Osamu Tezuka's "Astro Boy" birthed manga, and in turn, anime, as we know these mediums today. Manga author Naoki Urasawa has said that the "Astro Boy" arc "The Greatest Robot on Earth" was the first comic he ever read. Enter "Pluto," Urasawa's reimagining of that story, now adapted itself into an anime mini-series distributed by Netflix.
I'm only tangentially familiar with Tezuka's original manga, essentially a sci-fi "Pinocchio." In a futuristic world where robots are commonplace, young Tobio Tenma dies in a car crash. So, his scientist father creates a robotic replicant of his son. The result is the android superhero Astro Boy. "Pluto" fills in the basics of this backstory but doesn't dwell on them, for "Atom" is just one player in a larger story.
Across the world, someone is killing both the most advanced robots and the human scientists who built or advocated for them. At the...
I'm only tangentially familiar with Tezuka's original manga, essentially a sci-fi "Pinocchio." In a futuristic world where robots are commonplace, young Tobio Tenma dies in a car crash. So, his scientist father creates a robotic replicant of his son. The result is the android superhero Astro Boy. "Pluto" fills in the basics of this backstory but doesn't dwell on them, for "Atom" is just one player in a larger story.
Across the world, someone is killing both the most advanced robots and the human scientists who built or advocated for them. At the...
- 10/26/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
This article contains Peacemaker spoilers.
One of the strengths of James Gunn’s delightful HBO Max series Peacemaker has been its cast, and one of the breakout actors on the show has been Chukwudi Iwuji, who’s portrayed the original character Clemson Murn, leader of the black ops Project Butterfly team and, as it turns out, an alien butterfly himself. Iwuji is a veteran actor who has worked primarily on the British stage, with a number of forays into TV and film, but Peacemaker is perhaps his most high-profile mainstream project to date.
Until his next one, that is. Coming off his work on Peacemaker (which came to an end in Episode 7 with Murn’s death at the hands of his fellow butterflies), Iwuji was cast by Gunn for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which is currently filming. In typical Marvel Studios fashion, however, the name of Iwuji’s character has not been revealed.
One of the strengths of James Gunn’s delightful HBO Max series Peacemaker has been its cast, and one of the breakout actors on the show has been Chukwudi Iwuji, who’s portrayed the original character Clemson Murn, leader of the black ops Project Butterfly team and, as it turns out, an alien butterfly himself. Iwuji is a veteran actor who has worked primarily on the British stage, with a number of forays into TV and film, but Peacemaker is perhaps his most high-profile mainstream project to date.
Until his next one, that is. Coming off his work on Peacemaker (which came to an end in Episode 7 with Murn’s death at the hands of his fellow butterflies), Iwuji was cast by Gunn for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which is currently filming. In typical Marvel Studios fashion, however, the name of Iwuji’s character has not been revealed.
- 2/18/2022
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
WarnerMedia has bolstered its Asian original production teams in advance of the launch of HBO Max in the region, with three hires made in Singapore and India.
In Singapore, the U.S. giant has signed Mark Francis as Group Lead of Production & Development (Scripted and Unscripted) and Wee Shi Ming as Lead of Entertainment Content Acquisition for North Asia content.
Former Astro Head of Ott Content Francis will lead a regional team to develop Asian “Max Originals” as the streamer continues to ramp up its non-u.S. content offering.
Meanwhile, Saugata Mukherjee, a former SonyLiv and Disney exec, becomes Head of Content – Entertainment, India, a newly-created role based in Mumbai that will see him commission local originals and acquire cross-genre Indian content.
Francis and Shi Ming report into Magdalene Ew, WarnerMedia’s Head of Content – Entertainment for Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, while Mukherjee reports into Clement Schwebig, Managing Director of India,...
In Singapore, the U.S. giant has signed Mark Francis as Group Lead of Production & Development (Scripted and Unscripted) and Wee Shi Ming as Lead of Entertainment Content Acquisition for North Asia content.
Former Astro Head of Ott Content Francis will lead a regional team to develop Asian “Max Originals” as the streamer continues to ramp up its non-u.S. content offering.
Meanwhile, Saugata Mukherjee, a former SonyLiv and Disney exec, becomes Head of Content – Entertainment, India, a newly-created role based in Mumbai that will see him commission local originals and acquire cross-genre Indian content.
Francis and Shi Ming report into Magdalene Ew, WarnerMedia’s Head of Content – Entertainment for Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, while Mukherjee reports into Clement Schwebig, Managing Director of India,...
- 1/28/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Terence Wilson, a founding member of British reggae band UB40 who was best known by his stage name, “Astro,” has died after a short illness, his current band confirmed.
“We are absolutely devastated and completely heartbroken to have to tell you that our beloved Astro has today passed away after a very short illness,” a statement on Ali Campbell and Astro’s Twitter account said on Saturday. “The world will never be the same without him.” UB40 formed in Birmingham in the late 1970s, with Wilson a part of the group for more than 30 years. During his tenure, they had the hits “Red Red Wine” and “(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love.”
Wilson left the band to join breakaway group “UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro” in 2013.
The band was a popular attraction on the club and shed level touring circuit. They dealt with social and political issues in their songs,...
“We are absolutely devastated and completely heartbroken to have to tell you that our beloved Astro has today passed away after a very short illness,” a statement on Ali Campbell and Astro’s Twitter account said on Saturday. “The world will never be the same without him.” UB40 formed in Birmingham in the late 1970s, with Wilson a part of the group for more than 30 years. During his tenure, they had the hits “Red Red Wine” and “(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love.”
Wilson left the band to join breakaway group “UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro” in 2013.
The band was a popular attraction on the club and shed level touring circuit. They dealt with social and political issues in their songs,...
- 11/7/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Sony’s wildly successful PlayStation 5 reveal stream has come and gone, but fans are still reeling from what was arguably one of the best gaming events in recent memory. We got a look at 26 exciting new titles coming to the hardware, some of which we can even expect at or around launch. Among those announced games were an unexpected lot of vibrant platforming efforts like Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Kena: Bridge of Spirits and Astro’s Playroom, all of which look absolutely stellar.
Astro’s Playroom, in particular, really stuck out to some viewers thanks to its colorful environments and classic platforming gameplay. Sony’s adorable robot mascot most recently starred in one of the most enjoyable Vr games ever released, Astrobot: Rescue Mission, a cute little Psvr adventure that showed how Vr could take an old concept and expand on it in brilliant and...
Astro’s Playroom, in particular, really stuck out to some viewers thanks to its colorful environments and classic platforming gameplay. Sony’s adorable robot mascot most recently starred in one of the most enjoyable Vr games ever released, Astrobot: Rescue Mission, a cute little Psvr adventure that showed how Vr could take an old concept and expand on it in brilliant and...
- 6/12/2020
- by Billy Givens
- We Got This Covered
At the beginning of Wednesday’s ninth episode of “The Masked Singer,” four costumed celebrities from Group C still remained in the competition: Astronaut, Night Angel, Rhino and T-Rex. Each singer gave it their all on the stage, but at the end of the hour one contestant received the lowest number of votes and had to unmask in front of America. Did panelists Robin Thicke, Nicole Scherzinger, Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong or guest judge Will Arnett (“Lego Masters”) correctly guess this week’s secret identity? What about You at home?
SEEAre ‘The Masked Singer’ celebrity contestants lip-syncing or singing live?
Below, read our minute-by-minute “The Masked Singer” recap of Season 3, Episode 9, titled “Old Friends, New Clues: Group C Championships,” to find out what happened Wednesday, March 25 at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite costumed celebs on Fox’s reality TV show,...
SEEAre ‘The Masked Singer’ celebrity contestants lip-syncing or singing live?
Below, read our minute-by-minute “The Masked Singer” recap of Season 3, Episode 9, titled “Old Friends, New Clues: Group C Championships,” to find out what happened Wednesday, March 25 at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite costumed celebs on Fox’s reality TV show,...
- 3/25/2020
- by Denton Davidson and Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
The Jetsons: The Complete Original Series
Blu ray
Warner Archive
1962/ 1.33:1 / 629 min.
Starring George O’Hanlon, Penny Singleton
Directed by William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
In 1962 Kennedy’s New Frontier was in full effect – the country was still celebrating John Glenn’s heroics and Disney’s Tomorrowland had proved so popular it tacked on a monorail. Flush with the success of The Flintstones, Hanna-Barbara decided it was high time for The Jetsons, a space age sit-com set in a cartoon Utopia. Premiering on a Sunday night in the fall of ‘62 it was the first animated program to be broadcast in color, an eye-popping upgrade that only enhanced the show’s futuristic appeal.
The Flintstones owed its inspiration solely to The Honeymooners but The Jetsons relied on a long line of family-centric fare from The Life of Riley to Make Room for Daddy. The chief cook and bottle-washer was George Jetson, an...
Blu ray
Warner Archive
1962/ 1.33:1 / 629 min.
Starring George O’Hanlon, Penny Singleton
Directed by William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
In 1962 Kennedy’s New Frontier was in full effect – the country was still celebrating John Glenn’s heroics and Disney’s Tomorrowland had proved so popular it tacked on a monorail. Flush with the success of The Flintstones, Hanna-Barbara decided it was high time for The Jetsons, a space age sit-com set in a cartoon Utopia. Premiering on a Sunday night in the fall of ‘62 it was the first animated program to be broadcast in color, an eye-popping upgrade that only enhanced the show’s futuristic appeal.
The Flintstones owed its inspiration solely to The Honeymooners but The Jetsons relied on a long line of family-centric fare from The Life of Riley to Make Room for Daddy. The chief cook and bottle-washer was George Jetson, an...
- 10/19/2019
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Born in Jakarta, Mouly Surya is considered one of the most promising female filmmakers in Indonesia. After graduating from Swinburne University, Melbourne with a BA in Media and Literature, Surya obtained an Ma in Film and Television from Bond University, Queensland. In addition to making films, she also taught a directing class in Jakarta. Her debut film, “Fiksi”, won numerous awards including Best Director at Jiffest 2008. It premiered internationally at the 13th Busan International Film Festival.
“What they don’t talk about when they talk about love” (2013) was her second feature. Before its theatrical run in Indonesia, the film screened at various international film festivals including the Sundance Ff, the Hawaii Ff and Karlovy Vary Ff, among others. The film received the Netpac Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in the Netherlands, was nominated for Best Feature Film at the 2013 Maya Awards, and was also nominated for Favorite Film at the 2014 Indonesian Movie Awards.
“What they don’t talk about when they talk about love” (2013) was her second feature. Before its theatrical run in Indonesia, the film screened at various international film festivals including the Sundance Ff, the Hawaii Ff and Karlovy Vary Ff, among others. The film received the Netpac Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in the Netherlands, was nominated for Best Feature Film at the 2013 Maya Awards, and was also nominated for Favorite Film at the 2014 Indonesian Movie Awards.
- 9/25/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Regardless of the premise behind the age-old foundation we still call the American Dream, not all are afforded the same prosperous outcome. Only the most powerful are granted the benefit of the doubt — the luxury to fall, reset and ultimately thrive. For the marginalized forced to kick-start their endeavors far behind on the racetrack, it’s a different story. How the intersection of race, gender and class shapes and oftentimes unjustly dictates one’s journey is eloquently examined in “Luce,” the third feature from Nigerian-American filmmaker Julius Onah.
This cumulatively unnerving psychodrama, where everyone harbors a deep secret, couldn’t be more relevant to today’s America of Black Lives Matter, #MeToo and a severely biased allocation of power. But co-writers Onah and Jc Lee (who wrote the stage play on which the film is based) take matters a step further. Their handsomely dynamic script continually pits various high-stakes qualms against each other,...
This cumulatively unnerving psychodrama, where everyone harbors a deep secret, couldn’t be more relevant to today’s America of Black Lives Matter, #MeToo and a severely biased allocation of power. But co-writers Onah and Jc Lee (who wrote the stage play on which the film is based) take matters a step further. Their handsomely dynamic script continually pits various high-stakes qualms against each other,...
- 7/31/2019
- by Tomris Laffly
- The Wrap
Film industry veteran, Roger Garcia has been appointed as artistic advisor to the Hainan Island International Film Festival in China. The festival will be held in Sanya, capital of Hainan, a province in southern China that is touted as a tropical tourism destination.
For several years, Garcia held a similar post, as executive director, at the Hong Kong International Film Festival, before stepping aside after the March 2018 edition. He was previously a co-founder of the Hong Kong festival. His advisory team at Hainan includes Elizabeth Lequeret, a critic and past advisor to the Berlinale, veteran film executive Barry Sabath, past Mubi and Astro executive Tang Leeyin, and Hong Kong-based critic Clarence Tsui.
The festival launched last year in December and for its second edition is expanding to include a wider range of activities and functions. Running Dec. 1-8, 2019, the upcoming edition will feature an international competition section and award prizes known as the Golden Coconuts.
For several years, Garcia held a similar post, as executive director, at the Hong Kong International Film Festival, before stepping aside after the March 2018 edition. He was previously a co-founder of the Hong Kong festival. His advisory team at Hainan includes Elizabeth Lequeret, a critic and past advisor to the Berlinale, veteran film executive Barry Sabath, past Mubi and Astro executive Tang Leeyin, and Hong Kong-based critic Clarence Tsui.
The festival launched last year in December and for its second edition is expanding to include a wider range of activities and functions. Running Dec. 1-8, 2019, the upcoming edition will feature an international competition section and award prizes known as the Golden Coconuts.
- 7/2/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Stars: Eden Duncan-Smith, Danté Crichlow, Astro, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Johnathan Nieves, Michael J. Fox, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Wavyy Jonez, Carlos Arce Jr., Patrice Bell, Khail Bryant, Waliek Crandall, Frank Harts, Allen Holloway | Written by Stefon Bristol, Fredrica Bailey | Directed by Stefon Bristol
See You Yesterday, directed by Stefon Bristol, follows two ambitious technologically and scientific prodigal teenagers C.J. Walker and Sebastian Thomas – played by Eden Duncan-Smith and Danté Crichlow respectively – who manage to create a time machine years after theorising such a scientific achievement. However, what soon starts as smooth sailing slowly broadens out into a dangerous game of trying to alter the past, resulting in damaging consequences that will change the lives of the two and all around them forever.
Of what seems to be just a simplistic and overly eccentric film intended for childlike audiences, soon blossoms into a captivating and socially relevant drama. Producer Spike Lee...
See You Yesterday, directed by Stefon Bristol, follows two ambitious technologically and scientific prodigal teenagers C.J. Walker and Sebastian Thomas – played by Eden Duncan-Smith and Danté Crichlow respectively – who manage to create a time machine years after theorising such a scientific achievement. However, what soon starts as smooth sailing slowly broadens out into a dangerous game of trying to alter the past, resulting in damaging consequences that will change the lives of the two and all around them forever.
Of what seems to be just a simplistic and overly eccentric film intended for childlike audiences, soon blossoms into a captivating and socially relevant drama. Producer Spike Lee...
- 6/25/2019
- by Jak-Luke Sharp
- Nerdly
"You don't conform to what she wants, and suddenly you're the enemy." Neon has debuted the first official trailer for an indie drama titled Luce, which premiered to some of the best reviews at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. This fascinating, brilliant "psychodrama" is about an adopted boy from a war-torn African country who becomes a high school all-star. But when a teacher accuses of him of being dangerous, and finds contraband in his locker, things start to get crazy. But who's really in the wrong here? The film masterfully makes you feel for both sides, unsure of what's really true or not, mirroring the complexities and nuances of real life. Kelvin Harrison Jr. stars as Luce, with a cast including Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Norbert Leo Butz, Andrea Bang, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Omar Brunson, Noah Gaynor, and Astro. This trailer quotes my glowing review from...
- 6/4/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Stefon Bristol’s debut feature “See You Yesterday,” which has Spike Lee as one of its producers, revolves around the ingenuity of two 16-year-old friends, Claudette and Sebastian (Dante Crichlow), who are working on a homemade time machine in Sebastian’s garage. The effects in this movie are as charmingly lo-fi as the backpack modules that they wear to travel back in time for 10-minute intervals.
“See You Yesterday” nods to some of its 1980s forebears by having Michael J. Fox turn up as one of their teachers at the Bronx High School of Science. Claudette is reading Stephen Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time” in his class, while Fox has his nose buried in Octavia Butler’s “Kindred,” a popular time travel novel from 1979. When Claudette tells Fox’s Mr. Lockhart about her time-travel backpack project, which she hopes will get her into MIT, Bristol keeps his camera...
“See You Yesterday” nods to some of its 1980s forebears by having Michael J. Fox turn up as one of their teachers at the Bronx High School of Science. Claudette is reading Stephen Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time” in his class, while Fox has his nose buried in Octavia Butler’s “Kindred,” a popular time travel novel from 1979. When Claudette tells Fox’s Mr. Lockhart about her time-travel backpack project, which she hopes will get her into MIT, Bristol keeps his camera...
- 5/4/2019
- by Dan Callahan
- The Wrap
When people say a movie feels like a play, they often mean it as a kind of insult — less showy than talky, self-contained, more concerned with ideas than authenticity — but in the case of “Luce,” it’s a compliment. That’s because this discussion-generating film adaptation of Jc Lee’s hot-potato Off Broadway play lasers in on questions of racism, prejudice, and individual potential in America without introducing too many cinematic distractions to the equation. The movie isn’t meant to be realistic; rather it’s an interrogation of idealism. When we set expectations for others, are we leaving them room to be themselves?
In its new form, as a Sundance-anointed indie from director Julius Onah, “Luce” preserves what a rock-solid piece of stage writing can achieve — focusing our attention on big themes — while providing an opportunity you don’t get in a theatrical setting, whereby audiences can study the...
In its new form, as a Sundance-anointed indie from director Julius Onah, “Luce” preserves what a rock-solid piece of stage writing can achieve — focusing our attention on big themes — while providing an opportunity you don’t get in a theatrical setting, whereby audiences can study the...
- 1/27/2019
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Born in Kuala Lumpur, director and screenwriter. After graduating from the film department at the University of Westminster in London, Said made commercials and worked for TV. In 2006, he shot his feature debut “Dukun” in Malaysia, but its premiere was put on hold. “Bunohan,” whose distribution was not restricted, became one of the biggest box office hits in Malaysia in 2011, and was the country’s official Oscars entry. In 2016, he released “Interchange”, while Dukun just managed to get released in 2018.
On the occasion of Dukun screening at Five Flavours, we speak with him about its release, the actual facts behind its story, the cast and the music, Malay cinema, and other topics.
What is the story behind Dukun’s release?
I am not actually privy to what happened exactly, all I know is that Astro (the production company that owns the rights to my films) has a new boss, Najwa Abu Bakar.
On the occasion of Dukun screening at Five Flavours, we speak with him about its release, the actual facts behind its story, the cast and the music, Malay cinema, and other topics.
What is the story behind Dukun’s release?
I am not actually privy to what happened exactly, all I know is that Astro (the production company that owns the rights to my films) has a new boss, Najwa Abu Bakar.
- 11/21/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
It's Stormi Webster's (Astro)world and Travis Scott is just living in it. Since kicking off his tour in Baltimore, Maryland, the rapper has brought his baby girl and girlfriend Kylie Jenner along for the ride, and she's clearly gotten used to living life on the road. "I keep Stormi on the road, she's got her own dressing room vibe, got her own bus vibe," he shared while visiting the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston hospital on Tues., Nov. 13. As a first time dad, taking a baby on the road with him is a whole new experience. But despite the learning curve, he is just happy he is able to fulfill his "life goal" of having her be "a part of...
- 11/14/2018
- E! Online
Rohana Rozhan, one of the Asian entertainment industry’s most senior female executives, has resigned as CEO of pay-tv group Astro Malaysia. Her departure will become effective at the end of January 2019, when she will be replaced by Henry Tan, currently Astro’s chief content and consumer officer.
Rozhan “has been an inspirational leader to all at Astro, having led the team in setting many firsts and milestones for the media industry in Malaysia. We respect her decision to step down…and wish her all the very best and a bright future ahead,” Tun Zaki Azmi, Astro’s chairman, said in a prepared statement.
Rozhan, who has been with the group since it first launched about 20 years ago, has not indicated what she will do after she steps down from her post. Astro said she would remain a board member.
Having risen from the corporate planning department, Rozhan became Astro...
Rozhan “has been an inspirational leader to all at Astro, having led the team in setting many firsts and milestones for the media industry in Malaysia. We respect her decision to step down…and wish her all the very best and a bright future ahead,” Tun Zaki Azmi, Astro’s chairman, said in a prepared statement.
Rozhan, who has been with the group since it first launched about 20 years ago, has not indicated what she will do after she steps down from her post. Astro said she would remain a board member.
Having risen from the corporate planning department, Rozhan became Astro...
- 6/7/2018
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The HBO drama pilot “Euphoria” has set its main cast, with Zendaya cast in the lead role, Variety has learned.
The project, an adaptation of the Israeli series of the same name, is describe as the story of drugs, sex, identity, trauma, social media, love and friendship all told by a lying, drug addicted 17 year old girl named Rue.
Zendaya will play Rue. In addition, the pilot will also feature: Maude Apatow as Lexi, Brian “Astro” Bradley as McKay, Angus Cloud as Fezco, Eric Dane as Cal, Alexa Demie as Maddy, Jacob Elordi as Nate, Barbie Ferreira as Kat, Nika King as Leslie, Storm Reid as Gia, Hunter Schafer as Jules, and Sydney Sweeneyas Cassie.
Zendaya is best known for her starring role in the Disney Channel series “KC Undercover.” She has also starred in several hit films of late, including “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “The Greatest Showman.” She will...
The project, an adaptation of the Israeli series of the same name, is describe as the story of drugs, sex, identity, trauma, social media, love and friendship all told by a lying, drug addicted 17 year old girl named Rue.
Zendaya will play Rue. In addition, the pilot will also feature: Maude Apatow as Lexi, Brian “Astro” Bradley as McKay, Angus Cloud as Fezco, Eric Dane as Cal, Alexa Demie as Maddy, Jacob Elordi as Nate, Barbie Ferreira as Kat, Nika King as Leslie, Storm Reid as Gia, Hunter Schafer as Jules, and Sydney Sweeneyas Cassie.
Zendaya is best known for her starring role in the Disney Channel series “KC Undercover.” She has also starred in several hit films of late, including “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “The Greatest Showman.” She will...
- 6/5/2018
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Zendaya To Topline HBO’s Drama Pilot ‘Euphoria’; Storm Reid, Maude Apatow, Astro & Eric Dane Co-Star
Zendaya is set to lead the cast of the HBO drama pilot Euphoria. Also cast in the project, written by The Wizard of Lies scribe Sam Levinson based on the Israeli series, are A Wrinkle in Time star Storm Reid, Maude Apatow, Brian “Astro” Bradley, The Last Ship and Grey’s Anatomy alum Eric Dane, Angus Cloud, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi, Barbie Ferreira, Nika King, Hunter Schafer and Sydney Sweeney (The Handmaid’s Tale). Augustine Frizzell will be the director/co-executive producer.
Euphoria revolves around the story of drugs, sex, identity, trauma, social media, love and friendship as told by a lying, drug-addicted 17-year-old girl named Rue, to be played by Zendaya.
Levinson also will executive produce alongside Ron Leshem, Daphna Levin and Tmira Yardeni (the trio who created the original Israeli series), Ravi Nandan, Kevin Turen, Hadas Mozes Lichtenstein, Mirit Toovi, Yoram Mokadi and Gary Lennon. A24 Television is producing.
Euphoria revolves around the story of drugs, sex, identity, trauma, social media, love and friendship as told by a lying, drug-addicted 17-year-old girl named Rue, to be played by Zendaya.
Levinson also will executive produce alongside Ron Leshem, Daphna Levin and Tmira Yardeni (the trio who created the original Israeli series), Ravi Nandan, Kevin Turen, Hadas Mozes Lichtenstein, Mirit Toovi, Yoram Mokadi and Gary Lennon. A24 Television is producing.
- 6/5/2018
- by Nellie Andreeva and Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The discovery of one extraterrestrial could lead to the uncovering of an entire unknown species from a parallel universe in Asif Akbar's new movie Astro. With the sci-fi thriller coming to DVD on June 5th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, we've been provided with an exclusive clip to share with Daily Dead readers!
"This June, be careful what you search for.
From director Asif Akbar comes the "compelling"* new sci-fi thriller Astro, starring Gary Daniels, Dominique Swain (Alpha Dog), Marshal Hilton (Primal Rage) and Michael Pare (The Shelter), arriving on DVD June 5 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
A billionaire's private space exploration program returns to Earth with an abducted extraterrestrial from a newly discovered alien planet in a unique new film that "kickstarts an original sci-fi franchise"*.
Louis Mandylor (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Max Wasa, Omi Vaidya, Luke G. Crosby, Orson Chaplin, Gianni Capaldi, Spice Williams-Crosby, Courtney Akbar,...
"This June, be careful what you search for.
From director Asif Akbar comes the "compelling"* new sci-fi thriller Astro, starring Gary Daniels, Dominique Swain (Alpha Dog), Marshal Hilton (Primal Rage) and Michael Pare (The Shelter), arriving on DVD June 5 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
A billionaire's private space exploration program returns to Earth with an abducted extraterrestrial from a newly discovered alien planet in a unique new film that "kickstarts an original sci-fi franchise"*.
Louis Mandylor (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Max Wasa, Omi Vaidya, Luke G. Crosby, Orson Chaplin, Gianni Capaldi, Spice Williams-Crosby, Courtney Akbar,...
- 6/4/2018
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
He may not be a mustachioed former plumber, but Astro Bot feels like he’s delivering the same inquisitive playfulness wrapped up in an innovative platform that has for so long been Super Mario’s literal stomping ground.
In “Astro Bot Rescue Mission,” players take control of the diminutive, big-headed bot from “Playroom Vr’s” “Robot Rescue” as gamers lead him through 20 virtual reality levels spread across five planets on the hunt for more than 200 lost bots.
The standalone game was developed by the Asobi team at Japan Studio and comes in response to the overwhelmingly positive response to “Robot Rescue.”
Nicolas Doucet, creative director on the game, calls that free 2016 mini-game for the PlayStation Vr a primitive prototype for what has now become “Astro Bot Rescue Mission.”
“We wanted to make that at the time because we thought it was a cool thing to try,” he told Variety during...
In “Astro Bot Rescue Mission,” players take control of the diminutive, big-headed bot from “Playroom Vr’s” “Robot Rescue” as gamers lead him through 20 virtual reality levels spread across five planets on the hunt for more than 200 lost bots.
The standalone game was developed by the Asobi team at Japan Studio and comes in response to the overwhelmingly positive response to “Robot Rescue.”
Nicolas Doucet, creative director on the game, calls that free 2016 mini-game for the PlayStation Vr a primitive prototype for what has now become “Astro Bot Rescue Mission.”
“We wanted to make that at the time because we thought it was a cool thing to try,” he told Variety during...
- 5/23/2018
- by Brian Crecente
- Variety Film + TV
Sci-fi thriller Astro comes from director Asif Akbar and tells of a billionaire’s private space exploration program returning to Earth with an abducted extraterrestrial from a newly discovered alien planet.
Astro stars the underrated, and underused Gary Daniels, Dominique Swain and Marshal Hilton, along with Louis Mandylor, Max Wasa, Omi Vaidya, Luke G. Crosby, Orson Chaplin, Gianni Capaldi, Spice Williams-Crosby, Courtney Akbar, Christopher Showerman and Michael Pare.
Director Asif Akbar and the films co-writer Bernard Selling are currently finishing the accompanying Astro book series based on the movie, which be released on Amazon in July – alongside the DVD which releases in the U.S. and North America through eOne and ITN Distribution on June 6th.
Astro stars the underrated, and underused Gary Daniels, Dominique Swain and Marshal Hilton, along with Louis Mandylor, Max Wasa, Omi Vaidya, Luke G. Crosby, Orson Chaplin, Gianni Capaldi, Spice Williams-Crosby, Courtney Akbar, Christopher Showerman and Michael Pare.
Director Asif Akbar and the films co-writer Bernard Selling are currently finishing the accompanying Astro book series based on the movie, which be released on Amazon in July – alongside the DVD which releases in the U.S. and North America through eOne and ITN Distribution on June 6th.
- 5/4/2018
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Sci-fi thriller Astro, featuring Gary Daniels (The Expendables), Dominique Swain (Lolita) and Marshal Hilton (Primal Rage), bows at Cannes in May before hitting home ent platforms in July.
Directed by Asif Akbar and written by Akbar and Bernard Selling, Astro tells of a billionaire's private space exploration program returning to Earth with an abducted extraterrestrial from a newly discovered alien planet.
Louis Mandylor, Max Wasa, Omi Vaidya, Luke G. Crosby, Orson Chaplin, Gianni Capaldi, Spice Williams-Crosby, Courtney Akbar, Christopher Showerman a...
Directed by Asif Akbar and written by Akbar and Bernard Selling, Astro tells of a billionaire's private space exploration program returning to Earth with an abducted extraterrestrial from a newly discovered alien planet.
Louis Mandylor, Max Wasa, Omi Vaidya, Luke G. Crosby, Orson Chaplin, Gianni Capaldi, Spice Williams-Crosby, Courtney Akbar, Christopher Showerman a...
- 5/2/2018
- QuietEarth.us
Animation producers William Hanna and Joseph Barbera had hit paydirt with their 1960 primetime cartoon The Flintstones, which was essentially The Honeymooners in prehistoric times, with Fred Flintstone in place of Ralph Kramden and Barney Rubble subbing for Ed Norton. Seeking a follow-up, the duo decided that they would look to the future in the form of the then-distant 21st century, which resulted in The Jetsons, a cartoon about America's first space-age family. The focus is on George Jetson, an employee of Spacely Space Sprockets, and much of the comedy came from interactions with his wife, Jane; daughter Judy, his boy Elroy, and their mutt with a speech impediment (think Scooby-Doo), Astro. The other aspect of the show was its look at the evolution of technology, presenting a world where virtually everything is automated, flying cars fill the skies, we talk on large screen video phones, and have robot servants — in many (though not all) ways,...
- 4/25/2018
- by Ed Gross
- Closer Weekly
Speaking at TV conference and market MipTV in Cannes, France, on Monday, where she received Variety’s Achievement in International Television Award, Rohana Rozhan, group CEO and executive director of Malaysian media group Astro, emphasized that the company would play to its strengths as the market evolved.
Two decades after its launch, the satellite television company, which started off as a purely pay-tv operator, has extended its business into free-tv, streaming, mobile, e-commerce, e-sports and gaming, and is involved in the production of TV shows and films. Astro reaches 75% of households in Malaysia, and is now extending its footprint into other markets in South-East Asia.
The company has 5.5 million customers, of which 3.3 million are pay-tv customers. Chord-cutting is not an issue: churn for pay customers is “global best in class” at 9.6% amortization, she said.
“We have always seen ourselves as more of a consumer company [than a pay-tv company], and that has always been...
Two decades after its launch, the satellite television company, which started off as a purely pay-tv operator, has extended its business into free-tv, streaming, mobile, e-commerce, e-sports and gaming, and is involved in the production of TV shows and films. Astro reaches 75% of households in Malaysia, and is now extending its footprint into other markets in South-East Asia.
The company has 5.5 million customers, of which 3.3 million are pay-tv customers. Chord-cutting is not an issue: churn for pay customers is “global best in class” at 9.6% amortization, she said.
“We have always seen ourselves as more of a consumer company [than a pay-tv company], and that has always been...
- 4/9/2018
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
When the first whistle blows on the World Cup in Russia on June 14, listed Malaysian media company Astro will kick off the biggest sports initiative in its 22-year history.
Coverage will run across every platform and device Astro can get its hands on, including a deal with Twitter — announced March 15 — to amplify match highlights from Astro’s coverage.
Unprecedented resources are going into making sure that the matches reach every human being in Malaysia, beginning with Astro’s existing 1.3 million premium sports subscribers, and then reaching out in myriad ways with multiple price points to the country’s entire 30 million population.
Sports rights are expected to drive Astro’s total content costs up to 36% of TV revenue in the current financial year to the end of January.
It is muscle-flexing with a clear purpose. Group chief executive Dato’ Rohana Rozhan says Astro is using the World Cup “as a huge...
Coverage will run across every platform and device Astro can get its hands on, including a deal with Twitter — announced March 15 — to amplify match highlights from Astro’s coverage.
Unprecedented resources are going into making sure that the matches reach every human being in Malaysia, beginning with Astro’s existing 1.3 million premium sports subscribers, and then reaching out in myriad ways with multiple price points to the country’s entire 30 million population.
Sports rights are expected to drive Astro’s total content costs up to 36% of TV revenue in the current financial year to the end of January.
It is muscle-flexing with a clear purpose. Group chief executive Dato’ Rohana Rozhan says Astro is using the World Cup “as a huge...
- 4/6/2018
- by Janine Stein
- Variety Film + TV
An affinity for numbers and technology, as well as an ability to dazzle, make Astro Malaysia Holdings CEO Dato’ Rohana Rozhan an impressive leader.
With her guidance, Astro has diversified its satellite and pay television channel packages, pushing high-end content, and growing subscriber bases to reach 75% of households in Malaysia. The company produces thousands of hours of original content in the region.
In a multicultural world, Rozhan also believes that workplace diversity makes business sense and has strived to see her company reflect the marketplace of Astro’s consumers.
Ahead of receiving Variety’s 2018 Achievement in Intl. Television Award, presented at Miptv April 9, Rozhan talks about her career trajectory, content strategy and the importance of corporate diversity.
Where did your Astro journey begin?
I joined in 1996, when we were just a spreadsheet. I was in corporate finance and was part of the team that built the business model of Astro.
With her guidance, Astro has diversified its satellite and pay television channel packages, pushing high-end content, and growing subscriber bases to reach 75% of households in Malaysia. The company produces thousands of hours of original content in the region.
In a multicultural world, Rozhan also believes that workplace diversity makes business sense and has strived to see her company reflect the marketplace of Astro’s consumers.
Ahead of receiving Variety’s 2018 Achievement in Intl. Television Award, presented at Miptv April 9, Rozhan talks about her career trajectory, content strategy and the importance of corporate diversity.
Where did your Astro journey begin?
I joined in 1996, when we were just a spreadsheet. I was in corporate finance and was part of the team that built the business model of Astro.
- 4/6/2018
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Red Band Society, Season 1, Episodes 11-13
Aired Saturday, 8pm (Et) on Fox
Red Band Society ends the season strongly with a set of episodes that are each bittersweet, hopeful, and triumphant. As a whole the show has been sporadic with its narrative as well as ham-fisted and manipulative with its drama, but throughout the season there have been great moments. The very strong young cast at the series’ core has been able to push the right buttons in order to, at times, get the audience to overlook these obvious issues. As episodic as the show has been, the series memory is fairly good, with mistakes made by the characters (or more accurately, the writers) in earlier episodes addressed and factored into the resolution of those characters arcs. The final three episodes reward the audience with an ending that gives closure to the series in a way that is satisfying and both honest and optimistic.
Aired Saturday, 8pm (Et) on Fox
Red Band Society ends the season strongly with a set of episodes that are each bittersweet, hopeful, and triumphant. As a whole the show has been sporadic with its narrative as well as ham-fisted and manipulative with its drama, but throughout the season there have been great moments. The very strong young cast at the series’ core has been able to push the right buttons in order to, at times, get the audience to overlook these obvious issues. As episodic as the show has been, the series memory is fairly good, with mistakes made by the characters (or more accurately, the writers) in earlier episodes addressed and factored into the resolution of those characters arcs. The final three episodes reward the audience with an ending that gives closure to the series in a way that is satisfying and both honest and optimistic.
- 2/8/2015
- by Jean Pierre Diez
- SoundOnSight
Have a box of Kleenex handy for Red Band Society‘s two-hour series finale on Saturday (8/7c on Fox), warns executive producer Rina Mimoun — but not just to mop up tears of heartbreak.
“By the time we were writing Episode 13, while we didn’t know 100 percent that it was the series finale, Fox had indicated it was at least going to be the season finale,” she explains. “So we didn’t want to leave it on a downbeat. People come in, and people go out, but there’s always hope.”
Related2015 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Getting Cancelled?...
“By the time we were writing Episode 13, while we didn’t know 100 percent that it was the series finale, Fox had indicated it was at least going to be the season finale,” she explains. “So we didn’t want to leave it on a downbeat. People come in, and people go out, but there’s always hope.”
Related2015 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Getting Cancelled?...
- 2/6/2015
- TVLine.com
Looking at an imposing Liam Neeson on the poster for A Walk Among the Tombstones, you’d be forgiven for mentally grouping the film with his past action-star endeavors, including Taken, Unknown and Non-Stop. That was certainly the mistake I made. Neeson, all grizzled machismo and barked one-liners, would surely shock and awe as he used his overpowering authority and very particular set of skills to rid the world of some deserving evildoers.
So imagine my surprise when, while watching A Walk Among the Tombstones, I realized that writer-director Scott Frank, adapting a novel by Lawrence Block, had no interest in delivering another Neeson-powered action extravaganza. What he set his sights on, and what he successfully delivers with the film, is something far more ambitious, interesting and enjoyable. A Walk Among the Tombstones is a hard-boiled crime noir, a dark and disturbing detective story set in a brittle, washed-out version of New York.
So imagine my surprise when, while watching A Walk Among the Tombstones, I realized that writer-director Scott Frank, adapting a novel by Lawrence Block, had no interest in delivering another Neeson-powered action extravaganza. What he set his sights on, and what he successfully delivers with the film, is something far more ambitious, interesting and enjoyable. A Walk Among the Tombstones is a hard-boiled crime noir, a dark and disturbing detective story set in a brittle, washed-out version of New York.
- 1/18/2015
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
House was a ratings success for Fox for years but the network hasn't had a hit medical series since then. Will Red Band Society break that trend and be renewed for a second season? Will it be cancelled? Stay tuned.
A dramedy, Red Band Society revolves around the young patients and caretakers of the pediatric ward of the renowned Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. The cast includes Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Griffin Gluck, Nolan Sotillo, Charlie Rowe, Astro, Zoe Levin, Ciara Bravo, Mandy Moore, and Rebecca Rittenhouse.
The ratings are typically the best indication of a show's likelihood of staying on the air. The higher the ratings (particularly the 18-49 demo), the better the chances for survival. This chart will be updated as new ratings data becomes available -- typically the following morning, around 11:30am Est/8:30am Pst. Refresh to see the latest. (more…)...
A dramedy, Red Band Society revolves around the young patients and caretakers of the pediatric ward of the renowned Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. The cast includes Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Griffin Gluck, Nolan Sotillo, Charlie Rowe, Astro, Zoe Levin, Ciara Bravo, Mandy Moore, and Rebecca Rittenhouse.
The ratings are typically the best indication of a show's likelihood of staying on the air. The higher the ratings (particularly the 18-49 demo), the better the chances for survival. This chart will be updated as new ratings data becomes available -- typically the following morning, around 11:30am Est/8:30am Pst. Refresh to see the latest. (more…)...
- 1/15/2015
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Fox has announced that the three unaired episodes of Red Band Society will run on two consecutive Saturdays -- January 31st and February 7th -- but that will be the end of the series. There won't be a second season.
A dramedy, Red Band Society revolves around the young patients and caretakers of the pediatric ward of the renowned Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. The cast includes Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Griffin Gluck, Nolan Sotillo, Charlie Rowe, Astro, Zoe Levin, Ciara Bravo, Mandy Moore, and Rebecca Rittenhouse.
(more…)...
A dramedy, Red Band Society revolves around the young patients and caretakers of the pediatric ward of the renowned Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. The cast includes Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Griffin Gluck, Nolan Sotillo, Charlie Rowe, Astro, Zoe Levin, Ciara Bravo, Mandy Moore, and Rebecca Rittenhouse.
(more…)...
- 1/15/2015
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
A Walk Among the Tombstones, starring Liam Neeson (Non-Stop, The Grey, Taken series) and Dan Stevens (The Guest, “Downton Abbey”) debuts on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on January 13, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Based on Lawrence Block’s best-selling series of mystery novels and directed and written by Academy Award-nominated writer Scott Frank (Out of Sight, Minority Report, The Wolverine), A Walk Among the Tombstones is produced by Jersey Films’ Danny DeVito.
In this intense thriller, Liam Neeson plays Matt Scudder, an ex-nypd cop turned unlicensed private investigator who reluctantly agrees to help a drug trafficker (Dan Stevens) hunt down the men who brutally murdered his wife. When the Pi learns that this is not the first time that these men have committed this sort of twisted crime — nor will it be the last — he must blur the line between right and wrong as he races to track the...
In this intense thriller, Liam Neeson plays Matt Scudder, an ex-nypd cop turned unlicensed private investigator who reluctantly agrees to help a drug trafficker (Dan Stevens) hunt down the men who brutally murdered his wife. When the Pi learns that this is not the first time that these men have committed this sort of twisted crime — nor will it be the last — he must blur the line between right and wrong as he races to track the...
- 1/11/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The quality of a given episode of Red Band Society inevitably rests with the amount of Dash we get onscreen. Brian "Astro" Bradley isn't the best actor on the show. (Octavia Spencer, duh.) He's not even the best of the child actors. (Ciara Bravo, obviously.) But he is the most charismatic and fun-to-watch actor, and this show has such a maudlin streak that you need as much pop onscreen as possible, so the tendency to sideline Dash is always frustrating. (For one thing, I'm pretty sure we've never seen his parents, and we know very little about his life before he went to the hospital.)So just when I thought this episode was shaping up to be another one where Dash just hung around and backed up Leo, we got both his expression of joy when Hunter's new kidney pager goes off, and then the follow-up scene. "No one goes...
- 12/4/2014
- by Michael Tedder
- Vulture
From Gone Girl's Tanner Bolt to the ladies of Pride, James lists a few more of 2014's supporting characters who deserve their own movie...
Look at the calendar and you'll see that time is marching on and moving us ever deeper into the deep, bleak midwinter. Christmas is coming and then the New Year will be hitting us, and such concurrent happenings are liable to combine and make some folk get all reflective. "'Tis the season to be pensive," as the old carol says.
It's at this time of year that people start to glance in the rearview mirror and ruminate on what's happened over the course of the past twelve months. Focusing specifically on cinema, it's time to think on the Film Year 2014 and make some lists. Movie fans need to decide which blu-rays they want as Christmas presents so they can write it down in a list to post to Santa.
Look at the calendar and you'll see that time is marching on and moving us ever deeper into the deep, bleak midwinter. Christmas is coming and then the New Year will be hitting us, and such concurrent happenings are liable to combine and make some folk get all reflective. "'Tis the season to be pensive," as the old carol says.
It's at this time of year that people start to glance in the rearview mirror and ruminate on what's happened over the course of the past twelve months. Focusing specifically on cinema, it's time to think on the Film Year 2014 and make some lists. Movie fans need to decide which blu-rays they want as Christmas presents so they can write it down in a list to post to Santa.
- 12/4/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
To little surprise, it looks like Fox is pulling the plug on Red Band Society. The Wednesday night drama will be dropped from the schedule in December and production will be shut down after the initial 13 episodes have been completed.
A dramedy, Red Band Society revolves around the young patients and caretakers of the pediatric ward of the renowned Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. The cast includes Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Griffin Gluck, Nolan Sotillo, Charlie Rowe, Astro, Zoe Levin, Ciara Bravo, Mandy Moore, and Rebecca Rittenhouse.
The show debuted in mid-September to a disappointing 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 4.1 million viewers. The second week saw the numbers drop more than 15%. A decline of that size isn't unusual for a second week but Red Band Society didn't have any points to spare.
The ratings have...
A dramedy, Red Band Society revolves around the young patients and caretakers of the pediatric ward of the renowned Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. The cast includes Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Griffin Gluck, Nolan Sotillo, Charlie Rowe, Astro, Zoe Levin, Ciara Bravo, Mandy Moore, and Rebecca Rittenhouse.
The show debuted in mid-September to a disappointing 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 4.1 million viewers. The second week saw the numbers drop more than 15%. A decline of that size isn't unusual for a second week but Red Band Society didn't have any points to spare.
The ratings have...
- 11/27/2014
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Stars: Teo Halm, Astro, Reese Hartwig, Ella Wahlestedt, Jason Gray-Stanford, Algee Smith, Cassius Willis, Sonya Leslie, Kerry O’Malley, Virginia Louise Smith, Peter Mackenzie, Valerie Wildman | Written by Henry Gayden | Directed by Dave Green
After many of the phones in their local neighbourhood seem to malfunction, a group of kids try to work out what is wrong and why it is happening. On discovering that the malfunction is actually a map to a location in the nearby desert, they decide to set off on an epic adventure to find out the truth of the mystery. What they discover surprises them all; it’s an alien who needs their help. But will their friendship survive long enough for them to be able to deliver it?
Earth to Echo reminds me of the games I used to play when I was young. We all used to dream of going on an exciting...
After many of the phones in their local neighbourhood seem to malfunction, a group of kids try to work out what is wrong and why it is happening. On discovering that the malfunction is actually a map to a location in the nearby desert, they decide to set off on an epic adventure to find out the truth of the mystery. What they discover surprises them all; it’s an alien who needs their help. But will their friendship survive long enough for them to be able to deliver it?
Earth to Echo reminds me of the games I used to play when I was young. We all used to dream of going on an exciting...
- 11/3/2014
- by Richard Axtell
- Nerdly
Red Band Society, Season 1, Episodes 2-5
Airs Wednesdays at 9pm Et on Fox
The first quarter of the premiere season of Red Band Society has featured some very strong character moments throughout a narrative that has been, at times, emotionally manipulative. The episodes are often inconsistent with one another, which makes this series feel more episodic than serialized. The pilot episode introduced the main cast and their situations, with the kids more developed than the adults, but as the season has progressed and the stories between the two age groups have intertwined, both sides have gained and lost character momentum respectively. The relationships frequently fail to grow organically, with the character motivations mostly hard to pin down. The questions raised in the pilot episode continue to be addressed, but to a degree that is not fully satisfying, merely confirming information that the audience already has. Although the season’s start...
Airs Wednesdays at 9pm Et on Fox
The first quarter of the premiere season of Red Band Society has featured some very strong character moments throughout a narrative that has been, at times, emotionally manipulative. The episodes are often inconsistent with one another, which makes this series feel more episodic than serialized. The pilot episode introduced the main cast and their situations, with the kids more developed than the adults, but as the season has progressed and the stories between the two age groups have intertwined, both sides have gained and lost character momentum respectively. The relationships frequently fail to grow organically, with the character motivations mostly hard to pin down. The questions raised in the pilot episode continue to be addressed, but to a degree that is not fully satisfying, merely confirming information that the audience already has. Although the season’s start...
- 10/30/2014
- by Jean Pierre Diez
- SoundOnSight
Make way for the hospital's new diva! Former Disney darling Bella Thorne is set to guest star on Fox's freshman drama Red Band Society, E! News has exclusively learned. The Shake It Up star will play Delaney Shaw, an extremely popular pop star who will check into Ocean Park Hospital for "exhaustion." (We all know what that really means, right?!) But it seems like Delaney isn't too exhausted as the trainwreck will get involved with two (!) of our Red Band boys. Better keep a close eye on Jordi (Nolan Sotillo) and Leo (Charlie Rowe), Emma (Ciara Bravo)! Or could Dash (Astro) finally be getting a love interest (and triangle) of his very own? Aside from Shake It Up, Thorne...
- 10/27/2014
- E! Online
As you may have noticed, Fox has been having a tough time establishing new dramatic TV series. Last season's Almost Human was cancelled. Sleepy Hollow was renewed but is now struggling. How is this season's Red Band Society performing? Will it be cancelled or renewed for a second season? Cancel or keep it?
A dramedy, Red Band Society revolves around the young patients and caretakers of the pediatric ward of the renowned Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. The cast includes Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Griffin Gluck, Nolan Sotillo, Charlie Rowe, Astro, Zoe Levin, Ciara Bravo, Mandy Moore, and Rebecca Rittenhouse.
The show debuted in mid-September to a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 4.1 million viewers. It was hardly a great start for the series. The second week saw the numbers drop more than 15%. A decline of that size isn't...
A dramedy, Red Band Society revolves around the young patients and caretakers of the pediatric ward of the renowned Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. The cast includes Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Griffin Gluck, Nolan Sotillo, Charlie Rowe, Astro, Zoe Levin, Ciara Bravo, Mandy Moore, and Rebecca Rittenhouse.
The show debuted in mid-September to a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 4.1 million viewers. It was hardly a great start for the series. The second week saw the numbers drop more than 15%. A decline of that size isn't...
- 10/23/2014
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Our resident VOD expert tells you what's new to rent and own this week on the various streaming services such as cable Movies On Demand, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu and, of course, Netflix. Cable Movies On Demand: Same-day-as-disc releases, older titles and pretheatrical exclusives for rent, priced from $3-$10, in 24- or 48-hour periods Earth to Echo (cutesy sci-fi family film; Teo Halm, Brian "Astro" Bradley; rated PG) The Purge: Anarchy (horror sequel; Frank Grillo, Zach Gilford; rated R) Sex Tape (farfetched comedy; Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Rob Lowe; rated R) The Fluffy Movie (Extended Edition) (Documentary/Comedy; Gabriel Iglesia; unrated) Listen Up Philip (drama; Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss; available 10/21 on Mod and in theaters; not...
Read More...
Read More...
- 10/22/2014
- by Robert B. DeSalvo
- Movies.com
On Demand DVD New Releases Oct. 20-26 Earth to Echo Tuck, Munch and Alex are an inseparable trio of friends, but their time together is coming to an end. Their neighborhood is being destroyed by a highway construction project. Teo Halm, Brian Bradley (PG, 1:31) 10/21 The Fluffy Movie Gabriel ‘Fluffy’ Iglesias, the world-famous Hawaiian-shirt-clad comedian, takes viewers on a laugh-filled journey into his life with jokes not seen in theaters. Also stars Jeremy Ray Valdez (1:54) 10/21 Listen Up Philip When a novelist has problems with his novel and girlfriend, he seeks refuge in his mentor’s cottage, where he can focus on his … Continue reading →
The post On Demand DVD New Releases Oct. 20-26 appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
The post On Demand DVD New Releases Oct. 20-26 appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
- 10/20/2014
- by Meredith Ennis
- ChannelGuideMag
Red Band Society takes a vacation from Ocean Park Hospital — with a misbegotten trip to a frat-house kegger — when the charming freshman drama airs its second episode tonight (9/8c, Fox).
“Leo steps over the line. He goes way past the line, in fact, in terms of his physical ability,” previews series star Charlie Rowe, whose character and buddy Dash (played by The X Factor‘s Astro) sneak off the medical campus to hang with some college kids. “He’s thinking, ‘I’ll be fine.’ But a few things go wrong, and he realizes he doesn’t actually have the physical power to do this.
“Leo steps over the line. He goes way past the line, in fact, in terms of his physical ability,” previews series star Charlie Rowe, whose character and buddy Dash (played by The X Factor‘s Astro) sneak off the medical campus to hang with some college kids. “He’s thinking, ‘I’ll be fine.’ But a few things go wrong, and he realizes he doesn’t actually have the physical power to do this.
- 9/24/2014
- TVLine.com
Liam Neeson’s good performance only just elevates the general seen-it-before-ness, including a risible appropriation of women’s pain for men’s redemption. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Women’s suffering as a motivation for men to do something adventurously badass features in, oh, about one movie every week; this week’s is The Equalizer. But rarely has that connection — the abuse or murder of a woman or women kickstarting a man’s emotional and spiritual journey — been so explicit as it is in A Walk Among the Tombstones. Novelist Lawrence Block’s ex-cop private eye Matt Scudder, here in Liam Neeson (A Million Ways to Die in the West) mode, doesn’t work for drug-trafficker scum like Kenny Kristo (Dan Stevens: The Guest) as a matter of principle,...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Women’s suffering as a motivation for men to do something adventurously badass features in, oh, about one movie every week; this week’s is The Equalizer. But rarely has that connection — the abuse or murder of a woman or women kickstarting a man’s emotional and spiritual journey — been so explicit as it is in A Walk Among the Tombstones. Novelist Lawrence Block’s ex-cop private eye Matt Scudder, here in Liam Neeson (A Million Ways to Die in the West) mode, doesn’t work for drug-trafficker scum like Kenny Kristo (Dan Stevens: The Guest) as a matter of principle,...
- 9/23/2014
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Liam Neeson is in vigilante mode once again as the private detective in this head-bangingly dull thriller
Not so much taking out the trash as simply recycling it, Liam Neeson downshifts once again into vigilante mode in this head-bangingly dull and shamelessly exploitative crime thriller, set in 1999, and adapted from Lawrence Block’s novel. Here’s the “I will find you, I will kill you” phone call from Taken; here’s the lonely man with alcohol issues from Non-Stop; and here’s Brian “Astro” Bradley, hot from YouTube and American X Factor, presumably roped in to corner the youth market who will be excluded anyway by the 15-rated violence.
Liam plays Matt Scudder, an unlicensed private detective who used to be a cop until “a bullet took a bad hop” and who now “does favours for people” like finding out who kidnapped and murdered their wives. What few surprises are...
Not so much taking out the trash as simply recycling it, Liam Neeson downshifts once again into vigilante mode in this head-bangingly dull and shamelessly exploitative crime thriller, set in 1999, and adapted from Lawrence Block’s novel. Here’s the “I will find you, I will kill you” phone call from Taken; here’s the lonely man with alcohol issues from Non-Stop; and here’s Brian “Astro” Bradley, hot from YouTube and American X Factor, presumably roped in to corner the youth market who will be excluded anyway by the 15-rated violence.
Liam plays Matt Scudder, an unlicensed private detective who used to be a cop until “a bullet took a bad hop” and who now “does favours for people” like finding out who kidnapped and murdered their wives. What few surprises are...
- 9/20/2014
- by Mark Kermode, Observer film critic
- The Guardian - Film News
Chicago – Liam Neeson still looks good being a badass., but “A Walk Among The Tombstones” is a vehicle unworthy of his particular set of skills. It’s not a tightly constructed thriller like “Non-Stop,” and it lacks the sheer over-the-top ludicrousness of “Taken 2.”
This is largely a by-the-numbers jalopy that can best be called forgettable.
Rating: 2.0/5.0
I can’t fault the premise, though. Neeson stars as Matt Scudder, an unlicensed private dick and former NYPD cop who now operates just on the outskirts of the law. The film opens in the early 90s with Neeson sporting a wig and goatee that look like they came from a Halloween shop. After a shootout with stickup artists in a bar left a civilian casualty, Neeson quits the force. Now he helps those types of characters who would rather not have regular cops sniffing around their affairs.
Flash forward to 1999 (for seemingly...
This is largely a by-the-numbers jalopy that can best be called forgettable.
Rating: 2.0/5.0
I can’t fault the premise, though. Neeson stars as Matt Scudder, an unlicensed private dick and former NYPD cop who now operates just on the outskirts of the law. The film opens in the early 90s with Neeson sporting a wig and goatee that look like they came from a Halloween shop. After a shootout with stickup artists in a bar left a civilian casualty, Neeson quits the force. Now he helps those types of characters who would rather not have regular cops sniffing around their affairs.
Flash forward to 1999 (for seemingly...
- 9/19/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Another day, another movie with a grizzled Liam Neeson character. Don’t get me wrong, when the material is right Neeson can step into this kind of hard-edged subject matter and gruff his way to the end of the movie with relative ease, but ever since he’s taken on such roles that showcase his Charles-Bronson-in-Death-Wish chops it’s been the details surrounding him that are hit or miss. For every solid outing like Taken there is a goofy misstep like Non-Stop (and for the record, I kind of liked Non-Stop). With A Walk Among the Tombstones, an adaptation of author Lawrence Block’s weirdly enduring Pi character Matthew Scudder, Neeson and the subject matter toe the line between two poles—the gritty and genuinely fearsome ‘70s no-nonsense throwback and bafflingly de-fanged plot points added for misplaced character context.
In a pre-9/11 New York, former NYPD cop and current private...
In a pre-9/11 New York, former NYPD cop and current private...
- 9/19/2014
- by Sean Hutchinson
- LRMonline.com
Liam Neeson taking on kidnappers, that's nothing new, right? This weekend's release, A Walk Among the Tombstones, is true to form. Neeson plays Matt Scudder, a detective who retired from the NYPD after being involved in a violent gunfight while under the influence. A plea for assistance from a fellow AA member involves him in a rather grisly kidnapping plot and also offers him a chance at redemption.
Writer/director Scott Frank (The Wolverine, Minority Report, Get Shorty), is responsible for some of Hollywood's biggest hits. This may not be one of them, as it attempts to re-create the formula of Neeson's Taken series. It is, however, a solid thriller that still manages a few surprises.
First is the introduction of a juvenile yet very capable sidekick. Brian "Astro" Bradley (Earth to Echo) plays Tj, a streetwise kid with a love of detective stories and knack for getting himself in...
Writer/director Scott Frank (The Wolverine, Minority Report, Get Shorty), is responsible for some of Hollywood's biggest hits. This may not be one of them, as it attempts to re-create the formula of Neeson's Taken series. It is, however, a solid thriller that still manages a few surprises.
First is the introduction of a juvenile yet very capable sidekick. Brian "Astro" Bradley (Earth to Echo) plays Tj, a streetwise kid with a love of detective stories and knack for getting himself in...
- 9/19/2014
- by Mike Saulters
- Slackerwood
A Walk Among the Tombstones, out Friday, has writer-director Scott Frank adapting the 10th novel in Lawrence Block’s long-running, best-selling mystery series. Starring Liam Neeson as unlicensed private investigator Matt Scudder, the film follows what happens when he is hired by a heroin dealer to track down the team who held his wife for ransom, but learns that the crime might not have been an isolated incident. Also featuring Dan Stevens, David Harbour, Boyd Holbrook, Adam David Thompson, Mark Consuelos and Brian "Astro" Bradley, the dark crime thriller from Universal and Cross Creek Pictures is expected to open in the mid-
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- 9/19/2014
- by Ashley Lee
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After an unsuccessful comedy (A Million Ways To Die In The West) and drama (Third Person), Liam Neeson is back in full Taken (that unexpected 2008 hit that made this greying screen vet a full-fledged action hero) mode. There’s a couple of twists for this go-around. He’s not out to rescue a loved one from kidnappers, but is hired to track down somebody that’s grabbing up victims for ransom. Now like Non-stop from early this year, he’s a haunted fella’ who’s battling the bottle (in the former flick he was still imbibing, while now he’s in full program). But he’s not on a plane or dashing around exotic locales. He’s trudging the gritty, and often soggy, mean streets of Manhattan. Interestingly he’s playing a character we’ve seen on screen before, way back in 1986 it was Jeff Bridges in 8 Million Ways To Die.
- 9/19/2014
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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