside these lavish affairs, The Event follows renowned restaurateur Wolfgang Puck and members of his skilled catering team through every step of their intricate execution process. Each episode features a different high-profile event – from the SAG Awards to HBO’s “Westworld” premiere party – offering access to trade secrets and an unprecedented look into the creative development, planning, and immense scope of running a world-renowned catering company.

Search Party / Season 4 / January 14, 2021

https://youtu.be/VgG1B6w39XI

In the new season, Dory (Alia Shawkat) is held prisoner by her psychotic stalker Chip (Cole Escola), who is determined to make Dory believe that they are best friends. Meanwhile, Portia (Meredith Hagner) is starring in a film about the trial, although not as herself; Elliott (John Early) has switched party lines to become a far-right conservative talk show host; and Drew (John Reynolds) is trying to escape his dark past by working as a costumed cast member in a theme park. As the friends begin to connect the dots that Dory might not be touring Europe as her faked social media posts suggest, they must decide whether or not to put their traumatic pasts behind them and once again become a search party – but this time, for Dory.

Gomorrah / Season 3 / January 21, 2021

Genny takes control and ultimately rules over Naples and Rome. Within his network two women rise to power: Annalisa, named “Scianel”, a key drug pusher and a natural leader, and Patrizia, one of Genny’s most faithful foot soldiers. When Ciro forms a new partnership with the young and ambitious Enzo, a light that once vanished from Ciro’s eyes reappears. The former street-level drug dealers cast their net far beyond the city of Naples and the borders of Italy. Genny, Ciro and Enzo are about to make peace, when Enzo demands a sacrifice.

The Little Things / January 29, 2021:

Deputy Sheriff Joe “Deke” Deacon joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter to search for a serial killer who’s terrorizing Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke’s past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case.

Arthur’s Law / Available now:

Follows unemployed Arthur Ahnepol (Jan Josef Liefers), who wants his obnoxious wife to die to claim the life insurance and start a new life with his mistress, which sets off a series of disastrous events.

Perfect Life / January 21, 2021:

After getting dumped by her long-term boyfriend and pregnant by a one-night stand, María’s meticulous life plan begins to slip into disarray – but her sister Esther and best friend Cristina are determined to see her through.

Selena + Chef / Season 2 / January 21, 2021:

https://youtu.be/CUcJMjw18-g

The series features the multi-platinum selling recording artist, actress, producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist as she navigates unfamiliar territory: making delicious meals while stuck at home in quarantine. Selena continues her cooking adventures at home with a new roster of all-star chefs that help her whip up delicious dishes.

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies

Netflix excites with 71 Movies to be released during 2021

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Above: Photo Collage / Lynxotic / Netflix

Netflix is outdoing itself with an aggressive release schedule for 2021

Netflix just dropped a major bombshell, that they will be premiering a brand new movie every week of 2021. The estimated total will be, it appears, upwards of 71 new movies with all the various genres covered! (action, sequels, dramas, musicals and more). 

Streaming is looking like a permanently dominant dissemination method for visual content going forward, as, in addition to Netflix, HBOmax is getting all of the WB theatrical slate based on the initial North American debut schedule, while Disney is going full bore with a string of Star Wars and Marvel spin offs. A slew of books are also getting film treatment including best selling titles: The Girl on the Train, The Woman in the Window, Munich, The Last Letter from Your Lover.

  • Netflix just dropped a major bombshell, that they will be premiering a brand new movie every week of 2021. 
  • That means there will be a total of 71 new movies with various genres (action, sequels, dramas, musicals and more!). 
  • This comes after other major streaming platforms like HBO Max slated to release all its theatrical films to stream simultaneously and Disney announcing a string of Star Wars and Marvel spin offs, including WandaVision.  
  • Even turning best selling books into films (The Girl on the Train, The Woman in the Window, Munich, The Last Letter from Your Lover).

According to the press release: “Netflix will bring you a new movie every week featuring the biggest stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sandra Bullock, Dwayne Johnson, Idris Elba, Meryl Streep, Zendaya, Jennifer Lawrence, Ryan Reynolds, Jennifer Garner, Gal Gadot, Dave Bautista, Naomi Watts, Jake Gyllenhaal, John David Washington and Octavia Spencer. And films from your favorite filmmakers like Zack Snyder, Nora Fingscheidt, Joe Wright, Antoine Fuqua, Shawn Levy, Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman and the directorial debuts from Halle Berry and Lin-Manuel Miranda.”

Below are some of the upcoming releases with trailers for the next two months:

PIECES OF A WOMAN (JANUARY 7):

When a young mother’s home birth ends in unfathomable tragedy, she begins a year-long odyssey of mourning that fractures relationships with loved ones in this deeply personal story of a woman learning to live alongside her loss.

OUTSIDE THE WIRE (JANUARY 15):

Set in the future, Harp (Damson Idris), a drone pilot, is sent into a deadly militarized zone where he finds himself working for Leo (Anthony Mackie), an android officer, tasked to locate a doomsday device before the insurgents do.

THE WHITE TIGER (JANUARY 22):

Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav) narrates his epic and darkly humorous rise from poor villager to successful entrepreneur in modern India. Cunning and ambitious, our young hero jockeys his way into becoming a driver for Ashok (Rajkummar Rao) and Pinky (Priyanka Chopra-Jonas), who have just returned from America. Society has trained Balram to be one thing — a servant — so he makes himself indispensable to his rich masters. But after a night of betrayal, he realizes the corrupt lengths they will go to trap him and save themselves. On the verge of losing everything, Balram rebels against a rigged and unequal system to rise up and become a new kind of master. Based on the New York Times bestseller and 2008 Man Booker Prize-winning novel.

PENGUIN BLOOM (JANUARY 27):

Penguin Bloom tells the true story of Sam Bloom (Naomi Watts), a young mother whose world is turned upside down after a near-fatal accident leaves her unable to walk. Sa m’s husband, (Andrew Lincoln), her three young boys and her mother (Academy Award-nominated Jacki Weaver), are struggling to adjust to their new situation when an unlikely ally enters their world in the form of an injured baby magpie they name Penguin. The bird’s arrival is a welcome distraction for the Bloom family, eventually making a profound difference in the family’s life.

FINDING ‘OHANA (JANUARY 29):

A summer in rural Oahu takes an exciting turn for two Brooklyn-raised siblings when a journal pointing to long-lost treasure sets them on an epic adventure with new friends, and leads them to reconnect with their Hawaiian heritage.

THE DIG (JANUARY 29):

As WWII looms, a wealthy widow (Carey Mulligan) hires an amateur archaeologist (Ralph Fiennes) to excavate the burial mounds on her estate. When they make a historic discovery, the echoes of Britain’s past are illuminated in the face of its uncertain future.

MALCOLM & MARIE (FEBRUARY 5):

Sam Levinson teams up with Zendaya and John David Washington for an achingly romantic drama in which a filmmaker (Washington) and his girlfriend (Zendaya) return home following a celebratory movie premiere as he awaits what’s sure to be imminent critical and financial success. The evening suddenly takes a turn as revelations about their relationships begin to surface, testing the strength of their love. Working with cinematographer Marcell Rev, Levinson creates a film of rare originality; an ode to the great Hollywood romances as well as a heartfelt expression of faith in the medium’s future.

I CARE A LOT (FEBRUARY 19):

A crooked legal guardian who drains the savings of her elderly wards meets her match when a woman she tries to swindle turns out to have equally shady ties of her own. Starring Rosamund Pike, Eiza Gonzalez, Dianne Wiest, Peter Dinklage, Chris Messina, and Isaiah Whitlock Jr.

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Entertainment, Movies

Check Out the New Netflix Trailer for ‘Malcolm & Marie’ & see what’s stoking Zendaya’s Oscar Buzz

Video
https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1346939152957247488/vid/1280x720/Xs9Aih2ye_j_tpsE.mp4?tag=13

Above: Official Trailer / Netflix

Upcoming drama focusing on the complicated matters of Love

Zendaya, most recently known for her HBO episodic work in “Euphoria” is making a return to the big screen for the Netflix. The actress will be joining John David Washington (“Tenet”) in the romance film “Malcolm & Marie”, which was shot in black and white.

Read More: Here are some January 2021 TV shows to get excited about

The upcoming film was created by Sam Levinson (also writer, producer and director of “Euphoria”) and was among the first films that were put together during the pandemic.  It has been reported that the production team went above and beyond with precautions to be compliant with the covid-19 protocols.

“Malcolm & Marie” focuses in on a couple’s conversation regarding their past relationships.

The film, which is scheduled for release Feb. 5, has already started to stir up talks of an Academy Award nomination for Zendaya, and as can be hinted from trailer she gives highly charged, emotional performance. 

 “I am so grateful to this cast and crew, many of whom are my ‘Euphoria’ family, for coming together during such uncertain times. We felt privileged to be able to make this film together and we did so with a lot of love. We are all thrilled that it has ended up with Netflix which is unparalleled in allowing filmmakers the freedom to tell their stories that reach audiences all over the world.”

-Sam Levinson
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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies

Movies that premier on Christmas Day: Check out Where to Watch and See Trailers

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Above: Movie Photo Collage

Happy Stream-mas! 

Christmas day will give millions a nice dose of the much-needed entertainment most of us crave. Fortunately there’s a whole bucket of highly-anticipated blockbuster releases. There will be many options on where to stream, with almost every major streaming service set to release a major film on December 25th including movie theaters. 

We’ve created a comprehensive list below of movies plus trailers of all you can watch! 

“Wonder Woman: 1984”: Theater release and HBO Max:

Most noteworthy, as its release date has been pushed and pushed for what seems like years, will be the Xmas release of “Wonder Woman: 1984” to both theaters and a 30 day streaming period on HBO Max.  Patty Jenkins’ follow-up to the 2017 “Wonder Woman” has generated so much buzz, DC Comic fans can rejoice the film will finally be available to watch.  Based on the fan reaction from the early showings, there is no secret that this is a must see movie, starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, and Pedro Pascal. 

“Soul” / Disney+:

This Pixar movie has also been riddled with issues relating to a final release date.  Instead of the traditionally theatrical release, “Soul” will be premiering exclusively on the Disney+. This will mark the first Pixar film to bypass a theater release altogether and instead offer it solely on the streaming platform  This animated production boasts a star-studded cast including Jamie Fox, Tina Fey, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad, Angela Basset and long-time Pixar alum John Ratzenbrerger.  

“News of the World” / Theaters:

A Western drama that follows a widowed Civil War veteran, Jefferson Kyle Kidd, who comes across a young girl taken by the Kiowa people. Jefferson played by Tom Hanks must take a long and perilous journey to return the girl to her family.  Taken place within the harsh and unforgiving plains of Texas, the two encounter many dangers and must fight for survival.  Based on the historical novel by Paulette Jiles. The movie will reportedly be released through Netflix internationally, however there is no clear release date for U.S. viewing on the streaming platform at this time. 

“We Can Be Heroes” / Netflix: 

A follow-up or homage of sorts to the 2005 “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl” done by Robert Rodriguez is another fun film to be released. This time around, a group of children of superheroes must team up to save their parents after being kidnapped by aliens. Taylor Dooley reprises her role as Lavagirl.  “We Can Be Heroes”stars Priyanka Chopra, Pedro Pascal, Christian Slater, Christopher McDonald and more.  

“Promising Young Woman” / Theaters:

A dark comedy/thriller follows Cassandra Thomas, who goes by “Cassie” played by Carey Mulligan.  Nothing is what it seems in Cassie’s life, with an unexpected encounter, she is given the chance to take charge of her life. Moviegoers will watch as this “Promising Young Woman” takes revenge against the men who have treated her wrong in the past.  Emerald Fennell makes her directorial debut along with a support cast that include: Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Laverne Cox and Alfred Molina. 

“Sylvie’s Love” / Amazon Prime Video: 

Set in the late 1950’s Harlem, a young woman named Sylvie played by Tessa Thompson has a whirlwind summer romance with a saxophonist that takes a job at her father’s record store. Years later, the two reconnect and soon discover that their feelings have not faded.  

“One Night in Miami”/ Theaters: 

This film centers around the fictional tale of a meeting between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown. Set in the aftermath of Ali’s (Cassius Clay) 1964 boxing match against Sonny Liston. Together the 4 iconic black men meet up in a Miami hotel room to change the course of history in the segregated South. Based on the play written by Kemp Powers. Regina King directs this period drama with cast including: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr.  This movie is available to watch in Theaters on Christmas day, however it won’t be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video until January 15.

“Pinocchio” / Theaters:

This  retelling of the classic animated Disney version gets a live-action reboot with Roberto Benigni playing as Geppetto and Federico Lelapi as Pinocchio.  The film has already been released in Italy,  the movie is set to be released in theaters for the U.S. on Christmas day.

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music

Netflix brings “Bridgerton” Christmas day: Period piece meets Debauchery

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Above: Trailer for “Bridgerton” / Netflix

Shondaland brings Julia Quinn’s romance novels to the screen 

Shonda Rhimes is known for her widely successful TV shows, including the popular titles: “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Scandal” and “How to get away with Murder” to name just a few.  Creator and Producer Rhimes is at it again, this time not for the ABC network where most of her series live, but for the Netflix streaming platform.  

Read More: Trailer for ‘Coming 2 America’ welcomes Eddie Murphy back as Prince Akeem

Her incoming series “Bridgerton”, will be played out in 8 episodes and will be released Christmas day. Her inspiration was based on the steamy romance novels by Julia Quinn that follows the eight close-knit siblings of the Bridgerton family in London.

The show’s setting reveals the lives of the Bridgerton family, living among the high society elites in the Regency-era England (around 1800’s). The siblings look for love and happiness, while encountering power struggles, love tangles and all kinds of other drama. Based on the trailer,  “Bridgerton” appears to be a mix of the historical meets modern. 

Very typical of romance in the 19th century where sexual relations were usually kept off screen or rather behind closed doors, this show will be very different. For the Netflix show, buckle up, as the series will be laced with all things associated with carnal pleasures:  scandal, sex, romance, gossip, and more sex (enough to make Jane Austen blush). 

Rhimes also inserted more of her own styles, incorporating  21st century twists, particularly by casting diverse characters throughout the series. The show’s Queen Charlotte, played by Golda Rosheuvel, is black, which showcases how the series will be a nice twist to the typical period pieces that have been adapted to TV and film. Also the the series will score orchestral version of current pop hits by Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande. 

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies

Here are some January 2021 TV shows to get excited about

Video

Above: Photo Collage / Lynxotic / Disney+

Below is our pick of some anticipated titles coming to a screen the first of the year

Watching and streaming videos have undoubtedly been a source of how the majority of us have entertained ourselves throughout the year.  With the entertainment industry and filming slowly ramping up, 2021 will likely yield some great TV shows.  

We already know streaming movies come next year will be plentiful on HBO Max, as they announced 17 new movies releases and Disney+ will also bring a flurry of new content to its platform.  Next year, TV shows hold a plethora of options, whether it be brand new shows, or renewed and limited series, TV watchers will have more than enough content to choose from.   

The Serpent / BBC

Streaming January 1. The story of how the conman and murderer Charles Sobhraj, played by actor Tahar Rahim, was eventually caught and imprisoned. Posing as a gem dealer, Sobhraj and his girlfriend, Marie-Andrée Leclerc, played by Jenna Coleman, traversed Asia in 1975 and 1976, committing a spree of crimes along the ‘Hippie Trail’.

History of Swear Words / Netflix 

Streaming January 5. Nicolas Cage explores the history, usage and cultural impact of the most notorious swear words in the English language. Each episode will examine the use and cultural impact of words like “damn”, “sh*t”, “fu*k”, “bit*h”, “pus**”, “dic*”, “cu**”, and I’m sure many  other good ole cuss words you can think of.  

Dickinson   / Apple TV + 

Streaming January 8. The second season continues to follow the budding writer Emily Dickinson. Played by Hailee Steinfeld, she uses her outsider’s perspective to explore the constraints of society, gender and family in the 19th century.

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer / Netflix 

Streaming January 13.  This historical documentary that follows the young detective Gil Carrillo and legendary homicide investigator Frank Salerno as they work timely to catch the “Night Stalker”. Beneath the sunlit glamour of 1985 LA lurks a relentlessly evil serial killer. In this true-crime story, two detectives won’t rest until they catch Richard Ramirez, who was eventually arrested for his terrible crimes.

WandaVision / Disney+ 

Streaming January 15. As part of the many Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) shows to be released through Disney+ comes “WandaVision” Living idealized suburban lives, super-powered beings Wanda and Vision begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems. Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Evan Peters and Kat Dennings.

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies

Clooney’s ‘The Midnight Sky’ Netflix release and his thoughts on Hollywood

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Academy Award winner George Clooney took on dual roles as producer and star in the now available Netflix movie “The Midnight Sky”. The film is based and adapted off the science fiction novel by Lily Brooks-Dalton called “Good Morning, Midnight”. 

During an interview with the NYT, Clooney talked about the movie, as well as his thoughts on the future of movie theaters and Hollywood. 

Read More: ‘Coup Before Christmas’: Late Show Airs Animated Spoof then Clooney plugs ‘Midnight Sky’

His thoughts on his movie premiering on a streaming service and the future of theaters:

“People want to get out of their house — I got twins, man! And it’s still a great way to ask somebody out. Comedies are great in cinemas, scary movies are great in cinemas. So I don’t see it completely going away.”

How would he know without box office numbers if his movie would be a “success”:

“Look, I’ll be 60 this year, and I get to be on a set with people I adore and work in a profession that I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to do. So I guess that’s sort of the victory in the whole thing. I didn’t have it for the early part of my life — I did jobs I hated and lived for the weekend.”

His character in the movie is a man focused on career versus love and family. Was that ever him? 

Yeah, but I hadn’t found the person that filled everything up for me, that would have made me fully in love. I dated a lot of really terrific women, but Amal showed up and suddenly it was like, “Well, this is different on every level for me.” I don’t think I was actively saying, “I’m just going to work on my career and I’m not going to have a wife.” That was the story that got told about me, but it wasn’t really the reality.

“The Midnight Sky” has already been delivered as a crowdpleaser among those that have viewed the film and has garnered talks that Clooney is in line for multiple Oscar category nominations; for best director and picture.  Clooney’s fellow cast include:  Felicity Jones and David Oyelowo.

Read More: ‘Coup Before Christmas’: Late Show Airs Animated Spoof then Clooney plugs ‘Midnight Sky’

The film is a post-apocalyptic story about an astronomer named Augustine, played by Clooney.  Set in a remote outpost in the Arctic, he receives news of a catastrophic event, forcing him and his fellow scientists to evacuate.  After refusing to leave his post, he come across a mysterious child, Iris, played by newcomer actor Caoilinn Springall.  Together they race to contact a group of astronauts who are making their return home from a mission to Jupiter in order to avoid the global catastrophe. 

Check out “The Midnight Sky” is now available to stream on Netflix. 

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies

Thriller starring Jason Momoa jumps to #2 spot on Netflix: ‘Braven’

Video

Above: Photo / Netflix

Check out the trailer below:  

The movie “Braven” follows the story of a logger and his father who head to their hunting cabin for a nice quiet weekend.  What they find is anything but quiet, as the two find themselves in a kill-or-be-killed scenario. Joe Braven, played by Momoa, fights for survival, and to defend his family after he encounters a gang of ruthless drug traffickers. 

Athough the movie had its original theatrical release in 2018, this action thriller, available to stream on the Netflix starting Dec. 18, has already quickly jumped to the #2 slot.

Alongside Jason Momoa, the film stars: Garret Dillahunt, Stephen Lang, Jill Wagner and Brendan Fletcher. 

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Books, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music

Learn more about Selena Quintanilla-Pérez: “Queen of Tejano Music”

Above: Photo Collage / Lynxotic

Physically gone, her essence still permeates 

From her music, her sense of fashion and all the inspiration that came after her death like makeup lines, Barbie dolls, musicals, tribute albums, movies (with Jennifer Lopez) and television series. The latest, coming from Netflix’s Selena: The Series” about the iconic Tejana singer proves her presence still very much lives on even after all this time. Even after 25 years when she was tragically killed at the young age of 23, her memory and music live on and will be continue to be entrenched in our popular culture.   

https://twitter.com/selena_netflix/status/1313564048626257920?s=20

If you want to read in detail about Selena, the Quintanilla family and more, we have compiled the few select titles that chronicle her life,  the best, in my opinion, being from her husband, Chris Perez. 

To Selena, with Love: Commemorative Edition

Click here to see
“To Selena, with Love”
and help bookstores.
Also available on Amazon.

One of the most compelling and adored superstars in Latin music history, Selena was nothing short of a phenomenon who shared all of herself with her millions of devoted fans. Her tragic murder, at the age of twenty-three, stripped the world of her talent and boundless potential, her tightly-knit family of their beloved angel, and her husband, Chris Perez, of the greatest love he had ever known.

For over a decade, Chris held onto the only personal thing he had left from his late wife–the touching and sometimes painful memories of their very private bond.

Now, for the first time, Chris opens up about their unbreakable friendship, their forbidden relationship, and their blossoming marriage that was cut short.Click here to see “To Selena, with Love” and help Independent bookstores. Also available on Amazon.

Selena – Greatest Hits

Greatest Hits is a collection of most of the English songs by American Tejano-pop singer Selena. It contains all of her English songs from her Dreaming of You album, as well as both regularly and posthumously released English songs she had made throughout her career. “Don’t Throw Away My Love” is a remix of “My Love”.

Selena’s Secret: The Revealing Story Behind Her Tragic Death

Click here to see “Selena’s Secret”
and help bookstores.
Also available on Amazon.

There is no doubt that Yolanda Saldívar pulled the trigger and killed Tejano superstar Selena on March 31, 1995. But does anyone know what really happened in Room 158 of the Days Inn, moments before the crime took place?

María Celeste Arrarás has many answers, and her unrivaled coverage of the murder, trial, and aftermath made her the undisputed expert on the case. Arrarás shares firsthand information about the crime and the people involved–including details of her headline-making jailhouse interview with Saldívar, who repeatedly spoke of “Selena’s secret”–a powerful hidden piece of information that she refused to reveal in court but that she shared at length with Arrarás.

Many questions were raised and not all were answered…until now. Click here to see “Selena’s Secret” and help Independent Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.

Selena – starring Jennifer Lopez

In this biographical drama, Selena Quintanilla (Jennifer Lopez) is born into a musical Mexican-American family in Texas. Her father, Abraham (Edward James Olmos), realizes that his young daughter is talented and begins performing with her at small venues.

She finds success and falls for her guitarist, Chris Perez (Jon Seda), who draws the ire of her father. Seeking mainstream stardom, Selena begins recording an English-language album which, tragically, she would never complete.

Dreaming: A Tribute To Selena Quintanilla-Pérez

Click to see “ Dreaming”
and help bookstores.
Also available on Amazon.

Dreaming brings together lyrical renditions, little boys dancing “the washing machine,” prayers over velas, and odes to purple, sparkly hips swaying to cumbia beats.

There’s thirty-three works of poetry, prose, and fiction on these pages that provide such narratives: “For Selena” by Timothy Daily-Valdés, “One of Us: Selena Quintanilla-Pérez” by Nancy de la Zerda, “La Milagrosa Selena” by Rubén Degollado and plenty more pieces showing the world the impact she continues to make on the dance floor and across generations.

Click to see “ Dreaming” and help Independent Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.

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Celebrities, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies

George Clooney’s ‘The Midnight Sky’ puts Netflix in Oscar Race: Critics Rave

Video

Above: Photo / Netflix

Academy Award winner George Clooney has taken on the ambitious task of both producing and starring in the Netflix movie “The Midnight Sky”. The film is based and adapted off the science fiction novel by Lily Brooks-Dalton called “Good Morning, Midnight”. 

Read More: Damn! ‘History of Swear Words’ brings Nicolas Cage to host new Netflix docu-series

The movie, which has already been delivered as a crowdpleaser among those that viewed the film early, has garnered talks that Clooney is in line for multiple Oscar category nominations; for best director and picture.  Clooney’s fellow cast include:  Felicity Jones and David Oyelowo.

The film is a post-apocalyptic story about an astronomer named Augustine, played by Clooney.  Set in a remote outpost in the Arctic, he receives news of a catastrophic event, forcing him and his fellow scientists to evacuate.  After refusing to leave his post, he come across a mysterious child, Iris, played by newcomer actor Caoilinn Springall.  Together they race to contact a group of astronauts who are making their return home from a mission to Jupiter in order to avoid the global catastrophe. 

Check out “The Midnight Sky” which will be released on the streaming platform Netflix come December 23. 

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Celebrities, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies

Damn! ‘History of Swear Words’ brings Nicolas Cage to host new Netflix docu-series

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Above: Teaser Trailer from Netflix / History of Swear Words

An Education in Expletives, coming soon

Oscar winner, Nicolas Cage is coming to your streaming platform early next year to host a six-episode comedic docu-series. The show came to be thanks to Funny or Die and Industrial Media’s B-17 Entertainment.

The actor is reported to be joined alongside other celebrities guest that include: Joel Kim Booster, DeRay Davis, Open Mike Eagle, Nikki Glaser, Patti Harrison, London Hughes, Jim Jefferies, Zainab Johnson, Nick Offerman, Sarah Silverman, Baron Vaughn, and Isiah Whitlock Jr.  Cage will also bring on linguists and other professionals. 

The new Netflix documentary series will delve into the history of profanity as the title implies. Each episode will examine the use and cultural impact of words like “damn”, “sh*t”, “fu*k”, “bit*h”, “pus**”, “dic*”, “cu**”, and I’m sure many  other good ole cuss words you can think of.  

“History of Swear Words” is set to premiere on Netflix this January 5th. 

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies

‘The Marksman’, ‘The Dig’, ‘The Mauritanian’ and more: New Trailers for Netflix and Theater Releases

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Drama, Thriller, Historic, Action, these upcoming releases have it all!

Check out the below five new trailers, both for theater releases early next year and some Netflix titles. Sabrina the final season, Liam Neeson in “The Marksman”, Ralph Fiennes in “The Dig”, Jodie Foster in “The Mauritanian” and more. This winter is set to be full of new releases for more streaming entertainment.

The Marksman – Jan. 22, 2021

Starring Liam Neeson, this action thriller is about a rancher on the Arizona border who becomes the unlikely defender of a young Mexican boy who is desperately fleeing the cartel assassins. Currently in post-production is set for release in theaters January 21, 2021. 

The Dig – Jan. 29, 2021

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina – Dec. 31

A biographical historical drama stars Lily James, Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes.  Based on the novel of the same title by author John Preston.  About an archaeologist who embarks on an important excavation of Sutton Hoo ini 1938.

The final season, Part 4 of the Netflix series is about to be back.  With the iconic Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina.  The series will hit your streaming platform on December 31, 2021. 

The Mauritanian – Feb. 19, 2021

With an all-star cast including: Jodie Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch and Shailene Woodley, is a military thriller. A detainee at U.S. detention center – Guantanamo Bay is being held without charges for over a decade and seeks help from a defense attorney for his release.  The film is completed and is set for theatrical release on February 19, 2021. 

We Can Be Heroes – Coming Soon TBA

A group of super kids team up to rescue their super parents from aliens.  Pedro Pascal, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Christian Slater, and Yaya Gosselin star as superheroes.  Which definitely gives viewers vibes from “Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl”. No official release date has been release but will be coming to Netflix soon. We will update as more information is released. 

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Entertainment, Esoteric, Movies

Reflections on ‘Citizen Kane’, ‘Mank’ and the Demise of Live Cinema

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A hall of mirrors, not only of reflections on “Kane” and “Mank” but this very moment in time

Seeing “Mank” on netflix, in painstakingly low tech black and white on and ancient 2004 vintage plasma flat screen many coincidences seemed to converge and collide. 

In the final sequences of Mank as the epilogue divulges the Oscar win for best screenplay and indicates that “Citizen Kane” was the final film written by Herman J. Mankiewicz, while as is part of Hollywood history and lore, it was the first by Orsen Wells, as a director and actor. 

Read more: ENTERTAINMENTHBO Max / Warner Bros. news Cast a Shadow over the Future of Live Cinema

And Mank was released a dat after it was announced that Warner Bros. would begin releasing all its films (the next 17, at any rate) simultaneously on HBO max and in theaters. For many, particularly those in the movie theater business, this was seen as a possible death knell for live cinema. 

And, taking this thread further, “Mank” also touches on the fact that Citizen Kane, which in many ways marks the birth of modern filmmaking, was only released at all due to legal maneuvering by RKO Radio Pictures, and Orson Wells only had the contract allowing him full autonomy because of his status as a radio star…

Radio, in other words, was present at the inauguration of modern cinema while Streaming attends the death of the movie theater experience, for the time being, at any rate. 

Read more: Will Movie Theaters Disappear?

And while these various technical marvels, the luxurious, sensual and powerfully stimulative immersion in a dark theater, on the one hand, and the inconsistent and convenient yet ever evolving systems of today both share, as a prerequisite to all creation the written, spoken and word and the imagination the imbues its invocation.

A movie for the ages and a single man’s creative life that was fulfilled through it’s creation

Adding to the layers of what seems like uncanny timing, “Citizen Kane” inspirational subject in real life, William Randolph Hearst, was at the time of the film’s initial release, rich on the level that would compare to Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos today, but was a newspaper Publisher. Newspaper publishing is yet another storytelling technology that, already at that time was considered on its way out, and in “Mank” there is even a scene where Hearst touts “Talkies”, movies with sound and dialog, as the technology that would captivate the future. 

Implying, inadvertently perhaps, that we are at a similar crossroads of change, and that, while streaming, digital publishing and beyond may be “the future”, the light of good works, and of a great story well told, will shine into eternity, as will “Citizen Kane” and the man who originally conceived it: Mank.

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Celebrities, Entertainment, Movies

‘Selena: The Series’ Season Two live now on Netflix and getting Buzz

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New Series installment finally drops after 2 years in the making

The highly anticipated Netflix release, Selena: The Series is finally live. As on Friday, December 4th so get ready to binge after checking out the trailer below. The show is inspired by the life story of the late Selena Quintanilla and has been in the works since the project was announced two years ago.

There’s been a lot of eagerness by Fans of the singer and the excitement has been building to finally to get another look into her life and her rise to fame.

It was 1997 (23 years ago!)  when Jennifer Lopez first  portrayed Selena in a feature film chronicling the the life and untimely death of the the singing star. For the Netflix series, Christian Serratos (The Walking Dead) is now playing Selena. The series is particularly focused on her rise to stardom, rather than being a biopic, as in the original movie version with Jennifer Lopez in the leading role. 

Season 1, also called Selena: The Series was focused on Selena’s childhood and her initial experiences in learning and beginning to rise in the world of music and ended at a cliffhanger moment where she was in a dilemma with her personal life.

When, After a period of time hiding their budding relationship from her parents, Selena’s (Christian Serratos) romance with guitar player Chris Pérez’s (Jesse Posey) became known, causing her father Abraham (Ricardo Chavira) to throw him out of the band.

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies, Observation

HBO Max / Warner Bros. news Cast a Shadow over the Future of Live Cinema

A more permanent “new normal” appears to be emerging in effort to adapt to a post-pandemic future

The debut for WB’s slate of movies to hit streaming services concurrently with theater releases, will undoubtedly have drastic consequences for the the already hard-pressed and struggling theaters.

Warner Bros. made mention that the hybrid release is strictly due to the pandemic, yet it’s unclear how the studio will navigate with movie releases for 2022 and beyond given the new model they are setting into motion.

Movie theater stock prices fell on the news. AMC shares dropped more than 15 percent, while Cinemark was down 14.5 percent.

Following the announcement, theater chain AMC’s CEO and president, Adam Aron made note they have “already commenced an immediate and urgent dialogue with the leadership of Warner on this subject.” He continued by saying “As for AMC, we will do all in our power to ensure that Warner does not do so at our expense. We will aggressively pursue economic terms that preserve our business.”

Read More: In a blow to the future of live cinema – Regal shutting down all U.S. 536 theaters

Theaters like AMC were agreeable to the one time exception of the Wonder Woman:1984 release to both theaters and streaming, however it appears they appear less thrilled to be on-board with the decision to upload the entirety of 2021’s schedule of films with that same release model.

Another large theater chain, Cinemark, wasn’t able to comment on how the hybrid model would impact its theaters in the long-term,  “In light of the current operating environment, we are making near-term booking decisions on a film-by-film basis,”  said a spokesperson. 

Read More: New Streaming Ideas for Holiday Season Entertainment

It’s hard to not to have seen something like this coming.  Streaming videos are been on the rise. Earlier this year Disney+  released  “Mulan” and Universal released “King of Staten Island” and “Trolls: World Tour” straight to on-demand platforms.  

Future evolution of entertainment distribution is a big unknown, like nearly everything else

Warner Bros and HBO are doing it a little differently.  What has been typical during the pandemic, is the increased number of options for premium video-on-demand (PVOD) where viewers are given access to blockbusters on the same day as theater release but are required to pay a premium price, in some cases upwards of $30. 

Yet in the case of WB’s 2021 movies, provided you are already a HBO Max subscriber, you will be able to watch these movies at no additional charge, other than your monthly fee. Compared to a PVOD price of $30 for one movie, $14.99 a month for the 17 movies for 2021 seems like a no-brainer. 

There is a 30-day availability limitation currently set on these special same-day release titles, but that would likely only be an issue if you wanted to sign up for a single month to game the system, so to speak.

It does appear to be the case that this announcement and others that may be soon to come, still represent a  form of experimentation by WB / HBO max to see what works during a pandemic. At the same time, there are some major signs that this is the beginning of the end for movie theaters, at least as the primary vehicle for the initial release phase of major feature films. 

It’s unclear whether the dual release model will set a permanent new precedent for how Warner Brothers conducts its business, as currently only 2021 films are on the table. Come 2022 it is also possible that the entire entertainment landscape will be unrecognizable, since, for example, theater chains, such as Regal Cinema, are already at the brink of bankruptcy.

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies

DISCOVERY+ Streaming Launch & wide Roll-out of Hulu Watch Party Feature

Above: Photo / Discovery

New and interesting options for streaming entertainment coming 2021

Discovery is behind a handful of networks including: Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, ID, OWN, TLC and Animal Planet.  The company will be joining as a new contender in the so-called streaming wars with the big hitters like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+ and Peacock. This year, the only new streaming platform, Quibi, launched and within the same year, rather tragically called in quits. 

The service will be available among all the major device platforms that will include smart TV’s, web based, phones and tablets.  There was no mention to specific platforms, more information will likely be disclosed closer to the start date. Those that are customers of Verizon unlimited wireless will be able to opt for 12 free months of Discovery. 

Discovery+ is set to launch its new streaming platform at the beginning of next year on Jan 4, 2021.  The monthly price will have the option of $4.99 with ads, or $2 extra for $6.99 a month without adds. Discovery+ launched last month in UK and Ireland, with plans to expand to more than 25 additional international markets, including the US next year. 

The new streaming service will have over 55,000 episodes of TV in its arsenal.  Discovery will provide of entertainment with a wide mixture of shows in its library, as well as movies and new and exclusive original content.   There are reports of plans for shows including the likes of Chip and Goanna Gaines (Fixer Upper), David Attenborough, comedian Kevin Hart, and big name chefs like Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiss. 

“We’ll see, but people love our channels… We’ve never been stronger to the cable bundle.” he continued to say about the networks are “effectively like the NFL times five right now for women.”

-CEO David Zaslav

Haven’t joined in on a Watch Party? 

Amazon Prime Video and Netflix have had watch party features for a while now.  Hulu and Disney+ are now rolling out its own versions, to allow for friends and family to share some entertainment connectedness. 

Hulu started testing the new feature back in May for select users that allowed for a group up to eight people to watch TV shows and movies together.  Through the website, the party can chat with one another throughout the videos, commenting in real time, even allowing their own playback feature (in case you have to grab a snack).  

The then limited feature is now fully functional and available for all on-demand Hulu subscribers (those that have ad-free or ad-supported options).  There should now be a “Watch Party” icon on Hulu’s main page, once in, you will be provided a link that can be shared to up to seven other Hulu subscribers. When all members have joined, the initiator (the host) starts the show or movie.  The feature is only supported on Hulu.com, so it will not be accessible through the app.

Disney+ also recently rolled out its own version of a watch party, called “GroupWatch”. The main difference, however is group members are limited to reacting through emojis, with no options yet for written communication.

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