At this point in his career, just the wordsChristopher Nolanevoke a specific type of movie: a huge scale, a twisty plot, and a sure-handed approach to both action and drama. Beyond these distinct stylistic and narrative touches, Nolan’s films often feature characters who become programmed in some fundamental way. Nolan sets these characters on narrative paths which raise questions about free will versus predetermination. From the amnesiac Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) inMemento, to the nameless Protagonist (John David Washington) inTenet, Nolan often uses his characters to explore the area between choice and fate in compelling and unexpected ways....

[Editor’s note: The following containsspoilersforWonder Woman 1984.] Wonder Woman 1984has a villain problem. Specifically, it has a Barbara Minerva problem. The way in which the DCEU sequel to 2017’sWonder Womanchooses to handle one of its two Big Bads (the other beingPedro Pascal’s flashy con man Max Lord) is one of a greatmany issues that pop up inWonder Woman 1984.In theWonder Womancomics, Barbara Minerva is the third of fourincarnations of the villain known as Cheetah....

Iron Man 3is undoubtedly the most divisive Marvel movie thus far. There may be Marvel films that are more generally disliked, but the folks that don’t likeIron Man 3act like they’ve been personally offended by the whole thing. Essentially it boils down to the inspired decision of writersShane BlackandDrew Pearceto subvert expectations by having The Mandarin turn out to be a front, asGuy Pearce’s Aldrich Killian is ultimately revealed to be the main bad guy....

Quick Links Maxine Minx is back, folks, and this time the aspiring starlet is making her mark in America’s most fame-hungry city: Los Angeles. Set six years after the gruesome massacre inX,MaXXXineserves as the third and final installment ofTi West’s critically acclaimed trilogy and takes place in a glamorous but dangerous 1980s Hollywood. As Maxine continues to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming famous, and finally lands a big break that could turn her into a household name, the infamous serial killer known as the Night Stalker terrorizes the streets of California and someone threatens to end Maxine’s rise to stardom when it’s only just begun....

The end is near as we get closer and closer to the premiere ofStar Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalkerin December. The ninth film will bring to a close the epic “Skywalker saga”, which began in 1977 withGeorge Lucas’Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. Now, more than 40 years later, this one tale which has dominated pop culture is about to wrap up. ForRise of SkywalkerdirectorJ.J. Abrams, wrapping up this story has been a daunting process....

[Editor’s note: The following containsspoilersthrough the Season 1 finale ofJulie and the Phantoms, “Stand Tall."] From showrunnersDan Cross&David Hogeand director/executive producerKenny Ortega, the nine-episode half-hour seriesJulie and the Phantomsfollows high schooler Julie (ultra-talented 16-year-old newcomerMadison Reyes) who’s still reeling from the loss of her mom when the ghosts of three musicians – Luke (Charlie Gillespie), Reggie (Jeremy Shada) and Alex (Owen Joyner) – from 1995 suddenly appear. Their passion for music reignites her own and as they start to write songs together and perform, they quickly realize that while they’re performing, they’re a little less ghostly and can be seen and heard....

After getting her start at such comedic training grounds as The Second City, The iO West Theater and The ComedySportz Theatre,Kay Cannonreceived rave reviews for her debut screenplayPitch Perfect, and wrote and co-producedPitch Perfect 2andPitch Perfect 3. Now, she’s made her feature directorial debut with the outrageously funnyBlockers, in which three parents (played byLeslie Mann,John CenaandIkeBarinholtz) discover that their daughters (played byKathryn Newton,Geraldine ViswanathanandGideonAdlon) have a pact to lose their virginity on prom night, leading them to do whatever it takes to keep that from happening and ensure that these three smart, determined and empowered young women don’t make a decision that they’ll regret....

One of the most frustrating thing about listening to artists talk about their work is their insistence on the tremendous fallacy that anyone can do this sort of work. It’s one of those staple lines that directors, producers, screenwriters, and most creatives that currently work in Hollywood use more to try to remind the world and themselves that they’re an ordinary person at the end of the day than spread hope and inspiration....

We finally have our first look atLove & Death, arguably one of the buzziest limited series of 2022, and they were definitely worth the wait. The HBO Max series starsElizabeth Olsenand centers around the true crime story ofCandy Montgomery, who murdered a friend in 1980 with an ax. The show is expected to be released in 2022 as filming continues in Kyle, Texas. The recently-released photos showcase Olsen’s turn as the Texas housewife, singing in her church’s choir and dining at an outdoor restaurant with an unknown partner....

HereditaryfilmmakerAri Asterfollowed up one of the most disturbing horror films in recent memory withanotherone of the most disturbing horror films in recent memory, and we now know when you can ownMidsommarto re-experience the terror for yourself.Midsommarwill be released on Digital and On Demand by A24 on September 24th, followed by a Blu-ray and DVD release via Lionsgate on October 8th. That’s the good news. The bad news is the bonus features are practically non-existent, and neither one of these home video releases includes Aster’s extended director’s cut....

Netflix’s most mind-bending series (and boy, that’s saying something) returns this week for Season 2. FromThe Matrixco-mastermindLana Wachowski(Lily Wachowski is a co-creator but opted to sit out Season 2) andBabylon 5creatorJ. Michael Straczynski,Sense8follows a “cluster” of psychologically and spiritually linked empaths from around the world who share an ability to communicate and experience each other’s lives, no matter how much difference is between them. In Season 1, we saw the Sensates come together and embrace their unique abilities while fending off those who would control or contain them....

Can you imagineShia LabBeoufin the DC Extended Universe? Well, it almost happened. The actor has been diving deep into independent and experimental cinema lately with roles inLars von Trier’s sexual epicNymphomaniacand a buzzworthy turn inAmanda Arnold’s upcoming dramaAmerican Honey, but after his turn inDavid Ayer’s World War II filmFury, he nearly made a return to blockbuster filmmaking five years after his final appearance in theTransformersfranchise. As part of an extensive profile of the actor inVariety, which is timed to the festival rollout ofAmerican Honey, a now-sober LaBeouf revealed that Ayer tried to bring him onboardSuicide Squadin the role that eventually went toScott Eastwood....

ManySouth Parkaficionados know the band PRIMUS composed and performed the theme song for the raunchy comedy series, but have you heard the equally absurd tale of how they pulled the whole thing off? Marking the show’s 20th anniversary,South ParkcreatorsMatt StoneandTrey Parker, as well as PRIMUS lead singerLes Claypool, discussed the origins of the song withTHR. As Claypool recalled, he was called about these guys who “were working on this little animated pilot for Comedy Central....