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NBCUniversal Breaks Theatrical Window, Will Make Movies Offered On Demand Instantly

NBCUniversal Breaks Theatrical Window, Will Make Movies Offered On Demand Instantly

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BUSINESS.


11: 30 AM PDT 3/16/2020

by.


Pamela McClintock.

Insiders say the move isn’t a blanket policy for the studio’s whole 2020 calendar and that decisions concerning other titles and the period of the policy have not been made.

NBCUniversal on Monday announced its present motion pictures from the Universal Pictures steady– consisting of the upcoming event household motion picture Trolls World Trip— will be made available as needed at the same time they hit those theaters that remain open during the coronavirus pandemic.

The new policy collapses the standard theatrical window as the movie industry grapples with extraordinary circumstances.

Movies will be made offered on a large range of on-demand services for a 48- hour rental period at a suggested retail price of $19

Rather, the studio is intending to supply options for customers who can not or need to not go to cinemas.

In addition to DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls World Tour, set to open in theaters April 10 in The United States And Canada, NBCUniversal will also make motion pictures that are presently in theatrical release offered as needed starting as early as Friday.

Those titles consist of Universal’s The Hunt and The Invisible Man, in addition to Focus Functions’ Emma

” Given the quickly progressing and unprecedented changes to customers’ daily lives throughout this hard time, the business felt that now was the correct time to provide this choice in the home as well as in theaters. NBCUniversal will continue to examine the environment as conditions evolve and will identify the very best circulation strategy in each market when the present special situation modifications,” read the company’s release.

” Universal Pictures has a broad and diverse variety of motion pictures with 2020 being no exception. Rather than delaying these movies or releasing them into a challenged circulation landscape, we wanted to supply a choice for individuals to see these titles in the home that is both available and affordable,” stated Shell in the very same statement. “We hope and think that people will still go to the motion pictures in theaters where offered, but we understand that for individuals in various locations of the world that is significantly ending up being less possible.”

The on-demand release of Trolls World Tour will benefit from the full arsenal of a marketing campaign currently underway, consisting of Comcast, NBCUniversal and Sky’s cross-company Symphony assistance, which will be in complete result, according to the studio. The day-and-date release will be concurrent with Trolls World Tour‘s regional theatrical release date in each international market where offered.

Over the weekend, revenue at the North American ticket office toppled to a 20- year low, while the abroad ticket office remains in a complimentary fall in much of the world. Theaters have actually now been closed in China for weeks, while most European movie theaters are closed.

Last week, as the crisis aggravated, Universal and other major Hollywood studios delayed the release of their larger tentpoles. Universal pushed back the opening of the Fast & Furious installment F9 from late May to April 2021, while Disney has delayed Mulan( Black Widow stays on the early May calendar in the meantime) and Paramount pushed back A Quiet Location Part II(the sequel had been set to hit theaters May 20). MGM was the very first studio to make a significant shift when pushing the James Bond movie No Time At All to Pass Away from late April to November.

The hold-ups recommend that studios are still hesitant to make their biggest tentpoles readily available right away in the home through SVOD or on streaming services, but that thinking might alter if the pandemic lasts months. At the exact same time, movie companies are cognizant of the huge pressure facing the exhibit organisation.

For many years, studios and theater owners have fought over the traditional theatrical window, which presently rests at roughly three months. Many studios, including Universal, have actually wished to experiment with premium VOD, but cinema owners have actually balked and stated they would not play any motion picture that opened day-and-date.

Individually, Disney announced late recently it was shortening the home entertainment window and making Frozen 2 readily available on Disney 3 months early.

NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

March 16, 12: 30 p.m Updated with additional information relating to U.S. movie theater closures.

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How to watch all the Star Wars movies in the right order

How to watch all the Star Wars movies in the right order

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Star Wars marathon timeSource: Ara Wagoner / Android Central

For the last 40 years, we have been consuming Star Wars movies in any way we could. With the release of the latest trilogy and the advent of digital streaming through Disney+, we now have a whole new generation ready and willing to watch the entire saga in the best way possible.

There are several different ways that Star Wars fans can watch the entire saga. You may want to watch the main Skywalker Saga, or add the anthology movies — Solo and Rogue One — for a more completed viewing experience. There is no wrong way to consume your Star Wars, but we have some ideas on how to make the experience better.

Machete Order (recommended)

This is likely my favorite way of introducing people to Star Wars. It’s the way I did it for my children, and they seemed to enjoy it. If you think of the first six episodes as the story of Anakin Skywalker, then the machete order allows you to feel the full impact of that story arc.

The highs and lows of the Skywalker family are laid bare using the machete order, and it brings the family into the foreground. This is a new machete order, one that takes into account the anthology movies and the original trilogy

As you can see, there are a few optional movies in the machete order. That’s because it focuses on the Skywalker family, with Anakin specifically. The anthology movies aren’t central to that story, so they can be watched either at the end or not at all. I like to watch Rogue One first as it sets the scene for A New Hope. This is a dirty war, and the galaxy is in turmoil. It’s the perfect backdrop to meet the Skywalkers.

The Phantom Menace is also optional in the machete order as it exists in a little bit of a bubble. Nothing that happens in this movie particularly informs the other films, and Attack of the Clones is set several years after The Phantom Menace. Hence, it has to reintroduce those characters again. I like Menace, though a lot of people don’t, and I think you would be sad to miss out on the Duel of Fates, perhaps the best lightsaber fight in all of Star Wars canon.

Release Order

There are plenty of people who believe the original order of release is the best way to watch the movies, but I’m not one of them. While it’s nostalgic for those who are old enough to have watched them in that order initially, it isn’t the best narrative flow. It is a popular way, though, so we have compiled the list of movies in the order you’ll need to watch them.

As you can see, by watching them in release order, you are breaking up the main storyline in odd ways. If this is your first time watching the Star Wars saga, this is probably not the way you want to do it. The only good thing about watching in this way is you can forgive the movies that look old, with poor visuals, because you know they came first.

Chronological Order

A more traditional way to watch any set of movies is in chronological order based on how time flows in the films. In this way, you see the story unfold in a much more linear approach. In Star Wars, this sets up the Saga as an ongoing war movie. It also means you get the anthology movies squarely in the middle of the main saga.

I like the chronological way of watching, especially if it’s your first time. It allows you to experience the entire saga in a very linear way. The only jarring thing is moving from the beautiful and well-produced Rogue One to A New Hope from 1977. Visually they are very different. Happily, those changes will melt away as you get into the story, and the original trilogy has been remastered to help make up for the outdated visuals.

I recommend the machete order for all new viewers because it brings to life the rise, fall, and redemption of Anakin Skywalker. In Empire, we get a huge reveal, and by going back to the prequels instead of moving on, we can see how this fantastic surprise came about and why we should feel such empathy for Anakin. Then, once the prequels have played out, we go back to The Return of the Jedi and get to experience the full impact of the redemption sequence.

The central figure in the entire saga is Anakin. It is his story that we are seeing played out, and the machete order is the best way to experience it.

The force is strong with this one



Disney+

Get all your Star Wars movies and shows in one place.

Whether you just want to rewatch the Skywalker Saga, catch up on The Clone Wars or see if The Mandalorian is worth all the hype, Disney+ is the best place on the net to get your Star Wars fix.

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

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John Cooper’s Sundance Swan Song: Revealing the Movies He Rejected and His Biggest Regrets

John Cooper’s Sundance Swan Song: Revealing the Movies He Rejected and His Biggest Regrets

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John Cooper reflects on everything from rejecting “George Washington” to accepting “Hounddog” in a wide-ranging interview about his legacy.

John Cooper wasn’t so sure about “Honeyland.” A year before the documentary about a Macedonian beekeeper would score two Oscar nominations, the future Sundance World Cinema Documentary selection didn’t resonate with the festival director as he entered his final year.

“I just didn’t get that film when I watched it,” said Cooper from his Sundance office during the 2020 edition of the festival, as he ended his 11-year run overseeing the event. “And I didn’t have to get it, because everyone else in the room loved it. It’s hard to find 125 films that you love, that you totally respect. I don’t pick all these films. I play the room.”

Cooper’s candid admissions about the flaws of the programming process speak to the unpredictable nature of running a festival, and how much of its impact begins with frantic behind-the-scenes debate. Each year’s program invites a fair share of drama — what will play well, sell big, or drop with a thud — and that uncertainty injects the experience with a dramatic narrative of its own.

As he wrapped up his tenure overseeing the festival following three decades of programming, Cooper mused on how each year’s program emerged. “It can get very fickle and very subjective,” he said. “I’m happy to be that way. It’s my job to filter the people in the room. Sometimes there are programmers in the room that love a film and we don’t show it. And then they love to send me the positive reviews later from other festivals.”

In the Sundance 2020 day-one press kit, director of programming Kim Yutani alluded to the tenuous process of selecting a program, which this year culled from a record 15,000 submissions. “We enjoyed the discussion of the merits of each film and how it would fit into the context of the festival as a whole,” she said. “We respond to works individually and that leads to passionate conversations.”

Short Term 12

“Short Term 12”

Cinedigm

There are many examples of Sundance rejects from Cooper’s tenure that went on to acclaim elsewhere. In 2013, Destin Daniel Cretton’s residential treatment facility drama “Short Term 12” was the toast of the SXSW Film Festival, where it won the grand jury prize. “The conversation was, ‘Why wasn’t that at Sundance? They really screwed up,’” Cooper said. “What’s frustrating is that we’re judging rough cuts. I remember watching that rough cut and just being like, ‘Is this going to happen?’” However, the Sundance reject that still hits him hardest is “George Washington,” David Gordon Green’s expressionistic 2000 debut that premiered in Berlin. “When I finally saw it, it was a totally different film than what we saw, but we still got pegged for not showing it.”

He was miffed by the assumption that Sundance’s recurring documentary filmmakers spoke to a clubby mentality in the programming process. “Talk to the people we’ve rejected from the doc world over the years,” he said. “We’ve rejected Liz Garbus. We’ve rejected Rory Kennedy. We’ve rejected Morgan Spurlock. They always go, ‘Yeah, I knew that wasn’t going to be at Sundance.’ Because Sundance has that level of integrity of quality, freshness, and originality. And we really want to keep new voices coming in.”

Then there are the movies that Cooper did select, only to face a flurry of backlash. In 2007, while serving as director of programming, Cooper contended with the notorious response to “Hounddog,” the southern-fried Dakota Fanning movie in which her underage character is raped on camera. “See, I liked that movie,” Cooper said. “I’m always caught off guard by any provincial thought or conservative point of view, because I don’t see it like that. This is Sundance. We can do anything. What was the big uproar? Underage sex. To me, that was the interesting thing about it, because I’m a person who believes that if it happens in the world for real, there’s a place for it in a certain type of film.”

Editorial use only. No book cover usage.Mandatory Credit: Photo by Full Moon/Kobal/Shutterstock (5878226i) Dakota Fanning Hounddog - 2007 Director: Deborah Kampmeier Full Moon Films USA Scene Still

“Hounddog”

Full Moon/Kobal/Shutterstock

Sundance’s focus on diversity has made headlines lately — 53% of filmmakers in the U.S. Dramatic Competition are people of color, and 40% are women — though Cooper emphasized that its focus on representation goes beyond that. “I think what you really have to look at is the true diversity of your programming staff,” he said. “It’s not just gender and race, or sexual preference. It’s also how we argue about the types of films that we’re showing. I mean, I’m the one who shows most of what you would think is a conventional female movie. I respond to them. And there’s other people that don’t.” While he claimed his program team didn’t select films with diversity in mind, the process included some doubling back. “In the end, we will look at it and say, ‘Did we miss anything?’” he said. “And everybody has their notes, and we go back and sometimes we’ll re-watch things. It’s part of that process of what we do.”

After years of debate about Sundance’s ballooning market, Cooper still resisted the idea that any programming decisions involved a movie’s sales prospects, and bemoaned the impact of big sales on the optics of the festival. “It was changing perceptions of who we were,” he said. “That we were getting too commercial, or we were fading, our important was going away. People said there wasn’t as much discovery, or that the discovery we were making was people who were already there, or that we were losing our edge. That just freaked me out. We’re also rejecting a lot of big people. You can’t let outside influences in. You have to trust your instincts.”

Still, he embraced the opportunity to guide hungry buyers through the lineup. The same year that “Hounddog” premiered, Cooper programmed the lo-fi romantic musical “Once,” which Fox Searchlight eventually picked up to great success. But that only happened late in the festival after word-of-mouth had time to build. “I told every buyer to see ‘Once,’ and when I went to that first screening, there was nobody there,” Cooper said. “They thought I was just bullshitting, because they don’t really trust me.”

Cooper acknowledged the value of industry presence at Sundance without embracing it himself. “I don’t think Sundance needs it,” he said, “but I think the filmmakers do. I like when filmmakers make their money back. I like when they look like they’ve been a success here.”

He singled out companies like A24 and Neon “that just keep coming to take odd films and make them successes,” and looked back on the ’90s era of the festival, a pre-streaming climate filled with a very different set of independent distributors. “When I started, they were all like that,” Cooper said. “Bingham Ray at October Films. Gramercy, Miramax, New Line, Fine Line. There were all these eccentric people working at these companies, and this is what they were trying to do. And what happened with all of those, if you looked at their trajectory, is they all got bought by big studios. This one went here, this one went there, this one went there, and they all got closed down. Boom, boom, boom.”

Cooper shrugged off reports about declining box office figures for movies that launched at the festival. “I almost laugh now when they start talking about the theatrical numbers for independent films,” he said. “It’s ridiculous. They were never big. It’s harder and harder to get people into cinemas, because they’re going to see an ‘Avengers’ movie. I do, too. They’re not going to see a small movie that might be upsetting to them.”

As a result, he saw potential in the rise of the streamers. “On platforms, I know these films get watched, because when I talk to our donor population, a lot of them see eccentric stuff they didn’t used to see because it used to come a theater and then it would be gone,” he said. “That’s why documentaries are so hot right now, because people will watch documentaries constantly on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu. That’s where the numbers are. If we actually started counting those numbers, I’d think that independent film is killing more now than it ever did.”

Chris Willard

Notably, Sundance’s 2020 market underscored that confidence. Its biggest sale in history took place with Neon and Hulu jointly acquired the Andy Samberg comedy “Palm Springs,” a playful “Groundhog Dog” riff that used the premise to explore the nature of monogamy. The companies announced the figure for the deal as $17.5 million — and tacked on an additional 69 cents in a cheeky effort to make it a record-setter, ahead of Fox Searchlight’s $17.5 million deal for “Birth of a Nation” in 2016. Cooper wasn’t so sure “Palm Springs” was an obvious hit. “Is that a commercial movie?” he asked. “It’s pretty quirky.”

The question required its director to weigh in. Speaking by phone a few days after the deal closed, “Palm Springs” director Max Barbakow mused on what it felt like to fill the obligatory Sundance breakout mold. “It feels silly and really odd,” he said. “Honestly, all I ever wanted to do was make movies and now there’s this opportunity to do it on a bigger canvas.” He recalled reading about all-night Sundance dealmaking in Peter Biskind’s “Down and Dirty Pictures,” and said, “It’s amazing to be a part of that.” But the theatrical component of his sale was key. “I think the collective experience of that story, seeing that together, really helps,” he said. “It might have more of an impact if you have to go find it before it’s available everywhere.”

Cooper expressed confidence in the potential for Sundance’s breakout potential to continue down the line. “The voices of people who want to get in have gotten louder, which only tells me that Sundance is more important to them,” he said. “When they’re not being loud and dying to get into this festival, that’s a little scary, too.”

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Weinstein rape trial begins with film producer facing up to life in prison

Weinstein rape trial begins with film producer facing up to life in prison

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NEW YORK (Reuters) – Once powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was charged in Los Angeles on Monday on sex crime charges just hours after he appeared in a New York court for the start of his rape trial, which has become a focal point for the #MeToo movement.

Weinstein was charged with sexual assault of two unidentified women in 2013, said Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey. He was charged with raping one woman and sexually assaulting the other.

“We believe the evidence will show that the defendant used his power and influence to gain access to his victims and then commit violent crimes against them,” Lacey said.

Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting two women in New York. He faces life in prison if convicted on the most serious charge, predatory sexual assault.

Donna Rotunno, Weinstein’s lead counsel in New York, declined to comment on the Los Angeles charges, saying she needed more information. A Weinstein spokesman Juda Engelmayer declined to comment.

The charges added to heightened emotions and tension surrounding the trial as jury selection begins on Tuesday.

“L.A. INDICTMENT! Cant breathe,” wrote Rose McGowan, who has accused Weinstein of raping her, on Twitter. “Happy trial day to you, Mr. Weinstein. Welcome to the rest of your life, hope you’ll have as much fun as we have had being in your jail.”

Los Angeles prosecutors said Weinstein and a victim identified as Jane Doe 1 attended a Hollywood film festival on Feb. 17, 2013, according to court papers.

After the woman returned to her hotel room, Weinstein knocked at her door, she let him in and after talking briefly he attacked her and raped her. “Jane Doe 1 alleges that she delayed disclosure of this assault, in part, because the defendant threatened her life if she disclosed,” said a court filing.

The next evening, a woman identified as Jane Doe 2 and an acquaintance of hers went to Weinstein’s hotel room following a business meeting, according to a court filing. The woman unwittingly followed Weinstein into the bathroom and the acquaintance shut the door behind her, according to court documents.

Weinstein stripped naked, took a brief shower, took down Jane Doe 2’s dress and then masturbated before releasing her.

“Each of these victims told at least one person about the assault in 2013. They reported the crimes to police in 2017,” the prosecutor said.

Weinstein faces up to 28 years in California prison if convicted on the charges, Lacey said. Three other cases were being considered for charges, she said.

“Once the defendant’s case is completed in New York, we expect him to appear in a courtroom in Los Angeles County to face these charges,” the Los Angeles prosecutor said.

Film producer Harvey Weinstein departs Criminal Court on the first day of a sexual assault trial in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 6, 2020. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct dating back decades.

Weinstein has denied the allegations, saying any sexual encounters he had were consensual.

Those accusations helped fuel the #MeToo movement, in which hundreds of women have publicly accused powerful men in business, politics, the news media and entertainment of sexual harassment or assault.

Earlier on Monday, Weinstein hobbled in and out of the Manhattan court, aided by a walker and with a member of his team holding his arm as he recovers from recent back surgery.

Judge James Burke ordered Weinstein’s lawyer Rotunno to refrain from talking about witnesses, after she was accused of making degrading and humiliating comments in recent interviews, which she denied.

One of the women Weinstein was charged with assaulting, former production assistant Mimi Haleyi, has said that Weinstein sexually assaulted her in 2006. Prosecutors say Weinstein raped the second woman, who has not been publicly identified, in 2013.

Near the courthouse, the Silence Breakers, a group of Weinstein accusers including actresses Rosanna Arquette and McGowan, held a news conference and waved signs demanding accountability for Weinstein. The beginning of the criminal trial and the new charges “are a clear indication that the risks we took and the consequences we subsequently faced were not in vain,” the group said in a statement.

Weinstein spokesman Engelmayer has said the two women in the New York criminal case had long-term relationships with Weinstein. He said it was prejudicial to conflate the criminal matter with allegations in civil cases or with public grievances he said were lodged by women who were not part of any lawsuit.

Slideshow (28 Images)

“As we stand here at the beginning of a new year and a new decade, time’s up on sexual harassment in all workplaces,” said Arquette, referencing the #TimesUp movement that opposes sexual harassment. “And time’s up on the pervasive culture of silence that has enabled abusers like Weinstein.”

Allegations against Weinstein first were reported in the New York Times and The New Yorker magazine in October 2017.

Days later, actress Alyssa Milano tweeted: “If you’ve ever been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet.”

#MeToo became one of the most used widely used hashtags, viewed 42 billion times in 2019, according to data from Brandwatch, a research firm.

Reporting by Brendan Pierson, Maria Caspani and Gabriella Borter in New York and Jill Serjeant in Los Angeles; Writing by Tom Hals; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool

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The 11 best comic book movies of the 2010s

The 11 best comic book movies of the 2010s

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the avengers

the avengers

The “Avengers” films are based off comic books.

Disney


Numerous comic book films have made waves at the box office and among audiences this past decade, including films like “The Avengers” and “X-Men: First Class.” 

Big name heroes like Batman and the Hulk were a hit, as were more obscure heroes like Deadpool. 

Keep reading to find out the most influential comic book movies from the 2010s. 

11. “X-Men: First Class” (2011) rebooted the entire franchise.

XMEN first class

Michael Fassbender (center) starred in “X-Men: First Class.”

20th Century Fox screengrab


AKA “X-Men: The College Years,” “First Class” had the then-unenviable task of rebooting and reinvigorating the X-Men movie franchise, after 2006’s “X3” proved to be a box office hit but critical and audience disappointment. 

“First Class” exceeded expectations, playing like a James Bond movie from the ’60s (especially Magneto’s first act Nazi hunt) that would recharge the mutants for the better part of another decade before “X-Men: Apocalypse” and “Dark Phoenix” would crater the series once again. Oh, and it pushed a coin through Kevin Bacon’s head in one of the best scenes the genre has ever done. 

10. “Justice League” (2017) features several well-known superheroes.

justice league

“Justice League” was supposed to be DC’s version of “The Avengers.”

Warner Bros.


Warner Bros. and DC’s long-awaited team-up of heroes should have been their “Avengers”-sized hit, but it grossed throughout its entire theatrical run what “Avengers” made in about a week. 

The making-of and behind-the-scenes struggles — Zach Snyder notably left the project, and Joss Whedon stepped in — are the film’s legacy in an increasingly IP-driven Hollywood. While it was a disappointment, “Justice League” significantly altered DC and WB’s cart-before-the-horse franchise planning for their comic book heroes. But in general, “Justice League” all but sent WB back to the drawing board on the future of its comic book heroes and villains.

9. Joaquin Phoenix starred in “Joker” (2019).

joker joaquin phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix received critical acclaim for his role in “Joker.”

Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros.


Who knew the director who gave us “The Hangover” trilogy would deliver one of the most polarizing and groundbreaking comic book movies ever?

Like the fellow R-rated comic book movie “Logan” before it, “Joker” further proves that audiences are willing to pay record-breaking box office dollars for the genre to color outside the lines, even with brushstrokes as violent and nihilistic as Joaquin Phoenix’s gritty Joker. The movie appealed to more than the Comic-Con set, with word-of-mouth propelling it to be the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever. Thanks to that, expect more big swings like this within the comic book genre.

7. “Logan” (2017) paved the way for “Joker.”

logan

Hugh Jackman starred in “Logan.”

Fox


There wouldn’t be a “Joker” without “Logan” — a then-risky gamble (turning a PG-13 character into an R-rated anti-hero on a big-ish blockbuster budget) that paid off with great box office and an Oscar nom. 

James Mangold’s swan song to Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is an R-rated Western hiding out within some of the most successful IP ever. Tapping into the X-Men movies’ well-tread themes of identity and finding purpose from a life spent defending a world that fears and hates you, “Logan” succeeds at finding a corner of the franchise never before explored and investing it with legit drama and big emotional stakes. The end result is a moving, tragic adventure that subverts genre expectations in ways that movie fans should and will be examining for years.

6. “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014) catapulted C-list Marvel characters into the spotlight.

guardians of the galaxy

Chris Pratt (right) starred in “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

Disney/Marvel


Credit must always be given to a movie that turned a talking tree and sentient, gun-toting raccoon into household names.

The Guardians of the Galaxy were, at best, C-List level Marvel characters who became comic book movie all-stars and royalty overnight in August 2014, when writer-director James Gunn offered his instantly iconic vision for the team of misfits forced to team up and do the saving-the-galaxy thing. In doing so, “I am Groot!” became a permanent part of the lexicon, and Marvel proved that the genre had room for a comedy disguised as a four-quadrant action movie, setting the stage for 2017’s “Thor: Ragnarok.” The movie also inspired rivals to find their version of “Guardians” — the success of which no one has been able to replicate since.

5. “Deadpool” (2016) stars Ryan Reynolds.

deadpool ryan reynolds

Ryan Reynolds played a superhero in “Deadpool.”

Marvel/20th Century Fox


Deadpool was the part Ryan Reynolds was born to play. After years of development hell and false starts, Reynolds — along with director Tim Miller — deliver a movie that came at the perfect time to go outside the box Marvel Studios was conditioning audiences to get way too comfortable with. 

Reynolds’ full-tilt, fourth-wall-breaking performance is as refreshing as the movie’s R-rated, fearless interpretation of the material. The beauty of the first “Deadpool” was how effortless it felt, how natural. You knew as you watched that it was a labor of love from a team that had an intense love for the character and an intimate understanding of why fans loved him, too. 

4. “Wonder Woman” (2017) was the first comic book movie with a female lead.

wonder woman

Gal Gadot stars as the title character in “Wonder Woman.”

Warner Bros.


“Wonder Woman” beat Marvel to the punch (literally) with the first comic book movie featuring a female lead. 

Director Patty Jenkins created a heartfelt and action-packed blockbuster, one that takes the Amazonian princess seriously but not too serious — resulting in a movie that’s “All Quiet on the Western Front,” starring a hero who wields a truth lasso and sword. Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman seems to collect one iconic moment after another — especially that WWI trench scene. The timing of its release with #MeToo deservedly on the rise, coupled with audience demand reaching a fever pitch, helped make “Wonder Woman” a movie we needed and deserved. It’s just too bad we had to wait so long for it.

3. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018) is an animated take on a comic book classic.

spider man into the spider verse

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” won an Academy Award.

Sony Pictures Animation


One of the most GIF-able and meme-friendly movies ever made, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” defied expectations with its mashup of comic book styles and animation tropes that pushed the boundaries of both genres to the tune of a best animated feature Oscar win. 

Poking fun at and doubling-down on both the genre and Spider-Man movie tropes with meta references proved to be a crossover hit that resonated with non-comic book movie crowds. The film turned Miles Morales’ Spidey into a household name, with his “anyone can wear the mask” credo serving as inspiration for any person in the theater struggling with the same issues of self and identity. This, in concert with the soundtrack’s perfect needle drops and effortless balance of varying tones and animation styles, stick with you long after the end credits roll. 

2. “The Avengers” (2012) was a major blockbuster hit.

avengers

Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johansson starred in “Avengers.”

Disney


To quote a rival DC film, “The Avengers” changed things forever. Writer-director Joss Whedon’s monster hit was the first team-up movie between our favorite Marvel heroes — one comic book fans have dreamed about for decades. The wait was worth it, as this blockbuster did not disappoint. While not a perfect film, it has plenty of perfect and great moments in it. And it sparked Hollywood’s arms race to raid their IP for similar team-ups, especially for DC Comics and WB.

If it wasn’t for “The Avengers,” we never would’ve gotten “Batman vs. Superman” or “Justice League” or Universal’s killed-in-the-womb Monsterverse that died with 2017’s “The Mummy.” All of those movies wanted Marvel’s success without doing the necessary legwork to earn it. And none of them came close to being as good as “Avengers” is in its worst scene.

1. “Black Panther” (2018) broke barriers in more ways than one.

black panther

“Black Panther” was released in 2018.

Marvel Studios


The first comic book movie to be nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards, “Black Panther is a movie experience unlike any other. Director and co-writer Ryan Coogler (“Creed”) and his production team (some of which would win deserved Oscars) achieve a level of dense but inviting world-building not seen since “Avatar,” but much more welcoming and successful than that James Cameron blockbuster.

Kevin Feige’s Marvel assembly line approach wisely, seemingly, stepped back and let Coogler and company do its thing, turning “Black Panther” into a pop-culture event that challenged Hollywood’s narrow belief that movies led by mostly African-American casts don’t travel internationally with great success at the box office. It opened the door for future, similar projects to get the greenlight and challenged what the genre can do. 

This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author(s).

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Barack Obama just shared his 21 favorite movies and shows from 2019

Barack Obama just shared his 21 favorite movies and shows from 2019

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barack obama

barack obama

Former President of the United States, Barack Obama, watches on during the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 20, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina.


Streeter Lecka/Getty Images


  • Former President Barack Obama continued his year-end tradition by tweeting out his favorite movies of 2019. 
  • The list included 21 movies and select television shows that Obama “considered as powerful as movies.”
  • Some have become household names as the year’s biggest smash-hits, and some were lesser-known features. 
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Former President Barack Obama tweeted out a list of his favorite movies and select television shows from 2019.

The annual list included 21 of the president’s top recommendations, which spanned historical dramas, teenaged comedy, and documentaries. The movies and television shows covered just as broad of a range of topics as the book recommendations he posted on day earlier. 

Check out the full list. 

“American Factory”

american factory


Screenshot via YouTube


First was a film from Obama’s own production company, Higher Ground, which was launched in Spring 2018 and announced earlier this year that it was developing seven movies with Netflix.  

“Amazing Grace”

Amazing Grace Aretha Franklin documentary NEON

“Amazing Grace” is a documentary about Aretha Franklin.

Neon


This documentary captures the January 1972 live recording of Aretha Franklin’s album of the same name, which she sung accompanied by a gospel choir at The New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles.

“Apollo 11”

Apollo 11 Neon Documentary

Todd Douglas Miller directed the “Apollo 11” documentary.

Neon


This documentary presents an inside look at the July 1969 Apollo 11 mission to land an American craft on the moon, featuring archive footage of figures like commander Neil Armstrong and pilots Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.

“Ash is Purest White”

ash is purest white


Cohen Media Group


This dramatic tale of crime and romance features a “story of violent love” over the course of a 16-year period, according to IMDB.

“Atlantics”

atlantics movie


Netflix


This supernatural drama centers on a suburb of Dakar, where workers flee the grinding construction of a futuristic tower for a better future, with some finding love along the way.

“Birds of Passage”

birds of passage movie


The Orchard


Amid the explosion of drug trafficking in Colombia, an indigenous family enters the tragic war for more control of the trade in this thriller.

“Booksmart”

halloween booksmart (1)


United Artists Releasing


Two studious but sheltered high school students decide to let loose on the eve of their graduation day in this coming-of-age tale.

“Diane”

diane movie


IFC Films


The character who shares her name with the movie’s title “fills her days helping others and desperately attempting to bond with her drug-addicted son” in this drama, according to IMDB.

“The Farewell”

The Farewell movie


Big Beach Films


This lighthearted drama follows a Chinese family who discovers that their matriarch has only a short while left to live, and some relatives’ struggle to keep their grandmother in the dark as they gather for a wedding before her expected death. 

Season 2 of “Fleabag”

phoebe waller bridge fleabag


Amazon


In the second installment of this smash-hit British series adapted from an award-winning play, a jaded Londoner deals with family drama and a forbidden crush. 

“Ford v Ferrari”

ford v ferrari


Merrick Morton/20th Century Fox


This historical drama presents the struggle to build a revolutionary Ford race car that would race a Ferrari at the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“The Irishman”

the irishman netflix


Netflix


Robert De Niro stars as Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran, a truck driver turned hitman in this retrospective on the Bufalino crime family in the 1950s.

“Just Mercy”

michael b jordan jamie foxx just mercy


Warner Bros.


This biographical drama follows civil rights defense attorney and activist Bryan Stevenson’s efforts to free a wrongly condemned death row prisoner, a poor black man in Alabama.

“The Last Black Man in San Francisco”

the last black man in san francisco


The Last Black Man in San Francisco / A24


A man is joined by his best friend in his dream of reclaiming his grandfather’s Victorian home that stands in the heart of San Francisco in this drama that captures family and loss. 

“Little Women”

little women


Columbia Pictures


This is the latest interpretation of the classic tale that follows four sisters and their coming of age in a modest home in the aftermath of the Civil War.

“Marriage Story”

marriage story netflix


Netflix


This drama follows a stage director and an actor, played by Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, through a miserable divorce. 

“Parasite”

Ki jung Kim (So dam Park) and Ki woo Park (Woo sik Choi) in Parasite. Courtesy of NEON + CJ Entertainment

“Parasite” is a genre-defying movie about two families in South Korea.

Neon/CJ Entertainment


This dark comedy explores themes of class and greed in a thrilling story.

“The Souvenir”

the souvenir movie


Screenshot via YouTube


This romantic drama follows a young film student’s turbulent relationship with an older, complicated, and untrustworthy man.

“Transit”

transit movie


Music Box Films


This thriller follows a man attempting to escape Nazi-occupied France who “falls in love with the wife of a dead author whose identity he has assumed,” according to IMDB.

“Unbelievable”

Unbelievable Netflix series

“When teenager Marie Adler (Kaitlyn Dever) files a police report claiming she’s been sexually assaulted by an intruder in her home, the investigating detectives, as well as the people closest to her, come to doubt the truth of her story.”

Netflix


This Netflix series builds on true events to follow a young girl who is accused of lying about rape, and the detectives that trace the case’s close similarities to another attack. 

“Watchmen”

watchmen

Regina King as Angela Abraham on “Watchmen.”

Mark Hill/HBO


The smash-hit HBO series offers a new interpretation on the legendary DC comic, with Regina King as a cop up against racists and vigilantes. 

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All of Disney’s animated princess movies, ranked by audiences

All of Disney’s animated princess movies, ranked by audiences

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disney princess movies ranked by audiences

disney princess movies ranked by audiences

Not all of Disney’s princess-centric movies have been a hit with audiences.
Walt Disney Pictures


  • Disney has been creating princess-centric movies for over 80 years, but some are more beloved than others. 
  • “Frozen II” (2019) is the only sequel on the list to make it to the big screen and it’s the highest-rated princess film for audiences. 
  • All of the direct-to-video sequels are on the bottom half of the list with low audience rankings.
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Disney has been releasing animated, princess-centric films for decades — but some are far more beloved than others. 

Here are all of Disney’s animated princess films, ranked by audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

Note: Audience scores were up to date as of publication but are subject to change. 

In “Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World” (1998), Pocahontas travels to England.

Most viewers weren’t impressed with this movie.
Walt Disney Pictures


Audience Score: 29%

Pocahontas returns in this sequel, where she travels to England to stop a war from happening. 

Overall, audiences weren’t thrilled with this direct-to-video movie, saying that it “lacks the charm and visual delight of the first film.”

“Cinderella II: Dreams Come True” (2002) is comprised of three short stories.

cinderella ii

Fairy Godmother reads stories in the film.
Walt Disney Pictures


Audience Score: 32%

Created nearly 50 years after the original “Cinderella” (1950), this movie is composed of three short stories about Cinderella’s struggle to adjust to life as a royal, her mouse’s wish to be a human, and her stepsister’s journey to find love.

Many viewers wished the movie centered around Cinderella instead of telling three separate stories.

And one audience member summed up this sequel as being “completely harmless, completely watchable, and completely unmemorable.”

“Mulan II” (2004) forces Mulan to reflect on her strong values.

Mulan 2

Most audience members had issues with the plot.
Walt Disney Pictures


Audience Score: 43%

Mulan and her warrior friends escort princesses to their weddings to bring peace between their home countries, but along the way, she discovers they are all being forced into arranged marriages that go against Mulan’s values.

Audiences had mixed feelings about this sequel. Many of them loved this new tale, while others felt strongly that it didn’t quite live up to the first. 

One viewer wrote, “Even though ‘Mulan II’ does not have enough action as the original has, it still has great characters and a great story.”

“The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea” (2000) shows Ariel’s daughter turn into a mermaid.

The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea

Audiences thought the plot was unoriginal.
Walt Disney Pictures


Audience Score: 45%

This sequel follows Ariel’s daughter as she makes a deal with an evil sea witch to become a mermaid. 

Although some fans enjoyed this sequel, many found the plot unoriginal from its predecessor.

As one audience member wrote, “‘Little Mermaid 2’ is not a perfect sequel and definitely inferior to the first. It is, as fans complain, the same story backwards.”

Belle tries to get the Beast into the Christmas spirit in “Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas” (1997).

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas

Reviewers didn’t think this film was as magical as the original.
Walt Disney Pictures


Audience Score: 56%

Taking place before the spell is broken at the end of “Beauty and the Beast” (1991), Belle and the enchanted objects try to get the Beast into the Christmas spirit as an evil pipe organ tries to foil their plans.

Audiences generally agree that this flashback movie is missing much of the magic from the original.

One reviewer wrote, “It brings back the same great voice actors but with far inferior animation, miserable unfunny humor, and simplified characterizations that remove all the subtlety of the first movie’s romance”

“The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning” (2008) is a prequel to the events in the original “The Little Mermaid.”

the little mermaid three ariels beginning

Audiences weren’t really charmed by this sequel.
Walt Disney Pictures


Audience Score: 56%

In this prequel, Ariel’s father King Triton has banned music from their kingdom, which places a strain on their relationship. Ariel then goes on a quest to bring music back to everyone’s lives. 

Fans enjoyed learning Ariel’s origin story, but felt the film boring and that it lacked “the charm and wit of the original.”

“Cinderella III: A Twist in Time” (2007) shows what would have happened if the glass slipper didn’t fit Cinderella.

cinderella iii a twist in time

For audiences, this is considered to be one of the better Disney princess sequels.
Walt Disney Pictures


Audience Score: 61%

Cinderella’s stepmother steals the fairy godmother’s wand and sends them all back in time to the night of the prince’s ball. In this new timeline, the glass slipper fits her stepsister’s foot instead. 

Many audience members felt this was one of the best Disney princess sequels out there.

One reviewer wrote, “Providing an accurate backstory on its original, and developing its characters in honest emotion, ‘Cinderella III,’ while it has its corny moments, is still a rare gem in Disney’s line of DVD sequels.”

A young Native American girl and a British settler fall in love in “Pocahontas” (1995).

pocahontas

Some viewers couldn’t get over the “dull” plot.
Disney/”Pocahontas”


Audience Score: 64%

The Algonquin chief’s daughter Pocahontas secretly meets and falls in love with a British settler, which puts their people at odds. The pair must show their groups that they’re all more similar than they might think.

Audiences loved the music and animation style, but felt the historical inaccuracies and slow-moving and “dull” plot overshadowed its redeeming qualities. 

A girl and a prince turn into frogs in “The Princess and the Frog” (2009).

princess and the frog

Many reviewers thought Princess Tiana was awesome.
Disney Studios


Audience Score: 74%

Thanks to voodoo magic, a girl and a prince are both turned into frogs. While they figure out how to reverse the spell, the frogs meet a host of musical creatures along the way. 

Fans found the plot to be refreshing as it shows the princess working hard to make her dreams come true.

One reviewer wrote, “Loved everything from the music to the visuals to the story. Tiana is a strong female lead and a great role model.”

A girl defies her family for what she feels is right in “Brave” (2012).

brave, merida

This is a Pixar film.
Disney and Pixar Animation Studios/”Brave”


Audience Score: 76%

After defying her family’s outdated traditions, a princess seeks help from an old witch that turns her mother into a bear. 

Audiences mostly enjoyed this movie for its unique storyline.

One fan wrote, “A daring, original narrative from Disney/Pixar that isn’t as gripping as other films but still has enough sentiment and charm to keep audiences smiling.”

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937) is about a princess escaping her evil stepmother.

snow white

Viewers mostly enjoyed the film even though they felt it was outdated.
Disney


Audience Score: 78%

A princess is forced away from her home by her stepmother and finds solace in the cottage of seven small men. When her stepmother realizes that Snow White is still alive, she plots to kill her. 

This was the first fully animated feature film created by Walt Disney Animation Studios, and audiences believe it mostly stands the test of time.

One reviewer explained, “While outdated by modern standards, Snow White manages to charm and delight its viewers with its charismatic lead, wickedly antagonizing villain, and strong supporting cast of characters.” 

A girl becomes a princess for just one night in “Cinderella” (1950).

cinderella fairy godmother dress

The story of “Cinderella” has been retold dozens of times.
Disney


Audience Score: 80%

When invitations to the royal ball arrive, Cinderella’s fairy godmother appears to ensure she has a beautiful gown and slippers to attend in hopes that she’ll meet the prince.

Although they enjoyed the film, audiences felt the movie focused too much on Cinderella’s animal friends and not enough on developing the human characters. 

As one reviewer wrote, “While Cinderella is a viable and compelling heroine, the film focused more on the relationship between rodents and felines at the expense of the film’s central romantic interests.”

“Sleeping Beauty” (1959) is about a girl who is saved after falling into a cursed slumber.

Sleeping beauty disneyscreencaps.com 3075

The film is centered around Princess Aurora.
Disney


Audience Score: 80%

An evil fairy places a spell on Princess Aurora that causes her to fall into a deep sleep. Her prince must battle evil forces to awaken her.

Overall, fans praised the Disney classic for its “stunning animation” and impressive soundtrack. 

In “Mulan” (1998), a girl disguises herself as a man to join the army and help her father.

mulan father

“Mulan” tells a story of bravery.
Disney


Audience Score: 85%

A young girl disguises herself as a man to take her father’s place in a military draft and, with the help of her dragon, she works with the other soldiers to battle the Huns. 

Generally, audiences enjoyed seeing a strong female character as the lead.

One reviewer wrote, “‘Mulan’ is groundbreaking in its portrayal of women in animation, helped by an instant classic of a soundtrack, likable characters and important themes for families.”

Two sisters must break an icy spell in “Frozen” (2013).

Elsa Let it Go Frozen Disney

Elsa singing “Let it Go” in the first “Frozen” movie.
Disney


Audience Score: 85%

When Queen Elsa loses control over her magical ice powers and freezes her kingdom over, her sister Anna believes she’s the only one who can reach her sister and break the spell.

Overall, fans loved “Frozen” for its catchy songs and touching plot.

One fan wrote, “Perhaps one of Disney’s absolute masterpieces. Beautiful and believable story of love between two siblings who stick together and don’t give up on one another no matter what.”

A girl finds freedom and love in “Tangled” (2010).

Tangled

Critics enjoyed the film slightly more than audiences did.
Disney Studios


Audience Score: 87%

Rapunzel escapes the grasp of the old woman who kidnapped her with the help of an outlaw who stumbled into her tower.

Fans mostly agreed that this retelling of a classic fairytale is a hit, especially due to its impressive visuals and “amazing songs.”

A mermaid becomes a human in “The Little Mermaid” (1989).

little mermaid

Many songs from the film are famous.
Disney


Audience Score: 88%

A young mermaid becomes a human when she makes a trade with a witch. She must make a prince fall in love with her or else she’ll lose her voice forever and become the witch’s prisoner.

Audiences loved just about everything in this classic Disney princess movie, especially praising its “catchy music” and great cast of voices. 

“Moana” (2016) is about a girl traveling across the ocean to discover her past.

Moana scared in Tamatoa cave

The song has been praised for its animation.

Disney


Audience Score: 89%

Moana goes on an epic journey across the ocean to discover her ancestors’ connection to it and ultimately save her island and her family. 

Fans applauded the film’s animation and especially appreciated its humor and well-timed jokes.

One reviewer wrote, “Beautiful animation, great characters, and knee-slapping jokes makes this one of the best Disney movies of recent years.”

A girl is locked in beast’s castle in “Beauty and the Beast” (1991).

The Beast and Belle Beauty and the Beast

Fans and critics agree that this film is a classic for a reason.
Disney


Audience Score: 92%

A girl is locked in a castle by a cursed beast who must make her fall in love with him in order to break the spell.

Audiences and critics both agreed that “Beauty and the Beast” is quite a masterpiece.

As one fan wrote, “Outstanding. Engaging all the way through, and every song is a hit on its own.”

In “Aladdin” (1992), a boy teams up with a genie to make his wishes come true.

Aladdin jasmine carpet ride

Disney also has a live-action remake of the film.
Disney


Audience Score: 92% 

A boy living on the streets on a kingdom finds a genie in a magic lamp, and tries to use his three wishes to woo the princess and become a prince. 

Fans loved this movie overall but especially enjoyed Robin Williams’ performance as the Genie.

“Frozen 2” (2019) shows how Elsa got her icy powers.

frozen 2 elsa anna

Critics preferred the first film, though.

Walt Disney Animation Studios/YouTube


Audience Score: 92%

In Disney’s newest princess movie, the two sisters return to discover their family’s secret past and figure out how Elsa gained her icy powers.

Although critics didn’t like this film as much as the original, fans loved this continuation of the “Frozen” story.

As one reviewer wrote, “It’s more mature than the first ‘Frozen,’ with so much depth to the characters, their motivations, songs, and story arcs.”

Read More:

Every Disney movie remake so far, ranked by audiences

All of Disney’s animated princess movies, ranked by critics

How ‘Cinderella’ has changed over time, from animated classics to live-action remakes

10 of the best and 10 of the worst animated Disney movies of all time

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Bad Boys for Life is the year’s first pleasant surprise

Bad Boys for Life is the year’s first pleasant surprise

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The worst thing about Bad Boys for Life is that it is not heralded with a chart-topping rap collab between Nelly, P. Diddy, and Murphy Lee. The era of the St. Lunatics is firmly behind us. The era for Bad Boys seemed to be as well. But 17 years after Bad Boys II, Bad Boys for Life returns to Miami, where the boys remain bad even though they are both at the age where, as someone awkwardly says in the film, they’re trying to be “good… men.” And you know what? It works.

Bad Boys for Life catches up with its heroes Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) at what should be the end of their careers. Burnett’s now a grandpa, and wants to retire. Lowrey, however, still wants to be a Bad Boy: taking down criminals, preferably like a badass, and never settling down romantically. But when someone tries to assassinate Lowrey, the two have no choice but to get back in the game and crack some skulls.

Unfortunately for them, they’ve got company. The charmingly named AMMO squad is Miami PD’s elite team that specializes in high-tech tactics for bringing down high-profile criminals. While clearly designed as a bid to build a Fast & Furious style “family” around Lowrey and Burnett (and bring in younger stars like Vanessa Hudgens and Riverdale’s Charles Melton), the conceit works. Headed up by Rita (Paola Núñez), AMMO is the primary way by which the film homes in on its obvious-but-effective conceit: Lowrey and Burnett are old. And they aren’t just old, they’re exhausting.

Bad Boys For Life is like a less self-aware Hot Fuzz, a movie about how much of a pain in the ass it is to be cops who work with wannabe action heroes. Lowrey in particular is hotheaded in a way that would be troubling if he were played by anyone other than Will Smith: bloodthirsty, reckless, and self-interested to the point where he’s almost entirely unlikable. Smith’s excessive and undeniable charm is the only reason Lowrey works at all, and even then it’s barely enough because Will Smith, like Mike Lowrey, isn’t the firebrand he used to be. Current slang doesn’t roll off his tongue as naturally, and these days the lusty reckless cop act suits him poorly. Martin Lawrence, though? He’s perfect, and when the two of them find a groove — like an extended bit where the two merely sit on a plane and razz each other for several minutes — it’s still fun to watch.

Unfortunately, the new faces are underutilized. Its villains, the mother-son team of Isabel Aretas (Kate del Castillo) and Armando Armas (Jacob Scipio) are terrific but surprisingly absent; they barely appear in the movie’s second act. The AMMO squad is fun, but seems to waste Hudgens and Melton, two actors who are likely capable of leading a spinoff film. None of this ruins the movie, it just might’ve been the difference between good and great.

Bad Boys for Life is admirable in its lack of ambition. It’s here to serve action and comedy in roughly proportionate amounts, with big set pieces that are just thrilling enough to hook you and jokes that are just funny enough for you to hope no one dies.

If, reading all this, you think that Bad Boys for Life might be benefiting from low expectations, you’d be right! January has long been a dumping ground for bad movies, and no one has been clamoring for a new Bad Boys film (although if you have, there are plenty of callbacks just for you). But Bad Boys for Life is doing something I deeply appreciate, something that only the Fast & Furious films attempt, despite their tremendous success: making an action movie for brown folks.

I like having a big movie every year that I can watch with a solid hip-hop / urbana soundtrack, where the fades are tight, crisp white Nikes are standard issue, and dudes who look like my uncle chew scenery alongside reggaeton stars (or, in the case of Nicky Jam, reggaeton stars who look like my uncle). Movies where performative masculinity is taken to cartoonish lengths, and women cut them down several pegs while also kicking ass on their own. Movies that end with a cookout and cheap imported beer, you know what I mean? Bad Boys for Life is that movie, and if you’ve got a need for one, it’ll do the job.

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Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker echoes a familiar Lucasfilm classic: Indiana Jones

Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker echoes a familiar Lucasfilm classic: Indiana Jones

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star-wars-episode-9-rise-of-skywalker-first-teaser-4

Rey and the gang.


Lucasfilm

The Force Awakens remixed A New Hope. The Last Jedi borrowed from Empire Strikes Back. Now, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker draws inspiration from a George Lucas movie of the past. But not Return of the Jedi. Nope. For some reason, and I really don’t know why, Rise of Skywalker is clearly indebted to … Indiana Jones.

spoilers-starwars

I can see why J.J. Abrams and the creators of the new trilogy drew on the original trilogy. Relaunching such a popular series is a tough burden to take on, so of course you’re going to mine the source for inspiration. But The Force Awakens went a bit far, blow-by-blow rehashing A New Hope’s Force-sensitive nobody stuck on a desert planet tale beat for beat. Luckily vibrant new characters like Rey, Poe, Finn and Kylo Ren elevated the flick beyond its derivative story.

For the second in the new trilogy, writer and director Rian Johnson also looked back to the originals. He borrowed the structure of The Empire Strikes Back, splitting up the characters on missions to a shady city where betrayal lurks and a remote planet for Jedi lessons. But unlike Abrams, Johnson used this structure as a springboard to audaciously twist the story in bold and exciting new directions.

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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Official Trailer (2019)



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Now the new trilogy wraps up with Rise of Skywalker. Abrams is back in charge, working on a story credited to him and Chris Terrio, Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow. Following the pattern, you might expect they’d look to Return of the Jedi for some saga-ending parallels.

And yes, Palpatine is the main villain. Lando Calrissian takes charge of the Millennium Falcon. It all builds to a combined ground assault and space attack as the Death Star looms. There’s even a couple of Ewoks!

But that’s not the only early-1980s Lucasfilm movie starring Harrison Ford that influences the story of Rise of Skywalker. I first noticed something was up in the sequence where Chewbacca is loaded onto a troop transport that promptly explodes. I spotted it immediately: that’s the Marion truck gag from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

gettyimages-607390532

Harrison Ford and Karen Allen in a sequence of Raiders of the Lost Ark homaged in Rise of Skywalker.


Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

So I knew Chewie wasn’t really dead, just like Marion survived when the truck in which she was imprisoned blew up in Raiders.

Next thing you know, Poe Dameron in his brown outfit seek out his embittered ex in a sketchy bar in a snowbound mountain town while villains lurk in the shadows. It’s exactly like Indy running into his angry ex Marion in her Nepalese tavern in Raiders.

The adventures of action archaeologist Indiana Jones shared DNA with Star Wars from the very start. 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, directed by Steven Spielberg, was based on a concept cooked up by Star Wars supremo George Lucas. The script was written by Lawrence Kasdan, who co-wrote The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. John Williams did the instantly recognisable music for both sets of films, among various cast and crew members who worked on the two series. There’s even a wealth of Star Wars references hidden throughout the Indiana Jones films, including hieroglyphs depicting C-3PO and R2-D2 on the set of Raiders, and Temple of Doom‘s Club Obi-Wan.

Once I’d noticed it, I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark parallels everywhere in Rise of Skywalker. Our heroes search for a mysterious relic across deserts and into subterranean caves. They’re guided by an inscription on an ancient relic, which reveals a secret location when it’s lined up with an ageing ruin. They fall into a pit with a snake. There’s even a scene where Rey leans close to examine an artefact, mirroring the famous moment when Indiana Jones squares up to a golden idol sitting on a pedestal. In both cases, swiping the trophy activates a trap.

And that bit where Pryde unexpectedly blasts Hux before turning to the camera? That’s just like the famous moment when Indy unceremoniously dispatched a swordsman. 100 per cent Raiders.

gettyimages-607390382

Indy isn’t thinking about healing this snake’s wounds.


Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

Finally, Rise of Skywalker ends in a dank cavern where the forces unleashed by the main villain are turned back on him, melting his head in the process.

See? Raiders all the way.

Clearly this can’t be coincidence. Sure, lots of films and TV shows send their characters off hunting ancient artifacts in caverns, and such plots can be described as just being a bit Indiana Jones-y without meaning they’re a direct rip-off. But Rise of Skywalker lifts — sorry, homages — entire beats from Raiders. The Chewie truck thing is exactly the same, the world of Kijimi is designed to look exactly like Marion’s Nepal, and the Emperor’s whole damn face melts off!

What does this mean? I’ve no idea. All I know is, after the criticism of Force Awakens’ derivativeness in rehashing A New Hope, Abrams and co. skilfully avoided the obvious trap of ripping off another Star Wars movie. Great job, guys!

Originally published Dec. 18. 

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‘Star Trek: Picard’: Everything You Need to Watch Before the New CBS Series

‘Star Trek: Picard’: Everything You Need to Watch Before the New CBS Series

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One funny thing about Star Trek obsessives is that the rules of the fandom oblige them to understand and accept people who aren’t Star Trek obsessives. Infinite diversity in infinite combination is written into their bumpy-foreheaded, triple-stranded DNA. (Thanks a lot, Vulcans!) It’s also true, though, that on-ramping to Trek ain’t easy. With decades of content in the can, the makers of every new Star Trek show fret about appealing to newbies. With Star Trek: Picard premiering on January 23 on the streaming service CBS All Access, the problem is even more acute—lots of never-Trekkers love Patrick Stewart, revisiting here his role as Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek: The Next Generation years. Lots of people love the season-one showrunner Michael Chabon, author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay as well as a moving New Yorker article that closed the door forever on “tear-jerking essays about Star Trek and fathers and sons.” (Thanks a lot, Chabon.)

The trailers for Picard look good. Sci-fi TV has gotten better and better-looking since TNG ended in 1994. Stewart’s an ace. And nerds and the nerd-adjacent are going to be watercoolering about this thing. But judging by advance press, the show is gonna be allusive. So the question is, can a person who hasn’t engaged with Trek’s five decades of TV and movies still climb aboard? As someone who is the other kind of person—which is to say, a person who has watched all the Star Trek—I’m here to help. Yes. The answer is yes.

At one level, it’s not that complicated. Three decades ago, Picard led a close-knit crew on a spaceship. They had problem-solving, intellectualized adventures with laser guns, go-fast rockets, and aliens. That’s all you really need. Don’t worry about the silly names. (“Phasers” are ray guns, “warp drive” is rockets, “communicators” are phones.)

At another level … whoooo. OK. See, when Next Generation premiered in 1987, fans had only known one kind of captain—James T. Kirk, a swaggering cowboy, something of a Cold Space Warrior in a two-front fight against the aggressive Klingons and the inscrutable Romulans, and a pansexual adventurer who never didn’t have time to chase alien orifice. (This is all canon!) Picard was a change. Older and more measured, he was a stalwart defender of the nonviolent, inclusive ideals of the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet, the organizations he worked for, even when his bosses weren’t. Kirk never met a spaceship he didn’t want to shoot at; Picard fretted about the pronunciation of diplomatic greetings. The actor who played Kirk, William Shatner, was a journeyman TV professional with two of the best episodes of Twilight Zone on his résumé; Stewart was a trained Shakespearean with a typical Brit actor’s filmography—high art interspersed with an occasional Excalibur or Dune.

Like a lot of actors who get pulled into Trek’s orbit, Stewart came to see beyond the obsessive fandom and silly techno-babble. Somewhere around the third season, which is when Trek shows generally find their footing (if they ever do), he turned avuncular gravitas into a philosophical conscience. Partially that’s because Stewart can deliver one hell of a monologue, a skill on which the writers leaned hard, but whether through self-examination or just plain good acting, Stewart managed to transcend dopey sci-fi TV convention and convey—sometimes with just a gesture or a glance—lessons about leadership, family, and integrity. Here are a dozen hours of video, all gettable on various streaming services, that prove it.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: ‘The Measure of a Man’

Where to Stream: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access

A scientist’s order, backed by Starfleet, that Picard’s android science officer Data turn himself in for dissection and eventual replication provides the opportunity for one of TNG’s favorite tropes: a courtroom episode. As counsel for the defense, Picard sums up sentience, intelligence, and the meaning of life and freedom. (“The Measure of a Man” will also give you a sense of Data, played by Brent Spiner, and first officer William Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes—both of whom show up on Picard.)

Star Trek: The Next Generation: ‘Who Watches the Watchers’

Where to Stream: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access

Starfleet’s Prime Directive is one of noninterference when it comes to cultures without the ability to build spaceships that fly faster than the speed of light—the warp drive. Gotta let ’em develop without interference. Kirk honored that directive more in the breach, but after an accident reveals the Enterprise’s existence to a pre-warp culture, Picard shows he’s willing to die to correct the mistake and defend the principle.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: ‘Family’

Where to Stream: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access

The finale of season 3 and the premiere of season 4 were a two-parter called “The Best of Both Worlds,” culminating years of setup for an invasion of the Federation by collectivized zombie alien cyborgs called the Borg. As part of that attack, the Borg kidnap Picard and cyborg-alien-zombify him into leading their assault … which is all you really need to know to understand this episode, which deals with Picard’s PTSD and culpability in the disastrous war. It also shows Federation-era Earth, the family that Picard essentially gave up on to go to space, leaving a vineyard very much like the one where Picard picks him up (if it’s not Chateau Picard itself).

Star Trek: The Next Generation: ‘Darmok’

Where to Stream: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access

One of Trek’s genius elisions is the Universal Translator, which does exactly what’s on the label for almost every alien Starfleet runs into. In this episode, the translator works, but still doesn’t allow communication—because the aliens of the week speak entirely in metaphor and cultural references. (“Mirab, his sails unfurled!” Like, what the hell is that?) I can’t do better than Ian Bogost’s Atlantic article “Shaka, When the Walls Fell” at explaining why that’s awesome, but this episode also challenges (and ultimately rewards) Picard’s commitment to communication and diplomacy rather than pew-pew.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: ‘The First Duty’

Where to Stream: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access

Among the weird Trek decisions that the movie Galaxy Quest expertly parodied was putting a kid in one of the Enterprise’s driving seats. That kid was Wesley Crusher, played by Wil Wheaton, and his evolution was another series-long thread. In this episode Wesley, about to graduate from space school, has been involved in a fatal accident. It’s another courtroom episode, but it also gets at Picard’s pre-Enterprise life, and the Picardian monologue clarifies the key difference between the science-y, traditional American self-improvement values of Trek from, say, the magico-romantic chosen-one narratives of Star Wars. “The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth. Whether it’s scientific truth, or historical truth, or personal truth. It is the guiding principle upon which Starfleet is based,” Picard says. “If you can’t find it within yourself to stand up and tell the truth about what happened you don’t deserve to wear that uniform.”

Star Trek: The Next Generation: ‘I, Borg’

Where to Stream: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access

The crew of the Enterprise find a wounded Borg—individuals are called “drones”—and, despite their enmity, nurse him back to health. As the Borg starts to regain his individuality, taking the name Hugh, Picard and his wise bartender Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg; yes, I know, and she’s great) debate the ethics of using Hugh to carry a genocidal computer virus back to the aliens. They don’t, and Hugh rejoins the Borg, eventually (in later episodes) leading a rebel offshoot. As episodes go, this one is perfectly fine, but Hugh, played by Jonathan Del Arco, also shows up in Picard, apparently. So this is him.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: ‘Inner Light’

Where to Stream: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access

A mysterious probe shows up and shoots Picard—pew pew! And then … it ain’t Trek anymore. Picard wakes up on a distant planet, his own memories intact, with everyone around him recognizing him as someone else. In a typical episode that wasn’t almost six years in with a Stewart in full flourish, Picard would find a computer, figure out he was stuck in a simulation or a mind game, and bust out. Here, none of that happens. And Picard eventually just lives his new life. For years. I’m not going to tell you anything else about this except it’ll make you cry.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: ‘Chain of Command Part II’

Where to Stream: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access

In part I of this two-parter, Picard gets involved in some covert military shenanigans fighting aliens called the Cardassians. Doesn’t really matter what’s what, except that he gets taken captive. His vicious interrogator is another British actor who’d been around forever, David Warner, and despite the requisite funny forehead, Warner brings the same courtly evil to the part that he did to Jack the Ripper in Time After Time, Sark in Tron, and, well, Evil in Time Bandits. Warner and Stewart lock their jaws onto the scenery, and Picard’s will remains (almost) indomitable.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: ‘Starship Mine’

Where to Stream: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access

Die Hard on the Enterprise. Picard goes into action-movie action more often than you’d expect for a thespian on the mature side of 50—I’ve still never really bought him being able to defeat a Klingon in hand-to-hand combat, honestly. Here, for science-fiction reasons, Picard is alone on the ship while a crew of thieves try to steal a valuable and dangerous space MacGuffin, and he has to rely on his guts, stunts, and knowledge of the ship to beat them.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: ‘All Good Things’

Where to Stream: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access

Is it cheating to recommend the series finale? Eh, probably, but it’s a great Picard-centered two-parter that, thanks to time travel, links the series’ debut with one possible future. It’s also a better two hours of Trek than most Trek movies, and gets at the drive Picard has to solve problems and the evolution of his relationship with his crew. Also, since it’s where the universe left off with Jean-Luc, it’s a satisfying bridge (sorry) to Picard.

Star Trek: First Contact

Where to Stream: Amazon, YouTube

The Trek movies have only rarely had the spirit of the TV show—an interesting difference between the narrative demands of hundreds of hours of television versus, back then, the self-contained two hours of a film. First Contact comes as close as any of the movies have, though, recapitulating the entertaining relationship stuff but adding hot outer-space action and turning the Borg into a credible epic-movie threat. Picard’s PTSD and guilt from “Family” are his motivation here, not entirely to his credit, and watching Stewart work all that character stuff out while hefting a phaser rifle is the fun part.

Star Trek: Voyager: ‘Relativity’

Where to Stream: Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access

The woman with blond hair and Borg-ish implants who also shows up in Picard is Seven of Nine, a Borg drone who gets re-individualized on Star Trek: Voyager, two TV shows down the line from TNG. Voyager followed the adventures of the eponymous starship, lost a zillion light years from Earth and trying to get home. (It was in some ways the prototype for the next job of one of its writers, rebooting Battlestar Galactica). Seven of Nine joined Voyager in its fourth season in the Spock/Data job, arching eyebrows at human foibles and acting as both a source of and target for exposition. But Jeri Ryan, who played the part, brought more to it; her sense of humor managed to escape her character’s corset and facial-expression-dampening prosthetics, as in this episode, where multiple versions of herself travel through time to solve a mystery. The plot’s light, but it’ll give you a sense of how Ryan plays the not-quite-human Seven, coping with her own guilt and trauma about the roles she played in Borg militarism.

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